Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Healthy living ‘Snack time’

I think that snack time is what gets us in more trouble than anything else when we are striving to eat right. We can eat healthy foods for our meals but when it comes time for a snack, it gets a little tricky!

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My regular readers know that I lost 26 pounds 2 years ago and have maintained my weight now for the whole time. I haven’t gained even one pound back. And I think making better choices at snack time has helped me the most.

I lost my weight by cutting carbs and taking sugar out of my diet altogether. I did it to be healthy and as a bonus, I lost weight. My body does not tolerate sugar. I’m not a diabetic but sugar makes me feel nervous and sick. So I don’t like to eat sugar….I don’t really have a choice….sugar doesn’t like me!

But then I get hungry for salty and sweet snacks!

If you take processed sugar out of your diet, your taste buds will change. Fruit will taste so much better and you will even tasted the sweetness in some veggies, like cabbage and carrots. ( I eat a lot of cole slaw and love it!  I make a sauce with Kraft real mayo, a splash of lemon juice and a packet of Stevia to mix in freshly grated cabbage and carrots. It fills you up and qualifies as a salad!) Gala apples…YUM! Looks like I ate too many of the grapes for a good photo shoot! heehee!

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So what are some of my favorite snacks?

I can eat 2 of these cookies….only 2, if I put a little cream cheese on top of them or peanut butter. This can be a snack or a dessert with coffee.

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And Dannon has a wonderful yogurt that I like. If I want a bigger snack, I spoon out a carton of the yogurt into a bowl, slice a strawberry on top and crumble one of the Fruit thin cookies on top.

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I like to grind my own peanut butter at the grocery store….peanuts….the only ingredient!

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And this is the jelly I like best. All fruit…no sugar OR artificial sweeteners. Spreadable fruit..ahhh!

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There are more choices for bread, too. This oatmeal bread is light and yummy. Sometimes I make a piece of cinnamon toast in the afternoon with cinnamon and Stevia on top…oh and some butter!

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Since I cannot eat sugar, I have to rely on artificial sweeteners to get my chocolate fix. Russell Stovers is the best and my favorite are the Peanut Butter cups. Just one though.

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I drink lots of water, one cup of coffee in the morning and another one in the afternoon. I like tea sweetened with Stevia and I rarely have a diet soda.

For something special or for traveling, I make a coffee drink. 2/3 cold coffee, 1/3 milk and 1 TBS chocolate syrup, sugar free.

And yes, I eat cottage cheese, celery sticks with cream cheese and even carrot sticks. Cheese sticks are yummy, too. But sometimes you need something that looks more ….or ‘less’ healthy! heehee!

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I keep sugar free ice cream in the freezer. The Breyers ice cream bars with almonds in the chocolate coating are my favorite. And I like a few Sunchips with lunch sometimes.

If you are careful with your snacks and eat them in moderation, you won’t gain weight….you won’t lose weight either. To lose weight, you have to be a lot more careful about what you eat and exercise regularly. Once you’ve lost the weight, you still have to exercise regularly but you can add a few of your favorite foods back into your diet…in moderation!

I love nuts and they make me feel good! It’s the protein that gives me a boost. But when I get the bag of nuts out….any raw nut is good for you….I put a few in a bowl and put the bag of nuts away BEFORE I snack. No seconds! No going back for more! If you want more, drink a big glass of water and wait a little bit and see if you still want them. Usually you’ll get busy and forget all about them.

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Does it look like I think about food a lot? I DO! I love to eat but I also want to be healthy and happy! And it’s such a blessing to have so many good choices. We need to TAKE CONTROL and make the right ones!

Do you have a special food that is low in calories or sugar that you like to eat for a snack?

45 comments:

Anonymous said...

what great tips you've given us!
My go to snack is yogurt, or apples and almond butter, Nana Diana gave up sugar to and wheat i think, she lost weight also, so it works.wow.Small changes, big reward, thats my kind of plan!

