Everything you need to know about S-N-A-C-K-I-N-G 😋
I have seen many weight loss plans be completely unhinged due to snacking 😱
On the flip side, many athletes in training lose strength and endurance from not having enough snacks!
Today I want to talk about the psychology of snacking, as well as the physiology. Hopefully with this insight you can determine whether you should be snacking or not.
So, why do we snack? Usually, our reason falls into one of two camps. Take a few minutes today to understand why we snack, some helpful tips, and see what camp your lifestyle resonates with 😋
Before we get started, I hope you enjoyed last week’s newsletter on “My tips to eating while on vacation, and STILL enjoying yourself!”. If you missed it, you can use this link, Here.
Oh, and don’t forget, I’m hosting a Cookout Cooking class tonight; YES, tonight! Today, Monday, at 6:00 pm 🥘 If you haven’t come to one of our cooking classes, you’re in for a real treat; and some yummy tasting, too! Grab a friend and come learn how to make guilt-free dishes to take to your next BBQ 😎
Soooo, back to snacking; why do we snack?
Usually, our reason will fall into one of two camps: an unmet physiological or a psychological need.
Let’s dive into the science of S-N-A-C-K-I-N-G…
Camp #1 - Snacking on the Brain
The psychology drivers of snacking are usually the times you’re stressed, worried, bored or angry. You’re not usually hungry, but food helps to distract or ground you. Psychological snacking is also about snacking out of habit (morning/afternoon break), as a reward, or as a punctuation for the day.
Usually, this sort of snacking can result in consuming extra calories in a day. If it’s a once off, then that’s okay. However, continued excess calorie intake can result in fat storage and weight gain.
So, next time you are reaching for a snack, think about whether you are stressed, worried, bored or angry. If so, you're probably not hungry, but the thought of food helps to distract or ground you. Instead, grab a glass of water, fix a cup of coffee or tea, go for a walk, or take some kind of break 🥰
Camp #2 - What the Body Wants
Physiological snacking is different, and is where your body sends you cues to eat because it needs something.
The first thing your body usually needs is a big drink of water! Often when we think we are experiencing hunger, we have misinterpreted it for thirst.
I typically recommend my patients drink a cup of water and wait (20) mins before snacking to see if the “hunger” passes. Sometimes it’s also the activity of getting up and getting a cup of water that breaks the monotony or routine and alleviates the psychological cause of hunger and boredom.
Then there is the physiological reason your body may be signaling you to snack. It could be because it needs something, either energy or a certain micronutrient. I see this often in patients who do their training first thing in the morning, gobble down breakfast on the commute to work, and by the time 9:00AM rolls around they’re looking for their next food fix. At this point I either question if they have eaten enough post-training, and if they have, did they get the right macronutrient ratios in?
Needs versus Wants
Here’s a quick easy rundown to help you determine if you need a snack.
Who Needs a snack:
Are you training over 60 mins per day, or two sessions in a day?
Is your job physically demanding (laborer, nurse, etc.)?
Do you have a health condition which either speeds up your metabolism, or limits how much food you can eat per serving, requiring smaller more frequent meals?
Are you a child or teenager who is growing?
In these cases, we may look at adding a snack or two during the day. But what to snack on? Excellent question. The size and the volume of your snack will depend on a few things; is this a post-training snack, or just a stop-gap? Will you be training hard after this snack, and when is your next meal? If this is a post-training snack, you need to get a great mix of protein and carbs. If this is a pre-training snack, then you can go a little bit lighter in the calorie count and carbs.
If you’re snacking because you’re hungry or you’re getting sugar crashes, then you need to look at what you’re eating, and how much, at your main meals. Are you eating enough protein to stabilize your blood sugar? Are you eating enough fibre to help keep you feeling full? Are you eating enough calories to replenish your glycogen stores post-training, or to meet your basal metabolic needs?
Who doesn’t need a snack:
If you’re job is mainly seated all day
If you have a high step count, but not physically demanding work,
If you don’t train for more than 60 mins a day.
If you’re finding yourself wanting or needing to snack, and you fall into the above categories, let’s look at other things to try instead of snacking. Have a drink of water or herbal tea. Get up and go for a five-minute walk or stretch. Change the activity you’re doing. Have a quick conversation with someone, or make a phone call to distract yourself.
Snack Challenge
So, this week and the month of August, I’d like you to really think about your snacking habits. If you are a parent, going crazy with the kids during the summer – I hear you! Stress snacking and vacation pounds are a real thing. But see if you can catch yourself?
See if having a cup of water helps first? Are you thirsty? Do you need to move? Then, see if you’re still hungry.
If you’re finding that you spend all day chasing your energy tail, and can’t seem to recover post-training, then maybe you need to increase your snacks.
I encourage you to really listen to what your body is trying to tell you.
THE BOTTOM LINE
“POPCORN is one of the only situations that you eat the result of an explosion”
“It must be around forty, when you're ‘over the hill.’ I don't even know what that means and why it's a bad thing. When I go hiking and I get over the hill, that means I'm past the hard part and there's a snack in my future. That's a good thing as far as I'm concerned - Ellen DeGeneres
If you are a snacker, are you in the psychological or physiological camp? Excessive hunger can be a sign that your body needs more food or nutrients, or that snacking has become a habit.
It’s often a result of imbalanced hunger hormones, which may occur for a variety of reasons, including inadequate diet and certain lifestyle habits.
You may feel hungry frequently if your diet lacks protein, fiber, or fat, all of which promote fullness and reduce appetite. Extreme hunger is also a sign of inadequate sleep and chronic stress.
Also, certain medications and illnesses are known to cause frequent hunger.
If you often feel hungry, it may be beneficial to have me assess your diet and lifestyle to determine if there are changes you can make to help you feel more full.
In the case that you’re eating too quickly or are distracted at mealtimes, you can also practice mindful eating, which aims to minimize distractions, increase your focus, and slow your chewing to help you realize when you’re full.
If you’re finding that your energy is depleted and it’s affecting your attitude and/or life, it might be time to dive a bit deeper and have me assess your hormone levels.
To make an appointment with me use this link: HERE
Or, you can give me a call at (973) 210-3838
I want to hear from you! What are your thoughts on snacking? Did you find this newsletter helpful?
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