Snacking is bad... here's how to make it a little better

When adhering to a fitness or weight loss goal most of us realize that nutrition is a fundamental part of the plan and it can literally make or break the outcome, yet it is increasingly difficult to stay away from snacking and eating for indulgence, stress relief, or just for the pure pleasure of tasting something that we know is "forbidden"; breaking the rules!

And in all honesty, can anyone not deviate from the daily calorie plan and turn down every single temptation and not ever buy ice cream, chips, cookies and chocolate? Stuff that mostly has no nutritional value but does have tremendous "psychological" value. Stuff from which we preach to stay away, stuff that makes us "blow" our diet, stuff that is evil and made us fat in the first place. Can anyone be so disciplined, all of the time, really?

I know. NO! I know I can't. And you can't either. We have different "triggers" and different vices but cheating backwards a little bit may help balance the scale back to where it should be.
The following are tips to make a bad snack better or even good. I don't have a solution for everything but I know I feel better when I cheat "back" and make a smart(er) decision while indulging a little.

For chocolate fans:
Find Hersey's whole bean squares, made with whole cocoa beans that contain almost 40% less sugar. They are individually wrapped and delicious! Don't eat the whole bag, there aren't a lot of pieces in it.
Or take the dark chocolate covered almonds, or pomegranate or blueberries. And portion. A few pieces at a time.

For chip lovers:
Try my favorite pretzel sticks from Snyders, they are organic and crunchy and you can portion them easier. They are also whole grain.

For condiment users:
Go for mustard, and mustard only! It is my absolute favorite condiment and it is available in many different flavours and textures and gives sandwiches and burgers (should you eat those terrible things!) a great flavour. No mayo and no ketchup, they're fat and sugar laden, bad, bad stuff. Do you really need extra calories with a burger anyway?

For sweet tooths:
Ginger. I love it! It comes in different forms, you can also buy some fresh roots and grind it, use it in smoothies and add it to dishes. I even like the crystallized ones that are covered in sugar... or the pickled ones that are in a jar. Great little root and very good for you!

For ice cream likers:
Make your own, from fresh or frozen fruit, you can even add a teaspoon of sugar or some fruit juice and make a delicious sorbet in minutes, portion it well, and vary the flavours as you wish, can you think of anything better?

To keep you occupied with chewing:
My all time favorite snack, the apple. Eat 3 a day if you want. It takes a while. It cleans your tooths. It's good for you, no hidden dangers. Just don't dip it in caramel or candy coating!

Ok, I've run out, but if I think of anything else I'll add it to the list. I hope this helps...
Please look for my Daily Assessment Point System to be posted on my website, that will help you identify your problem areas and give you a clearer picture of where you fall short and what to improve in your daily fitness and nutrition. It will be posted soon.