Fitness Tips

How Turning My Focus To Building Muscle Changed Everything

When I was a teen and in my 20’s I lost and gained weight more times than I can count.  Each time I repeated the cycle I regained even more weight.  I felt hopeless and broken as I tried to do what I thought worked.  Restrictive diets and lots of cardio.  Always with the focus on weight loss. 

What changed?  I had to switch the paradigm in my mind and habits that had me focused on weight loss.  Instead I had to focus my mind and habits on BUILDING MUSCLE. 

Eating for muscle, training for muscle, sleeping for muscle, hydrating for muscle, reducing stress and recovering for muscle. 

When I focused on muscle.👉 I lost fat, built strength, increased my endurance and drastically improved my overall health markers: blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose management, and triglycerides. 

To go on an empowering fitness journey I suggest this. Rather than focusing on losing weight, adjust your perspective and start focusing on building muscle.

The habits and behaviors needed to build healthy skeletal muscle will yield incredible results not only physique development but in overall health including:

  1. Better Blood Sugar Regulation
  2. Improved Hunger Management 
  3. Increased Mobility
  4. Stronger Bones
  5. And last but not least, Increased Survivability Against Nearly Every Disease!

It does not mean that the process is easy and will happen without effort. 

But those efforts, WORTH IT! 

If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey to lose fat, build muscle, and get stronger check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website. With my 1 on 1 online fitness coaching service I take out the guess work and create customized activity and nutrition plans for your unique needs and goals while providing support, accountability and education for ongoing success. That way you can start taking action to get the epic and long lasting benefits of improved muscle health.

See my client testimonials.

www.melaniewales-sustainableliving.com

Follow me on Instagram for more tips, free recipes, and full days of eating.

www.instagram.com/melaniewales.sustainableliving

Find loads of high protein and lean muscle building recipes in my E Cookbooks perfect for meal prep and beyond.  Build muscle and lose fat for your long term health one delicious bite at a time.

Click below for details. 

https://melaniewales-sustainableliving.com/shop-cookbook/

Client Spotlight

Client Spotlight: 2 Individuals And Goals… But Equally Incredible Progress!

Despite their differences, below are some of the commonalities these 2 amazing individuals share that are key to their ongoing and sustainable success.

Plus, they have me as their Coach. I’ve got their back every step of the way.

If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.

See my client testimonials.

www.melaniewales-sustainableliving.com

Follow me on Instagram for more tips, free recipes, and full days of eating.

www.instagram.com/melaniewales.sustainableliving

Fit Recipes!

How To Make Your Own Protein Donut

Make your own protein donut and avoid the excess fat and sugar in regular donuts.

It’s all good to eat regular donuts in moderation, but it’s nice to have an alternative that is high in protein that actually leaves you feeling satisfied!  

Let’s compare.  One of my homemade protein donuts with a protein frosting and fun toppings versus a regular donut from a leading donut place.  

I’ll share the recipe for my donuts below.  Happy donut baking!! 

For my Protein Donut (Pictured on top)

  • 215 calories 
  • 20g protein
  • 27g carbohydrate 
  • 2g fat

From the Donut Place (Pictured on bottom)

  • 330 calories 
  • 4g protein
  • 43g carbohydrate
  • 14g fat

My donut recipe from Volume 1 of my e cookbooks included below! 

Macro Friendly Donuts

This high protein, low fat donut is the perfect way to satisfy a donut craving while still helping you nail your nutritional goals!  Donuts are a family favorite around my house, so I went on a mission to create a lighter homemade version that would be realistic for us to enjoy everyday.  I hope you love them as much as we do!! If you do, remember to check out my e cookbooks (link below) to help support my passion to bring more delicious options to us all while we are aiming to live a fit life!

Makes 6 Donuts

For 1 donut with icing and 3g of toppings

215 calories

20g protein

27g carbohydrate

2g fat

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

For the donuts 

  • 120ml 1 % milk 
  • 110g unsweetened applesauce 
  • 50ml real maple syrup 
  • 1 egg 
  • 100g all purpose flour 
  • 50g whey protein powder (flavor of choice) 
  • 5g baking powder 

For icing and toppings per individual donut 

  • 20 ml 1% milk 
  • 12g whey protein powder (flavor of choice) 
  • 2g of instant sugar free pudding mix (flavor of choice)
  • 3-5g of cereal, chocolate chips, sprinkles, marshmallows, mini Oreos etc.. 

