Team EM2WL would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest guest blogger, Andréa, from Andréa’s Protein Cakery! Today Andréa shares a high protein snack that will satisfy your sweet tooth!
Perfect for your Thanksgiving feast, a healthy, high-protein sweet potato pie!
To transform a traditional recipe into Sweet Potato Protein Pie, I made some simple recipe exchanges. Instead of using a traditional pie crust, I made one using almond butter and vanilla rice protein powder. It tastes great, and has the flaky crust texture you’d expect in a pie. And instead of sweetened evaporated milk in the filling, I mixed some vanilla whey protein powder with water. Easy! I left out the added sweetener here, but if you’d like a sweeter protein pie I suggest adding ¼ to ½ cup coconut sugar or date sugar.
With ingredients like these, you can enjoy Sweet Potato Protein Pie anytime!
In a medium bowl, mix almond butter with water until smooth.
Add in rice protein and cinnamon. Mix until combined. (If the batter is sticky, add a little more rice protein.)
Press into 9" pie pan.
Bake for about 10 minutes, then remove from oven.
Filling
Meanwhile, puree sweet potato with 1/2 cup water.
Pour into a bowl, and add eggs. Mix until smooth.
Combine with remaining ingredients (including the remaining 1/2 cup water) and mix well.
Pour into pie crust.
Bake for about 40 minutes, until the center of the pie is firm to the touch.
Let cool completely.
Top with cashew whipped cream (if desired, not included in macros) and enjoy!
Note
Makes one 9" pie (8 servings) Per serving: Protein: 14g Carbs: 10g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 3g Fat: 7g Calories: 162
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t enjoy a good night’s sleep. But for some, getting 8 hours sleep has become an unaffordable luxury, taking a back seat to what are perceived to be more important tasks. Sleep is now just an afterthought where we simply ‘get by’ on a few hours for as long as we can before finally crashing or we play catch up on the weekends. Many of us don’t know or minimize the role sleep plays not only with our fitness goals, but our overall health. Racking up a sleep debt should be avoided as much as possible.
Your Body on Too Little Sleep
It’s important to understand what activities (oh, yes, things are happening) take place when we sleep to better understand why we need it in adequate amounts. During our deepest sleep, our muscles relax and our energy is restored. It’s during this stage that HGH (Human Growth Hormone) is released and tissue growth and repair occurs, including muscle development.
When our bodies are robbed of sleep we put our immune system at risk, impacting its ability to fight bacterial infections like the common cold. Short term memory, alertness and our decision-making ability decrease as well as our energy level. When sleep is missed long enough, it has been shown to be a risk factor for increased high blood pressure, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
How Sleep Debt Impacts Your Fitness
When we talk about fitness most likely the first topics to spring to mind are exercise and nutrition. Rarely, if ever, do you hear someone ask how much sleep they should be getting. Granted, when it comes to fitness exercise and nutrition are major factors, however when you are slacking on your napping, you put both your performance and nutrition goals at risk.
Hormone imbalances caused by too little sleep increase cravings for comfort foods.
Hormone Mayhem When our sleep is routinely shortchanged, our hormones get out of whack. Hormones like cortisol, the stress hormone, are elevated and can increase our cravings for comfort foods (aka high fat/sugar foods). Grehlin, the hunger hormone, is increased while leptin, the satiety hormone, is decreased. When you add that all up you have a sleep-deprived, comfort food-seeking zombie who can’t tell if they are hungry or full. Even the strongest-willed person can be undone in the kitchen when faced with that hormone brew. More often than not this results in an energy imbalance leading to weight gain.
Earlier we mentioned that HGH is released in large quantity during deep sleep. When that period is cut short, muscle growth and development can be impacted. What could be worse than giving your best effort in the gym yet only reaping half the reward.
Inconsistent Effort When the alarm goes off after 4 or 5 hours of sleep it is very tempting to hit the snooze button 2, 3, 4 or more times before you force yourself to get out of bed. Early morning exercisers will likely miss scheduled training to get a few more zzz’s. If you train later in the day it is probably equally as tempting to head home after a long day of work rather than the gym. String a few missed workouts together and you are bound to see an impact on your progress.
Injury Risk Decreased alertness means increased risk of injury. If you do happen to make it to the weight floor of your gym, your chance of getting hurt increases greatly with decreased alertness.
Poor performance Let’s face it, when you are dragging yourself around all day because you’re sleepy, it’s hard to be at your best and that includes when you’re training. When we give our bodies adequate rest, our hormones are better balanced which is likely to leave us feeling patient and even-keeled and with more energy.
