Here are the best snacks to lose weight for women over 40
It can be difficult to know which are the best snacks to lose weight, especially as a woman in your 40s or 50s.
There’s plenty of conflicting evidence and advice in the fitness industry. From frequency to substance, it can be hard to understand how you should be snacking to lose weight.
Here at Trinity, we work closely with women over 40. For some of our clients, snacking can be their downfall. They’ll stick to healthy choices for their main meals, but those added extras soon add up…
Whether their vice is crisps, chocolate, biscuits or cake… they may find themselves drawn to these unhealthy foods. This is especially prevalent after a stressful day at work.
The truth is… if you choose the wrong snacks, these calories will quickly add up. Rather than sticking to your healthy calorie allowance for the day, you may find yourself unknowingly tipping into an excess. In the worst case scenarios, this may add up to thousands of extra calories per week!
As a woman in your 40s or 50s, you’re already dealing with changing hormones which make weight loss more difficult. So, adding these snacks into the mix can quickly lead to your weight spiralling out of control.
We’ve heard anecdotes about this happening with our clients. Many women start choosing clothes to cover up ‘problem areas’ instead of choosing what they want to wear. They might start to hate shopping because nothing feels comfortable. And they often start to worry they’ll never get their weight under control…
This is never a nice situation to be in. But there is good news!
There is a way to utilise snacks to lose weight.
After years of working with women in their 40s and 50s, we’ve found some easy ways to enjoy eating snacks every single day… without having negative consequences to your waistline!
Check the calories
Snack calories can add up FAST… especially if you pick the wrong things. In our experience, most people don’t gain weight because of their meal portions… instead it’s because of those sneaky ‘extras’. So ideally, most of your snacks should be within the right number of calories for your body.
Weight loss comes down to one thing… burning more calories than you consume. So, you can’t get around the fact that if you eat too much, your body will store the excess as fat. So, next time you reach for a treat, check the calories first!
Check the substance
As well as being low in calories, snacks should be filling. It’s like putting a big log on a fire… you’ll need something that will keep you burning for hours!
Foods that are filling have either… a higher protein content and/or a higher fibre content. Both of these macronutrients digest very slowly, fuelling you for longer.
Hit your cravings
If you’re craving something sweet, then you’ll need to meet that craving! You don’t need to snack on something boring all the time, but instead… it’s a good idea to opt for something which your body is asking for.
Rather than avoiding a sugary snack and eating even MORE to fill you up… try to satisfy yourself straight away. In the long run, as long as you’re within your calories, this might be the best option.
Avoid the beige
A good rule to go by is to avoid beige foods! This is especially true for women in their 40s and 50s who are going through menopause.
Beige foods tend to contain too much sugar or processed carbohydrates… which are never a good snack option. These foods digest super quickly, which mean they’re not at all filling.
Additionally, sugar can also make menopause side-effects even worse. So, to avoid hot flushes, poor sleep and low energy levels… reach for something else instead!
Snacks to avoid
Which snacks should you avoid to lose weight? Here are our recommendations.
Biscuits are very high in calories, and often aren’t remotely filling. It’s very eat to eat too much of these in one go! Plus, five bourbons are upwards of 340kcals… and this is the equivalent of four packs of crisps – or an entire healthy meal!
Chocolate can quickly add up in both sugar and calories. At 474kcal per small sharing bag, chocolate might lead to your weight slowly creeping up. If you do reach for some chocolate, try to limit the quantity.
Crisps are an easy way to add excess calories to your diet. The lack of substance in these can lead to endless snacking… so you’ll probably eat more than you mean to!
Cake is very high in calories, and again it’s not very filling. It’s easy to consume a high number of calories in one go… and the number one ingredient is sugar! With added emulsifiers, which are trans fats in disguise, cake can be a very bad snack to lose weight.
Toast is a sneaky high-calorie snack which often goes under the radar. Bread, especially if it’s white, lacks nutrition. After a few slices of toast, you’ll probably be hungry again within the hour! Instead, opt for something with a higher protein or fibre content.
Healthy alternative snacks to lose weight
So what is the best snack for weight loss? While there are a few snacks we recommend avoiding to lose weight… there are plenty healthy snacks out there too! Here’s what we suggest as replacements.
Reduced fat hummus with some carrots, cucumber or celery is an excellent source of healthy protein. With low in calorie veg and a high fibre content… this combination hits the sweet spot.
Savoury Snack-a-Jacks are less than 100kcals per pack. Snack-a-jacks are a healthy alternative to other higher calorie snack options, like Kettle Chips or crackers.
Rice cakes with a small amount of peanut butter are low in calories. This is an excellent way to satisfy a sweet tooth… and you can add banana or apple on top for extra crunch!
A punnet of berries, such as blueberries, strawberries or raspberries are very low in calories. You can indulge in the whole punnet for just 60kcals!
Nuts or olives are an amazing savoury option for when you want something to snack on. These options are high in healthy fats… which will keep you fuller for longer. Just make sure to weigh them beforehand, as these can quickly add up if you mindlessly snack on them.
Other excellent snack options include beef jerky, dark chocolate and low-calorie ice cream. These options are great for evenings when you’re looking for something indulgent!
Ready To See Results?
- Download our free guide to learn how to lose weight and tone up during menopause – without extreme calorie cutting. [Download here]
- Sign up for our free training on weight loss and fitness specifically for women over 40. [Sign up here]
- Learn more about our Fit Over 40 Program and how it can help you drop 1-2 dress sizes in just 12 weeks. [Learn more here]