How to Find Low Calorie Snacks

Burn more calories than you eat for one popular method of weight loss. However, a high level of physical activity requires frequent snacking to maintain a healthy blood sugar. Combine low calorie foods with quality nutritional content. Snacking healthfully throughout the day allows your body to maintain a high metabolism. Find low calorie snacks to supplement your low calorie diet.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Stick to the perimeter of the grocery store. Vegetables, fruits, yogurts and whole grain items contain the least unnecessary calories and additives.

2. Check the nutritional content of unlabeled foods (raw veggies and staples) online (see Resources below).

3. Look for less than 100 calories per serving, and ensure the serving size makes you feel full. Avoid too-small servings (less than 1/8 cup) unless the snack item is very rich.

4. Verify packaged snacks contain less than 30 calories from fat, and have an adequate protein value. A low-calorie diet has well-balanced foods, including healthy snacks and treats.

5. Prepare foods and dispense only the recommended serving size into a dish to control the amount you consume. Measure and scoop any dips, dressings or condiments, too.

6. Limit packaged snacks that contain artificial sweeteners to lower the calorie count. Eat your calories. Beverages leave you feeling hungry but rack up the calories.

Tips & Warnings

• Wash and chop vegetables in advance, and store in portion-sized containers in the fridge to make them as easy to grab as a bag of potato chips.
• Carry your low calorie snacks with you in the car, as you run errands, and go to work. Pre-empt trips to the vending machine or hunger-fueled desperate choices.
• Ensure you receive enough calories per day to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Check the USDA recommendations (see Resources below).
• Check with your doctor before beginning any weight loss program.

Resources

• Fit Day for online calorie counts and nutritional information
• USDA Food Pyramid for nutritional and calorie recommendations

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