Seven Snacks That Taste Great and Wont Cause You to Pack on the Pounds!

If you are truly serious about watching what you eat and trying to lose weight, then there are certain times of the day for which you must be prepared.

In general, most people can count on feeling hungry after workouts and especially between meals - usually around 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. In fact, many people could actually set their clock by the regularity of their hunger pains each day.

To ensure you stay true to your diet and continue on the path to successful weight loss, you should begin preparing now for these times of the day - so that you will have good healthy snacks available to satisfy your hunger pains whenever they come.

Failure to plan ahead for hunger is a leading reason why so many people fail at dieting. When you're hungry and you don't have anything healthy on hand to eat, it is just too easy to settle for something unhealthy such as candy or chips or cookies.

So what should you have on hand to eat? Here are seven simple, healthy, low-calorie snacks that also taste great. Keep these around and keep that weight melting off!

1. Fruit - including Oranges, Bananas, Apples, Berries and More. Fruit, such as oranges, bananas and apples, are packed with vitamins, including Vitamin C; minerals; antioxidants; good carbs; and fiber. Plus, they are easy to carry with you! A piece of fruit or a cup of berries is usually 80-120 calories, depending on the fruit.

2. Popcorn. Popcorn is a whole grain food, which makes it a high-quality carbohydrate source that is not only low in calories, but a good source of fiber. This means it takes longer to chew and makes you feel full sooner and for a longer period of time compared to non-whole grain snacks. Compared to many snack foods, popcorn is also low in calories. Air-popped popcorn provides only 30 calories per cup. When oil-popped, it contains only 55 calories. Even drizzled lightly with butter, it's only 90 to 120 calories per cup.

3. Yogurt. Yogurt is a healthy snack and a fantastic energy booster. Yogurt is also a significant source of protein, which is essentially muscle food. Eating protein will also make you feel fuller longer. A 16-ounce container of yogurt is usually 100-200 calories, depending on whether you choose fat-free or low-fat

4. Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs. These easy-to-carry snack packs make counting calories easy. Each pack contains 100 calories worth of one of Nabisco's favorite snack foods. You can choose between Mini Wheat Thins, Honey Maid Cinnamon Crisps, Ritz variety packs, Kraft Cheese Nips and thin, crispy, wafer-style versions of Oreos and Chips Ahoy.

5. Nuts - Almonds, Walnuts, Cashews. Nuts, particularly almonds, walnuts and cashews are packed with good fats and fiber - so you will feel fuller longer - plus many other beneficial nutrients including Vitamin E, the Omega-3s, selenium and more. One ounce of almonds, walnuts or cashews is approximately 160-170 calories.

6. Nutrition Bar. Nutrition or protein bars have dramatically improved in taste over the years. Today, many taste just like candy yet offer the perfect balance of carbs and proteins and are packed with beneficial vitamins and nutrients, including calcium, folic acid, iron and much, much more. For example, the Pria from Powerbar is a light, crispy bar that contains 22 grams of carbs, 11 grams of protein, 6 grams of fat and 25 percent less sugar than other leading brands. It's available in Chocolate Peanut Butter Crisp, Chocolate Mint Crisp and French Vanilla Crisp. One bar is 170 calories.

7. Turkey sandwich. Lean turkey or chicken on whole wheat bread with mustard will provide you with energy-boosting carbs as well as valuable protein that will ensure you feel full longer. A full sandwich would be approximately 400 calories while a half a sandwich would be around 200 calories.

Copyright 2006 Mike Ramsey

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