I know a person who spends hours working out every day, six days a week. He’s been doing this for the last 60 days and hasn’t lost a single pound. How is that possible? The answer is quite simple. He never changed his diet!
Healthy weight plays an important role in looking and feeling good. Experts agree that one major factor is what you eat. Most of us can manage to figure out a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner. Almost everyone falls off track when trying to master the fine art of snacking.
I certainly have a sweet tooth. If I can keep these healthy, sweet snacks on hand, I can get through the day and stay away from the drive-thru or vending machine.
- Banana chips dipped in dark chocolate. Bananas are packed with Vitamin A, phosphorus, potassium and other nutrients. They’re a great source of slow-release carbohydrates and can help you stay energized. Dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa is one of the best and tastiest sources of antioxidants.
- Fruit and yogurt parfait. Use the fruits and yogurts you like best and add nuts like almonds and walnuts. Fruits and nuts provide many healthy vitamins and minerals, fiber, carbohydrates and protein. Yogurt has calcium and studies have shown that yogurt can help reduce belly fat.
- Low-fat chocolate milk. This one is simple. It has chocolate! Milk has calcium and vitamins and will help you feel full. If it’s low-fat, you don’t need to feel too guilty about it.
- Baked apples. Craving apple pie? Ditch the crust and bake ½ an apple for a few minutes. Sprinkle it with cinnamon, nutmeg and grated nuts after you pull it out of the oven.
- Pudding. One fat-free pudding cup filled with fruit, sliced nuts, or both makes a great snack. The luxurious pudding will help you feel satisfied mentally and fruit and nuts will boost the health factor with vitamins and minerals, fiber, carbohydrates and protein.
- Fruit and almond butter. Slice up a sweet fruit such as a pear or a honey crisp apple and top it with a teaspoon of almond butter. This snack usually clocks in at less than 200 calories and has enough natural sugars and proteins to keep you going through the day.
- Candy. Okay, let’s be honest. Sometimes you just want candy or ice cream and nothing else is going to satisfy that sweet tooth. When that happens, don’t get too discouraged. You can still keep things low-calorie. Lots of companies have created 150-calorie (or less) packs. The frozen section of your local grocery will almost certainly have low-calorie frozen treats. The trick is making sure you read the labels and stick to the correct serving size!
Small changes here and there are what make a real difference in your life over time. Replacing a chocolate bar, Twinkie, cupcake, and other high calorie, processed foods with one of these healthier tasty options can be an easy step towards a healthier you!
What are some of your favorite snacks?
