Posts Tagged ‘healthy snacks’

by Karla Williams

December 3

8:18 am

Avoiding Mall Temptations

It is that wonderful time of year; Christmas music, big red bows, gift shopping and good eats! A big long shopping day requires two healthy MetaboMeals and a nutritious lunch. To ensure a healthy and merry shopping day, take these tips along with your Christmas cheer to the mall with you.

Pack, pack, pack! Pack all of the food that you will need for the time you are out. Bring a small cooler; fill it with ice packs and keep it in your car while you are shopping. For your MetaboMeals, pack light hummus with carrot sticks, apples, oranges, Edamame, black bean and corn salsa with pita chips or a grilled vegetable salad. Think simple, nutritious and delicious!

Next, part of the fun in your shopping day is enjoying lunch with your shopping friends. Prepare your lunch at home and eat with your pals in the Food Court. You won’t feel tempted at the Food Court if you have packed a flavorful satisfying lunch. Try a Grilled Chicken Caesar Wrap, Steak Fajita Wrap, Tuna Swiss Melt or a turkey sandwich with basil pesto on whole wheat bread. If you are feeling very creative and need a punch of flavor, prepare a Mediterranean wrap made with tzatiki sauce, grilled chicken, grilled vegetables, spinach and a whole wheat tortilla.

By planning and preparing your meals ahead of time, you will easily pass the pretzel stand at the mall and feel fully energized and satisfied throughout your entire jolly shopping day.

This entry is filed under Nutrition.

by Alicea Glover

October 12

5:26 pm

2 Comments

Vending Machines on a Diet

Healthy vending machines are starting to pop up all over America. With growing concern about increasing obesity rates, these vending machines are attempting to offer healthier options to kids while in school and adults at work who need a quick and in-expensive pick-me-up throughout the day. In this report, you can see there are some mixed reviews about these new healhty vending machines. What are your thoughts? What would you like to see in your healthy vending machine?

This entry is filed under Nutrition.

by Cheney Maddox

April 27

11:58 am

5 Comments

Tips for a Healthy Cubicle

the office

Over and over I hear from the Guests here at H3, ‘I bet it’s easy to stay on track when you get to work at a place like this’ or ‘I bet it would be easy to stay in shape if I worked here’. Well, for the most part, that’s true.

I had the privilege of spending the last 16 weeks of my college career as a Program Intern here at H3. For those 16 weeks, I was immersed in the healthy lifestyle, eating the meals, teaching classes, attending classes and interacting with Guests. It was a part of my life that I will never forget, and still apply what I learned from that experience into my job now.

Now, instead of leading a treading class or beach walk, I sit at a desk in an office for most of the day. I love what I do; I get to spread the word of what a great place and program we have here at H3 with those who are looking to make the changes, as well as keep alum of H3 connected!

Unfortunately, the environment of the program is not as present, and you can find it a bit easier to slip out of your healthier habits. So, I try to keep in mind the things I created as habits in my lifestyle four years ago during my program internship, and apply them to my now desk – life.

Here are a few tips that work well for me:

- If you can, sneak in a workout first thing in the morning. After a long day of work, with errands and commitments looming, an afternoon sweat session is usually the first to go. Luckily, I am very close to a gym, so I can roll out of bed and be there in less than 5 minutes. If you aren’t, try walking or jogging near your house or even try out an exercise video. Promise yourself 30 minutes in the morning to get in your cardio or strength training.

- Invest in a large water bottle. If you don’t have a water fountain near, a large water bottle is a necessity. Keep it on your desk so that you are sure to get in enough water during the day. Drink water instead of hitting up the soda machine! It will also help you feel full, keeping ‘boredom’ hunger at bay.

