The 2nd and 4th meal - the snacks

So why do I need a snack?  What should I have for a snack?  Would I lose weight if I eat less?

These are some of the questions I am asked over and over again. I will break it down for you because this is important and it will help you.  The body is a machine and needs fuel – snacks keep your tank full.   When you are starving, you tend to eat whatever is in front of you, so the key is to curb those cravings by eating healthy snacks throughout the day.  Interval between meals should be between 4 to 6 hours.  Have a meal between 2 to 2.5 hours after a snack – regardless of how hungry you are. We consume the fuel our bodies really need for optimum health.  Whenever people think of weight-loss, they aim to cut down on fat.  All this does is raises the proportion of carbohydrates we are consuming, spiking our insulin level, and making us fat and unhealthy. We would not eat spoonfuls of sugar, but sugar has no fat – it is pure carbohydrate. Our attempts at fat free chips, low fat cookies and muffins, fat free ice creams…end up giving us more and more carbohydrates, like the person who eats spoonfuls of pure sugar.   Just look around – after 30 years of trying to eat low fat foods we have got fatter, rather than leaner. We have got exactly the opposite result.   The prevalence of obesity continues to be a health concern for adults, children and adolescents in the United States - http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/Obesity/

The more carbohydrates (carbs) we consume, the more insulin we secrete. Insulin turns excess carbs into stored fat.  Dietary fat does not trigger insulin secretion.  Insulin production can be controlled if we eat low-density carbs, dietary fat, and protein in the right proportions. If we can maintain insulin levels down, it is easier to burn off excess body fat – and to keep it off permanently. Through a healthy eating habits it is possible to improve mental focus, enjoy increased energy and vitality.

So here are some of my substitutes for bad snacks and some of my favorites:

• Cottage cheese and fresh berries instead of yogurt – less sugar in cottage cheese and the berries give a nice anti-oxidant boost
• Almonds and almond butter instead of peanuts and peanut butter – More fiber, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat
• Romain lettuce wraps with low-sodium lunch meat (turkey, roast beef, or chicken) loaded with veggies (peppers, avocado, and tomatoes) with 1tblsp. of olive oil instead of protein bars.

*** Too much sugar (carbs) and bad fats in most protein bars. Protein shakes are ok in a pinch to keep you regular.

Get your 2nd and 4th meal and you will see the progress I promise, keep it consistent and the engine will run perfectly.