Trying to lose weight?
Snacking doesn't have to be your downfall. In fact, having small, frequent
meals can actually help you shed pounds. Not only does it rev up your
metabolism so your body burns slightly more calories than it does when you eat
less frequently, snacking also helps you stay in control so you're less likely
to overeat at lunch or dinner.
Don't forget to keep
calories in mind, however. "Many women who struggle with weight eat too
many calories between meals, often without even realizing it," explains
Dawn Jackson, R.D., a Chicago-based registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the
American Dietetic Association. "In some cases, snacks may pack in more
calories than meals."
How Many, How Big?
One midmorning snack
and one afternoon snack, each containing up to 200 calories, will satisfy most
people, suggests weight-loss expert Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., professor of
nutrition at Penn State University and author of The Volumetrics Weight-Control
Plan. Dr. Rolls says a daily diet containing about 1,600 calories, with about
400 for breakfast, 500 for lunch, 500 for dinner and two 100-calorie snacks, will
promote weight loss among most overweight women.
"Snacks should
also be planned," adds Dr. Rolls. "Too often, snacking is mindless
nibbling on whatever you have readily accessible in the refrigerator or
cupboard. Before you know it, you've eaten five hundred calories' worth of
chips." Instead, pay attention when you're eating and don't allow yourself
to eat and read or eat and watch TV. When you're eating, that's all you should
be doing.
The Right Snacks
The best snacks are
those that are high in bulk and low in calories - essentially, foods that fill
you up with the fewest calories. Ideally, a snack should contain
carbohydrates, fiber and protein, with perhaps a small amount of fat.
Fruits and vegetables are among the best snacks of all
because they're rich in nutrients and fiber and low in calories. When you
snack on most non-starchy vegetables, you don't even have to account for them
in your diet, says Dr. Rolls. Some vegetables that contain significant calories
are potatoes, corn, beans, peas, lentils and winter squash. Fresh fruit is a
great option, too, because most women can have two or three pieces of fruit
daily without worrying about gaining weight. Fruit juice and canned fruit in
syrup are less filling and these should be limited.
Snack Attacks: Reality or Not?
Afternoon and after
dinner are the times when most people have problems controlling what they eat,
says Martha McKittrick, R.D., C.D.E., a registered dietitian and weight-loss
counselor at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.
"Afternoon snacks are usually a good idea if there's a long time between
lunch and dinner, but most people can go without an evening snack. They're
eating more out of habit than because they're physically hungry."
Often, the desire for
a snack comes from another emotion or from habit, not hunger, says McKittrick.
Here's what she has her patients do when they have a snack attack. Before
grabbing something to eat, answer these questions: "Am I really hungry? Do
I feel hunger pangs?" If the answers are yes, plan and eat an appropriate
snack of up to 200 calories.
If not, you may be
bored, stressed, frustrated, mad, worried or tired. If you can identify an
emotion that is causing you to want to eat, find an appropriate way to deal
with that emotion.
Eating a snack cannot
do anything to beat boredom or solve a conflict. Take a break, call a
supportive friend, stretch or do something positive for yourself.