fitness
Snack attack

Most of us tend to crave for foods that are not good for health. With a little thought and planning, one can check this fattening habit

The urge to munch can strike you at any time or anywhere. Without any warning, you can be overcome by an urge to munch. Try as you might, you just can't wish it away. You know that you have taken a good substantial breakfast, lunch or dinner, yet you feel this uncontrollable craving for a bar of chocolate or a packet of chips.

Weight gainers

Have you noticed that you tend to crave for foods that are not good for you? In fact, chips and chocolates are hardly the nutritious foods. These are the fat makers, causing our weight to shoot up. When eaten in excess, these useless treats can only trick us into feeling great as we munch or drink. Once that is done, all that is left are guilt and anger at your weakness.

With a little thought and planning before giving in, you can actually stop that fattening snack habit and continue the good job of managing your weight as well as your health.

Smart snacking

The adage "out of sight, out of mind" can apply towards chips, chocolates and cookies, especially when you are out shopping for daily groceries. Perhaps, the best advice that can be offered to a chronic snack eater is to keep all those fattening goodies out of your home or office area.

Just before you plan your shopping, have substantial but healthy breakfast or lunch so that you will not be swayed to buy everything that you see in the grocery store. It is a fact that shoppers spend more on food when they are hungry. But they are more likely to stick to healthy food when they have had a substantial meal.

Find your way to healthy low-fat food section in the shopping mall that will help you eat right and lose weight at the same time. Fruit, fresh vegetables, chicken, fish and other less fattening foods are usually found in all super markets. A cart full of these will help you to avoid pre-processed, high-sodium, high-fat meat preparations, etc. that will go straight to your hips and thighs. These unhealthy items will also alter your cholesterol and triglyceride level.

List of health

Remember, make a grocery list and stick to it. This will help you to avoid those troublesome foods. Foods like chips, fried snacks, soft drinks and colas are best avoided. These are the kind of foodstuff that you would stock for company or guests. Unless you have a firm date for a visit by friends or relatives, chances are that the person that will dig into these foods will be you and the kids. Very few of us have nerves of steel to resist these things. So, why tempt yourself?

Nothing official about it

Home is not the only place where snacking is a constant temptation. Offices are common places of diet abuse. Most colleagues share their homemade goodies with others. At times, you may need a mood lift, when the energy levels are down. Don't give in to the craving for a sugar rush and indulge in doughnuts or chocolates or a cup of over-sweetened coffee. This is the time to have a fruit. An apple or a pear or even a biscuit will see you through the this danger period. Once you acquire a taste for the natural goodness of fruit, you will never want to snack on anything harmful.

Plan carefully

Research has proved that the evening hours are the most lethal period for your diet. One returns home from office tired and may be cranky. It is but natural to want to eat something which gives an instant perk or comfort. Also most of us flop down in front of TV as soon as we reach home. There is something about watching television that has that effect on people and makes them head straight for the snack counter or pantry. It is common knowledge that a vast majority of us choose to unwind after a busy day with a bag of chips or other eats. We are hungry after a hard day's work and the "munch attack" hits us as soon as we enter our house.

A little preplanning can avert this crisis easily. Have some fruits or salad vegetables on hand for times like this. I have often wondered what inspires one to eat snacks immediately after dinner when you should be full. Perhaps, it is the television, books or sheer boredom? A sure-fire way to foil this habit is to nibble on non-buttered popcorns or some dry fruits or nuts in moderation. Even better will be to be a little strong willed and sit with a glass of water or green tea. This always comes to the rescue when you feel the urge to munch. Make this natural wonder drink work its magic on you.

Yet another way is to turn to an exercise program. Go for a walk or just get up and be active and you will be accomplishing far more for your body and mind than munching ever could.

Diet awareness

Awareness of diet and food, regular exercises and commitment play crucial roles in reducing incidences of obesity, heart diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis and other degenerative diseases and many other disorders. These disorders are on the rise mainly due to our affluent lifestyles, poor dietary habits, lack of exercises and dependence on processed and preserved foods, rich in sugars, sodium, fats and chemicals. We need to make our lives disease free and stress free to lead a healthy, happy and long life.

The writer is one of the leading holistic health gurus and has a health portal
www.mickeymehtahbf.com

Health Capsules

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