We live in a busy world and when one is so pressed for time, it may seem a good thing for him or her to do to skip a meal or two and catch up on it later. He or she should realize, though, that this is one of the worst possible things he or she could be doing to himself or herself! Each meal that a person has, is a window for nutrients and vitamins, which are crucial for the maintenance of good health to be ingested into the body. When a person makes the unwise choice to go ahead and skip a meal, the ramifications may not be so evident at first. It is to be kept in mind that the repercussions can manifest themselves in the not so distant future, all depending on the frequency of his or her missing a meal.

If a person is of the opinion that he or she does not have enough time or energy to get through the day, it is for sure that skipping a meal in order to try to make more time for the things which need to be done, he or she will be unintentionally skimping on the latter as a consequence of doing so. When a person skips a meal, the functions of the body are reduced by a significant margin. As a matter of fact, what happens is that the person becomes quite a bit more irritable and far less rational, which is something that can be attributed to brain fog. What is the point of having more time if the energy levels are too low to make even a reasonable productive use of the time?

It can be said that the best way to stay healthy when it comes to eating habits is to just listen to what the body is saying. While this sort of advice may seem to be quite simple, or even possibly, too simple, there are advantages of following it. When meals are skipped, a person deprives him or herself of the joy of eating. Also, he or she is likely to overcompensate when the following meal is eaten by him or her. This is likely to negate any impact on the person’s possible attempt to lose weight.

Missing meals is also linked higher type 2 diabetes and heart disease; especially when it comes to skipping breakfast. Food is to be savoured, so take shorter meals as many times a day!

Uneven distribution of the calories or insufficient food intake might make a person a 'Compulsive Eater' which is the most noted eating disorder. The golden rule of the healthy dieting states 'One should control the portion size'. A healthy diet is not about eating less or abstaining yourself from the list of food items, but it is about eating mindfully and sensibly. Skipping meals regularly also affects 'Basal Metabolic Rate' massively, in which the body further responds by pilling up those extra pounds, resulting in Obesity. Other metabolic problems connected with insufficient food intake are Anorexia (Loss of appetite) and Bulimia (Self-induced vomiting) which are considered detrimental to the body and also affect the psyche of the person. A smart meal divided equally throughout the day is a better choice to stay healthy physically and mentally. A human body is like a machine, which needs a constant supply of energy throughout to sustain well. Skipping meals will only degrade the complete wellbeing further and lead to other behavioural and physical problems.

Mindless munching is usually caused by boredom as well as stress and fatigue in many cases. Also, not eating your meals on time is another reason why we suddenly feel hungry and end up eating all types of wrong food. This kind of mindless munching usually makes us ingest empty calories, which can make us put on weight and face other health issues in the long run as well.

Many of these snacks also contain lots of oil, fat and salt which can cause a range of diseases like diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular conditions.

So, how can you cut down on mindless munching? Read on to know more!

Visual reminders: A great way to ensure that you do not succumb to sudden and unhealthy cravings is to place visual reminders on your desk and on the fridge. Get a print out of the things that motivate you like healthy eating options, daily calorie intake required, your goal weight, it can be anything! Place these around you so that you realise how much better off you are without the mindless eating.

Small plates and tall glasses: You can use tall glasses in order to ensure that you are ingesting plenty of water. Many times, mental hunger can be cured with a big glass of water. So, even when you are having a snack or a meal, keep a tall glass of water to fill yourself up instead of feeling hungry later and eating mindlessly. Also, use smaller crockery in order to eat less. As per psychologists, this tends to have a bearing on the eating patterns of the person by creating a visual reminder helps a lot.

Variety: Eat all colors of food in order to get more variety, but limit the variety to more healthy food. Keep the various kinds of chips and wafers away from your home and pantry so that you have no choice, but to snack on fruits and dry fruits as well as other healthy options when the munchies strike!

Be deliberate and present: When you eat slowly, you allow the satisfaction of a good meal to wash over you. This ensures that you have less scope to indulge in mindless eating later. Also, you will feel fuller when you have been more deliberate and present with your meal. This can be done by switching off all devices and the television or smartphone, in particular, and actually taking the time to enjoy your food. Many psychologists say that distractions tend to make us eat more, and more often. So, it is best to cut these out before you start eating.

The above discussed ways can be of great help in keeping you away from mindless munching and ensuring a healthy life ahead.

There are three main types of eating disorders. These are bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa and binge eating. Anorexia nervosa is an exaggerated fear of gaining weight all the way to the point when the patient becomes abnormally thin. Bulimia nervosa is eating too much and then vomiting it out on a regular basis. Binge eating is when an individual eats an excessive amount of food in one go. All three types of eating disorders have adverse effects on pregnancy.

