5 Healthy Snacks that help you Slim Down

Are you looking for healthy but sweet snacks to satisfy your ravenous sweet tooth?

Deprivation only leads to disaster but on the other hand, who says you can't eat healthy with your snacks???

The snacks below strike the balance between indulgence, portion control, and healthy ingredients. Even better, they're very quick and easy to make!

Five Healthy but Sweet Snacks

1. Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich

Calories - 350

Great for an energy boost. Use 2 slices of whole grain bread. Slice half a banana (or less), layer on top of 1 tbsp (or less) of natural peanut butter (natural peanut butter contains no hydrogenated oils). Sprinkle with cinnamon or dark chocolate chipits if you want to add something special to it. For people with peanut allergies you can also get almond butter.

2. Yogurt Parfait

Calories - 150

A yogurt parfait can be just as good as ice cream on a summer day. Use 1/2 cup plain non fat yogurt. Slice 1/2 apple, sprinkle raisins, walnuts and a bit of flax meal. Speaking for myself, my favourite thing to sprinkle is granola. Don't have yogurt? Try cottage cheese instead.

3. Fruity Cottage Cheese

Calories - 200

High in protein, low in fat. Makes a good light meal. 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese, 1/2 sliced mango, raisins. *can also be substituted with yogurt! No mangoes handy? Use bananas, berries or apple slices.

4. Dried Fruit Trail Mix

Calories - 250

Great for energy, healthy fat and fiber. 1/4 cup dried fruit (apricots, strawberry, cherries), 1/4 cup almonds, and a sprinkling of raisins and shelled sunflower seeds.

5. Cereal

Calories - Approx 180 - 250 depending on brand.

A healthy cereal satisfies the craving for food, and is fortified with vitamins, and when served with skim milk adds extra protein and nutrients. My personal favourite is Kellogg's VECTOR cereal because it is chock full of vitamins.

I am also a big fan of VECTOR protein bars, which is a good quick protein snack. Both the bars and the cereal can be found at CostCo and similar bulk stores if you are looking to save a few dollars.

Vegan Smoothies and Rock Climbing

One of my personal hobbies is rock climbing. Thus when I found the video further below about an indoor rock climbing vegan who makes vegan smoothies and enjoys rock climbing, well, I just had to share it.

Now obviously freehand climbing (with no rope) is more dangerous, so I don't recommend it for amateurs. If you are new to rock climbing I suggest sticking to easy to climb areas, indoor rock climbing, or climbing with all the right gear and a friend who is an experienced climber.

As exercises go rock climbing is fairly frugal and isn't going to cost you a lot to get into it. Compared to a 1-year gym membership it is quite cheap.


Wow! That girl drinks a lot of smoothies!

Personally I add skim milk to my smoothies for the added protein and milky goodness. Sometimes I also make high protein smoothies by adding whey protein powder.

My favourite smoothies to make are strawberry / raspberry with vanilla flavoured whey protein.

December Exercise Motivational Quotes

"I hate saying, 'I like exercising.' I want to punch people who say that in the face. But it's nice being in shape for a movie, because they basically do it all for you. It's like, 'Here's your trainer. This is what you can eat. ... I don't diet. I do exercise! But I don't diet. You can't work when you're hungry, you know?"
- Jennifer Lawrence (star of The Hunger Games)

"I don't really diet or anything. I'm miserable when I'm dieting and I like the way I look. I'm really sick of all these actresses looking like birds... I'd rather look a little chubby on camera and look like a person in real life, than look great on screen and look like a scarecrow in real life."
- Jennifer Lawrence

"One time I actually used it for defense. I pulled into my garage and I heard men in my house. And I was like, 'I'm not letting them take my stuff. I had just gotten back from training, so I had the bow and arrows in the back of my car. I went to my car and I put this quiver on me and I had my bow and I loaded it and I'm walking up the stairs. And I look, and my patio doors were open, and there were guys working right there, and I was like, 'Heyyy, how you doin'?' They [her friends] were like, 'We've got to stage someone to break into your house and you can kill them!' That would be the funniest news ever. Katniss Everdeen actually kills someone with a bow and arrow!"
- Jennifer Lawrence

