snacking done right.

Shannon is running a themed "Works for Me Wednesday" this week on "healthy eating."  She is asking for healthy recipes, but . . .uh . . . well . . . I am single.  I know that does not preclude the fact that I still have a kitchen and still prepare things to eat; however, let me just tell you now, I don't have any recipes to share. :)

So, instead, let me share with you some of my snacking tips for healthy eating.  You may already know and/or use some of these tips, but now at least you know what works for me!

1. Plan my snacks. I plan a mid-morning snack, a afternoon snack, and after dinner snack.  If I plan them they are something I look forward to, which helps me say no to cravings.  And, if they are planned ahead of time, it helps me avoid wrong choices later.

2. Prepare them ahead of time. I like to use those little "snack-sized" plastic baggies (oh!  so that's why they're called that).  I go ahead and fill them with the right "snack size" portion.  This helps me because they are ready to go--toss in my purse and walk out the door ready.  And it helps me because I don't grab the whole bag and overeat without meaning to.

3. Choose healthy snacks. For me, healthy snacks include all kinds of nuts, cheese, carrots, dried peas (they are great).  At night, I also like me a little sugar-free Jello made with Diet Coke (or Coke Lite as we have here) instead of water and topped with whipped cream.  In the States, I also splurged on low-sugar chocolate ice cream bars (so sad that we don't have those here.)

4. Do it.  If I snack, I don't let myself get hungry--so I preempt possible cravings.  If I snack, I keep my blood sugar levels more even--which is a good thing.  And, best of all, snacking makes me happy. :)  Who doesn't like to be happy while eating healthy.
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And here are my hints for how I keep from eating snacks when I shouldn't be:

1. Grab my water bottle instead. If I "crave" a snack and its not snack time, I make myself drink water--I feel full, I am meeting my goal of getting my water for the day, and maybe the craving will go away.

2. Snack, but snack healthy. If water doesn't do the trick, I go ahead and have a high protein snack.  Better to give into the craving when it is small with a healthy choice than later when it is big with an unhealthy choice.

3. Brush my teeth.  Who wants to ruin a fresh minty mouth by eating something? 

4. Put on some teeth whitening strips. Can't eat with those thingees on.  AND, because I am eating healthy (and losing weight), I smile more--what better than to have great white teeth to go with my bigger smile.

So, what are your tips for snacking healthy or for not snacking unhealthy?  Care to share?

Comments

[jerri]

Okay, have to ask, what flavor sugar free jello are you making with the diet coke? And, how much of a taste difference is it than making jello the "regular" way?

It sounds funny, but I bet it must taste pretty good or you wouldn't have mentioned it. =)

I have found with doing low carb that having snacks to satisfy my cravings on hand is a must. Sometimes I will just mix some sugar free flavored syrup with some heavy whipping cream and whip it up. If it is chocolate flavored syrup I add a few shaving of unsweetened baking chocolate bar to it. Yummy. And fast to make. And, it only takes a tiny amount to feel full from it.

blessings,
jerri

[amanda]

Actually, my fave combo is Diet Pepsi with Dark Cherry Jello.

But other combos are good too. I have put like Diet Sprite with Orange or Lime Jello. Fresca with Peach or white grape.

I actually heat the diet soda on the stove and then add chilled diet soda after the gelatin is disolved.

It adds a little kick to the jello that I just love. I am not sure how much the actual flavor changes--it depends on the combo you've created. Sometimes it is a big change and sometimes it is not so noticiable.