Snack attack … stress eating … nibbles … seconds … sweet treats … a December fridge and a mid-January fridge are opposite ends of the spectrum. Let alone the contents of kitchen cabinets and the pantry. You need to steer cautiously around the heavy food and beverages that mark this time of the year.
Let’s be honest, for many of us, self-discipline is a work, very much, in progress.
There are those essential sips and snacks like water, fruit, foliage, botanical teas, nuts, and carrot sticks – let’s not forget the carrot sticks … sigh. And then there’s that supersized box of European chocolate famous for its beautiful combination of milk and cocoa, its unbelievable creamy texture and dreamy flavour …. you bought two, didn’t you? One as a gift and another for ‘yours truly’ in a moment of indulgence that ticks the box on your self-care list.
But this is not the time nor the place to throw the recipe book of healthy holiday appetizers at you. Who even has the time to whip up a charcuterie board between checking the family WhatsApp group’s messages, looking for your mask whilst shouting at the cat who considers the new wingback chair to be a fantastic scratch pole?
When you feel like a snack after a snack, give it 10 minutes. Get out of your headspace. If it means playing beach bats in the back garden or watering the plants, so be it. The moment you start moving you’ll put tabs on the voice in your head that wants the same portion, but this time with extra mayo. Ask yourself, and be honest, “Am I really on the brink of starvation or am I just bored?”
Eat. Proper. Meals. It’s still one of the best ways to combat frequent snack attacks.
Let’s circle back to water. When the cravings hit, drink a full glass of tap, then check in with your tummy after 15 minutes if there are any cravings at home. Chances are they’ll be gone.
As for that secret drawer where a slab of pure Alpine cow milk and high-quality cocoa bean chocolate is hidden, yes, we’re human. Break off a row, but maybe share the rest.
We did say maybe …