Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Positive Tuesday & Some Serious Snacking

I hope you are all having a positive Tuesday! I started the day with an 8AM shift at work. Sounds tough, but when you are finished at noon and have the whole day (besides school at night) to do nothing at all, it's not so bad after all! After a very indulgent Easter weekend (think chocolate before breakfast, lunch, and dinner (and after), and polishing off a giant Spaghetti Factory meal), it felt good to get back into the swing of things today. I could've started yesterday, but... Buuuuuut motivation hadn't kicked me in the ass like it did today. HOWEVER through all of my candy munchin' and wandering around downtown & in malls, I managed to still fit in fruits and veggies and drink my usual 3L of water. Well, that counts, right?

On a Positive Tuesday note, I ate clean today and got my run on. Oh, glorious running, I missed you those two days! Does anyone else love those first few springy steps on fresh legs? Yeah, so nice. It's even nicer when the temperatures outside are warm even on a cloudy day like today. Bonus all around!


Now, moving on to some snackage.


Healthy snacking can be hard to do, especially if you are a student plagued with exams and projects and the like (I know the feeling)! However, there are ways to get around the vending machines and two-for-one deals on chocolate bars. Here are my favourite healthy snacks (pictures only of some).


Lara bars and KIND bars are fantastic. They are like chocolate bars (in a way, especially the chocolate chip cookie dough Lara bar), only healthier for you. Most granola bars are loaded up with sugar and unnecessary additives that will spike your blood sugar and then cause you to crash mere moments later (when you're still digesting, probably!). You can find these bars every where, from Superstore, London Drugs, Walmart (and other big box stores) to smaller health food stores and grocery stores. They use natural ingredients and although the calorie count may be a bit high, they will leave you feeling much more satisfied and guilt free than a chocolate bar will! Other favourite bars: Cliff bars & Kashi granola bars (they come in so many flavours, so you are bound to find one you love)


Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, chopped up melon, apples, kiwis, oranges, grapefruits, etc. etc. I carry a piece of fruit with me pretty much at all times. They are great for snacking and chock-full of vitamins, minerals and all those delicious nutrients your body needs to function.  Try this: Make your own fruit salad and keep it in a small container for when you are ready to snack. This is also a much better (and healthier) option than buying premade fruit salad at the grocery stores. No syrups or additives and still delicious!

Also on the fruity subject, packing half a peanut butter & banana sandwich will give you adequate carbs, fats & protein to keep your energy levels up. OR, Try this: Take a small whole wheat tortilla. Spread with peanut butter. Place banana inside, then roll the tortilla around the banana. Cut into chunks & it's a peanut butter and banana sushi roll! This also tastes good with a sprinkle of cinnamon for a bonus addition of health benefits.

Veggies, veggies, veggies. Vegetables are my favourite food group (really, they are) followed closely by carbs ;) I'm only half kidding there. Make a salad, sautee them, roast/bake them, eat them raw, etc. There are so many ways to enjoy veggies and they make the perfect crunchy snack! Plus you can add salsa and hummus for a bit of dipping too.

Also a great crunchy snack: NUTS! Now, nuts can be good in the right portion sizes. However, eating a giant family sized bag of almonds with salt is not the best idea. Try this: Buy individually sized packages of nuts/trail mix. OR create your own portion packs. That way you can control what goes into it!
Another option: Make your own trail mix! Or air popped popcorn seasoned with garlic salt & pepper (or other spices if you want to get fancy) is yummy and crunchy and gives you a boost of fibre, too.

Other Favourite Snacks:
- Yogurt and granola (you can add berries/banana/another fruit too if you like)
- Pop! Chips: Now I have only had these once, but they are a decent alternative to fried chips.
- Homemade granola (I will be sharing a recipe for homemade peanut butter granola soon!)
- Homemade protein bars


Whew! If you have any favourite snacks please leave a comment below & share! Any good recipes you have tried lately? Share those too!

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