Being healthy is more than just dieting; it is a lifestyle. With all of the sugars and carbs in our diets it is hard sometimes to stay on track.
Snacking is definitely one of the easiest ways to fall away from a healthy lifestyle. With this video, Marlena offers us some alternative options to the traditional snacking, full of artificial sweeteners.
These snacks are nutritious, easy, and fulfilling. Marlena is living proof that this works! Let us know if you have any other ideas that work for you! Stay happy and healthy Muggies!
YouTube Link for Marlena’s Video
Cherry Tomatoes
Snap Peas
Almonds
Apples and Peanut Butter
Cottage Cheese and Fruit
Low Fat String Cheese
Hummus with Vegetables
Protein Bars (such as Kellogg’s Fiber Plus)
Caprese Salad on a Stick
Sweet and Crunchy Garbanzo Beans
Great snack ideas – maybe I will be able to eat healthier this year. Thanks Marlena!
PS- You look fantastic.
Cool to combine apples with peanutbutter, never tried it!
I love Almonds and cheese, grest tips THANK YOU
I absolutely love apples and peanut butter, try it with Honey Crisp Apples and add a little protein powder to the peanut butter to help stave off hunger
Yayyyy finally. I have been checking regularly for this post. Thanks for all the great tips. Can’t wait to try the garbanzo beans. U look fantastic. Thanks for being such an inspiration.
Thanks for this tutorial!
Happy New Year Marlena!
Kisses from France!!!!!!!!
You look so gorgeous^^
Love
Thank you so much Marlena for being so honest and encouraging. Weight loss is such a journey!!!
This is definitely a great video! thank you so much for laying out a guideline… I live on my own now and food shopping is soooo overwhelming and although i dont really have a weight issue it doesnt mean i wanna have one in the future!! Thanks Again for your health tips!! XoXo
the best protein bars are atkins bars. fiber plus gives me gas to be honest, and does for everyone i know! really bad! my favorite low carb snack is rice cakes with peanut butter. it’s soooo satisfying and takes a while to eat so it satisfies both munchies and hunger.
i really recommend that people don’t just eat typical raw produce and meat/tofu on a salad. it’s really hard to stick to. tofu puts people off, but it’s really just cheese made from soymilk, and you can make a lot with it! look up nasoya tofu’s website and they have TONS of recipes where the tofu is so blended in, you won’t even see it or taste it. try making mac and cheese with cauliflower instead of noodles. these are substitutions/additions to delicious meals that actually taste really good and you don’t feel like you’re starving or being cheated and end up just caving in to your cravings. a really good thing is to eat a lot of your calories at breakfast and make sure you have just two mayyyybe three servings of carbs but none at dinner. spread out your meals and make sure that you get enough calories to actually lose weight. eating but barely eating will not help you lose weight. when you hear that ‘people who starve themselves actually gain weight’, that is why. anyways, this is the only thing that has ever, ever, ever helped me to lose weight…. it’s hard to stick to a very low carb diet (absolutely everything in america, at least, is mostly carbs) but this video is inspiring me to keep trying.
i really like marlena’s focus on the low carb lifestyle because it’s so much healthier for everyone and because it gives me some more ideas and inspiration for losing weight. i have an endocrine disorder so i have to live this way, and low fat/low calorie diets wouldn’t help me at all.
This is a bit misleading. You can’t find snacks that help you lose weight. Nothing you eat will “help” you lose weight, and in fact, it’s just the opposite. These “mini-meals” (which some of them are, like the apple and almonds and fruit cup) are good ALTERNATIVES to high-fat, high-salt, high-sugar snacks, but the only “snack” that will really work in terms of helping you lose weight is not to snack at all. (And forget the granola bars, which are filled with sugar, have no real nutrients, and are basically candy.)
There is one and only one way to lose weight: eat less, move more.
Rude
I believe we all know that in order to lose weight we can’t eat three basic meals because we all tend to get really hungry in between and possibly eat too much. So to balance it out, three small meals and two snacks in between is best. So this article is really great because we can get all our veggies/fruits and nutrition in that we can’t all get from three meals.
