GUEST BLOGGER, Laura Clark from LECnutrition, discusses what to do when a small 'snack' slides down into the category of a 'small meal'.

The age old saying of a little of what you fancy does you good, might often be in our minds when we justify tucking into our favourite treats that we simply can’t resist. But are we also plagued by thoughts that we ‘shouldn’t’ be snacking on that something ‘naughty’ if we want to lose those few pounds. So what’s the truth, can we or can’t we?

Snacking as a habit is not necessarily a bad one. It has been proven that regular eating (having something to eat every 3-4 hours) is important for regulating metabolism and helps to avoid over eating at meal times. Generally regular eaters have also been shown to have better control over their weight.

The truth is there’s no reason why a little of what you fancy everyday can’t be part of your healthy balanced diet for weight control but what exactly is ‘a little’?!

As a guide, a snack should contain around 100-150kcals. Anymore than this and you’re heading into ‘small meal’ territory and risk taking in more calories than your body needs. 100-150kcals is equivalent to up to 6 chocolate fingers, 3 small squares milk chocolate or even a penguin bar! Chocolate is well known for boosting mood due to the chemical release triggered in the brain and sometimes after the toughest of days it’s the only thing that will hit the spot!

However, before we order our loved ones to buy the biggest box they can find, let’s remember it doesn’t necessarily hit the mark when it comes to combating hunger or providing our bodies with essential nutrients. A diet yoghurt, plain popcorn or half a pita bread with hummous would provide a similar number of calories and a whole lot of nutrition to boot!

For further advice or support with your weight management goals, contact Laura. Telephone consultations are available for busy Mums!

laura@lecnutrition.co.uk
07917 473 181
www.lecnutrition.co.uk