Ahh, the holidays! A wonderful time of the year, full of snacks and treats! I have already received some delicious Christmas treats, both at my door and through the mail!
As a Registered Dietitian, I always recommend eating regular meals to my clients and patients. Yet, many people eat only one or two meals per day. Or, they eat in front of the television or while distracted. Then, they snack late into the night. Their whole day can be thrown off by poor habits and not eating well.
No judgment here… this happens to all of us from time to time. It is so common! As it is, many people need to rely snacks to reach their unique health goals.
Some people want to manage chronic diseases, like diabetes or kidney failure. Others want to lose weight or have more energy. Snacks can help some people achieve their goals. Even so, if they are not careful, too many snacks can hinder their progress!
If someone fills up on snacks all day, they may not be hungry for a meal. Or, if they do eat regular meals, too many snacks can still add up in calories.
Keeping a food journal could be helpful to track the trends, eating on real plates with real forks or spoons, or maybe just paying attention to natural hunger cues will help.
Some people mistake treats for snacks. I love treats, too, but the difference is snacks are ideally foods to fill in the nutritional gaps between meals. For instance, fresh vegetables and hummus, or yogurt with berries, or a few small pieces of cheese and crackers, or an apple with peanut butter.
Treats, on the other hand, are just that… treats. Not meant for every day, but rather a special occasion. Treats are “sometimes foods.” If one’s daily food intake allows for extra calories, perhaps they can squeeze in a couple of treats. Yum! But most of the time, we should be choosing snacks over treats.
If it’s your birthday, go for it! Celebrate your birthday. But, if your birthday happens five days a week, that’s becoming a habit. The things we do everyday have the most impact.
At the end of the day, it is important to have balance.
Spiritually, we can also load up on too many snacks instead of a meal. We can settle for little tidbits of Scripture or songs on the radio, without really chewing on God’s word. This is especially true when we are stressed or running around with too much activity.
Some days, I’m just as guilty as the next person. In our fast paced world, we need to be intentional with our time. Otherwise, we might miss Jesus altogether!
Let’s take time to ‘set the table,’ be still and focus on God. Then, and only then, will we have the strength to do all else that’s needed. But we can’t skip first things first. Jesus!
This season, take time to really feast on all of God’s goodness and grace. Read the Bible with a fresh perspective. Sit awhile with Jesus or take a walk with just Him.
Don’t settle for just snacks!
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Lord, may we hunger and thirst for Righteousness. You are the Giver of all good things. Everything we need is in You! Fill our lives with more of You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
Questions: Do you like snacks in addition to your meals? What’s your favorite snack and/or holiday treat?
Tasks: Set aside fifteen minutes (to start) to read God’s Word each day. Lay aside your electronics and sit in peace. For the Christmas story, read Luke Chapter 2.
