The Art of Snacking

Chili Cheese Fritos. When it comes to junk food snacking items, these are definitely at the top. You can't go wrong. They're delicious, they're bite size, they come in that smaller bag so you don't feel so bad eating half of it - win, win.

What's that? They're not good for you? Impossible, think about the smaller bag!

If only that were true. As much as I enjoy a Chili Cheese Frito, a food that gets a C- on the nutrition grade can't be all that good for you. And if you're like me and have the metabolism of a slug, your ass can't afford to savor a handful of those puppies. So I've had to find alternative forms of snack food that are good for me.

Now, I don't think I've perfected the art of snacking, but I try damn hard to. I think I enjoy snacking more than actually eating a whole meal. I don't know why, I just do. For instance, I get hungry around 10:30 am everyday and so I have a snack. Usually it's some fruit, yogurt, or almonds, but lately I've been famished so I eat all three.

About 1 cup of organic vanilla yogurt
Blueberries or strawberries (no more than half a cup usually)
A few whole almonds - i have these on hand as a snack at my desk anyway so I throw them in for some texture

I look forward to this snack everyday, more so than I do lunch. And when I'm done with lunch, I wait in anticipation for my afternoon snack, and then after the gym I get another small one plus dinner. So many snacks! So many opportunities to eat! My inner fat girl is loving me.

So what do I snack on? Well, it kind of depends on my mood, but mainly it's fruit and/or nuts. I eat at least two apples everyday - that's pretty standard, sometimes I have them with peanut butter (it's so delicious). Sometimes I just eat a spoonful of peanut butter by itself, right off the spoon. I have the yogurt in the morning, usually an apple with lunch, and then either some almonds or the second apple later. But, I frequently run into the problem where after I eat an apple or something, I'm still hungry. I just ate, how can I be hungry? I'm not a nutritionist nor claim to have the knowledge they do, but I try and follow the philosophy to eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full, it's pretty simple. But this is what I do and it seems to work just fine:

If I'm still hungry, I'll drink a glass of water to fill me up. Doesn't work? Try some tea - caffeine is known to suppress hunger. Still hungry? Eat in small doses, I don't go balls out and eat a whole lot of food, just eat a small amount of something I have a taste for and if I'm still hungry, eat a little more. Now, one might expect that if I eat well and follow good food philosophies that I would be a pretty trim individual. Not the case. Not yet anyway. I'm a work in progress, but I'll get there. I'm a human (duh), and I don't always make the best food choices, but I try. And lately, my efforts have stepped up because I have to order my wedding dress soon (insert panicky look here).

So, Chili Cheese Fritos, I hate to say it, but I'm going to have to take a leave of absence from you. I'll miss you greatly.

Ice cream, don't you worry, I will never leave you.

If you want some ideas and information about healthy snacking, visit the motherland of yummy, good for you snacks.