While an apple or carrot sticks are healthy and nutritious snack choices, there are times when you just have to have a snack like cookies, chips, dips, chocolate. Do you have to give up snacks to lose weight?

NO! Donna Hemingway, a registered dietitian with UI Weight Management, says the trick to successful snacking is understanding WHY you crave a snack.

What triggers your desire for a snack? A drop in blood sugar? Craving for carbohydrates or chocolate to improve your mood? Crunchy food to relieve tension? Comfort food to bring back a good memory?

"Make sure your snack matches your trigger," says Hemingway, "Otherwise you will be eating without satisfying the need that created the craving. With a little planning, you can have a satisfying snack without going over your calorie budget."

First, reach for healthy snacks—like vegetables or low-fat yogurt with fiber and calcium—and satisfy some of your cravings before you reach for the munchies.

You must decide what you want for the snack calories involved. Do you want to eat more of a reduced-fat or -calorie snack (30 fat-free potato chips) or are you willing to eat less of the full fat version (16 full calorie potato chips)?

For more information

UI Weight Management Clinic
319-384-6581
Or
e-mail weight-management@uiowa.edu

Snacking calories

• 0 calories
• Celery sticks
• Cucumber slices
• Sugar free gum
• 8 oz. flavored calorie-free water

Under 60 calories

• 15 baby carrots
• 1 cup of grapes
• 11 Teddy Grahams
• 6 Lifesaver candies

60 to 125 calories

• 18 dry-roasted almonds
• 1 medium apple, peach, banana
• 2 Oreo cookies
• 10 large jelly beans
• 12 gummy bears

Chocolate lover's snacks

• 4 Girl Scout mint cookies (160)
• 6 chocolate Kisses (150)
• 3 mini Reeses peanut butter