Who doesn’t love a good snack?
Snacking can lift your energy in the middle of the day, prepare you for (or help you recover from) a challenging workout, or act as the ultimate way to chill in the evening.
I’m never going to tell you to stop snacking, even if you’re currently focused on weight loss goals. However, too many people reach for foods they think are healthy but are actually hindering fat loss.
So, what are the best snack foods when you are trying to lose weight?
- Pair a low calorie food, like carrots or cucumbers, with a small serving of fats. A few examples are celery with natural almond butter, or some natural crackers with hummus. This will help you get in your quota of healthy fats for the day (approximately 20% of your daily calories), but won’t push you into a calorie surplus.
- Nuts alone are easy for on-the-go, and can be munched on anywhere. The problem is that you may not realize how calorie-dense these little guys are. Do your research and know what the appropriate serving size is for you, and measure out your snack ahead of time rather than eating straight out of the package.
- Fruit is nature’s candy. So, if you are trying to rid yourself of a sweet tooth, be sure to allow room for apples, berries, or prunes every day. Your body will also benefit from the fibre content.
- More protein is almost never a bad idea, so help yourself to non-fat cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs, or a chicken salad. There’s no reason your mid-morning snack can’t be what most people would call a small meal. Portion control is key to keeping your overall caloric intake in a deficit to enable weight loss.
- Vegetables are a free for all! Never limit yourself when it comes to greens* because you are sure to feel full long before you binge on broccoli.
- Ask yourself if you're genuinely hungry! Sometimes we snack out of habit rather than out of hunger. Gauge your true hunger by using the Hunger Scale and you may find that you don’t truly need a snack and are just bored. In this case, take a nap, go for a walk, or busy yourself with a good book to get your mind off the thought of food.
*Some health conditions require you to avoid certain vegetables and limit your overall intake. Speak with your health care provider about what your daily servings of fruit and vegetables should be.
Coach Julie Germaine is an NFLA-certified fitness expert and prenatal trainer, and an NASM-certified nutrition specialist. She is also a fit mom to an active toddler and a 2x world-class fitness champion who has been featured in and contributed to numerous fitness, fashion, and lifestyle magazines and other media. She has loved helping men and women lose belly fat and maintain their incredible body transformations as a virtual coach since 2005.