With busy lives and hectic schedules, sometimes we don't make (or have) the time to sit down to 2-3 meals each day. Instead we find ourselves in "grab-n-go" mode.
There are a few potential problems with snacking throughout the day:
It's easier to grab a bag of chips to eat on the car ride than to chop up fresh vegetables. So.... more often than not, the convenient foods we snack on are processed vs. whole foods.
These processed foods usually contain refined carbohydrates causing our body to release high levels of insulin. When we couple these high levels with persistency (i.e. eating every couple of hours), the risk of insulin resistance is increased even more.
Snacking also tends to be less "mindful" than sitting down to a meal which can prevent optimal digestion of food and cause us to overeat on less than ideal foods.
Whether we're keeping a food journal or just taking mental notes of our daily diet, we often neglect to include the the Pumpkin Spice Latte we ordered mid-morning, the handful of M&M's we grabbed during an afternoon project at work, or the 1/2 of granola bar we ate at a red light. Unfortunately, all these little things add up and really do "count." The result is often undesirable blood sugar fluctuations.
We challenge you to try to cut out snacks this November. It may be tough, especially at first since your body and mind are accustomed to the constant intake. Try drinking water, going for a walk, or taking some deep belly breaths when you get the urge to snack. Chances are, the hunger pangs will go away and you'll be just fine until that next meal.
Read "The Perils of Snacking" HERE