Therefore, this is NOT misleading.
actually a lot of personal trainers encourage people to have 5 small meals a day as opposed to 3 big ones. so the healthy snacking idea is good if two of those 3 meals are actually fruits or veggies. replacing sugary snacks with healthy ones will help eliminate extra body fat and unhealthy cholesterol. and like they said its a ifestyle. if people change their bad eating habbits they will loose weight
actually, the only diet i’ve ever had that helped me to lose weight was actually to eat more… way more. so much i couldn’t even eat it all. but i still cut wayyyyy back on carbs (absolutely no more than two measured servings- one at breakfast, one at lunch). a lot of people i know who try to lose weight basically try to starve themselves. it might work, but they gain the weight back right away, and some of them just gain instead of losing. i have a friend who’s a size two just trying to lose five pounds she gained after noticing her metabolism has slowed down, and i wonder if she’ll keep the weight off because she plans things like asparagus for dinner…. and nothing else. you can’t maintain that forever! one thing i’ve learned with the diet i’m talking about and having an endocrine disorder is that the modern world is so jacked up on carbs that i can’t believe anyone is thin. i recommend that absolutely everyone try to cut sugar and processed carbs out as much as possible. remember when marlena has mentioned things about candida? that’s an overgrowth of yeast due to a diet with too much sugar and carbohydrate. you don’t have to be overweight or inactive to have that happen! you don’t have to be overweight or inactive to develop heart problems or diabetes! that’s why i really like these videos because they AREN’T coming from some expert who claims to know what’s right for everyone or outrageous ideas that you’ll drop weight overnight or that you have to buy x and y products to do it. marlena is teaching people the techniques she’s used to lose weight and regain energy. now, being a college student interested in anthropology, i’ve actually read studies showing that it’s just as dangerous to be overweight as it is to live with an overweight person. it all comes back to lifestyle, which again, marlena is trying to show the interested audience. her efforts are teaching people to eat well and be satiated rather than to just starve starve starve until the ideal weight is reached, and then resume old unhealthy eating and less active lifestyle. this is such a long response and i’m not trying to put any words in marlena’s mouth, lol, but i just hope that people reading this will find it supportive and encouraging of their pursuits to be healthier. even if you don’t lose weight, you will find that you have more energy and feel better about yourself. i just feel better when i am better to my body.
nowhere in the video did she saw snacking would help you lose weight. She said these are healthy atlernatives…you know as opposed to eating chips, cookies, and other junk food. Everyone knows you must exercise to lose, and like MArlena said herself…it is hard. cut her some slack, no one needs to hear your negativity,
Anyone named Andrea is dumb. You probably have legs like Bambi since you starve yourself.
Anyone named Andrea is rude and dumb. You probably have bambi legs.
That’s a bitchy comment.
the key here is healthy choices- but one can not exclude portion control! a person can and will gain weight eating too much of just about anything.
I concur with ” eat less, move more”. one known fact is that muscle is active tissue and so the more muscle you have the more calories you burn, even at rest. exercise, exercise, exercise and incorporate the use of weights into your workouts.
and marlena! you are looking and doing great! I am so glad i found your website! you are truly inspirational!
Hi everyone, Actually, I think you have to watch out for the splenda brown sugar. It actually has a lot of calories in it, almost as much as real brown sugar…. The white stuff is pretty calorie free though…
I didn’t like huumus either until I tried Saabra…. that’s yummy and my favorite. I love the garlic one.
I was the same way. I’ve tried other hummus brands and I keep going back to Sabra. I could eat a whole tub of it in one sitting, lol.
Hummus can be a great healthy snack, but it can also be a big diet trap, so make sure you read the nutritional label on the package. Hummus is made with olive oil and tahini- while both can be healthy in small amounts, they can also add a TON of fat and calories to a recipe. I’ve even seen some brands include non-traditional ingredients like *eek* mayonnaise.
To be safe, make it at home- it’s super easy and chances are, way better that what you’ll get at the store. Microwave a can of chick peas, drain and puree with a good amount of lemon juice, garlic, salt & pepper and a tablespoon or two of tahini. Like I said, traditional hummus has olive oil, but you can omit that without losing too much flavor if you’re concerned w/ calories & fat. Same with the tahini. My Lebanese ex-stepfather always put a sprinkle of chili powder or paprika on top, but you can use other herbs in the hummus or even add things like roasted peppers or olives. Yum!
Hi Marlena, Great video, thank you! I would like to share a snack I like to eat when I crave something sweet. One Caramel rice cake, spread with a little peanut butter and a drizzle of honey. Yummo! Its filling and under 100 calories! Enjoy!
Thank you for the ideas. I am sure going to use them. I am eager to try the garbanzo bean ones! You look great. Did I hear you right, you still need to loose 40 lbs. you’ll dissapear!
Thanks for the tips Marlena!! Where did you get those cute black & white bowls? I love them!
Hey marlena thanks for the tips they are very helpful. I just turned twenty found out I’m insulin resistant, which is a precursor for deiabetes, and I’m tryin to loose weight to get off my medication and stave off deiabetes. I was 200lbs and I’ve already lost 30lbs! The weight came off quickly at first and now I’m at a plateau too. I still have a good 35lbs left to get to my goal weight. I really appreciate the videos you make because you’re so encouraging and you’ve overcome so much more than me I feel like I can make an even greater effort to better my health. Thanks again Marlena for your inspiration and I can’t wait to watch more videos! We’re in this together!
