When it comes to getting lean, snacks can be your best allies—or your biggest stumbling blocks. A clean, well-planned snack can help you resist diet-derailing temptations, stave off the overly hungry feeling that drives you to raid the refrigerator the minute you walk in the door, and keep your body’s fat-burning drive in high gear. As for a not-so-clean impulse snack that’s scarfed down mindlessly? Well, let’s just say that you want to avoid those as much as possible. So how can you build a snacking strategy that’s smart, sustainable, and satisfying? Get ready—you’re about to find out.
We do it in the car, on the train, in front of the TV, on the phone, and even in bed. For most of us, snacking has become so automatic that our brains barely register the hand-to-mouth motion. And unsurprisingly, all of those between-meal bites are bad news, weight-wise. As the number of calories we take in from snacks has increased, so too have our waistlines. We’re eating twice as many snacks as we were in the 1970s.1 At the same time, obesity rates among US adults have more than doubled. Coincidence? Not likely.2
But isn’t that because we’re eating junky snacks instead of healthy ones? It’s true that the majority of Americans snack on processed, empty-calorie foods like chips, pretzels, cookies, and the like. Or we eat stuff that pretends to be healthy, like sugary granola bars or cereals. And of course, making any of those foods mainstays of your diet practically guarantees that you’ll throw yourself into a vicious cycle of nonstop cravings and sluggishness as those numbers on the scale steadily creep up. Sure enough, you’ll find that your body is in full-on fat-storage mode, and your favorite pants no longer fit. Of course, clean snacks like fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, hummus, and plain yogurt or cottage cheese are worlds better for you than all that packaged grub. But you can still eat too much of them. It’s just basic math. All food contains calories. And if you eat too many calories—from anything!—you’ll have a hard time losing weight or maintaining your weight loss.
And yet, snacking plays an important role when you’re on the path to getting lean. The right snacks can keep you energized and satisfied between meals, making you less tempted to hit the vending machine or buy a cookie to go with your afternoon cup of coffee. Eating every few hours keeps your metabolism revved, too, so you burn more fat and slim down faster. Plus, snacks are fun!
The key to making it all work? Pick clean foods to snack on—and snack at preplanned times rather than eating, well, whenever. It’s easier than you think! And after a few weeks, you might start to wonder how the heck you ever snacked any other way.
What separates smart, clean snacking from mindless munching? Make these rules of thumb your ultimate get-lean snacking strategy.
• Set your daily snack number. Remember, the number of snacks you should eat each day depends on your size and activity level.
●Have three meals and two snacks if . . . You’re a woman who exercises for 45 minutes or less on most days OR a man or woman who weighs less than 160 pounds.
●Have three meals and three snacks if . . . You’re a woman who exercises for 60 minutes or more on most days OR a man or woman who weighs more than 160 pounds OR you have 25 or more pounds to lose.
• Plan your weekly menu. Pick two to four options to rotate throughout the week, and add them to your weekly menu. This sweet spot gives you enough variety so you don’t get bored but doesn’t make things overly complicated. More importantly, prep your snacks ahead of time! Whether you’re following a recipe or going with something simple, such as a handful of nuts, portion and package your snacks in individual bags or containers so they’re easy to grab when you’re heading out the door.
• Have a fruit or vegetable with at least one of your daily snacks. You knew this one was coming, right? You should have a fruit and/or vegetable almost every time you eat—including snacks. Have an apple or an orange along with that piece of string cheese. Dunk carrot sticks and red bell pepper slices into your hummus. You’ll load up on nutrition and stay fuller for longer, and your metabolism will be more efficient, too.
• Pick out your snack times—and stick to them. Setting a snacking schedule not only minimizes mindless munching, it also gives you something to look forward to, which can go a long way toward helping you resist junky temptations. After all, it’s a lot easier to pass on that cake for your coworker’s birthday if you know that you’re having yogurt and fruit in an hour.
• But, learn to be a little flexible. If there’s a change to your usual routine, let your eating schedule change with it. Usually have lunch at 12:00, a snack at 3:00, and dinner at 6:00? On nights when you know you’ll be eating dinner later, try to hold off on lunch until 1:00 or 2:00, and save your snack until 4:00 or 5:00. That way, you won’t be starving for hours before your evening meal. The key is to push both your meal and your snack a little later so the number of hours between the two stays about the same and you don’t end up too hungry.
