Healthy Snacking

I know that you have the best intentions. You want to lose weight. You are concerned about your health. You are trying to do everything right and then a craving hits, mmmm…Pringles. Or, mmm…pasta, ice cream, candy! It’s impossible to eat “perfect” 100% of the time. However, you can come close! The truth of the matter is, in order to reap the benefits of a truly optimal diet (lean abs, tight glutes, toned arms), cheesy pasta dishes and sugary confections are an “almost never” in the world of hard-bodies. Saturated fat and sugar will derail your diet efforts and when they are consumed too often they can lead to obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

So, how can you have your cake and eat it too? Substitutions! There are plenty of healthy alternatives to your favorite meals and treats; you just have to be willing to open your mind to a new way of eating. I promise, that while they may not taste exactly the same as your favorite snacks, they do taste delicious. And the best part is, you can eat them and still lose weight!

Simple substitutions:

1) Cream (in your coffee): Switch to skim milk and learn to like it. If you consume 3 cups of coffee per day (a cup is 8oz.) and you are still using cream, you are adding close to 300 calories worth of saturated fat to your daily diet. Simply switching to skim milk would result in loosing a pound every 2 weeks. And don’t fall for the “Fat-Free” flavored creamers. They are made with hydrogenated oil (a.k.a trans fats, and have the same calories as cream). You could also try soy milk, or Silk Creamer (just watch your servings with the Silk, it is much more calorie dense than skim or soy.)

2) You love pasta: So do I! Just switch to whole-wheat pasta. You will hardly notice the difference and by cutting out the refined carbohydrate and replacing it with a whole grain carbohydrate will do wonders for your body.

3) Ranch Dressing: Store bought salad dressings are filled with preservatives, sodium and unnecessary fat and calories. Make your own tangy salad topping! Mix 1/4 cup non-fat plain yogurt with ground black pepper, Italian spices, a couple tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and a squeeze of lemon juice. It makes a delicious dip for veggies too! Or, add some heart healthy “good fat” by going with the tried and true olive oil and vinegar.

4) Soda: Give up Coke now! There is nothing good about it. Regular Coke is full of sugar and has been directly linked to diabetes and obesity. Some studies suggest that the phosphoric acid actually leaches calcium from your bones which can lead to osteoporosis. Diet Coke is better, but I do not recommend drinking it on a daily basis. If you like the fizzy stuff, opt for Perrier or Pellegrino – add a twist of lemon or a wedge of lime. Poland Spring makes some wonderful “flavored” mineral water that is sugar free, sodium free and calorie free.

5) Sugar/Candy: Fresh fruit. A bowl of fresh strawberries, a crispy gala apple, a ripe banana, a slice of watermelon – all of these taste sweet and delicious and are far better for you than processed sugar. Plus, they are filled with vitamins and antioxidants. Instead of reaching in the cookie jar – head to the crisper! The less sugar you have in your diet, the sweeter fruit will taste.

6) Hamburgers: Turkey Burgers. Make them at home and grill them all summer long! Lean ground turkey is low in fat and high in protein. Add a slice of tomato and a whole wheat bun and you have a satiating meal, sans the saturated fat of a regular burger.

7) Taco Bell: Homemade chicken/turkey tacos on fresh corn tortillas. Buy a pound of lean ground chicken breast and sauté with a low sodium taco seasoning. Add fresh cilantro, chopped tomatoes, homemade guac and salsa and you have a delicious and nutritious alternative to the fast food variety.

8) Ice Cream: Try low fat or fat free frozen yogurt. Even though it still contains a good deal of sugar, at least it’s not full of saturated fat. This is a much healthier way to curb your ice cream craving.

9) Chips and Salsa: Pita chips and hummus. You can find baked, whole wheat pita chips in most grocery stores. Dip them in 1/4 cup of hummus for a snack that is low in fat, but high in fiber!

10) Potato Chips: Popcorn – I like Smart Balance brand because it does not contain any trans fats, like most microwave popcorns do.

You can snack your way thin – as long as you make healthy choices. If you really want to lose weight and improve the way you look and feel, you must be willing to give up some of your unhealthy habits. There really are no “miracle pills”. If there were, everyone with the access to health insurance would be thin. Fad diets do not work except maybe as a short term fix. No one can live on a restrictive diet for their whole life. The vast majority of people who go on restrictive diets gain all of the weight back. Often, they gain MORE because restricting calories lowers your metabolism, so when you return to your old habits, your body will not be able to burn the calories efficiently. If you are willing to make small changes and modifications, bit by bit and step by step, and learn to adopt healthy habits, only then will you be able to reach your fat loss goals – for good.