The best snacks for mid age women
These four Canadian dietitians manage to enjoy everything from avocados to Almond Roca, while helping us eat healthier meals. Here they answer our prying questions about exactly what they eat and why.
Ramona Josephson, dietitian
54, Vancouver
Josephson provides nutrition coaching through one-on-one counselling, an online weight-loss program and corporate wellness programs. She’s also the author of Canadian bestseller The HeartSmart Shopper.
Q. You’ve spent your entire career telling others how to eat healthily — what’s it like eating in a restaurant with you?
A. Not nearly as intimidating as one might think. My goal is to enjoy what I eat, but be strategically smart with what I choose. I pick something I like, then advise the waiter on how I want it prepared, which usually means asking for sauces on the side, or getting salad instead of fries.
Q. What would you order for takeout?
A. Sushi — it’s the one fast food that is guaranteed not to be swimming in fat. I’d order edamame to begin and then a range of different sushi and sashimi.
Q. Is there a special treat you can’t resist?
A. I really do love nuts and chocolate. My weakness is for ice cream — it has to be good quality — with nuts and chocolate chunks in it.
Q. What are the best snacks for midlife women?A. At this age, women are particularly busy, on the run, juggling things, so you’re looking at something you could keep in your purse that is non-perishable. Ideally, something with protein because that sustains you for the longest time, and a carb for energy: nuts or trail mix, for example.
Q. What’s the biggest lifestyle mistake over-40 women make?
A. Women in their early 40s are still looking at food from a weight-loss perspective. Of course this is a set-up for failure, because quick-fix diets don’t work. At this age, you may have a young family, a partner, you’re probably working, and those things demand your attention. As we get older, we become more aware of our own health and more focused on being really smart about eating.
Q. We hear a lot about anti-aging. Are there any strategies you think are a sham?
A. Consuming specific products that claim to be anti-aging. Isolating a nutrient is not going to work; it’s the balance of nutrients that prevents aging. If only it were so easy as to pop a pill.
Continue reading for more anti-aging foods, convenience foods to look for, and what about caffeine, anyway?
