Today I wanted to discuss snacking. Something which, by society's standards, is considered a bit of a NO-NO in a world obsessed with weight-loss yet riddled with rising levels of obesity (yep, it's a crazy, messed up world we live in!). But, in the eyes of every athlete, snacking is an absolute YES-YES, and for good reason, too!
Snacking during the day (I'm talking something small every hour or two, not every 10 minutes guys - soz) is the sure-fire way of keeping your metabolism and energy levels up, and your blood sugar levels stable. Otherwise, chances are your body will crash into a slump that will inevitably lead to bad diet choices being made, because you're not giving it the energy it needs to keep running throughout the day! Snacking = energy, not unwanted calories. And more so than when you should snack is the key issue of what you should snack on - afterall, it's this that will determine how often your body will send those signals requesting a refuel, and it's up to you what to feed it with.
My snacks of late are predominantly fruit-based, mainly because they are ultimately the easiest, non-fuss option available, plus they offer me an all-natural sugar buzz, and taste great. Snacking pre- and post- workout is also super important - re-energising the body after training results in maintained/growth in muscle mass and strength, and you should be reaching for something that offers a good mix of lean protein and carbs. This evening, this came in the form of apple slices with peanut butter dip and some grapes on the side. Heaven.
Besides pre/post workout snacks, I've listed some other suggestions to keep your body afloat between your main meals, most of which I've tried and tested, and many which I tend to go for when my body's craving some kind of nourishment.
100g no-fat cottage cheese with plain greek yoghurt (choose the lowest sugar option available - many yoghurts contain a heap of sugar and/or sweeteners, despite claiming they are diet/low-fat on the packaging)
A handful of blueberries with a drizzle of honey
A small one-egg omelette loaded with leftover vegetables
One-egg banana pancakes (see previous post!)
A glass of almond milk (again, look out for the low sugar version - many are very high in sugar. This might require a scan of the nutritional labels, a habit that is a keeper for avoiding the supermarket snack-attacks)
Kale or carrot crisps (or any other vegetable you want to transform through the efforts of fine slicing and oven-baking - plus a smidgen of oil)
A couple of dates or dried apricots (I love dates at the moment. However, like most dried fruit, they are high in calories, so it's best to limit your intake somewhat)
GRAPES. A winner/many winners every time...
A small square or two of 90% cacao chocolate (I'm guilty/not even guilty at all for this little snack today), AND/OR hot cacao made with boiling water and almond milk if you require an additional chocoholic treat
A small handful of nuts
Any kind of homemade juice/smoothie that incorporates fruit, vegetables and a smidgen of almond milk/natural sweeteners, i.e. honey or lemon juice.
There are so, so many more snacks you could choose apart from those I've listed - all of which absolutely do not involve anything processed or refined - the latter merely being choices we make through dietary habits, and that can easily be changed through a couple of weeks of clean eating. Trust me - I used to be all for the crisps and cereal bar approach, as I was brainwashed by the marketing of such products. One example being the Special K cereal bars that are under 90 calories - they might well be low calorie, but they contain around 15g of sugar and offer no nutritional benefits whatsoever. It's a similar idea with crisps - a pack of Quavers (a fellow old prerequisite) is less than 90 calories, yet they are practically the snacking equivalent to air when it comes down to it!
Needless to say that I've learnt my lesson, good n' proper. A round up: it's a double thumbs up for snacks that offer your body the nutrients and goodness that it deserves for getting through the day (particular Monday), and a massive thumbs down to preemptive food marketing. We don't need your "snacks" anymore, thank you very much (so long, suckers!).
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