Getting more shut eye
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention recommends 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Establishing a bedtime routine can help with getting your mind and body ready for sleep. Here are some ways to increase your chance of reaching that optimal level of sleep on a regular basis:
Avoid big meals and stimulants before bedtime If you have trouble falling asleep because of tummy troubles, opt for lighter meals when it is close to bedtime. Digestion halts at night and occurs at a much slower rate than during the day. Limit consumption of stimulants later in the day which can make it harder to fall asleep.
Set regular sleep and waking hoursGoing to bed and getting up at the same time helps to regulate our Circadian Rhythm – the 24-hour internal clock that controls our biological processes. Don’t try to make up for missed sleep on the weekend by sleeping in. It throws off our internal clock, upsetting the regular sleep pattern our bodies prefer.
Dim the lights and shut off electronics Bright light delays the production of melatonin, a natural hormone which helps you sleep. Turn off the tv and silence electronics such as smart devices, which can impact getting a restful night’s sleep. Stay off social media. It gets your brain filled with information that’s not conducive to relaxing.
Find a comfortable temperature This tip can be a challenge, especially if you share your bedroom. The recommended optimal temperature range for sleep is anywhere from 60-67 degrees. While this will fluctuate according to personal preference, it’s a good reference point. Temperature regulation is important not only for comfortability purposes but because it also is closely related to our biological clock and circadian rhythm.
Wrap up
Next time you think about putting sleep at the bottom of your list of priorities, think twice. While some mornings it may be tempting to crawl out of bed to hit the gym after a poor night’s sleep, you may be better off catching those extra zzz’s. Sometimes skipping that workout to sleep reaps more benefits than dragging yourself to the gym.
When it comes to general health and fitness, sleep can be a game changer. Too little quality sleep increases risk factors for poor health conditions as well as impact your fitness progress. Sleep is fundamental to leading a healthy lifestyle. Start prioritizing sleep to keep progressing on your fitness journey.
Russell Forrester puts the criticality of sleep into perspective with this great TED talk. If you still think you are doing just fine on a few hours sleep, you’ll want to watch this.
At EM2WL we make a big deal about eating sufficient protein to maintain and support muscle growth (a key factor to keep your metabolism revved up). While fiber does not get as much fan fair it is also very important to consume an adequate amount each day. It’s not news to most of us that fiber is great for keeping the pipes clear, but what may be news to you is that when it comes to fitness, fiber can also be an ally.
Whole foods like apples (skin on!) provide fiber as well as other nutrients.
Understanding Fiber
Fiber is contained in plant-based materials such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and legumes. Because our bodies can not digest fiber, you’ll often find fitness folks talking about net carbs, subtracting the fiber from total carbohydrates. When we talk about fiber we usually just refer to it as, well, fiber. In actuality, there are two forms of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber, as the name suggests, dissolves in water and insoluble fiber does not. What’s important to note is that each type of fiber reacts differently in the body.
Soluble fiber, forms a gel in the digestive tract and, as it moves through, picks up some fatty acid along the way which aids in lowering cholesterol. It also slows the absorption of sugar in the blood, keeping blood sugar levels more balanced and reducing the amount of insulin released. Great sources of soluble fiber include chia seeds, oat bran, peas and legumes.
Insoluble fiber, while it doesn’t dissolve in water, it does absorb it. Think of it as a sponge, soaking up water, excess nutrients, metabolic waste and cancer-causing carcinogens as it moves through the intestines. Insoluble fiber helps to get the bowels moving keeping constipation at bay. Great sources of insoluble fiber include wheat, corn, oat bran, nuts, and the skins and peels of many fruits and vegetables such as apples and pears.
Fiber can also be categorized as dietary or functional. Dietary fibers are found naturally in foods while functional fibers have been isolated and extracted from foods and added to processed foods. Dietary fibers from whole foods include additional nutrients and vitamins so make them your first choice. Functional fibers are for filling in when you are falling short on your fiber intake.
Beans, seeds and whole grains are a great source of fiber!
How Fiber Aids Fitness Goals
Removes metabolic waste High intensity workouts result in the metabolic damage (good thing) we so desire to bring about physique changes. During the recovery process, metabolic waste is generated and needs to be removed. When not removed, the waste can be reabsorbed into the body (bad thing), adding stress to the body. This stress can impact growth hormones and ultimately your fitness progress. Think slooow gains. To minimize this re-absorption, eat sufficient fiber to aid the removal process.
