Snack Attack!

I love to snack... all the time!
I love to have a handful of something to munch on (or the whole bag). The hard part about snacking, is keeping the portion small. Usually when we start to snack, we don't stop.

Snacking has many health benefits for our bodies. When we eat something small every 3-5 hours it allows our metabolism to keep going. This is good for you because it allows for you to have continual energy throughout the day. When we don't snack, and we are hungry we usually eat more than we need later because by the time we do eat we are starving and feel the need to consume large amounts of food, and usually we don't spend time making something that is healthy or what our bodies really need, we stop and pick something up or microwave whatever, because we are so hungry we cannot wait to eat. We also crave more sugar and salt when we are more hungry (which is why we don't eat as healthy). But by planning out our snacking for the day we allow ourselves to have more control over what we eat and then we minimize the amount that we eat, because our bodies don't usually need the amounts of food we give it. Also like I have mentioned before, drinking lots of liquids (especially water) and keeping ourselves hydrated throughout the day, will also help with our hunger.

We need to learn to listen to our bodies so that we only give it what it needs and really wants. This will help us control our hunger. Eat when you are hungry. Don't wait! Your hunger doesn't go away, it will just become more hungry and start to use your stored energy. When we are eating or snacking we also need to listen to our bodies to know when we are full. Here are some helpful hints:
Signs of being full:
1. Taking a deep breath.
2. When you get really thirsty.
3. Sitting back in your chair.

Our bodies will let us know what it wants and needs when we listen, but we have to learn to listen.
Take some time to understand your body more, do research for your blood type, body type, digestive system ect. All of our bodies are different and react differently to foods. This is why diets are terrible, because one diet that works for one person, will be completely different for another. And this is why we cannot all eat the same foods and quantities. The more you know about your body the better prepared you will be to take care of it.

It is hard to plan what we are going to eat throughout the day, but when we have something on hand that we know we will want to eat, it makes it easier. I keep snacks in my purse, car, and desk drawer. That way when I need something, almost no matter where I am, I have something to snack on. And when I am almost out, I make sure to replenish my stash. (When I am not eating raw food, I also like to keep little sugary snacks available too! Fulfilling our sweet tooth with a bit size chocolate is also very helpful so we don't need to eat the whole tub of ice cream later that night) Some times the few extra minutes at night or first thing in the morning to grab something, can help us in the long run...

Some yummy snacks:
* Almonds (or any kind of nuts/mixes)
* Fruit and vegetables
* Chia Seeds
* A small salad
* Crackers
* Bars
* Fruit snacks