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…Whey: What is it? Why use it?…

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When you walk into a supplement store you can not help but get over whelmed by the rows upon rows of when/meal replacement shakes.

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So many brands…

So many names…

So many flavors…

So many different prices…

What exactly is whey and does anyone really need it?

Whey protein are the protein molecules that are  separated from whey (the liquid by-product of cheese).  Since it is a by product of cheese it can be seen as having a low lactose concentration.

Whey protein has all 9 essential amino acids  which aids in the synthesis of muscle development and growth.

There are several different types of whey protein that may be seen while you are shipping.  They are:

  • Whey Protein Isolate: This source of protein has gone through more processing to help remove all of the lactose and fat that can be traditionally found in most protein powders.  This means this source of protein has a higher concentration of protein and is typically more expensive due to the additional processing steps it has gone through.
  • Whey Protein Concentrate:This source of protein has relative low levels of carbohydrates.  Depending on the brand and overall processing, this will determine how high the concentration of protein that you purchase.
  • Whey Protein Hydrolate: This source of protein is typically more fine and broken down.  It can be typically found in baby formula and other medical nutritional sources because it can be absorbed faster than the other whey proteins.  It does not require as much digestion and is rapidly absorbed by the body.

Consuming whey protein products can aid those who are looking to lose weight.  Whey protein shakes can be taken in conjunction with a good diet and regular exercise routine.  It can help improve athletic performance and can be a good nutrient source for infants, children, or people with extreme health issues.

There is no right/wrong brand for you to pick when trying to find a good whey to use.  You will have to figure out what brand will appeal to your taste buds, health goals, and spending budget.

As always, make sure to check with your doctor before doing  any extreme diet changes.  You will want to consult the help of a medical professional to make sure that you are using any supplements correctly.

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…Infinite Life Fitness Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Protein Pancake…

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes_ILF

Tis the season to enjoy things that taste like pumpkin!
Here is yet another great recipe for those who would like to have pumpkin for breakfast.  I will have to admit… This recipe makes the pumpkin flavor quite mild.  The banana and cinnamon are the first things that I initially taste, and then there is a slight pumpkin after taste.  If you would like more of a pumpkin kick I would suggest adding pumpkin spice to your mixture before you make the pancake.

Here is the recipe:

1 packet of protein (pumpkin protein meal replacement shake, if possible). OR 1 scoop of your own whey protein (to get it to taste like pumpkin if you use another flavor of protein powder other than the pumpkin flavored powder you will have to add pumpkin spice and pumpkin puree)

1 whole small banana

2 egg whites

1 tsp of cinnamon

Directions:

Mix all ingredients into a bowl like regular pancake mix, and cook like you would a regular pancake.

You can get creative and add nuts, fruit, berries, and even other spices.  You will want to be careful with what you do add to the mixture so that you do not change the texture and overall flavor of the pancake.  You can change it up however you would like!  I like to add Walden’s Farm Syrup to my pancakes OR you can try 1 tablespoon of fat free whip topping.

Feel free to watch as I make this live on the KTVO Morning cooking show:

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…Infinite Life Fitness Recipe: Pumpkin Protein Treats…

 

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Well… It is that time of year again.

That time of the year where stores and manufactures start to sell EVERYTHING made with pumpkin.  So to get in the mood of fall, I created this delicious (AND healthy) dessert alternative for those who are counting their macronutrients and trying to stay on track with eating healthy.

What you will need:

  • 1 scoop of Whey Protein ( I used 1st Phorm Vanilla Whey)
  • 1 cup of pumpkin puree
  • 1 tbsp vanialla extract
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tbsp honey (or dash of sugar substitute product)
  • dash of water
  • Whip topping
  • pie crust/shells to put your pumpkin mixture in (you do not have to use this! You can serve it in a bowl with whip topping!)

