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A little stress is the spice of life, and it has its benefits. Healthy stress can help sharpen your focus so you can power through that work presentation, for example, creatively solve a pressing problem, or even run a 5K at top form. If you had no stress in your life, you’d likely be bored, unmotivated, and not living up to your full potential.

But when stress becomes chronic, or long term, it begins to take a toll on both your body and your brain—which happens to way too many of us. More than three-fourths of all Americans regularly experience stress-related physical symptoms such as fatigue, headache, or an upset stomach. (1) Stress seeps into relationships, invades your office space, and keeps you up at night.

Fortunately, you can learn to manage it—and simple breathing techniques can help. Here are five breathing exercises for stress relief to help you through your next difficult moment.

Diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and gut dysbiosis all have links to chronic stress. If you’re feeling stressed day in and day out, these breathing exercises can help. Take a deep breath and check out five breathing techniques that can help you find relief. #healthylifestyle #wellness

This Is You on Stress

Stress is a normal mind–body response that all of us experience to some degree. Physiologist Hans Selye first used “stress” in this sense in 1936, defining it as the “non-specific response of the body to any demand made upon it.” (2)

There are real evolutionary advantages to this. After all, how do you think our Paleolithic ancestors survived being chased by predators? These physical changes in your body speed your reaction time and enhance your focus and allow you to act quickly and decisively. This rush of stress hormones appears to temporarily strengthen brain neuron connections, which, in turn, may improve your memory and concentration over the short term.

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley found that rats exposed to acute but short-lived stress doubled the production of new brain cells in their hippocampus (the memory center of the brain), compared to brain cell production under normal conditions. (3) This type of short-term stress may actually help to temporarily boost immunity by increasing levels of white blood cells like neutrophils and lymphocytes. (4)

Managing Bad Stress

The key to managing your stress is the ability to turn it on and off like a faucet. Left on too long, it can cause major damage to your mind and body. In our 21st-century world, stress doesn’t usually come in the form of occasionally fighting against life-threatening wild beasties as we hunt and gather our food. Instead, it manifests on a daily basis through routine stressors—a traffic-filled morning commute … a difficult boss … deadlines and demands … unresolved relationship issues … family obligations … and a cellphone chirping at you at all hours of the day.

Your body responds to this chronic stress by activating the hypothalamus, triggering your adrenal glands to release cortisol. When you’re constantly stressed, your cortisol levels are running high all the time. That’s why you—and your body—are headed for health trouble if you don’t get chronic stress under control.

A 2018 study published in the journal Circulation, for example, examined almost 222,000 people over the age of 45 and found that those with a high degree of stress had a significantly higher risk of heart attack or stroke. (5) Another study found that people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other stress-related psychiatric issues were up to 46 percent more likely to develop an autoimmune disorder later in life. (6)

Other effects of chronic stress include:

• Elevated blood sugar, increasing risk of diabetes
• Weakened immune system
• Leaky gut
• Reduced ability to burn fat and increase in belly fat
• Reduced (inadequate) levels of the adrenal hormone DHEA, testosterone, growth hormone, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which can lead to insulin resistance
• Higher risk of depression, anxiety, and mood imbalances

No matter how picture perfect your lifestyle may appear to be—and no matter how healthy your diet is—if you’re not managing your stress effectively, you’re at risk for modern degenerative conditions like heart disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism, and autoimmune disorders.

Breathe Your Way to Stress Relief

While we can’t eliminate all stress from our lives, we can control our responses to it. Stressful experiences often trigger a cascade of fears and anxieties. As a result, we get so carried away by our thought processes that we’re unable to cope with the reality of the moment.

This type of practice helps ground us in the present moment and focus on what is, right now, rather than what we fear might be. It’s a very helpful mindfulness technique, especially for beginners and for those who resist traditional meditation practices, because it gives you something specific to focus on—your breathing—when your mind starts to wander so you won’t get distracted by worries or other negative emotions.

Research shows that mindful breathing is one of the most effective tools in our toolbox to reduce stress and anxiety. In one study, practicing daily mindful breathing reduced feelings of test anxiety in college students, and eventually scientists stumbled upon the reason why: Deep breathing appears to deactivate a handful of brain nerve cells that trigger anxiety. (7, 8)

Try These Five Breathing Exercises for Stress Management

Ready to give it a try? Here are five breathing techniques to get you started.

1. Basic Beginner Breaths

If you’re just dipping your toes into mindful breathing, keep it as simple and straightforward as possible. The most basic way to do mindful breathing is to focus your attention on your breath, both the inhale and the exhale, ideally sitting or lying down (you may find it easier to hold onto your focus with your eyes closed).

Take exaggerated breaths: a deep three-second inhale through your nose, hold your breath for two seconds, and breathe out through your mouth for four seconds. When your mind wanders, bring your attention once again to your breath. Repeat. Try working your way up to about 15 minutes a day. (9)

2. Diaphragmatic Breathing

This type of breathing—also called “abdominal breathing” or “belly breathing”—slows your heartbeat and can also lower blood pressure. Diaphragmatic breathing reduces the body’s “fight-or-flight” response, researchers have found, and stimulates the activity of the vagal nerve, another important component of stress reduction. (10)

Here’s how to do it: (11)

• Lie on your back on a flat surface with your knees bent (if needed, place a pillow under your knees for support)
• Put one hand on your upper chest and one below your rib cage, so you can feel your diaphragm move as you breathe
• Inhale slowly through your nose, feeling your stomach move out against your hand, then tighten your stomach muscles as you exhale through your mouth

Practice this type of breathing for five to 10 minutes, three to four times a day. As you get more comfortable with this method, you can even place a book on your stomach to make it a little more challenging (and effective).

