Drugs don’t kill a person; it is the addiction that kills them. Likewise, no one kind of food is dangerous or unhealthy. It is our eating habits that result in undue medical problems or weight gains.

Ten Simple Healthy Eating Habits:What to Eat: You can eat a variety of foods. From diary products to meat, grains, fruits and vegetables; your food intake should include carbohydrates, vitamins, proteins, minerals and fat is small quantities.

When to eat: Begin with a good breakfast, infact people who eat breakfast are less likely to grab that evening snack. Apart from breakfast, eat two other meals a day. Eat every 4-6 hours, instead of waiting for the hunger pangs to remind you, it’s time to eat.

Where you should eat: Maintain a meal time and make sure you eat at a table, rather than while doing an activity.

How much to eat: The bigger the portions, the bigger your waistline gets! So keep a count of the calories you eat.

Drink water: People, who drink plenty of water, are less likely to put on weight. Your daily intake should be 6-8 glasses a day. This helps in clearing your system and replenishing the body with water it losses during the day.

Weigh yourself: Keep a record of your weight on a daily basis. This way you will be able to make out slight changes and will be able to make adjustments in your eating habits.

Exercise: Exercising on a daily basis for 30-60 minutes is excellent. You can choose a form of specialized exercise (aerobics, yoga) or just walking, running, biking, which are equally good.

Eating out: Whenever you choose to eat out, divide your meals into portions. Eat your regular portion and ask for a doggie bag. Some restaurants naturally serve big portions, you can ask them to serve you a smaller portion.

Why do you eat? Stress, and mood swings in some people may cause them to eat, even if they are not hungry. Make a note of why you are eating, and identify the triggers that cause you to binge.

Focus and slow down: Slow down whenever you are eating and make a sure you don’t couple it with any other activity like watching T.V. Drink or sip water in between mouthfuls. Stop when you feel full, you don’t have to polish up everything on your plate.

There is no magic portion to a healthy lifestyle; it has to be a dedicated and conscious effort on your part.