 Thanks to BOMB member Agnes D for this week’s healthy living recipe – Avocado Chocolate Pudding!
2-3 very ripe bananas
1 ripe avocado
1/4 cup of cocoa powder
1- 2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup of milk (I use almond)
Combine in a blender and enjoy! You can also add liquid sweetener like agave, but I find that if the bananas are very ripe then I don't need it. You can also play around with ingredients- sub cold coffee for a chocolate mocha flavour, or add peppermint extract, or juice instead of milk, or sub some berries for a banana.
Victoria
 We’ve had a lot of members approach us to ask what supplements we take, or that they should be taking. We get the feeling that you’re looking for a different answer – some miracle drug that will get you muscles overnight, or to wash the fat away like it never existed. For an average gym goer these top 5 supplements will help you with mental clarity and recovery, but unfortunately won’t get you bigger overnight…
Fish Oil
Fish oil is something the body can’t produce naturally, and this is why it’s probably the most important supplement to take. You can get this from eating fish, but the average person probably won’t consume enough (unless you're a fisherman!). Fish oils contain omega 3s, which can help reduce heart disease, help recovery from training, potentially help with fat loss, and keeps the brain healthy. Aim for a burp-free capsule, unless you like the taste of raw fish.
Vitamin D
Michelle recently wrote a BLOG about how important this is, and how people are not getting enough. Your body can produce Vitamin D from the sun but that does not mean you should sunbathe to the point of skin cancer to get it. In addition, the sun isn't very strong outside the summer months, so a supplement is really helpful. Vitamin D helps raise blood levels, builds strong bones, and aids the immune system.
Foods containing vitamin D – Canned salmon, mackerel, mushrooms, eggs
Vitamin B-Complex
Contains all eight B-vitamins, and we find this really helps our mental capacity. It can help reduce stress, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and heart disease.
Foods containing B vitamins – cereal, eggs, nuts, citrus fruits, bananas
Probiotics
If you suffer from gas, bloating, abdominal pain then this supplement can really help you out. Probiotics addresses your digestive systems to help your body to replenish, and nourish good bacteria.
Whey Protein
We’re not a fan of too many post-workout supplements. They can be high in calories, and the average person does not work out with a consistently high enough intensity to benefit from them. However, if you do have to listen to what the “bro’s” say in the weight room then whey protein is your best bet. It has a decent amount of quality calories and can help build muscle, help muscle recovery, and aid with fat loss.
Protein powders really need a blog of their own. If you’re in the market to supplement with protein make sure you know what you’re putting into your body as they’re not all created equally.
Before you head to your nearest Fitness & Nutrition store just keep in mind that supplements are exactly that. They should not be a substitute to eating the right foods and training hard.
See you in the gym.
Victoria & Kevin
With the flu and a short week in Toronto, I decided to pack up all of the remaining contents of my Mama Earth Organics food box and cart it up to North Bay for my mom to help me create some goodness. What came out was a Weight Watcher's inspired one pot meal that's not much to look at, but deliciously flavourful and filling!
2 TBSP Canola Oil
2 Large Leeks
10 Cups Cabbage, shredded (about 1 medium head)
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 (15oz) can of white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2" pieces
1 small head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
3/4 cups of water
 Heat the oil in the bottom of the pot. Add the leeks and cook until soft. Add the cabbage and cook just until wilted.
 Add the thyme, rosemary, caraway seeds, salt, and pepper. Stir constantly until fragrant (about 30s).
 Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat and cover. Cook until potatoes are tender - about 40 minutes.
 Enjoy!
 Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that 77% of North Americans are not getting enough of (scary!). The vitamin works with calcium in your body to build strong bones and regulate the immune system. We can all use a little extra help preventing the flu, right? Common knowledge states the most common and easiest way to ingest vitamin D is the sun, but what about those cold dark Canadian winter days? Or when you’re stuck inside more than you are out? The answer is… food! There are various foods containing vitamin D: - Fortified milk
- Fatty fish like tuna or salmon
- Eggs
The development of your children’s bones occurs at a young age, so it’s important to have enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet. In children it will help protect against rickets and osteomalacia (softening of bones) as you age. Post-menopausal women, who already have an increased risk of osteoporosis can slow bone loss by taking vitamin D. Although there isn’t one set of recommendation of how long to be in the sun, to obtain the necessary levels of vitamin D is around 10-15 minutes. HOWEVER, the amount of absorption can depend on the season, time, length, cloud coverage, smog, sunscreen, windows, and skin type and colour. To know how much you need you should contact your health care provider and for more information visit: umm.edu/altmed/articles/vitamin-d-000340.htm http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-QuickFacts/ Michelle
| The holiday season is getting closer and closer, and whether you have friends and family crashing at your house to be closer to the best shopping or to celebrate the Christmas festivities, this baked recipe will help you to start the day off right without losing your mind in the kitchen or smelling like a frying pan.
Egglets – Makes 6
6 Slices of ham (I used turkey once and it was equally as delicious)
6 Large Eggs
Pepper
Cheese
Preheat oven to 425. Slice pieces of ham in half and use both halves to line the inside of your muffin tin. They might cave in a little, but don’t worry about it. Repeat for the other 5 tins. Crack your egg into the ham-lined tin, making sure to hold the ham in place and crack the egg in the centre. Once the egg is there, it’ll hold the ham in place. Sprinkle with pepper and toss into the oven for 15-20 minutes depending on how you’d like your yolk to be cooked. When the whites are nearly cooked, sprinkle some shredded cheddar over the top and toss it back in the oven until the cheese is bubbly.
