-My success was achieved with approximately 1,400 to 1,500 calories a day with moderate exercise.



-My snacks were usually kept between 100-150 calories so that total snack calories were approximately 300 daily for my three snacks

-Three snacks a day seem to be the choice of many of us who have experienced long-term success.

Here are a few things you may find helpful-

Snacks are as important as the meals we eat; sometimes even more so. Snacks keep our metabolism activated and working to burn calories. They help maintain a "full" feeling, which is beneficial when instituting a successful eating plan and aids in reducing any hunger we may begin to feel prior to our afternoon or evening meal. This additional time allows us to thoughtfully, consciously and healthily prepare our meals without grabbing an unhealthy food, stopping at a fast food restaurant or convenience store on the way home and helps us refrain from tasting many small bites of your afternoon or evening meal as you are preparing it. Remember, those calories add up as well.

Again, these are just samples; pick up packages, read the labels and make your own choices. This is how you will learn to not only broaden your food exposure to new possibilities but you are learning how to change your lifestyle!

* Eat slowly and purposefully

*Enjoy the flavor and the experience of the food you are eating

*Chew your food thoroughly 10-20 times, not 2-3; it takes approximately 20 minutes for your brain to realize your stomach is full. In addition, the saliva aids in digestion and helps you feel full.

* Remember, snacks are not meals; they must be limited but they are necessary and crucial to our success.

One of my favorites: Pop a 100 calorie bag of Kettle Korn, open it carefully and drop in 1-2 TBSP of grated parmesan cheese and some freshly ground black pepper. Close the bag, shake and then enjoy. I eat each kernel individually and it is a flavorful snack. I eat this when I am craving something crunchy after my final meal as my end of the day snack.

Please be sure to journal everything; it is the only true way to know the total calories you are consuming. It is also important to make an entry as to how you are feeling, i.e. happy, sad, lonely, angry ~ in time, you should be able to see a pattern between your emotions and your eating habits. This then gives us a place to start to address a plan of action to make corrections. I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!! Thank you for allowing us to share in your adventure! Now, go make it your reality!!!

Snack Ideas-

Egg, boiled 1 large egg 92Calories

Toast, whole grain, 100% whole wheat 1 slice 100Calories

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray Topping 5 sprays 0Calories

Peanut butter OR 1 1/2 tsp 50Calories

Blackberry Jelly 1 1/2 tsp 25Calories

Bacon, Ready to Serve, Oscar Mayer 3 slices 70Calories

Coffee1 cup 0Calories

Creamer, Caramel, Coffee Mate 1 TBSP 30Calories

Oatmeal, regular, quick or instant, cooked 1/3 cup 104Calories

Milk, Cow, Fat-Free, Skim 1/2 cup 45Calories

Tea (bag, loose, instant), brewed 1 cup 2Calories

Splenda, sugar substitute 1 packet 2Calories

Propel, Mandarin Orange (Various Flavors) 1 bottle (18.9 fl ox) 20Calories

Walnuts, English 1/2 oz 90Calories

Cashews, dry roasted, no salt added try curried cashews, they're Great~especially combined with dried mangos) 1 TBSP 49Calories

Pumpkin Seeds (and Squash Seeds), dry roasted, no salt 1 ounce148Calories

Sunflower Nuts, dry roasted, no salt 1 TBSP 47Calories

Soy Nuts, Herbalife 1 package 130Calories

McDonald's Fruit and Yogurt Parfait, without granola 1 serving 130Calories

McDonald's Side Salad 1 serving 20Calories

McDonald's Newman's Own Low-Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing 1 serving 40Calories

Espresso Hot, Cinnamon Dolce Latte, Starbucks,with sugar free syrup and non-fat milk, no whipped cream 1 tall (12 oz) 96Calories

Hot coffee, Northern Lite Latte, Caribou Coffee, with sugar free syrup and skim milk, no whipped topping 1 med (1 pint, 4 oz) 123Calories

Cereal, Cheerios, Original OR 1 cup 100Calories

Mini Delights, Cinnamon Streusel, Multigrain Cakes, Quaker 1 individual package 90Calories

Mini Delights, Peanut Butter, Multigrain Cakes, Quaker 1 individual package 90Calories

Popcorn, Kettle Korn, Pop Secret 1 individual package 100Calories

Popcorn, Butter Flavor, Pop Secret 1 individual package 100Calories

Rice Cakes, Caramel Corn, Quaker 1 cake 50Calories

Sour Cream and Onion Toasted Chips, Baked, Ritz 14 chips 130Calories

Banana, fresh 1 small (less than 6" long) 72Calories

Blueberries, fresh 50 berries (2.4 oz) 39Calories

Apple, fresh 1 medium (2 3/4" diameter) 72Calories

Mango, fresh 1 cup 107Calories

Pear, fresh, average all varieties 1 medium 96Calories

Grapes, green or red 10 grapes 34Calories

Watermelon, fresh 1 cup 46Calories

Cantaloupe, fresh 1 cup 54Calories

Peach, fresh 1 medium (2 1/2" diameter) 38Calories

Orange, fresh, average all varieties 1 medium (2 5/8" diameter) 62Calories

Tangerine or Mandarin Orange, fresh 1 medium (2 3/8' diameter) 45Calories

Raisins, dried fruit 50 raisins 78Calories

Mango, dried fruit, unsweetened 1 ounce 21Calories

Creamy Chicken Soup Mix, Protein based, Herbalife (16 g protein, 1 carb) 1 packet 80Calories

Carrots 1 medium (6 1/2" long) 25Calories

Celery 1 medium stalk (7 1/2' long) 6Calories

Tomato 1 medium (2 3/5" diameter) 22Calories

Yogurts, fruit flavored, fat-free 1 container (4.4 oz) 118Calories

High Protein Breakfast Bar, South Beach, Cereal, Chocolate 1 Bar (10 gram protein) 140Calories

High Protein Bar, Herbalife, Deluxe Chocolate Peanut 1 Bar (10 gram protein) 140Calories

Coffee 1 cup 0Calories

Creamer, Caramel, Coffee Mate 1 TBSP 30Calories

Baby Greens, Salad, fresh 3 cups 10Calories

Green onions 2 TBSP 4Calories

Tomatoes 1 thin slice (5 oz) 3Calories

Mushrooms 2 oz 2Calories

Green peppers 1 TBSP 2Calories

Pepper Jack Cheese, 2%, Singles, Kraft 1 Slice 50Calories

Parmesan Cheese, Grated Fresh, Kraft 2 TBSP 20Calories

Swiss Cheese, No Fat, Singles, Kraft 1Slice 35Calories

Beef Jerky, Jack Link's Original 1 18 oz package 140Calories

Fudgesickles, Blue Bunny, Sweet Freedom 1 Fudgesickle 35Calories

Popsickles, Sugar-Free, Popsickle Brand 1 Popsickle Stick 15Calories

Jello, Flavored, Fat-Free, Sugar-Free 1/2 cup 10Calories