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Snacking Can Derail Your Diet

The most popular New Years resolution is to lose weight. You or someone you know is probably committed to a new diet today.

Medical Reporter Stephanie Stahl is On Your Side with more on keeping your weight loss resolution.

These first few weeks of the new year, millions of people are determined to stick to their resolution to lose weight and keep it off. But most diets eventually fail, and experts say snacking gets a lot of the blame.

Snacks are more popular than ever. Experts say healthy low calorie snacks can help dieters control hunger. But many snacks are more like having a meal.

"Even if it's a small sandwich, they're considering that a snack. And they're eating 24/7. And that's really because all this enticing, high fat, high calorie fare is increasingly available," said Elisa Zied, a Registered Dietitian.

Most fast food restaurants now offer snack items. Dominic Vito says snack wraps are quick and easy to grab on the go.

"I snack just about every day, whether it's in place of a meal or in between meals," said Dominic.

But Dominic's snack wrap contains around 400 calories and more than 15 grams of fat.

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"If something has three or four hundred calories, that's getting into meal territory," said Elisa. She says some snacks come with super sized calories, which can easily derail a diet, and that a snack should have no more than 100 to 200 calories and come from the basic food groups.

"Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low fat sources of dairy foods and lean meats," said Elisa.

Dominic says when his schedule slows down, he plans to slow down with the snack wraps.

"I definitely prefer to cook my own meals and know what I'm putting into my body," said Dominic.

Experts say there are plenty of healthy snacks that are quick and easy, like an apple or yogurt. And for your diet New Years resolutions to work, you have to keep snacking under control.

For more on healthy snacking, see the Mayo Clinic Snack Guide.

Reported by Stephanie Stahl, CBS3

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