If You’re Trying to Lose Weight, Here’s Exactly How to Time Your Afternoon Snack | Jackson Progress-Argus Parade Partner…

Afternoon snacks can be a bit of a slippery slope to navigate when you’re trying to live a healthier lifestyle, but not if you time them right. While most experts agree that there’s no specific time you should eat a snack in the afternoon, when you should eat one does involve the right timing. 

So, when the munchies strike, arm yourself with these tips to ensure you’re choosing nutrient-packed, better-for-you snacks and consuming them at an optimal hour to set yourself up for success.

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According to endocrinologist Rekha B. Kumar, M.D., M.S. who specializes in obesity medicine, metabolism and diabetes at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, the sweet spot for healthy snacks is two to three hours after you finish lunch. “This will help to tide you over until your next meal so that you are not ravenous and risk overeating at dinner,” she says.

Thinking about skipping snack time altogether? Not a great idea, warns functional medicine dietitian Kaytee Hadley, MS, RDN, IFMCP, CPT. “The most common mistake I see when trying to lose weight is skipping meals and snacks in an effort to cut calories, which is usually counterproductive. By eating a snack in the afternoon, you will prevent overeating, blood sugar swings and reaching for sweets later which can all sabotage weight loss.” 

Ideally, you would want to space out meals and snacks every two to three hours, which means eating lunch around 12 p.m. followed by a snack at 3 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m.

If your afternoon is packed with a never-ending list of meetings, errands and to-dos, it’s often easier to reach for the fastest snack option nearby. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the best for your body, especially when your goal is weight management.

“Snacks are often where we eat higher sugar, more processed fare, so it’s the perfect time to be mindful of eating more whole plant foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains,” explains Desiree Nielsen, RD, registered dietitian and author of the bestselling book, Good For Your Gut.

Dr Kumar is also partial to healthy snacks that include some sort of lean or low-fat protein to help with satiety. Her favorites are:

• Low-fat Greek yogurt topped with berries
• A handful of heart-healthy nuts like walnuts or almonds along with a low-fat string cheese
• A ½ cup of cottage cheese topped with blueberries
• Carrot sticks dipped in hummus with a small serving of low-fat cheese
• A protein smoothie made with Greek yogurt, frozen berries and protein powder

“Feeling ravenous in between meals is often a signal that your last meal wasn’t balanced or large enough,” says Nielsen. Could you have added more protein? Increased your veggie servings or added a side salad? All of these tips are ways to make sure you’re feeling full after lunch—along with drinking more water throughout the day. On average, it’s best to consume around 3.7 liters (15.5 cups or 125 ounces) for men and 2.7 liters (11.5 cups or 91 ounces) for women, according to a recent study by Geisinger.

If you are exploring structure around meal times, here’s Nielsen’s #1 tip: Make your snack after you eat your meal…and then close the kitchen until dinnertime. “If you have your water and snack at your workspace, you’ll avoid another trip to the kitchen when the urge to eat hits,” she shares. “Plus, making a snack when you’re full means you’ll probably make healthier choices.” Her go-to recipe for snacking is a Pumpkin Hummus Toast with Za’atar using a hearty slice of Silver Hills Sprouted Bread for additional nutrients and energy to help keep the body fueled.

Although this may go without saying, Nielsen advises highly processed foods such as crackers, chips, cookies and candy. “These empty calories won’t fill you up and will impede your weight loss goals,” she warns. Store-bought smoothies can also be full of sugar, so don’t be fooled—make sure to check the nutrition facts or make your own at home. Even rice cakes and baked chips can be labeled “healthy,” but they are pure carbs that won’t fill you up.

As hard as it might be to resist the urge for a fridge surfing session while watching TV or reading a book at night, Dr. Kumar says the smartest way to lose weight—and sleep better—is to have your last meal or snack two to four hours before bedtime. “This allows your body enough time to digest your food so that you’re able to sleep soundly,” she shares. This timeline also helps with any indigestion issues like GERD.

When you start being mindful about the times of day you are eating it’s a lot easier to stick to a plan and be consistent. Even if you have to set an alarm to stay on track in the beginning, your body will slowly start to adapt and know when meal (and snack time) is near. And you’ll be thankful for that in the long run vs. eating at any given time of the day—which can make all the difference between snack and binge.

• Dr. Rekha B. Kumar, M.D., M.S., chief medical officer at the medically-assisted weight loss program Found and practicing endocrinologist at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York
• Desiree Nielsen, registered dietitian and author of the bestselling book, Good For Your Gut
• How Much Water Should You Drink Per Day? Geisinger
• Kaytee Hadley, MS, RDN, IFMCP, CPT, functional medicine dietitian and founder of Holistic Health and Wellness of Richmond, VA