Have you ever wondered who invented the "snack"? What is it about this five letter word that gets everyone so excited? What is so funny is that it is not just people who get excited about this word but pets as well. When I visit my parents at their home, it never fails that the word "snack" comes up. They are not offering me a snack, but they are talking about their dog, a full grown miniature schnauzer, "Roxie". They rescued her from a back yard breeder over six years ago and she has been a delightful addition to their family.
Now back to the story about snacks. When you say this word at their house you better be prepared to meet her at the food pantry door where her "snacks" are. You can just begin to say "Roxie you want a sn...." and not even finish the word snack and she is sitting so pretty begging for her delicious treat. I told my mom she needed to spell the word or try changing it to treat but I think she and my dad like the reaction they get from their "furry daughter" when they say... snack.
Well just thinking about snacks has me wondering, how important are snacks? Who should eat snacks? When should you eat snacks? And what should you eat as a snack? You probably think that since I am on my journey to a new me that I would only eat "healthy" snacks but this is not necessarily the case.
First of all, I am not that big of a snack eater. I know to look at me now and before I started my journey to a new me you would probably argue with me about this point but I can honestly say I was getting the majority of my daily calories before my journey began and now when I sat down to eat my there meals a day.
I am not saying that snacks in any form are bad. In fact snacks are good for you. Recent studies state that you should eat at least two "healthy" snacks a day. Why healthy? Why two? The research is not conclusive but one reason that they all agree upon is that by eating two snacks, one between breakfast and lunch and the other between lunch and dinner is because it keeps you satisfied and keeps your metabolism going. When do you think is the number one preferred time for snacking? In the evening, of course! Notice that they did not include after dinner snacks, late night snacks, or midnight snacksas the most appropriate time to snack. Why? Because your body will not burn off those calories during the night while you are sleeping. So what does your body do with all the ice cream, chips, pretzels, cookies, cake, pie, candy, popcorn and other snacks that we indulge in after dinner every night? It stores it for another day! Well I don't know about you but I am not on a mission for my body to "store" anything! I am working as hard as I can to get this excess weight off and keep it off.
So now we know the best times to snack but what should we be snacking on? Fruit is a great choice. If you are anything like me around 10 or 11 am every day my sweet tooth starts begging to be fed. During the summer I like to pack a sweet peach, cup of cubed watermelon or cantaloupe, a crisp Fuji Apple, Bartlett Pear, Strawberries or fresh pineapple slices. I find that by eating fruit during mid-morning by lunch time I am not starving and it does not take as much to satisfy me making it easier for me to stay at 1400 calories per day on my journey to a new mw!
Mid-afternoon comes and I am not always hungry, but if I am I reach for more fruit, or a 100 calorie snack pack of cookies or microwave popcorn that is also 94% fat free. This helps curb my desire for salty snacks. We have vending machines in our breakroom at work but they are full of high calorie snacks that leave you on a sugar high after you eat them.
By dinner time in the evening I am able to finish off my 1400 calories for the day and if I am still within 120 calories of my daily goal I some times eat a Weight Watchers ice cream. This gives me a little special treat without over-indulging.
So think about it? How often are you snacking? And what are you snacking on? Is your body able to burn the calories from your snacks as fuel or is it so late in the evening when you eat your snacks that your body has to store those extra calories for another day?
Next time you reach for those Lay's potato chips, remember their catchy advertising slogan, "Nobody can eat just one!" I would say that in most cases I would agree. Would you?
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| Roxie knows how to beg in style! |
Well just thinking about snacks has me wondering, how important are snacks? Who should eat snacks? When should you eat snacks? And what should you eat as a snack? You probably think that since I am on my journey to a new me that I would only eat "healthy" snacks but this is not necessarily the case.
First of all, I am not that big of a snack eater. I know to look at me now and before I started my journey to a new me you would probably argue with me about this point but I can honestly say I was getting the majority of my daily calories before my journey began and now when I sat down to eat my there meals a day.
 |
| Professional Snackers in Training Right now they are learning how to use those puppy-dog eyes to beg (L-R, Harley & Alllie) |
I am not saying that snacks in any form are bad. In fact snacks are good for you. Recent studies state that you should eat at least two "healthy" snacks a day. Why healthy? Why two? The research is not conclusive but one reason that they all agree upon is that by eating two snacks, one between breakfast and lunch and the other between lunch and dinner is because it keeps you satisfied and keeps your metabolism going. When do you think is the number one preferred time for snacking? In the evening, of course! Notice that they did not include after dinner snacks, late night snacks, or midnight snacksas the most appropriate time to snack. Why? Because your body will not burn off those calories during the night while you are sleeping. So what does your body do with all the ice cream, chips, pretzels, cookies, cake, pie, candy, popcorn and other snacks that we indulge in after dinner every night? It stores it for another day! Well I don't know about you but I am not on a mission for my body to "store" anything! I am working as hard as I can to get this excess weight off and keep it off.
So now we know the best times to snack but what should we be snacking on? Fruit is a great choice. If you are anything like me around 10 or 11 am every day my sweet tooth starts begging to be fed. During the summer I like to pack a sweet peach, cup of cubed watermelon or cantaloupe, a crisp Fuji Apple, Bartlett Pear, Strawberries or fresh pineapple slices. I find that by eating fruit during mid-morning by lunch time I am not starving and it does not take as much to satisfy me making it easier for me to stay at 1400 calories per day on my journey to a new mw!
Mid-afternoon comes and I am not always hungry, but if I am I reach for more fruit, or a 100 calorie snack pack of cookies or microwave popcorn that is also 94% fat free. This helps curb my desire for salty snacks. We have vending machines in our breakroom at work but they are full of high calorie snacks that leave you on a sugar high after you eat them.
By dinner time in the evening I am able to finish off my 1400 calories for the day and if I am still within 120 calories of my daily goal I some times eat a Weight Watchers ice cream. This gives me a little special treat without over-indulging.
So think about it? How often are you snacking? And what are you snacking on? Is your body able to burn the calories from your snacks as fuel or is it so late in the evening when you eat your snacks that your body has to store those extra calories for another day?
Next time you reach for those Lay's potato chips, remember their catchy advertising slogan, "Nobody can eat just one!" I would say that in most cases I would agree. Would you?
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