THE COMPOUND — banana

There are so many misconceptions surrounding the idea of snacking. Snacks are typically viewed as something “bad”, yet advertised and marketed in such a way to make people feel ok about snacking. In reality, snacks can often contribute to dieting plateaus or weight gain, because it’s hard to draw the line between a healthy snack and a full-on binge.

When utilized correctly, snacking can be beneficial for weight loss or even lean weight gain. Eating snacks with the right ratio of macronutrients, with the right calories, will help keep your body energized and burn fat.

Our bodies require protein to fuel the growth of muscle, which in turn increases our metabolic rate, ultimately using up energy (calories) faster.  Protein takes longer to digest in relation to carbohydrates and fats, therefore keeping us feeling full for longer.

The key is to snack with the right balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats.

There is a common misconception that carbohydrates make you fat.  When eating them in moderation and when your body needs the energy they provide, they contribute to the growth of muscle.  

After carbohydrates are consumed, they are broken down into glucose, which can then be broken down further into a form of energy for the body. Glucose can then be either used as energy for the body when there is demand or stored and converted into fat if there is no use for it.

Because protein is slow digesting, eating protein with carbohydrates slows down the production of glucose. Fat is also slower digesting than carbohydrates, so eating a combination of protein, carbohydrates and fats at every meal (big or small) helps lower the rate at which glucose is stored as fat.

Here are some snacks that are suggested to limit the amount of fat stored in our bodies, and work with the balance of protein. Each snack contains at least 10 grams of protein:

Greek yogurt, fruit and nuts

This snack would contain approximately 20g of protein, with calories varying depending on the type of greek yogurt and fruit selection.

For a lower calorie option, ¾ cup plain, non-fat greek yogurt with ¼ cup berries and 12 almonds would be the best choice. This would equate to appropriately 20g protein, 15g carbohydrates and 7g fat for a total of 200 calories.

For a higher calorie option, 1 cup of plain, non-fat greek yogurt with ½ cup berries and 24 almonds would be about 25g protein,  20g carbohydrates and 14g fat for a total of 375 calories.

Edamame

One cup of edamame has about 15g of protein, 10g of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fat and is high in fiber, making it a filling, protein-rich option. Season with a bit of salt to kick your savoury cravings.

Jerky

Jerky is such an easy snack to pack in your lunch. It does not require refrigeration, and it's easy to pick up at a convenience store when on the run. It is actually quite lean with approximately 1g of fat per serving, but very rich in protein, and it's low-carb.  For an entire package there is approximately 30g protein, 15g carbs and 4g fat.  It’s a good option for those who like to nibble on something here and there.  

Pepperettes

High calorie pepperoni or lower calorie turkey, there are options for both. Since they contain few (or zero) carbohydrates, this snack pairs well with fruit or crackers.  Opt for the lower fat turkey pepperettes and add in a few slices of cheese.

Sliced turkey with avocado

Wrap sliced turkey breast meat around slices of avocado, creating a great protein and fiber filled snack. Half of a small avocado with 4-6 slices of turkey sandwich meat would be approximately 15g of protein, 7g of carbohydrates and 10g of fat for a total of 150 calories. For a higher calorie option, opt for the whole avocado. Sprinkle on some salt and enjoy!

Protein smoothie

A great on-the-go breakfast or afternoon snack and easy to adapt for any type of diet. One scoop of protein (macronutrients based on canadianprotein.com whey concentrate), ¼ cup of berries and 1 cup of almond milk would be on the lower end of calories with 25g of protein, 7g of carbs and 3g of fat for a total of 150 calories.  By adding yummies such as banana, peanut butter, or yogurt, you can significantly increase the carbohydrate and fat content as you please.  

Edamame dip with pita and veggies

One and a half cups of peeled edamame beans, 1 clove garlic, 1 tbsp chopped onion, ¼ cup nonfat plain greek yogurt, ¼ cup water, ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 tsp garlic salt and 1 tsp salt blended in a high speed blender or food processor until smooth. Then add 2 tsp olive oil while the blender is on for 30 more seconds. This will make approximately 4 generous servings of dip, with each serving containing 10g protein, 8g carbohydrates and 7g fat for a total of 135 calories.

For lower calorie options: dip veggies to give you extra grams of protein and carbs; and/or use baked pita bread slices for higher carbohydrates.

Protein ‘cookie dough’

This one is for the sweet tooth! Mix together 2 tbsp of oat flour (just blend oats in any kind of blender until they turn into a flour consistency), 2 tbsp of powdered peanut butter and 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder. Then add ¼ cup pumpkin purée and 2 tbsp of milk (any kind) and mix together. Fold in some (1 tbsp) chocolate chips at the end and refrigerate for 15 minutes or more. With 30g of protein, 25g of carbs and 5g of fat this is a very satisfying “snack” on so many levels! Sweet tooth cravings are satisfied, with adequate protein to slow the digestion process down leaving you feeling full as well.

About the author

Maggie Morgan is a competitive powerlifter and former bodybuilder, as well as a devoted macro-counter. She’s passionate about lifting, nutrition, and sharing her learned knowledge with as many people as possible. She is an online nutrition and training coach at Maggie Morgan Fitness, and strives to help others reach their goals in the most enjoyable way possible.

What you put into your body is what you can expect to get out of it.

