Healthy Living: Smart snacking made easy

Snacking can be one of the most effective ways to rev up your metabolism and slim your waistline.
Eating between meals helps stabilize blood sugar, mood and energy, while curbing hunger. Skipping snacks, on the other hand, can lead to low blood sugar, causing you to feel tired, grumpy and “famished” when mealtime eventually comes around, and that can create a domino effect of poor food choices followed by eating too fast and too much — all on a slowed metabolism.
Of course, not all snacks are created equal. Dare I say, about anything one might typically categorize as “snack food” is probably a poor choice. Instead of relying on sweets, caffeine or processed munchies to get you through the day, opt for nutrient-dense foods to fuel your body and mind.
When you feel your energy begin to sink and your hunger begin to stir, reach for fresh whole foods, such as these:
– Fresh seasonal fruit with a single handful of raw nuts or seeds or 1 tablespoon nut butter
– Mary’s Gone Crackers (six to eight) or Ryvita crackers (two) with red pepper-and-olive tapenade
– A quarter of an avocado with a squeeze of fresh lemon
– A sliced peach with a half-cup plain whole organic yogurt and 1 tablespoon Ezekiel cereal, a Food For Life product
– Sugar snap peas, sliced carrots, sliced sweet bell pepper and radishes
– Smoked salmon on thinly sliced German rye bread with cucumbers and capers
– Hummus (2 tablespoons) with sliced cucumber and flax crackers
– Popcorn (1½ cup, air popped) with a drizzle of flax oil and unrefined sea salt
– Kale chips or roasted seaweed with a hard-boiled egg
– Half of your previous meal (if your lunch is a sandwich, eat half at lunchtime and save half for your snack between lunch and dinner)
Prepare your snacks ahead of time, either the night before or in the morning, and grab them as you leave the house. Most things will taste better if you keep them in a small cooler bag with an ice pack. 
Smart snacking is a key factor in maintaining stable energy throughout the day, keeping the metabolism kicking, avoiding major blood sugar and insulin fluctuations, and eating healthier, smaller meals.
You will likely notice a greater sense of control over your appetite, an overall boost in your general outlook, and loosening of your pants.
For more on this topic, I recommend reading “The Snack Factor Diet,” by Keri Glassman, M.S., R.D.
– Julia Blanton is a nutrition, fitness and wellness coach. An avid runner, she keeps a health blog at www.juliablanton.com