According to research done by USDA, most of our snacking habits are devoid of rich nutrients but loaded with wasted calories. Do we have to eliminate snacking altogether?
The key is not to try and eliminate snacking, but to shift the way you snack from dead calories to nutritional calories, from bad snacks to good snack.
Snacking fuels you between meals, is the energy to fuel work-outs and supplies you with much needed nutrients…when done right.
Snacking done right can help you to lose or maintain your weight while snacking done wrong is a destroyer of all the good you’ve done…all your weight loss efforts.
But the crazy thing is, that even those who believe they are snacking on healthy foods and foods they believe are going to help trim their waist have been duped in many cases and many times simply because they don’t take time to read the labels closely.
Pretzels are a favorite in most homes because people do not realize that they pack 450 mg of sodium along with mostly dead calories…that’s 1/5 your total for entire day. Ditch the pretzels and reach for salted nuts (like pistachios) with just ¼ of the sodium. Even though you will be enjoying more fat with the nuts than pretzels, you will also be supplying your body with twice the protein and three times the fiber than you could get from salty (dead nutritionally) pretzels. Nuts will help you to feel full longer too…avoiding the temptation to reach for another snack too soon.
Another quick snack that has literally flooded the market in every flavor mixture possible are 16 ounce bottled smoothies. While these are well and good in a pinch, you are far better off creating your own smoothies at home where you can control what goes into your smoothies from a calorie and nutritional standpoint. Most people are not aware that there are actually two servings in each 16 ounce bottled smoothie (they only splash the fact that there are only 150 calories per serving on the front of the bottle)…which means if you drink the whole thing (and you most likely will) then you have actually consumed 300 calories.
Honor your cravings. Live by the 80/20 rule. If you are really craving chocolate, treat yourself to a reasonable helping of good quality dark chocolate…without going overboard. Avoid trying to fill your chocolate craving with supposed diet favorites like chocolate pudding. The pudding cup may add a few less calories, but the chocolate has less sugar and carbs and adds more fiber.
Dark chocolate is also packed cocoa and cocoa is packed with antioxidants which could be the reason that people who enjoy dark chocolate as a treat a few times a week are actually thinner than those who don’t.
Another great snack to fill the void and keep you feeling full for a while is veggies dipped in some form of healthy dip like hummus. Baby carrots work perfect as they are easy to dip and pop in your mouth but you can use other raw veggies to your liking too.
When done the right way, snacking is an opportunity to squeeze in more nutrition while giving your body the energy boost it is asking for.
For the most part your snacks should be:
- Low in calories
- Low in salt (you don’t want to take in your daily salt allowance eating snacks)
- Low in sugar
- Low in saturated fat
- Rich with vitamins and proteins
Snacking right is just one of the many “lifestyle” changes that you must incorporate into your daily life if you want to gain control of your weight, lose weight and keep it off.
If you are ready to find out what it really takes to win the weight loss battle once and for all, grab my comprehensive program “Rebound Free Weight Loss”. You can keep that unwanted weight off…you just need the right coach.
I can help, but you have to take the first step, no one can do that for you.
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