“What, Cristy? What do you mean ‘instead of snacking?'”

That’s right – on Code Red, we do not snack. I’ve got other blog posts that explain why, but the short version is, snacking isn’t healthy.

So when you’re between meals, or it’s late in the evening, and you’re feeling the urge to snack, what can you do?

Anything you enjoy (except eat), like walking, reading, play with your kids, sketching or painting, even petting your cat.

Here are 10 more alternatives to snacking. Remember, these are only the tip of the iceberg.

1 – Drink a cup of hot tea (made from a teabag).

2 – Chew sugar-free gum. Don’t chew a whole pack a day or anything. But an occasional piece is fine if it stops you from snacking.

3 – Brush your teeth. A minty fresh mouth has a way of making snacking less appealing.

4 – Chew on some ice cubes. No, they don’t replace your water or count as water. But because they’re made from water, they’re a harmless way to give your mouth something to do besides snack.

5 – Text, message, or call a friend, tell them you feel like snacking, and ask for support. The chat’ll also take your mind off your urge to snack.

6 – Walk your dog. Make it a routine in your household where, when you feel like snacking, you walk the dog. (If you don’t own a dog, replace it with something else that gets you out of the house.)

7 – Take a hot bath. If your urge to snack hits in the evening, get out of the kitchen and into a luxurious hot bath (or another self-care activity you enjoy). Then go to bed early.

8 – Curl up with a good book. Combine this with a cup of hot tea and you’ll forget all about snacking.

9 – Turn on my podcast or videos to help you stay strong.

10 – Instead of eating, reach out in a Code Red group, post that you feel like snacking, and invite other Rebels to chime in with encouragement. I’m telling you, Code Red Rebels LOVE to support each other. You’ll get even more ideas for staying on track instead of snacking.

Even I feel like snacking sometimes, so I totally get what it’s like.

But getting and keeping your weight off’s gotta mean more to you than that in the moment satisfaction of satisfying a craving.

That doesn’t mean you have to “be strong” by yourself. What it means is, reach out for support and put measures in place to prevent yourself from caving to the urge to snack. The tips in this post will get you started. If you think of something even better, go for it. Find what works for you!