BANANA PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE PROTEIN CAKE

for 5 servings mix together:

1 cup egg whites

150 g skim ricotta or 0% fat cream cheese

15 g coconut flour (about 2 Tbsp)

1/4 cup almonds ground into flour. (this gives approximately 1 cup almond flour. i used an electric cheese grater to flour them)

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 scoops banana whey protein powder

2-3 Tbsp unsweetened cacao

pure stevia

pinch of salt

bake for about 25-30 min at 180°C/ 356°F. i used a 28cm/ 11" round silicone baking pan. 

let cool and slice into 10 pieces. spread 5 pieces with 1 Tbsp peanut butter, sprinkle with more stevia and make 5 sandwiches. store in refrigerator in an air-tight container.

macros for 1 serving out of 5: 224 kcal/ 11.7g fats/ 5.4g carbs/ 24.6g protein

#dessert #chocolatelover #pmsnack #mealprep #healthysnacking #healthyfats #lowcarb

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HOW TO SURVIVE THIS XMAS WITHOUT THE GUILT

1. Don't Skip Meals

eat a light, healthy meal a few hours before any holiday event. if you go most of the day without eating, you will be more likely to overeat and choose unhealthy options. a great filling meal that will hold you over until your event should include both protein and fiber for extra staying power.

2. Choose Wisely

start filling your plate with lean protein and veggies. if you plan to indulge, choose items that are only prepared on these special occasions but be sure to limit the portion. don't skimp on the fruits and vegetables--these will help you feel full and keep you from overeating the less healthy options.

3. Pay Attention

if you are truly not hungry, avoid second helpings.

4. Limit Liquid Calories

for every glass of wine or alcohol, drink a glass of water. in this way you will be sure to stay hydrated and not go overboard on the calories. if you still want to have one or two cocktails, choose drinks that you can sip slowly such as a fine wine or bourbon. if you are looking for a mixed drink, vodka, lime, and seltzer water is another great low-calorie option.

5. Out of Sight, Out of Mind

hether it is leftover holiday cookies or a cheesy casserole brought over by your aunt, keep in mind the saying "out of sight, out of mind." if these items are accessible to you, it makes you more likely to choose them. limit treats and unhealthy leftovers at home. when the party is over, the eating is over! 

6. Come Prepared

bring to the party/ gathering healthy options prepared by yourself.

7. Stay Active

exercise every day, especially on "party" days. if you can, incorporate a workout right before the party. in this way, your body will more likely use the calories for glycogen replenishment rather than for fat storage.

don't forget to have a good time with your family and friends. give yourself permission to enjoy the food and don't feel guilty for what you had. it's about balance. your body fat percentage is not that important so that you can't have a good time once a year. 

#christmas #indulgence #party #holidayseason

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CARROT CAKE OATMEAL for a quick and nutritious breakfast

1 carrot

1 dl/ a little less than 1/2 cup oats

1 dl/ a little less than1/2 cup orange juice

1 dl/ a little less than 1/2 cup water

cinnamon

cardamom

pure stevia

mix everything together and microwave for 3 min.

topping:

low-fat or fat-free cream cheese

grated carrots (optional)

raisins (optional)

#breakfast #nutrition #eatclean #nutritiousbreakfast

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HOLIDAY SEASON SURVIVAL GUIDE

this holiday season your password is: moderation.

don't get frustrated and don't worry too much about weight gain. enjoy the parties, enjoy the food.. but everything in moderation. 

here are a few tips:

-at the buffet fill your plate with salad and lean protein first. then go enjoy some other stuff you want to taste

-eat before the party

-stick to your meal plan for the rest of the day/ week

-don't skip meals

-have breakfast

-exercise daily

-preferably go to the gym before the party

-relax

some bloating and water retention is normal in this period, especially if you always eat healthy and natural foods. so keep your body hydrated and consume lots of veggies.

#nutrition #exercise #holidays #protein #christmas

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MOST COMMON BUZZWORDS

superfood: these foods don't do magic. they are rich in vit and minerals so it's important to include them in your meals as often as possible

all-natural: just cos it's natural, doesn't mean it's healthy.

organic: organic doesn't mean healthy. organic foods can still be high in sugar, fat, sodium etc.

energy-boosting: these foods mostly contain caffeine along with other chemicals and sugar.

probiotic: most of these foods (yogurts) have added sucralose (splenda) which actually kills the good bacteria

whole: foods caliming 'whole'on the label are usually made with just partially 'whole' ingredients. usually a whole-wheat bread turns out to have just 30-70% whole wheat flour. the rest is refined.

diet, sugar-free, low-fat, low-carb...: when there's sth missing in the food it must be replaced with sth else in order to preserve the taste and texture. read 'chemicals'.

x-grain food: most of these are made with white flour with added grains... nothing healthy about it.

