If I followed you with a video camera for a day to see what kind of food you eat, what would we see? What if I followed you for a week or a month? What food do you eat the majority of the time? Imagine if I followed you to a restaurant, a party, or on vacation, what food would we see then?
At different times your food choices will differ, but the question is, what do you eat the majority of the time? We know when we dine out or vacation, our food choices will vary from our everyday fare. It's what we eat the majority of the time that matters.
If you mostly eat smart you will also eat that way while dining out or traveling. You'll eat differently, but still make smarter choices because that's who you are. Yet if you are accustomed to making poor food choices daily, that habit will follow you everywhere. You will justify choosing poor quality food because you're on vacation, or it's just this one dinner. How many years will you allow yourself to be deceived?
For some, their weight does not reflect their poor food choices, but what is not visible is how the unhealthy food is affecting their overall health or internal organs. Often by the time they have a diagnosis, the damage is done and medical treatment begins. It is then that everyone is shocked with the news of their ill health.
It is for this reason I tell my overweight clients that they are the lucky ones. Of course they don't believe me. They envy those who don't have a weight problem and can eat "anything they want." In time, they become thankful that their poor eating habits appeared on the outside first, where it's visible. It triggers clients to change their eating before they suffer long-term health issues that obesity and poor eating will cause.
What you eat the majority of the time matters most. Are your meals well-balanced? Do you eat small meals throughout the day? Are you eating fruits and vegetables every day to get the vitamins and minerals needed? Do you eat enough lean protein to keep you healthy? Are you adding carbohydrates to give you energy, and healthy fats to keep you satisfied?
Or do you opt for the vending machine, fast food restaurants, and the daily bagel or cake brought into your office? Do you just grab what is handy and convenient, and ignore your health?
It is never too late to change your eating habits. You dictate your degree of health by the food and lifestyle you choose. If you are enjoying good health, pat yourself on the back. If you find yourself with extra weight or health issues, it's time to change. You are only as healthy as the food you eat.
When you adopt a healthier lifestyle and eat smart as described in the Five-Finger Food Guide, you'll lose your taste for the unhealthy food you once loved. You'll find that you never feel deprived of those poor choices, and realize that those foods deprived you of your good health.