I'd like some advice on snacking. I've been trying to keep my calories at 1600 a day, and this is so hard for me! Does anyone have any advice? Some snacks I've been having are fruit, almonds, beef jerky, baby carrots and hummus. I guess I'm just going to have to get used to eating these all the time in order to keep my caloric intake down. So I'd love some suggestions if anybody has a magic trick that keeps them from having a growly tummy.
In return, here are some of my favorite kitchen tools for losing weight.
Misto sprayer - I love this thing! You fill it with your own olive oil and you can use it to coat baking pans, skillets, or anything you like. I spray it on bread to make garlic bread that isn't too oily, and I use it when I want to season my popcorn, but don't want to use butter. This way, you get to stop buying non-stick cooking spray all the time! I highly recommend it.
Quick and easy lunch or dinner. I love to cook, and I try to avoid packaged foods, but sometimes a girl wants more time for blogging, er, I mean exercise. So I try to buy the "better" processed stuff I can. Like Annie's mac and cheese boxes. Here's a recipe:
Broccoli, Chicken and Cheesy pasta
1 6 oz box Annie's Shells and White Cheddar
8 oz frozen broccoli florets (or fresh, and use more if you want - I shake in a little more than half of a 1 pound bag)
1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast (or, you could buy these)
Salt and pepper
Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add pasta and cook according to directions on box. During the last two minutes of cooking time for pasta, toss in the broccoli so it can thaw. Drain, and then prepare cheese sauce per the directions on the box. Stir in the chicken, and season to taste. Voila! Green vegetable, cheese, and protein - and it doesn't take a whole lot of time.
Drink your water! I know for many of us this is hard. But, I found a couple of great tricks. Infuse your water with flavor.
- Peel and chop up a cucumber and let it sit in a gallon juice container with the water for at least 6 hours, at room temperature. Remove the cucumber and chill the water. Delish!
- Do the same but use melons, berries or orange peels.
- You may want to strain the water if your flavoring is pithy or seedy
Beans are our friend. Vegetarian refried beans are really good, and I remember from weight watchers that a whole can is 3 points. They are very filling and full of fiber and are good for you! Hummus is our friend, pureed beans can make soups "creamy" without adding fat, and black beans in a scrambled egg burrito with salsa - oh, it is so good.
Whattaya got? Give me your best snacks!
8 comments:
Well, lately I've been hooked on low-fat cottage cheese on a vita-weat cracker, sprinkled with a spicy seasoning. The two together come in at about 150 calories and fits in with my 5-6 mini-meals per day way of eating.
The other thing I like is a raw red pepper with some cucumber/yogurt dip. It amazes me how satisfying it is.
The following are my regular snacks:
Fruit (sometimes w/fruit dip made from sf/ff pudding & ff cool whip)
Light Sargento String Cheese
Quaker mini rice cakes (the really tiny ones that are individually packaged and 90 cals/serving)
Baked chips & salsa
SF/FF pudding
Hershey's 100 cal wafer bars (especially good when you're craving some chocolate!)
Small salad w/feta cheese & light dressing
There's a few ideas from me!
I love hummus... with some cut up veggies it makes a perfect snack.
Hi Sara, I am actually making rotini/chicken/ broccoli for dinner tonight - next time will try it with Annie's shells, what a great idea!
I like soft dried apricots for a snack, when I am out and about - 6 or so in a little baggie, about 8 calories each and they keep you really full. Plus they are easy to eat anywhere, and they are nice but not SO nice that you overdo eating them!
I also love baby carrots and hummus, at home; or a couple of apples peeled, chunked and microwaved with a little cinnamon on top.
Those Fiber One bars are terrific too, but we don't get them in Canada (I had some on a trip down to the US) although quite sweet.
the recipe sounds great! I will have to try that one. Some of my fav snacks are (and I dont count calories so some of these may be higher): string cheese, melba toasts, baby carrots and FF ranch dip, Sugar Free jello, energy bars, any piece of fruit (grapes, strawberries, bananas, apples) and I also like dried cranberries and raisins, applesauce, airpopped popcorn, chips and salsa, and hot chocolate!
I snack anywhere from 2-3 times a day. I usually eat a combo of two of the following, with one item ALWAYS being a protein item:
1. yogurt
2. light string cheese
3. 1/4 cup peanuts
4. one serving of any fruit
5. a few walnut halves
6. natural peanut butter
7. 100 calorie microwave popcorn
8. leftover meat from last night's dinner... lol
9. whole-wheat low-carb tortilla with 1 T. natural peanut butter
10. 1 cup skim milk
11. hard boiled egg
12. Fiber One bar
13. a few slices of smoked turkey breast with a slice of swiss cheese
14. Fudgesicle 100 Calorie Premium Fudge Bars
15. 1/2 cup lowfat frozen yogurt or ice-cream
Hope that helps! :)
I'm not sure what your target number of calories is per snack, but I do:
KASHI bars (love the chewy ones!): 120-150 calories
Fruit (variety)
Instant oatmeal softened with Dannon Light 'n' Fit Vanilla Yogurt with fresh strawberries: 250-280 calories
Piece of toast with 1tbsp simply jif creamy peanut butter: 180-210 calories
NUTS...all types (almonds and cashews are my fave)
For my chocolate cravings: organic dark chocolate covered espresso beans (y'know, to wake me up after hitting the gym first thing in the morning)
Protein bars
That’s Too nice, when it comes in india hope it can make a Rocking place for youngster.. hope that come true.
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