SNACK TIME!

Snack Savvy
Get tips to make snacks your secret weapon, not your dieting downfall.
by Heather S. Zeitz, R.D., C.D.N.


"I don't have time to plan ahead so I grab the wrong thing!"
"I get so hungry during the day, I overeat at night."

Does this sound like you? Is snacking to blame? No! You might think that the best way to a trim waistline is to avoid eating between meals. If so, it's time to reverse your thinking. Snacking can be one of the healthiest habits you embrace, and can actually help you lose weight.

Throwing Logs on a FirePicture your metabolism -- your body's ability to use calories/energy -- as a fire. Just as you have to keep throwing logs on a fire, you have to give yourself nourishment to keep your body using energy in the most efficient way. If you don't keep your "fire" burning, you will have a harder time losing or maintaining a healthy weight.

Instead of looking at snacks as diet disasters, think of them as opportunities to try new things and get added nutrients you don't get at mealtimes. Here are some tips for adding snacks as part of a plan of eating healthier:

Focus on fruits and vegetables: Ideally you should be getting five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Use snacks to help you get there!

Plan your snacks ahead of time: Set aside a spot in your refrigerator, pantry or desk for nutritious ready-to-eat snacks, and keep it well stocked. If you have a healthier option available, you won't have an excuse to fill up on junk food from vending machines or convenience stores.

Watch your portion sizes: Buy snacks in single serving sizes or divide larger bags into individual bags to make sure you're really eating snack-size portions.

Check your nutrition labels! Remember, low-fat means no more than 3 grams of fat per serving. Snack IdeasReady to make the leap and get snacking? Below are some ideas for healthy snacks at home, at work and on the road.

• Home:
  Chocolate milk (made with skim milk)
  Hummus spread on cucumber slices or rolled into a lettuce wrap
  Homemade fruit smoothie: Try 1 cup frozen strawberries (or other fruit of choice) blended with 1 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt. See our recipes for other ideas.
  Frozen grapes or banana halves.
  Baked apple or pear: Core fruit, place in a microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cider or water and a dash of cinnamon. Microwave until soft, about 10 minutes.
  Baked tortilla chips topped with salsa and melted low-fat cheese.
  Raw veggies dipped in low-fat dressing or chilled dip made with fat-free sour cream.
  Steamed edamame sprinked with salt. You can get edamame in the frozen foods aisle.
• Office:
  Sliced apple dipped in all-natural peanut butter
  Whole-wheat pretzel nuggets
  Handful of nuts
  Trail mix
  Low-fat string cheese
  Low-fat butter popcorn
  Light hot cocoa (calcium bonus: use skim milk)
• On the go:
  Piece of fruit
  Low-fat cookies (ginger snaps, graham crackers, animal crackers, oatmeal, Fig Newtons)
  Small can of vegetable juice
  Bag of mixed raw veggies (mini carrots, grape tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, Broccolini)
  Wheat crackers with shelf-stable low-fat spreadable cheese
  Ready-to-eat serving-sized boxed cereals (with at least 3g of fiber, less than 3g of fat)
  Homemade snack mix: wheat cereal, mini pretzels, peanuts and dried cranberries
  Sliced turkey breast rolled in lettuce with mustard, tomato and cucumber

Snacking is so BAD for me..Here are a few tips to help out !! ENJOY>> stay strong!

Have A SUPER AWESOME DAY!!

Love Ya ~ Fit Now Girl!!!