…MORE Healthy Snack Ideas…

Ever wonder down the grocery store isles wracking your brain on what kind of new and healthy snacks you can buy to add to your diet? Well I have decided to share a list of items that are sure to satisfy your appetite without packing on  to many calories, or without hurting your pocket-book!

You may be trying to get back in the groove of work and things may be busy and hectic.  But that should never be an excuse to NOT sneak in some healthy snacks during your every day routine.  Just think, if you substitute a few of these items for you usually snack of chips or a candy bar just image how many calories you will be cutting per week! And in the long run, it will help you shed those extra unwanted calories!

Don’t forget, you would like to make your snacks no more than around 300 calories.  You don’t want to use most of your calorie intake on your snacks! A snack is supposed to be a filler to help you in between meals when you feel that you are hungry.

Here are some more great healthy snack ideas that are easy, quick, and not expensive! Thanks to SixSistersStuff.com for sharing some of these amazing ideas for this list of snacks that you can grab on the go!

1. Frozen Grapes (or any type of your frozen fruit! Suggested serving size is 1 – 1.5 cups)

2. String Cheese (preferably the low-fat sting cheese)

3. Banana (Also try a  Frozen Banana.  Make sure to peel it first, stick in the freezer overnight it’s like a popsicle!)

4. Low-fat Yogurt (there are several options…Yoplait…Greek Yogurt…and Dannon even has some yummy options)

5. Sugar-free or fat-free pudding

6. Apple slices dipped in Peanut Butter (or spread peanut butter on top of apple slice and top with pecans or another favorite nut. Organic peanut butter is a little more expensive but it is usually the better option)

7. bag of popcorn (not the movie extra butter popcorn.  Try the popcorn with little to no salt and butter.  Try using spices to add the extra flavor to your popcorn for a healthier option)

8. Applesauce

9. Raw veggies with hummus or any other type of low-calorie veggie dip

10. Almonds (or any other type of nuts.  Suggested serving size is 1 cup)

11. Skinny S’more (two graham crackers with one roasted marshmallow and one small square dark chocolate)

12. Smoked Beef Jerky (about 1 oz- look for the  low-sodium! options)

13. Chocolate Milk (try to get the 2% option if available!)

14. Hard Boiled Egg (suggester to have one…maybe 2 if you are having a big craving between meals!)

15. Sunflower Seeds (suggested serving size about 1 cup)

16. Cottage Cheese (suggested serving size 1 cup…also try to add fruit on top or sprinkle some nuts on top for added flavor)

17. Sliced Cantaloupe

18. Raisins (suggested serving size about 1 cup)

19. Pita Bread and Hummus (suggested a few slices of pita bread with about 1/4 cup of hummus to equal about 275 calories)

20. Rice Cakes (try also having these with a banana and about 1-2 table spoons of peanut butter for added flavor to equal about 220  calories

21. Jello (try not to add the whip cream and other high sugar extras on top of it. Try it with nuts or fresh fruit for a healthier option)

22. Dried Fruits

23. Frozen Yoplait Whips Yogurt (these seriously taste like ice cream when they are frozen!)

 24. Pistachios (suggested serving size is about 1 oz which is about 149 calories)

25. Clementines (the “Cuties” you may find at the grocery store)

26. Fruit Smoothie (make sure to make the smoothie with low-calorie options…not ice cream or whip cream…or any type of cream. Stick to 100% fruit juices and real/frozen fruit. Try adding in yogurt into the smoothie to add flavor and thickness)

27. Handful of olives

28. Pickles

29. Handful of blueberries with 2 tablespoons fat-free Cool-Whip

30. Ants on a Log (celery with peanut butter and raisins)

31. 1 cup mixed berry salad (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries) tossed with one tablespoon fresh-squeezed orange juice.

32. Peanut Butter and 1 whole  Banana on whole wheat bread

33. Trail Mix (make your own! Throw in dried fruit, sunflower seeds, nuts, low-sugar cereals, and even the occasional piece of candy for something sweet.)

