One of the biggest stumbling blocks to an ideal diet regimen remains the urge to snack now and then. When a craving hits the body, it seems nothing can keep you from opening that bag of chips. Here is a handy guide to turn your munching mania into a healthy break.

A bottle of water may be your best bet to douse the flames of snack-hunger. Often the body mistakes thirst for hunger and creates the urge to snack. So if you start feeling empty even after a good meal, try sipping water or maybe a calorie-free drink.

Make the healthier choice. If your craving hits mid-morning, or a couple of hours after you’ve had your last meal, may be you do need pick-me-up. However make sure that you snack on healthy stuff like fruits, a whole-grain cookie or a bowl of low-ft yoghurt. A good rule-of-thumb is to make sure your snack contains 100 calories of less. In fact if you ignore the in-between hunger pangs, it might lead you to binge on the next meal.

Distract yourself from the craving if the saner part of your mind tells you that your body does not really need a snack. One of the most trusted ways to keep your mind off the urge is to go for a jog or a brisk walk in the neighboring park or sweat away half-an-hour at the gym.

Severely obese patients have reportedly lost weight by changing their diet and exercises perhaps would be as successful as those who lost weight after bariatric surgery and then retaining it. Reports say that while weight loss and maintenance were comparable between the two approaches, patients who relied on non-surgical methods had to work harder over a longer duration to maintain their weight losses,.

Sources also say that behavioural modifications and lifestyle changes are critical components to long-term weight loss maintenance. The participants who were involved in this diet changing exercise managed to lose an average of 60 kg and had maintained their weight loss for an average of 5.5 years at the beginning of its two-year study.

If reports are to be believed, Lilly Allen has gone on a diet to find a new boyfriend. The Smile singer is said to be determined to find a new love after splitting from Chemical Brothers star Ed Simons earlier this year, and believes losing weight is the key to her attracting a man. A source close to Lily, who has lost 14lbs said, “Her new diet has reduced her cravings for junk food and she’s cut down on alcohol.”