Healthy snacks?
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sophie9492015 wrote: »What do you have for a healthy snack when you feel like something junky like chocolate or ice cream?
Not snacking on crap is the hardest part for me.
Honestly, I have small "junky" treats everyday and I'm losing weight just fine. Calories are calories. Just a little ice cream or chocolate (and I mean the real stuff - none of this fake ice cream for me) keeps me from feelings completely deprived and binging on a huge amount later. I do realize, however, that a little of something for another person may actually trigger a binge. Do what's best for you.
Remember, this is a lifestyle change, so try to find something for you that is sustainable in the long term.
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livingleanlivingclean wrote: »sophie9492015 wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »I don't snack either, I generally save calories for bigger meals and dessert. But - I don't consider chocolate/icecream a snack.. . It's something I have as a treat or dessert. If I feel like those, I have those.
Wow! You're alot better than me.. dont you ever fill up your car with petrol and get tempted by a choccy or ice cream?
No.... They cost double or triple what I could get in a supermarket, and I'm normally on the way home, or to the gym or work. I also made a "no eating in the car" rule to stop random snacking and mindless eating on the run...
No eating in the car would never work for me. That would require I get up way earlier to eat breakfast on workdays, and that ain't gonna happen, lol.1 -
JaydedMiss wrote: »When i rave icecream i blend up a serving of frozen blueberries with a scoop of protein powder and water thn mix in about 6-8 icecubes. Comes out as a very thick smoothie that i can eat like melty icecream from a super cute glass. doesnt give the same creaminess but probably would made with milk. Super pretty and the yummy cold and a huge serving for very low calorie
This, but with unsweetened soy milk. Women's Best makes an ice cream protein powder. Meant to be frozen. I like it!0 -
JaydedMiss wrote: »yeah a small bowl of dry cereal is my go to lately to. Mostly cheerios with ancient grain and ill mix in a bit of reese pb cup cereal and a serving of dark chocolate chips. So satisfying but dangerously addicting lol. Great before bed
Kirkland (Costco) makes this "Ancient Grains" granola with cinnamon that is INCREDIBLE!
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livingleanlivingclean wrote: »sophie9492015 wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »I don't snack either, I generally save calories for bigger meals and dessert. But - I don't consider chocolate/icecream a snack.. . It's something I have as a treat or dessert. If I feel like those, I have those.
Wow! You're alot better than me.. dont you ever fill up your car with petrol and get tempted by a choccy or ice cream?
No.... They cost double or triple what I could get in a supermarket, and I'm normally on the way home, or to the gym or work. I also made a "no eating in the car" rule to stop random snacking and mindless eating on the run...
No eating in the car would never work for me. That would require I get up way earlier to eat breakfast on workdays, and that ain't gonna happen, lol.
Thats partly why I don't eat breakfast
I used to eat lots of meals a day, and ate them at certain times, often eating quickly and mindlessly to get them in. I found eating less meals, and sitting down to eat properly made a big difference to my satiety/satisfaction/digestion0 -
reyoflightphoto wrote: »One more note, when I started logging all my food and balancing my macros (40% carb, 30% fat, 30% protein) I have found myself no longer craving anything. I used to eat so much chocolate but now I hardly ever think about it. I think balancing your macros and eating lots of fruits and veggies satisfies your body's need for everything. But when I see something I used to crave and want it, I allow myself a small amount. If I didn't, I think I would crave it more. That of course is all in the head. lol We always want what we can't have.
I agree! I use a "three bite" rule when I am craving something sweet. I always tell my hubby to put 3 extra bites in his icecream bowl.0 -
When craving ice cream I make my own fruit ice lollies mega low in calories 100% tasty 2
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lemurcat12 wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »Obviously if you control your calories in an exacting way, it doesn't matter but for me, it's about forming a better sustainable habit and weening myself off the need for sweetness in everything (and I live in a country where they literally add sugar to EVERYTHING no lie)
I have zero need for sweetness in everything (I think many things are too sweet for my taste, and dislike sweetness in many or most savory foods and I have never understood the pleasures of sweetened coffee, as for me coffee is not supposed to be a sweet beverage). That has exactly nothing to do with whether I consume artificial sweeteners (I sometimes drink diet soda -- have been drinking Goslings Diet Ginger Beer lately, for example) or an occasional sweet dessert food.