Pro Tip: You can also tweak my recipe to make it lower in calories by using sugar free maple syrup instead of regular.  It works just as well!  

DIRECTIONS:

By hand or in a mixer, mix together the milk, maple syrup, applesauce, and egg.

Add in the flour, protein powder, and baking powder and combine until just incorporated. Batter will be fairly thin.

Evenly divide batter using a silicone donut baking pan. Enough batter for 6 donuts. Place the donut pan on a cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until cooked through.

Allow to cool and then remove from donut pan. Store for up to 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

To make the frosting mix together the milk and protein powder (and if using the instant pudding mix). That’s it. Top the donuts with the icing and your favorite toppings. To help thicken the icing, if needed, you can refrigerate it for a few minutes. Works like a charm! Fully iced and topped donuts can also be stored in the refrigerator but enjoy within 2 days of topping.  I personally prefer to ice and top them just before enjoying. 

Need some more fun and delicious recipes to help you reach your goals? My e- cookbooks are available! Click below for details. 

https://melaniewales-sustainableliving.com/shop-cookbook/

The donut recipe is in Volume 1 as well as many more yummy and satisfying sweet treats including recipes for my lighter and protein filled take on cheesecakes, cookies, brownies, and so much more!

Find me on Instagram for more recipes, fitness tips, and meal ideas.

www.instagram.com/melaniewales.sustainableliving

Fitness Tips

Exercise Snacks: How To Include More Exercise Into A Busy Day

black skip rope
Photo by Dom J on Pexels.com

Any amount of exercise is always better than nothing at all.  By utilizing “Exercise Snacks” you can ensure you are getting something in every day no matter how busy you are.

Don’t be discouraged. You do not need to skip exercising entirely if you are busy and can’t dedicate 30-60 minutes to get in a workout.

You can do short bursts of various exercises for only 60 seconds at a time.  

Even 4-5 bouts of 60 seconds of simple exercises sprinkled throughout the day such as

  1. Bodyweight squats 
  2. Jumping jacks
  3. Push ups
  4. Briskly walking upstairs
  5. Jogging in place etc…

will promote your fitness and health.  

Not only do you receive benefits such as

  1. Improved cognitive function
  2. Improved cardiorespiratory fitness
  3. Improved metabolism

Including regular movement and exercise can become a more normal (and less daunting) part of your everyday life.  

Rethink the potential of your day.

 It’s Just 1 Minute. 

Ready. 

Set. 

Go!

If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.

See my client testimonials.

www.melaniewales-sustainableliving.com

Follow me on Instagram for more tips, free recipes, and full days of eating.

www.instagram.com/melaniewales.sustainableliving

To learn more about the science of exercise snacks (and much more) check out this great Found My Fitness Podcast Episode by Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D. interviewing Dr. Martin Gibala, Ph.D.

Fitness Tips

Muscle: The Underrated Key To Successful Fat Loss

When I was a teen and in my 20’s I lost and gained weight more times than I can count.  Each time I repeated the cycle I regained even more weight.  I felt hopeless and broken as I tried to do what I thought worked.  Restrictive diets and lots of cardio.  Always with the focus on weight loss.  

What changed?  I had to switch the paradigm in my mind and habits that had me focused on weight loss.  Instead I had to focus my mind and habits on BUILDING MUSCLE.  

Eating for muscle, training for muscle, sleeping for muscle, hydrating for muscle, reducing stress and recovering for muscle.  

When I focused on muscle:  I lost fat, built strength, increased my endurance and drastically improved my overall health markers: blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose management, and triglycerides.  

To go on an empowering fitness journey I suggest this. Rather than focusing on losing weight, adjust your perspective and start focusing on building muscle.

The habits and behaviors needed to build healthy skeletal muscle will yield incredible results in overall health and physique development.    

It does not mean that the process is easy and will happen without effort. 

But those efforts, WORTH IT!  

If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s. 

www.melaniewales-sustainableliving.com

Follow me on Instagram for more tips, free recipes, and full days of eating.

www.instagram.com/melaniewales.sustainableliving