I’ll admit it. I am a “snacker”. My body screams for food at around 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., every day, even though I make it a point to have heavy breakfast and proper lunch on time. I am sure there are times of the day which are challenging for you as well. And, if you ignore the hunger, you end up devouring handful of chips or cookies or end up overeating during next meal. Therefore, I plan ahead and have a non-perishable healthy snack available with me at all times, usually homemade diet mixture or homemade healthy granola bar.
There is nothing wrong in snacking. In fact, snacking can help with weight loss by warding off afternoon and evening binge eating and can help control blood sugar levels. However, the snack should be factored into your total calorie intake for the day, providing adequate amount of carbohydrate and protein.
Unfortunately, this type of healthy snacking is NOT happening as we end up eating chips, biscuits with tea. So, Where to begin?
Following tips may help you if you do include snacks in your diet to have the right overall energy intake and maintain a healthy, balanced diet.
Watch the amount of fat, saturated fat, salt and sugars in your snacks, as well as calorie content – Read the food labels.
Replace snacks high in saturated fat, salt and/or sugars, like confectionary and biscuits, with healthier snacks, like unsalted nuts, in your kitchen cupboards or desk drawer. If the snacks are there, it is all too easy to eat them. Not having these snacks within easy reach at home and at work may help you to select something healthier.
Listen to hunger cues – before you reach for that biscuit on offer during a work meeting or try to break up the boredom or cheer yourself up by eating a snack, consider whether you are actual hungry.
Number of snacks – keep an eye on the number of snacks you are eating during the day. If you are snacking several times a day, think about the meals you are eating and when. Aim for three regular meals per day and 2 snacks.
Plan ahead – if you tend to need a mid-morning and/or mid-afternoon snack to satisfy your hunger until the next meal then planning ahead may help you to make sure these snacks are healthy and that overall your diet is nicely balanced.
Avoid shopping when hungry – there is some research suggesting that if you are hungry, you may be more likely to select less healthy snacks.
If you are trying to get a handle on uncontrolled snacking, it all comes back to daily food tracking. With this type of journaling, you can easily pinpoint where and when you're consuming nutrient-poor foods, as well as the factors surrounding the snack attack. How often are you snacking? Are you reaching for the snack because of true hunger or for emotional reasons (like breakups :P)
I hope this little article help you with your unhealthy snacking. See you all soon, till then ‘Happy Snacking. :)
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