supercharge your

SUPERCHARGE YOUR SNACKING

The start of 2020 is a great time to get into good new habits. We’re often told to avoid snacking, however eating well early in the day will stabilise blood sugar levels and give you bags of energy for exercising.

Spend some time in the evening packing your snacks for the next day. Even if you’re working from home, it makes sense to make sure you have healthy food ready. Aim to eat a slow burning (low GI) mid morning snack, and perhaps one in the afternoon (especially if you’re working out in the evening).

A good snack needs to be nutritious, travel well in a bag or a lunchbox, and be appetising:

Oatcakes: I discovered these wondrous savoury oat biscuits soon after moving to Scotland. Many oatcakes are wheat / gluten free and low GI (slow burning) to boot. Have plain or with your fav topping – try almond butter or homemade hummus.

A humble hard-boiled egg: a high protein snack that comes ready packed.

you can make your own for the fraction of the price? Check out the plethora of recipes online – most are based on blended dates, raw cashews with other nut and dried fruit.

An apple or a banana: simple, easy to transport and a good energy boost. Keep your fruit on your desk so you can see it and will remember to eat it.

Nuts and Seeds: a serving size is around 30 grams (a small handful), choose a mix of raw nuts and sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

Miso: buy sachets of instant miso from your local Chinese supermarket. This delicious Japanese enzyme-rich fermented soybean soup is wonderful for warming you up after a chilly outdoor workout.

Sushi: If you’re going pick up anything from the food-to-go section of any big store, sushi is often the healthiest choice (try the veggie options too).

Popcorn: homemade if possible. It won’t fill you up, but is fab if you “just need something to nibble on”.

alternate with glasses of water to stay hydrated. Herbals teas are also good.

Try to avoid processed wheat-based snacks as most of them are high in the Glycaemic Index (i.e. they’ll give you an initial boost, but then a dip in blood sugar).

The dip in blood sugar is what can cause cravings... Highly processed food is not only calorific, but also can contribute to fat around the middle, where the body stores ‘quick release’ body fat.

In 2020 fuel yourself well during the day; you’ll find you have more energy and your waistline will thank you.

Personal Trainer Tracy Griffen runs a private fitness studio in Leith, Edinburgh and has been PTing since 2005. She is the author of the Healthy Living Yearbook (link www. healthylivingyearbook.com), and specialises in tailoring exercise and nutrition programmes for busy people.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tracygriffen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ griffenfitness Website: www.griffenfitness.com