How to Stop Snacking All the Time
Let’s talk about BLT’S.
Bites, Licks, and Tastes (BLTs)
BLTs refer to the small amounts of food we consume, often mindlessly, throughout the day—like a bite of your kid’s sandwich, a lick of ice cream, or a taste of the pasta you're cooking. While these seem insignificant, they can quickly add up:
Unaccounted Calories:
Each bite, lick, or taste might only be 10–50 calories, but if you have several throughout the day, they can easily add up to hundreds of extra calories without realizing it.Example:
A lick of peanut butter: ~90 calories.
A single bite of a cookie: ~50 calories.
Tasting multiple dishes while cooking: ~100+ calories.
Underestimating Calorie Intake:
Many people forget to track these small "snacks," leading to inaccurate calorie counting. This can cause a calorie surplus that prevents fat loss progress.
When it comes to fat loss, the principle of calorie balance is critical: you need to consume fewer calories than you burn to lose weight. Many people diligently track their meals and workouts but overlook the small, seemingly insignificant calories consumed through bites, licks, and tastes (BLTs).
Snacking and Its Impact on Fat Loss
While snacking isn’t inherently bad, it can derail fat loss goals if not managed carefully:
Excess Calories:
Frequent snacking, especially on high-calorie, low-satiety foods (like chips, cookies, or sugary snacks), can lead to consuming more calories than your body needs.Insulin Spikes:
Constant snacking, especially on carbohydrate-rich foods, can cause frequent insulin spikes. This might make it harder for your body to tap into fat stores for energy.Emotional and Mindless Eating:
Snacking is often driven by boredom, stress, or habit rather than true hunger, leading to unplanned and unnecessary calorie intake.Reduced Hunger Awareness:
Regular snacking can disrupt natural hunger and fullness signals, making it harder to eat appropriate portions at main meals.
Hidden Calorie Surplus
If you’re unaware of how much you’re consuming, you could be unintentionally eating more than your body requires, putting you into a calorie surplus. This is especially problematic when paired with:
High-Calorie Foods:
BLTs often involve calorie-dense foods (like nut butters, desserts, or sauces) where even a small amount contains significant calories.Frequent Occurrences:
If you have 5–6 untracked instances of BLTs each day, this can completely offset the deficit you’ve created through diet or exercise.
Misleading Progress Tracking
Inaccurate calorie tracking can lead to frustration because:
You Believe you’re in a Deficit:
You might think you’re eating 1,500 calories/day when in reality, with untracked BLTs, you’re eating 1,800 or more.No Visible Results:
Despite adhering to a structured meal plan, the extra calories from BLTs prevent weight loss, leading to discouragement.
Tips to Avoid the Pitfalls of BLTs and Snacking
Be Mindful: Pay attention to when and why you snack or taste foods. Ask yourself if you’re genuinely hungry. Think of BLTs as "invisible calories" and remind yourself that they count.
Plan Snacks: If you snack, choose high-protein, high-fiber options like Greek yogurt, nuts (in portioned amounts), or veggies with hummus. Have a designated time and portion for snacks to reduce the impulse for random BLTs.
Implement Boundaries:
Avoid eating directly from the container to prevent mindless bites.
Use gum, mints, or flavored water to keep your mouth busy when tempted to snack without hunger.
Track Everything: Even small bites or tastes should be logged in your food tracker to maintain calorie accountability
Tracking calorie intake accurately requires awareness of everything you eat. BLTs might feel trivial, but they still contribute to your total daily calorie intake.
Why It Happens:
· These instances don’t feel like "eating" because they happen sporadically.
· People often rationalize them as "not enough to matter."
· It's easy to forget a small bite or taste by the time you log your meals.
Example:
· Taking a bite of a muffin: ~60–80 calories.
· A lick of frosting while baking: ~30 calories.
· Tasting a spoonful of pasta sauce: ~20 calories.
If you repeat this several times during the day, these calories could add up to an extra 300+ calories, which can prevent the calorie deficit needed for fat loss.
Stay Hydrated: Thirst is often mistaken for hunger. Drink water before reaching for a snack.
Cook Strategically: Use portioned ingredients when cooking and avoid repetitive tasting. If you’re tasting food while cooking, try measuring portions in advance and count those tastes in your total intake.
By tracking BLTs and understanding their impact, you can maintain the calorie deficit needed for fat loss while avoiding the hidden calories that sabotage progress. Small, consistent changes—like cutting out mindless BLTs or limiting snacking—can significantly impact long-term progress.
Uncontrollable cravings for bites, licks, and tastes (BLTs) may be a sign that your body is struggling with prolonged calorie restriction. This can occur when you’ve been in a calorie deficit for too long or your intake is too low for your body’s needs. Let’s explore why this happens and how to address it:
Why Prolonged Calorie Restriction Can Lead to BLT Overindulgence
Physiological Hunger Signals:
When you restrict calories for an extended period, your body responds by increasing hunger hormones like ghrelin and decreasing satiety hormones like leptin. This imbalance makes you feel hungrier, even after meals, driving you to seek quick bites of food.
Your body may interpret prolonged restriction as a threat to survival, leading to intense cravings, especially for calorie-dense foods.
Low Energy Availability:
Severe calorie deficits or long dieting phases can leave your body with insufficient energy to support basic functions, triggering your brain to seek small "boosts" through frequent BLTs.
These quick calories feel satisfying because they’re often high in sugar or fat, giving you a temporary energy spike.
Mental Fatigue from Dieting:
Prolonged restriction can lead to "diet fatigue," where the mental discipline required to stay on track wears thin. BLTs may become a way to subconsciously "bend the rules" without feeling like you’ve completely fallen off track.
Rebound Effect:
Overly restrictive eating patterns increase the likelihood of BLTs as your body and brain rebel against the constraints of dieting.
BLTs may feel like a way to "cheat" without having a full-blown indulgence, but they often undermine fat loss progress.
Signs You’re Restricting Too Much or Too Long
Constant hunger, even after meals.
Persistent cravings for high-calorie or sugary foods.
Fatigue, irritability, or difficulty concentrating.
Reliance on BLTs to "get through the day."
Stalled progress despite adherence to a meal plan (indicating hidden overconsumption due to BLTs).
Solutions to Break the Cycle
Incorporate Diet Breaks:
A diet break involves increasing your calorie intake to maintenance levels for a week or two, giving your body a chance to recover and rebalance hunger hormones.
These breaks reduce mental and physical stress, making it easier to adhere to your plan long-term.
Reassess Your Calorie Intake:
If you’re consistently relying on BLTs, it may indicate your daily calorie goal is too low. Adjust to a more sustainable deficit (e.g., 250–500 calories below maintenance).
Aim for adequate intake of protein, fiber, and healthy fats to keep you full.
Focus on Nutrient Density:
A diet too low in nutrients can increase hunger, driving BLTs. Ensure you’re eating plenty of vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats to support satiety.
Practice Structured Flexibility:
Allow small, planned indulgences within your calorie budget. For example, enjoy a square of chocolate or a mini cookie so you don’t feel deprived.
This reduces the impulse to overindulge in untracked BLTs.
Address Emotional Triggers:
If BLTs are a response to stress, boredom, or other emotions, consider alternative coping strategies like journaling, walking, or mindfulness exercises.
The Big Picture
BLTs aren’t just about willpower—they’re often a signal that your body and mind need a break or adjustment. Addressing underlying causes like prolonged calorie restriction can help you regain control, maintain a healthier relationship with food, and sustain long-term fat loss without feeling deprived.