Hey guys! If you have protein powder in your diet this week and are craving a sweet treat give this recipe a try!
Ps this recipe was sent out in my newsletter so if you aren't subscribed makes sure you do! www.trainitright.com either click the popup or scroll to the bottom.
Healthy Chocolate Lava Cake
This recipe is for those of you who desperately are craving a sweet treat but know enough not to stray too far off of your diet. If you do IIFYM you can easily fit this into your macros.
1 Scoop Protein Of Choice
1 tsp cocoa
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tbsp PB2 (peanut butter without the fat)
1 Packet of stevia or liquid stevia drops
Almond Milk/Cashew Milk (amount will vary depending on protein)
1. Mix all of the dry ingredients together into a bowl or mug.
2. Add Almond milk slowly and stir until brownie batter is achieved.
2. Microwave 1-2 minutes until there is only a small centre of "goo" in the middle. Think lava cake. I suggest checking every 30s to see.
3. ENJOY! But beware it is addictive!
Artificial Sweeteners
The following is a very simplified overview of my five main issues with artificial sweeteners.
Re-enforces the craving for sweets and overeating. Sends a very strong signal (stronger than sugar) to the control centers in the brain to remind and push to consume sugar because it creates pleasurable feelings. What ends up happening is people end up craving sugars even more and end up getting it eventually and when they do, it’s more than they would have eaten had it not been for the artificial spike. Eliminating artificial sweeteners from your contest prep diet honestly makes dieting 100 times easier because you’re not providing a constant reminder to eat more sugar.
Changes the way foods are metabolized. Research confirms that artificial sweeteners can negatively impact the way the body processes and metabolizes certain foods. So even if you are eating healthy, your body may not be processing the nutrients appropriately and partitioning them accordingly how they should be. (i.e. more gets potentially stored as fat, not muscle cells). Research has also suggested artificial sweeteners can impair glucose metabolism.
Creates an artificial insulin spike. Mixed research on this but enough in my mind to warrant mentioning it. Artificial sweeteners can send a signal to the body that sugar has just been dumped into the blood. In some individuals, this can actually cause the body to produce insulin (a storing hormone). While in contest prep, we try to suppress insulin with the exception of very specific times. Stimulating it’s release multiple times through the day is not the best way to get shredded.
Long term use linked to changes in the brain-metabolism balance. Artificial sweeteners can create an energy imbalance that mimics the actions of fasting on the brain – which can be highly detrimental to the metabolism. The pathway here is the AMPK causing certain cells to produce NPF – a peptide that promotes hunger.
Studies have correlated artificial sweeteners with weight gainand metabolic syndrome. While correlation is always up for debate, it shouldn’t be just overlooked.
I was recently sent some new protein to try. Its Called Bipro. They sent me vanilla, chocolate and unflavoured. I tried them before I entered prep and I was really impressed. The Vanilla is 90 calories, 0g of fat, 1g of carb with 22g protein. The chocolate is 90 calories, 0.5g of fat, 2g of carb with 20g protein. The unflavoured is 80 calories, 0g of fat, 0g of carb with 20g protein.
A little bit about the company and my findings:
BiPro whey protein isolate has been available in the U.S. for more than 30 years and is used by elite and major league athletes, coaches and sports nutrition experts. Starting in July 2016, BiPro will finally be available in Canada through Amazon.ca. It will also be sold in specialty stores as of this fall.
High in protein, including branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), to help enhance training and improve endurance
One of the purest WPI products on the market, with a 97% purity level
Made with 100% whey protein isolate, with no other protein sources added
Fast-absorbing and easy to digest
NSF-certified
Naturally gluten-free
Short ingredients list
BiPro will be offered in a 907 g (2 lbs.) jars as well as boxes with 14 individual packets. You have the choice of Unflavoured, Chocolate or French Vanilla.
I was honestly really impressed with the taste and quality. I like that it is high in protein with BCAA in it. It was easy to digest and I believe it that they say its one of the purest whey's on the market with a 97% purity level. Its also naturally gluten free and there are only a few ingredients therefore it clearly isn't packed with fillers or chemicals.
Five Ways To Spring Clean Your Health & Lose Weight - Interviews Available With Doctor
Dr. George's tips are:
1. Start exercising
An increase in activity of as little as 20 minutes 3 times a week can make a difference in your risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. You don't have to get fancy with a gym membership. Try taking the stairs at work instead of the elevator, or park further from the entrance when you go to the market or mall.
