Today is a New Day and a Beautiful Day!
October 31, 2009 by Deb · 4 Comments
Hello gang,
I’m finally finished with my packing and sense it is technically already Saturday I thought I’d say my final farewells. I hope that several of you will be participating in our 1st BYOP (Bring Your Own Pumpkin) High Intensity Interval workout today! I’m praying that there will be no rain and that it’s not too cold.
Tomorrow by this time I will be getting ready to set sail. I’m looking forward to going to classes as a participant and hope to return with some new fresh ideas!
Thanks to all my wonderful CT family for helping me get ready this week and for stepping it up and filling in for me when I’m gone….I am so greatful and feel so Blessed to work with each and every one of you and that includes all you members too!
I hope you all have a great week and continue to HIIT those workouts hard….even when the bootcamp inteval queen isn’t around to blow her whistle or scream just 10 more!
Keep this in mind as you start this new day…..
Regardless of what happened yesterday, last week or last year, today is a new day. Head into today staying positive and looking at the day as an opportunity to do great things for your health.
Once today is over it is gone and you can’t get it back. So treat today as a gift – do something fun, bless your body and your head by moving, SMILE AND BE THANKFUL YOU ARE HEALTHY ENOUGH TO WALK!
Remember, you don’t need to be a Rock Star within 1 or 2 weeks of starting your exercise habit, you just need to take baby steps, make healthy choices and take it one day at a time.
See you all in a week…..Bon Voyage!
Deb 
Don’t let yesterday’s missteps rob you of today and tomorrow’s victories. Today is a new and beautiful day so use it as the gift it is and drink your water, eat every 2 to 3 hours, nail your Workout and be proud!
Hot Cocoa/Perfect “Post” Workout Meal
October 30, 2009 by Deb · 1 Comment
Hot cocoa just like skim chocalote milk is perfect to use as your POST meal after REV or strength training classes. This falls into the 3:1 ratio of higher carbs to protein ration and also low in fat. This will help your muscles recover and regenerate! Remember the rest of your meals want to be just the opposite of these ratios; being 4:1 or 3:1 Protein to carbs.
1 Serving
This homemade hot cocoa is lower in sugar (and carbohydrates) than other recipes. It can be made with soy milk, almond milk, or skim milk. Try flavoring it with cinnamon for a little change.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp sugar or Agave nectar
2 tbsp water
6 oz skim milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
Instructions:
In a small saucepan, stir together the cocoa powder and the sugar. Add the water and stir well. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a low boil and the sugar dissolves. Stir in the milk, vanilla and almond extract. Reduce the heat to low and stir until warmed through.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving:
156 calories
3 g total fat (2 g sat)
7 mg cholesterol
27 g carbohydrate
8 g protein
4 g fiber
96 mg sodium
Enjoy!
Deb
BOOTCAMP-HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING POWERED BY: WORKOUT MUSE
October 29, 2009 by Deb · 2 Comments
Interval Training consists of alternating between bouts of all-out high-intensity effort and low-to-moderate intensity active recovery periods.
Interval Training has long been proven in both scientific research and real world case studies to be the most effective way to maximize fat loss AND improve overall conditioning while taking less than half the time of the long, slow, and boring steady-state aerobic training alternative.
It’s not about time… IT’S ALL ABOUT INTENSITY!
The key to our Rapid Fat Loss Boot Camp Workouts is INTENSITY. In both scientific research and real world studies, time and time again one thing is clear: Intensity is truly the only thing that makes your body change! Intensity is the key to ripping off unwanted body fat and gaining lean, muscle.
As much as we’d love to claim we’ve reinvented the wheel here, this intensity principle is nothing new in the fitness world. Even as far back as 1994 in the Metabolism Journal researchers discovered the following: each calorie you expend during high-intensity exercise burns 9 times more fat than the same calorie expended during steady state aerobic exercise!
The Role of HIGH-Intensity Exercise
- Embraces the Carb-Burning Zone: High-Intensity exercise rapidly reducing muscle glycogen (stored sugar) during training which promotes enhanced total body fat-burning at all other times of day.
- Burns a TON of Calories Both During AND After Exercise: This phenomenon is due to the post-workout “AFTERBURN” know as EPOC which describes the number of calories your body expends in the recovery of your metabolism back to pre-exercise levels from high-intensity training. The best part about EPOC is that you control it, meaning that the harder you work during training the more calories your body will burn BOTH during your workout AND for up to 24-48 hours after completing your workout!
