7 Days, 7 Snacks

By Joe Wilkes

The toughest part of the day for a lot of us is the time in between meals. The temptation to graze through the office or kitchen, while dipping into candy dishes, doughnut boxes, and chip bowls, can be great. We may not count these "found" calories, but our scales and measuring tapes absolutely do. The best strategy is to prepare for attacks of the munchies by having your own healthy snacks on hand.

Note: All nutritional information is for one serving.

Sunday: Tony Horton's Sticky Bar

The father of P90X^® has created the granddaddy of all snacks, as far as I'm concerned. The worst cook in the world can mash up these three ingredients for an easy, healthy bite. The key to this recipe is the quality of those three ingredients. The banana's pretty easy. Better to look for organic, but most bananas come in their own protective gear. The peanut butter should likewise be easy to choose. Just get the one with one ingredient: peanuts. No sugar, no salt, no problems. The granola is where things can get crazy. While ostensibly a wholesome cereal, all manner of sins have been committed in the name of granola, like soaking the poor oats in high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils. Just read the label to make sure you know what you're getting. A good granola should be low in fat, low in sugar, and high in fiber. If your local supermarket isn't giving you what you need, you might consider investigating making your own so you can control what goes in.

• 1/2 medium-size banana
• 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
• 1 cup unsweetened granola

Mix and mash all three ingredients into a bowl. Spoon onto a sheet of wax paper. Roll up the contents into a hot dog/cigar shape. Stick in the freezer. Ready in about 90 minutes. Cut off little bites or eat the whole thing. Eat it frozen or throw it in the microwave for 10 seconds. Serves 2.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Freezing Time: 90 minutes

Nutritional information (per serving):

Calories	Fat	Carbs	Fiber	Protein
389	17 grams	47 grams	9 grams	14 grams

Monday: Orangeberry Shakeology^®

While I think Greenberry Shakeology is delicious on its own, it's even better when mixed with orange juice. Some have even commented that the flavor resembles a popular shopping-mall beverage that has the same name as a famous Roman emperor.

• 1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology
• 1 cup orange juice
• Ice to taste

In a blender, mix all ingredients until frothy.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Nutritional information (per serving):

Calories	Fat	Carbs	Fiber	Protein
252	1 gram	43 grams	3 grams	19 grams

Tuesday: Cottage Cheese Surprise

I'll leave it to historians to decide Richard Nixon's place in the presidential firmament. For my own life, his greatest contribution would be his love of the odd culinary mash-up of cottage cheese and ketchup. Much as I departed with some of his policies, I wasn't a big fan of ketchup. Most ketchup these days is just a bottle of corn syrup with an odd tomato or two thrown in (not technically a vegetable, as one of President Nixon's succeeding administrations would have had us believe). I'm more of a hot sauce man, but Nixon did inspire me to enjoy cottage cheese as a savory snack instead of a sweet one. Most of the leftover condiments in my refrigerator have made it into a protein-rich bowl of cottage cheese at some point along with other leftover veggies. Hot sauce and Parmesan cheese are my standbys, but I also recommend kimchi, salsa, chopped herbs, garlic, chives, or anything else that is flavorful and low-cal in the fridge (that's the surprise!).

• 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese
• Hot sauce to taste

Mix ingredients in bowl. (If only one cup of cottage cheese left, mix ingredients in cottage cheese tub for easy cleanup!)

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Nutritional information (per serving):

Calories	Fat	Carbs	Fiber	Protein
216	7 grams	8 grams	>1 gram	29 grams

Wednesday: Edamame

This has become my go-to snack for watching TV. Full of protein and a slightly salty treat (but careful not to make it too salty), these soybeans are delicious and nutritious, and if you shell them yourself, the unshelling process will slow down your chow time, so you get fuller faster on fewer pods.

• 1 cup edamame

Buy frozen or fresh edamame, and steam or reheat according to package directions.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Nutritional information (per serving):

Calories	Fat	Carbs	Fiber	Protein
189	8 grams	16 grams	8 grams	17 grams

Thursday: Trail Mix

Trail mix is a great way to combine some of your favorite snacks and avoid the world of nacho-flavored fatty and salty snacks. You can mix up the recipe to create your favorite crunchy treats. The best ingredients include nuts, dried fruit, and unsweetened granola. Try and steer clear of less wholesome ingredients. If you're adding M&M'S^® or chocolate chips to your recipe, who are you kidding? You could trade in your favorite nuts or dried fruit into this recipe. This is a good time to bust out the individual serving bags, so you don't end up going down the trail of oversnacking.

