SNACK ATTACK

I receive a number of questions every day and I thought I'd share some of them with you and try to answer...

Q:  I want to lose weight but I'm always hungry in between meals.  What's a good snack?

A:  A snack between meals is a good idea, since it keeps the cravings away and prevents over-eating at the next meal.  But wait at least 3 hours between your last meal and the snack.  Choose a mix of fiber and lean protein since both are slow to digest and are more likely to keep you full than a candy bar.  Here are a few combinations you might try.

- a small apple and a tablespoon of peanut butter

- 4 oz of low-fat or non-fat yogurt with 1/2 banana (use sweetener instead of sugar)

- 1/2 lettuce-tomato-egg white sandwich with 1 teaspoon light mayo

- a few carrots or celery sticks with 1 Tblsp hummus

- 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 1/2 cup pineapple chunks (packed in own juice)

- 1 pear with 7 walnuts

- 1/2 cup bean-mango salsa with a small corn tortilla

- 3 whole wheat crackers with 1 Tblsp light cream cheese and cucumber slices

- 1 cup of diet jell'O with a nectarine

Take the time to sit down and enjoy. 

DEWAP* --  EAT WITH A PURPOSE.... in that case, your purpose is to stop the cravings.  Look at the color combination, experience the textures, vary the tastes, and never take a meal--even a snack-- lightly.  They ALL matter!

*DEWAP:  Drink and Eat With A Purpose (copyright Marie Dufour, RD, 2009)