Livin' Lean Topic Tuesday: Hungry? Why Wait?

You have probably heard the Snickers commercials where they ask you two very important questions, "Hungry? Why wait?" Well, these are two things really we should be asking ourselves. When we do ask, most of the time the answers sound a little something like, "I don't have time" or "I forgot to pack something" or "I am planning on eating a big meal later." If these answers sound all too familiar, then you are going to want to keep reading.

The truth is that we have busy lives, which makes it difficult to always eat when we need to. When we are truly hungry, we need to eat. Now I am not saying to follow the commercial and grab a Snickers bar, but there needs to be something fast and affordable to take care of the hunger. When we put off hunger, we are increasing the chances of making poor nutritional decisions later (over-eating and junk food). It also slows down our metabolism. Since our metabolism is what helps us burn calories, we definitely want to keep that cranking! When training for figure shows a few years back, the most important rule to follow was to eat ever 3-4 hours. This kept that metabolic engine running on high. And it worked. This rule can apply to everyone... not just fitness nuts.

Planning ahead and keeping healthy snacking options around can really make a difference in your overall diet. The most ideal snacks are around 100-200 calories and include all nutrients (carbs, fat & protein). Here are some examples of snacks to keep handy:

HEALTHY SNACKS ON-THE-GO

Light Cheese Stick & Reduced-Fat Wheat Thins- Only 2.5 grams of fat and 60 calories for the cheese!
Banana- the easiest fruit to bring along and only 80-100 calories/1 gram of fat
1 serving of Pretzels- 100 calories
1 serving Almonds- the protein and fat keep you satisfied longer
Pria Bar- At just 100 calories, they are a delicious way to satisfy hunger. Try the mint variety. It tastes pretty close to the Girl Scout's Thin Mints (a personal fav!). Plus, all three nutrients...bonus!
1 Rice Cake with Tbsp. Peanut Butter- Protein, fat and carbs...all right!

The list of healthy snacks could go on and on. The main idea is that if you plan ahead and have something easy to grab, you won't have to wait when hunger hits. Nobody likes to be ignored...including your hungry tummy. Otherwise you'll find yourself attacking the cookie jar or telling the drive-thru person to "Biggie Size It". Let's not let it get to this. Smart snacking is one of the simple tricks to livin' lean. Snack on!

Thanks for stoppin' by for the very first Livin' Lean Topic Tuesday!