When it comes to weight loss, many people make mistakes by thinking that starving or yo-yo dieting will help them to lose unwanted pounds. However, starving and yo-yo dieting do not work well in reality. The best way to keep your metabolism ignited is to eat small meals every three - four hours. When you have big gaps in between your meals, the metabolism slows down, your body starts preparing to the starvation mode, and starts storing body fat. To keep your metabolism going you need to eat healthy snacks in between your meals. A low glycemic carbohydrate, protein, and good fats are the best sources for healthy snacks. Low glycemic carbohydrates will not spike your insulin level and will keep your blood sugar level steady. It will also help to keep your energy level stable throughout the day. If you will eat processed food or sugary snacks, you will get hungry within thirty minutes because it will spike your insulin level and lower it down fast leaving you tired and hungry. Furthermore, having some source of protein for your snack will keep you full longer because protein is digested slowly.
Here are some examples of low calories snacks:
Banana split: medium banana with 2 tblsp of peanut or almond butter
Cals: 295, Fat: 18, Carbs: 33g, Fiber: 6, Protein: 9g, Sugars 16g
Apple with 2 tblsp almond butter
Cals: 265, Fat: 19, Carbs: 22g, Fiber: 5, Protein: 8g, Sugars: 16g
Fage yogurt with 1/4 cup of muesli
Cals: 210, Fat: 4, Carbs: 28g, Fiber: 4, Protein: 22g, Sugars" 12g
Rice cake with 2 tblsp of almond butter
Cals: 270, Fat: 20, Carbs: 24g, Fiber: 4, Protein: 10g, Sugars: 4g
1 oz of raw almonds and whey protein powder
Cals: 281, Fat: 17, Carbs: 8g, Fiber: 4, Protein: 32g, Sugars: 2g
Vegetables of your choice and avocado dip
Cals: 206, Fat: 17, Carbs: 29g, Fiber: 13, Protein: 3g, Sugars: 6g
Carrots, green pepper and hummus
Cals: 208, Fat: 14, Carbs: 22g, Fiber: 8, Protein: 3g, Sugars: 9g
Carrots, green pepper and hummus
Cals: 208, Fat: 14, Carbs: 22g, Fiber: 8, Protein: 3g, Sugars: 9g
The best way to stick to healthy snack choices is to plan ahead. Pack your snacks and lunch the night before; it will help you to save time in the morning and stick to your healthy food throughout the day. Clean your cupboards at home and your drawers at work; toss away all junk food you have. This way you will not be prone to eat junk when you are hungry. Keep fresh fruit and vegetables in your refrigerator all the time. Try to eat every three - four hours in order to keep your metabolism going. Always watch your portion size. If a snack is healthy, it does not mean you can eat as much as you want. You need to be aware of the portion size because eating too much calories will jeopardize your weight loss progress. Try to journal your food; there are many free websites that can help you to track your calories. And lastly, avoid drinking regular and diet soda and always drink plenty of water throughout the day in order to keep your body well hydrated. Following these tips and eating healthy snacks in between your meals will help you to stay on track of your weight loss goal and transition you to a healthy lifestyle.
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