Snacking while on a “diet” is a very controversial thing. Many believe it is the work of the devil, while others believe it is impossible to get through the day without snacking. Obviously, snacking isn’t always a good thing, as it often leads to mindless eating and eating much more than we planned! But that’s a reality! But it’s also a reality. There are about 10,000 reasons why people snack. Instead of giving in to temptation and eating non-keto snacks, it’s better to have keto snacks around that are keto friendly, easy to keep in non-keto places you might go, and generally convenient. Plus, they can often replace a regular meal or tide you over so you can (hopefully) eat less so you don’t overeat at a keto-friendly regular meal.
Here’s are some ideas:
1) Force portion control.
Individually wrapped small portions are the best. I can’t stress this point enough. They are a natural way to prevent you from overeating. Think individually wrapped cheese or small, individually wrapped almonds. Sure, the individually wrapped stuff tends to be more expensive and bad for the environment, but these things should take priority over your health and weight loss.
2) Only snack if you’re really hungry.
Train yourself to check your actual hunger before you put something in your mouth. Don’t eat out of boredom and don’t eat out of procrastination (like I always used to do …… Well, I still do sometimes).
3) Set a time for snacks.
Eat only during these times and only when you are hungry (see above). It’s best to only set this time during the time you are allowed to eat. I have a bad habit of “going back for seconds” after the first snack. Food is addictive and once we’ve had one snack, our brain tells us to eat more. Put off snacking for as long as possible.
4) Purposely procrastinate.
I use this a lot. I’m sitting at my desk around 3pm and I’m bored. Instead of going to grab a handful of nuts, it’s an easy agreement to make with myself by telling myself to wait another hour before grabbing them. Many times, I forget about it after that hour and don’t eat until much later. Win!
5) No “keto-cheating” with small-sized snacks.
This should be obvious. But sometimes people think that if they have small amounts of “snack-sized” carbs, they’re okay. Not true, sorry. Even a small bag of airplane pretzels has 10 grams of carbs, and if you’re flying Southwest, they’ll give you at least two bags! There goes your carb budget for the day! There goes your carb budget for the day.
6) Eat stuff you like!
The other one should be obvious. But I like to remind people of this. There are tons of convenient snack options that are keto-friendly – take advantage of it! Don’t like almonds? Then try crusty eggs! Don’t like string cheese? Try sausage links! Experiment and find your go-to tasty treat.
7) Know where to go.
If you’re on the road, traveling, or stuck in the office, know a few convenient places to find keto-friendly snacks. Keep them in your office. Know that the nearest convenience store has them. You’ll almost never be stuck without a keto option close at hand, so don’t think you’re stuck on an island without keto and use that as an excuse to slip up.
