My Endurance Nation (EN) friend Penny Wilson is a terrific RD. She is
one of those "value added" aspects of training with EN, since she is so
willing to share her expertise and insights with all the athletes
there. But I also enjoy her Eating for Performance
newsletter and have picked up a bunch of tips and recipes. But the one
that I use every single day is Penny's "Apple Test." It's a
simple cue that helps you figure out if you are really hungry and need
to eat, or if stress, boredom, or something else is triggering the
impulse to grab that whoopie pie (my biggest, personal eating downfall).
Here's her article. Hope it helps!
The Apple Test
Grab a pencil and some paper because its time for . . . The Apple
Test! OK, a pencil and paper are not required for this simple
test. But, the Apple Test can help you determine if you are really
hungry, craving something or about to eat for another reason.
Personally, I love apples - they are one of my favorite snacks,
especially with some Valencia peanut butter. Many times I will choose
an apple for a snack. But, sometimes I want
something else. Other times I'm not sure if I want a snack because I'm
stressed, bored or just don't want to do the work I need to get done.
That is when the Apple Test comes into play.
If you are wanting to eat but are not sure if you're hungry or
not, ask yourself "if it were an apple, would I still eat it?" If the
answer is "yes" you're probably hungry. If the answer is "no" then
something
else is going on that is triggering you to want to eat. Try
to figure out what the trigger is and deal with it rather than going
for that _______ (fill in the blank of your favorite snack food). If
you eat rather than dealing with the issue that is really bothering
you, that issue will still be there once the food or drink is in your
tummy.
Of course, you can choose something other than an apple - just be
sure it is a good choice that you like but is also good for you.
Another tool to use when you are trying to decide if you're really hungry is a website called
License to Snack.
(It requires Java, so if you get a blank screen, you'll need to install
Java first.) When it loads, click on the "Consumer" sign, then on
"Maps and Guides." Next, click on the tab "Roadmap to Snacking." It
will ask you some questions to help you decide if you are really hungry
or thinking of eating for another reason.
I hope this helps head off some unnecessary snacking so you can save those cal