- Stock your desk with healthy snacks. The number one thing I took from H3 is to eat a Metabo Meal – a healthy snack in between meals. Every few days or so, I visit the nearest grocery and grab a few apples, oranges, low fat cheese sticks, nut & dried fruit mix, carrot sticks and hummus to keep handy. It’s when I am not prepared, do I go wandering for other (unwise) snacks…

- Try to limit my lunches out. I am fortunate again to work very close to home, so I try to eat at home most days of the week. If I know I am going to have a busy day, I try to wake up and pack a quick lunch – whole grain PB & J, fruit, and a few crackers. In our office, we plan a ‘payday’ lunch – make a lunch date for every other Friday J That way eating out is a treat, not an everyday affair.

- Walk around as much as possible. Instead of emailing or using the phone, I walk to another’s office with questions. Not only does it usually get done quicker, it gets me up and moving from my desk. If you bring your lunch, you can also spend 15 – 20 minutes on a quick walk.

- Be prepared. This is the most important part of making any healthy lifestyle plan work. At first it may take a little more time planning, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature. I try to pack my gym clothes (if I missed the morning workout) so I can head straight to the gym without having to stop at home first. And as mentioned before, I pack my lunch, water bottle and snacks so I can make the ‘best’ food choices.

These are just a few things I have learned while in the working world, but they help make living a healthy lifestyle much easier for me. Hopefully you can take from them and apply them to your routine.

If you work in an office, do you have any other tips to stay on track?

This entry is filed under Fitness, Nutrition, SELF.

by Cheney Maddox

April 9

2:02 pm

2 Comments

H3 Recipe and Demo Video: Super 6 Smoothie

Two Demos in one week! Watch as Elvira whips up the H3 Super Six Smoothie.

H3 Super Six Smoothie

Make a delicious dent in your daily nutrient needs with this quick, high fiber, liquid power breakfast, combining six ‘super foods’ for super health. Enjoy a smoothie this weekend for breakfast or split the recipe for the perfect afternoon Metabo!

Super Foods: Nuts, Flax, Berries (black and blue are the best), seaweed, mango and yogurt.

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon raw almond slices

1 Tablespoon ground Flax

¼ cup organic berries (blue, black, raspberries)

½ cup mango nectar

¼ cup low fat plain yogurt

1 Tablespoon fat free protein powder with Spirulina

½ cup ice

Method:

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and process on high for 2 minutes. Drink and serve immediately.

Yield: about 10 ounces

Calories: 218

Fats: 5.5

Visit our YouTube channel for other great cooking demos and tips and the Member’s Only website for over 200 H3 Recipes!

This entry is filed under Nutrition.

by Cheney Maddox

November 4

11:51 am

No Comments

Myth Busters: Separating Health and Fitness Facts from Fiction

By: Jeff, H3 Program Intern

With massive amounts of information out there, eat more dark green vegetables, exercise five times a week, do this, do that – It definitely gets overwhelming to separate diet and fitness facts from fictions.

Obviously, if you’ve stayed with us at H3 you’ve already dispelled most of these myths as a result of attending classes and asking questions, but here’s more of the inside scoop on common statements that are out and about!

If women begin a strength training program they will get too bulky.

COMPLETELY FALSE. Perhaps, the number one question women tend to ask when beginning a strength training program. Will I get unattractive muscles and unwanted bulk? Unlike men, women lack the amount of the hormone testosterone that helps men develop large bulky muscles. Strength training is necessary for every individual and helps maintain muscle mass, in effect decreasing our body fat helping to burn more calories at rest. Therefore no worries here women; a regular strength training program will not add redundant bulk!

If I do thousands of crunches and sit-ups I will flatten my stomach.

INCORRECT. You will certainly be strengthening your core and abdominal muscles, yet these common exercises will not directly level off your stomach. Reducing body weight by keeping up with scheduled cardio sessions will undoubtedly do the trick.

It is way more beneficial to go to the gym than to exercise at home.

NO WAY. If you can stick to a home-based workout plan versus attending a gym – go for it! Physical activity is great in any form, and the “best workout” is the one that you can commit to for the long run.

If I eat late at night I will gain more weight.

