Many people who struggle with weight snack far more than they need to, making sustained weight loss nearly impossible. This is a tough subject for many of my patients, as it is tied into habits that have been hardwired since childhood. It is really important to identify your snacking patterns/habits if your goal is losing weight and keeping it off forever. Which of these snacking patterns describe you?
A cognitive behavioral therapist can help you out immensely if with some of these behaviors. Some of these therapists use what is referred to as the “Beck Method” of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and I have patients who have made breakthroughs using this method after failing many times in the past. I recommend CBT for anyone who has struggled with weight loss, but I find that most patients do not have an open mind to this type of therapy, which is a shame. If you’re curious but not ready to take the CBT plunge yet, I recommend the book The Diet Trap Solution, which is a CBT book written by Judith Beck, whose method I mentioned above.
I don’t have any specialized training in CBT and the recommendations below contain no special insights into modifying these behaviors, but I will give a couple thoughts on each pattern.