Hands up who among our lovely blog readers is a snacking demon?? Ok, you got us – hands straight up there!! There is no better thought than a mid-morning cup of tea (or panad as we would say here in Wales) with a delicious dunked cookie. And sometimes, the only thing that gets us through the afternoon is sitting down at 4pm with a big drink and a naughty pastry. And of course, there has to be something to nibble on with a glass of wine later…. ooops!

If you’re looking to improve your diet and lose weight, then tackling your snacking could be a good place to start. Whilst some experts believe that healthy snacks can form an important part of a balanced diet, there are plenty of experts who also believe that there is no need to snack at all and that all we are doing is simply adding unnecessary calories and fats to our daily consumption.

So,  if you are trying to tame the snacking monster then here are our top tips to stop you snacking……

• Eat Properly – Eat a proper meal three times a day and fill up on protein and fibre to keep you full longer. Or, change to eating smaller meals, six times a day. This way you can incorporate a snack as a small meal, but remember to make it healthy. Four chocolate digestives do not count as a meal!
• Make Time – Being busy is no excuse to grab a packet of crisps for lunch! Take a decent break and create something healthy and nutritious.
• Use mind games – Think about it long and hard first. Do you really want that snack? Or do you want that summer dress more? Really think about it for two whole minutes, and if you still want to eat something, then go ahead.
• Mouth Tricks – Try tricking your mouth with sugar free chewing gum so that it’s too busy to chew any chocolate.
• Diversion Tactics – Another trick is to try and sidetrack the snack attack and do something else. Take a break, go for a walk, get some fresh air, do a crossword or even hang the washing out. Anything that takes your mind off the craving long enough so that it passes.
• Self Control – Try cutting out a picture of the summer dress/suit/bikini or whatever it is that’s motivating you to lose weight and stick it on the fridge. The constant reminder (and a picture of a very slim model) will stop you dead in your tracks to the fridge.
• Be Accountable – Keep a food diary, and lists everything you in a day. Having to re-read it, even if only to yourself, is motivation enough to make sure it’s not filled with junk! No cheating on this one though!
• Snack Well – And, after all that, if you must snack, have a healthy snack. Fill the cupboards with fruit, rice cakes, yoghurt pots, dried fruits, unsalted nuts and seeds and some fresh veg. That way, even if you really, really, really want a biscuit, you can’t have one if it’s not there. Not unless there’s a very convenient corner shop close by anyway. No! Don’t even think about it!

Good luck!