Directions:

  1. combine ALL dry ingredients into a bowl
  2. mix in the pumpkin puree and honey
  3. combine dash of water (approximately 1-2 tablespoons) while mixing
  4. once mixture is smooth and well mixed add the pumpkin mixture to your pie crust OR serve in a bowl.
  5. Feel free to garnish this with whip cream, nuts, etc.
  6. BE CAREFUL not too add too much to this dish! The above ingredient list has created a dish that is high in protein and lower in carbs.  Adding things to this dish can make it not as healthy.

Feel free to watch the following video to show you how to make your pumpkin protein dish!

Tis the season to indulge in some fall treats and with this recipe you can do so without feeling guilty! Pumpkins are a great food source to add to your diet! They are packed with fiber which is a good thing! Eating foods high in fiber can help to make you feel full longer and help you regulate your digestive tract. Pumpkins are also low in calories AND carbs!

Pumpkins are packed with vitamin A which in return helps with your eye sight. They are also high in potassium and vitamin C which can help boost your immune system. Pumpkins also have nutrients in them that have been proven to help lover your LDL cholesterol levels.

Try to re-create this protein packed treat and test it with your friends and family and see if they can taste the difference (compared to the traditional protein custard treats).

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…infinite life fitness recipe: sweet potato chocolate fudge cake…

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Chocolate Cake… two words that will make most people’s ears perk up and their mouths will  start watering.

Getting healthy and fit does not mean that you have to completely abandon the things that taste the best to you.  As with anything, you can still enjoy your favorite things but, MODERATION is key.  If you have a sweet tooth enjoy a nice small slice of chocolate.  If you want a brownie or some ice cream stick to the actual serving size that is recommended on the size of the box (yes that means measuring out or weighing out the correct portions) instead of just guessing at the amount that you think is “a small portion of food”.

Another trick that I have learned is to find other recipes that provide the same great taste of regular treats but carry more nutritional macronutrients.  There are a lot of recipes out there…so try out a few to see what you will like the best! And never be afraid to change recipes around s that they contain things that YOU like. It may take several attempts to get the recipe down the way you like but that is the fun part…trying to figure out what will turn out delicious (and nutritious!)

Today I am sharing the recipe of an outstanding treat.  Sweet potato chocolate cake.  It is very flavorful moist, and honestly taste the exact same as other chocolate treats that you can get at the store.

What you will need:

(Put all of these ingredients into a food processor)

  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1 cup cooked sweet potato
  • 40-50 stevia drops (Or other sources of sweetener.  You can also use sugar or honey)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 2 scoops protein powder (I used 1st Phorm Whey Protein)
  • 4 oz unsweetened apple sauce
  • 8 tablespoons cocoa powder (or dark chocolate cocoa powder)
  • 4 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

What you will do:

  • Heat your oven to 350 degrees
  • Blend all of the above ingredients together VERY WELL!
  • Place combined ingredients into a muffin pan (or you can make a pan of brownies and later cut them into desirable slices).
  • Cook these for 20 – 25 minutes checking them periodically
  • IMPORTANT: *make sure you use either silicone bake ware or line your bake ware with parchment paper.  It makes the cake cook evenly and helps to limit the outside cooking faster than the inside (making it easier to separate after it has cooled).

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I typically will make a few dozen of these and keep them in the freezer.  This allows them to last a lot longer.  When you would like to enjoy one just pop it in the microwave and top with a dollop of peanut butter, whip cream, Greek yogurt, or even low calorie ice cream (like Arctic Zone).  The great thing about this recipe is that you can get very creative! You an add nuts, chocolate chips, dried fruit, or anything else you would like. BUT BE CAREFUL with the amount of things that you add.  The more you add the more you compromise the good nutritional value of this healthy treat.

Try this out on your own and dress it up however you like.  If you decide to try it post it on instagram and tag the picture with #infinitelifefitness so that I can see it! 🙂

Hope that you are able to enjoy them as much as I do!.

