Healthy Travel Snacks

November 25, 2014

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and for the majority of us, some form of travel is involved. Whether it be by car, bus, train or airplane, travelling isn’t the kindest on our health as it can be hard to find healthy options on the road or in the sky. I wanted to compile a little list (cute graphic included) of some easily portable and healthy travel snacks and foods that can be easily found, to help prevent any nasty episodes involving greasy burgers and snacks with little nutritional content.

Healthy Travel SNacks

1. Fruit

Fruit is a great choice as it can be bought from a variety of different places, and is a great source of carbohydrates and various minerals and vitamins. Some good choices are apples and pears (lots of fiber to fill you up), bananas and dates (for an energy rich fruit for those long journeys) and strawberries and blueberries (low in calories, and high in fiber and antioxidants).

2. Nuts

Nuts are light and last for ages, so make a great travel snack buddy. Some good options are unsalted almonds, cashews, and walnuts. Pair it with some fruit for a snack which will keep you full and satisfied due to the great combination of healthy fats, protein and carbohydrates.

3. Quest Bars

I LOVE quest bars! I do not normally go for protein bars, as most are essentially just a repackaged candy bar, but quest protein bars have a stellar nutritional profile. Cookies and Cream is my favorite flavor and per bar, it is 180 calories, 21g of protein, 17g of fiber (!!!) and only 1g of sugar. Keep a pack with you and I guarantee it will keep you full and satisfied on your travel journeys.

4. Coconut water

You can’t take in liquids (unless they’re under 100ml which is nothing) on airplanes, so stock up on coconut water if you are travelling on land. I absolutely love coconut water, and particularly Harmless Harvest coconut water. Click here to read why coconut water is such a great drink and all about Harmless Harvest.

5. Grain-free, refined sugar-free fudge brownies

Hehe, okay, shameless self recipe promotion. But hey, they would make great travel snacks! Not only can you pack them into a tupperware box, they are low in sugar, low in carbohydrates, high in protein and healthy fats. And they are gluten-free; gluten-free healthy options will probably be difficult to come across. Click here for the recipe (it’s easy to make, don’t worry).

6. Latte

Latte’s; they are on the list because you can get a latte anywhere and it is a great way to stay alert if you are on a long road trip. Again, you can’t really take a latte with you on a plane, although most airports will have a coffee shop where you can enjoy a latte before your flight. If you ask for a non-fat and no whip latte, this is a good way to get some protein in and some calcium. Plus as a graduate student, I am just really addicted to latte’s … stop judging me 😛

These are my 6 picks for healthy travel snacks which you can bring anywhere, with some snack options which should be easy to find no matter where you travel. I hope they prove useful and help make your travels a little easier 🙂

What do you usually bring to snack on when you go for road trips or plane trips?

Honestly yours,
Alice

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Harmless Harvest Coconut Water + Giveaway!

November 7, 2014

Let’s talk coconut water

Harmless Harvest is the best commercially sold coconut water I have tasted. Bold statement, isn’t it? And for those of you who have been long-time followers of Honestly Fitness, you know my philosophy is to let you make your own decision based on the facts that I provide for you. But being someone who is a bit of a coconut water snob (come on, I grew up in Thailand after all!), I can happily say that Harmless Harvest is one of the best coconut waters on the market that I have tasted so far. Most commercial coconut waters have a weird and unflavorful taste which just makes me sad. I hate to think that people will get a negative image over coconut water from trying some of the unpleasant coconut waters that are on the market.

I wanted to hold this giveaway so that I could let two lucky people experience for themselves why this is the best coconut water on the market [details at the end of the post].

Who are Harmless Harvest?

Not only do they make the best tasting (raw and organic) coconut water out there, but Harmless Harvest have an ecosystem based business model. What does this mean? This means that Harmless Harvest “respects each person and community contributing to the creation and purchase of a product”. They are committed to sustainable farming, environmental conservation, supporting research and development for better foods and sourcing, and the community at large. They are a unique company and one that I fully support for their ethical efforts and their incredible coconut water.

You can read more about them by visiting their website: http://www.harmlessharvest.com

What makes the coconut water so great?

