Sporting it with Vega!

Have I shared my love for this? Vega Sport Preworkout mix beats any Gatorade or sports drink + combined with Vitamineral Greens it’s the perfect pick me up in the morning. which I could say it was completely caffeine free, but it has yerba mate and green tea, which are low level stimulants (meaning they give you a kick in the pant without make your feel fidgety and cause you to crash).

I have the absolute best energy, mental clarity and focus when I drink this stuff!  Here’s a few reasons why:

Coconut oil – A healthy fat that is used almost immediately for energy.  This type of fat (medium chain triglycerides) goes directly to the liver to be used for fuel rather than taking hours to digest.

Rhodiola – helps to increase blood flow by dilating blood vessels.  It also helps to speed up recovery by regulating your heart rate and boosting protein synthesis.

Ginger extract – aside from improving digestion (one of ginger’s long-time uses), ginger also helps to reduce inflammation and acts as a natural blood thinner. This is important, because during exercise there is an increase in red blood cells – which makes the blood thicker, and can slow down your recovery.

And these are just a few of the awesome ingredients in this fantastic product.  Here’s my morning one-two punch for getting out of pajamas and into my Vibrams:

Workout Booster Recipe

1 cup coconut water or Kiki Maple Water

1 scoop Vega Preworkout Sport Performance Optimizer (Acai Berry flavour is my favourite)

1-2 tbsp Health Force Nutritionals Vitamineral Greens powder

Shake it up, drink it down and get to work!  For more healthy, energy-boosting fitness recipes, come to one of my Fit and Fabulous cooking classes!  It’s my first class back on September 12, and there is another one on November 7th.  It’s also included in my Healthy Healer class package (3 classes, $250, health for a lifetime!)  See you there!

Thriving on a Plant Based Diet

It is quite possible to gain extreme  health benefits on a plant based diet. You can attain not only your fitness goals but your health and your weight goals as well. Long gone are the days that we need meat and dairy to get that lean physique. A low carbohydrate diet is not the answer either – your body need carbs in all it’s forms (except refined ones of course!) along with good quality essential fats and protein! Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and sprouts are the way to go. Not only do our bodies assimilate the nutrients from plants much quicker, but they are much easier to digest – leaving you feeling great with exuberant amounts of energy and attaining all of your health and fitness goals.

There are many health gurus and products that have dedicated their effort to prove the benefit of plant based foods on your health and fitness goals. There are now world renown athletes that consume these diet and thrive! Brendon Brazier for example,  the man behind the Vega product line – not only stands as an example of a triathlete that has attained extreme gains in his fitness through a vegan diet, but has also provided the world information, supplements, protein powders and food bars to help others get there.

Other products that support this is my latest found love – Sun Warrior Protein - which has happily been in my life now for over a year. I can’t even begin to tell you how great I feel on this product. The raw fermented brown rice protein that sun warrior provides my cells – is like nothing else. It gives me energy before a workout, replenishes me after a workout and provides me with balanced smoothie and a whopping 15 grams of protein per serving (which is the perfect amount – in addition to the other goodies in my smoothie!).

It may not be enough for me to say it myself, you may have to pick up a book (The China Study, Thrive (Fitness), Food Matters, In Defense of Food, Green for Life , Superfoods) to believe me, but plant based foods will help you reach your fitness and health goals – I promise. And as I said you will not only feel great, but you will look great and you will only want to do great things!

To learn in person from me or learn how to make some super delicious high plant protein, complex carbohydrate and healthy essential fat recipes – then join my Fit and Fabulous class on April 14th!

Here is how you can start to Thrive on plant based foods: ( just add one or more of these foods into your diet and you are on your way!)

1. Coconut water -replenishes your cells and your energy before of after a workout

2. Hemp seeds – will give your salad a protein boost with high quality essential fatty acids – while giving it a nutty kick

3. Quinoa (and other gluten free whole grains) – are easy to digest forms of complex carbohydrates that will give you long lasting energy

4. Almond butter – will give your body protein, calcium and healthy fat to keep your bones and muscles strong

5. Kale and other leafy greens – provides magnesium and chlorophyll to cleanses your blood and invigorate your cells

6. Avocado – gives your body essential fatty acids while nourishing your nerves and your skin

and don’t forget to use a variety of SUPERFOODS like goji berries, cacao, maca, mesquite, bee pollan and spirulina – full of  protein and essential vitamins and minerals!

Please share with others how you thrive on plant foods or how you fuel your body pre/post workout! We all want to hear!

Carob Fig Frozen Fudge

these are high in plant protein, rich in calcium and make a perfect pre or post workout snack!

1 cup figs, soaked

1 ½ cups filtered water

1 tablespoon pure vanilla

1 ½ cups almond butter

1 ½ cups raw carob powder

½ cup hemp seeds

1. Place the figs in a bowl and cover with water and soak for about an hour, until soft. Drain reserving liquid.
2. In a blender, blend the figs, and vanilla until smooth, slowly adding soaking water as needed to form a creamy consistency.
3. Transfer the fig mixture into a large bowl, add the nut butter, and stir to combine.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the carob and hempseeds.
5. Gradually add the dry carob mixture into the wet fig mixture. Stir well. Press evenly into a 10 by 18 inch brownie pan, 1 inch thick, and freeze until firm (about 3 hours).
6. To serve, cut into 1 inch squares.