Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss
Did you know that regular snacking can actually help you lose weight? As incredible as this might sound, it’s true – you don’t have to starve yourself for hours on end to achieve a slim figure and pleasing body. Quite the contrary: by actively avoiding sugar spikings and the emergence of who knows what crazy cravings, you are setting yourself on the right path towards fewer pounds on the scale and an overall more optimistic outlook on wholesome lifestyle regimes. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be a struggle, so be sure to munch your way through weight loss with these 18 waist-friendly snacks:
Cottage cheese and Wheat Thins
If your definition of ‘snack’ includes a crunchiness factor to it, then all you have to do is pair some Wheat Thins crackers with a half-cup serving of cottage cheese to obtain the ultimately satisfying afternoon treat. Another trick is to ditch the fat-free version and go for the 2% or the full-fat variety of the cheese in order to avoid flavor additives and meet your body’s protein needs for longer throughout the day. Additionally, the whole grain flour of the crackers will boost your fiber, protein, and mineral readings in a positive manner.
Grains bars
According to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, adopting an eating regime full in whole grains can actually lead to fewer pounds on the scale over time. As opposed to processed grains, the whole variety has the potential to significantly increase your fiber intake, boost your energy levels, and reduce bad cholesterol readings. For a filling and tasty snack, try bars such as Healthy Grains, which come in a number of different assortments (vanilla blueberry, peanut butter & dark chocolate, maple pumpkin seeds, etc.) and which heavily rely on grains like quinoa, buckwheat, oats, and millet to simultaneously satiate your hunger, accelerate metabolic rates, and satisfy your sweet tooth.
Peanut butter and bananas
What’s worse than being on the run, but also starting to feel rather hungry? These situations are the trickiest to manage, especially with so many on-the-go temptations waiting for us from vending machines to corner stores alike. To avoid falling into this calorie trap, make yourself a quick and simple snack by spreading a tablespoon of peanut butter on a banana. In this way, you’ll boost your glycemic rates through natural sugars, your energy levels via the protein intake, and your overall mood through the carbs component. Healthy, tasty, and simple to make – what more could you want from a snack?
Freekeh
Also known as ‘frikeh’ or ‘farik’, this Arabian cereal food is based on roasted green wheat that can be further added in the composition of various recipes. On its own, freekeh can be considered as the ideal low-calorie snack to satisfy those midday munchies in no time. For instance, the commercially distributed snack with the same name (Freekeh Foods) comes in a number of flavors (original, rosemary sage, and Tamari), no added salt, yet rich in protein, fibers, and other nutrients. And, since each serving cup will only bring you to about 130 calories, you can definitely rely on freekeh to keep you both satiated and slim on the long run.
Blueberries and oatmeal
Although a staple breakfast dish, oatmeal can easily be transformed into a filling and delicious snack. One packet of microwaveable oats mixed with half a serving of fresh blueberries can do the trick just right whenever you feel a craving is coming up. Tasty, hearty, and easy to prepare, this grains and fruit combo will regulate your digestive patterns (through the fiber intake), maintain your blood sugar within normal readings for longer, as well as give you a good vitamin C kick whenever you feel like having a healthy treat.
Mediterranean hummus plateau
People who live on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea are famous for their good health and slim bodies, so why not take their example when it comes to snacking as well? If you have a bit of time at hand, then whip up together a tray composed of sliced cucumbers, a serving of hummus, and a handful of Kalamata olives. With such a low-calorie, yet satiating boost of nutrients, vitamins, and fiber, you’ll definitely be on your way towards a more energetic workday and also steer clear of any unhealthy snacking choices in the future!
Walnuts and grapes
In the mood for a quick, filling, and low-calorie snack, but don’t know exactly what to go for? Then look no further than a serving of grapes mixed with a dozen or so walnuts to get your energy and nutrient intake in one go! This combination is ideal because walnuts are an optimal source of fiber and protein while the sweetness of the grapes will ‘fix’ your glycemic level and thus avoid unwanted sugar spikings. Another advantage is that, since you have to eat them one by one, you’ll become satiated faster and avoid getting the munchies later on in the day.
Edamame
Never heard of this legume by now? Don’t sweat it – in fact, edamame is just another name given to soybeans that are still in the pod and which are used either as an appetizer or a side dish. Their main advantage is that they contain few calories per serving portion, yet are full of protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. To make edamame beans your next go-to snack, simply boil them until they are done and sprinkle some light seasoning for an enhanced flavor. For added weight loss efficiency, leave them in the pod and pop each bean from the shell while you’re munching on them to become satiated faster.
Popcorn
A best-beloved snack for any cinema fan, popcorn doesn’t have to be enjoyed just at the movies. With less than 60-70 calories per serving, this salty or flavorful treat can fill you up quite fast and, owe to its size, can trick your brain into believing you’ve eaten more than you really have. If you want to change up your snack game flavors, but still keep a slim figure, then you can go for this corn-based snack.
