Snacking
By Coach Anita
Snacks. The word makes me think of a kindergarten teacher rounding up her charges for apple slices and animal cookies. Ah, Ms. Freeman at View Acres Elementary circa 1976. Today there are many more options in the snack aisle, and a lot more to think about when making choices.
I look at snacks in one of two lights. If I am working out and on the water training a lot, snacks are a caloric support for what I’m doing next to ensure I have enough juice in the tank. On days when I’m less active, snacks tend to happen because of boredom and from more perceived than actual hunger. So let’s take a look at snacks according to the situation.
Once upon a time I owned a coffee shop and left for work at 4:30a. I was on my feet and moving from the moment I arrived at the shop for about 4 hours, then I took a 20 minute break, resumed my pace for another 3-4 hours, and then ran errands. I would arrive home around 1 or 2p, walk the dogs, workout or do chores, and start dinner. I wrapped everything up by 5p, and headed out the door to practice (my own or to coach) at 5:30p, and arrived home a little before 8p. I went to bed between 9-9:30p so I could get up at 3:30a the next morning. I regularly surpassed 25,000 steps a day. I ate breakfast at 4a, first lunch at 9a, second lunch at 1p, had a snack around 4p, and dinner at 8p. My schedule required the calories. Now that I’m not on my feet and working at the pace for that duration, my calorie needs are less but that doesn’t mean I’m not habitualized to eating frequently. I simply have to eat less calorie dense meals and snacks.
Snacks to keep you going should come from natural sources and need to have some calorie density to provide you with energy. Think proteins, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and good fats. Examples: A rice cake layered with hummus, lunch meat and avocado. Dried banana or coconut chips with nuts and jerky slices. A leafy green salad with protein and dressing. A hard boiled egg and Babybel cheese round. A 5oz container of Greek yogurt with berries or jam. Nut butter stuffed medjool dates.
When calorie density is not what you’re looking for, it’s just as important to look to the basic components of proteins, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy and good fats. Heavily processed foods and snacks especially are formulated to make us want to eat more of the product. We all know the slippery slope of saying we’ll just have one potato chip, Dorito, or handful of M&Ms, and watching the bag empty. So rather than focusing solely on the number calories, consider the quality of the calories as well. You can eat all of the above snacks and make modifications. Quantity is one modification - half a cheese round; a small handful of dried fruit chips; half the amount of yogurt. Another tactic is modifying what is paired together. Medjool dates and nut butter together are delicious but calorie dense. Swap out the nut butter and enjoy the sweet dates by themselves (~100 calories for 2-3), or use the nut butter to make ants on a log with celery (~100 calories in 1TBSP of nut butter). Pop some cherry tomatoes (7 have about 15 calories), peel some Little Cuties (40 per orange) or grab some sugar snap peas (an entire Trader Joe’s bag is ~100 calories) when you know you’re snacking out of boredom. A large cucumber sliced in half with 1 TBSP of cream cheese, a slice of lunch meat or smoked salmon, sprinkled with lemon juice, salt and pepper is about 100 calories. Eating the whole cucumber, and doubling everything else still is only about 200 calories - and you feel like you’re eating something substantial.
Prepping when you know snacking is in your future will help you make better choices. Nobody wants to cook when they are hungry - they want to eat. So be prepared. Many things you may have in your cupboards can make delicious snacks without a lot of effort such as roasted chickpeas, kale chips, low calorie energy balls, whole roasted sweet potatoes. Soup is one of my favorite things to eat and make. There are an endless number of low calorie soups that can be easily prepared so you have them waiting in your refrigerator. Eat a bowl with a side for a meal, but a cup makes a perfect snack.
When your sugar tooth is in high gear indulge it with a little bit of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is not only delicious, it’s nutritious. Trader Joe’s 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate bars are 1.65 ounces and come 3 bars to a pack. An entire bar has 280 calories. The bars are sectioned into 4 rows of 3 squares. One square has about 30 calories and provides a very satisfying amount of chocolate. It’s my daily go-to for my chocolate fix.
Liquid calories do not provide the same satiation as chewing food, so if you’re trying to curb hunger skip the smoothie. Many types of drinks have what are described as empty calories because they do not have any nutritional value - soda pop, sports and energy drinks, and alcohol for example. But did you know that thirst is often mistaken for hunger? Clinical studies have shown that 37% of people mistake hunger for thirst. Make drinking simple liquids - water, plain tea, black coffee - a regular part of your day and you may find that you aren’t feeling the desire to snack as much.
Week #7 Pinks Stay Strong Workout With Coach Oden
Yes! Foam Rolling
by Coach Pat and Coach OdenFoam rolling is a good addition to your workout routine. Foam rolling is self-myofascial (myo = muscle) release technique. Used before and after exercise, foam rolling can increase range of motion, flexibility and reduce post workout muscle soreness.
"Fascia is a web of connective tissue formed in bands that wraps around all the internal parts of the body from head to toe and fuses it all together. It allows the muscles to move freely alongside other structures and reduces friction. It can be found immediately beneath the skin, around muscles, groups of muscles, bones, nerves, blood vessels, organs and cells. Fascia is everywhere. Biologically, it’s what holds us together. Like a snug pair of pantyhose (as if there is any other kind), fasciae are the bands that bind us."(www.deeprecovery.com/understanding-fascia)
Foam rolling action smooths and pulls the fascia to alleviate knots and trigger points. This action before a workout can increase range of motion temporarily which allows you to exercise more efficiently. Think about doing squats, if your quads are tight you won't be able to get down into the squat and engage your glutes. Rolling the quads before doing squats will help this tightness. As you continue to complete the exercise with the increased range of motion you strengthen the muscle allowing for increased range of motion. Post workout foam rolling can reduce muscle soreness and inflammation. Pre and post workout foam rolling warms the muscle and increases circulation. Foam rolling can be done without the workout as well, just be sure to warm the target areas up a little before starting.
Here are some tips and things to avoid as you start foam rolling :
- Avoid rolling the lower back, keep within the area where the ribs support the roller
- If you find lying on the roller is too painful you can start with the roller on the wall
- Remember you are rolling muscles not joints.
This week Coach Oden has prepared a video on rolling shoulders and back. Next week we will address rolling for the lower body.