• 1 cup peanuts, shelled
• 1 cup unsweetened granola
• 1 cup raisins

Combine ingredients into airtight container. Shake to combine. Serves 6.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Nutritional information (per serving):

Calories	Fat	Carbs	Fiber	Protein
320	17 grams	37 grams	5 grams	10 grams

Friday: Chalene Johnson's Crispbread

Here's a quick little snack to tide you over between meals inspired by Turbo Jam^® and ChaLEAN Extreme^® trainer extraordinaire Chalene Johnson. She recommends the following recipe, although you could try some other fun variations with cottage cheese instead of peanut butter or different fruits or vegetables, both fresh and dried.

• 1 Wasa^® crispbread (or similar low-fat cracker)
• 2 Tbsp. peanut butter
• 2 fresh strawberries, stemmed and sliced

Spread peanut butter on cracker, and pile sliced berries on top.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Nutritional information (per serving):

Calories	Fat	Carbs	Fiber	Protein
241	16 grams	17 grams	6 grams	9 grams

Saturday: P90X Peak Performance Protein Bar

Sometimes the easiest snack just involves opening a wrapper. If you haven't tried Beachbody's P90X Peak Performance Protein Bars in a while, treat yourself. All of the flavors have been recently reformulated and taste even more delicious, plus there are new flavors like Chocolate Fudge and Wildberry Yogurt. With 20 grams of protein per bar, you’ll feel full and have energy for hours. And you can't beat the preparation time!

• 1 P90X Peak Performance Protein Bar

Preparation time: 1 minute (longer if you don't have opposable thumbs)

Nutritional information (per serving; for Café Mocha flavor):

Calories	Fat	Carbs	Fiber	Protein
260	7 grams	29 grams	1 gram	20 grams

Feel free to eat any of these snacks on any day of the week. And repeat your favorites. Most of these can be integrated into your favorite Beachbody meal plan, including P90X. Bon appétit!

Click here to get more great healthy recipes when you sign up for Team Beachbody^®.

A Low-Calorie Snack Survival Guide

By Stephanie Saunders

Dieting can be a struggle for even the most disciplined. Going against your cravings, turning down tasty desserts, and making wise restaurant choices is difficult for even those of us who give advice about it. And although recent studies show that caloric restriction has wide-ranging health benefits and may offer protection against age-related disorders such as Alzheimer's disease*, feeling hunger pains can make it a Herculean task. Anyone that was sent to bed as a child without dinner can attest to how uncomfortable falling asleep can be when your stomach is empty. Thanks a lot, Mom.

We're all well aware that in order to lose weight, you need to burn more calories in a day than you consume. And for most people, consuming small meals several times a day is much more effective than consuming one or two giant ones, but what happens if you have followed your eating plan to the letter, and that grumbling in your tummy is still there? Fear not! There are a plethora of low-calorie foods out there that can fill up your stomach without affecting your calorie count for the day too adversely.

Vegetables

Most of us don't crave vegetables in our time of dieting need, but because of their low calorie count and high fiber count, they can push away hunger very quickly. If you're craving salt, a touch of fat-free dressing can spruce up even the most boring produce. For the purpose of low-calorie snacking, aim for the non-starch variety (avoid potatoes, corn, peas, carrots). And, remember, the more water in the vegetable, the better. Some great choices include:

1. Celery. This super crunchy friend has 6 calories, 1.5 grams of carbohydrates, 0.7 grams of fiber, no fat, and 0.3 grams of protein per stalk.
2. Cucumbers. Previous to pickling, cucumbers have 14 calories, 2.8 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, no fat, and 0.4 grams of protein per 1-cup sliced serving.
3. Bell peppers. Colorful and slightly sweet, bell peppers have 20 calories, 4.8 grams of carbohydrates, 1.5 grams of fiber, no fat, and 0.7 grams of protein per 1/2-cup serving.