Bulk, bulk, bulk Ok, you know we like to get our bulk on! But when it comes to fiber, we’re talking about the kind of bulk that leaves you feeling full..longer. As mentioned above, fiber expands in the intestine and imparts a feeling of fullness while also slowing down digestion. This can be especially helpful when switching between diet phases, especially a cutting phase, where you’re eating at a deficit, and might be missing those extra calories!
Increased satiety Closely related to the fullness you feel from the bulk is a feeling of satiety. Following fiber consumption a GI hormone, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), is elevated. GLP-1 signals satiety and suppresses appetite, making you feel more satisfied and less likely to overeat.
Boost fiber in sauces by adding pureed veggies like zucchini or squash!
Increasing fiber
Fiber can be increased easily by including more fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and legumes in your diet. Having a serving at each meal will help you reach the recommended amount of 25-30g/day. Until you are meeting your needs from dietary fiber, be sure to include functional fibers to make up the difference.
If your current fiber intake is very low, increase your intake slowly, giving your body, specifically your GI tract time to adjust to the increased amount. Because fiber pulls water from the body, drink additional water, especially if you are not already drinking sufficient amounts.
Increase your fiber with these easy tips:
Add beans to a salad, pasta, or rice dish
Add chia or flax seed to smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt, cottage cheese baked goods
Spread nut butters onto sliced fruit for a delicious snack
Use spinach or kale as a salad base instead of iceberg lettuce
Swap bread crumbs for ground oats or whole grain cereal
Include a vegetable or fruit with each meal. Tip: Keep it simple with steamed options
Raw veggies like celery or carrot sticks, sliced peppers or tomato make great snacks
Add chopped vegetables and beans to chilis
Puree vegetables or beans to thicken soups or stews
Wrap up
Including both soluble and insoluble fiber in your diet will aid in lowering cholesterol, regulating blood sugar and reducing constipation. Dietary fibers also include nutrients and vitamins and should be prioritized. Functional fibers can be used to help increase your daily consumption. Because of fiber’s bulking and satiety producing properties, it can aid your weight loss goals by helping you feel full and satisfied, which is particularly helpful when eating at a deficit. Fiber also helps to remove metabolic waste produced during your training, preventing re-absorption which can affect fitness progress. Gradually increase your intake to avoid discomfort and be sure to drink plenty of water!
Last month the team challenged you to increase your protein by gradually increasing the amount and frequency that you ate throughout the month. In November we are taking a similar approach with fiber, another important, but often overlooked nutrient. I bet you’re wondering “what’s so great about fiber and how can it help me when my fitness goals are to a) gain muscle b) lose weight or c) somewhere in the middle?”
For starters, high fiber foods are generally packed with nutrients, but are also lower in calories. In other words, they are filling without being a calorie hog. The body doesn’t absorb or digest fiber well, so much of it passes through the body, removing waste – even metabolic waste resulting from those intense workouts. Other benefits include reducing the risk for certain types of cancer, maintaining heart health by reducing blood cholesterol and controlling blood sugar levels. So, now that you see the benefits, on to the challenge.
Plan
If you’re a list maker, this is the day made for you. On planning days you will think about where your fiber will come from for the upcoming week. Think about fruits and vegetables, whole grains or legumes just to name a few. There are lots of options to choose from, so be sure to add in variety.
Shop
Of course after all that planning you will now need to stock up, so a shopping we will go! Take your planning list with you to the grocery store and get all the items you will need to meet the week’s challenge.
Take Action!
Mondays are when we start executing our plans! We’ve suggested some great sources of fiber for you to incorporate on this day. If you always eat strawberries, try a new berry like raspberries or blueberries. These days are meant to take some of the guess work out of eating fiber and show you a few simple options that will boost your intake.
Let’s Get Social
Social days are all about sharing the love, or in this case, the fiber. Found a delicious way to get in some fiber? Share it! Heck, even if you hated it, we want to see it. Yes, we’re that nosy, plus when we share we give others ideas on what they might try (or avoid).
Move & Hydrate
Along with increasing your fiber intake, make sure you are consuming adequate amounts of water. Increasing your fiber alone might stop up the pipes, if you kwim! So, as you think about adding a serving of fiber, have a glass of water as well. We don’t want the month to go by without a movement challenge so on this day we’re also challenging you to do a little exercise. Let’s just call it a bonus. You’re welcome!
