I have written a lot about nutrition in this column over the last weeks and I propose to write a lot more!
I am on crusade you see to try to persuade people to the hard fact, if you don't eat the right food to properly fuel your training, you are really just wasting your time. It's like putting diesel into a petrol tank. It just doesn't work.
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Sorry to bore regular readers with the same old mantra but determining the right nutrition comprises some 65% of any successful training regime. How many people know or understand this? Sadly very few.
I will admit it is not the easiest of subjects to grasp but grasp it you must, if you really want to achieve the body shape you desire. You will be amazed at what you can eat and how tasty and nutritious it really all is. Okay lecture over for today!
The question I do get asked very regularly is - can I have a snack as part of my nutrition plan? The answer being absolutely but as with all things nutrition, it is all eating the right things which means planning and preparation.
What to eat for a healthy snack is always one of the hardest things to get right. This being said with some simple preparation you can have a few key items locked and loaded in your ISO cool bag, which will keep you in shape.
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Most of the snacks listed are for when you don't have the time to cook something. Of course if you have some chicken breasts, salmon or steak, then you are definitely ahead of the game. However for when you don't, detailed below are some of the things you can eat.
I have compiled the list below from my own personal knowledge with some help from Michael Naylor, Performance Nutritionist, English Institute of Sport - London.
Most of the items listed you can get from any Whole Food store or outlet plus from your local super market.
Most of the below can be accompanied with a Whey Protein shake, topped up with BCAA's, @alkalivegreens, Glutamine to mention but a few bits you can add in.
Cold Cuts and Meats
Turkey
Ham
Bresola
Wild boar Salami
Healthy beef jerky - I recommend Beefit Biltong
Nuts and pre made snacks
Walnuts, almonds, organic pistachios (you can buy ones which have been blended with sea salt and garlic, which are really tasty)
You can also get some organic smoked sea salt popcorn, or some sweet and salted version.
Seaweed snacks
Sunflower crunches
Kale chips
Sesame snaps
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Cottage cheese with some of the following on also goes down well
Chia seeds
Hemp seeds
Roasted Amazonian seeds
You can also get some healthy Greek yogurt add, some Mauna honey, and some of the seeds mentioned above.
A good old tin of tuna in brine, or one of the many flavored main stream brand Tuna versions is great to put onto some rice cakes or rye bread. You can also add some chili flakes or cayenne pepper to help burn fat.
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Take some old El Paso fajitas put them in the oven until they are crispy and hard.
Then cut them up into little fajitas chips. Dip these in humous, unsalted peanut butter, cottage cheese or whatever you fancy.
Drinks
Aside from a protein shake, go for a large glass of water, green tea, white tea,
Try a healthy smoothie with the following
Mixed berries, for example blueberries and raspberries,
A cup full of oats,
Spoon full of honey,
Scoop of flavored protein
Little teaspoon of nut butter like pistachio or peanut
A handful of mixed seeds.
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Blend all this together with cold water.
These are just some of my quick tips. If you guys have any really good healthy snack ideas then please email me. Info@jameshaskell.com
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