I do not watch "The Biggest Loser" every week, but I heard last week Jillian stated that snacking inhibits weight loss. Sorry Jillian, I respectfully disagree. I understand that some people may go too far with their snacking portions or neglect to take into account snacking calories when planning for the day. However, I do not think snacking inhibits weight loss for most people, as long as it is done correctly.
In fact, in theory, snacking should not inhibit weight loss, but it should help it! Snacking keeps you from being hungry, and it keeps your metabolism working. I eat 3 snacks a day, one at about 10 am, one at 3pm and one at 7:30pm. I find that for me, I will eat less at meal times if I am not concerned about trying to stay full for 5 or 6 hours a time. If I add 100 calories to my breakfast, I will still be hungry before lunch, but by adding a 100-150 calorie snack mid morning, I am easily held over until lunch.
I have lots of favorite snacks. Previously, my snacks were mainly part of my day to keep me from starving. Lately I have been trying to change my snacks a bit so that they can contribute nutritionally to my food intake. Here are some snacks I have been known to eat...
1. Cheerios- Anyone who knows me knows of my love for Cheerios. The little yellow car they have included in the box lately is a reminder that Cheerios are marketed towards little kids, but what can I say? I love them! 1 cup of Cheerios is 100 calories. There are certainly more nutritionally sound snacks, but they always satisfy me because they take a lot of time and chewing to eat. Something about crunching just keeps me full for longer.
2. Baby Carrots and Hummus- Carrots are just so easy to eat and the hummus keeps me full and provides some protein and healthy fats. Eric has been making homemade hummus lately and I am totally benefiting!
3. Greek Yogurt- Delicious and 16 grams of protein in just over 100 calories? How can you go wrong?!
4. Pretzels- Okay, I know- nothing awesome here but pretzels always settle my stomach, and it's that crunchy thing again that keeps me full :)
5. Apple with a tiny bit of peanut butter or almond butter- fruit + protein, yum!
Two of my new favorite "treat" snacks are Tina's oatmeal cookies...
I may have substituted chocolate chips for the raisins...oops!
AND...
(also Tina's- what can I say? the girl is a good snacker!) Arnold's Sandwich thin with peanut butter and chocolate chips...
Chocolate chips are getting some use in my house these days.
What are your favorite snacks?
On a similar note, I was reading Carrots N' Cake and Tina listed her Top 10 favorite foods. I wanted to see if I could do it, so here it goes...
1. Ice Cream
2. Bread/Bagels (with butter, olive oil, cream cheese)
3. Apples
4. Stuffing (cooked by my mom)
5. Potato (especially mashed)
6. Peanut butter
7. Cheerios
8. Strawberries
9. Lemon Meringue Pie (only if cooked by mom)
10. Chicken teriyaki
Other things I considered adding to the list include: cantaloupe, yogurt, cookies (must be soft), chocolate, chips, my homemade black bean & veggie pizza, carrot ginger soup, and hummus...
What would be on your TOP TEN?
One final note: Today was kind of one of those "blah" days...it's snowing again, I'm tired and not feeling awesome still, I had to sit through another boring professional development all day, whine whine whine, but it's all okay because...
And close up!!!
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Love the Uggs! So fun! I definitely agree with you on the snacking. Without my snacks I would be RAVENOUS at mealtimes and would definitely over eat.
ReplyDeleteI yelled at Jillian when she said that. That is dumb! I need snacks. What is wrong with fruit and nuts? Or yogurt, blueberries and Kashi mix? Nothing! It keeps me from making terrible choices later on in the day when I am dieing to eat!
ReplyDeleteWow those really are hot pink! And I loooove them!
ReplyDeleteI agree, snacking is great. When I go into a meal starving I definitely eat a LOT more than if I had just been comfortably hungry because I had a snack earlier. I think it's just key what you snack on, and when you snack, portion control during your regular meals.
I love cheerios, eat them everyday. My cheerio boxes last year had little mini kids books inside them. Oh well, they're yummy!
I agree, snacks are very important.
ReplyDeleteOmg, LOVE your pink uggs! Those are so freaking cute!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI am a snacker as well. Lately I'm OBSESSED with yogurt, granola and fruit. SO good. I also like pretty much any fruit with nut butter for a snack. Some of my favourite foods are ICE CREAM and PIZZA! Both unhealthy but so freaking good! Haha.
