5 steps on how to snack better!

Jan 01, 2022

5 steps on how to snack better for a healthy, better lifestyle!

We believe that there is a key to snacking healthier and better. Here is our take. Do let us know what you think!

  1. Drink water first – you may not actually be hungry but thirsty
  2. Plan your snack – if you don’t plan your snack, you are very likely to pick up something unhealthy. Don’t do this. Leave this for occasions and holidays
  3. Go for taste – If you don’t like it, it is likely you won’t stick with it. Choose your tastiest healthy snack to feed your hunger between meals
  4. Portion control – Healthy snacks are also best for you when you eat them in measured portions. The best way to do this is to use a small bowl/plate (read below for details)
  5. Eat slowly – Your brain needs to catchup with your stomach! Eating slowly helps signal to your brain that you are full. If you eat fast, by the time your brain realizes you are already too full.

Why drinking water first is a great way to help you eat better?

Studies show that people (37% of them) mistake thirst for hunger. Are you one of them? Maybe. So, the next time you feel hungry, drink water first. Well, if you are still hungry, follow the rest of the steps.

Why is planning your snack important?

In my view, this is the most important step. Imagine that you are in the middle of a busy day, you’ve had a quick lunch while working or doing something urgent. It’s 5pm, dinner is still far away, and you are super hungry. You didn’t plan ahead. You think you want to eat healthy but when you go to your home/office pantry – you see biscuits/cookies and some fruit. You stop thinking more! You go for the biscuit, not for the fruit. It’s human tendency to go for instant gratification, yes sorry but for you too. Therefore, the most important step for snacking healthy is to plan ahead! 

At SnacQ, we have created a range of on-the-go pocket-sized snacks that you can literally (yes, literally) carry everywhere with you. So now that you know this – keep your snack ready. If you plan ahead, you are likely to follow your plan. On the positive side, humans also have a tendency to follow a plan once they make it.

Go for taste! Really?

Now you are a great planner, you’ve kept a super healthy snack with you, but you don’t like it. Guess what, after a few times, you won’t eat it ☹. Unfortunately, this is called bad planning. Keep a snack or SnacQ that is healthy and that you love. This way you’ll actually stick to eating healthy! Classic example is going to the gym vs. playing a sport you love. If you aren’t a gym lover, you are likely to stop going vs. if you play a sport you love, no one is going to be able to stop you. At SnacQ, it is ingrained in our product development philosophy to only release products we love. We are a brand from consumers for consumers. So now you know where to plan your healthy snacks from 😉 (In all fairness, our marketing team made me insert the slide in promotion). Let’s get back though.

Portion Control is another importance facet of eating healthy.

Now that you’ve got your great tasting snack with you, this is an important thing to follow. Portion control! healthy snacks will only remain healthy if you eat them in the right proportion. Don’t go crazy. We know its tasty! So how can you achieve this? What has worked well for me is to either carry single serving packs (check out our pocket-sized packs, which are designed to help you with portion control) or if that is not an option, use a small bowl/plate. Using a small bowl is actually helpful. Why? The brain feels that you are eating more than you are actually eating! So you are content with eating lesser than you think. Eating right is a lot about the brain than it is about your stomach. Hopefully, the next tip drills this in.

Eat Slowly

Complicated stuff but your brain is linked to your stomach. So, while I am sure you are super smart, it does take the brain a little bit of time to process you are full. So, if you eat slowly, you would have eaten lesser by the time your brain tells you that you are full. Eating slowly may actually help you lose weight. Simple, isn’t it? Looks simpler than it is. This one has been the hardest for me to follow. Tell me if you can do it successfully! However, if you eat fast – you have most likely eaten too much before your brain tells you that you are done. Too full – yes, to be honest, this is a feeling I can remember more often. But the new year is coming, why not add this to our (both yours and mine), new year resolution!

Like this blog? Share it with your friends and do let us know what you think so that we can share more content you like. 

Read our previous blog

Sources: 
1. https://pkdcure.org/hunger-vs-thirst/
2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-eating-slowly-may-help-you-feel-full-faster-20101019605
3. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-you-a-fast-eater-slow-down-to-eat-and-weigh-less/

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