How to Stop Snacking Throughout The Day: Healthy Snacks And Eating Habits
Note: This article does not encourage restrictive eating behaviors showcased in some eating disorders. If you're struggling to eat food or are consistently counting calories out of fear of weight gain, reach out to the hotline below or a mental health professional for support.
If you are experiencing a crisis related to an eating disorder or would like further resources, contact the ANAD Eating Disorders Helpline at 1-888-375-7767 from Monday through Friday, 9 am to 9 pm CT.
Snacking may not be unhealthy in every circumstance. However, it could be a compulsive behavior if it is constant or causes undue distress. Over-snacking can sometimes be related to emotional eating or another eating concern. If you feel that you are snacking too often, there are a few solutions you can investigate.
Reasons for snacking
Figuring out what drives your snacking behavior may help you understand whether it's concerning or healthy. Below are a few reasons for constant or compulsive snacking.
Habits
Having a scheduled snack time each day to get away from work or another responsibility might become a habit for distraction. You might also have been raised in a house with an after-dinner treat in front of the TV or a snack after school. Without a snack at a scheduled time, you might feel deprived or as if something is missing, even if you're not hungry.
Thirst
The thirst sensation may sometimes be mistaken for hunger. It can be confusing if you are not attuned to your body's hunger cues. Instead of reaching for water or another beverage, you might eat a snack you don't necessarily want or continue eating because the sensation of thirst has not disappeared.
Boredom
If you're bored, snacking might seem like an easy choice. For example, if you're sitting down to watch TV or read a book, eating may enhance the experience, offering a sense of comfort or enjoyment that you don't feel without the food.
Binge eating disorder
Some people experience symptoms of binge eating disorder, which can involve eating when you're full, eating significant quantities of food in one sitting, or eating to reduce an emotional challenge. People with this eating disorder often feel guilty after eating. Snacking can be a sign of binge eating disorder if it is constant and in significant quantities. For example, if you snack on popcorn, pretzels, candy, chips, chicken nuggets, and other foods at the same time regularly, you might be experiencing a bingeing compulsion.
Emotional response
Like an eating disorder, some people find that eating calms them. Self-soothing through eating habits can be a sign of an eating disorder, but it can also be a sign of a past trauma or adverse event, a desire for routine, or the feeling of comfort that food can offer. Some foods boost endorphins like dopamine, which can offer happiness and excitement when you eat. In addition, cultures often use food as a way to celebrate, connect, and communicate. If your culture loves eating and cooking, you might eat more often due to your family's habits.
If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.
When is snacking healthy?
Snacks are not necessarily unhealthy in moderation, especially if they are made from healthy foods like fruits or vegetables. Harvard Health states snacking may be healthy when choosing a healthy food like nuts, yogurt, or whole-grain bread. You can also try sunflower seeds, dried fruit, cheese, avocado, or roasted corn.
Harvard Health also suggests eating a snack of about 150 to 250 calories per snack. Limiting your snack amounts in a day can ensure healthy behaviors. If you eat too many calories in snacks, you might notice you aren't hungry during mealtime. Not eating your main meals can keep you from receiving essential nutrients.
How to stop snacking unhealthily
Below are a few ways to snack healthier or stop snacking altogether, depending on your motivations.
Planning healthy snacks
Snacking can keep your hunger at bay and control your blood sugar throughout the day, so planning snacks healthily can keep your body healthy. Instead of eating when you're bored or hungry, pre-plan your snack times, foods, and amounts before it's time to eat them. If they require preparation, consider preparing them and having them set out the night before.
Use coping skills when you don’t know how to stop snacking unhealthily
If the craving is intense, set a timer for ten minutes and distract yourself for those ten minutes with a healthy coping skill. After the timer goes off, you can eat the snack if you still want it. This technique is referred to as delayed eating. Even if you eat, you can learn to get more attuned to your hunger cues and reasons for craving certain foods.
Coping skills vary based on personal interests, but some examples include coloring, hiking, drawing, listening to music, or watching TV. If you do one of these before reaching for a snack, the craving may disappear after you finish.
Choosing filling foods for healthier meals
Snacks are the healthiest when they contain high protein, fiber, and healthy fat. These ingredients can take time to digest, give you a sense of satisfaction, and keep your stomach filled, eliminating the chance of further hunger for a few hours.
Drinking plenty of water to manage food cravings
Water also contributes to a feeling of fullness and healthy digestion. It can keep thirst and dehydration at bay, which might be mistaken for hunger. If you're considering drinking a sweet drink instead, consider using sugar-free water flavoring instead. Artificial sweeteners may lead to further food cravings and dependency on sugar.
Set a short-term goal
Instead of eliminating snacking forever, set a short-term, achievable goal, like a few days or one week. A short period may feel more manageable, measurable, and motivating than giving yourself no room for error. After the week, you can re-assess and decide to keep going or reconnect with snacking.
