What to eat when you're losing weight. Features of healthy and proper snacks. Boiled meat and fish

Eating food after 2.5 - 3 hours promotes good functioning of the stomach and the entire digestive tract. Metabolism improves, vitamins are absorbed better, fats are broken down faster. We do not feel hunger, which means we do not transmit it at the next meal. This promotes weight loss.

Snacks should be arranged between main meals. Portions should not be large, but sufficient to satisfy hunger, calorie content 100-150 calories.

A serving should consist of two products and contain protein, vitamins and minerals.

I tested it on myself, the effect of snacking on weight loss is positive. For me, everything happens like this: in the morning at 6.30 I have a hearty breakfast, before lunch, which at 12 o’clock I have 1-2 snacks. Dinner happens at 20.00, there are one or two meals before dinner, it depends on how long is left before it.

Snacks prevent us from overeating at main meals.

Light snacks in the morning

• – this is the best snack, it activates digestion and cleanses the intestines. It is good to choose sweet apples. One apple is not enough, add a sandwich of black bread and fish.
• A glass with a spoon of bran will satisfy your hunger for a long time.
• Berries – these can be frozen or fresh berries. Raspberries are especially useful.
• Oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, kiwi, pineapple.
• Fresh cabbage salad with olive oil or natural yogurt (for example, Activia). You can add cucumber and pepper to the cabbage. This snack is perfect for any time.
• Salad of fresh cucumber and herbs, dressed with yogurt. The salad can be dressed with fermented baked milk or kefir.
• Just cut tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, radishes onto a plate.
• A handful of unsalted nuts, whatever you like.
• Sandwich with a thin slice of avocado and a piece of grain bread.

The break between lunch and dinner can be long and we will definitely want to eat. If we endure and wait for dinner, the following will happen - at dinner you will eat the “elephant”, almost without chewing. In the meantime, you are waiting for the evening meal, the body will put some fats in reserve, that’s how it works.

So learn to snack and drink water. Sometimes a few sips of water will satisfy your hunger because it was just thirst.

Afternoon options

• with dried fruits.
• A glass of kefir with the addition of herbs or bran.
• Sandwich with fatty fish and black bread.
• Hard boiled egg.
• Carrots, turnips, radishes, cucumber.
• A glass of yoghurt or fermented baked milk with a handful of bran.
• Cabbage in the form of a salad with various additives in the form of cucumbers and peppers.
• A cup of boiled buckwheat.
• Boiled beans.
• A piece of boiled chicken wrapped in a lettuce leaf.

There are a lot of snack options, diversify and use them, it will only benefit your health and excess fat will not be stored.
I will be very glad if you find these simple and easy snacks useful.

Another tip: take food with you to work or school; you can put it in a small container or just in your purse if it’s fruit. Colleagues will drink tea and cake, and you will have a healthy and healthy snack.
I wish you good health and good mood!

I suggest watching an interesting video about the benefits of snacks.

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Judging by the data recent ROMIR survey, more than half of us prefer completely unhealthy snacks - cookies, cakes and buns. Completely empty calories, sugar, fat and no feeling of fullness after half an hour.

Nutritionist Marianna Trifonova, author of the book “How to Live to Be Slim and Healthy,” calls this haphazard eating of everything that comes to hand. “The most harmful thing is the endless drinking of tea with buns, cakes, sweets, as well as the daily consumption of pizza and French fries, not to mention sweet carbonated water,” she lists. — Sandwiches with white bread and fatty sausage or cheese, plus butter. If such snacks are repeated day after day, they will not lead to any good.”

There is nothing wrong with having 3-4 snacks throughout the day. On the contrary, in this way you can reduce the portions of lunch and dinner and maintain a slim figure. But it’s important to arrange snacks consciously. “When I watch what I eat, I usually snack on fruit, unsweetened yogurt, low-fat cheese and crackers,” says Katerina Nikitina, founder of the Delicious Diet culinary community. — During the “unconscious” period, I can eat both cookies and a piece of cake. All this seems to accidentally fall into my mouth, my memory refuses to register it, and in the end I’m perplexed: why do I only eat healthy things, but don’t lose weight?”

