Healthy eating is now becoming a trend, much to the relief of doctors and nutritionists. Unfortunately, much to the dismay of dieters, it is easier to control their daily meals than to curb their snacking urges.
When you set your mind to eat healthy, you usually think of your three main meals. At snacktime, that’s when all the damaging foods enter the menu. You have oil-laden french fries, potato chips, processed foods, junk foods, fast foods, and so on. A lot of people lose all the benefits of their three healthy meals with just one major snack.
There are many possible reasons, one of which is convenience. When we snack, we tend to look for what’s readily available. The most convenient options are, therefore, junk foods and fast food meals. Another reason is that we usually eat snack to feel re-energized, and what better way to do that than to eat sugar-rich foods and drink caffeine-rich beverages. For some people, snacking on the tastiest meals, regardless of health value, is a guilty pleasure they deserve after eating healthy foods the rest of the day.
That’s why even the best dieters sometimes break down and give in to these urges. Your willpower is not powerful enough against them.
So what can you do against snacking temptations?
1. Instruct your subconscious mind to snack healthy. It’s that simple, really. All you have to do is give direct and clear instructions. The major factor is the recipient of these commands. Instead of commanding your conscious actions, you should command your subconscious.
Your subconscious is the part of the mind that controls your beliefs, behavior, attitude, and habits. Along with these your impulses and urges also change. When you instruct your subconscious to choose healthy snacks, you will feel urges to snack only on healthy food choices. You will no longer feel tempted to snack guiltily on unhealthy foods.
One way of communicating with the subconscious is by sending it subliminal messages. These are messages designed to be absorbed easily and directly by the subconscious mind. When the subliminal messages are used repeatedly, they can form long term habits within your mind.
Here are some examples:
I eat healthy at all times.
I snack healthy.
I love healthy snacks.
Healthy snacks are tasty and delicious.
I only choose snacks that are healthy and nutritious.
2. Be prepared. Go grocery shopping and pick up healthy snacking choices once and for all. Make sure you come to work prepared, with a pack of healthy snacks in your bag. Leave some healthy snacks in your drawer. Always make sure your supply of healthy snacks in your home cupboard is full. This way, you won’t have the “convenience” excuse when you choose your snacks. You won’t be tempted to snack on unhealthy food just because it’s the most convenient. Now, healthy snacks are just within your reach.
3. Hydrate yourself. Drink lots of water every day. This helps keep you feeling full, so you won’t be tempted to eat heavy snacks.
4. Eat a heavy breakfast. Eating a proper breakfast can help keep you energized for the rest of the day, such that you won’t need a lot of snacks to keep you going.
5. Snack on fruits. Fruits make great snacking ideas. They are easy to bring with you, and are both healthy and tasty. They are immensely beneficial too; eating fruits regularly can help keep a lot of health problems at bay.