Gratitude & Celebration
In keeping with the spirit of the season, we are asking you to reflect back on the things that you are thankful for and focus just a little bit less on where you’re trying to go. Share your NSVs with the family, even the ones that you might think are small. Celebrate them! We’re also sharpening our intuitive eating skills a bit as well.
Indulge
We simply can not have a challenge without a little indulgence. Like protein, there are limitless ways to indulge and get in a little fiber at the same time. On this day, enjoy a high fiber treat.
Now, I know you are as excited as I am to start wolfing down some good-for-you fiber. Are you familiar with the old saying ‘having too much of a good thing’? Well, that can certainly be the case when it comes to fiber. If you are starting from ground zero with your fiber, be sure to increase your intake slowly to reduce the likelihood of excess gas and bloating. Your GI tract will need time to adjust. And be sure to drink up your water as well!
The more muscle we have, the more calories we burn throughout the day!
If you’ve been an EM2WL follower for a while you know that we talk about protein – a lot. The truth of the matter is, whether you’re trying to get big or get small, protein plays a very important role in your diet. The cells in our bodies need protein to function and without it, our cells and organs, muscles, connective tissue, and bones simply would not hold together.
Fad diets will be with us as long as there is money to be made from people wanting to gain or lose weight, however, if you understand the role each macronutrient plays in your body and why all are important, you will be less likely to fall victim to the nonsense. Let’s focus on the importance of protein and why we need it in our diet and how it plays a role in fat loss.
First it’s important to understand what protein is. Protein is a macronutrient, meaning it is a nutrient needed in large amounts by the cells in our body in order to function and survive. Protein is composed of amino-acids, the building blocks of life. When protein is consumed, our bodies use these amino acids to build and maintain lean muscle mass.
When we strength train, our muscles experience microscopic tears. Through rest and recovery, these tears are healed, allowing our muscle cells to grow back bigger and stronger after each workout. Protein is key in this muscle repair process, as it works to rebuild those torn muscle fibers. Therefore it is necessary to have an adequate protein intake when trying to increase muscle mass or size. The more lean muscle mass we have, the more calories we burn throughout the day which also aids our fat loss efforts. Win, win!
Another way that protein is fat-loss friendly is that your body uses a lot of energy (i.e. calories) just to metabolize it due to its complex structure. This is known as the thermic effect and for protein it can be as high as 30% of the calories in the protein! Because this process takes a while, protein also stays in your body longer than other macronutrients like carbs, for example. This means that we will feel fuller, longer when we eat protein. Bonus? We’re less likely to overeat when our body is satiated!
One of the challenges with consuming sufficient protein, however, is that it is not as convenient as the other macronutrients, fats and carbs. While it’s easy to grab a granola bar or piece of fruit, portable protein sources are definitely more limited in comparison and you’re much less likely to toss chicken or fish in your purse. As a result, people tend to eat less protein than they should, however, there are ways you can increase your protein intake that are quite simple.
First, move beyond the idea that you can only get protein from meats. Of course, a 4 oz serving of meat a few times a day will certainly put you on the right track, but let’s look at some other ways you can incorporate protein into your diet.
Befriend Protein Powder Protein powder’s convenience and low cost per serving makes it a great option to consider. You can add 1-2 scoops to your baked goods recipes or pancakes and oatmeal. Toss a scoop into your shakes. Nowadays, there are also so many flavors of protein powder to choose from so keep a variety on hand so you don’t get bored.
Eat Eggs If you’re big on salads, chop up a hardboiled egg on top for a protein punch. Hard boil a dozen for the week ahead of time and pack them for work to have as a mid-day snack. Another great option is an egg bake like a quiche or frittata. When made with cheese you’ll get even more protein per serving.
Go Nuts Start eating nuts and seeds like hemp, chia or sunflower. Nut butter spread on your favorite fruits or a stalk of celery makes a great snack.
Do Dairy Choose low or no fat versions of milk and yogurts. Non-dairy milks, such as soy, have a higher protein content than regular milk per serving. Cottage cheese and reduced fat cheeses are also a good source of protein.
Protein Snacks One of my favorite portable protein snacks is jerky. It is a meat, yet super convenient to keep in the car or throw in a bag. Another option is protein bars (homemade or store-bought) that can satisfy a sweet craving while still giving you a boost of protein.
When you think about the function of protein in the body, its role in muscle repair and growth and how it can benefit your fat loss efforts, it only makes sense to make sure you’re eating enough. Keep your palate happy by mixing up your protein intake. For all the hard work you put in at the gym, be sure to put that level and quality of work into making sure you eat enough protein.
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