Anonymous said...

what great tips you've given us!
My go to snack is yogurt, or apples and almond butter, Nana Diana gave up sugar to and wheat i think, she lost weight also, so it works.wow.Small changes, big reward, thats my kind of plan!

NanaDiana said...

Congratulations on giving up sugar. I am proud of you! I am right there with you. I gave up sugar on July 18th of last year and never looked back. I also gave up white flour. I do eat a bit of rye bread here and there but I don't do any pastry or sweets. I have lost a good bit of weight but would like to lose 25 more pounds. It has been life altering for me. I know that sugar was/is my drug of choice. One piece of chocolate is too much and a whole box is not enough. Thanks for a wonderful post- xo Diana

Anonymous said...

you asked if I had tips on journal making, BUY ONE READY MADE!! ha ha ha
I love that I cut and bond this journal myself but since then I found beautiful ones on Etsy I would have bought and will when this ones filled.
As for content, with art follow your heart it will tellyou what the page needs, and if you don't paint theres always stickers and stencils, I don't show all my pages on my blog, it is a personal thing so I pick and choose, its a project that I love but i won't make the book again , I will but one and then paint and write in it.

Anonymous said...

Wow, you've done really well at keeping your weight off...congratulations on that, as that is a biggy too! Thanks for sharing this posting, I enjoyed it! Kim

Della said...

Wow Diane! It's getting close to the two year mark for you! Congrats!

I wish I had stuck with it, and I was so very good, and it was so easy to say NO, until one bad choice led to many... and I have gained. Not all, but any is too much.

I like jerky, low fat mini bags of popcorn, fruit or yogurt for snacks. The snacking really isn't the problem. I like tea with real sugar in it. So bad!
Thanks for this, and I will try to remember some of the good choices you make, and use them to my advantage.
Much love,
Della

LindyLouMac said...

Well done you, it is possible to keep the weight off and eat healthily and enjoyably at the same time. :)

Anonymous said...

Those are all great tips for healthy snacking Diane. It certainly isn't good for you that for sure. I've seen first hand with myself, family or friends who have given up sugar and lost weight, had their blood sugar drop, and feel healthier. Then when sugar is added back to their diets, their health returns to what it was before.

Good for you for maintaining your healthy lifestyle for so long!

Vee said...

Lots of generous tips, Diane. You've done and are doing well. I'm very impressed.

Barbara F. said...

My problem is I lack willpower and discipline. Not easy to learn these. But I keep plugging along. I need to eliminate sugar completely. Great tips you've shared here. xo

Musings from Kim K. said...

What a great post with lots of fabulous ideas for making snacking healthy!

Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes said...

Years ago I gave up sugar in my tea, and over the past few years I've really started reading labels. I don't buy anything with high fructose corn syrup and I look at the grams now! It does make a difference! Congrats to you on your weight maintenance!

Lauren @ My Wonderfully Made said...

Wow! Did not know you lost all that weight! Way to go! I've lost 24 lbs. since my HUSBAND'S heart attack -- LOL. We're on a strict heart-healthy diet with little or no saturated fat, salt and sugar. I love the site eatbetteramerica.com and get tons of recipes from there. I still use sugar though, although I do use Stevia sometimes. My favorite snack is still rice cakes and/or the 98% fat free popcorn.

Lauren @ My Wonderfully Made said...

Wow! Did not know you lost all that weight! Way to go! I've lost 24 lbs. since my HUSBAND'S heart attack -- LOL. We're on a strict heart-healthy diet with little or no saturated fat, salt and sugar. I love the site eatbetteramerica.com and get tons of recipes from there. I still use sugar though, although I do use Stevia sometimes. My favorite snack is still rice cakes and/or the 98% fat free popcorn.

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

Great post!... and I like apple slices with peanut butter spread on them. I just discovered those newton fruit thins too.. aren't they great?

I am trying to live gluten free though, so they have been crossed off the list. That isn't easy to do, let me tell you... but I feel better already. Sugar is something I need to cut out too, I also don't feel great when I eat it.

