Losing weight can be difficult but there are many tricks to keep you
on track to losing weight and staying healthy. One area I think we all
struggle with is portion sizes. In a world of bigger is always better,
our view of a “normal” size portion for any given food is often very
skewed. In the land of super size portions, what is normal? I’ve got
some tips for easily portioning out serving sizes as well as some great
Weight Watchers 1 Point Snack ideas for you. I’m a snacker by nature and
I know that can be the pitfall for many people trying to lose
weight. I’ll show you the snacks you don’t have to feel guilty eating
and how to enjoy the proper portion sizes so you can stay on track to
your weight loss goals.
Having a few very inexpensive tools to help you portion your food is a
huge help. I found these awesome measuring scoops at Walmart for a
couple bucks. I LOVE them because the scoop side is in common serving
size portions and the handle of it contains a measuring spoon side which
works great for measuring out nut butters, oils and dressing. Often
times I will have some ranch dressing with my salad and think that I can
eyeball what 1 Tbsp looks like. It turns out my idea of 1 Tbsp and an
actual tablespoon are very different! Always measure! Once you have an
accurate idea of what a teaspoon or tablespoon of something looks like
then you can go back to eyeballing if you must.
I also love having the little reusable snack containers on hand.
These are the smallest size, typically used for things like salad
dressing. They are perfect for portioning out 1 point snacks. I also
love the divided containers which allow me to portion out snacks ahead
of time and have them at the ready, while keeping them separated.
Finally, having the snack size zip top bags is a must.
Measuring out your portions is a must. When you decide to have a
snack just whip out a measuring scoop and measure it out and put it in a
bowl or bag then put away the container so you aren’t tempted to grab
more. Portioning out snacks ahead of time is the perfect way to grab a
healthy snack without the temptation of grabbing something more
convenient. At the beginning of the day (or week) portion out single
servings of each of these snacks so you can easily grab them later!
Weight Watchers 1 Point Snack Ideas:
- 20 pretzel sticks
- 1 wedge of Laughing Cow cheese
- 1 Weight Watchers string cheese stick
- Baked Chocolate, Almond and Cranberry Wontons
- 7 almonds
- Buffalo-Style Stuffed Celery
- 1 cup raspberries
- Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed with Blue Cheese and Bacon
- 1 cup strawberries
- 2 of these Jalapeno Poppers
- 16 Food Should Taste Good Pesto Pita Puffs
- Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus
- 1/2 of a Colby Jack Cheese Stick
- Tuscan Tortilla Chips
- 1 cup baby carrots with 2 Tbsp fat free ranch dressing
- Cinnamon Apple Crisps
- 1 cup air popped popcorn
- Parmesan-Pepper Twists
- Watermelon Pops
These are all great ideas to get you started. I love the Weight
Watchers app so I can easily see how many points a snack will cost me
right from my phone. Just punch in any food and it will tell you the
number of points that the food and portion size will add up to.
I love choosing foods that keep me filled up. Almonds are a favorite
that really keep me full for a long time. Cheese is a great mid-morning
snack and paired with fruit it’s a great snack! I love that fruit and
vegetables don’t cost me any points. I can pair a serving of raspberries
with my cheese or almonds to help fill me up and I don’t have to add
any points to my daily total!
Not only do I try to portion out snacks ahead of time, but I also use
smaller packages. You can fool your eyes into thinking you are eating
more than you actually are. Have you ever heard the phrase “My eyes were
bigger than my stomach”? It’s true. Our eyes and our perception of how
much food we are eating plays a big role in how full we feel and how
much we pay attention to our hunger cues. Instead of using the large
sandwich bag for your single serving of pretzels use a snack size bag
instead. Now your bag looks full instead of looking almost empty. It
LOOKS like a bigger snack than it would if it was in a larger bag.
Another way to have easy snacks on hand is to buy things that already
have the points calculated for you. The Weight Watchers String cheese
are 1 point each and say that right on the package! It makes it easy to
keep track of your points.
Which of these two plates would you pick? They both have the same
amount of food but the smaller plate looks more full since there is less
plate area to fill. By choosing smaller dinner plates you naturally
take smaller portion sizes because you can’t fit as much on your plate.
You also trick your eyes into thinking you have more food on your plate
than you really do!
By utilizing these easy tips and having 1 point snacks on hand you
can get through those tough moments in your weight loss journey.
Planning ahead is key! Set yourself up for success! Don’t forget to take
advantage of Weight Watcher’s app and their cheat sheets they have
online for fast food places and other times when you are eating away
from home and needing healthy choices. Weight Watchers makes it easier
to lose weight even if you are a busy mom like me!
Source: http://musthavemom.com