There are many reasons to nibble. A moment of stress or a moment of boredom, and straight away you feel that craving. Nibbling seems to be the only way to fulfil those feelings. But when you’re trying to keep tabs on your weight, you need to limit nibbling. So how can we avoid it? Here are some tips.
Eat regularly!
The first step to avoid pecking between meals is to avoid hunger. To achieve that, you should eat a healthy snack every 4 to 5 hours. Now we’re not talking about nibbling on sweets and pastries rich in sugar but a small balanced meal with real benefits, such as a yogurt with some fruit or a slice of bread with a square of dark chocolate. Nibbling in a healthy manner is possible!
Eat healthy.
Strict diets do not mean reduced portions. There’s nothing worse than being hungry an hour after having left the table: in short, we should be eating a balanced diet consisting of complete meals with real food. This means having a balanced meal, including a portion of meat, fish or egg, starchy foods, vegetables, some dairy products or even better, fruits. Indeed, even for those trying to keep their weight in check, they should include starchy foods in their diet. Due to their complex carbohydrates and fibres, starchy foods help prevent sluggishness and snacking between meals because they bring satiety. The level of satiety will depend on the quality of the carbohydrates: the more refined it is the less fibre it contains and therefore its satiety lasts less. Hence, the need for complete starchy foods.
Let’s try to go easy on fast sugars
Yes, it is true that quick-burning sugars get bad press, but I never said they were completely forbidden. As you know, nothing is forbidden here! A balanced diet is eating everything but in reasonable quantities! But to avoid nibbling, it is better to avoid consuming quick-burning sugars and to especially avoid eating them on their own. The body assimilates them too quickly, causing hypoglycaemia, which is an open door to snacking. If the desire for sweets is too intense, combine them with more nutritious foods that contain a few lipids or a little protein, such as oleaginous (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts …) or dairy products.
Learn to give yourself a little treat
Again, it shouldn’t be because you want to lose weight or keep it in check that you have to settle for a plate of vegetables or fruit rather than let yourself be tempted by a slice of lemon pie. If it catches your eye, then take a small piece and savour it rather than salivating in front of it while you crunch on an apple. You can always rebalance your day with other meals later in the day. Having fun from time to time is never a bad thing!
Sleep!
A lack of sleep leads to an increased production of Gheline, a hormone which stimulates appetite and simultaneously generates a decrease in the production of Leptin, the hormone of satiety. Naturally, this hormonal combo will push you to nibble. So, if you have some difficulty sleeping, cut down on your coffee consumption and choose foods that promote sleep. If that is not enough, certain essential oils can help sleeping better.
Rebalancing food to better manage your cravings?
The best way to stop snacking is to review your diet in its entirety. When you follow a healthy diet for several weeks your body and your brain will naturally learn to break free from the nibbling addiction. So do not hesitate and join us, we will give you all the keys to change your diet.
