How to Stop Mindlessly Snacking (Why You Can’t Stop)

Are you the type of person that walks into the kitchen about every other minute just to try and find something to munch on? If you said yes, I feel you because that’s me or at least used to be me because I’ve gotten better. Oh, trust me, I’ve fought that battle. So if you’re struggling to figure out how to stop mindlessly snacking, let me let you in on a couple of things.

WHY DO YOU SNACK SO MUCH?

This has to be the number one question I hear people asking themselves over and over. Because honestly, it’s something that just happens. A little something here and a little something there. Unfortunately, this adds up, and when you’re trying to lose weight, it can be quite frustrating.

Here are a few reasons why you may snack a bit too much:

Bored
Dehydrated
Stress levels are high
Restricting food items
Eating too low calories
Not getting enough protein
Buying unnecessary junk food

HOW TO STOP the snacking

…With that list said.

Let’s jump in and talk about how to stop the random food cravings and snacking.

Out of sight out of mind

Don’ even put it in the grocery cart. When I tell ya’ll I can’t trust myself; I can’t trust myself. Don’t put yourself in front of anything that’s compromising with your commitment. It’s harder to snack on anything that’s not there in the first place.

EAT MORE FOOD throughout the day

If you feel like you want to eat an arm and a leg, we’ve got some evaluating to do.

Food is energy, and you need the energy to function. Make sure you’re eating enough to fuel your body. Ask yourself, how long have you been dieting for? If you’ve been dieting for months or years, take a break and bring your calories up to maintenance.

I say this because restricting yourself from food and not eating enough during the day for months on end can increase your ghrelin (this is that hormone in your body that SAYS “hey, I’m hungry, FEED ME.”) and you graciously listen.

keep yourself busy

Imagine being stuck at home all day.

If you’re not finding yourself busy, what are the chances of creeping on over to the kitchen pantry?

Guilty – this is me 99.5% of the time

Try taking a walk, go to the park, start reading a book, or work on a side project. You may find yourself eating because you’re bored, not because you’re actually hungry.

DRINK MORE WATER

I used to be horrible at remembering to drink water.

And I think it’s safe to say that if we don’t remind ourselves to drink more water, we just forget and push aside the fact that we may just need to hydrate up a bit.

Before you feel like snacking, grab a cup or two of water and then see how you feel. Still hungry? Drink more water. Still hungry? Ok, prepare yourself an actual meal.

STOP STRESSING YOURSELF OUT

There is no doubt in my mind that someone somewhere is stressing over something.

Maybe it’s over an exam, relationship, a due date of some sort, or money…

Let me tell you; I used to stress eat the crap out of my pantry.

I think we often stress a lot because we feel like a chaotic hot mess. Take some time and write down what your dream day and life would be like. Write down your goals and then ask yourself how important your goals are to you.

Do yourself a favor and stress less. It’s ok, everything will work out.

EAT MORE PROTEIN

Not eating enough protein is a simple yet honest mistake. Trust me! When I first heard about protein, I thought bodybuilders, powerlifters, and the word BUFF.

And that’s definitely not the case, so don’t you worry.

Protein helps you feel full and satiates your hunger. Make it a goal to include some kind of protein with every meal. These are foods such as tofu, tempeh, broccoli, beans, protein powders, and more. Protein will keep your body feeling fuller and happier.

SWAP OUT JUNK FOOD

I’m sure you have heard it before. And if you haven’t here it goes.

Never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach.

Since when do you even buy twinkies anymore? Put the dang twinkie down.

Make sure you’re headed to the grocery store on a full stomach and opt for certain treats over others.

For example, buy the bite-size packed candy instead of a bar. Swap chips for popcorn, skip the soda and go for flavored soda water.

The less junk in the pantry, the less snacking you’ll be able to do when your cravings hit.

CONCLUSION

So how do you stop mindlessly snacking? Chocolate, sugar, carbs, and late-night cravings hit us all at one point or another.

Don’t feel defeated if you find yourself giving in on some of those cravings. Remember, there are no bad foods. Food is not the enemy, so we shouldn’t treat it like so.

Some choices are just better than others.