Who doesn't love a healthy pancake recipe?? When wanting to follow a healthier diet, we tend to miss out on some of our favorites foods. However, if you can get a little creative you can still enjoy the things we may think we shouldn't indulge in, but healthier!

This is on of my favorite recipes I have been using over the last 5 years — AND it is quick and easy.  I remember sitting and looking at my eggs and protein powder, wondering how I could make something other than just eggs and shake... and with a little leg work, i figured out how to do exactly that.

If you’re looking for a way to make your breakfast more enjoyable this can easily be made to hit the spot, and stop those pancake fantasies, lol. 

I use walden farms sugar free syrup or any sugar free syrup (in moderation) with some nut butter! Great way to stick to healthier eating while also enjoying what you put your mouth. 

This recipe is a single-serving pancake mix with only ...

Who is James?

I'm a home healthcare contractor from Lincoln Nebraska.

What made you want to start your fitness journey?

I've struggled with weight since I was a child. At my worst, I got up to over 450lbs (5xl shirts and 50+ waist pants) in my 20's and 30's. I had been trying to get things under control but was never able to truly commit to change. Around November of 2019, I started feeling the health consequences of my size and decided I needed to do something real. At this point, I was too out of shape to do much in the way of physical exercise, so I started working on a calorie-counting diet. Over the next year, I was able to lose enough weight to introduce exercise into my journey. At this point, I started looking to social media to find fitness influencers for inspiration and direction.

Looking for a delicious recipe that is quick and easy? This is a great recipe for a lazy baker lol. Also, a great morning muffin to grab on the go!

Equipment Needed

• 12-cup muffin tin
• Muffin cups
• Mixing bowl
• Oven

Ingredients

1. 3 bananas
2. 3 eggs
3. 1 tbsp honey
4. 1 tsp vanilla extract
5. 1 3/4 cup almond flour
6. 1 tsp baking soda
7. 1/2 tsp baking powder
8. Pinch salt
9. 1/2 tsp cinnamon
10. 2 scoops of protein powder (I use 1stPhorm Level-1)
11. 1/3 cup nut butter
12. Chocolate chips (Chocolate chips are a good option, for healthier muffins leave them out)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and place muffin cups in a muffin tin (I sprayed them with Pam to be sure they didn’t stick).
2. In a large bowl, mash bananas until no big chunks are left, mix in honey, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk well.
3. Add in almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, protein powder, and cinnamon. Mix well.
4. Fold in chocolate chips + almond butter, once mixed you’re ready to bake!!
5. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full, bake for 15-20...

This is one of my FAV treats — quick and easy. If you’re looking for a way to make your oatmeal more enjoyable this can be used as a treat or a meal replacement (maybe without all the chocolate lol)

This recipe makes 10 bars, depending on the pan you use, each with only 275 calories! The best part? They also have nearly 15 grams of protein per bar! 

Bar Ingredients

• 3 cups quick oats
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 scoop protein (I like to use 1stPhorm Level-1)

Frosting Ingredients (optional)

• 1/2 cup semi-sweet morsels

Instructions

1. Mix oats and protein powder.
2. Add peanut butter and honey.
3. Mix until all ingredients are blended.

Frosting Instructions

1. Melt semi-sweet morsels.
2. Add melted morsels on top of the mixture.
3. Refrigerate until chocolate is hard.
4. Enjoy!

Macros

Serving size: 1 bar | makes 10 total 

Macros without morsels: 275 calories per bar
14 fat | 31 carbs | 12 protein

Macros with morsels: 314 calories per bar
16f |...

Who is Ashley?

I'm Ashley, a full-time gymnastics coach, single mother, fitness lover & skincare consultant.

What made you want to start your fitness journey?

I was tired of being miserable in my own skin. Being an athlete my entire life, I knew how it felt to "feel good" and wanted to feel that way constantly. I was tired all the time & with working with athletes, I needed to be present and also felt like I should look the part and set a good example of what a healthy lifestyle looked like. I wanted my daughter to see what health looked like as well and lead a good example for her.

What inspires you most?

