Week Twenty - Super Foods For Your Smoothies

                                                                          Looks like Ovaltine, but tastes so much better (and better for you)!

Because smoothies are all the rage, here are some excellent super food ingredients for you to experiment with when making yours.  
Agave Nectar - An unprocessed syrup, naturally extracted from the agave cactus (yes, if  tequila comes to mind, you are correct - same plant, different result!)  This sweetener is absorbed slowly into the blood stream as it is very low on the glycemic index making it great for people who have blood sugar disorders.
Cacao Powder - Raw chocolate powder from the Cocoa bean.  So much tastier than processed *chocolate*.  Cacao is rich in magnesium and is reported to be a natural appetite suppressant.  
Coconut Water (best taken from Thai young coconuts) - A great base for smoothies.  Young coconut water is just that, the water in young coconuts before it matures and turns to the milk that most of us are familiar with.  The water is low calorie, fat free and an excellent electrolyte replacement drink.  I prefer the water over any sports drink!  Can be found boxed, canned or best yet ask your grocer for young Thai coconuts.  If you choose this route, I recommend having someone  (or an online tutorial) show you how to open them.  You then have the benefit of using the water and the coconut meat in your smoothies!  
Hemp Protein Powder - A balanced whole protein rich in EFAs (essential fatty acids), amino acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.  As most other protein powders do not, hemp does naturally have the perfect balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.  It has 22 grams of protein per serving, beat that!  Fabulous for athletes and kids who are vegan or vegetarian.  
Lucuma Powder - Another natural sweetener from a fruit in Peru.  High in beta-carotene, niacin and iron as well as calcium and phosphorus.  Lucuma has a maple syrup like flavor. 
Maca Root  Powder - A peruvian root vegetable that is rich in amino acids, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals.  Some of the health benefit claims are; increased energy, fertility, immune system functions, reducing chronic fatigue and endocrine system support.
Mesquite Powder - A traditional Native American food from the mesquite tree that is high in protein, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc and the amino acid lysine.  

The above smoothie contains the following:
6 oz coconut water
1 banana
1 tablespoon cacao powder
1 tablespoon hemp powder
1 teaspoon maca powder
1 tablespoon soy lecithin (a natural emulsifier that adds creaminess and is completely optional!)
Add a  few ice cubes and the above ingredients together and blend for a minute or two before enjoying! 
p.s. This smoothie sustained me during a 7.5 mile run (8 minute miles no less) and an hour of bootcamp after - now that's a smoothie!

Enjoy experimenting with new smoothie recipes.  With all of the fresh fruits and berries available in the summer, it is easy to create tasty, healthy smoothies for you and your family.  Have fun!
~One Body, One Life~
Jennifer

Week Nineteen - Finding Your Summer Fitness Mojo!

Question:  What are you going to do for you this summer?  Of course the typical summer fun - beach, picnics, pool parties, family time. But what ARE you going to do for YOU this summer?  How about getting in the best shape of your life and staying that way?  No, your age does not matter.  No, your current weight does not matter.  Yes, your busy schedule can be altered.  Here are a few tips to get you started:

1.  Hire a professional and make a plan.  I recently used the analogy of interior design when explaining my training philosophy to a client.  Just as you would not go into a new decorating project without first hiring a professional and creating a plan, I would not expect you to go into a new fitness program without doing the same. When I meet with new clients I view each person as a project and create a plan.  Each individual has their reasons for hiring me.  I create a time line plan based on client's specific goals - weightloss, better eating habits, proper form, sculpted arms, shoulders, legs, lifted rear, flexibility, defined abs, endurance training, help with motivation...whatever the case may be.  Hiring a fitness coach is your best bet for getting results more quickly and efficiently.  Be sure to find someone that is compatible with your personality and someone that you find motivating and FUN.  I have worked with some very technically savvy trainers that have no idea how to carry on a conversation - let me tell you, that is no fun for anyone!  When I train clients I know that I am part teacher, part motivator and often part therapist!  Before each session I make sure to have our workout plan and fun conversation topics ready to go (Tiger Woods, poor guy, was a great source of fun for a short while!).  It is also my job to be an attentive listener and let the conversation be about you, the client (trainers are notorious for talking about themselves you know).  So go on, find yourself a fitness coach - you are worth the investment and trust me, you will be glad you did this.

2.  Commit and get started.  There is no better time than the present.  Life is short.  Live strong.  One body, one life.  Just do it.  Get the idea?

