September 6th, 2009
International TERRY FOX 
Run: September 13th, 2009
“Even if I don’t finish, we need others to continue. It’s got to keep going without me.”
The Terry Fox Run is a run around the world every year to raise money for cancer research. It is non-competitive with no winners or awards, just people joining to raise money for cancer research. Schools all around also participate in the annual Terry Fox Run. It is by far the largest world-wide fundraiser for cancer.
Get out to walk, run or volunteer for your local Terry Fox event this September 13th. To find out more information or see how you can donate please visit www.terryfox.org
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
September 6th, 2009
Before we begin, there’s one thing you need to know: The best food to eat before a workout depends on when you’re going to eat it.
The closer to your workout, the more you want to focus on eating carbohydrates rather than fat or protein. Carbohydrates are digested in the small intestines, whereas fat and protein are broken down in the stomach. This means cramping and indigestion are more likely when you work out with a belly full of fat- or protein-rich foods.
The rule is this: The less time until the workout, the less you should eat. This makes sense: It takes time to digest food, so you don’t want to scarf down a huge breakfast right before getting on the treadmill. Those planning to run the marathon on Sunday usually eat a huge nutrient rich dinner on Saturday night. But those planning to go for a three-mile jog at 5:30 a.m. may be fine with just an orange eaten about 20 minutes before.
If you’re not preparing for a marathon or working out first thing in the morning, try to eat your pre-workout meal or snack 1 to 2 hours before your workout. The following are excellent balanced pre-workout snack ideas to keep you fully charge throughout your entire session:
Yogurt and Berries:
One of my staples. As long as you don’t have any issues with dairy, this snack is easy to digest and well balanced with clean healthy carbs, and protein. My favorite is Organic Plain Liberty Yogurt (2.5%). It is creamy, delicious and higher in protein than most yogurts. By buying plain you avoid artificial flavorings and sweeteners. You can add fresh berries, or thaw some frozen ones for the stewed fruit texture. Around a cup and a half of yogurt and a handful of berries is a good sized portion before a workout.
The Protein Shake:
Whey protein is my favorite kind of protein powder. Not only is it extremely high-quality, bioavailable protein; it supports the immune system by providing the building blocks for glutathione, arguably the body’s most important antioxidant. And studies indicate that whey protein may boost weight loss efforts. According to one French study, eating whey before exercise supports fat burning and may help with gaining or maintaining lean body mass. I suggest a whey protein shake made with either water alone or with frozen berries. The berries add fiber, nutrients and some extra carbohydrates, and make for a more delicious drink.
Cellery and Peanut Butter:
Take some hearts of celery and fill in the groove with some organic almond butter or peanut butter. This snack really travels well in Tupperware and makes a terrific pre-workout snack. Why? The celery has fiber and nutrients (including calcium and vitamin A) and a ridiculously low 6 calories per medium stalk. The nut butter has protein and fat. The overall calories are low, and this really fills you up without slowing you down, providing great “slow-release” energy for a terrific workout.
An Apple and Almonds
Simply put, an apple with almonds. The apple is the perfect food for a pre-exercise snack. The sugar load is moderate, it contains valuable pectin fiber which slows the entrance of that sugar into the bloodstream, and it’s a nutritional powerhouse containing vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Combine it with about a dozen almonds, which add some fat and protein. They’ll further slow the entrance of the sugar into the bloodstream for sustained energy and keep hunger away.
Feel free to comment to this post with some of your favorite pre-workout snacks.
Tags: energy, healthy snacks, nutrition, optimal workouts, pre-workout snacks, Shakes
Posted in Uncategorized, always hungry, balanced meals, berries, blender drinks, budget food, fitness foods, gym motivation, healthy carbs, natural foods, smoothies | No Comments »
August 28th, 2009
Assemble the recommended nine servings of fruits and vegetables on your kitchen counter, and the prospect of choking them all down in a day seems impossible. Blend them into an ice-cold smoothie, however, and suddenly being healthy becomes very doable. Smoothies give you a fantastic nutritional bang for the buck. These pureed powerhouses can do much more than help you hit your nutrition quotas. We’ve whipped up six recipes designed with ingredients that tackle a variety of health concerns. Get ready to stretch your blender’s limits way beyond party drinks!
Instructions for all recipes: Combine ingredients and blend until smooth.
Tropical Wonder
What You’ll Need
1 c peeled, seeded, cubed papaya
1 c frozen sliced peaches
1 medium pear, cubed, skin optional
1 Tbsp ground flax seed
1 tsp sliced ginger
6 mint leaves
1/2 c low-fat Greek yogurt
6 ice cubes
Garnish with mint after blending.
Makes 3 servings. Per serving: 109 cal, 2 g fat (0.5 g sat), 21 g carbs, 15 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein
Smooth Moves
What You’ll Need
1 c peeled, pitted, cubed mango
1 c chopped cantaloupe
1/2 c cubed pineapple, fresh or canned
1/3 c ground almonds
1/2 c unsweetened almond milk
1 c ice
Garnish with sliced almonds after blending.
Makes 3 servings. Per serving: 150 cal, 6.8 g fat (0.5 g sat), 22 g carbs, 41 mg sodium, 4 g fiber, 4 g protein
Blackberry Bang
What You’ll Need
3 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
1 c frozen blackberries
2 c peeled, cubed kiwis
2 apricots, skin optional
1/2 c skim milk powder
1 c prune juice, frozen in ice cube trays (or 1/2 c prune juice and 1 c ice cubes)
Makes 3 servings.
