Snacking throughout the day can help you lose weight. By snacking, you keep your blood sugar levels stable, which prevents you from gorging or over eating during one meal. Of course, the types of snacks eaten make all the difference. Snacks high in carbohydrates, calories, fats and sugars will only hold off our hunger for a short period of time, and, thus they are not the best choices. High carbohydrate snacks are digested very quickly, leaving one to become hungry and eat more unneeded calories.
Step 1
Keep your snacks between 150 to 200 calories. Don't make your snack into a meal. They are supposed to be something to hold you over before a full meal. Make sure your snack is balanced and contains slow burning carbohydrates such as whole grains, which won't spike your blood sugar but keep it steady throughout a longer period of time. Instead of fried chips, have a slice of whole wheat bread with some hummus for protein.
Step 2
Eat fruits and vegetables. They are a natural source of fiber and when they are mixed with some low fat cottage cheese, the combination can be a perfectly balanced snack. Your body needs fiber to maintain proper bowel movement, and according to the Mayo clinic staff, it can aid weight loss, lower blood cholesterol levels and help maintain blood sugar levels.
Step 3
Eat yogurt daily. Add some nuts or granola to boost up the protein content and then add some flax seeds to aid digestion. Yogurt, which has slow burning carbohydrates, will satisfy your hunger without adding many calories and will help keep you feeling full.
Tips and Warnings
- Pack your snacks for the day. They are small and can easily fit into a purse or briefcase for convenient access through out the day. Eat every two to three hours to maintain a stable level of blood sugar. Take your time eating your snacks, the body needs twenty minutes to let the brain know it is full, so eat slowly to avoid eating too much.
- Make sure to wash all fruits and vegetables before consumption. If bringing dairy snacks such as cottage cheese to eat during the day, make sure to refrigerate it until ready to eat so it doesn't spoil.
Things You'll Need
- Whole wheat bread
- Hummus
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Yogurt
- Assorted unsalted nuts
- Granola
- Flax seeds
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