FIT 1 BLOG

I hear this statement ALL THE TIME…”I drink enough water”…but do you really? The daily requirement of water consumption is 2 litres per day! That’s 8-8 ounce glasses a day! For every 1 hour of training means 1 more litre of water you need to drink. If you have caffeinated beverages that is another  glass per  caffeine drink you consume. Water is important in many ways. Helps  regulate body temperature, removes lactic acid from muscles as well as any waste your body produces. In fact there are way to many benefits to list in a little blog. So do your body a giant favor….start by drinking just 1 more glass of water per day. I can guarantee you will feel more alert, probably less hungry, and have more energy. Sound like a miracle supplement??… IT IS!!!!

Find it hard to drink water??

Make water tasty by adding fruit cubes!! Here is a super easy trick to make you WANT to drink more water!

Just put your favourite fruit in a blender and freeze in ice cube trays. Just pop a frozen fruit cube into your water bottle on your way out the door. Who knew drinking water could be so tasty.

Ahhhhhh Fall…golden leaves, fresh mornings, Halloween, pumpkins…PUMPKIN SEEDS?!

YES pumpkin seeds!!! Truly one of fall’s gifts!!

Rich in nutrients, the list of health benefits for this ’super food’ is looooong. Components[ including zinc] in pumpkin seed oil appear to stave off the onset of prostate cancer. In addition, pumpkin seeds also help to reduce inflammation due to arthritis, and are known to be a great source of minerals such as magnesium, manganese, and phosphorous.

Yes it’s true…they are high in fat, GOOD FATS!! And ,as we all know, essential fats don’t make you fat. In fact they help to REDUCE bad cholesterol in the blood! So……….

DON’T TOSS ‘EM…..TOAST ‘EM!!!

Tamari Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

You will need

fresh pumpkin seeds

Tamari soy sauce

cooking spray

Rinse pumpkin seeds well removing all pumpkin pulp. Spread out on a cookie sheet and let dry over night.

Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Spray pumpkin seeds with cooking spray and toss with a little tamari sauce.

Bake in oven tossing every 15 mins until golden .[about 1 hr]

Sooooo tasty, and soooo good for you!!! WHO KNEW?!!

Did you know that consuming enough calcium in your diet will actually stifle the desire to eat more?

It’s  true!! When your calcium intake is too low your brain tries to rectify this and turns on the hunger switch! So keep the switch off and add a little more calcium to your nutrition.

Dairy is the easiest way to do this.However, if dairy doesn’t work for you ,there are some very good calcium supplements on the market. You can find calcium supplements at almost any pharmacy,but I would suggest taking a look at the supplement section in your local health food store.

Since CALCIUM is the buzz word,I would like to show you a really easy way to get more of this essential nutrient. Rich in  calcium and protein, cottage cheese is a really great  healthy snack option. Choose the lower fat versions to keep your waistline in check. Sometimes fat free foods can really lack flavour so to keep it tasty mix no fat cottage with 2% cottage cheese.

Cottage Cheese Snack Salad

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1/2 ripe tomato

diced cucumber

diced carrot

black pepper to taste

chop and mix….doesn’t get much easier than that!

There may be a reason for this.LEPTIN.

Leptin is the enzyme your body produces that tells you when you are full after eating. However,foods high in saturated fats inhibit the production of this valuable enzyme. You may have just consumed a  cheeseburger,fries,and a chocolate shake but your brain is telling you that you are still hungry!Crazy huh?….

How do you beat this?…Lower the  saturated fats in your meals and see how much fuller you feel! Better yet,ADD essential fats to your meal to produce more leptin and curb your hunger for hours!!

Guacamole
3 ripe avocados
2 Roma tomatoes[diced]
1/4 white onion[diced]
2 serrano peppers[diced]
pinch coarse sea salt
juice from 1/4 fresh lime
mix all together until smooth
Serve with unsalted corn tortilla chips…or….up the fiber and lower the carbs and use celery stalks,cucumber,and cauliflower
F.Y.I.
This super healthy tasty authentic Mexican snack is rich in essential fatty acids including vitamin E. And served with vegetables is an excellent source of fiber!!

It’s not that hard to have a flat tummy! Sometimes just a little discipline  will go a loooooong way! Try eating your last meal 3 hours before going to bed. Since digestion doesn’t really happen when you are sleeping,there will be no food left to sit in your tummy overnight. Undigested food can cause gas and bloating! Now…if you not only eat 3 hours before bed time,but when you do eat,have protein and greens!! You will FOR SURE wake up with a flat tight tummy!!

RECIPE

SUMMER SPINACH SALAD

4 oz grilled chicken breast

2 cups washed baby spinach

2 tblsp toasted slivered almonds

thinly sliced red onion[to taste]

1/4 cup fresh blueberries

1 tsp feta cheese

toss spinach,onion,almonds,and blueberries,top with warm chicken and feta cheese.Add a little Udo’s oil,apple cider vinegar and a pinch of sea salt…Yummy recipe for a flat tummy  tomorrow morning!! And… you will be keeping those muffin tops in the bakery…. WHERE THEY BELONG!!!

High processed usually means hi-calorie! If the label says lo-cal,take a good look at the label for portion size. Anything is lo-cal if you can only eat a SPECK of it!! Opt for whole foods[or the least processed] they are usually lower in calories and higher in fiber and nutrients than their higher processed counterparts. The portion sizes are more filling and definitely better for you!

Here is a great start to your day breakfast!

Protein Pancake

1/4 cup whole oats

1 whole egg

1/4 cup pasteurized egg whites

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 packets splenda[or tsp honey or cane sugar]

mix altogether,add blueberries,nuts,or sliced banana,and cook in a hot pan until top starts to bubble.Flip pancake to brown on the other side.To  amp up the protein factor,add a scoop of your favorite protein powder and mix well!Top with a  Udo’s oil and a little more fruit to make this complete!

F.Y.I..I make a few in advance and take them to work to have as snacks!!