NOPE. A calorie is a calorie is a calorie. When we think of late night eating, we are usually assuming it’s an unhealthy snack or even a binge! Sometimes we consume so few calories during the day that our stomachs begin to scream before we hit the sack. As a word of advice, always eat breakfast and keep up with your Metabo meals – eating every 3 to 4 hours will help your body stay in constant energy balance. This way when that night time growl rolls around, you’ll only have room for a healthy piece of fruit or an H3 Banana-Rama rice cake.

If I want to lose weight, I better not eat any fats.

WRONG. Low-fat diets are definitely important in a weight-loss program; however our body’s need fats – it’s simply all about consuming the right kinds! Make an effort to get polyunsaturated and monosaturated fats from fish, nuts, and tasty avocados! Good fats will also keep you fuller and can even reduce the amount of food you consume.

References:

Hales, Diana, An Invitation to Health, 12^th Edition

O’Brien, Sharon, 10 Diet and Exercise Myths that Make it Harder to Lose Weight,

<http://seniorliving.about.com/od/exercisefitnes1/a/diet_exercise.htm>

This entry is filed under Fitness.

by Cheney Maddox

October 7

4:56 pm

3 Comments

Metabo What?

By: Jeff, H3 Program Intern

Oh the infamous metabo meal, where do I start?

In itself, the metabo meal is its own little secret, but the key to this time of day is to take a break from fitness classes and begin exercising your creativity. After being here for two months, you start to learn the tricks of the trade, and how to experience true metabovation.

However, before I reveal the secrets, let’s go over the common questions regarding the notorious metabo meal and why it’s important to never skip out!

Metabo Meal Station

What exactly is a “metabo meal”? H3 term for a healthy snack that H3 Guests have in order to keep their metabolism going. The meal is designed by H3 nutritionists to keep the body in constant energy balance throughout the day. That extra “mojo” if you will.

What time should someone eat a metabo meal? 2 to 3 times a day at 10:30am, 3:30pm, and 8:00pm are perfect times to metabo it up!

How much do we get to eat? 100 calories. (Probably doesn’t sound like a lot, but that’s why you’re tuning in today. Sooner than later you’ll find out it can certainly be 100 calories of fun!)

What happens if we skip a metabo meal? First of all, don’t panic! However, do your best to keep up with these “metabo meals” because that way you never get any overwhelming feelings of hunger.

Secrets exposed:

1. Switch it up – never have the same metabo meal twice in a day.
2. Mix it and match it – not all the snacks are 100 calories so play with the combinations.
3. Find a topping – cinnamon, cocoa powder, and flax seeds are a few workable options.
4. Change the temperature – take advantage of your microwave or freezer.
5. Come to FIT Week – group metabo meals are anything but ordinary!

H3 Featured Concoctions

The Banana-Rama Rice Cake Smorgasbord
Inspired and created by H3 Guest Anca Huizenga

- ½ Banana (50 calories)

- 1 Apple Cinnamon Rice Cake (50 Calories)

- Cinnamon or Cocoa powder (0 Calories)

Directions: Cut banana into small slices. Place on an apple cinnamon rice cake and sprinkle with cinnamon or cocoa powder. (For an extra protein boost – add a thin layer of peanut butter! Watch out for calories, though.)

Metabo Secrets

The Apple Cinnamon Sensation

- 1 Medium Apple: red or green (80 – 100 Calories)

- Cinnamon (0 Calories)

Directions: Cut the apple into and sprinkle with cinnamon. Microwave for 1 – 1.5 minutes.

Metabo Secrets

The Banana Chiller

- 1 Banana (100 Calories)

Directions:Unpeel, cut into fourths, and freeze for 3 to 4 hours. Tastes amazing – may be ice cream’s arch nemesis at only 100 cals!

Artic Apple Sauce

- 1 single serve cup, all-natural Applesauce (50 Calories)

- 1 small box, organic raisins (50 Calories)

- Cinnamon (0 Calories)

Directions: Open applesauce, add raisins and cinnamon. Swirl to taste, then freeze for 3-4 hours.

