OK I get hungry. I'm sure everyone knows that and it's a fact of life. I've come up with these little baggies that have different snacks in them. They are 100 calorie snacks. Animal crackers, pretzels, cheese nips, etc. So if I'm hungry throughout the day is it ok to eat maybe two or three of these 100 calorie baggies instead of reaching for nasty snack machine food, should I eat fruit instead or just fight off the food craving urge? Just wondering what you guys think. Thanks for your time!

Julie

You know thats a very good question, I cant wait till the wiser people answer this one. Sense I am DYING for some sweet stuff!!It be nice too be able to buy some .......

I think having pre-made snack bags on hand is a great idea. I personally plan on beginning this habit myself. The only difference would be that I am going to "balance" my snacks out a little more. The Zone diet has great snack ideas. I need a little protien so as to not keep snacking, so I would do half cheese nips and half string cheese. Almonds and dry roasted peanuts (just a few) are a lovely addition to an otherwise boring snack. I'm going to attempt more fruits and vegies in my snacks, but if I totally cut out tortilla chips, cheese nips, and the like~I will be setting myself up to cheat and fail!
I know where my limits are. I won't buy animal crackers because I can't trust myself to not eat the whole bag in a day. Not yet anyway.
Hope this helps. I think your plan has to fit you and your diet and fitness plan. If you are counting only calories then you will be very hungry if you waste them on crackers! It's all relative.

prmiddy

My philosophy tends to follow prmiddy's. I think you will find a lot of people in the forum who will suggest that you not eat the processed foods/flour of things like pretzels, crackers, animal cookies. Instead, eat more fruits & veggies. For myself, there are times when I could eat 300 calories and 10 bowls of lettuce and I'm still going to be JUST AS HUNGRY as when I started I try to strike a balance between them. Since these are really "empty" calories (no notable nutritive value, fiber, etc.) I try to at least limit them and use them for something I really crave (sometimes that's Guiltless gourmet chips with a dish of salsa....or an ounce of herb triscuits with an ounce of REAL cheese...or a Starbucks' decadent chocolate graham cracker cookie. I actually find it's easier at work than when I was home on vacation--I take in whatever I'm going to allow myself for the day and pretty much stick with it. I opt for V-8s, bananas, tangerines, sugar snap peas, etc. and then if I'm going to have a little "empty cal" treat, it's generally with dinner (hey, I figure maybe it gets pushed through my system faster anyway with the big salad).

Anyway...my two cents which boils down to "strike a balance" I guess

I do the same thing (LOL, therefore, I think it's a very good idea). And I'd go batty if my snacks were only fruits and veggies. My only suggestion, though, would be to add some protein-based snacks in, and maybe a fruit or vegetable (or two). Protein takes longer to metabolize than any other nutrient, so it keeps you satisfied longer, and it also feeds your muscles which important so you don't lose muscle mass as you lose fat.

I eat A LOT of snacks during the day, and the list usually looks something like this:

- protein shake
- banana
- 100 calorie pack peanut butter cookies
- cottage cheese
- low-fat string cheese
- baby carrots
- 2 South Beach oatmeal/chocolate chip cookies

(I only mention my list because your's seems a tad carb-heavy.

Kate actually makes a good point (see, I have just been FIXATED on a chocolate graham all morning). Two of my regular "snacks" are protein-based and they do an especially good job of tamping down hunger:
--a small (carb lite or something--I just get them because they're small sized) yogurt--60 calories. I often have this in the afternoon about 20 minutes before going to the gym to tide me to dinner (sometimes with a small piece of fruit) and if I find myself with a growling stomach at bedtime, I have one then too--quiets things right down.
--a tall, nonfat, sugarfree vanilla latte. 120 cals. This is my regular mid-morning "snack". There's really a whole coffee "culture" here at my workplace and this not only keeps me hangin' with some of my friends, but I like the taste and if I have one between 9:30 & 10 am, then I'm usually fine until noon for lunch.

Tracy

OK then. I have a new question to ask of you guys. One of you already gave me an example of your snacks. Thanks LovesBassets. Can I get more snack ideas from you guys instead of my carb heavy ones? Remember I work in an office so they'd have to be quick and easy to carry around. A call for filling and productive snacks?!?!?! Thanks!

The thing with snacks is that they have to be something you actually like or want! I frequently have good intentions, so I'll bring an apple or an orange to work with me. And there it sits. Right now I'm looking at an orange that's been on my desk all week! It just isn't cutting it for me right now. But here's what I bring that I will eat for snacks:

- Small yogurt (I buy these on sale and leave them in the work fridge)
- Fruit cups, esp unsweetened applesauce (add splenda if you like it sweet)
- Raisins (I measure out 1/4 cup into a snack bag)
- Nonfat latte (only a couple times a week due mainly to cost)
- Clif Luna bars (180 cals)
- Detour bars when I can get them
- Hard boiled egg (I eat them plain or mix with lf/ff mayo and spread on a lf tortilla)
- cinnamon graham crackers (w/pb if I'm really needing a pb fix)
- soup
- WW Cheddar whole grain twists (these are surprisingly good, but pricey)

That about sums up what's in my desk/fridge at the moment.

Pat gave you such a good list....the only things I might add from a "take to work" perspective:

- guiltless gourmet or other whole grain, baked chips--bagged up in 1 oz bags and then take a jar of salsa with you; 150 cals for a pile of salsa and an ounce
- FF pudding cups
- ounce of baked or some other cracker (I like cheese nips)
- oatmeal packets. Yeah, as a snack. I just find this really fills me up
- craisins (and a few of them in oatmeal makes it much better!
- 1 ounce, low fat mozarella or string cheese

Tracy

Oh yeah--I forgot to list these because they provide them where I work, but a VARIETY of diet drinks. Sometimes, just having a flavor that you like beyond the norm. I've also found that a splash of a FF/SF coffee flavoring in a diet coke is nice.

Hmmm, coffee in coke! Oh, now I see, it's the syrup you're adding I like the lime diet coke myself. I tried the lime diet pepsi, but didn't like it as well, though plain I prefer dp to dc.

I forgot about the pudding cups. I do sometimes have them, but I wait til they're on sale and get a bunch as DH eats them 2 at a time! And craisins, yum. Love them in oatmeal for breakfast, never thought to bring them to work...

OMG, I've been out of it today. Yeah, the syrup flavoring. DUH.

Funny thing about fruits: I won't eat them during the day BUT if I grab one before I have my morning bath, I seem to SAVOR fruit at that time. It's like a relaxing thing to do in a relaxing bath before I start a hectic day. I especially like to peel oranges. Sometimes I even squeeze some of the juice or at least squeeze the peel close to my nose so I can smell it. My own aromatherapy.

wowI just love these ideas.....
I know I cant just live on fruits and veggies....I have to have some carbs otherwise my docs aint gonna be happy ...

keep em comming

Fruits and veggies ARE high in carbs.