5 Snacks You Can Eat While Still Staying Fit
It's a myth that you have to avoid snacks in order to stay fit. The problem is that most pre-packaged, processed "snacks" don't offer much nutritional value.
We tend to take "snack breaks" as opportunities to consume products that are high in fats, processed sugars, and devoid of key macronutrient or vitamins.
We're going to give you 5 ideas for nutritional snacks you can enjoy while still staying fit. The following foods are ones that you can feel comfortable going to between meals, while you're at work, or whenever you're hungry.
1. Nut Butter on Wholegrain Bread
We say "nut butter" because there are simply so many non-peanut butter forms of butter.
Cashew butter and almond butter are two alternatives you might enjoy. These forms of butter offer a wonderful source of protein, healthy fats, oils, and they actually satisfy your hunger (and sweet tooth).
Wholegrain bread is another source of real nutritional value. White bread tends to contain empty carbs. This is because white bread grains are stripped of the parts that make them nutritious so that the loaf can sit on the shelf for a longer period of time.
When you get the whole grain, you get all of the nutrients.
2. Mixed Nuts and Seeds
A selection of nuts and seeds that are thrown into a container can keep you full throughout the day. It can be confusing how full you get from a handful of these little treats.
You're satiated by nuts and seeds because they're packed with nutrients that your body actually wants. If you were to go to McDonald's and get two cheeseburgers, you might be physically full but feel hungry still because you're not getting any nutritional value.
Whether you're consuming actual nuts or getting that nutrition through nut butter, you're consuming a great snack.
3. Avocados With Salt and Pepper
Avocados are wonderful because they come equipped with natural packaging! You can throw an avocado in your bag and it won't get dirty or damaged because you simply peel the skin off and have a ready-made meal.
They're also incredibly nutritious and filling. A plain avocado might not do the trick for you, but sprinkling some salt and pepper onto it after it's peeled is an excellent way to spice things up.
Note that you can also spread avocados on whole-grain toast which makes for an excellent snack.
4. Chicken
Chicken is rich in protein and low in fat. Eating some kind of chicken when you get hungry between meals will absolutely contribute positively to your health goals.
Additionally, those on a keto diet can be sure that they're staying within the parameters they've set for themselves. Chicken is the keto diet's best friend.
You can spruce things up by incorporating some salad or vegetables along with the chicken if you're not interested in eating it plain. Keep in mind, however, that a strip of grilled chicken is an easy way to curb your hunger and get on your way without even thinking about reaching for a sugary treat.
5. Hard-Boiled Eggs
A hard-boiled egg is another nutritious snack that satisfies hunger and is easy to bring around wherever you go.
There's almost no negative side to eating eggs, other than the fact that it's an animal product if you're vegan or vegetarian. Aside from that, eggs are incredibly nutritious and will provide you with energy.
This makes them one of the best snacks to satisfy hunger.
Insight Into Snacking and Staying Fit
The idea of reaching for a snack doesn't always have to be a bad thing. In most cases, it means that your body needs a little extra boost to keep going.
Eating enough is a huge part of putting on muscle, staying healthy, and even losing weight.
The problem is that small pre-packaged and processed snacks tend to hold a lot of unhealthy calories and processed sugars, as we discussed above. In addition to the snack ideas listed above, you can incorporate any number of natural and healthy foods.
The most important thing is that the foods you're consuming are natural and void of processed sugars. These are the ones that will provide you with legitimate energy, satisfy your hunger, and prevent you from reaching for the thing that will hamper your fitness goals.
Why Do We Tend to Eat Unhealthy Snacks?
It's a little funny that people are drawn toward the things that are bad for them.
Why in the world would we want to eat foods that lead to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, depression, and the physical breakdown of our bodies? It's all in our biological history.
Many junk foods are engineered to tap into our neurochemistry. When we're exposed to sugar and many of the additives that unhealthy foods contain, a surge of dopamine hits our mind and we're temporarily satisfied.
To add to that fact, we have to realize that our biological needs were a lot different when human bodies developed. There was no guarantee that food was coming 10,000 years ago. If the winter started to roll in and we weren't fed well, we got stressed.
That stress indicated that we should find as many calories as possible to store up and survive the cold. That impulse is still in us.
The only difference is that our stress probably doesn't come for the same reasons, and there's a never-ending store of calories in our cupboards and convenience stores.
It's no wonder that we reach for calories when we're bored and stressed. It's our job to cut that impulse off and satiate with things that are good for us, though. That means consuming natural food products like nuts butter, fruits, vegetables, and anything that doesn't contain too many processed sugars.
Looking for Excellent Snacking Options?
If you're trying to stay fit but know that you're going to reach for a snack here and there, we're here to help you out. Nut butter is an excellent source of nutrition when you're on the go, and we've got a wide variety for you to choose from.
Explore our products and see if there's one that you can see fitting well into you're daily routine.