Tuesday's with the Dietitian

If you are a mom you are probably pretty familiar with always carrying some sort of food in your purse or diaper bag for your children. Is it okay to do this even if you don’t have kids but rather carry snacks just for yourself? I say, YES! Actually I would recommend that you do.

For some the word snacking may get a negative reputation because we may make the association of snacks with unhealthy options such as cookies, crackers, chips, etc… It is important to redefine this word and look at it as a meal and not just a snack. By viewing a snack as a meal will lead you to choosing more wholesome foods instead of the junk food normally associated with snacks. Think of having two lunches versus a snack between lunch and dinner.

Incorporating this extra meal in everyday may help you curb your cravings later in the day and prevent you from stopping at the vending machine or to eating anything in sight when you walk through the door after work. Make sure you make all of your meals balanced by incorporating some protein, carbohydrate and fat into each meal. If you don’t snack it can actually lead to overeating later in the day setting your up for failure.

Snacking can actually help premenstrual cravings! Cravings tend to be more prominent the week before your period. This week prior to your period your metabolic rate can be increased by up to 500 calories. Because you may feel bloated you many want to eat less only intensifying your cravings due to the lack of food. By adding a wholesome snack in everyday the week before your period you may be able to curb some of your cravings and control some of your PMS symptoms.

Choose wisely and enjoy a snack!

Want to learn more about healthy snacks? Join me at my free nutrition seminar 10am Thursday March 11, 2010 at Brown and Deline Salon 5245 Jackson Rd. Call 734-996-4511 for more details.

Melissa Gerharter MS, RD is co-owner of Joust Strength and Fitness of Ann Arbor, joustfitness.com. She is also a personal trainer and an adjunct lecturer at Eastern Michigan University. She can be reached at Melissa@joustfitness.com