It's Not You, It's Me....
Snacking has gained a bad rep. More often than not, snaking has been labeled as the culprit to all our weight gain and diet dilemmas. However, truth be told, snacking is not the problem. In fact, a healthy and balanced diet calls for adequate mid-morning slash afternoon delights. The problem is snacking wrong.
Here are seven simple rules to follow to ensure you keep the midday snacks sans the side of guilt and an expanding waistline ...
Don’t be a boredom eater.
Snacking is not a way to pass time. A snack is intended to keep you feeling full for 2-3 hours so that come mealtime you are not overeating and placing stress on the digestive system. The first step in snacking correctly is recognizing your hunger cravings versus your boredom cravings. Before reaching for a snack consider whether you are truly hungry or whether you perhaps just need a 5-minute walk around the office to relieve some stress.
Recognize the difference between thirst and hunger
Ask yourself whether you are hungry or thirsty. Dehydration can mask itself in many ways and more often than not people mistake being thirsty for being hungry. How to tell? Have a glass of water and wait for 15 minutes and if you are still hungry after that time then reach for your snack. Kill two birds with one stone by keeping a water bottle with you at all times. It will keep you hydrated and give you something to reach for when boredom strikes.
Eliminate shiny packages
Avoid snacking on any packaged and processed foods and sweets. Opting for nutrient empty foods will set you up to fail as sugar filled snacks and processed carbohydrates will lead to a rapid glucose spike in your body. That ‘sugar rush’ feeling will disappear quicker than your cookie and coffee, leaving you feeling hungry again in next to no time. Instead, reach for protein rich foods like nuts and dairy.
Prepare to succeed
Approach your snacks like your weekly meal plans and make sure you have protein-rich snacks with you at all times. We are talking military precision preparation. Pack a mixture of nuts in all your handbags and leave healthy snacks in the fridge at work and at home. Spend an hour every Sunday prepping vegetable sticks and portion out all your snacks to ensure you don’t overindulge.
Focus on numbers, not size.
A snack in not intended to have the same calorie count as a meal. In order to keep your daily calorie intake at the desired level, ensure your snack contains between 100-200 calories max and ensure you are limiting your intake to two snacks a day.
Don’t drink your calories
A snack does not come with a side of coffee because the coffee is, in fact, your snack. Unless you opt for a short black, the average coffee will fill your quota before you have even added that biscuit on the side. The same goes for juices, vitamin waters and all those sneaky drinks we forget to add to our calorie count.
Don’t be fooled by labeling
Avoid snacks that claim to be fat-free and sugar-free because these are often packed full of unnecessary flavourings, preservatives and added calories hidden in fancy labeling. Muesli bars and health bars remain one of the biggest chameleons as they are often packed full of unnecessary calories, high enough to replace a meal. This is why they are often aimed at athletes who are on the run. Opt for wholesome foods, when time is not of the essence make your own muesli bars and always read the full ingredient list and labeling.
Photo courtesy of: http://jamienelsonphoto.blogspot.com.au/