Seeking Healthy Snacks to Loose Weight During My Day

Try www.sparkpeople.com I have lost over 20 pounds and lots of inches using the tools they have. Do a search on this site for healthy snacks and you will have a whole list to choose from. Oh and I a,most forgot to mention, it is 100% FREE.

Hi, E.. I know exactly what you mean. I am adding a link to what I have used and many others have used and it is great. It cost a lot less then Jenny and weight watchers as well.

http://rjohnston8.qhealthbeauty.com/products/product.aspx...

HI E.,
i've had 2 babies back to back.. and now they are 1 1/2 and 2 1/2. I still kept on extra 40 lbs.. it was really making me depressed. So i started using diff methods to start shedding some weight. wat really worked for me is not eating after 6 or 7 pm. Nothing other than water.
Breakfast i had oatmeal, fruit snack, Any normal lunch i eat on my regular day (2/3 portion), and fruit/vegetable snack, and oatmeal / cereal for dinner. The first week, i lost 5 lbs. I'm still continuing to lose, but a little bit at a slower pace. If you do this, you can lose about 5-10 in a month w/out working out. If you add work out then you'll lose more. Good luck!

Here's the secret to losing weight: eat small portions every 2-3 hours. This way, you're never starving that you over eat and you speed up your metabolism.

The bottom line to losing weight is you need to burn more calories than you consume. Take your current weight, multiply by 8, then add 200. This is the amount of calories that your body naturally burns every day. If you eat this amount, you maintain your weight. If you eat less, you lose weight. If you eat more, you gain weight. Also, you do need to take to account the calories you burn when you exercise.

So take the total calories and divide it by 5 or 6 and this is the amount of calories you want to eat 5 or 6 times a day.

So you need to make your calories count! When you eat fruits & vegetables, your calories go a long way because you can eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and the calories are relatively low, it fills you up, and they're nutritious.

When you eat every 2-3 hours a day, eat a lean protein, a whole grain, and fruits and/or vegetables.

So snacks would be:
lite string cheese, whole grain crackers, fruit
yogurt, flax seed, fruit
veggies, whole grain pita - dip in hummus
peanut butter, celery, apple, or banana, whole grain crackers or toast

It's important that your breakfast, lunch, and dinner are small portions as well. For example, for dinner, half your plate should be vegetables, 1/4 lean protein (chicken breast, fish, shrimp), 1/4 whole grain (brown rice).

As far as drinks, I drink non-fat milk with my breakfast, and water the rest of the day. I find that drinks are so high in calories and sweeteners and have minimal nutrition. A small glass of orange juice is okay, but I'd rather have the fresh fruit because the fiber fills you up, it's less calories, and doesn't have added sweeteners.

Continuing to do weights and cardio; it's so important.

Hope this helps,
J.

E.,

Agree with Susan and Jennifer S, on this one. Eat more meals during the day, but portion control is so important. I lost 30 pounds by doing this with a combo of cardio and exercise ball workout. Check out www.about.com for good exercise tips. Also, I had to lean down my weight training to once a week in order to stop turning my fat into muscle. I hit a baseline because of it.

Here's what my day looks like:

AM: Exericise ball...situps/squats/pushups
Breakfast: Oatmeal
Snack 3 hours later: Almonds, SmartFood, Balance Bar, Apple or Banana
Lunch: Sandwich and salad, Soup with crackers, Healthy Choice meal or something I brought from home that is small portions
Snack 3 hours later: Same stuff as above...I find www.parenting.com has great snack ideas
Dinner: Smaller portions of whatever everyone esle is eating...or a salad with a protein.

My last meal is at 6pm and that's it. I try to limit my sugar in take all day and only drink water. Also, I do my cardio before bed and a short exercise ball workout. I don't have the budget for a gym membership, but once I got creative I was golden.

Not sure about the evening drink...but, you can check websites like parenting.com or other recipe sites for cool ideas.

I also count calories daily at www.caloriecount.about.com.

Good Luck!!

Hi E.!
I've lost a ton so far. I use to weight 173 and now I weigh 145! I have 15 lbs to go to be at a normal, healthy weight for my height and build!

The first thing I would be doing is counting your calories. I found that this really put into perspective what I was eating and the quantity. My iPhone actually has a calorie log so that has helped a lot! I've also done the "fist" method for portion control. Only eat the portion that is the size of your fist. Then, for snacks, I only eat oranges, apples, bananas....Fruit. Oh and carrots. I drink a lot of water. I don't really think you need a fun non alcoholic drink. That usually contains sugar and usually the bad sugar...like corn sugar or fructose. You really need to just make a decision to loose the weight and not use a crutch like that. It isn't going to help at all.

