Eating right can be challenging, especially if you have a tooth for sweet foods. You may find yourself munching on chocolate at every turn yet you feel you should be watching your calorie intake. When you are hitting the gym and trying to get in shape, this can be counterproductive. Most store-bought sweet snacks are high in calories, sugar, and fat, all of which lead to weight gain over time. It is crucial to invest in the right meals, snacks included. This article looks at delicious protein cookie recipes you can enjoy while on your fitness routine and how to choose the right snacks.
Diet is an important part of your fitness routine. You and your fitness instructor have probably discussed at length a suitable meal plan and why it is important to stick to it.
A healthy meal plan is meant to help an individual steadily lose weight, fat and build muscle. Most meal plans consist of 3 main meals with one or two snacks.
It can be easy to eat healthy meals at breakfast, lunch, and supper but this can be challenging when it comes to picking up the right snacks yourself. You might be tempted to get your favorite chocolate bar or a bag of potato chips instead of a healthier option, especially in the case of having a sweet tooth.
An easy way to deal with this is to focus on choosing the right ingredients for your snacks. IN this case you may have to prepare your snacks. Here is what to consider for your midday snacks, without jeopardizing your workout progress
Protein is an important macronutrient for both weight loss and building muscle. Protein is more filling compared to carbohydrates. The increased satiety helps keep you full longer thus aiding in weight loss (13).
Protein also helps in the repair and growth of tissues including muscle growth. Many studies show that eating protein along with strength training exercises can result in muscle hypertrophy (5) (15). Protein also helps prevent muscle loss associated with weight loss (2).
Foods rich in protein include chicken and other poultry, fish, lean beef, yogurt, peanuts, almonds, cashew nuts, and legumes. Nut cookies would be a great protein-rich midday snack. But when it comes to nuts remember they are high in protein, so do not overdo it.
Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy. While carbs have received some bad light over the years, they are important for providing cells and muscles with energy (3).
Remember to go for complex carbs such as brown rice, quinoa, oats, barley, buckwheat, and sweet potatoes. Avoid refined carbs like white bead, white rice, white flour, pasta, and sweets as they contain more sugar and less fiber and nutrients compared to complex carbs.
Read More: Protein Bowl Recipes: Easy Recipes To Try
The fastest way to get filled up is to eat snacks rich in fiber. Fiber is satiating and aids in weight loss. It also helps keep your bowel movements regular, feeds the friendly gut bacteria, and lower blood cholesterol levels (7).
Fiber-rich foods include oats, beans, brown rice, other whole grains, and potatoes. Fruits and vegetables are also rich in fiber. You can always prepare a meat and vegetable salad instead of eating store-bought potato chips.
Fruits and vegetables are thought of as healthy foods. They are low in calories, fat-free, and naturally filling due to their high water content.
Both fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and essential micronutrients such as iron, vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, and potassium (8).
These nutrients are important for immune function, muscle function, and nerve function (10). Antioxidants help prevent damage to cells as a result of oxidative stress, which may contribute to several chronic diseases (1).
The best part is that there is a large variety of fruits and vegetables to choose from citrus fruits, berries, melons, bananas, mangoes, apples, kale, broccoli, lettuce, spinach, celery, and zucchini.
For a snack, try a fruit accompanied with nut butter, for example, apple slices with peanut or almond butter. You can also have vegetable sticks with homemade yogurt dips or hummus.
Below are great protein powder cookie recipes for sweet tooth lovers who would like to keep enjoying their snacks without interfering with their fitness progress.
Note that one cookie is equivalent to one serving.
For the eggless option, use 3 tablespoons of ground chia seeds. You can store
Servings: 12
Nutritional Info (per serving): 150 calories, 5g carbs, 21g protein, 8g fat, 1g fiber
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Instead of the traditional oatmeal cookies, you can add some coconut and get to enjoy your healthy snack differently.
Servings: 10
Nutritional info (per serving): 242 calories, 30g carbs, 7g protein, fat 12g, fiber 3g, sugar 12g
This fudgy recipe is a great vegan, protein-rich recipe.
Servings: 12
Nutritional info (per serving): 111 calories, 18.1g carbs, 2.8g protein, 3.9g fat, 2.7g fiber, 9.1g sugar
Read More: 7-Day Protein Shake Diet: Can You Lose Weight With Meal Replacement?
You can refrigerate them in an airtight container for 4 days.
Servings: 4
Nutritional info (per serving): 304 calories, 39g carbs, 12g protein, 14.5g fat, 8.5g fiber, 9g sugar
Servings: 12
Nutritional info (per serving): 112 calories, 8g carbs, 7g protein, fat 6g, fiber 1g, sugar 5g
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Here are a few factors to consider when you are shopping for protein powder:
There are two major types: animal-based protein powders and plant-based protein powders. So, based on your type of diet you might want to choose one over the other.
Whey and casein are the two most common protein powders and they are made from cow’s milk. But if you are vegan or vegetarian, these protein powders may not be ideal.
So, if you are vegan, consider plant-based protein powders that are made from pea protein, hemp protein, soy protein, and/or rice protein.
Go for the most natural variety. Check the labels for sweeteners, artificial flavors, and colors.
If you are allergic to any substances check the list of ingredients for any potential allergens.
Getting high-quality protein powder doesn’t mean you spend an unnecessary amount of money. There are many high-quality, pocket-friendly options available. Just make sure not to compromise on the quality of the protein powder.
Contrary to popular belief, snacking doesn’t always have to be unhealthy. There are many healthy snack recipes to pick from including protein-rich foods, fruits, and vegetables. But if you prefer sweeter snack options, there are plenty of protein cookie recipes too. These healthy protein cookie recipes listed above are a way to enjoy your snacks without having to jeopardize your fitness progress.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!