Choose the right time

“The best time for a snack is a second breakfast around 12 o’clock and an afternoon snack at 5 o’clock in the evening,” advises Marianna Trifonova. “It is this time sequence that will allow you to not overeat at dinner, which is most often the reason for gaining excess weight.”

Make allowances for your last meal

“If your breakfast was hearty, have a snack not after two hours, but after three or four and eat something light, like yogurt or fruit,” advises nutritionist Ekaterina Belova, chief physician of the Center for Personal Dietetics “Nutrition Palette” and presenter of free seminars about healthy eating and weight loss. “On the contrary, we unexpectedly ate a lot during the afternoon snack - a hot dish, salad, dessert - limit ourselves to a glass of fermented baked milk for dinner.”

Achieve balance

A good snack gives you a feeling of fullness, is quickly digested and does not overload the stomach. “You can chop some greens and a little vegetables into soft cottage cheese and spread it all on bread. It takes no more than a couple of minutes,” says Katerina Nikitina.

According to Ekaterina Belova, this can be vegetable soup or salad, a dairy product, fruits and berries in season. The most underrated snacks, in her opinion, are boiled corn, a sandwich with grain bread/bread, cottage cheese, cucumber, tomato and lettuce, fruit jelly or thick milk-fruit jelly.

“I am categorically against snacking on fruit juices and smoothies - they sharply raise blood sugar levels,” says Ekaterina. - For the same reason, if you are going to snack on candy, do it right after lunch, when you have eaten something fatty and with fiber. Then absorption occurs more slowly, and you don’t feel hungry after half an hour.”

Marianna Trifonova encourages combining solid and liquid foods during snacks. “This makes all the taste buds work, activates enzymes, and the process of digestion is much more intense.” Her favorite healthy snacks are a tuna sandwich with lettuce, baked apples, unsweetened yogurt, a sandwich with whole grain bread and low-fat soft cheese. Drinks include freshly brewed black tea or cocoa.

Break stereotypes

It’s firmly stuck in my head: it’s good to snack on apples, nuts, dried fruits, etc. The problem is that it’s hard for me to stop at one apple or five nuts - I immediately want more. But let’s say 100 g of nuts is already 600 kcal. A woman with a sedentary job, like me, needs a maximum of 1700-1800 kcal per day. In addition, store-bought muesli bars are confusing with a wild amount of additives and preservatives.

“Apples, like grapes, cause increased production of gastric juice in many people and thereby stimulate appetite,” says Ekaterina Belova. — If you notice that it’s difficult to stop eating some products, find a replacement for them. For example, instead of apples, eat a banana.”

The expert also doesn’t trust store-bought muesli bars, primarily because of the large amount of sugar. “Look at the composition,” advises the nutritionist. “If sugar is listed in first or third place, don’t take it, there’s too much of it.”

“As a matter of principle, I never eat nuts,” Katerina Nikitina supported me. “Although they are very healthy, you can get too carried away and not notice how you eat a thousand calories, or even one and a half.”

If the yogurt is unsweetened. Cheese - soft, low-fat or hard, but with a fat content of up to 15%. Crispbread - rye or multigrain biscuits without salt.

Prepare snacks at home

“My favorite snacks are those that don’t need to be cooked,” admits Katerina Nikitina. — The ideal option is fruit. You eat and you’re free to go for a walk until lunch. But preparing snacks for future use is also a great option. You can quickly make broccoli balls, dry apples, fruit marshmallows, or bake diet cookies.”

They last a long time, are easily transported (if you need to take them to work) and do not interfere with your concentration on matters more important than food itself. The best recipes are in our table.

5 healthy snacks

Nutritionists convince everyone who is desperate to lose weight - snacking is healthy, and in addition, it helps maintain optimal weight. Also, such “quick food” is indispensable when traveling, hiking, at work, or studying. However, the main condition is to follow the regime and eat only healthy and nutritious foods.