Here is how eating disorders affect pregnancies:

1. Unplanned pregnancies: Women with eating disorders are much more likely to have an unplanned pregnancy. This is true both for women who had eating disorders in the past as well as women who have eating disorders at the moment. In a study by University College London and King's College London consisting of 11000 women showed, only 28% of women reported that they had an unplanned pregnancy without suffering from any eating disorder as compared to the 41% who did have an eating disorder at some point in their life. The reason for this is that women tend to think that they do not need contraceptives due to an irregular menstrual cycle, which is one of the consequences of eating disorders during pregnancy.


2. Happiness about their pregnancy: The same survey of 11000 women conducted by University College London and King's College London reported that 71% of women were happy about their pregnancies. However, the number would have been a lot higher if there were fewer women with eating disorders. It has been said that 10% of women were unhappy to discover they were pregnant, if they had an eating disorder in the past as compared to 4% who never had an eating disorder.

3. Consider pregnancy a 'personal sacrifice': It has also been said that women who have had or have eating disorders during or before their pregnancy tend to consider pregnancy as a 'personal sacrifice' much more often than women who have no history or eating disorders.

Even though mostly, eating disorders affect pregnant women mentally rather than physically, it is crucial that women try to fix this problem before their pregnancy so they actually can enjoy having a baby.

There are three main types of eating disorders, these are bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa and binge eating. Anorexia nervosa is an exaggerated fear of gaining weight all the way to the point when the patient becomes abnormally thin. Bulimia nervosa is eating too much and then vomiting it out on a regular basis. Binge eating is when an individual eats an excessive amount of food in one go. All three types of eating disorders have adverse effects on pregnancy.

Here is how eating disorders affect pregnancies:

1. Unplanned pregnancies: Women with eating disorders are much more likely to have an unplanned pregnancy. This is true both for women who had eating disorders in the past as well as women who have eating disorders at the moment. In a study by University College London and King's College London consisting of 11000 women showed, only 28% of women reported that they had an unplanned pregnancy without suffering from any eating disorder as compared to the 41% who did have an eating disorder at some point in their life. The reason for this is that women tend to think that they do not need contraceptives due to an irregular menstrual cycle, which is one of the consequences of eating disorders during pregnancy.


2. Happiness about their pregnancy: The same survey of 11000 women conducted by University College London and King's College London reported that 71% of women were happy about their pregnancies. However, the number would have been a lot higher if there were fewer women with eating disorders. It has been said that 10% of women were unhappy to discover they were pregnant, if they had an eating disorder in the past as compared to 4% who never had an eating disorder.

3. Consider pregnancy a 'personal sacrifice': It has also been said that women who have had or have eating disorders during or before their pregnancy tend to consider pregnancy as a 'personal sacrifice' much more often than women who have no history or eating disorders.

Even though mostly, eating disorders affect pregnant women mentally rather than physically, it is crucial that women try to fix this problem before their pregnancy so they actually can enjoy having a baby.

"I don't have time" is one of the most common excuses heard for living an unhealthy lifestyle. When you're working full-time, it is often easier to order from a restaurant and spend the evening watching television and cooling off instead of cooking a healthy meal and hitting the gym. However, a busy lifestyle does not necessarily need to be unhealthy.

Here are a few simple tips to live a healthier life.

1. Cook one-pot meals

Cooking doesn't have to be complicated. Experiment with your microwave settings and recipes to find quick meals that can be made in under a minute like a quiche in a mug or steamed salmon. Making pasta can be as easy as putting all the ingredients together into a pot and letting them cook. Find recipes that require minimal grocery shopping and preparation.

2. Take the stairs

Elevators are definitely convenient and cannot be avoided if your office or home is on the 10th floor. To balance convenience and health, get off the elevator a floor or two below yours and climb up the remaining stairs. Obviously working up a sweat by climbing stairs at the beginning of your day at work isn't a good idea, so, time your stair climbs at the end of the day or when a shower is nearby.

3. Avoid snacking

Eat proper meals instead of mindlessly snacking through the day. Keeping a food diary can help you recognize your eating habits and rectify them. If three meals a day do not satiate your hunger, break your meals into smaller portions eaten at more frequent intervals. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and should never be skipped.

4. Drink plenty of water

Often we snack not because we're hungry but because the body is dehydrated. Water can also boost your energy levels and aid digestion. However, avoid filling your stomach with water before a meal to make you eat less. This can hinder your digestion process and keep your body from receiving its necessary nutrients.

5. Cut back on packaged foods

Packaged food is never really all that good for you. In most cases, it is loaded with sugar, sodium, preservatives and artificial flavouring. If you cannot avoid packaged food, pick the one with minimal ingredients.

6. Interval training

Spending an hour at the gym is not the only way to exercise. If you cannot find time for a full workout, try interval training. Get off the couch during intervals while watching your favourite soap or take a quick five-minute break from your desk to exercise. Regular exercise will also help you sleep better and make you wake up feeling refreshed.