Perfect your snacks easy-peasy with 4 simple questions
By: Mareka Macias
Tags: Foodies, Snacks, Health

Everything does not work for everyone. And that’s ok.

Lots of things that you eat can help your health no matter what, but how do you find what works for your specific lifestyle?

That’s a huge unanswered question. I get it and I hear you because I felt the same way.

But how do you quantify your “lifestyle”? What food can supplement your life while still maintaining the immovable objects such as your job?

Although you can’t really “type” a lifestyle, you can weigh key factors in physical health directly linked to your lifestyle. From there you can analyze those determine what foods are best for you.

For this purpose, your can easily gauge your lifestyle based on four categories:

1. Water/Hydration– How much you hydrate your body

2. Nutritional Density- The Nutrients, salts, fats, fiber, and sugars that make up your diet.

3. Sleep Quality/Quantity- The frequency and quality of your sleep

4. Movement Level- Your level of physical activity

These are the main factors that determine how you should custom tailor your diet to fit your needs. In this post we will just cover healthy snacks for each one, but you can do this for large meals as well.

We will review irresistible snacks for each factor and how to apply them to each type of lifestyle easily.

Review your relationship status with your water bottle

On the rocks: If your problem is not enough water, then try eating snacks of fruits/veggies with a high water content. But you don’t have to sacrifice flavor.

Recommendation: Watermelon Sorbet

Yes. Feel free to reward yourself for your hard work with a tasty dessert sorbet. What makes this snack perfect is it’s amazing taste, and the fact that it’s just watermelon and lime juice.

A great recipe for Watermelon Sorbet is by ‘A Sweet Pea Chef’.

Going Steady: If you get a moderate amount of water, but want to get more in your diet that’s cool too. This one has a little bit more salts and acidity, but still feels like a cool glass of water every time.

Recommendation: Cucumber Tomato Corn Salad

I use this recipe when I want a fresh feel-good nibble with different textures and flavors. Personally, I make this at the beginning of the week and snack on it throughout the week. Just scoop it out of the bowl, sprinkle some raisins on there, and devour.

The “Cucumber Tomato Corn Salad” from ‘The Blond Cook’ is one of my favorites.

Guilty pleasure: Chocolate Drizzled Walnut Strawberries

Strawberries have the most water content of any fruit besides watermelon. Aside from that, they also are super delicious by themselves. Walnuts and chocolate only add to the fun.

A great recipe is for “Homemade Dark Chocolate Strawberries” is on ‘Lettuce Thrive.’

Is your Loyalty to Queen Sugar or King Salt?

High Salt Diet: Replace those artificial salts with the ones in vegetables and fruits.

Recommendation: Stuffed Celery Peanut Butter Boats

Celery & Peanut Butter is a great snack for those who want something a little denser yet still refreshing and nutritious. Peanut Butter and Celery both have a high adequate amount of salt in them in comparison their legume and veggie counterparts.

This one hits all marks with flying colors. I usually keep a bag of chopped celery in my refrigerator and I always have a jar of peanut butter in my house 24/7. I finish off with sprinkling raisins on top.

A quick reference recipe is “Peanut Butter Stuffed Celery” came from ‘Weight Watchers.’

High Sugar Diet: Like the salts, insert natural sugars instead of artificial ones.

Recommendation: Date Crunchies

Date Crunchies are for those of us who have a sweet tooth, but are trying to be good. Treat yourself to this dessert snack at any time throughout the day. These are also weighty and you can easily feel satisfied with two or three.

There is a “Date Crunchies” recipe from ‘Bawarchi.com’ that is stellar.

High Fat Diet: Healthy fats are so prevalent in healthy snacks; there are so many satisfying options. They will not have the detrimental effects the artificial ones do.

Recommendation: Peanut Butter Larabars

These Peanut Butter Larabars technically cross over with natural sugars because it includes dates. So here you get a two in one. These bars are weighty and can be compared to store-bought versions. This is super grab-and-go recipe.

There is a great recipe for “Homemade Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Larabars” from ‘Fit Foodie Finds’ here.

Do you take Cat Naps or Deep Slumbers?

Low quality sleep: If you have problems with sleeping too lightly, you need something that encourages deeper quality sleep cycles.

Recommendation: Banana Chips

These treat is ready to go at all times and is endlessly delicious.

There’s a great recipe for “Baked Banana Chips” from ‘Archana’s Kitchen’.

Low length of sleep: If you have consistent you have problems falling asleep and staying asleep, there is something for that too.

Recommendation: Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds

Dark chocolate Almonds are a delicious tag-team dessert that will extend your sleep periods.

Almonds are great at increasing Serotonin in the body. Eating them will help you fall asleep faster, and longer if you have problems with restlessness at night.

Dark chocolate is great for encouraging relaxation within the nervous system and digestive system; which are most times are what is keeping you awake.

‘She loves Biscotti’ has a great recipe for “Chocolate Covered Almonds.”

Would you rather a recliner chair or an evening stroll?

More sedentary: You can’t help it if your job requires you to sit for a longer amount of time and it’s ok. Snacking can still work out in your favor.

Recommendation: Spirulina Energy Balls

Everyone loves energy without guilt. This one is perfect for that, and includes a superfood that has lots of nutrients to help your focus, metabolism, and circulation. These energy bites are decadent, will give you energy, and help your mind focus throughout your day.

These are easy to make in large batches. You can throw 4–5 of them in a sandwich bag and travel along your day. They are satisfying and dense so you won’t feel like you have nothing on your stomach.

The recipe I use is from the blog ‘Spinach 4 Breakfast’ and is called “Spirulina Energy Balls.”

More active: If you live an active lifestyle, that’s absolutely amazing. You want a snack to continue to power your amazing life with deliciousness and pleasure.

Recommendation: Peanut Butter Energy Balls

These are also amazing. The difference between these and the other ones is that this one has a little higher fats and salts in it. These might not be the best to engorge on for someone that has a more sedentary lifestyle. They have all the benefits of the previous recipe, with more peanut flavor.

There is a great “Peanut Butter Balls” recipe by ‘The Endless Meal’.

Honestly, though one has a slight preference over the other, they are still mostly interchangeable.

Conclusion

You should never feel guilty about your lifestyle. If your feel it’s working for you in all facets of your life, then continue in what makes you happy. Just be honest about your decision.

Now you can go forth and choose healthy snacks that will work cohesively with different factors of your lifestyle. Feel free to choose for yourself because no one can do it better than you.

Live well, eat well, and enjoy the life you live! 😊