"I eat like a caveman. I'll be the only actress that doesn't have anorexia rumors! I'm never going to starve myself for a part. I'm invincible. I don't want little girls to be like, 'Oh, I want to look like Katniss, so I'm going to skip dinner!'"
- Jennifer Lawrence

"For 'X-Men' I was lifting a lot of weights. I actually lost a lot of mass when I quit 'X-Men' because I was working out so much and very muscular and strong."
- Jennifer Lawrence

"You must begin to think of yourself as becoming the person you want to be."
- David Viscott

"Living a healthy lifestyle will only deprive you of poor health, lethargy, and fat."
- Jill Johnson

"Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality."
- Ralph Marston

"You've got to say, I think that if I keep working at this and want it badly enough I can have it. It's called perseverance."
- Lee Iacocca

"You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there."
- Unknown Author

Calorie Crunching in 6 Minutes

Lets pretend you weigh 200 lbs and you want to lose some weight - specifically fat off your belly, thighs, under arms, etc.

But you aren't sure what exercises you should be doing. Weight lifting or cardio? Or both? And if so, how much? And which exercises produce the best results?

Well when it comes to weight loss your primary goal is to have a caloric reduction. So you should be doing approx. 70% cardio exercises (because cardio exercises burn more fat) and 30% weight lifting (to maintain muscle tone).

So for example if you had 9 minutes to exercise you might do 6 minutes of cardio and 3 minutes of weight lifting. Which is a tiny amount really, but lets do the math anyway. You have 1,440 minutes in a day so 9 minutes is really only 0.00625 of your day.

So in 6 minutes the most calorie intensive thing you could do is bicycle as fast as you can - approx. 20 mph - which would burn 145.4 calories if you weigh 200 lbs.

In contrast 6 minutes of vigorous weight lifting would burn a mere 54.4 calories. So half that if you did it for 3 minutes, so 27.2 calories.

Grant total for 6 minutes of bicycling + 3 minutes of vigorous weightlifting is 172.6 calories.

It is not a lot. But lets pretend you did that every day for a year. 364 x 172.6 = 62,826.4 calories. Just under 18 lbs of fat. (Exact results will vary on the weight of the person.)

Do that 9 minute exercise routine every day, 2 or 3 times per day and you would lose between 36 and 54 lbs in 1 year. Likely more if you add in the Afterburn Effect and a healthy balanced diet. As your endurance builds and weight drops you will start going faster and pushing yourself harder, possibly exercising for a lot more than 18 or 27 minutes per day... In which case you will reach your exercise goals faster than expected.

27 minutes is less than 2% of your day. Isn't it worth 2% of your day to achieve your exercise goals?

INTERESTING NOTE: Compare below the stationary gym bicycle calories burned vs cycling on a real bicycle. You burn way more calories on a real bicycle because you are moving your own bodyweight, whereas on a gym spinning stationary bicycle you aren't moving any weight. You burn way more calories on a real bicycle - which means the people shelling out money for spin classes would be better off just buying a normal bicycle.

The chart below shows many different activities a person can do and how many calories a 200 lb person would burn in 6 minutes doing those activities. The two best for burning calories (and therefore losing weight) are running and bicycling.

