Meat(less) Monday: Recipes, nutrition tips and advice on food your body will thank you for. OK, maybe not completely meatless, but healthy, for sure. 

By: Shirley De Leon

Consider snacks as catalysts for the body. 

They stabilize blood sugar levels and increase your metabolism, so you feel charged longer and keep weight off. Losing four pounds instead of two and maintaining high energy versus crashing after a brief energy boost may well depend on the foods you choose as snacks. 

Just like with other meals, snacking while watching TV leads to overeating because your focus is on what you’re watching and not on how much food you’re eating. 

The time of day you decide to snack is just as important as the snack itself. It’s best to snack later in the day because most people tend to be less active during this time. For this reason, snacks (not dinner) should be the last things you eat for the day.

Make snacking healthy and easy with these seven tips:

1. Stick to two snacks every three hours.
2. Watch for portion size (No bigger than the palm of your hand.).
3. Stay away from snacks high in sugar, sodium and refined carbohydrates. Opt for whole grains to get long-lasting energy.
4. Choose foods rich in protein, fiber, monounsaturated fats and/or antioxidants such as fresh fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and nuts (They will keep you feeling satisfied.).
5. Rehydrate with either water or coconut water.
6. Pour out one serving of any bulk-size, prepackaged food to prevent overeating.
7. Don’t mistaken coffee as a snack (It may have few calories, but it lacks essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals. Plus, you’ll likely crash after the initial pick-me-up.).

Photo courtesy of sheknows.com.