5 Practical Ways To Get Your Family To Stop Mindless Snacking, According To A Nutritionist-Dietitian
Small changes in your day-to-day habits can make a big difference.
As we go through yet another lockdown and with nothing much to do, boredom is one of the enemies to watch out for while staying home. By itself, boredom can be a good thing if it makes you want to find ways to be productive. However, there is also a tendency to do what Filipinos love most: yup, eating.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Eating is good for our bodies and our mental health, as it gives us enough fuel to carry out our daily activities. However, engaging in excessive (and mindless) snacking can do us more harm than good. So what can we do to cut back on this habit? Margaret Tiongco, a registered nutritionist-dietitian, tells us 5 healthy lifestyle changes we can incorporate in our daily lives to reduce mindless snacking.
Mindless snaking vs. Mindful eating
Let’s face it, at some point in our lives, we have grabbed that bag of chips even when we’re not hungry. And it’s not because we’re “craving” for it, either.
According to Tiongco, “mindless snacking” is a behavior where we subconsciously eat any available food items within our reach.
“Because the mind is very much affected by distractions, emotions, disinhibition and/or other external factors, there is this lack of awareness that causes a person to eat even when they’re not necessarily hungry,” she explains. “This is different from mindful eating wherein a person has an increased awareness of their food consumption habits due to their physical, emotional and cognitive state.”
While people who practice mindful eating often take their time in choosing their food, as they consider both the physical and emotional sensations that will be satisfied, mindless snacking can lead to excessive calorie intake.
Why do we feel the urge to snack, even when we’re not hungry?
Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, we tend to feel unpleasant emotions such as stress, depression, and anxiety, which are the most common reasons why people tend to snack, Tiongco says.
“When the body is stressed out, the adrenal glands produce the hormone cortisol (also called the ‘stress hormone’) which increases one’s heart rate and blood pressure. This ‘fight-or-flight’ response makes use of a lot of energy and the body compensates by increasing hunger cues since the energy stores are being depleted.”
Aside from cortisol, another hormone called ghrelin or the “hunger hormone” may also contribute in wanting to satisfy hunger when our body lacks energy.
“The urge to snack despite not feeling hungry can also be precipitated by eating with peers when get-togethers usually involve the consumption of alcohol and fatty foods. Alcohol lessens one’s inhibitions to create good judgement in food consumption, while dietary fat can bring out the flavor in foods, making a person want to consume more than necessary,” explains Tiongco. “Again, mindless eating comes into play whenever foods, particularly calorie-dense ones, are readily available and easily accessible.”
Mindless snacking as a habit
“Snacking, in general, may have a positive effect on the body since food is the fuel that supplies the body’s needs. If a person consumes a 200-calorie snack once, it won’t have a significant effect on his/her weight,” Tiongco says. Snacking is not a bad thing, it’s normal for our bodies to crave every once in a while!
However, consuming a 200-calorie at once every day can cause significant weight gain as well.
“Weight gain from snacking can only occur if the snacks were not included in the diet recommendations and is already in excess of the total caloric requirements of the body,” says Tiongco. “When we indulge in unhealthy eating habits and our weight continuously rises, our risk for obesity, heart diseases, and metabolic diseases also increases.”
If we do acquire these health conditions, we might need to follow an even stricter diet or take medications for maintenance.
“Aside from that, we may not be able to provide our body the proper nourishment it needs if we continuously eat foods that have low nutrient value such as processed foods and fast foods which are mostly high in fat, sodium and sugar, and are low in vitamins and minerals,” she adds.
So what can we do to cut back on this habit? Tiongco goes by this principle: “It is better to change the environment than to change the mind.” When we alter the factors that influence our food choices, it will be easier for us to make better judgments when it comes to the food we eat.
Tip #1: Buy more whole or nutrient-dense foods.
“Healthy habits always start with what you intend to buy in the grocery store,” says Tiongco. “This step is very vital as it gives you the power to choose what you eat.”
If we buy healthier foods at the grocery, we’ll also have healthier options if you do choose to snack at home. So even if you get the urge to snack, at least you’ll have nutritious fruits and veggies instead of chips, right?
Tip #2: Create a healthy eating environment.
Eliminating distractions such as watching television and using your laptop or smartphone can help you in practicing mindfulness while eating. Rearranging unhealthy food items, like removing them from easily visible and reachable places in your home, can also help you cut back on temptations that may lead to overeating, Tiongco says.
Tip #3: Recognize your internal and external hunger and fullness cues.
“Try to develop a healthy relationship with your food. Recognize your physical hunger and fullness cues, and know what triggers you to eat and what causes you to feel full,” she says.
Sometimes, seeing our plates empty can make us feel full. Some people take the first burp during a meal as their cue to stop eating.
Tip #4: Control your portions.
Focusing on the quality of our food is important, but controlling our portions (or quantity) is just as crucial.
“While food choices do matter more when it comes to healthy eating habits, a lot of food (healthy or not) is still a lot of food,” says Tiongco. “Portion your foods or change the size of your plate to influence your food intake. Remember that whatever is in our plate mostly ends up in our stomach.”
Tip #5: Eat with patience, and enjoy the experience.
Eating is a wonderful, enjoyable experience. But when you’re busy or rushing, we tend to forget that slowing down, chewing our food thoroughly, and savoring our meals can actually help us practice mindful eating. Let’s appreciate our food and what it’s able to do to our bodies!
“Small changes can make a big difference. Once you slowly start changing unhealthy habits, your awareness to food gradually increases, and your mind and body’s condition becomes significantly better,” Tiongco explains. “Always remember that the fight to wellness begins at home.”
You may reach Margaret Tiongco, RND via ND on Call’s Facebook or Instagram accounts.
