Snacks were not all that common when I was growing up back in the 70’s. We had the occasional ice cream cone on a hot summer day, or popcorn in the evening watching our favorite television show, but it was a rarity…a special treat.
Nowadays, snacks have become routine and often accompany all events and outings: little league team practices, scout meetings, grade school parties, staff meetings, road trips. The prevalence of snacking across our nation has grown along with our rate of obesity.
Following weight loss surgery, a well planned nutritious snack can certainly be an essential part of your eating plan. But, mindless grazing on low nutrient snack foods while watching television, working at our computers, or driving may pose a serious danger to weight management. In addition to the consumption of calories from snack foods (calorie containing drinks are included!) there is also the issue of hunger recognition. Ideally, we should eat when we are hungry and refrain when we are not. Routine snacking prompts us to eat when the clock tells us to whether we need food or not, and this interferes with our body’s ability to send out hunger cues.
If snacks are part of your daily routine, try these tips:
- Plan your snacks. Being prepared with a nutritious choice can help prevent making spur of the moment poor food choices.
- Eat meaningfully. Paying attention to your activity instead of mindlessly grazing on your snack will produce a greater sense of satiety.
- Try substituting calorie free liquids, like flavored tea or water, with your snack food. Many times our drive to eat is thirst related, and you will often find that one of your favorite low cal drinks can leave you feeling satisfied.
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- Rebecca