2. Eat Smaller portions
You may not want to give up your junk food or fried food, but try to limit your portions. Instead of buying a six pack of soda, buy a two liter bottle. You can better control the portions along with your intake of calories.
3. Drink more water
The average person should be drinking 1 ounce per kilogram of his/her weight in water per day. (1 lb = 2.2kg). Studies have shown that people eat more when they are dehydrated because the signals in the body can confuse hunger with thirst. If you are hungry, try drinking an 8-12 oz glass of water before you decide to eat that snack.
4. Avoid salt
The average American diet consists too much salt. Salt is found in everything from canned foods to frozen foods. Not only does salt make your body retain water, it also dulls your sense of taste when it comes to sugar. As a challenge, decrease the amount of salt you eat for about 1 week, then drink a non-diet soft drink. Not only will you lose about 3- 5 lbs of water weight, but you will see that the soda is incredibly sweet. In addition, try to use sea salt.
5. Avoid high fructose corn syrup
Studies have shown that most products in this country are made with high fructose corn syrup that is contaminated with mercury (a known neurotoxin). Instead try to choose foods made with cane sugar. When you drink soft drinks that are made with sugar you will be less likely to crave salt and be able to stop with one soda because there is no 'sugar high' that leads to the craving that makes you want to have more.
About Dr. Elaina George
Atlanta, GA Based - Dr Elaina George is a Board Certified Otolaryngologist. She graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Biology. She received her Masters degree in Medical Microbiology from Long Island University, and received her medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. Dr George completed her residency at Manhattan, Eye Ear & Throat Hospital. She is on the advisory council of Project 21 black leadership network, an initiative of The National Center for Public Policy Research. Dr George hosts her own radio show, "Medicine On Call" and she is also a keynote speaker many organizations. As a solo practitioner in private practice who is also a small business owner, she has a unique perspective on the problems of health care delivery, the true costs of healthcare and viable solutions.
Do you want a slim waist? Perfect, glowing skin? Want to lose 10 pounds easy? Are you ready for it... Wait for it... Okay here it is... The magic Elixir is actually available to just about anyone reading this. It's available at a super low cost, sometimes you can even find it free... Have you guessed what it is?
The magic elixir is WATER!! Yes water can guarantee you a slim waist, perfect, glowing skin and you can lose 10 pounds easy, if you start drinking the right amount for you. Granted, to see lasting results of weight loss, you would have to also abide by a healthy diet and workout regularly (meal and workout plans are available here at TrainItRight.com/programs).
Many underestimate the power of water or believe they just can't down the amount that they're supposed to have. Speak with any nutritionist and they will tell you that you should be drinking a specific amount for your body. The formula that many use is to take your body weight, divide it by 2 and that'll give you the number in ounces of how much water you should consume daily. So, if you're 150 pounds you should do 150 divided by 2 to find you should be drinking a minimum of 75 ounces of water. To break down further, thats a little under 4.5 standard bottles (16.9 ounces) of water.
What are some of the immediate benefits of water?
Well for one, drinking 1-2 bottles of water within the first hour of waking up will help wake up your entire body, leading to activating all of your internal organs. It'll also help you lose that 'sleepy' feeling and help you get your day off to a more positive start.
Drinking water also helps with digestion's. If you start drinking 1 glass of water about 30 minutes before a meal, you'll be doing your digestive system a favor. You'll also find that you are less likely to overeat. So next time you're out to dinner, try to down an entire glass of water before you start your meal.
Drinking more water also leads to healthier hair and nails, beautiful, glowing skin, lower blood pressure, reduced risk of stroke and heart attacks and so much more.
Did we also mention that it helps with weight loss? Yes! Those that drink more water usually have a better handle on their weight and those that increase their water intake find that they are more likely to lose weight. Increase your daily intake to about a gallon a day and you may notice immediate weight loss within a week.
So next time you go to grab sugary juice or soda go for water instead and watch the endless benefits!!!
Check back with TrainItRight.com in the near future for tips on how you can start drinking more water... It's actually easier than you think.
Tonica Kombucha - Review
What is Kombucha?
According to Wikipedia:
Kombucha is a variety of fermented, lightly effervescent sweetened black or green teadrinks that are commonly intended as functional beverages for their supposed health benefits. Kombucha is produced by fermenting tea using a "symbiotic 'colony' of bacteria and yeast" (SCOBY). Actual contributing microbial populations in SCOBY cultures vary, but the yeast component generally includes Saccharomyces and other species, and the bacterial component almost always includes Gluconacetobacter xylinus to oxidize yeast-produced alcohols to acetic and other acids.
