All of the 123 women in this study were postmenopausal and overweight or obese, and 97 percent of them reported having one or more snacks per day during the study. However, the women who snacked in the afternoon and reported having more than two snacks a day probably were more successful at losing weight because they had a higher fiber intake and ate more fruits and vegetables than participants who didn’t snack as often, the researchers found. They suggested that the mid-morning snacks that slowed weight loss might reflect recreational or mindless noshing rather than eating to satisfy hunger.

Planning Snacks

Snacks do have a role when you’re trying to lose weight says Elisa Zied, RD, a dietician and author of Nutrition at Your Finger Tips. “I’m definitely an advocate for mid-afternoon snacks,” adds Zied, noting that there may be more hours in between lunch and dinner than between breakfast and lunch making it more likely that we’ll get hungry before dinner time arrives.

The key to making snacks work for you is to plan them, instead of grabbing something — anything — when you’re famished or bored. Zied suggests that dieters are better off sticking to snacks that are a combination of protein and fiber. Here are her picks:

* 5 whole grain crackers and either an ounce of cheddar cheese cut in slivers or one tablespoon of natural peanut butter

* A cup of nonfat Greek yogurt topped with ½ cup of blueberries or sliced strawberries

* A sliced banana or apple with one tablespoon of peanut butter

* 1 cup of whole grain, flaky cereal topped with ½ cup of nonfat milk and 2 tablespoons of almond slivers

* 3 cups of air-popped or low-fat, low-sodium popcorn

* 2 tablespoons of walnuts, cashews, pecans or almonds mixed with ¼ cup crunchy whole-grain cereal and 1 tablespoon dried fruit (with no sugar added)

Study leader Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D., advises limiting afternoon snacks to 200 calories. Her suggestions:

* Low-fat yogurt

* String cheese

* A small handful of nuts

* Non-starchy vegetables, such as celery, green beans, or zucchini

* Fresh fruits

* Whole grain crackers

* No-cal beverages (such as water, coffee or tea)

How many snacks do you eat per day?

CONNECT THE DOTS

Do you think you need to lose weight for the sake of your health? Calculate your body mass index to see whether you’re okay, overweight or obese. Here’s where you can find advice on healthy weight loss and check out the Mayo Clinic for the skinny on snacks. For more ideas and some cool tools to help with weight-loss, also check out these Healthy Outlook blog posts, “Free Weight Loss App Combines Calorie Counter and Food Diary,” “Pic Healthy Photo Food Diary Mobile App,” “A Winning Weight-Loss Recipe: Self-Compassion,” and “Small Steps Can Lead to Long-Term Weight Loss.”