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While you may not yet be in danger of developing an eating disorder, taking some precaution can help ensure that you don’t wind up in an uphill battle against one. And, should you be among those who are currently suffering with an eating disorder, getting your nutritional intake and your psychological motivation in better balance can help you as well.

Here, then are several ways to help you take charge of your unhealthy eating habits. Some of these may work for you, or you may need more intensive assistance in the form of professional treatment to overcome habits that have become so much a part of your life that you can’t seem to overcome them.

Keep Moderation in Mind

The secret to keeping your eating in balance is to remember, first and foremost, the trick of moderation. If you find yourself constantly stuffing your face, even when you are already full, that’s certainly the opposite of moderation. On the other hand, if you barely consume enough nutrition to keep your body functioning, that’s not good, either. Somewhere in between is the happy medium, the balance you should strive to attain.

What does moderation look and feel like in practical terms? It’s not too hard to figure out. Today’s society in the United States is, generally speaking, one of plentiful variety and vast abundance of healthy foods to choose from. We’re far removed from the days of the bread lines and people starving because they had nothing to eat. And we don’t have to keep minding grandmother’s admonition to clean our plates.

Still, it’s amazing how we forget what it means to eat in moderation. Here, then, is a tip on what moderation looks like: Just eat enough that you can push away from the table before you feel full. Leave a little something on your plate. Feed the dog with it, if you feel guilty about wasting food. Or, next time, put a little less quantity on your plate or dish everything out onto a smaller plate.

Balance the Food Groups

Without sounding like we’re giving you a science lesson, it is important to know a bit about the basic food groups – and how to balance your meals with the right amount of food from each group.

There are numerous sources of information on the Internet about food groups and how to plan meals so that you include the right foods from each during the course of a day. So, we won’t go into all that here. A good site to check out is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There, the basic food groups – grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, meats, poultry and fish, and nuts, seats and legumes – and what foods are in each group.

How you balance the various food groups is by utilizing a healthy eating plan. There are two widely recognized eating plans. The first is the Food Pyramid, which is based on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Eating Guide. On MyPyramid.gov you can look up specific foods, plan a healthy menu, get a personalized plan, analyze your diet, ask questions, and a whole lot more. Be sure to check out the site’s "10 Tips" series for suggestions on how to get started with a healthy eating plan today. Current tips include:

• Cutting Back on Salt and Sodium
• Be a Healthy Role Model for Children
• Following a Vegetarian Diet
• Going Green with MyPyramid
• Choose a Harvest of Colorful Vegetables
• Make Half Your Grains Whole
• Focus on Fruits
• Cut Back on Sweet Treats

The second is the DASH Eating Plan, from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). DASH stands for "Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension," and the free updated booklet can be downloaded from the NHLBI site. The DASH eating plan features lots of healthy fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other foods that are healthy for your heart and are lower in salt and sodium. The booklet also contains helpful information on healthy weight loss and physical activity.

Tips for Healthy Eating Out

You don’t have to forego eating out just because you’re worried you will overindulge in greasy or high-calorie food that blows your healthy eating plan. With a little pre-planning and careful attention to what you order, you can maintain a moderate and healthy eating plan – and still enjoy your meal out.

• If the restaurant is known for its large portions, be a buddy and share your plate with a friend. That’s a good reason for couples to go out for a romantic dinner on a regular basis, or for splitting the over-sized portion with a friend for lunch or dinner.
• Other ways to deal with meals that are way-too-big-to-be-healthy include ordering an appetizer or side dish instead of an entrée, set half your food aside to take home as soon as it’s delivered, and only eat the amount you plan to (what’s right for you) – leaving the rest.
• When it comes to ordering a beverage, ask for water or unsweetened tea, other drinks without added sugars, or low-fat or fat-free milk for coffee.
• Starting your meal out with a salad that’s packed with vegetables can fill you up to the point where you don’t even need to order an entrée. It’s a good strategy that can help you heed your healthy eating plan and save you money in the process.
• Another helpful tip is to always ask for salad dressing to be served on the side. Ditto gravy (which you should usually avoid), and other sauces that some fish and meat and poultry are prepared with. When you can add what you want sparingly, you get the taste without all the unhealthy calories and fat.
• Sizes of portions, if available, should be on the low side. Choose small or medium instead of large – for main dishes, side dishes and beverages.
• Look for entrees or main dishes that have lots of vegetables included. These could be stir-fries, pasta with tomato sauce, and kebabs.
• When ordering dishes that are usually fried or sautéed, order them steamed, broiled or grilled instead.
• Forget about using butter on your food. You don’t need the empty calories.
• If you want dessert, stick to fresh fruit instead of empty calories in pies, cakes, ice cream, cookies or other sweets.

