10 Ways to Curb Your Snacking Binges

When you're dieting, the thing that can really wrecka healthy eating plan is that awful feeling thatcomes over you to just grab a huge bag of potatochips and polish it off while watching your favoritesit-com.We've all been there before! There are things you can do to help yourself avoidthe ugly urge to snack uncontrollably.1. First things first:Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner.Plan to have healthy snacks throughout the day. Donot skip meals or planned snacks. Skipping nutritious foodswill make you feel uncontrollably hungry!2. If you can, avoid purchasing any unhealthy snacks.There are so many "good-for-you" snacks on the markettoday, there is really no reason why you should havea cupboard full of ring-dings and cheesecurls.Start learning to read the back of the packagesof foods - look at the fat content - if it says that thefat content is over 5% per serving - look for a different snack.3. Here's a list of healthy snacks that are low in fat content, but still high in satisfaction (and I'm not talking about carrots and celery!):- pretzels (watch the sodium content, though.)- graham crackers- any type of low fat crackers - (there are many different varieties - read the back of the packages to make sure that they are low in fat. Again, be wary of the salt content.)- low fat cookies - popcorn without butter (you can buy butter flavored salt.) - a cup of fruit with non-fat cool whip on top or a spoonful of honey.- fat free pudding- a stick of sugar-free chewing gum- a couple pieces of licorice- a cup of raw veggies with non-fat salad dressing for dip (ok, so you may have to eat a few carrots.)4. Treat yourself to scented candles. When youfeel like you need a snack - light the candles and enjoythem! This actually does work - I've tried it.5. Instead of a snack, have a drink. Try anon-caffeinated herbal tea with a spoonful of honey.There are several drinks on the market with no caffeineand no sugar - buy a lot of that stuff - different kinds - andkeep it on hand. Before you go for a snack - drink 8 oz. ofyour favorite drink, then decide if you really need a snack.6. Take up something you can do with your hands --crochet, knitting, puzzles, cross-stitch, sewing, playing piano, paint your nails and toenails, weed the garden, do a littlehousework, look at a magazine for the fashions youwill buy when you're thinner...In other words, get your mind off food and onto a healthyhobby. 7. Don't watch TV. TV encourages snacking - you're sitting there, you feel like you should be doing something -so you go for the snack. Also, most of the commercialsare about food. Stay away from TV, take up readingor another activity in number 6 above.8. When you're finished with a meal or a planned snack,brush and floss your teeth - this will help you stay awayfrom food for about an hour.9. THINK - just take about one minute to think aboutwhat you are doing. Go look at yourself in the mirrorduring this minute. Ask yourself, "Do I really want toeat this and PAY the CONSEQUENCE?"10. Use your NutriCounter - Every time you eat something -input it into your NutriCounter - This will help you keep trackof what you've REALLY eaten. Snacking and nibblingcan be the death of a healthy diet. Here's info on the NutriCounter:http://nutricounter.comLast month, we had a fabulous testimonial froma satisfied NutriCounter user. Here's what he has tosay about keeping track of what you eat:"I already have a NutriCounter, it has done wonders for me. In April, I had my gallbladder removed (I'm only 33). I am 6' 4" and was 304 lbs., in pretty good shape. After my operation, I started to watch what I ate, the doctor said it would be a good idea. Writing everything down was a real pain, although I thought it was working well. Then I purchased the NutriCounter. Wow! I was eating about 1200 to 1600 more calories and about 30 to 60 more grams of fat. Writing down the info was not even close to what I really was taking in. The best news is I'm 251 lbs. now, I lost 53 lbs. so far. Just wanted to say thanks." Corey Susz -- PA