Snacktime!

source: wholeliving.com

I love snacks.

They are the perfect way to get you from a 12:00 lunch to a 7:00 dinner...
They can help you to power through a lunch-time workout...

However...

They can also be the contributing factor to unwanted weight gain..
Or wreck havoc on your diet...

The good thing about snacking is that, like everything, we have the option on how they will affect our bodies.



For example...

• choosing a sprinkled donut brought in by your diabetic co-worker  - bad.
• choosing a small handful of almonds instead - good. 

 Not a hard concept, is it? Of course not... it's the execution part of it that we all seem to have trouble with! Lucky for you I have some great rules for snacking that I found on wholeliving.com :

1. Keep snacks between 150-200 calories. This depends on your activity level. Someone training for a marathon could get away with eating 300 calories in between meals... but for the average exerciser stick to 150-200 range. 
2. Choose a healthy mix of nutrient combinations... something with protein and fiber to keep you satisfied and full.
3. Stick to whole and natural foods. A lot of people gravitate towards the 100-calorie snack packs which are often loaded with trans-fat, preservatives and high fructose corn syrup. (And seriously, how many of us stick to eating just 1 pack?)
4. Time your snacks. If you find yourself ravenous and cranky at 4:00 you'll be more likely to reach for vending machine Butterfinger. Plan ahead and time your snack around 3:30 to avoid that 4:00 candy bar scramble.

   Smart Snack Ideas:

• Small handful of nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios)
• Whole grain bread or fruit smeared with some nut butter 
• 6 oz of greek yogurt
• Hummus and veggies
• Cheese and fruit

 What is your favorite thing to snack on?
-mine probably is from back grade school when my mom would feed us whatever holiday hostess cupcake was on sale at the grocery store upon getting off the bus  I mean apple and peanut butter.... !!

Hostess Cupcakes are bad for you,