As we navigate this new normal, immunity and wellness have never been more important. With no commute times and sitting at a desk all day, the opportunity for daily movement became increasingly necessary.
This year we’ve been getting our sweat in at home, in between cats doing downward dogs, pups trying to cuddle and roommate’s conference calls.
Luckily there has been no shortage of streamed workouts. Looking for the perfect morning workout, we’ve done barre with Adrienne on Alo Moves, physical conditioning with Taryn on The Class’s digital studio and taken a ride with Olivia on Peloton.
With the exploration of movement, the question of how to fuel that movement becomes increasingly critical. While hydrating with water feels universal, fuelling with healthy snacks is more complex. Here is what works for us.
Prior to meeting on the mat, we fuel up about two hours before exercise with a healthy snack. Our pre workout snack is something easily digestible avoiding saturated fats or too much protein as these types of fuels digest slower and redirect oxygen from your muscles to your stomach. I’ll reach for a nomz hazelnut energy bite. Not only do these bites make me nostalgic for Ferrero Rocher chocolates, their macros are the perfect balance for fuelling a workout! If I only have a few moments before I’m heading into my home studio/living room, a banana is a great option in a pinch.
Refuelling the tank is just as important as laying the foundation with a pre workout snack. Healthy recovery snacks should be consumed about 20-60 minutes after your workout. My favourite healthy snack for recovery is a slice of sweet potato toast with nomz pistachio butter. The sweet potato works to replenish carbs burned during the workout while the pistachio butter’s nutrient profile is key for proper recovery. Pistachio butter’s antioxidants and protein promote muscle recovery; additionally pistachios are filled with nutrients like vitamin A, magnesium and potassium. The body loses potassium during intense exercise which can lead to muscle weakness if not replenished.
Ever body is different, pay attention to what works for you. Make sure to enjoy the luxury of movement, and treat your body with the proper nutrition to support the work you do.
]]>Healthy fats that come from natural foods like fruits, legumes, and nuts, are good for you! On the other hand, unhealthy fats that come from processed foods like doughnuts, margarine and soybean oil, are bad for you.
There are 3 main types of fat: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. When you hear the term “healthy fat” it is in reference to monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Bad fats are in reference to saturated and trans fats.
Scientifically what makes fat differ from each other is the bond structure. Unhealthy fats can raise your “bad” cholesterol which can increase your risk for developing heart disease. Trans fat creates inflammation, which is linked to stroke, diabetes, and other conditions. They contribute to insulin resistance, which increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. And of course the obvious, eating a lot of trans fat leads to weight gain.
Several diets that are popular right now focus and even centre around eating healthy fats. The two that most people are familiar with are the keto diet and the paleo diet. Although these two diets have different guidelines and principles, healthy fats are encouraged and praised in both.
Healthy fats are essential for optimal functioning in our entire body. Many vitamins, like Vitamin A, D, E and K are fat-soluble vitamins – that means they need to dissolve in fat in order to be absorbed by the body and perform their functions.
What can healthy fatty foods do for you? Here is a list of benefits:
The best way to add more healthy fat into your diet is to be aware of what foods contain it. Here are ten snack ideas that contain healthy fat that you can easily add into your diet!
When it’s time for your next hiking trip, camping adventure or wherever you may be traveling, consider bringing some of these healthy snacks to avoid the mad dash to the store that sells only candy, chips and soda.
What are healthiest, tastiest snacks you can take on your next hike or outdoor adventure?
Frozen grapes are one of our favourite snacks to bring on a hike. They are tasty, a great source of energy, fibre and potassium.
They make for a quick and easy snack but they keep things cool! If you are going on a day or overnight trip, frozen grapes kill two birds with one stone - they can act as an ice pack to beat the heat!
Craving candy sitting by the campfire or need to fuel before getting started on a hike? Dates are a great source of fibre; they help keep digestion optimal and they provide a sustainable energy boost without the crash.
Go nuts! Think almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts. All of these choices are packed with protein, contain healthy fats and keep your appetite at bay. A handful of nuts gives you the energy boost to keep you going!
Energy bars are a popular choice for hiking and camping trips, but watch out for additives and high sugar content. Nomz Energy Bites are a good alternative for energy bars as they are natural, easy to pack and have healthy fats that will fill you up until your next meal.
Buying fruit, cutting it up and bringing it in your own containers is the best way to keep it fresher for longer. Lemon wedges to put in your water bottle is a great way to get vitamin C and flavor. Watermelon and oranges are excellent choices because of their water content. Same goes for cucumbers and celery, plus they are easy to cut up and eat on the go. Most importantly, buy what you like, what will keep longer and always try for what is in season!
Choose whichever one you like, all are high in protein and fuel your body. Many come in single packet forms and go great on celery, cucumbers or mixed with dates!
Dried seaweed makes a great snack because it's lightweight, full of vitamins and minerals, and lasts a long time. Mix it in a soup or eat it raw as a snack.
What you snack on matters! Your hiking foods should be high in energy and low in added sugars to avoid a crash. They should be portable and delicious. Before you go on your next trip, spend some time planning out what you’ll nibble on before and after meals because what you snack on matters!
]]>One diet that is really picking up momentum and is seemingly everywhere is the ketogenic diet, better known as the keto diet. Let's look at what it's all about.
When your body is in ketosis, it begins to convert fat into ketones which become your body’s new fuel source. When you deprive your body of carbohydrates, which are the main fuel source for people, you’re also depriving your body of it’s ability to keep glycogen stores filled up. When this happens it needs to find another fuel source so your body starts to transition to a metabolic state which is ketosis.
