Snacking gets such a bad reputation when it comes to weight loss, but the truth is that snacking is a healthy way to keep your appetite under control while trying to lose weight. It isn’t the act of snacking that’s detrimental to weight loss; it’s the type of snacks you choose during snack time.
By making smarter and healthier snack choices you can satisfy your appetite without any weight loss setbacks. The trick is choosing snacks that are low in calories and provide you with nutrients, not over processed foods that have tons of calories and little to no nutritional value.
Keep reading for tips on snacking without constantly worrying about your weight!
Choose Energy Boosters
When you need an energy boost in the middle of the day choose a handful of mixed nuts instead of cookies or soda that have lots of sugar. Nuts not only provide you with healthy fats but also fiber that makes you feel full so you’re running back for more snacks an hour later.
Eating nuts gives you a healthy energy boost without the annoying crash that comes from sugar boosts, but they also help satisfy that craving of eating potato chips or candy. Eat the nuts one at a time so you get the same sensation of eating popcorn in a dark movie theater without the tragic amount of calories!
Read The Label
Sure, choosing low fat or reduce fat snacks is better than full fat choices but not much. These low calorie, reduced fat snacks has a way of making us think its ok to have a bigger portion size because “normally I’d eat way more of the full fat version” which can lead to overeating.
In fact, the fat or calorie difference among many of these tricky snacks is so small that you’re really better off leaving them on the supermarket shelf and hitting the produce section.
Drink Water
When you’re craving a snack and you don’t know why, chances are good that you aren’t actually hungry. So many people drink so little water each day that 37% of Americans actually mistake dehydration for symptoms of hunger, according to the University of Tennessee.
If you want to enjoy healthy snacking the key is to recognize when your body is actually in need of food and when it simply needs to be hydrated. If you’ve recently eaten and still feel hungry, have a glass of water and see if that makes you feel less hungry.
Eat Fruits & Veggies
Fruits and vegetables, in addition to being low in calories and packed with water, make the perfect snack foods. Baby carrots and chopped celery are low calorie snacks that will allow you to enjoy dips without feeling guilty. More importantly these low calorie snacks will satisfy your hunger without packing on the calories.
Fruits like watermelon have so much water and so few calories that you can hydrate your body and satisfy a snack craving at the same time. Not to mention that fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy and function properly. The produce aisle is the perfect place to find snacks to help you make it through the day without deviating from your calorie deficit.
Whether you choose to pack a bowl of fruit, vegetable sticks or bring a homemade smoothie; make sure fruits and vegetables become a regular part of your daily snacks.
Measure Portions
If you truly want to learn how to experience successful weight loss without completely giving up some of the junk food you love so much, start paying attention to the nutritional labels. This is especially important when it comes to processed and pre-packaged foods like chips, cookies, soda and candy.
{Measure out those chips and bring 1 serving with you. Enjoy your chips without the guilt!}
While you probably think you’re not consuming that many calories in junk, by finishing off a box of candy you’re actually consuming 3 to 5 servings! This is where so many of us go wrong in our weight loss quest. If you’re going to eat potato chips for a snack, place just 1 serving in a bowl or sandwich bag to bring with you to work or enjoy in front of the TV. This will make sure that you only eat 120 calories worth of potato chips rather than say…600 calories.
Apples
There are so many clichés when it comes to why you should eat apples, but in addition to keeping the doctor away, the calories in an apple are friendly to weight loss.
But what makes apples such a great healthy snack is that they have plenty of nutrients like vitamin C to keep you healthy and energized for a post-work workout, and one apple has 17% of your recommended daily value of fiber. The high fiber content of apples means that one little apple will make you feel full without costing you hundreds of calories to burn off in the gym.
Talk Yourself Out Of It
One factor that very few diet plans or books ever make mention of is the role you play in choosing healthy snacks. The fact is that you’ve been trying to lose weight for quite awhile now and you know that fried, greasy foods are not healthy snack choices, but you find ways to justify your cravings.
Next time you get a junk food craving, talk yourself out of it. Remind yourself that as much as you might want this bad snack, you won’t be able to limit portions, which will make it near impossible to burn it off later at the gym. This is the proactive part of weight loss, that often times can be the difference between weight loss success (think: Kelly Osbourne) and weight loss failure.
Slow Down
Your mother always told you “slow down” whether it was running through the house or at the dinner table. When it comes to snacking this is also good advice. Eating too fast doesn’t give your stomach time to let your brain know that you’re full, which can (and often does) lead to overeating.
{Unless you’re in an actual food eating contest, slow down when you snack to know when you’re full.}
Plan
Plan your snacks before you go to the market to make sure you make healthy snack choices. Don’t wait until you’re hungry at work and the only option left is the high calorie food in the vending machine on the 4th floor.
Grab a few different types of fruit, vegetables and low-calorie dips to make sure you have healthy snack options that you can bring with you.
Reduce Salt Intake
Too much salt in your diet is not healthy for anyone, but especially for those of us who are overweight and at risk of hypertension and heart disease. Cut down on the number of salty snacks you eat like chips and pretzels to cut down on water retention and that sluggish feeling that comes from a high sodium diet.
Making healthy food choices during meal and snack time is the best way to stay on track with your weight loss efforts. Consider intermittent fasting to help you overcome food issues. Find out more by reading our review of Eat Stop Eat.
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