The Express Protein Popsicles

What better way to cool down this summer than a refreshing Protein Popsicle?

Seriously, you’ve gotta check out this recipe from my partners over at Prograde. Tell me that popsicle doesn’t look SOOO good!

It’s simple to make, too.

Home Made Protein Popsicles recipe

Keep Moving, Stay Fit,

The Survival Guide to Overeating

Top Reasons Why You Can’t Lose Body Fat

There are few things more frustrating than not being able to lose body fat.

You want to be slimmer and to tone your body, but your weight won’t budge.

Read the following 7 Weight Loss Blockers to discover what is standing in your way and how to quickly and easily begin your weight loss journey.

Blocker #1: Your Mind

Your mind is your number one ally when it comes to achieving your goals. However, until your mind has been programmed for success, it will do more to derail your efforts than to help you.

• Take a few moments each day to visualize yourself at your ideal weight. Imagine how it feels to look the way you’ve always wanted.
• Protect your mind from any negative self talk. If a negative thought comes to mind, immediately reject it.
• You want to be thin and fit, and yet you think of yourself as out-of-shape and fat. Re-program your mind to think of yourself as fit and attractive, and you will be well on your way toward achieving your goal.
• Give up the belief that you can’t achieve the body you’ve always dreamed of. See it first in your mind, and then in the mirror.

Blocker #2: Your Fear

Change makes most of us nervous – even if it is a change in the right direction. You may not be consciously aware of the fear you have of getting into shape. Until you conquer this fear, your weight loss efforts will be blocked by self sabotage.

Professional speaker and author, Anthony Robbins, has outlined three specific beliefs that you must have in order to conquer your fear and instantly create a lasting change.

• Believe that something MUST change. You can’t be wishy-washy about it. You can’t be considering it. You can’t even be pretty sure about it. You’ve got to be rock solid.
• Believe that YOU must change it. You can’t pass the buck of responsibility and expect to lose weight. It’s on your shoulders. Other people will prove to be great assets in your journey, but in the end you are the one who is going to make it happen. You have to want this weight loss enough to make it your personal mission.
• Believe you CAN change it. You may have failed in the past, but that doesn’t matter. When you put your mind to it, you’re able to do amazing things. Do you believe that you are capable of losing weight? Once you own the belief that you can, you’ll be unstoppable.

Blocker #3: Your Excuses

Your excuses for being out-of-shape are getting old. An excuse takes less immediate effort than an action, but in the long run the action taker always has the advantage. Don’t allow excuses to ruin your life any longer.

• Don’t skip out on your responsibilities with excuses, instead expect more from yourself.
• Focus on the big reason why you are losing the weight. Make a list of the benefits you’ll enjoy once you achieve your goal, and read them first thing each morning.
• Remember that you can only have two things in life: excuses or results. Which do you want?

Blocker #4: Your Commitment

How many times have you tried to lose weight, only to give up a week or two later? We live in a commitment-phobic world, so it’s no wonder that you routinely abandon your goals. If you truly want to lose weight then your commitment to the process is a must.

• The margin between success and failure is bridged by your commitment. Don’t give up until your goal has been achieved.
• Treat exercise with the same importance as a work meeting, and you’ll never skip it at the last minute. Find three available 60-minute time slots in your schedule and mark them (in pen) on your calendar. Now stick to your schedule.
• If you don’t give up, then you’ll never fail.

Blocker #5: Your Diet

If you consistently eat the wrong food, then you’re weight loss efforts will all be in vain. To put it bluntly, you need to stop eating junk. Processed foods, refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup do not belong in your diet if you want to be in great shape. Cut these items out of your diet and replace them with real whole foods like lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and fruits.

• Don’t eat processed foods. Even though processed foods are accepted by our society, they contain tons of chemicals and empty calories that will make you sick and fat.
• Fat contains twice the caloric density of protein and carbohydrates, so make sure to limit the amount that you consume. Eat lots of lean proteins and wholesome carbohydrates from plants and whole grains.
• Vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds are filled with fiber and antioxidants which are vital for healthy weight loss. Snack on these instead of packaged treats.

Blocker #6: Your Patience

It takes time to transform your body from fat to fit, even though you want it to happen overnight. Remind yourself that it took time to put the weight on, so it will take time to take the weight off. When you find your patience wavering, or when you encounter a frustrating plateau, do the following:

• Review your goal. Is it specific and measurable? Is it small and attainable, rather than monumental? Focus on your goal when the going gets tough.
• Make each workout a new experience. Challenge your body with different resistance, new exercises and a varied pace.
• Remember that anyone can have one great workout, but that won’t get you the body you want. The only way to achieve your goal is by consistently exercising and eating right, plain and simple.

