Here are 7 rules to follow for snacknig right!:
1. DOWNSIZE
A snack should be 100 - 200 calories. Eat to keep your metabolism going, and your hunger at bay, but be careful not to over do it and collect those extra calories!
(Photo via 100calorieblog)
2. WATCH THE TIME
Not eating something for a five hours or more can slow down your metabolism and leave your body burning less fat than normal. So make sure you have a snack anywhere from 1 hour after a meal up to 4 hours. Usually these would be between breakfast and lunch, and lunch and dinner, and of course you can end your day a couple hours after dinner with fruit or a small dessert - just an hour or two before going to bed.
(Photo via unknown)
3. DO THE MATH
Just because your snack may be limited to 100 calories, or come in physically smaller pieces, does not at all mean you should feel free to grab a second bag! If you're going for a healthy snack, feel free to have up to 200 calories worth.
Stay away from mini snack packs of cookies and treats, that seem small, and that can encourage you to grab the second bag. They also tend to be unhealthy and not filling!
Research Shows: People who snacked on singles serve bags, ate nearly twice as much as did the people with larger bags. Journal of Consumer Research
4. TREAT YOURSELF
It's actually okay to treat yourself! That's what LVP is all about...balance. Treat yourself to your favorite think once or twice a week. It's important to remember that it's all about portion control, so choose an amount of the treat that is not more than 200 calories. If you know that one day, just that one day, you will not be able to control yourself, then cut down the calories somewhere else in the day...essentially in your other snacks of the day. Another idea: share the portion, so hopefully you'll only be eating half of the total! Doing all this will keep you from binging on your favorite treats when the time comes!
(Photo via howsweeteats)
5. TRICK YOUR MIND
This is major! Giada de Laurentiis says "you eat with your eyes first" [That's why it's a very bad idea to go grocery shopping when you're hungry!]. You're eyes are just as powerful as your stomach when it comes to feeling full. Eating bigger pieces of one item, will have you expecting feel full sooner, and so you will consumer less calories over all! A studies showed that individuals consumed 21 less calories when eating larger cheese puffs that those that had smaller ones.
You can also include this in your main meals. Use a smaller plate, which will help you take smaller helpings/portions, and will make you think you had a fuller plate, hence you should be full
6. HIDE IT
Research from Cornell University shows that people eat more candy from a clear jar than from an opaque one. And we all know that! Of course if all the goodies are staring at you from behind the cookie or candy jar, waiting for you to take it out of there, you're going to eat it! But, if it's hidden behind a ceramic, plastic, any opaque jar, you will be less tempted!
(Photo via flickr)
7. MIX THINGS UP
Most of us don't necessarily get all the daily servings of fruits and vegetables, and other essential that we need during the day [even though we should!]. So snack time is a great time and way to catch up with those needed minerals and vitamins by filling in the gaps. Have greens, fruits, vegetables (fresh home made salsa is a great way - and it's easy and fast to make!), health bars for oats and fibre, and you will be getting much more of what you need in your body and what you need to be healthy!
Certain text and info adapted from self. com
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