A lot of professionals in my arena would tell you to limit your snacking daily… That the calories in and the calories out matter. But not me.

It’s the quality and timing of the snack. Choosing the smarter quality snack will make you a calorie burning machine–but you have to know the factors that make it. Here they are in listed format so you can snack smarter too:

1) 200 Calories or Less : A snack more than 200 calories won’t satisfy you any more than a 200 calorie snack. Often your body is just looking for something to hold you over–a quick burst of energy. Don’t pick something with more calories–you won’t benefit from the extra padding.

2) 0-10g Sugar: No added sugar is best, but if it’s on the ingredients list, just make sure it’s not in the top three.

3) 5g Protein: That’s enough to give you a feeling of fullness–so you won’t be ravenous by the time your next meal rolls around.

4) 1-2g Saturated Fats: No more than 10% of your diet’s calories should come from saturated fats.

5) 3g+ Fiber: The more, the better. Fiber regulates blood sugar, maintains your metabolism and curbs your appetite better than anything else.