Now that the secrets are out, go ahead and try a few of the featured concoctions, let me know what you think! Also, check out the official H3 metabo menu and see if you can invent something original!

This entry is filed under Nutrition.

by Cheney Maddox

September 22

2:20 pm

1 Comment

Snack Attack: The Bar Exam

Guest Post from Jeff Ford, H3 Program Intern

As Americans we are always on the go, things to do people to see right? The only problem with keeping our commitments and sticking to these busy schedules is sometimes our lifestyles seem to throw our nutrition on the back burner. In all honesty it’s no ones fault, just the way life is!

With school now back in full session and work beginning to pick up, it becomes very difficult to make the right choices or even have time to grab a snack.

Fruits, vegetables, and unprocessed foods will ALWAYS be the preferred route, but today I’ve got some great alternatives when time doesn’t allow for that H3 Metabo or cutting up them apples, and sprinkling that cinnamon.

Kashi bar

Over the years, I have tried many nutrition (snack and meal) bars each with their own unique flare. I have grown accustom to choosing the healthiest bars whether traveling or switching between college classes.

These are my favorites:

Fiber One – Packed with fiber, 35% of your daily fiber (9 grams) and only 140 calories! The only issue here is one of the ingredients is HFC (high fructose corn syrup), which should be consumed in moderation. Flavors include: oats and peanut butter, chocolate, caramel, apple streusel, and strawberries.

Kashi Go Lean Crunch – Pretty amazing bars, surprisingly low in fat and delicious. These bars are rather new to the scene, but provide superior taste to the previous TLC bars, yet again another great option provided by Kashi. (try the caramel)

Luna Snack, Nutz over Chocolate – I had never heard of these bars, but they look great nutritionally, especially if your looking for a lower calorie option. Trusted and tasteful brand, certainly time to try (I can’t wait)!

South Beach Living Snack Bars – What it lacks tastefully the bar makes up nutritionally, another very nice low-calorie option with minimal sugars.

CLIF Bar* – In one word these bars are … Phenomenal. Great for hikes and other adventures, plus 70% of the ingredients are certified organic. These scrumptious oats can be confused for a candy bar. The only evident concern is definitely moderation because of the amount of sugars. Flavors include: chocolate brownie, carrot cake, peanut toffee buzz, crunchy peanut butter, oatmeal raisin, and plenty more.

PowerBar Harvest* – Much better tasting than the original “PowerBar” and packed with added protein. If you like whole-grains this is the perfect choice for you. Again, watch the amount of sugar, nevertheless a great supplement with time constraints. A few sweet flavors include: double chocolate, chunky cherry crunch, oatmeal cookie, etc.

Odawalla Bar* – Rather new to the scene, yet these bars have made their mark in my mind. Contain nothing artificial – organic oats, bananas, raisins and citrus. Some cool flavors include: mocha walla, superfood, chocolate peanut butter, and more!

* Pair these with a fruit or small salad for an on the go breakfast or lunch!

Snack Bars

Fiber

Protein

Fat

Sugar

Taste

Calorie Rating

Fiber One

(140 Calories)

A⁺

C-

A ⁺

B⁺

Kashi Go Lean Crunch

(150 Calories)

A-

B+

C+

Luna Snack, Nutz over Chocolate

(80 Calories)

A^-

NEW!

A⁺

SB Living Snack

(100 Calories)

B⁺

B^-

On the GO Meal Bars

CLIF Bar

(250 Calories)

B⁺

A-

B⁺

D⁺

A+

C^-

PowerBar Harvest

(240 Calories)

B⁺

A^-

B⁺

Odawalla Bars

(210 Calories)

A-

D+

C+

Rating of B =

Sat. < 3g

<10g

Preference

150

Honorable Mentions:

Snack:

Gnu Bar – One of Bob Wright’s, H3 Director of Education favorites. These bars can only be ordered online, but contain the highest amount of fiber for the least amount of calories out of any bar by far (130 Cal. 12g Fiber 4g Protein).

