A viewer requested that I suggest good snacking options for eaters while on-the-go, who lack self-control.  Additionally, my nickname is “Snack-O”, as I love to snack.  Thus, I’ve developed smart snacking options to keep my diet in check without spoiling my dinner!

First off, your snack should only be about 100-200 calories. Snacks aren’t meant to satisfy every wave of crave, or keep you company while lonely, or make you feel better about your most recent break-up.  They are to keep your metabolism running, and hold you over until your next meal so that you don’t go into a restaurant and want to eat the entire menu! (Which is a horrible way to go to shop at the grocery store, fyi)

I like to choose snacks that take me a little more time to devour.  I choose water-based foods, and foods that take longer to crack – literally!  My reader, BJ Curry, suggested clementines, since it takes her a little while to peel the skin.  Great idea BJ!!  She knows her weakness is self-control, and picks foods to counter that.  Well done!

Snacking Pack-List:

1. a big Apple with a small spoonful (or two) of unsalted, crunchy almond butter

2. Peeled Snacks: pistachio nuts, clementines, oranges, (not Bananas, since the peel comes off easily, AND they are heavy in calories).

3. Baby Carrots

4. handful of fresh frozen raspberries with 1/2 cup (83 calories) of 1% fat cottage cheese

5. Frozen Fruits and Vegetables are my absolute favorite! The richness still comes through, and the icey middle stops me from pouring the whole bag in my mouth. Examples: grapes, mangos, peas, raspberries, strawberries, cut apricots.  Snacking on Peas is a great way to get your greens in.  1/2 cup of peas = 55 calories, 3 g of fiber. The high-fiber and low-calorie-density combination means they’re filling and satisfying, and the frozen part makes them interesting. They’re firm, but not rock hard, and they melt in your mouth.

6. Sugarfree GUM. A study conducted by James Levine, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic has measured the energy burned by chewing and found that just moving your jaw up and down can burn some 11 extra calories per hour, which is a boost of about 19 percent over your just-sitting-there level. 11 calories doesn’t sound like much, but that’s about a pound a year for every hour per day that you chew. Not to mention, in addition to all the calories you save from the snacks you’re not eating.

7. Water, diet lemon Snapple, diet Hansens, diet 7up, green-tea with lemon. More times than not, your “hunger” is dehydration. Studies have shown that water can curb your appetite better than the lap-band. Take action and get used to carrying water around with you everywhere you go!

8. Sea Weed contains an enormous amount of nutritional benefits to our bodies.  Some of them include: amino acids, Vitamin A, beta-carotene, maintains collagen, anti-inflammatory properties, enhances resistance to allergies and other infections, and so much more!

CALL TO ACTION: Be honest with yourself when you are going to snack. Don’t eat a snack, “accidentally” make it a meal, and then decide to skip dinner because you couldn’t control your snacking portions, and then you’re hungry when going to bed and find yourself eating another “snack” at 11:30pm! (I’ve obviously done this). Plan your meals in your head in the morning or the night before and stick to it. Eating is more mental than physical.

Happy Snacking!

xo,

jacquelyn