Confession: I love pumpkin spice ANYTHING! It’s delicious and I don’t care who knows.
The problem with pumpkin spice season is that it always comes after a summer of a little too much food and drink. Right when we’re trying to tighten up the nutrition, a whole new temptation enters the ring! Fortunately, I have found a healthier way to get my pumpkin spice fix!
Enter, the pumpkin spice protein shake!
-1 Scoop of On Target Nutrition Vanilla Protein
-3 good shakes of McCormick pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice)
-3 spoonfuls of canned pumpkin (make sure nothing else is added and that its just pumpkin)
-Milk or water to preferred consistency
-Blend
It’s delicious, it’s nutritious, it keeps me on track for my goals, and it HITS THE SPOT! What more could you ask for?
For a quick review about why protein is important for weight loss, you can check out Part IV of the Fundamentals of Fat Loss. Short answer, if you try to lose weight without getting enough protein, you’ll have cravings you can’t fight. Once you have a baseline of decent protein consumption from whole foods, I do recommend a protein supplement because:
- Convenience. When my personal training clients bring their protein shake to the gym, we have a little fridge for them. That means it is right there as soon as they are done with their session. In theory if they went straight home and cooked a high protein meal, they wouldn’t need a shake. In practice, it’s better to have something ready to go. No phone calls, kid emergencies, or other distractions can disrupt the post workout nutrition.
- Easily digested. When your protein is in liquid form, and is cold pressed through micro filtration, it makes it very easy for your body to digest and put that protein to work.
- More protein, fewer calories. A high quality protein supplement is a great way to have a big impact on your protein intake without also having a big impact on your calorie intake.
- Healthy treat. There is no rule saying your protein shake can’t be delicious. Enjoy it, savor it, and don’t worry about a sugar crash, food hangover, or guilt. You’re good to go!
When you are ready to chat with a personal trainer about your goals, fill out the form on the top or bottom of this page and I will take care of the rest : )
Our first location serves Portsmouth, Kittery, and the broader Seacoast community. Our new location serves Kingston and the broader southern New Hampshire community. We help people strength train, walk daily, and eat real food.
