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The health behavior I would like to change is how I eat. I want to change this behavior because I do not eat healthy at all. I eat fast food and a lot of junk. Because of my eating habits, I have gained weight, I feel tired most of the day, and I lack the motivation to do anything that exerts energy.
I want to be able to feel good about myself, mentally and physically, and by eating healthy, I think I can accomplish that. I have had asthma since I was a child, and being overweight has made my condition worse. There is a history of high blood pressure and diabetes in my family, this scares me because I am at greater risk for these diseases if I am overweight. Usually if I hang out with my friends, food is always involved. I think that if instead of going to eat as an activity, we could do something active to deter us from eating at restaurants that usually have unhealthy foods. To change the way I eat, I have decided to use menus based on the healthy eating pyramid.
The pyramid recommends sharply restricting red meat, potatoes, and refined grains. (Hoffman, p. 73) Limiting dairy products to one or two servings a day. Replacing saturated fat with healthier unsaturated vegetable oils. Consuming large amounts of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. By eating a variety of foods from each of the five major food groups every day, I can meet the daily requirements for protein, calories, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A typical menu would be: Breakfast: cup of orange juice 1 cup cooked oatmeal 1 -cup low fat milk Lunch: 3 slices turkey breast 2 slices whole grain bread Fresh broccoli and tomato slices 1 tablespoon low fat dressing 1 apple Snack: cup tomato juice 2 large rice cakes Dinner: chicken breast, baked or broiled cup steamed zucchini and carrots 1 small roll 1 tablespoon reduced calorie butter Snack: 1 -cup fat-free, sugar-free hot cocoa 3 fat-free cookies. (Neuman, p. 65) Putting this practice into place may be hard for me, but using helpful hints, I feel that I can do it. I can make my changes gradually, and I dont have to eliminate certain foods I really enjoy, I can reduce them.
Eating regular meals with moderate portions will help me keep my hunger in control. Eating the required fruits and vegetables also may be a challenge for me. I can help myself eat more of the fruits and vegetables by having them accessible. I can have them in a bowl on the kitchen counter, and I can carry a piece of fruit in my bag when I go out. By sticking to my plan, I have had much more energy to do the things that I really enjoy to do. It was a little hard at first, but over time I learned to make things that I really enjoy to eat, and that are healthy too.
I found that if I plan out my meals ahead of time, I ate less throughout the day, and I looked forward to my healthy meals. One thing that was really hard for me was cutting down on the breads and red meat. I overcame this by eating low calorie wheat bread, and when I wanted red meat, I would eat a small lean piece of beef and I would pair it with a very large salad, and a small portion of rice pilaf. Overall, I am very happy that I decided to make this change in my life.
I now am more active, I like to go for walks, and I go bowling with my friends instead of going out to eat. My asthma has improved, and I dont feel tired all the time, like I once did. I really feel that this change was the best thing for my life. I feel great about my self, and I am a much happier now.
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