No such thing as a snaccident
WE may start the year vowing to lose ose weight, but two wo thirds of us give e up by the end of f January.
And the biggest cause ause of throwing in the towel owel is having a “snaccident” dent” – reaching for a snack ck by accident, then convincing vincing ourselves we’ve blown wn it and may as well have 20 more.
Researchers by makers akers of The Laughing Cow found d 42 per cent of men and 51 per cent nt of women quit after falling off the wagon.
So here dietitian Juliette Kellow shows how you can stick to your good intentions while still enjoying a daily snack or two. Healthy snacking, 200 cals a day, can boost nutrients, avoid hunger and cravings, and lift energy before exercise for effective workouts. The more hungry we are, the faster we want food, so rather than taking time to find a healthier option we grab a high-calorie snack. Think chocolate, biscuits and doughnuts. Stock your fridge and cupboards with healthy snacks that are ready to eat. Chop up veg or fruit so when a snack attack hits, you can tuck in immediately. Studies show we forget what we eat when distracted, then eat again. Don’t eat while watching TV, emailing, texting or gaming. A third of us snack on autopilot and 43 per cent because we are bored. But being tired, stressed, angry or sad can also be a trigger. Keep a diary of what you eat and why, then find non- food responses to emotions instead. One in six of us don’t taste the food we snack on, so slow down, chew every mouthful and enjoy the taste, texture and flavour. Take crisps, chocolates, biscuits and ice cream out of packaging and serve in bowls or on plates. Seeing food will help you recognise how much you eat.
Keep sweet wrappers too. In one study, students ate many fewer pistachios when faced with the empty shells. Always Alway check ingredients and nutrition nutr info, even if it looks healthy. hea Snacks loaded with nuts,nu seeds, coconut, dried f fruit, cacao, honey or fruit syrups can have more calories than chocolate. Make snack foods such as fr fruit, veg and crackers tastier ier. Top two thin oatcakes wit with a Laughing Cow Extra Ligh Light and fresh fruit – 140 calorie calories, 4g of fat and no added sugar. Or whiz up berries and plain yogurt yo and freeze in a lolly mould instead of ice cream. Fibre and protein provide the perfect hunger-busting combo so choose snacks that combine both – such as salad with egg or tuna, wholegrain toast with peanut butter, plain yogurt and fruit, a dash of unsalted almonds, wholegrain cereal with low-fat milk, rye crackers with light cheese spread, or veg crudités and homemade tzatziki. It is a great idea to combine the food groups. These are...
Wholegrain toast, rice cakes or cereal, wholemeal and rye crackers, or oatcakes.
Fresh fruit, small amounts of dried fruit, vegetable s t i cks, cherry tomatoes.
Hard- boiled eggs, tuna in water, salmon, prawns, grilled chicken breast, handful of unsalted nuts or seeds
Plain, low-fat yogurt or fromage frais, or individual portions of reduced-fat cheese or cheese spread.