Terri said...

Have you tried low-fat Greek yogurt?

A Garden of Threads said...

Hi Diane, That was a great post, loved all your suggestions. We cannot get some of your snacks here:( which is sad.

Unknown said...

When I get done eating this BOX of SEE's chocolates, I'll re-read your healthy tips & smack myself! Chuckle!! Great advice.

Have a lovely day ~
TTFN ~
Marydon

Susan At Glen Oaks Primitives said...

Thanks so much Diane. Your post made me aware of the diabetic friendly yogurt. Being at the bottom of the scale for Type II Diabetes I have to change my diet completely. Sugar is one of the hardest things to give up. We're doing it gradually, replaced sugar with Splenda for a start. You showed a lot of great snacking alternatives and I thank you for that!
Have a great evening.
Hugs,
Susan

Fifi Flowers said...

Those roses are GORGEOUS!!!

Sunny Simple Life said...

I had an apple with a little peanut butter for a snack but then we are going out for burgers tonight. So oh well. Moderation is the key.

Grace said...

Thanks for all the tips. I found myself nodding in agreement as I read. I have a package of those Newton cookies ( citrus and cranberry )...totally scrumptious with hot tea.
Because of asthma-troubles, I am often on Prednisone, and take a whole host of daily corticosteroids...which can lead to weight issues.

Your tips are very timely for me right now...Thank You Again for Sharing.
Have a wonderful evening.

In Him,
Grace

Olive said...

I eat strawberries and low fat cottage cheese. In fact I am getting some now. We have a berry farm a few miles from here and enjoy supporting our local farmers. Good for you for maintaining your weight.

Anonymous said...

I'm so proud of you loosing the weight but to have kept it off is a challenge. Thanks for all of the nice tips. I do well for a few days and then I fall off the wagon really hard! :)
Thanks for popping in to see me.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)

Diane Writes said...

Wow! I am really an official fan of my name mate. I admired the discipline and courage you invested from your weight loss and maintenance.

Starting the diet is hard. But I guess keeping in pace with the diet rules is harder. I wish I would also shed off 20 lbs from myself. I would actually be happy if I lose 10 lbs. You are an inspiration.

Sheila said...

Thank you for all the great tips. I think the idea of pre- measured snacks is a great idea. Your choices are all great. i love peanut butter so would enjoy making my own. It's true that good choices and controlling portions is most important in the struggle so many of us face.

Unknown said...

Great inspiration for exactly what I also need to do ! and I will !

I need to lose about 35 lbs...I just have to be serious about limiting the sugar ad the starches and exercise more..right now the only exercise i do is to do housework...and that is not enough anymore

- KAT -

Cranberry Morning said...

All good tips! I have such a thing for nuts, that I have to be really careful and do just as you suggested. Even fruit is so full of sugar that I need to either avoid it or eat some protein with it. What I love most I have started actually weighing, so that I don't overeat it. CHEESE. I from Wisconsin, so what can I say? I have a little food scale so I can actually see what an ounce looks like. Lots of ingredient lists on foods list the weight per serving. It makes a lot of difference if you really understand that the bag of Terra Chips contains 7 servings, not one. lol

Kim@Snug Harbor said...

Great post Diane. My son tony will be very proud of you for these choices.

Brenda said...

It is amazing how your tastes change when you take out sugar. I can hardly eat regular jelly after eating all-fruit jams. We've been off all soda for quite a few years. A few times I've had a sip and it tastes so syrupy.
I like a handful of almonds. I'm like you, though. I just get a small handful and put the rest back.

Ricki Treleaven said...

Doesn't it feel great eating delicious and nutritious food! Congrats on your healthy lifestyle. Great snack tips you've shared with us!

xo,
RJ

lilybets said...

I'm doing a diet....but not sure to gon on!I love eating!Roses are beautiful!

LANA said...

