10 surprisingly low calorie snacks for weight loss that are filling

Not sure what to snack on apart from the usual cookies and chips? Get ready to indulge without the bulge with these low calorie snacks for weight loss.

What most people aren’t aware of is that you can lose weight without starving yourself. You can also lose weight without cutting carbs, detoxing, or even spending years on the treadmill after eating a big meal. Weight loss is not something that happens instantly.

Weight loss happens when your body burns more calories than you consume over some time. If you eat less than you burn, you will be in a caloric deficit, and if you stay on this course consistently, you will start losing weight.

However, eating fewer calories isn’t always easy as some foods are very high in calories. I’ll share with you low-calorie snacks for weight loss. These snacks are supposed to help you stay full in between the main meals.

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As a starting point for weight loss, you should know your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE- how many calories you burn in a day), and also the number of calories if the food that you are eating.

It’s easy to eat a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner. But what most of us struggle with is the mindless snacking between those well planned and healthy main meals.

Snacking is not the enemy. Snacking is good for you because it helps to refuel your body, and satisfy your taste buds, while you wait for your next main meal.

Snacking on any diet is perfectly all right as long as you don’t sabotage all your hard work and progress.

Eat better snacks and plan in advance just as you routinely preplan breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Related: Cayenne Pepper / Master Cleanse Diet Complete Guide

If you’re on the go most of the time and would like to save time on preparing snacks, there are quite a few grab-and-go healthy snacks on the market.

This post may include affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure here.

10 super delicious low-calorie snacks for weight loss

Before we look at these amazing snacks to help you with your weight loss, I just want to remind you that if you have ‘tempting’ foods in your home, get rid of them so that you don’t eventually cave in.

READ:

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1. Greek yogurt

Greek yogurt is great for you as a low-calorie snack because it contains high amounts of protein, potassium and calcium, and just 59 calories for every 100g.

Lots of bad diets out there encourage people to ditch dairy. Cutting out dairy means that you will be depriving the body of essential nutrients like calcium which helps to build strong bones.

How to enjoy Greek yogurt as weight loss snack

There’re so many exciting ways to enjoy Greek yogurt as a quick and healthy snack. One of my favorites is pairing the yogurt with a teaspoon of honey when I’m craving something sweet or adding a handful of blueberries, raspberries or strawberries.

• I cup Greek plain yogurt
• 10- 15 raspberries or 1 teaspoon natural honey
• Mix all ingredients and serve.

2. Almonds

If you’re after a high fat, low carb snack, almonds are perfect. Almonds are loaded with Vitamin E, and a satisfying amount of protein to help build muscle.

These nuts are also packed with antioxidants and good monounsaturated fats.  Also, almonds are known to help lower cholesterol, fight cravings and regulate blood sugar levels.         

Should you have raw or roasted almonds for weight loss?

Naturally, raw almonds are a better choice because they contain more fiber than the roasted variety.  However, raw almonds don’t have the greatest taste. I only eat roasted almonds because they taste and have a better texture.

If you would rather enjoy roasted almonds, you shouldn’t worry much about calories because the nutritional value between raw and roasted isn’t that much.

How to roast almonds as a snack for weight loss

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw almonds
• Pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup water
• Cinnamon (optional)

Method

Heat a skillet or frying pan over medium heat

Add almonds to the pan and stir every 2 minutes, until the almonds are brown

Mix salt and water and pour into the pan and mix well

Reduce heat, and stir occasionally until the almonds are completely dry

Remove from heat and store in an airtight jar when cool.

The suggested serving size of almonds as a snack is between 14 and 20 almonds.

3. Carrot or celery sticks with hummus dip

This is an easy weight-loss snack for those who are on a plant-based diet. Carrots and celery sticks are very low in calories.

If you are like to daydream about food all day long, (like the rest of us), then carrots and celery sticks should be your go-to snack.

Paired with hummus, a high protein plant-based dip, this insanely tasty combo will help you stave off hunger, without going over the daily calorie limit!

Serve 4 medium-sized celery or carrot sticks with 1 tablespoon hummus.

