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Cravings Buster: Protein Brownies

Finding something that tastes like a cheat but packs 7 grams of protein and 1.8 grams of carbs per serving is one of those moments that makes you step back and say, "Yeah. Life. It totally is worth living."

We discovered this little brownie recipe on ProteinPOW.com, a blog written by Anna Sward and dedicated to protein powder recipes. It was contributed by Layne Norton, who in addition to having a PhD in nutritional sciences, also happens to be a natural pro bodybuilder.

Enjoy.

Ingredients:
85g chocolate whey
92g unsweetened dark chocolate
240g egg whites
80g cooking splenda
1 tablespoon baking powder
60g reduced calorie butter
120g walden farms zero calorie chocolate syrup
228g zero fat cream cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Set cream cheese out for 20 - 30 minutes to soften
Mix all ingredients in large bowl using a hand mixer until batter is nice and smooth
Pour batter into pre-sprayed baking tray
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes

Nutritional Information (per slice, if you divide into 20 slices):
59.4 calories
1.78g carbs
7.2g protein
2.5g fat
0.55g fiber

Reveal #924

Erica Jordan lost 17 pounds and 21 inches during her 12 week RevEx program. She dropped from 27 to 17 percent body fat and lost four dress sizes! In her own words: "Pretty hot, so you can't touch this! LOL"

Cravings Buster - Protein Banana Bread

So you've got a craving for something sweet, maybe something baked. You also, as luck would have it, are in need of a complex carb with a little bit of protein.

Enter the protein banana bread. 

A word to the wise: This stuff tastes good. It might be a good idea to cut it up into serving sizes and then individually wrap them in sandwich bags so that you only eat one at a time. 

Nutrition

A 1/8th serving will pack the following:

Carbs:     20.8 g

Fat:         2.4 g

Protein:   11.9 g

Calories: 147

Dry ingredients:

• 1 cup oat flour
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 scoops vanilla or plain whey protein powder

Wet ingredients:

• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 cup Ricotta cheese
• 2 large bananas mashed
• 4 packs Stevia or 1/2 cup Splenda
• 2 oz. water

Directions: 

1. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. 
2. Mash bananas and mix together wet ingredients. 
3. Combine ingredients and pour into a baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam. 
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 17 to 20 minutes. (Depending on the oven, it might take up to as much as 45 minutes)

Reveal #702: Part Two

Tonja looks awesome and lost 15 pounds in her second, 12-week RevEx program.

Q&A with Transformation #922

After 12 weeks, Erin Wares lost an amazing 40 pounds and four dress sizes. But she gained a new lease on life, and not to mention, a new fondness for exercise and clean eating.

Q: Why did you sign up with the RevEx program?
A: My best friend forced me to! Hahahaha...She had done the program and loved it, and told me she thought it would be a life changer (saver) for me!

Q: Are you happy with the results?

A: Happy doesn't begin to describe it! I can't imagine what I would be like right now if I hadn't done the program! I'm a new person inside and out, mentally, physically, emotionally, and visually...lol!!

Q: What was the hardest part of the program?

A: Many things...talking myself into working out everyday, for the first few weeks (after that I looked forward to the workouts) ...Not drinking any alcohol for three months was quite tough!!

My family was (still is) going through a very difficult time throughout the three months and many times I felt the need to call it quits and focus on the personal stuff, but I realized the fitness and the intense nutrition program took my mind off of things for a little while and gave me that release I needed to stay sane!

Q: What was the best part?

A: Learning, whole-heartedly, the mind is stronger than the stomach! Eating five times a day, 250 calories per meal...and clean fresh foods fills me up soooo much more than three, 1200 calorie meals loaded with bad carbs! And honestly, I can't eat fast food anymore, it actually makes me sick...that saves money and unnecessary calories!!! Yay

Q: Was there any part of the experience that surprised you?

A: It surprised me that I actually kinda like working out. I even went on vacation near the end of the program and exercised while on vacation...SHOCKING! Four months ago, you couldn't pay me to walk into a gym!! And ....Asparagus isn't THAT bad...ok yes it is!! LOL

Transformation #922

Erin lost 40 pounds and 51 inches in 12 weeks! You go, girl!

Transformation Complete

"I remember on our first workout, how I thought I was going to puke the whole time. Running 200 meters winded me and I couldn't do a pull up without the assistance of an elastic band."

"Now I can run a few miles before breaking a sweat and can do 15 pull ups in a row (maybe more). And I have the abs back I had as a child."

"Thanks to my trainers Whittney Clinkscales, Corbin, Jeremiah and Mariah Ziegler." - Camron Rushin

Cravings are your friends

Much like squirrels do acorns or the Sultan of Brunei does wives, our bodies like to hoard fat. And what happens when that fat gets burned? The body panics and sends out a Bat Signal asking for more. Because even at the cellular level, we’re wired to be greedy and selfish.

