The Grazing Effect

If you’re like me, three square meals a day just don’t cut it. I’m always envious (and suspicious) of people who claim their breakfast keeps them full until lunch. For the record, my breakfast consists of plain Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts, thank you very much, but by 11 a.m. my stomach is signaling a distress call. My solution: some light snackage between breakfast and lunch, and again between lunch and dinner. This act of having smaller meals throughout the day, known as grazing, can be a smart choice, but more often than not, it’s taken to an unhealthy place.

As reported in the April issue of Women’s Health, the average person now eats up to 15 times over the course of 15 hours. This mindless munching leads to an excess amount of calories being consumed each day, which equals pounds gained. In fact, snacks now account for about 450 calories a day, compared to 300 in the 1970s, according to Women’s Health, and that could add up to nearly 16 pounds a year.

There are the obvious big slips, like when you’re binge-watching Netflix and you come to consciousness hours later in a sea of wrappers with popcorn stuck in your hair; but just as dangerous is the extra handful of almonds or the nightly dessert you’re conditioned to reach for after dinner, whether or not you actually want it. These things add up, and before you know it, your pants feel tighter.

To keep calories in check, listen to the signals your body is sending. When you find yourself reaching for a snack, ask yourself: Am I actually hungry, or am I just bored, upset or insert other emotion here? By waiting to eat only when you’re truly hungry – light stomach growling is good; waiting until you’re ravenous is not – you’ll cut out a lot of unnecessary calories. Your type of snack also matters. A bag of chips will leave you hungry 10 minutes later, but some nuts or nut butter, a yogurt or hummus and veggies will satisfy and keep you full and focused until your next meal.

Photo courtesy of ecowatch.com.

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