SNACCIDENT PRONE?
Does one biscuit become three? Could you stresseat a large bag of crisps? Regular ‘snaccidents’ – eating accidentally when you’re not even hungry – can harm your health. But not any more…
How to stop yourself reaching for the biscuits
DON’T FEED NEGATIVE EMOTIONS
Stressed? That’ll be another biscuit. Angry? You might calm yourself down with a family-size bag of popcorn. Snaccidents are often more to do with our emotions than our willpower. ‘Many of us use snacks as a way to distract ourselves from our feelings,’ says Dr Meg Arroll, a psychologist and health researcher. ‘When your mind is focused on eating, it can’t dwell on the difficult emotions you don’t want to face.’ To combat comfort snacking, pinpoint the specific emotion that’s triggering your desire to eat. Ask yourself: am I hungry for a snack or is it something else I need? Am I trying to suppress an emotion such as boredom, loneliness, stress or anger with food? ‘Now, look for a healthier way to deal with your emotion,’ says Meg. ‘Mindfulness techniques, which help you accept negative feelings rather than mask them, can be useful, while
THE THREE-HOUR RULE
‘Sometimes, the biggest cause of overeating
is undereating,’ says nutritionist Fiona Hunter. ‘Going for long stretches between meals can cause blood sugar levels to drop, setting off cravings and causing you to overindulge.’ For most people, a just-right meal or snack should keep hunger at bay for three hours. Keep something like a small tin of seeds, cashews and cranberries in your handbag. It will fill you up, and the dried fruit counts as one of your five-a-day.
OUTSMART SNACK CHEMISTRY
‘Many snack foods have a powerful effect
on our brain chemistry,’ says Stephanie Moore, a clinical nutritionist and food addiction specialist. ‘When you eat sweet or highly-refined carbohydrate foods that contain similar quantities of fat (think donuts, chips, crisps, milk chocolate, ice cream, bread with butter), it triggers your “bliss points”. Opioid receptors in the brain fire off, and you get a profound pleasure and a relief from pain or miserable thoughts.’ Stephanie’s advice? ‘Avoid processed snacks that leave you wanting more and choose real foods that are naturally high in fats, fibre
and protein, such as coconut, avocado, cheese, nuts and seeds. These have been shown to satisfy and regulate the brain without triggering further cravings.’
HAVE A SNACK DETOX
It’s official: out of sight really is out of mind – and mouth. A study called Slim By Design found that the snacks we leave out on our kitchen work surface are a strong indicator of whether we will be obese, with people who kept fruit in the open maintaining a healthier weight than those who had a ready supply of boxed snacks. But don’t just hide that biscuit tin – take the idea a step further and adjust your environment to reflect your new healthier snack intentions. For instance, organise your fridge shelves so that fruit and veg are at eye level and easy to grab rather than hidden in the bottom salad drawer, and keep healthy snacks like unsalted nuts in clear containers on the counter.
ASK THE ‘WHAT IF?’ QUESTION
If unhealthy snacking habits are having negative effects on your health, taking an ‘inside out’ approach could be a smart idea. When it comes to healthy eating, we often think about short-term goals, such as fitting into a much-loved pair of jeans, but these don’t necessarily inspire us long term. Asking yourself deeper – and yes, tougher – questions can put serious fire in your belly. For example, ask: ‘If I don’t start snacking more healthily, how will I look and feel in six months’ time? What will my health be like, and how might this affect my family?’
‘Reminding yourself of the long-term benefits of healthy eating can help you make better everyday choices,’ says Fiona Hunter.
GET SIP SAVVY
One of the biggest triggers for an unwanted attack of the inbetween-meal munchies isn’t hunger but thirst. In fact, many of us are consuming food when a glass of water is all we really need.
KNOW YOUR CALORIE SALARY
If you want to snack regularly without putting on weight, you may need to adjust your meal sizes accordingly so you don’t consume more calories than your body needs. The average woman needs approximately 2,000 calories a day. Alternatively, try a split meal approach: if you normally have toast, cereal and fruit for breakfast, for example, have the cereal first, then the toast and fruit mid-morning. That way, you won’t increase your daily total calorie intake.
TRY THE SATIETY COMBO
Some snacks are proven to keep us feeling fuller for longer. ‘For satiety, the best combination of macronutrients – or macros – are protein and fibre,’ says Fiona Hunter. ‘When eaten together, they break down slowly, helping you feel fuller for longer. Getting a better macro ratio can be as simple as adding a slice of smoked salmon, cheese or ham (protein) to your wholegrain cracker (fibre).’
REIN IN RESTRICTIONS
‘If you’re on a restrictive diet with lots of rules and are constantly trying to resist eating, it’s very easy to reach a tipping point where you’ll just grab anything to get you through the day,’ says dietician Helen West. It could be a sign you need to step away from the strict diets and concentrate on making small but sustainable changes. Chances are, they will be more effective in the long term, too.