3. Alternate Nostril Breathing

This technique—where you rotate inhaling through one nostril and exhaling through the other—is a yogic breath control practice. It’s thought to harmonize the two hemispheres of the brain, and, as a result, balances your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. A 2013 study found that people who practiced alternate nostril breathing lowered their perceived stress levels. (12)

Here’s how to do it: (13)

• Sit straight up in a comfortable seat, your left palm comfortably in your lap
• Lift your right hand to your face so that your pointer and middle fingers rest between your eyebrows
• Close your eyes and inhale and exhale deeply through your nose
• Close your right nostril with your right thumb while inhaling through your left nostril
• Close your left nostril with your ring finger so both nostrils are held closed for a moment, then open your right nostril and exhale slowly through your right side
• Inhale through your right nostril, then hold both nostrils closed with your ring finger and thumb
• Open your left nostril and exhale slowly through your left side
• Repeat five to 10 times once a day, or as desired

4. 4-7-8 Breathing

This technique, developed by integrative medicine guru Andrew Weil, MD, is based on the yogic technique pranayama. Weil himself refers to it as a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system.

How to do it: (14)

• Sit with your back straight and place the tip of your tongue behind your upper front teeth. You’ll need to keep it there throughout this breathing exercise
• Exhale through your mouth, making a whoosh sound
• Close your mouth and inhale through your nose to the silent count of four
• Hold your breath for a count of seven
• Open your mouth and exhale through it, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight
• Repeat this cycle three more times
• Repeat this process at least twice a day

5. Body Scan

This breathing technique involves doing deep breathing while focusing your attention on different parts of your body, from head to toe, starting with your forehead and ending at the muscles in your feet. Combat veterans with PTSD who performed it for 20 minutes each day at home for six weeks reported improvements in symptoms, according to a 2016 Oregon Health & Science University study. (15) Another study of women aged 18 to 46 found that those who practiced body scan four days a week for three weeks reported feeling less stress and more happiness than a placebo group. (16) It can be done lying down or sitting—whatever’s most comfortable for you.

Here’s how to do a body scan: (17)

• While sitting or lying down, close your eyes and pay attention to your body’s position—for example, the weight of your body against the chair or the floor
• Take a deep breath, visualizing oxygen entering your body as you inhale and focusing on a sense of relaxation as you exhale
• Focus on the sensations of your feet touching the floor or of your legs pressing against the chair
• Now, work your way up to bring attention to other areas of your body. How does your back feel against the chair? Are your hands or stomach tense? (If so, try to relax them.) Loosen your shoulders and let your jaw relax
• Take one more moment to notice your whole body, take a breath, and open your eyes

Initially, start with short periods of time of three to five minutes before working your way up to at least 20 minutes at least three times a week. The more you practice body scan, the more benefits you’ll enjoy.

Now, I’d like to hear from you. Have you ever tried any of these breathing exercises for stress? What were your results? Tell me below in the comments!

The post My Top 5 Breathing Exercises for Stress Relief appeared first on Chris Kresser.

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During the holidays, the kitchen is the hub of all activity. It kicks into high gear just before Thanksgiving and doesn’t stop until the New Year. And while all that baking and entertaining can be fun, it can also feel a teeny-tiny bit hectic. And that’s okay! Getting food on the table to satisfy all your picky family members isn’t easy. What is easy: forgetting to take care of yourself. But don’t make that mistake!

Try these tiny five-minute things to do for yourself during the holidays.

READ MORE »

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Here’s what gets me excited about butternut squash soup: My favorite seasonal ingredients join forces to create a sunny bowl of cozy, comforting soup that warms me through and through. Tucking into homemade, gently spiced butternut squash soup is one of the few fringe benefits of the winter season.

This particular one-pot soup is inspired by my favorite soup at Panera Bread (you know the one). Their Autumn Squash Soup has a delightfully creamy texture with a slightly sweet yet balanced flavor, and it’s pretty much all I think about during the cold winter months. Here’s how to make an even better version at home, ready in less than an hour.

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Kitchn’s Delicious Links column highlights recipes we’re excited about from the bloggers we love. Follow along every weekday as we post our favorites.

If you ever want to make a good impression or start a dinner party off on a high note, serve burrata. This milky, buttery Italian cheese makes every meal feel like an event. “Burrata” literally means “buttered.” It looks like a big ball of fresh mozzarella, but it’s really a hollow pouch, and when you slice into it, all the rich, milky, buttery insides come spilling out. This often prompts people to say, “Oops! Better eat it fast before it spills everywhere,” but really, I’m pretty sure they’re just grabbing for the cheese before everyone else gets it.

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http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

Welcoming Brussels sprouts back to the dinner table is one of autumn’s greatest pleasures. But once you’ve served them shredded into slaw or crisped on a baking sheet, it’s time for something new. Tonight, serve tender slow-cooked Brussels sprouts dressed in a creamy garlic Parmesan sauce, all without lifting a finger.

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Originally posted at: http://www.nerdfitness.com/

When I go to the gym, I try to keep things as simple and efficient as possible.

I’m a huge supporter of pull ups and chin ups, as those are the exercises that are a great test of somebody’s fitness level.

There’s just something inherently badass about being able to lift up your entire body, which is why competitions like Ninja Warrior require ridiculous back and bicep strength.

I know many people reading this article could be just getting started with fitness training, and doing a pull up seems like an absolute impossibility.

That’s okay! I’d guess that 80% of this country probably can’t do a pull up either, so don’t beat yourself up too much.  Just because you can’t do a pull up now doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work out your back.

We HAVE written a resource on how to get your first pull-up here, but let’s start with the steps before that!

I have just the exercise for you instead: the bodyweight row! It’s a great exercise you can work on as you start to delve deeper into the wonderful world of strength training!

The Bodyweight (Inverted) Row

So what the hell is an inverted bodyweight row you ask?

GREAT QUESTION.  In fact, it’s a question I get all the time in emails, so I figured I’d add it to the repertoire of explained exercises here on Nerd Fitness.

I’ll be using “bodyweight row” and “inverted row” interchangeably in this article.

You’ve probably heard of the regular barbell row.  You pick up a barbell, bend over at the waist (keeping your back straight), and pull the weight up towards your chest.

This can be a great exercise, but improper form could cause complications or not give you a great workout!

