Why should I avoid mindless eating?

Here is my Deadly Habit number 4:

Mindless Eating

Hitting the vending machine at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, raiding the pantry several times a day, eating through a bag of chips before we even realized we've opened them. We're all guilty of eating without thinking about it sometimes. Problem is that often we are eating out of boredom, for a distraction, or to fill a hunger that can't be met by food. And when we fill up on junk food, we add unhealthy calories, gaining fat and stressing our liver.

Replacement: Mindful Eating

Everything we eat should nourish us, and the ability to focus on that will help us all meet our goals of losing or maintaining weight. A simple solution is to pre-plan meals, especially snacks. On Sunday night, pack a variety of healthy snacks -- 12 almonds, 1 string cheese, 2 tablespoons of cranberries, 5 dark chocolates, 18 mini pretzels -- in individual plastic bags for the week ahead. At 3 p.m. on any day, you can reach for a baggie and know you are giving your body a good boost.