It’s Q & A Saturday! This is a special weekly post of answering reader questions in more elaborate detail.

Today’s question: ” I’ve noticed on your food journals that you often don’t have morning or afternoon snacks and not much fruit either, why is that?

My response:

It is true, looking at these journals on 1/15/12 and 1/22/12 I did not include any fruit in my day. In the original baked oatmeal recipe I had blueberries within that and in the quinoa chicken cherry salad there were dried cherries so although I didn’t eat any fresh fruit the rest of the day, fruit was already in the breakfast and lunch meals.

Fruit has sugar, although it’s natural, I still need to limit how much I eat of it. For me personally I could eat fruit all day, every day and still want more. I love it, but I would be filling up on fruits all day, sacrificing eating vegetables (and I love veggies). I must be careful how much and how often I snack on it. If it’s included in my meals in some way then that’s it.

As far as snacking goes on all my journals including 1/29/12 I do have a before bedtime snack. Usually that is why I try not to have afternoon or morning snacks. I discovered I was just eating too many snacks. I opened the door too often (my mouth being that door) to excess even on healthy choices.

I’d plan a healthy morning snack and then ate more then intended not sticking with how much I said I would have. Afternoon was the same problem if not a little worse, I would be eating more than I planned and I’d STILL want an evening snack.  I was eating way more than I needed and gaining weight. I was no longer maintaining……….. gaining weight on healthy foods is VERY discouraging, VERY! Being white flour and sugar free and gaining weight……the WORST feeling in the world and I don’t want to go there every again!

Unless I am planning on having a late dinner, I won’t have an afternoon snack. To limit myself to one evening snack was perfect. The kids and hubby and I will sit down with popcorn and a movie and so I don’t feel left out I enjoy that with them.

I limit my snacks because I need to limit my calories. I am not getting any younger and my metabolism has never been in high gear if you know what I mean. My body is maintaining a healthy weight. Though I can’t qualify for model thinness or be anywhere near considered skinny, it is a weight that is easy for me to maintain and I’m comfortable with that.Have you seen my before pics ? This is good enough for me.

Want to take guesses on my age? I may or may not tell you

SO how often should you snack?

It is dependent on your lifestyle, family, and goals. If you are trying to lose weight then calorie counting is the key. Know how much you need to eat in order to still lose weight and snack as much as your calorie range will allow.

If you’re more like me and that opened door of snacking leads to unhealthy choices and overindulging on even healthy foods, then pick one snack a day. But choose wisely the best time to have it.

Do you enjoy a before bedtime snack with your family or will that be something you just can’t handle at this point in life? You need to decide and STICK with it and commit it to SOMEONE, your hubby, partner, boyfriend, girlfriend, mother, whoever. Tell them what you want/need to do and that you need them to help you be accountable.

You can do this! You can make healthy choices, eat healthy snacks and still lose weight or maintain.

Next week I will be talking about HABIT HUNGER! Did you know you can be subscribed for free so you won’t miss a post?

Check here for my list of healthy Snacks.

Please share if you have any tips to control your snacking?