- Creates the Optimal Hormonal Environment for Fat Loss: High-Intensity exercise puts your body in a “fight or flight” mode that forces your body to CHANGE as a means of survival. More specifically, your body releases catecholamines (primarily adrenaline) in response to interval training that directly mobilizes stored body fat so that it can be burnt off as energy during activity.
Traditional resistance training prescribes performing straight sets where you perform one set of an exercise, rest for 2-3 minutes, and the repeat for the designated number of sets before moving on to the next exercise in your workout. Metabolic Resistance Training combines the muscle building effects of resistance training with the cardiovascular benefits of interval training by using alternating sets of non-competing exercises. For example, you will perform one set of a lower body exercise for 60 s, rest for 20 s, perform one set of an upper body exercise for 60s, rest for 20 s, perform one set of a core exercise for 60 s, rest for 20 s, and then repeat this sequence for the designated number of rounds. Using this alternating set format, by the time you return to the lower body exercise you will still have nearly 3 minutes of recovery from that exercise as in the straight set format, but instead of doing nothing, you have been working your upper body and your core while technically “resting.”
This time-efficient approach provides the optimal fat-burning effect by keeping your heart rate elevated throughout the entire workout as if you were performing cardio while allowing you to perform each resistance training exercise at peak intensity for the optimal muscle-building stimulus. “Strength Cardio” provides the biggest bang-for-your-buck so that you can simultaneously build lean muscle mass AND melt body fat. Essentially you will be performing interval training with classic resistance training exercises like push-ups, squats, lunges, etc.
Perform Total Body Workouts: For best results, you need to perform 3 total body resistance training workout per week with at least one day of rest between sessions. By working every muscle in your body each and every workout you will provide the optimal stimulus for both fat loss AND muscle growth. Not only do you maximize the number of calories burned during your workout, but you also maximize the number of calories your body expends recovering from your workout. These short-term increases in metabolism last anywhere from 24 to 48 hours after your workout. In addition, by gaining muscle, you will promote long-term increases in metabolism as it requires significantly more energy for you body to maintain new, hard-earned muscle mass. This is how you build a faster metabolism and become a fat-burning machine 24-7-365.
This week we will offer FREE sample classes for you to try. See schedule for times.
This class is designed for those who want to take their fitness to a new level and for those who want to get an awesome workout done in a short amount of time! In order for this class to be effective you MUST get heart rate into the proper training rates and therefore we encourage the use of a belted heart rate monitor. * Class is NOT designed for the beginner. Modifications can be made however a good base cardiovascular system and heart rate monitor are highly recommended.
We will be offering Bootcamp six times weekly. You will sign up for either morning or evening classes. A class session will be eight weeks long making it a total of 24 classes. This class will come with a body composition and goal setting, measurements, and weekly self weigh- ins on Saturdays.
Pre-registration is required as class size is limited!
November Class Offerings:
Tuesday/Thursdays 5:15am-5:45am Saturdays 6:30am-7:00am
Monday/Wednesdays 6:15pm-6:45pm Saturdays 7:15am-7:45am
Hope you all have gotten a chance to try a class! I also have some HIIT formats on the circuit side for you to try!
Crank it!
Deb
Feeling SAD as the days grow shorter?
October 29, 2009 by Deb · Leave a Comment
Have you ever noticed how a gray, rainy day makes you feel gloomy and tired, but a sunny day can leave you feeling cheerful and energized? Well, there’s a scientific reason for this. Insufficient exposure to sunlight has been associated with low levels of melatonin and serotonin, carbohydrate craving, weight gain, and sleep disturbance.
Some of you may have also noticed that you find a seasonal fluctuation in your moods, feeling depressed only in the winter months. Take a look at your calendar and you’ll soon see why. Each year on June 21 we experience the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. With our longest hours of sunlight in the middle of summer it’s no wonder we’re happier this time of year. After this date, however, the days progressively get shorter until the winter solstice on December 21, the shortest day.
Is it any accident then that so many of us run for the hills when the holidays roll around? With our serotonin in such short supply, the added stresses of living up to our images of the picture-perfect holiday are just too much. The medical term for the season-long malaise that we fall into is Winter Depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.
Signs and Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder
The symptoms of SAD occur cyclically with a return of symptoms each year during the winter months. These symptoms tend to be the atypical symptoms of depression, including:
- increased sleep
- increased appetite and carbohydrate cravings
- weight gain
- irritability
- interpersonal difficulties (especially rejection sensitivity), and a heavy, leaden feeling in the arms or legs.
