Many people grew up hearing that you shouldn’t snack. The words, “It will spoil your dinner,” usually followed. Does that mean that snacking isn’t healthy? As with most questions about nutrition, it requires more facts. What type of snack are you eating? A snack should be calculated into your calorie count if you’re trying to lose weight. Planned healthy snacks can be a benefit for weight loss and good health.
Plan in snacks if you always snack.
If you’re usually hungry at mid-morning or mid-afternoon, don’t deny yourself a snack, but make sure it’s healthy. Not everyone has access to a refrigerator at work, but you can still have a healthy snack. Fresh fruits like oranges, bananas, and apples don’t require refrigeration. Nuts and seeds don’t either. If you have a refrigerator, string cheese and fresh grapes are a good snack. If you’re lucky enough to have a microwave available, making microwave popcorn by putting a fourth cup of popcorn in a loosely covered microwavable bowl is another filling option.
Snacking may help you lose weight.
If you can hardly wait for dinner or lunch and gobble it down like there’s no tomorrow, eating a healthy snack a few hours earlier can help you lose weight. Eating slower gives your stomach time to signal to the brain that it’s full and to stop eating. You eat less. When you’re ravenous, it’s hard not to eat slower. Some people think they can wait to eat, but when faced with gnawing hunger, they grab the first food they see. It’s often junk food at the gas station or candy on a coworker’s desk. Preparing for hunger helps you keep your calorie count lower.
Snacking can improve your workout and boost recovery.
Personal trainers and nutritionists recommend a pre-workout and post-workout snack. Pre-workout and post-workout snacks should contain protein and carbohydrates with very little fat. It might be a hard-boiled egg and crackers, or Greek yogurt and fresh fruit. The carbs provide energy to maximize your workout. The snack also starts the recovery process. The protein in the post-workout snack offers the nutrients to build muscles and boost recovery. Brown rice and chicken, a hard-boiled egg and vegetable, or a glass of chocolate milk will suffice.
- Be prepared with ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator. If you want a snack, they’re ready for you to eat. They can be part of a meal.
- Make variety your goal. Adding more options for snacks can trigger your creativity and provide a variety of snacks down the road. Some people break up their meals and use one item on their lunch or dinner menu as a snack.
- If you travel, having healthy snacks in the car can be a blessing. You don’t have to stop at a fast food restaurant for something to nibble on, like fries. Trail mix is one good option.
- We provide meal planning options for various health issues and weight loss. They include food you can snack on throughout the day.
For more information, contact us today at LIV Fitness