"It would make sense to stop eating [when you are trying to lose weight], but it actually works in the opposite way," says Kimberly Lummus, MS, RD, Texas Dietetic Association media representative and public relations coordinator at the Austin Dietetic Association in Austin, Texas.
Calories and Your Health
The most effective way to lose weight is to consume fewer calories than you expend, creating a calorie deficit. But if your calorie intake dips too low, says Lummus, your body could go into starvation mode. "Your body will start to store fat because it thinks it is not going to get anything," says Lummus. "You will be at a point where your body is kind of at a standstill."
We all know that tension can wreak havoc on our eating patterns. But the right (healthy!) foods can often help tame mindless munching and cravings and, better yet, actuallylower overall anxiety and its symptoms. Eight of our favorites:
Dark Chocolate
High in flavonoids, which are lauded for their relaxing properties (chamomiletea is another great source), chocolate also contains phenethylamine, a chemical that enhances your mood. The darker the chocolate, the more healthy substances you're getting in your diet, so look for bars that are 70 percent cacao or higher.
Skim Milk
Turns out that a glass of warm milk really is calming. One study found that women who drank four or more servings of lowfat or skim milk every day were about half as likely to experience stress-related PMS symptoms than those who drank less than one serving a week.
Oatmeal
Carbs help you produce serotonin, a calming hormone that helps fight anxiety's negative effects-which is probably why many of us crave them when we're stressed. Go with the craving and choose healthy sources. Oatmeal is high in fiber, which means that your body will absorb it slowly. In one fell swoop, you'll prolong the serotonin boost, keeping yourself feeling full for longer (and on less) and making sure your blood sugar's in check.
Salmon
Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids-abundant in fish like salmon-can help reverse stress symptoms by boosting serotonin levels, and that an omega-3-rich diet can also help suppress the production of the anxiety hormones cortisol and adrenaline.
Walnuts
They've been shown to help lower blood pressure, which is critical for those whose hearts are already working overtime thanks to high adrenaline levels. In fact, research so strongly backs their health benefits that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration goes so far as to recommend 1 1/2 oz per day.
Sunflower Seeds
A good source of folate, which helps your body produce a pleasure-inducing brain chemical called dopamine.
Spinach
Studies show that magnesium, which you'll find in leafy greens like spinach, improves your body's response to stress.
Blueberries
Their antioxidants counteract the effects of stress hormones like cortisol on your body.
Believe it or not, snacks can actually strengthen your calorie-counting efforts. Simply making a healthy snack choice could keep you happier and more successful with your diet.
“If you go too long without eating, you are hungrier than you would be without a snack,” says Catherine Bethea Dempsey, RD, LD, dietitian and research coordinator at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Starve yourself and you are likely to overcompensate at your next meal, warns Dempsey, adding, “A 150-calorie snack will save you more than that at dinner.”
Calorie Counting and Snacks
There are a few rules to follow if you want this snack strategy to work:
Best Snacks for Your Diet
Dempsey suggests snacks that offer “a bit of fat, carbohydrates, and protein.” This combination is likely to help ward off hunger longer, making it a smart use of calories. Her specific recommendations include:
Best Vending Machine Snacks
It’s almost inevitable that one day you will find yourself with no option but to faint from hunger or put your dollar in a vending machine. Have no fear — you can still make a choice that will not ruin your calorie counting.
“The best thing is to get a bottle of water and a granola bar,” says Dempsey. Almost every vending machine offers granola bars, but if you are faced with one that doesn’t, choose pretzels over chips, Dempsey advises.
Tempting as chocolate might be, avoid it. High-sugar snacks will simply put you back in the cycle of sugar highs and lows, which means that kind of snack won’t help you hold off hunger for long. The peanuts or almonds in some candies may be good for you, but they don’t make up for the total damage.
Though it doesn’t offer any nutrition, that old standard, sugarless gum, may be a good choice. A recent study of 115 adults showed that those who chewed sugarless gum about once an hour for three hours between lunch and a mid-afternoon snack ate 40 fewer calories in snacks than those who did not chew gum.
The bottom line on snacks: Making the right choices can keep your calorie counting and weight-loss goals on track.
Servings
PER SERVING (4 "crab rangoonies"): 140 calories, 1.5g fat, 618mg sodium, 20g carbs, 1g fiber, 2g sugars, 9g protein -- POINTS® value 3*Dreamy PB Chocolate Ravioli Puffs PER SERVING (4 "ravioli puffs"): 157 calories, 4.5g fat, 242mg sodium, 25g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 2g sugars, 5g protein -- POINTS® value 3*Sweet pillows of desserty goodness! This recipe's a delicious and guilt-free way to satisfy your urge for PB & C (peanut butter and chocolate). Heads up: These need to freeze for an hour before being cooked! Ingredients: 2 Mousse Temptations by Jell-O snack cups, Dark Chocolate Decadence or Chocolate Indulgence 2 tbsp. reduced-fat creamy peanut butter, room temperature 16 small square wonton wrappers (often stocked near the tofu i n the fridge section of the market) 1/4 cup Fat Free Reddi-wip, divided Optional: powdered sugar Directions: To make the filling, gently swirl together mousse and peanut butter in a bowl -- don't over-stir, but make sure PB is evenly distributed. Set aside. Set out a wide plastic container (or a few mid-sized ones), and make sure you've got room in your freezer. Lay two wonton wrappers flat on a clean, dry surface. Spoon a little less than 1 tbsp. filling into the center of each wrapper. Moisten all four edges of each wrapper by dabbing your fingers in water and going over the edges smoothly. Fold the bottom left corner of each wrapper to meet the top right corner, forming a triangle and enclosing the filling. Using your fingers or the prongs of a fork, press firmly on the edges to seal. Repeat with all remaining wrappers and filling, placing each raviolo flat in the container(s). (Yup, that's really the singular form of "ravioli!") Freeze for 1 hour. Bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Working in batches, place frozen ravioli flat in the skillet, evenly spaced, and cook for 2 - 3 minutes, until slightly puffy. Flip carefully and cook for an additional 1 - 2 minutes (no longer). Don't flip them again, as the filling may ooze out! Allow to cool slightly. If you like, sprinkle with a small amount of powdered sugar. Then top each serving with a tbsp. of Reddi-wip and enjoy! MAKES 4 SERVINGS | |||||
