Smart Snacking for Fitness Enthusiasts

Hello Ziddis! Are you snacking while reading blogs about getting your life together at 3 in the morning? Stressing chomping your way through it might not be the best idea. But snacking is! Snacking has got its bad reputation because it is often not done right. But when done right, it can help better your metabolism, give you ideal weight management cues and keep your mood better! Smart snacking is getting popular, but does it mean following a recipe that promises to be a lazy person’s snack recipe and ends up using half your kitchen’s ingredients to make only the sauce, while the appetiser is waiting for the oven to preheat?

We promise we won’t make any unrealistic promises and suggest the best kinda in-between meals to reduce guilt and boost your fitness!

Are Healthy Snacks a Myth?

Healthy snacks are not a myth; you just haven’t found the one that suits your taste and budget. A healthy snack combines the satisfaction of having something tasty with satisfying cravings while providing actual nutritional value. Look for red flags in each snack, and you will find the one you can make the most out of!

Red flags to look out for in the so-called healthy snacks are:

• High levels of sugar
• Refined flour marketed as wheat
• Low protein content
• Low fibre content
• Full of fats
• Extremely processed
• Excessive salt
• Leaves you feeling thirsty

You need to find snacks that give you steady energy, not a burst of energy with a sugar spike and a crash.

High Protein Snacks

Protein is necessary in every meal you have. Even snacks! Muscle repair, satiety and metabolism are dependent on your protein intake. Making sure that what you are snacking on is a high-protein snack can solve half your health concerns. Some of the delicious high protein snacks are:

• Greek yoghurt with berries
• Fruit + nut butter (like banana with peanut butter)
• Roasted chickpeas
• Homemade trail mix (watch the portion!)
• Boiled eggs with a dash of chaat masala
• Protein bars (look for those with 10–20g protein and low sugar)
• Tuna on whole grain crackers
• Whey protein shake or smoothie
• Grilled tofu cubes or paneer tikka bites
• Oats protein shake
• Fit foods like muesli

When you get cravings or hunger pangs are working out, snacking on these high-protein snacks can help you with your post-workout recovery and satiety.

Low Calorie Snacks

If you are on a journey to manage your weight, avoiding heavy snacks and choosing low-calorie snacks is an important shift you need to make. Try these options, which are under 150 calories, making them a filling yet low-calorie snacking option:

• Cucumber or carrot sticks with hummus
• Air-popped popcorn (skip the butter!)
• Watermelon slices with a pinch of salt
• 1 small apple with cinnamon
• Buttermilk with roasted seeds

Even though these are great snacking options, keep a check on portion control.

Low Carb Snacks

For those trying to keep their carb intake in check for weight loss or muscle building, you would need to check for snacking options that do not spike your blood sugar. These are some of the best low-carb snacks you can have:

• Avocado with lime and salt
• Boiled eggs
• Sweet potato chips (baked at home)
• Cheese cubes with cucumber slices
• Nut butters on celery sticks.

Your heart and stomach would be happier if you snacked on these.

Read Also: The Snackification of Supplements: Is Everyone Losing Focus?

Takeaway

Smart snacking and healthy snacking are just the same thing. If you know your fitness goal, you can easily understand what snacks are right for you. Train your mind to read the labels and analyse the needs of your body. Giving in to cravings is not a bad thing; it is not understanding how to deal with the cravings that hurt your body and your fitness goals. Prioritise protein, fibre, and whole foods, and try to keep ultra-processed snacks to a minimum.