Spike84 Oatmeal Protein Bars, new recipe!

These are the best tasting bars I've ever had

Spike84 Chewy No-Bake Protein Bars 2.0


Easy & Delicious, the best tasting bars you can buy or make.
All Natural, high protein, high fiber, and full of good fats.

Ingredients:

• 3 Cups of Rolled Oats
• 2 Scoops of Natural Vanilla Protein Powder
• 1/4 Cup of pure fiber powder (tasteless)
• 1/2 Cup Natural Peanut Butter
• 1/4 Cup of Agave Light Syrup
• 1/4 Cup of Milk
• 1/2 cup of expelled pressed coconut oil
• 1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips

Instructions:

• Combine the dry ingredients (oats, 1 scoop of protein, fiber, 1/4 cup of chocolate chips) in small bowl
• Put PB & agave in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave for 30 seconds
• Microwave 1/4 cup of coconut oil in a small glass bowl for 30 seconds, or until a liquid
• Mix PB, agave, and 1 scoop of protein powder until smooth
• In a large bowl, and combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients in small increments
• Add warmed coconut oil to large bowl and mix well
• Move to a greased pie pan or small bread pan
• Press and pack down mixture with a large spoon
• Put bars in refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.

Instructions for chocolate topping:

• In a small glass bowl, put 1/4 cup of coconut oil
• Top with 1/4 cup of milk chocolate chips
• Microwave for 35 seconds
• Stir together and set aside
• When bars have cooled, drizzle chocolate sauce over top
• Cool for bars or 15-20 more minutes
• Cut into equal sizes, makes about 12 bars

Nutrition Info:

Per Bar about (4X2 Inches)

• 275 Calories
• 10g Fat*
• 28g Carbs
• 8g Fiber
• 18g Protein

*about 3 grams of fat in form of MCT

Solution to The "Fat Trap" - Leptin and how we Spike to lose weight

Leptin- Feast or Famine?

There have been numerous articles written recently about hormones and long-term weight loss. They seem to center around leptin and starvation mode. Most of these articles are very doom and gloom, making many of us feel like we are stuck with what we were given. Luckily this isn't true. I've battled leptin and starvation on the front line. While I applaud the research and the acknowlegment in the articles that "losing weight and keeping it off isn't as easy as some think". These articles are failing to connect the dots. The trick to raising leptin and metabolism is simple, and very fun!

You can have amazing long-term results by understanding Leptin

Below is a couple of the recent articles that have increased mainstream awareness of leptin and "starvation mode"

"The Fat Trap"  by Tara Parker Pope

You can find it here

"After dieting, hormone changes may fuel weight regain"

by Amanda MacMillan, Health.com 

You can find it here 



What is Leptin?
Leptin is a relatively new term in the battle against obesity. It wasn’t discovered until the 1990’s. What researchers found was that leptin plays an integral role in the monitoring our metabolism and our hunger. Leptin is found inside our fat cells. Its job is to tell our brain that we are full and satisfied when we eat. It was given the tagline the "Anti-Obesity Hormone"

However recent research has shown that it's main job isn't so much telling our brain we are satified when we eat, but to alert it when there's not eough food being consumed. Leptin levels are determined by caloric energy balance.

Leptin is really the "Anti-Starvation" Hormone.

When we are going through periods of calorie restriction (diets) leptin levels can drop dramatically in as little as 7 days. When leptin levels drop, our hunger and cravings increase and our brain shifts metabolism into a slower gear.

Our brain perceives our “diet” as a time of famine, so it slows energy output the best it can so we will survive longer on fewer calories, buying us more time until we feast.

The most important job of our brain is survival. It can adapt in extreme ways to keep us alive in what it pervceives as surival situations.

It's 10,000 years of evolution, and it's how we are hardwired to survive.

I used to think that the guys who could eat junk all day and stay thin had the "gifted" genetics.
I was Wrong!
If there was ever to be a true time of famine, all of the perpetual thin people would be the first to go. Leaving us overweight people to rule the world.

While it’s a wonderful survival mechanism, it’s extremely frustrating that our body fights back in such a way when we are just trying to improve our health.
It does make complete sense when you think about it, and when you’ve experienced it. Restricting calories is almost like a self-induced famine. How would our brain know the difference? It just senses the constant use of stored energy as a sign that there isn’t enough to eat.

Leptin Fact:
"The researchers also found that the desire to eat doubled in response to calorie restriction. The participants reporting the greatest increase in hunger were those with the largest decline in leptin."

This is part of where the article "The Fat Trap" among others didn't connect the dots.

Many beleive that in loosing weight we cross a personal “body fat threshold” and when this happens our leptin drops.While there may be a "magic number" threshold for bodyfat, there's no proof. What we know is a leptin drops when we have a negative energy balance.

I highly doubt that a "magic number" exsists. If there is one I have yet to reach mine at 8% body-fat. Also what about the other thousands of people who have lost huge amounts of weight to become very fit and lean? Where's their threshold? Did the participants who had 50% leptin decline in just 7 days of calorie restriction reach their threshold in a week?