Figure Out How to Motivate Yourself to Healthy Eating

All the healthy eating plans in the world won’t do the trick if you don’t figure out what it is that will motivate you into developing a healthy eating arrangement. You’ve got to want to make some changes, want to take charge of your unhealthy eating habits, and actually put your thoughts down on paper and then take action.

For some, this may be a heart-to-heart discussion with a spouse or significant other, a chat with the doctor, or candid conversation with a close friend. Be careful of talking with enablers, however. The last thing you need is someone giving you an excuse to continue your bad eating habits.

Maybe reading accounts of how others have overcome bad eating habits will spur you to make some changes in the kinds and amounts of food you consume.

Maybe you will find inspiration joining a group of others who are in the process of changing their lives around so that they incorporate healthier eating. Depending on your comfort zone, and how bad your eating habits have become (such as if you have a clinically diagnosed eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia), you could take in a few meetings at Overeaters Anonymous or Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous.

Never Eat Out of Emotion

One of the biggest reasons many people get into trouble with their eating habits is that they eat out of emotion. What does that mean? It means that whenever they feel something painful or upsetting, they automatically reach for food to try to make the emotion go away or dissipate. In a way, food becomes like a drug that they use to blot out the pain or emotion.

Sadness, depression, anxiety, loneliness, even happiness – all can trigger a craving, a desire to eat to make the bad (or happy) feeling go away. Why would we eat when we’re happy? Why would that be a bad thing? It isn’t the eating that’s bad, it’s how we eat. Some people, having a psychological block, may feel that they don’t deserve to be happy. If they stuff their face with food, then they’ll be miserable or prove the point to themselves, so they think. That’s why eating out of emotion is never a good thing.

To avoid eating out of emotion, it’s important to carefully plan out your meals in advance. And, when you do eat, consume your food slowly, savoring every bite. Not only will you get more enjoyment out of eating this way, you’ll be helping your digestion immensely. Many eating problems are exacerbated by people simply not chewing their food adequately.

Never Eat to Rid Stress

Another culprit that compounds our unhealthy eating habits is when we eat in order to deal with stress. Like drinking alcohol and doing drugs, eating in the mistaken belief that it will alleviate or eliminate stress is just asking for trouble. This much didn’t do the job, so I’ll just eat (or drink or drug) more. All that does is lead us down the path toward addiction – and that’s a road we really don’t want to choose.

Employ a Three-Pronged Approach

All this sounds well and good, you say? How do you actually get started? Nutrition experts and doctors agree that in order to eliminate bad eating habits and change your life around, you need a practical approach. Here are three points that should be part of your getting started.

First, you have to be aware of the unhealthy eating habits you want to change. This may take a little analysis, and that’s exactly what you want. Maybe you find yourself reaching for the potato chips or dishing out ice cream when a certain time of the evening rolls around – every night. Maybe you can’t bear to leave food on your plate. Knowing what your bad habits are is the first part of your approach to learning how to deal with them.

Second, you need to figure out why these bad habits exist. How did they get started? Did your mother always serve up a heaping plate of food and demand that you eat it? Did everyone always have dessert after meals or later on in the evening, a kind of a nightly ritual? Do you always eat when you are tired or angry or stressed out or after a long day at work? Knowing why you’re eating the way you do is necessary to corral these bad habits and create healthier ways of eating.

Third, you need to determine how you’re going to gradually change – stress gradually – those bad eating habits so that you incorporate healthier ways of eating and add exercise that’s appropriate into your life. You may require some help on this part of the three-pronged approach. Working with a dietician or your doctor may be a good first step.

Give Yourself Time to Change

As with any bad habit, the way you are today with your unhealthy eating habits took some time to develop. It didn’t happen overnight. It only follows logically that it will take some time to change those habits, to gradually metamorphose your unhealthy eating into balanced and healthy eating.

You have to be willing to give yourself time to change. That means you can’t be discouraged when it doesn’t come easily to you, or you feel that you should be making more progress than you are. Having a coach or close friend to keep you motivated could help, especially if the two of you are embarking on a plan to incorporate healthier eating into your lives.

One thing is certain. If you don’t think about timing, and just keep working at eating healthier, before you know it you will start to see the results. The most surprising aspect of your new way of eating will most likely be how much better you feel – physically and mentally. Not only that, but your food will taste incredibly good. How great is that?

There’s an old saying that goes like this: "Nothing succeeds like success." We can use this quite rightly here. When you begin to see improvements in your eating habits, ditching the old and unhealthy ones for those that are balanced, nutritious, and healthy, you will find that your cravings will disappear. You’ll also find that the kinds of foods you prefer will begin to change. Overall, your life will be measurably better.

Isn’t it worth the effort to take some time to take charge of your unhealthy eating habits? If you’re eager for a change, now’s the time to get started. After all, what you put into your mouth is entirely up to you. Making informed choices and choosing wisely will put you on the path toward a healthier you.