Although it has been claimed to have numerous health benefits, there is no good evidence that drinking kombucha has such effects.[1] By contrast, there are several documented cases of serious adverse effects, including fatalities, related to kombucha drinking, possibly arising from contamination during home preparation.[2][3] Since the mostly unclear benefits of kombucha drinking do not outweigh the known risks, it is not recommended for therapeutic use.[1]
Despite their being claims there is no good evidence. I think it affects other people differently. The Tonica is naturally carbonated, only 45 calories per bottle, organic, raw and GMO free. Its also made in Canada. However a lot of carbs for a drink. I would rather not drink my carbs personally. However, it was really tasty and thirst quenching. But then again so is water. Until theres some good scientific background to its claims I probably wont be drinking any more kombucha any time soon.
The Tonica is bowed and bottled with natural carbonation over the course of a full 10 day ferment. According to them their brew preserves the integrity of ancient kombucha and delights todays customer with their certified organic tea infusions.
Its certified USDA Organic, Canada Organic and certified Raw.
If you were given $24 and managed to lose $1 would you then throw away the $23 you had left? Of Course not! So why treat your days like that?
Often times, were on a program to help us accomplish goals. It may be a weight loss program, a muscle building program, a program for a competition or a eating program to help restore our health. Whatever the case, sometimes we mess up. But when we mess up, should we give up? Absolutely not! Everyday were given 24 hours but it's up to us to use them effectively.
If you find yourself cheating or deviating from your meal plan because you just can't beat your craving, you shouldn't beat yourself up. Instead, you should take note of what events led up to your deviating from your plan, how you felt after, what you can do next time to avoid messing up and finally MOVE ON. The same way you wouldn't throw away $23 if you managed to lose $1, you should never throw away an entire day to unhealthy eating or quitting your plan because of one disruption. As we've all heard before, things happen.
So next time you find yourself eating that cookie, or eating a slice of cake, remember that were all imperfect, things happen and you must move on and forward. Get back on course finishing the day healthy, strong and on track and continue to work towards reaching your goal.
Health Coaches Pave the Way for a Brighter Future for Health Care
By Joshua Rosenthal
As policy makers continue to debate the future of healthcare in America, there is an often overlooked, yet important, part of our healthcare system. Think about the healthiest habits you have. Do you enjoy getting outside to walk on your lunch break, drink mostly water during the day, or cook healthy meals every night?
How did you develop these healthy habits?
Chances are, you developed these healthy tendencies over time, with guidance and support from friends, family, colleagues, coaches, and anyone else who encouraged you and held you accountable.
Getting and staying healthy isn’t rocket science. Most of us know we need to exercise more, eat whole foods, and manage our stress better. The challenge is in making those healthy habits stick. While we like to think we can do the right thing because the experts say we should, science tells a different story.
Ongoing research at the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of California and the Mayo Clinic have found that people are much more likely to adopt and maintain healthy habits when they work with a peer or coach as opposed to a doctor or another expert. (1) (2)
Health Coaches are perfectly poised to be that peer or coach for people looking for a partner to help them adopt and maintain healthier habits. Why? Health Coaches are trained in changing behaviors, holding people accountable and frequently have a lot in common with their clients. These similarities (like culture, language, experiences, and values) help to develop trust and a unique mentor/student bond that can bring about total life transformation and lasting change.
Health Coaches are the future of preventative health care; in fact, as one of the fastest-growing professions, there are now approximately 35,000 self-identified practitioners nationally and the Department of Labor projects a 21 percent increase for health and wellness professionals focused on preventative health - faster than all other occupations.
The bottom-line: In an age of rising health care costs and uncertainty, Health Coaches have the ability to reduce over all health care costs while employing thousands of Americans with well-paying jobs.
Medical professionals are crucial for helping those in need, but they don’t always have the time or resources to help people find and build healthy habits. There is a huge demand for a new kind of health advocate who can help fill a void in our current healthcare system.