Causes of Seasonal Affective Disorder
SAD is believed to be caused by a disturbance in the normal circadian rhythm of the body. Light entering through the eyes influences this rhythm. When it is dark, the pineal gland produces a substance called melatonin which is responsible for the drowsiness we feel each day after dusk. Light entering the eyes at dawn shuts off the production of melatonin. During the shorter days of winter, when people may rise before dawn or not leave their offices until after sunset, these normal rhythms may become disrupted, producing the symptoms of SAD.
There is also evidence linking SAD to a reduced amount of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is the feel-good substance that is increased by antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). This decrease in serotonin production may be responsible for many of the symptoms of SAD, such as depression and carbohydrate cravings.
A natural way to increase your serotonin is EXERCISE! Get moving and get feeling better!
Deb
Workout Excuses Busted
October 29, 2009 by Deb · 1 Comment
At least once a week I hear all kinds of reasons why I haven’t seen a member for awhile….. I’ll ask where they have been the last couple months, and that’s when the excuses start…
Perhaps it was that they had a special assignment at work and have been “too busy” to work out lately.
- Or perhaps it was that they had a shoulder or arm injury so they thought that they couldn’t work out during this time
- Or perhaps they had a knee, ankle, or leg injury so they thought they couldn’t work out.
- Or perhaps they were busy with house renovations, or family issues, or too busy with the kids, etc, etc, etc… excuse, excuse, excuse
Either you want it, or you don’t, and it’s either going to be a priority in your life, or it’s not!
Here’s what I say:
Excuse #1 – Too busy at work:
Ok, so why don’t you squeeze in really brief but really intense 5 minute workouts before and after work each day… after all, that’s only 10 minutes of your time, and most people have 10 minutes. Busted!
Excuse #2 – Shoulder or arm injuries so haven’t worked out:
Bum shoulder… so what… are you saying your legs and abs don’t work all of the sudden just because your arm or shoulder is hurt? After all, most of your fat loss and metabolism-boosting results come from lower body based exercises anyway, as they burn more calories due to the larger muscle groups involved. Busted!
Excuse #3 – Knee, ankle, or leg injuries so haven’t worked out:
Ok, so now you’re saying that just because you have a leg injury, that somehow your upper body no longer works? Even if you need to walk in there on crutches, and then do nothing but seated upper body exercises, that’s a lot better than doing nothing and letting your entire body get weak and soft during while your leg heals. I do personal training with a man who has NO legs and he has to work harder to even get to the gym than most people do at the gym….sorry I can’t accept this one!
Excuse #4 – Too busy with the house, family, kids, etc:
Once again we need to get back to priorities. If your house and kids are priorities, why wouldn’t your health and fitness be top priorities also, so that you can enjoy your life and everything and everyone in it!
I know I take a hard-nosed approach with this stuff, but if finally getting into shape is important to you, nothing less will do, than to adopt a true fitness lifestyle and mindset.
New Year’s Day is only 10 weeks away! You can accomplish amazing results (weight loss, energy, health, etc.) by getting on the Wellness train TODAY.
You can lose 10 to 20 pounds (a healthy 1 to 2 pounds per week) by the end of the year. Think of how much better you would feel and how much energy you would have by making your health a top priority starting today!
Don’t let the following quote come true for you:
“A year from now you will wish you had started today.” – Karen Lamb
Deb
November Classes
October 28, 2009 by Jenny Neighbour · Leave a Comment
Fall is in the air…what a perfect time to put your fitness routine in HIGH gear! Our November fitness classes will offer a great opportunity for you to put something NEW into your routine to ensure that you get super results!
Click her for the NOVEMBER CLASS SCHEDULE
November Class Descriptions:
Burn N Firm- Enjoy deep muscle toning in this class. Burn N Firm offers a low-impact style workout with lots of chair and floor moves combined. This class targets all major muscle groups and is perfect for all fitness levels.
Repeat the Beat- If you like to dance and have a little fun…this class is for you! Shake and shimmy the inches away with this “cardio-style” workout. Each class repeats the same movements to the same music so that you actually learn the moves and improve week after week. Line dances will be emphasized this month – all fitness levels welcome.
Wild Wednesdays- This class will typically meet on the “circuit side” when CrossTrain is closed. It will incorporate the High Intensity Intervals to be sure that you are maximizing your workouts on the circuit. If you like our old style “bootcamps” then you will love this class. Ramp up your fitness level with this type of class – this will also offer a ton of variety for all participants!
