Let's Hit the Bars!

We all lead pretty busy lives, and eating healthy on the go can be challenging. Things like meal prep and having healthy snacks on the fly can make this a lot easier. Unfortunately, a lot of protein or energy bars are pretty expensive if you make them a staple in your diet. Making your own protein bars at home can be an easy and delicious alternative and maybe even impress your friends at work.

Here are some great alternatives to store-bought bars if you want to try your hand at your own batch.

If you like KIND Bars - try these!

Oat & Nut Bars

Ingredients

1 cup oats

2 cups almonds

⅓ cup dried cherries

¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1 tablespoon chia seeds

½ cup honey or maple syrup

2 tablespoons coconut oil

Instructions :

1. Combine dry ingredients in bowl.

2. Over medium heat or in microwave, slowly bring oil and honey to a boil. Pour over dry ingredients.

3. Transfer mixture to a lined baking dish and press into an even layer. Let bars cool to room temperature or place in fridge for 30 minutes. Remove bars, cut into slices and store in a sealed container for up to 10 days.

If you have mad love for Lara bars, make these!

Cocoa Peanut Butter Date Bars

Ingredients :

1 cup dates

1 cup of almonds

½ cup protein powder of choice

¼ cup cocoa powder

¼ cup powdered peanut butter

2-4 tablespoons almond milk

Instructions :

1. Process dates in a food processor until they are broken up into small pieces. Add in nuts and mix until a mixture forms.

2. Add remaining ingredients and pulse to combine until a sticky ball forms. You may need more or less almond milk to get desired consistency depending on protein powder.

3. Press mixture into a lined baking dish and place in fridge for 30 minutes. Remove and cut into slices. Store bars in fridge for up to a week.

Instead of reaching for that pumpkin muffin, have these!

Pumpkin Protein Bars

Ingredients :

1 cup pitted dates

½ cup raw almonds

2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut

2 tablespoon chia seeds

⅓ cup vanilla protein powder

½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

¼ cup pure pumpkin puree

Instructions :

1. Combine bar ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.

2. Press mixture into a lined pan and place in fridge for 60 minutes

3. Remove and slice into bars, store in fridge for up to a week.

Next time you want a delicious whole foods snack, carve out some time to make your own bars and you’ll be eating healthy all week.

Stay on track, and in balance

For many people, staying on track and achieving their goals means never, ever slipping up. That idea may work for some, but for me, I find that striving for balance in all areas of my life, including my nutrition is the best for me. And that includes eating at restaurants, and even enjoying a delicious brunch like the one above.

I had a lovely brunch with my beautiful sister-in-law this past weekend where we caught up on our lives, drank dark coffee and bright tea, shared an incredible cauliflower appetizer (jumpin’ on this brunch appetizer bandwagon- this should be a more common thing!) and allowed ourselves to slow down for a bit in the midst of our crazy  busy lives.

Sharing a meal has long been a social experience, and many studies show that when we enjoy our meals with others, we show decreased signs of stress and often better digestion. We have to eat, so we might as well do it together right?

I believe that leading a healthy, vibrant and full life will often include eating at restaurants, and sometimes you can control this and sometimes you can’t. What you are always in control of however, is what appears on the plate in front of you and how you feel about it. It doesn’t do you or your body any good to feel guilty or like you’re ‘cheating’ by having something off your usual plan.

Swap the potatoes for fruit, add some veggies, put the dressing on the side, or… don’t!

Enjoy the company, enjoy yourself, slow down and really taste your food, experience the moment and the meal for what it is. Know that you are nourishing your body with not only good food, but good conversation and happiness and that it’s ok. Tomorrow you’ll have that fresh smoothie or that kale salad and everything will, as always, remain in balance.

Get Movin'

Your pup can help keep your healthy!

So many of us have jobs that require us to sit all day, whether it’s at our desk, in the car to commute, or for myself, sitting in class. While I have an active job that keeps me on my feet, moving and lifting weights and I make getting a workout in daily a priority, I am still stuck in in front of a computer for upwards of 6 hours on some days. For me, the answer to this problem is to use a standing desk, to at least get me off my feet even if I can’t be moving. I'll even do squats and jump around at my desk throughout the day, much to the dismay of my coworkers.

We have continuously started to see how unhealthy sitting all day is and the Mayo clinic states "those who sat for more than 8 hours without physical activity had a risk of dying similar to the risks of dying posed by obesity and smoking"(1) That's pretty serious. Some studies found that even an hour of moderate intensity activity is not enough to counter the negative effects of sitting all day.

What does that all mean? Are we just doomed? NO way! Here are some ways you can stay more active throughout the day and avoid sitting for extended periods of time. Studies have shown that getting up and moving your body more often can have serious health benefits like modestly improving insulin resistance, triglyceride and cholesterol levels, and even blood pressure. (2)

1. Walk the dog   Not only will your pet be healthier and happier, but you will get some extra steps in and burn a few extra calories. If you don’t have a dog, you can always volunteer to walk your friends pet.

2. Park farther away   If you are out running errands, that can add up to a lot of time in the car, sitting. If you are able to park farther away, or between two errands and walk between them, you can get plenty of extra steps in the process.

3. Consider a fitness tracker  There are a variety of fitness trackers out there that can be a great tool to help you really get a better idea of how active you are throughout the day. Most are customizable, allow you to connect with friends and even challenge each other to see who can get the most steps in a day or week.

4. Take the stairs  When you can, try to take the stairs instead of escalators or elevators. You will not only get some extra stairs but get a better workout by taking the hike.

5. Get off the bus  Try catching the bus at a bus stop just a bit farther away or getting off one step early on your way home. This small adjustment can add a few hundred steps more to your daily total and probably won’t take you that much longer to get home.

6. Break it up Instead of trying to get all your steps at once, try going for a short walk in the morning, around lunch time and after work. Better yet, set a reminder each hour, or get a tracker that reminds you to move every hour, If you get 500 steps every hour you’re at work thats an extra 4,000 steps in your day!

7. Dance it out  When all else fails, put on some fun music and dance it out! You can close the blinds and no one has to see you but you’ll feel happier and get some extra steps in at the end of the day!  I love putting on music when I’m cooking and more often than not, the beat will get to me and I end up doing some bouncing around in the kitchen before dinner.

Happy Moving out there! Let me know what you do to stay active throughout the day! 

1. Laskowski MDER. Sitting risks: How harmful is too much sitting? Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/sitting/faq-20058005. Published May 8, 2018.

2. Harvard Health Publishing. Don't just sit there, move more! - Harvard Health. Harvard Health Blog. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/dont-just-sit-there-move-more Published November 2017.