Stave off Hunger Pangs with These Healthy Snacks

Do you know the science behind small, frequent feedings? Health buffs advise that we eat small amounts of food all throughout the day to limit hunger, to avoid our chances of overeating and to curb our cravings.

But here’s the catch, just because you’re given a free pass to eat doesn’t mean you can just stuff your mouths with whatever is in your fridge or your pantry.

Simply put, if weight loss is what you are aiming for then eating two pieces of Oreo cookies every two hours is a recipe for disaster and it will not give you the results you want.

And so yes, while it’s true that eating a couple times or more a day is ideal to keep you fit, you also need to ensure that what you are snacking falls into the healthy category.

Snacking is very crucial in your weight loss journey and experts found reasons to believe that you need to enjoy a mid-morning snack as well as a mid-afternoon snack on top of your three full meals.

Small, frequent feedings is tricky because if you don’t stick by the rules you’ll end up consuming more calories than your body requires for the day and that is counterproductive.

There are two rules to snacking:

Rule number 1: Do not let three hours go by without having anything to eat.

Rule number 2: Your snacks should be 125 calories or less.

If you need a reason to stay motivated think of it this way, when the food is healthy it gives you an excuse to eat more.

For instance, one whole cucumber is equivalent to 45 calories so you can enjoy an X number of cucumber slices compared to just five slices of potato chips which consist of the same amount of calories as one cucumber.

Since thinking of what to snack requires some thought considering that it needs to be healthy, we’ve compiled for you a list of healthy snacks that are easily available, delicious and gives you the nutrients as well as the number of calories your body needs (ideally 125 calories or less) to keep you sated and to stop you from overeating during the next meal.

Are You Ready? Here Goes.

Hard boiled egg: A single hard boiled egg gives you 78 calories and since it is loaded with protein, it will effectively keep hunger at bay and it also gives you the energy you need to get through the day until your next meal. If you get bored with it you can add some sliced vegetables to add flavor.

Peanut butter: Whoever said peanut butter is bad didn’t know a thing or two about healthy snacks. One tablespoon of peanut butter is effective in keeping you full and you can spread it over a rice cake. But just have one!

English muffin pizza: This isn’t a trick. You can have English muffin pizza and all you need to do is spread one tablespoon of pasta sauce over your muffin and top it with two tablespoons of grated low-fat cheese and throw it in the over to bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Potato chips: So okay, we know chips aren’t healthy but sometimes we just need a bit of it to get through our diet regimen so yes you can have potato chips as long as you consume only twelve average sized chips as these are equivalent to 100 calories. The satisfying crunch will fulfill your cravings.

Popcorn: Throw some in the microwave and allow yourself to indulge in 3 cups of Pop corn just make sure you don’t go for the greasy, butter flavored one.

Hummus and Pita: This popular Middle Eastern snack is a lifesaver because it’s delicious and it makes you feel full. It’s also low in calories and low in fat. Hummus is full of flavor and packed with protein and taste so much better when spread over half pita bread.

Brownie: If you need to pinch yourself to believe this then go ahead by all means because you can actually enjoy a brownie so long as you eat only a 2-inch slice but if you add more then that’s going to be a completely different story.

Raisins: Raisins are the perfect healthy snack if you think you are going to go hungry in the next couple of minutes. Raisins are sweet and are packed with enough nutrients and vitamins. Snacking on 3 tablespoons of raisins enough to keep you full for a while.

Tangerines: Enjoying two slices of these citrus fruits contain lesser calories compared to a glass of orange juice.

Baked apple: Snacking can be fun and delectable too as long as you know what to eat. Try baking an apple while topping it with a tablespoon of low-fat Greek yogurt and topped with sprinkles of cinnamon.

Final Take

Don’t wait until you’re hungry. And when you’re going to start incorporating healthy snacks into your diet plan always go back to our 2 cardinal rules and that is to not allow three hours to go by before you eat something and to make sure that what you are consuming does not go beyond 125 calories!

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