Over the years, snacking has earned itself a bad rap. Every time someone goes on a diet, we inevitably hear the phrase, "Well, I just cut out the snacking." Poor snacking. What did it ever do to all the dieters of the world to get so quickly ripped from their lives without warning?
Snacking is actually not bad for you. Many studies suggest that snacking (or the six meals-a-day theory) can be a healthy choice. The problem is not how often we eat, but what and how much we eat. Maybe you are one of the lucky ones that craves carrots or apples, but if you are like me, sometimes you just want a bacon cheeseburger at 2 a.m. Is that so wrong? Indulgence is fine once in a while. Every day? That's another story.
So what do we do when cravings hit or when we are bored? According to healthrecipes.com, the first step to curb cravings is awareness. You can't stop cravings, but if you recognize when you have one, you can stop yourself from acting upon it. Try to not focus on the food you are craving. For at least 20 minutes, occupy yourself with another activity, and you may find yourself no longer in need of that Twinkie.
Sometimes a craving is so bad it consumes your mind. In this case, it may be better not to deprive yourself of food so you aren't completely famished. You can try eating the food you want in a smaller serving, or you can substitute something else that fulfills the same need. For example, potato chips are salty, but soybeans are also salty and better for you.
Now that we have some ways to avoid unhealthy snacking, let us go back to that healthy snacking thing. To discover the path to healthy snacking, I consulted the medical deity WebMD. WebMD suggests that snacking between meals can actually be necessary to hold us over and give us energy.
The important thing is to make healthy choices, check labels and make those healthier-snack substitutions when needed. Apparently, snacking should not be just about stuffing ourselves with delicious yum-yums - it should be about fulfilling our bodily needs. If you are feeling lethargic, for instance, try some whole grains or other complex carbs to boost your energy. If you need something to fight off the hunger, try eating nuts. Eating nuts and other protein rich foods will make you feel more full.
After a while of snacking without satisfaction, I myself became more aware of what I was eating. I stacked my fridge with only good-for-you snacks so that I didn't really have the bacon cheeseburger option. I started eating when I was hungry, not when there was nothing good on television. Finally, instead of feeling guilty, I began to feel, dare I say, full.
It is definitely not easy to give up our favorite foods, but I suppose we don't really have to. We should be aware of what our body wants versus what our body actually needs. If we make healthy choices most of the time, there is no reason that we can't have a perfectly good relationship with snacking.