34. Plain Yogurt with fresh berries (with 8 oz of regular plain yogurt and 1/2 cup of fresh fruit or veggies to make a 180 calorie snack)

35. Tuna on 1 slice of whole wheat bread ( you can have 4 oz of plain tuna on 1 slice of break to equal about 250 calories. Add condiments sparingly to help keep the calorie intake down!)

The Key to reaching your health and fitness goals is having the right diet! YES what you eat really matters!  If you are not eating the right things it will be hard for you to get the maximum results and it may take you longer to reach your goals.  The key is to stay consistent with your physical activity and healthy eating and with time you will start to see progress!

…More Portion Control…

When it comes to health and fitness related topics, the two topics that I am passionate about are

  • food/drink portion controls
  • adequate exercise routine

The two things listed above are some of the most important when looking at creating health and fitness goals and they are usually the two things that are either overlooked or not properly applied to health and fitness plans.

Portion control is important because without it, you will not see the results that you are looking for!  A frequent questions that is also asked when talking about portion control is “I do not know if I ate enough”…”I do not know if I ate the suggested portion sizes”…”I do not know if I am eating as frequently as I should be”.

When it comes to eating the right portion sizes you just have to learn what is the right size and what is the wrong size.  When it comes to knowing how often to eat there is no magic answer for that.  That is something you will have to figure out. Everyone’s body is different.  One important fact…DO NOT STARVE YOURSELF!  If you are hungry between meals have a small, nutritional, low-calorie snack!  My go to snack is yogurt and a handful of nuts…If I am between snacks and I get a craving I always go to something like popcorn or Greek yogurt.  These types of snacks will leave me satisfied  and allow me to make it to my next meal.  This is just something you will have to learn with your own body.  Learn what will leave you feeling satisfied for longer periods of time.

The goal is to plan ahead. You want to make sure that you have snacks and meals available for you at home, at work, in your gym bag, or anywhere close by so you are not tempted to “grab something quick” from the local fast food establishment.

You can check at the following links for some great healthy low-calorie snacks:

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2011/10/18/the-perfect-snack/

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2012/01/17/more-healthy-snack-ideas/

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2012/02/02/more-healthy-snacks-part-3/

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2012/02/23/more-healthy-snacks-part-4/

http://infinitelifefitness.com/2012/03/07/100-calorie-snacks/

 

More Portion Control Tips:

  • Split up food into bags or Tupperware.  This will allow you to pre-measure your food and have it ready when you need it.  It can save you time and allow you to grab something if you are in a hurry!
  • This can be a great thing to do for the family! Put family members names, dates, or even times on the bags/containers so children will know what is OK for them to grab then they are in the kitchen!

2013-09-18 11.39.01

Portion control is also about eating the right things for you. Yes it is OK to have a piece of chocolate or your favorite ice cream…but only ONCE IN A WHILE! Achieving your health and fitness goals requires you to understand what you are putting in your body and what your body needs.  Once you start to eat better, combine that with a great workout routine and you are on your way to achieving your goals!

…Portion Sizes…

When it comes to starting a new health and fitness routine PORTION SIZES are SO SO SO SO important.  You have to be able to know what is the right amount to have with each meal so you are not over eating.  Over eating will cancel out the hard workout you have that day! The key to losing those unwanted calories is working off MORE calories than you are consuming.

DO NOT starve yourself! Find healthy LOW CALORIE snacks you can have during the day to help you stop those hunger feelings and to get you to your next meal.

Here is a guide i found online…hope that it is helpful with helping you decide you portion sizes when preparing you meals

 

The goal to reaching your fitness goals is to set some goals, stick to them, stay focused, and work hard! Hard work will pay off! Passing on that key lime pie you like to have for dessert and having a bowl of fruit will help you to obtain those health and fitness goals you set for yourself.  It is OK to treat your some sometimes but not ALL the time.  Be mindful of the things you are putting in your body.

You have to make sure that you are eating enough AND also eating the right things throughout the day.  Yes you can consume less calories BUT if all of those calories come from poor quality foods it will not allow you to  reach your health and fitness goals as quickly as you would like.

…Fun Fitness Facts! Part 1…

Well since the start of this blog, I have been telling all the important things about fitness.