Luckily, the inverted row takes care of all of that.  You get to use your body weight, and there’s no extra stress on your back.  As an added bonus, you get a decent core workout too.

This exercise has been referred to as the reverse bench press, as you grab a bar like you were getting ready to bench press it, but instead of lifting the weight down towards you, you’re pulling your body up towards the bar.  Think of it like this: “benchpress” is to “pushing” as “inverted row” is to “pulling.”

Balance FTW!

Why the inverted bodyweight row is so great: I’m a huge fan of compound exercises (like the squat and deadlift, pull-ups and push-ups), and I’m also a huge fan of exercises that don’t require expensive machines or lots of extra bells and whistles.

An inverted row works all of your pull muscles: your back, biceps, traps, and all the stabilizer muscles in between.  If you’ve been doing just pushups and bench presses, you need to start doing an equal amount of work with your back to stay in balance and away from injury.

If you want to eventually be able to do pull-ups, THIS is the exercise you need to add into your routine until you can do a full pull up.

Speaking of which, if you are just getting started with bodyweight rows to eventually do a pull-up, download our free, comprehensive guide, Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. 

In it, we have workout plans to follow whether you’re at home doing bodyweight training or at the gym with weights. Put your email in the box below and I’ll send you the guide free so you can get started today!

How To Do An Inverted Bodyweight Row

Let’s start with the people who have access to a gym (see a variation for No-Gym people at the end).  You know I hate machines for pretty much every exercise, due to the fact they restrict your body’s natural tendency to move.

I grabbed a video of Staci from Team NF demonstrating a bodyweight row with gymnastic rings from our premium course (The Nerd Fitness Academy), but don’t worry if you don’t have rings – you can see how to do them with a Smith Machine or barbell under this demonstration.

How to do a bodyweight row with explanation:

If you don’t have rings, here’s Staci demonstrating the same movement, just with an anchored barbell in a squat rack:

• Lie on the floor underneath the bar (which should be set just above where you can reach from the ground).
• Grab the bar with an overhand grip (palms facing AWAY from you).
• Contract your abs, and try to keep your body a completely straight line. Your ears, shoulders, hips legs, and feet should all be in a straight line.
• Pull yourself up to the bar until your chest touches the bar.
• Lower yourself back down.

If you’re still struggling and they’re too difficult, it’s okay.  We just need to back up a few steps.  Set the bar higher so that when you lean back, your body isn’t down on the ground; maybe it’s only at a 45 degree angle.

Here’s Staci again demonstrating it at a higher angle:

By setting the bar higher and your body higher, it takes more of your body weight out of the equation.  As you get stronger (and/or lose weight), you’ll be able to drop the bar until you’re parallel when pulling yourself up.

Some tips and tricks:

• Don’t let your butt sag (squeeze your buttcheeks, flex your stomach, and keep your body rigid from head to toe).
• Don’t flail your elbows. Grab the bar with your hands a little closer than you would if you were doing a bench press, and keep your elbows at that angle from your body.
• Pull the bar towards the middle of your chest. Don’t pull the bar up towards your throat, or down towards your belly button.  Right in the middle!
• Keep your abs tight. Keep your abs tight throughout the whole routine.  Your body should be a straight line the whole time, and the only thing moving is your arms
• Think of pulling your shoulder blades together at the top of the exercise.
• GO all the way. Don’t half-ass it.  Lower yourself until your arms are completely extended, and raise yourself until your chest touches the bar.

When should you do this exercise:

When I go into a gym, my time is extremely limited, and I’m working towards developing strength.  I’ll try to do one leg exercise (either squats or deadlifts), followed by a pushing exercise (either bench press or overhead press), and then a pulling exercise (pull ups or inverted rows).  Here’s a sample two day split for me:

• Day 1: Squats, bench press, inverted rows, dips
• Day 2: OFF
• Day 3: Deadlifts, Overhead Press, Pull Ups (or chin ups), Planks (Floor Swipes).
• Day 4: OFF

Both days work my full body, I can do a full routine in less than 40 minutes, and I’m building strength.  If you can’t do dips on Day 1, you can do pushups.  If you can’t do pull ups on day 2, you can substitute assisted pull ups or lat pull downs (although I don’t like lat pull downs very much).

On the rows, aim for 3 sets of 10. If you can’t do that, do 3 sets to exhaustion, and build your way up to 3 sets of 10.  Once you can do that, put your feet up on a chair, throw some weights in a backpack, put it on reverse (so the bag is hanging in front of you), and then do the rows.

You got this.

If you are doing this on your own, but are overwhelmed and confused about strength training, I know how that feels. It can be scary enough to keep MOST people from starting, which is actually why we created our 1-on-1 Coaching Program. Our coach gets to know you, builds a program based on your experience and goals, will check your form on each movement (via video), and keep you accountable and on track!

You can learn more about our coaches and schedule a free call with us by clicking the image below:

What if I don’t have access to a gym?

Just because you don’t have access to a gym doesn’t mean you can’t work out your back, you just need to get VERY creative.  Try these few things for example:

• Get a really thick wooden dowel or pipe, something strong enough to support your weight.  Lie it across two of your kitchen chairs, and then lie down underneath it.  Make sure its sturdy, and the bar isn’t going to break/move on ya, and pull yourself up.
• Use your kitchen table. Or your desk (if it’s in the middle of the room and doesn’t have a back).  Be very careful with this one.  Lie underneath your table so your head and shoulder are sticking out above it.  Grab the table edge with an overhand grip, and pull yourself up (just like it’s explained above).  Warning, don’t pull the table over with you, and make sure you’re not gonna break the thing.  Obviously this is a pretty crude way to get the job done, but it works.

Don’t forget, you want to stay in balance. Don’t just do push ups at home if you can help it, try to work out your back too.  If you don’t have a pull up bar, find a way to do some bodyweight rows whether it’s between two chairs or under a table.  You’re smart, get creative.

Here’s a video of me explaining how to do Inverted Body Weight Rows using just my kitchen table:

This is a great movement that can help you get started to building up your often ignored pull muscles. If you have poor posture, and spend all day at a desk hunched over a keyboard, mixing in bodyweight rows to your routine can be incredibly beneficial!

