Why is it so hard to make good food choices? Many of us fight against poor eating habits, emotional eating, and plain old hunger when we try to stick to a healthy diet. Habits and feelings aside, if you’re trying to lose weight by eating healthier, know this: you don’t have to feel hungry constantly. By choosing high-quality snacks, you can drop pounds without gnawing hunger. And that will make your new nutrition plan easier to stick with.

Fruits & Vegetables

Two of the healthiest and easiest snacks to prepare are raw vegetables and fresh fruit. A bag of seedless grapes, a crisp Granny Smith apple, sugar snap peas, or a handful of baby carrots and celery sticks are the perfect pick-me-up when hunger strikes during that dieter’s wasteland between breakfast and lunch, AND then between lunch and dinner.

Protein Bars

If you’re doing P90X or some other strenuous workout program, you’re probably following a healthy diet and increasing the amount of protein you eat at the same time. After all, you’re building muscle and burning more fat. Sometimes you get very hungry! And it seems almost impossible to get enough protein into your diet.

Skinless chicken breasts are a great snack choice, but … they’re not always convenient. That’s where protein bars come into the picture. They are convenient, and they’re tasty. Not only are protein bars nutritious, but they’re easy to carry in your briefcase, purse, glove compartment, or gym bag. You can’t say that about chicken! And protein bars require absolutely no preparation.

At the Store

When you go to the grocery store, buy healthy snacks and avoid purchasing those that are high in fat, sugar, and/or sodium. If the fattening treats you have trouble resisting aren’t within easy reach at home, you’ll be less likely to “cheat” on your new diet.  And if you fill up on vegetables, fruit, lean protein, and whole grains, you’ll be less likely to pig out on empty calories. When you crave something sweet, reach for yogurt (sugar free & fat free… watch the labels… some are packed with sugar & junk!). When you’re feeling really empty, pick whole grains and/or lean protein. That’ll fill you up.

As you’re dieting, be sure to have a snack when you feel hungry–but make it a healthy one. There are many healthy snacks to choose from! If you want more ideas about healthy eating options, consult your P90X Nutrition Guide. It contains many meal suggestions and snack ideas for people like you who are serious about changing their eating habits and increasing their fitness level.

Some Healthy Snack Ideas

To get you started, here are some basic, easy snack ideas.  These are simple to buy, and easy to take along!

  • almonds, unsalted
  • nuts, unsalted,
  • pecans
  • pistachios
  • low fat cheese
  • turkey jerky
  • apples
  • bananas
  • oranges
  • raisins
  • strawberries
  • blueberries
  • nonfat plain yogurt
  • cottage cheese, 1%
  • any veggie
  • any fruit

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