I can also tell you that I use the elipticle for an hour. I run fast on it at level 4 for one minute, then at level 20 for one minute, and then back down to level 10 and walk like I'm going upstairs, yet not bouncing. That way your legs are really being focused on and strengthened. That I repeat this cycle. Oh, I had a trainer that showed me how to do this.

Then I do the weight machines for about 1/2 hour. Leg muscle will burn the most calories, especially once your legs become leaner from doing weights. I do my arms as well. Normally, I rotate one day legs, one day arms.

Hopefully, this will help you.

If you are not seemingly losing weight.... it can be because you are actually gaining muscle mass (muscle weighs more and is denser)...but if you are losing "inches" (not weight according to a scale), then you ARE losing weight.

For me, I go according to my inches lost, not my weight.

Also, you may not be losing weight because of water gain weight...as you said, wine makes you bloated. Drink any virgin drinks, if you want to still have fun, or allow yourself wine only on a certain day.

Drink lots of water too.... and "eat" or graze every 3 hours or so, keeping in mind that these are not "meals" but just a banana, or just an apple kind of thing... then it keeps your metabolism pumping.

Good healthy snacks can be Hummus, anything with fiber like celery since it burns more calories and adds "bulk" and a feeling of fullness. Rice crackers, a boiled egg, carrots, asparagus, canned tuna done up with a vinagrette sans oil and with a salad, green beans... and you can eat it with any kind of oil free dip, for taste.

I would recommend cutting back on "starches." I don't mean "carbs" but cutting out simple refined starches... like white bread, white rice, potatoes etc. These just break down into sugar more quickly. Rather, go for whole grain versions of these foods. My friend to lose weight, all she did was stop eating white rice. She kept everything the same... and she lost weight. There is a difference between "starches" and complex carbs.

But whatever you do, don't starve yourself and eat balanced... from all food groups except refined foods. But watch portion sizes. A portion of something can even be just 1/2 cup or 1/4 cup of something, for example. And, don't negate protein, muscles need that.

Good luck,
Susan

A great lower-calorie beverage is a Lite Cranberry juice drink mixed with diet 7-Up or diet Sprite. Another benefit is that cranberry juice is a natural diuretic. Cheers!!!

I feel your pain. Its been hard for me to get my last 10 to budge after baby. Before I was Prego I lost 15 lbs very slowly over 4-6 months keeping a food journal- yes, that means counting calories. I followed the guidelines set out by Gillian Micheals on her morning radio show (am 640 Sundays 9-11). She suggests eating your basal or resting metabolism, which for me is 1450 calories/ day. I also ate half my excersise calories which was a great motivator since i got both the immediate reward of extra food and long term reward of weight loss. During this time I noticed that alcohol in any amount made me retain water. As did many other things, like eating sushi (soy sauce), really hard excersise, stool softeners, and my cycle. Unfortunately, I've come to the conclusion that drinks come in only a few forms, high calorie or high chemicals. Aside from herbal tee and maybe seltzer water, its all about being happy with water for your beverage. Sometimes I give into those no calorie Lipton Green Teas, but again, artificial sweaters are suspicious chemicals (fyi I'm not a total nature nugget). for snacks try a peice of fruit or cut up veggies dipped in hummus, and maybe a few nuts and cheese when you really need a boost.

Have you ever done a nutritional body cleanse? No not a cleanse that puts you on the toilet for 4 days, a natural, eat to detoxify the body cleanse.

I started a nutritional program 3 years ago. I released 42 pounds in about 8 weeks, MORE IMPORTANTLY I HAVE KEPT IT OFF FOR 3 YEARS!!! I am 40 years old, 2 kids, a retired school teacher AND I WEIGH 115lbs! I haven't weighed 115lbs since high school.

Watch www.SolutionsForMyFamily.com. and then contact me. I know I can help you. Please let me.

B. H. B.A.:B.Ed.
Family Wellness Coach
____@____.com

E.,

Just try to keep the carbs to a minimum. Like turkey and lite cheese rolls or an avacado salad. Look up some recipies online, I went to Food Network. My husband and I also got on a system called Core 4. There are four all natural and organic products that target the tummy area! My hubby lost 14lbs and 3 inches in a month and a half and I didn't have that much more to go but lost my lost 5lbs! Plus, like you we kept our exercising up and I think it came off faster because of that! And remember you're probably building muscle mass and muscle weighs more than fat!! We ordered from www.c4weightloss.com and clicked on the orange button on the right of the page.
Hope this helps!!
And good luck!

