Snacking can be unavoidable, especially in social situations, this guide will help you make healthy snacking choices.

I mentioned in my previous post, 5 ways for developers to get their health on track, that one should avoid snacking for better health and fat loss, but in case you can’t avoid it, you must be aware of healthy snacking choices.

The reason is that snacking is:

• mostly done through junk food: biscuits, cereals, pastries and other fake food full of carbs and sugar
• these foods are not satiating
• sugar makes your more hungry
• this combo leads to food binge

Read the full article for tips to avoid snacking completely.

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Now, while snacking is discouraged, the reality is that sometimes you cannot avoid it completely.

For example, when your colleagues go on a break, you don’t want to be that isolated weirdo that stays at his desk.

In these situations, you need to be reasonable and snack on healthy and useful food, rather than on fake food that most people usually eat.

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Another thing that made me want to write this article is the amount of bullshit in mainstream “healthy snacking tips” articles: they suggest dates (they contain sugar and no protein/fats), vegetables (not satiating) and even chocolate (30g of sugar!).

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Without further ado, here is a list of food it’s all right to snack on:

Protein shakes

This for me is the best of all snacks.

Protein is not only a satiating nutrient that will help you eat less, it is also needed to build muscle.

If you haven’t started working out yet, send me an email or DM!

Another motive is that it’s easy to make: put few scoops of protein powder in a shaker in the morning, put it in your bag, and when you want to drink it, just add water and it’s ready to go.

Some protein brands are also tasty as hell.

• Aim for 40g to 50g of protein per shaker
• Avoid cheap brands such as Myprotein
• Opt for the most natural ones with the less added junk (like Lecithin)

Get some protein shakes here.

Eggs

With their high protein and fat combo as well as all the nutrients they contain, eggs are the ultimate healthy food.

Similarly to the protein shake, they are convenient to make and eat: boil them, put them in your bag and they’re ready to be consumed.

A study has shown that an egg-breakfast induced greater satiety and significantly reduced short-term food intake.
This doesn’t surprise me a bit given the nutritional composition of eggs: 6g of protein, 5g of fat and 0g of carbs and sugar.

This makes them the perfect food for fat loss.

Nuts

Here is one conventional snacking option for you.
It’s what’s usually served at parties, bars and nightclubs.

Nuts are the proof that calories alone don’t matter, and that food composition is important too.

Research (1, 2) has shown that despite their high caloric content, nuts can help fat loss. That’s mainly due to the fact that fat is a filling nutrient.

Also,the consumption of nuts was associated with a decreased prevalence of selected risk factors for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome (link).

No shit, carbs and sugar cause these, and nuts have none of them!

Cheese

You can buy cheese in slices, from any grocery shop, which makes it a quick an ideal snack.

Cheese contains ~9g of fat and ~6g of protein. A good mix to make it a nutritious filling food.

Turkey or chicken slices

What I like about these is their convenience: you can buy them packaged from any grocery store, and you can eat them straight away.

The only thing that worries me is the extent to which they are processed.
That’s the reason I put them last on the list. Only get them when you’re running low on other healthier alternatives.

Turkey and chicken are foods with the most protein to weight ratio.
They contain no carbs or fats, which makes them perfect if you’re looking for a low-calories solution.

TL;DR

Takeaway from this post:

• Eat less fake food
• Avoid sugar like the plague
• Reduce the consumption of carbs because they are not satiating
• Opt for protein and fats

Following these steps leads to: getting and keeping a leaner body, aging healthily and dying as late as possible

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If you have any question, please leave a comment or send me a DM!

At Tarball Barbell, I offer 1-to-1, adapted and customized fitness coaching and nutrition services.

If you want to get in shape and fix your nutrition, get in touch with me: twitter or website.