Gym Activities Calories Burned in 6 Minutes (calculated for a 200 lb person)
Aerobics: low impact	45.4	Aerobics: high impact	63.6
Aerobics, Step: 6" - 8" step	77.2	Aerobics, Step: 10" - 12" step	90.9
Aerobics: water	36.3	Bicycling, Stationary: moderate, 150 watts	63.6
Bicycling, Stationary: vigorous, 200 watts	95.4	Calisthenics: Vigorous, jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups, pullups	72.7
Calisthenics: Moderate, back exercises, going up and down from the floor	31.8	Circuit Training: w/some aerobic, minimal rest	72.7
Elliptical Trainer: general	65.4	Riders: general (ie., HealthRider)	36.3
Rowing, Stationary: moderate, 100 watts	63.6	Rowing, Stationary: vigorous, 150 watts	77.2
Ski Machine: general	63.6	Stair Step Machine: General, without supporting any bodyweight on hand rails	81.8
Stretching: Mild, Hatha Yoga	22.7	Teaching aerobics	54.5
Weight Lifting: Light, free weight, nautilus or universal-type	27.2	Weight Lifting: Vigorous, free weight, nautilus or universal-type	54.5
Training and Sport Activities Calories Burned in 6 Minutes
Archery: non-hunting	31.8	Badminton: general, social	40.9
Basketball: playing a game	72.7	Basketball: wheelchair	59
Basketball: shooting baskets	40.9	Basketball: officiating a game	63.6
Billiards	22.7	Bicycling: BMX or mountain	77.2
Bicycling: 12-13.9 mph, leisure, moderate effort	72.7	Bicycling: 14-15.9 mph, leisure racing, fast, vigorous	90.9
Bicycling: 16-19 mph, very fast, not drafting	109	Bicycling: > 20 mph, racing, not drafting	145.4
Bowling	27.2	Boxing: sparring	81.8
Boxing: punching bag	54.5	Boxing: in the ring	109
Coaching: football, soccer, basketball, etc.	36.3	Cricket: batting, bowling	45.4
Curling	36.3	Dancing: Fast, ballet, twist	43.6
Dancing: disco, ballroom, square, line, Irish step, polka	40.9	Dancing: slow, waltz, foxtrot, tango, fox trot	27.2
Fencing	54.5	Football: competitive	81.8
Football: touch, flag, general	72.7	Football or Baseball: playing catch	22.7
Frisbee: general	27.2	Frisbee: Ultimate	72.7
Golf: carrying clubs	40.9	Golf: using cart	31.8
Golf: driving range, miniature	27.2	Golf: walking and pulling clubs	39
Gymnastics: general	36.3	Hacky sack	36.3
Handball: general	109	Handball: team	72.7
Hang Gliding	31.8	Hiking: cross-country	54.5
Hockey: field & ice	72.7	Horseback Riding: general	36.3
Ice Skating: general	63.6	Kayaking	45.4
Martial Arts: judo, karate, kick boxing, tae kwan do	90.9	Motor-Cross	36.3
Orienteering	81.8	Polo	90.9
Race Walking	59	Racquetball: competitive	90.9
Racquetball: casual, general	63.6	Rock Climbing: ascending	100
Rock Climbing: rappelling	72.7	Rollerblade / In-Line Skating	113.6
Rope Jumping: general, moderate	90.9	Running: 5 mph (12 min/mile)	72.7
Running: 5.2 mph (11.5 min/mile)	81.8	Running: 6 mph (10 min/mile)	90.9
Running: 6.7 mph (9 min/mile)	100	Running: 7 mph (8.5 min/mile)	104.5
Running: 8.6 mph (7 min/mile)	127.2	Running: 10 mph (6 min/mile)	145.4
Running: training, pushing wheelchair, marathon wheeling	72.7	Running: cross-country	81.8
Running: stairs, up	136.3	Running: on track, team practice	90.9
Scuba or skin diving	63.6	Skateboarding	45.4
Skiing: cross-country, light effort, general, 2.5 mph	63.6	Skiing: cross-country, vigorous, 5.0 - 7.9 mph	85.7
Skiing: downhill, moderate effort	54.5	Skiing: downhill, vigorous effort, racing	72.7
Sky diving	31.8	Sledding, luge, toboggan, bobsled	63.6
Snorkeling	45.4	Snow Shoeing	72.7
Soccer: general	63.6	Soccer: competitive play	90.9
Softball or Baseball: slow or fast pitch, general	45.4	Softball: Officiating	36.3
Softball: pitching	54.5	Squash	109
Surfing: body or board	27.2	Swimming: general, leisurely, no laps	54.5
Swimming: laps, vigorous	90.9	Swimming: backstroke	63.6
Swimming: breaststroke	90.9	Swimming: butterfly	100
Swimming: crawl, moderate, 50 yds/min	72.7	Swimming: treading, moderate effort	72.7
