Tag Archives: post-workout nutrition

REVIEW: PowerICE

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 It was a happy day when the nice delivery guy dropped these off at my door.  Just in time for some beautiful warm weather.  PowerICE is a company who makes frozen hydration bars and I am super happy review their product.  They sent a generous amount that has allowed me to share the love and get some good feedback!  Two big things that caught my eye about this product: they don’t have high fructose corn syrup or artificial preservatives.  You can see the ingredients here.  
 
Years ago I stopped buying these for my kids
image here
because of the HFCS and dyes 
and there was much sadness in my house.
So as you can imagine, I was really hoping these icy pops would be just as good and exciting as the ones that have been banned from my house.   The kids were pretty pumped about trying them, so I packed them on ice, threw it all into my cooler bag and we took them with us on our hike. 
This was really our first time to try them… and we all thought they were really yummy and refreshing.   I left the cooler bag in the hot car for about an hour, then I took it out when we went down to the river.  After that amount of time, they were melted some, but still very frozen and I was happy about that.  
 
WE TRIED ALL THE FLAVORS
Grape Score
Lime Kicker
Orange Blast
Pomegranate Raspberry Rip
 
My girl didn’t love the Pomegranate Raspberry so much but really liked the Grape and Orange, my little man was all over Orange Blast and Lime and my fave was Pomegranate Raspberry and Grape.
I shared PowerIce with my class after doing a great cardio/toning workout using Tye4® wearable resistance.  Everyone really loved the PowerICE bars.  Here are some of the things that were said:
“The texture is great, like sonic ice.  Really good.”
“… not so salty and more refreshing then Gatorade”
“Doesn’t leave an after taste like products with artificial ingredients”  
Thought that was great feedback and I 
happen to agree.
 

I also put them to the test at the ball field.  As you can see, I was hard at work reviewing this product.  It was very difficult not to sneak into the cooler bag and  help myself to a second one.  I did think it nice of me to practice self control and share with the kids after their game.  
 
 
 
Excuse me as I go off on a soap box for a moment:  
Parents, if you have kids playing sports, teach them at an early age to be an intentional athlete.  They can learn to give 100% on the field and off the field as well.  This will develop character and life skills that will follow them into all areas of their life.  As a parent, you have the opportunity to teach them how to fuel their body before the game and teach them what they need to do to repair after a game or practice.  This is a fun experience for the kids.  I’ve seen it first hand.  This is a great way to empower our kids to take responsibility over their own health.  Post game snacks are fun and exciting as the kids celebrate their game, but as parents we can choose healthier options to give them.  These PowerICE bars were PERFECT for this b/c I knew they were getting some good stuff to replace electrolytes and they were excited to get a fun treat!  
Win Win… Win.  
 

 
To sum up this PowerICE review, I really like them and so does everyone else I shared them with.  Bam. 
 
Check out their website here to order and get to know this fun company on Facebook,  Twitter, Pinterest and Youtube.   

FITNESS RETREAT… EARN A FREE TRIP!

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To book a Fitness Vacation

Email 
and I will send you all the details.
Check THIS out to see what the St. Augustine trip was like in November.
 
If you get a group of 10
 – including yourself – 
signed up for a trip,
THEN YOUR TRIP WILL BE FREE!!!
The house we will stay in!  
 
 
 The roof top where we will do all sorts of workouts!  
Oh, we will also enjoy the stars at night from up there as well.  Don’t worry, there is plenty of vacation to be had 🙂
   Pilates on the beach.
 You will learn how to feed your body properly with your exercise…
 pre-and post workout nutrition to support your body as it strengthens and repairs.

Jumpstart your health with a week of inspiration,motivation, teaching and fun workouts!

 

Smoothie Shopping List

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I realized today when I was shopping at Trader Joe’s that I have a mental smoothie shopping list that I use.  I keep foods from this list in my kitchen so that my family can have a variety of smoothie options available to them.  So I’ve decided to put MY list down on “paper” and share it with you!  With smoothies, I encourage you to be creative!   Some are better than others, but soon you will find combinations you LOVE!  This happens to be my list, so feel free to add other foods to your list.


FRUITS 
bananas
apples
oranges
strawberries
rasberries
blueberries
blackberries
pineapple
mango
papaya
kiwi
dates
*If possible, choose ORGANIC and SEASONAL fruit.  If not, consider frozen fruit.  Also remember that fruit has a lot of sugar, so go easy and leave room for your green friends I list next!
 