Snacking doesn't work for me, and snacking on so called healthy foods (that often have no fewer calories or particularly different macro or nutrient profiles than what is called junk food) would not change that. On the other hand, I know it works well for others, people differ in what they find satisfying and satiating.nutmegoreo wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »I don't mean to be a partypooper but ever since my ma became a nutritionist and started telling us the stuff she's learnt, I've tried to get as few conventional snacks (chips/bars/icecream) as possible and try to find my own replacements.
Chips - baked sweet potato fries
Bars - muesli with dark chocolate and greek yogurt
Icecream - frozen banana + all natural butters (99% of peanut butters you buy at stores have tons of unhealthy stuff in it and are nowhere near natural) or dark chocolate
My only HUGE weakness is fresh coconuts. When I lived in a surf village for a few months, I had coconuts every single day without fail but they're packed with calories and fats. I still allow myself a whole fresh young coconut (water + flesh hehe) once or twice a month but it takes me a whole afternoon to finish one cos I normally read while I savor those. So worth it tho.
EDIT: Oh also, if you decide to make your own replacements, a very easy way to replace processed grain sugar/artificial sweeteners is to use raw honey and/or molasses. (:
1) There is nothing wrong with artificial sweeteners. They aren't detrimental to health and are a realistic way for people to cut down on calories.
2) Replacing sugar with honey or molasses is just trading one caloric sugar for another and is literally no different. Honey and molasses is not 'better' or 'cleaner' than regular sugar, does not save on calories, nor does your body process them any differently.
Calories are calories.
Might just be my silly belief and I know that honey/molasses carry the same, if not more calories as processed granular sugar, but I've always believed that the less processed, the more natural, the better.
Re artificial sweeteners, an ex who was pursuing a doctorate's in neuroscience explained to me that artificial sweeteners aren't healthy mainly because it doesn't activate the food reward pathways like natural sweeteners do. Something about how because you don't gain full satisfaction from the caloric intake with artificial sweeteners, you don't feel as satiated, and thus tend to seek out more food to attain the same sense of satisfaction.
Obviously if you control your calories in an exacting way, it doesn't matter but for me, it's about forming a better sustainable habit and weening myself off the need for sweetness in everything (and I live in a country where they literally add sugar to EVERYTHING no lie)
While some people may find that's true for them, I doubt it's a universal truth. Personally, if I'm craving something sweet a diet Dr Pepper works well to satisfy it.
If you have any studies supporting your friends claims, I'd love to see them. I suspect that this is more a theory than heavily supported science.
I just googled "neural receptor" and "artificial sweeteners" and this was the second result: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/mind-guest-blog/tricking-taste-buds-but-not-the-brain-artificial-sweeteners-change-braine28099s-pleasure-response-to-sweet/
Do you understand that that doesn't actually support your claim that people will all (or really, any of them, but I believe it might happen for some) want to consume sugar after drinking something with artificial sweetener?
I mean, I assume not since you posted it with no comment, but one can hope! ;-)
Haha, I never said that people will want to consume sugar after taking in artificial sweeteners.
Well, let's see, it's just a page back. You said:an ex who was pursuing a doctorate's in neuroscience explained to me that artificial sweeteners aren't healthy mainly because it doesn't activate the food reward pathways like natural sweeteners do. Something about how because you don't gain full satisfaction from the caloric intake with artificial sweeteners, you don't feel as satiated, and thus tend to seek out more food to attain the same sense of satisfaction.
That sure seems like you were saying that someone who consumes artificial sweeteners will want to consume sugar afterwards.
You then went on to say (the specific post I was responding to in the bit you quoted):Obviously if you control your calories in an exacting way, it doesn't matter but for me, it's about forming a better sustainable habit and weening myself off the need for sweetness in everything (and I live in a country where they literally add sugar to EVERYTHING no lie)
That's why I pointed out that consuming artificial sweeteners certainly has not caused me to need sweetness in everything (which IMO seems extremely odd, why would your tastes be so limited?).
It was in response to that -- as if it were some kind of rebuttal -- that you posted the link, which is why I pointed out it did not in fact suggest otherwise.
If you didn't mean to say it did, or to continue with the idea that consuming artificial sweeteners causes people to go eat sugary things, cool. It can be confusing if you don't elaborate on why you quoted a post or posted a link without more.But the key takeaway is this: "Even if you aren’t married to the clean eating fad, the take home message is that real sugar or not, moderation is key for a healthy brain-reward response. Or as Cookie Monster with his new health-motivated outlook might put it: cupcakes are a sometimes food."
