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For a long time, snacking was considered one of the causes of weight gain. Today, however, nutritionists have completely rehabilitated them and not only do not prohibit, but also recommend having a snack twice a day. You just need to follow some simple rules.
Snacking 2-3 hours after your main meal will keep your blood sugar levels down and ensure you feel full, thereby helping you eat less at lunch or dinner. It is only important not to turn them into a habit of constantly chewing at your desk.
1. Give up sweets
“The main rule of a snack is that it should be small, with an energy value of 80-130 kcal,” explains Larisa Inozemtseva, author of the conscious nutrition course. – All sweets, candies, ice cream, waffles, buns, pies, cakes and pastries usually contain more than 200 kcal and therefore cannot be considered snacks. They stimulate an excess release of insulin and satisfy hunger for a maximum of an hour.
2. Plan ahead
It’s a good practice to take care of snacking ahead of time. Take an apple or pear, sugar-free cottage cheese or carrot sticks with you to work. “Be creative and alternate so that you don’t get bored,” advises Larisa Inozemtseva. “If the first snack is vegetable, then let the second be cottage cheese, etc.”
Make sure that there is no stock of sweets and chocolate in the desktop drawer
Fruits are best eaten in the morning, as fiber takes a long time to digest. In addition, they contain a lot of sugar, so those who follow the figure should blacklist bananas, figs, grapes and melons. Preference should be given to seasonal gifts of nature. First, they are better absorbed. Secondly, it is a guarantee of freshness and that the fruits were not grown in greenhouses on chemicals and treated with anti-rotting agents.
3. Make healthy foods visible and unhealthy foods invisible
Psychology professor Tracey Mann, author of Nutrition Lab Secrets, has this advice: “When we are hungry, we involuntarily choose not only the most affordable, but also the most “convenient” foods to eat, so make sure that the healthy alternatives you choose are not necessary. neither cook nor even cut. Prepare, for example, green beans or broccoli in advance, peel and cut carrots and use a yogurt-based sauce for them. Make sure that there is no stock of sweets and chocolate in the desktop drawer.
4. Snack mindfully
Do not eat automatically while talking on the phone, in front of a computer monitor, or in front of the TV. Set aside everything and give yourself ten minutes for a tasty break. Eat slowly, savoring every bite.
“When there is no perception of food intake, we eat more because the brain is busy with other things and does not receive a satiety signal in time,” says psychotherapist and eating disorder specialist Gerard Apfeldorfer. “This is how malnutrition is formed at the level of perception, which leads to extra pounds.”
5. Make snacking part of your daily diet.
Eat at the same time every day. “Second breakfast around 12 o’clock and afternoon tea at 5 o’clock in the evening,” advises nutritionist Marianna Trifonova. This will make dinner easier. A heavy meal at night is most often the cause of weight gain.
6. Study the composition
Nutritionist Marianna Trifonova, author of How to Live to Be Slim and Healthy, warns: “Fitness bars made from nuts and cereals or healthy breads can be quite high in calories, contain sugar, dyes and flavors.”
Before you start eating, listen to yourself. If you are really hungry, eat
Don’t be fooled by the words diet, light or sport on the packaging. Carefully study the composition and pay attention to the number of calories.
7. Bet on protein
Protein food gives a long feeling of satiety and does not contribute to the deposition of fat. Nutritionist Jackie Lynch says: “The best snack is 5-6 nuts, a bag of pumpkin seeds or natural yogurt. Instead of the usual vegetable salad, prepare yourself a salad with an egg, fish or chicken. Protein should be present in every meal you eat.”
8. Analyze feelings
Snacking is the easiest and most affordable way to emotionally discharge. Sometimes we eat stress, fatigue, irritation, resentment.
Gerard Apfeldorfer advises: “Before you start eating, listen to yourself. If you are really hungry, eat. If not, try to solve problems without bringing in food. Drink water, talk to a loved one, turn your attention to a book, movie or work. If you still crave chocolate, eat it, but not much.”
9. Drink water
Star nutritionist Margarita Koroleva claims: “Sometimes it may seem to us that we want to eat, but in fact the body requires water. If thoughts about food come to your mind, then drink a glass of water in small sips, maybe you won’t feel like eating anymore.