12 Delicious Snack Ideas for fitness

This post comes to you in cooperation with BookCulinaryVacations. Check out there website to get tips for trips to expericne new, exciting food. Here are some examples which are closer to home.

For a long time, breakfast was not even a real thing. Breakfast itself got a lot more popular based on the marketing efforts of companies like Kellogg's. Today, some people say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Others simply skip it to do intermittent fasting. Whatever you do, take some time for yourself in the mornings. Studies show that a healthy morning routine is what sets successful people apart from the less successful.

So, if you are to whip up some breakfast or a snack, choose your food items carefully. Opt for energy-rich foods that can carry you through the day. Boost your metabolism for the day ahead. This helps you to lose weight. Here some of the best breakfast and snack ideas for weight loss & health maintenance.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal for fitness

When I still had breakfast I was a huge fan of oatmeal. It is easy to make and store. In addition, oatmeal has a similar consistency and feel to corn flakes. This helps you transition when you just start out on your fitness journey.

There are many recipes for different variations of oatmeal. You achieve best results by keeping them in the fridge overnight. This gives the oats time to absorb the liquids. When you prepare your gym bag for the next morning, also consider getting your oatmeal ready.

Banana Strawberry Smoothie

Smoothies have gotten quite popular lately. There are many recipes available on the internet to do them. If you can afford it they are a great post workout to have after your gym session.

The main ingredient in smoothies is bananas. They are high in kalium and fruit sugar. This is not ideal for all diets. I am personally also not a huge fan of making them at home. Getting the blender ready is just too much of a hassle.

If you want to make your own, here is a recipe for you:

Put a handful of strawberries, one banana and a couple of almonds in a blender. Than blend until it gets smooth. This amazing recipe contains around 300 calories and 15 grams of protein.

Roasted Egg and Vegetables

This is one of my favorites. Just roast your favorite vegetables, and add an egg to them. This can be eaten any time of the day. It is delicious, easy to make and keeps you going.

If you happen to have a bit of crispy bacon with this, it makes the experience even better.

Avocado with Eggs

Avocado is very healthy and delicious. Combine it with egg and you have a solid sandwich paste. You can also bake the avocado with the egg in them. Here is a simple recipe:

Cut avocado in half
Crack one egg into each half
Add salt and pepper
Bake for 15 minutes in the oven

In the end, you have your breakfast ready. While it is in the oven you can meditate or brain train.

My wife and I have eggs with avocados quite often. If you buy avocados from Mexico, be aware that you are investing in a troubled area riddled with gang wars.

Salmon and Asparagus

While a bit on the fancy and expensive site, this dish is great for the weekends. When you are sick of bacon, avocado, and eggs, this is a great recipe to mix things a little up. I also find that salmon and asparagus is easier on the stomach when you have a hangover.

The meal is low in calories and provides a good balance of protein. Just put the pan and asparagus in a pan and let it cook for about twenty minutes.

Granola and Pumpkin Parfait

Parfaits of all kinds are great for snacks. Once you get into the healthy lifestyle, you will have cravings for sugar. If you want to avoid cheesecake, which I usually fail to do, parfaits can be your rescue. The honey in them helps your lack of sugar and tastiness.

Mix 6 ounces of yogurt (Low- fat) with honey and pumpkin pie spice
Put a layer of the mixture in a bowl
Put granola and pumpkin on top

This can be kept in the fridge to be consumed as dessert after dinner.

Cottage Cheese

Cheese is rich in proteins and low in calories. This makes it ideal for a snack and weight loss. Just take a bit of cottage cheese and add some fruits to it. Grapes and berries are a good option to feel like a Greek god.

This snack can be had for breakfast or in between meals. It is also one of the best options on this list to be had with a glass of wine.

Paleo Balance

This is a quick salad which you can bring to the gym to eat immediately after your workout. Cook some chicken thighs or breasts to start. Then make a tahini sauce. Get a bowl ready and mix apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, garlic powder and salt and pepper. Add the chicken. Use the tahini sauce as dressing for your salad.

There are many variations of this. This can also be a healthy dinner when you are cutting calories to get ripped.

Tofu Scramble

Tofu is the option for all you vegetarians out there to get more protein into your diet. We had it often when my daughter was becoming a vegan and we wanted to be good parents. It did not last long.

8 ounces of tofu contains almost 20 grams of protein. This recipe is easy to prepare. Take a small bowl and mix your favorite dry spices with a little bit of water. This will be your sauce. Then cook the vegetables for 5 minutes and add the tofu to them. Continue for another 5-7 minutes and your snack is ready.

Apple Cinnamon Quinoa

I don't have any leftover quinoa like Gwyneth Paltrow. This can be a good breakfast or snack. quinoa is also a good idea for you if you want to live gluten-free and look for supplements for potatoes.

For this recipe mix cinnamon, quinoa, apples and a few almonds. Serve as desired.

My wife and I use this whenever we have leftover apples and don't want to have them just by themselves.

Egg White Frittata

Frittatas are great. When we used to live in Ireland we liked to go to the local Spanish restaurant. Amongst other tapas, they served a great frittata.

You first cook vegetables. These can be any just like spinach, pepper, and onions. Put them with olive oil into a pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Separate the white from a couple of eggs. Slightly beat them in a bowl. Add them to the pan. Lastly, add some feta cheese on top and pot the pan into the oven to cook an additional 25-30 minutes. Here you will find more details on how to cook the perfect frittata.

Pancake

Me and my wife love pancakes. I think if you do not like pancakes you are evil. I also have suspicions when you do not like chocolate and ice cream. Work through your issues and enjoy life.

Pancake Tuesday and weekends are great days for pancakes. If you make pancakes from scratch the batter can take a while. It is definitely worth it. For a healthy version use almond milk and flaxseed. Avoid sugar. Instead, you can add fresh fruits, yogurt or maple syrup.

One of the best pancake places I can recommend in Berlin is benedicts. They have breakfast around the clock.

Conclusion

Whatever you do for snacking, it is usually better to make it yourself than to buy it in the shops. At least if your goal is to be more healthy and lose weight. Diet is mainly about control. The more control you have over your diet the more likely it will be that you get the results you want.

This article was originally written by Ana Maksimovska in contribution with BookCulinaryVacations. She is a writer for Bite My Bun and she loves to write about nutrition, healthy recipes, natural remedies, organic foods, etc. She enjoys traveling, and discovering new cultures and tasting new foods. I have added some color by weaving in my personal experiences.