Snacking can either make or break your diet. If you get it right, then you can stop your hunger cravings and fuel your body. If you get it wrong, you can consume hundreds of calories without even realising. Plus it might even leave you feeling hungrier than before. Sound familiar? Well don’t worry, I’ve got you!
Don’t Buy Them.
This sounds so simple, and it is. Don’t buy the snacks you don’t need in the first place. If you don’t have them in your house, office or handbag, then you won’t eat them. If you lack self control, this is a perfect way to stop you even considering eating them.
Plan your Meals and Snacks
Planning when you are going to have both your meals and snacks means you are less likely to binge. Having a plan will give you something to look forward too, as well as having order when it comes to your food plan. Write it down, create a meal plan or input into my fitness pal what you are going to have and when. Spacing your snacks and meals throughout the day will keep you fuller for longer. Plus, you will know exactly what and how much you are having that day.
Know your Snacks
Instead of choosing a snack because it looks good or you fancy it – try choosing your snacks based on the calories and macronutrients. Protein is the macronutrient which stops hunger cravings. So it is best to choose foods, which are high in protein. Make sure you are also getting a balance of healthy fats and carbs too. You want to stay clear of the snacks that are high in sugar, preservatives and additives. Sugary snacks will spike your insulin keeping you temporarily full but soon will come crashing down again. You also want to choose snacks that are 200 calories max per snack. This way you are not wasting calories on snacks, saving them for your nutritious balanced meals.
Treat your snack like a meal
Instead of grabbing something, standing by the bin and devouring it within 10 seconds. Treat your snack time like it is a meal. Sit down, grab a cuppa and eat your snack slowly. Try cutting it into small pieces to make it last longer, this way you will fill up slower. If you cram a snack in super quick, you will only want to do it all over again.
Make your own
If you make your own snacks, you know exactly what you have put into it. This way you can use good healthy ingredients and design how many calories you want it to be. Try my super easy quick recipe, banana oat cookies to help curb your snack cravings.
2 Bananas 140g Oats 1 Tsp Peanut Butter 40g Chocolate Chips or Raisins 1/4 Tsp Salt 1 Tsp Cinnamon
Mash the banana; add the rest of the ingredients and mix together to create a cookie ‘batter.’
Make into 6-8 cookies, and bake for around 15-20 minutes at 180 degrees, until brown and crisp. Store in an airtight container.
Approx. 80 kcal per cookie.
