Questions to ask yourself BEFORE you reach for that chocolate bar
So we are about to head into the weekend. I know weekends are times when i find it hard to stay on track with my eating, I am on the go and out of my routine I can end up snacking all day! These are some of the questions that I have started to ask myself before I go and grab something out of the cupboard!
Am I hungry? Seems like a silly question, because you're eating, so you must be hungry, right? Many times we reach for food out of boredom, convenience (the bag of chips was open), depression (chocolate to drown your breakup sorrows), happiness (to celebrate a promotion), or desire (who could pass up the amazing brownies your friend baked). But if we recently ate, then we're not even hungry. So before you give in to that craving make sure you're due for a snack or meal before sitting down to eat one.
Is this food filling holes in my diet? We eat to live and that means the food we gobble down should offer our bodies the vitamins and nutrients it needs to function properly. Aside from being healthy, our daily diet should also be balanced. If you ate a high-protein breakfast of eggs and Greek yogurt topped with nuts, then for a morning snack, you probably want to eat something that offers your body something besides protein, such as fiber, potassium, or vitamin A. Think of each snack and meal as a piece of your daily diet puzzle; an opportunity to take in what your body is lacking.
Is it the correct portion size? It's snack time, and you're sitting down to a banana, toast with peanut butter, a cheese stick, and crackers. Although healthy, that's way more calories than a typical snack should be. Depending on your weight, and your weight loss goals, keep your snacks to around 150 calories, breakfast between 300 and 500 calories, lunch between 400 and 600 calories, and dinner around 400 and 600 cals. Or use the portion control from the 21 day fix - that my friends was an eye opener and life saver for me!
Are there alternatives to make this healthier? You could smear butter on a plain bagel, or you could spread almond butter on a piece of whole-grain bread. We can't always choose the healthier alternative (and sometimes we don't want to when it comes to foods we really crave), but the majority of your meals and snacks should be as healthy as possible. Look for easy ways to cut down on calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium, and sugars.
And if you missed it, here is a link to my post about controlling your cravings Have a great weekend, and take care <3 Katrina
