How to Overcome Constant Snacking

A solid diet and exercise routine can be defeated by over-snacking. While it can take an hour to burn off 500 calories, you can easily consume those 500 calories from one 10-minute snack. The urge to snack is usually something that is unplanned and can suddenly put you over your daily calorie intake. Not only does snack food taste good, but because it's cheap and easy to prepare, it's more likely to be available. Every successful diet needs to have a solid anti-snacking plan in effect to keep you on track and away from temptation.

Instructions

• 1

  Don’t purchase snack foods. They are already prepared and easy to take along, making them readily available in a moment of weakness. You are much less likely to snack on food that you have to cook.

• 2

  Eat well-balanced meals consisting of a serving of carbohydrates, a serving of protein and a vegetable. Carbohydrates digest quickly and give your body quick energy for the day. Neglecting to eat carbohydrates creates energy deficits. Your body fights these deficits by making you feel hungry, causing you to seek more food for energy. Protein takes longer to digest than carbohydrates, so it makes you feel full longer. Vegetables contain fiber that expands in your stomach to make you feel full.

• 3

  Eat at least three well-balanced meals a day on a consistent daily schedule. This gets your body into a rhythm. It "knows" when you will receive nourishment again, so it doesn’t panic and send food cravings to your stomach that cause you to feel the need to snack. Eating six small meals a day is ideal because it keeps your metabolism going and gives you a steady flow of nutrients. For many, though, this may be impractical.

• 4

  Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Many foods contain water, so your appetite is often a sign that your body is trying to get water through your diet. Water is also essential for fiber to make you feel full. When the fiber you eat has enough water to accommodate it, the fiber expands and takes up more room in your stomach.

• 5

  Chew sugar-free gum when you get a craving. The constant chewing satisfies your urge to eat without having to consume any food.

• 6

  Brush your teeth when you feel like snacking. A minty, fresh mouth doesn’t combine well with most snack foods. The snack will not taste good, which makes it easy to put the food down and walk away.