6 Reasons You're Snacking

The jury is out on whether snacking between meals is good or bad. Whilst it can lead to excessive calorie consumption (and resultant weight gain) many argue that if you take a little care and the time to think about why you’re snacking, and what you’re snacking on, it can be actually be beneficial to obtaining your goal of maintaining a healthy weight and healthy lifestyle.

Before heading to the cupboard for an elevenses fix I think it’s important to figure out why you’re snacking…are you actually hungry or just eating for the sake of it or out of habit? Read below for 6 reasons you can’t stop snacking!

1. You're thirsty. In your brain the hypothalamus is responsible for sending out both hunger and thirst signals and the fact that hunger symptoms i.e. feeling dizzy and/or weak mimic symptoms of thirst or dehydration makes distinguishing between the two confusing. Think…if you’ve recently eaten a meal and still feel hungry, could it be thirst? Drink a glass of water and wait a while, chances are your hunger pangs will disappear. Better yet, keep a glass or bottle of water with you and sip regularly to avoid dehydration that way, when you get those belly rumbles it’s more likely your body telling you to fuel it with food.
2. You're tired. When you’re suffering from insufficient beauty sleep the appetite-stimulating hormone, ghrelin, increases making you think you’re hungry even though you just ate. Additionally, when you’re physically exhausted your body seeks to boost energy levels. Food is fuel and in this instance you’re likely to crave simple sugars and fast-burning foods.
3. You're stressed. When you’re feeling stressed your body releases the hormone cortisol, which in turn increases appetite. A vicious cycle can ensue in this situation as you often crave fatty, sugary foods which may satisfy you in the short term but will leave you hungry again soon enough and craving even more sugar!
4. You've had an unsatisfying meal. I don’t mean ‘unsatisfying’ as in the limp, soggy sandwich sitting in your desk drawer, what I mean is the fact that what you ate didn’t satisfy your nutritional needs. Your body requires a mix of complex carbs, protein, healthy fat and fibre. Foods that are nutrient dense will be more satiating and help you on your way to feeling full.
5. You're eating too many simple sugars. Following from the point above, a diet loaded with simple sugars (such as white bread, pasta, sweets and chocolate) may provide that rush of energy you’re seeking at the time but will inevitably result in crashing blood sugar levels and cravings for more quick-fix snacks in no time.
6. You simply aren’t eating enough - If you’re watching your weight and cutting down on calories please don’t forget that you still need to fuel your body sufficiently. If all you had for breakfast was a black coffee and an apple it’s no wonder you’re craving a snack! When your stomach is empty the body responds with the release of hormones signalling hunger. Even if dieting make sure you eat foods that will fill you up – protein and fibre-rich foods plus complex carbs will do the job!

Taking these points into consideration will help you avoid unnecessary snacking and overeating. If you are genuinely hungry then fair play, enjoy a snack, just try to make sure it’s nutritious and balances with the rest of your diet. When eaten in this way snacks can help aid healthy eating campaigns and prevent you from craving the not-so-healthy stuff that will send you off course.