Most coconut waters are from concentrate, whereas Harmless Harvest coconut waters are raw and undergo high pressure processing. Harmless Harvest coconut waters undergo high pressure processing to protect the flavor and extend their shelf life. A really quirky aspect of their coconut waters which made me a little hesitant at first was the fact that some are pink! Yeah, you heard right. My first pink coconut water was met with a “Uhh, I’ve never cracked open a coconut to see pink water before …”. But never fear; Harmless Harvest explain that some coconut waters are pink because “some bottles turn pink with time due to varying levels of antioxidants, or phenols, interacting with light”. Does that make sense? Coconut waters in a coconut cannot go pink because they are never exposed to the sun. These coconut waters are stored in a clear bottle which can expose them to sunlight. They are still completely safe to drink and actually rather pretty!

Furthermore, coconut water is extremely healthy for you. They contain many vitamins and minerals including high levels of potassium which is crucial for the proper function of your cells, tissues and organs. It is also low in calories and naturally fat and cholesterol free. I love having coconut water as a sweet and healthy alternative to drinks high in sugar such as soda.

How do I win some Harmless Harvest coconut water?

Oh, it is so easy! Follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter box below to see how to gain entries. It is mandatory to leave a blog post comment, and then there are lots of other options to help you gain more entries such as following Harmless Harvest on their Twitter and Instagram, and liking them on Facebook.

There will be two winners. Each winner will receive 3 coupons which will allow them to buy Harmless Harvest coconut waters 🙂

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck to you all. I can’t wait for you to try this delicious coconut water!

Honestly yours,
Alice

Disclaimer: I did not receive compensation to write this post. I was given coupons to review Harmless Harvest. Reviews always remain my own and unbiased opinions. I made my own opinions on Harmless Harvest months before I was given the coupons to review.

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5 Healthy Foods I am Loving!

October 15, 2014

For the record, in this post I am not telling you that you NEED to be eating these foods. I am simply sharing what 5 foods I like and always seem to be eating, as a way to share their nutritional benefits with you and to inspire you to include these into your diet. Some of you may already know and eat all of these, but I am sure there are a few out there who haven’t tried them or do not eat them regularly. And here at Honestly Fitness, I want to help everyone 🙂

1. Brown rice

Brown rice is such a powerhouse of a grain. I like eating it because it has more texture than white rice, is a good source of fiber (de-bloating, ahoy!) and is a complex carbohydrate. As such, it helps to keep you fuller for longer. It is also full of vitamins and minerals such as iron (important for the ladies), vitamin B-6, and magnesium.

2. Strawberries

Okay so I truly hope all of you reading this post have tried strawberries before! Strawberries are such tasty gems of a fruit, and very healthy for you too. They are also full of vitamins and minerals, are low in calories, and has a lower sugar content than many other fruits.

3. Oatmeal

Mmm, this was most certainly an everyday staple during the winter when I lived in England and still something I eat at least twice a week. Not only are they a comforting and heath breakfast, they are also high in iron, high in fiber, and low in sugar. I normally have rolled oats with some skimmed milk and berries when I do have it for breakfast, and it honestly keeps me full and satisfied for hours.

And yes, the oats in the photo on the left are the ones I use to make my oatmeal 🙂

4. Asparagus

Hehe, okay so my love affair with asparagus took a while, but now I am madly in love with it! I found that baking asparagus with a small amount of olive oil, pink himalayan salt and black pepper created a mouthwatering dish. Like most vegetables, they are low in calories, but they are also high in fiber (seeing a connection here?) and have a variety of minerals and vitamins including potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and more. I dare you to not like asparagus after making it the way I like it 😉

5. Coconut water

Having lived in Asia my whole life, I was surrounded by fresh coconuts and enjoyed their delicious flesh and coconut water almost daily. Since moving first to England, and then to the US, I have been pretty disappointed in many of the commercial brands of coconut water … they do not taste like fresh coconut juice! I always order a coconut if I see it on a restaurant menu. Finally after endless searching, I found a bottled coconut water that has my seal of approval; Harmless Harvest coconut water! It tastes JUST like the real thing. Some of their waters are pink, which I would love some more explanation about, as I have never had a fresh coconut with pink coconut water … Anyway, coconut water is fabulous because it has a bunch of vitamins and minerals, and is great to have if you are craving something sweet. Have it in moderation though, as it is fairly high in sugar.

[Tweet “5 Healthy Foods I am Loving! Have you tried them?”]

Let’s see, today I have had 3 out of the 5 foods I just posted, haha! Oh, I truly am a creature of habit. I love my healthy lifestyle, and I love these healthy foods. What are your favorite 5 healthy foods?

Honestly yours,
Alice xx

harmless harvest