5 tasty low-calorie snacks

 We’ve uncovered five healthy snack ideas to get you through your day and the 3 pm hunger pangs.

1. Homemade popcorn: Unlike our favourite buttery movie companion, this version is a low-calorie and high-fibre snack. Just add ½ cup of corn kernels to a brown paper bag and microwave for a couple of minutes, until the popping slows down to one or two pops per second.

“Homemade popcorn is a fun wholegrain snack that provides you with roughly 1g of fibre and 1g of protein per cup for as little as 30 calories!” says wholefood dietitian and nutritionist Larina Robinson.

The best part? You can top with a touch of Himalayan salt and nut butter or spices such as turmeric or cinnamon for anti-inflammatory benefits. Or if you have the tastebuds for it, seaweed flakes are high in iodine, which is important for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland.  

2. Fibre One™ snacks: Sucker for a 3pm sweet hit but don’t like making your own healthy treat? Try Fibre One™ squares and brownies: these delicious snacks taste just like your traditional brownie, but with only 90 calories per serve.

Plus, they come in two mouth-watering flavours: Chocolate Fudge Brownie and Salted Caramel Squares. For only $5.49 for a pack of 5, it’s hard to resist.

3. Tuna with wholegrain crackers: For a healthy alternative to cheese and crackers to get you through those never-ending emails, a handful of wholegrain crackers and a tin of tuna in springwater contains around 163 calories.

This combo is high in protein and slow-releasing carbs, keeping you full for longer while not spiking blood sugar levels – the perfect afternoon or pre-workout fuel.

4. Overnight oats: AddGreek yoghurt, almond milk, chia seeds, shredded coconut and cinnamon to a cup of rolled oats in a jar and leave to set overnight. Top with your favourite berries when ready to eat. A standard breakfast-sized jar contains around 370 calories but you can halve the serving amount for a morning or afternoon snack.

Chia seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and are high in fibre, aiding digestion, and cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties. You’ll reap myriad benefits from all of the ingredients, according to Robinson.

“It contains protein for muscle repair and to keep you feeling full for longer, slow-releasing carbohydrates for sustained energy and for stabilising blood sugar levels, fibre to support digestion and control weight, antioxidants to fight free radical that damage the body’s cells, and healthy fats for supple skin and healthy hair,” she says.

5. Homemade hommus with vegie sticks: Ditch the packaged store-bought dips with unhealthy oils and additives and grab a tin of chickpeas and make your own hommus.

Chickpeas are rich in protein and soluble fibre, aiding digestion, reducing inflammation and helping with heart and bone health and maintaining weight. A 2-3 tablespoon serve is roughly 100-150 calories.

Cut carrot and cucumber into sticks for dipping and you have yourself a low calorie afternoon pick-me-up, plus it’s a great way of getting in an extra serve of vegies.

This piece was produced in partnership between Fibre One^TM and Women’s Health & Fitness magazine.

 

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Strength building core finisher workout

 

A strong core will support everything else you do, but when most people think of core they only think of abs. Head trainer Alexa Towersey and Jenna Douros show us how to build up your core. 

 

 

 

 

The core includes all of the abs (deep and superficial) in addition to the muscles of the hips and lower back. These four exercises are designed to target as much of the core as possible. When combined with the flexion, extension and rotation exercises in the DB Complex and HIIT workout, you have a very comprehensive workout plan. Where possible, think of squeezing the inner thighs together and drawing the pelvic floor in and up (think holding your pee mid-flow) – this is the most surefire way to activate the midline and the ‘lazier’ lower and deep transverse abdominals. We don’t just want a washboard stomach on the outside, we want a corset on the inside. You can do the exercises in any order but I like to start with the lower abs (reverse crunches) and finish with a neutral spine (reinforcing correct posture for the day).