Any more questions about the inverted bodyweight row? Leave em below!

-Steve

PS: Be sure to check out the rest of the Strength Training 101 series:

• Strength Training 101
• Strength Training 101: Equipment
• Strength Training 101: Finding the Right Gym
• Strength Training 101: Where do I start?
• Strength Training 101: How much weight should I be lifting?
• Strength Training 101: How to Squat Properly
• Strength Training 101: The Overhead Press
• Strength Training 101: The Deadlift

You can also get the guide free when you sign up in the box below and join the Rebellion!

PPS: Looking for more specific instruction? I’ll again remind you of our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program! Your own Nerd Fitness Coach who will get to know you, your goals, and your lifestyle, and develop a workout plan (with rows) that’s specific to not only your body, but also to your schedule and life.

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Originally Posted At: https://breakingmuscle.com/feed/rss

The days of spending an hour slaving away on the stair stepper, then another hour and a half working out with weights, are over. Most normal people with jobs, kids, school, amongst other things, don’t have time for that. It’s simply just not smart. There’s a smarter way to build muscle and lose body fat.

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Originally posted at: http://www.nerdfitness.com/

Everybody loves snacks.

Unfortunately, most of the snacks you’ll encounter are definitely not healthy. Delicious? Yes. Keto-friendly? Oh, most certainly not.

However, as the Keto Diet and the low-carb trend continues to skyrocket in popularity, the marketplace is reacting. For example, even SlimFast now makes “Keto Snacks.”

“The times they are a-changin’.”

Is this good news? Bad news? Do you have free rein on these low-carb snacks? Or are you setting yourself up for failure by thinking “low carb” and “Keto” mean you can eat junk food?

We’ll explore all that and more in today’s article. We shall address:

• The best Keto or low-carb friendly snacks to buy
• The best Keto or low-carb friendly snacks to make
• Snacks you’ll definitely want to avoid
• Why snacking could be signs of other issues
• What “Team No Snack” is all about

I’ll cover the ins and outs of Keto first, and then dive into the best snacks for your money if you’re trying to stay on the low-carb straight and narrow.

Let’s dive in!

Low-Carb and Keto Diet 101

If this article is the first time you’ve heard the term “Keto,” you should really check out our resource The Beginner’s Guide to the Keto Diet. We discuss everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Keto and low-carb diets – including whether or not you should even DO Keto. It’s certainly not for anybody, but I know it’s hot in the streets and it’s probably why you’re reading THIS resource on snacks!

Plus, there’s a sweet Ninja Turtles GIF in my article and I’m super proud of it.

I’ll wait for you to read it.

I’m patient.

…and you’re back. Good to see you. I like what you’ve done with your hair.

Before we jump into our low-carb snacks recommendations, I want to remind you of the Keto food groups:

• Meat. Red meat (like steak), pork products (sausage and bacon and ham), and white meat (like chicken and turkey).
• Fish. High-fat fish like tuna and salmon are the go-to for Keto.
• Eggs and dairy. White, yellowish, fats and protein for the win.
• Healthy fats. Nuts, seeds, and avocados should be your staples. Although the later, avocados, contains decent carbs. More on this later.
• Dressings and oils. Greek dressing, Caesar dressing (check the ingredients first!), ranch, aioli. When you need an oil, stick to extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil.
• Veggies. Prioritize the less starchy, green ones like spinach, kale, broccoli, and cauliflower (ok, it’s white).
• Meatless proteins. Tempeh, tofu, and seitan can take the place of meats in a vegetarian or vegan Keto Diet. Gotta get that protein from somewhere, right?

Most of what you eat, snack or no snack, should be from the above if your goal is to follow a ketogenic diet

And your goal, even if you are Keto, will be to eat snacks and meals that fit into your calorie goals for the day (Hooray thermodynamics).

Cool? Cool.

If you are hungry, there’s nothing stopping you from eating leftover chicken and a little avocado. A “snack” can be all sorts of things and can look like a small meal. I’ll touch on this again later.

For now, let’s get you what you’re here for.

30 Keto or Low-Carb snacks to buy

When thinking about snacks, the simpler the better.

A good way to determine simplicity is through the ingredients. Is the jerky just beef, salt, and pepper? Or is it beef, sugar, salt, soy sauce, fructose, hydrolyzed corn protein… you get the idea^[1].

Here are recommendations you can purchase to fill your pantry with some low-carb snacks.

