Grocery shopping is my favourite kind of shopping, everything fits! To save time, money and most importantly, to ensure you get all the healthy ingredients you need for a nutritious week, here are some suggestions for a successful trip to the grocery store.
1) Planning
The first step is to plan your meals for the next few days and then make a list of the foods you will need from there. STICK to the list if you want to be successful in keeping costs down and keeping non- nutrient dense food out of the house.
2) Be an informed consumer.
Take some time and read the label. Marketers are geniuses and can make the most sugar-laden foods into superfoods! Look at the first five ingredients in a product. If there are more than five, or the label contains words that cannot be pronounced - I bet there's a healthier option for you :)
3) Make an economical choice
Health food stores have a wonderful selection of top quality organic products - oftentimes at a cost. The difference between organic produce and the produce at the general grocery store is less pesticides - the nutrient content remains the same. If cost is a key factor in your grocery shpping, get the produce from the regular grocery store! Im my opinion, it's more important to eat lots of fruits and veggies than to choose organic.
4) Be adventurous
Look up new recipe ideas and look to try new fruits and veggies each week.
Here's a recipe for Veggie Burgers
•2 cups mashed chickpeas •1 stalk celery, diced •1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced •1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced •1/4 cup white onion, diced •1 carrot, grated •1/2 onion, minced •2 tbsp BBQ sauce •1/2 tsp garlic powder or fresh garlic •1/2 tsp cumin •1/4 cup quinoa flour •salt and pepper to taste •oil for frying
Prep:
Mash all ingrdients together except oil. Make into patties and put onto lightly oiled frying pan until each side is golden brown.
Gluten is the protein in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, Kamut and triticale. Some people have an intolerance to it. A large degree of the population does not assimilate dairy very well, either, says nationally known nutritionist and bestselling author Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D.
Eliminating foods the body is intolerant of, such as dairy and wheat, can be helpful in a variety of ways. For example, the body is better able to absorb nutrients, Gittleman says. However, not everyone reacts to a food intolerance in the same way, Gittleman notes, so other benefits of removing the offending food will vary.
My first two days has certainly been a change! The biggest difficulty, unsurprisingly, was going vegetarian. Where I would normally have chicken, I have had egg whites and tuna. I plan on bbqing some salmon on a cedar plank to have available for the rest of the week.
Monday & Tuesday Food log:
Gluten free- super easy for me as there are so many alterntives out there, and my major source of carbohydrates is from vegetables anyways.
Sugar free- a little harder, but I've become aware of how I take little bites of sweets and baked good here and there... I have had to practise some self control here!
Vegetarian - protein shakes are the best and easiest way for me to ensure I get protein, I ate egg whites for breakfast this morning and also have had some tuna on top of a spinach salad.
Mon Breakfast - Vi-Shape Protein Shake, Black Coffee, multivitamin Snack - Broccoli slaw w Olive Oil/Balsalmic dressing, tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, almonds Lunch - Mixed Salad with egg whites Snack - Shake Dinner - Veggie Chili Snack - Gluten free crackers and salsa
Tues Breakfast - Egg Whites, Green tea, multivitamin Snack - Shake w unseetened Choc Almond milk Lunch - Salad with Tuna Snack - Shake w yogurt Dinner - Veggie Chili
My workouts: Monday was a light TRX/core workout as my legs were still hurting from the Saturday race. Yesterday was hardcore!! I took part in Boot Camp with D, which was a circuit of 6 exercises, one minute on/one minute rest. We did kettlebell swings, rope slams, bike, box jumps, lunges and push press. I then decided, because it was finally cool enough during the day, to do a hill workout which lasted about 55 minutes. I capped off the day by teaching a 30min spin/core class.
My legs hate me today.
I actually can't stand.
I'm lying on the couch writing this and the foam roller is calling my name.
I don't usually train as much as I did yesterday, but it happened, so I'm telling you.
Anyone else doing a mini challenge? How's it going?
I had a great chat with a couple I train last week about happiness, and just what it IS. They remarked that, while there are scales to measure depression, there isn't a true "happiness scale." That happiness is judged by external views, material items, and often we measure another person's happiness by their material wealth.
Happiness defined by the dictionary:
hap·py /ˈhæpi/ Show Spelled[hap-ee] Show IPA adjective, hap·pi·er, hap·pi·est. 1. delighted, pleased, or glad, as over a particular thing: to be happy to see a person. 2. characterized by or indicative of pleasure, contentment, or joy: a happy mood; a happy frame of mind. 3. favored by fortune; fortunate or lucky: a happy, fruitful land
I think it is truly defined by the individual. It's the 'particular thing' that is unique to everyone's individual state. It's whatever they call the 'fortune' in their life that enables their ability to feel happiness.
