A Delicious Protein Recipe & My New Diet!

So I’ve been looking recipes to start making my own protein bars and came across a really yummy-looking one by Registered DietitianGeorgie Fear, author of Ask Georgie.

These are called Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars – mmm, mmm good!

Ingredients:

• Pam cooking spray
• ½ cup plain oatmeal
• ½ cup unsweetened soymilk
• ¼ cup egg whites (or 2 whites)
• ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder (or 1/3 cup)
• ½ cup Stevia (or 12 packets)
• ¼ cup milled flaxseed
• 2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons natural peanut butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8x8” pan with Pam cooking spray.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, combine oats and milk; cook for 60 seconds. Stir and allow cooling; mix in egg whites and vanilla extract.

3.   In a large mixing bowl, combine the whey protein, Stevia, flaxseed, flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

4.   Add oatmeal mixture to dry ingredients; mix just until everything is moist. Spread batter in pan.

5.   Place peanut butter in microwave safe bowl and heat for 45 seconds or until melted. Spoon peanut butter over batter in pan and swirl with knife tip.

6.   Bake for 10 minutes; allow cooling completely before cutting into 6 bars. Wrap each individually in plastic wrap and store in the freezer or refrigerator. Unwrap and microwave 30 seconds to warm.

These bars make 6 servings.

Nutritional Facts:

Per serving:

195 calories

11 g total fat

2 g saturated fat

5 mg cholesterol

14 g total carbohydrate

4 g dietary fiber

12 g protein

218 mg sodium

You can cut the bars into different sizes depending on how substantial a meal/snack you want your bars to be. Because I’m working on leaning out and I’m in my cutting phase, I will probably only have these as part of a cheat meal. But this would make for a great, delicious, and healthy snack/meal for anyone!

I can’t wait to try these! Share with me if you decide to make these, too! Let me know what you think of them!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars

My New Diet


So after putting on some muscle mass, I'm starting my cutting phase like I mentioned in last night's blog. Below is a sample of what my diet looks like now. Of course I substitute some of the meals for other foods that are equal so I don't get bored with the foods.


Meal 1:


1 scoop Whey Protein
1 serving of Gummy Bears
(this is my post-workout meal)


Meal 2:


3/4 cup egg whites (1 yolk)
1/4 cup Oatmeal
1/2 cup berries
(sometimes with this meal I make these as protein pancakes and I add cinnamon and use sugar-free syrup - so good!!!)


Meal 3:


1 scoop Whey Protein
1 tbsp all natural Peanut Butter


Meal 4:


4oz. chicken, tuna, turkey, haddock, or tilapia
3oz sweet potato
1 cup veggies


Meal 5:


1 scoop Whey Protein
1 tbsp natural Peanut Butter


Meal 6:


4oz chicken, turkey, bison steaks, haddock, salmon, tilapia, or tuna
small green salad
oil & vinegar, lemon juice, or sugar-free Maple Groves dressing


Meal 7:


3 egg whites


Again, this is just a sample of what I'm eating and I'm combining this with weight training and cardio. Tonight I trained shoulders (my favorite!), abs, and did cardio on the Arc Trainer. I performed:


Seated Shoulder Press
Standing Front Raise
Standing Lateral Raise
Upright Row with EZ Bar
Bent-over Rear Delt Raise


For abs I did:


Captain's Chair
Lemon Squeezes
Plank
Mason Twists


WHAT DID YOU DO FOR A WORKOUT TONIGHT AND WHAT ARE YOU EATING?

Which Supplements Do You Take?

In addition to my diet, I take supplements. The way I work out and diet, my body still needs to get its nutrients from outside sources.

Purchasing supplements as often as I do definitely gets expensive. If I’m out of something and I forgot to order it, I’ll just run over to the Vitamin Shoppe, which is located across from the Maine Mall in South Portland , ME. I never go to GNC anymore because their prices are outrageous and I can find the same or similar products at Vitamin Shoppe.

Sometimes purchasing items online at Vitamin Shoppe can be cheaper than buying directly from the store. I’ve included both links to each shop. Just hover over each of their names above and click on the link.