• Be a snack tracker. Just like at mealtimes, have your preplanned menu nearby and jot down your thoughts after you snack. Did you stick with the plan? Did the snack satisfy your hunger? How did you feel while you ate? And would you make any changes to this snack the next time you eat it? It might sound like a lot to consider for a measly between-meal bite, but keeping a record can help you become a smarter snacker. Jot your notes directly on your weekly menu or write them in a separate notebook.
• Always eat your snacks! You might think you’re being “good” by skipping your snacks, but that move will most likely backfire. Passing on a snack sets you up for feeling ravenous when mealtime rolls around, which can lead to overeating. Plus, eating every few hours keeps your metabolism running at full speed, helping you burn as much fat as possible.
That’s the percentage of Americans who say that most of their snacks are completely unplanned, according to a recent survey by Nielsen.3 If you’re among them, join the minority of plan-ahead snackers and prepare to reap the weight-loss benefits.
What counts as a clean snack? Whether your taste buds veer toward sweet and creamy or salty and savory, we’ve got plenty of easy, delicious options that’ll help you stay satisfied between meals—and get lean faster. Take your pick!
YOGURT AND COTTAGE CHEESE
• ¾ cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt with ¾ cup raspberries
• ¾ cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt with ½ cup seedless grapes
• ½ cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt with 2 table-spoons Eat Clean, Stay Lean PB&J Granola
• 6-ounce container clean flavored yogurt
What’s the best time to eat your snacks? That depends on your lifestyle and when you normally have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Take a few minutes to think about your daily routine and decide which snacking schedule works better for you.
• Be an early snacker if . . . You have 5 or more hours between your usual breakfast and lunch. In that case, have one snack between breakfast and lunch and a second snack between lunch and dinner.
• Be a later snacker if . . . You only have 3 to 4 hours between your usual breakfast and lunch but a longer stretch between lunch and dinner. (Think 7 or more hours.) In that case, have one snack midafternoon and a second snack around 5:30.
•½ cup organic low-fat cottage cheese with ½ cup blueberries
•½ cup organic low-fat cottage cheese with 1 cup sliced strawberries
•¾ cup organic low-fat cottage cheese with 1 cup cherry tomatoes
NUTS AND NUT BUTTERS
•DIY Trail Mix: 2 tablespoons dried fruit (such as dried cherries, raisins, or 3 small apricots) with 2 tablespoons nuts or seeds (such as walnuts, almonds, or 20 pistachios)
•1 large stalk celery with 1 tablespoon peanut butter
•1 small apple with 1 tablespoon almond butter
•1 medium orange (or 3 clementines) with 8 almonds
SAVORY OR SALTY
Tend to get hit with cravings for salty chips or pretzels? These savory bites are the right snacks for you.
•3 cups Eat Clean, Stay Lean Gremolata Parmesan Popcorn
•⅛ cup Eat Clean, Stay Lean Lemony Rosemary White Bean Dip with 5 or 6 whole grain crackers OR 1 cup assorted raw vegetables
•¾ cup organic, non-GMO steamed edamame (in pods)
•¼ cup hummus with 1 cup assorted raw vegetables
•2 ounces tuna, sardines, or salmon with 5 whole grain crackers
•1 hard-boiled egg with 15 grapes
•1 hard-boiled egg with 5 whole grain crackers
•2 small whole grain crackers with 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) goat cheese
•4 ounces organic oven-roasted turkey breast (4 thick or 8 thin slices) with 1 medium carrot
•1 piece string cheese with 4 green olives
Shop Clean Checklist: Flavored Yogurt and Kefir
LOOK FOR:
•Less than 150 calories and at least 12 g of protein per serving
•Ideally less than II g (and no more than 18 g) of sugar
•No artificial flavors, sweeteners, or thickeners
EAT CLEAN, STAY LEAN PICKS:
•Siggi’s (various flavors)*
•Dreaming Cow Grass-Fed Cream Top (various flavors)*
•Oikos Triple Zero*
•Chobani Fruit on the Bottom
•Stonyfield Organic Whole Milk Greek, 100% Grassfed, or Greek and Chia
•Fage 0% and 2% Split Cups
•Lifeway Organic ProBugs Kefir (various flavors, slightly lower in protein than yogurt)*
•Green Valley Organics Green Apple-Kale Kefir (slightly lower in protein than yogurt)
* Lowest sugar options
SWEET OR FRUITY
Sometimes you’re just in the mood for something sweet. These snacks are sure to satisfy!
