Thursday, April 16, 2015
Don't let snacks derail your weight loss progress. Use these 13 Tips for Smart Snacking and stay on track!
1. Snacking will not make you fat: However, consuming to many calories will. To take the edge off your hunger, have a 100 – 200 calorie snack approximately two or three hours before a meal to help keep you from overeating.
2. Snacks are not extras or freebies: Incorporate them into your food plan for the day! A calorie is a calorie and at the end of the day they all add up.
3. Plan the day’s food around the food guide pyramid choices for your snacks and meals: An apple and a few whole-wheat crackers count towards your daily quota of fruits and grains.
4. Think of snacks as mini meals: Have them fill in the voids left by what you didn’t eat, or won’t be eating, at meals. Take advantage of this time to get in your daily servings of fruits and vegetables. If you are lacking on veggies, try a small can of low-sodium V8 Juice.
5. Make your snacks count: Keep your blood sugar levels steady by having a nutritious snack. Mix carbs with protein or fruit with fat. For example, dip apple slices into a teaspoon of all-natural peanut butter or dip raw veggies into a tablespoon of low-fat dip.
6. Plan snacks ahead of time to avoid grabbing the first thing you see: Be sure to pack your snacks with you and know what you will be having. For example, my afternoon snack will be 10 wheat thins with 1oz low-fat cheese and a small apple.
7. Budget higher-fat snacks: You do not have to give them up completely; just be sure they fit into your day’s total for fat and calories.
8. Be Careful! Even low-fat snacks will cause you to gain weight if you overdo it. Low-fat foods often contain extra sugar and calories to enhance taste.
9. Snack only when you are hungry: Not when you are bored or anxious. Be mindful of mindless grazing; don’t nibble just because you want something to do!
10. Pay attention to your snacking to avoid overdoing it: Focus on what you are eating and enjoy your snack.
11. Be prepared: Keep snacks in convenient places (such as your car, desk drawer, briefcase, and workout bag). At home, make sure you stock up on fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain breads and crackers.
12. For good health, eat high-fiber snacks: Fiber makes you feel full without adding a lot of additional calories. The recommended daily fiber intake is around 25 grams per day.
13. Better to eat a snack when you are slightly hungry than pig out when you are ravenous: Try to limit your snacks to between 100 and 200 calories, anything more then 250 calories is considered a meal.
Do you have a smart snacking tip that helps keep you on track? We'd love to hear about it!
SNACK IDEAS YOU MIGHT LIKE:
