A common issue that often arises when people are trying to eat better or lose weight is what they should be snacking on?
Many people manage to sort out their meals but struggle with what to eat in between meals.
Are snacks essential? No, not really……. Not for the majority of the population. If you are looking to lose fat you need to be in a calorie deficit. The most important aspect of meal planning for you should be making sure you are burning off more calories than you consume. This can be done over 2 large meals, 3 meals and 2 snacks, 10 meals – the most important factor is your overall calorie intake. Many people like to structure their days eating with a ‘breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner’ strategy. However, you need to find a strategy that you can adhere to, if this includes snacks then here are some of my ‘go to snacks’ which tend to be high in protein, this is often where people struggle.
Making sure you hit your protein target is key to achieving your fat loss goal, you should be aiming for around 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. If you get your snacking right then this will be a great help to ensure you hit your targets. High protein snacks will also help keep you fuller for longer which will keep you satisfied until your next meal.
Here are some ideas on what to snack on………..
Baby Bell Lights
These are surprisingly high in protein and only 43 calories each, have these with some lean ham for a great tasting, convenient snack.
Protein Bars / Shakes
In this day and age there are many convenient ready-made protein drinks and protein bars that are a great option for snacking. These bars and shakes taste great and can be found in most supermarkets. Just be aware of the calories and sugar content in some, but there are plenty low sugar options out there that still taste great.
Total 0% Greek Yogurt
Total 0% Greek Yogurt is a great choice as a snack. It is high in protein, low in fat, sugar and calories. Many ‘Greek Style’ Yogurts have lots of sugar in them which means these are the best choice. You can also add some protein powder to flavour and increase protein content. You can also use this yogurt to make many different recipes, I have attached the link below.
Cottage Cheese
Another quick, convenient and cheap source of protein that is perfect to snack on. Have with some rice cakes, fruit or you can mix with sugar free jelly to make a great high protein mousse. An extremely versatile high protein snack option.
Marks & Spencer’s Snacks
Marks and Spencer has a great variety of pre packed ready to eat snacks that are high in protein. They have a wide range of products such as BBQ Chicken kebab, Salmon Protein Pots, Chicken Chunks etc. Again, these are a great, convenient and tasty protein source.
Boiled Eggs
Simple and cheap – boil some eggs the night before and you have some readily available protein to snack on throughout the day. Add some sliced ham to mix it up a bit.
These are just some of the snacks I use frequently. I find them convenient, tasty and they help me hit my protein targets on a daily basis.
Coach Milligan 