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Taking regular breaks with a more nutritious snack is important, and it helps you have an energetic, productive day. But how do you make sure you don't reach for the less nutritious options? With these 7 tips, snacking smarter becomes easier than ever.
1. Stay ahead of the hangry monster!
Go for a balanced breakfast that keeps you full for longer, with enough complex carbs, protein and fibre — and never skip it. Of course, you can have breakfast a bit later if that suits your rhythm better. The same goes for lunch. Take your time to eat mindfully and choose a proper, more nutritious lunch. That way, you'll avoid big energy dips, so you can calmly go for a nutritious snack instead of raiding the vending machine like an unstoppable monster.
2. Get aware and shift your habits
We often reach for snacks (usually the less nutritious kind) out of pure habit. Get aware of this behaviour and plan ahead: simply don't bring the less nutritious options into the house, and stock up on plenty of more nutritious alternatives instead. That way, when hunger strikes, you won't have to think twice. After a couple of weeks, your new habits will start feeling natural. Make it easy on yourself and just don't buy less nutritious snacks. What you don't have, you can't eat in a moment of weakness.
3. Break free from the addictive effect
Refined sugars have an addictive effect. Treat yourself to a sugar detox and let your body properly kick the habit. You'll notice your cravings fade over time, making it easier to make — and stick with — more nutritious choices in the long run.4. Hydrate!
Hunger and thirst are often confused. Always make sure your body stays properly hydrated. Keep your water bottle nearby — it makes it much easier to hit your ideal fluid intake throughout the day. An adult should drink around 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day. Find it hard to drink water all the time? Mix it up with an unsweetened herbal tea now and then. Or jazz up your water bottle with fresh herbs like basil and mint, cucumber slices, lime wedges, pomegranate seeds… Let your creativity run wild!5. Reward yourself with something other than food
We often see snacking as a reward. That's usually something we picked up as kids. Think about how often you got a sweet treat at the shop for being good. Keep rewarding yourself, but choose a nice walk with the dog, a quiet moment with a magazine, a game with colleagues on the Playstation, a round of table tennis… Pick something that makes you happy and reward yourself with that instead. Keep snacking and food as the fuel that powers your body through a successful day.
6. Set out a colourful, tempting fruit bowl or a JustBite snack box full of tasty, more nutritious treats
Place it somewhere clearly visible and within easy reach. That way, snacking smarter becomes a no-brainer.
7. Make sure you get enough rest.
When you're tired, it's much easier to reach for less nutritious comfort food, and harder to keep your impulses in check.