Frequent, fractional consumption of food allows the body to maintain high-quality and fast metabolism, helps the gastrointestinal tract work in the correct mode, and absorb nutrients in the right quantity and in a timely manner.

By eating at least 5-6 times a day, you will give your body the necessary supply of energy. This will allow you to avoid overeating during main meals and control your own appetite.

Benefits of healthy snacking include:

• Frequent and small meals prevent hunger from developing. Many who have been on diets “break” from the regime, since the constant feeling of an empty stomach does not allow them to concentrate on anything else. Eating frequently helps relieve hunger and the stress it causes. In addition, it is psychologically easier to stay on a diet if you know that in an hour and a half you can have a light snack, rather than painfully waiting for lunch or dinner.
• Moderate appetite. Snacks prevent you from getting too hungry, so you can have smaller meals, including main meals. Even if you eat once a day, during this meal you will eat much more calories than the body needs, which means they will “go” into fat cells.
• Good digestion. Several years ago, the principles of separate nutrition began to become popular. They are based on the fact that different products do not combine with each other due to their chemical properties. They may also not be properly absorbed by the body. For example, fruits are extremely poorly combined with any other products - they provoke the processes of rotting and fermentation in the gastrointestinal tract. This has a negative impact on your well-being. Snacking on fruits separately from other foods will have a positive effect on your health.
• Deep sleep. Those who are losing weight know very well how difficult it can be to sleep with an empty stomach. However, if you go to bed immediately after a heavy meal, then sleep will also not bring satisfaction and rest. Therefore, proper snacks guarantee healthy sleep. By eating small meals, you will not overeat at dinner and will be able to eat a light product immediately before bed.

Basic rules for healthy snacking

To ensure that snacks bring maximum benefits, follow these basic rules:

1. Quality of snacks. For a dish to be healthy, its composition should be clearly understood. Be sure to consider not only the calorie content of the snack, but also the glycemic index of the foods that are included in it. A good snack shouldn't be too high in calories, it should be nutritious. That is, it should be based on proteins, fiber, and slow carbohydrates. This will not harm the figure and will satiate you for a long time. For example, for women with an average weight of 60 kilograms, the number of calories consumed daily should be about two thousand. Divide this number by 5-6 meals to get the average calorie content for each snack.
2. Number of snacks. The average waking time for a healthy person is about 16 hours. The number of meals during this time should be 2-3 times and 4-5 additional snacks. You should not eat too often, otherwise you may get carried away and eat more calories than you should. The optimal distance between meals is no more than three hours. To get used to eating this way, you can even set an alarm clock at first.
3. Think over the menu in advance. It is important to know in advance what you will be snacking on during the day so that you do not end up hungry and there is nothing healthy in the refrigerator that could be used as a snack. Be sure to purchase “healthy” foods for future use. You can even make a schedule for yourself of what and when you will eat. You should always have fresh fruits, bran bread, eggs, boiled chicken and beef, dairy products, nuts, etc. in stock.
4. Drink enough water. Often the feeling of thirst can be confused with hunger. So, keep a water bottle with you regularly or take it with you on the go. If you suddenly feel hungry, try drinking, maybe the feeling will go away. After 20 minutes you can have a snack if you want. In any case, drink as much fluid as possible to keep your metabolic processes running smoothly.
5. Breakfast should be 30 minutes after waking up. Blood sugar levels will also raise your vitality. The ideal food for the morning is porridge. It will help launch metabolic processes and the digestive system. To avoid monotony, mix: one breakfast with porridge, the second - scrambled eggs with toast. You can use fruits as a morning snack. They are nutritious and contain many antioxidants.
6. Lunch should be five hours after breakfast. There is no need to load your stomach too much - you can eat a salad and something protein. As a snack, you can eat something nutritious - nuts, yogurt, cottage cheese.
7. Dinner three hours after the last snack. The menu should include foods rich in carbohydrates, fiber and proteins. The last snack before bed can be a fermented milk product or fruit.