Blocker #7: Your Support

People who exercise alone are less challenged, less accountable and are more likely to fail. It makes sense. Who would rush to the gym if no one is was waiting for them? Who would push themselves if no one was paying attention? Exercising alone is a recipe for disaster.

• Find a workout partner who is in better shape than you, or better yet, work with me, your local fitness expert, to guarantee your results.
• I am passionate about seeing you achieve results – don’t waste your time, energy and effort on mistakes.
• When you start a program with me, you suddenly have the upper hand on weight loss. I’ll be in your corner, coaching you each step of the way, keeping you accountable to workouts and giving you that dose of encouragement when you need it most.

Get serious about your results and begin the last weight loss program that you’ll ever do with the Express Fat Loss System.

Click Here and Start the Express Fat Loss System right now

Go Green for Optimal Health

Do you rarely get sick, have no need for prescription meds, and can’t remember the last time that you had to visit the doctor?

If you answered no to the above questions then you are likely suffering from nutritional deficiencies.

It’s hard to know exactly what to eat for optimal health, especially since everyone has a different opinion.

Even when you make every effort to eat healthy, your diet almost always lacks important nutrients.

In her book, Green For Life, Victoria Boutenko set out in search of the perfect human diet. She immersed herself in nutrition research and discovered a very interesting observation.

The Chimpanzee Connection: Chimpanzees and humans are more closely related than any other animal species. In fact, research shows that we share 99.4% of our DNA sequence with our chimpanzee friends.

Why is this significant? Chimpanzees are in far better physical shape than humans, and possess strong natural immunity to cancer and other fatal — and quite common — human illnesses.

Victoria’s research all pointed to the chimpanzee diet as the reason for their superior health. Chimps and humans have vastly different eating habits.

It’s All About The Greens: While humans enjoy pizza and hamburgers, chimps eat a diet extremely high in dark leafy greens — an item that hardly exists in the human world.

Victoria then turned her focus on dark leafy greens. What she discovered was a super-food packed with extremely high levels of nutrients. Here are 5 amazing facts about greens:

1. Greens are packed with amino acids…AKA protein.

I’ll bet you didn’t know that dark leafy greens are a legitimate source of protein. It’s true!

Protein molecules are made of a chain of amino acids. When you consume protein from chicken, you’re getting chains of amino acids that have already been assembled into a complex protein.

When you eat dark leafy greens you are getting a plethora of individual amino acids. Your body then takes these amino acids and assembles it into complex protein chains.

2. Greens give you lots of insoluble fiber…like a sponge.

You know fiber is important, but did you realize that fiber is needed to rid your body of toxins? Insoluble fiber is extra special, since it is built like tiny sponges that each absorbs several times more toxins than its own volume. Check out just a few of the many benefits of fiber:

• Fiber reduces cholesterol
• Fiber prevents and reduces the risk of cancer
• Fiber lessens risk of diabetes and improves existing diabetes
• Fiber helps shed unwanted pounds and prevents overeating

3. Greens promote bodily homeostasis…necessary for optimal health.

Homeostasis is the physiological process that regulates all substances in your body at ideal levels for optimal health. It is a very complex process, one that your body is constantly working towards.

In order for your body to achieve homeostasis it needs an abundance of vitamins, amino acids, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids and minerals. Greens are a super provider of all of the above.

4. Greens are alkaline…which promotes healthy cells.

In 1931 Dr. Otto Warburg won the Nobel Prize for discovering the cause of cancer: weakened cell respiration due to lack of oxygen on the cellular level — this causes fermentation, which results in acidity, or low pH.

There is a close connection between the foods you eat and your pH balance. For example, Parmesan cheese is highly acid forming, -34; while spinach is an amazingly alkalizing food, +14.

When you get plenty of greens on a daily basis, you’re able to better maintain a good alkaline pH balance.

5. Greens are made of chlorophyll…liquid sun energy.

As amazing as it may seem, the molecule of chlorophyll is strikingly similar to the molecule of human blood. Chlorophyll heals and cleanses your organs while destroying harmful substances.