•1 serving Eat Clean, Stay Lean Dried Tart Cherry Chia Jam and Ricotta on Toast
•1 small apple with 1 tablespoon almond butter
•1 medium orange (or 3 clementines) with 8 almonds
•1 piece string cheese with piece of fruit
•1 Eat Clean, Stay Lean Peanut Butter Banana Blondie (no more than two times a week)
SMOOTHIES
Make a full-size breakfast smoothie and save the other half for later! It’s just as tasty the next day.
•½ Eat Clean, Stay Lean Horchata Smoothie blended with 1 scoop clean protein powder
•½ Eat Clean, Stay Lean Green Ginger Smoothie blended with 1 scoop clean protein powder
•½ Create-Your-Own Clean and Simple Smoothie
Shop Clean Checklist: Bottled Smoothies
LOOK FOR:
•100 to 200 calories per serving for a snack (half bottle), or 200 to 400 calories per serving for a meal (full bottle)
•At least 15 g of protein for the entire bottleNo added sugars (just natural sugars from fruit and fruit juices)
EAT CLEAN, STAY LEAN PICKS:
•Bolthouse Farms Protein PLUS Mango
•Columbia Gorge Organic CoGo Protein
•Naked Protein Zone and Protein Double Berry
•Odwalla Strawberry Protein, Original Super Protein, and Mango Protein
•Stonyfield Farms OP (Organic Protein) Strawberry, Vanilla, and Chocolate
•Suja Elements Spiced Chai Protein (vegan, but slightly lower in protein)
Soup for a snack? Try it! Soups are nutritious, flavor-packed, and super filling. For on-the-go snacking, just pour your soup into a thermos.
•1 serving Eat Clean, Stay Lean White Gazpacho with Grapes and Almonds
•1 serving Eat Clean, Stay Lean Broccoli Leek Soup
•1 serving Eat Clean, Stay Lean Sherry Mushroom Soup
•1 serving Eat Clean, Stay Lean Curry Butternut Squash Soup
•1 serving Eat Clean, Stay Lean Smoked Paprika Cauliflower Soup
•2 servings Eat Clean, Stay Lean Tomato Basil Soup
BARS AND CLUSTERS
Store-bought bars and clusters can vary widely in terms of calories, sugar, and ingredients. Stick with one of our picks (try any flavor you like!), or use the Shop Clean checklist (opposite) to find another good option.
•5 NOW Real Food Crunchy Clusters
•1 Go Raw Sprouted Bite
•1 Health Warrior Chia Bar
•1 Kashi granola bar
•1 Kind bar
Beware of snack traps! Planning out your weekly menu is key to staving off mindless snacking. But despite those good intentions, it can still be dangerously easy to find yourself sneaking extra bites—sometimes without even realizing it. And it doesn’t take long for those nibbles to start adding up—and stall your weight loss. So keep a sharp eye out for times when you’d normally snack without thinking, like when you grab the leftovers off of your child’s plate or take a few too many “tastes” of a dish while you’re cooking. When you notice yourself about to snack, hit the pause button and take a step back and a deep breath. Of course, it’s normal to have a few slip-ups at first. Old habits die hard! But rest assured: Over time, you’ll get better at catching yourself before you put that mindless and meaningless something in your mouth.
If you loved them as part of a meal, why not have them again as a snack?