What can you have for a snack with proper nutrition?

If you have about two hours left before your main meal, then the snack should not be based solely on light carbohydrates, as they can cause a rapid jump in blood glucose followed by a drop. In this case, the feeling of hunger will return quickly, and eating will still be far away. This threatens to place increased stress on the pancreas, which can lead to the development of diabetes in the future. A “paired” snack would be optimal - protein combined with light carbohydrates. This will ensure a smooth release of carbohydrates into the blood. Suitable products are: any fermented milk product + fruits (berries), low-fat cheese + vegetables.

If the main meal is planned no earlier than three hours later, then it is recommended to snack on foods based on complex carbohydrates. These may be more complex combinations. For example, whole grain bread (without yeast), vegetables, herbs; hard cheese, chicken breast, eggs, lean fish, vegetables; sushi rolls; cottage cheese casserole; vegetables, whole grain cereals that do not require long cooking - buckwheat, flaxseed porridge. However, this category does not include various muesli, since they contain a lot of simple carbohydrates, sugar and often artificial fillers.

Dark chocolate can be included in this snack. However, it should not be consumed in large quantities (more than 25 grams) and as an independent dish.

If you do not have the opportunity to have a snack, it is recommended to have herbal or green tea with you. It can be packaged, but it is best to buy it from a pharmacy chain. This drink will protect the bile ducts from stagnation and soothe “hunger” cramps.

What not to do when snacking on a healthy diet when losing weight

Also considered bad snacks are:

1. Fast food products. This category includes various hamburgers, sandwiches, hot dogs, shawarma, etc. However, in many fast food establishments you can currently find a “healthy menu” - sandwiches with herbs, vegetables, salads.
2. Pies. It is especially harmful to snack on baked goods made from yeast dough, since it can provoke fermentation in the gastrointestinal tract and belongs to the category of light carbohydrates - a lot of calories and a quickly passing feeling of fullness.
3. Various bars, cookies, corn sticks, snacks, chips. These “dry” foods provoke dehydration of the body and cause dysfunction of the biliary system. This leads to a feeling of fatigue, weakness, lethargy, and decreased performance.
4. Excessively fatty foods: fatty meat, caviar, red fish. This type of product can be effectively absorbed by the body only if the digestive system is active. And this is only possible during a full meal.
5. Dry soups, instant noodles, etc.. These products contain a huge amount of chemicals. Eating them is strictly not recommended.
6. Pure nuts. They are dry and have a very concentrated nutrient composition. If you eat them as an independent dish, you can provoke stagnation of bile in the bile ducts. It is optimal to use them in combination with juicy vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and others.
7. Coffee. It should not be drunk on an empty stomach and is absolutely not suitable as a snack, as it blocks the activity of the gallbladder and disrupts the digestive process. It is recommended to drink it no earlier than half an hour after the main meal.

Recipes for proper snacks

Healthy snacks play a vital role in maintaining optimal blood glucose levels throughout the day. Eating protein snacks is especially beneficial. In addition, it is important that they are easy and quick to prepare, and also easily transported to any place.

The right first snack

You can take cottage cheese of any fat content, depending on whether you want to lose weight or gain muscle mass. Add a handful of berries, such as strawberries or blueberries, to 100-150 grams of fermented milk product. They add a dose of antioxidants and vitamins to your snack. If the mixture seems a little dry, add low-fat kefir.

This quick dish is especially useful after physical activity. Cottage cheese contains the amino acid glutamine. It will help restore muscles after training.

The right second snack

All components should be thoroughly mixed and divided into several portions - from four to six. These convenient snacks can be carried with you to work throughout the week as a second lunch.

