The calories you get from snacking can add up to an extra meal—a big one at that. Many people are able to control their weight just by kicking the snack habit. You can too, by eating adequate meals high in complex carbohydrates and fiber. These meals will provide you with the steady energy you need to make it from one meal to the next.
 WARNING: Snacking can be hazardous.
Stop for a moment and think of the foods you snack on. Do you reach for a juicy apple, or do you unwrap a candy bar? Do you munch raw vegetables, or tear into a sack of chips? Most people opt for high-sugar, high-fat, high-salt goodies to get them from one meal to the next. The extra pounds they wear testify to their devotion.
If you want to lose weight, you must deal with that snack habit. Here are some hints to help you make the change:
Don't snack for the wrong reasons.
People snack for many reasons besides hunger. Some people use it as a way to release stress. Other feel guilty taking a break. To them, eating something is a way to legitimize a needed rest.
Do you snack only when you're hungry, or do you use snacks to meet other needs? Think about this, then write down some of your reasons for snacking.
 Start with a good breakfast.
Beating the snack habit begins with a hearty breakfast. It should provide plenty of complex carbohydrates for lasting energy. Let whole grains, which are high in these carbohydrates, form the core of the meal.
Watch out for triggers.
Many habits, snacking included, are linked to signals from your environment. For example, you might get the urge for a candy bar whenever you pass that vending machine at work. Or there might be a certain television commercial that makes you want to open a bag of chips. What triggers your urge to snack?
Develop alternate behaviors.
How do you fight a snack attack? By doing other things to disrupt the pattern. If you are bogged down in your work and need a boost, go for a quick walk to the corner and back. Drink a glass of water rather than the usual soda. If you must eat something, try a piece of fruit or some raw vegetables.
Your challenge:
Break the night's fast and start your mornings with a hearty breakfast, and skip the midmorning goodies. Together these habits will help you look good and feel better.
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