Reps: 20 of each

Progression:

Week 1: 1 set | Week 2: 2 sets

Week 3: 3 sets | Week 4: 4 sets

 

Reverse Crunch x 20

 

Lying on your back, lift your legs in the air with your knees slightly bent. Place your hands on the floor beside you. Without momentum, use your lower abs to slowly curl the hips off the floor as if you want to touch your toes to the ceiling. Slowly lower them back to the starting position. This is one rep.

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Knee Hugs x 20

 

Sit down on the mat with your knees bent, your hands hugging your knees and lift your feet off the floor. Open your arms, extend your legs as long and as low as possible without arching your back. Lift your torso, bend your knees, and return to the starting position.

 

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Window Wipers x 12

Lie on your back and raise your legs 90 degrees. Spread your arms straight out to your sides for support. Rotate your legs to one side, stopping short of touching the floor. Rotate to the other side. Try and reach the top hip on the rotation while keeping the opposite shoulder on the ground to make sure you’re not only working the abs but getting a great stretch through the upper (thoracic spine). As you improve, bring your arms closer in to your body so they offer less stability.

 

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Plank-Ups x 12

 

 

 

The goal is to maintain a solid plank position throughout the whole exercise and to not let your hips sway. Start on your elbows and toes. Keep your hips as still as possible, push up with one hand, then the other, until you are propped up in a push-up position. Lower back down to your elbows one arm at a time. Halfway through, change your leading arm so you strengthen the other shoulder as you press up to your hands. Note: hand placement should be where your elbows were – don’t cheat the movement by just trying to straighten your arm.

 

Models/Trainers: Alexa Towersey (@actionalexa) &
Jenna Douros (@jennalouise_jl)

Photographer: Jason Lee // @jasonminilee

Wearing: Douros – P.E. Nation // Towersey – Heroine Sport
(shoes by Athletic Propulsion Labs) via Stylerunner

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Superfood strawberry protein milkshake recipe

 

Alleviate the brain fog and keep your mood in check with this protein smoothie.

Ingredients (makes one smoothie)

• 1 cup coconut, soy or almond milk
• 1 scoop Activated Nutrients Vanilla Bean Daily Protein
• 1 teaspoon Activated Nutrients Daily Superfood powder
• Approximately 7 frozen, sliced strawberries

 

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender

2. Blend until smooth

3. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

 

NUTRITION (per smoothie)

Protein: 19g // Fat: 5g //

Carbs: 16g // Calories: 213g

 

 

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Jenna Douros' HIIT workout sampler

 

Designed to get your heart rate high and burn max calories this HIIT circuit by Jenna Douros will also help you improve your muscle endurance and cardiovascular fitness.

 

 

 

 

 

It requires only your body weight, so you can perform the workout literally anywhere. Complete all exercises back-to-back, as quickly as possible, with only transition time as rest. At the end of the round, rest for 30 to 90 seconds. Complete 2 to 5 rounds.

Kick-sits x 20

 

 

 

 

 

 

Start in a bear position, hands directly under shoulders and elbows/knees hovering approximately an inch off the ground, under hips. Keep both hands planted on the ground while you thread one leg though to the opposite side until your hip taps the ground. Bring your leg back through the same way and repeat on the opposite side.

Plyo Push-tucks x 10

 

Start by lying on your belly with your hands flat on the floor, tucked just under your shoulders. From this position you want to push your body up into a raised plank position while simultaneously tucking both knees towards your underarms. Return the same way and repeat for a total of 10 reps.

In and Outs in Squat Position on Toes x 20

 

 

Start in a squat position. Now raise up onto your toes before jumping both feet out wide and back in again. That’s 1 rep.

Wall Walks x 8

 

Start by lying on your belly with your feet touching a wall and hands above your head. From this position, reverse/push your body up the wall, walking your hands all the way in so that your chest meets the wall. Return the same way and repeat for a total of 8 reps. You ould regress this exercise to reverse burpees, where you just place your hands on the ground as if for a regular burpee and jump your feet up the wall.

Travelling Mountain Climbers x 10 each direction

 

 

Just like your standard mountain climber; the difference being you will move left for 10 reps and right for 10 reps.

 

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