Men’s Power Pump- This class is just for men this month. It will offer a variety of formats to overload and build muscles. If you want weight lifting for a total body workout and NO cardio moves, then this class is for you!
Toning Varieties (TV) -This toning class is perfect for the person that needs a low impact class and likes a lot of variety. TV will offer a wide range of different exercises taken from Yoga, Pilates, Stretching, Burn N Firm and more! All fitness levels welcome – bring a mat.
360 Christian Yoga – This Christian-based Yoga class will take place in a heated environment and will combine the elements of quiet meditation with scripture readings. Emphasis on stretching, gaining greater muscle tone, and increased flexibility.
TGIF(Thank God It’s Friday) – This fun class will offer many great aspects of exercise. The instructor will shake things up by offering some cardio, toning, stretching and other varieties of exercise to offer a total body workout. In this class, you will enjoy a ton of variety in a fun setting!
All fitness classes are included in your membership fee. No need to register for any classes…just come to as many as you can!
Who’s Right and Who’s Wrong?
October 22, 2009 by Deb · Leave a Comment
I’m writing today as God clearly is tying to tell me something load and clear. I can get frustrated at times when I read about someone who has lost a ton of weight by doing something different than what I have been taught, or the latest research points to something completely different than what I have be told. It can be so confusing….. what do you believe and who’s right and who’s wrong? Some people have had wonderful results on the Adkins’s diet, losing weight and reducing cholesterol and such. If you ask them, they will tell you that the Adkins’s diet is the best and the only thing that worked for them. Others tried it and failed. Who’s right and who’s wrong? They both have research that can back up their claims.
I guess my point is that there will never be ONE way only to lose weight and get healthy. Nor is there only one way to exercise that is the best. What works for one person might not for another. The one thing that CAN make a difference is having the Holy Spirit with you on your journey with God leading you to where you need to go.
I must admit sometimes I need reminded of this…..even with all my training and research I do it can still be confusing and sometimes leaves me questioning if I am doing the best I can for all those that I am helping in this journey. I even asked my business partner Luke to read an article that I had just read and was questioning. He reminded me that no matter what, it is truly the Holy Spirit with us that will lead us where we need to go, not necessarily what the diet or the exercise menu we use! I thank him for keeping me grounded! Right after I got his email I got this scripture and I knew God was speaking to me……
“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NLT
We have all experienced fear and discouragement at times. In today’s scripture, God is speaking to Joshua, telling him to be strong and courageous. “Do not be afraid or discouraged.” How is this possible? Joshua was faced with the tremendous responsibility of leading the Israelites into the Promised Land, conquering the land and setting up residence. There would be times of defeat … great challenges … biting criticism … and immense frustration. And yet God told him not to fear or be discouraged … “because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
What a wonderful promise! As we submit to God, making Jesus Lord of our life, we too can be assured that he will be with us wherever we go. He will protect us, comfort us, defend us, teach us, guide us and love us unconditionally. No matter how bleak things might look, or what challenges or sorrows we face, we can know that our heavenly Father is with us—and that as we trust him and walk in obedience, he will work all things together for good. (Romans 8:28)
Are you feeling afraid or discouraged right now? Perhaps you don’t feel as though God is with you. The good news is that feelings can lie—but God’s promises are always true.
No matter what your circumstances, you can be strong and courageous—not on your own but because the Lord is with you.
I know I don’t know everything, and I try my best to help everyone on their journey to health and wellness, but I am not God and I never will be, nor to I have the magic bullet that will amazingly make someone receive the results that they desire. I know that it is only with God that we can achieve the results we desire. So here is my prayer for today:
Father, thank you that I can always count on you. Even though I don’t always sense your presence, help me remember from your Word that you are always with me. Help me to focus on you, not on the circumstances. Help me to be strong and courageous. Help me to guide others to you when they are seeking to reach their goals. Help me to always give you the glory and praise, and help that I help others by your will. In Jesus’ name I Pray. Amen
Deb
The Real Reasons I listen to Fast Loud Music!
October 21, 2009 by Deb · 6 Comments
Why the Right Music Means a Better Workout!
It was back in 1995 that I started to run into a real problem with workout music. My fitness business was exploding and I found myself working with large groups of 15-60 plus people at each workout……whew!
So what was the problem?
Well, many of my group exercise classes consisted of several people at several different fitness levels….this always the case in group fitness classes! For some of my classes I needed slower music that allowed me to count slowly and do slow reps of exercises…..this worked great in my toning type classes but it was when I wanted to teach group interval classes that I ran into big problems. Timed sets of various interval work best when you have a wide variety of fitness levels. This allows everyone to work at their own pace within the same workout. If you’re trying to run a professional program that starts and ends at the same time every time, interval training is the way to go for the workouts. It’s also cheaper on the pocketbook as you don’t have to buy special equipment for each participant, you can purchase 5-6 and then simply rotate the people through the exercises using stations.
