Stop Snacking on Junk Food
By Paul Rothbart
Eating well is an important part of maintaining a healthy weight and of overall wellness. It can be difficult. One of the problems that often occurs is that even if you eat healthy, well-balanced meals, sometimes you snack between. Junk food is often on the snack menu and it can turn into bingeing. Excessive snacking and binge eating junk food can make you overweight, obese, and ruin your health. Fortunately, there are ways to curb this bad habit.
Don't Skip Breakfast
Binge eaters tend to have similar habits, one of which is not eating breakfast. In addition to providing nutrition, eating a healthy breakfast fills you up to start your day. Research has shown that people who have a good breakfast tend to snack less and consume fewer calories throughout the day. Another binge eating habit is going very light on lunch. Scheduling regular meals and sticking to the plan can be very helpful in reducing the cravings that lead to unhealthy snacks.
Stay Active
Excess snacking is often a subconscious way to relieve stress. There are far better ways to manage anxiety. Staying active is a great way to reduce stress levels and it's good for your health. Take walks or do a quick 10-15-minute workout. When your stress is under control, you will be far less likely to stuff yourself with junk food.
Find Out What Causes It
Snacking is usually triggered by something. It's often tied to an emotion. Monitor how you feel when you have the desire to binge. You could keep a food journal. It may happen when you are angry or upset. Worrying about work, your health, or loved ones can also trigger a binge. Even feelings of joy may be the culprit. Perhaps you eat to celebrate. Identify your triggers and then find better ways to deal with them.
Don't Keep Junk Food Handy
If you've got unhealthy snacks sitting in the front of a cabinet, refrigerator, or freezer, they will be the first things you see and you are more likely to consume them. Place them out of sight and in more difficult-to-access locations. Better still, limit the amount of junk food you have in your home. You can train yourself to determine if you are really hungry. If the answer is yes, you can grab an accessible healthy snack.
Going on a junk food binge can ruin an entire week of good eating. It works counter to your plans to stay healthy. If you find yourself frequently snacking on junk food, try some of these tips to curtail those binges and improve your health.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Morrisville, N.C.