Balance your meals by adding a small amount of lean protein to each meal. Combine that with healthy high-fiber, complex carbohydrates and your appestat (appetite control mechanism in the brain) will feel satisfied easily, and you will be less hungry after eating a balanced meal.

If you eat refined carbohydrates, such as baked goods, white bread, white rice, white potatoes, low-fiber breads and cereals, and sugar containing desserts, then you have refined carbohydrates that are broken down rapidly in the intestinal tract and just as rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream as sugar (glucose). This rapid rise in blood glucose causes a rapid rise in insulin and a rapid increase in your hunger.

In order to balance your meal plans, stick with complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber and low in sugar. These include fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads and cereals, whole-grain pastas, nuts, and legumes. Balance these meal plans with small amounts of protein, including lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, beans, and low-fat dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, tofu, cottage cheese, and sour cream-all low-fat varieties).

Snack on nuts instead of cookies, which will satisfy your hunger and are considerably more nutritious than sugar snacks. Even low-fat cookies and cakes and pastries are extremely high in sugar.

Tasty Protein Snacks

1. Blend a smoothie with 1 cup of fat-free milk with the fruit of your’choice (bananas, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, etc.).
2. Whole-wheat muffin or bagel (scooped out) with 1 Tbs. of low-fat peanut butter, with or without low-sugar jelly or jam.
3. 1 slice of whole-wheat pizza with light cheese topped with veggies.
4. Carrots or celery sticks dipped in fat-free, low-calorie dressing or in salsa.
5. 2 ounces of grilled salmon or chicken, with mixed greens Fork-dip your low-calorie dressing of choice as you enjoy this tasty snack.
6. Low-fat cheese, 2 slices, and tomato melted on a whole-wheat muffin or bagel (scoop out bagel).
7. 1 cup of low-fat cottage cheese or yogurt with the fruit of your choice.
8. Small chicken Caesar salad with Romaine lettuce, low-fat Parmesian grated cheese, 1 oz. grilled chicken breast and low-fat Ceasar dressing on the side.
9. Tuna melt with low fat cheese on 1/2 whole wheat bread or muffin with sliced tomato.
10. 2 slices of low fat turkey breast on one slice whole wheat bread with non or low-fat mayo or mustard and lettuce and tomato.
11. One ounce of mixed nuts (walnuts, almonds, peanuts) with one small box raisins.
12. Hard boiled or poached egg on one slice of whole wheat English muffin.

Share This