It is a known fact that if you want to stay fit or lose weight, you need to work out regularly as well as maintain a healthy diet. However, this is oftentimes easier said than done. While we can learn to fall in love with cool fitness equipment and force ourselves to exercise at least three times a week, those food cravings can often be stronger than our will power. If you sometimes feel like you would die for a snack in the middle of your workout, there is no need to torture yourself. There are plenty of healthy snacks that will satisfy your taste buds and won’t make you feel like you cheated. Here are several delicious treats you can easily prepare.
Peanut butter balls
Preparing a healthy, gluten-free, vegan snack can seem too complicated and you might feel like you need to thoroughly study some recipes before you test your chef skills. However, making peanut butter balls couldn’t be simpler and you will need ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. With just half a cup of quinoa, some natural peanut butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, sea salt and blackstrap molasses you can make delicious treats that are high in protein and low in calories.Â
Oatmeal raisin protein bars
If you are looking for a great snack for before or after your workout, a home-made protein bar is a perfect choice. While oatmeal will provide you with carbs and protein you need, raisins will add some nice flavour and dark chocolate will keep your sweet tooth satisfied, at least for a while. You can find tons of recipes online, but most of them revolve around the same idea- combining oatmeal, raisins and unsweetened whey protein powder with salt, coconut oil, cinnamon, dark chocolate, and honey. These protein bars will keep you energized and full for quite some time, which makes them an ideal workout snack.
Tuna salad treats
Tuna salad, aside from being healthy and completely delicious, can easily be turned into a tasty workout snack. Instead of eating the whole plate of this salad, simply put it on a cracker and enjoy a bite-size tuna snack. If you are trying to avoid bread this can be a great option, but if you want to steer clear of carbs completely, put the salad on a piece of lettuce. However, it is important that you make the salad from quality tuna and mayonnaise or otherwise you won’t get the nutritional value you are aiming for.
Green smoothie
Not many people in the world can say that they don’t like smoothies. After all, this beverage is nutritious, healthy, and absolutely delicious! You can make one in a matter of minutes and there are so many options to choose from. However, if you are looking for a perfect pre-workout smoothie, make sure you put green leafy vegetables in the blender as well, since these are filled with nutrients, good carbs, healthy fats, and protein. Not only will this drink keep you energized, but will also boost your overall health, so it is a win-win situation.
Cereal bars
Instead of making a home-made snack, most people opt for store-bought protein bars. Although they are tasty, these treats are full of processed sugar so try to go with home-made versions whenever you can. After all, making protein cereal bars is so easy and it doesn’t require any baking. You just need to mix gluten-free cereal, some type of nut butter which will bind the cereal together, honey and vanilla protein powder or cinnamon. It will just take you 15 minutes to make these cereal bars and you will have a healthy snack for the next couple of days.Â
When it comes to pre or post-workout snacks there are so many options. However, if you want to do yourself a favour, stick to these healthy treats and give your body protein and many other nutrients it needs to properly function.
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