Here are just a few of the powers of chlorophyll:

• Chlorophyll builds a high blood count
• Chlorophyll helps prevent cancer
• Chlorophyll counteracts toxins
• Chlorophyll promotes an alkaline body
• Chlorophyll helps sores heal faster
• Chlorophyll improves varicose veins
• Chlorophyll improves vision

Introducing The Green Smoothie: While the evidence for eating lots of greens continues to mount, who really wants to chomp through a pile of spinach everyday? The solution is as convenient as it is efficient: the green smoothie.

Victoria discovered that when she blended greens with fruit and water, the result was an easily absorbed, delicious smoothie. The key to reaping all the benefits from your green smoothies is to use a wide variety of greens and to drink it every day. Most enjoy it as a quick, nutrient-packed breakfast.

Victoria did a study where people drank green smoothies everyday for a month. Most participants reported a noticeable increase in their energy levels after just the first week. This boost of energy may be just what you need to get into gear with your workouts.

Remember, regular challenging exercise is the key to achieving your ideal body.

Express Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

You’ve probably heard of quinoa – it is hailed by some as the new super food. It’s high in protein (12%-18%) and contains a balanced set of essential amino acids – this means it’s a surprisingly complete protein. It’s also high in fiber and iron. And, as if the edible seeds didn’t have enough going for them, NASA is thinking about growing it in space.

Quinoa is quite possibly the perfect thing to have for breakfast to start your day off on the right foot. You can use this easy recipe for a Post Workout Meal as well.

Servings: 1

Here’s what you need:

• 1/2 cup quinoa, cooked in water according to instructions on package

• 1 Tablespoon golden raisins

• 1 Tablespoon date pieces, chopped

• 1 Tablespoon pecan pieces, chopped

• Dash of cinnamon

• Dash of nutmeg

• Drizzle of pure maple syrup

1. Top cooked quinoa with raisins, date pieces, pecan pieces, cinnamon, nutmeg and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 344 calories, 5g fat, 59g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, and 12g protein.

Good Bye Food Temptation For Quick Weight Loss

You start each morning with the promise to be “good” today.

You’ll refuse the baked goods at the office. You’ll speed past that fast food place at lunch. You’ll turn a blind eye to the vending machine in the mid-afternoon. And you’ll pass on the ice cream after dinner.

But… you hadn’t counted on the fact that a box of your favorite donuts would be sitting in the break room. Or that co-workers would invite you to join them for fast food place at lunch. Or that Girl Scouts would come through the office after school with boxes of thin mints. Or that your special someone would come home with a pint of Coffee Heath Bar Crunch.

And as you get into bed each night you tell yourself that tomorrow will be different.

Tomorrow you will conquer temptation.

But tomorrow comes with its own set of special circumstances and temptation gets the best of you once again.

Why Does Temptation Always Win?
Read the rest of this entry »

No Baking Fresh Mango Pie

What better way to usher in summer than with this delicious no-bake mango pie? You won’t find any processed sugars or refined carbs in this dessert – just sweet and nutritious whole food ingredients. That being said, remember to use portion control even with nutritious desserts.
Servings: 12

Here’s what you need…

• 2 cups raw pecans
• 1/2 teaspoon ground vanilla beans, divided
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 1/2 cup pitted dates, divided
• 2/3 cup water
• 3 ripe mangoes, peeled, seeded and sliced

1. Combine the pecans, 1/4 teaspoon of the vanilla bean, sea salt and 3/4 cup of the dates in a food processor. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of a pie pan, set aside.
2. Combine the remaining 3/4 cup dates, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean and water in a food processor or blender. Mix until a thick syrup forms.
3. Place the mangoes in a large mixing bowl. Toss with the syrup until fully combined.
4. Arranged the mangoes over the crust, then sprinkle with the remaining crust.
5. Keep in the fridge and eat within 2 days.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 220 calories, 12g fat, 27g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, and 3g protein.

Don’t Let Weight Gain Ruin Your Vacation

A summer trip is easily one of the most anticipated events of the year-the chance to get away from work and to relax with your loved ones is priceless.

With all of the excitement, it’s not surprising that most people unknowingly end up gaining a pound each day of their vacation. And if you’re going on a cruise then your weight gain may be closer to two pounds each day.

But wait, your summer vacation doesn’t have to end in weight gain. Keep the following tips in mind as you embark on your summer adventure and you may come home fitter than when you left.

Tip One: Have a Plan
Vacations are the perfect place to gain weight since it’s the last thing on your mind. Your best line of defense is to keep your fitness goals at the forefront of your mind. Before you leave for your trip sit down and set a goal.

A realistic goal is to maintain your current weight or to lose a pound or two. Get the whole family on board and keep each other accountable throughout the trip.

