What's a good snack?

What should I eat for a snack?

This is another question I get all the time. I mean, it is a good question on its' face. We both know most commonly available snack foods are just a bunch of junk. So it can feel difficult; but with some planning you can have some healthy snacks that help you AND taste pretty good.

1. Ask yourself, what's wrong with most snack foods?
   Most snack foods are processed junk. Full of sugars and all kinds of chemicals, preservatives, fats, and they have little to no nutritional value in terms of micronutrients or protein.  Precisely the kind of thing that sabotages your entire day in terms of getting fitter. You wreak havoc on your hormones, digestive system, and gut bacteria. And you suffer from increased cravings and insulin spikes and crashes. Long term, it makes you mentally and physically weak, and it makes you gain bad weight. Don't do this. Avoid this at all costs. It's the worst saboteur imaginable. 
   
   
2. How do I avoid this problem?
   Find and/or prepare REAL food to eat.. Vegetables, Fruits, Nuts, Seeds, Healthy Fats, Proteins... 
   
   
3. Examples that qualify as decent snacks:

Nuts and Seeds - trail mixes - walnuts, peanuts, pistachios, almonds, etc. Great mineral content, some fiber, some protein, and generally healthy fats as well. These pack a quick punch though, as the fat content makes the calorie content high relative to the amount of food you eat, so watch for overconsumption! Also, none of the fake crap, like the ones with a bunch of reeses cups and M&M's and all that junk. REAL nuts and seeds..

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Greens - Salads - one of the best ways to feel full without consuming a ton of calories. The trick here is to eat it with things you like and get greens that are good quality and fresh.. Personally I love to use olive oil and some blue cheese on salads - fantastic. Olive Oil, as long as it isn't cooked at high heat, also has a lot of the type of fats that are really good for you, another bonus. Tons of fiber and some mineral content - as well as a ton of water content. 



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Fruits - Low Glycemic and lower carb options are great snacks for when you don't have to do any high energy outputs, such as raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc. If you have some high intensity or long duration cardio coming up, you may be better off with something that has higher carb content such as an apple or a banana. Either way, fruits can make for a great snack that is healthy with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants that help fight the stress of working out.  Just avoid overconsumption.. carbs are still carbs, regardless of the source. 



Smoked Salmon - one of the holy grails of the snack world as far as I'm concerned. Anti-inflammatory Omega 3's by the bushel and a ton of high quality protein? And no carbs? Sign me up. 


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Paleo Frozen Meals - I used to wish for these daily when I was first introduced to Paleo and followed the nutrition program. I had great results with this program. I am mostly paleo now, and I love these Paleo frozen meals during the day when I have limited or no time to cook / eat. Life savers. It feels great to know you're eating something convenient that is also extremely clean, natural, and healthy. ​

Protein Bars - as a rule, most of these are crap. Full of junk - artificial flavors, colorings, preservatives, carbs of all sources, questionable protein sources.. But there are some decent ones! One of the best and commonly available protein bars out there is the Clif Builder bar and the Clif Whey protein bar. Yes the builder bar uses soy protein, (less than ideal), but it's about as close as it is going to get to a good protein bar when examining the ingredients list. 

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​The other option is Epic Bars, they are actual bars made of real protein, such as salmon, chicken, or beef, venison, bison, mixed with fruits or spices. Definitely paleo and some taste good - I love the chicken sriracha. 

Avocado/Guac- filling - nutritious - healthy fats - so tasty. ​It goes with almost anything. Can't lose. 

Nitrite/Nitrate free grass fed meats: If you're going to have snack / lunch meat - make sure it's nitrate and nitrite free, and grass fed. That's where all the negative consequences come from ​

Salsa: Think about it. What's in Salsa?? VEGGIES. Just get a natural one, none of the corn starch thickened sugar added processed crap.. Can't really go wrong with a natural salsa, not to mention the spice has capcaisin, this raises your metabolism :)​

Birdseye frozen veggies. One of my go to's both as a snack and as the veggies for dinner. I throw some Olive oil and a little sea salt on there and it's delicious, and you get a ton of fiber and water and very low carb, and you feel full. The fiber slows down the absorption of sugars and fats as well which is generally helpful for your body comp and health. 
Try to eat veggies every time you eat a protein and your gut and intestines will thank you.

Smaller Servings of your prior meals - Homemade meals offer the best option when trying to find healthy snacks. Left-overs are fast, and if you made a healthy meal, such as veggies and a lean and natural protein, you just heat it up as a snack and you can't beat it.