According to David Thom, M.D., Ph.D. Research Director for the UCSF Department of Family & Community Medicine, “When patients are managed by their doctor, we often do so in four or five 15-minute visits a year, and in between those visits we have little to no contact with the patient. To think that is optimal is naïve. It’s amazing that we’ve gotten along so long without using Health Coaches, and we haven’t even realized all the benefits yet.” (3)
Within the current healthcare model, attempts to reduce lifestyle-related chronic disease and costs have proven to be financially unsustainable due to a system that rewards hospitalizations and invasive procedures. Thankfully, more employers, hospitals, and insurance companies understand that an investment in Health Coaches have real and lasting impacts on our collective wellness.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported that there is “a broader shift within the healthcare industry toward keeping people well instead of simply treating them when they’re sick.” And that, “although wellness coaching is a relatively new field, some recent research suggests that it does work.” (4)
Our nation’s health and wellness is not suffering because we don’t know what to do; it’s that we need allies and advocates in the form of Health Coaches to assist and hold us accountable along the way. The work of Health Coaches has been quietly improving the health and wellness of many for over 25 years. It is time to recognize their efforts and empower their growth; our nation’s health depends on it.
We also need the support of Congress to ensure that our community can continue to offer preventive health care options for millions of Americans. Allowing consumers the flexibility in using their Health Savings Accounts (HSA) for Health Coaches will incentivize wellness. The recent, bipartisan introduction of the Health and Wellness Coach Resolutions in the House of Representatives and the United States Senate is a signal that our policymakers support the important work of Health Coaches.(5) More importantly, it also illustrates that our policymakers from both parties clearly understand and agree with the new research and a growing movement embracing a holistic approach to wellness with food and lifestyle as the new prescription of choice and Health Coaches as the guides.
It is the mission of Health Coaches to play a crucial role in improving health and happiness, and through that process, create a ripple effect that transforms the world. It is imperative that our nation’s lawmakers continue to seek out opportunities to support the important benefits Health Coaches are providing citizens around the country and helping daily to ensure the health of the American public.
Rosenthal, MScEd. is the visionary founder and director of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN), which has trained over 100,000 students in 100 countries for over 25 years.
About The Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN)
The Institute for Integrative Nutrition was founded in 1992 by Joshua Rosenthal. What started as a small classroom of passionate students in a live setting is now the world’s largest nutrition school and most well renowned Health Coach Training Program. Through an innovative, one-year online course built specifically for the adult learner, Integrative Nutrition’s holistic program teaches Health Coaching and business skills, personal development philosophy, and over 100 dietary theories with lectures by the world’s leading physicians, researchers, doctors, and nutrition experts. Integrative Nutrition is more than a school; they are a movement whose program is changing the landscape of health and wellness around the world, training over 60,000 students and graduates in 124 countries.
If you are busy and on the go a great way to get your daily nutrition can be through a shake. You can literally grab the packets and throw them into your purse, mix them up in little to no time and enjoy!
Skinny Shake recently sent us samples to try over here at Train It Right! Their chocolate and vanilla flavours contain 16g of protein, 25 vitamins and minerals and are only 140 calories.With the added benefit of:
If you look at the ingredients a lot of it comes from fibre. And we wouldn't really count what they count as carbs at all as most aid in the digestion process.
We found that it tasted good, clean and mixed well with water when we tried it. The company recommends to add about 8oz of liquid. At Train It Right we recommend water, almond milk or cashew milk for easy digestion. Mix it in a shaker cup for best results and enjoy. For recipes ideas visit their recipe section on their website. http://skinnyco.com/recipes
As an amazing bonus Skinny Shake has given me a code for you guys to get a discount. I do not make any referral fee this is strictly for you guys. Use your unique 20% OFF coupon code “GETSKINNY-154” to give you 20% off their entire order.
Go to www.skinnyco.com to learn more about and purchase the Skinny Shake™ product.
Use your unique 20% OFF coupon code “GETSKINNY-154” to give you 20% off their entire order.
The Rise & Shine Breakfast Bowl from Hopscotch
Breakfast, the most important meal of the day, should not only make you feel good but also give you that extra motivation to hop out of bed every morning. I never skip breakfast and my breakfast meals always include a good source of protein, vegetables and healthy fats. This is why I want to share with you this recipe: The Rise & Shine Breakfast Bowl from Hopscotch.
Hopscotch (a health-focused, locally-sourced, fast casual restaurant) has the perfect way to fill your readers bellies and start the day off on the right note.
The Rise & Shine breakfast bowl is a light but filling starter that uplifts tired, morning spirits with a mix of wheat berries, spinach, bacon, egg, sweet potato, avocado and cucumber, tossed in a maple balsamic vinaigrette.
If you would like a PDF of the recipe please so that you can make it yourself at home. Click here: Hopscotch Recipe- Rise & Shine
For more information about Hopscotch please visit their website.
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