1. Understand Your Hunger and Fullness Cues

You may think eating would be innate but with the way most of us eat nowadays, it can become a bit blurred. Use the Hunger and Fullness chart below to help you judge your level of hunger. Try to have a snack when you are in the hungry/neutral area.

2. Keep Snacks Out of Sight

It’s difficult to resist a bowl of snacks sitting in front of you. You will unconsciously grab a handful or two, then three and four… Instead of having a bag of chips sitting on the counter while you prepare dinner keep them rolled up and in the cupboard and wait until your meal is finished. This way, you’ll have more of an appetite for, likely, nutritious and filling meal.

3. Focus on Your Food

Most people are doing something else while eating. If anything, scrolling through their phone. Try to place an emphasis on putting your phone down and focusing on the food in front of you.

Use every sense you have while eating. Really look at your food. Think about the texture. Pick up your food and consider its weight. Bring your food up to your nose and smell it. Start to chew it and take in every flavor. Chew it as much as you can before swallowing and taking another bite.

4. Portion Out Your Snack

Looking to have some pretzels for a snack? Awesome! The thing is, you may want to put them in a bowl or little baggie. If you just eat them straight out of the large bag you may end up not knowing how much you end up consuming!

With this, use smaller plates and baggies. Most plates are GINORMOUS. It’s okay to go pick out some new plates that will aid better portion sizes. When portioning food into baggies use snack baggies instead of the normal sandwich bag. They are about half the size!

5. Don’t Finish It

You may come to a point where you realize you’re satisfied with your snack but you see there’s an odd amount left. You think to yourself, ‘well I may as well finish them off’. Don’t. It’s okay to allow yourself to stop when you are done and put the snack away, even if it is a small amount.

If you’re stressed out about it just tell others in your household your snacking plan. If they understand you will be putting a bag away with a small amount of food, they’ll understand and not get upset.

6. Eat What You Actually Want

If you’re craving some crackers and hummus have some crackers and hummus. By avoiding these cravings you’ll end up consuming more calories than if you would have just had satisfied the craving to start! Simply add a couple crackers and a blob of hummus to a plate so you don’t end up eating a sleeve of crackers and half a tub of hummus!

7. Eat Satisfying Meals to Stop Mindless Snacking

If you are having meals with a balance of protein, carbs, and fat with some fiber you’ll be satisfied until your next meal. Snacking won’t even cross your mind!

8. Avoid Snackers

If you are around people that snack often you’ll end up snacking often as well. It’s to no fault of your own, but seeing others eat puts it in your mind that you too should be eating.

9. Fill Up on Fiber and Protein

Having a snack with fiber and protein will ensure you are getting in some good nutrition that will fill you up!

Try to pick a snack that has both fiber and protein like:

• Apples with yogurt or peanut butter
• Whole grain crackers with cheese
• Cottage cheese with fruit
• Veggies with hummus

10. Water, Water, Water!

Sometimes (not always) you aren’t even hungry when you go to grab a snack. In these cases you’re likely just a little thirsty. Instead of a snack try having a glass of water or zero-calories flavored drink. In 20 minute reassess if you’re actually hungry or not.

11. Know Your Weaknesses

Everyone knows when they tend to mindlessly snack. For some it’s right when they get home from work and for others it may be late at night. No matter what the situation is, it’s best to know what situations they’ll tend to do these habits.

Once you have it pinned down, take action to change it. Whether that be having more fruits and veggies easily accessible or eating more throughout the day to avoid the need for late-night snacking.

12. Slow Down!

When mindless snacking you tend to stuff your face quite quickly. This is because you’re eating just to eat, not because you’re hungry. To stop this slow down. Take a breath or two between each bite!

Give yourself grace. Now that you know these tips doesn’t guarantee you will never snack mindlessly again, but you do now have the information on how to reduce it.

Interested in learning more about nutrition and healthy eating habits? Read some of my other articles!:

• 9 Healthy Choices to Make While Eating Out
• The Truth About Late Night Snacks
• Lemon Water and Your Health
• Milk Alternatives: What You Need to Know

Let’s keep in touch! Share what tips work best for you in the comments below. Share a photo on Instagram with me, too!

Mindless snacking isn’t always ‘bad’ but if it happens too often it can lead to unintentional weight gain. Keeping yourself occupied and your body busy can keep you from overeating.

1. Go for a walk
2. Put away the snacks sitting on the cupboard
3. Do a puzzle
4. Dream about your bucket list… or start planning!
5. Make a moodboard
6. Research what your next Netflix binge will be!
7. Brush your teeth
8. Write down a short-term goal and long-term goal then plan out how you will reach them
9. Make yourself a cup of tea
10. Take a relaxing bath
11. Wash and chop the veggies in your fridge
12. Update your LinkedIn account
13. Call a friend or family
14. Take a few moments to journal
15. Read a book or magazine
16. Listen to your favorite song from each decade
17. Write down everything you’ve had in the day already
18. Go through your photos and get some new ones printed to update your frames
19. Paint or draw
20. Write a letter and send it through snail mail. It’ll surely make someone smile!
21. Take a look at the current events and news (if you’re up to it)
22. Play fetch with your dog (can cats play fetch??)
23. Do a crossword
24. Go through your spice drawer. Yes, they do go bad!
25. Clean some areas of your home you may have been avoiding
26. Research where you could volunteer soon
27. Organize the files on your computer
28. Drink a glass of water
29. Nail down your ‘why’ in what you are currently attempting to achieve
30. Meal prep
31. Take a nap
32. Wander around Target or HomeGoods… You know, the best stores ever
33. Balance your checkbook
34. Think of gift ideas for upcoming birthdays and holidays
35. Plan your meals for the week
36. Put on a face mask and paint your nails
37. Clean out your email!
38. Light a candle
39. Have a good stretch session- you probably haven’t in a while anyways!
40. Start chewing a piece of gum
41. Make a list of compliments for yourself
42. Do some sit-up’s and jumping-jacks
43. Pluck some of those outgrown eyebrows
44. Throw out expired food in your pantry and fridge
45. Learn how to invest
46. Online shop for necessities. Be sure to not mindlessly spend either!
47. Go through your closet and start a ‘to be donated’ pile
48. Clean out the trash in your car
49. Make a list of things you would like to get to in the next month
50. Do a load of laundry
51. Think about the best ways for you to reduce mindless snacking
52. Organize your cupboards
53. Read some inspirational quotes
54. Keep your fingers busy by scrolling Pinterest. A little self-promo: be sure to follow me!

Is there anything you do when you know you’re about to start mindlessly snack? Let me know in the comments below; i’m sure it’ll help someone out!

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