healthy snacking

Healthy snacking is essential  for our dietary needs! How else are we to get all of our essential food groups in for the day? So many times we  reach for things like chips, candy bars,  and soda to satisfy our midday calorie wants even though we know they are bad for us. I have decided to change my attitude toward this matter and consider foods like these as "treats"- for me meaning once a month or so.  Soda use to be this way back in the day!  Soda fountains and ice cream parlors were once places for dates and hang outs; now we treat soda as an accompaniment  to a meal.  

Make a conscious decision to disregard the bad snacks and go for the healthy ones! Start by shopping for them at the grocery store. Just because its healthy doesn't mean its bad.  Its not that you have to be limited in what you eat, it's about choosing the healthier option.

What you didn't know about snacking:

1.Snacks should be between 100-200 calories; Stay closer to 100 if you are dieting and up to 200 for maintaining weight. Snacks should contain complex carbs for some quick energy as well as proteins to help keep you full longer.  Things such as Cottage cheese, fruit, greek yogurt, tuna, hard boiled eggs, protein bars, an apple with peanut butter, and trail mix (heavy on the nuts, not the dried fruit and candy) are all great high-protein snacks.

2. We are built to eat frequently, otherwise our metabolism slows. Studies show that if you go longer than 4/5 hours your metabolism slows and in turn your body burns fat less than normal and also causes surges in insulin which makes us feel hungrier! What to do? Snack 2-3 hours after breakfast and again 2-3 hours after lunch. Creating these habits  will essentially make our bodies re-program themselves thus giving us better metabolisms and an overall higher level of energy throughout the day.                                 

3. According  a study in the Journal of Consumer Research people who ate from 100 calorie packs/ single serve packs end up eating twice as much compared with those who portion it themselves. 100 calories seems small so people end up eating 2 or 3 bags. Plus, the snacks  in the 100 calorie packs are not very filling, so opt for a more nutrient rich food, and dish it out yourself!

4. Many of us are not getting  enough fruits, whole grains and veggies in our daily intake. Studies show however that regular snackers get more nutrients, including fiber than non-snackers do. So use this as an opportunity to  fill the gaps in your diet- eat things such as fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts or lowfat dairy  as a snack. Out of these 5 groups there is bound to be something you enjoy! Some of my favorites are walnuts mixed with a few dark chocolate chips or sliced Campari tomatoes with low-fat snacking cheese and a dash of pepper.

5. The more we SEE food the more we WANT it. Studies show that people eat more from a clear candy jar than an opaque one. Translation: put all the junk food in the back of the pantry- out of sight, out of mind.  Keep things like fruits and veggies  out on the counter, or if you eat trail mix leave that in a clear container on the counter too!

6.  Did you know that your eyes can trick your stomach? Studies show that foods filled with air or water ( think soup or snack puffs) make you unconsciously eat fewer calories (21% fewer)  and still feel satisfied!

Get your life organized

Have you ever once thought to yourself, how did I end up  spending so much money? More than likely everyone has at sometime or another, or you could be thinking this every paycheck.  It is very easy when we use plastic to pay. In fact, a Dunn & Bradstreet study found that people spend 12-18% more when using credit cards than when using cash. Truth be told most of us won't switch to paying in cash because of the added hassle.

What we can do, and I encourage you to to try this out - is better manage our finances. If you think you are spending too much money being able to track your spending long term will help you better manage your finances and see where exactly you are allocating money.  My favorite option of the moment is a website called Mint.com  It allows you to connect your bank accounts to Mint where your transactions will be organized into varying categories such as food, gas, rent etc.  For each category you are able to set  budgets  and compare  to your spending from previous months. There is also a helpful piechart which allows you to visually see the the amount your are spending on restaurants vs. groceries and more! The great thing is... IT'S FREE!


Watch this video to see it explained by the founder!

When we see our spending visualized  we can more easily step outside of ourselves   and say wow I am buying too many clothes, going out to eat too much etc.  The purpose of  of utilizing a free service such as MINT is so that  we can learn from our spending habits, stay away from impulse buys and manage our finances for the betterment of ourselves and our families.  When I started using Mint.com a couple years ago, I saw that I was spending a significant percent of my money on clothes and restaurants. If I were to  have continued that pattern of behavior I could have easily  continued into a downward spiral. Taking the time to review where your money is spent helps you tweak your budget and where your money goes. I.E.  I reduced my budget for clothes and restaurants and put the difference toward healthier and more groceries and savings. 

Welcome!

     Welcome to my page.  I am creating this as a resource for all of us to use share and explore. Truth be told, we all feel busy- sometimes more than others. The reality of it  is that we continuously sacrifice ourselves for our work, school or other passions; because of this many of us put food and positive lifestyle choices on the back burner. I want a place that you can turn to for information so you can improve various aspects of your lives by forming small habits little by little. I will be creating and posting video tips, and I will blog and link to relevant articles. I encourage you to ask questions, participate in discussions, and give any informational tips you have.

     I chose the above picture today because to me McDonald's is the Satan of food. Luring us in because its mmm mmm good  but leading us to feel guilt and adverse health effects. Their food does harm! I will just go ahead and rant about this because it is not just McD's but many fast food items in general! By just cutting fast-food temptations out of your life you can reduce your weight and increase your energy.

If you have children take a look at this photo:

Many children are fed McD's or other fastfood on a weekly basis because  parents want to treat their children or feel just too busy to prepare dinner that night. This starts early habit forming and not in a good way. After your child grows up and their metabolism slows fast food wont be so forgiving. Several people have done this experiment and it is enough to turn me away from this sorry excuse for food. After 1 year of leaving a happy meal out it did not decompose or mold or anything! McD's and other fastfoods are loaded with preservatives.. that you are eating.. and that is NOT GOOD. Take a look at the ingredients list can you pronounce half of the ingredients or define them?! Likely not.. this to me is a red flag  telling me to run in the opposite direction.  A photographer decided to take a daily photo for 2 years and the happy meal has not changed still! (by the way she is still taking pictures daily),

Guess what this is? Soft serve ice cream! NO. A snake! NO.  It's mechanically separated chicken. Want to know what is in it? Watch this...

That 10-piece, 30g of fat, 470 calorie (without dipping sauce)  nuggets don't sound so good anymore huh?

I could endlessly rant about the fallacies of fast food but the impact I want to leave you with  Is to RESIST  IT! For the sake of your health and your family's health.