1. Almonds. On the nut spectrum, almonds would be towards the fatter side. A great low-carb snack. Just watch portion control with roasted and salted kinds. It’s easy to devour quite mindlessly.
   • Recommended Brand: Blue Diamond Almonds
   • Serving size: 28g (28 nuts)
   • Calories: 170
   • Net Carbs: 2g
   • Protein: 6g
   • Fat: 16g
2. Almond Butter. One of my go-to snacks is almond butter. Although I generally eat it when I’m trying to GAIN weight. That’s because, as you’ll see, it contains quite a bit of calories per serving.
   • Recommended Brand: 365 Everyday Value
   • Serving size: Two tablespoons (32g)
   • Calories: 190
   • Net Carbs: 4g
   • Protein: 7g
   • Fat: 17g
3. Beef Jerky. Who doesn’t love beef jerky?^[2] Just make sure they don’t sneak added sugar to it! Sugar is the enemy of Keto.
   • Recommended Brand: The People’s Choice
   • Serving size: 28g
   • Calories: 90
   • Carbs: 0g
   • Protein: 16g
   • Fat: 2.5g
4. Beef Sticks. If you need a solid kick of protein, a beef stick will do it. The least processed, the better. For hints on how processed your beef stick is, check the ingredients.
   • Recommended Brand: Country Archer
   • Serving size: 28g
   • Calories: 100
   • Net Carbs: 1g
   • Protein: 9g
   • Fat: 7g
5. Brazil Nuts.  Another Keto friendly nut comes from South America. The Brazil nut has low carbs, decent protein, and lots of fat. Plus, it’s a great source of nutrients like selenium. Be careful of calorie content though, as with most nuts.
   • Recommended Brand: Food to Live
   • Serving size: 28g
   • Calories: 186
   • Net Carbs: 1g
   • Protein: 4g
   • Fat: 19g
6. Cheese Chips.  Cheese is great for Keto. If you want to travel with some, a few companies make a “chip” that is pure cheese. Quite popular in the low-carb community.  
   • Recommended Brand: Moon Cheese
   • Serving size: 607 pieces (12g)
   • Calories: 67
   • Net Carbs: 0g
   • Protein: 5g
   • Fat: 5g
7. Cheese Slices.  If you have access to a fridge during your day, you can easily store cheese slices for a quick snack. Roll it up with deli meat for a hearty mini-meal.
   • Recommended Brand: Tillamook Sharp Cheddar
   • Serving size: three slices (12g)
   • Calories: 140
   • Net Carbs: 1g
   • Protein: 8g
   • Fat: 12g 
8. Cocoa Nibs.  If you were to buy chocolate in its purest form, it would be cocoa nibs, made from crushed cacao beans. The good news for those following Keto, is the raw nibs are high in fat, low in carbs, and strong in flavor. Also, cocoa is a great source of antioxidants.
   • Recommended Brand: Healthworks
   • Serving size: One ounce (32g)
   • Calories: 130
   • Net Carbs: 2g
   • Protein: 4g
   • Fat: 14g
9. Coconut Butter.  If you need a quick Keto snack, a scoop full of coconut butter will work great. It’s sweet but doesn’t contain much sugar. You can even keep a jar and spoon in your office. We all have secrets.
   • Recommended Brand: Artisana Organics
   • Serving size: Two tablespoons (32g)
   • Calories: 210
   • Net Carbs: 3g
   • Protein: 2g
   • Fat: 21g
10. Cottage Cheese.  Following our trend of full-fat dairy is great for Keto, I introduce cottage cheese. While not my personal favorite, it is a solid source of protein. Buy the highest fat content you can find.
    • Recommended Brand: Horizon
    • Serving size: Half a cup (11g)
    • Calories: 120
    • Net Carbs: 4g
    • Protein: 14g
    • Fat: 5g
11. Deli Meat.  If you need a quick source of protein, deli meat like turkey will do the trick. Roll it up with cheese slices for extra calories, fat, and happiness.
    • Recommended Brand: Applegate Organics Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
    • Serving size: 56g
    • Calories: 50
    • Net Carbs: 1g
    • Protein: 11g
    • Fat: 0g
12. Greek Yogurt.  While there are some carbs in yogurt, it is a food source high in protein and fat. Greek yogurt tends to have the lowest amount of sugar. Read the label and try and get as much fat as you can.
    • Recommended Brand: Fage
    • Serving size: One container (200g)
    • Calories: 190
    • Net Carbs: 6g
    • Protein: 18g
    • Fat: 10g
13. Jell-O (sugar-free). On the one hand, they have zero carbs. On the other hand, they have zero nutrients and are highly processed. However, Jell-O can be useful to quell sugar cravings that might otherwise derail low-carb goals.
    • Recommended Brand: Jell-O
    • Serving size: One “snack:
    • Calories: 10
    • Net Carbs: 0g
    • Protein: 1g
    • Fat: 0g
14. Kale Chips. Out of all the chip substitutes, kale isn’t a bad option for low-carb. Try to find brands without much stuff added to them. Preferably just a little oil and salt.
    • Recommended Brand: Made in Nature
    • Serving size: 28g
    • Calories: 150
    • Net Carbs: 8g
    • Protein: 5g
    • Fat: 11g
15. Macadamia Nuts. I’ll first state that macadamia nuts can be expensive. However, they are some of the fattest nuts in existence. Not a bad option if you get tired of almonds.
    • Recommended Brand: Food to Live
    • Serving size: 10-12 kernels (28g)
    • Calories: 203
    • Net Carbs: 2g
    • Protein: 2g
    • Fat: 21g
16. Macadamia Nut Butter. As the Low-Carb High-Fat trend continues to skyrocket, more unconventional nut butters are hitting the market. Like macadamia nut butter. 
