Showing posts with label nuts for weight loss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nuts for weight loss. Show all posts

Friday, April 5, 2019

Quick And Healthy Snacks That Don't Make Me Gain Weight!


I'm always looking for new food and snack ideas that are healthy and will help me keep my weight under control. In today's post, I want to share with you my current healthy go-to snacks that don't make me gain weight. Keep in mind that you can always make substitutions for any of the ingredients to suit your needs. Hopefully, these snacks will give you some ideas if you too are always on the lookout for new healthy snack options.


HEALTHY SNACKS:

Some of the healthiest snacks need little to no preparation like fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Here you'll find my go-to snacks that are quick, easy, and healthy!

Berries:
On their own, with some protein like cheese or yoghurt, or in a smoothie with some protein powder. Berries have the lowest sugar content of the various types of fruit. Plus, they're loaded with fibre and heart-healthy antioxidants.



Nuts:
May be high in fat but they're super healthy in moderation. Almonds are one of the best nuts for those who are trying to maintain or lose weight. I like to throw them in a Ziploc bag with some popcorn and dark chocolate chips for a healthy snack mix.



Popcorn:
On its own or with some nutritional yeast sprinkled on it makes a great snack when you have the need to much on something. The nutritional yeast is packed with B vitamins and the popcorn is loaded with fibre.



Pizza:
Is still doable when you are trying to lose weight! Just use a small whole grain wrap as your crust, top with tomato paste or sauce, and load it up with your favourite toppings. Bake in a toaster oven or regular oven until the cheese is melted and crust edges start to brown. This is so delicious and satisfying. You'll never miss pizza again!



Avocado toast:
May sound cliche but it's delicious if you sprinkle on your favourite seasoning. I like Herbamare on top of mine. Avocado is a healthy source of fat and if you follow a keto-style diet, it's probably already a staple in your pantry. You can add more protein to this snack by topping it with some eggs.



Eggs and Toast:
Is the perfect combination. It's healthy, hearty and satisfying. This snack is packed with protein and healthy carbs when you use healthy types of bread* or a wrap is another option to make it lower in carbs. An Egg cooker can also make your life that much easier, especially if you like to meal prep. Village Bakery has a fabulous list of the best egg cookers which will do just that.



Grill cheese sandwich:
With your favourite cheese. When I make grill cheese, I use only one piece of bread and I use coconut oil instead of butter. Put your favourite cheese on half the bread and fold the other half on top. Grill to perfection in coconut oil.

*Note: The type of bread you choose is really important. I usually eat spelt or Ezekial bread as these are healthier options when it comes to bread and I am able to eat them without gaining weight.


HEALTHY TREATS:



Chocolate Ricotta:
I found this recipe online years ago (don't recall the source) and I've been snacking on it ever since. Just mix the following ingredients in a food processor or by hand and enjoy:

1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
2 tbsp honey or another sweetener (stevia etc)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Kodiak Cake Muffins:
If you have access to the Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes mix, there is a fabulous high protein muffin recipe on the back of the box. It can be difficult to find Kodiak Mix in Canada, so when we see it at Costco we stock up! I add berries or dark chocolate chips to make them that much yummier and they add some antioxidants to the muffins.

Gummy Bears:
I purchased Great Lakes Gelatin as well as some silicone moulds and even a gelatin recipe book and now I can quickly and easily throw together a batch of healthy, sugar-free, and protein-packed gummy bears.

Black Bean Brownies:
I love having these brownies on hand. They are so good, you'd never know they are actually healthy for you! They are flourless, loaded with fibre, and low in sugar. It's another recipe that I've been making for years!

Recipe: chocolatecoveredkatie.com

Blondies:
Blondies are similar to the black bean brownies but are made with chickpeas instead of black beans. They are flourless, vegan, and gluten-free. They are super healthy and are such a treat!

Recipe: ambitiouskitchen.com

👉 Honourable mentions go to my favourite beverage, Zevia and 70% dark chocolate from Costco!


I hope I gave you some new ideas on healthy snacks that you can go-to whether you are just looking for healthier snack options or options to help you lose or maintain your weight. 

 If you have some go-to healthy snack options I'd love to hear about them. Please comment below so we can all share our ideas. 😍

XOXO,
Amy



Saturday, September 3, 2016

Week 21: My Health and Weight Loss Journey to Get Fit and Lose Weight!




Welcome to week 21 of my Health & Weight Loss Journey! Here is a link to last weeks post if you'd like to check it out.

I forgot to weigh in Friday morning so I did this morning and I'm perplexed once again at the results.

Everytime I take time off from working out I lose weight. And, everytime I workout faithfully, I gain weight but the fat percentage stays the same. So, it's not like I am gaining muscle and losing fat. Maybe one of my readers who has some knowledge in this area can explain this to me. I just don't get it!

I worked out 6 out of 7 days this week. I did a mix of walking, my regular weight routine (posted below), and a workout DVD.



+ 15 reverse lunges, 15 reverse angled lunges + 15 walking lunges

Above weight routine is done with 8 lb weights



I also continue to use the Pedometer App (pictured above)


Here's what I did this week...

Here are my workouts for the week:
Day 1- 10 minutes on stepper / weight routine
Day 2- 35 minute walk
Day 3- 32 minute walk / weight routine
Day 4- 43 minute walk
Day 5- 10 minutes on stepper / weight routine
Day 6- 20 minute walk / No More Trouble Zones DVD: 10 minute whole body / 10 minute stretch
Day 7- no workout

Weigh in :
Weight: gained 2 pounds!
Fat: no change


This is getting really frustrating- not seeing any results. I am tempted to drop everything and just do yoga. This happened to me in the past, where I gained weight while sweating my but off doing Turbo Jam everyday for months, only to gain weight and fat. I gave up and did yoga and started to lose weight right away. Maybe that's what my body wants. I'll have to try to incorporate more yoga back into my routine and see what happens. But, I don't want to give up lifting weights as I want to build muscle since we tend to lose that as we get older.

Let me know in the comments what you are doing to stay in shape!

See you next week!





Saturday, August 13, 2016

Week 18: My Health and Weight Loss Journey to Get Fit and Lose Weight!


Between the crazy summer heat this week and a migraine, it's been a bit of a struggle to workout this week. But, I did manage to get in a few workouts despite these challenges.  Here is a link to last weeks post if you'd like to check it out.

I mixed it up this week and used my stepper, walked, and continued with my customized weight routine (chart below).

I also continue to use the pedometer app when I walk (pictured in the main photo).


Personalized Workout Chart
+ 15 reverse lunges, 15, reverse angled lunges, and 15 walking lunges.

I am still using 8lb weights for the above weight routine.



Here are my workouts for the week:
Day 1- 
Day 2- Weight routine above 
Day 3- 35-minute walk
Day 4- 
Day 5- 30-minute stepper + weight routine above
Day 6- 
Day 7-

Weigh in :
Weight: no change
Fat: no change

I only worked out 3 out of 5 days this week, but it's better than nothing considering the incredible heat during the week. 

Again, we see no change in my weight or fat percentage. 

I was trying to think if there is anything that I have changed since I gained approximately 10 pounds over the last 2 years. The only thing I could think of was that I used to eat nuts daily but I had stopped over the last couple of years. That could be the key as I know that nuts are supposed to help with weight loss, particularly almonds, but I kind of lost my taste for them. I will be trying to eat some nuts daily and see if it makes a difference. This will be an interesting test, and since I'm documenting everything, we will definitely be able to see if incorporating nuts back into my diet makes any difference.

Let me know in the comments what you are doing this summer to stay in shape.

See you next week!




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