Swimming: lake, ocean, river	54.5	Swimming: synchronized	72.7
Table Tennis / Ping Pong	36.3	Tai Chi	36.3
Tennis: singles, competitive	72.7	Tennis: doubles, competitive	45.4
Tennis: general play	63.6	Track & Field: shot, discus, hammer throw	36.3
Track & Field: high jump, long jump, triple jump, javelin, pole vault	54.5	Track & Field: steeplechase, hurdles	90.9
Volleyball: non-competitive, general play, 6 - 9 member team	27.2	Volleyball: competitive, gymnasium play	72.7
Volleyball: beach	72.7	Walk: 2 mph (30 min/mi)	22.7
Walk: 3 mph (20 min/mi)	30	Walk: 3.5 mph (17 min/mi)	34.5
Walk: 4 mph (15 min/mi)	45.4	Walk: 4.5 mph (13 min/mi)	57.2
Walk: 5 mph (12 min/mi)	72.7	Water Skiing	54.5
Water Polo	90.9	Water Volleyball	27.2
Whitewater: rafting, kayaking	45.4	Wrestling: one match = 5 minutes	54.5
Outdoor Home Maintenance / Improvement Activities  Calories Burned in 6 Minutes
Carpentry, installing rain gutters, building fence	54.5	Carrying & stacking wood	45.4
Chopping & splitting wood	54.5	Cleaning rain gutters	45.4
Digging, spading dirt, composting	45.4	Gardening: general	36.3
Gardening: weeding	40.9	Laying sod / crushed rock	45.4
Mowing Lawn: push, hand	54.5	Mowing Lawn: push, power	50
Operate Snow Blower: walking	40.9	Paint outside of home	45.4
Planting seedlings, shrubs	40.9	Plant trees	40.9
Raking Lawn	39	Roofing	54.5
Sacking grass or leaves	36.3	Shoveling Snow: by hand	54.5
Storm Windows: hanging	45.4	Sweeping: garage, sidewalks, outside of house	36.3
Trimming shrubs/trees: manual cutter	40.9	Trimming: using edger, power cutter, etc.	31.8
Watering plants, by hand	22.7	Workshop: general carpentry	27.2
Yard: applying seed or fertilizer, walking	22.7	Yard: watering by hand, standing/walking	13.6
Indoor Home Repair / Improvement Activities Calories Burned in 6 Minutes
Carpentry: finish or refinish furniture or cabinets	40.9	Caulking: bathroom, windows	40.9
Crafts: Standing, light effort	16.3	Hang sheet rock, paper or plaster walls	27.2
Lay or remove carpet/tile	40.9	Paint, paper, remodel: inside	40.9
Sanding floors with a power sander	40.9	Wiring and Plumbing	27.2
Home & Daily Life Activities Calories Burned in 6 Minutes
Child-care: bathing, feeding, etc.	27.2	Child games: moderate, hop-scotch, jacks, etc.	36.3
Cleaning House: general	27.2	Cleaning: light dusting, straightening up, taking out trash, etc.	22.7
Cooking / Food Preparation	18.1	Food Shopping: with or without cart	20.9
Heavy Cleaning: wash car, windows	27.2	Ironing	20.9
Making Bed	18.1	Moving: household furniture	54.5
Moving: carrying boxes	50.9	Moving: unpacking	31.8
Playing w/kids: moderate effort	36.3	Playing w/kids: vigorous effort	45.4
Reading: sitting	9	Standing in line	10.9
Standing: bathing dog	31.8	Sleeping	8.1
Vacuuming	31.8	Watching TV	9
Office Activities Calories Burned in 6 Minutes
Driving vehicle to work	18.1	Sitting: light office work, meeting	13.6
Standing: filing, light work	20.9	Riding in a bus or vehicle to work	9
Typing: Computer, electric or manual	13.6	Walking: work break	31.8
Occupational Activities Calories Burned in 6 Minutes
Bartending/Server	18.1	Bakery: general, moderate effort	36.3
Building Road: hauling debris, driving heavy machinery	54.5	Carpentry Work	31.8
Coaching Sports	36.3	Coal Mining	54.5
Computer Work	13.6	Construction: outside, remodeling	50
Custodial Word: general cleaning, moderate effort	31.8	Electrical Work	31.8
Firefighting	109	Forestry, general	72.7
Forestry: planting trees by hand	54.5	Heavy Equip. Operator	22.7
Horse Grooming	54.5	Light Office Work	13.6
Locksmith	31.8	Masonry	63.6
Masseur, standing	36.3	Moving / Pushing heavy objects >75 lbs.	68.1
Patient Care: Nursing	27.2	Plumbing	31.8
Police Officer: making an arrest	36.3	Printing: operator, standing	20.9
Sitting in Class	16.3	Shoe Repair: general	22.7
Steel Mill: general	72.7	Theater Work	21.8
Truck Driving: loading and unloading truck	59	Welding	27.2