Egg white chips
Of course, we all know about potato chips nowadays, but what about egg white ones? As weird as it might sound at first, egg white chips can indeed constitute a healthier and less carb-filled option for a light snack when the munchies kick in. The company which produces them – IPS – has a wide flavor selection (aged white cheddar, sea salt & black pepper, cinnamon sugar, etc.), meaning that you can actually pick and choose your favorite taste and not add any more numbers to the scale in the process. On the contrary, you might even end up dropping some pounds because these egg white chips contain up to 7 grams of protein per serving, which boosts metabolic rates and enables better calorie burning.
Turkey rolls
Low in calories, saturated fat, and sodium, turkey rolls can constitute a hearty snack even on their own. So hold the bread of replacing it with some slices of bell peppers and you’ll end up with less than 150 calories for an afternoon treat that will improve your energy, increase your fat-burning, and satiate those ever-complicated sugar spikings. About 4-5 turkey rolls will make you feel both full and satisfied, so remember to stock up your fridge on this item and your scale will continue to read friendly and encouraging numbers further on.
Soynuts and Cheerios
As weird as this combination might seem at first, you’ll for sure be convinced once you’ve tasted it a few times. For the perfect calorie-taste ratio, mix half a cup of Multigrain Cheerios with one-quarter of a cup roasted and salted soybeans, shake them well together, and voila! A delicious, salty-sweet, and figure maintaining pair to accelerate your metabolic rhythms, enhance your energy levels and maintain your outlook on life as positive as possible through those midday cravings.
Cheese and apples
Sometimes, when a craving kicks in, we can either improvise with whatever healthy options we have to lay around the kitchen or simply cave into the unhealthy options that get the ‘job’ done (to our figure’s disadvantage, of course). But don’t fret – all you need to stay clear of binge eating while still taking care of those munchies is some apple slices and a few pieces of good, hard cheese. Not only do these two foods match each other nicely in taste, but they also meet most of your sugary, crunchy, fiber, and satiating needs!
Greek yogurt, honey, and raspberries
If you really want to prepare a tasty and low-calorie treat for yourself, then try combining some plain Greek yogurt with a handful of raspberries and half a tablespoon of honey. Not only will you completely satiate those afternoon cravings, but you’ll also get a good kick of nutrients to boost your metabolic rates as well. While the yogurt will supplement with healthy fats and protein, the fruit component will bring on a substantial amount of vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants to give your organism a healthy dose of energy, fat-burning momentum, and a sensation of overall wellbeing in the middle of the day.
Frozen desserts
Although you might rightfully believe that anything sweet that comes out of a freezer is automatically full of calories, sugars, and bad fats, there are also healthier and waist-friendly alternatives to satisfy your sweet tooth as well. Take Arctic Zero, for example – an entire pint of the frozen dessert called Chocolate Peanut Butter will only bring an extra 150 calories to your dietary regime, alongside 8 grams of fiber and 12 grams of protein. To end up with the perfect and filling post-lunch treat, just sprinkle some chopped fruit or nuts and you won’t have to compromise between weight loss and good eating ever again.
Almond butter and pears
In the mood for something tasty and filling at the same time? Then look no further than some pear slices and a tablespoon of almond butter to make those afternoon munchies disappear in a jiffy. With the butter carbs satisfying your energetic needs, the nutrients, antioxidants, and natural sugars in the fruit part will enhance your glucose levels. And, for an extra dose of craving control, sprinkle a spice of your condiment of choice over this – for instance, a recent research project carried by the specialists from the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics demonstrated that adding spices such as cinnamon can help significantly reduce the number of sugar spikings.
Kale chips
If you haven’t lived under a rock for the last couple of years, then you’re probably familiar with the whole kale craze all the nutritionists and celebrities have been promoting lately. Regardless of what you believe of mainstream lifestyle regimes, it cannot be denied that kale is one of the best choices when it comes to waist-friendly and healthy snacking. One way of turning this leafy cabbage into a practical snack is by resorting to kale chips, with companies such as Rhythm Superfoods offering various flavor options packing more than hearty quantities of protein and vitamin K per each serving.
Turkey jerky and oranges
Feeling adventurous with your healthy snacking options? If so, why not try some rather fancy Krave turkey jerky with a sliced orange. Unlike other commercial types of jerky, this brand only distributes 97% fat-free products in flavors such as basil citrus and lemon garlic, for example. Consequently, the high protein intake will ensure your energy remains the same even through the munchies, with the orange acting as a nice vitamin C, antioxidant, and organic sugar booster. All in all, this pair will satiate your hunger, increase your work productivity throughout the day, maintain your figure nice and slim, as well as challenge your taste buds…in a very good way!