Eliminate mindless snacking

One of the most common troubles of dieting is the mindless snacking that one often succumbs to. Throughout the day, our bodies work hard to maintain bodily functions and many feel the need to keep feeding our bodies even though we might not need the fuel at all. So, how can one kick the habit of mindless snacking? Here are some secrets that I’ve picked up along the way!

1. Replace snacks with raw almonds

I’m sure many people have heard of this super nut, but not many know how exactly almonds can help. One of the many benefits of almonds is that it can help control our appetite! Almonds are loaded with healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber, protein and various important nutrients that are important to our bodies in terms of aiding with digestion and prevention of diseases (eg, colon cancer, nutritional deficiencies) . The healthy fats in almonds are hard for our bodies to break down as compared to the unhealthy fats found in a fast food burger or a bag of chips, thus providing us with a longer time period in between meals before we feel hungry again.

But must it be raw almonds? Would toasted or roasted almonds be the same? 

Well, no! Sure, roasted nuts taste better than raw ones, but the amount of extra salt and oil they add on top of the almonds during the cooking process takes away from some of the health benefits. Those extra seasoning stack up the calories and they aren’t as good for you!

However, if you aren’t one to eat them raw, you can try alternative methods like buying the nuts raw and then toasting them yourself at home so you are able to control what goes on top. Or if you want, you can try toasting the nuts without any seasoning and allow the oils in the nuts to ooze out before eating them! But, raw nuts are the best way to go!

A handful of almonds in the morning or in between meals is sure to help you keep the pesky munchies away throughout the day!

2. Hydration

Water is such an important aspect of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and I cannot stress this enough. Besides helping us maintain bodily functions, water can aid us with finding out if we are truly hungry or just itching for a bite. Many times when we catch ourselves snacking, we are not really hungry at all! We’re just bored, so we go hunting for chips to munch on to pass the time. This is an extremely dangerous habit as it becomes very difficult to stop snacking once we’ve reached in and opened the first bag of potato chips!

In order to stop this, just drink a glass of water whenever you are feeling a little peckish and then ask yourself: “am I really hungry? “ if you still feeling hungry, you probably are! So it’s a-okay to go ahead and grab a healthy snack or a meal. Plus, water revitalises your skin and even boosts metabolism!

3. Pay attention to your meal

Do you feel that you spend most of your eating time on your phone, rather than actually eating? The problem with this is that if you is distracted with the screen, your brain will not process the fact that you are actually full since it is so preoccupied. The brain works in a way which does not allow one to 100% focus on two activities at once. If you keep your eyes glued on your screen while you eat, by the time you finish your meal, you’ll feel like you haven’t eaten much at all. This will lead you to turn to snacks or desserts to help fill your tummy.

To solve this problem, put down the electronics devices and enjoy a nice meal with friends and family! For my family, I have made a game to spice things up. Everyone at the table has to put their phones in the center of the table and has to leave it there throughout the duration of the meal. The first one to pick up the phone has to foot the bill. My family really enjoys the game, and it has been a great way to bond! You can try your own versions of the game to make parting with your phone during meal times a daily habit.

It’s time to put down the phone and focus on your delicious food!

4. Have a friendly and healthy social circle

Surrounding yourself with supportive friends and family can help you with your diet. If you hang out with people who constantly eat fast food or buys chips, you are surely going to be influenced. This phenomenon is called Behavioural Mimicry. Try to explain to them that you are trying to eat healthier and hope that they will understand.

If they don’t, stay away from them! I know this may sound harsh, but I am merely stating the truth. If they do not support you, they are toxic to your well-being, so stay away! Or, better yet, ask them to join you in your quest to a better lifestyle and you can help each other pull through. Having a friendly social circle can also reduce stress levels by helping you boost morale. If stress levels are high, it may lead to stress-eating, a problem that students and working adults know all too well.

Having supportive people around to help catch you if you stray from your diet can benefit you greatly as it not only keeps you healthy, but it also creates a very healthy environment thanks to all the positivity from your loved ones.

5. The fridge

I’ve learned this neat trick over the years to help with compulsive eating: place all the healthy food at the front of the fridge, and the unhealthy ones at the back or at the bottom where it can’t be easily seen. This will get you to grab the good food set in front of you when you are feeling peckish.

The whole idea is to train oneself to eliminate impulsive snacking. Usually, when we are itching for a snack, we do not stop to think about what the consequences of grabbing the wrong type of food. By making it harder for you to see the junk food, you will have a brief delay where you can mull over what you are getting into. After a period of time, you’ll find that out of habit you will go for those you can see more often than not.

This technique worked amazingly for me and I’m sure that it will help you too

These are my tips to help with mindless snacking. I have successfully eliminated unnecessary snacking from my daily life and I’ve even lost a couple of pounds since! It's alright to loosen the reigns every once in awhile. The journey towards a healthier diet is a constant work-in-progress and a little slip up every now and then is totally normal.

Stay health, hydrated and happy!

Main Photo Credit: marilyn barbone/shutterstock.com; Second Photo Credit: KieferPix/shutterstock.com; Third Photo Credit: Monkey Business Images/shutterstock.com