Does your family sit down and eat together at least once a day? Or do you only get together over a Sunday lunch, or special occasions? If you live alone, do you eat ‘on the go’ or with a tray in front of the TV or your laptop? Try fitting some of the following wellness tips into your regular routine:
Start the day right: Breakfast fuels you up after your overnight fast. It helps adults concentrate better at work, and children to focus better at school. Having breakfast also helps you maintain a healthy weight by kick-starting your metabolism, so you burn more energy, and by reducing food cravings. Even if you’re in a hurry, you can grab a banana and a juice.
Make every meal an occasion: Lay the table and sit down to eat – even if you are on your own, and only having a snack. Don’t eat mindlessly while standing up, walking around or reading – you will not appreciate what you are eating and may end up eating more.
Make an art of mealtime conversation: Stretch your meals out, like the French, so they become a social occasion – at least on weekends. Concentrate on your food while eating but, between courses, enjoy a relaxed conversation. Your meals will seem more satisfying and you may even feel full before the dessert, so you can decline fattening sweets and select healthy, fresh fruit instead.