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…Infinite Life Fitness Recipe: Peanut Butter Protein Fudge…

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Just because you want to eat healthy and lose weight does not mean that you have to cut out ALL things that are yummy! Reaching your goals is all about a balance.  You have to figure out when the proper time is to have the items that you crave and love.  And the other battle is figuring out foods you can add to your diet to help take the place of unhealthy treats that you would usually have.  And in all honesty, some of these healthy recipes taste just as good (or BETTER) than the unhealthy version!

Today I would like to share with you a recipe that was made by my close  friend Melissa. When I tasted these they were MOUTH WATERING! So it was an easy choice for me to try to make them and have them stored in my freezer as a quick and healthy sweet treat.

What you will need:

  • ¾ cup peanut butter (preferably all natural peanut butter) 
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • ¼ cup melted coconut oil
  • 3 scoops vanilla protein powder (you can even possibly use peanut butter protein powder or possibly chocolate!)

What you will do:

  • get a small Tupperware container (or a glass or regular baking pan.  Use something that you can easily mix all of the items together and also place it in the freezer)
  • Mix all of the above ingredients into the same container
  • After mixing them together very well make sure to spread it out evenly throughout the container.
  • Place container in the freezer and allow it to get HARD (the time will this will vary!! The best way to monitor this is by sticking a tooth pick in the corner or middle.  If the tooth pick easily slides in, the fudge is not ready.  But if the tooth pick does not go in easily your fudge is done!)
  • After it is frozen, cut the fudge into desirable pieces.
  • It is advised to keep them stored in the fridge or freezer! If not they will become room temperature and somewhat melt.  Keeping them in the fridge or freezer also extends it shelf life and allows you to keep the fudge for a longer period of time.

*** You can also add other things to this fudge if you like.  This can include things like nuts, chocolate chips, pretzel pieces, or any other types of goodies.  BUT remember to not add too much because the more you add, the more you risk making this healthy alternative into an unhealthy sweet treat. But it is fun to get creative and just have fun when making this recipe.

This is a perfect treat to grab when you have a sweet tooth and want to grab something small.  This treat will guarantee to satisfy! You can even get your family member to enjoy it (and they will not even know that it is healthy! 😉  )

…Knowing what you eat: Counting Calories…

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Do you know exactly what you are putting into your body?  Do you even know how much food you are consuming each day?  It is said that most people consume as little as TWICE as many calories than they actually need each day.

One of the most important things you need to do to help you reach your goals is to figure out what you are eating and how much you are eating!! There are DOZENS of applications you can download onto your smart devices and they are also accessible on your computer.

You can find an easily accessible and FREE calorie counter site at: http://www.nutracheck.co.uk/

Once you get singed up with these programs feel free to play around with it!! You need to get use to how the program works so you will become efficient as being able to navigate and use the program properly.

Using these types of programs will allow you the change to closely monitor HOW much food you are eating and what kind of foods you are eating.

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I suggest a few things:

– when you decide you want to make a healthier change, sign up for one of these programs and track what types of food you eat for a FULL week

– when the week is over go back and look at what you eat a lot of and what you need to eat more of.  You will be surprised to see that you consume too much salt, sugar, or another type of food.  You will also be able to see that you do not eat enough veggies, fruits, or protein.  This will allow you the change to actually see what areas you need to improve on.  

– next find some healthy recipes and go shopping! You have to find recipes that will be fitting to your needs!  Usually breakfast will be around 300-400 calories  snacks will be around 200-300 calories, and lunch and dinner should also be around 300-400 calories!  The goal is to spread your meals out throughout the day so you do not feel like you are going hungry!  YOU DO NOT WANT TO SKIP MEALS!! THIS CAN HINDER YOUR WEIGHT LOSS!  You want to try to stick to a regular eating schedule.  I would suggest eating about every 2-3 hours.  have breakfast, and then a small snack, lunch, another snack, dinner, and if you are still hungry in the evening have another SMALL snack.  You want to try to stop eating about 2-3 hours BEFORE you go to bed.  But you do not want to go hungry and you should try NOT to skip any meals

-keep track of what you eat in these applications.  They will let you decide if you have the right serving size or more than the suggested serving size.  If you stick to the proper serving sizes, a steady workout routine, and drink water you should start to see results in about a month!

