Summer Snacking Tips

Although snacking any time of the year can create problems for someone watching what they eat, summer snacking can be especially hard. After all, when everyone around you is in a barely-there swimsuit and looking super fit, you’re more conscious of what morsels of food you put in your mouth. You know that your tummy is hungry, yet you also want to look and feel your best so you’re likely to want to skip snacking all together. What are you to do?

First and foremost, remember that eating a small amount of food between meals is actually a good thing. It keeps your metabolism fired up and your tummy quieted down. Making healthy food choices at mealtime also becomes easier because you’re not starving and willing to down any food just to get some much needed nourishment in your belly.

That being said, there are some snacking tips that can help make between-meal eating something that you are comfortable with versus an action that you avoid at all costs. Follow these and you will be able to enjoy your mid-morning or afternoon treat without feeling guilty because you know that you’re doing right by your body.

Choose the Right Foods

The foods you decide to snack on can either make or break your healthy eating plan. Choose high-sugar options and you’re likely to put your blood sugar on a roller coaster ride that increases your cravings of diet-busting foods. However, if you choose foods that take longer to digest and that are low in sugar, you’ll feel more satisfied and be less likely to overeat.

One of the best things you can do at snack time is pair a carbohydrate with a protein so that your blood sugar remains stable and your hunger is resolved until your next meal. For instance, you may want to make a side salad with a little bit of chicken to tide you over or pair cottage cheese with fruit.

Some foods have summertime written all over them, like watermelon and fresh-from-the-garden veggies. So, pick foods that you can’t get as fresh at other times of the year and savor the flavors and textures that they hold at their prime.

Watch Your Portions

Remember that the point behind the snack is to simply tide you over until your next meal, not to leave you stuffed up to your eyeballs. Therefore, portion control is the key to snacking without gaining weight or otherwise hurting your weight loss goals.

The SlimPlate System offers bowls designed specifically to help you create just the right portions for your between-meal snacks. That way you know exactly how much to eat without setting yourself up for failure or disappointment the next time you step on the scale.

Stay Hydrated

With summer comes heat so sometimes it’s easy to mistake thirst for hunger. Increased sweating and a higher level of activity cause you to lose more water during the course of the day, making rehydration a must if you want to stay healthy and not overheat (or overeat).

Carry a water bottle or glass with you all day long so you can sip it often. You will get the greatest benefit if you take your body weight in pounds and divide it in half, which is the exact number of ounces you need. For instance, if you weigh 150 pounds, then you should have 75 ounces of water daily, whereas if you weigh 200 pounds, you’ll want to consume 100 ounces daily.

Relax with Your Snacks

While you certainly want to eat healthy foods a majority of the time, there are going to be days where you crave not-so-healthy snack options. Instead of beating yourself up over your desire to eat things that taste good to you, sometimes giving yourself a little bit of what you want most is enough to satisfy the craving and allow you to go about your day without being consumed with food.

This is where the use of portion control plates come in as this allows you to give yourself enough of a treat to make your taste buds happy without increasing your waistline. Just choose healthily most of the time and allow yourself a “cheat” every once in awhile so you don’t feel deprived and tempted to give up on your weight loss plan all together.

Summer snacking is okay as long as you do it wisely and responsibly. Follow these four guidelines and that is exactly what you will do!