Good luck. It's so hard to lose weight. If you cut up celery, carrots, bell peppers, etc and put them in you refrigerator they make a great snack. Cut up fruit is good too.
Sue

I feel your pain. My son is almost 18 months old and I gained 70 lbs during my pregnancy, mostly because I was pumped up like a balloon with water retention. I lost 50 of that 70 but have 20 more to go and its the most difficult. My advise is to be patient with yourself. As far as snacks. I was on Weight Watchers for a while and discovered hungrygirl.com. She's got some great tips. Also look up Vitalicious muffin tops. They are amazingly tasty and good for you and only 100 calories. Good luck to you...I know how hard it is.

well it's 90% diet..what u eat..i eat oatmeal for breakfast..i like the 365 brand by Wholefoods..then i snack through the day..fruit..a protein bar..maybe some chicken..dinner i usually have fish over lettuce w/ ranch dressing..i like to make blackened catfish or salmon ..try Bethenny Frankel's book
Naturally Thin...she talks about mixing things up..if u have carbs for breakfast then don't have them later..
also your workouts should vary..so don't do the same ones..
are u with a gym? i alternate around..and do different workouts all the time..i take the classes..i was a size 8 before i got pregnant and now i'm a size 4 :) i wasn't as into working out as i am now..i also cut out the OJ in the mornings and i've noticed a difference.
I've heard.."eat like a king for breakfast, a prince for lunch and a queen for dinner"

If you aren't losing weight then it's your overall diet, not just snacks. In fact, losing weight is 80% diet and only 20% exercise, not that exercise should be avoided or anything. I have lost 160 pounds and now help others with their weight loss goals.
Check out my website and let me know if you are interested in working with me.

www.HolisticWellnessAndNutrition.webs.com

Jen

Hi there,
I work with a wellness company that has a great weight loss system.You could easily lose 20 lbs in 2 months.
Contact me if you'd like the information and I can send a link for you.

Take good care

K. Cormier
____@____.com

almonds and cheese or yogurts are great snacks. you only need about 10-12 almonds. I would recommend the ones without salt.

as for alcohol free drinks, when I was pregnant, I used to have the Crystal light natural cherry pomegranate, but serve it in a wine glass, or martini glass. looks just like a watered down red wine, or really dark cosmo.

best of luck!

Running is the quickest way you'll see results. Good luck!

There are a lot of healthy snacks you can keep on hand during the day. Make sure you are getting lots of fruits and veggies, the fiber and vitamins in them will help you get what you need and some of them will even take more calories to process than they will give you. These are called negative calorie foods. You can find a list if you search for 'pericone foods'.

Some examples you can keep on hand to snack during the day are celery, cherries, berries, broccoli, cucumber, pecans and pumpkin seeds.

For more healthy snack ideas check out my blog. It works for everyday snacking too!

www.theveggiemama.blogspot.com

S. M

Stork's Best Friend
www.storksbestfriend.com

Many good ideas here, but start with between 7-8 hours of sleep. That's the biggest factor for me.

The other two key items are any EXERCISE (I run even though I don't like it) for 20 minutes--that means sweating and breathing harder than normal for 20 minutes--and calorieking.com. Basically, I counted EVERY SINGLE calorie that passed over my lips. It was quite eye-opening how much we are REALLY taking in.

Also, wear slimmer-fitting clothes. Loose, baggy clothes don't make us as aware of what shape we are.
Good luck

Weight Watchers is the only thing that helps me!
Good luck!

Hi E.;
For a tasty non-alcoholic drink I like to mix 4 oz of real pomegranate juice, and diet 7Up, it is really good and looks pretty too. Gives you a healthy pick me up! ENJOY

Grandma Go Go

Hi E., I think pregnancy pounds are the hardest to lose, and sometimes it
s more about toning than weight loss. I was 111 over weight back in Decemeber, and I have lost 66 of those pounds, the more you have to lose the easier it is, the last 10/20 pounds is the hardest. I would do some research and take a good suppliment, not something you can get in stores but something that is all Natural, I use Eleotin, Herbalife is also really good, I used that in my younger days, both times when I lost the most weight in the quickest time I didn't exercise, the time I did exercise it took me 3 months to loose 39 pounds, and with this product I've lost 66 in less than 5 months. Do you have a website for your business, I have young mommmies in my daycare and 3 of then are expecting baby number 2. J. L.