Sincerely,
Hayat Dominguez
I dont live in the US where all those snacky type things are so common, I eat hummus (homemade though!) and apples all the time, and I love caprese salad too! we dont have cheese sticks or peanut butter and I dont think thats a bad thing hehe. I am pregnant now so small snacks are really important to help keep the nausea down. I was just looking for the old post you did about the surgery cause I really was thinking about it because of the loose tummy issue…
Hi,
When trying to lose weight, it is important to have some fun to take over time.
I myself have lost a lot of weight, 30kg and that’s 10 years that I am stable, I make small changes but it will. I continue to watch but I’m also happy.
Marlena I adore you! I saw the video where you had been hurt by some critics, and it hurt the heart for you. Do not listen to these people, they are jealous of your success in your weight loss (earned by your efforts).
I understand also that you have the image of you. I lost a lot of weight but I do not see myself as I am, but bigger. You lose weight more slowly in his head than on the balance!
I think you’re beautiful but you were already ahead.
I’m sorry, I am French with a very bad English ^ ^
Thank you Marlena! This all looks great. I have a huge amount of weight to lose and this year I’m doing it the only way I think will actually work, very slowly and focusing on getting healthy, not so much on losing weight. You have been a total inspiration to me. I’ve started by increasing my water intake, cutting down dramatically on my iced lattes and iced teas, and listening to my body more. Figuring out when I’m no longer full and to stop eating at that point. I figure it will be a long process but one that will be worthwhile and life long. Thank you! <3
Oh, and those garbanzo beans look amazing! I saw them on Pinterest also but forgot about them until now. I would probably not make mine sweet, but I will be trying them this week. One thing though, how do you store them and how long do they last? I’m assuming for storage just an airtight container in the pantry?
Also, what are your thoughts on iced tea with Sweet N Low. When I cut out sodas a couple years ago I substituted iced tea for them and I love it. Especially since I suffer from migraines and even the little bit of caffeine in them helps. But should that be considered a no-no or maybe just limit myself to one a day or something?
Thanks!
Well this is my first comment
I discovered your website about 2 months ago and I have to say, I am hooked ! I live in Montreal, Canada and I’ve also been looking for ideas to help shed the weight. I’m 10 pounds in… Yay ! Following this post, I have bought veggies, hummus and the chickpeas are in the oven as we speak. I also find that preparing my portions in advance help me a lot ! So everything is divided into Ziploc bags, ready to take in the morning when I make my lunch. Thanks a lot Marlena for all the great tips ! You truly are an inspiration… both on the weight loss and makeup side of things 
I love the idea with the garbanzo beans! I’ve heard they are very nutritious. I’ve got a little twist on the apple and peanut butter snack. I take two whole wheat slices of bread, toast them, spread a thin layer of peanut butter on the toast after the toast has cooled a little and place thin slices of apple on top. It’s delicious and satisfying to me! Thanks for all the snack ideas!
What about lemon juice. Although there is no scientific evidence, so many people claim it is good for reducing weight.
Just a myth pure and simple lemon juice has no magic power to make you lose weight.
Awesome video,
I adore hummus and veg.
Another snack i eat *I am a former fatty kept the weight off for 7 years so far lost it all when i was 16-18.
Roast some peppers spray with one cal oil spray add a sliver of garlic roast for 5 min on 180 OC. crumble over some low fat greek feta. I take this to work as a snack or lunch.
Uk girls Garbanzo beans are chick peas.
Hi Marlena-
just wanted to post a note about Splenda. According to Jorge Cruise best selling author of ” Belly Fat Cure” Splenda is made with chlorine. Yuck! It slows down your digestive system by 50%. Yes I said 50%.- switch to Truvia instead, It is nature’s natural sweetener.
All the Best to you in 2012!
Smiling with gratitude,
Kathy
PS: You look fantastic as always! Keep up the great work!!!
my trick for hummus is doing it my self at home cause many people don’t like it because of the tahini(sesame seed paste ) which has a verrrrry strong specific teaste so i just use my chick peas(garbanzo beans) u can use the beans or the paste whichever u find . I put them in my blender with some olive oile , garlic and lemon juice and mix them up until it turns into a smooth paste . I like it much better like that and it’s healthy. So for those of u that tried hummus and didn’t like it try it without the tahini too i find much better Good luck with the weight loosing hopefully this year we”ll all be healthier,happier and much closer to our goal weight
I love most of these snacks, but I think the last picture is incorrectly labeled; those look like edamame, not garbanzo beans. Garbanzo beans are also known as chickpeas and they’re usually used in salads or hummus.
Those are Garbanzo beans but they are still green in the pod!
