The Hidden Habit That’s Packing on the Pounds
It’s no secret that losing weight is hard.
People try diet after diet, yet in the end, most either give up… or the weight they lose just piles right back on. (Sound familiar?)
There are PLENTY of reasons for the current obesity epidemic, and I’ve shared many here in Natural Health Today.
But today, I’ll focus on just ONE habit that can cause you to eat FAR more hidden calories than you realize.
Researchers examined data from over 23,000 average Americans to determine what they ate over a 24-hours.
Shockingly, most participants scarfed down 400 to 500 calories daily in snacks alone.
That’s a quarter of your daily caloric needs!
There’s nothing inherently wrong with snacking, but when you mindlessly reach for high-calorie, low-nutrient junk food like chips and sweets, you’re setting yourself up for failure (and weight gain) every time.
This means that even if you eat a “healthy” diet for your main meals, unhealthy snacking can make packing on extra pounds inevitable.
With obesity impacting two in five Americans, it’s easy to see how a simple habit like snacking can contribute to chronic health issues, including…
- high blood pressure,
- diabetes, and
- heart disease.
And as I mentioned, snacking itself isn’t the problem… it’s the specific snack foods that cause you to gain unwanted weight.
So, if you find yourself with the munchies, reach for a healthier, more satisfying option like vegetables and hummus, peanut butter and banana, fruit and nuts, or yogurt.
You’ll be snacking to support your body AND your weight.
P.S. Also, remember, not ALL snacking is bad. In fact, THIS snack secret could slash your heart disease risk by up to 25%!
SOURCE:
Heitman Kristen, et al., Snacks contribute considerably to total dietary intakes among adults stratified by glycemia in the United States, PLOS Global Public Health, Published: October 26, 2023, doi. org /10.1371 /journal. pgph. 0000802
