Mmmmm…..BLTs

Nope. Sorry! Not those kind of BLTs. I’m talking about Bites, Licks and Tastes.

Are you having trouble hitting your nutrition goals and not sure what the problem may be?

Take a step back and evaluate your daily BLTs. You know what I am talking about! That snack size Snickers you snag when walking by a co-worker’s desk. The handful of goldfish crackers you smash while waiting for dinner to cook. Or, my personal fav, snagging that last chicken tender off your kid’s plate to avoid wasting it.

The above scenario, a Snickers bar, goldfish crackers and, a chicken tender, equates to about 400 calories. That is an extra 400 calories you are taking in without even realizing it. Do this on a daily basis and you are adding an additional 2,800 calories to your week.

Now, if your goal(s) are specific to muscle and weight GAIN, you want to be eating at a calorie surplus (while keeping in mind the foods best aligned with your desired outcome).  Comparatively, if your health and fitness goals are weight or fat LOSS, consistently eating at a caloric surplus leads to weight gain and and increase in body fat.

When it comes to what we eat – types of food and how often – our brains compartmentalize it.  Think about this:

if you have a bite of something, let’s say you pop a mini meatball in your mouth, your brain doesn’t identify that as a full snack or meal.  Because of this, the days go on and you don’t even remember eating that meatball let alone how many.

Point being, while these small and seemingly insignificant BLT’s  feel few and fare between, as humans, we eat more than we realize (or remember) and by the end of the day, what you thought stacked up to well balanced meals neglected to include those 400 extra calories.   And, if there’s anything we’ve learned, you CAN’T OUT TRAIN YOUR DIET!

Based on your personal goals, these calories can bring your nutrition and wellness endeavors to a halt. But have no fear! Today you’re going to learn the EASY 8: 8 things you can immediately start doing today to slowly modify and change your BLT habits:

1. If you see a candy bowl and HAVE to have a piece, grab a mint if available. The scent and taste of peppermint is known to help halt your cravings and make you feel less hungry.

2. If you are hangry while dinner is cooking, grab some veggies to snack on. The crunch will help keep your hunger at bay and you will get some extra nutrients in. Win/Win!

3. Chew gum while you cook.

4. Have your kids clear their own plates so you will not be tempted to nosh on the scraps.

5. Be sure to measure out the snacks you choose to eat. Grab yourself a serving size and move on. Do not eat directly from the bag.

6. When cooking, you are more than likely going to sneak a test taste. Instead of taking constant samples, just taste the sauce or veggie portion of the dish to check for flavor. This is especially helpful if the dish is a stir fry, soup or stew.

7. Do not serve dinner from your dining table. Make your plate in the kitchen and then take it to the table to enjoy your meal. If the remainder of the food that was prepared is not in front of you, you are likely to do less grazing.

8. Brush your teeth after meals. This will help to signal your brain that the meal is over and it is time to stop eating.

Your action step: next time you go for a bite, lick or, taste, think of the EASY 8 and pick one thing to apply starting today! Now that you understand how quickly BLT’s can add up, you will become more mindful and aware it’s happening.  Not because it’s bad, but because being conscious of it enables you to have more control and with more control, you can choose to make better decisions. Better choices = success!

Questions about BLT’s or anything else? Let’s chat- send me a love note HERE now so we can get your questions answered!