Attributing decline in Leptin as simply a result of losing body fat, to me doesn’t appear logical.The true culprit is living consistently in a caloric deficit and constantly burning fat for energy.

So how do we increase leptin?

Feast!

When leptin drops our brain is begging us to feast! So the logical thing to do is give our brain exactly what it wants, and feast! 

“A day or two of controlled overfeeding will raise leptin levels and can help you avoid some of the metabolic adaptations inherent with any type of restricted-calorie diet.”
-Christian Finn, M.Sc., Founder, The Facts About Fitness Ltd.

What do scientific studies say?

"Following a period of calorie restriction, participants were then given a 12 hour period of overeating. Researchers found that Leptin rose by 40-50% over baseline during the final hours of overfeeding; the increase persisted until the next morning! Unfortunately the researchers didn’t test any further than the following morning to see how long the increase lasted."

Leptin Fact:
Now we know leptin can decline drastically in as little as seven days, and a 12 hour period of overeating spikes leptin levels back up. Problem solved!


In order to avoid “Starvation Mode”, we need to follow days of calorie deficits with a day of calorie surplus.

It's an obvious answer, but one that I found out accidently when I hit a plateau dieting several years ago. During this plateau food cravings were destroying my life, to the point I had to give in. Eventhough I didn't like the idea of "cheating" I decided to get everything "out of my head" by taking a day off and indulging. My purpose for doing it was to simply clear my mind of food cravings and start over. What happend was; I cured my cravings and I lost weight again.

This is why in my book, Spike Diet, I tagged this day as the “Spike Day”. It's not cheating, there's no guilt. Having a Spike Day every 7 days increases leptin levels and spikes metabolism.

Now some in the mainstream are jumping on the bandwagon!

Like Dr. Oz

“We think the best way to increase your metabolism is to diet for a couple days, cheat for a day,” says Dr. Oz. “Maybe Saturday can become ‘Faturday." - Dr. Mehmet Oz

Dr. Oz radio show 



I came to this conclusion years ago, and "spiking" has allowed me to not only keep the weight off but continually improve my physique. The choice is up to you, but for long-term weight loss, it's Feast or Famine?  

Leptin summary:

• Leptin is the anti-starvation hormone
• Leptin helps to regulate hunger and metabolism
• Leptin drops drastically after just 7 days of calorie restriction.
• When leptin is low we feel more hungry and our metabolism can slow
• Leptin spikes up after just a 12 hour period of overeating
• When leptin is balanced, hunger is avoided and metabolism is normal

 

Something new for Dinner & Dessert and about 500 calories!

This is one of my new favorites.

Fried Taco Flatbread

It's similar to a Chalupa from Taco Bell.

Ingredients:

• Joesph's Flax Lavash Bread.
• 1 TBSP Coconut Oil
• Extra Lean Ground Turkey or Beef
• 2% Shredded Cheese
• Taco Seasoning

Directions:

• Heat coconut oil in the frying pan
• Prepare beef, add on top of Lavash Bread
• Add cheese
• Roll it up and place in frying pan 
• Spread oil around and cook until golden brown

Nutrition Info: Per Taco

•  350 Calories
•  20 grams of Fat (12 as MCT)
• 14 grams of Carbs, only 8 Net 
• 6 grams of Fiber
• 35 grams of Protein

Fudge Brownie with
a White Chocolate Candy Shell

You won't believe this is healthy

Ingredients:

• VitaBrownie
• 1/2 TBSP Coconut Oil
• 1/4 Cup of White Chocolate Chips

Directions:

• In a small glass bowl add coconut oil and add chocolate chips on top
• Microwave sauce for 25 seconds or until creamy
• Have thawed brownie on plate and add creamy chocolate sauce on top
• Put brownie in the fridge for 10-20 minutes
• The sauce hardens into a candy shell!

Nutrition Info:

• 200 Calories
• 9 grams of Fat
• 28 grams of Carbs
• 10 grams of Fiber
• 3 grams of Protein

Delicious Dinner and Dessert for just over 500 calories!

• High Protein
• High Fiber
• High levels of MCT Oil
• Filling
• So yummy!

My oil of choice is and always we be coconut oil!

MCT Oil is unique and a huge weight loss benefit.

Weight Loss

"Coconut oil is very useful in reducing weight. It contains short and medium-chain fatty acids that help in taking off excessive weight. It is also easy to digest and it helps in healthy functioning of the thyroid and enzymes systems. Further, it increases the body metabolism by removing stress on pancreases, thereby burning out more energy and helping obese and overweight people reduce their weight. Hence, people living in tropical coastal areas, who eat coconut oil daily as their primary cooking oil, are normally not fat, obese or overweight."

95% of Americans don't get enough Whole Grains, WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?

This is not the breakfast for me

That's right people, according to General Mills, we don't eat enough of their food.

Let me start by saying you could live a long and healthy life without eating a single whole grain. We don't need whole grains for health. So how can a company say that 95% of us don't eat enough? I think they may have left out the back-end of the statement, 95% of American's don't eat enough whole grains, for us to make our profit margins. Maybe? Maybe not?

You see protein is essential to our health, and dietary fats are too.  Whole grains, not so much.

