3 Smart Snacks for Building Muscle and Losing Fat

March is National Nutrition Month ... so I wanted to share 3 guy friendly, muscle food snacks to help you reach your goals.

Quality food is important and I want you to not only eat great meals, but make those mid morning and mid afternoon snack breaks count too.  In a nutshell (pun intended), I like snacks to have some protein, healthy fat and ideally fiber.

Protein helps build and repair muscle.

Healthy fat is good for, well, everything.

Fiber helps keep things moving and slows the absorption of food, which is a good thing.

Fortunately there are several great options - some even combine all 3 ingredients!

1. Greek yogurt. I am a huge fan of Greek yogurt.  Most “regular” yogurt is not much more than a sugar bomb, with more sugar than a typical soda.  Greek yogurt, on the other hand, has double the protein and half the carbs of “regular” yogurt.  Add in a handful of nuts, some berries and you combine all the great things I suggested earlier -- protein, healthy fat and then fiber from the fruit.  Of course you also get a ton of other nutrients, too, so if you haven’t ever tried Greek yogurt, you definitely should check it out.
2. Pistachios. These nuts are particularly great because they offer more nuts per serving compared to most snack nuts, with 49 pistachios per 30 gram serving, compared to 18 cashews or 14 walnut halves.  That’s a lot of bang for your buck. They’re also unique in that they are commonly consumed in the in‐shell form. In‐shell pistachios may take longer to eat, so the consumption time may be slowed.  A win, win!  And with the healthy fat, fiber and protein all in one, they fit the smart snack bill to a T, which is one of the reasons I’ve partnered with them.  It’s perfect for my busy clients who need something quick and convenient, but also super healthy.
3. Hummus and veggies. Another convenient, super healthy snack, hummus and veggies are a great combination.  Like nuts, hummus offers protein, fiber and fat all in one ... combined with the veggies, which are of course loaded with nutrients, and this one is a no brainer.  There are a few brands making single serve containers now, so seek those out -- Sabra makes one that we like in our house.  Even our daughter often has them in her lunch.  It’s quick.  It’s convenient.  And it is perfect for the on go person.

There you have it.  Three super easy, convenient snacks for when you’re on the go.  Snacking is important for consistent energy, so make sure you plan ahead and keep some of these on hand at all times!

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