Jan 25, 2018

Is afternoon snack indulging destroying your healthy habits?

Breakfast packed with nutritious protein- Check!

Mid-morning fiber-filled snack- Yep!

Lunch is lean and green- oh yea!

After work snack: WHERE THEM DORITOS AT!!!?! I'm ready for a dozen cookies and some ice cream! Commence feeding frenzy

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Sound familiar?!?

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Here are some helpful hints to keep that crazy craving

3-5 pm snack bewitching time-frame under control:

1) FIND SOMETHING TO DO THAT DOES NOT INVOLVE FOOD.

This is a good time to find an activity that keeps you busy without the constant reminder of food. Clean out a room, call a friend, take the dog for a walk, box up unwanted items to go to donation, start a journal, get in an at home meditation or yoga class (just YOUTUBE a video), or do your workout here!

2) PLAN OUT YOUR SNACK IN ADVANCE

Have a yummy yogurt, fruit, flax meal and granola bowl waiting for you in the fridge so that you have something ready to go. Or use this time for a yummy after noon "milkshake" (chocolate protein, creamy frozen banana, flax meal, unsweetened almond milk). Have all the ingredients mixed except for the frozen banana slices then throw them in! Toast a piece of bread, throw on an egg and avocado.

3) MAKE A LIST OF HEALTHY SNACKS YOU HAVE IN THE HOUSE AND HANG IT ON THE FRIDGE.

That way your overworked brain doesn't have to think about what to throw together when you fall in the door.

4) OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND.

Store unhealthy snack options on a top shelf of the pantry that you rarely walk by or open. (Just don't forget about them for months hahah)

Here are my afternoon, pre -dinner GO-TO snacks:

KIND BAR + 1 Tbsp Nut Butter

HEALTH WARRIOR CHIA BAR + 1 Tbsp Nut Butter

EPIC JERKY BAR + Handful of raisins

RXBAR + 1 Tbsp Nut Butter

PIECE OF FRUIT + 1 Tbsp Nut Butter

1 Cup GRAPES + 1/2 C Cottage Cheese

1/2 Sweet potato topped with drizzle of nut butter or unsalted walnuts and pecans with drizzle of honey, few raisins, and sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg.

1 oz Turkey Jerky + 2 C unsalted popcorn

1/2 Open face peanut butter and jelly (fresh preserves) sandwich with flax meal sprinkled

1/2 C Greek Yogurt ( I LOVE SIGGIS, FAGE, STONEYFIELD, ICELANDIC, CHOBANI) + 1/2 c Berries + Sprinkle of Granola

1 Banana + sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg, topped with 1 Tbsp nut butter and crasins OR* dark chocolate chips

1 cup veggies + 1 Tbsp hummus

1/2 Can of Tuna mixed with greek yogurt + handful of whole wheat crackers

Rice cakes topped with sliced apples, banana and drizzled with honey

1 oz (1/4 c) Unsalted nuts + 1 c mixed fresh fruit

2-3 Hard boiled eggs + 3/4 cup grapes

1 handful Whole Grain Tortilla Chips with 1/3 c Greek Yogurt dip

Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshake (chocolate protein + frozen banana +PBpowder + flaxmeal + unsweetened nutmilk)

Strawberry Milkshake (vanilla protein + frozen strawberries + vanilla greek yogurt + flaxmeal)