Fat-filled, unhealthy snacks have destroyed more than one promising meal plan! Be careful what you eat between meals! Snacking or grazing (eating haphazardly) between meals can really skyrocket your calorie count during the day! Grazing can also lead you to eat high-calorie, high-fat junk foods!
The key to successful snacking is to find healthy, nutritious foods that you like! You are more likely to stay with your meal plan if you eat foods that you like. Another person’s menu won’t work for you. I see many foods in magazines that I won’t eat even if they are nutritious and healthy!
One way to control your snacking during the day (and meals in general) is to pack your lunches and snacks instead of eating out at work. You can also save tons of cash by not eating out every day at a restaurant!
Another way to control your snacking is to eat more water-based foods. Foods such as fresh fruits and veggies are examples. These types of foods help you to feel fuller (satiety) while eating fewer calories. For instance, grapes with the same calorie amount as raisins will provide more satiety and theoretically help you eat less the rest of the day.
So, here are some healthy, nutritious snacks that won’t wreck your meal plan:
1. Fresh fruits and veggies (a no-brainer). Why don’t people eat these foods more for snacks? I have never heard of anyone getting fat by eating too many fresh fruits and veggies! Apples, grapes, bananas, watermelon, oranges, green salads, beans, sweet potatoes, broccoli and carrots are some of my favorites. Find fruits and veggies that you like.
2. Popcorn is my favorite snack of all time! I can eat popcorn anywhere, anytime! Popcorn is high-fiber and low calorie. Skip the excess butter and salt! I like to pop it on the stove in canola or olive oil. On the run, I eat natural, microwaved brands.
3. Nuts. My second favorite snack is nuts. Peanuts, pistachios, pecans and almonds are my favorites. It doesn't take much either (a handful will do). Nuts are high-calorie so be careful. Again, skip the excess salt! Nuts have heart-healthy fats, fiber and vitamins. Nuts are a great snack for people on the run (like myself!).
4. Peanut butter. I eat peanut butter almost every day, usually on whole wheat bread or crackers. Peanut butter is a good protein source that will keep you full until the next meal. Peanut butter is high-calorie so two teaspoons will get the job done.
5. Low-fat yogurt is a great snack! I don't like yogurt so I don't eat it. Smoothies are also great options (especially after a strength workout). Just watch the sugar and fat.
Be careful with the “100-Calorie” packaged snacks! Many of these “snack packs” are high-calorie and high-fat! Research has shown that people tend to eat too many of these “snack packs” because they are so small (and you tend to graze)!
Late night snacking can add unwanted pounds to your figure---depending on how much you eat during the entire day! Late night snacking will not, in and of itself, automatically make you gain weight. Just use the same guide with late night snacking that you do with snacking during the day.
Plan your snacks the way you plan your meals and you should do just fine with controlling your calories!
Mark Dilworth, Certified Personal Trainer
Her Fitness Hut http://herfitnesshut.com