Evening all
I am a lover of snacks, as I sure you have all gathered by now. I have introduced a mid-morning snack to keep my energy levels steady and stop me munching sweets before lunch, and I normally have a snack in the afternoon to give me energy for my exercise before dinner. I sometimes have a snack later in the evening too. I am perfectly happy with this way of eating , and think that my meals and snacks are balanced. Today I had some funny comments at work about my snacks- almost as though other people thought that I should only be eating 3 meals, and that snacks are “naughty” in some way. Mid morning I had half a graze box, which consisted of a couple of brazil nuts, some dried mango and some dried cherries (hardly unhealthy but I got some funny comments about fatty nuts and sugary dried fruit). During my staff meeting I ate 2 clementines (and got a comment “oh dear, that’s healthy” from the people eating chocolate so perhaps they were feeling guilty? Not that they should feel guilty.) and when I got home my lovely Teapigs Mint tea and a Cocoa mint nakd bar, before aerobics. I think it is strange that the majority of people who are trying to lose weight (most of the people who comment are people who are constantly on a diet) see snacks as something so bad. For me, planning to have snacks during the day means I am much less likely to eat a biscuit or chocolate or anything else. It is days when I don’t have a snack planned that I tend to eat more. Anyway, I didn’t mean to ramble on about that, but I try very hard not to judge or be preachy, but it does annoy me when people make funny comments about what I eat.
Aerobics was fun- lots of newbies again and I had to be the high impact example! The instructor normally does low impact as a demo but the person that normally does the high impact was away- eek! I even had some extra people in my line this evening- pressure! But it was fun.
I also had a late evening snack;
Some Mighty muesli- this time with milk. It was soooooooo good! It tasted like the muesli I remember from when I was little! No yucky powder, just lovely chewy oats, loads of seeds… yum 🙂
Are you a snack monster? What are your fave snacks?
What rude and ignorant people. I love snacks, but then again my snacks are the size of most people’s meals. Your snacks on the other hand, are perfectly portioned, extremely healthy and exactly what all sport and fitness magazines recommend: a great mix of carbs, protein and a little fat from the nuts. That lot at work, on the other hand, ARE nuts. If you forbid snacking between meals in my opinion it just makes said snacking more appealing, and because you are unprepared in that scenario the snacks end up being unhealthy. You NEED snacks to stabilise blood sugar, particularly when you’re active and tend to eat smaller meals like you do. Better for digestion too. And who wants to go six hours between meals?
The ‘snacking is bad’ philosophy is the worst myth ever, second only to carb restriction for weight loss. It’s a hangover from ye olde times when there wasn’t much food around so snacking was wasteful, and just leads to people overeating/eating gigantic meals at meal times.
My favourite snacks are Nakd bars (PLURAL!), protein shakes, fruit and occasionally cereal. I’m also partial to a good piece of vegan, gluten-free tiffin or a cookie 😉
Ignore those twits and keep on snacking.
xxx
I’m a big time snacker. I’d rather eat constantly than three times a day! Besides, if you keep calories and what not in check- it’s actually better for your metabolism to snack. So snack away, girl!
I wonder if negative views of snacking stem from a feeling that snacks are often unhealthy (crisps, chocolates etc); that they are the cause of many people’s gain because of their nature and that the term ‘snacking’ somehow implies mindless eating?
I confess I do still feel a fleeting moment of doubt if I have something like a handful of nuts as a snack (as I did yesterday evening). I suspect that stems from it being a small but calorie dense snack, however healthy.
Jessica- thanks for that! 🙂 I do not really mind what people say or think, but I think it is strange that others still have a very different view. I think Rob you are right- that maybe people associate snacks with crisps and biscuits as oppose to healthier options.
I totally understand where you’re coming from with the funny comments about snacks. I think a lot of people are still programmed to think that healthy = eating less, and likewise, that losing late requires you to eat less. They don’t really understand about running, energy levels, not getting so hungry that you eat an entire days worth of food in one go when you get home.. I hope the comments don’t bother you too much though 🙁
I love snacks – they help keep me from getting over hungry and eating more. It always astounds me how people comment on my eating/exercise/weight – either in a negative or positive way. Sometimes it’s nice to get/offer input about food and stuff, but other times the comments just become a bit of a joke. Keep doing what you’re doing – glad the class was fun!
I’m definately a snack monster and eat similar things to you.
It shocks me how many people are uneducated about food and I too get preachy (I can’t help it).
Snack away 😀
I love snacking! I completely agree that for most people the 3 meals a day just doesn’t work, I have at least 1 or 2 snacks a day and theres no way I could manage with out them. I prefer the grazing way of eating. Your collegues sound quite rude, although I think your right in them feeling guilty 🙂
Pah, comments like those you recieved at work really show how uneducated some people are about the whole concept of healthy eating! Like Alison said, a lot of people seem to think that eating healthy = eating less, but this couldn’t be further from the truth in my case. I love snacking because of the variety… dried fruit, nuts, veggie sticks, hummus, granola, greek yoghurt, homebaked treats, nakd bars… the possibilities are endless!
I love to snack and I think it is an important thing to do. My sugar levels are always so low so I have to have a snack regardless. The three meals only rule really doesn’t work for me. Snacking RULES!!!
Noooo, snacking is gooooood 🙂 I eat at least 5 times a day and if my diary allows it, I’m generally in with a 6th later in the evening.
I think the people who comment are maybe expecting anyone eating in-your-face healthy stuff like (OMG!) fruit to preach at them, and so they are getting their word in first to be defensive. They might feel a need to be “right” in their own behaviour and to therefore call other people out as “wrong” if they are different.
I snack loads (mainly fresh and dried fruit, and nust/seeds) I don’t think I’ve ever had an odd comment at work – maybe I just work with sensible people! Family have never commented either but I do find it hard when visiting for whole days and they only eat square meals and never have any snacks, and barely drink anything besides tea.
Glad I am not the only one who loves snacks! I do not get bothered by other peoples’ comments, but I think that other people need to be careful with their comments as someone who was more sensitive about food could get driven to being more and more anxious about food.
I do not think I am preachy about other people’s food, as I have one friend who goes on and on and it just annoys everyone, so I try not to be like that- I normally just say “its tasty” or something else vague! 🙂