Tip Two: Make Exercise a Must
So often exercise is looked at as a chore, but vacations are the perfect time to really enjoy a good workout. You won’t be rushing home from work trying to squeeze in a few minutes at the gym, rather the vacation workout can be a relaxing and enjoyable experience.

Virtually every hotel these days has some type of workout room equipped with cardio machines, dumbbells and a universal machine. If you are taking a cruise then you are in for a real treat – most workout facilities on cruise ships have huge windows that look out onto the ocean.

Vacations are also a great time to take your workout outdoors; take a run on the beach or do sprints, pushups and crunches on a grassy field. If you want more ideas of workouts you can do using just your body weight then give me a call or send me an email.

Tip Three: Maintain your Metabolism
When traveling it is easy to go for hours without a meal-between flights and long drives food sometimes isn’t readily available. The problem here it two fold. First your metabolism slows from the long absence of food. Secondly you are more likely to indulge in a high calorie meal when you get around to eating next.

Avoid this yo-yo of starvation and overindulgence by carrying healthy snacks with you and eating something every three hours. A handful of almonds, a piece of fruit or a small protein bar are fantastic options to keep on hand.

Tip Four: Eat Smart
While we all know that eating in is usually healthier than eating out, on the road you simply don’t have a choice – all of your vacations meals will be eaten out. So take the time to order with your health conscious mind, and not simply your taste buds. Watch out for extra large portions-don’t be afraid to take a doggie bag back to your room (assuming of course that you have a refrigerator).

Another thing to keep in mind is to keep fried food consumption to a minimum. Fried foods contain more fat and calories than other options, they are also likely to give you heartburn and indigestion-two things you don’t need spoiling your vacation. Stick with dishes that contain veggies, lean meats and whole grains.

Enjoy your vacation!

Best Post-Workout Pancake Ever

If you are like me, and you like to train early in the morning, then you probably don’t have the chance to eat a good breakfast after your workout. If that sounds like you, well, I’ve found a great pancake recipe and it’s easy to make and perfect after your workout.

I suggest having this pancake after a tough workout. It’s high in carbohydrates, but after your workout this is exactly what you need. Good carbs will boost your energy and at the same time replenish glycogen (sugar levels) in your muscle.

High Protein Apple Cinnamon Pancake

• 3/4 cup Quaker quick Oats
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 cup apple, diced
• 1 scoop of Protein Powder
• 1 tsp. Of Cinnamon

Directions

1- Put all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Stir until the mixture has a semi-liquid pancake-batter-like consistency.

2- Spray some non-stick spray on a frying pan and pour the mixture into the pan.

3- Cook on medium heat. When one side is lightly browned and solid enough to flip, turn the pancake over with a spatula and cook the other side until lightly browned and firm.

Notes: For higher protein diets, add one scoop of vanilla protein power. Wrap up your pancake in foil and take it to go, put it in the fridge for later use, or eat it hot! Oatmeal pancakes will stay fresh all day long without refrigeration.

The best thing about this recipe is you can prepare it ahead of time and bring it with you to the gym.  That way you can eat it right after your workout. Trust me this pancake is so good it’s almost illegal.

If you want some more great recipes like this one (197 recipes) go and grab your copy for only $4.95. GET YOUR RECIPES E-BOOK RIGHT NOW

For Best Results with Nutrition – Stick with it

Every week I get emails asking me different questions, usually from people who want to know if they are doing the right things or not.   The most common question is about nutrition.

And there’s one common question about nutrition – why, if I’m doing everything right, am I not losing weight?  When I get a question like that, I always reply, and ask them what – exactly – they are doing with their nutrition.  And when I find out, I always know why!

When most people try to change their nutrition, they don’t stick with it for long enough.  People think that after doing well for 2 or 3 days they will already be five pounds lighter.  And when it doesn’t happen, they are ready to jump off the wagon after only a few days because they don’t see results.

Your body needs some time to adjust to your new way of life. You won’t see your best results in just 2 or 3 days. You need to suck it up and stick with it for at least 4 to 6 weeks. I guarantee if you keep the pace you will see some amazing results.

The key to a weight loss program is to be consistent with your nutrition. It’s not by doing a couple days well, letting it slip and then doing another few days and so on. “Consistent” is the key word.

Stay with your new lifestyle long enough and you will see great results. This will be the best motivation for you to keep you going!

All the best and good luck. Remember  I’m here to help, so if you have any questions let me know.

From Martin Bolduc author of the Ultimate Guide to Express Fat Loss