Healthy aging, Healthy habits, Longevity, Nutrition, Weight loss

You Are What You Eat! Including Snacks…

You are what you eat, and this includes snacks and beverages.

So it only makes sense that consistently consuming the best quality nutrition is essential if we expect to dramatically improve our health and live longer.

It’s not as difficult as you think.

But it’s a lot easier said than done.

All you have to do is observe all of the processed garbage in the supermarket, and the absurd amount of fast food joints as you drive around town.

I say, if it comes in a sealed box or bag (or vending machine), avoid it. And if there’s a drive-thru window, keep on driving.

Snacks

And this doesn’t mean if there’s no drive-thru, then it must be OK… not even close!

Quality food choices are very limited.

And this goes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

This week I want to focus on high quality and healthy powerhouse snacks.

A few things that I rely on for snacks include:

  • Fruit (apples, berries, bananas)
  • Seeds (flax, chia, pumpkin, sunflower)
  • Nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts)
  • Raw veggies (peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, celery)
  • Other (yogurt, sauerkraut, leftovers in a small portion)
  • Grains (quinoa, farro, brown rice)

Always include a lean protein at a minimum with every meal and snacks because it prevents the carbs from spiking your blood sugar. But aim to hit all 3 macronutrients every time you eat something. This includes lean protein, fibrous or starchy carbs, and healthy fats.

Snacks

And remember the macro ratios to aim for – 50% fibrous and starchy carbs, 30% lean protein, and 20% healthy fat.

Other things to remember about your snacks:

  • Fruit is naturally sweet, so don’t add sugar.
  • Nuts are very high in healthy fats, but also in calories. And watch the sodium.
  • Use dips and sauces (if you need) in moderation so you don’t sabotage your snack or meal with something that’s dense in calories and saturated fat.
  • Spice it up with some heat. Hot peppers have been proven to speed up your metabolism and reduce cravings due to the chemical compound capsaicin.
  • Drink plenty of water EVERY day. 2 to 3 liters for the ladies, and 3 to 4 liters for the guys.

I have included a few good articles in the links below to help you discover some alternatives for healthy snacking.

By the way, in addition to improving your health and longevity, another side benefit to cleaning up your eating, drinking a lot of water, and eliminating sugar is that you will lose weight without even trying. If you’re doing it right, those added pounds will fall off over time.

Include intense exercise, and now you’re on to becoming a fat-burning machine. So fire it up!

Thank you for sharing your time with me. I hope you found value.

Now it’s time for YOU to take action…

What’s your Win to be Thin? Leave a comment below.

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