How To Develop A Healthy Snacking Habit
Many people love to snack. Some find snacking to be the perfect companion when bored, watching a movie, or powering through hours of workload. While there’s nothing wrong with snacking, the problem is almost always the unhealthy snacking habits that do major damage to your health. Unfortunately, the popular snacks many people reach for are mostly unhealthy with salt or sugar-laden additions. If you love to snack, there are some ways to make your snacking habit a bit more healthy. Here are a few.
Make snacks from protein-rich foods
Most of the snacks you find on shelves in grocery stores are packed with unhealthy amounts of salt, sugar, and artificial seasoning. And munching on them too often means you’re slowly damaging your heart health. A healthier alternative is to make snacks from protein-rich foods. Ingredients like lean meat, boiled eggs, nuts, yogurt (as drinks), cheese, soy, etc., are excellent sources of protein. Why focus on protein, you may ask. That’s because research has shown that increasing your protein intake can increase your feeling of fullness. That means you can easily avoid overeating and gaining unhealthy weight. Another great thing about the protein-rich food options is that you can turn them into different snacks you can enjoy on different occasions. For example, you can make this cheesy taco dip in the slow cooker instead of going for that pack of salty potato chips to go with your game night. It’s rich in protein from ground beef, cheese, and beef.
Snack mindfully or pay attention to your portion sizes
Even if you’re snacking on healthy foods, it’s always possible to add pounds after unhealthy pounds of weight. It’s best not to snack when you’re absent-minded or doing something else like surfing the internet, working, or watching a movie. It’s easier to eat more than planned during such moments. But if that’s too difficult, pay attention to how much you put on your plate. In other words, avoid serving yourself with oversized snack portions. There are a few things you can try.
Avoid snacking directly from the bag, as it’s easier to consume everything in the bag without realizing it. Instead, dish out a measured amount into a bowl. You can also invest in snack-size bags if you prefer making your snacks at home.
Don’t skip your meals
Snacks are not meant to replace your main meals. When you become hungry after skipping meals, your intense craving will drive you to overindulge in your snacks. So, do your best not to skip meal times. Also, try eating every three to four hours to help your body feel more satisfied. This way, your body’s energy levels will be high, and you’ll find it easier to minimize the urge to snack too much.
When snacking, try adding lots of fruits and vegetables to every snack. You can think of creative ways to incorporate them into almost any snack. Alternatively, you can also consider munching on fruits and veggies as your main snacks.