Fruits

Fruit is a bit tricky, as the calorie counts vary per item, and there is a lot of sugar in fruit. Remember the water rule, and you will be in fairly good shape. Also, really watch your portion size. A cup of watermelon is a great choice, while an entire watermelon will not serve you well. If you're looking at the frozen varieties, make sure that there's no sugar added to your choices. And avoid the gallon-size smoothies sold in every mini-mall in this great country. Calorically, they should replace a meal, and the amount of sugar they contain can send your insulin through the roof. Some fantastic choices, in 1/2-cup servings, include:

4. Melons. Cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon are all between 25 and 30 calories, 5 to 7 grams of carbohydrates, 0.4 to 0.7 grams of fiber, no fat, 0.5 to 0.8 grams of protein per 1/2-cup serving.
5. Berries. When in season, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries can satisfy a sweet tooth and your hunger. They each have between 20 to 40 calories, 5 to 10 grams of carbs, 2 to 3 grams of fiber, no fat, and 0.5 grams of protein.
6. Apples. Always in season, apples each contain about 82 calories, 21 grams of carbs, 3.8 grams of fiber, no fat, and 0.2 grams of protein.

Protein sources

Protein is known to rebuild muscle; however, for the dieter, the best part about protein is that it is filling and has some substance to it. In this instance, dealing with low-calorie snacking, your protein choices will have to be small in size and low in fat. In other words, do not eat 2 pounds of bacon and consider it a snack. It's also wise to combine these small protein portions with a choice from the vegetable category. It will add flavor and fiber, which will add to your satiation. Some low-cal favorites include:

7. Egg whites. Sometimes, they take a bit to get used to, but scrambled egg whites pack a high-protein punch. Egg whites contain 29 calories, 0.6 grams of carbohydrates, no fiber and fat, and 6 grams of protein per 1/4-cup serving, before cooking.
8. Light cheese. There are tons of light cheese options out there, but to make it simple, we are leaning toward the preportioned variety. Light string cheese and Laughing Cow® wedges have 35 to 50 calories, 1 gram of carbs, no fiber, 2 grams of fat, and 3 to 6 grams of protein.

Starchy and sweet snacks

With the advent of the 100-calorie pack, one would assume that starchy carbohydrate snacking would be completely figured out. The problem is that most people don't stop at one pack, and three packs later, you could have had a sandwich or a sundae. In this particular situation, we suggest snacks that don't add more than 50 or 60 calories to your daily intake, so unless you can only eat half of that SnackWells® pack, perhaps look at these more filling options:

9. Whole-grain brown rice cakes. Rice expands in your stomach, and makes you feel fuller for a longer period of time. One whole-grain brown rice cake contains 30 calories, 14 grams of carbohydrate, 1 gram of fiber, no fat, and 1 gram of protein.
10. Air-popped popcorn. Air-popped popcorn is very filling, and unlike its movie-theater cousin, it's not a caloric nightmare. Air-popped popcorn contains 31 calories, 6.2 grams of carbohydrates, 1.2 grams of fiber, 0.4 grams of fat, and 1 gram of protein per 1-cup serving.
11. Sugar-free Fudgesicle®. I think this is one of humankind's greatest creations. Each sugar-free Fudgesicle contains 35 calories, 16 grams of carbs, 4 grams of fiber, 1.5 grams of fat, and 4 grams of protein.

Liquids

OK, so it's not actually food, but beverages and broths can have a very filling effect on a very empty belly. Warm liquids, in particular, expand in your stomach and make you feel fuller for a longer period of time. Some choices include:

12. No-sugar-added hot chocolate. On a chilly night, hot chocolate can be filling and comforting. No-sugar-added hot chocolate contains 50 calories, 10 grams of carbs, no fiber or fat, and 2 grams of protein.
13. Low-sodium chicken broth. This diet wonder can be spiced up a bit, or even added to, with choices from the vegetable category. Chicken broth contains 15 calories, 1 gram of carbohydrates, no fiber or fat, and 2 grams of protein.
14. Beachbody's Shakeology. The most filling and nutritionally dense product on the market. For snacking purposes, try a 1/2-scoop serving size (24 grams). That's 70 calories, 8.5 grams of carbs, 1.5 grams of fiber, 0.5 grams of fat, and 8.5 grams of protein.

Remember, these suggestions are not replacements for high-quality meals, but just a way to chase hunger away when those meals have already been consumed. Many people on calorie-restricted diets stop feeling excess hunger after several days, so be patient with yourself. Eventually, the amazing machine that is your body will become acclimated to what you are doing, and will thrive on the fuel you are giving it. In the interim, utilize these low-calorie snacks and avoid the growling in your tummy. It may not be as filling as some slices of Domino's Pizza®, but you will feel much better about yourself in the morning.