The Super Bowl party turned out really good. I was worried that no one would eat my fruit and veggie trays yesterday, but we finished up the entire fruit tray and most of the veggies tray. I was the only one who brought in anything healthy to the party so I am glad that I did.
How do you eat less overall throughout the day?By snacking strategically. It sounds like a lot of effort, but health is worth it. Besides once I got into the habit, I find buying a bunch of bananas and a can of almonds not too time consuming. I tend to be boring when I shop for groceries, buying mostly the same thing each week. You can snack strategically by:
Checking your hunger level every 3-4 hours after breakfast and lunch.
I have this habit of eating snacks based on the clock instead of the cues from my body. Every day at 9:30am and 3pm, I snack. The problem is that sometimes I really do not need a snack, but I automatically eat it anyway. When you eat on autopilot it can only result in trouble for your waistline. I really need to ask myself if I am hungry or am I eating for the clock each time I reach for a snack. Whether you need a snack depends on what you ate previously. When I eat lunch with enough protein in it, I do not need a snack at 3pm.
Including protein in each snack to avoid snacking again between meals.
Since deciding that I want to lose weight, I have been snacking on fruits. Like most people, I think eating a piece of fruit is the right thing to eat between meals. However, I notice that when I eat my apple or banana, I am hungry again within an hour.
When I eat cottage cheese or peanuts, I notice that I can stop my stomach from growling again until it is time for a meal. What is the difference? It is the protein!I find that if I eat 3-4 peanuts or almonds with my piece of fruit during snack time, I do not get hungry again within an hour like I used to. I feel so stupid for not making that connection sooner since I talked about protein in relation with strength training previously.
Until next time and thanks for stopping by Small Steps to Health.
Like what you are reading? How about subscribing? It's free!
{ 2 trackbacks }