Now I am not a "no-carb" dieter, trying to push another form of the "Atkins Diet" in fact I love carbohydrates, but they have their time and their place.

Personally I believe cereal first thing in the morning, is just about the worst thing you could have for breakfast when you are trying to lose weight. Want a better-for-you breakfast?  Try egg beaters, with center cut bacon. Or if you're in a hurry, grab a Ready-To-Drink protein shake. They will give you the energy, and metabolism boost you need without spiking your insulin levels.

Anyway back to the subject, I saw a commercial promoting cereal with this tagline so I wanted to find out who says that we don't get enough whole grains? Well it's a Doctor of Health and Nutrition, who works for General Mills, how convenient. The best part of her quote "As part of a healthy diet, whole grain can help with diabetes and weight management"

Really Doctor?  What she's not telling you is carbohydrates have zero benefits to weight-loss, and diabetes? Did you know that the GI of Corn Flakes is 84? compare that to regular table sugar that is a 64 on the GI scale.
 So whole grain Corn Flakes will affect your blood sugar and spike your insulin levels more than eating plain sugar! So how do whole grains help prevent diabetes?

This ad is so misleading that it needed clarification, especially to those who are trying to lose weight. Carbohydrates, and whole grains are great for immediate energy but they are not necessary for our health. A diet high in lean-meats, fruits, and vegetables is far better, than a diet high in whole grains.

I am very proud to say that I am one of the 95% of Americans that don't eat enough whole grains, and you should be too.

BMI is Bad Misleading Information

BMI is a sham, I'm not kidding. I am very worried that our government may give this crazy little formula too much power.  If all Insurance Companies use BMI. which really stands for Body-Mass-Index, to judge my health I will be in trouble.  You see even though my body-fat percentage is between 10-11% which is in the athletic range, my BMI is 28.4, and because of that I am considered "overweight" by doctors and insurance companies.

BMI Categories:

• Underweight = <18.5
• Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
• Overweight = 25–29.9 (ME)
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

This is what "overweight" looks like according to BMI

11% Bodyfat is in the "Athletic" range, better than fit & Healthy

Other people that will join me in the overweight category include the Viking's Adrian Peterson, actors George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon.
http://www.consumerfreedom.com/pressRelease_detail.cfm/r/79-oceans-12-tons

Why does this matter?
Because you and I will pay more for our Health Insurance and possibly even be turned down for insurance if our Bad Misleading Information is to high.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17385151/ns/health-fitness/

BMI is trying to put everyone in the same shape, and we are not. Just because someone is 6'2 180lbs doesn't mean they are healthy just like being 6'1 215lbs doesn't mean you are unhealthy. We should each be judged on our individual body types and BMI should be thrown out completely.  It was a nice try, but it doesn't work. 

Find your BMI

Another sad fact is all of the "Overweight America Charts"  from the CDC use BMI as their standard. So how overweight is our country really? If you are not a thin you are overweight, that is just sad.

Vote for Russ for the "Face of Fitness Contest"

Click any of the pictures to vote

Thank you,

Russ Branjord

How to win a weight loss competition

I love weight loss competitions because it keeps us motivated and accountable. In the past when I dieted and tried to keep it a secret I was doomed to fail, but when I was confident and told my friends about my weight loss plans I was much more likely to stay on track and succeed. Well a weight loss challenge is just like that, you are proclaiming your desire to many and once you start there's no looking back. You need to see it through. Most of us are very competitive people, and once you begin you really want to win, and the desire to be the champ will keep you motivated.  Which leads to the best part about these challenges, everyone loses weight, therefore everyone is a winner.

SPIKE84 is running a weight loss challenge at Anytime Fitness in Elk River & Rogers, and it has me pumped.  After the first weigh-in we had 9 of the 14 contestants lose 9+ pounds and one guy lost an amazing 22lbs in just 28 days! This is the third such challenge I have overseen and this one is our most competitive.

Here's several tips that will give you an edge in your weight loss challenge.

1. Prior to your first weigh-in, have a couple of spike days. You will gain a few extra pounds of water from glycogen storage to give you a higher starting number, and also get your metabolism cooking at the start.
2. Log everything! The competitors who win, log their food, log their workouts, and log their moods. The data you collect will help you when you need it, and knowing your calorie goals will keep you honest.
3. Follow a plan, this year our competitors are using SPIKE84, and simply having a plan to follow is helping everyone stay on track and move forward with confidence.
4. Don't be afraid of lifting weights. it's difficult to actually add pounds of muscle while losing weight, and the boost of fat burning through weight training is important.
5. Don't worry if you see someone jumps out to a huge lead, neither of our past winners were the top losers in the first month. It's how you finish that really matters.
6. Drink plenty of water in the week leading up to your weigh-ins, this will help you lose extra water weight.
7. Avoid carbs 24 hours prior to weigh-ins to burn up glycogen and flush out water weight.
8. I've known of some who spend 20-30 minutes in a sauna right before weigh-in to drop water weight.

I have many more weight-loss tips in other blog posts, but I wanted these to be specific to a weight-loss competition. When your dealing with pounds, water weight is a big factor.

Good luck, and you have nothing to lose but weight