If you are worried about your weight and are in a diet, do no ever skip snacking. This is the most common mistake people do when they try to lose weight. In fact, avoiding eating or eating only at meal times is a practice that will do more harm than good. Alternately, you should snack on healthy items and believe it, there are many to gorge on.
Specific snack items such as almonds and hummus will help you to achieve your weight loss goals easily and effectively. There are several studies conducted that suggest that people who are trying to maintain their weight loss must have a very healthful eating plan.
If you follow the reports of American Heart Association, AHA you will see that they too corroborate this idea and say that:
- Skipping food to lose weight normally backfires and
- The simple reason behind this is that it will make you overeat and that too unhealthy foods.
Therefore, make sure that you keep your hunger satisfied with healthful snacks so that you do not cross the desired calorie limit eating unhealthful foods.
Features of healthful food item:
Now the question is what makes good home snacks for weight loss? Most people will say it is fruits and yoghurt but there are several others that are far better for weight loss as compared to the most common ones.
- In general, all those foods that have a high fiber and protein content are considered to be good. This is because these foods tend to be more filling and therefore will make you feel satiated much quickly. Therefore, you will eat less during snacking or when you have your meals.
- It is also considered that good foods are those that are low in calories. However, these foods should be high in density or volume. Once again, the simple reason behind this is that these foods will take up more space in your stomach thereby making you feel fuller fast making you eat less when you snack.
- Foods that help in your body metabolism are also considered to be good snack items. This is because this will help you to gain more energy that will help you to burn more calories. In addition to that the better metabolism will help you to process and digest the food you eat more efficiently.
This means, if you are trying to lose weight seriously, then you should avoid foods that contain a high amount any or all of the following:
- Salt
- Sugar
- Saturated fat and
- Simple carbohydrates.
In addition to that, you should always avoid processed foods and snacks and prefer unprocessed foods. This is a good choice and a prudent decision because processed foods will usually contain all of the above.
Best snacks for weight loss:
If you snack between meals it will help you in losing weight but there are specific foods to eat so that you get all the necessary nutrients, protein, vitamins, and fiber. The following is the list of a few best home snacks item for weight loss:
- Hummus And vegetables:– Hummus is a typical Mediterranean dish. This is made from pureed chickpeas. You will get different flavor options in this increasingly popular snack item. You can buy a premade hummus dips from stores or can even make it at home. It is full of protein and fiber which will make you feel fuller faster. Add vegetables with it to add to its nutrient value.
- Celery sticks and nut butter:– According to the United States Department of Agriculture, USDA celery is a low calorie vegetable. Just consuming two large celery stalks will be equal to a cup of vegetables. Ideally you need 2.5 cups per day for the required 2,000 calorie diet. The high water content in celery will make you feel full. Dip it in peanut or almond butter to add healthful protein and fats to it as well.
- Fruits with nut butter:– You can have different fruits with nut butter to have a diet friendly snack such as apples and peanut butter. You can be as creative as you desire to make a fruit and nut butter combination. According to the USDA, the fruit will provide about 20% of your dietary fiber which is almost one of the two recommended cups of fruit you need to eat every day providing your body with both protein and the nut butter will provide the required fat.
- Low-fat cheese:– This is the best source of calcium and protein along with many other nutrients, vitamins and minerals essentially required for your body. It is low in fat counts and calories as compared to other regular cheese.
People trying to lose weight also are worried about carbohydrate intake. However, necessary as it may be, it is very difficult to ascertain as to what you should eat to maintain a low-carb diet. Here are some items that will help you to overcome this challenge.
- Nuts:– These are very filling and healthful snack as it will provide you with good fats and protein. However, the salt intake may be a problem. Therefore, check the label to make sure that it does not contain any added salt or flavors. You should eat only dry-roasted or raw nuts in small amounts as these are comparatively high in calorie content.
- Hard-boiled eggs:– To have more protein, eggs are an excellent source. Do not worry about the cholesterol level as recent research has shown that eggs do not raise cholesterol levels and instead provides several essential nutrients.
- Berries and Greek yogurt:– Plain variety Greek yogurt contains high amount of protein and calcium but is low in calories and fat. Add nuts or fresh fruits to it to add to its nutritional value and to improve its taste. Do not choose flavored yoghurt as it will have added sugar which will hamper weight loss.
You may also have Edamame Legume as a snack full of fiber, protein, iron, potassium, and magnesium. Lastly, if you like popcorn, go for air-popped popcorn which is low-calorie whole grain with no fat, sugar or salt but lots of filling fiber.
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