Would love to see a video on your top ten meals that are healthy! That’s the hardest for me. Coming home and making healthy meals. Would love to share ideas. I’ve lost 52 lbs myself and feel your pain.
. Keep keepin on! You look great!
I love love LOVE your site and I know how hard you’ve worked to lose this weight but SHAME on you for telling people to eat artificial chemical sweeteners like splenda!!!!!!!!! If you did your research and found out how long it actually took for aspartame, sucralose (splenda), and saccharin to get approved by the FDA and the the amount of very real side effects in their official records, you might not be so quick to recommend them to others. Ingesting chemicals to avoid a few calories is foolish, there are plenty of natural sweeteners that are NOT sugar and low in calories you can use. Also, there has been additional research that some of these chemical sweeteners actually CAUSE weight gain when used long term because when the human body doesn’t recognize foreign foods (like chemicals) it doesn’t know what else to do with them than turn them into fat.
Thank you so much !!
All the snacks are really good idea’s. I can totally see my self doing them all. Just to let you know the picuture of the chickpeas/ garbonzo beans is not garbonzo beans. They look like edamame still in there shells.
Another good snack that i make is popcorn! I put a small handful of popcorn seeds into a brown paper lunch bag, fold the top down a couple of times and pop in the microwave on the popcorn setting and you have popcorn with no fat or added salt! DELICIOUS!
Oh and it’s only 30 calories per cup!
Also for the popcorn instead of butter use cheese on the popcorn
Thanks for the great ideas, Marlena! I’m a big snacker, love fruits/veggies, so these are awesome new ideas. You are inspiration to lose weight and staying healthy!
Thanks keeping you’re site so full of positive energy! Keep up the good work
Great ideas! I will season my garbonzo beans with cayenne pepper and/or chilli powder for a ‘salty’, spicy snack. Also, if you want a faux dessert that’s AMAZING, try this:
Any flavor Special K cereal (about a cup)
Plain Greek yogurt (again, about a cup)
Handfull of blueberries (or whatever you like)
A small bit of either honey, or you can use Truvia…
mix all of that up in a bowl and I swear, it tastes like a fruit crumble!!!! Yummy!
Hey Ladies. Here’s the “program” from a women’s weight loss gym I worked at when I was a personal trainer/ Group Fitness Instructor.
Exercise 5-6 day week (Alternate between Cardio and Strength Training)
5 Meals each day
YOU MUST EAT BREAKFAST!
Oatmeal w/ NO SUGAR pineapple slices or Protein like walnuts cinnamon or Hard boiled egg
Meat: 4oz serving Chicken/Turkey (Baked or Steamed- light season w lemon)
Fish: 4 oz serving Cold Water Fish Salmon/Tuna/Mackerel (Backed or Steamed-light season w lemon)
Beans: 1/2 Cup Sprinkled in salads, in Soups, or as Snack. (Protein Packed)
Vegetables: LOAD UP- Focus on green vs white potatoes (FIBER will keep you FULL)
Dairy: Very Limited- 1 Plain NO SUGAR Yogurt, limit cheese and milk products or AVOID
Ovum: Eggs are to be hard boiled and eaten as snack or for breakfast. 1 at a time/1 day
Snacks: 1/4 Cup almonds, crunchy veggies, pb with apples. 1 Fruit.
Water: 1/2 your body weight in oz everyday. Flavor with Stevia sweetener lemon or cucumber slices
Alcohol: Wine or Light Beer. Limit 2 drinks weekly. Have 1 drink and then switch to club soda. Everyone will think your are drinking a “gin and tonic”
A healthy stomach is the size of your “fist”
Be skeptical of all foods in a “Box”. (High sodium and High sugar) Eat whole foods. Foods that have all the nutrition in tact. Buy frozen vegetables and beans vs canned.
LISTEN to your body. If you are hungry all the time, drink more water and/or increase your protein. When you are tired and thinking of skipping the gym, make a compromise with yourself to make the effort to go and do a light workout. All small things add up! Exercise should be an enjoyable experience! Learn to LOVE yourself and your LIFE!
OMG this is exactly what i was looking for! LOVE IT!
Be careful with the protein bars. Kellog’s Fiber Plus has 7g of sugar.
It is sad more fresh and healthy food u have u look the same as what you eat.
Thanks Marlena for the ideas I went and got some of these snacks and I must say they are feeling. I have had a minor health scare with my blood sugar (It spiked out of no where and never had an issue with it before. ) so I have been trying to find ways to modify my diet and eat a little bit better. Keep the ideas coming they are really good and I must admit taste good too. Thanks again.
Gosh you are making me hungry!!
Special K by Kellog’s Strawberry Bars are really good “gronola ” bars as well. They have 8g of sugar and only 90 calories.!!