Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)
Cook + Learn with Zespri Kiwifruit - Media Launch #Zespri4Life
Back on June 16 I was given the opportunity to attend an amazing event: Cook + Learn with Zespri Kiwifruit. The event was hosted at Nella Cucina on Bathurst St in Toronto. I honestly had no idea that there were so many ways that you could use kiwifruit in cooking. We even had a celebrity chef! We started the lunch off with kiwi cocktails or juices. I obviously chose the alcoholic version as my pre workout hah. It was delicious. Followed by soup, tacos and finally dessert. All were made before our eyes by the talented chef. We all definitely left with a renewed love of kiwifruit and just how healthy and delicious Zespsri is. We also learned it can be used in cooking and not just as a separate fruit. Thank you Zespri for such an amazing event. I had a wonderful time, learned a lot, and I definitely left with my tastebuds feeling satisfied. I really enjoyed learning more about the nutritional benefits and versatility of Zespri Kiwifruit.
* All photos curtsey of Ryan Emberly.
Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)Zespri Kiwifruit Media Lunch. Toronto, ON, Canada. June 16, 2015. (Image: Ryan Emberley)
Hey Guys! Below is my Beretta Farms Smart Snacking Review:
Smart snacking can be a tricky endeavour. Whether you are hitting the gym mid-day or going right after work, eating for your workout can be difficult to fit into your schedule. This is why responsible snacking is so important! To avoid resorting to sugary granola bars or worse nothing at all, having an arsenal of portable snacks full of protein is key!
I recently had the opportunity to try Beretta's Last Rep Clean and Jerky and their Protein Puck Power Cookie! I totally loved them. ESPECIALLY the Last Rep Clean and Jerky! GRASS FED JERKY! WHEAT?!?! OMG! I love meat. Especially jerky. And this is healthy! What a great healthy snack! The bag was actually packed full and air sealed. I used it for a couple of different times I was running low on energy and needed some protein. It was a lot of servings and stayed very fresh. It also was delicious! By delicious I mean ADDICTIVE. I wish I had more 🙁 You can buy it on their site by the case... I would love a case....HINT HINT. http://www.berettafamilyfarms.com/shop/65-last-rep-clean-and-jerky
Beretta'sLast Rep Clean and Jerky and Protein Puck Power Cookie are great on- the-go snacks made with all-natural ingredients. These snacks provide you with the energy you need to get through your workout or even just your day. I used the puck as my last snack after coaching track and it re-energized me.
Who is Alicia Bell? She is a Toronto based Social Media Influencer, Kinesiologist, Strength Coach and Track and Field Coach who has devoted her life to helping people reach their goals in fitness and sport. She is a nationally recognized track and field coach who coached team Canada at the Maccabi games in Israel in July of 2013. She lead the team to 13 medals. Alicia has over 10 years of practical and educational experience and is a published Fitness model for Zenzation with her pictures gracing their equipment and she leads their product DVD instruction.
Alicia has experience working with many types of clientele. She has worked as a Kinesiologist and an Exercise Rehabilitation Specialist. She is also experienced at weight loss, strength training, toning and athletic conditioning. She has worked with clients such as Dwight Howard (NBA), Rashad McCants (Former NBA), Geoff Harris (Olympic 800m runner), Lil Jon (Rapper/Dj), Karla Moy aka HustleGrl, Hill Harper (actor, author) and even the mother of the Toronto rapper Drake.
Alicia Bell and Telus Present - Living Better With Samsung S6
I have such a busy schedule! Not only am I a personal trainer in busy downtown Toronto, Canada, but I also work for a water company (GP8 Sportwater) and I am also an athlete who trains to compete in the Ontario Physique Association (OPA) bikini category.
My life is filled with fitness, nutrition, travelling and social interactions. Sometimes it is hard to keep track of not only my own goals and activities but also my clients and other business adventures. I have to keep a very tight schedule, so for me timing is everything.
Since getting the new Samsung S6 from Telus I have been living better! I love to take pictures and video of my clients training, my own workouts, the food I eat and the day to day activities and events that I attend. I have found that the Samsung S6 really captures these moments. Its dynamic, ultra-responsive camera captures the true-to-life brilliance of any moment throughout my day. It also has a quick launch camera so that I can pull out my phone and quickly (under a second) launch the camera to take an in the moment photo.
Another convenient feature for me is the quick unlock finger print option. Instead of keying in a password (which you can also do) you can use your very own finger print to quickly unlock your phone. It was very easy to set up and when I need to open my phone fast to read a message it only takes a quick second to unlock from being secure.
Another one of my favourite features is that it has a super charger. What does this mean? It means that because I am always on the go I can plug the S6 in for just 10 minutes and get up to 4 hours of battery life!!!! When you take as much photos as I do and you are constantly travelling from one place to another and listening to music this is crucial. I don't have the time to leave my phone plugged in for hours at a time.
