If you’re celebrating the Super Bowl with a party – you’re bound to be surrounded by all sorts of super snacks.
But for those who are still trying to lose those extra pounds from the holidays –Susan Albers, PsyD, of Cleveland Clinic said it’s best not to arrive at the party on an empty stomach.
“Being overly hungry leaves you vulnerable for over-eating the next time that you eat,” she said. “It’s the number-one trigger of binges. Also, we tend to eat very quickly when we’re overly hungry, and we lose track of when we become full.”
Dr. Albers said the first step to managing your snacking behavior is to remember that snacking is not a meal. She recommends using the ‘AIM’ approach.
- ‘A’ is for assessing hunger – ask yourself, are you very hungry? Or just a little hungry?
- ‘I’ is for identifying what you want – do you want a treat? Or do you need a snack that’s going to help increase your energy?
- ‘M’ is for mindfulness – so sit down, savor your snack, and chew slowly to ensure that you don’t over eat.
Dr. Albers said it’s fine to indulge at a gathering, but just try to be in tune with hunger signals – and this includes making sure to eat when truly hungry.
“When your hunger knocks – answer,” she said. “Too often, we wait, we become busy, we ignore it, we push our hunger signals away, and then we become overly hungry and ‘hangry’ throughout the day.”
Dr. Albers said it’s also helpful to portion snacks onto a plate or a bowl – instead of eating right out of the bag or box. This will help folks enjoy party snacks without feeling like they over did it when the game is over.
