Personal Training Ontario – Snacking Smart While Dieting
Hello! I hope you enjoy the article!
When you are dieting, the last thing you want to do is derail your diet by overindulgence. Chances are that if you hit the gym frequently and practice a lot of cardiovascular activity, indulging in one or two of those sultry snacks a couple of times a week isn’t going to hurt you in the slightest degree. It is only when you eat them every day that they start to pack on the pounds. The big problem comes in when a person just so happens to be a strict dieter who loves sweets…can we say binge? That is right, if you consider yourself someone who is trying to go on a stricter form of diet, and you have always loved eating sweets, chances are the restriction from feeling like you cannot have it whatsoever is going to make you want it more than ever.
However, if you are going to snack, be sure that you are sticking to your healthy groove. Sensible snacking with high value foods is a better idea for the smart dieter. Once you have consumed a healthy breakfast, you are usually good to go for about 2 to 3 hours tops. Once you start to get that little grumble in your tummy that says: “I am hungry, feed me now, I do not care what it is, grab it and eat it, just make sure that it is sweet and full of carbs and sugar!” My Personal Training Ontario clients know that that’s the junk food craving talking, and that little voice can turn all your hard-won efforts into nothing. Tell that little voice to shut up and feed it something with either protein or fiber – or both. It can still taste just as good, it just won’t be bad for you. Be sure that you are snacking while dieting, although. Not snacking while dieting can cause you to overeat when meal time does roll around. Keep these ideas in mind when snacking:
Allow yourself at least 1 to 2 of those forbidden favorites a few times a week in small portions; this will keep you from overindulging.
Load up on high-fiber fruits such as oranges and apples.
Bring certain snack foods with you to work each day, it causes less of a temptation to snack at the vending machines.
Keep in mind that the healthier the snack, the more you can eat. Low-calorie, low-fat snacks are usually okay to eat in larger portions and can fill you up for longer.
Try snacking on things like: yogurt, apples, walnuts, string cheese, pretzels, peanut butter on wheat toast, wheat crackers, oranges, peaches, fat-free ice cream (in very small portions), and dark chocolate.
These tips should help steer you in the right direction. There are many more choices for healthy snack foods out there that you can try. Quite frankly, the array of healthy snack foods is much wider than those of the unhealthier variety. As I tell my Personal Training Ontario clients, keeping up your energy level is important to achieving your fitness goals. So, when you are running, walking, cycling, or whatever form of physical activity you enjoy, keep a healthy snack on hand. Remember, snacking healthy can be part of your regular nutrition program. Just think about what you are putting in your body and don’t waste your efforts with empty calories.
Have a good day!
Tags: Cardiovascular, Dieting, Fiber, Sensible, Snacks, Temptation