Reach out for support
If you're experiencing difficulty with food or believe you might be living with binge eating disorder, consider contacting a professional. A counselor can help you navigate the feelings you're experiencing when you eat or don't eat and how those impact your mental health. If you're unsure whether therapy is for you, you can also try a low-commitment option like online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp.
Online therapy has been proven successful for those with mental health issues, including those that may cause over-snacking or overeating. One study found that web-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) was highly influential in reducing eating disorder psychopathology and body dissatisfaction, with moderate improvements in physical and mental health, self-esteem, social functioning, and quality of life. These impacts were sustained long-term.
Online therapy allows clients to talk about a challenging subject in a safe environment. As many US adults report feeling safest at home, online therapy may be a promising alternative to traditional face-to-face counseling.
Takeaway
How to stop snacking throughout the day without feeling hungry?
To avoid snacking without feeling hungry, focus on eating protein-rich meals, fiber, and healthy fats, which keep you full longer. Stay hydrated, as thirst is often mistaken for hunger.
What are some healthy snacks to keep you full between meals?
Healthy snacks like nuts or nut butters, Greek yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, or hummus with veggies are high in protein and fiber, which help curb hunger between meals.
How can balanced meals help reduce unnecessary snacking?
Balanced meals contain a mix of protein, healthy fats, fiber, and complex carbohydrates. These stabilize blood sugar, keeping you fuller for longer and reducing the urge to snack.
What types of food can prevent frequent snacking urges?
Foods rich in protein like lean meats and legumes as well as those high in fiber, such as green vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, help prevent frequent snacking by promoting satiety and steady energy levels.
How do I stop the urge to snack?
When you want to stop eating throughout the day, it can be important to learn to recognize fullness cues. Many of us engage in mindless eating, constantly snacking while doing other things like watching television or scrolling on our phones. When we eat like this, we rarely feel satisfied, because our mind is not in the moment enjoying the food and registering fullness. By eating regular meals at regular intervals, we can create a pattern of hunger and satiety that helps us to avoid mindless snacking.
How do I train my mind to stop snacking?
There are a number of strategies you can use to train yourself out of the habit of constantly reaching for snack foods.
Eat healthy, well rounded meals. Nutritionally balanced meals, protein, carbohydrate and fats can ensure you get the nutrition you need and may help you feel fewer cravings.
No skipping meals. Many people skip breakfast or lunch, and this can set you up to become hungry later in the day. When you’re hungry you are more likely to reach for junk food and end up eating more calories throughout the day.
Learn to recognize internal cues. When you reach for food, take a moment to think: “Am I hungry? Or am I using food to manage stress?”
Maintain your overall health. Exercise, get outside, and get quality sleep. By taking care of yourself, stress can become less of an overwhelming factor in your diet, and when your body feels good you may be more motivated to eat in a balanced way.
Can you train yourself not to snack?
Yes, habits can be learned and unlearned. If your food intake is too high because you find yourself snacking all day, set a series of realistic and achievable goals to shift your behaviors.
First, don’t cultivate an all or nothing mindset. You don’t need to cut your favorite foods out of your life. Many experts recommend an 80/20 approach: eat nutritionally balanced foods around 80% of the time, while allowing space for whatever you want around 20%.
Practice self-care. Get enough sleep, stay active with hobbies you enjoy, and maintain strong social relationships. By managing stress, you will be less likely to reach for food to cope.
Eat filling, regular meals. Things like chicken breast and veggies can fill you up better than sugary snacks.
Finally, if you find that you’re having difficulty on your own, these aren’t the only tools available for change. Working with a CBT therapist can help you with behavioral changes.
Why am I snacking so much?
There are a number of reasons why a person may snack too much. First, you may actually be hungry. Examine your schedule and determine whether you are skipping meals, not eating enough at mealtimes, or eating foods that are not filling or nutritionally dense. Then take a closer look at why you’re eating when you eat. Are you eating because you are hungry, or is it simply a habit? Do you eat while doing other things like scrolling your phone or reading? Finally, you may engage in emotional eating. Do you eat when you are sad, frustrated, or stressed? With a little self-assessment you can determine why you’ve been snacking.
What will stop me snacking?
This can depend on the reasons that you snack, and people’s reasons can be different. If you are truly hungry, you may want to start eating regular meals that are filling and nutritionally dense. If you eat because it’s a habit you may want to change the behaviors around your eating and eat intentionally. This can include learning to recognize true hunger cues. If you eat as a coping mechanism for stress, then you may want to examine this behavior and other practice stress management strategies.
How to drop weight quickly?
According to most registered dieticians, a good rule for weight loss and long term health is to stop dieting. Diet culture sells us quick fixes that don’t last, and creates weigh yo-yoing. Approach health goals from a long-term perspective. And if you feel that you use food as a coping mechanism, therapy can be helpful to replace this with more adaptive coping skills.
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