When you start a nutritional program, there is one obstacle that almost always comes back and that is the urge to snack! Let’s see together what are the causes of these impulses and how to reduce and / or bypass them! Here are my 5 tips for snacking without gaining weight.
Above all, you have to learn to recognize what you really feel. The desire to eat has no physiological sign: no tightness or gurgling in the belly. It is not a demand for the body’s energy need, but a psychological demand.
Snack without gaining weight: the craving for sugar
The urge to snack can therefore actually have three causes:
- The stress : a situation, a bad news can find its comfort in the consumption of foods which give us pleasure; snacking becomes a blanket to get through emotionally difficult times.
- Gluttony or a real addiction to sugar: a dependence on sugar can indeed be observed and we will see below that weaning will then be indicated;
- A real hunger: too low a calorie intake or insufficiently balanced food intake will inevitably lead to cravings between two meals.
Take action
Once this desire has been identified, we take action to nibble without gaining weight.
To relieve stress, learn to relax and unwind without resorting to food consumption. You can do relaxation exercises, listen to soft music, play sports and also remember to breathe slowly, deeply. If you’re under intense stress, opt for a sugar-free drink that you drink slowly and calmly. You will thus gradually reduce this bad reflex.
For cases of real sugar addiction, I recommend an exclusion in order to gradually get rid of the sweet taste. Note that it is generally necessary 21 days to learn new habits. Also, on the program, I offer a special meal plan called “sugar free or almost” to help you get rid of this sugar addiction to snack without gaining weight.
For cases of hunger and to snack without gaining weight, you must first make sure to do full meals so as to be sufficiently satiated, with a starter of raw vegetables, meat, fish or eggs, cooked vegetables, starches (noon or evening), a dairy product or bread and cheese according to your meal plans and a piece of fruit .
You can also establish a framed snack during the day to break the wait between two meals. You just need to split your meals, for example by keeping the milk and the fruit for the middle of the afternoon. Thus, you are only shifting your food intake, and not increasing your energy intake.
It will be important to resume a diet that is not too restrictive to snack without gaining weight, that is to say never below 1400 kcal. If you skip meals, eat at irregular times, or don’t eat full meals, you will likely experience strong cravings. Be sure to follow the 1400 calorie menus and do not take anything out of the meals.
If you are hungry or the wait between two meals is too long, you can definitely set up snacks in the morning and afternoon in shifting the dairy and / or the fruit of a meal.
My tips against snacking
If the hunger is too present, you can snack unlimited crudités sticks : carrots, radishes, celery, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, pickles… without adding fat.
Make sure you always have it available. Also think of coffees, teas and infusions without sugar that can stave off hunger! Also sort the cupboards to limit temptations.
In case of craving, without feeling of hunger:
- Occupy your mind: tidy up around you, watch one of your favorite series, read, listen to music, get mail, chat on the forum, go for a walk …
- Brush your teeth: the strong minty taste will alter the flavor of the food and you will naturally stop your snacking.
Believe in yourself, little by little you will see that you will be rid of this bad habit!
