Saturday 18 October 2008

Get Rid Of Belly Fat with Smart Snacks

Losing weight is tough: there's the exercise, the weigh-ins, and of course the requisite cut-back on your caloric intake. Fortunately, you don't need to sacrifice many of your favorite snacks in order to lose weight. In fact, most weight loss experts agree that you should incorporate your favorite foods (including your favorite snack foods) into your diet because when you deprive yourself of your favorites, you are setting yourself up for failure.

If you know the tricks of the dieting trade, you know that there are many ways to incorporate your favorite snacks into your diet and get rid of belly fat. Here are three proven techniques for eating what you want, while still sticking to a healthy diet.

1. Follow the 90/10 rules. This rule proposes that you eat "right" 90 % of the time, and eat what you want the other 10 % of the time. Ideally, these two categories will overlap: hopefully you can find healthful foods that you love eating. Almost everyone has a guilty pleasure or two. If you're simply mad about nachos, for instance, don't put this snack food on your black list. Avoid the food most of the time, but splurge when you absolutely can't resist. Remember, diet needn't be an unpleasant task. Simply think of the process of eating healthfully as searching for good foods that you enjoy eating, and making them a staple of your diet.

2. Rest on Sundays. If you are the type of person who simply can't adopt a healthy eating lifestyle because it requires you to stop eating your favorite foods, you may benefit from the 'rest on Sunday' technique. After a full week of eating healthy foods you enjoy, splurge on Sundays. There's no reason why you can't have your prized hot fudge sundae and still get rid of belly fat. Simply eating a variety of healthy foods, and occasionally eating your guilty pleasures, can help you lose weight without guilt and stress.

Now that you've got a few ideas about how to keep eating your favorite snack foods while not feeling like you've cheated, here are some excellent snack choices for the dieter. One of the unheralded aspects of dieting is that you get the opportunity to try new foods and snacks. Here are some popular snack foods that satisfy your snacking urges without compromising your diet.

1. Go for high fiber snacks. Foods that are high in fiber fill you up faster and help you burn calories longer while you get rid of belly fat. Good high fiber snacks include bran muffins, whole grain cereals, pretzels, and certain foods, especially apples. Make sure to check food labels. If it has less than 3 grams of fiber, it is not high in fiber.

2. Dried fruits and mixed veggies. These are great snacking choices if you want to get rid of belly fat. Be prepared and keep these on hand for when a snack attack comes on. Keep containers of pre-cut and washed mixed veggies in your refrigerator. A simple low-fat ranch dressing makes an excellent dipping sauce for your veggies. Carry dried fruit in your bag in case you get hungry while on the run.

3. Combine ingredients for extra energy. Try 'apple nutter' for snack that is filling and which provides you with sustained energy. Simply smear a tablespoon on an apple, and you've got a healthy and delicious treat. Try small cubes of low-skim mozzarella with your veggies for an extra delicious treat. Combining different snacks is an excellent way to make delicious and energy sustaining treats.

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