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PHIL’S BAR—THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY SNACKA favorite snack food is my homemade Phil’s Bar. Use it as a pre- and post-competition food, and even during competition. It’s also a great in-between meal snack, main meal when traveling, and even a healthy dessert. It’s a complete meal—low glycemic carbohydrates—that includes protein and good fats. And it tastes great. Here’s the recipe:Ingredients:3 cups whole almonds
2/3 cup powdered egg white
4 tablespoons pure powdered cocoa
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Pinch of sea salt
⅓ cup honey
⅓ cup hot water
1 to 2 teaspoons vanillaDirections:Grind dry ingredients. Mix honey, hot water, and vanilla and blend into dry ingredients. (At this point, you may have to mix it all by hand if your mixer isn’t very efficient). Shape into bars, cookies, or lightly press into a buttered muffin tin. You can also press the batter into a dish (about one-inch deep) and cut into squares. Allow to dry. Adjust the water/honey ratio for less or more sweetness. Keep refrigerated (they’ll still last a week or more out of the refrigerator). For other flavor options, use fresh lemon instead of cocoa, or use more coconut. Makes ten to twelve bars.

The key to healthful snacking during your normal week is to reduce the amount of food eaten at regular meals and to distribute this nutritional wealth throughout the day. Eat five or six smaller meals that add up to the same amount of food that you would normally consume in a typical two- or three-meal-a-day routine. After a good breakfast, eat every two to four hours, based on how good it makes you feel. Those under more stress or with blood sugar problems usually need to eat more frequently. An example of a daily meal schedule starts with breakfast, a midmorning snack, lunch, a midafternoon snack, a light dinner, and if necessary a small snack (which can be a healthy dessert) in the early evening.

Healthy snacks can be almost anything you like, just as long as they are made from real, healthy food. For many people, snacks, like regular meals, should contain protein. Experiment to discover how much food you need and which types work best. Some people may need to eat much larger snacks but others can get by on minimal amounts. Snacks should be just like any other healthy meal, just smaller, and still supply adequate nutrition. This might include:

 

 

Vegetables and fruits, such as an apple or pieces of carrot and celeryRaw almonds or cashews, or almond butter with apple slicesLeftoversPlain yogurt and fresh fruitCheese and fruitA boiled eggHomemade energy bar or healthy smoothie

Healthy snacking will quickly suppress cravings, especially for junk foods, improve physical and mental energy, and can even stimulate fat burning. Since snacking stabilizes blood sugar and prompts your body to produce normal levels of insulin, your body will store less fat and use more of it to fuel all your training and competition. Snacking can also help your body counteract the harmful effects of daily stress. In this way you reduce the overproduction of the stress hormone cortisol and insulin (both can prompt your body to store more fat). Snacking also helps to reduce cholesterol. Studies show that eating more frequently can lower blood cholesterol, specifically LDL, the “bad” cholesterol. In addition, studies show a staggering 30 percent increase in heart disease in those eating three meals or less per day.