3 Tips for a Healthy Eating Pattern

10th December 2022

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What is a healthy eating pattern?

The food and drinks that a person consumes over time creates a person’s eating pattern.

Although food and beverage intake can vary from day to day, an eating pattern is the average consumption over a period of time. A healthy eating pattern describes the food choices that a person eats and drinks as health promoting rather than unhealthy ones.

A balanced diet consists of a variety of foods, with foods from all food groups, including protein, grains, dairy, and fruits and vegetables. The body and brain will not function optimally if they do not get enough of a certain macronutrient group, such as carbohydrates or fats.

Download Hutton Health's FREE Meal Planner to help set yourself up for long term success.

Why is it important to have a healthy eating pattern?

A healthy eating pattern means that a person is getting the nutrients and vitamins needed to help maintain their body’s daily functioning, promote optimal weight, and help prevent disease.

As a healthy eating pattern considers the food and drink intake over time, imagine your body as a vehicle you use to get around, so you need fuel for it to function effectively in the same way you need fuel in your car.

The fuel your body needs is found in the food that we eat. If we put the wrong fuel in your body, it will stop working, the same way that your car would break down.

Why is it important to have a healthy eating pattern

3 Tips for a healthy eating pattern

1. Focus on quality!

Eating nutrient dense foods is important in a healthy eating plan and balanced diet. Nutrient dense foods contain a large amount of vitamins and minerals and are normally low in sugars, solid fats and sodium.

Examples of quality, nutrient dense foods include:

Vegetables
Fruit
Lean meats
Seeds and nuts
Eggs

2. Focus on each day

Since an eating pattern takes in to account the food and drink intake over time, it is important to avoid self-sabotaging behaviours if you overindulge. It is common for people who have an excessive amount of food or an indulgent treat to spiral in to a cycle of overeating, thinking ‘I’ve already overeaten, so why stop now’, or ‘I’ll start eating well again next week/next month/next year’.

Feeling like a failure because of a meal or day of exceeding your calories focuses merely on a single day rather than your average food and drink consumption over time. Remember that an eating pattern is made up of a number of days, not a single meal or day.

3. Focus on what you can ADD IN to your diet

When we try to make changes to our diet, it is easy to focus on what we can’t eat or drink. This makes us naturally crave the ‘forbidden’ food more and leaves us feeling like we are missing out and depriving ourselves.

Rather than concentrating on what you need to REMOVE and what you CAN’T HAVE from your diet, focus on ADDING IN to your diet:

Add in more lean protein
Add in more vegetables
Add in more water
Add in more fruit

nutrition tip: focus on adding in to your diet rather than restricting or taking away

When you focus on adding more nutrient dense food into your diet, your body will fill up on the healthy foods, leaving less room for the unhealthy alternatives. A healthy eating pattern that includes more healthy options will keep you feeling energised through the day, reducing the cravings and temptation to fill up on unhealthy snacks.

When deciding on an approach for weight loss and health, the focus should not be on fast fixes, rather on long-term sustainable changes. Choosing nutrient-dense and enjoyable foods from all groups is the key to sustained energy, a steady metabolism, and mental clarity.

Poor diet is one of the biggest risk factors for preventable ill health in England.

Eating is one of life’s greatest pleasures and when we fuel ourselves well it can do incredible things for not only our bodies but also our wellbeing. Focus on creating a healthy eating pattern to feel healthy in your body and in your mind.

Choose your food wisely, be kind to yourself and enjoy your eating experience! Here are 13 tips for healthy eating on a budget to help inspire you to eat well despite the rising cost of living.

Download Hutton Health's free Meal Planner to help you prepare for a successful week of mindful eating!