One of the biggest challenges people are facing with being home all day for many weeks in a row — when they’re not used to it — is that they tend to snack a lot more than usual.
Since I always recommend that you get up and walk around several times a day, especially if you find yourself stuck behind a work desk or perched on the sofa for hours on end watching TV shows and movies, it’s really easy to make a trip through the kitchen when moving about and grab a snack while you’re in there.
Not only is continual snacking going to be hard on your figure, but it might make you feel sluggish, and could also cost you more money overall on your food budget.
So, here are a few tips that can help you control some of the extra snacking you have been doing.
Keep Snacks Out of Sight
This is an old rule that is great for so many reasons. When you see something right in front of you and are constantly reminded it is there, your brain tends to want it whether your stomach is hungry or not. (And, let’s face it, most snacking isn’t done because you’re hungry.) Instead of having extra temptations you don’t need, keep your snacks in a cabinet, the fridge, or a snack drawer. When you’re hungry or you really want a snack, you will remember they are there, but won’t grab a cookie or handful of chips every time you go to the kitchen just because you see them sitting on the counter.
Have Designated Snack Windows During the Day
It can also help to stick to some kind of schedule or routine, not just with your activities, but meal and snack times. Think about what your routine was like before. You likely had 3 meals a day around the same time, with a couple snacks in the morning or afternoon. You can still do this while at home! Choose a schedule that works for you, and try not to eat any snacks outside of your designated snack window. It will make you think twice before mindlessly grabbing a snack when you know your snack time is coming up in an hour or so.
Stay Busy and Distracted
A lot of times, snacking while at home isn’t from hunger or even cravings, but from sheer boredom. Especially now that your normal daily routine has been thrown completely out of whack. The best way to combat this is by staying busy. Find a new hobby, learn a language or new skill, read a book, play with your dogs or kids or do a puzzle. Try to find more activities that keep you occupied during the day. And if all else fails, and you find you can’t keep your hand out of the cookie jar, take a nap or drink some water or have a cup of tea.
Know When You Tend to Snack
Be aware of your own triggers or when you tend to go for snacks. Maybe this is when you get bored, or when you are procrastinating from doing chores or work. You might eat snacks just because you see them there, or because someone else in the house is snacking. You’ll also likely eat more unhealthy snacks if you find yourself getting stressed from the news or when dealing with difficult or unexpected emotions.
Don’t Bring Them In The House
Of course, the surefire way to not excessively snack is to not bring snacks into the house in the first place. Just keep in mind that snacking can also be a pleasurable experience and is something you likely will enjoy doing. So plan healthier snacks. The key to eating healthier snacks is to have a large variety on hand. If you’re always grabbing for the celery and almond butter, that might get pretty boring pretty fast and you’ll find yourself wanting some potato chips instead. So have lots of choices for healthier snacks.
Some healthier snack options to have on hand:
- Celery with nut butter of your choice (keep several nut butters on hand for variety)
- Radishes, broccoli, pepper strips and other fresh raw veggies (prep ahead and keep on hand)
- Hummus with cucumber chips
- Cooked chicken and turkey
- Homemade gluten-free crackers and cookies
- Peanuts, almonds and other nuts (buy raw and toast your own)
- Fruit of all kinds (fruit is sugar, so be careful how much you eat at once)
- Search the internet for healthy snacking options and recipes.
Think about your snacking “profile” and plan accordingly. This could be the perfect opportunity to make some desired changes in your snacking habits.
Publisher of Great Living Today, your one-stop source for greater living featuring tips, techniques, and programs in the areas of health & wellness, wealth, time management, business, love, relationships, and happiness. Marty is a life, business, and wellness coach helping his clients to live their best lives.