Today I wanted to change things up a bit and talk about the things that are insightful and fun about fitness!

  • The human body has more than 650 muscles.
  • If you had every single muscle in your body work together at the same time, you could lift about 50,000 pounds.
  • Each muscle fiber is thinner than a hair and can support up to 1,000 times its own weight.
  • By the time you have reached old age, you will have walked approximately 70,000 miles
  • Consistent exercise teaches your body how to be an efficient fat-burner, rather than a fat-storer.
  • If you are not a regular exerciser, by the time you are 65 you may experience as much as an 80% decrease in your muscle strength.
  • There are 206 bones in the human body.  One fourth of them are in your feet.
  • Underwater swimming is the only time you should hold your breathe while exercising.
  • It takes only about 23 seconds for blood to circulate throughout your entire body.
  • A person breathes 7 quarts of air every minute.
  • Your heart is the strongest muscle of your body and beats about 100,000 times in one day, in an average adult.
  • Placed end to end, the blood vessels in your body would stretch almost three times around the equator.
  • If you can’t carry on a conversation while you’re exercising, you may be training too hard.
  • Studies have shown your life expectancy might increase by up to two hours for every hour you walk.

There are so many hidden benefits to adopting a fitness routine and maintaining until old age!  It is so important to try to remain active.  It will have a great effect on your health today and 20 years from now! Not to mention it will allow you to feel and look great!

 

…Give Up Fast Food?…

Over 4 years ago I made a pledge to myself to give up ALL fast food.

This means no McDonald’s, No Burger King, No Taco Bell, No Sonic….No place that was a “fast food” chain.  And to this day that had been one of my best choices.  I did it for several reasons…

1) To save money! After calculating how much I spent each month on fast food that was DOUBLE my budget for my grocery bill!  I learned to plan out my meals, make a menu, and stick to my monthly budget and it has helped me save HUNDREDS of dollars each year.

2)To eat healthier.  I am not saying that fast food places do not have healthy options for you.  Now they have done a great job at having alternative to offer families instead of the usual menu items.  Like offering fruit instead of fries.  Or having milk or juice instead of carbonated beverages.  They have done a great job over the years to add some healthier options to their menus.  But, for me, I felt that the variety of things that the grocery store was better and most cost-effective for me than going to grab something at my local fast food place.

3) To help me learn what I need to eat and to be more mindful of the things that I put in my body.  Since then I have gotten leaner and gotten better results physically.  Not having the luxury of just driving up someplace and getting food has made me actually think about what I want and what I need to eat on a daily basis.  I have adopted a much healthier eating habit not to mention I have saved money!

 

There are tons of articles and studies on how “healthy” some of the items fast food places sale to you.  And yes most of them are true.  Hence why it is better to take your own pledge to limit or cut out fast food from your diet.

You do not have to quit cold turkey! And like I said before, they do have some healthier options on the menu. But make sure that the healthy option is not tainted with double ranch dressing or with other things that will help diminish its healthy intentions.  You have to learn what is on the menu, how much of it you can have, and what to add/take away to keep that healthy meal within the “healthy meal” range.

One of the most important things about starting on a new health journey is know what is the right and wrong things to eat.  And the things in the image above are the WRONG things to consume on a regular basis.  I am not going to lie to you and say that I do not enjoy a nice burger.  But I enjoy that burger every once in a while.  You have to learn what you need on a regular basis and what you can have in moderation.

Each fast food restaurant should have a “Nutritional Facts” guide posted in their store or on their website (and to be honest most regular restaurants are starting to have them as well).  It would be smart to look at them before you go to get your food so you can have in mind what are the best things and the worst things they have on their menus.

It is wise to NOT super size/enlarge your meals when asked.  Also, limit the kind of condiments that you use on your meal. Even though Buffets are good for your pocket-book it is best to stay away from them! This is just a sure way for you to overeat, or eat several plate full of items that should be eaten in moderation. If you do go to a buffet try not to go up for seconds.  Try to know what is a good portion size and make sure to get those portion sizes when you go up for your first entrée. And if you are still hungry, drink some water and wait a bit until you make your second trip.  Sometimes it takes a little bit for your brain to realize that you are full so waiting will allow your food/drink to settle and for you to realize if you are truly full or not.

