When your tummy gets to grumbling, don’t give in to binge eating. Instead, take to heart these tips for smarter snacking. Your body will thank you.
It’s easy to deal with your hunger pangs positively with these heart-healthy tips for smarter snacking.
It happens more often than not, that you feel hunger pangs at the most inopportune time. You want something filling but grabbing for that bag of chips isn’t going to help you or your health.
That’s why you need an alternative to stave off the tummy growling while filling you with healthy energy. Here’s how:
1. Bulk It Up
To make you feel fuller longer, try a snack that incorporates both fiber and protein. Great examples of this are apples and mozzarella sticks rather than that frosted donut you spied on the counter.
You can also choose to snack on something with a little bit of both, like this recipe for Homemade Granola.
2. Drink (Infused) Water
Water is the perfect way to fill you up when calories count. And, you don’t have to limit yourself to just plain water either.
I’ve found that infusing water with simple but healthy ingredients is really refreshing and tasty too–not to mention nutritionally sound when it comes to snacking.
Never tried infused water? You’re definitely missing out. Here’s a super video to get you started:
5 Refreshing Fruit Infused Waters – Clean & Delicious (Video)
3. Make Prepackaged Snacks
Did you know the time to think about smarter snacking is before you snack? It is. The fact is, if you know you’re going to be hungry, prepare for it ahead of time, so that you can quickly and easily nosh on healthy alternatives.
But if you are like most folks who either don’t have the time (or the inclination) to set aside a few well-chosen snacks, then by all means choose prepackaged snacks that you can just throw in your purse or a diaper bag to eat on-the-go.
Quick and Healthy Snacks To-Go – Charisse Christine (Video)
4. Slow It Down
We’ve all been known to pop handfuls of a snack without a second thought. But that isn’t good for our digestion or our well-being. Time to change all that.
The secret to smarter snacking is to take more time to chew your snack. I know this sounds elemental, but when you do, you will find that you’re full faster and feel satisfied in less time.
Funny how moms were right about the importance of having their kids chew their food 30 times. Adults should too. Check out this article on the 5 Reasons You Should Chew Your Food.
5. Pick Protein
You might not know, but protein is your friend when it comes to snacks. It provides an important micronutrient, which also helps with bodily functions. So the long and short of protein, is that including it as a snack will actually give you more bang for your calorie count.
Best of all, picking the right kind of protein to beat off hunger and energize you is easier than you think. Try mixed nuts, hummus, tuna, hard boiled eggs, pumpkin seeds, cheese and nut butters.
6. Mindful Meals
You’ve probably heard the catch-phrase “being mindful,” well, when it comes to snacking this couldn’t be more apropos. Too often, we are rushing between appointments, stopping only for intermittent refueling. But this shouldn’t be the norm.
Many cultures make it a point to slow down to a snail’s pace when taking time for food. Why? Because when we mindfully eat, we are less concerned with how much we are consuming as much as we are enjoying what we eat.
In other words, put down the electronics, so that you won’t be distracted by all the external noise of daily life. Not only will this encourage better eating habits, it will also soothe your weary spirit from the stressors of daily life.
7. Low-Fat, No-Fat or Fat
Fat is a necessity for life. Our bodies crave it. So what to do? Experts say to choose healthy fats, instead.
This includes such staples as avocados, nuts, cheese, chia seeds, whole eggs and yes, even dark chocolate. When eaten in the spirit of a snack, these hunger-busters not only fuel your weary body but also give you energy to keep going until the next meal.
8. Don’t Deny the Cravings
Let’s be honest, no one wants to be told what not to eat. That just seems to make a person crave those “forbidden treats” more and more.
In fact, many experts concur that it’s okay to indulge now and again with your favorite treat. However, they warn, the key to success is to keep things in healthy proportions.
And, truthfully, giving in now and again, unless it’s truly a vital health issue, isn’t necessarily going to make that much of a difference in the long run–that is, if you stick with moderation.
So indulge in your scoop of chocolate gelato or piece of fudge, but keep to the healthy snacks later on.
Feeling inspired to snack healthy? Then you’ll love this quick and easy round up of my favorite snack recipes just for you: 12+ Tasty, Healthy (and Guilt-Free) Snack Recipes. Enjoy!
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