METABOLISM BOOSTING SNACKS
Published on October 25, 2019
Healthy snacking is one of the major keys to success when it comes to weight loss.
It is an optimal way to keep your blood sugars balanced and maintained throughout the day (see chart below) while trying to avoid that dreaded 4pm slump.
Some of the most common symptoms people experience when they miss a snack:
- irritability and moodiness
- fatigue
- excess hunger
- increased cravings
- binging on the wrong foods
- night time cravings and eating
Tips to consider when planning your daily snack
Always have a balanced snack.
The key to healthy and successful snacking is having something that will fill you up and keep you full until your next meal. The most common mistake people make when having a snack is eating vegetables or fruit alone. The major issue with this snack choice is that it will not fill you up or keep you full for more than 5-10 minutes. It raises your blood sugars slightly and then causes a blood sugar crash – leaving you feeling hungry! To prevent this from happening, make sure you are enjoying your vegetables and fruit with a healthy fat or protein– nuts, seeds, organic nut butters, cheese, hard boiled egg or unsweetened yogurt works well.
Morning vs. afternoon snack.
A morning snack is generally optional while your afternoon snack is not. If you are not feeling hungry between breakfast and lunch, you should be okay not to have a morning snack. Afternoon snack is more crucial for blood sugar control so we generally recommend having it daily.
Be prepared.
Go into your week as prepared as possible to set yourself up for success. Cut up your produce ahead of time and store them in Tupperware and have your nuts and seeds portioned and ready to go for easy, grab and go snack options.
“Set yourself up for success”
Pay attention to timing.
Timing is key. You always want to stay on top of your blood sugar crashes and prevent them from happening altogether – aka. that 4 pm slump when you get tired, moody and irritable! Plan to have a good, balanced snack around 3:30pm to keep you going to your next meal. If you tend to get very busy at work and forget to have it – set a reminder in your phone to go off as a reminder to take 5 minutes to eat your snack.
Do not skip the afternoon snack.
You may not feel hungry around snack time but trust me – have it! Skipping snacks (especially the afternoon snack), can lead to binging on unhealthy choices at your next meal.
Metabolism boosting snack ideas:
- ½ cup 1% cottage cheese + ½ cup pineapple (**)
- Avocado toast: 1 slice of sprouted grain bread + ¼ avocado sliced + sprinkle of sea salt (*)
- 1 sliced apple + 1 tablespoon almond butter (*,**)
- A healthy protein muffin (**)
- Carrot sticks + 1 tablespoon hummus (*, **)
- ½ cup roasted chickpeas (*, **)
- 12 Mary’s crackers + piece of cheese (**)
- 40 pistachios + ½ cup cherries (*, **)
- ½ cup 2% Greek yogurt + ½ cup sliced strawberries (**)
- 12 roasted almonds + ½ cup raspberries (*, **)
- 2-3 nitrate-free turkey slices + mustard (*, **)
- 1 hard boiled egg with red pepper and cucumber sticks (*,**)
- Healthy protein bar
- Celery sticks + 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter (*, **)
- Healthy energy balls (*, **)
- 1 tablespoon guacamole + carrot sticks (*, **) These portioned guacamole packs are a great option to keep in your fridge
- 1 cup steamed edamame beans (*, **)
- ½ cup raspberries + 6 walnut halves (*, **)
* dairy free snack: ** gluten free snacks Always remember to stay on top of your blood sugars to successfully boost your metabolism. Happy snacking!
For more metabolism boosting tips and tools for successful weight loss, be sure to check out our blog weekly for new posts and recipes.