The 4 Snacker Archetypes: Why you can’t stop snacking

Non-stop snacking is often a symptom of one of the 4 core archetypes below. Chances are, you’re not addicted to sugar. Yes hyper palatable foods like chocolate, ice-cream, chips, pastries, jatz makes us want to eat more but the constant grazing is more than just having a “sweet tooth” or liking “crunchy foods.”

Firstly, are you struggling from hunger? If yes, read these 5 strategies to feel fuller for weight loss first.

If you’re already eating 3 meals a day and you’re not snacking due to hunger, then keep on reading!

Here’s what to do next:

1. Identify your archetype below.

2. Look at your dietary pattern and see what needs to change. Do you eat every 3-4 hours? eat enough protein & energy? Enough fruit & veg? Fuel for training? Fuel for work and daily life? Manage social events well?

3. Recognise that neural pathways & behaviour are changeable.

4. Monitor behaviour changes. Find an accountability system (yours truly is here as needed) and celebrate successes. Aka pause, mentally note & positive self talk that 1st, 2nd, 3rd... 54th time you stop yourself before you bite into that snack.

#1 Decision Fatigue Snacker

This is you if: you get to the end of an exhausting day and all you want is to shut your brain off so you grab whatever’s easy.

You start making compromises with yourself in the moment.

“I’ll just have this 1 chocolate or handful of chips & then I’ll cook dinner” but 7/8th of the packet later, you feel guilty so you skimp on dinner.

You wake up hungry and the tug a war with willpower happens all over again.

#2 Dopamine Seeking/ Habitual Snacker

This is you if: you’re not hungry but you still find yourself snacking on foods rich in sugar, fat or refined carbs.

After the snack, you have a boost in energy + productivity but that quickly fades and in 30min, you’re back searching for your next snack.

Over time, this becomes more habitual and you struggle to stop even when you feel overly full.

#3 Transitionary Snacker

This is you if: you have a snack every time you move to a new task.

For many people (especially neurodivergent individuals including with autism and ADHD), transitioning to a new task is uncomfortable.

So some reasons, you may grab a snack is to:

1) Procrastinate starting the next thing

2) Dopamine hit from the snack reduces focus on the discomfort of transitioning to a new task

3) Incentivises you to start a new task.

I notice this happen for myself most often when I’m having a lolly before I start a hard set at the gym or I’ll have another coffee before I begin a daunting task.

#4 Overly-restricted Snacker

This is you if: You’ve spent a good chunk of your life controlling what, how much & when to eat.

But, intense focus on food (and often training) means you’re either “on” or “off”

You consider yourself someone who generally has great willpower in many areas of your life.

Finding the middle ground is hard so you always stick to a plan or track strictly to maintain your weight/physique. It’s exhausting but you’re worried about what will happen if you stop.

You say no to treats ALL the time but every now again, you’re too tired to say no. Then, you eat way more than you planned to.

If you have a good understanding of your snacking archetype and are ready to break the cycle, you can apply to work with me here.

Let’s take the blame and shame out of food and focus on breaking the binge cycle and fuelling your body properly! One strategy that can be helpful for overly restricted snackers is reverse dieting.