Growth inspires me. To see where I have come from in the past 5 years is incredible and gives me motivation. Growth and Change have been something that has been uncomfortable for me in the past. I never would have thought I would have made it this far in my fitness journey and I know it has only made me a better, happier person. I'm excited to see what growth happens in...

Building muscle is a slow process, relatively speaking, and with proper nutrition and smart training a natural athlete could put on between 4-6 pounds of muscle within 1 year. That is a pretty realistic goal. Since muscle growth will rarely exceed even 1/3 of a pound in one day and there are only 800 calories in 1 pound of muscle, then why would anyone need to take in several thousand calories per day above their maintenance level on a daily basis gain muscle? The body will simply use what it needs for growth and maintenance purposes and then store the rest as fat.

The process of building muscle definitely takes patience and trusting the process. I know I’ve talked about this 100 times before but sometimes it’s a good reminder to put things into perspective of how long it actually takes to build muscle. Most people failed to realize that the female body can only put on .25 - .50 Pounds of muscle per month… So if we were to do the math if we did everything...

You've been working at the gym, but you haven't seen the results you've been working toward.

So many times people think that going to the gym day after day and pumping iron is going to add muscle quickly and efficiently. What many don't know is that too much time at the gym can actually make you regress more than improve toward your fitness goals of adding lean muscle. 

You're at the gym for an hour lifting weights, and you feel proud because even though others are only lifting for 45 minutes, you lift for an hour and a half! Well, wait right there!

Did you know that after around an hour of working out, your body actually starts to produce a hormone called cortisol? Why is cortisol not good for you? Because as your cortisol increases your testosterone decreases. This is very tough on your body, and has a pretty sizable effect on your ability for muscle growth. You may be asking yourself, "what should I do instead of going crazy at the gym for countless...

Mix up this recipe when you’re looking for a quick tasty snack on the go.

PEANUT BUTTER – TRAIL MIX EDITION

Peanut Butter. Just typing that word makes my mouth water. Who doesn’t love nutter butters? This is a fun recipe that I love to make during my off season. Now this is a somewhat healthy snack as long as you can eat them in moderation… I will not lie, I have eaten an entire batch before. I do not recommend that…

BUT this is a quick and easy recipe if you want a bite on the go that is sweet and packed with protein and energy.

Since there is no baking involved the preparation time is short.

Prep time: 20 mins

So if you are looking to try a yummy recipe that takes minimal time, this is a tasty snack! Enjoy them all for yourself, or share! This a great treat to bring to a potluck, BBQ, or event—they will go quickly!

What you will need:

• Oatmeal (I use Quaker Oats)
• Honey
• Natural Peanut Butter
• Vanilla Protein (I like to use 1stPhorm Level-1)
• ...

Who is Andrea?

I am an athletic academic advisor at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities where I work with Wrestling and the Swim and Dive Team. I am originally from Milwaukee, WI. I was a distance swimmer in college and my background is in Psychology.

What made you want to start your fitness journey?

I have been on a fitness journey probably since about 2015 when I gained a lot of weight after college. I was still eating like a swimmer but was not practicing like one. I felt very lost in the “real world” because my identity had always been as an athlete. I have always loved working out, for me, it is a huge escape and it helps with my anxiety. I just never really had all of the pieces. I loved working out, but I wasn’t eating the right way and I did not have a community. I was motivated to start working with Okon because I was in a very low place mentally. I am very hard on myself and I just had an overwhelming feeling that “no matter what I do...

Traveling outside of your day to day...and suddenly you don't remember how to eat healthy, working out is a thing of yesteryear, you're eating like calories don't count cuz YOLO ... and before you know it you've completely been off track for days maybe even weeks on end. 

What if I told you, you can still go on vacation, travel, or teleport to another planet and stay on track (just make sure you research the food available LOL we will get to that)

Healthy habits and routines tend to fall to the wayside when we go on a trip or travel especially to an unknown area. Whether it be a road trip, a work trip, vacation catching flights. Often we complicate the situation or lack the tools to successfully stay on track.

So let me give you my 4 scenarios, paired with the simple tools to stay on track no matter where you go..  on earth at least lol.

Travel Tip #1: You are going on a fabulous dream vacation, but you don't want to "ruin" all your hard work.

First off, how...