Feel Energized and Full Longer

Mom always said not to spoil our dinner with snacks! While some of us might have listened, snacking is still America's favorite pastime. In fact, most of us eat nearly 600 calories a day in snacks, that's roughly a third of our food intake. But just because it sounds bad, doesn't mean it always has to be. If you choose the right foods, snacking is a great way to keep hunger at bay and fuel your energy source.

High Fiber Foods: When hunger strikes, grab a snack full in fiber. A treat high in fiber, like fruits, almonds, pecans, and sun dried tomatoes, absorbs water and swells, making you feel fuller. Fiber also slows the movement of food through your upper digestive tract, which helps with hunger. Aim for 25-35 grams each day to help reduce your calorie intake and increase your satiety level. Plus, fruits like banana and apples will give you a boost in energy too.

Beans and Lentils: When you eat lentils and black beans, it takes longer for your body to break it down, which in turn will help you feel full long after your meal. Navy beans provide you with the most fiber intake. Lentils are also a great substitute for meats, which often have higher fat and cholesterol.

Bran: Bran is high in fiber and is the top source of both vitamin b6 and magnesium. Fill up on oatmeal for breakfast, but make sure to avoid all the sugar. Plain oatmeal is a great source of fiver, and it will help keep you energized.

Whole grain: When it comes to your daily toast, choose wheat over white. Even though any type of bread can fill you up, whole grain bread is healthier and 50 percent more filling than white bread, which in turn will help you eat less.

Popcorn: Since bread is a big source of bad carbohydrates, think popcorn instead. Plain popcorn can make you feel twice as full and it's fun to make, especially around the office.

Eggs: They come in many forms; scrambled, over easy, boiled, and they are part of many breakfast tables in America. The good part is this super food will keep you going for hours! Eggs are a great source of energy too.


Soup: Have you noticed when you drink water it makes you feel full? That's because it's true. Choose soup as an appetizer. When you start a meal with soup, you activate brain signals that begin to tell you you've had enough to eat. To pump up the energy level, try an all veggie soup. When you blend all your healthy vegetables together, your body can easily absorb the nutrients that become readily available, without wasting energy breaking them down.

Low Density Foods: Low density foods contain a lot more water, which adds weight and volume to food. Foods that are high in calorie density contain a high number of calories per gram, and foods that are low in calorie density contain a low number of calories per gram. Non starchy vegetables, like salad greens, cucumbers, celery, broccoli, green beans, and proteins foods like fish, and white meat poultry are very low density foods.

Now that you know what to eat, this is what you should stay away from: Cookies, potatoes, croissants, and cereal. These sugary carbs tend to cause hunger to rebound and are snooze inducing enemies! But the most important thing is to slow down. Research has shown that it can take 20 minutes for your stomach to signal your brain that you are full.