Snacking and losing weight

Reaching for your morning snack? Read this first!

I’ve mentioned before that snacking has become a huge problem in this country (no pun intended). Somewhere along the line, we all got brainwashed into thinking that we can’t get through the four hours between meals without eating. But the fact is, most people don’t need to snack at all.  Humans used to go days without eating any food. So, clearly, cutting out snacks isn’t going to kill you.

In fact, according to a new study published in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, even skipping a mid-morning snack can help you lose weight.

This 12-month study involved 124 overweight-to-obese women–all about 58 years old. Nearly all the women (97 percent) reported eating one or more snacks every day.

But the women who skipped snacking between breakfast and lunch lost significantly more weight, compared to those who had a mid-morning snack. In fact, the mid-morning snackers were more inclined to grab multiple snacks during the day. The afternoon and evening snackers didn’t snack as often, and they tended to eat more fruits and veggies compared to the others.

If you’re used to grabbing a snack between breakfast and lunch, the easiest way to break the habit is to eat a solid breakfast that contains protein and a little fat–like my Scrumptious Sausage Scramble or my Buttery Bistro Avocado and Brie Omelet. (You can find these recipes, and more, in the report Dr. Fred’s Decadent Diet-Free Recipes. Find out how you can get a copy for free.)

And don’t forget that when it comes to snacking and losing weight, exercise is critical. Snacks add more calories to your diet. So if you snack without exercising, you will have more trouble losing weight. It’s that simple.