The apps that I have found useful on the Samsung for my busy and active lifestyle are:
S- Health: This app you can personalize and sync your health data with your Samsung account. You can choose your personal units of measurements and receive notifications of events in the status bar. Within the app you can download extra things. I use the Workout Trainer (if I need a quick workout for myself), Recipes & Nutrition(for finding healthy recipes) and the Hydro Coach (for recording my water intake). There are so many useful apps to help with staying on track and these three are just a few. You can completely personalize the S Health and the apps that you use within it for whatever your goals are.
The phone can also counts your daily step count and allows you to adjust your goals for the count. I have it at 10, 000 steps per day. The only downfall is that if you don't have the watch to go with the phone you have to have the phone in your hand or in your pocket for it to keep track.
The sleep tracker is also key. As an athlete and trainer I cannot express how important sleep can be. If you don't get enough sleep your body will be high in cortisol. A stress released hormone that can trigger your body to store fat. Keeping track of your sleep will help you with your fitness goals.
Another awesome feature with the phone is that it actually has a heart rate sensor that allows you to instantly measure your heart rate and record it. This is great when training because it allows you to check if you are working in the right zone for your goals when you are doing an intense training or cardio session.
I also use the food recording within the S Health application. This can let you see what you are eating and how many calories are in it. Its great to achieve your goals. Whats also really cool is that if you haven't recorded anything for the day it will ask you if you feel like tracking your food? It will also remind you. Which is great if you are as busy as I am and often forget.
Check out the phone for yourself in this video from Samsung:
GIVEAWAY CONTEST AND ENTRY INFORMATION
Two ways to enter:
1) Tweeting a contest-specific entry:
If I win a Samsung Galaxy S6 from @trainitright & @TELUS, I'll USE IT TO HELP ME REACH MY GOAL OF_____ #TELUSS6
2) Either sharing or commenting on my Facebook post for this contest on the Facebook page. www.facebook.com/trainitright
The contest is Canadian only, no Quebec entries, 18+
A random winner will be selected
Check out my fellow bloggers perspectives on how they use their Samsung phones as well. The phone is so versatile for whatever your life may bring. You can completely personalize the Samsung S6 and for me that is what makes it such a great phone.
Fitness isn’t all about working out hard in the gym everyday. It's a lifes It is much more than that. It not only includes exercise but diet and hydration. I call water, “liquid courage.” It gives your body life, regulates your core temperature, lubricates joints, gives your skin a healthy glow, and keep you from being bloated. “Liquid courage” is particularly important during exercise. Your body sweats to get rid of toxins and to cool off your body. However, you need to rehydrate yourself before, during and afterwards.
Dehydration can cause drops in blood volume that can cause muscle craps, extreme fatigue and/or dizziness. You should always have a water bottle close by when working out. I always say if your thirsty it is too late. This is because at this point you are already well on your way to dehydration. That means you need to make sure that you are drinking water all day long and not just during workouts. Stay away from juices they contain high amounts of concentrated sugar and no one needs those excess calories. Also note that the body wants to turn sugars to fat. If you are performing endurance exercises for long periods of time you my want to consider something that has electrolytes. I suggest more natural electrolytes such as coconut water rather than powerade or gatorade.
Follow these tips to stay hydrated:
1. Drink at least 2L-4L of water a day
2. Carry a water bottle
3. Avoid prolonged periods in the sun
So keep that “liquid courage” close because it will help you succeed in your health and fitness goals.
Your Sleep Patterns May Be Preventing You From Weight Loss
Did you know that your sleep patterns can effect weight loss and can even cause weight gain? Lack of sleep may increase your appetite, effect your metabolism, and cause weight gain. Follow these steps for sleep and nutrition to help you with your weight loss battles.
1) Try to get six to eight hours of sleep a night. Less than this has been linked to a slower metabolism and weight gain.
2) If you are restless and need better sleep eat foods high in tryptophan at night. Tryptophan acts as a natural sedative and is used in your body to make serotonin, the neurotransmitter best known for calming your body and making you sleepy. Foods like this cause what we know as (the itis) and include turkey, lentals and whole grains. Eat these with a carbohydrate source such as brown rice, broccoli, milk or honey. This works because in order for tryptophan to be used, it has to make its way to the brain. When you eat carbs, insulin is released, which transports competing amino acids into your muscle tissue and it then leaves tryptophan alone, so it can make its way to your brain.
3) Don’t drink caffeinated beverages late in the day because it will effect your sleep pattern and ability to fall asleep at night.
4) Don’t drink a lot of liquid late at night. This will cause interrupted sleep to use the bathroom.
