This blog was written by Anna Hiple. Meet our blogging fitness specialists at the NIFS website.
Your stomach is growling, you’re having trouble concentrating at work, and you can’t help but count the hours until dinnertime. Sound familiar?
Nix the idea of snacking as a diet disaster and feel free to indulge! As long as it’s not potato chips from the office vending machine or candy in the office, snacking can lead to long-term health benefits and healthy weight maintenance.
Aim to eat a 150 to 300-calorie snack with a mix of carbs, protein, and healthy fats in between meals. Most likely, this will average out to eating approximately every two to three hours. Consistently fueling your body provides a boost to your metabolism and prevents the overeating that can happen all too easily when you approach a meal with an empty stomach.
Just remember to compensate for the snacks' calories by consuming smaller meals, so that your calorie distribution remains balanced throughout the day.
Healthy snack options are endless; take a look at the handful listed here:
- Homemade trail mix
- Yogurt and granola or fruit
- A handful of nuts
- Whole-grain crackers and low-fat cheese
- Vegetables and hummus or guacamole
- A piece of fruit—with or without cottage cheese
- Whole-wheat English muffin and peanut butter
- Popcorn
- Protein bar
- Small cup of soup
- Small turkey sandwich with veggies on whole-wheat bread
- Small baked potato with salsa
- Whole-grain cereal with skim milk
What other suggestions do you have for between-meal nibbles?