Being health conscious and in command of your health should not be a temporary fad. In order to really be your best self in your personal relationships, work, play and life in general, taking care of the one thing in life you have complete control over - your body - should become a priority. By no means does it have to take over your life, but minor changes and some consistent exercise can do wonders for your mind, your mood and your overall well-being.
We all know exercise is essential, but the part that trips us all up is our diet. How can we make our lives a little bit easier, considering we seem to be constantly on-the-go or always have one too many time constraints? An easy weight loss habit you can acquire with ease is reducing your carbs. Here are 8 low-carb snacks to buy or prep that you can take on the go.
Low Carb Snacks to Keep On Deck
1. Sliced Celery Sticks Filled with Peanut Butter
Remember seeing other kids or your Mom packing your lunch with this simple and healthy snack as a kid? Yep, Mom was on to something. This is a super easy snack that can be whipped up the night before or in the morning before your day gets moving.
This snack has approximately 9 grams of carbs. Consider it a win that this light snack keeps you under low carb, low-fat double digits.
2. Grass-Fed Beef Jerky
This one is for all of you meat lovers out there. No prep needed besides going to your local grocery store and finding quality grass-fed beef jerky. These beef jerkies tend to have great flavor, and the action of gnawing on the jerky forces you to chew longer and eat slower, keeping your body from over-eating.
If you are a mindless eater, ration yourself and only pack a few pieces per day to ensure you don’t snack on an entire bag. This low carb snack you can buy is about 10 grams of carbs per 1.5 ounces of jerky.
3. Hard-Boiled Egg with Pizzazz
Spice up your egg! Boil an egg, slice it in half and drizzle a little hot sauce to add a flavor blast. To make it the easiest low carb, low-fat snack, remove the yolk, drop a dollop of hummus in the yolk’s place - and still drizzle that hot sauce on it.
This low carb, low-fat snack is a whopping 1 gram of carbs and chock full of protein.
4. Nuts
Go nutty for nuts. Another no-prep-required snack. You can eat them anywhere with little mess or clean up (maybe some finger-licking, but we're not judging).
This snack gives you high energy, which is perfect for those days you plan to get a kick-butt workout in. It is always good to measure out one serving when you pack, so you do not overdo it. This is a low carb snack to buy with around 5 grams of carbs per ounce.
5. Kale Chips
If you are a kale hater, turning kale into chips will turn you into a kale lover. There are store bought kale chips available, but they tend to have a higher carb count, so take the extra time to make them at home. It is always a great side dish for dinner, so make extra to pack in your lunch the next day.
Buy a head of kale, rip the leaves off, rinse, dry. Put the leaves on a flat baking sheet and drizzle one tablespoon of oil; sprinkle some Himalayan salt over the pieces, and roast in your oven until the kale is crispy. A low-carb, low-fat snack with less than 7 grams of carbs.
6. Edamame
Edamame is also known as steamed soybeans. First, it is yummy. Second, it is full of protein and fiber.
Third, it can be purchased from most grocery stores and stocked up in your freezer for a quick reheat in the microwave later for a super speedy low fat, low carb snack at only 8 grams of carbs per half cup.
7. Hummus and Peppers or Veggie of Your Choice
Hummus is like the universal healthy dip.
You can skip the pita and go straight for all of your favorite veggies and dip away.
Spread 1/4 cup of hummus on one vegetable of your choice and you have a low fat, low carb snack that has less than 15 grams of carbs.
8. Cucumber Tuna Boat
Who said adults can't have fun with their food? Channel your inner child and create a cucumber tuna boat.
First, cut your cucumber down the middle vertically. Then scoop out some of the center evenly down each half. Use water-based tuna and mix with a little oil, salt, pepper, and a tiny bit of mayo or hummus and stuff that cucumber! Easy to eat and tasty too.
Cucumbers just got more exciting.
This low fat, low carb snack is easy to prepare and only has 4.5 grams of carbs.
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Final Thoughts
Low carb or low fat, low carb snacks - depending on your health goals - is as easy as boiling an egg. Snacking between meals with these tasty options staves off hunger for hours, keeping you satisfied until the next meal.
Being healthy is attainable and can be done in a way that inspires habitual behavior. Having portable snacks helps prevent consuming a fast, unhealthy fix. You save money, you save some calories and you save time. The best point to remember is that eating real food is always better than eating manufactured products.
Happy low carb snacking!