5) Give tea a try. Chamomile tea is a natural sedative and can help you fall asleep at night.all asleep with ease.
So the next time you are having problems losing weight make sure to check your diet because it could be causing irregular sleeping patterns and in turn your ability to lose weight.
The ultimate cardio exercise is the burpee. Once you can do 100 in a row you can call yourself a burpee master. Until then just try and do one more today than you did yesterday.
It doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman, young or old you can have problems with your sex drive. This can seriously affect your personal relationships and/or marriage with your spouse. It has lead to separation or divorce in many cases. In men a reduced sex drive is often linked to erectile dysfunction.
Some Ways to Boost your sex drive include:
Libido Enhancers
Technology and medicine have advanced so that you can pop a little blue pill and get the desires that you were seeking in many circumstances. This pill does not solve the problem it is only a quick fix. Basically like just patching a tire instead of changing it. However, this does not always work. When some people take these medicines they have minimal to know effects.
Some people prefer natural libido enhancers. There are products out there from a lot of different companies that have pills that advertise themselves as being “natural.” Oftentimes these products can be packed with random substances that aren’t scientifically proven. This is where the consumer should be careful.
There are some that are packed with herbs and other natural ingredients that can increase your sex drive with all natural ingredients that have been scientifically proven.
Dietary Changes
Also some studies have shown that by taking supplements that include tribulus terrestris, tongat ali, acai berry, chaste berry, ginseng and ginkgo biloba, muira pauma have been shown to be effective. Also Zinc has been proven important in testosterone production. It is found in a lot of meets.
Also taking protein supplements. If one increases their protein intake It helps give you better recovery, more power and stamina and can also aid in naturally boosting testosterone production. Again I recommend Rivals products because I know they have been scientifically tested and proven. http://www.rivalus.net/online-shop/products/promasil-milk-chocolate-2-33-lb
A low carbohydrate diet and low sugar diet. This is because carbs and sugar affect your body’s insulin level in the blood and that directly affects testosterone. The result of this is a decreased libido.
Make sure that you are eating Essential Fats such as Omega 3s. Again they help naturally boost the body’s testosterone level, and blood flow. Examples are fish oils, olive oils, nuts and flaxseed.
Lifestyle Changes
In today’s society more and more people are becoming sedentary and not physically active. This is why in today’s world more and more people are overweight or obese. Obesity has been linked to you guessed it, A low sex drive as well as, poor blood circulation which again effects your libido. This can also lead to erectile dysfunction. So get off the couch and stop being a couch potato and get active. Start out small and gradually increase your activity levels. It is important not to do to much too fast. Grab a friend to keep you motivated and as you shed the pounds watch your libido come back!
Smoking and alcohol can also result in a poor sex drive. Smoking can cause breathing problems, is linked to cancer and can affect your circulation which in turn can affect your sex drive. Also Alcohol can cause a reduced sex drive due to mood swings, depression and again blood flow. So stay away from these two addictive substances if you are having problems with a low sex drive.
Try and stay happy and stress free. Increases stress causes a substance in your body called cortisol to increase and again that will affect your natural testosterone levels. Try and stay calm and relax. Try meditation, pilates, yoga or tai chi to reduce your stress levels.
Overall my advice is don’t abuse your body, stay active, stress free and try and stay away from things that are toxic for your system. This will keep your sex drive active, healthy and hopefully active for many years to come.
Protein is the major source for building material for the body and next to water is the most plentiful substance in the body. Protein is important in the growth and development of all body tissues and is used to build and maintain muscles in addition to many other bodily uses.
Protein requirement always differ according to your body size and activity levels. Some calculations are very simple, and many nutritionists calculate your protein requirements by dividing your total weight by two and the result indicates in grams the amount of protein you require each day.
For example, a person weighing 160 pounds requires approximately 80 grams of protein daily. Lean meats such as chicken and fish are great sources of protein. A 6oz chicken breast contains approximately 30 grams of protein and 6oz of white fish contains approximately 35 grams of protein.
11 Suggestions To Avoid The Spring Break Hangovers
We have all had those nights that last until 5am or 6am in the morning and have had to be up at 8:30am for an important meeting at the office with a pounding headache, churning stomach, the room feeling like it’s spinning and smelling like a bottle of patron.
As we all know going to work with a hangover is never a positive outcome and can reflect badly upon your professionalism. The following are some suggestions that you can follow to prevent hangovers so you can enjoy the next day after a wild night, rather than dreading it.
Suggestion#1
Take vitamins on a regular basis.
