Introduction
Snacking can be a great way to jumpstart weight loss, but it’s important to choose the right snacks. Dietitians recommend eating snacks that are high in protein and fiber, and low in sugar and unhealthy fats. Eating these types of snacks can help you feel fuller longer, reduce cravings, and provide essential nutrients. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the best snacking habits that can help you reach your weight loss goals. We’ll also provide some tips on how to make healthy snacking a part of your daily routine. So, if you’re looking to jumpstart your weight loss journey, read on to learn more about snacking habits that can help you reach your goals.
Snacking Habits That Can Jumpstart Weight Loss, Say Dietitians
Snacking can be a great way to get in extra nutrients and energy throughout the day, but it can also be a major source of extra calories if you’re not careful. If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important to choose snacks that are both nutritious and low in calories. Here are some tips from dietitians on how to snack smarter and jumpstart your weight loss.
Eat This, Not That
When it comes to snacking, it’s important to make smart choices. Instead of reaching for a bag of chips or a candy bar, opt for healthier options like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. These snacks are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and they’re low in calories. Here are some examples of healthy snacks to try:
- Apple slices with peanut butter
- Carrot sticks with hummus
- Celery sticks with almond butter
- Greek yogurt with berries
- Trail mix with nuts and dried fruit
Watch Your Portion Sizes
It’s also important to watch your portion sizes when snacking. Even healthy snacks can be high in calories if you eat too much. To avoid overeating, measure out your snacks ahead of time and stick to the recommended serving size. This will help you stay on track with your weight loss goals.
Choose Low-Calorie Drinks
In addition to choosing healthy snacks, it’s also important to watch what you drink. Sugary drinks like soda and juice can add a lot of extra calories to your diet. Instead, opt for water or unsweetened tea and coffee. These drinks are low in calories and can help you stay hydrated throughout the day.
Snack Mindfully
Finally, it’s important to snack mindfully. Don’t eat while you’re distracted or on the go. Take the time to sit down and enjoy your snack. This will help you savor the flavors and be more aware of how much you’re eating. It can also help you avoid overeating.
Snacking can be a great way to get in extra nutrients and energy throughout the day. But it’s important to choose snacks that are both nutritious and low in calories. By following these tips from dietitians, you can snack smarter and jumpstart your weight loss.
A snack in the middle of the day can be super satisfying. Although snacks can make a great midday treat, it seems like people try to avoid them, thinking they’re extra unnecessary calories in the day. However there are so many healthy options worth adding into your daily routine, whether you make them at home or purchase them premade at the grocery store, so don’t overlook a snack to curb your hunger.
With that being said, if you’re a snacker, keep on snacking. However, it’s best to rid of your bad habits and instead swap them for healthier snacking habits. If you don’t know where to start, but are eager to jumpstart weight loss, here are some ideas suggested by members of our medical expert board that you can incorporate into your everyday life. And for more tips to jumpstart weight loss, be sure to check out 50 Healthiest Snacks to Eat for Weight Loss.
One of the best ways to burn fat is to eat a combination of protein and carbohydrates. Molly Hembree, MS, RD, LD suggests a similar combination is a great snacking method as well to help jumpstart weight loss.
“Low-fat animal proteins like light string cheese or a small can of tuna (packed in water) or smart plant proteins like peanut butter, cashews, or hummus help to fulfill our protein requirements at snack time to help with satiety and muscle building,” says Hembree. “Pair that up with nutrient-dense carbohydrates like an apple, raisins, canned pineapple, carrots, or whole-grain crackers, and you’ll be very unlikely to overeat by the next meal!”
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Having a more normalized eating pattern tends to be best for most people for long-term, sustainable weight loss, suggests Julie Upton, MS, RD. If you’re currently in a daily routine, especially during the workweek, it can be helpful to snack during the same times you normally do and continue to keep those same times.
“That means for most people, having three meals and two snacks, one mid-morning and one in the afternoon, breaks daily calories into a manageable amount so that your metabolism, insulin, etcetera can process the energy most efficiently,” says Upton.
If you eat too many calories at once, or too many late in the day, that can lead to increased body fat. A study done by The Endocrine Society has shown research suggesting that eating a late dinner may contribute to weight gain and high blood sugar. As for snacks, it’s important to time them and aim for 200 calories to lose weight and keep it off.
“My clients often tell me they avoid snacks, skip breakfast, have just a nibble of food at lunch, and then gorge at dinner. This isn’t a practice that helps with weight loss,” says Hembree. “Our bodies are instead designed to need energy and sustenance throughout the day, by eating every 3 to 4 hours.”
Hembree suggests that skipping meals and snacks causes people to run on empty, only to feel desperate in the evenings and most likely compromise their food decisions, making unhealthier choices. Plus, trying to resist snacking to lower your caloric intake throughout the day actually makes it difficult for your body to burn more.
In fact, according to a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, those who eat at least six times a day have lower body-mass indexes and consume fewer calories overall, compared to those who only consume three square meals, so incorporating healthy snacks into your day is a good habit to obtain.
Snacks can mean something doable and small, but filling enough to hold you over for a couple of hours. Hembree suggests something like a 250-calorie combo of a cup of yogurt with 1/2 cup of blueberries and 2 tablespoons of granola.
A lot of the time, when people think of snacks, they think of chips, candy, baked goods, or any other processed foods. These snack choices are low-quality, high-calorie options that won’t help to lose weight, but instead, gain weight. To avoid these bad snacking habits, Upton suggests making it a habit to snack on fruits and vegetables, because it will almost ensure that your snack calories will remain in balance with your overall daily calorie budget.
“Snacks currently comprise about 25% of Americans’ total calories, making them truly a fourth meal, when, in fact, you want snacks to be more like 200 calories mid-morning and in the afternoon,” says Upton. “Remember, no one needs a snack before bed. We don’t need to fuel up to sleep!”