100-calorie: foods filled with chemicals, dyes and preservatives.1 apple is less than 100 kcals and it doesn't need a label.

healthy: what can be healthy for you, it may not be healthy for me. and what is healthy for the food companies is almost never healthy for you.

#buzzword #superfood #lowfat #sugarfree #nutrition #chemicals

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BEST CARBS TO FLATTEN YOUR BELLY

who said you have to completely eliminate carbs from your diet to burn fat?! yes, sure, there are plenty of bad carbs out there, which also contain fats and are highly processed. but if you choose the right carb sources, you can still lose fat and say goodbye to bloating. here are my fave:

1 - Berries & Cherries

high in fiber, packed with antioxidants, and low in GI. especially cherries which come with a GI of just 22.

have them as a dessert with a sprinkle of stevia and lemon juice, enjoy them with your greek yogurt or blend them frozen in a super delicious berry ice cream.

2 - Sprouted Grain Bread

these flourless breads are a great way to include bread in your diet without all the issues associated with white breads and even 100% whole wheat breads. a 2-slice serving contains 8 grams of complete protein and 6 grams of fiber, so don't give up the bread, just choose the right kind!

3 - Quinoa

a gluten free grain that contains double the protein of brown rice along with greater fiber content and a lower glycemic load. did you know that quinoa is a complete protein that equals animal protein in aminoacid content?

enjoy it as an oatmeal substitute for breakfast, in salads or casseroles, or as a wholesome whole-grain, high protein side item to any lunch or dinner meal.

4 - Beans, Lentils, and other Legumes

packed with loads of fiber and protein, these guys come in so many different varieties that you'll never get bored: lentils, chickpeas, black eyed peas, black beans, red beans, kidney beans, navy beans, butter beans, lima beans, pinto beans...and the list goes on.

because of their fiber & protein content you can enjoy them at every meal. 

legumes bloat you? no worries.. you can still enjoy them blended in a soup or as hummus along with crunchy veggies like celery, bell peppers, carrots etc.

#carbohydrates #naturalcarbs #protein #nutrition #legumes #berries #completeprotein 

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HOW MUCH MUSCLE CAN YOU GAIN NATURALLY? (also for women)

how many bodybuilders you know who openly claim that they are using steroids?! me, none. but these athletes can fool you, not me. the eye of an expert is way too sharp. studies show that if you are a natty (a natural athlete) you can't reach more than 180-190 lbs shredded. no, not even if you are a genetic freak. these are facts, people. so all those pro bodybuilders who claim to be natural.. they are actually not. no, not even those who compete in 'natural' federations.

most federations don't perform anti-doping test and in those who do, you still have a way out.

let's face it.... 99% of the athletes in this industry takes steroids. sad, but true.

ok, enough about pros. let's talk about you, normal person, who trains on a daily basis. men usually have unrealistic expectations and women greatly overestimate how much muscle they can gain so they do everything to avoid it. 

so, be it man or woman, your results suffer as a result of not truly knowing how much muscle you can gain or how long it truly takes to build it.

one thing you need to know is that the more experienced lifter you are, the less mass you gain. here are the numbers: (women divide by 2)

-1 year of proper training and nutrition: 20-25 lb/ 9-11 kg

-2 years of proper training and nutrition: 10-12 lbs/ 4.5-5.5 kg

-3 years of proper training and nutrition: 5-6 lbs/ 2.2-2.7 kg

-4+ years of proper training and nutrition: 2-3 lbs/ 0.9-1.4 kg

TO SUM UP:

an average NATURAL MAN can gain a total of about 40-50 lbs/ 18-22kg of muscle in their life.

an average NATURAL WOMAN can gain a total of about 20-25 lbs/ 9-11kg of muscle in their life

an average NATURAL MAN can gain between 0.25 and 0.5 lbs/ 0.1-0.2 kg of muscle per week (or about 1-2 lbs/ 0.4-0.9 kg of muscle gained per month).

an average NATURAL WOMAN can gain between 0.12 – 0.25 lbs/ 0.05-0.1 kg of muscle per week (or about 0.5-1 lbs/ 0.2-0.4 kg of muscle gained per month).

a 5'8''/ 173 cm man can weigh 160 lbs/ 72.5 kg at 5% BF and 170 lbs/ 77 kg at 10% BF

a 5'10''/ 178 cm man can weigh 171 lbs/ 77.5 kg at 5% BF and 180 lbs/ 81.6 kg at 10% BF

a 6'/ 183 cm man can weigh 182 lbs/ 82.5 kg at 5% BF and 192 lbs/ 87 kg at 10% BF

keep in mind that the numbers above refer to the best possible circumstances. age, training experience level, muscle memory, genetics, workout and nutrition all affect the muscle growth potential.

#training #nutrition #steroids #musclegain #musclemass #bodybuilding #antidoping

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