Alcohol depletes the body of important nutrients. So you are doing yourself a favor, especially if you are regularly taking Vitamin B and C. The depletion of Vitamin B in the human body can lead to hangovers. Vitamins are particularly good to take because some are antioxidants that rid the body of free radicals. Which are the little buggers that cause damage at a cellular level. Some work directly on he liver which will help you fight off that hangover.
Suggestion #2
Make sure to eat before heading out for a big night on the town.
When you stomach is full the alcohol that you consume won’t be absorbed as fast into your blood stream. Also sometimes when you drink on an empty stomach your body can’t handle it and wants to expell the toxins. Vomitting at the club is never a good look.
Suggestion #3
Try to avoid mixing different types of alcohols at all costs.
When you drink different types of alcohol at once such as liquor, wine, champagne and beer you are usually concocting a mixture of disaster. Some people have sensitive stomachs. So remember that each type of alcohol is made differently and sometimes your own body can’t handle all of that at once.
Suggestion #4
Try and avoid sweet drinks containing sugars or cocktails with a sweet juice base such as having too many red bull vodka, patron and pineapple, Rum and Cokes, Daiquiris, Margaritas or mojitos.
Sugar causes a spike in your insulin levels. You may feel great for a minute with lots of energy but your body will quickly crash. This is what is known as a high HIGH followed by a low LOW. This can cause the dreaded hangover so I suggest you stick to diet or sugar free mixes.
Suggestion #5
Keep your body hydrated during the day and while you are out at night.
I know we all hate running to the bathroom every five minutes but it is important to keep your body hydrated. Especially when you drink. H20 is the best thing one can take. Particularly PH water. I know when you’re out all you want to drink is alcohol but try and slip in a few glasses of water here and there it helps. Also try and down a glass or two before hitting the sheets when you get home. I guess Vodka waters kind of count in this department but don’t go overboard.
Suggestion #6
Eat Something when you get home before you go to sleep.
Just like rule #2 When you stomach is full the alcohol that you consume won’t be absorbed as fast into your blood stream. I find when you eat something before going to bed after a hard night of drinking it also helps. Something like a few soda crackers or a slice of bread to help absorb the alcohol helps.
Suggestion #7
Try to get a good sleep. 2hrs won’t cut it.
Sleep is when your body regenerates and recovers. Therefore the less sleep you get, the harder it is for you body to recover. A good amount is between 5 and 8 hours. Any less than that and you aren’t getting the proper sleep to help your body recover properly.
Suggestion #8
The next day, try to avoid caffeine.
A lot of caffeine will continue to dehydrate you, the opposite of what you want if you are trying to do to cure a hang over. So try and reach for some water instead of that regular cup of joe.
Suggestion #9
Take a Contrast Bath or a Shower.
Taking a shower always helps. Try switching between cold and hot water. This will help with sore muscles from a night of dancing and also help to wake you up. Plus it will help you not smell like the bar, the booze and the brauds that you encountered the night before.
Suggestion #10
Get some exercise.
Try doing some sort of physical activity when you wake up. Try anything that will keep you sweating. It takes a bit of willpower to move like that when standing seems like a challenge, but trust me sweat it out and get the endorphins going and you’ll feel 1000x better.
Suggestion #11
Call in Sick to Work if non of the above remedies works.
No one wants to tarnish their reputation or professionalism at their place of work. So It is best to stay in bed. Tell them that you think that you have the flu. You will already be In rough shape and most likely sound horrible on the phone so they will believe you. Just make sure that none of them saw you at the bar, and that you didn’t do anything to make the news or tmz the next day.
GOOD LUCK and happy hangover free partying!
5 Tips To Help You Lose Weight
Here are 5 tips to help you lose weight and it’s easier than you think.
1. Don’t be afraid to lift weights. Total body strength training is one of the best ways to get improve your metabolism. Lean muscle burns more calories than fat. Try strength train between 2-3 times a week and it will help you tone up and lose weight faster.
2. Do cardio. If you’re doing cardio make sure you are doing intervals on any of the machines between 15-30 seconds long are the best. Try going at a good pace for 15-30s then increasing the resistance and intensity for 15-30 seconds. Do tis for 40-60 minutes.
3. Get into a proper sleeping pattern. Get to bed at the same time most evenings. The best sleep you can give your body to recover is between 10 to 12pm. So try and time your sleep between those hours. The ideal amount of sleep is between 5 hours to 8 hours.
4. Eat 3 to 5 times a day with healthy snacks in between! Make sure to have a protein and a dark green with every meal. If this snack is a shake, be sure to add more than just water to your protein, and try to make a delicious smoothy with your favourite fruit.
5. Identify the mental and emotional stressors in your life. Try to write out everything in your life that is a stressor and decide to a) get rid of it, b) change the stressor or the situation or c) accept the stress and move on. Stress also causes your brain to release cortisol (a hormone that causes fat storage).
