Small changes go a long way -- especially when it comes to what you snack on throughout the day!
In my repeated attempts to diet and stay healthy, I’ve made a discovery. It's not necessarily my will-power (or lack thereof) that leads to my weight gain. For me, it’s poor snacking decisions that hold me captive ten pounds over my target weight.
I am fortunate to be able to stay home with my daughter while I finish my degree. But on days when my husband works in the office, I lack the motivation to cook myself breakfast or lunch. As a natural result of my laziness, I end up grazing on whatever we have lying around the house throughout the day. Oftentimes that includes cereal straight from the box, a half-eaten sleeve of crackers, a piece of toast, or chips. I have even stooped so low as to finish half a bag of plain chow mien noodles in order to avoid preparing a meal for myself (no judgments).
Although fine occasionally, I know these types of snacks won't help me reach my weight goal or stay healthy. I’ve recently taken a good look at my habits and implemented a few changes.
Change Your Environment
One simple snacking hack that I’ve attempted is to keep only healthy snacks around the house. I have come to discover the hard way (and ten pounds later) that my only form of self-control is to not buy unhealthy snacks in the first place. If I'm being entirely transparent – if it is in my house, I will eat it!
Some healthier snacks that I have tried to opt for instead include a variety of fruits, veggies with hummus or ranch, or nuts. Another snack that my husband and I have loved is freeze dried fruits and vegetables. They are just as convenient as store-bought snacks, but I don't feel secretly guilty feeding them to my small family.
"True life is lived when tiny changes occur." – Leo Tolstoy
What Could the Impact Be?
Let's do a quick side-by-side comparison! Here are two very different pictures -- the first are snacks found in the typical American household, and the second is the food we have been keeping around the house recently. How different are they, really? Review the facts and you decide!
Added Sugar: 109g
Calories: 1730
Sodium: 1940mg
Added Sugar: 0g
Calories: 630
Sodium: 54mg
Now let's not lie to ourselves, that top picture is pretty appealing! From time to time, these types of snacks are 100% okay. But adding healthier options can clearly have a real impact on the health of you and your family.
Thrive Food Can Help
I aspire to help my family eat healthier. And since I'm the wife and mom, that responsibility falls mostly on me. Making a small shift from processed, store-bought snacks to freeze dried fruits and vegetables makes me feel like I'm in control of what I keep in my pantry and what goes into my family's tummies. They are free from added sugars and are a great source of fiber which is an added bonus. Their vibrant colors and crunchiness also make them popular among kids. You can go here check out the freeze dried fruit and vegetables we love below :) I personally recommend the strawberries, red grapes, corn and peaches!
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