Portion Patrol
Apr. 9, 2008— -- Computer screens, dogs, your paycheck: Some things should only come in size XL.
But at snack time, smaller really is better. A mere 100 calories can satisfy you until your next meal, but that amount is frustratingly hard to eyeball. You could pay the more than 100 percent markup some companies charge for 100-cal snack packs -- or simply keep these delish, nutritionist-approved treats on hand.
Lunch left something to be desired? This savory dish will make your taste buds happy.
Pop this vitamin-rich fudgy treat before a morning meeting and that Danish won't look so damn good.
Score your caffeine fix along with a hunger-crushing 10-gram shot of protein and about a third of your daily calcium needs.
Naturally prepackaged goodness you can take anywhere, with the added benefit of cramp-preventing potassium.
Eating this protein-packed pick-me-up out of the shell will help make the snack last longer.
Go ahead, nibble mindlessly as you zone out in front of Bravo. Even if you're watching trash, you won't be eating it.
This speedy fiber- and protein-packed breakfast also makes for a warm, filling snack.
This bone-building goodie provides 20 percent of your RDA for calcium and vitamin D.
The perfect appetizer -- and no one at the table will know you're counting calories.
Any food you can play with is a great distraction; plus, the protein battles mid-afternoon hunger pangs.
Stash chocolate-peanut or strawberries-and-cream bars in your glove box to help you resist the lure of the drive-thru when you're on the road.
The crunchy texture keeps choppers busy, and tangy hummus feeds your need for comfort food.
When you must have meat, chew on this low-cal, low-fat power snack.
Like most fruit, melon contains a lot of water. So you get a lot of food -- and beta-carotene -- for not a lot of calories.
An antioxidant- and protein-rich hunger-buster.
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Toss together this pared-down trail mix and pre-measure into plastic baggies.
For a totally guiltless dessert, dish up a bowl of this sweet, fiber-rich combo.
These hot, crispy, cheesy bites are possibly the most satisfying late-night snack ever.
This sweet mix does the job until you can break away from your desk for a full meal.
This protein-and-carb duo gives you a light but energizing start when you have a belly-busting lunch on your calendar.
When you crave a cool treat, dip into smooth and yummy fro-yo--it's nowhere near as high-calorie as ice cream.
A cocoa fix that's equally rich in chocolaty taste and disease-fighting antioxidants--what more could you want in a snack?
Keep premeasured tubs in your desk drawer for an alternative to kettle chips when you're craving something crunchy.
Have it pre-party; the protein will keep you from wiping out the buffet.
Kill a carbs-and-salt craving in a single snack session.
These low-fat vegetarian balls hit the spot.
Quell your inner cocoa monster and get a hit of calcium.
This peanut bar tastes like something you'd get from the vending machine, minus the thigh-inflating effects.
Scientifically speaking, it's the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius. Nutritionally, a calorie is the amount of energy in food your body can use. Digestion releases nutrients in food, which your body converts to glucose and uses to fuel all of its functions, from making your heart beat to running after the UPS truck. We can thank (or curse) Lulu Hunt Peters for introducing the concept of counting calories. Her 1918 bestseller, Diet and Health With Key to the Calories, advocated the "calories in, calories out" method as a way to regulate weight. We've been adding them up ever since.
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Mother Teresa, Kate Moss... maybe they could limit themselves to 100 calories of these tempting treats. But we seriously doubt it!
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