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Rummaging through the cupboard in search of a healthy snack? Don’t let nighttime nibbles add extra pounds. Instead, curb cravings with munchies guaranteed to satisfy hunger and keep you slim.

"Eating for optimal weight and health doesn’t have to be a difficult task,” says weight loss guru Carson Burke, author of “Thin Lies Within: 6 Universal Principles of Weight Loss and Well Being” (1st Books Library, $22.95, www.thinlieswithin.com). “You just need to learn which foods are nutritional powerhouses and which are nutritionally bankrupt.”

Carson Burke’s unique strategies for losing weight and staying fit have helped hundreds of clients reach and maintain their weight-loss goals.

Unlike other weight-loss consultants, Burke explores the physical, mental and spiritual motives that drive overeating, inactivity and the powerlessness to change. Her innovative holistic approach provides a fresh, effective and comprehensive plan for losing weight and improving life.

In her practice, Burke sees many clients struggle with snacking. When zapped with the snack attack, Burke says to stop and determine if your body is really in need of food and energy. Ask yourself two questions: “Am I really hungry?” and “Why do I want to eat right now?”

If you really are hungry, avoid the temptation to indulge in “bad” snacks (like candy bars, chips or doughnuts). Keep the refrigerator stocked with fresh fruits and veggies, and fill the pantry with rice and grains.

“Cook large bags of frozen vegetables and bake extra white and sweet potatoes,” says Burke. “Keep canned beans on hand to utilize as a quick, great source of protein.”

Here Burke shares 17 of her favorite snacks, all guaranteed to curb your cravings without adding extra pounds. Stock them at home, and when possible, at work.

• Fruit
• Whole-wheat pretzels
• Brown rice cake topped with nonfat cottage cheese and chopped vegetables
• Low-fat or baked corn chips with refried beans for dipping
• A small handful of soy nuts
• Low-fat frozen yogurt topped with berries
• Low-fat whole grain crackers topped with hummus
• Whole-grain English muffin topped with apple butter
• Fruit salad topped with nonfat yogurt and chopped walnuts
• Whole grain bagel topped with nut butter and sprinkled with ground flaxseeds
• Low-fat microwave popcorn
• Whole-wheat pita bread, toasted and spread with hummus
• Low-fat bran muffins
• Celery sticks stuffed with nut butter or hummus and topped with dried fruit
• Baked sweet potato topped with nonfat cottage cheese
• Whole-grain cereal with soymilk and fruit
• Fresh vegetables with nonfat dip or dressing

Carson says our bodies are designed for frequent refueling in order to keep hormone levels steady and to maximize mental and physical energy. Eating light, nourishing meals interspersed with healthy snacks to keep hunger at bay can help prevent you from indulging in uncontrollable eating at a later time.

Courtesy of Feature Source