Snack with Purpose!

Avoid what Dr. Ian calls "empty calories" - food that serves no purpose to your body.  They don't refuel, they aren't part of a major food group, basically all they do is taste good and add pounds!  Examples include alcohol, candy, cake, etc.  Even when you are eating something purely for pleasure, try to make it a healthy choice that satisfies a healthy requirement from the food pyramid. For example - I was watching NBC's The Biggest Loser and there was blatant advertisment of the new frozen smoothies from Yoplait.  Now I don't mind the advertisement, in fact I discovered a great new food, but I have to admit it is cheesy the way they try to act as if they are having casual conversation and just happen to give ALL of the product details!  lol.  Anyway, these smoothies are an awesome option because it can serve as a snack, beverage, and/or breakfast and also contains a serving of dairy as well as a full serving of fruit!!!! You will have satisfied your sweet tooth, filled up, and eaten fruit all for only 110 calories (snacks should always be less than 200 calories). You can find the smoothie mix in your frozen food aisle - trust me these things are amazing, even kids will love them! Other purposeful snack options would be: regular yogurt or pudding (dairy), baked apples with cinnamon or frozen grapes (fruit), or baby carrots with fat free dip (vegetables). I hope you find the following links helpful!

Yoplait Smoothies
Healthy Food Pyramid Weight Loss Tool