Health Tip : Assess your Eating Habits

If you've tried various diets and can't seem to lose weight, maybe it's time to re-evaluate your eating habits.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these suggestions:

•  Keep a diary of all foods you eat, when you ate them, how you were feeling, and what you were doing when you ate. Review the diary after a few days and look for patterns in your habits.
•  Take note of factors such as how quickly you ate, how much you ate, any meals you skipped, when you ate dessert, and when you ate despite not being hungry.
•  Think about why you have those eating habits, and choose those that you'd like to change.
•  Use your diary to figure out what causes you to eat when you aren't hungry (factors such as stress, while watching TV or being bored). Figure out of how to avoid eating in response to those triggers.
•  Be consistent with your new eating habits, and realize that it may take time for them to stick.