So you think you survived the Freshman 15? Well, meet its counterpart: the Summer 15. Though cafeteria food may be behind us, summertime has its fair share of indulgences. Be it BBQs, nightly ice-cream trips, camp food, or patio drinks (alcoholic or not), summer can be equally challenging for maintaining a healthy weight. Follow these easy snack ideas to keep those pesky pounds at bay for beach season!
1. It’s all about the grazing. Rather than eating 3 heavy meals a day, try having small, healthy snacks spread throughout the day instead. Keep a bag of your favorite Kashi bars or a bag of almonds (best when toasted) at your convenience and snack on that whenever you are feeling a tad bit hungry. Even Sofia Vergara from the hit TV show Modern Family agrees that people should eat “Not too much food . . . Everything in moderation”. (Courtesy of: FitSugar.com http://www.fitsugar.com/Sofia-Vergara-Fitness-Diet-Routine-18374391)
2. If you get the munchies. When you feel the need to keep your hands busy at your work place, try going to a specialty Tea Store and getting a flavour of tea that interests you. Feel free to experiment! Try the chocolate flavors, berry flavors, or green tea (I drink that twice a day!). This way you are getting what you crave without adding those pesky calories. You can also go for a latte (decaf optional); ask for skim milk and if available choose sugar-free syrups such as vanilla or hazelnut. The flavour will give you a pick-me-up, and the milk is satisfying and a great source of calcium. What’s more, we often mistake thirst for hunger, so sipping a tea or latte mid-afternoon may do the trick at easing those afternoon cravings.
3. Avoid those starches. Muffins are just cupcakes with a healthier title…don’t be fooled by the “whole grain” title; often a small whole-wheat bagel with peanut butter and jam has fewer calories and more nutrients! Try avoiding white flour (which makes you feel bloated anyways) and reach for whole-wheat, whole foods such as pita and hummus and cook with whole-wheat pasta (we found it very palatable). If you want more of a crunch grab slices of cucumber and hummus, or try whole-wheat Wheat Thins for a movie snack rather than traditional potato chips.
4. Enjoy your sweets. If you deprive yourself of what you love, it will make bingeing virtually inevitable. Treats are perfectly fine as long as you watch your portions. Frozen yogurt is an excellent option to get hooked on for the summer, and with the new Froyo trend it won’t be hard to come by. Want to make your own? Use fat-free Greek yogurt with a fruit bottom and mix so the fruit is distributed. Put the yogurt in a Ziploc bag and cut a small corner off. Take a cookie sheet and place a piece of parchment or wax paper on it. Just like icing, make tiny little dots with the yogurt (about the size of a loony) and then freeze it. There you have it, the perfect snack!
And last but not least:
5. Stay Hydrated! Avoid those pesky sodas (It is essentially liquid sugar). Keep a large bottle of water with you at all times and drink, drink, drink! This will flush your system of toxins and also help with weight maintenance. If you find it challenging to drink the recommended 8 glasses of water per day, make it more appealing by adding lemon juice, or choose Perrier as your dock drink of choice, or if you’re ordering at a restaurant.
If you follow these easy tips, you will feel healthy, satisfied, and happy, both inside and out!
Tags
Fitness, Food, snacks, summer, weight loss
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