Get Fit with Ayla

by Ayla Riggle

Ayla Riggle is an Everett resident and owner of Thrive Fitness, providing customized fitness programs for all fitness levels.  Certified by the American Council on Exercise as a Personal Fitness trainer, she provides personal training in home, at Anytime Fitness in Lake Stevens and outdoor fitness boot camps. For more information on Ayla and her services, visit www.thrivefitness.info.

Snacking between meals provides hunger control. Not only will you be satisfied between meals, you won't have to be worried about the portion police when it comes time to eat your main meals because you will be able to make sensible, savvy, sizable choices come lunch or dinner time. Snacks should be filling, nutritious and enjoyable.

By eating frequently throughout your day, you will stoke your metabolism. Eating something every two to three hours tells signals to your body that it can expend energy (calories) rather than storing it as fat. Eating infrequently and too little does the exact opposite, instead of expending the calories you consume, your body stores it away (as fat) in a "famine mode." This is why yo-yo dieters have fleeting weight loss, only to regain (and often a little extra) fairly quickly once they resume eating reasonable portions.

Bewildered by all the "healthy" snack options at the supermarket? Try some of these snacks to save your diet and your sanity!

Hummus and Veggies

Apple and almond butter

String cheese and banana

1/2 a whole wheat pita with reduced fat cheese and spinach

Non fat yogurt with half packet of instant oats mixed in

Almonds (a small handful) with a small handful of raisins

1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese with berries or mandarin oranges

Kashi GoLean granola bars

As a general rule of thumb, the more you stick to the outer perimeter of the grocery store, the healthier the options (think produce, meats, dairy sections). Aim for nutritious whole foods that are either minimally or non-processed or refined. Whole foods are foods that still have most of their nutrients intact and are the healthiest way to eat.

Tips for healthy on-the-go snacking:

• Stock your fridge with fresh produce like apples, sugar snap peas, carrots, celery, oranges, berries. All are easy grab and go snacks.

• Plan ahead, chop your veggies, and create little "snack bags" of celery and almonds or a string cheese with a mandarin orange. Have something healthy, handy and ready when you're on the run.

• Skip the drive-throughs and the espresso brownie calling your name, and stop at a grocery store and pick up a yogurt and a piece of fruit when you're hungry and in a hurry. It's really about the same wait time as a drive-through.

• Drink lots of water!

Get a jumpstart to reaching your fitness goals with me as your guide. Visit http://www.thrivefitness.info to find out more.