Are you a snacker? There’s a very good chance that you are snacking at least once a day like most (nearly 94%) of Americans. Snacking has become a favorite pastime for many of us but it may be contributing to overweight and poor eating habits.
As a general rule of thumb, you should aim to eat every 3 – 4 hours throughout the day. Having a snack can bridge the gap if there is a long span of time between meals. Eating a nutritious snack can help to meet your nutrient needs and keep you energized, alert, and focused all day long.
On the other hand, snacking out of boredom or for other reasons such as stress, fatigue, sadness and other negative emotions is not a good habit. It can lead to overeating high calorie fatty, sugary, salty foods – and even weight gain.
Before you reach for a snack, stop and ask yourself this question: AM I HUNGRY?
If you are truly hungry, go ahead and choose a nutritious snack. However, if you are snacking for some other reason, you may want to investigate this a little further. It can be very helpful to keep a food journal – even for just a week. This can shed a light on your eating habits – both good and bad.
Once you’ve identified an unhelpful unhealthy habit, come up with a list of strategies to help you modify your behavior. For example, change up your evening routine. Don’t eat in front of the TV; only snack at the table; keep nutritious snacks in the house that are readily accessible.
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