“I don't understand why some snacks are fun-sized. There’s really nothing funny about having a smaller portion of food.” (Anonymous)
U.S. Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin, has this statement for today’s
modern society to think about (that may have also been true in his time): “Eat to live, don't live to eat.” Which part of this quote are you doing?
When
I worked, my food consumption was limited to what I brought from home for lunch,
to snack on in my desk, or occasionally purchased from somewhere. (Of course, I
did know where every candy dish was on my work floor when I needed the.) Today
as a retired man I spend a lot more time at home than I used to. For some
reason, I was under the misguided impression that both diabetes and weight loss
surgery would curve my ravenous appetite for all the things I shouldn’t eat. No
such luck. The good news is I am eating healthier today than I used by limiting
the “bad stuff” that gets into the house.
When I do consume the stuff I should stay away from, it’s in much
smaller amounts.
Did
you know there is a difference between snack and grazing? Snacking is
eating a regular and controlled portion of food between meals (usually mid-morning and mid-afternoon). Grazing is
unintentional eating when you feel like it (maybe because you’re stressed,
upset, bored, or distracted). [i]Unfortunately
like a cow, I tend to be a grazer. It’s difficult when the food is all around
you at home; to tell yourself “no” to just a little of this or that. Before you
know it your emotions have gotten the best of you as you’re too full (and ready
for a nap). Below are four easy suggestions to help you curb the grazing habit:
·
Sit down once a week (when you are not hungry) to
plan your meals and your snacks.
·
Make a shopping list to get the things you need, and
(if necessary) prepare a few meals in advance (Do not go to the grocery store
hungry.)
·
Eat three meals and two nutritious snacks each
day. Otherwise, avoid eating between
meals.
·
Make sure you have some low calorie choices ready
for the unplanned hunger attacks. Choose low-calorie selections such as a piece
of fruit, 100-calorie low-sugar yogurts, left-over steamed veggies, or a cup of
bouillon or hot broth.
[i] Adapted from: “Snacking v grazing: Which is better for you?” by Sarah
Marinos
“4 Essential Tips to Stop
Grazing” by Bariatric Cookery
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