5 Healthy Food Habits
Think you're a healthy eater? Test yourself with these good-for-you habits.
By Annette Colby, R.D., Ph.D.

Maintaining a healthy diet isn't just a matter of willpower—it's about creating good habits and knowing what to eat and when. Follow these tips to feel great about your diet.

1. Feed your metabolism. It's a fact—people who subscribe to extremely low-calorie diets burn 30 to 40 percent fewer calories a day than normal eaters. By over-restricting calories, your body senses it's being starved and slows down to preserve energy. The best approach to keeping your metabolism burning is to eat at regular intervals, at least three times a day. Skipping meals and under-eating also triggers overeating late in the day. Studies show that overweight people consume 75 percent of their calories in the evening, when the body is slowing down and may be more likely to store fat.

2. Beware of high-calorie drinks. With a boom in coffee drinks, sports drinks, juices and flavored water (not to mention the old standbys of soda and alcohol), we're now drinking more calories than ever. According to a study at Purdue University, liquid calories don't satiate the body like solid foods, meaning people don't compensate for them in their total number of daily calories. Monitor your consumption of high-calorie drinks and turn to solid foods when you're looking to stay full longer.

3. Ensure long-lasting energy. Research shows that low-fat foods containing protein produce stronger and more sustained feelings of fullness and also decrease the likelihood of overeating later on. This is because protein triggers the brain to send "stop eating" signals. By including small amounts of nuts, seafood, lean meat, skinless poultry, egg whites, reduced-fat dairy products and/or soy products into your diet you'll stay satiated longer and will avoid sudden hunger.

4. Want flat abs? Eat your fruits and vegetables! In a study conducted by the American Cancer Society, scientist followed nearly 80,000 middle-aged people for 10 years and found that those who ate at least 19 servings of vegetables a week gained significantly less fat around the belly. Fruits and vegetables are also loaded with disease-fighting phytochemicals to keep you healthy as you age.

5. Go natural. You already know that natural foods low in fat and high in fiber are more nutritional than fatty, sugary foods (such as processed foods and sweet bakery products), but did you know that foods high in sugar and fat may cause you to overeat?
   A study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that these so-called "tastiest foods" are least satiating. For five days participants were served a high-sugar, high-fat diet, and the next five days they were served a minimally processed low-fat diet high in fiber. The study found that when consuming the low-fat diet, participants—who were free to eat as much as they liked—not only consumed fewer calories but ate less overall. In total they consumed 1,570 calories a day on the low-fat, high-fiber diet and 3,000 calories on the high-sugar, high-fat diet.