10 Golden Rules Of Snacking
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Written By Melissa Fiorenza
With spring cleaning in full swing, now’s a good time to spruce up the way you snack too. Do your mind, body, and soul good with these 10 rules.
Banish the bad stuff
Hang Post-Its in the kitchen with “DON’T EAT JUNK” written on them to remind you in moments of weakness that you deserve better.
Plan ahead
Every Sunday, divvy up your snacks for the week. Last thing you need at the 3pm office slump are sugary vending machine options.
Time it right
Snack between meals—mid-morning, and mid-afternoon. Twice a day is likely all you need.
Cover all your nutrients
If your bigger meals don’t typically include enough, say, B-vitamin, get it at snack time with nuts or seeds.
Eat in a relaxed state
Keeping stress down keeps digestion happy. “You can do thisby taking just 5 deep breaths before you eat,” says Jess Dyer, Graze nutritionist.
Chew slowly
Research shows that chewing until “no lumps remain” increases the number of calories the body burns during digestion: about 10 extra calories for a 300-calorie meal.
Use portion control
Portion sizes these days are out of control. Check the nutrition info on every snack to ensure you’re eating a single portion. Diet meal delivery options are a great way to take the work out of portion control. For example the Nutrisystem BOGO special may be exactly what you need for smaller meals.
Be present
Notice what you’re eating. Savor it. Enjoy it! When you mindlessly snack and Netflix, it’s easy to lose track of how much you’re eating.
Read Expert Advice
Smart snacking takes a village and knowledge.Find out, for example, what three foods nutritionists will never eat.
Mix it up
Have fun with your food. Discover new ingredients. Sample flavors you never had before.