5 Reasons Poor Eating Habits are bad for Your Health
How many times have you considered poor-quality fuel for your car just because it’s cheap or readily available? We don’t do this to the things we love. But the question is why don’t we love our bodies the same way?
Food is to our body what fuel is to a car. One should be particular about the quality of the food they consume. Unfortunately, we are surrounded by an enormous amount of unhealthy but tasty options, and the modern lifestyle makes them harder to resist. Healthy eating has become a challenge.
However, when we say healthy eating, it is not just about the food we eat but also when we eat it, how we eat it, and how much we eat it. In simpler words, it is about our overall eating habits as well. It is important to identify the destructive eating habits and understand why they are bad for health.
What Are Poor Eating Habits?
Countless studies assert that Americans have the worst diet in the world and the general eating habits in our country are unhealthy. To change this situation, one must identify what unhealthy eating habits they indulge in.
Skipping meals, eating on the go, eating right before going to bed, eating in bed, eating in front of TV, fad diets, excessive fast food, sugary beverages, not enough water, and food that lacks any nutritional value – these are just some common unhealthy eating habits Americans are found guilty of. Thanks to the fast food culture and an on-the-go lifestyle, we indulge in mindless eating and fill our bodies with toxins and calories while depriving them of essential nutrients.
These unhealthy eating habits can have dire implications for your physical and mental health. These implications can range from weight issues and hormonal problems to mental stress and depression.
Here are five reasons poor eating habits are bad for your health and need to be changed as soon as possible.
- You Are Eating Too Many Calories
From a general perception, more calories mean more pounds on the scale – but the weight isn’t the only problem that arises from a calorie-packed diet. Bad eating habits involve eating food that contains a high amount of calories such as fast food, fried food, red meat, and all kinds of processed food. And they also involve eating more often than you should.
By consuming more calories, you are sending an invitation to a horde of health issues that include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, and osteoarthritis. So, watch what you eat. Unless you have a highly active and athletic lifestyle, your daily calorie intake shouldn’t exceed 1200 to 1500.
- You Are Not Getting Enough Nutrients
The thing about nutrients is that they aren’t produced by our body; it is something that we get out of the food we eat. The problem with unhealthy food, such as fast food or processed food of any kind, is that it lacks nutrition. It has calories that can satiate your hunger, but it provides no real value to your body.Nutritional deficiencies eventually lead to health issues such as digestive problems, stunted bone growth, lower brain function, and a weaker immune system. In short, the body falls weak because the fuel you are using lacks the power to keep it going.
So, it is important to each nutrient-rich food to ensure the optimal functionality of your body. Nutrition rich food includes vegetables, fruits, fish, and dairy to name a few.
- You Are Altering Your Metabolism
Speaking of bad eating habits when you eat is just as important as what you eat. It is a dilemma that people often fall for fad diets that involve starving for long hours. Some people even skip meals or have irregular meal times. Healthy eating habits include eating regular meals at a fixed time. When your mealtime is fixed, your body prepares itself for the meal intake accordingly. When you mess up your mealtime, you mess up your body clock and your metabolism.
According to a study, irregular meal times have many adverse effects on metabolism. It reduces the thermic effect of food and lowers insulin sensitivity. Faulty metabolism might lead to fat accumulation in the body. If you don’t want to end up choosing between CoolSculpting & Liposuction for fat reduction, it is important that you adopt healthy eating habits.
- Eating Habits Affect Your Mind
The effects of poor eating habits are not limited to your body. You’re eating habits can plague your mind as well. What we eat, how we eat, and when we eat can impact our brain function. Lack of nutrients in our diet and irregular meals can cause mental stress and fatigue.
Studies show that our diet can alter our brain health and mental functions. Healthier and regular meals not only make us more alert and attentive, but they also increase our serotonin levels. It won’t be wrong to say that better eating habits will improve the way we think and the way we feel. After all, it’s all in the mind.
- You End Up Over-Eating
Last, poor eating habits lead to overeating. Almost every aforementioned bad habit ends you up on the same road. We overeat when we eat while watching our favorite show. We overeat when we keep a jar of midnight snacks by the bed. We overeat when we starve for too long. We overeat when we give up after an ineffective fad diet. More importantly, we overeat when we choose calorie-rich, nutrition-lacking food because it makes us crave more.
If you really want to control your diet and portions, you need to change your eating habits.
Conclusion
Healthy eating habits are important. How we consume our food can make a huge difference in how our food affects our mind and body. Our eating habits are an important aspect of our lifestyle. You cannot truly embrace a healthy diet or lifestyle without leaving your unhealthy eating habits behind. So, be mindful of what you eat, how you eat it, and when you eat it.