Freakin' Fitness > Snack Attack

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During the low-energy periods when your stomach starts to rumble as your energy starts to tumble – like mid-morning and late afternoon when your ultradian rhythm take a downturn – that’s the perfect time to indulge in a snack attack.

Everyone likes to snack. It satisfies cravings and keeps the motor running from one meal to the next. The problem is, most people’s idea of a quick snack leaves a lot to be desired, nutrition-wise. According to the American Dietetic Association, over 60% of Americans are overweight. What’s worse, that number is on the upswing. And the reason why is fairly obvious. Just look at mini-marts and snack machines—they’re filled with candies and cookies and cakes and sodas and so-called fruit drinks and other heavily sweetened beverages.

All of that stuff is like a chemical hurricane. It can do you more harm than good, especially in the long run. All you need to support your snack attack wisely is a dash of preparation and a dollop of commitment, not to mention a smart sense of measurement. Personally, I like to eat a small handful of peanuts, almonds, or other nuts, sometimes mixed with raisins. This concoction is otherwise known as “GORP” – which is an acronym for “Good Old-fashioned Raisins and Peanuts.” I usually keep a stash of GORP in my desk drawer, knapsack, glove compartment, or briefcase so I don’t have to hit up a shabbily stocked store for my healthy snacking needs when my snack attack strikes…especially on airplane flights. I’ll also have the occasional power bar, trail mix, low-fat yogurt, carrot sticks, or a piece of fruit – depending on where I am and what I’m craving at the moment.

Varying your snack attack strategy keeps the boredom away and your commitment to healthy snacking fresh, while also giving you the opportunity to fulfill all requirements of the recommended food pyramid. Of course, you’ll want to avoid the “too much of a good thing” syndrome by rationing the amount of healthy snack foods you do indulge in, because even healthy snack choices have calories. And when calories exceed your energy expenditure, the result is weight gain.

Here’s a good example: nuts have a notable amount of fat and calories, but eaten with moderation they are the perfect snack due to their healthy content of proteins, vitamins, and minerals. In fact, the American Heart Association has even allowed packages of nuts to carry the qualified health claim that they “may reduce the risk of heart disease.” So, do as I do and, if you’re not allergic to peanuts, enjoy a tablespoon of GORP as one of your snacks. But not a cupful! Because a cup of peanuts alone, although a healthy snack attack, weighs in at a whopping 1000 calories!

Another helpful suggestion is to prepare your snacks in the morning or the night before, and to keep an eye on what you eat and how much you eat. The American Dietetic Association recommends the best snacks consist of a combination of carbohydrates and protein to deliver the best one-two punch. Carbs give you an immediate rush – they pick up your blood sugar and make you feel more energized; whereas, the protein takes longer to digest. You can think of protein as a sort of backup for when the rush of carbohydrates starts to fade, and together, prevent an unhealthy glycemic response.

While packing for your snack attack, I recommend complex carbohydrates in the form of whole-grain cereals and crackers, vegetables, seeds, fruit, and popcorn. And I suggest high-protein snacks like nuts, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, and peanut butter, just to name a few of my favorites. As I mentioned, your best bet is to mix snack foods with both vital ingredients for a balanced burst of energy and a physical reboot to your system.
-- PC