You’re at the office and there are donuts in the break room, AGAIN. Your boss gave you an EOD deadline and you have to work through lunch. You’re driving your kids from soccer practice, to a lacrosse game, to a recital when your hunger starts to overwhelm you. You’re catching a flight from JFK to LAX and racing through the airport with no time to stop for food. Even if none of those things has ever happened to you, we can all relate to how easy it is to choose snacks that are bad for us. In the busyness of life, sometimes meals can pass by with no time for you to enjoy them, your morning or afternoon snacking calories can add up, and healthy choices can be hard to make without some help. We know that nutrition during the day plays a huge role in your performance during your workout, so choosing healthy, nutrient-rich snacks that fill you and fuel you is important. First and foremost, protein and fats are your friends. Protein slows the absorption of glucose, which suppresses your appetite and fuels your body with a slow and steady release of energy. Protein in meat (like New Primal Beef Jerky) releases chemicals in the brain like serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine which are great at keeping you focused, energized and upbeat. Consumption of fat has had a negative connotation for years, but fats are actually an essential part of our diet. Eating moderate amounts of healthy, saturated fats has endless health benefits. Fats from nuts and seeds contain omega 3-fatty acids, which are great for your heart, can help lower cholesterol, support brain function and curb your appetite. Mixes like Dick Stevens or All Good Provisions contain a variety of meats, nuts, seeds and fruit to stimulate your taste buds, satisfy your snacking urge and boost your brain and body activity. You also need to understand that carbohydrates are not all created equal. Some carbs are going to lend better energy, while others will lead to the crash and burn effect. Choosing snacks that are high in complex carbs, fiber, and unrefined or unprocessed carbs will give you more sustaining energy. Bars like Giddy-Up use quinoa and amaranth, which are complex, energy-giving grains. Avoid refined sugar and high-carb snacks that your body can’t process as easily. It’ll end up making you more tired and you’ll be hungry again much sooner. Pair your carbs with fats and proteins. A snack like Purely Elizabeth granola, mixed with yogurt and fruit has a perfect mix of the essential nutrients you need in an energizing, healthy and satisfying snack. Don’t forget to stay hydrated! The first sign of dehydration is actually hunger. Sometimes when your body tells you it’s hungry what it’s really asking for is fluid. You should make a habit of drinking water constantly throughout the day, to curb the desire to binge eat all afternoon, and to improve your overall health. We recommend putting a low-calorie drink mix like Nuun into your water bottle. It turns your boring water into a treat, reduces your desire to binge eat all afternoon, and adds some necessary electrolytes to your life. Keep some snacks and bars on hand at all times, in your desk drawer, in your suitcase, your car console, golf bag, anywhere you might need them in a pinch. Here are some nutritionally dense and well proportioned bars that will sustain you throughout your day without giving you a crash, or sidelining your athletic gains. You can resist your co workers birthday cupcakes, and avoid getting hangry (a bad combination of hungry and angry) during rush hour when you have something like a KIND Bar or Breeze Bar up your sleeve.