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Reaching your goals will take TIME! You will have to be patient! You can not eat healthy for a week and expect 15-30 pounds to just vanish!  Yes that would be nice but it is not realistic.  You have to stay consistent with eating right AND working out.  Eating right is the MAIN priority.  If you are not feeding your body the right foods it will hinder the results you want to see!! You can spend all the time you want in the gym, but if you eat junk food all of that hard work will go to waste.  So this is why it is SO important to get your diet under control so you are able to reach the results you want.

And there you have it! I just gave you the tools you need to help you jump-start your new health and fitness journey!

Any day is a great day to start living healthier…why not start today!?

…Pre-Workout Snack Options…

Finding the right fuel for your workout is just as important as the workout you will do for the day!  You are going to want to find a snack that is filling, will provide you with energy, as well as keep you full until you are done with your workout.  Eating the right Pre-Workout snack will help you maximize your energy during your workout as well as providing enough nutrients for your body to start metabolizing to help you start to burning those unwanted calories.  It is important to get the right mixture of nutrients to help prevent any stomach pains you may have before or during your workout.

The key is to get some good carbs pre-workout because the carbs will provide you with the fuel you need to power through your workout.  You will also want a lean protein so that it will allow you to build muscle.  It is suggested to take your pre-workout meal about 30 minutes before you workout (or about an hour)  and it is also suggested to have your post-workout meal no more than 30 minutes AFTER you workout.  You want to have a well-balanced meal right after you workout to allow your body to recover from all of the hard work you just did in the gym.  It is also suggested to stay away from spicy foods and foods with too much fat in them before your workout.

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Carbohydrates (Carbs):

Despite all of these “Low Carb” diets you hear about you actually need carbs to help you fuel your body.  The closer you get to your workout you want to have MORE carbs and LESS protein.  Having too much protein or hard digesting carbs can cause indigestion or other stomach issues during your workout.

Some Pre-Workout Suggestions:

  • 1/2 banana and 1/2 cup of oatmeal (you can have 1 cup of melon or other type of fruit with your oatmeal)
  • 1/2 cup oatmeal and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter (or almond butter)
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt  (try to get the plain yogurt and add your own fruit or tablespoon of honey to add sweetness)
  • 1 piece of whole wheat bread or English muffin slice with 2 tablespoons of hummus
  • 1 piece of whole wheat toast and 24 almonds (usually 24 almonds is one serving size)
  • small protein shake (you can check out THIS WEBSITE for some great protein shake recipes)
  • 1 cup of yogurt and 24 almonds
  • 1 small apple (or another small piece of fruit) and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
  • Low-fat string cheese and whole wheat crackers
  • 1 slice of a whole wheat bagel (that is ONLY 1/2 of the bagel NOT the whole thing) and 1/2 cup of fat-free cottage cheese
  • Energy Bar (WARNING: Not all energy bars are good to have!  Some are loaded with sugar and more carbs than you need! Be sure to look at the carb content and how much protein they have.  Try to get a bar with no more than 40 gramsof carbs and the MORE protein the bar has the better!)
  • 1 serving of tuna and 1 slice of whole wheat toast

Some Post-Workout Suggestions:

  • Protein shake (Check out THIS RECIPE for recipes that are HIGH in protein)
  • 1 cup of cottage cheese and 1 cup of fruit
  • grilled chicken and 1/2 cup of brown rice (or quinoa)
  • small omelette (you can add veggies and even make an egg white omelette)
  • 1 piece of toast and 4 egg whites

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Regardless you should try to consume enough water before, during, and after your workout!  The suggested amount of water that each person should have varies, but as a general rule it is suggested that each person get at least for men 13 cups and for women 9 cups of water per day (as supported by Mayo Clinic) .  This is the LEAST amount of water you should drink so drinking more than that is highly encouraged.

The other important meals you have to be careful of are the other meals that you consume during the day.  Stick with a healthy well-balanced meal.  Stick to low fats and non-processed foods.  The rule to follow is stay at the perimeter of the store when you go grocery shopping.  The perimeter is the best place to find the most natural, fresh, and healthy food at the grocery store.

You have to be consistent with your healthy eating or you will not see the results that you want.  You can NOT have a horrible diet and see the results of all of your hard work in the gym.  Your body needs those fresh, clean, and non processed foods to fuel it through those hard workouts.  Consistency is the key to your success!