After many years of counseling clients, I have noticed some common habits among those who struggle to control weight. These habits include: eating late at night, eating while watching television, skipping breakfast and eating when stressed or upset. Habits are something we do without thinking. We have to acknowledge the habit, formulate a plan to change that behavior, and then practice a lot to successfully form new habits.
     Researchers at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center have discovered a link between eating habits and genetic changes that occur in the brain. They studied mice which are nocturnal animals feeding at night and sleeping all day. For one week, the scientists fed the mice in the daytime and took the food away at night. The mice began to wake up and look for food at the same time every day. When the scientists examined the brains of these mice, they noticed changes in the genes that control eating behavior.
     The scientists propose that humans may train their brains to expect food late at night instead of our usual three meals a day, so changing the late night snacking habit may be more difficult than we thought. I recommend keeping a food diary and noting the type of snack, the amount eaten, and whether or not you are really feeling hungry when you eat.
Make a list of enjoyable activities, hobbies and small chores you can do as a substitute for eating.
    Eating while doing something else, like watching television, leads to eating more than you realize. It is easy to eat a whole bucket of popcorn if your brain is preoccupied with a movie. Make a resolution to eat only at the bar in the kitchen or at the dining table without television. Eat slowly and enjoy every bite rather than rushing through a meal. If the meal is pleasurable, you may find yourself satisfied and not as tempted to snack all night long.
    Skipping breakfast has been shown to slow down the body’s metabolism as much as forty percent, so the body burns fewer calories all day long because it doesn’t get the fuel it needs to start the day. Breakfast can be as simple as a carton of fat-free yogurt with a piece of fruit or toast with a little peanut butter. Those who are the most successful at losing weight and keeping it off long term eat breakfast almost every day.
     We have all had a bad day at work or felt stressed over finances. Eating to soothe one’s nerves is quite common.  The term “comfort food” refers to those foods we tend to choose when we are upset because they calm us down.  Ice cream and chocolate are my favorites. Behavioral scientists recommend identifying the stressful situation and working to find a better way to deal with the emotions. Taking a brisk walk, weeding the garden or taking a hot bath works wonders for me.
    Habits take some time and effort to change, but the results are worth it.