    • Recommended Brand: FBOMB
    • Serving size: One packet (one ounce)
    • Calories: 215
    • Net Carbs: 1g
    • Protein: 2g
    • Fat: 22g
17. Olives. One of the fattiest fruits you can find is the olive, which is why they make a great snack for Keto. You can often find them at an olive bar in a grocery store, or you can get them online.
    • Recommended Brand: Auzoud Oil-Cured Black Olives
    • Serving size: 100g
    • Calories: 105
    • Net Carbs: 1g
    • Protein: 0.9g
    • Fat: 4g
18. Peanut Butter. Peanut butter can be a quick way to consume nutrients between meals. Use it as a veggie dip! Just watch your portions, as you’ll see from below it’s easy to munch a bunch of calories. Also, look for simple ingredients, like just peanuts and salt.
    • Recommended Brand: Fix and Fogg
    • Serving size: One tablespoon (15g)
    • Calories: 90
    • Net Carbs: 0g
    • Protein: 8g
    • Fat: 5g
19. Pecans. Another nut that tends to be on the lower side of a carb count is the pecan. Conversely, pecans are very high in fat.
    • Recommended Brand: FISHER Chef’s Naturals
    • Serving size: 28g
    • Calories: 190
    • Net Carbs: 1g
    • Protein: 3g
    • Fat: 20g
20. Pepperoni slices: Pepperoni slices are dangerous. Highly processed, highly delicious, and full of calories. However as any mutant turtle can tell you, when paired with cheese, pepperoni slices are amazing. Sans bread, of course, for Keto. I won’t tell Michelangelo.
    • Recommended Brand: Margherita
    • Serving size: 28g
    • Calories: 190
    • Net Carbs: 1g
    • Protein: 3g
    • Fat: 20g
21. Pickles. If you’re craving something salty, a pickle might just do the trick. Eat it by itself, or dip it in ranch dressing to bump up your calories. Just make sure you grab a brand without added sugar. Yes, pickles can have added sugar.
    • Recommended Brand: Vlasic
    • Serving size: One ounce (⅔ of pickle)
    • Calories: 0
    • Net Carbs: 1g
    • Protein: 0g
    • Fat: 0g
22. Pork Rinds. If there is one snack associated with the Keto Diet, it’s pork rinds. Probably because they have zero carbs, plenty of protein and fat, and are crunchy. No Keto ready pantry would be complete without.
    • Recommended Brand: Utz Pork Rinds
    • Serving size: 14g
    • Calories: 80
    • Net Carbs: 1g
    • Protein: 5g
    • Fat: 8g
23. Protein Bars. You need to be careful with protein bars. While you can find some that are low in Net Carbs, they’ll generally contain quite a bit of calories, low-carb or no low-carb. However, if you’re trapped in an airport, they can help you stick to your Keto goals. Just watch your portion control on these and make sure to read my full warning in the “Revisiting ‘Team No Snack’” section.
    • Recommended Brand: Quest Nutrition
    • Serving size: One bar (60g)
    • Calories: 200
    • Net Carbs: 7g
    • Protein: 21g
    • Fat: 9g
24. Pumpkin Seeds. If you need a good “take anywhere” snack, look to pumpkin seeds. They have lots of fiber so they actually net out at zero carbs. Plus a good source of fat.
    • Recommended Brand: Eden Organic
    • Serving size: 33g
    • Calories: 200
    • Net Carbs: 0g
    • Protein: 9g
    • Fat: 16g
25. Sardines. This might not be everyone’s favorite. However, sardines are a fatty fish, meaning great for Keto. To make em palatable, try mixing them with some veggies, olive oil, and vinegar which will create a light salad.
    1. Recommended Brand: King Oscar
    2. Serving size: One can (85g)
    3. Calories: 240
    4. Net Carbs: 0g
    5. Protein: 14g
    6. Fat: 20g
26. Seaweed Snacks. On first glance, this might not seem the most appetizing munchie. But they are crunchy, a sought-after trait on the Keto Diet, where a lot of food like cheese can be rather soft. Plus, seaweed has good nutrients for you. Pretend you’re Aquaman.
    • Recommended Brand: SeaSnax
    • Serving size: One pack (5g)
    • Calories: 15
    • Net Carbs: 0g
    • Protein: 0.3g
    • Fat: 2g
27. Smoked Oysters. If you like oysters, you’re in luck. Our shelled friends make a good Keto snack, which can be eaten straight out of the can. Oysters provide a great source of zinc and iron.  
    • Recommended Brand: Crown Prince
    • Serving size: One can (65g)
    • Calories: 150
    • Net Carbs: 7g
    • Protein: 11g
    • Fat: 8g
28. String cheese. For a great snack to take with, look to string cheese. If you find a full-fat variety, you can have a quick bite while running from one errand to another.
    • Recommended Brand: Frigo Cheese Heads
    • Serving size: One piece (28g)
    • Calories: 80
    • Net Carbs: 1g
    • Protein: 6g
    • Fat: 6g
29. Toasted Coconut Flakes. As long as you don’t get any with added sugar, coconut flakes can be a great low-carb snack. Great to mix with a salad or just by themselves.
    • Recommended Brand: Let’s Do Organic
    • Serving size: Three tablespoons (15g)
    • Calories: 100
    • Net Carbs: 2g
    • Protein: 1g
    • Fat: 10g
30. Walnuts. Another high fat snack are walnuts. Plus, they have good nutrients.
    • Recommended Brand: Nature’s Eats
    • Serving size: One pack (5g)
    • Calories: 15
    • Net Carbs: 0g
    • Protein: 0.3g
    • Fat: 2g