Healthy hummus recipe

• 1 can chickpeas in brine
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 clove crushed garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Pinch of salt or more according to your preference

Method

• Drain the chickpeas and set the liquid aside.
• Combine the ingredients together, apart from the chickpeas liquid.
• Place in a blender or food processor and blend until creamy.
• If the consistency is too thick, slowly add the chickpeas liquid or a bit of olive oil, until you achieve the desired consistency.
• Remove from blender and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Healthy sweet snacks for weight loss

4. Dark chocolate for weight loss

Who says you can’t have chocolate and still indulge in rich, and tasty dark chocolate? If you are on a weight loss journey, don’t ever feel guilty about satisfying those sweet tooth cravings.   

Get the dark chocolate recipe for weight loss here.

There’s nothing sweeter than rewarding yourself with dark chocolate every now and then. The rule of thumb is that you should stick to chocolates containing over 70- 85% cocoa, like these dark chocolates from Lindt. If you want something homemade, try this healthy dark chocolate recipe. 

A higher cocoa content means the chocolate will be made up of more fat, and less sugar.  Consuming dark chocolate has health benefits that your body will thank you for.

A study shows that dark chocolate contains properties that help relax blood vessels and improve circulation. Cocoa flavanols also reduce the risk of diabetes in the long run.

5. Sugar-free gelatine dessert (aka Jello)

It’s sort of a catch 22 with jello. Jello has almost zero calories, which is super great but, on the hand, it has zero nutrients, which really isn’t cool. This shouldn’t stop you entirely from enjoying it as a snack once in a while when craving something sweet.

You just have to be extra careful and check the type of sweetener used in your jello. Some brands contain maltodextrin which may spike insulin and affect your body’s fat-burning process.

6. Kale chips

Kale is and will always be a superfood. Who knew that we could say goodbye to potato chips and say hello to really delicious and super healthy kale chips?

You can buy already made or prepare your very own kale chips and still stay within your calories goal for the day.

7. Hard-boiled eggs

Got 5 minutes? Boil some eggs and sprinkle cayenne or black pepper on the eggs. Results? A healthy and satisfying snack that will help you lose weight. Hard-boiled eggs are low in carbs, and high in fat and protein, making them super filling.

8. Cottage cheese and chia seeds

Among other health benefits, chia seeds are high in antioxidants and according to this chia seed water article and recipe, they are proven to boost weight loss. The cottage cheese and chia seeds make for one of the simple healthy evening snacks for weight loss.

Mix a tablespoon of chia seed with a cup of cottage cheese to accelerate weight loss.

9. Sliced apple with almond butter

If you are in the mood for healthy sweet snacks for weight loss or stuck in between sweet and savoury snacks, the apple and almond butter combo will satisfy the craving.

Apart from keeping the doctor away if you eat one a day, apples are very low in calories and high in fibre. However, not all calories are the same. Red apples contain more sugar and carbohydrates than green apples.

The combination of apples and peanut butter as a snack is the most common one, but if you want to shrink your waistline fast, almond butter is a better choice.

In comparison, almond butter is healthier than peanut butter as they have better fats and, in most cases, almond butter has fewer additives than the old peanut butter.

If you still prefer peanut butter you can try this Naked peanut butter powder with no additives salt or sugar. The great thing about nut butter powder is that you get to choose the consistency of your butter.

This raw organic almond butter should be your jam if you want to reap the benefits of almond butter.

How to enjoy the apples and peanut butter weight-loss snack

1 medium-sized Granny Smith apple

1 tablespoon almond butter

Cut the apple into desired slices and spread peanut butter on the apple pieces.

10. Air-popped popcorn

I love homemade popcorn because they have low calories if made with butter and keep you full longer. A healthy way to enjoy popcorns as a weight-loss snack is by popping them in either canola or coconut oil and not butter.

One cup of popped popcorns has about 35 calories, without added cheese or other seasonings. If you want to enjoy the perks of homemade popcorn, stick to just salt or no seasoning at all.

11. Canned tuna in water

Tuna is lean fish and canned tuna in water is surprisingly low in calories but very filling. One of the ways that you can enjoy tuna as a snack is by simply heating the tuna and sprinkling it with pepper and salt.

If you want to add a little bit of appeal to your tuna snack, you can mix 1 can of tuna with a tablespoon of mayonnaise and make tuna and cucumber sushi.