Battling Unhealthy Snacking

How many times have we had a long day at work, it’s late at night, we come home, and all we want is to relax. We have no time or better said, don’t want to have to cook a meal because we’re too tired. We reach for a bag of potato chips, maybe a soda and a candy bar for dessert. We try to relax watching a little TV, and all of a sudden, the stress is gone. I have to say, I’ve been there myself. It is very easy to fall for those unhealthy snacks, especially when we’ve had a long day and no energy left to prepare a meal. 

This behavior may be familiar for many, and it is not particularly jaw-dropping but what’s happening in our hearts in those moments is what’s important. While there’s nothing necessarily wrong with the food we pick, binge eating or snacking is unhealthy and can often turn into an addiction or health disorder. Some people may agree that these actions can move us away from the power of God. We are constantly tempted to use this late-night snacking as a way to unwind after a long day. It is easy to find comfort in food but don’t feel guilty because you ate a cookie and you shouldn’t have. The feelings of guilt and regret can create a lot of anxiety, and many times this can push us deeper into binge eating. 

If you are tempted into binge snacking instead of feeling guilty when the temptation comes, think about what causes that feeling and take a different approach. Some people may think that not being able to resist temptation is caused by the lack of spiritual discipline. Maybe we’re not reading our Bible enough, or we’re not praying enough. Now, we’re not saying that praying or reading the Bible isn’t important; however, we need to recognize that God created us not only to pray but to exercise, to work and sleep, and many other things, and they all can affect our spiritual lives. He created our body and gave us all the mechanisms to keep it healthy. 

One of the solutions to curve unhealthy snacking besides rest is exercise. Many of us know that our body releases endorphins (brain chemicals) when we exercise; this mainly helps us deal with stress by producing some sort of pleasure effect that causes our body to feel more relaxed. This is why exercise is one of the best things we can do for our bodies and mind. So while giving your body all those sugars when snacking may feel good and relaxing, it doesn’t have all the good and long-lasting results that exercise can provide you. And if you’re not into exercise, you can always try to pick up a hobby or read a book to relax. Having pre-made simple but healthy snacks for those moments when you don’t want to cook is always a winner. Try to fill your fridge with healthy snacks, so next time you reach for a snack, it’ll be a tasty apple and some peanut butter.

Lastly, talk it out. We may feel like we are so exhausted from work that we have no time for anything, or we simply don’t want to do anything, but sometimes talking to someone about our day is all we need to feel a little better. Talk to God, present all your frustrations of your day to him, use those moments of temptation as an opportunity to seek God and get closer to him.

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is not water. Psalm 63:1