I am trying to lose weight and my biggest problems are snacking at night and not having healthy snacks throughout the day. Do you have any suggestions (e.g., meal planning, weight loss, diet, etc.) to help me avoid this problem? – Cliff
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Cliff, I’m glad that you’re reaching out to me through our “Ask Our Dietitian” section! Poor snacking during the day can contribute to overeating unhealthy foods at night. Most of the time people that need a healthy snack and don’t have one are in that situation due to lack of time and preparation. Take a moment to write down ALL of the healthy foods you know you’d eat if they were available between meals.
What is the best afternoon snack to curb hunger?
Next, add them to your shopping list for the week. Look for individual portions of items like nuts, yogurt, and cheese that are easy to grab and take to work or the gym. Also, it’s OK to opt for a few prepared items, like bagged baby carrots, tuna salad kits or packages of cut apples with peanut butter or cheese.
What would be an example of a day’s worth of healthy eating?
The bottom line is that preparation makes all the difference when it comes to having something healthy ready to eat and it will help you avoid missing a snack because you don’t have time to get it ready.
– Debbie J., MS, RD
Debbie James is a registered dietitian. Any views or opinions presented in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions or recommendations of Fitness International, LLC.
[i] http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2004-05-05-home-cooking_x.htm
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