Resisting Negative Eating Habits, Socially Speaking

If you are aiming to kick off 2012 with a healthy eating plan, you are probably not alone. Choosing to adopt a healthier lifestyle is a pretty common New Year’s Resolution. Obviously, more fruits and vegetables and a regular exercise regime go a long way to further this effort. However, did you ever consider how your circle of friends and the company you keep might affect your food choices? While we don’t commonly consider how our friends affect our eating habits, if your closest friends eat a lot of junk food or vice versa, it can have an influence on your own eating behavior and food choices. For example, if your closest friends tend to engage in eating unhealthy foods, the laws of social networking say that it can potentially rub off on you as well. However, in staying aware of this possibility, you can develop strategies that enable you to make healthier choices even when you are surrounded by unhealthy habits.

For example, if you are all eating in a group and your friends are picking high fat, high calorie dishes, you can choose to select something that is more diet friendly such as a salad with protein, commonly featured on the menu of most restaurants.

Another useful strategy for ensuring that you stay healthy in the face of people who are making unhealthy choices is to find a buddy at work or a neighbor to go running or play tennis with. Someone who engages in regular exercise is most likely open to discussing issues related to healthy recipes and food choices.

An additional tip for inviting healthy friends into your world is to pipe up about your goals to eat and stay healthy in the new year and specify what specific dietary changes you are trying to stick to. Acquiring at least one supportive friend can go a long way in helping to further your goals at attaining a healthier lifestyle.

Finally, joining groups that involve exercise of some sort such as hiking or bicycling can help you stay focused on your health goals and if you find that people in the group aren’t as health conscious with their eating plan, find at least one or two positive people who can positively influence your eating choices by making suggestions for healthy recipes and what foods help them feel the most energized. Just having a conversation about eating healthy can reinforce your resolve to stay healthy this year.The good news is that you can keep your closest friends and not resist influences to engage in unhealthy nutrition options!

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