Before I had diabetes I was a full-time snacker. Snacking with diabetes, however, is complicated. It requires planning to keep blood glucose levels in check. I’m rarely that organized. Instead, I cut back on snacks by trying to make sure that I don’t snack for no reason. One way to do that is to make hunger a prerequisite for a snack. Then I try be sure that the snacking is mindful. I aim to pay attention not just to what I’m eating, but to the actual event of eating itself. An important aspect of that is sitting down at the table, not just for big meals, but for snacks too.
5 Places You Shouldn’t Snack:
- In front of the refrigerator: Do you ever find yourself breaking off a little piece of dark chocolate while you’re standing in front of the fridge? And then, since you’re still standing there you open the door and grab another little piece. And then another. Whether it’s chocolate, nuts, berries, or anything else you can grab by the handful, take your portion and go to the table.
- In front of the TV: You will never pay attention to your food if you’re watching TV.
- At your desk: Your desk is a workplace. Leave it and take a break when you want a snack. If you’re in an office and the weather is nice, take your snack outside and enjoy the fresh air.
- In bed: Eating in bed is yucky. You get crumbs on the sheets. And late night-snacking can lead to high morning blood glucose levels.
- In the car: Pay attention to the road! It’s always good to have glucose tablets or a juice box in the front seat of your car in case of a low while driving. But your car is no place for french fries from the drive-through.
