Smart Snacking Helps Make Dieting Easier

23/05/07 Many people blame between- meal urges for making it difficult to control their weight. The fact is that it's not the snacking itself that's the problem, but the size and the food choices that can really do a dieter in. And with two of every three people trying to lose weight admitting that hunger causes them to cheat on their diet -- as revealed in a recent Yankelovich survey -- snacking can actually be a useful strategy to help people stick to their diet and lose weight.

Finding healthy and satisfying snacks is not always easy, especially when you're looking for something quick and convenient. Protein is essential to promoting satiety, but unfortunately, most of the traditional snack food options are not the healthiest choices, providing too many calories with too little nutrition. To provide consumers with a  convenient, portion-controlled, nutritious -- and indulgent -- snack option, Slim-Fast is introducing a new line of Protein Snack Bars. Each great-tasting snack bar provides a good source of protein (5 grams) and 15 vitamins and minerals, including the antioxidant vitamins C and E, 15% of daily calcium and a good source B Vitamins -- in only 110 calories.

"Snacking can be a vital part of long-term weight management, as it can help curb your appetite between meals and prevent overeating," said Patricia Groziak, M.S., R.D., Unilever Senior Manager, Medical Marketing for Slim-Fast. "Slim-Fast's new Protein Snack Bars offer a sensible snack option with a balance of vitamins, minerals, protein and enough calories to provide energy and help curb hunger. And these new snacks can also satisfy a craving for sweets -- without all the guilt."

Weight-loss experts encourage sensible snack food choices such as fruits and vegetables; healthy substitutes for high-calorie indulgences, and single- serving, prepackaged snacks. The new Protein Snack Bars come in 3 delicious flavors -- Whipped Caramel Nougat, Whipped Peanut Nougat and Whipped Chocolate Nougat -- and provide a "grab-and-go", nutrient-rich snack that can complement any weight loss plan.

Snacking can even be incorporated into a meal replacement weight loss strategy -- with successful results. According to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity in 2005, people who preferred to snack while following the Slim-Fast meal replacement plan experienced similar weight loss results as those who chose not to snack -- losing between 4.6% and 6.1% of their initial body weight at the end of 12 weeks.

"As a flexible and convenient weight loss approach designed to fit into anyone's busy lifestyle, Slim-Fast helps Americans who are time-starved and rushing to get a healthy meal or snack on the run," Groziak said.

The Slim-Fast Optima Diet is simple to follow -- simply replace breakfast with a Slim-Fast Meal, combine a Slim-Fast Meal with a 200-calorie healthy food choice at lunch, dine on a Sensible Meal at dinner, and snack on fruits and vegetables along with portion-controlled, satisfying snacks between meals. There are 4 customized meal plans designed to help people get started in achieving their personal weight loss goal. Or, use Slim-Fast Meals as part of any diet plan for a nutritionally-balanced, satisfying, calorie-controlled meal replacement.