by Dani Shugart
Have Cake. Make Gains. Stay Lean.
Take advantage of the protein-first eating strategy and have some cake. It has no added sugar, no flour, and a sweet hit of protein.
Protein is the secret weapon for body composition goals. In one study, women who increased their protein intake to 115 grams per day lost two pounds of fat and gained almost three pounds of muscle in 12 weeks… and they weren’t even working out.
As cool as that is, body comp improvement isn’t even my favorite thing about a Protein First Eating Strategy. My favorite thing? Satiation. Get enough protein, and even a conservative calorie deficit can make you feel stuffed. That level of satiety is what helps people adhere to a diet. If you’re hungry all the time, you will eventually stop adhering to whatever plan you’re following. And the rebound is not going to be fun.
So, focus your diet around protein, and it’ll be easier to get lean and stay that way. For the record, that doesn’t mean you have to chug protein shakes all day. Just sneak protein into every meal, snack, and even dessert, like this one.
Coffee Shop Cake
Pumpkin, banana, and chocolate? Sounds like flavors that don’t go together, but somehow this works, and it tastes like magic. It reminds me of Starbucks “Pumpkin & Pepita Loaf,” but for about one-quarter of the calories, twice the protein, and even more flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 small ripe banana
- 3 scoops chocolate MD protein (Buy at Amazon)
- 1/2 cup baking Splenda (Buy at Amazon)
- 1.5 cups canned pumpkin
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Tiny splash of vanilla (optional)
- Dash of cinnamon (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mash the banana in a mixing bowl until it’s pulverized.
- Add the MD protein (Buy at Amazon) and all the other ingredients to the bowl and mix it completely.
- Spray a bread loaf pan with coconut oil.
- Evenly distribute the batter to the pan.
- Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour.
Calories & Macros
- Servings 6
- Calories 98
- Protein 12g
- Carbs 12g
- Fat .5g
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