Snacks are just small meals

Get out of the habit of snacking, and you'll find it easier to lose weight.

🔋 Snacks increase your energy load so you don't need to use stored fat.

🫥 You come out of the fasted state, which can interrupt fat burning. Even snacks that don't cause spikes.

🔄 You reinforce the habit of snacking every time you do it.

Snacking is often less about hunger and more about habit, boredom, or thirst.

Unlearn the 'need' to snack

Food companies have spent decades convincing us we need to “fuel up” between meals, but the truth is, your body isn’t evolved to cope with constant feeding. In fact, snacking works against your healthy choices.

Every time you eat, digestion and metabolism take priority. Insulin is released, and your body shifts out of the fasted state—where some of the most important metabolic processes happen. This is when your body repairs itself, regulates hormones, and burns stored energy. The moment you eat, that process stops, and your body switches to burning what you just consumed instead.

Snacks are really just small meals—and the more often you eat, the more frequently your insulin increases. This is a problem because high insulin levels make it hard to lose weight because insulin puts cells in storage mode.

The more your blood glucose spikes and crashes, the more you feel like you need snacks.

Get control of your appetite

Flattening your energy line will naturally change your appetite and cravings. Once you’re off the blood glucose rollercoaster, you won’t feel that urgent need to eat between meals.

If you’re hungry, focus on real, nutrient-dense meals with protein, healthy fats, and fibre to keep you full for longer.

How to cut out snacking

1️⃣ Drink first

Mild dehydration mimics hunger, so before you reach for food, drink water. If the craving vanishes in 10 minutes, it was thirst all along.

2️⃣ Upgrade your meals

If you’re always hungry between meals, your meals aren’t doing their job. Increase protein and fiber to keep you full longer. A meal should give you 4-6 hours without the need to snack.

3️⃣ Check your energy line

Glucose crashes trigger cravings. If you’re spiking and crashing, cut back on carbs, increase protein and fibre, and avoid processed foods that mess with satiety.

4️⃣ Break the habit loop

Many people snack because it’s a routine, not a need. If you always grab a snack at 3 PM, change your environment or action:

• Go for a walk

• Do a 2-minute breathing exercise

• Make a herbal tea

5️⃣ Adjust your environment and access

If snacks are within reach, you’re more likely to ll eat them. If they require effort, you’ll think twice. Don’t keep the things you're trying to avoid in the house.

6️⃣ Check emotional triggers

Snacking often = stress, boredom, or procrastination. Ask yourself: Am I actually hungry, or am I just avoiding something? If it’s stress eating, swap food for a different stress-reliever—meditation, journaling, or even a quick stretch.

7️⃣ Give it time

Cravings pass in 15-20 minutes. Distract yourself, and they’ll often fade. The more you avoid unnecessary snacks, the less your body expects them.

If you’re genuinely hungry, eat a real meal—not a snack. If it’s just a habit? Interrupt the cycle, and it’ll disappear.