Snacking is for adults as well as children. A study published in the October 2010 edition of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine and led by Catrine Tudor-Locke, Ph.D., found that the most frequent behaviors performed by the survey participants besides sleeping were eating and drinking. Be mindful of the types of snacks you are eating when attempting to lose weight , and choose those that are healthy, nutritious and low in calories.
Creative Vegetables
Vegetables are a logical choice for a diet snack food, but you may tire of eating carrots and fat-free dressing. Include vitamin-rich vegetables in your snacking menu, but for a change, try eating a stuffed, hollowed-out zucchini. Sally Sampson, in her book "100-Calorie Snack Cookbook," suggests placing a hollowed-out zucchini half in a casserole dish. Fill the hull with diced zucchini, tomatoes, a sprinkle of bread crumbs, 1 tbsp. of Parmesan cheese and a seasoning blend of basil and oregano. Sprinkle the mixture with pepper and bake at 180 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Eat the zucchini warm or store it in the refrigerator for a cold, refreshing snack. Alternately, you can use tomatoes, green peppers, chopped spinach and onions to make a salsa dip for raw vegetables.
Under 100 Calorie Snacks
Keep your snacking calories low by eating snacks with less than 100 calories per serving. Eat 10g. of reduced fat cheddar or Colby cheese for 49 calories. Add a 23-calorie wedge of cantaloupe for a healthy, easy-to-prepare snack. Purchasing 100-calorie packages from the store is an option, but avoiding processed foods is wise when you are trying to eat a healthy diet, says HelpGuide.org. Make a quick fruit salad by combining 1/2 an apple and 1/2 an orange for under 100 calories, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database. Place 1 cup of coarsely chopped watermelon and several ice cubes into your blender and make a 46-calorie slushy.
Salty Snacks
If you enjoy salty snacks, avoid fried chips and french fries when trying to lose weight. Make your own healthy tortilla chips by cutting fat-free flour tortillas into eight wedges. Drizzle 1/8 tsp. olive oil onto the wedges and bake them at 200 degrees for five minutes. Use an air popper to make popcorn. Season it with a salt-free seasoning. Buy or make soft pretzels and eat one for a snack, recommends the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Top five whole-wheat, low-calorie crackers with 2 tsp. of reduced-fat, natural peanut butter for a filling snack with protein and fiber.
Sweet Snacks
Satisfy your sweet tooth with a low-calorie, sweet alternative to chocolate candy bars and full-fat ice cream. Make fat-free muffins from a mix or your own recipe and eat one for snack. Top one piece of whole-wheat toast with sugar-free jam or eat a handful of 18-calorie vanilla wafers. For a sweet snack after dinner, put a spoonful of fat-free ice cream or yogurt into a custard cup and top the scoop with 1 tsp. of chocolate syrup.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/252355-snack-foods-for-weight-loss/#ixzz1OGX896oM
