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| Tuesday, October 07, 2008 |
| Don’t Let Night Time Snack Attacks Ruin Your Healthy Eating |
I love snacks. I can eat snacks all day. I don’t know why, but snacking makes me happy. The only time I don’t snack is in the evening. What about you? Are you a night time snacker? Do you munch on snacks all evening after eating dinner? That’s where snacks can hinder your attempts at a healthy diet. Snacks can be good for you and can supplement a healthy diet, but loading up on snacks at night is not a good idea.
It is important to control night time snacking because it can easily get out of control. Too much noshing at night can hamper your attempts to eat healthy and contribute to weight gain. To control your night time munching, you first need to decide if it is a problem or not. If you eat as many or more calories from snacks as you do from your dinner, your snacking is most likely a problem. You need to get to the reason for the snacking and then make some changes.
First of all, ask yourself if you are really hungry. If you are, you may not be eating enough during the day and should evaluate your diet. If you are truly hungry, satisfy your hunger by choosing a small snack with a little fat and fiber, like a slice of whole wheat toast and peanut butter or some fruit and nuts. These types of snacks will not lead to a spike in your blood sugar, which can lead to further cravings throughout the night.
If you are not really hungry, ask yourself why you are eating. If you are bored, find something to do besides eating. Read a book, surf the web, write a letter to a friend (not an e-mail) or start a project. If you are busy doing something else, the food may not seem so important. If you are eating out of loneliness, call a friend. If you are eating out of habit, replace the eating with a new habit like walking, reading or knitting. Yes, knitting is in!
When you must have a snack set guidelines for yourself. Only snack at the kitchen or dining room table. Don’t snack in front of the TV or the computer. It’s too easy to lose focus and overeat when you’re not paying attention to what you are eating. Avoid mindless snacking. Don’t snack from a bag or container. Portion out a reasonable amount for a snack and then close up the package and put it away. Sip on water or another low calorie beverage throughout the evening. This may give you a feeling of fullness and deter you from snacking. Don’t tempt yourself. Don’t keep your favorite junk foods or your binge foods in the house. Buy them only in small quantities when you really want them and then get back to your healthy eating. Lastly, brush your teeth and use some mouthwash after dinner. Snacks may not seem as appealing with a clean, fresh mouth.
Overall, snacking on nutritious foods can add to a healthy diet. However, too much snacking in the evening can lead to problems such as food cravings, weight gain and high blood sugar. Remember to think before you eat. Don’t stuff yourself or eat just because the food is there. Whatever you don’t eat today, will still be there tomorrow.
- Jennifer
Labels: Jennifer, Mindful Eating
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posted by The Sensei Team @ Tuesday, October 07, 2008   |
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