In the past, snack food has gotten a bad rap, mostly because people associate it with binging. However, snacking throughout the day has many benefits, particularly if you’re looking to reach a healthy weight. First of all, having 4-5 healthy snack foods throughout the day will keep you feeling satiated so you don’t suddenly feel starving and prone to overeating.
Secondly, grazing helps keep your metabolism running and burning calories as you’re frequently digesting. Snacking also helps fight fatigue by keeping your blood sugar at a normal level. The latest findings suggest that having six mini-meals a day versus three medium-large meals per day cuts cholesterol levels by 8%, which also reduces heart attack risk by as much as 16%!
Healthy foods don’t always have to taste like Styrofoam. For a snack, bagels and bran muffins taste pretty darn good! A 200-calorie bagel will give you 11% of your daily recommended iron, which is particularly good for women who don’t always retain iron so well.
Additionally, you’ll get solid doses of B vitamins, like niacin, riboflavin and thiamin. You may be tempted to load on the cream cheese, but there are delicious flavored skim ricottas that come in blueberry and strawberry that might be a healthier choice. A bran muffin delivers three grams of fiber and 1.8 mg of iron (10% of your daily value).
Fruit snacks are a good way to instantly feel rejuvenated and full of energy and spunk. A banana is a great source of potassium (11%), but also offers 35% of the daily value of Vitamin B6, and all for just 110 calories! Cantaloupe is another surprisingly healthy fruit, delivering 100% of your daily vitamin C needs in just one cup.
For a good vegetable snack food, you can’t go wrong with broccoli, which delivers 68% of the daily value of vitamin C in just 1/2 cup, as well as vitamin A and as much calcium as a glass of milk. To jazz it up, try dipping it in no-fat nacho cheese or no-fat veggie dip! Another great vegetable is the carrot, which will satisfy your vitamin A needs for the whole day.
Of course choosing the right snack food alone won’t help you with your weight loss goals. You’ll also need to drink a glass of water each time you snack to help regulate your body and help you to feel satisfied.
Exercising 3-5 times each week is also essential in keeping the body machine working optimally. Lastly, don’t forget to exercise portion control; never eat from the bag and always measure out the proper serving size!
I am living on a budget, just like most of you. Is it really possible to eat healthy? YES!
Here are my top 20 tips on how I shop smart, what ingredients I buy to live and eat healthy. Healthy living is not expensive. It’s just a matter of taking time to plan your meals, grocery list, keep it within your budget and you will be able to live and eat healthy, lose weight, look and feel your best! =)
So let’s not give ourselves anymore money excuses!
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