Sure, and on that I don't think anyone is arguing otherwise. Again, that's why I think just quoting and posting a link can be easily misunderstood, so if I did, I'm glad you cleared it up!1 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »sophie9492015 wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »I don't snack either, I generally save calories for bigger meals and dessert. But - I don't consider chocolate/icecream a snack.. . It's something I have as a treat or dessert. If I feel like those, I have those.
Wow! You're alot better than me.. dont you ever fill up your car with petrol and get tempted by a choccy or ice cream?
No.... They cost double or triple what I could get in a supermarket, and I'm normally on the way home, or to the gym or work. I also made a "no eating in the car" rule to stop random snacking and mindless eating on the run...
No eating in the car would never work for me. That would require I get up way earlier to eat breakfast on workdays, and that ain't gonna happen, lol.
Thats partly why I don't eat breakfast
I used to eat lots of meals a day, and ate them at certain times, often eating quickly and mindlessly to get them in. I found eating less meals, and sitting down to eat properly made a big difference to my satiety/satisfaction/digestion
I'm the same way. I take public transportation to work anyway, but I would skip breakfast vs. eating while driving, and perhaps as a result it never seems remotely appealing to me.
My temptations exist, no question, but impulse snacking based on convenience stores or even the grocery store has never been one of them.
Avoiding mindless eating and unnecessary snacking (not always the same thing) has been the best thing I've done to prevent overeating.0 -
I have a fudgesickle-110 calories, or a klondike bar at 250 cal. I have both in my fridge and have finally gotten to the point where I don't binge eat them. It's taken me almost a year.5
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fiddletime wrote: »I have a fudgesickle-110 calories, or a klondike bar at 250 cal. I have both in my fridge and have finally gotten to the point where I don't binge eat them. It's taken me almost a year.
I think those are great treats, but I can't buy them because I ALWAYS binge them!1 -
Apple and peanut butter , frozen grapes , bowl of cherries , cottage cheese with fruit , a small handful of dark chocolate chips and almonds , sometimes a small piece of cheese counteracts the sweet craving for me personally , Greek yogurt , banana with drizzle of real honey and sprinkle in granola .3
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100 calories lol bArs n cookies1
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An apple or pear with 1/2 ounce of cheddar cheese. A small portion of raw almonds. A nonfat sugarless vanilla iced latte, because I'm a caffeine freak around 2 p.m. If made with almond milk instead, it's under 50 calories.2
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So about protein bars... i dont really understand why i would eat it them if im trying to lose weight? Can someone shed some light?0
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sophie9492015 wrote: »So about protein bars... i dont really understand why i would eat it them if im trying to lose weight? Can someone shed some light?
A large amount of protein "in theory" keeps you fuller longer, they tend to a source of good fats and fiber. Basically, they are the Whole Wheat Bread of Candy Bars -- they have just as many calories as a candy bar, they just have more nutrient rich stuff. No people on diets shouldn't be eating them. I have found in my diet adventure that I am wearing my skeptical hat ALL. THE. TIME.5 -
As for the snack stuff, I was always a more Savory person. I got fat eating bread not Cheese Cake but I like Beef Jerky. For sweets, though, there are a bunch of marketed "100 calorie" packs which you could always throw in as a snack.
If you like Ice Cream there is a company called "Halo Top", I have recently started trying their flavors and they are pretty solid. Each pint has about as many calories as 1/2 cup serving of Ben & Jerrys. https://www.halotop.com/2 -
sophie9492015 wrote: »So about protein bars... i dont really understand why i would eat it them if im trying to lose weight? Can someone shed some light?
A large amount of protein "in theory" keeps you fuller longer, they tend to a source of good fats and fiber. Basically, they are the Whole Wheat Bread of Candy Bars -- they have just as many calories as a candy bar, they just have more nutrient rich stuff. No people on diets shouldn't be eating them. I have found in my diet adventure that I am wearing my skeptical hat ALL. THE. TIME.
Yeah, i thought they were really for people who were trying to build muscle.
I have looked at them and thought they were high in calories and not the best snack for me.0 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »At times when nothing else but some chocolate, potato chips or ice cream will do, I simply have some and make it fit into my calorie goal for the day instead of trying to substitute things that I know just won't cut it.
Complete deprivation of the foods that I love - for me - is a sure-fire road to overindulging hell. I do, however, limit the portion size of these treats.
Your comments sum up my attitude perfectly. For this to work it has to be sustainable and if you deprive yourself of the stuff that you like and enjoy it's not going to work.2 -
I save calories at night for chocolate or ice cream (usually...tonight it's cherry pie). But if I need something to snack on during the day I have fruit and cheese.0
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