Savvy
Snacking
Do thoughts
of creamy chocolate or salty munchies invade your thoughts
on a regular basis? If so, your body may be telling you
something. Surprisingly, we often crave these foods when
we haven't eaten enough. People who consistently skip meals
and eat on the run have low energy stores and this frequently
leads to snacking on high sugar and high fat foods. You
do not need to permanently swear off sweets or snack foods,
in fact, it's probably a good idea to enjoy them on an
occasional basis.
If you find
yourself snacking regularly throughout the day, you may
want to uncover the reasons why. It is possible that you
are not eating enough at mealtimes and in this case, planned
snacks are important to include in your meal plan. If you
are an athlete, you have increased energy demands and snacks
may be needed to supplement meals. It is also possible
that you snack out of boredom or habit and therefore, may
need to substitute eating with non-food activities. The
following nutrition action plan can help you become a savvy
snacker:
- List all
of the reasons why you snack. If you snack because you
are hungry or too busy to sit down for a meal, think
of snacks as mini-meals and plan them into your day.
- Curb mindless
munching. Eat without doing any other activity such as
watching television.
- Go no longer
than four hours without eating in order to avoid bingeing
on empty calorie foods later on.
- Spread
your snacks throughout the day instead of eating them
at one time.
- Eat snacks
which contain a little protein, carbohydrate, and fat
(such as peanut butter on a bagel or low fat yogurt topped
with granola) if you go long periods of time between
meals. Nibble on fresh fruit between short mealtime intervals
when you need a quick burst of energy.
- Stay well-hydrated
since thirst can be mistaken for hunger.
- Eat fiber-rich
snacks such as whole wheat crackers, dried fruit, or
popcorn to satisfy your appetite.
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