Snacking mistakes: Do not stock up on chips and breads if you want to lose weight
Highlights
- Snack smartly to satiate midnight cravings
- Do not eat snacks in excess as it may reduce appetite for main meals
- Do not eat snacks very close to your main meal time
Snacking is an important part of your weight loss regime. If you are trying to lose weight, your diet and exercise regime both need to be on point. If you are being careless in either one of them, your weight loss is going to be slower or not sustainable. In this article, we are going to speak about the role healthy snacking plays in a weight loss program. What you eat in-between meals needs to be healthy and filling. It should be nutritious, preferably rich in protein or fibre. Munching on fried or baked or any other processed and packaged will provide you with any nutrition and may instead give you trans-fat, excess salt and preservatives.
Weight loss: Snacking mistakes you must avoid
Your in-between meals of snacking options are as important as the three main meals that you consume in a day. Here are some snacking mistakes that you need to look into and avoid:
1. Avoid replacing main meals with snacks. Always time your main meals and plan your diet in a day that you have sufficient appetite for them.
Also read:Â Portion Size Guide: Learn How To Divide Your Meals Into Protein, Carbs And Fats For Weight Loss
2. Do not eat snacks very close to your main meal time. For instance, if you are having your breakfast at 9 am, your mid-meal snack should be around 11 am, lunch should be around 1 pm, evening snack should be around 4 pm and dinner should be around 8-9 pm.
3. Eat snacks in the right portion size. Overeating snacks, even though they are nutritious, can reduce the appetite for your main meal. This may disrupt your nutritional intake. Eat snacks in moderate quantities in order to satiate mid-meal hunger pangs, but not affect your appetite for main meal after it.
Do not overeat snacks as it may affect your appetite for main meals
Photo Credit: iStock
Also read:Â Healthy Eating Tips By Experts: Know How To Make Your Meals Perfectly Balanced
4. Snack smartly to satiate midnight cravings. They are more likely to come when you are following a restrictive diet. This is the time when one is likely to go for desserts and sweet savouries. However, that is the last thing you should be doing. (A handful of cashews along with a cup of milk can be a great way to satisfy your midnight cravings.)
5. Avoid stocking up on chips, ketchups, dips, chocolate spreads, breads, and anything else that can hinder your weight loss goals.
To snack healthy, your grocery shopping also needs to change. Instead of the aforementioned products, stock up on a variety of different nuts, seeds, makhanas, roasted black chanas, rice puffs etc. You can also make a couple of healthy snacks like ghee-roasted makhanas, banana chips and black chanas, etc at home.
Also read:Â Is It Healthy To Eat Fruits After A Meal? Nutritionists Explain
Give in to your cravings for sweet savouries and desserts, but do not forget to practice portion control. Remember that healthy snacking is the key to losing weight in a healthy, sustainable manner.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
