Recipes when I feel like it: Good Morning Smoothie (better than coffee)

If your anything like me, your a busy person, you normally only have an hour or two to spare in the morning before having to run out the door.  With the usual routine of showering, grooming, & changing into presentable clothing, & responding to emails and texts, it really doesn't leave you much time left for breakfast.  This is very strange to me as food is supposed to be fuel for our bodies, it provides us with energy to get through our day.  So why is breakfast the one that we all choose to skimp on.  Are we really getting prepared for the day?




It is true, breakfast is in fact the most important meal of the day.  Like I said above, it's fuel for our bodies.  In the mornings, our bodies are running on empty.  Think of our bodies as a car and food is the fuel that helps it move. The body only has two options for fuel, either we eat something(in this instance, breakfast) or it converts the fat that is stored underneath our skin into energy that the body can use.



Not to sound arrogant, but I don't have much fat to spare.  So, that option really isn't going to work for me.  Not to mention that it's also not a very reliable source of energy.  **Fun fact: Your fat storage is normally only used for long distance activities (such as a 10K+ run or strenuous hike) or during starvation periods (luckily this is not a common problem for us in North America).  Long story short, there is no real purpose to having a lot of it.**  For me, I need something quick that provides my body with carbohydrates, protein, vitamins & minerals, fiber, etc. (You know, the GOOD stuff that our bodies needs to kick start your morning).  After experimenting with various ideas, the best to come out of it was a fruit smoothie.  I like this recipe the best.


Ingredients:
1 Banana
1/4 - 1/3 cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen, whatever floats your boat)
1 - 2 scoops of protein powder (depends on your protein needs)
2 - 3 leafs of kale (check out the benefits)
1 chunk/cube of ginger (check out the benefits)
1/4 - 1/2 lemon (peeled or unpeeled, your call.  check out the benefits) 
1/2 cup milk (or soy, almonds, etc)
1/2 water
      

Simple to make in the mornings, place everything in the blender and blend, takes no more than 5 min if you have all the ingredients handy.  Only recommendation I have is you put the kale in last, it acts as a second splash guard lol.   

Now that I have been making various smoothies in the morning,  I have been experiencing more energy and an amazing "lighter on my feet" feeling (great for us morning runners).  Also, as long as I got a great sleep the night before, I have not felt the need for a cup of Jo in the morning either.

Give 'er a try if you dare!!!  Enjoy and go play outside! 

Please also share any of your favorite healthy recipes that you may have with me as I am always wanting to try new things :)  

In case you run out of inspiration...

As a personal trainer, one of my jobs is too inspire and motivate people on a daily basis. Often after I've helped someone in some way, they always seem to regard me in some superior fashion. Spoiler alert - that could not be further from the truth.

I fall down and get scraped up all the time. My soul is littered with battle scars (and it will only continue to gain more). One of my scars reminds me to always share. Therefore, today I will share with you the many words that float around my "monkey brain" that give me that extra bit of energy to achieve.

It's a great day to be outside
I can't see why I couldn't do this
It's up to me
I wonder where this path leads me (only one way to find out)
I am so happy
I'm doing this for me
It's me-time
I believe in myself
Fuck yeah!
Screw the pain
Fuck it... Doing it!
I'm proud of myself (for doing it)
I'm going to workout
Boring! (Not for me, but least I tried it to know. Moving on)
Let's do this!
It's go time
It's great being me
I've been looking forward to this all day (especially when meeting up with a pretty girl hehe)
Failure sucks (therefore I won't let it happen)
I will take care of myself
I feel great
U inspire me (when speaking to others - this is sometimes said out load)
I love my body
I am strong
I'm motivated
Today it ends (then off to the next thing)
Tonight's the night
STOP, breathe, breathe, OKAY GO
Etc.

Your probably wondering by now - where is this going?! It's simple, I motivate others because I first motivate myself. If that doesn't make sense to you, it will one day (that is a safe bet). As my final words in this post, I hope you (the reader) have a wonderful day and if you dare, flash a smile to a stranger :)  And, now for a laugh...

this one is for anyone who left this earth too soon...

There are things 

that we don't want to happen

but have to accept,

things we don't want to know

but have to learn,

and people we can't live without

but have to let go.

 

11 commandments of mental health

1. Think positive; it's easier
2. Cherish the ones you love
3. Continue learning as long as you live
4. Learn from your mistakes
5. Exercise daily; it enhances your well-being - true story!
6. Do not complicate your life with unimportant matters
7. Try to understand and encourage those around you
8. Do not give up; no one said life would be easy
9. Discover and nurture your talents
10. Set goals for yourself and pursue your dreams
11. Love and share with others

Short and simple... Have a wonder day kids :)

Health Fact: How many yellow's are you eating?