Snack options for proper nutrition on the road

• Turkey, hummus and avocado rolls. Turkey is a dietary meat. For the rolls you will need pieces of brisket. Avocados also contain healthy vegetable oil. In general, one serving of rolls contains about 100 kilocalories and 8 grams of complete protein. To prepare you will need: a couple of slices of boiled turkey meat, the same amount of avocado, one tablespoon of hummus. Cut the meat into thin slices. Spread each one with hummus and place on top of the avocado. Roll into a roll shape. The snack is ready.
• High protein smoothie. This drink can be poured into a thermos or bottle and taken with you on the road. It’s easy to prepare: just mix all the ingredients in a blender and beat for a minute. To prepare, you will need the following ingredients: a glass of unsweetened coconut milk, a glass of baby spinach, one banana, a couple of tablespoons of almond butter, two teaspoons of vanilla extract, a quarter cup of whey, ice to taste.
• Roasted chickpeas. This is a great snack for those who love a variety of snacks. But, unlike most similar products, chickpeas fried in spices contain little fat and a lot of protein. In addition, spices improve metabolism and are good for the heart. To prepare, take a couple of glasses of chickpeas, a tablespoon of olive oil, one and a half teaspoons of chili, the same amount of cumin, salt to taste, a little cayenne pepper. We wash and dry the chickpeas. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, mix the ingredients in a large container so that all the chickpeas are covered with spices. Bake on a baking sheet, stirring the chickpeas from time to time. The finished product should be golden brown and crispy.

Snacks on healthy eating at work

1. Super Protein Chocolate Seed. This delicacy is easy to prepare and has an original taste. You can prepare it for future use and store it in the refrigerator, taking a portion with you to work. Ingredients: 12 dates, a quarter cup each of hemp seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, cocoa powder, raw cocoa nibs, half a teaspoon of vanilla extract, a pinch of cinnamon, sea salt to taste. Place the pitted dates in a food processor and grind to a paste. Add hemp seeds, sesame seeds, chia, cocoa, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Mix thoroughly and add cocoa nibs. The resulting mass should be sticky. We form small balls from it and freeze them in the freezer.
2. Banana fritters. Pancakes are not only good for breakfast, they can also be taken to work as a snack. They are very easy to prepare. You will need a couple of eggs, one banana, a handful of wheat flour (preferably with bran). Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and fry the pancakes in a frying pan greased with vegetable oil.
3. Black beans in pita bread. This hearty snack can even be used as a full “work” lunch. To prepare we will need: half a cup of canned black beans, half a teaspoon of cumin, a couple of tablespoons of canned corn, a quarter of an avocado, a couple of pita bread or tortillas made from whole grain flour. Grind the avocado and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Spread a thin layer of the mixture onto the pita bread and roll it into a tube.

Some of them, on the contrary, prefer to avoid snacking and feel the whole burden. But others still use a snack as a full meal, then cutting back on the amount of food for the main course. Let's figure it out: is snacking harmful or beneficial?

Many nutritionists say that snacking between meals is very healthy. When we eat little and often, blood sugar levels do not change, but metabolism, on the contrary, increases. The most important thing is to find a healthy and high-quality snack for yourself.

What can't you snack on?

Also, don't get carried away with baking. It contains a large amount of carbohydrates, which pass through the gastrointestinal tract quite quickly and the feeling of hunger will return to you in a short period of time. In order to snack and lose weight, you need to choose snacks that contain a lot of fiber. These snacks include: fruits, beans, vegetables, whole grains. Below are the options.

9 healthy, low-calorie snacks

Option 1. Foods containing soluble fiber

Option 2. Protein products

Option 3. Nuts

Option 4. Yogurt

Option 5. Whole fruits

Option 6. Whole grains

Option 7. Vegetables

Option 8. Dried fruits

Option 9. Dairy

In addition to the three main meals, a well-balanced diet should also include some low-calorie snacks. Just a few hours after breakfast, our blood glucose levels drop and we find it difficult to maintain concentration. A glass of water and a light, low-calorie snack can solve the problem.

A properly chosen snack allows you to keep your energy level high and also prevent you from overeating, which can lead to gaining extra pounds (as you know, severe hunger often makes you eat more than your body needs).

Low-calorie snack

Find ideas for these low-calorie snacks below. The most important advantage is that none of them require cooking. A simple and correct selection of products will help you satisfy your hunger and the body’s need for essential substances without harming your figure.

