Snacks, Restraint & Restriction
Hey Friend!
If you say to yourself "I absolutely cannot eat cake.", what is the first thing your brain thinks of? Your favorite cake! My first thought would be strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting. 🍓🍰😋
This demonstrates the difference between Restriction ("I can't have that, I'm {insert the word you use for diet}") and Restraint ("I'd love a slice of cake {then enjoys an appropriate size portion and confidently fits it in her macro map}.") Restriction gives food a power or control that is false and yet leads to a life of yo-yo dieting. Restraint puts you in control of your choices and allows you to enjoy treat foods while still getting results...what I call being real. Demonstrating restraint also teaches your children (or others in your life) how to avoid the diet trap. When you learn how to balance Carbs, Fats and Proteins according to your own goals (not someone else's!) you free yourself from a life of dieting and restriction. Oh if only someone had taught me this in my teens!!!
Snacks play a key role in allowing you to exercise restraint. A mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack puts just enough fuel in your tank to keep you going in between meals but it also prevents you from making a choice that you later regret. I believe a typical day of eating should look like this: Breakfast, Mid Morning Snack, Lunch, Mid Afternoon Snack, Dinner, with the option of an after dinner snack (consisting of primarily protein) IF needed. When you "power through" and skip a meal or a snack you put yourself in a pressure situation where you get so hungry you grab whatever is quickest/easiest and/or eat so quickly you eat more than the necessary portion. Use snacks to give yourself restraint!
Now for the most common question, "What do I eat for a snack?". First of all, keep it simple. Your snack should be roughly 200 calories and it does not have to be elaborate. My staple snack are these Salt and Pepper Cashews from Aldi.
1/4c of these is 140 calories and are surprisingly satisfying.
My newest favorite snack is also an Aldi find (are you seeing a trend here)! This dip & these crackers:
3 Tbsp of dip + 6 crackers is approximately 185 cal
Some other ideas would be an apple and string cheese, dry roasted peanuts, nonfat greek yogurt mixed with ranch seasoning and mini peppers, etc. ...so many simple options! I actually provide a page full of options to my accountability clients.
The bottom line is this, if you will fuel your body rather than restrict it, you will have restraint when it's needed. Be encouraged and always feel free to reply and ask questions!
The year continues to fly by...my May Fitness Challenge will go out next week! Invite a friend to join in!
Your friend,
P.S. - I'm running a SUPER SPECIAL on my Macro Mapping Course and Accountability Coaching! Actually, I'm offering it for FREE when you purchase $75 worth of products from my AdvoCare site (www.TJandCasey.com)!!!