[While I have covered physical exercise in previous editions of the Body Blog, this week I’m going going to take a step away from the various routine tips and dive into some good eating/snacking habits that will increase your energy without adding the pounds, while giving you the right nutrients to complete your workouts.]

Everyone knows staying energized is important. But staying energized the right way is often unclear. Drinking cups of coffee or energy drinks to give you a necessary boost to keep going is not the right (or nutritious) way to satisfy your cravings and give your body the energy it needs.

Here are some healthier alternatives for on-the-go gals like us, especially those trying to get into shape:

- Almonds. Grab a handful and throw them into a Ziploc bag for the day. Full of nutrients and antioxidants, you’ll be satisfied, revitalized and energized for those long classes and long workouts.

- Carbs. Now, I know what you’re thinking: carbs are bad, bad, bad for you. Well, in one respect that is correct. But, if you are a runner like moi, you need carbs to keep you going; they are a runner’s fuel. So, if you are gonna eat crabs, eat the right ones: whole grain crackers, whole grain/wheat pretzels, or half a cheese and wheat bread sandwich (so you can get your dairy and carb in-take in a small dose). Read More »

I know, I know, I should eat more fruits and vegetables.

It’s not like I don’t want to be the healthiest person alive…it’s just that produce tends to be expensive in this city, and if I don’t eat all of it quickly, it goes bad and then I feel bad because I wasted money on perfectly good produce. Also, my fridge smells for days and that’s gross.

In my never ending-search to make myself healthier and waste less money, I stumbled across this little gem of a website not too long ago. NutriFruit was started in 1931 in the lovely little state of Oregon, and for years these people have been shipping quality freeze dried fruit to costumers all over the United States.

Freeze dried fruit?, you say, that sounds weird.

Well, yes, it is a little weird, but it’s also pretty healthy. Since NutriFruit takes out only the water from their berries, a canister of the stuff has almost all of the nutrients of fresh fruit — but you get a lot more bang for your buck. Sprinkle it over cereal or yogurt, add it to salads or smoothies, or simply sweeten up a slice of bread and butter! With all the options; banana, black raspberry, blueberry, cranberry, marion blackberry, red raspberry, and strawberry, you can fill your pantry with a virtual fruit salad — for a fraction of the cost. Plus, freeze dried stuff can’t go bad!

If you’ve ever wanted to get more viatims and minerals in your diet without stuffing yourself full of supliments, NutriFruit might just be your ticket to a healtheir bod. Just in time for summer!