Most of us are creatures of habit with almost everyone having at least one unhealthy habit. We buy the same foods from the same grocery store, prepare the same recipes over and over, and live within our own familiar routines. But if you're serious about eating healthier and losing weight, you need to shake it up, change those bad eating habits, and start thinking differently about your diet and lifestyle.

Certainly, everyone wants to be fit and fabulous for the holiday season. Here are ways you can get rid of these habits once and for all.

1. Cut Down on Snacking

It's really tempting to get into the snacking habit. Grabbing a bag of crisps or a chocolate bar on the way home may give you a short-term energy boost, but these snacks are usually the ones that are filled with bad types of fat and sugar.

It's best to try and stop snacking in between meals altogether. If you are finding it hard, try to carry a couple of pieces of fruit or a bag of nuts around with you. These can give you the same energy boost and contain fats and sugars that are better for you.

2. Stop Skipping Meals

Many doctors and nutritionists will tell you repeatedly to avoid skipping meals. When you don’t eat regularly, your hunger increases and you may also experience drops in blood sugar level.

You may prefer to miss breakfast and spend another 15 minutes in bed, but with you skipping breakfast this means you're more likely to be reaching for the chocolate by mid-morning. Having a healthy breakfast will boost your vitamin and mineral intake.

3. Stop Eating on the Run

If you live a busy life, there may not be enough time to prepare meals or sit down to eat. Eating in the car or going through a fast food drive-thru may be part of your eating habits. The challenge with eating on the run is that you don’t have a chance to pay close attention to what you’re eating as your mind is on other things.

When eating fast food, you are more likely to consume more fat and excessive calories without the necessary nutrition.

4. Stop Eating Large Portions

As bad eating habits go, eating more food than the body needs is a common behavior. This can happen for a variety of reasons. If you’re distracted by the television, you might eat more. Some people eat more when they’re feeling lonely.

To control portion sizes, think ahead about how much food will be enough. Serve yourself on a small plate or bowl and sit down at the table to eat.

5. Stop Using Food to Relieve Stress

Many people use food to relieve stress. After a long and difficult day at work, eating many slices of pizza and drinking beer may be an attractive option. Using food in this way, however, leads to greater weight gain.

When feeling stressed out, find ways to relax yourself that don’t involve food. Spending times in nature, talking with friends, read a book, write it out, meditating or watch a funny movie.

6. Stop Late Night Eating

Eating late at night is one of the bad eating habits that are very common. Nighttime eating often consists of snacking and excessive calorie consumption. This may be due to boredom or being distracted by sitting activities such as watching television or surfing the web.

To avoid eating late at night, find interesting things to do that takes away the boredom.

Possible options may include a fun hobby, an interesting book, meditation, an exercise DVD or a conversation with a good friend.