That should get your pantry and fridge full of premade low-carb snacks.

20 Keto or Low-Carb snacks to make

Fancy yourself a decent cook?

With a little bit of preparation, you can have many, many Keto snacks in your home. Would you say, a plethora of low-carb snacks?

Something to note for all of the servings below: KEEP AN EYE ON CALORIE COUNT! Your body still obeys the laws of thermodynamics. Eating 5,000 calories of keto-pancakes won’t result in weight loss. So make sure you are consuming foods that fit into your calorie goals for your weight!

1. Bacon. Naturally.
   • Recommended Brand: Applegate Organics No Sugar Bacon
   • Serving size: 2 pieces (14g)
   • Calories per serving: 70
   • Carbs: 0g
   • Protein: 6g
   • Fat: 5g
2. Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers. If you fancy a little bit of spice, Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers can serve as a great Keto snack. It’s essentially bacon, jalapenos, and a mixture of cream and cheddar cheese.
   • Recommended Recipe: Tasteaholics
   • Serving size: Eight poppers (four jalapenos)
   • Calories per serving: 225
   • Net Carbs: 3g
   • Protein: 10g
   • Fat: 18g
3. Cheesy Broccoli. For Keto, a snack is often just finding a low-carb food and covering it in cheese. That’s the story around cheesy broccoli. But hey, broccoli!
   • Recommended Recipe: Diet Doctor
   • Serving size: One-quarter of the batch (six ounces)
   • Calories per serving: 359
   • Net Carbs: 6g
   • Protein: 13g
   • Fat: 32g
4. Eggs Muffins. If you need a quick snack on the way out the door in the morning, an egg muffin would be perfect. It’s more or less just egg and cheese, but they store well and can be used in the AM when there’s no time to spare.
   • Recommended Recipe: Diet Doctor
   • Serving size: Two muffins
   • Calories per serving: 336
   • Net Carbs: 2g
   • Protein: 28g
   • Fat: 26g
5. Hard-boiled Eggs. An egg could quite possibly be the best Keto food when you consider the protein to fat ratio and all the nutrients included. Store in the fridge when you need a quick snack.
   • Recommended Recipe: Food Network
   • Serving size: One egg
   • Calories per serving: 78
   • Net Carbs: 0g
   • Protein: 6.3g
   • Fat: 5.3g
6. Ice Cream (Keto). Ice cream? Ice cream. The beauty of the Low-Carb High-Fat Diet comes in with the “high fat.” As long as you keep the sugar content down, ice cream can be a Keto treat. Just remember the “treat” part.
   • Recommended Recipe: Chocolate Chunk Avocado Ice Cream from Ruled.Me.
   • Serving size: one-sixth of the batch
   • Calories per serving: 216
   • Net Carbs: 3.7g
   • Protein: 3.9g
   • Fat: 19.4g
7. Guacamole. Avocados are great for you. And guacamole is delicious. However, while avocados are a great source of healthy fat, they might contain enough carbs to knock you out of Ketosis (check carbs below). Be careful.
   • Recommended Recipe: Keto Summit
   • Serving size: Half of the recipe
   • Calories per serving: 180
   • Net Carbs: 6g
   • Protein: 3g
   • Fat: 15g
8. Lettuce Wrap. A sandwich can make a great snack. Lose the bread, wrap it in lettuce and BOOM! Keto snack.
   • Recommended Recipe: Chicken Lettuce Wrap from Diabetes Strong
   • Serving size: Two wraps
   • Calories per serving: 445
   • Net Carbs: 10.5g
   • Protein: 36.7g
   • Fat: 25.9g
9. Keto Bread. If you miss bread on your low-carb diet, you can make your own substitute. It’s debatable if it’s anything like actual bread, but it’s full of eggs and almond flour, so you’ll get plenty of fat.
   • Recommended Recipe: Delish
   • Serving size: Quarter loaf
   • Calories per serving: 450
   • Net Carbs: 5.5g
   • Protein: 18.8g
   • Fat: 40g
10. Keto Cheesecake. With a lot of sour cream and cream cheese, plus a little erythritol (sugar alcohol), you can have Keto Cheesecake. Probably not something you want to eat all the time, but if you need a low-carb cake, voila.  
    • Recommended Recipe: Wholesome Yum
    • Serving size: One slice
    • Calories per serving: 325
    • Net Carbs: 5g
    • Protein: 7g
    • Fat: 31g
11. Keto Pancakes. A genius workaround for “no flour” comes from using eggs and cheese for replacement. That’s the name of the game here with Keto Pancakes, which uses eggs and cottage cheese in the place of typical batter.
    • Recommended Recipe: Diet Doctor
    • Serving size: One pancake, with berries and heavy whipped cream.
    • Calories per serving: 425
    • Net Carbs: 5g
    • Protein: 13g
    • Fat: 39g
12. Keto Pizza. There are those on Team Nerd Fitness who swear by Keto Pizza. Like pancakes, our flour substitute is egg and cheese for the crust. Pretty good, but it won’t fool a true ninja.
    • Recommended Recipe: Ruled.Me
    • Serving size: One pizza
    • Calories per serving: 459
    • Net Carbs: 3.5g:
    • Protein: 27g
    • Fat: 35g
13. Protein Shake. If you’re building muscle, getting enough protein is a must. A shake, both low-carb and Keto friendly, can be a great way to get you there. Just watch your calorie intake.
    • Recommended Recipe: Raspberry Keto Protein Shake from Appetite for Energy
    • Serving size: Whole shake
    • Calories per serving: 576
    • Net Carbs: 7g
    • Protein: 29g
    • Fat: 47g
14. Ranch Dressings. If you make Keto friendly ranch dressing, you can use it to cover any low-carb food your heart desires. If you want something to dip your veggies in, here you go.
    • Recommended Recipe: Ruled.Me
    • Serving size: One tablespoon
    • Calories per serving: 106
    • Net Carbs: 0.6g
    • Protein: 0.6g
    • Fat: 11.3g
15. Seed Crackers. Craving a cracker replacement? Want to try something other than cheese? Use seeds! Almond flour, various seeds, and coconut oil make up this low-carb snack. All the fiber in the seeds brings the net carb count very low.
    • Recommended Recipe: Diet Doctor
    • Serving size: One cracker
    • Calories per serving: 61
    • Net Carbs: 1g
    • Protein: 2g
    • Fat: 6g
16. Sliced Zucchini. Having sliced veggies on hand in the fridge can be great for a snack. Zucchini is a solid choice because it’s low in carbs. It can also be sliced all sorts of different ways and used as a dipping tool. What to dip it in, you say? How about some fatty ranch dressing or guacamole.
    • Recommended Recipe: WikiHow
    • Serving size: Medium zucchini (196g)
    • Calories per serving: 33
    • Net Carbs: 4g
    • Protein: 2.4g
    • Fat: 0.6g
17. Spicy Tuna Avocado Boat. Fish? Check. Avocado? Check. Cheese? Sounds like a Keto friendly snack to me.
    • Recommended Recipe: Peace, Love and Low Carb
    • Serving size: One boat
    • Calories per serving: 245
    • Net Carbs: 4.8g
    • Protein: 17g
    • Fat: 14g
18. Steak Tips. If you have carnivorous tendencies, you can snack on steak tips. Eat them with sliced veggies and you almost have a full meal.
    • Recommended Recipe: Jennifer Banz
    • Serving size: Quarter pound
    • Calories per serving: 489
    • Net Carbs: 1g
    • Protein: 23g
    • Fat: 44g
19. Zucchini Chips. If you’re looking for another chip substitute, zucchini will work great. While they can take a while to cook, if you get them just right, they’ll crunch just like a normal chip.
    • Recommended Recipe: All Recipes
    • Serving size: Half the batch
    • Calories per serving: 111
    • Net Carbs: 7g
    • Protein: 4g
20. Whipped Cream. Part of doing Keto successfully comes down to covering things in extra fat. That’s what they made whipped cream for! Make your own low-carb version.
    • Recommended Recipe: Perfect Keto
    • Serving size: One tablespoon
    • Calories per serving: 60
    • Net Carbs: 0g
    • Protein: 0g

If you make each of the above recipes, I’ll dub thee the “Keto Chef Master.”

