If you’re anything like myself, the most important meals of each day are the tiny delights that are woven in between your 3 courses. That’s right, you guessed it, we’re talking about snacks.
As much as we would all love to say that we carry around celery sticks in our pocket to snack on throughout the day— that just isn’t the reality of our human nature. We don’t want to limit ourselves so much that we start to deplete our precious energy bank.
If you cannot admit to finding yourself on occasion, elbows deep in the Costco size bag of M&M’s in the office break room, well then frankly, I just don’t trust you.
But that’s the beauty of the choices that we are able to make each day. We are not perfect, nor is that something we should let bring us down on the days that we go a little off track. And to feel good, we don’t need to eliminate everything that tastes good.
Being prepared for those instances where we are scampering into the pantry to grab something before running to the gym, or even when those late night indulgences kick in, can make all the difference
Here are some healthier alternatives to the pre-packaged grab and go items that will still leave you salivating at the thought of them:
For all of you veggie and ranch dip lovers out there—there’s a lighter alternative that won’t let you miss out on one scoop. Pack a container full of your favorite vegetables. (My favorites are Red Bell Peppers and Cucumber slices). Take a plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt cup and get to dippin’. It’s a tart and delightful combo, without all the fat.
Any Cookie monsters out there? Try mashing a banana, rolled oats, cinnamon & some walnuts together. Bake in the oven at about 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes and you have yourself a guilt free snack that even the Girl Scouts will be jealous of.
Scoop out a cucumber cut the long way and add a slice of your favorite uncured deli meat on top. Add a slice of tomato or avocado and you have yourself a grain free “sammie.”
Portion out some almonds so that you can grab for them to crunch the hunger out of you, while you are in the limbo period of your next meal.
Sparkling water has been my favorite go-to drink that gives you the bubbly pleasure of soda, without the sugar, sodium or calories. There are so many tasty flavors that will entice every tongue.
The goal here is to make sure that we are paving the way for our own success. Taking the first initiative in getting an exercise routine down is half the battle. So on the bright side, we’re all at least halfway there. The rest of the way is as easy as we’ll allow our minds to interpret it.
Written by: Hayley Sutherland