So don’t think of those sudden cravings for pizza or donuts as signs of weakness. They’re a sign that you’re doing well and the program is working as it should. Often, the strongest cravings, the kind that make you want to bum rush your coworker eating the chocolate éclair, are a signal that the body is about to burn some pounds. It’s almost like clockwork.

Comfort Food 

Cravings usually come in the form of whatever it is that comforts you. For some, it’s pizza or hamburgers or whatever Mom used to make that made the world seem like a safe place, after all. For others, it’s chicken enchiladas with cheese, sour cream and verde sauce. Milkshakes. Ice cream. It’s usually a combination of fat and carbs because those combined give you the biggest calorie bang for your buck.

Even if it’s a hamburger you can’t stop thinking about, it’s probably not the protein your body is after, but the fatty meat.

And what happens if you give in? Don’t sweat it. That’s your cheat day. Write it down, plug it into your calorie counter and move on, shame free. When you add shame into the mix, that’s when people quit their programs.

Cravings are worse if you are not sleeping enough. If you’re life is stressful. Think of them as a signal that it’s time to set some priorities.

Cheat Day

An important aspect of a meal plan is the cheat day. You’ll be better off eating super clean for six days and then cheating that seventh day than you would eating mostly clean 7 days a week. Think of the cheat day or cheat meal as Michael Jordan knowing he won’t make 100 percent of the shots he takes. It's the steam that we let out of the tea pot.

Cravings Combat Strategies

As far as dealing with cravings that happen in the middle of the week, a few days removed from your last cheat meal, clean substitutes will help. A paleo pizza with almond crust will satisfy a pizza craving. Follow up a clean meal with a protein brownie or a piece of protein banana bread.

There are really good MyFit Food sugarless chocolate and coconut truffles that taste rich. They sell them in very manageable portions of three.

Or head down to Whole Foods and get yourself single servings of Justin’s chocolate almond butter or chocolate hazelnut butter. You can open them up and squeeze them. They are clean and delicious and they will totally fill a craving.

Support

Structuring your lifestyle so you don’t have to come face to face with your cravings every day is also important. Don’t keep those Keebler chocolate chip cookies around the house. Get the buy-in from your spouse and kids.

When your husband or wife sees how you look after 12 weeks, chances are they’re going to want you to stay that way and will be more than willing to not stock the 5 gallon jug of Blue Bell ice cream in the freezer.

Q&A with Transformation #916

Carlos Gieseken is a 36 year-old web content writer for a state agency. He went from 223 pounds to 189 pounds in 12 weeks.

Q: Why did you sign up for the RevEx program?

A: I’ve been struggling with weight for the past 10 years or so. Usually I’ll join a running group or some other exercise program and lose weight for a little while but then it will come right back. I wanted to change my lifestyle and try to find something that is sustainable for the rest of my life. Plus I’d decided I wanted to match my 5k time from high school. In order to do that, I would first have to lose a bunch of weight. I’d looked at the RevEx before and after pictures in Austin Fit Magazine for a long time and finally I decided to join.

Q: Are you happy with the results?

A: The results with the program were amazing. If you stick to the meal plan, and do your homework, you will see results. I had initially set a goal of losing 27 pounds. I exceeded that by 7 pounds. I never in a million years thought I’d reach my goal when the program started, to be honest with you. But I stuck with it and the results followed.

Q: What was the hardest part of the program?

A: The workouts are really, really hard. After a few weeks your body gets used to them and you’re better able to manage the pain, but that first week was really, really hard. I was getting pushed to my limit every time. But it feels really good as the program progresses and you’re able to do exercises and circuits that you couldn’t do at first.

Q: What was the best part?

A: The best part has definitely been the support I’ve gotten from my friends and family. At first, I honestly thought they’d make fun of me for doing something like this. But they’ve been nothing but supportive. I had friends sending me text messages saying, “You’re doing great! Keep up the good work.” My coworkers used to poke fun at the weight I’d gained over the last couple of years. Now they’re impressed with my discipline and with how much weight I’ve lost. It’s a great feeling. 

Not fitting in my clothes anymore is also pretty cool. That’s an amazing feeling. I went from a size 36 pants to size 32. That was another goal I never thought I would hit.

Q: Why did you choose a group workout instead of one-on-one training?

A: I like the group workouts because I get motivated by seeing people around me working hard. I’m amazed at how hard everyone works. It’s a group of really great people. We have fun joking around and bonding through the shared pain.

Q: Was there anything about the experience that surprised you?

A: I was surprised at how I was able to stick to the food plan. I was also amazed at how full I felt even though I was eating close to half the number of calories I normally eat. It turns out protein, vegetables and complex carbs make you feel a lot fuller than junk food does.