If you deprive yourself of snacks between meals to save calories, you may be doing your diet plan a disservice. Regular snacking can help prevent extreme hunger from derailing your weight loss efforts. Snacks can also help fill in nutritional gaps when you are watching your calorie intake. If you choose the right kind of foods, snacking can be a healthy asset in your weight loss battle.
Indication
Grab a snack between meals whenever you will go more than four hours without eating. Healthy snacks are composed of moderate serving sizes with less calories than a meal. The exact number of calories you need in your snacks depends on your daily calorie needs for weight loss, but usually 100 to 250 calories is adequate.
Considerations
Adding a small amount of lean protein to your snacks along with a fiber-rich whole grain, fruit or vegetable, can help you feel full longer. Protein digests more slowly than carbohydrates and provides a minor rev to your metabolism. If you are ravenous between meals, choose foods with a low calorie density, such as air-popped popcorn or cut-up vegetables, so you can eat large servings without feeling guilty.
Types of Foods
Instead of grabbing snack mixes or bars, make your snacks look like mini-meals. Combine foods from the major food groups: grains, meat and beans, dairy, healthy oils, vegetables and fruits. Low-fat cheese with a few whole grain crackers, deli turkey wrapped in romaine lettuce, a 1/2-oz. serving of almonds with an apple, red pepper strips with hummus or plain, nonfat yogurt with berries are examples of healthy, low-calorie snacks.
Strategies
If you consistently skip snacks, you might be undermining your weight loss efforts. Snacks feed your metabolic fire and help you receive a constant flow of energy. A light snack before a workout can help you work harder and burn more calories, which supports weight loss. Plan out your snacks in the morning, and pack them to take to work so you do not find yourself at the mercy of the vending machine. Keep a bowl of fruit on your desk so you always have a fresh option when hunger strikes. Stash nuts and whole wheat crackers in your purse or briefcase. If you do not have access to a refrigerator during the day, consider packing a cooler and filling it with deli meat, yogurt and low-fat cheese for healthy snacking options.
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