SNACK ATTACK!!!

I WANT TO PREFACE THIS POST BY STATING CLEARLY THAT I AM NOT A NUTRITIONIST.  I AM JUST SOMEONE WHO LOVES TO SNACK AND HAS FOUND CERTAIN TIPS & TRICKS TO HELP ME SNACK SUCCESSFULLY WITHOUT DERAILING MY GOALS.  THE HOLIDAY SEASON CAN BE TRICKY…SO MANY YUMMY THINGS TO SNACK ON.  I AM HAPPY TO SHARE SOME TIPS WITH MY FELLOW SNACKERS AND WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ANY OF YOUR TIPS FOR HAPPY SNACKING!

TIP #1: DO NOT EAT STRAIGHT FROM THE BAG!

PLEASE DON’T DO THIS!  YOU WILL IMMEDIATELY LOSE TRACK OF HOW MUCH YOU ARE EATING.  INSTEAD, PUT THE RECOMMENDED PORTION IN A SMALL BOWL OR PORTION OUT INTO ZIPLOC BAGS.  IF YOU CAN FIND PRE-PORTIONED BAGS OF YOUR FAVORITE SNACK AT THE STORE, GET THEM!  YOU ARE LESS LIKELY TO OPEN A SECOND PRE-PORTIONED BAG THAN YOU ARE TO GO BACK TO THE OPENED BIG BAG OF CHIPS/COOKIES/CANDY…

TIP #2: DO NOT EAT AT THE COUNTER!

ENJOY YOUR FOOD!  SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE.  EAT SLOWLY.  MINDLESS EATING HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE IN A HURRY, TYRING TO MULTI-TASK OR WE DON’T TAKE TIME TO SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY WHAT WE ARE EATING.

TIP #3: IF YOU FEEL LIKE SNACKING, DRINK A GLASS OF WATER FIRST

QUITE OFTEN, BOREDOM CAN SIMULATE HUNGER AND WE FIND OURSELVES REACHING FOR UNNECESSARY SNACKS.  WHEN I HAVE HAD A FULL MEAL AND FIND MYSELF SCOURING THE PANTRY FOR A SNACK, I REMIND MYSELF TO DRINK A GLASS OF WATER AND WAIT.  MOST OF THE TIME, AFTER DRINKING WATER, I FEEL FULL AND DON’T NEED THAT SNACK ANYMORE.

TIP #4: USE A SMALLER PLATE

AN OLDIE BUT GOODIE…USING A SMALLER PLATE TRICKS THE EYE (AND THE BRAIN) INTO THINKING THERE IS A LOT OF FOOD IN FRONT OF YOU.  IT’S AMAZING BUT IT WORKS!

TIP #5: MEAL PREP HEALTHY SNACKS FOR THE WEEK

ANOTHER CLASSIC!  MEAL PREPPING SOME HEALTHY SNACKS OVER THE WEEKEND IS A GIFT TO YOUR FUTURE SELF!  MOST OF US LOVE TO SNACK ON CRUNCHY THINGS AND THE EASIEST CRUNCHY THING TO GRAB WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY AND IN A HURRY IS CHIPS.  WHILE THERE ARE SOME HEALTHIER CHIPS OUT THERE (I POSTED ABOUT SOME THE OTHER DAY), YOU STILL HAVE TO MAKE SURE YOU DON’T GO OVERBOARD.  SO…WHAT ELSE CAN YOU EAT TO GET THAT CRUNCH AND STAY ON TRACK?  HOW ABOUT SLICED CUCUMBERS OR BABY CARROTS?  OFTEN ON A SUNDAY, I WILL SLICE UP A BUNCH OF CUCUMBERS AND RINSE OFF SOME BABY CARROTS AND PUT THEM IN STORAGE CONTAINERS IN MY REFRIGERATOR.  (I DO THE SAME WITH BLUEBERRIES AND LEAVE THEM ON MY COUNTER).  EASY, HEALTHY…MOSTLY CRUNCHY…AND YUMMY SNACKS.  AND BONUS…YOU CAN EAT MORE OF THEM!!!

TIP #6: AN EXTREME MEASURE

THIS IS MY OWN, UNIQUE TIP.  IT’S CRAZY BUT I’VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE I WAS YOUNG AND WHILE ODD IT IS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE.  WHEN I KNOW MY WILLPOWER IS ABOUT TO SUCCUMB TO MY SWEET TOOTH (I ALMOST ALWAYS DO THIS WITH SWEETS BUT SOMETIMES WITH SAVORY THINGS), I POUR SALT ALL OVER MY FOOD.  I KNOW….IT’S NUTS BUT IT TOTALLY WORKS.  I SABOTAGE MY DESSERT SO IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO EAT IT ANYMORE.  I TAKE ONE OR TWO BITES, SATIATE MY SWEET TOOTH AND GRAB THE SALT SHAKER (SOMETIMES PEPPER, TOO!).  YES…I’VE GOTTEN STARES IN RESTAURANTS.  YES…MY FRIENDS THOUGHT I WAS WEIRD THE FIRST TIME I DID IT IN FRONT OF THEM.  YES…IT MIGHT SEEM WASTEFUL…BUT IF THERE IS A PIECE OF CHOCOLATE CAKE IN FRONT OF ME AND THAT SALT SHAKER IS THE ONLY THING STOPPING ME FROM INHALING THE WHOLE SLICE, YOU BET  I’M GONNA USE THE SALT SHAKER! LOL!  LIKE I SAID, IT IS AN EXTREME MEASURE BUT ONE TO FILE AWAY FOR EMERGENCIES!

ALL IN ALL, SNACKING IS NOT INHERENTLY BAD BUT IT IS VERY EASY TO SNACK MINDLESSLY AND REGRET IT LATER.  I HOPE THAT YOU FIND SOME OF THESE TIPS USEFUL AND INCORPORATE THEM INTO YOUR ROUTINE.  LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER GREAT SNACKING TIPS!