I loved this post on healthy eating! Two years ago I lost 35 pounds on medifast, but I have since gained it all back, because I went back to eating too many snacks. The key, I think, is to do what you did. Modify your eating on a permanent basis. I am also a sugar/carb addict and that is my downfall, I get too many cravings and I am always hungry. I have started making changes and your post came up just in time! Thanks so much for the tips. You look health and happy and are an inspiration!

Susan (Between Naps On The Porch.net) said...

Sugar is definitely my downfall. Thanks for all these great tip and suggestions!

Savories of life said...

I am going to do a post on snacks one can eat and be heathy on Tuesday

It's Just Dottie said...

I lost forty pounds eight years ago
and have kept it off . I eat alot like you small portions, great vegetables, and I have never liked real sweet things. Thanks for your great tips!!1
Dottie

penny said...

Congratulations on maintaining your weight, Diane. Its not easy to do without a lot of willpower.
I love all your healthy eating tips. Thanks so much for sharing them.
Be well and happy :)

SImple and Serene Living said...

You eat a lot like I do, Diane. I don't eat processed sugar either. It makes me feel sick and jumpy, too. I am still waiting to hear back on my test for diabetes, but I already eat healthy.
Hugs,
Laura

Little Susie Home Maker said...

Wow, this is such a great post! I need more of them. It helps to get me motivated. It used to be keep me motivated, as I ate mostly just like this for several years. I have slowly let a few bad habits creep into my diet. I am not a diabetic, but believe that sugar, and mostly all the high fructose corn syrup is poison to our bodies. Causing way too much inflammation.
What a great post. I am encouraged to go by some more health snacks again.
Blessings,
Susie

Completely Coastal said...

Some great stuff to eat! However I heard that artificial sweeteners in sugar free or low sugar products are really bad for you. Something to consider? My snack? Since I usually eat breakfast in the late morning (whole wheat toast with only 1g of sugar per serving, real butter, no jam and coffee without sugar), I snack on fruit mostly, sometimes a few chips (no sugar there, but some fat and salt). Over all I try to keep a low sugar, low sodium diet.

BECKY said...

Yummm....everything looks great. My favorite low calorie snack is yogurt! I could almost live on it! Plain, or with fresh fruit, and/or granola. Mmm..! Have a beautiful weekend, Diane!

Tammy said...

These are some great snacking tips Diane! I've lost 10.4 pounds my first month at Weight Watchers. I'm well on my way to shedding these pounds I gained when I quit smoking last year. I can't wait to be thin AND a non-smoker!! I don't have the problem with sugar that you do, so I also keep 40 calorie popsicles in the freezer when my sweet tooth starts acting up. I can't buy nuts, as I don't have the will power to stay out of them. Maybe that will come when I reach my goal weight.

a beach house in Montana said...

Just found your blog how funny I to stopped eating any sugars and flours or gluten I to have lost about forty pounds of fat around my whole body I haven't felt or looked this good in over 15 yrs I'm so proud to have done this ill never go back to eating that bad stuff again I'm bargaining to bake with stevia making cheese cake chocolate moose and flourless chocolate torte yummy deserts come by my blog abeachhouseinmontana.blogspot.com

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

Way to go on your weight loss! I lost 30 pounds over 12 years ago and have kept it off. I watch my protein and carbs. One of my favorite snacks is a string cheese with about 2 cups of popcorn. I started on "The Zone" diet and just kept it up. I eat lots of salads, too, with protein. I'm with you, if I have protein, I don't get hungry for awhile. Hugs to you!!

Rose said...

Well, I wondered if it was refined sugar that bothered you but was embarrassed to ask. Think it might sound crazy, so put sugar in the sear box and this post was the first that popped up and it answered my questions.

Funny you mention carrots....I think they are so sweet, and I think cabbage is, too. And I eat sweets, but probably shouldn't.

But going to tell you this since this is an old post. When I had the accident last February...I just had to make myself eat for the longest time. But I craved carrots and would just have to have a few several nights. It was the strangest thing to crave, or at least in my opinion.