Whether it's eating cookies while watching TV or snacking on a candy bar at the office, these habits will prevent you from looking and feeling your best.

Summer is right around the corner and wearing fewer clothes is a given. Whether it be going to work, hanging out at the beach or pool, or just getting together with friends, wanting to look healthy and fit in the latest swimwear or in a new cropped top and shorts is a priority. Not surprisingly, by the time the hot season rolls around and people pull out those skimpy wears, they are anything but happy with how they look. A bulge here, a too tight of a waistband there, and suddenly that five pounds you gained during the year is too unattractive to ignore.

Clearly, overeating is a worldwide problem, and munching on snacks, or more commonly referred to as junk food, seems to be the all-time favorite pastime. People seem to snack and overeat for a variety of reasons: stress, anxiety, or just plain boredom. How many of you feel the need to “snack” while watching tv, reading a book, or sitting in front of a computer? How many of you immediately hit the vending machine during your 15 or 20 minute work break? Being aware of habitual poor eating habits is the first step to changing your actions into more productive outcomes. Most of us have a goal of how we want to look and feel, but most of us are not reaching it. We need to look at all the snacking that is taking place while mindlessly going about our day. Snacks can either make or break a diet, and in most cases, they break it. Give yourself the “self snack test” and ask the 4 W’s:

Why?

Why do you snack so much?

Are you even hungry when you do snack?

Are you just eating to be doing something with your hands and mouth?

Do you snack out of habit?

Where?

Do you normally snack the most at home, sitting on the couch, laying on your bed, or in your favorite chair?

Do you snack while at your desk at work?

When?

Do you snack when you are anxious, bored, tired, or even excited?

Is it usually in front of a tv, by yourself, or when you are around certain friends or family members?

What?

What do you plan to do about your snacking?

Have you set any fitness goals for yourself over the last six months?

Finally, you will want to ask yourself how you can create a no fail, successful snacking plan. The following five tips are a good place to start:

Convenience

If the snacks are there, you will eat them! Stop buying junk food! Don’t store it in your desk at the office, in the back seat of your car, or even hidden in the drawers or cupboards. If the snacks are at your fingertips, you will definitely eat them.

No Bags, Boxes, or Wrappers

Snacks, such as cookies, chips, and candy all come in nice boxes, bags, or fancy wrappers, enticing you to take “just one”. So plain and simple, don’t buy them! Instead, start buying foods that are high in protein, fiber and nutrients such as vegetables or fruits.

Water Bottles

Studies have shown that people eat, when in actuality, they are just thirsty. Drinking water not only quenches your thirst, but cleanses your system and convinces your mind that you are full.

Keep the Mouth Busy

Most snackers enjoy snacking because it keeps the mouth moving. Chewing gum or sucking on a low calorie hard candy will keep the mouth distracted while enjoying the taste of something sweet and fruity.

Be Accountable

One effective way to be aware of your eating habits is to keep a Food Journal. This will make you accountable by writing down what you eat, including all your snacks. You may also want to write down what made you want to grab a snack in the first place, particularly when you were not even hungry. Eventually, you will see the toll your snacks are taking on your overall fitness/weight program, and you may finally decide to skip the chips or just say no to that candy bar.