I was at the studio today discussing nutrition with one of my members. I was explaining some basic principles about nutrition when the topic of snacking came up. I recommend 3 regular meals and 2 snacks during the day. She was surprised at the snacks I advised her to eat. “Won’t those extra snacks make me gain weight?” she asked.
The one thing you don’t want to do when trying to lose weight is starve yourself. Many people still think this is what they have to do to shed those extra pounds. Not eating for extended periods of time puts your body into a catabolic state, meaning it starts to break down muscle tissue for energy – and stores fat. You see, every time you eat your body has to burn calories to break down the food. Studies have shown that snacking between meals can actually help you eat less, and fight off the urge to overeat or binge later.
Traditionally we think of snacking as a bad move. Why? Simply because when you snack on candy bars, chips and ice cream it is! These snacks are high in fat, sugar, packed with calories and empty in terms of nutritional value (vitamins, minerals, etc.).
You have to eat sensibly in order to promote weight loss and health. That means choosing the right type of snacks while controlling portion size. If you tend to reach for the cookie jar when you’re hungry, try chewing on more nutritious snacks instead like a portion (fist size) of fruits, vegetables, or nuts. You can also try munching on a portion of yogurt or cottage cheese. Just keep it simple. Instead of eating your calories all in one sitting, break them up into smaller meals throughout the day by incorporating healthy snacking!
Alex Savva is the founder of CircuitFIT studios. His unique 30 minute total body workout incorporates cardio, weight training and core training creating an optimally balanced exercise program. Alex has appeared on City TV and CP24’s Perfect Fit as a fitness expert. He is a certified Kinesiologist with a degree in Physical and Health Education. Alex will be contributing to urbanmoms.ca as our fitness and health expert. If you have questions or suggestions please send Alex an email. You can learn more about CircuitFIT by visiting their website at www.circuit-fit.com.