Do you open a bag of potato chips with the intention of eating just a few and you end up eating all of it? And it keeps happening on a loop. This is called mindless eating. It can lead to more calorie intake and weight gain. Not only this, but mindless eating also leaves one dissatisfied. So what should you do when you get hungry in between your meals? You can indulge in intentional snacking, which will prevent you from overeating and keep you healthy as well.
If you are someone who is struggling with mindless eating, here are a few tips to help you curb it-
Single-serve packets
If you are buying something from the grocery mart, be it a packet of nuts or baked vegetable wafers, make sure you buy the smallest of the packets or single-serve packets. This is known as the portion-size effect. You are less prone to overeat when you purchase smaller, portion-controlled packages. The extra step of opening yet another packet gives your brain the opportunity to consider, ‘if this is really what I need right now?’, and you may realise, that your hunger pangs are gone and you feel content.
Small bowls and plates
To reduce the portion size, use small plates and bowls. Big plates will trick you into thinking that the food portion is small, and will make you serve yourself more food. A research article titled Super Bowls: Serving bowl size and food consumption, submitted to the National Library of Medicine found that using 9.5-inch plates instead of 12.5-inch plates, can help reduce your portion size and make you eat 27% less food.
Healthy alternatives
If you love to snack on chips due to their crunchy texture or salt content, try to swap them with some healthy alternative that may provide you with the same experience. To add some crunch to your munching try eating carrot sticks or slices of beetroot, a handful of almonds or walnuts. You could also consider eating seeds like pumpkin, sunflower and flax seeds.
Out of sight, out of mind
Out of sight, out of mind applies perfectly to mindless bingeing as well. A study titled ‘The office candy dish: proximity’s influence on estimated and actual consumption’ found that when candies were kept in clear bowls instead of opaque ones, 71% reached out for more candies, leading to an extra 77 calorie intake. So, next time, hide those tempting treats at the farthest end of the cupboard and choose to keep the healthy food right in front of you.
Avoid multitasking while eating
Instead of getting busy on your mobile, watching TV, or reading a book, spend more time with your food. Engage your senses, inhale the aroma, touch the food for texture, taste it and then slowly chew it to relish every bite. This will make you aware of how much you are eating.
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