Think of the examples listedabove, and the number of calories you are adding to your diet. Remember, it takes only 2000 to gain a pound, but 3500 to lose one.
But fodd if the fuel of the body. Some people need to snack to keep up their energy levels throughout the day.
Instead of giving up their favorites, snack lovers need only change their snack choices to a more healthy alternative.. For instance, a bag of fast food fries or potato chips can easily become a hot baked sweet or russet potato fries with fresh herbs or cinnamon sprinkled on top. That is a tasty, filling snack, with fewer calrories, carbs, or saturated fat.
As for that candy bar, it’s really the chocolate most are after when they grab their favorite one. The nougat, peanut butter and caramel are yummy, but don’t be fooled, it’s the chocolate craving that gets candy bar lovers.
In place of those pound-adding candy bars, make some home-made granola bars. Use rolled oats, bran, nuts, and chocolate chips. Dark chocolate is supposed to be better for us in terms of our heart health, so try some dark chocolate pieces inside, or drizzle a bit of dark chocolate on top. Anytime you need a snack, grab a granola bar instead of a candy bar.
If you want to go for a ready-made health bar, or protein bar, always read the label first. A lot of them may sound like healthy choices, but can pack more calories than a whole meal, a fair amount of it from fat. Fat makes you feel full, but too much can be unhealthy.
Likewise, some of them any have too many carbs. Likewise, excess carbs can pack on the pounds when they get converted to energy in your body and are then stored as fat if those calories aren’t burned off through exercise.
For many die hard snack addicts, ice cream is very hard to give up. If this sounds like you, have confidence in yourself and try something just as cool and sweet, but even better for you. Whip up some smoothie mix and freeze it in a container for at least twenty-four hours. When that ice cream craving hits, scoop some smoothie into a bowl and top it with a small amount of nuts (be careful, they have a lot of fat in them) and a dab of whipped cream.
Before you know it, you’ll be craving yummy smoothies instead of that fattening ice cream loaded with fat and sugar. We have a lot of great smoothie recipes here at the site, so you can make yourself a virtual ice cream parlor simply and easily. You can also sprinkle chocolate chips on top to satsfy that craving as well.
Nuts are a danger because they are high in fat and so very energy-density rich. Why not try other crunchy things, like tortilla chips with salsa, or carrot sticks and celery sticks with hummus dip. You can have some nuts too, but not huge handfuls.
Some people crave dairy, so those little mini-cheeses can come in very handy, or the cheese triangles with a couple of low-salt, low fat crackers. Again, read your food labels to see what a portion is, and then try to eat half that.
