Stopping for lunch at midday and going home for dinner at five o’clock would be considered a luxury for most working Australians. With the pressures of globalisation and shift work, many of us work long hours without stopping for breaks.

A lesser known side effect of this trend is that working Australians are increasingly turning to snacks to get them through the day. This is especially true of working Australians who are struggling with their weight.

If you are a frequent snacker, consider this: despite similar work pressures, the French people stop work every day at midday for at least 45 minutes. As they know when their next meal will be, they will be less likely to turn to convenience foods. Plus as their meals and snacks are presented on a plate, they will be more likely to acknowledge the calories.

You can develop your own healthy habits when you feel tempted to snack. Next time you are tempted to grab fast food on the run or reach for a biscuit at work, ask yourself, “is there a better choice I could make to help me get through the afternoon?” Then try the following:

Before consuming a snack, ask yourself if it will fill you up for at least two hours. If it doesn’t, choose a low GI snack with lean protein. Examples include low fat yoghurt, fruit or light cheese and wholegrain crackers. Ask yourself, “Am I really hungry?”, “Do I really need this?” and “How will I feel afterwards?” If you tend to snack at certain places or times, think of a way to break the habit. For example, don’t keep a stash of chocolate in your top drawer. Don’t attach emotions to food. If you eat or drink when you are stressed or bored; think about alternate, non food-related ways to improve your mood such as going for a brief walk. Eat regular meals. Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at similar times each day.

The Wesley Weight Management Clinic can help you turn your eating strategies into lifelong habits. For more information about our weight loss programs, call us on 1800 567 348.