We are athletes who want to have the best output performance possible, so we need to understand how important nutrition is in our daily routine. It’s literally what fuels us each and every single day. Although flexible dieting (or tracking macros) isn’t the only way to achieve success, it’s a great tool for measurement and progress, just like when you track your workouts to measure progress.

What the heck is a Macro?

A “macro” is a shortened term for a macronutrient. A macronutrient is a food required in large amounts that provide bodies with the bulk of energy. Macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates (also known as carbs for short), and fats.

              1 gram of protein = 4 calories*
              1 gram of carbs = 4 calories*
              1 gram of fats = 9 calories*
              (*a calorie is a unit of energy)

What does it mean to track your macros?

Whether you want to call it flexible dieting, tracking your macros or IIFYM (if it fits your macros), it’s all the same concept: a method of ‘dieting’ (using that term ‘diet’ very loosely) that focuses on meeting daily macro intake targets and puts less of a focus on the foods you eat to reach these target numbers.

It’s like, ‘eat whatever you want, and still make progress.’

But hold on, it’s not exactly all that.

Flexible dieting is essentially a form of calorie counting, but to a more scientific, successful and customized level. It is a trsusted protocol to successfully adjust body composition.

Whether you are looking to lose body fat or add muscle mass, live a balanced lifestyle (whatever that looks like to you), and enjoy life, you can absolutely benefit from the power of flexible dieting. Your success with flexible dieting comes down to your discipline, daily energy expenditure, training goals, and the numbers that make up this game.

Think: Less fat mass and more lean/muscle mass, while maintaining the same total weight class.

Basically: get stronger!

How can tracking macros improve your performance?

Tracking macros can improve your performance in many ways. When you become aware of what you’re consuming and how it’s being consumed, you can drastically improve the energy output in your training and how your body recovers after your sessions.

Think: When you put quality fuel into a race car, you can just hear it when it flies down the track. Don’t you want to be a race car on the platform?

A large misunderstanding with flexible dieting is that as long as you hit your assigned macros then you can eat junk food every day, as long as it fits. In short, yes, but it’s not entirely that simple, especially when you want better athletic performance.

You’re probably familiar with the ‘calories in versus calories out’ phrase. Despite this being a true statement, when you dig a little deeper you learn that calories aren’t all the same. As mentioned above, 1g of fats contains 9 calories, and proteins and carbs each contain 4 calories.

For some quick math:

1,000 calories = 111g fat
1,000 calories = 250g protein or carbs

In terms of digestion, satiation, healthy body function and athletic performance, you’re going to probably feel a lot better with the latter of the two options, especially from a training standpoint.

If you solely want to lose weight, you can find out how many calories you burn in a day, make sure you’re eating less than that to put yourself into a caloric deficit, and you’ll lose weight no matter what you eat.

Why does anyone count macros?

Because when we’re looking at body composition (fat mass versus lean mass) and sport performance, then not all calories are the same. In that sense, you want to lose body fat and maintain or gain lean mass.

You want to consume enough protein to ensure your lean mass is being preserved and your muscles are repairing after your workouts. You want enough carbs to provide your glycogen stores (your main energy systems for workouts!) with enough fuel.

You need enough fats to keep up with a healthy overall body function, including hormone synthesis, digestion and brain function.

This is why counting macros can be more beneficial than simply counting total calories. Tracking macros allows you to focus on improving body composition instead of just dropping total pounds. As mentioned, what you actually eat to get to your set macros is of secondary importance.

But what if I don’t want to change the foods I eat?

Another great benefit to flexible dieting is that no food is off limits.

The beauty of flexible dieting is that it isn’t really traditional dieting at all.

Without being restricted to foods like you would experience if you have followed any fad diet, you’re way less likely to binge when you follow a proper flexible dieting protocol. One of the biggest reasons why people find themselves struggling with food relationships (think: good food versus bad food) or eating disorders is because of deprivation.

Think of a child: you say no to them and instantly they want to rebel and do/touch/eat what you just said no to.

Adults are the same way; you tell them they cannot eat something and whether they originally wanted to eat it or not, now they feel like they have to go eat it, or have that cheat meal because that’s considered to be cheating on their diet. If you follow a proper flexible dieting protocol, there is no cheating; just fit your cravings into your daily allowance and you’ll stay on track towards your goals with virtually no setbacks. On top of all that, having the ability to eat your favourite foods in moderation keeps potential psychological imbalances (stress, purging) under control. People will no longer worry when these foods are put in front of them and will have the ability to keep them in their stomach without counteracting their caloric value.

In summary: fuel your body for optimal performance. Do this with the flexible dieting protocol and watch the magic unfold.

How can you get started?

Flexible dieting works when you have the proper information, usually provided by an educated coach. There are simple online calculators that can spit out some baseline numbers for you, but for true, long-term success completely customized to you and your goals, then working with an educated coach who has many successful athletes and testimonials on their website is definitely a smart choice.

Once you have a better understanding of your body's reaction to macro ratios, you can try going off on your own and continuing a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

About the author

Courtney is an entrepreneur (owner of Courtney For Life) where she educates and guides clients with balanced nutrition and strength training. She's a competitive powerlifter with a passion for wholehearted living. Her purpose is to elevate your way of life, and to guide you to eat with balance, lift with passion, and live with intent.