When I snack I often feel guilty and out of control because of what I’m snacking on. While I’ve learned to separate the snack from the snacker, I’m not always easy on myself. I’m not talking about guilt free snacking like carrot sticks and apple slices but the snacks that have me sighing with pleasure and sometimes feeling guilty later. Let’s face it, habitual snacking is another symptom of our instant gratification society. If we’re wanting to make healthier choices, we often feel ashamed so we sneak snacks and secretly become Closet Snackers or Snack Addicts. But, snacking itself is not the problem, it’s the compulsion to snack indiscreetly on whatever yummy food beckons us at the time. What we choose to snack on can wreak havoc on our physical and emotional health.
In fact, while writing this I fixed my morning cup of herbal tea and remembered some delicious, really crispy organic gingersnaps I bought at Trader Joe’s a couple of days ago and I thought how good they’d taste dipped into my tea. I chose to dip and enjoy. They were delicious and a healthier choice than Oreos.
Compared to other addictions, unhealthy snacking seems less threatening to our well being. But, like any other behavior if it feels out of control and moderation isn’t happening, it can harm our psyche as well as our body. What I’ve found is when snacking becomes habitual, it can become as compulsive as smoking and other addictions. My friend Lela Bryan, the Quit Queen, is an expert on stopping smoking effectively and permanently and I would add healthily because she not only addresses the symptom but the cause. The reason Lela has such a terrific success rate is because she focuses on the ‘whys’ and ‘whens’ to help people break the addictive cycle and truly change their addictive behavior. If you or someone you know would like to stop smoking I encourage you to check out Lela’s terrific program at http://www.nicotinesolutions.com.
Solution: I believe the same ‘why’ and ‘when’ principles apply to controlling unconscious snacking by consciously choosing not only when to snack but what to snack on. You don’t have to totally quit snacking like smoking to stay healthier, but it would be wiser to choose snacks to nourish your body rather than squelch emotions.
Healthier Choice: Stock your pantry with snacks like raw or dry-roasted nuts, dried fruit, dark chocolate, trail mix, or organic energy bars. If you enjoys chips or crackers, rice crackers or Bare Fruit Apple Chips are crunchy and satisfying.
Tried & True Tip: What sometimes works for me is when I have a snack attack is to check in and ask myself:
- Am I really hungry for food right now or seeking a distraction from anxiety or stress?
- Did an event or circumstance happen to trigger my snack attack? If so, is there something else I could choose to alleviate the distress? Maybe all I need is to take a few deep breaths and relax.
- And, if I decide I want a snack, what could I eat that would be a healthier choice and satisfy me right now?
Filed under: Addictions, Health Tips, Healthy Lifestyle, Sugar cravings | Tagged: Addictions, addictive behaviors, choose healthier, compulsive habits, cravings, dried fruit, energy bars healthier snack, habits, healthier, healthier alternatives to sugar, healthiest, healthy, healthy snack, Lela Bryan, munching, nicotine, nicotine solutions, organic, quit smoking, sheryl, sheryl allen, snacking, sugar, trail mix