But interval training is a bit of a catch 22. Sure my classes were running well, but I felt like I wasn’t able to provide as much client supervision since I was constantly having to look at the clock and be the human stopwatch announcing “go… halfway… stop, switch.”
So, I knew I had to find a solution and I tried several options like timers, bells, whistles, and alarms. None of them worked the way I wanted them to. Then here just recently I found the solution I was looking for. It’s a program that allows me to offer interval workout music to automate my classes with the simple click of a button. YEAH!!
This interval music has made me a much better trainer/instructor because the music tells my clients exactly what to do so I can do what I do best: coach, motivate, and supervise my clients.
But it’s more than just the extra supervision that drastically reduces the risk of injury from an intensive group exercise program (which is alone a huge improvement to any training program). It’s about the impact the right music can have on your workouts.
According to scientists at Dalhousie University in Canada, music not only motivates but it can make you stronger. These researchers recently discovered that people who listened to workout music during training showed significantly greater strength gains in 4 weeks time than those who wore noise-cancellation headphones. According to study author Jo M. Welch, Ph.D, the explanation for this increase in performance most likely lies in the music causing a reduction in perceived exertion during the workout, thus allowing the trainee to work harder. Furthermore, she explained that the key was listening to the tunes that motivate you the most, whatever musical genre that may be.
In the past I had clients bring in their favorite music and that never really worked out that well- some liked it and some didn’t, and some songs were too slow and some were too fast. I then tried my best to bring in an eclectic mix of music to please everyone, but that was even more of a disaster. It’s a real pain in the butt to have to constantly search for and buy new music that people always would complain about anyways, or the lyrics are so bad I wouldn’t play them in the gym. After all, music is just like politics and religion- everyone has their own personal tastes and preferences.
So for our new BOOTCAMP (HIIT) classes we will start in November we will be offering the interval workout music powered by Workout Muse. It features instrumental-only tracks with the only vocals being the audio updates that I used to have to announce myself. In using this program with my personal training clients and some sample classes, I immediately saw the power of the right music in my classes. Bottom line, people worked harder and cranked out more reps during each work set and subsequently took less rest and transition between exercises. You don’t need to be an extreme athlete to know that increased intensity and density within each workout leads to better results!
Another study from the University of Western Ontario in Canada supports what I have seen in the real world with hundreds of people from all walks of life- cranking up the volume jacks up the intensity of the training session. Janet McMordie, the author of the study, discovered that louder music during a workout resulted in better performance due to both a surge of mood-enhancing hormones (primarily adrenaline) and, just like the previous study, a sonic distraction that prevents you from realizing how tired you are so you can work harder for longer. So, yes even my 5:15 am classes will have rockin’ loud music!!
The 18 women in the study listened to their favorite music soundtracks of different decibel levels while performing various exercise tasks: cycling sprints, max reps on the leg press, and max reps on the bench press. She discovered the rep total increased by 46% on average at the loudest music volume when compared to listening to no music at all. Plus, across the board, even the lowest volume level resulted in significant performance gains further proving that listening to motivating workout music at any volume helps you push past your comfort zone to get the best training effect.
The most groundbreaking study on the effect of music on exercise and performance was done by Dr. Costas Karageorghis in Karageorghis & Terry, 1997, where he discovered the following:
1.) Music reduces perceived exertion by distracting the exerciser from exercise-induced fatigue so they can work harder for longer.
2.) Music can either psyche-up an athlete pre-workout/competition or relax an athlete pre-workout/competition depending on the tone of music and the consistency of the selected song lyrics.
3.) Music is the perfect marriage between the inherent similarities of rhythm and human movement- “the synchronization of music with exercise consistently demonstrates increased levels of work output among exercise participants (see Karageorghis & Terry, 1997, for review).”
4.) Music can aid in learning new movements and in learning how to move better- “music can enhance the acquisition of motor skills and create a better learning environment. There is evidence from both gymnastics and swimming in support of this (Chen, 1985; Jernberg, 1981).”