Many people desire ketosis to enhance their mental performance and physical performance, lose weight, increase their mood and overall disease prevention. Without the ups and downs of the surges of glucose (think sugar crash), the human body has a more evened out energy level.
Ketosis uses oxygen more efficiently and avoids physical crashes of low blood sugar. Fat is a preferred energy source of the brain, and people believe the keto diet makes them feel more mentally focused and clear.
The keto diet has different variations that support different lifestyles and goals:
The keto diet’s main goal is to convert fat into ketones which become your body’s new fuel source. A keto diet’s general rules are this: eat high amounts of fat, moderate amounts of protein and very little carbohydrates.
For most people following the standard keto diet, it’s usually about 70-80% fat, 10-20% protein and 5-10% carbohydrates. These percentages are made with the objective to induce the body into ketosis.
The main source of energy for our bodies is sugar, however there is a more efficient source of fuel that is rarely utilized: ketones. The end goal of a properly maintained keto diet is to force your body into this metabolic state. You don’t do this through starvation of calories but starvation of carbohydrates.
Our bodies are very adaptive and when you overload it with fats and nix carbohydrates, it will begin to burn ketones and the body is induced into a state known as ketosis.
People have always relied on ketones for energy when glucose sources were scarce, especially during long winters when there was no fruit available. It is a normal state of metabolism but due to carbohydrates being available everywhere and consumed in large amounts, it is not experienced by many. However, our bodies know how to burn ketones for fuel amazingly and it is safe.
When you are on the keto diet, the quality of the food you eat matters. Choose nourishing and nutritious food that you enjoy eating!
Since the keto diet is all about healthy fats, Nomz is an excellent healthy choice for those who are following this diet. Nomz is created with a base of coconut oil, a preferred healthy fat for those following the keto diet.
In addition, all of our flavours include other healthy fats like almonds, pistachios and hazelnuts. It is important to find food with high-quality, healthy fats since it centers around it and that makes Nomz a no-brainer for someone on the keto diet.
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When you are on a mission to be healthy, and that sweet tooth hits, it can be trouble. Ignoring your cravings can start to feel like mission impossible... but now it doesn’t have to. Cue, Energy Bites!
Energy Bites are clean and simple, but don’t think that means they lack taste in any way. Like Leonardo da Vinci said, "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" and we couldn’t agree more.
Energy Bites are delicious, nutritious and ideal for anyone who loves something sweet sans the guilt. Energy Bites all contain the same healthy base, they are hand-rolled with organic dates, nuts, cocoa, coconut oil and sea salt.
Currently Energy Bites are available in 4 flavours: fresh coconut, pistachio, almond and hazelnut. We choose these distinct flavours because of their incredible taste and nutrition.
There are ways to satisfy your sweet cravings without compromising your health. Energy Bites contain only natural and organic ingredients. When we carefully crafted each recipe, our goal was to have them fit into many people’s different lifestyles and diets.
We know one size doesn’t fit all, but these Energy Bites come close! All flavours of Energy Bites are both vegan and paleo.
All flavours are gluten-free and peanut-free. Yes, that is right, Energy Bites check the boxes of being vegan, paleo, gluten-free and peanut-free!
The best part about Energy Bites? There is absolutely no refined sugar! Sugar has become a serious addiction for many people and it comes with a serious price.
Excessive sugar in your diet has a whole long list of negative consequences and can really damage your overall health. Sugar is everywhere, from beverages to meals to a variety of even so called healthy snacks.
If you are looking to keep your body strong, mind clear and have a sense of overall well-being, it is time to take a look at what you eat and see how much refined sugar you are consuming on a daily basis.
If you consider your diet to be high in refined sugar, one of the most important things for your health and well-being is to cut back as much as possible and as quickly as you can.
In order to get that sweet and satisfying taste, we use dates in our Energy Bites. Dates are packed with nutrients, provide many health benefits and they taste really, really good! Two words: nature’s candy.
Processed food, additives, and all of the other junk in most “healthy” snacks don’t taste nearly as delectable and sweet as the real thing. Dates are high in natural sugars like fructose, sucrose and glucose. These sugars are easily processed and utilized by the body for energy.
Dates are an ideal choice for someone looking to eat healthy without compromising taste. Dates are packed with fiber, potassium and magnesium, three key minerals for the body.
In order to get the desired texture, nutritional profile and taste, we use organic coconut oil. Coconut oil has become a major ingredient in health products around the world and there’s good reason for that.
Coconut oil is packed with nutrients, is antibacterial, contains good fats and tastes delicious! It is important to remember that healthy fats do not make you fat! The healthy fat in coconut oil does not circulate in the bloodstream like other fats; they are sent directly to the liver and are converted into energy. So the body does not store the fat in coconut oil as fat; it uses it to produce energy instead.
Snacks with coconut oil in them is a great addition for those who lead an active lifestyle. Health benefits include: helps lower cholesterol, stimulates metabolism, helps control blood sugar, supports the immune system and is rich in antioxidants (think, glowing skin!).
Energy Bites are versatile and that means they are good for a variety of people and endless occasions. The obvious one is for healthy snacking but people eat Energy Bites at all times of the day for all different kinds of activities and occasions.
Pre-workout snack, post-workout snack, breakfast (they go great with coffee!), after dinner treat, travel food, and they are great for teaching kids how to snack healthy!
Order Energy Bites directly on our website or at a store near you!
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