At Revolution Training in Stamford, CT, many clients eat a healthy snack before and after exercise. The snacks help keep their energy high during workouts and start recovery. Snacking is often demonized, but it shouldn’t be. If you have a healthy snack mid-morning or mid-afternoon, it can boost your energy and help keep your hunger under control so you don’t eat more than you should at the next meal. You can make your snacks or opt for ones prepared. Some of the commercial ones are healthy.
If you left your snack at home or didn’t have time to make one, consider this easy option.
Many businesses carry trail mix. Almost all groceries do. You might even find it at your local gas station’s convenience store. Not all of them are healthy. Check for ones without candy unless it’s tiny bits of dark chocolate. Besides nuts, a healthy trail mix can contain dried fruit or seeds, such as pumpkin seeds. It can have popcorn, peanut butter chips, and spices. You can make your own and put it into individual bags for a quick grab-and-go option.
Look for prepared fruit and vegetables.
Buy fruit and vegetables ahead and do any prepping necessary, like washing and cutting fresh vegetables and putting them in plastic bags. Make a bowl of yogurt or hummus dip and divide it into carryout sauce containers with lids. In the morning, before you leave, put a handful of veggies in a bag and take a dip container. You can snack on an apple or banana or purchase prepared snacks like individual-sized fruit packed in its own juice.
Create the fruit yogurt you take.
Take a small container of berries and nuts along with a container of plain Greek yogurt. When you’re ready to snack, mix the two. If you haven’t prepared anything and want a snack at the last minute, choose one commercially prepared. Look for fruit yogurt with only yogurt and fruit as the main ingredients and no sugar. To get the same mix of protein and carbs, consider cottage cheese and unsweetened applesauce.
- Another healthy snack option is air-popped popcorn or homemade microwave popcorn. For microwave popcorn, add popcorn kernels to a microwaveable bowl, cover lightly, and microwave it. Make popcorn ahead and store it in bags.
- Keep healthy cold treats in the freezer. Fill ice pop molds with yogurt and chopped fruit. You can mix the fruit with the yogurt ahead for a smoother treat. You can also blend fruit and add water for a frozen fruit treat.
- A quick snack that takes little effort is sliced apples with peanut butter. Use peanut butter containing only nuts and maybe a little salt, but no sugar.
- Hard-boil eggs ahead and store them in the refrigerator. When you’re ready for a snack, chop it and mix it with yogurt, mustard, and a little mayo. Spread it onto crackers or toast, or make deviled eggs ahead and ready to eat.
For more information, contact us today at Revolution Training