Low Calorie Snacks

In any battle for weight loss, calories always play a role, whether they’re your focus or not.

Calories are essentially the units of energy contained in food. If your primary fitness goals are gaining muscle and staying fit, you don’t need to worry too much about calories. But if you’re trying to lose a significant amount of weight, you need to be a little more mindful of your calorie intake. After all, when they don’t get used up, those extra calories can be stored as fat!

The general rule of thumb for healthy snacking is choosing snacks that are low in fat (especially the bad kind), low in sugar, and high in something healthy, like fiber, protein, or vitamins and minerals. But beyond these rules, choosing low calorie snacks can also make a huge difference.

Here are 20 low calorie snacks to help you lose weight and stay thin. All of these snacks are 100 calories or less!

Low Calorie Snacks – 100 Calories or Less!

1. Greek Yogurt – 1/2 cup of non-fat Greek yogurt with 1 teaspoon of all-natural honey.
2. Strawberries & Cream – 1 cup of fresh strawberries topped with 2 tablespoons of low-fat whipped cream.
3. Blueberry Oatmeal - 1/3 cup of cooked quick oats topped with cinnamon and 1/4 cup of fresh blueberries.
4. Hummus & Carrots – 10 baby carrots and 2 tablespoons of hummus.
5. Celery & Peanut Butter – A couple celery sticks and a tablespoon of all-natural peanut butter.
6. Edamame – 1 cup of this traditional Japanese appetizer, topped with a bit of salt.
7. Pretzels with Mustard – 2 pretzel rods with a bit of salt and 1 tablespoon of mustard (yellow or Dijon).
8. Pumpkin Seeds – 2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds, sprayed with oil, baked, and salted.
9. Hard-Boiled Egg – Keep it simple, and top with a little salt and pepper.
10. Cream Cheese & Crackers – 5 to 7 whole grain crackers and 2 tablespoons of fat-free cream cheese.
11. Rice Krispy’s – 1/2 cup of the favorite cereal with 1/2 cup of skim milk.
12. Dark Chocolate – If you’re feeling really indulgent, you can get away with about 3 squares of the good stuff.
13. Fig Newton’s – 3 of these will satisfy your sweet tooth.
14. Pistachios – About 25 pistachios – these are the best nuts you can snack on.
15. All-Natural Popcorn – You can afford about 2 cups of the fat-free kind.
16. Nachos & Salsa – About 10 backed nacho chips and 1/4 cup of salsa.
17. Cucumber Salad – 1 cucumber, sliced, with 3 tablespoons of chopped tomato and 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.
18. Kale Chips – 1/2 cup of raw kale, naked at 400 degrees (F) with 1 teaspoon of oil (until crisp).
19. Apple & Cheese – 1 tart apple, sliced, with 4-5 slices of low-fat mozzarella cheese.
20. Strawberries & Chocolate – 5 strawberries dipped in 2 squares of melted dark chocolate.

There you have it, 20 healthy, low-calorie snacks that will totally satisfy your cravings while keeping you on the road to weight loss!

Depending on your diet and fitness goals, you might also be interested in checking out these 5 Protein Rich Gym Snacks, as well as my recommendations for Healthy Snack at Night.