It doesn’t really matter if you are a work-at-home professional, a starving student, or someone who holds a conventional desk job. At some point in the day, there’s a good chance that a case of the munchies is going to hit you like a brick wall. We’ve all had a snack or two while sitting at our desks, but is this really the healthiest way to lead our lives?
They say that it is healthier to have six or seven smaller meals over the course of the day than it is to have three larger ones. At the same time, I think that the snacks we have at our desks aren’t really there to satisfy our hunger; they’re more because we just feel a desire to eat something. So, what can you do to resist the temptation to dive into a five-minute chocolate cake or open a bag of potato chips?
I remember reading somewhere a while back that drinking a cup of coffee can be a good way to overcome the urge to snack. This is yet one more reason why coffee is good for you. The rationale behind this advice is two-fold:
- Liquid Fills You Up: If your stomach feels empty, fill it up with some fluid and you won’t feel as hungry. This is why a good dieting tip is to drink an extra glass or two of water before every meal.
- Caffeine Shifts Your Metabolism: Since the caffeine in coffee speeds up your heart rate and can activate yoru sympathetic nervous system, your body can enter a “fight or flight” kind of response. During those times, your body prioritizes the task at hand rather than “secondary” needs like eating.
If you skip the cream and sugar, coffee has virtually zero calories. Even if you do the cream and sugar thing, the caloric intake is minimal at best (though you may want to reduce your sugar consumption). If you were only after the caffeine, you could have a can of Coke, but that would contain a lot more calories and a lot more sugar.
I’ve also heard that brushing your teeth can be an effective way to resist the temptation to snack. The minty flavor can satisfy your need to have a pleasant taste in your mouth. At the same time, it has been shown that people are less likely to want to eat something after brushing their teeth.
Me? I’d rather have another cup of coffee. In moderation, of course.
Careful with what liquid you fill up your tummy with. When most people drink healthy they can actually consume more calories then before.
– Did you know that a Gatorade has upwards of 300 calories? Where a black coffee has almost 0 calories?
My advice is if you are hungry to have a LARGE glass of water and wait 10 minutes. Still hungry? Have another glass and if your still hungry after 20 minutes have a healthy snack.
Water is the best thing you can drink as it flushes your system. So put down that Diet Coke or Coke Zero as those are not water alternatives.
I agree with Gary here.
Also, water is better than coffee because coffee also stimulates the production of sugar in the body. On the other hand water doesn’t and it is easier on the body (heart & blood pressure), non-addictive and absorbed into the blood stream faster.
Mint is an appetite stimulant, so I’m thinking brushing your teeth with a mint toothpaste may be counterproductive. 😉
I’ve came across a few articles that promotes the benefits of drinking coffee as a pre-race (running) beverage.
It was reported that studies had shown drinking coffee prior to running resulted in clocking a better time.
Personally I have not tried it.
You are right in wht you say but there are other ways to lose weight and keep it off.