3.  Stay focused on your goal.  Maybe you have hired someone to help you or maybe you are trying this on your own, either way YOU have to stay focused.  A trainer can only do so much and the reality is that this is your life and your goal.  You have to make the changes happen.  Read your goal and your plan every morning, in fact several times a day if it helps.  Make this your job and get it done - 3 months you can do this.

4.  Know your weaknesses.  There is great value in acknowledging your weaknesses and creating a plan to overcome them.  Is 5:00 happy hour every evening?  Make 5:00 your workout time.  Does your car seem to be on autopilot ever time you pass fast food joints?  Take a different route, or keep a stash of granola bars in your car.  Hold yourself accountable for your weaknesses and best yet dig deep and find out WHY you have the weakness you do.  You want to see real change?  This will do it!

5.  What are you afraid of?  Often times as I hear excuses from clients and those excuses are really fear.  Fear of failure, fear of success and then having to maintain that success, fear of change...Fear is real and it is also okay.  Again, acknowledge it and make a plan on how to move beyond it.

There you have it, 5 tips to get you started on the new you.  Start now and by the end of the summer you will have people asking you how you did it, and won't that feel great?  Good luck, you CAN do it!

~One Body, One Life~

Jennifer

Week Eighteen - Summer Super Foods

Summer has almost arrived and farmer's markets are beginning to blossom with fresh fruits and vegetables.  Here is a list of just a few of my favorite super foods and the nutrients they pack.

The Apple - The skin is rich in querctin and this reduces the risk of sun damage to skin.  Fiber!  Vitamins C & K, flavonoids

The Lemon - Powerful cleansing and antioxidant powers.  Vitamin C, flavonoids, limonin (citrus limonoids have been shown to help fight cancers of the mouth, lung, stomach, skin, breast and colon!)

Honey - Vitamins B2, B6, manganese.  Honey is a healing agent speeding recovery with its antiseptic qualities and its drying effect.  Reduces risk of gum disease, can counter act food-poisoning bacteria.  

p.s  please be kind to the bees, they only sting when angry AND their food source affects the honey so PLEASE consider using organic everything to maintain your yard and skip the harmful bug and yard sprays.  We are only hurting ourselves with these chemicals.

The Raspberry - Vitamins B2, B3, folate, copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, fiber.  Their antimicrobial effects can protect against yeast infections and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).

The Kiwi Fruit - Vitamins C, E, beta carotene, copper, magnesium, potassium, fiber.  A ripe kiwi packs more vitamin C than most citrus fruits.  Vitamin C not only protects from common colds, but also several kinds of infections and inflammation especially respiratory diseases.  People who eat kiwi fruit regularly are shown to suffer from less asthma attacks (ask before giving to small children for allergy purposes), lower blood cholesterol and reduced risk of blood clots.

The Onion - Vitamins B6, C, folate, chromium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, fiber.  Powerful anti-inflammatory effect, counteract respiratory problems (asthma), antibacterial properties, protect digestive system - the more pungent, the more powerful!

Arugula- Vitamins B-complex, C, K, beta carotene, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, fiber.  A great source of calcium for those who avoid dairy, arugula has a lovely peppery taste that adds flavor and powerful nutritional value to any salad.  

Asparagus - Vitamins A, B-complex, K,  folate, copper, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, fiber, protein.  B vitamins together are essential to our nervous system (depression, anxiety, low energy) and brain functions, asparagus is a great source of the Bs.  

**Be careful to not over cook or over steam asparagus, this leaves it stringy and tough to eat.  Steam for not more than 5 minutes, grill or bake for 10 minutes or less for tender stalks with a slight crunch!

The Strawberry - Get them now in the mid-west!  Vitamins B2, B5, B6, C, K folate, copper, magnesium, manganese, iodine, potassium, anthocyanidins, flavonoids, fiber, omega-3 oils, ellagic acid.  Packed with nutrition AND those that aid in weight control, so eat up this fat fighting, fiber filled fruit (say that ten times!).

The Green Bean - Vitamins B1, B2, B3, C, K, beta carotene, folate, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, fiber, omega-3 oils, protein.  One of the best greens out there, eat green beans raw or slightly steamed for the best nutritional value!

These are just a few of my personal favorites of the season, and after reading the nutritional value of each I am sure you can see why.  This week, visit your local farmer's market and make an effort to add a new fruit or vegetable to your palate!

Enjoy...

~One Body, One Life~

Jennifer

*Nutritional content taken from Janet Wright's The Top 100 Health Tips