There are some more great tips in THIS article that will help you when making your fast food decisions.

Hope that this was a great tip to get your guys through the weekend! Happy Friday! And do not forget…ANY DAY is a GREAT DAY to start being healthy!

…When is enough food enough?…

When you go out to eat at almost ANY restaurant, the plate of food that you order is almost ALWAYS more than the suggested serving size.  As a culture we are all wanting to get the best and the most we can out of our money.  But is that necessarily the healthiest thing for you?

One of the things you can do to help you start learning what is enough is learning what the correct portion sizes are! You can look at my post HERE to get a sense of what is the correct portion size for most meals.

Learning what your body NEEDS and not what you want (or what you are craving) is a hard thing to do!  Some people crave food because food can be a comfort for them.  Emotional eating is one of the top listed reasons as to why most people gain the unwanted weight that they do.  To get over this, it helps to plan out your meals, try to have a variety of items when you do eat meals and snacks, and learn your biological food clock.  This “clock” is the indication of when you should eat food to nourish and replenish the body.  Not just because it is 3:00 and you want a candy bar.

Example…here is my biological food clock…

I usually get up around 7AM. When I wake up in the morning I usually eat within 1 hour of waking up.  If not, my stomach will be sure to let me know.

I always have a mid morning snack around 10 AM. This snack is a SMALL snack (which is about 300 calories).  It is only a filler until lunch time which is around 12:30.

After lunch I usually have a mid afternoon snack around 3.  This is an important snack for me because I usually work out around 5 so this snack usually has a few more calories to help me through the day and to help me through my workout.

After my work out I usually have dinner.  Depending on how heavy or light my lunch was will depend on how heavy or light my dinner is.  When I refer to how “heavy or light” it is I am speaking of if I have a meal with a lot of meat and starches for one meal I will try to refrain from having those things again with the next meal.

 

Learning your clock will take some time and you will have to learn what it feels like to eat until you are satisfied.  If you feel full or over embellished with your meal you have eaten more than you should have.

Another thing to be mindful of is what your body is telling you…not necessarily how full or empty your plate it.

Example:

If I have prepared a meal with correct portion sizes and I get done, I usually have something to drink to make sure that I am satisfied.  If I still have an unsatisfying feeling I will add a few more veggies or something not so “heavy” to my plate.  I am NOT a big fan or advocate of starving yourself if you have reached your daily calorie intake.  But if you do consume those extra calories you have to be mindful to eat healthy things that will not make you regret eating the extra food.

It is also suggested that if you start to get on a regular eating schedule it will be easier for you to know how to handle your cravings and how to consume your meal portions correctly.  Also, DRINK WATER!! It may be a form of cheating…but it has also been found that if you consume water regularly through your meal it will help you to realize that your stomach is full and to help limit the probability that you will overeat during your meal.

Here is an important tip for those who go out to eat regularly…when you order your meal, as soon as it comes to the table split the meal in HALF! Only eat HALF of your meal.  If it is hard for you to stick with that ask your waiter for a to go box before you start to eat and put half of the meal in the to go box so you do not have to see it on your plate.  This will not only help you stick to your portion sizes but it will also help you to have another meal for the next day!

Hope that some of these tips helped you to get a better understanding what kind of eating habits you have.  It is about eating food that will satisfy and nourish your body.  Consuming excessive amounts of food helps to account for gained weight.  Embarking on your own health and fitness journey will take a lot of work until you get use to your body and what you need!

…infinite life fitness recipe: turkey meatballs…

turkey meatballs

When it comes to clean eating you have to find recipes that will accommodate your busy lifestyle.  the best way to do this is to prepare meals in advance that you can just grab and go!  This will allow you to have meals ready for you at home so you are not tempted to “grab something on the go” from you local fast food place.

There are SO many recipes for food items that you can make in only a short amount of time! Just think, cook a few things on Sunday evening and you will have meals that will last you all week! That is exactly what I do.  I will prepare meals that I can keep in the fridge (and I will honestly freeze the other half of the items that I cook so they will last me longer than a week if needed).  As the saying goes:

Fail to plan….Plan to fail!

