toneintime:

Before a Workout:

Whether you work out first thing in the morning or after work, you don’t want to go to the gym on an empty stomach. Before a workout, you want carbohydrates to fuel your muscles. That means an English muffin with peanut butter for carbohydrates and protein, oatmeal with fruit or berries for staying power or even whole-grain pancakes.

After a Workout:

Post-gym, your body has different needs. You’re replacing carbohydrates, so you can start building up your stored energy as well as getting some protein, to help with muscle repair. A glass of milk is one of the best after-exercise foods. Even chocolate milk, which gives you a little more carbohydrates, is OK because you want to replenish the stored fuel in your muscles. Other good post-workout snacks include trail mix, crackers with peanut butter or chopped vegetables with hummus.

Quick Lunch

Whether you’re eating in a rush between classes or your activities, speed is often the name of the game. But that doesn’t mean you want to sacrifice quality; seek quick options that still provide a healthy balance of nutrients. No-cook meals like refried beans spread on a tortilla with cut-up veggies, hummus with crackers, an English muffin pizza (an open-face English muffin with pizza sauce and a sprinkling of lowfat mozzarella), hard-cooked eggs or water-packed tuna in a pita are often best.

Afternoon Slump

It happens every afternoon—around 3 or 4 p.m., you hit a wall. A cup of coffee is tempting, but drinking it that late in the day is bound to keep you up half the night. Instead, have something that smells delicious, like an orange. It’s a happy scent, it’s hydrating and refreshing, it’s easy to digest and it gives you a little sugar and vitamin C. If you’re bottoming out, a carbohydrate and protein one-two punch for energy and lasting power. That means whole-wheat bread with nut butter, yogurt with a sprinkle of granola or an all-natural granola bar such as KIND Bars, which mix whole grains with nuts and a bit of honey.

Before Dinner

It happens time and again: You’re so famished when you get home that you can’t wait until dinner. You either gorge on cheese and crackers or end up dipping into what’s cooking. Either way, your appetite is shot. To curb your hunger without ruining dinner, slicing up some fruit like cantaloupe, honeydew or watermelon ahead of time so you have something that’s appealing to the eye and easy to grab, hand-to-mouth. Plus, the low-calorie, water-dense fruit will curb hunger pangs without filling you up.

Late Night Snack

Whether dinner just didn’t do the trick or you got home late, you don’t want to eat too much close to bedtime. It’s important that you don’t overeat, because that can really interfere with what kind of sleep you get. Instead of digging into cookies or leftovers, try a small bowl of cereal or a glass of warm milk, which will sustain you but not fill you up. If you want something comforting, part-skim ricotta cheese on toast with a drizzle of honey, plain Greek yogurt with a few berries or a sweet potato cooked in the microwave.

(via zuydhoek)