Meal:

Larabar Bar – Definitely one of my top bars when I can’t squeeze in a meal, they are simple, but satisfying. Minimal ingredients, the chocolate coconut rocks all-natural dates, almonds, walnuts, unsweetened coconut and cocoa powder.
(220 Calories, 5g Fiber, 5g Protein)

Luna Bar – designed and targeted for women, not going to lie they are very tasty I just feel weird purchasing them. Also, owned by the CLIF Bar company.
(180 Calories 3g Fiber 10g Protein).

So did your bar pass the exam? Hopefully, otherwise it may be time to study up and switch to one of these tasty treats. Lastly, remember these snacks are no substitutes for fresh whole foods or the patented H3 Metabo Meal. These are excellent choices; however should be consumed in moderation.

This entry is filed under Nutrition.

by Cheney Maddox

August 13

3:32 pm

No Comments

Get Your Snack On

Here at Hilton Head Health, we encourage small 100 calorie snacks called Metabo Meals which are designed to prevent overeating, stabilize blood glucose levels and increase your metabolism. These snacks are often fresh fruits, vegetables, low-fat yogurt or even a small muffin.

So when you feel that 3:30 pm urge to hit the vending machine – try to quench your ‘craving’ with one of the snacks listed below.

Crunch on This

1-2 Rice Cakes with 1 Tbsp. of Nut Butter
100 calorie pack of popcorn (ex: Smart Pop)
1/2 cup of dry cereal (ex: Kashi Go-Lean, Mini Shredded Wheat, Fiber One)
4-5 whole grain Melba Toast
1/2 cup of raw carrots
14 animal crackers

Spice and Ethnic

1-2 oz. ground turkey with diced tomatoes and taco sauce
Stir-fry with low-sodium soy and teriyaki sauce
2 oz. (about 30 pods) edamame
1/4 cup salsa with 5 whole grain, low-sodium, low-fat Triscuits
1/4 cup H3 hummus and 6 pita chips

Salty Satisfactions

4 whole wheat Melba Toasts with 4 turkey pepperonis and a sprinkle of skim mozzarella cheese
1 0z. (small handful) peanuts or pistachios
100 calorie pack of popcorn (ex: Smart Pop)
1-2 oz. sundried tomatoes
6 whole grain, low-sodium, low-fat Triscuits

Sweet Nothings

4-6 oz. low or non-fat yogurt
1/2 cup frozen yogurt
1/2 – 1 cup fruit smoothie
1/4 cup sugar-free pudding or Jello
1/2 – 1 cup strawberries dipped in fat-free whipped cream
1/2 – 1 cup frozen blueberries or grapes
1 rice cake topped with 1 oz. yogurt, berries and cinnamon

Chocolate Attack

1 – 2 sheets chocolate graham crackers
1 – 2 chocolate crunch rice cakes
100 calorie pack of cookies
1 piece or serving of dark chocolate (look for 70% or higher cacao content)
1/4 cup dark chocolate or chocolate fudge sugar-free pudding

This entry is filed under Nutrition, Uncategorized.

by Cheney Maddox

August 6

4:46 pm

No Comments

SMART CART

The first grocery trip after returning home from H3 may seem daunting. However, appropriate planning and preparation will see you through to success. Here at Hilton Head Health, we make sure to prep you for your return through our SMART CART trip.

Our Nutrition experts take you on a trip to the local grocery. Not only will you gain great ideas for quick and healthy meals, but you will be able to compare and contrast the options in the ‘unwise, better, best’ categories. You will practice developing a healthy shopping list, experience optimal food selection and learn how to manage the tempting aisles of your favorite store.

Here are a few expert tips on how to get through the grocery store without anything ‘sneaking’ in your cart!

1. Plan ahead. Make a list before going to the store of everything you need for the week. Click here for the H3 Shopping list – just print, check the boxes, and you’re off!

