After stepping on the scales, you’re baffled by the number you see. For the last several weeks, you’ve dutifully ate three, healthy meals each day. Unfortunately, the number on the scales seems stuck. If you can relate to this scenario, are you monitoring your snacks? To lose weight and keep it off for life, consider the following five snacking habits to avoid.
Avoid These 5 Common Snacking Habits for a Healthy Diet
Eating While Watching Television
If you’re like many people, you might enjoy relaxing each night while watching television. Television enthusiasts often munch on their favorite snack foods while viewing their beloved shows. Some popular snacks to devour while watching television include:
- Potato chips
- Tortilla chips
- Buttery popcorn
- Ice cream
Unfortunately, these foods are laden with waistline expanding calories, fat, and sugar. Besides making poor food choices while watching television, you might not pay attention to the amount of food you eat. Have you ever been stunned to learn you’ve eaten an entire bag of potato chips while watching a favorite sitcom? Because people concentrate so intensely on television shows, they often consume large amounts of food without even realizing it. To prevent this form of mindless eating, don’t bring food into your television space.
Consuming a Snack at the Same Time Each Day
Many people consume a snack at the same time each day. For example, you might indulge in a quick snack every day during your mid-morning break at work. Or, you may always eat something when you arrive home from work. Sticking to these types of routines might be causing you to eat when you’re not really hungry. Eat a snack only when you feel hungry regardless of the time of day.
Vending Machine Snacking
One of the most important snacking habits to avoid is vending machine snacking. Sadly, vending machines are typically stocked with all sorts of dieting disasters. Munching on these kinds of foods on a daily basis will keep you from reaching your weight loss goals. Instead of indulging in vending machine foods at work or school, eat healthy snacks you bring from home. A few, tasty ideas include:
- A handful of walnuts and raisins
- Apple slices topped with peanut butter
- Plain, Greek yogurt mixed with cinnamon
- Half of a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread
- Celery sticks dipped in hummus
Munching on 100 Calorie Snack Packs
Over the last few years, 100 calorie snack packs have become increasingly popular with those attempting to lose weight. While these treats contain relatively few calories, they also tend to be void of nutritional value. To make matters worse, they are also often filled with unhealthy sugar, sodium, and fat.
Snacking on the Go
Like eating while watching television, snacking on the go is another form of mindless eating. Rather than eating while driving, savor your snack before you get behind the wheel or after you arrive at your destination. You’ll likely enjoy your food more and increase your odds of staying safe during your commute.
Some people struggle to lose weight due to poor snacking habits. If you’re ready to shed some pounds and get healthy, pay attention to the aforementioned, snacking habits to avoid.
