Snacking is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, if you snack on the right foods, snacking can be a good thing. Healthy snacks that do not send you over your calorie needs will help you maintain blood glucose levels, feel better and avoid the urge to eat the whole cow at your next meal. Sweet snacks, on the other hand, cause blood sugar levels to spike giving you a burst of energy and then drop leaving you 'snacky', craving another blood sugar spike.
A Good Snacking Rule To Follow
When you snack, snack as you eat (should eat) your meals. Eat a good balance of complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fat. By combining macronutrients in your snacks, you will stabilize your blood sugar, improve your health, boost your immune system (sugar lowers your immune response), feel full longer and keep the sugar monster in check.
How Do I Know What To Eat?
A little education is a good start but if you are not inclined to do a little research (I'm not sure why your health would not be worth a little research) then simply take notice of the way you feel after eating. If you waddle away from the table stuffed only to find yourself hungry again and stopping for a coffee and doughnut on the way to work, you need to rethink what you are eating. If your hunger is satisfied for three to four hours after a meal and you do not experience an energy crash and snack craving on the way to work, take note of what you ate. It was a good meal for you. A breakfast of pancakes and syrup may go down good but it will ding you for about 500 calories and leave you blood sugar level on 'empty' before you can get to your job and reach for the little candies you keep at your desk. An egg with a slice of Canadian bacon and a piece of whole grain toast will cost you only about 250 calories keep you satisfied for several hours. Choose snacks that in small portions mimic the effect of a healthy meal.
How Do I Know What Snacks to Eat?
Here is a very simple rule of thumb to follow. First get rid of the little candies at your desk. Yes, those. If the snack is in a package or wrapper and you did not put it in the package or wrapper, don't eat it. There are some prepackaged snacks that are OK but you can prepare your own healthier version in less time than it will take you to find the healthy snacks at the store - and they will cost less.
A Good Snacking Rule To Follow
When you snack, snack as you eat (should eat) your meals. Eat a good balance of complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fat. By combining macronutrients in your snacks, you will stabilize your blood sugar, improve your health, boost your immune system (sugar lowers your immune response), feel full longer and keep the sugar monster in check.
How Do I Know What To Eat?
A little education is a good start but if you are not inclined to do a little research (I'm not sure why your health would not be worth a little research) then simply take notice of the way you feel after eating. If you waddle away from the table stuffed only to find yourself hungry again and stopping for a coffee and doughnut on the way to work, you need to rethink what you are eating. If your hunger is satisfied for three to four hours after a meal and you do not experience an energy crash and snack craving on the way to work, take note of what you ate. It was a good meal for you. A breakfast of pancakes and syrup may go down good but it will ding you for about 500 calories and leave you blood sugar level on 'empty' before you can get to your job and reach for the little candies you keep at your desk. An egg with a slice of Canadian bacon and a piece of whole grain toast will cost you only about 250 calories keep you satisfied for several hours. Choose snacks that in small portions mimic the effect of a healthy meal.
How Do I Know What Snacks to Eat?
Here is a very simple rule of thumb to follow. First get rid of the little candies at your desk. Yes, those. If the snack is in a package or wrapper and you did not put it in the package or wrapper, don't eat it. There are some prepackaged snacks that are OK but you can prepare your own healthier version in less time than it will take you to find the healthy snacks at the store - and they will cost less.
Healthy Snacking
While snacking is healthy, not all snacks are healthy. Here are some suggestions for healthy snacks.
- Ants On A Log - A celery stick stuffed with raw nut butter (peanut, almond or walnut) with a half-dozen raisins on top.
- Keep It Simple - Have a few nuts (no more than 15).
- California Cruiser - three or four cheese cubes with and equal number of low fat whole grain crackers and a half-dozen grapes.
- Cheese and crackers: opt for grass-fed cheese for higher essential Omega 3 fatty acid content if possible and gluten-free rice crackers for less intestinal bloating.
- Hummus and carrot sticks: hummus contains a little protein and natural fat.
- Edamame sprinkled with sea salt: edamame is the whole soybean and it contains both protein and essential trace minerals if sprinkled with sea salt.
- Greek yogurt: unless you’re on a restricted diet, go for the full-fat variety, which will keep you full for longer and includes all three macronutrients.
- Apple slices and olives: perfect for those who crave sweet and salty.
- A handful of nuts. About 15 almonds - more than that and you are pigging.
- Organic turkey breast slice with crackers: turkey contains both protein and natural fat. (It’s easy to bring a package of healthy deli slices with you to work; just make sure your coworkers don't steal it!)(Adapted from Judd Handler a freelance health reporter and certified Metabolic Typing Advisor and Functional Diagnostic Nutritionist living in Encinitas, CA. You can reach him at coachjudd@gmail.com)
- I would add to this cottage cheese and a little fruit. Remember: This is a snack. Keep it to no more than about 100 calories.
Even nutritionists, trainers and health coaches fall off the wagon. When you fall off the wagon - and you will -treat it like walking. If you trip and fall you don't just lie there waiting for death to end your misery; you get up and begin walking again. If you adopt these healthy snacking ideas, your cravings for sugary junk food will subside and you will find it gets progressively easier to stay on the wagon.
