Snacking between meals is a sign you didn’t eat enough earlier. That’s okay. Snacking between snacks, however, is a clear sign that you are suffering from a condition known as Phase 4 Boredom-Related Constant Grazing Syndrome. This is serious stuff. The good news? It’s easy to stop with a few mild to moderate lifestyle changes. Here’s what has worked for me.
A granola bar won’t cut it. As a rule, midmorning snack #3 should fill a child’s backpack.
During work hours, I wear a hydration vest. As a result, I usually feel too seasick to eat anything.
For instance, I mix a venti vanilla latte and three biscotti into my overnight oats for a great breakfast-early-morningsnack-# 1 combo, thereby reducing the need for at least one stand-alone snack.
Tune a piano. Build a porch swing. Immerse your hands in foul-smelling compost. It’s nearly impossible to enjoy late afternoon snack #5 if your hands smell rancid. Don’t ask me how I know.
Seriously, stop. Drop the pan and run. . . to the grocery store to buy prepared meals.
Many of us look to the pantry to fill an emotional need. That’s okay. Gummy bears are great listeners. There’s no law that says you have to eat them; you can just enjoy their company.
Think about burying your go-to small bites in the garden. Worried you’ll dig them up? Have a neighbour hide the shovel. Afraid you’ll paw at the ground with your hands? Remove your fingernails. It’s really that easy.
This story was originally published in 2021; updated in 2022
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