Re-visiting “Team No Snack”

First tough love alert:

I’m the captain of Team No Snack. This means I generally don’t eat snacks.  

So instead, I practice intermittent fasting and try to eat two BIG meals each day (Lunch and Dinner) as opposed to lots of small ones throughout the day.

As I point out in the Intermittent Fasting article, the number of times you eat throughout the day won’t impact your waistline as much as the total quantity of calories. That’s right, your metabolism isn’t “stoked” by eating small meals or grazing all day. The science doesn’t back that up. Weight loss comes down to total calories consumed vs total calories burned over the long haul. Said another way: you can get in trouble if you eat big meals and then eat buckets of keto snacks between those big meals.

So snacking isn’t my cup of tea. And neither is Keto, though I know it works wonders for some people (Here’s the diet strategy I employ).

So Keto or no Keto, snack or no snack, what matters is overall compliance – if snacking in between meals allows you to NOT overeat during your big meals, and ALSO you stay under your caloric intake goal for the day, then snacks can be a good fit for you. Eating a Keto snack while on a road trip or at the airport instead of eating junk food (or unhealthy fast food) can be crucial for staying on track!

Speaking of fast food, have you seen our low-carb fast food guide? It’s legit.

Second tough love alert:

Food manufacturers are responding to the growing popularity of the Keto Diet. For evidence, I will again bring up the Keto Peanut Butter Cup by SlimFast. Their product description says “Weight loss has never been so indulgent.”

This should raise a giant red flag.

If you want to eat a peanut butter cup, fine. Reese’s are delicious. Just don’t delude yourself into thinking they are a tool for fat loss because you managed to stay in ketosis while eating them by the bagful.

By the way, the comparison of the Keto Peanut Butter Cup and the Reese’s is justified:

• Calories in Peanut Butter cup from SlimFast: 90
• Calories in Peanut Butter cup from Hershey’s: 87

It boils my blood to see candy marketed as health food. Don’t fall for this!

One of the great benefits of Keto is it forces you to think about the foods you choose. I talk about this in our article on “Mental Models.”

Instead of mindlessly eating, we ask ourselves a simple question: “Would the healthy badass version of me eat this?”

By being able to answer with a yes-or-no, black-or-white answer like:  “yes, it’s low-carb” or “no, it’s not vegan,” or “sure, I’ll have some, steak is paleo,” it gives us a chance to track our compliance and actually see some results.

The most important point isn’t actually the answer. The critical step is the question asked. Thinking about what to eat is important for achieving “the perfect diet.” No matter which perfect diet you pick: you have to actually STICK with it, for years, in order to have lasting results

So, if you make more healthy choices than unhealthy choices, over time your physique will start to reflect these improvements. Up the ratio even more, and then we’re talking a body you’re truly proud of.

All this to say: if you’re following Keto, don’t let a corporate executive hijack your Mental Model. Just because something is labeled low-carb, doesn’t mean it will help with weight loss.

No matter what snack you select, low-carb or non-low-carb, try to eat REAL food whenever possible. Real food, as defined in some dictionary you don’t have to bother checking, is food that grew from the ground, on a tree, came out of the sea, ran on the land, or flew through the air. Meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, and fruit and nuts. The backbone of most successful Mental Models rests on REAL food.

If you want to learn more, check out our Guide to Healthy Eating.

If everything I’ve said is freaking you out, and you’re panicking because you haven’t discovered your Mental Model yet, we can help!

We designed a private coaching program to help busy people just like you navigate their fitness goals. Here’s how it works: you’ll partner with one of our trained coaches who will build you a custom workout program, and help you make better nutritional choices. We’ll have you take photos of each meal you consume, offer feedback to help guide your decisions, which ultimately can help you hit your long-term goals.

Interested? Click below and schedule a free call to see if we are a good fit for each other!

Snacking for the right reason

There’s nothing wrong with eating food. None of us would be here without nourishment.

The last time I checked, the “air” diet might stay popular, but doesn’t last long.

There’s no rule stating you can’t have that leftover omelet if you’re hungry before dinner, just make sure you adjust your dinner to stay within your goals. For ideas, check out our post on 10 easy meals to cook, all of which are low-carb friendly. You can cook in batches with leftovers in mind. These are great to have in your office fridge in case you’re hungry while at work.

Just make sure Jerry from Accounting doesn’t pillage your goods.

There’s a food thief in every office.

If cooking isn’t your thing, having a few low-carb friendly snacks already purchased can really help in a pinch. Better to eat a portion of nuts and olives, than hoping the vending machine has Keto compliant snacks.

Now, I want to hear from you:

• What are your favorite low-carb snacks?
• Do you buy Keto friendly choices, or make your own?
• Not into any of this, and with me on eating only at meals?

Let me know in the comments!

-Steve

PS: If you want to want help moving from traditional snacks to REAL food, we can help. As mentioned above, we have a private one-on-one coaching program to help nerds level up their life. If you want help following Keto, or create your own way of eating, we’ll help you along the way.

Click on the image below to chat with a member of Team Nerd Fitness. We’d love to hear from you, no matter what!

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All photo citations can be found in this footnote^[3].

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

If you thought that epic romaine lettuce recall was bad (which, by the way, is now over), you’re in for a rude awakening, because there’s another huge recall happening now: According to a recent report from the USDA, about 5 million pounds of raw beef that may have been contaminated by salmonella have been recalled.

READ MORE »

http://www.thekitchn.com/feedburnermain

I’ll admit, I was skeptical of this recipe the first go-round. Am I really pouring sloppy Joe sauce into a bag of frozen meatballs? Will this actually taste good? But the answer was a resounding yes (why was I even nervous? It’s sloppy Joe sauce and meatballs!), and the pouring of that sauce turned out to be one of the smartest sheet pan dinner shortcuts ever.

This recipe requires just four ingredients, no mixing bowl, and makes both a sandwich and a vegetable side on one single sheet pan. Ready to get a little weird with this Miracle Meal? Here’s how to make sheet pan sloppy Joe subs and broccoli for dinner tonight.

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