1) Low-calorie snack - 1 hard-boiled egg and 1 small carrot = 100 kcal.

Eggs and carrots will help prevent eye diseases and support vision due to their high content of lutein and vitamin A.

2) Low-calorie snack - 1 pear and 1 slice of cheese = 100 calories.

Pears help prevent stress and improve memory. Dairy products also provide the body with probiotics, which are good for skin and hair.

3) Low-calorie snack - 1 slice of rice bread spread with soft cream cheese and 2 pieces of figs = 100 calories.

Figs are a rich source of potassium, fiber and calcium. Helps control blood pressure, prevent constipation and indigestion, and helps maintain weight at an appropriate level.

4) 100 ml low-fat natural yogurt, ½ cup whole grain cereal, ½ cup pomegranate seeds = 100 calories.

Pomegranate is a valuable source of vitamins A, C, E and folic acid. It has a beneficial effect on the heart and blood circulation, and prevents the development of cancer cells. At the same time, sugar-free whole grain cereals are low in fat and low in calories. Provide the body with plenty of nutrients and fiber.

5) Low-calorie snack - one serving of oatmeal (28 g) = 100 kilocalories.

Oatmeal is a source of soluble and insoluble fiber. Their daily consumption improves blood circulation and regulates blood pressure. This product also has a number of other benefits: the cereal lowers bad cholesterol, reduces the risk of diabetes, increases energy levels and helps with dieting.

6) Low-calorie snack - 2 tablespoons of shelled pumpkin seeds = 95 kcal.

7) Low Calorie Snack - 1 apple and ½ tablespoon peanut butter = 95 calories.

Apples have many health benefits: they reduce the risk of cancer, prevent heart disease, help control asthma, and their daily consumption reduces the need for insulin. It’s not for nothing that they say: eat apples in the morning and you won’t go to the doctors.

Peanut butter is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for normal body function.

8) A serving of gingerbread or plain gingerbread = 95 kcal.

It's hard to find a dessert that is as tasty and healthy at the same time. But the gingerbread meets these two conditions. It is low in calories, low in fat, but at the same time rich in fiber and vitamins.

9) Snack - one small banana = 90 kcal.

Bananas consist mainly of fiber and sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose). For this reason, they are an excellent source of energy that lasts for a long period of time. In addition, this fruit contains a lot of potassium, iron and vitamin B6. Helps reduce symptoms of depression, anemia, get rid of constipation, prevent high blood pressure, improve the functioning of the nervous system, and has a positive effect on bone health.

10) 1 glass of tomato juice = 70 calories.

11) 1 apple = 52 calories.

The fact that eating an apple a day every day will help you improve your health is unshakable. This fruit does not contain fat and cholesterol, but occupies a leading position among all fruits in terms of pectin content (natural dietary fiber). Apples reduce the risk of colon cancer, protect against high blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol.

12) 50g strawberries and 50g cream cheese = 42 calories.

Strawberries contain many beneficial substances, including those with antioxidant properties. It is a rich source of vitamin C, K, magnesium, folic acid, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B5, B6, copper, Omega-3 fatty acid. Cream cheese is an excellent source of protein and calcium.

Based on the above list and calorie content table, you can easily create your own list of healthy snacks so that you don’t have to rack your brains over this issue every day. It may include vegetables, fruits and dried fruits, nuts, dairy and fermented milk products. The main rule is that if you are on a diet, then one such snack should not exceed 100 calories.

The list of snacks can also include options with minimal preparation - for example, a salad with tomato and cucumber, sprinkled with any nuts. Or a salad of boiled beets, garlic or onions and sunflower oil (you can also add raisins). Another option is a salad of eggs, sweet peppers and cherry tomatoes, dressed with olive oil. Consider different sandwich options (for example, with red fish and lettuce) for quick preparation. The main thing is to take as a basis not a white loaf or roll, but whole grain pastries or bread with bran.