My go-to snacks for weight loss

Part of our getting back to basics — nuts & bolts blog series

I eat four to five times per day to maintain my healthy weight. And I lost more than 200 lbs. on a nutrition plan that had me eating between four and six times per day consistently.

Why eat so often? I learned that to keep my metabolism stoked, I needed to eat regularly scheduled, smaller meals, more frequently. And skipping meals does NOT work. At least not long-term, because it puts your body into starvation mode and your metabolism then works against you.

At least two of my meals every day are snacks. I used to laugh when I was in fat-loss mode and my coach called 12 almonds and 3 ounces of turkey a meal. To me, it’s a snack. But I love snacks! They can be very important not just when you’re in weight-loss mode, but to healthy eating and living. Healthy snacks are also important for kids to help prevent obesity.

How many snackers do we have out there?

Well, here’s my #1 tip: Snack! Whatever your weight loss plan, do NOT skip meals. It doesn’t work and there is lots of evidence to prove it. When you reach for a mid morning or afternoon snack, make it a good one — to me that means low carb, include protein, and make it something YOU enjoy!

If you’re like me and a snack used to include fast food or an entire bag of chips, you need to educate yourself on what some of the best snacks are for weight loss. So here you go. I’m sharing my favorite snacks used in my weight loss plan and most I enjoy today for healthy living.

Lori’s favorite go-to-snacks (all or most under 200 calories):

1. 3-4 ounces of lean turkey or chicken, with 12 almonds
2. 3-4 ounces of lean turkey, one slice of laughing cow cheese & 3-4 baby dill pickles (pickle roll-ups)
3. As much celery as you want with one tablespoon of peanut butter (or almond butter)
4. 1 cup of fat-free plain yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon & 3-4 ounces blueberries (or other berries)
5. An apple with one tablespoon of peanut butter
6. Baby carrots, celery, broccoli with one to two max tablespoons of hummus
7. Chocolate protein shake (whey) with 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter (in the freezer makes a pudding)
8. Vanilla protein (whey) shake with strawberries or 3-4 ounces blueberries, 12 almonds
9. 1-2 hard boiled eggs sprinkled with pepper or your fav seasoning
10. 1/2 cup of fat-free cottage cheese sprinkled with pepper or your fav seasoning, top with cherry tomatoes if you like them, 12 almonds (or try salsa on the cottage cheese, I love this, too!)
11. 1/2 an avocado, sprinkled with pepper, 3 ounces lean turkey or chicken
12. 1/2 grapefruit with one hard boiled egg
13. 1 small sweet potato w/ 1/2 cup fat free cottage cheese
14. Microwave popcorn, butter free (2-3 cups) w/ 3 ounces lean turkey or chicken
15. One packet Quaker instant oatmeal, plain (100 calories, 19g carb) sprinkled with cinnamon, add 3 ounces blueberries, 2-3 ounces of lean turkey or chicken (most filling snack)

As you can see, most or all of these are low carb snacks. They include protein and a healthy fat. Sugar comes only in the form of fruit.

Tips for becoming snack healthy and happy:

• Drink water with your snack – before and during
• Include protein in your snack choices — here’s why
• Plan your snacks in advance and have good stuff in the house ahead of time
• Prepare the snack and then sit down and eat it
• Prepare your snacks to take to work so you can avoid the vending machines
• Change up snacks by experimenting with spices that work for you (just watch the sugar)
• Find 5-6 go to snacks YOU love and that will make it easier

If you want to bring in more carbs, here are some other great links for snack ideas:

• 55 healthy snacks under 200 calories – Sparkpeople.com
• 13 carb controlled snacks
• 18 low calorie snacks that satisfy
• What a 100 calorie snack looks like
• High protein snacks for women – Caloriesecrets.net
• High protein snacks you can eat on the go – Health.com
• Check us out on Pinterest under Happy, Healthy Food & Weight Loss

Read more from my back to basics, nutritional nuts and bolts series:

• Want to lose weight, get smart first (Jan. 2016)
• Meal prep. Works for me! (Oct. 2015)
• Confused about what to eat to lose weight? Start here (Jan. 2015)
• Slow Cooker Chicken Salsa! Yum. (Jan. 2016)
• Nutrition: Do you know the basics? (Dec. 2014)
• Sugar Smarts (Sept. 2014)
• Track it. Food & Activity Trackers help (Jan. 2014)