27th April 2011

Do or do not...there is no try. Yoda (Star Wars)

“I’m okay in the day, it’s night time that gets me!”

How many times have I heard that sentence and I have to admit I’m guilty of it too. Why do we do it? ‘Tiredness’, 'Boredom' and 'nothing to do' are just three of the many reasons for mindless nibbling.

Some snack foods can help you stay on the straight and narrow whilst others can cause huge damage! Different things work for different people.

I personally find not having the foods in the house helps me enormously; I can’t eat what isn’t there. I also find going to bed works a treat, I’m usually tired and I won’t find my mattress in my fridge!

But if it really is a habit you want to continue with, look for healthy snacks that you can still enjoy without denting your ProPoints budget. The first thing you must to is ensure you save the ProPoints to do it! Don’t pretend it isn’t happening, then look surprised when you don’t get a weight loss.

There are of course always the bars and bakes in your meeting which are on offer this week, bars are 3 for £5, bakes are 5 for £2, they’re already ProPointed so easy to track.

You can of course always find zero ProPoint foods to help you avoid dipping into your allowance.

• Weight Watchers Sugar Free Jelly Crystals
• Fruit - go exotic with kiwis, lycheese and mangoes.
• Soup made with zero ProPoints value fresh vegetables.
• Cauliflower, carrot and celery crudités with tomato salsa made from fresh chopped tomatoes, red onion and fresh coriander.
• Rocket leaves, cucumber cubes and sugar snap peas with a splash of zingy balsamic vinegar.
• Baby sweetcorn and asparagus tips.
• Crudités, cherry tomatoes, celery and even raw mushrooms!
• Pickled onions and gherkins.

What's Your Snacking Personality?

I want A LOT
If you're a volume eater, think small and low in fat: Try cheese-flavoured Snack-a-Jacks, popcorn, baby carrots and salsa, or cherry tomatoes.

I need some quick energy!
Complex carbohydrates are your best bet. They will give you an energy boost and keep you going for longer than just a high sugar food. Try some wholewheat crackers or a small tub of wholewheat pasta, a banana, or one slice of wholemeal toast with marmite.

I need a longer lasting snack
You can gobble down a chocolate in seconds, but ice lollies, hard sweets or frozen grapes take longer to eat. As an alternative, a piping hot cappuccino or steaming mug of tea can also do the trick.

What will tide me over for hours?
A lollipop may take a while to eat but its high sugar dose can be used up in a flash. High-fibre snacks, on the other hand, that contain some protein can stave off hunger for the long haul. Great options include Ryvitas and light soft cheese, peanut butter and apple slices, or a small handful of nuts and dried fruit.

Just keep my hands busy
When emotional eating kicks in and a non-food activity like a walk just won't cut it, (try it, first!) opt for snacks that take some time to prepare: pistachios in the shell, fruit you have to peel (try a whole mango) or a sundae made with yogurt, chopped fruit and cereal. By the time you're finished preparing and eating them, your emotions may well be on the upswing.

Need More Ideas?

Here's what some WeightWatchers.co.uk users say best nips their snack attacks in the bud.

Salty Snacks
• Weight Watchers Savoury Snacks: "Great alternative to normal crisps."
• Laughing Cow Cheese and Ryvitas: "Creamy and crunchy."
• Butternut Squash Chips: "Put tiny bit of oil over the top, lots of salt and pepper, chilli powder - and pop in oven for about 40 mins - like real chips."
• Popcorn: "The smell alone gives you that excited feeling of going to the movies!"
• Carrot batons and salsa: "Carrots are crunchy so it feels like you're eating crisps."

Sweet Snacks
• Low fat hot chocolate: "A sweet fix."
• Sugar-free jelly: "Can't tell the difference."
• Grapes cold from the fridge: "My boyfriend now buys me grapes when he gets his chocolate!"
• Low fat yogurt frozen in the freezer: "Feels like you're eating ice cream!"


Snacking for Success

Whatever your snacking style happens to be, you don't have to change it. Just make sure that the munching is mindful, measure the portion sizes of all your snacks and track the ProPoints values, whatever they were. If you can plan your snacking, so much the better.

Remember, joining a Weight Watcher meeting or reading the programme material doesn't mean you’re following the plan, tracking your ProPoints and sticking within your allowance DOES!