GREENS
kale
spinach
parsley
cucumber
 
PROTEIN SOURCE
high quality time-release chocolate protein powder 
organic greek plain yogurt
almond butter
oatmeal
 
LIQUID
water
almond milk (we don’t have much dairy around here)
orange juice
coconut milk/water
and yes, coffee and herbal tea
 
EXTRA GOODIES
coconut oil – click HERE to check out the best coconut oil!  If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you!
honey
bee pollen
flax seeds
hemp seeds
spirulina
mint leaves
cinnamon
ginger
agave nectar
stevia
 



WHY I’M A FAN OF SMOOTHIES:

  1. Blending food takes care of the first step in digestion: chewing!  Food breaks down faster in the stomach.  It’s like a mini-vacation for your digestive system 🙂
  2. Smoothies offer a chance to “eat” food you usually wouldn’t eat.  For instance, I dislike Kale… a lot!  I’ve tried it different ways, it’s just gross to me.  One day I got brave and put a small amount in a smoothie.  Surprisingly I didn’t hate it!  In fact, I kinda liked it.  Slowly I began adding more and more kale.  Now I’m to the point where I crave it.  Yes, I’ve gone there!
  3. Smoothies offer a chance to sneak food to your kids body that they would NEVER imagine eating!  THIS REALLY WORKS!  At first my kids had no idea what they were “eating”, but by this point, they know I put all sorts of stuff in.  Both of my kids like their smoothie different ways, and I adjust them according to their preference.
  4. They are easy.
  5. They are fast.
  6. They are yum.
These are some of my favorite smoothies:
 
 BERRY GOOD SMOOTHIE
 
 
Please share the foods you add to your smoothies!

Fitness Vacation Recap 2: MONDAY/TUESDAY

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MONDAY & TUESDAY:  Each group I bring to this retreat will be different, and I learned very quickly that this particular group was not a 
“morning person”!  LOL 
For those of you who never saw the sunrise, here it is!   

theWORKOUT

Kay was up early with me, 
so we took advantage of that beautiful time of day.  
I did Kay’s a.m. session downstairs in the basement.  Most mornings we were out on the patio working out, but this particular morning it was a bit chilly so we stayed inside, opened up the doors, and enjoyed the view and ambiance of the ocean.

After the session we headed up-stairs for breakfast.  
Kay was eating a post-workout meal, 
while the others 
– just getting out of bed – 

After breakfast I took the rest of the group out to the 
beach for a morning pilates session.

This is me LOVING teaching pilates!  
THE BEST GYM EVER!!!

forLUNCH
We had the option of mixing a 
Protein Meal-Replacement Smoothie
or
Chicken Salad Lettuce Wrap with Hummus & Avocado
(I think everyone chose this!)

theVACATION
For those of you wondering… YES!  This is a vacation!  
FIRST::  It’s SO awesome to be able to PAUSE all of life’s responsibilities and focus on nothing but 
HEALTHY EATING & EXERCISE!  
Here it becomes enjoyable… Its the perfect environment to focus and learn!  If we can find a way to enjoy these important responsibilities, we will be able to make them a lifestyle! 

SECOND::  From lunch until about 4:00 is all about YOU time.  It was a time to enjoy the beach, 
hang out by the pool, or explore 
HISTORIC ST. AUGUSTINE!  
There is so much to do and see in this unique place. 
 Check this out for more info on St. Augustine.

the SUNSET ROOF-TOP SESSION

Ok, so besides the beach, THIS is my favorite place to workout!  
Just imagine all the FUN we had!  LOL
forDINNER
Grilled Chicken and Fish
 Roasted Potatoes
Lemon Quinoa Cilantro Chickpea Salad

We roasted potatoes, onion, and garlic together
and added fresh rosemary from my friend’s garden.  
the EVENING
  • enjoy the stars on the ROOF TOP DECK
  • play Xbox 360 or pingpong
  • watch TV or put on a movie
  • play cards or board games
  • go to the beach for night-time shell hunting  🙂
We were serious SHELL HUNTERS.
We went out about 11:30 pm because it was 
LOW LOW TIDE!  
We were treasure hunting 🙂

Chis is standing in a place that was completely under water during high-tide.  

This guy had a bad night.
Soon after we saw him, I found a few shark teeth! 
OOOOOOOOOOOO
I’ll post pictures of them in a later post when I show off 
ALL of my BEACH BLING I found.

The next post I will let you in on our 
SKATEBOARD workouts 
and 
SKIM-SURFING!  


CHOCOLATE COCONUT PROTEIN SHAKE

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This is what I had immediately following my workout today.  
High quality protein powder.
GOOD.
 
A tablespoon of 
GREAT!!!
HAPPY MOUTH.  HAPPY MUSCLES.
 
And read THIS for the coconut oil review.
 If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you!

 

LUNGE and LIFT Workout!