Where do you get Greek yogurt??? I can't seem to find some anywhere! (Do not say Target or TJ, two places that we don't have in Canada, haha)
I'm with you on the snacks! If I don't eat every few hours I'm irritable and tired...yuck!
ReplyDeleteSnacks are the BEST. Anything with PB and chocolate is right up my alley ;-)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you! I think snacking is a good thing, but I think Jillian's point was that people snack too much throughout the day and don't pay attention to how much they are eating between meals... I can see how that easily gets carried away!
ReplyDeleteLove the Uggs.
I am extremely jealous of your boots. We are fighting.
ReplyDeleteHey Kelly! Love, love, love the Uggs! I have a pair and I live in the Cayman Islands!!! I wear them first thing in the morning to walk my dog. Try wearing them without any socks - they actually recommend that as they take the shape of your feet. I don't blame you for not wanting to take them off - I feel the same way!
ReplyDeleteGreat information! And, I love your favorite snacks, I share some of the same loves :) I like honey nut cheerios best, or the multigrain, yummmm!
ReplyDeleteI agree about the snacking. I was surprised when she said that. I always snack...always in moderation and always with healthy food. Love your boots! Color is awesome
ReplyDeleteThose Uggs are awesome - love the color!
ReplyDeleteI am also a fan of snacking. That surprises me that Jillian would say that. Seems like they are always pushing some sort of mid day snack on the contestants!
My fave snacks are fruit of some sort, this fruit leather I buy at Target that satisfies my sweet craving, yogurt, and those 100 calorie bags of microwave popcorn. i def rely on snacks to get me thru the day! I always joke that I am like a kindergartener that needs her snack time or I get cranky!
Jillian is simply WRONG about snacking!! I think we are all in agreement.
ReplyDeleteTop 10 foods for me in no particular order.... pizza, dark chocolate, potatoes (any variety really), crumpets, yorkshire puddings, broccoli, vanilla icecream, sweets/candies (lol are they even a food?), roast dinner as a whole, cauliflower cheese! think thats 10.
snacks are way important for me, for keeping up energy and avoiding getting hungry and making bad food choices.
ReplyDeletelove the boots!
Snacks are my favourite. I don't think they inhibit weightloss at all. I mean if you're muching all day long, maybe you're eating to many calories. But if done right they keep you full till the next meal.
ReplyDeleteBut to each their own.
Awesome pink Uggs! I agree about snacking. I used to never let myself snack in between meals and yes, I was younger so I weighed less at the time, but I would end up consuming a HUGE dinner because I had limited my eating and calories all day. It's not good to eat the bulk of your calories at the end of the day, but I was SO starving that is what happened all the time. I am now trying to eat more for breakfast and lunch and I always have snacks when I get home so that I can hold off to have dinner with my husband at like 7:30 or 8 (so late!)
ReplyDeleteKT
Love the Uggs! I just got a pair myself, but the much more conservative chestnut color. I need to be a little more adventurous!
ReplyDeleteWe share many of the same snack favorites!
I am a big fan of TBL, but they are constantly giving misinformation.... SNACKING IS HEALTHY!
ReplyDeleteMmm, thanks for that link to the oatmeal cookies. Cookies in the MICROWAVE? Love it! Quick & easy.
That's so funny because I didn't care for the oatmeal cookie. It was alright.
ReplyDeleteLove the boots though! Cute!
if you love cheerios then you must try the new chocolate cherrios! they are so good and still 100 cals for 3/4 Cup! I lov snacking and totally agree that I disagree with Jillian. crazy, unhibitied snacking, well thismaybe isnt the best, but smart snackign is SO important for keeping HR up and all sorts of good things for weight loss!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE lemon merignue pie too!!
Ugh my comment just deleted itself :(
ReplyDeleteI totally thought the same thing when I heard Jillian say that the other week... I was like "say whaaaat?"!
I LOOOOVE the boots! So cute :) I'm sure they will brighten your day every time you wear them :)
Those red boots are too cute!
ReplyDeleteI also disagreed with Jillian! Funnily, we have a lot of the same fave snacks! :) Oh yeah, crackers and PB!
I totally agree with you about the snacks. I have to eat every few hours; it keeps my energy up, and without them I'm famished at meal times!
ReplyDelete