Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Healthy Snacks for your Diet

By Ricardo d Argence

As long as the snacks do not add empty calories experts agree that they are a healthy part of a balanced diet. Until recently I was a dieter myself. Even though I was exercising and had changed my eating habits I still needed a way to enjoy the diet.

You are not eating enough if you feel continually hungry while on a low-fat diet. Not only can you feel weak and faint but you could also keep yourself from losing weight by eating too little.

Although many dieters find it easy to plan and eat nutritious, calorie controlled meals, they are stumped when it comes to sensible snacking. Potato chips, cookies and candy are easy targets for a hungry dieter because they require no preparation and can be eaten quickly before guilt has time to set in. Instead of breaking your diet with fatty junk food, stock your home with diet-friendly snacks.

Yes, it's true you can work healthy snacks into any diet. Not only will they help you feel satiated and therefore less likely to give in to cravings, they will also help keep your energy up. I am definitely a snacker and these are some of the foods that helped get me through it.

Almonds are a nut high in protein that can boost your energy levels. There is no need to fear foods that have a high fat and calorie content. There are definitely advantages , and as stated before, no food has to be excluded from a diet as long as you keep your portion size in check.

When hunger hits, be sure to have already pre-sliced and portioned off fruits and vegetables and small bags so they are ready to be consumed. Do not procrastinate, you may run out of time later.

If you dislike milk you can try yogurt as a healthy alternative. Calcium, found in dairy products, has been shown in recent research that it may help in losing weight. A protein punch that will energize and satiate you can be found in a pack of yogurt.

To quickly subdue an attack of the munchies, try a high fiber snack like 94% fat free microwave popcorn.

Remember that fiber keeps you full, so look for snacks that are high in fiber, yet low in fat and calories. And never forget to drink a lot of water, if you're doing everything else right and still not seeing results, this might just be what's missing. - 15432

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