I’m feeling good about the info for y’all today! I’ve decided that since I’ve considered myself a health and fitness/lifestyle blogger {updated to include motherhood too!} and I post about my workouts and my life, there is still something missing here. Something I’m passionate about and something I think y’all will appreciate. Food. I want to incorporate more of the health part of being a health and fitness blogger.
I’ll admit that I’m far from perfect and this girl has a huge sweet tooth. But I do want to share some of my secrets and favorite healthy recipes with y’all to give a try! Now I’ve posted healthy and clean eating before, but I want to get back at it. It’s hard work to both lose weight and maintain weight. I want to share some of my secrets and support with y’all. That being said, let’s just straight into today’s topic: SNACKING!
Healthy snacks to satisfy and craving
I am a huge snack advocate. I know there are several different diet and eating plans out there. Everyone is different and everyone’s body takes to foods differently, so there is no right or wrong. I personally believe in snacking and eating smaller meals throughout the day to increase your metabolism and keep your blood sugar from plummeting. That being said, in order to snack and eat 2-3 snacks a day, you need to eat the right things. As much as fueling your body with cookies sounds awesome, it completely defeats the purpose of the snacking to begin with. Thought I’ll admit that I’ve done it before. I’ve been trying new snacks a lot lately and here are some of my current favorites.
Savory Snacks
2 TBS hummus with mixed veggies (celery, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes)
You can pair this with some grilled chicken cubes. An ounce or 2 is perfect for added lean protein!
Hard boiled eggs
Two eggs is 140 calories. Eat just one and have something else for roughly 100 carlories or go for two eggs! They’re high in protein and will keep you feeling full longer!
Tuna fish
Mix it up with some hummus or light mayo. You can also chop up some carrots and celery to mix in some veggies!
Salty Snacks
Dry roasted almonds with Nut Thins
Blue Diamond makes several different flavors of Nut Thins…almond, pecan, etc. Be sure to see just how many almonds you’re eating because the calories sneak up on you! I recommend pre-portioning them ahead of time. 100 calories of almonds and 100 calories of Nut Thins (about 10 crackers) is a great 200 calorie snack.
Nut Thins and Nut Butter
Take one serving of Nut Thins and a tablespoon or two of peanut butter or almond butter!
Apple slices, Celery sticks and Almond butter
Take 1/2 an apple, a few celery stick and a tablespoon of almond butter for dipping!
Sweet Snacks
Protein cookie or protein snack balls
A tasty treat for someone with a sweet tooth like me! You want to eat this snack earlier in the day. Maybe as your mid-morning snack or after lunch. Since these cookies are better for you, they’re still high in carbs! You want to eat your carb-ier snacks earlier in the day when you need the added energy. Yes, that means dessert after dinner is unnecessary energy being stored in your body overnight! Not to say that I don’t do it, just a fun fact for those of you trying to eat smarter.
Greek Yogurt or make it a Parfait
You can stick to your favorite flavor of Greek yogurt or if you’re not a huge yogurt fan, spice it up! Add a bit of granola…a bit, don’t go crazy or calories sneak up…a few dark chocolate chips, coconut, dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries, raisins, etc.), chopped nuts.
My suggestion: Pick 2 or 3 add ins and limit the amount of each. Be aware of how many calories you’re adding to your yogurt!!!
A little bit of everything
Fruit, Chicken & Nuts
Choose two of the fruits listed below, a few almonds or walnuts and add 1-2 oz of grilled and seasoned cubed chicken to munch on!
Options: 1/2 an orange, apple, banana, pear or grapefruit, 1/2 cup grapes
There are tons of articles out there with healthy snacking options. Here’s a good one from Runner’s World!
Do you have any favorite snacks that aren’t listed?
What are your go to snacks?
These are such delicious suggestions! At the end of my third trimester, my appetite is ever increasing and snacks have become my life savers!
I believe it! I remember those 3rd trimester hungry days when I just snacked all day because I didn’t have enough room for an actual meal!
Yummy snacks. I love having nuts for snack because of their filling protein and fat. And try to sweeten it all by having some fruit.
Yes, I totally agree!
Having healthy snacks ready is the name of my mom game! Great ideas
Yes! The more you have on hand and ready to go, the better!