The Surprising Truth about Snacks and Weight Loss

Many people who are trying to lose weight think of the word “snacks” as something that is taboo. After all, snacks just add extra unnecessary calories throughout the day….right? Believe it or not, snacks are an essential part of losing weight. Studies show that those who eat 3 meals and 3 snacks a day are better able to manage their weight and achieve their weight loss goals.

The key to whether snacks are beneficial or sabotage your weight loss goals is how the snacks are composed and when they are eaten. Snacks should be around 150 calories and consist of around 10-20 grams protein and 20-40 grams of carbohydrates.

The protein should be a lean protein and the carbohydrate should consist of complex carbohydrates. An example of a good snack would be one tablespoon of peanut butter on half of a whole wheat tortilla with a couple banana slices on it. Another example would be a 100 calorie protein shake blended with a small banana. A string cheese (opt for white cheese such as mozzarella over yellow cheese) with apple slices is another example of a great snack.

Eating 3 meals and 3 snacks throughout the day can help you achieve your weight loss goals for many reasons. First, when you eat small meals and snacks every 3 hours, it helps keep your blood sugar level stabilized so that you do not have dramatic swings in your blood sugar level. Spikes in your blood sugar can lead to jitteriness and cravings while drops in blood sugar can lead to feelings of sluggishness as well as overeating. Also, eating a protein and a carb together is beneficial because the carb gives you necessary energy for your workouts, while a protein helps you feel fuller longer and more satiated.

For those who are not used to eating so often throughout the day, eating every 2.5—3 hours throughout the day may seem counterintuitive to weight loss. However, because each meal is around 350 calories and each snack is around 150, you are only consuming a total of 1500 calories which is dramatically less than the average American consumes. Because you are consuming smaller portions more frequently, this will help keep your metabolism revved up and burning at its peak which will in turn help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Your Food Overindulgence vs. Weight Loss Desire

Let me give you an example. To lose weight we determine that we need to eat right and exercise. We pick a date to start. The first thing we do is eat anything and everything we can. We figure that since we won’t be able to enjoy any of our favorite foods for the next few months, we better scarf down as much “real” food as we can. (This pre-dieting meal is dubbed “the last supper” for obvious reasons.) Come the next day, we head to the gym, determined to exercise despite the sugar hangover. We continue to exercise and eat right for the next few days and perhaps even the next few weeks without fail. Eventually, something unforeseen happens that causes us to deviate from our weight loss plan. Maybe we gave in to a piece of cake at a co-workers birthday. Or maybe we stay up late finishing a work assignment and don’t make it to the gym the next morning. Whatever the cause may be, we fill as if we failed at our resolution to lose-weight. We become angry at ourselves and then apathetic. We think “oh well, I already messed up by eating one piece of cake, I might as well eat the whole cake”. And so we completely abandon our goal to lose weight until a later time period when we repeat the whole vicious cycle over starting with the last supper and ending with apathetically eating everything we can. (Does this sound familiar?)

The example above demonstrates an all-or-nothing mentality. Too many people set themselves up for failure by demanding nothing short of perfection. The key to success, however, is not perfection but progress. Successful people set a goal and each day strive to be a little bit closer to reaching that goal than the day before. We realize that we are not perfect, and we accept that fact. To us, perfection can be seen in progression toward our goals.

At Utah’s Live-In Fitness Camp we help you get back on the right track for success. You will be educated in the best ways to overcome the challenges of daily life and truly find lasting change. We will teach you the skills needed to lose weight for good, and it can start today.

We understand the physical and emotional strain that can come with making the important lifestyle decision to choose health, well being, and fitness as a priority. That is why at Utah's Live-In Fitness Camp, our highly trained staff of chefs, massage therapists, personal trainers, nutritionist and life coaches will teach you the skills you need in order to make a true and sustainable change in your life. We provide spacious, private first class accommodations, specialized fitness training, cooking classes, and motivational support. Be immersed in a motivating environment where you can focus on your fitness and weight loss goals, and learn to change your life forever.