Scuffins – Makes 12
I love this recipe because it doesn't end with my whole kitchen covered in flour, but the scones come out flaky and perfect to eat with jam or cheese. They also take the same amount of time to cook as the egglets, so everything is hot and ready to eat all at once. (I usually half the recipe and cook all in the same tin)
2 cups flour
¼ cup sugar
4 tsp Baking Powder
½ cup cold butter, cubed
1 large egg
¾ cup milk
This recipe makes nice sweet dough, but you can also jazz it up a bit with ½ cup of raisins or even some chopped up sun dried tomatoes – my favourite.
Preheat oven to 425. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl, then cut in the butter with your hands until the mixture is mostly crumbs.
In a separate bowl, mix the milk and egg. Set aside about 2tbsp of the mixture to use later and pour the rest into the dry mix.
Mix together with a fork until a wet dough forms. From here, use your hands to scoop out a chunk of dough and roll it into a ball (it will be quite soft and gooey and fit in the palm of your hand). Drop it into a bowl of flour and coat the whole ball. Drop it into a muffin tin, and repeat.
Finally, brush the left-over milk and egg over the top of the dough, pop it into the over for about 15 minutes, and enjoy! You’ll know they’re finished when the tops start to brown.
Victoria | |
 Even without the heavy cream and egg, this recipe tastes nice and creamy and took no time to create. Not to mention, all of the ingredients are staples in our household. DELICIOUS!
3/4 Cup 1% Cottage Cheese
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1 cup Low fat yogurt
1 tbsp Honey
A handful of fresh or frozen fruit or berries
Blend together and make sure there are no lumps.
Pour into the ice cream machine, wait 30 minutes and enjoy!
(If no ice cream machine: Pour the mixture onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper and freeze. Break up pieces and put in the blender with the lid partially open to aerate the mixture. Freeze for another 10 minutes if desired).
*Note: We didn't have any left to put in the freezer, so I don't know how it would hold up if you want leftovers.
The hot and humid weather has drifted in rapidly so it’s time to give you some tips on how to properly hydrate yourself before and after your workout.
When you feel dehydrated during your training session, taking in water is the correct course of action but is only a short-term mental solution. “Great, I’ve had some water, I must be hydrated.” That isn’t the case and your body will only really benefit from this later. Consider a high-level professional boxer who can throw 960-1,000 punches in a fight yet they take only 1-2 sips of water in between rounds… when you add in the constant footwork and damage they take, it doesn’t quite measure up.
 What you should do is hydrate yourself around 60 minutes before your workout. This will give your body time to process and hydrate properly. Conversely, you don’t want to drink lots of water within 30 minutes of your workout as you’re likely to get a stitch during the session, so timing is crucial.
Post-workout, and throughout the day keep drinking. On average, men should be consuming 3 litres (13 cups) per day and women should be consuming 2.2 litres (9 cups). If you’re working out this should be considerably more. People sweat differently and hydration levels differ it is very hard to specify how much this should be, chances are if you’re thirsty you are already heading towards dehydration. Check your urine colour - if it’s light coloured this probably means you’re hydrated but if it’s dark then you should be drinking more water. You can also check your weight before and after a workout. If you gain considerable weight you are probably over-hydrated and if you lose considerable weight then you are probably dehydrated.
And when you're out and about in patio season, partying with friends remember to order a water to accompany that "other" beverage.
See you at the studio!
Kevin & Victoria
What is a calorie: A calorie is defined as the energy it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius. Calories are made up of Macronutrients, which consist of fats, carbohydrates and protein. Fats have the highest concentration of calories at 9cals/gram; whereas carbohydrates and proteins have 4cals/gram
So what? The word ENERGY is the important word in this definition, as it is calories that give us the energy to perform daily living activities. Without the intake of calories our bodies would not function and would rapidly slow down. Knowing how many calories to intake everyday is very important and varies among individuals.
How many calories should an adult consume a day? The average adult needs at least 1000-1400 calories a day to fuel major organ functions. Main organs include the brain, heart and lungs. There are also additional calories that need to be added to this number to provide adults with sufficient amounts of energy throughout their day, which is approximately 600-800 more calories to be able to move around. The Resting Metabolic Rate is the 1000-1400 calories an adult needs to just lie there and do nothing; it is simply just at rest. On average an adult should consume approx 2000-2300 calories a day to maintain their weight. Again, this varies among individuals.
What about calories and weight gain? If you are consuming more calories a day then what is recommended for you, you will start gaining weight. There are 3500 calories in 1lb of fat. If you have a day that you consume over the amount that is recommended DON’T FREAK OUT, it’s not a one-time thing!
What about calories and weight loss? In order for an individual to lose weight they need to burn more calories than consuming in a full day. It is not recommended to strictly cut back on your calories and no physical activity. The best way to feel and look better is to cut back on calories and put some time and effort in working out. Using the combination of diet and exercise you will see the greatest improvements and your results will LAST, along with leading a healthier happier lifestyle! For example if you want to lose 1lb of fat you must either decrease your caloric intake by 500 calories per day or increase exercise to burn 500 calories per day. By doing this you can lose up to 1lb per week. Another option is to increase your work out to burn an extra 250 calories, as well as eliminate 250 calories from your diet...perfect balance!
See you at the studio!
Carly
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