Show of hands if you sometimes/often don't eat properly during the day because you have too much other stuff to get done? Both my hands are up by the way.
I am a shocker for not eating during the day. I love me a big bowl of cereal as soon as I wake up in the morning and dinner with my beloveds but when I'm either at work or home by myself working, I don't really eat. I'll snack on some salted nuts (so healthy) or a muesli bar (also, so healthy *eyeroll) and I'll definitely get my Sipp Instant coffee in around noon but as far as fuelling my body properly goes, I just don't. Case in point Sunday. I got up, had breakfast, went and did my 9km run and aside from water, I don't think I ate again until dinner time. The kids fended for themselves, as they are wont to do on the weekends and Tom must have as well but I didn't. And my goodness, I spent the day feeling perfectly awful. I even went and had a nap which I rarely do.
Now I didn't consciously not eat, I was just pottering around doing other stuff and didn't. And it wasn't until I'd had dinner, followed by half a tub of Darrell Lea Rocklea Road ice-cream (no judgement!!! And if you love rocklea road, try this) that I actually felt better. I then realised, I felt so awful because I hadn't eaten anything. I'd asked my body to do a lot (the run) and then never repaid it with any nourishment. Bad Liz! And boy did my bod let me know it was unhappy! Lesson learnt.
Whilst I'm all for sitting down and having a proper, balanced lunch and highly recommend you do the same, I'm also here for the snacks. Especially if you've exercised, skipped breakfast or know you won't be eating lunch for whatever reason. And whilst a Snickers or Turkish Delight seems like a grand idea, it really doesn't give your bod what it needs. So, I've got a couple of ideas for you, that I just love to have on hand (make sure you hide them from the rest of the family though!) that are great post exercise treats (and are also good for you) or morning/afternoon snacks that will see you through until your next meal and also put good stuff into your body.
disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist, but I do know good snacks when I see them! Also, this post is not sponsored/ad, it is simply because of my experience on the weekend & a need to share rad local products with you always xxx
First up, are a long time fave snack, the Daily Bar range. I first met founder Al at a Business Chicks 9 to Thrive event when she had newly launched these bars of utter deliciousness and was obsessed with them from the get go. They are absolutely amazingly YUM. Unlike many bars that have a date base, these do not (they are mostly seed based) meaning Daily Bars are able to be eaten by a wider range of tums (FODMAP babes please raise your hands) and they have a lot less sugar. There are several different flavours in the range, my fave being the Antioxidant, as well as Keto friendly ones and ones with extra protein. When I was working retail, I would keep a box of these at work for those days when I didn't manage a lunch break and they would see me through nicely. I love that these are not only organic, low in sugar, high in fat and protein, gluten, dairy, grain and soy free, high in fibre, raw and handmade, BUT they are also packaged in earth friendly packaging. "Our bars are wrapped in a renewably sourced biodegradable plant fibre and packaged in our recycled card boxes, printed with vegetable inks by our amazing solar-powered printer."
Follow The Daily Bar on insta here.
My other go-to, and if you're a peanut butter lover like me, you'll soon be just as obsessed with these as I am, are Koja Health Peanut Butter bars. These bars are 100% of pure peanut butter joy to me! ***they have more than peanut butter in them, they just fill my peanut butter loving heart with ALL the joy! Made with only real, natural ingredients (there is nothing in the ingredients list you won't have heard of), they come in 3 flavours; chocolate, peanut caramel & choc-chip crunch and you can buy them straight from Koja singly or in a box of 16, or very happily, from both Coles and Woolworths! This makes your life so so easy, if you nab a few of these each shop to keep on hand. Koja also do other rad things like protein pancake mixes, toppers and just launched today, hampers!
So there you have it. My fave two snacks that are actually good for you as well! Can't beat that can you?! I encourage you to try them out, if like me, you're a bit naughty on the whole feeding and nourishing your bod during the day thing. Whilst they don't replace a balanced meal, they at least are putting some energy and nutrients into you so you don't feel crappy and deprive your body of goodness. Because really, our bodies do so much for us and we often forget to give them the good things they deserve. I definitely learnt my lesson on Sunday and am making sure I eat, especially when I'm exercising too. These bars are so easy to eat and super tasty so we have zero excuses to not put something in during the day, no matter how busy we are. Next time you're thinking of not eating because you're too busy, think of me spending the whole day feeling terrible and think "don't be like Liz, eat something"! Big love to you xxx