A planned snack can actually help prevent weight gain

If you grew up believing that eating snacks between meals is a sure path to weight gain, you’ll be surprised to know that this is now outmoded thinking. In reality If you choose healthy snacks and practice portion control, you can curb hunger between meals and even lose weight doing it.

 A planned snack can actually help prevent weight gain
If you have a small snack to curb your hunger, you won’t be overeating when you sit down for lunch or dinner, which can make it easier to control how much you eat during meals.
Tips on Being a Smart Snacker:
Start with these steps to make healthy snack choices:
Snack only when you're truly hungry:
Don’t hit the vending machine or dip into the cookie jar out of boredom or frustration. Alter an emotional urge to munch with an  activity like walking ,checking e-mail or social media, or calling or texting a friend, the more physically active you are, the bigger your daily calorie deficit is.
Practice portion control:
An ounce of raw almonds (about 23 nuts) is about 160 calories and can easily fit into your healthy eating plan,but if you eat half a bag without thinking, those extra calories could be the reason of trouble. Almost any food can be worked into a healthful diet when you pay attention to portion size.
 The rule of thumb of small dose of heath everyday is that total calories in must equal total calories out.
Think small:
 If you crave for chips or chocolate, no guilt you can have. You don’t need to eat an entire bag of chips or box of cookies to be satisfied. Try  smaller portion . Research shows that portions can be satisfied as the larger portions.
Don’t confuse snacks with treats:
A treat is something you eat on a special occasion, like cake on your birthday, or pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. A smart snack is a healthyfood that helps ward off hunger pangs and is part of your day’s overall diet  plan. Yes, you can add both snacks and the occasional treat into your diet, but because treats tend to be higher in calories than snacks, you need to limit them to special occasions and keep portions small.
Don’t be fooled by “fat free” or “no sugar” labels:
“Fat free” doesn't always translate to lower caloriest. You need to review the nutrition facts label and pay special attention to the serving size and the number of calories per portion. There are many fat-free and low-fat products that are healthier option.

Here’s what to look for per serving on the label to be sure you’re choosing smart snacks:
But be sure to limit your snack to the designated portion size if the package contains more than one serving:

• 7 grams or less of fat
• 2 grams or less of saturated fat
• 0 grams of trans fat
• 15 grams or less of sugar
• 360 milligrams or less of sodium
• Nuts are the exception to the above list

Plan your snacks ahead of time:
You’ll be less tempted by the candy bar in the vending machine at work if you planned ahead and brought low-fat yogurt or some whole-wheat crackers and low-fat cheese to snack on.
Some carrot and celery sticks with peanut butter.
Time your snacks:
A study of women in the Seattle area who were overweight or obese found that they lost more weight if they had a snack between lunch and dinner than if they snacked between breakfast and lunch. The women who snacked in the afternoon also tended to eat more healthy fruits and vegetables as part of their day’s snacks and meals.
Ideas for Healthy Snacks:
Here are some ideas from the nutritionist recommends for smart snacks, for kids and adults :

• 1 cup of  trail mix of dry fruits, nuts and seeds of pumpkin.
• 1 cup of low-fat yogurt topped with 1/2 cup fresh fruit
• Fresh fruit (1 piece) or fresh vegetables (1 cup) paired with 1 to 2 tablespoons of low-fat yogurt, hummus, or avocado dip.
• 1 tablespoon of peanut butter or hummus on whole-wheat crackers (read the cracker box for serving size)
• 2 cups air-popped popcorn with an herb seasoning (no butter)
• Fruit smoothie made by blending 1 cup of nonfat yogurt with 1/2 cup juice and 1/2 cup fruit, and ice as desired; yields two 8- to 10-ounce smoothies

Feeling hungry?
There’s always room for snacks in a healthy diet if you choose them carefully and include their calories in your day’s total.