Weight-loss basics (13)
- Getting past a weight-loss plateau
- Counting calories: Get back to weight-loss basics
- Metabolism and weight loss: How you burn calories
- see all in Weight-loss basics
Diet plans (5)
- Weight loss: Choosing a diet that's right for you
- Low-carb diet: Can it help you lose weight?
- Healthy recipes: A guide to ingredient substitutions
- see all in Diet plans
Mayo Clinic diet (6)
- The Mayo Clinic Diet: A weight-loss program for life
- Energy density and weight loss: Feel full on fewer calories
- Snacks: How they fit into your weight-loss plan
- see all in Mayo Clinic diet
Diet and exercise (9)
- Exercise for weight loss: Calories burned in 1 hour
- Barriers to fitness: Overcoming common challenges
- Aerobic exercise: Top 10 reasons to get physical
- see all in Diet and exercise
Diet pills, supplements and surgery (6)
- Gastric bypass surgery: Who is it for?
- Over-the-counter weight-loss pills: Do they work?
- Alli weight-loss pill: Does it work?
- see all in Diet pills, supplements and surgery
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
continued:
Snacks: How they fit into your weight-loss plan
What does a 100-calorie snack look like?
Although snacks can contribute to a healthy diet, they can also be a source of excess calories if you aren't careful. For example, a small handful of almonds (about 14 nuts) contains 100 calories. But eat a cup of almonds, and the calorie count jumps to over 800 calories.
So what are some smart choices? Here are several suggestions for 100-calorie snacks:
- 1 cup sliced bananas and fresh raspberries
- 2 cups of carrots
- 3 1/2 cups air-popped popcorn
- 5 melba toast crackers, rye or pumpernickel
- 2 tablespoons of peanuts
- 2 domino-sized slices of low-fat Colby or cheddar cheese
- 1 fat-free chocolate pudding cup
When a snack fills in for a meal
With today's busy world, healthy meals often lose out to busy schedules. A grab-and-go snack could be the difference between some nourishment and none at all. You'll find it easier to choose good-for-you snacks if you stock your refrigerator and shelves with foods that are fast — not fussy. These ideas for healthy snacks minimize fat and calories and maximize whole grains, fruits and vegetables. They're all around 200 calories.
- Toast one-half of a whole-wheat English muffin. Top with one slice Canadian bacon, a tomato slice and one slice low-fat American cheese. Microwave until the cheese melts.
- Spread 1 tablespoon part-skim ricotta cheese over one-half of a small cinnamon-raisin bagel. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired and top with a thinly sliced apple.
- Top a small baked potato with 2 tablespoons fat-free plain yogurt and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning.
- Layer a 6-inch soft corn or flour tortilla with 2 tablespoons shredded low-fat cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. Microwave until the cheese melts. Slice into bite-sized pie shapes. Dip into some salsa if desired.
- Mix 1/4 cup cold leftover chicken or convenience-type chunk chicken with sliced seedless grapes, 1/2 tablespoon sunflower seeds, 1 tablespoon plain low-fat yogurt or fat-free mayonnaise, and a dash of curry powder. Stuff into half of a whole-wheat pita pocket.
Heed your hunger pangs, but forget the guilt. With planning and a little preparation, you can have healthy foods on hand so that you're ready when temptation strikes.
Previous page(2 of 2)
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 22. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search. Accessed March 31, 2010.
- Hensrud DD, et al. The Mayo Clinic Diet. Intercourse, Penn.: Good Books; 2010.
Find Mayo Clinic on