Hunger-pang stoppers: these between-meal vittles are filling and easy to prepare, and will stop you from derailing your fat-loss efforts

You can't train through them, you can't sleep through them, and some of us can't even get through a phone conversation with a girlfriend because of them. They're called hunger pangs. And if you think they're a natural part of stripping fat from your middle, think again.

First of all, starving yourself isn't the answer to getting rid of excess flab. In fact, skimping between meals makes you less likely to lose fat--or to stick to that training program past the first few weeks. "If you cut back on meals and go on a starvation diet, you'll lose muscle mass and your body's ability to burn fat," says Aaron Shelley, director of sports nutrition at Texas Tech University in Lubbock. "As a result, you'll end up plateauing on your program."

Of course, "the program" is tough to focus on when your stomach feels as hollow as an airplane hangar and is noisier than a dial-up modern. Unfortunately, the between-meal snacks that guys tend to eat--crackers, candy bars, pretzels and chips--are loaded with simple, fast-burning carbs that will leave you ravenously hungry and reaching for more.

"When you eat simple carbs, your blood-sugar levels rise quickly and you get a massive surge of insulin," Shelley says. "Insulin is a 'storage' hormone, leading your body to keep the excess calories as fat. It also inhibits the release of free fatty acids, so fat isn't consumed. And it blunts the release of growth hormone, the major player in muscle recovery."

The snacks you should be eating contain fibrous carbohydrates, a little fat, and some protein to help build and maintain muscle. And since you're on a fat-loss plan, they should be relatively low in calories. "There's really no mystery--consume fewer calories than you burn and you'll lose weight," Shelley says.

We've put together these easy-to-make, convenient "cheats" that won't sidetrack your fat-loss plan but will help conquer those hunger pangs.

CHINESE CHICKEN-VEGGIE
LETTUCE
WRAP

What you need:

3 oz. cooked chicken breast,
chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
2 tsp pine nuts
1 tsp olive oil
Low-sodium soy sauce to taste
1 large chilled lettuce leaf

Why it's good: This Chinese-restaurant
favorite is high in protein
and, since you wrap it in
lettuce rather than bread, low in
carbs. You can substitute lean beef,
fish or tofu for the chicken.

Make it: Saute the onion and pepper
in the olive oil until the onion
is translucent. Throw in the pine
nuts and chicken breast and cook
for about a minute (remember,
the chicken is already cooked, so
this is just to heat it), until the
chicken breast is hot. Sprinkle a
little soy sauce on top, wrap the
whole thing in the lettuce leaf and
eat it like a burrito.

Totals: 204 calories, 9g carbs, 15g
protein, 12g fat, 2g fiber

PEANUT BUTTER
CELERY BITES

What you need:

1 celery stalk, washed
2 tbsp natural peanut butter

Why it's good: Celery is basically
fiber and water. While the old saw
that you use up more calories
chewing celery than you take in
consuming it isn't exactly true,
the calorie count that celery does
have is negligible. Peanut butter
is extremely filling and contains
protein and a nice supply of arginine,
an amino acid that helps the
blood circulate to your muscles.

Why natural peanut butter? It
doesn't have the extra sugar
and hydrogenated oils used to
smooth out many supermarket
brands. Since the peanut
oil tends to separate, you
can lower the fat-to-protein
ratio by pouring some of the
oil off from the top of the jar
when you first open it. You'll
still get a fair amount of fat,
but it's mostly the healthful
mono-unsaturated kind.

Make it: Pour about half the
separated oil off the top of the jar
(some guys go whole hog, but
that can make the PB a bit difficult
to spread). Mix in the rest and
spread two tablespoons onto the
celery. Chop into bite-sized pieces.

Totals: 176 calories, 8g carbs, 9g
protein, 12g fat, 3g fiber

GRILLED TURKEY,
CHEESE AND TOMATO
SANDWICH

What you need:

1 oz. sliced light cheddar cheese
2 oz. sliced low-fat cooked turkey
breast
34 tomato, sliced
2 slices light whole-wheat bread
(such as Orowheat
Pepperidge Farm)
No-calorie cooking spray

Why it's good: Almost everybody
loves the taste and texture of a
grilled cheese sandwich, but it's
not exactly healthful when made
with full-fat cheese and white
bread. This version keeps the
simple carbs down and cranks up
the protein--and low-fat cheddar
is just as good as the real stuff
when it's melted.

Make it: Pile the ingredients into
a sandwich and spritz on both
sides with cooking spray. Place
in a nonstick flying pan over a
stove burner set on medium.
Cover the pan and cook until one
side is browned. (Be careful, the
bread can burn easily.) Flip the
sandwich over with a spatula, cover
the pan again, turn down the heat
to low, and cook until the other
side is browned and the cheese is
melted.

Totals: 204 calories, 2g carbs, 19g
protein, 4g fat, 5g fiber

CHICKEN-VEGGIE
BURRITO

What you need:

1/2 cup of your favorite vegetables
(squash, broccoli and peppers are
good choices), chopped into
small pieces
2 oz. cooked chicken breast,
chopped
2 tbsp low-fat reffied beans
1 tbsp salsa
1 oz. whole-wheat tortilla
1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth

Why it's good: "A rice-and-bean
burrito is fairly healthful, but
you'll have to eat a lot of rice
and beans to get enough protein,"
Shelley says. Our recipe
boosts the protein count with
a little skinless chicken breast
to give you a tasty, nutritious,
filling burrito that checks in
well under 200 calories.

Make it: Saute the vegetables and
the precooked chicken breast in
the broth until the vegetables are
almost soft. Spread the beans onto
the tortilla. Drain any excess liquid,
pile the vegetables and chicken
onto the tortilla, top with salsa,
and roll up.

Totals: 190 calories, 24g carbs, 17g
protein, 3g fat, 4g fiber

TUNA PITA SANDWICH

What you need:

3 oz. tuna packed in water
2 tsp light mayo
Diced crunchy vegetables to taste
(celery, peppers, cucumber or
fresh peas are good choices)
Spices to taste
1 slice lettuce
1 slice tomato
1 small whole-wheat pita

Why it's good: Tuna is a terrific
source of lean protein and offers
some "good" fat, but the typical tuna
sandwich is loaded with enough
full-fat mayonnaise to frost a cake.
Shelley says that by changing the
spices, you can have a completely
differet sanwich everyday. For
instance, one day you can have garlic
and herbs, the next celery seeds and
pepper, and the next a "curried"
version with coriander and cumin.

Make it: Drain the tuna, put it in a
bowl and combine it with the light
mayo. Add your favorite vegetables
and spices and throw the whole mix
in a pita with lettuce and tomato.

Totals: 192 calories, 16g carbs, 23g
protein, 4g fat, 1g fiber

COPYRIGHT 2003 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning