Sunday, August 9, 2009

Healthy Snacks!


Think you can't snack when you're trying to lose weight? Think again. These healthy, low-calorie snacks will satisfy your diet cravings and help you reach your weight-loss goals.

For many women, dieting equals food restriction. Snacks? They usually get eliminated in the name of saving calories. But snacking when you're watching your weight is actually a good idea. "[When dieting,] people often wait too long in between meals, so by the time they eat, they're so hungry, their portions or choices are out of control," says Linda McLachlan, RD, CDN, a New Jersey dietitian with Nutrition Matters, LLC. "Snacking helps keep you satisfied and wards off cravings." Here, seven low-calorie snacks to help you with your diet goals.

Homemade Trail Mix
"Diet-friendly snacking doesn't necessarily have to be low-fat," says McLachlan. What's more important: Portion size. A homemade trail mix of walnuts, mini chocolate chips, and raisins is a snack that's satisfying (thanks to the sweetness and fat) and healthy for a dieter if portion sizes are kept in check. "Mix a palm full of walnuts with a pinch of chocolate chips and a pinch of raisins -- it's not always realistic to measure," says McLachlan.

Recommended serving size: about 1 ounce of walnuts and about a teaspoon each of raisins and chocolate chips

Calories: about 250

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