Posted on November 8, 2019
Six Ways to Avoid Snack Temptation
Whether you are at your desk or on the sofa, it can be hard to resist a snack or two when you’re feeling hungry and bored, or when the winter blues hit. To help you stay fit and healthy ahead of the festive season, here are six simple ways to avoid snack temptation.
- Drink more water
Calorie and sugar-free, water should be your go-to drink at any time of day, but especially when you find yourself feeling peckish.
Often we mistake thirst for hunger, so when you feel tempted to reach for a snack, pour yourself a glass of water instead. Wait 15 minutes, and you may well find that you aren’t hungry anymore, and have saved yourself some unnecessary extra calories.
- Eat proper meals
Make sure you eat enough at mealtimes to avoid feeling hungry. Skipping breakfast can lead you to the biscuit tin by mid-morning, so begin your day with a bowl of something healthy like fruit or porridge.
Eating smaller, healthy meals more frequently throughout the day, rather than one or two large meals, will help reduce the rises and falls in blood sugar that make you want to snack.
- Be prepared
Before you head out for the day, prepare healthy snacks so you have something nutritious to eat should hunger hit. Having these small portions of healthy foods to hand will prevent you reaching for that bag of crisps.
- Track what you eat
One of the most effective ways to eat less is to keep a note of everything you eat throughout the day. Tracking the number of calories you consume will make you more aware of how much you are eating, and can help you make healthier choices to improve your diet.
- Remember to treat yourself
Try not to completely deny yourself the foods you enjoy, as you might find yourself cracking after a long day and reaching for an even bigger bar of chocolate. A little of what you love every now and then is fine as part of a healthy diet.
- Stay busy
With cold days and long, dark nights, winter is the worst season for snacking. Often we eat when we are bored and have nothing to do, so keep yourself busy and away from the snack cupboard. If you can distract yourself with something active like a walk or work out, even better.