 



Did you yellow foods are high in antioxidants like vitamin C. Vitamin C keeps our teeth and gums healthy, helps to heal cuts, improves the mucus membranes (like when we have colds), helps to absorb iron, prevents inflammation, improves circulation, and therefore prevents heart disease. Some of the darker ones also cross over with the health benefits of orange foods.  Now you know... go eat more yellow!

My Sunday Story: Two great stories about real people

Today I came across two great stories that made me stop, listen, and think.  I woke up today feeling unmotivated (typical Sunday, eh), determined not to waste my morning laying around the apartment (like some slob), I decided go downtown and hit up the retail district (cuz you know, buying something nice for yourself or someone always brings temporary gratification to one's life.  Sad, but true lol).

Half way there I stopped off at a near by coffee shop to meet a friend for some conversations.  It was there that I came across the first story in the Sunday Province, a story about Andrew McLane and his remarkable life transformation - from being categorized as super obese to a now slim 200 lbs.  Instead of going into more details about Mr. McLane, I will share a link to this his story

Parksville realtor's spectacular weight loss the product of regular exercise, healthy eating and hard work

After leaving the coffee shop I started to feel more like myself so I thought to myself "shopping - F. that!"  Soon after I found myself swimming laps at the near by Ymca on Burrard.  It is here that I come across story number two.

After exhausting myself in the lap pool, I went to a place that is highly regarded in my top 10 best man made things - the hot tub lol!  While relaxing for about 5 min, I grew bored (for those that don't know me, I can get very ADD) so I started up a conversation with the person beside me.  After telling them about my morning and how it lead me here they told me about theirs and how it involved this amazing youtube video.  You may have heard about it - it's titled The Amazing Transformation of a Guy Who Didn't Give Up.  Two words is all I need to sum this video up - Simply Amazing!
 
I feel very blessed that these two stories have found me today - As life will have it some times, I have been feeling a bit uninspired the last couple of weeks and was in deed needing a good "slap" back into form.  Even with all the great things that have happened during that period, I couldn't help but feel a bit lost in my emotions.  I guess it is true what they say, put it out to the universe and it will reply back (you just need not ignore them when they come).  As I type the last few sentences to this story, its safe to say that I am more focused than ever to take on the challenges in front of me and accomplish each and everyone of them LIKE A BOSS (then moving on to new and even more amazing things - maybe a triathlon soon???).  

That's my Sunday story folks... hope you enjoy it!   Now to get off the computer and swing some kettlebells around and watch Walking Dead & Dexter (in that order lol) before it gets too late.  Will be posting a great recipe for a quick healthy breakfast smoothie soon... stay tuned.  Till next time :)

PS I got a protein smoothie at the coffee shop.
 

Recipes when I feel like it: Homemade Protein Bars

So because my curiosity got the better of me this week (and my annoyance of waiting in costco lineups just to buy cliff builder bars) I've decided to experiment with my own protein bar. After some careful research I've created a list of ingredients.


Too make things easier, I'm going to separate the ingredients to a dry bowl and wet bowl - I promise you the names will make sense in the end lol. In case you haven't guessed yet, you'll also need two giant bowls as well (one of which is safe for the microwave if you choose that route).

Dry Bowl Ingredients:
2 cups Oats (you can spice things up by adding any dry grains or seeds to make a mix)
1 cup Protein Powder (natural, vanilla, or chocolate are best for taste)
1/4 cup Peanuts or Almonds (or any nut you prefer)
1/4 cup Cranberries or Raisons (or any dried fruit)
1/4 cup Coconut Shreds (unsweetened or sweetened, your call - just remember, sweetened will increase your sugar content)
1/2 tbsp Cinnamon


Assemble everything into one bowl. After mixing it up, place your dry bowl a side to make room for the next bowl.

Wet Bowl Ingredients:
1/4 cup Peanut Butter (prefer natural but if all you got is skippy or Kraft - go with it!)
1/4 cup Honey
1/4 cup Milk (or soy, almond, coconut, rice... and etc - doesn't matter. But if you often find yourself without a fridge, you may want to choose one of the latter)
1/4 cup Apple Sauce (unsweetened or sweetened, your call - refer to coconut shreds)
1/4 cup Dark Chocolate (or milk chocolate if that's all you got)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract





Again, assemble everything into one bowl. For the next step you can either place the bowl in the microwave or use the old school method of pots and pans to melt the ingredients - your call...

 Next, pour your melted wet bowl ingredients into your dry bowl ingredients.

You've guessed it, now for the fun part - get your dirty hands in there and mix everything up. Just kidding - wash your hands if you already haven't ;)



Once everything is mixed, transfer it to a baking tray to be put into the fridge for an hour or two (or in the freezer if your ADD like me or in a hurry). I found long tupperware containers works well as well (so save those pastic chinese take out containers). Keep tray in the fridge until ingredients have solidified.

Voila!!! The protein bars are done!!! I'll leave you with the freedom to decide how to cut into smaller bars.

Enjoy!!!  Don't be shy - If you have an input on how to make this better (or different, in a good way) send your thoughts my way :)