2. Don’t shop when you are hungry or in a hurry – shopping at these times, you are more likely to make ‘impulse’ buys.

3. Shop the perimeter of the store. This is where you will find the healthiest options such as fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy and lean meats.

4. Spend the majority of your time in the produce aisle – make sure to buy fruits and veggies from all colors of the rainbow.

5. Fresh fruits and vegetables are best, but if you are worried about waste, frozen are a great alternative.

6. Stay AWAY from the snack food aisle. Notice how the chips, cookies and sugary sodas are all together in one place! (Better to avoid this aisle all together.)

7. Convenience is worth the extra cost. Individual baggies of pre-cut fruits and vegetables are perfect for packed lunches, snacks and quick salad toppers.

8. Instead of ground beef, try ground turkey breast, ground chicken breast or even soy crumbles.

9. Choose 100% whole wheat pasta and bread. The first ingredient should read whole wheat flour.

10. Learn how to read nutrition labels. Keep an eye on fat (trans and saturated), calories, sugars and sodium content. (Check back next week for a more detailed guidelines on how to choose ‘unwise, better, best’.)

These are just a few tactics to make your shopping trip a success. Do you have any grocery store strategies?

This entry is filed under Nutrition.

by Allie Mak

July 22

8:30 am

1 Comment

Shop With Me

Grocery stores can often be a bit daunting…and distracting. It can be difficult to find healthy options with all those brightly colored package labels and a multitude of tempting foods at every corner.

Here are just a few healthy staples that I often pick up that can add variety to your snacks and meals. Eating healthy does not mean you have to snack on celery sticks and bland frozen meals!

**Keep in mind these are simply alternatives that you can try, not in any way guidelines or recommendations.

Greek Yogurt:

IMG 4447 300x225 Shop With Me

How is it different than regular yogurt? Not only does it have a thick and creamy consistency, it is higher in protein (12-20g per serving). Thus, it keeps you fuller, longer and in my opinion, the texture is more satisfying. You can buy it sweetened or unsweetened and add in sugar, artificial sweetener and/or honey. You can even substitute the unsweetened Greek yogurt for sour cream!

Keep in mind:

-The yogurt fat content varies by percentage. Look out for 0% and 2% on the label.

-Brands include: Fage, Chobani, Oikos, Skyr.is

Hummus:

Hummus is a spread made from garbanzo beans (chic peas). Hummus has a high protein and fiber content, making it a good choice to use as a dip or spread on sandwiches. Look out for packaged hummus (above), fresh hummus, or make it at home!

Bagged Lettuce:

Don’t have time to make a salad? Get pre-washed bagged lettuce! It is pricier than buying, washing, and cutting lettuce heads, but it won’t cost you more than the price of a hamburger! Just chop up some of your favorite veggies and chicken strips (or tofu) and toss them in to the bowl.

Nut Butters:

IMG 4448 300x225 Shop With Me

Nut butters are a bit more calorie and fat-dense, but do not let that deter you. Nut butters are highly nutritious and satisfying. They are high in fiber and protein as well as a multitude of vitamins and minerals.

One caveat, you just have to make sure that’s all that is in the jar!

Grinding your own nut butter is a good way to ensure the only ingredient is nuts!

IMG 4454 225x300 Shop With Me

Non-Dairy Milk (Soy, Almond)

For those of you that are lactose intolerant or simply do not prefer cow’s milk, give soy milk or almond milk a try. It’s a great way to get the calcium your body needs as well as some good ol’ protein. Note: cow’s milk is perfectly fine, too!

IMG 4442 300x225 Shop With Me

The Bulk Section:

The bulk section is good for portion control. If there is something you want to eat but don’t want to purchase a whole box, see if it’s in the bulk section! You can get what you want and only pay for the amount you want. After you finish the portion—there won’t be anymore left. Stick with nuts and seeds for healthy options. Bulk sections are common in specialty grocery stores such as Whole Foods Market and The Fresh Market.

IMG 4456 300x225 Shop With Me

IMG 4455 300x225 Shop With Me

This entry is filed under Uncategorized.