Fitness Food (Protein Pancakes) & New Blog Friends
My blog tends to reflect my life, and since I’ve been getting more involved in fitness and healthy eating, I wanted to interject a few fitness posts. I have no formal training in exercise or nutrition, but I have lost the 55 pounds I gained during pregnancy (albeit slowly), and have managed to gain back a lot of the muscle tone I lost. It’s been a long, difficult road paved one day at a time, but definitely worth it to feel confident in your skin. (Speaking of skin, that post-pregnancy extra belly skin is a whole other post- I have it too, but the picture below kinda camouflages it).
I love to wake up and enjoy a fresh brewed cup of coffee. If I don’t eat breakfast first though, the coffee suppresses my appetite and I’m not hungry for breakfast and end up skipping it or eating too little, like a single piece of toast. So now, I wake up, eat breakfast right away, THEN enjoy my coffee.
Lately, in an effort to up my protein intake, I’ve been making protein pancakes for breakfast. I find it’s easiest to find one thing you like for breakfast that you can eat everyday (for at least a while before switching it up) so that it becomes automatic and you don’t have to think about, “What am I going to eat this morning?”
Ingredients (*makes one large pancake)
Oats (finely ground in the food processor, about 1/4 – 1/2 cup) I keep a container full of ground oats on hand and just scoop them out each day.
4 Egg whites or 2 Whole eggs I use “All Whites”- they come in a carton and are sold by the real eggs
Cinnamon (to taste)
Vanilla (optional)
I spray the pan with nonstick spray, pour all the batter in, and cook just like you would a regular pancake. Be forewarned that the texture of the final result is more dense and less “cakey” than a regular flap jack.
Also, I spread a thin layer of natural peanut butter on top (maybe a tablespoon?) and add about two tablespoons of sugar free syrup. I like it and James does too!
There are other versions of protein pancakes you can try (many add protein powder and/or cottage cheese), but I really like mine and they are so simple. I came across this one, and it looked pretty tasty (but had lots more ingredients).
You look amazing Megan! Thanks for the tips. I got off the breakfast bandwagon, but am trying really hard to get back on it. It does make a difference. Okay, off to find something to eat!!
How awesome that you got to meet a blogger you have been reading for years! Also great job achieving you fitness goals!
Loved meeting you gorgeous! You look fantastic!
You look amazing! Another great protein pankcake is making it with greek yogurt. I found the recipe on Pinterest. 🙂
xo Crystal
Yes! I love Greek yogurt with fruit and granola too.
How do you organize your day with being a mom, working full time and working out and how did you do it when you first started after your pregnancy?
SInce I'm not a morning person, my workouts are in the evening. The gym I go to now has a play area for my son so we can go together. When working, I might work out two workdays and then on the weekends since the weekdays are so busy. Also, I've put James in the running stroller and jogged with him. When he was smaller, he usually slept the whole time.
Please stop spreading the "starvation mode" and "stoking the metabolism" myths. Both of them have been thoroughly debunked. You do not go into "starvation mode" after 12 hours of not eating – there is no such thing as starvation mode where not eating makes you "hold on to fat". And you do not have to eat every few hours to keep your metabolism going.
I would suggest you do some research into Intermittent Fasting and the studies done on starvation and nutrition. Shape.com is not a reliable resource – it's a magazine company that publishes what it needs to, in order to maintain a subscriber and advertising base.
Thanks Kara for your input. This is what has worked for me and what I have read, but readers, please always use your best judgement, doctors advice, and own research when deciding what is best for you.
I'm including a link here from Dr. Oz- his 100 tips for weight loss. Number 4 on his list says, "Skipping meals can cause your body to go into a fat-storing starvation mode, making it harder to burn calories."
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/dr-ozs-100-weight-loss-tips
You are looking amazing in that striped dress!
you look amazing and I'm trying those pancakes for sure! xo
http://www.stilettosanddiaperbags.com/
So jaelous you got to meet Sam and Paloma! Girl you are my inspiration for reals, you look amazing post baby. That stripe dress I could never pull off but you look gorgeous in it! I weill have to try the pancakes, thanks for the recipe!xoxo
Megan thanks for the post! I've been wondering when you'd start posting more about fitness since your journey is so inspiring !!! I'd love to hear about your workouts for some ideas so I can change up my routine. Keep em coming !