I mainly buy from Top Supplements Online, which is owned by Cape Cod Nutrition and based out of – you guessed it – Cape Cod , MA . Their products are inexpensive and they ship quickly. Within at least 15-20 minutes of me placing my order, I receive an email telling my order has been processed. Shortly following that, it’s been processed and shipped. I usually receive it within a couple of days. Sometimes they are either out of stock of a certain flavor I’d like, but then I realize it’s good to switch things up, so I just opt for the other flavor instead. They have never once been out of an item I needed. The other added bonus with ordering from Top Supplements is the free packets of supplements they give me! I actually get excited and look forward to my package because I never know what I’ll get to experiment with. It’s nice because it lets me decide if I’d like to continue trying something they’ve sent me a sample of.

I’ve also purchased from BodyBuilding.com and find their prices to be pretty similar in comparison to Top Supplements.

I am extremely anxious for the Portland Nutrition Corner store to open! PNC is opening July 1^st and they are located right near the new Buffalo Wild Wings in South Portland ( 85 Western Ave. ). The two guys who own it – Chris Morley and Chuck Martin – are fitness gurus so you know they know their stuff, which is important, especially for people who don’t know the first thing about supplements or exercise. Here’s what their About Us section on their website reads:

Chris Morley is a fitness enthusiast who has worked in supplement/vitamin retail for the last 10 years. He has managed the main (Cape Cod) Nutrition Corner store in Hyannis for the last seven years and knows everything there is to know about the products he sells. Chris is also an accomplished Drug-Free Competitive Bodybuilder and serves as a knowledgeable and reliable resource to many athletes and also to a large customer base of various needs ranging from basic general health to competitive athletics.

Chuck Martin received his B.S in Health and Fitness at UMaine Orono with honors in 2005. He is a Drug-Free IFPA Professional Bodybuilder who earned pro status after an overall victory at the 2010 OCB Spirit of America Bodybuilding Championships. Chuck has spent his whole adult life learning about and living health and fitnessusing proper supplementation as a staple. He is a great resource for any of your supplementation needs and much more!

The supplements I’m currently taking are:

·         Calcium – this is a nutrient that’s essential for strong bones and for supporting your body’s critical functions like controlling your blood pressure and maintaining your heartbeat. Ninety-nine percent of your body’s calcium is store in your bones and teeth. This calcium makes up your bone bank. Over the years, calcium is deposited and withdrawn from your bone bank depending on your needs. If you’re not getting enough calcium, your bones will become thin and weaken.

·         Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid – this is a vitamin that’s required for the proper development and function of many parts of the body. It also plays an important role in maintaining proper immune function.

·         Biotin – I just recently (a month ago) started taking this for healthier skin, hair, and nails. I honestly haven’t seen much of a difference. I might eliminate this from my diet.

·         Fish Oil – these pills have been linked to several health benefits, including heart and blood health. It’s filled with omega-3 fatty acids.

·         CLA – CLA stands for Conjugated Linoleic Acid and reduces fat and preserves those muscle tissues. I really like CLA as it also increases your metabolic rate, decreases abdominal fat, enhances muscle growth, lowers cholesterol and insulin resistance, reduces food-induced allergic reactions, and enhances the immune system.

·         Multivitamin – these are great to take every day to make sure you’re getting the amounts of vitamins and minerals that your body needs on a daily base.

·         Protein powder – my all-time favorite is Myofusion by Gaspari Nutrition. Chocolate is my favorite. Cookies and Cream is ok. Strawberry is doable. I want to try Chocolate Peanut Butter. YUM. I also keep the Labrada’s Lean Body for Her protein packets in my car in case I can’t get to my next meal in time. I’ve tried this in both Strawberries and Cream and Vanilla flavor and I love both of them! They definitely have great flavors. I hate GNC’s Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60 in Vanilla. It tastes awful, but I keep it in my drawer at work “just in case”.

·         BCAAs – Branch Chain Amino Acids! I take Scivation Xtend. I’ve tried it in Grape, which isn’t too bad, definitely tolerable. I am currently taking it in Blue Raspberry – delicious! It helps speed recovery; enhance ATP production and promote cell volume; reduce muscle breakdown and cortisol levels; reduce fatigue and lactic acid levels for longer, more intense training; support lead body mass along with immune and digestive health; promote better absorption of protein; and decrease soreness.

·        Super Pump 250 – my favorite pre-workout drink! I drink it in Blue Raspberry, but have tried Grape, which is good, and Lemon-Lime, which is way too tart for my liking. I definitely highly recommend using a bathroom after drinking this and before working out. You very well might need it. They don’t nickname it Super Dump for nothing… just sayin’.

Which supplements do you take, if any? Are there any you’d like to try, but aren’t sure which ones you should?