How to snack when you’re trying to lose weight
Did you think you’d have to cut out snacks altogether when you set your goal to Lose Weight? Not a chance! There is a lot of misinformation around snacking and weight loss, which can make eating well confusing. for your goal.
Tip 1: Snacks are NOT banned
You definitely do not need to avoid snacking altogether. In fact, it can be a very healthy habit, especially when you incorporate nutrient-dense foods like fruits and vegetables.
Snacking between meals will help you feel more energised throughout the day, and can keep you from overeating at meal times and late at night.
Timing snacks around your training (ie. pre and post-workout) will also boost your workout performance and promote muscle growth and recovery – all of which will get you to your goal faster. The unhealthy flipside is ‘mindless snacking’, where you’re constantly grazing and not registering how much you’re consuming. This can lead to unwanted weight gain. So keep your mind in the game!
Tip 2: The two Ps
I am all about the two Ps when it comes to snacks – produce and protein! Prioritising fibre-rich fruits and vegetables means you’re getting plenty of good nutrients, while protein slows digestion, helps you to feel full and stabilises your blood sugar levels (no more 3pm crash!) What does a quick two Ps snack look like? Think hard-boiled eggs and a piece of fruit, yogurt with berries, your favourite mixed nuts with a bowl of your favourite fruit, or hummus and sliced vegetables.
Tip 3: Portion control
Mindful eating is especially important when it comes to treats and desserts. You don’t need to avoid these foods completely, however, I recommend dividing them out into single servings (eg. in individual bags or containers) for better portion control – especially if you have a habit of overindulging in sweets. Because processed snack foods are often high in calories and low in the nutrients that help to keep you full, they’re very easy to overeat.
When possible, choosing desserts that also provide a little protein or fibre will also reduce your craving for a second serving.
Tip 4: Don’t snack on myths
One of the myths I hear a lot around snacking is that eating a lot of small meals in a day will ‘boost your metabolism’ – and therefore increase weight loss. This myth may have developed due to the fact that when we eat, a process called the ‘thermic effect of food’ (TEF) is increased.
This means our body requires energy to digest food and in doing so, may burn more calories. However, different nutrients have different effects on TEF, so simply increasing the frequency of your meals won’t necessarily ‘boost’ your metabolism. Regardless of how often you eat, when it comes to achieving your goal, what matters more is what and how much you eat.