Rev up Your Metabolism to Lose Weight
By Julia Loggins
The best way to lose weight, speed up your metabolism and maintain steady, clean energy—and that steady blood sugar level—is to pack snacks, so you’re not tempted to eat junk food or reach for caffeine. The No-Calorie Diet that I recommend to all my clients includes three snacks a day, high in protein and easy to digest. Never get hungry! That’s the secret to supercharging your energy.
It’s easy to do if we plan ahead. My favorite snacks are:
1) Two to four scoops of rice protein powder in an empty mixing container. I add water or rice milk just before drinking. This gives me 15-30 grams of readily assimilable protein. I can feel this clear my head and focus my brain, instantly!
2) A packet or two of Electro-Mix or Emegenc-Lite, sugar-free electrolyte powders that fizz in water, hydrating and energizing the body’s cells..the perfect 4pm pick-me-up, instead of coffee.
3) Chlorophyll tablets. Wheatgrass, blue green algae, barley grass tablets that alkalize and cleanse the blood
4) Freeze-dried green powders. Any of the above tablets are also available in powders, which are tasty and often sweetened with stevia so they’re delicious in water or blended with a banana
5) Dried sea vegetables. Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods sell packages of crispy, tasty sea vegetables like nori, which satisfy that craving for something crunchy and salty.
6) Crispy Kale snacks. Sprinkle kale with olive oil and salt and bake in the oven on a cookie sheet at 250 degrees for 15 minutes…These crunchy snacks replace high-fat, no-value potato chips…kids love ‘em!
7) Lunch Bag with Ice. Don’t leave home without one! Individual lunch bags with room for ice means that you can take chicken, hard boiled eggs and cold fruit for the day …. I usually make an extra serving of whatever I’m cooking for dinner, and pack it in my freezer bag the next day. I am way to too busy to go out for lunch…as are most busy, working moms and dads.
8) Protein Bars. Again, check out Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, or your local health food store, for low-sugar protein bars that you love. It might take tasting a few to find one that makes your taste buds sing. You might love chocolate, but find you get sick of it day after day, and prefer vanilla…or you might discover you like to switch them around: peanut butter, berry, carrot cake…there are new, organic brands that do not use fake fats or sugars. Read the labels and enjoy!
When it comes to successful gut health, organization is vital. Planning ahead for meals and snacks is the only way to resist the normal temptations of eating sugary, processed foods.
