Should you eat snacks? Will it help you or hinder you from losing weight? During my weight loss journey of losing 70 pounds, I decided early on I needed to eat snacks. My past attempts at weight loss showed me I would overeat on my main meals if I didn’t. Also, it was a mental game. When someone tells me I can’t have something that’s exactly what I want all the time. The snacks you eat should fit into your plan. If you are eating a certain number of calories a day, you don’t want your snacks to take up all your calories. The types of foods you snack on make a difference also. If you eat things like candy bars and potato chips, chances are you will be hungry very quickly. If you make better choices, like foods higher in protein, you’ll probably last longer between meals. Here are the rules I have given myself when it comes to snacking throughout the day:
Ask yourself, are you really hungry? You could be bored or trying to distract yourself
The calories from my snacks are anywhere from 100 through 250 calories.
The type of foods I eat are not a simple carbohydrate (example: cookies, snack cakes, etc.)
I always have something with me I can snack on so I won’t make an impulse buy of something that isn’t the best choice to help me maintain my weight loss.
Here are some of the types of foods you could snack on:
Peanut Butter with an apple or celery
Your favorite hummus on crackers (or with raw vegetables)
Trail Mix or Nuts (I usually have ¼ cup)
Yogurts low in sugar (also Greek Yogurt)
Salsa with bite size tortilla chips
Lightly buttered or salted popcorn
Various Fruits
Graham Crackers
Low Carb Snack: Cheese with turkey pepperoni
Cookies that I have made (I usually limit it to 2)
I didn’t list many processed items, like granola bars, cookies, potato chips or various crackers. They can also
be a way to help you between meals. Watch your portion sizes and make sure they will satisfy your hunger.
Back to the original question, should you snack? It all depends on what your needs are. Snacking isn’t bad and it can add variety to the foods you eat.