The ability to successfully maintain a healthy weight is not a matter of chance; it’s a matter of choice. You may view your daily eating habits as inconsequential, but they build up over time and can either lead to good or poor health outcomes. While dieting and exercising can help shed off unwanted pounds, one effective strategy that supports a healthy weight loss is snacking.
Yes, that’s right – snacking. When done right, snacking can satisfy your hunger cravings, supply you with additional nutrients, and give you a burst of energy to workout and achieve your fitness goals. To help you get started with adopting the right snacking habits, below is a list of simple strategies you can follow.
-
Plan and prepare your snacks ahead of time.
Rarely would we hear of people making a deliberate effort to prepare their snacks. People often prefer to just opt for the “grab-and-go” option. Busy employees would rather visit the nearest donut shop than to go to grocery shopping to buy fresh produce.
Prepping your snacks may be daunting at first but it’s a huge investment for your weight. You’ll be able to practice portion control, reduce your sugar and junk food cravings, and be more mindful of what you put into your mouth.
-
Eat more high-fiber snacks.
Fiber is a key component for attaining healthy weight loss. According to Dr. Shilpa Ravella, a gastroenterologist who specializes in nutrition, fiber is primarily found in plant-based foods. Fiber-rich foods do not only contain very low calories, they also add bulk to your diet. This makes you feel fuller longer and prevents you from overeating.
Ideally, you should take 25 grams of fiber per day. 25 grams is equivalent to 8 medium-sized bananas or 2 cups of peanuts. Other fiber-rich snacks you can consider include sweet potato fries, apples, and quinoa.
-
Eat a variety of snacks.
A well-balanced diet entails choosing a variety of foods. Eating a variety does not only apply to meal time, it is also a great practice to incorporate in snacking. Remember that not all snacks provide you with the complete nutrients you need, so it’s important to experiment with healthy food snacks recipes.
It’s fun seeing a variety of colors among fruits and vegetables at the grocery. These plant pigments indicate the presence of vitamins and minerals such as lycopene, beta carotene, vitamin K, and anthocyanins. Aim to make your snack plate colorful each day to ensure that you get all the nutrition you need – without the fear of packing on the pounds.
-
Switch to a smaller plate to avoid overeating.
The concept behind using a smaller plate is portion control. The size of your plate can definitely affect the size of your serving. Snacks on a smaller plate can help you get the impression that you have enough, while snacks on a larger plate send the signal that you need more.
A lot of people always fill their plates and refuse to stop eating until they finish up everything. The reason for this is that humans do not like to waste food and want to make the most out of their eating experience. Using a smaller plate is a tiny step you can take to control your weight without having to constantly battle with self-control.
-
Take time to chew. Enjoy every bite.
Do you believe that eating slowly helps you consume less? People often do not give any thought to chewing since it can be considered as a habit. While we make an effort to plan our meals and workout, we overlook the importance of chewing.
Taking time to chew does not only promote a healthier digestion and absorption of nutrients, it also contributes to weight loss by giving your brain more time to send you the message that you’re full. You need to chew until the food in your mouth becomes liquefied. Not only will you feel comfortably full by chewing more, you’ll also appreciate the food you eat.
A lot of dieters tend to sacrifice snacks, thinking that snacking adds more calories into their diet. The truth is that you can use snacking to your advantage by following the habits mentioned above. You need snacking to prevent you from eating more than you should at meal time. Moreover, healthy snacking keeps your blood sugar levels stable so that you don’t reach for that bag of cookies. Hopefully, this article helps.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
