Another great post from Fit Fire Wife Expert Diana Hollis.  I’m getting hungry just reading this post.  Thanks Diana!  ~  WifeOnFire

While I focus on Paleo in my firefighter home, it’s unrealistic to think we can be Paleo 100% of the time, especially with kids. Their metabolisms are like speed boats. There’s really no good reason their snacks can’t include cheese or bread just because Mom and Dad are cutting back, since we have metabolisms moving at the speed of a row boat.

Ideally, you will eat enough protein at your meal that you won’t get hungry between meals. In the beginning while you are figuring out how much protein you need to feel satisfied it might be tricky resisting those cookies and sodas between meals.

If you work in an office you might find it hard to resist the vending machine of candy bars or potato chips. So here’s some options for a safe snack drawer at the office:

1. A small can of tuna or salmon.
2. Quality beef jerky. Look on the health food aisle of your grocery store or order online.
3. Larabars will work in a pinch.
4. Dark chocolate squares (one per day please).
5. Two or three ounces of mixed nuts or seeds in a Ziploc bag. Pre-making the portions in the bags prevents you from overeating.
6. Coconut flakes. Try sprinkling them with cinnamon and toasting in the oven before making your portion bags.

If you are like me and spend a lot of time sitting in the bleachers at your kids sporting events, snacking on concession food of nachos and pizza isn’t the best option for me. During these times here are my personal options for snacks on the go:

1. Apple slices with a small container of almond butter.
2. Celery sticks with peanut butter or almond butter.
3. Fresh fruit balls – using a small melon baller. I use a Ziploc bag for these so I don’t have to lug around an empty container when I’m finished.
4. Hard-boiled eggs.
5. Individually wrapped pickles. Our concession stands sell them for $1 each. Buying larger containers to keep at home is much more economical.
6. Olives.
7. Grapes.

If you have more time on your hands and are patient enough, you can dehydrate your own fruits at home using a countertop dehydrator. I bought mine at Wal-Mart for less than $40 and it works great for pineapple, apples and bananas. We also spent a weekend making our own beef jerky. You can ask your local butcher at the meat counter to slice your beef thin for beef jerky. Tell him or her what you are doing and he should know what to do. Experiment with different flavors from the condiment aisle. Anything you would normally marinate beef in will work.

Spend a Saturday and make a crock pot of meatballs in a sauce of your choice for a quick, re-heatable snack all week. You can try ground chicken or turkey meatballs too.

I’m sure you have a lot of suggestions you can share with everyone else in the comments below. I have my note pad ready to write them down.

Actions for today:

Nutrition

Try one of these new healthy snack ideas! Make some ahead to have for a few days.

Exercise

Go checkout CrossFit.com and learn to do a Burpee. Try to do 20 Burpees today.

Inspiration

Go to YouTube and look up “weight loss stories” to be inspired by others who have already won this battle.

Join TEAM Fire Wife and get connected with the only women who understand your challenges....schedules, missed holidays, scary calls, single parenting, sleep deprived husbands and more. This is your online firehouse family. Register at FirefighterWife.com/connect (Fiancees and girlfriends too :)

• Bio
• Latest Posts

Lori Mercer - WifeOnFire

Owner at FirefighterWife.com

Firefighter Wife on a mission to save fire marriages, nurture and encourage other fire wives and love on Jesus, my firefighter and our 4 kids. Blessed to be leading this amazing community of Fire Wives.

Latest posts by Lori Mercer - WifeOnFire (see all)

• 10 Things I Learned in One Year as a Fire Wife Blogger - May 19, 2013
• Girl Talk Once Again - May 14, 2013
• Announcing Our Flame Fest Contest - May 13, 2013

For some more reading