Last week I announced to the world (okay, just you and you, but still, you are my world, baby) that I would be running a relay marathon May 11th.

Hey! That’s Mother’s Day! Forget lying in bed and expecting bacon and eggs from your spawn ~ get up and run a marathon!

Why yes, I’ll take that with a side of what was I thinking? (Seriously, doing fine - I’m up to 5K (3.1 miles). What’s 3 more measly kilometres? I LAUGH IN THE FACE OF SHIN SPLINTS!)

An aside: I keep accidentally typing marathong. Perhaps a Freudian slip in anticipation of my new buns of steel?

Ahem. Anyway.

Part of training for a marathon besides running your fool legs off and getting enough sleep, is feeding your body foods that it can process, use and fuel on. I figured this was advice everyone could use and contribute to.

Enter: SNACKING!

Snacking throughout the day boosts your metabolism and keeps your body fueled so you don’t get the late afternoon cravings for a nap and the late night cravings for munchies. I haven’t eaten after dinner since I changed my way of eating. I simply don’t want M&M’s and potato chips late at night anymore because I eat all day long! You there! Hand me my trough!

Last October, Kimberly @ Petroville had everyone swear off Halloween candy (smart woman!), so I asked my readers at my old blog what healthy snacks they could recommend instead. They all still apply as good choices for healthy snacks.

~ Andy said: I don’t think you’ll like it… but I used to eat a lot of Soy Nuts… they have a ton of protein and are in general pretty healthy - but you have to eat the unflavored/unsalted kind to make ‘em extra healthy.

~ Elizabeth said: Well, my favorite healthy snack is All Bran Bran Buds with Light n Fit Vanilla Yogurt and a handful of blueberries! It is so filling. There’s always those mini bags of light microwave popcorn, too, if you want something that takes a while to munch on. P.S. I’m back on Weight Watchers for the eleventy billionth time.

~ Shannon offered: Peanuts & raisins mixed. Salty & sweet - works *almost* as well as a Snickers bar.

~ Average Jane mentioned: I like Luna Bars (that’s what I ordinarily have for breakfast). I also enjoy various raw veggies with light ranch dip or yogurt.

~ Anne Nahm said: If you are watching salt this won’t work at all, but what helps me a lot when I am hungry, even for something sweet, is to drink a cup of instant chicken broth. This helps especially in the afternoon when I am hungry and don’t know what to eat. It is very satisfying to drink something warm that smells savory. And it is about 35 calories. The other one that is probably more healthy but I don’t like is much is tomato juice warmed up like a soup. Again, real low in calories but the warmth really fools you.

~ Kimberly commented: I like cottage cheese with cut up tomatoes, fat free vanilla yogurt with Kashi cereal mixed in, Amy’s organic black bean or ABC soup with fat free flatbread for dipping, sugarfree jello, pickles and carrots w/ hummus. Whatever’s gonna keep me away from the bag of pizza goldfish works for me.

~ Ali came by to say: i’m a big fan of laughing cow cheese. 35 calories in a wedge. and multigrain melba toast.

~ Tendrils said: Laughing Cow Cheese on Pita chips is YUMMY! So are the Fiber 1 Oatmeal Bars……delicious, and low fat!

~ InterstellarLass said: I’m not a snacker, but of course the 100-calorie bag snacks are yummy. As long as you don’t eat more than 1 bag, you’re doing well. Another thing I discovered when I toyed with the Southbeach Diet (no caffine! no way!) was a ‘dessert’ made with ricotta cheese. Ricotta is low-fat, and you can also get the ‘non-fat’ version. Mix in a little cocoa powder and you’ve got a yummy chocolate dessert. Mix in a little vanilla extract and some cinnamon, you’ve got a yummy dessert. Only your imagination can limit you on that recipe.

~ Motherbumper told me: Did anyone say Frozen apple sauce in the snack size containers yet? Original is the best, non-sweetened is best for you, and pear is a nice switch (but does have added sugar). Still, they are damn good for you and scraping away at it with a spoon helps me imagine I’m eating a nice icy cone in Italy (or somewhere equally as romantic).

~ JenK mentioned: Mix those frozen blueberries with the yogurt in a blender. Yum! Smoothies! Or, freeze your yogurt for a few hours (not any longer or you won’t be able to get a spoon in there). Also, I love those Mini Warm Delights. They are small but mighty. And, only 150 Cal. When I need to indulge, I go for one of those.
Good Luck!

~ Phoenix had this to offer: Oreos? Ok maybe not. Craisons, smoothies, apples, pumpkins seeds, almonds covered in m&m…okay just almonds. You are a brave woman, I couldn’t do it.

~ Kissowa told me: Cashews, cashews, cashews. Oh and semi-frozen green grapes. Makes for crunchie snack. (Just pop in a plastic bag in the freezer for half an hour, yum) I love the laughing cow too, eating it right now infact. And Ricecakes with cheeseflavour. And sweetcorn. Im hungry now. *runs off for snacks*

~ Lauren the Cartoon Goddess stole my heart with: Granny Smith apples, halved and cored, with peanut butter. Yum.

~ My lovely friend Suebob had this for us: Do gin and tonics count? Sugar snap peas - the fat ones in the pod. Melon sprinkled with lime juice and chile powder and salt. Yes, I am Mexican way deep down.

~ Loralee said: I am a fan of string cheese. I also love eating handfuls of cereal. It keeps me away from cookies. If I need a heartier snack that is more like a meal, then there are Oprah’s Melba toast with turkey, handful of spring herbs and a couple of spritzes of wishbone’s balsamic vinaigrette. MMM…

~ Tori offered: I love salted pistachio nuts. I also love Lara bars. Good luck!

~ Dorothy from Grammology (Call Your Grandma!) said: If you can, eat an apple…they are very healthy..and I purchased those Cheerios Honey Nut flavor only 160 calories snack bars and they are luscious they make me think I’m eating candy..really.

~ Annie confessed her love for popcorn: Popcorn!
I’ve been on a popcorn kick for years as an evening snack.
I get the “Light” kind, light or NO butter if I can find it. It’s only like 25 calories per cup.

~ Connie-Lynne had my favorite nailed down: Frozen dark cherries, defrosted in the microwave, with powdered cocoa sprinkled over them.

A cup of cherries is nice and sweet, and only about 110 calories (and a cup is a LOT of cherries). The sweetness of the cherries means you don’t need to add sugar to the cocoa, and the cherries complement and enhance the chocolatey flavor.

As for me, I snack on almonds that I buy raw and roast at home (in a pan, no oil), sliced apples with a dollop of peanut butter or almond butter, veggies and hummus (Chris’ recipe is our new fave), a glass of chocolate milk (my trainer said this is especially good after a run), Kashi granola bars, a half-bagel or slice of toast (whole grains only please) with peanut butter & banana, or yogurt with fruit and/or granola stirred in.

What healthy snacks do you like to nosh on?