The Smart Way to Snack

Smart Snacks on a Diet continued...

If you want to plan ahead and remove temptation, Higgins says, check out some regular snack options online. You can go to the McDonald's web site (search on "nutrition"), for instance, and scope out the calorie and carb counts on the new offerings. She does this with her diabetic clients.

Although it's hard to "snackify," it's relaxing and softens stress.

But what about snacking against boredom? "Boredom or stress," Duyff says, "should not signal 'time to eat.' How about walking the dog or dancing around to a CD? Today it might be a celery stick, but tomorrow a whole bowl of something.

"A bowl of ice cream or a juicy peach should be enjoyed," Duyff adds. "That means every bite."

Star Lawrence is a medical journalist based in the Phoenix area.