Megan, you look great. Love your dress. So glad you had a nice evening out and got to meet blog friends.
You look fantastic and I am bookmarking this recipe right now. I definitely need more ideas for healthy breakfasts, and this looks like one that both adults and kids will like (as you point out). Thanks and have a great day!
You are doing great!! Thanks for sending me an email about my comment from yesterday 😉 Love hearing back 😀 I'm going to share your post on FB!
http://www.shilohstaste.com
actually, i'm going to do you one better and post this on another website you may not have considered because you're not obese. 🙂
You look stunning. How fun to meet those girls. Have a great day my dear.
I need your ab routine. That is all.
Thanks for the recipe! I've been trying to eat clean and get more protein. I feel so much better and have more energy when I watch what I eat.
If my stomach will look like yours, I'll eat that pancake every friggin day!!!
Cassie- you crack me up!
Megan,
Loved your post! I go to the gym daily and love lifting weights! I've been struggling with losing about 15 lbs because of my eating. Your post inspired me to get on it. Thanks so much. You look great and I love your blog!
You look amazing! I'd love to hear about how you organize your days to fit everything in too – between working out, cooking, family and work…there's so much to fit in and I get overwhelmed. Also, PLEASE post any tips you might have about post-pregnancy extra belly skin!! I have the same issue.
You look like a gorgeous skinny mommy to me!
Love this recipe. I found one similar on Carrots N Cake blog that is a mashed banana and one egg or you can use egg whites. I add cinnamon and pb on top too! I make it almost every morning and it is d-e-l-i-s-h! I may start adding some ground oatmeal to mine now too.
You look amazing!
Guess who had their very first protein pancake for breakfast this morning?! Thanks for the recipe! I'm sensing an addiction. I remember your 'day in the life' type Saturday post a while ago, loved it! You're such an inspiration xx
You truly look incredible! I haven't had a baby (yet) but am also working on bettering my health and fitness everyday and it feels so good! I work out about 30 minutes after I rise, so I find I can't eat first thing. I do start my day with a latte though, so I hope the non-fat milk gives my body the cals/nutrition boost it needs first thing before I have my smoothie after my workout. PS- LOVE these kinds of posts. I was hesitant about posting fitness/health posts on my blog since it's mostly home-geared, but then I figured it's a blog about my life, and it IS a part of my life. I certainly appreciate hearing about other people's journeys! Thanks for the post and the inspiration!
Megan, thank you so much for the sweet mention. I loved meeting you at the event this week. You are such a sweetheart. You look fabulous, by the way!
So excited to see another fitness/healthy eating post! Your story is always so inspiring! Fingers crossed for more posts related to your work out routines and clean eating!
Great post, very inspiring! I am going to make your protein pancakes for breakfast tomorrow!
Geez Louise you are one hot momma! Love your dress Megan! I just made those pancAkers yesterday, they didn't turn out so hot. My trainer used to make them for me and I loved them. Gonna try again. I use Agave syrup on them, yum. And! I am going to try and implement your eating before my coffee, so smart. If I ate more I would be skinny I don't care what other people say, it does matter, I workout 3 times a week but only take in about 700 calories a day.
YOU LOOK FANTASTIC!!! That's it! I'm making myself and the boys breakfast every morning now…because we never eat it and it's true about the metabolism. Thanks for reminding! XOXO So glad you got to meet those girls! I love their blogs and follow Sam on instagram and we are always liking eachothers photos! She's a doll!
Thanks for the recipe! I'm going to try it this week.
I'd love to see what a week's worth of exercise for you looks like. Do you do videos or go to the gym?
Nancy
Please do a post about the belly skin! My stomach is firm except for that thing right in the middle. When I think about how big I grew during pregnancy, I guess I'm lucky that my belly even went back to normal…but I just can't get rid of that mom pouch!