Today I will share with you something that can be made in LESS THAN an hour and this meal can last you for a few days! You can make these type of meatballs with any type of ground lean meat (ground chicken, lean beef, bison, venison, or any other type of meat of your choice!

What you will need:

  • 1 package of lean ground meat (in this recipe i used 99% lean ground turkey)
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/3 cup of oats (you can add anywhere from NO oats to a full cup of oats.  Adding more will increase the macro-nutrients of your meal)
  • 1 tsp cilantro
  • 2 tsp of low sodium meat seasonings (Mrs. Dash is a GREAT option but McCormick and other generic brands also offer various good options as well) OR you can use any other type of spices that you would like (get creative and throw in a different variety of things)
  • You can add diced onions, peppers, tomatoes, or any other veggies that you would like!! For this batch i did not add any of those items

What you will do:

  • Set the oven to 350 degrees
  • get a cookie sheet and line it with a sheet of foil
  • Mix all of the above ingredients in a mixing bowl
  • mix all of the ingredients together
  • get a 1/3 measuring cup and scoop the mixture into the cup and slightly pat it down to get any air pockets out.
  • You can make the scoop somewhat level (this will yield 8-10 balls depending on how much you level off your scoops
  • Drop the contents of the measuring cup evenly throughout the baking sheet (make sure to spread them out somewhat so they are not directly touching each other.  You can also use a muffin tin if you do not have a cookie sheet.  Spritz the muffin pan with olive oil so they will not stick.  Just place the contents of the measuring cup in each slot in the muffin tin)
  • After all of the mixture is scooped up and evenly distributed place them in the oven.
  • It will take anywhere from 20-35 minutes for them to cook. You will have to watch them to see how quickly they start to brown on the outside and cut one to make sure they cooked thoroughly.
  • Sit and let cool
  • ENJOY!!!!

With each meal I will suggest eating 2-3 meatballs.  This will yield approximately 4-6 oz of meat per serving.  You can pair these with veggies, rice, sweet potatoes, or any other sides of your choice! In the morning I will grab a few of these, toss them in a container with some veggies and other side dishes and have a full quick meal ready for lunch (or dinner!).  You can garnish these with salsa or any other sauces that are your favorites.  As with any sauces be careful how much you drizzle on them! Some sauces pack a lot of calories so try to stick with lower calorie options to keep your meal healthy and low on calories.

Like I said previously you can get creative and add/substitute other things to this to make this dish how YOU like it.

 

…100 Calorie Snacks…

Those new “100 calorie” snacks are becoming so popular where days! But, today I would like to share a tip with you that might help you save money and some calories…

 

 

MAKE YOUR OWN 100 CALORIE SNACKS!

What does it take? Measuring cups, sandwich bags (or reusable bags/Tupperware that you may want to use), and some snack options!

Most of these companies that sale the 100 calorie snack packs are charging you extra for putting the correct portion size in sealed packages for you.  You can save money by measuring out your own portions of your favorite snack.  Buy a box (or two or three if they are on sale) and portion them out when you get home.  Put the bags in your fridge, cabinet, or whatever storage space you want to use and grab them when you are on the go.

This will allow you to have low-calorie snacks available to you when you are in a hurry!

This trick is something I learned when I was a kid.  My mom was a professional at not letting us over indulge on snack foods or sweets.  She would portion them out in small sandwich bags and only allow us to grab just one! So this is also something you can do with your children to help them to learn portion control.  A great thing to learn young so it will help them to realize what is not enough or what is too much when it comes to eating snacks or preparing meals.

Here are some great options for you to consider to make your own “Grab and Go” snacks for you and your family!

Here are some great HEALTHY and cost friendly 100 calorie snacks you can make on your own! Thanks to Greatist.com for these great suggestions!

Everyday Snacks: 

Oats n’ Berries:  ⅓ cup rolled oats (cooked with water), topped with cinnamon and ¼ cup fresh berries.

