Snacks for Thought

Hey there!
Welcome to my nutrition page. Here I will be posting everything and anything I know about nutrition! Afterall nutrition is the combination of necessary materials that enable us to support life! So the better the input is the better the output.. aka your life!

Here is a simple list of snack ideas for those out there needing guidance when sitting in front of the TV or those who have the "boredom eater" problem:

1. Carrots/Celery + Hummus * I always do the combination between carrots and celery because celery is something you burn more calories eating it then you consume (its practically water), but carrots are a starchy veggie with sugar. The combination allows me to not overdue it on the carrots but still be satisfied. Hummus can be purchased anywhere but try to stick with the original flavor and get the one with the least amount of ingredients on the label
2. Edamames * Great for those salty snack lovers! Edamames are soy beans that are packed with protein and are a filling healthy snack choice. I buy the frozen (in-pod) edamames at trader joes. You just boil them, add salt and enjoy! The whole edamames make you do a little more work while eating because you have to use your teeth to get the beans out of the pod.. this slows down consumption.
3. Rice Cakes * My favorite are the Quaker Apple Cinnamon flavor. These are only 50 calories and are great with some all natural peanut butter on them! While training this was my dessert! **You can add sliced banana to them as well and they are a good dessert substitute!
4. Falafel Chips * These chips are made from whole grains, corn, and beans and are 118 calories per serving. They are great with Salsa! Salsa can be used on anything, its not bad for you at all! If your a huge chip junkie, check out the Food Should Taste Good brand as well. The multigrain chip this brand offers is delicious and not to mention gluten free, lactose free, cholestoral free, low sodium, and preservative free.
5. Protein shakes* You can buy a protein supplement - I recommend the Lean Dessert protein for women- or you can pick up a case of these great on the go meals at costco. Make sure you get the Premier protein shake- its the healthiest option.
6. Tuna* You can mix up tuna to put on falafel chips or a wheat thin. When using tuna, if you add mayo try to get the brand that is made with olive oil (by craft) or you can skip the mayo and add either mustard or avocado. Both are great substitues and save you a lot of calories and fat.
7. Cottage Cheese* High in protein and a easy snack with no preperation! Also is great as a salad dressing substitute! Try to stick with the 1% or non fat version.
8. Laughing Cow Light cheese* These little packets of cheese are only 30 calories and are great substitutes for cream cheese or any other time you need a bit of cheese in your life. They are great on whole wheat english muffins or even on broccoli!
9. Fruit* In moderation! A lot of people think fruit is healthy so they overdue it and eat it throughout the day.. this leads to excess sugar and calories and a not very full feeling. Stick to 1-2 pieces a day and try to eat it in the morning or substitute it for dessert!
10. Nuts* Eat a handful of almonds, cashews, or peanuts. They are a healthy fat so dont overdue it and stay away from trail mixes with chocolate or raisins in them. Raisins have tons of sugar and often make you crave more! You can always make your own healthier version of trailmixes as well. Use almonds, dried fruit like apricots or prunes, cashews, and any other nut you love!

I hope this list gets you started on some ideas and substitutes to popcorn, candy, and doritos. During training I could not eat fruit or any dairy products.. yes not even cottage cheese or laughing cow. So my list was even more limited. I also couldnt have bread. The competitors diet in comparison to a normal healthy living diet is very different. However, it has made me appreciate these options much more!