secrets behind snacking + how to outsmart your snacks

>> It’s 3 pm and I'm making my way to the snack drawer, everyday opening and closing it hoping something new and exciting will appear. 

>> I just finished dinner, what's for dessert?

>> My new home office is in the kitchen and my snacking is at an all time high.

I am the second person; 1000% born and raised eating dinner, and immediately followed it up with some type of snack, for about 30 years. Talk about a hard habit to break. I’ve put together some exercises you can try out to finally kick whatever your “bad” habit is. The cycle we are trying to break goes a little something like this.

1. Craving 

2. Find food to fit said craving

3. Reward 

The more we give in and complete said cycle, the more often it's going to occur and we know that can just lead to bad news all around.

So where do we start?

Step one: Identify your trigger. 

Take note of your environment.

Any specifics at all are worth noting: smell, time of day, location, people we are with.

Step two: Ask yourself some questions +take note of your answers

1. Who are you with?

2. What are you feeling emotionally?

3. What are you craving?

4. Where are you?

5. What are you doing?

6. What are you thinking?

7. How are you feeling physically?

This will have to be done several times, so make a note on your fancy phone or tell SIRI to write it down, but either way do it. We need this information down the line, and if you really want to break this habit + make some changes it is necessary. Annoying? Sure, maybe….BUT it will work if you really give this a shot so stick with me. Once we identify the pattern it's time to interrupt that shit and start carving out a new path.

When the Cravings Hit 

STOP + let the craving simmer for a few.

Ask yourself : Am I actually hungry, like would I eat grilled chicken + veggies right now? OR maybe you choose to indulge anyways? All good in the hood, these things will happen. If you caved and had the doughnuts you were eyeballing, think of it as another learning experience. Really take note of all the things we talked about earlier. BUT guess what, our solution here is just oh well you tried, go get ‘em next time! 

What good would that be?

Here are some tactics you can put into place when those cravings come a knocking and trust me, they will.

Choose an activity that doesn’t involve chewing. 

Example: Take the dog for another loop around the block, delete old contacts out of your phone (something I need to do but it takes so damn long), call an old friend or family member, hit up next on the to do list. In about 15-20 mins you’ll notice the craving has probably disappeared OR you are so involved with whatever task you chose to do you’ll forget about the craving entirely.

Fuel yourself properly throughout the day.

Here at Fitness by Ashley we strive to have each meal consist of a protein, fat, carb and a big serving of veggies. Focusing on these components throughout the day will help manage hunger, mitigate cravings, and keep you from overeating at night when the hunger from the day finally hits you. We don’t expect perfection so if you miss veggies in the AM like I often do, it’s not a ticket to just say fuck it the rest of the day. You still have 2-3 meals left in the day where you have the opportunity to get all those things in. Think of each meal as a new day, not necessarily each day of eating as a new day. 

Another trick of the trade from Krista Scott-Dixon, Ph.D., Precision Nutrition’s Director of Curriculum, she tells her clients then can have the snack they so desire BUT they have to go pick it up from a store 15 mins away from their house. Some other tricks of the trade from fellow Precision Nutrition coaches, if you want something, you have to make it.  

All of these strategies have the power to work but there is one golden rule to remember — If you buy it, someone in your family will eat it. 

 If you know chocolate chip cookies are a trigger for you, and you have a hard time passing them up…..stop buying them. It can really be that simple. When faced with the question, What about a healthy substitute? There are still some considerations to take into place. Overeating is still overeating, and giving into a craving is still allowing that habit to take place. BUT this work takes time.

So I leave you with this —

If you really want the real ice cream vs. the fake “healthier ice cream”

• When was the last time you had it?

• Are you hungry, or do you just want to eat?

• Can I eat the ice cream slow, and stop when I am about 80% full?

• What will your emotions be after eating the ice cream? Happy + satisfied? Or pissed of + guilty?

OR

• I’m hungry and I want another option

• What can I make that is similar to what I am craving but made with some whole foods?

There are so many options out there so keep an eye on your Sunday Newsletter for some healthier options when the snack attack cravings hit and you decide you are going to go ahead and make something. If you still have questions please feel free to email me at info@fitnessbyashley.com and we can chat more!

References
1. Carter, A., Hendrikse, J., Lee, N., Yücel, M., Verdejo-Garcia, A., Andrews, Z. B., & Hall, W. (2016). The Neurobiology of “Food Addiction” and Its Implications for Obesity Treatment and Policy. Annual Review of Nutrition, 36, 105–128. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27296500
2. Cohen, D. A., & Babey, S. H. (2012). Contextual influences on eating behaviours: heuristic processing and dietary choices. Obesity Reviews: An Official Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 13(9), 766–779. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3667220/