5 easy tips to avoid excessive snacking between meals

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A sustainable calorie deficit is necessary for steady weight loss. Calories from extra snacking between meals can make it harder to maintain the energy deficit you need. The excess calories are not the only problem. Processed sugary snacks between meals can increase your appetite later in the day! The real question is:   

 Why do you have snack cravings when you are trying to lose weight?

• The need for snacking could be a sign that your body needs time to adjust to different portions and healthy foods that were probably not a part of your diet.
• Having more food cravings is normal if you have recently started exercising.
• If you were used to frequent snacking, growing out of it needs time and patience. Stressing about it may trigger more cravings. Instead, you can focus on optimizing your main meals and building daily habits to help prevent mindless snacking.

If you feel the snacking problem is too intense, please consider discussing your concerns with a registered dietitian or qualified nutritionist. Your health is always the priority and there is no reason to do this alone!

Here are some tips to help you feel full and avoid snacking between meals: 

1. Add protein and fibre foods to your main meals.

Protein digestion stimulates hormones that reduce your appetite at the end of your meal and help you feel full for hours. There are many plant and animal-based protein foods so that you can find the right for you according to your dietary preferences.

• Legumes (beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas), tofu, soy products, seitan and vegan protein powders are excellent plant protein sources. Bread and pasta, broccoli, cauliflower and mushrooms also have some protein.
• All animal products (meats, dairy, eggs and seafood) are good protein sources. For your overall health, remember to prefer low-fat meat options (e.g. Poultry, reduced fat minced meat, low-fat dairy) and avoid processed or cured meat.

Eating soluble fibre foods has been linked to many health benefits and a reduced appetite in weight management:

• Your gut bacteria digest soluble fibre. The result is the production of short-chained fatty acids that stimulate the creation of satiety signals. 
• Meals with soluble fibre stay in your gut more time and help you feel full and reduce snacking between meals.
• If you are not used to eating fibre foods, click here for all the tips you need!

2. Chew your food slowly.

Chewing for longer stimulates the production of hormones that make you feel full after your meal . It is also better for healthy digestion.

3. Avoid all fizzy drinks

You have probably already heard that “drinking your calories” with sugary fizzy drinks is not the healthiest option for weight loss. However, added sugar is not the only problem. Zero-calorie/sugar-free carbonated drinks and sparkling water are not a wise option either! Carbon dioxide in fizzy drinks may stimulate ghrelin production . Ghrelin is a hormone that makes you feel hungry. All fizzy drinks will make you feel hungry very soon and waiting for your next meal without having a snack will be challenging!

4. Enjoy your meal without distractions.

Have you noticed that after eating while watching TV you are hungry again after a couple of hours? That’s because you are not focused on your food and your brain “forgets” how much you have eaten. You may also eat faster and not chew your food properly while watching a show .

5. Keep yourself occupied between meals.

Boredom is a major snacking trigger when you are not working. Fill your free time with activities you love and keep your mind busy. If you can find activities that keep you away from the kitchen, that’s even better!

Some of the above tips will help you prevent snacking, while others may not. This is how weight management works in real life. Everyone is different and that’s ok!

Have you tried any of the tips to control snacking between meals? Leave a comment below with what works for you!

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