 

 

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…infinite life fitness recipe: Protein Fudge…

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Working towards your health and fitness goals do not require you to completely sacrifice sweet treats.  Lets be honest…who doesn’t get a sweet tooth every now and then? And yes it can be hard to ignore those sweet cravings! So what do you do?

Instead of driving yourself crazy and trying to ignore the sweet cravings you should come up with healthy AND tasty alternatives for you have when you are needing something a little sweet.  Here is a treat that I personally love to make and usually keep in my freezer just in case I need to grab something sweet.

What you will need:

  • ¾ cup peanut butter (I use Skippy natural chocolate peanut butter)
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • ¼ cup melted coconut oil
  • 3 scoops vanilla protein powder ( I chose to use 1st Phorm Vanilla Whey. Depending on the brand of protein you may need to use less or more! You will have to adjust your recipe)

What you will do:

  • heat up coconut oil and measure out 1/4 cup
  • Place all of the above ingredients into a mixing bowl
  • mix ingredients until batter is thick and sticky (I added small amounts of almond milk to get the mixture to mix and blend. I literally just added a few tablespoons)
  • Once the batter is mixed place in a freezer safe container
  • spread batter evenly into container
  • place container in freezer and allow to freeze
  • once the batter is frozen cut into even squares and enjoy!

NOTE: I stored my protein fudge in the freezer.  If thawed out it will just become runny and not thick.  Keeping it in the freezer allows it to stay in the fudge chunks.  Even though it is frozen, the fudge is very easy to bite into and chew.  It is slightly chewy and VERY yummy!

You can get creative and toss in nuts, chocolate chips, or anything else that you would like.  But remember, adding those things increase the calorie, carbs, and fat macro nutrient content in this treat.  So you want to try to limit what you add to make sure to keep it as healthy as possible.

Like I stated before, this is a great treat to keep around the house to help subdue those sweet cravings you may get. This snack is packed with an amazing taste and is high in protein.

Mix. Freeze. and Enjoy! Let me know how YOUR version of this recipe turns out!

 

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…Infinite Life Fitness Recipe: Protein Bread…

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If any of you are like me…you may LOVE to eat bread and bread like products.  Bread is my one weakness so once you find out the nutritional value (or the lack of nutrition) that is found in your favorite bread, it makes you cringe just thinking about indulging in more than one service size.   I had to find an alternative to help satisfy my bread craving as well as fit into my macronutrients.

What you will need:

  • 1 pack of baking bread yeast (NOT the quick rise yeast, just the regular yeast)
  • 2 cups of wheat flour
  • 1 cup (84 g) of vanilla Protein (I used 1st Phorms Vanilla Ice Cream Protein.  You can use other brands but i have found this brand to work the best for me when it comes to baking and cooking with it)
  • 1 tablespoon of wheat gluten
  • 1 tablespoon of dry milk
  • dash of salt
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon of honey (you can also use maple syrup, agave nectar, or sugar.  YOU NEED regular sugar to help feed the yeast.  It is NOT advised that you use artificial sweetener for this recipe)
  • 1 1/2 cup of water
  • Bread making machine or bread pan

What you will do:

  • the type of bread machine that I have and use  is an Oyster 2lb express bread maker 
  • Add all of the wet ingredients first!!
  • You will then add together all of the dry ingredients
  • You will make a small well in the middle of the mixture and then add the yeast (look at picture 1)proteinbread_1
  • For my settings i chose: 1.5 lb loaf & light crust.
  • I pressed the start button and just let it sit!
  • My bread maker kneaded the dough and baked it.  Once the bread was ready the machine cut off automatically.
  • I let the bread cool and then removed it from the pan and cut it up into my desired sizes.

You are more than welcome to play around with this recipe.  This is just how i learned how to make mine and it seems to work very well.  My bread is very dense yet flaky.  It is very filling for me and a great snack to grab when you are on the go!

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