What are your goals in the gym? Most people are looking to put on size and strength while a few others are just looking to maintain – either way – your protein intake is key to making those goals happen. So, let’s take a look at a few FAST protein hacks that make it a lot easier to get in what you need. Let’s get into this…
Let’s be real…
Eating healthy often sucks.
Now, I know there are some rare individuals that PREFER the food they eat to be bland, tasteless and full of nutritional value – but for the vast majority of the American population – we prefer a little taste with our vittles.
Now, I’m not saying you can’t “dress up” some healthier food choices where they taste pretty darn…, well, tasty – but I don’t care how many spices you add to a grilled chicken breast…
It’ll never be as tasty as a big, juicy cheeseburger with ALL of your favorite toppings.
What’s my go to?
Well, I’m actually a “purist”… I prefer my burger WITHOUT cheese – but the condiments are a must: ketchup, mayonnaise and a tad bit of yellow mustard. For toppings – let’s keep it simple either some grilled onions, or better yet, a few onion rings – and ONE leaf of lettuce on the bottom bun to keep the grease from seeping into bread. If I really want to go nuts… I’ll add some bacon to take it over the top.
That’s a dream burger scenario for me. Yours may be a lot different.
The point is – no amount of kale or brown rice is going to cut it for most of us. We feel… cheated.
The problem? The amount of calories in that burger is astronomical – we’re looking at a 900 calorie sandwich on the LOW end estimate. And while it’s loaded with protein – it’s also loaded with calories from sugar and starchy carbs – which makes it persona non grata in most health conscious homes.
But what’s an all-American iron-loving boy (or girl) to do?
We have McDonald’s trained shape buds…
With fitness contest shaped goals.
So, what do we do?
Is there a way to mix what we like with what we need?
Is there any solution to keeping our calories low, our protein high and our taste buds satiated?
I’m here to tell you – “Yes, you can!”
As a lover of tasty food – I’ve come up with a few, SUPER easy protein powder recipes that have not only helped me reach my protein and calorie goals – but have enough taste to satisfy my taste buds.
I’ll give you my top three 2-ingredient protein hacks that will keep the gains going, the fat at a minimum and your taste buds happy.
First…
Cafè Protein
This is a simple hack – but one that is sure to get your day going – especially if you like coffee.
If you’re like me – you dig your morning cup of Joe – hot OR iced. Now, as much as I like just a little bit of cream and some Splenda – I also like a little taste of a little more. Some vanilla, hazelnut, and don’t judge me for this – but I really dig pumpkin spice too.
So, I found the best alternative for my coffee, ready?
12oz to 16oz of any iced coffee or cold brew…
And 1-2 scoops of ISOFIT Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.
Put in a shaker with a few ice cubes and BAM!! You’ve got a delicious morning coffee that’ll keep you jazzed all the way to GainsTown.
This is so good, it’ll make you want to slap your mama. Coffee and vanilla goodness combine for one hell of a morning kick – and for just 120-240 calories – plus the 10-15 calories for the coffee…
You’re truly making out.
Pro Tip: Do NOT do this with HOT coffee. During the mixing process, gasses build up and it’’ll pop the top of the mixer. Don’t ask me how I know.
Dreamsicle Delight
Who doesn’t love the taste of orange dreamsicles? It’s nostalgic…
Takes you back to those lazy summer days of riding bikes with your friends and stopping at the local food mart for an orange dreamsicle and sitting on the curb to enjoy it.
What if you can have it now – but packed with protein?
Now, to be fair – this one DOES come with a fair amount of sugar as well, which is why I wait for post-training to make it.
Another simple combo…
12oz of orange juice (freshly squeezed preferably) and one scoop of ISOFIT Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.
Again, for about 270 calories, you’ve got yourself a muscle-building treat that will bring you back to those summer vacations.
And because this shake comes with 28g of sugar (thanks to the OJ, the ISOFIT is sugar free) – I drink it 20-30 mins after my training – that way it goes more to replenish my glycogen stores rather than making me fat.
Root Beer Float
This one, is one of my favorite “dessert” hacks – especially for a kid from Western New York…
The ol’ Root Beer Float.
Man, I love these things – haven’t had a real one in at LEAST a decade – but it was one of my favorite treats as a kid. My grandfather would get the REAL vanilla ice cream from Wegmans or Bells – and a 2 liter bottle of A&W. He would freeze the mugs for us – and we’d eat them watching Friday Night Fights.
Ahhhh…
But I digress, as I’ve found a healthy hack for this too – except you’re going to need a little prep time.
As you can guess, the 2 ingredients in this are 12oz-16oz of diet root beer and, you guessed it, a scoop of ISOFIT Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.
The prep time comes in making sure the root beer is flat – as shaking up a carbonated beverage and protein together is a giant mess waiting to happen. So, what you want to do is twist the cap of your root beer open to let the carbonation out – this process takes a day or two.
Once it’s flat – mix the two and enjoy.
Now, I know drinking flat root beer sounds… well, weird – but trust me on this – the taste is out of this world.
I drink these at night – right before bed. And since the diet root beer is ZERO calories – you’re really only looking at a 120 calorie treat packed with 25g of muscle-building protein. It’s a win/win.
This is how I’ve made eating healthy… more palatable.
These little hacks may not sound groundbreaking – but I promise – they do help if you’re trying to keep healthy and stay lean while enjoying what you eat.
It’s a lot easier to eat a plain chicken breast and rice – when you know you’ve got a protein-packed root beer float waiting for you after.
If you try any of these – drop us a line at info@nutrex.com – and tell us how you liked it.
“We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are.” – Adelle Davis
Editor’s Note: If you want to try any of Shawn’s concoctions, you’re going to need a delicious protein powder to go with it. We may be tooting our own horn here, but ISOFIT is one of the best tasting proteins on the market. That’s not just our opinion – we have hundreds upon hundreds of reviews that say the same thing. So, if you’re looking to spice up your bland, healthy diet – grab some ISOFIT and try one of these healthy alternatives today!
