5 snack swaps that will really make a difference!

When it comes to snacks, just because it is conveniently wrapped and handy-sized does not mean it is in any way good for your body. While there are plenty of convenient but bad for you snack choices, there are also some foods that pull double duty by being convenient for on-the-go eating and packed full of good nutrition. Here is a list of the five worst snack foods tand some better foods to eat instead:

#5 Worst – Candy Bars
While it is true that a Snickers bar boasts high protein content in comparison to other candy bars, it also contains 30 grams of sugar, 14 grams of fat and 5 grams of saturated fat. If people are going to eat candy bars, those that contain peanuts are the best options due to the amount of protein they can contain, but realistically, 4 grams of protein isn’t worth all of those negatives.
Instead of grabbing a candy bar, pack a protein or granola bar in your dancer’s bag. Bars like Luna, Clif, Larabar and Kind are all made with whole, natural ingredients and can contain between 4 and 12 grams of protein each without added refined sugars.

#4 Worst – Potato Chips and other snack chips
Conveniently packed into little take-along bags, chips are a popular snack for people on-the-go. However, they pretty much offer nothing of benefit to anyone from hard working athletes to full time office employees. In one snack-sized bag of Lays or Doritos, people will consume between 10-12 grams of fat, 200-300 grams of sodium, and between 150-250 calories. This seems pretty low and harmless, but the real problem is what is NOT in these bags. There are 15 grams of carbohydrates, but only 1 gram of fiber. There are 150-250 calories but only 1-2 grams of proteins. And the baked varieties aren’t much better, though they do have slightly less amounts of sodium and a significantly lower amount of fat. The lesser of two evils, but still not ideal.
Crackers and Pretzels can be better choices, especially if you find low-sodium varieties. Crackers that are multigrain, organic or whole wheat will provide more fiber and fewer preservatives than other varieties, and unsalted, whole grain pretzels will keep you full and energized better than any bag of chips.

#3 Worst – Fruit snacks
Don’t be fooled by the word “fruit” that has been cleverly placed upon the label of these snack foods. Most fruit snacks contain very little real fruit ingredients, if any at all. These foods have similar nutritional content to candies like gummy bears and taffy, so there isn’t much to fuel a dancer aside from a quick, short sugar rush.
The best substitute here is fruit, hands down. Easy to carry, on-the-go fruits are apples, bananas, pears, peaches and other fruits that are easy to peel, or eaten with the skin on. These have only natural sugars and are filled to the brim with vitamins and minerals making them nature’s perfect snack.

#2 Worst – Donuts and Pastries
Fried dough filled with sugary syrup-coated fruits and/or creams and cheeses, topped with frosting or powdered sugar and filled with tons of preservatives and not much else. This sounds like a recipe for disaster. Hardly any protein to speak of and often lacking in any dietary fiber, these foods may contain a miniscule amount of vitamins if they’re filled with fruit, but not nearly enough to make up any of anyone's Recommended Daily Intake (RDI).
Whole grain bagels with peanut butter and honey are a very sweet and filling snack that pack a huge protein and fiber punch. Go for organic and all natural peanut butters and bagels to add even more nutrition and reduce preservatives and refined sugars.

#1 Worst – Fast Food Meals
Sometimes our days can run pretty late, and it’s important to make sure we get to eat a good dinner, especially when we're working hard. However, a fast food burger and fries is one of the worst meals to consume for a number of reasons. These foods are heavy, greasy, very high in sodium and sugar (even a hamburger from a fast food restaurant can contain more than 10g of sugar!) and contain tons of fats, both unsaturated and saturated. In general, these foods can wreak havoc on someone’s health if eaten often. Also, eating salty foods can cause dehydration, which is never a good idea for busy people.
Just like we all remember from our days in school, the best way to ensure that a person gets a healthy meal is to brown bag it. Heading out of the house with a peanut butter sandwich and some fruit or some pita and hummus would be quite the healthy choice. If packing a dinner isn’t an option, grabbing a sub sandwich or a wrap can be much healthier as a meal, especially when it’s packed with both proteins and vegetables. Fast food isn’t the only easy meal option, and it certainly isn’t the best option when there are tons of sandwich shops around most areas.

Food is a truly important part of a person's day because it is what gives them to fuel to perform their best at whatever it is they need to do at any given time. Life demands a great deal from the body, so it’s important to give the body what it needs to rise to the challenge without wearing out too fast.

I'm Back and Kicking

I haven't posted in a while, and I'm really sorry for that. I've missed writing as much as I've missed knowing that you all were reading. But I'll explain why.

I have been struggling with my body for almost a year now. I know it may not seem like it from pictures, or for anyone who sees me on a daily basis. But I am. My body is fighting my efforts to keep it healthy, fit and toned, despite my constant exercise and healthy diet. I won't get into why this is happening, just know that it is happening and that there is nothing I can do about it. I simply have to deal with it, and hope that it rights itself on its own someday soon.

I didn't want to write much while I was going through this because I honestly felt like a hypocrite. Like, if I can't keep my own body fit, how could I possibly inspire others to do the same?

But recently I've been trying to accept this and learn to love my body again, and I really want to write again. Not only to give everyone my fitness and diet advice that I just love writing about, but also to encourage all of you to love your bodies, NO MATTER WHAT! Whether it's model-fit or cushion-comfortable, our bodies are the only ones we have, and we have to respect and love them just like we would love anything else that carries us through life so strongly and wonderfully.

There is one thing I will say today, and I hope that you all can relate to this with whatever is your own passion in life. I will never stop dancing. I will never stop moving. That is my essence: movement. Even when I can't dance on stage anymore, I know that I will keep dancing in any way I can. I will continue to teach dance as much as possible. I will take every BodyJam, every Zumba and every Dance-fitness class I can find. And I will always dance around my house like a crazy teenager while listening to my favorite punk songs.

No matter what happens to my body, I know that nothing will take me away from dancing. And I hope that if I learn to love myself as I am right now, my body will right itself and get back to normal. That's how these things work, I think. You have to love yourself before you can see any results from all of your hard work. :)