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WORKOUT AT HOME OR AT YOUR GYM!
This morning we did a circuit workout that challenged our

cardiovascular system and our strength!
                                  THE WORKOUT:
  • Remember to warm-up & stretch 5 minutes before you begin.
  •  Be sure to use good form with each exercise.
  • Be creative with the resistance… if you don’t have dumbbells, then use something from your home like a gallon of water!  

1. Back Row w/Dumbbell – 30 sec.

2. LUNGE to the next exercise


3. Bench Dips – 30 sec.

4. LUNGE to the next exercise

5. Bicep Curl – 30 sec. 

6. LUNGE to next exercise 

7. Push-Ups – 30 sec.

8.LUNGE to next exercise

9.Squat Jumps – 30 sec.

10. LUNGE to next exercise

11. Up-Right Row w/Kettle Bell – 30 sec.

12. Sprint back to the beginning.

Repeat 3-4 times!

Be sure to feed your body what it needs after your workout for best results!

 the PHOTOGRAPHERS 

PRE & POST WORKOUT NUTRITION

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 We work hard during our workout sessions, but this is only the beginning of the process in reaching our goals.  Our body works around the clock – especially while we sleep – building and repairing muscle after a workout.  I want to make sure we take FULL advantage of our workouts by feeding our body appropriate pre- and post workout foods!  Eating smart before and after the workout can give the body what it needs to burn fat, gain muscle and recover to its full potential!  
 
PRE-WORKOUT FOODS…
You want to grab a snack 30-60 minutes before your workout to provide your body with energy it needs to push through and sustain your workout.  
Here are some of my favorite pre-workout snacks from a list that Greatist.com published:
 
  • Dressed Up Oats  Load up on carbohydrates for a longer workout with ½ cup cooked steel-cut oats topped with 1 tablespoon dried fruit and 1 tablespoon shaved almonds.
  • Yoberries A-Go-Go For the perfect blend of carbs and protein, try 1 cup non-fat vanilla bean Greek yogurt — which often packs more protein and probiotics than regular plain yogurt — with ½ cup fresh blueberries.
  • PB Apple  For a quick carb fuel-up, slice 1 medium apple and serve with 2 tablespoons all-natural peanut or almond butter.
  • Fruit and Cottage  Top ½ cup cottage cheese — a low calorie and higher protein option — with ½ cup fresh pineapple, berries, or melon. 
  • Pre-Workout Drink  Muscle Fuel – because sometime it need to be THAT easy!
POST-WORKOUT FOODS
 After a hard workout, our muscles are hungry and we NEED to feed them right to keep our metabolism rocking.  Eat within 1 hour of your workout.  
These are post-workout snacks that I eat and love:
  • Chocolate Almond Shake 1 scoop of chocolate whey protein –  Muscle Gain Protein  – 1/2 a banana, 1 TBSP almond butter, and 1 cup of almond milk
  • Ants On A Log Spread a heap of natural peanut/almond butter over celery and top with raisins. 
  • Black Bean Omelet Four eggs whites, 1 ounce low-fat cheese, and ¼ cup canned black beans — then spice it up with a savory salsa.
  • Green Monster Smoothie Blend 4 cups spinach, ½ cup vanilla bean yogurt, 1 cup almond milk, 1 banana, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter with ice — Claudine Morgan via Iowa Girl Eats.
  • Cottage Cheese Crunch One cup fat-free cottage cheese, 1 teaspoon honey, ½ cup whole-grain cereal, and a dash of cinnamon does a body good.
  • Pita and Hummus One 7-inch pita with two spoonfuls of  hummus adds a little pep back to your step with quick digesting carbs.
  • Egg Scramble Veg out after a hard training session with 2-3 whole eggs scrambled with a handful of chopped onion, spinach, and bell peppers.
  • Protein Bar  Sometimes you need something to grab and go!
  • Post-Workout Recovery Drink –
  1. Helps minimize muscle soreness after strenuous activity
  2. Supplies essential components for muscle repair to optimize muscle recovery
  3. Helps maintain and restore energy supplies during and after physical activity
  4. Contains branched-chain amino acids to support muscle recovery, growth and endurance.
 
If you have any Pre-or Post-Workout Snacks that you eat… PLEASE SHARE in the comments! 

POST WORKOUT RECOVERY SHAKE

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It is super important to feed your body after a workout!  You must give it the fuel it needs to repair.  To keep your metabolism kicking after you exercise, you need to eat a proper post-workout “meal” within 45 min of that workout.  That can be hard to do, and that’s why I love a good supplement shake.  This is one of my favorites!
Chocolate Almond Protein Shake
Blend:
1/2 of a banana
High quality chocolate protein powder- BUY NOW
1 cup Almond milk
1 TBS Almond Butter
Perfect for the body and yummy to your tummy!