Recently I've grown an interest for light, healthy snacks to munch on during work at the office. However... because they aren't as filling as my usual treats, I find I eat way more of the 'heathly' treats than I do unhealthy. This could be as bad as eating unheatlhy snacks. I don't have any problem with weight, but I'm sure this could be an issue for many others out there looking for healthy alternatives yet come across this road. Any suggestions on what to do in this case?
Depending on the treats, it's usually better to eat more of the healthy snacks rather then just a bit of the unhealthy snacks, it's not too bad for you to overindulge on healthy snacks, as long as it's something like nuts, dried fruits, things like that. What exactly have you been snacking on?
Try shifting your habit onto more natural healthy snacks like fruits and nuts. This way, even if you do overeat then you still wouldn't feel as guilty as you do now. I'm sure it's not as harmful to eat as many fruits as you like. Whenever I felt this way in the past I'd stock up on packaged Apple slices and just munch on those for snacks instead.
Snacking at the desk can be lethal, you end up buying things to keep you going all day. I tried not to keep them in my desk so I wouldn't have them and only bring in what I needed. That way you don't get tempted and you have to go outside to buy more. Baked chips are good, but put them in a bowl and share rather than eat them from the pack. That way you can see what you are eating. Limit them to certain times, when you have finished something or while you check your emails.
I totally understand where your coming from. I try to always have healthy snacks in the house too. I find the same thing you do. I sit down at night for a snack and before I know it I've eaten half the bag. They are usually popped rice cakes or something similar to that and their so light and airy that I don't even realize it!! The thing I have done is instead of eating them right from the bag, I put my serving in a bowl and then I know when my serving is gone. It just keeps me on track. Hope this helps.... Danyel
I've found something simple like some guacamole spread on a slice of toasted crunchy Italian bread, to be a fast and healthy snack to tide me over between meals. We buy these individual 100 calorie containers of guacamole at the store and I would bring one of them with me to work along with a slice or two of bread to toast. The richness from the avocado works well to make me feel like I ate something way more decadent than it really is. I know a lot of people suggest snacking on nuts, but you need to be very careful with portions on those, rather than just blindly grabbing handfuls from a can. A cup of plain chicken broth heated in a mug too is a low calorie but somewhat satisfying snack since it hit's a lot of savory flavor notes you may typically associate with full meals. You could even just wilt some escarole in there for added flavor and texture without raising the calories significantly.
I have has similar issues with office snacking and here are some smart solutions. Plan ahead and stash low-calorie, nutritious snacks in a cabinet, drawer, or your briefcase. Each of these snacks has less than 200 calories and are sure to satisfy when the 3 p.m. cravings hit.For a hunger-curbing option, try 10 multigrain wheat crackers (such as Multigrain Wheat Thins) and a tablespoon of peanut butter. This nutrient-rich snack rings in at just 193 calories and offers 2 grams of fiber.
It really sounds like your new snacks are "healthier," but not necessarily healthy. A good, healthy snack would also fill you up due to the fiber, fat and protein content. Reconsider what level of health it really is and then go from there.
Truly healthy snacks aren't becoming unhealthy. If it's actually healthy, you can eat as much of it as you want. Pigging out on anything to the point of feeling stuffed isn't a smart idea with any food, but if it's actually healthy, eating to satisfaction is just fine and preferable.. it's what your body needs. I have a feeling we're talking about processed foods though, in which case, no.. eating a bunch of it is not a good idea, no matter how healthy you think it is.
Moderate everything that you eat. If you find that you are snacking in quite an excess, then whichever that you snack, be it healthy or unhealthy, will inflict dire consequences on your weight, on your size and health. Cut down your snacking, control and limit them. Drink a lot of water and if you could just snatch a time any time of the day without limits, then always make yourself full with water even if it would cost you going to the bathroom in every 3 minutes.
