Eating a morning snack may be hindering your weight loss according to a study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
The study reported that women dieters who ate snacks between breakfast and lunch lost less weight than those who did not have a mid-morning snack.

Researchers studied 123 overweight or obese women ages 50 to 75 over a 12-month period. Results showed those who ate a mid-morning snack lost 7 percent of their total body weight compared to non-morning snackers who lost 11 percent.

“This finding may not relate necessarily to the time of day one snacks, but rather to the short interval between breakfast and lunch. Mid-morning snacking may be a reflection of recreational or mindless eating habits rather than eating to satisfy hunger,” explained lead researcher Dr. Anne McTiernan.

And, as we all know, mindless eating can result in consuming too many calories. Making a conscious decision to eat a snack, planning your snacks throughout the day, and logging it into your Food Tracker are all ways to help you make sure your food choices are healthy. Better yet, take a 10-minute mid-morning walk instead of a snack. It’s a great way to get in an extra 1,000 steps and burn off calories.

When you do snack, McTiernan suggests limiting snacks to 200 calories and selecting healthier options like low-fat yogurt, string cheese, fresh fruits, non-starchy vegetables, whole grain crackers or a handful of nuts.