Per serving: 200 cal, 0.6 g fat (0 g sat), 45 g carbs, 78 mg sodium, 6 g fiber, 6 g protein
Rock and Roll
What You’ll Need
1 c strawberries, hulled
1 c cubed mango
1 lime, peeled and seeded
2 Tbsp flax seed oil
1/2 c silken tofu (1/4 of a package)
1 1/2 c ice
Makes 3 servings.
Per serving: 165 cal,10 g fat(1 g sat), 18 g carbs, 6 mgsodium,3 g fiber, 3 g protein
Yummy Honey
What You’ll Need
2 frozen bananas, peeled and chopped
2 scoops chocolate protein powder
2 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp wheat germ1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp honey
3/4 c low-fat Greek yogurt
4 Tbsp skim milk powder
2 c ice
Makes 3 servings.
Per serving: 294 cal,7 g fat(2 g sat), 38 g carbs, 102 mgsodium,4 g fiber, 25 g protein
Blue Beauty
What You’ll Need
1 c blueberries
1 c pitted cherries
1/2 c strawberries, hulled
1/4 avocado, peeled and pitted
2 Tbsp wheat germ
2 Tbsp ground flax seed
1/2 c plain low-fat yogurt
1 c ice
Makes 3 servings.
Per serving: 153 cal, 5.6 g fat(1 g sat), 23 g carbs, 35 mg sodium, 5 g fiber, 6 g protein
Posted in berries, blender drinks, clean eating, fat loss, fitness foods, healthy diet, healthy eating, healthy fat, healthy food on a budget, lactose free, natural foods, smoothies | No Comments »
March 11th, 2009
I am the first to admit that trying to eat a purely organic diet is not only expensive and time consuming, but unrealistic as well. Some might wonder if there is even a substantial difference between organic and non-organic foods. Well, it doesn’t take a scientist to tell that most organic produce has far more flavor and is much more normal looking than non-organic produce (has you seen the size of strawberries these days??). Also, several studies have shown the dangers of pesticides and growth hormones found in many non-organic foods. We don’t need to become obsessed about organic living, but a few simple shifts can make all the difference in the world to your health and longevity:
1.) Buy organic Meats (chicken, turkey, and red meat).
2.) Buy organic Dairy (start with milk, butter and eventually cheese).
3.) Avoid the Dirty Dozen (see below).
The dirty dozen are 12 foods found to have the highest amounts of pesticide residue and are as follows:
1.) Strawberries
2.) Red and Green Bell Peppers
3.) Spinach
4.) Cherries
5.) Peaches
6.) Nectarines
7.) Celery
8.) Apples
9.) Pears
10.) Grapes
11.) Raspberries
12.) Potatoes
To see more detailed information about these foods and their pesticide contents visit
http://www.canadianliving.com/health/nutrition
So don’t be overwhelmed by the concept and expense of making the shift to organic eating. It doesn’t need to be all or nothing. Start with avoiding the 12 foods above unless you can find them organic, and buy organic dairy and meat as often as possible.
Good Luck!
Posted in dirty dozen, organic, organic dairy, organic meats | No Comments »
March 11th, 2009
Who hasn’t seen or heard of the movie “300″? If you are managing to read this, then your head isn’t under a rock and it is likely that you have heard of it. But, in case you haven’t, the movie depicts, in a very Hollywood way, the story of the legendary conquests of the spartan army round about 500-400 BC. To the left is a statue of one of the kings of Sparta, who is the lead character in the movie 300, King Leonidas. Fans of the movie will note that there are a lot of half naked, very muscular men in the movie playing the role of the soldiers of the spartan army. As you will notice from the statue, this was not uncharacteristic of the men of that time. Sure, the sculptor could have exaggerated a bit, if I was commissioned to scuplt a ruthless warlord I would probably err on the side of flattery too, but you have to realize that they couldn’t just go from picutres in a book or something they had seen on the internet. My point is, people were able to build strong, muscular, healthy bodies 2500 years ago without all of the wisdom, knowledge, and resources that we have today. They must have been able too or else sculptors would not have models to create such works of art like that displayed here or the famous statue of David.
I would imagine that folks back in those days didn’t sit around the cauldren over the fire talking about the latest boston cream pie no fat yogurt or Gary down the street who is on a cleanse. Yet they still managed to build strong, fit bodies. Amazing? Not really.
The point is, they were limited to our basic foods that we find on the outside aisles of our supermarkets today. Fresh fruits, vegetables, wholesome breads (refinement of flour was still a work in progress so I imagine their bread were more whole grain based), meats and fish. What else did they need really? So, ask yourself, what else do you need? If you followed this eating plan, no longer would you need to be concerned with “low-fat” this and “low-carb” that as it would be happening on its own. But, if your food looks like it had a visit through a few factories along the way before it enters your body…then you are doing something wrong and it is time to make a change for the better.
I am sure that if the Romans were chowing down on nacho’s and beernuts with the number of sporting events they attended, the statues we see today would look a lot different.
So…when in Rome
Posted in Low Carb, healthy carbs, healthy diet, healthy fat, zone diet | No Comments »