5.) Music can get you in the zone for optimal focus on the task at hand- “Our most recent research (Karageorghis & Terry, 1998) has revealed an interesting link between music and the attainment of flow state during aerobic dance exercise. Flow involves an altered state of awareness during physical activity in which the mind and body function on ‘auto-pilot’ with minimal conscious effort. Some coaches refer to this as being ‘in the zone’; it is an almost trance-like or hypnotic state. Flow has been associated with optimal psychological state and represents complete enjoyment of and immersion in physical activity.”
He also discovered four key factors that determine how motivating music can be, with internal factors being the most important:
Internal Factors:
1.) Rhythm
2.) Musicality: Melody and Harmony
External Factors:
3.) Cultural Impact
4.) Extra Musical Associations
These factors are best summarized in Dr. Karageorghis’s own words: “We have developed and validated a questionnaire to rate the motivational qualities of music which is called the Brunel Music Rating Inventory (BMRI: Karageorghis et al., 1997). For a piece of music to truly inspire the listener, it must have strong rhythmic qualities that match the activity at hand and also a tempo which matches the predicted heart rate. The melody and harmony of the music should promote a positive mood state; that is, they should energize the listener and increase vigor. The music should also stem from the listener’s socio-cultural background and comply with their preferences. Finally, it is ideal that for the music to be associated with physical activity either through the lyrics, e.g., Work Your Body, or its association with other media such as film or TV. A classic example of such a track would be Survivor’s ‘Eye of the Tiger’, which was a theme from the Rocky series.”
It’s important to note the importance of choosing music of the right tempo or beats per minute (bmp) to elicit the desired movement response. During high-intensity cardio interval training, target heart rate tends to fall in the range of 140-160 bpm during the work periods and 100-120 bpm during the active recovery periods. During circuit training, heart rate tends to be elevated throughout the duration of the workout between 120-140 bpm. Thus, selecting workout music with the appropriate bpm for a specific fitness activity will set the proper pace for a more effective workout. This has always been drilled into ALL of my fitness education classes….the music sets the pace of any class!!
In summary, for a better workout you must choose the right workout music. When it comes to selecting the right music the two most important factors are listening to workout tunes with the appropriate tempo for your selected activity of choice and then building a play list that falls within your preferred musical genre(s).
So give it a try…..crank up your favorite tunes and see how great your workouts can feel! Better yet come to one of our BOOTCAMP classes and get a high intensity interval workout & great music that will take your workouts to a new level!! Crank it up!!
Next week we will be running FREE sample classes of BOOTCAMP….be sure to give it a try!
Deb
No Bake High Protein Cookies
October 20, 2009 by Deb · 2 Comments
I found a pretty tasty “no bake” cookie recipe the other day. I thought you might like it so I’m passing it on. You know they are EASY if I make them!! Here’s how to make them.
Mix the following in a big bowl:
1 cup of oatmeal
Approx. 1/2 cup peanut butter
2 large spoonfuls of flax seeds (ground)
3 to 4 scoops of Protein powder (Vanilla or Chocolate or Plain)
Add just enough water to make mixing a little easier. Add it a little at a time, then mix, and add a little more as needed.
When all the ingredients are mixed, form balls a little smaller than the palm of your hand and put them on a plate.
Put them in the refrigerator for a couple hours uncovered.
If you didn’t use too much water, the cookies come out with a nice chewy consistency.
Chew on a couple between meals or use them to satisfy a “sweet tooth” instead of eating cookies or junk food.
You’ll get lots of high quality protein, good fats and good low glycemic carbs.
Yum! Enjoy!
Deb
Breast Cancer: 7 Nutritional Tips
October 20, 2009 by Deb · 2 Comments
To support national education during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, tips throughout October will focus on breast cancer awareness, prevention and treatment.
Diet and nutrition can play a significant role in the chances of developing breast cancer, especially if you have a family history of the disease. The following dietary practices may help to prevent or lessen the risks – I encourage all women to give them a try:
- Keep your fat content low. Below 25 percent of your daily calories is ideal.
- Avoid animal fats, polyunsaturated fats (many vegetable oils), and hydrogenated oils (margarines and vegetable shortenings) – all can increase cancer risks.
- Use healthy fats: monounsaturates such as extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground flaxseed and oily fish such as wild Alaskan salmon and sardines (which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids) may reduce your risk of breast cancer.
- Include whole soy products in your diet. Soy foods contain many cancer-protective substances, including isoflavones. Try to eat one to two servings of whole soy-based foods a day.
- Avoid alcohol. Even in modest amounts, alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.
- Minimize your consumption of conventionally raised meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. Replace with organic, hormone-free versions and use sparingly.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables! They contain many different cancer-protective phytonutrients.
