It’s not what you eat but how much

Yesterday, after a late lunch, I went for a walk in a shopping mall. I walked about for a bit and then sat in a food court with some coffee. After a while I had this overwhelming urge to buy a packet of crisps. I ate that packet somewhat quickly. But after finishing off the packet I really felt bad because I knew, even at the time of buying it, it was very unhealthy with the artificial colourings and its salt content. So why did I buy it? Why did I have the craving for it?

To be honest I was craving it for day but managed to control the craving with apples and peanut butter. So what was different about yesterday? Well I was a little upset about events earlier in the day. Maybe that was the cause? It doesn't really happen to me that often. But that's with crisps and salty snacks. What about sugary snacks?

A lot of people say, I don't eat sugar. Like me, they avoid putting it in coffee and tea and think they’re not eating sugar. Then they reach for a piece of chocolate or a biscuit with that coffee forgetting that it's sugar. I am the same but I don't forget. Maybe my rationale is that I can have a small piece of chocolate, that's sugary, if I don't sugar my coffee. Makes sense, doesn't it? But I go one better. When I look for chocolate I tend to aim for the dark kind with at least 80% cacao. That way, I can get some of the sweetness.

There are folks who have cravings for sugary snacks at the most unusual hours and for a lot of different reasons. If they've not eaten their meal properly, for example, and they're still hungry they'll fill the gap with a dessert of some sort. If they're stressed, tired or bored they reach for a sweet treat. Now if you’re tired it feels like your body needs a chocolate or a biscuit. I think we can all identify with at least one of these behaviours.

I never go for something sweet if I'm bored but, yes, I have been known for not eating a meal properly, for a number of reasons, and then filling up with a piece of cake or a chocolate bar. Some people have a strategy where they'll purposely eat fewer calories for their main meal so that they can compensate by eating a dessert.

The best approach, as a layman, is to never ever deprive yourself of a food item that you love because that will only lead you to be obsessed with it. If you want something sweet, have it but in moderation. That way you can have it as often as you wish, maybe a couple of bricks of chocolate after a meal. That way you are not obsessing over chocolate because you know that you have a treat coming. But always eat your lunch properly. If you eat well, you will not have the room for a snack or a chocolate. Sometimes you won't even have room for a coffee, provided you eat properly.

Also, if you drink enough water (not a soft drink) after a meal, you will fill up and won't have the room for a sweet snack.

Try to keep busy. Many times I've forgotten I'm hungry when I'm busy recording a video or practising a painting. I don't realise it's lunch time which means I also didn’t snack.

But if you want a snack, try having an orange or a small bunch of grapes or even 3 or 4 almonds with a couple of dates. The dates are sweet, full of nutrition and have lots of fibre.

And here's an interesting tidbit for you to mull over. I recently saw a social media reel where a man claimed that he lost weight even though he ate nothing but junk food for an entire month. His conclusion was that it was not about what you eat but how much. As long as you stay within the right calorie intake you will lose weight. You know, I think he might be on to something.