Mr. Bad Food started a recent column by noting how he can't seem to sit at his computer without eating or drinking something. Case in point: it's 9:30 p.m. and I am starting off with a glass of Diet Pepsi to my left, a sugar-free JELL-O to my right.

And this column centers on curbing those snack cravings that can wreck your best intentions.

I know... I know... just last week I revealed the 31 healthy snacks you can enjoy without guilt. In case you missed that tasty morsel, click here and give it a look. If you stick to snacks like those mentioned in that column, you won't have much of a problem.

However, too many of us associate snacks with fatty chips, cookies and crackers. Or maybe the sodium-soaked beef sticks and jerky are more your snacking style.

So how much of a snacking problem do we face as an overweight nation? Well, nibble on these snack facts that Mr. Bad Food found at www.wholefoods.com:

• February is National Snack Food Month
• 63 percent of Americans are "conflicted snackers" and have an inner struggle between what they want to eat and what they should eat
• 75 percent of men and women snack at least once a day
• Americans derive approximately 25 percent of their total daily calorie intake from snacks
• 90 percent of Americans surveyed choose taste over nutrition in their choice of snacks
• Potato chips are ranked as the number one snack food choice

As if our daily snacking habits don't leave enough to be desired, we have "the big game" approaching. On any given Super Bowl Sunday, we tackle the snack table like a ferocious linebacker tackles a receiver trying to cut across the middle of the field.

In other words, we mow 'em down!

Just check out these not-so-super stats:

• The Super Bowl is ranked as the number two food consumption event of the year, second only to Thanksgiving
• Americans consume 30.4 million pounds of snack foods during the Super Bowl
• Americans consume more than 11 million pounds of potato chips on Super Bowl Sunday
• Americans double their average daily consumption of snacks on Super Bowl Sunday, consuming more than 33 million pounds of goodies in one day

Before you bite off more than you should chew on February 6, chew on the following guest commentary from Carolyn Snock.

7 Tips To Tame The Urge To Snack
Many dieters know that planning their meals is the most effective way to stay on track and avoid weight gain. So let’s assume that’s what you are doing -- planning your meals from top to bottom with a healthy serving of lean protein, a couple of spoonfuls of vegetables and a bite or two of your favorite cheat food.

You are an expert at eating slowly and stopping when you are full but the numbers on your scale won’t budge or -- even worse -- you find them slightly higher! What’s going on here?

Although your meals may be perfectly planned and proportioned what you may have overlooked is the grazing that takes place in between meals. These unconscious calories that we consume but don’t track can add up quickly.

It’s hard to resist the free samples at the grocery story or the last cookie left in the workplace break room. If you are the chef in your family it is only natural to sample your hard work before it hits the table. At large gatherings, the leftovers often stay on the table long after the meal is finished, tempting you to take just one more bite or two.

Little bites throughout the day may not seem like a big deal but as few as an extra 100 calories a day can pack on almost one pound a month and more than 10 pounds per year! If you are one of the many who can’t help but sample the goods between meals, take a look at these tips to help tame the urge.

Work out! When your body feels good it craves good foods. Most people report that regular exercise also helps to curb their appetites as well. More time spent outdoors or at the gym also means less time spent in the kitchen.

Out of site, out of mind! Finding it hard to resist picking at the bread on your table before your entrée is served? Ask the waiter to take it away or, better yet, to not bring it at all. You will save calories and not even know what you are missing.

Brush before cooking! If you find yourself on kitchen duty, brush and floss your teeth and rinse with mouthwash before you start cooking. The feeling of a just-brushed mouth will often be too refreshing to ruin via snacking.

Keep your hands and mouth occupied! Chew gum or sip water between meals to keep from sampling whatever snacks are lying around.

Clean your plate... literally! After you are finished eating, get up and wash your plate or put it in the dishwasher. Put away your utensils too. You will be far less likely to go for a second helping.

Just say NO... politely! When it's time to divvy up party leftovers politely decline a "to go" plate. If you are hosting the gathering, be sure to dish up the leftovers as thank-you gifts to your friends... the ones who want the food. Like you, they too may be fighting the urge to snack on the way home! Having a lot of delectable party foods in your fridge will test your willpower. It's easier to alter your environment than to control your urges.

Put it away right away! As soon as you are finished cooking your meal, dish out the portion you will be eating and put the rest in a container and place in the refrigerator ASAP. This way, when you are finished with your healthy portion you are probably finished eating. Period.

Try these tips to avoid unwanted calories throughout the day and stick to your meal plan and you should be losing weight in no time.

Published with permission from:
eDiets.com
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