What will tempt you from your diet?
Trying to eat healthily but manage to see temptation everywhere you turn? Yes, that's us too. As it turns out, afternoon snacking is our biggest vice.
New research reveals that 4.12pm is the time of day you're most likely to crave unhealthy food.
The research, conducted by Seasonal Berries, reveals that over a third of Brits have succumbed to the daily afternoon hunger slump and admit they haven’t stuck to the diets they started at the beginning of the year. Crisps, biscuits, cake and chocolate were named as the biggest downfalls.
But it seems that it’s not just time of day that’s the problem as more than half of those questioned said that other people often contribute to their diet failures.Over a third blame their partner while one in ten often find food temptation in the workplace and blame colleagues for forcing unhealthy snacks on them.
Over a quarter of those questioned agreed that a lack of flavour in their diet and seeing other people eat whatever they want made it harder to eat healthily and curb the comfort food cravings.
Nutritionist Dora Walsh said: “Sticking to a diet, for some people, can be tricky and understanding that 4.12pm is the time people crave sweet and unhealthy snacks, means that you should be prepared for this so you don’t ruin a diet plan. At this point in the day, blood sugar can be low and cause you to crave sweet treats but doing things like eating little and often throughout the day and having pre-prepared snacks can help.
Snacking on fruits like berries is easy as they are very versatile and also easy to snack on. Berries are tasty, easy to eat and will curb those hunger pangs and get you through the afternoon without breaking your diet or feeling guilty. They are very low in sugar and calories and are highly nutritious – just one cup of berries counts as one of your five a day. Their health benefits are numerous and diverse so I always advise my clients to eat berries to curb their hunger pangs, keep the weight off and maximize their health.”
Spokesperson from Seasonal Berries said: “Eating healthily shouldn’t feel like a chore and it is possible to make healthy dishes taste great. Berries are very versatile and can be incorporated into recipes or eaten alone as a snack, they are also naturally sweet so they will also help with food cravings in the afternoon.”
The research shows that on average people break their diet five times with most diets ending at the nine day mark.
Dora’s tips to help you stick to your diet plans:
Pre-prepare foods and snacks the night before so you won’t be tempted to snack on high calorie foods
Snack often on low calorie snacks like berries
Control portion size and make sure they aren’t too big or too small-portions should be the size of you two hands as this is roughly the same size as your stomach
Drink plenty of water through the day as people often confuse thirst with hunger
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