Exercise Vs Bullies and Depression

Exercise is an amazing thing for the human body.

It builds self-confidence. It keeps away depression. It burns calories. It builds muscles. It promotes better sleep.

And it deters bullies in school.

If the photo of the kid on the right looks familiar that is because it is a young Arnold Schwarzenegger when he was 14 years old.

He didn't start weight lifting and weight training until he was 15 years old. Before then his favourite sport was soccer.

And it certainly did not stunt his growth either. Weight lifting took a skinny teenager who had confidence issues and turned him into a weight training champion and later a Hollywood success story.

Parents these days worry about their kids a lot. They worry because their kids are being bullied in school, because their kids are moody and depressed, and they think they can solve these problems by taking the poor kid to a psychiatrist.

A psychiatrist who will often prescribe anti-depressants designed for adults for children.

I would argue however that teenagers are already going through enough hormonal problems that throwing anti-depressant medications into the mix causes a lot more harm than good. If anything anti-depressants are probably stunting their growth, contributing to childhood and teenage obesity rates - and worse - creating a culture of drug addiction within the child's mind.

In contrast exercise (not just weight lifting, any kind of exercise) is a natural remedy for depression. Exercise boosts a person's sense of well-being, their metabolism speeds up, they burn more fat, build more muscle, sleep better, and feel more positive about themselves.

That increased self confidence also means they can stand up to bullies / ignore bullies more easily, without feeling like a loser because they know they are better than the bully. (Bullies are inherently filled with their own feelings of inadequacy and usually take to bullying because they have troubles at home, have weight issues, feel they are less intelligent compared to other students, any number of causes.)

In other words thanks to boosted self-confidence and an increased lack of bullying the child becomes ever more confident in their own abilities - and yet often has a degree of humility because they remember where they once were in life.

Many parents often get their kids martial arts lessons when they discover their kids are being bullied, but honestly any kind of aggressive exercise would help dramatically. I say aggressive with respect to exercises that utilize weightlifting and resistance training, including many kinds of sports. So for example jogging simply isn't aggressive enough because it would only build leg muscles and endurance and would not build the same amount of self confidence that came with learning a sport like caber tossing.

Now admittedly your kids probably won't get into caber tossing. But this is just an example of many of the sports that kids can get into that are more physical and require a bit more brute strength and effort compared to other exercises that are comparatively not that difficult. Parents need to encourage their kids to try these more difficult sports so the kids have a chance to try something they might like, and the boosted confidence from doing it (even if they didn't like it) will stay with them for years.

Some parents even hire personal trainers for their kids in an effort to encourage their kid to enter a life of healthy exercise which will keep their child on a healthy track all their way through life. It probably won't lead to the Olympics or professional sports, but the child which grows into an adult will have many years of happiness and health ahead of them thanks to the parent who planned ahead and put some thought into their child's exercise regimen.

Speaking for myself my parents put me through numerous years of ice skating, swimming, boy scouts, and as I got older and started making my own decisions I got into cycling, archery, boxing, tae kwon do, freehand mountain climbing, and many other physical activities long before I became a personal trainer.

I am very thankful my parents took an active interest in my physical and mental well-being.

In our day and age, with the USA and Canada's cutbacks on physical education, the lowered interest of children with sports (and increased use of computers / electronic gadgets), it has become ever more important for parents to encourage children to engage in sports and physical activities.

Find something that your kids enjoy and encourage them to keep doing it. It doesn't matter whether it is ballet or parkour (although I recommend wearing a helmet for parkour) and find ways to add such activities to your child's weekly schedule so they are guaranteed to keep doing them for years to come.

And if it is an activity that both parents and child can take part in, so much the better!