Citrus-Berry Salad: 1 cup mixed berry salad (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries) tossed with one tablespoon fresh-squeezed orange juice

Frozen grapes (any color): 1 cup (about 28 grapes), stuck in the freezer for 2+ hours

Honeyed Yogurt: ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt with a dash of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon honey

Spiced Orange: One orange— about the size of a tennis ball— sprinkled with cinnamon

Maple-Pumpkin Yogurt: ½ cup non-fat regular yogurt with 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree and 1 teaspoon maple syrup

Make Your Own: Banana Chips: One sliced banana dipped in lemon juice and baked (CLICK HERE FOR INSTRUCTIONS).

Cereal and Milk: ½ cup rice krispies with ½ cup skim milk

Cheese n’ Crackers: Five Kashi 7-grain crackers with 1 stick reduced-fat string cheese

Grilled Spinach and Feta Polenta: 3 oz polenta (about the size of a deck of cards) cooked with 1 ½ cups water and topped with 1 teaspoon feta cheese and a handful spinach

Crunchy Curried Tuna Salad: ½ cup canned tuna with 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 tablespoon chopped red onion, and two ribs celery (chopped)

Shrimp Cocktail: Eight medium-sized shrimp boiled and served with 2 tablespoons classic cocktail sauce

Cheddar and Tomato Soup: ½ cup tomato soup with 1 tablespoon shredded low-fat cheddar cheese

Sweet Potato Fries: One light-bulb sized sweet potato sliced, tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil, and baked at 400° for 10 minutes

Cucumber Sandwich: ½ English muffin with 2 tablespoons cottage cheese and three slices of cucumber

Turkey Roll-Ups: Four slices smoked turkey rolled up and dipped in 2 teaspoons honey mustard

Spinach and Feta Egg-White Scramble: Three egg whites scrambled and mixed with ½ cup raw spinach and 1 tbsp feta cheese. Cook in frying pan or zap in microwave until egg whites are no longer runny (about 1-2 minutes)

Pretzels & Cream Cheese: 15 mini pretzel sticks with 2 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese

Rosemary Potatoes:  ⅓ cup thinly sliced potato tossed with 1 teaspoons olive oil and a teaspoon of chopped rosemary

Spicy Black Beans: ¼ cup black beans with 1 tablespoon salsa and 1 tablespoon non-fat Greek yogurt

Goldfish: About 40 fishies

Apples and Cheese: 1 non-fat mozzarella cheese stick with half of a baseball-sized apple (any variety), sliced

PB & Celery: 1 medium celery stalk with 1 tablespoon peanut butter

Strawberry Salad: 1 cup raw spinach with ½ cup sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon balsamic

Sugary Treats: 

Chocolate Covered Strawberries: Five strawberries dipped in two squares melted dark chocolate

Grilled Pineapple: 2 ¼-inch thick pineapple rounds (about 1 cup), grilled (or sautéed) for two minutes or until golden

Berries n’ Cream: 1 cup blueberries with 2 tablespoons whipped topping

Chocolate Pudding: One 4oz package. Try a fat/sugar-free version or a homemade one

Skinny S’more: Two graham crackers with one roasted marshmallow and one small square dark chocolate

Cinnamon Graham Crackers & Peanut butter: Two graham cracker squares with 1 teaspoon peanut butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon

Citrus Sherbet: ½ cup lime sherbet (about one standard-sized ice-cream scoop) with ½ sliced kiwi

Make Your Own: Popsicle: 8 ounces lemonade frozen in an mold, or use a small paper cup as a mold.

Smoothies/Drinks:

Tropical Juice Smoothie: ¼ cup pineapple juice, orange juice, and apple juice, blended with ice

Chocolate Milk: 6 ounces skim milk mixed with 2 teaspoons chocolate syrup

Vanilla and Banana Smoothie: ½ cup sliced banana, ¼ cup nonfat vanilla yogurt, and a handful of ice blended until smooth

 

So the next time you are at the store, try to notice the price difference between the “100 calorie” packs and the regular packages of your favorite treats.  It seems like they make “grab and go” packs for almost all snacks (nuts, chips, even yogurt!)  With a little time, planning, and preparation you can create your own that will hopefully save you some money!