Loads of steamed veggies, artichokes with non fat lemon yogurt sauce, grilled or steamed fish and kitchen, baked sweet potatoes, oatmeal, tons of water...www.weelicious.com

I have lost 50 pounds over the last year... Some things that worked for me... I split my lunch into 2 times- same number of calories, but not wolfing it down (I'm a teacher) So, noon is 18 almonds and a yogurt and a piece of fruit (about 200 cal). Then, I eat something else (a frozen meal of about 250 cal) after school, around 3. THen,I don't feel like snacking on extra stuff quite as much (although I usually have a few prezels about 530, since we don't eat until 7.
For breakfast, I make sure to eat something with protein. Since I don't really have time to make eggs (unless they are hard boiled) I eat GoLean oatmeal with almonds (I really like almonds!)
Anyway, good luck!
L.

I completely agree with SH. You need to look at how your clothes are fitting and if you are losing inches vs. lbs. I was a gym rat before having my children, but after children, I found a group workout enviroment is much more statisfying and better focused. I have been a member and instructor of Stroller Strides for over 6 yrs. I love it. It pushes you out of your comfort level, makes you do exercises you wouldn't normally do at the gym and it is great fun for babies. Plus you make strong friendship ties and have a support group like no other! Stroller Strides just finished a spring Fitness Challenge and I had 5 lbs to lose and did it and surpasses that about another two lbs and lost 3% points on my BMI. Go to www.strollerstrides.com, click on locations, and put in your zip code for the closest class to you. Getting "uncomfortable" will make you push yourself like never before!! Good luck.

Hey E.,
I am sure you may know this, but you may not lose much weight because muscles weighs more than fat. Therefore, don't base your weight loss on your scale. Base it on how your clothes fit.
As for snacks, have you tried to cut up veggies and dip them in Hummus? It's extremely low in calories, but chock full of vitamins. Also, I've been through a weight loss program before and they talked about only eating fruit in the evening. Apparently the sugars are burned faster during your sleep than when you are busy during the day. They did allow us to have apples with nut butter during the day, but nothing else.

Hi E.,

I found that if I avoided bread, potatoes, and corn products at all costs and exercised 3-4 times per week, I lost weight. Good snacks for weight loss (when cutting back on the extra carbs): Almonds, Cliff and MoJo bars, cheese, fruit, trail mix. Drink plenty of water!!

As far as a non alcoholic beverage, I always sparkeling water with lemon or lime, and for an alcoholic beverage that is low in calories, vodka and soda water with lemon/lime/orange slices.

By adhering to the above diet, and exercising 3 - 4 times per week, I lost all of the baby weight (about 20 pounds) in almost 3 months.

Good luck!

Hi E.,
It's great that you started your plan on exercise to loose weight and not a quick fix way! You didn't mention how long ago that you started your work out so it would help a bit to know if you have been working out for 6 mons, a year, ect.but have not seen the result you wanted.
My second daughter is now almost 20 mos and I started a pilate/yoga class a year ago. It takes a longer time to loose the baby fat from the 2nd pregnancy. But by now, I have lost most of the baby fat and go back to the orininal weight before pregnancy. I incorporate a lots of fruits in my snack diet and have vegetable in every home cook meal. I do cook almost everyday. So it is easy for me to control how much everything I bring to the table.
I do like to snack...so I can give you some ideas for healthy snack during the day:
-Summer salad rolls: main ingredients include the rice paper (you can find it at an Asian supermarkets in Westminter/Garden Grove areas), grilled marinated or just steamed meat (could be chicken, fish, turkey, beef, pork or prawns), vemicellie noodles (optional), and lettuces, mints/ or cilantro, bean sprout, cucumber. If you do a grilled meat version, then there is not need for cook anything else because veggies are just need to be washed and rinsed. You can always prepare the meat portion in advance and left over is also great for the rolls as well.
The rice paper is a wrapper that can be soften when you deep it into a warm pot of water. So, you can roll it after put the meat and vegetable into it...and voila, you'll have a yummy healthy snack any day!
My naturo path Dr. put me on a diet that cut down sugar intake completely. Within a month, I saw a great result of weight loss. Basically, whole grain, whole wheat, brown rice diet does work! Maybe you can try this to see a fast result!

What type of drink? Are you interested in really great herbal tea that helps eliminate fat in the body. If you love organic, you will love it. I do. Let me know.

God Bless!
J.