• 1 serving Eat Clean, Stay Lean Cuban Avocado and Pineapple Salad
• 1 serving Eat Clean, Stay Lean Clean Coleslaw
• 1 serving Eat Clean, Stay Lean Roasted Broccoli with Chile and Lemon
• 2 servings Eat Clean, Stay Lean Honey-Glazed Radishes
Shop Clean Checklist: Bars and Clusters
LOOK FOR:
•100 to 190 calories and at least 5 g of protein per serving
•Less than 10 g of sugar per serving
•No protein isolates, added sugar, or artificial ingredients
•10 or fewer mostly whole food ingredients (like fruit, nuts, whole grains, and protein concentrates)
EAT CLEAN, STAY LEAN PICKS:
•Kashi Organic Crunchy Granola and Seed and, GoLean Bars
•NOW Real Food Crunchy Clusters
•Go Raw Sprouted Bites and Sprouted Bars
•Health Warrior Chia Bars
•KIND Nuts & Spices bars and Fruit and Nut bars
•Oatmega Vanilla Almond Crisp, Chocolate Coconut Crisp, and Lemon Chia Crisp (gluten-free and soy-free)
By this point, you understand how eating foods made with lots of sugar and refined carbs tends to wreak havoc on your metabolism and blood sugar and ultimately makes it harder to lose weight. (If you need a refresher, just head back to Part I.) So yeah, we’d probably all be better off, health-wise, if we cut out desserts altogether. But that’s not exactly realistic, is it?
When it comes to enjoying dessert on the Eat Clean, Stay Lean plan, there’s some good news and some bad news. The good news is that you can still enjoy sweet treats. (Yay!) The bad news is that if you want to lose weight in just 3 weeks, you’ll have to be pretty choosy about which desserts you eat—and how often you have them. Here’s how to have your cake—figuratively!—and eat it, too.
•Stick to Eat Clean, Stay Lean desserts. The desserts on this plan are made from real-food ingredients and don’t pack insane amounts of sugar, so you can indulge your sweet tooth without sabotaging your weight loss. We know—resisting the siren call of a fresh bakery cookie or a scoop of ice cream isn’t easy! But the results will be worth it. And once the plan is over, you can go back to enjoying your favorite desserts; that is, in moderation, if you’d like. (For more information on how that works, check out Chapter 12.)
•Enjoy them up to twice a week. But try not to decide to eat dessert on the fly. Rather than give in to impulses or cravings, you want to get into the habit of making deliberate choices about the foods you eat—and following through. Plan your desserts as part of your weekly menu so you can look forward to them, and stick with the schedule you set.
•Substitute your dessert for a snack. Sadly, dessert doesn’t come free. So when you opt to indulge in a treat, have it in lieu of one of your regular snacks that day.
Eat Clean, Stay Lean Roasted Strawberries with Dark Chocolate Sauce
Eat Clean, Stay Lean Peanut Butter Banana Blondies
Clean and Simple Dark Chocolate
1 ounce 80 percent or higher dark chocolate (⅓ of a 3-ounce chocolate bar) OR 54 dark chocolate chips
OR 3 individually packaged Ghirardelli squares
Clean and Simple Sweet Berries and Cream Bowl
Top ¾ cup berries with ½ cup low-fat plain yogurt, and drizzle with 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional).
Clean and Simple Baked Apples
Heat the oven to 350°F. Place cored apples in a shallow baking dish. Fill the dish with ¼" water and sprinkle cinnamon into the cored areas. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Enjoy one apple as a dessert; save additional apples for breakfasts or snacks.
1 Say yes to snacking. Clean, well-planned snacks can make you less tempted to snack on salt, sugar, and fat traps. And snacks keep you satisfied, so you’re less likely to be starving and prone to overeating at mealtimes.
2 Snack mindfully. The right snacks can be powerful weight-loss allies. But too much of any foods, even clean ones, can work against you on the scale. Enjoy your planned, portioned snacks, but avoid adding in extra bites between meals. Even clean calories add up!
3 Be flexible with your snack schedule. Sticking to a regular schedule can help you avoid mindless eating. But it’s also a good idea to shift your snacks as needed to make them work for you. For instance, if you know that you’re having a later-than-usual lunch or dinner, push your snack a little bit later, too. That can help you stay more satisfied until it’s mealtime.
4 Treat yourself mindfully. Stick to Eat Clean, Stay Lean desserts during the plan, and indulge up to twice per week. You’ll satisfy your sweet tooth but without sacrificing your weight-loss progress.