Are you about to put on your first “Quarantine 10”?

Now that you are working from home, do you find yourself wandering into the kitchen to get a “little snack” more often than you really need to? Grabbing a fist full of chips or peanuts, or just one more cookie from the cookie jar? You are not alone!!

For many of us, our routines have been up-ended and our meal planning has gone out the window. It’s all too easy to skip breakfast or lunch and graze from our cupboards all day long!

Here are 4 Easy Ways to help you regain some “Kitchen Control” and avoid that “Quarantine 10”!

1.) Start by eating balanced meals. Is your breakfast typically a bagel with jam, a cup of coffee, and a glass of orange juice? Or maybe a bowl of cereal with skim milk? This type of breakfast is almost 100% carbs, which will turn to sugar in your blood stream quickly. The key to avoiding never-ending snacking is to gain control over your blood sugar levels. Start your first meal with a good amount of protein and “healthy” fat with some veggies and whole fruit to add fiber. This will “flatten the curve” of your blood sugar rise and help to avoid those mid-morning hunger pangs that come with a blood sugar crash 2 hours after you eat a breakfast full of simple carbohydrates.

a. A fried or soft-boiled egg with ½ of an avocado is a favorite of mine. (I often add a tablespoon of cultured vegetables, but that is a topic for

a later conversation!!!)

b. Plain yogurt with nuts, seeds, and berries can keep me going for a very long time in the morning.

c. Make a smoothie with a high quality protein powder, ½ banana, blueberries, ½ avocado, and a handful of greens. Add a small piece of fresh ginger for some zing! (That was my daughter’s suggestion!)

d. Are you a fan of oatmeal? Add some nuts and seeds and whole fruit instead of sugar or syrups.

e. In my opinion, an occasional “full fry” as they say in Ireland, is a great option. I was first introduced to the “full fry” by the owner of a lovely little B&B in Ireland. She served us an enormous breakfast of fried eggs, Canadian bacon, sausage, baked beans, with a fried tomato! I later learned that the tomato is absolutely key in making this very heavy breakfast, digestible!

2.) Hydrate yourself! Often our brains mistake “thirst” signals as “hunger”.

a. Start your day with a tall glass of water.

b. Drinking most of your daily water between meals will actually support good digestion.

c. Try drinking a glass of water or herbal tea before heading to the cupboard for a snack.

d. Aim for at least ½ your body weight (lbs.) in ounces of water per day. (If you are not used to drinking this much water, work up gradually over a number of days or weeks.)

3.) Move your body! If it isn’t mealtime, try one of these little hunger-hacks:

a.) Stand up as tall as you can. Raise your arms up over your head as you take a deep breath in. Breathe out slowly as you lower your arms. Repeat 3-5X.

c.) Stretch!!

c.) Go up and down stairs.

d.) Take a short walk.

e.) If you have the luxury of being able to schedule your work around your day, consider a late morning work-out.

4.) If you get through all of this and you still want a snack, then by all means have one. BUT don’t just stand in front of the fridge or cupboard and shovel food into your mouth! Make yourself put what you want onto a plate and sit down to really ENJOY it! Next, pat yourself on the back for your incredible self-discipline!

Here's to HEALTHY SNACKING!! Want to talk more? Give me a shout! Here is my new email address: ginny@mainenutritherapy.com