This chat prompted me to do some research and I stumbled upon this blog... http://bradpilon.com/weight-loss/happiness-is-the-goal/ which led me to update me facebook status to this.....
At the end of the day, it's not about the fact that you lost X amount of lbs, increased your bench press by THISMUCH weight, or are making a certain amount of money. It's about the feeling of being happy in what you are doing. Happiness is always the goal.
and then I had Jenn weigh in on the subject......
Tyler and I have spent a lot of time discussing this both in the past and tonight and honestly I think the biggest thing people need to learn is to not let greed get in the way of their own happiness. Too many people want a bigger and better job/car money etc. when happiness is all around us. Happiness is what you make it, and in the documentary it talk a lot about how the most happy people are the ones that are not only active in life but also part of a bigger picture socially. People living within communities where everyone is looking out and helping everyone else. Everyones happiness is different but it's within everyone's soul. I think a major part of happiness is self reflection an being thankful for the everyday events and people in our lives that surround us with love and support. I have tons more views on happiness. I know I'm not the "happiest" person out there, but it is also something that I have personally worked on over the past few years by just being a more honest and caring person by doing more random acts of kindness and helping out where ever I can when I can.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's a topic that I almost find tough to formulate a solid thought about. I would call myself happy when I am training myself and other people, and that it is my 'fortune' I have a job that stems from my passion for fitness, health and competitive. However, if you read my post about the convo I had with myself while I was racing, you probably wouldn't have called my outlook on fitness and competitive a "happy" one.
I'm pleased and overjoyed that I am able to continue on with school and become a Doctor of Chiropractic, and believe that the career waiting for me will provide me a "happy" life.. but if you saw me in my 8th hour of studying for finals, crazed and delirious would be more a more fitting description than one of happiness.
If someone asked me my ideal summer, I would say that is it when I am sitting by the lake at a cottage, listening to the hip and enjoying time with family and friends. Am I more happy in this scene than when I am training? If I was to sit dockside for 7 days in a row, and not fit in a workout, I definitely wouldn't feel happy.
I think back to a post of mine, labeled "Happy, Healthy, Wealthy and Successful." One might think, that being healthy, wealthy and successful would mean happiness. Yet, I mentioned it as a seperate entity, perhaps meaning that I look for happiness in other things, and am striving for health, wealth and success so that I do not have those stresses to take away from other forms of happiness.
It's funny, I know the feelings I want to achieve and the things I want to do... but I still haven't set a finish line. I want to be a trainer... I want to be a chiropractor... I want to own my own business... I want to work at the olympics... I want to run an ironman. All of these goals... when I achieve them, I will feel happiness. But then I will move on to working towards the next goal so that I can feel it again. The pursuit of happiness never stops. Perhaps this is why there is no measurement on happiness.
I don't think I am even going to take the time to read this post over and see if it makes sense. Being all over the place with my words just goes to show how muddled up the topic is. I'd love to hear your input. Can you rank when you are most happy? Can you think of a single point in time when you were the happiest? How do you recreate that feeling?
I found this topic very thought provoking. Thanks Tyler and Jenn! :)
A key to sticking to my challenge is pre-planning. I'm already wondering where I will get my protein sources from?! What veggies should I add in to my rather plain diet? What will I eat for dinner! I am going to make a pot of vegetarian chili tonight to have on hand for dinner or a snack.
Reminder.... proceed with caution if you choose to join in, or revise my mini challenge guidelines to suit you. I am just experimenting with a new nutrition plan, I don't necessarily think that everyone needs to be gluten free or that vegetarian is "better." Just trying something out!
Day 1 Meal ideas
Protein Shake mixed with chocolate almond milk Broccoli Slaw Salad with my homemade Mustard/Balsalmic Dressing and 1 serving of salba I just mix mustard and the balsalmic together. I love mustard! Handful of almonds Egg whites Garden salad Grilled veggies apple and all natural peanut butter
Vegetarian Chili adapted from allrecipes.com
1tbsp vegetable oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped carrots 1 cup chopped green bell pepper 1 cup chopped red bell pepper 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms 1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, undrained 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, undrained 2 cups spinach 1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
Heat the oil in pot over med heat. Add in garlic, onion and carrots until tender. Mix in peppers. Season with chili powder. Add in mushrooms, beans and spinach. Season with oregano and garlic powder to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, cooking for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
I don't like status quo and am always looking for new challenges. So, I've decided for the next 7 days, starting Monday to embark on this self-made challenge
1) Vegetarian 2) Log my 60-90 min workout everyday (I will post workout) 3) At least 1.5L of water everyday 4) 2 shakes, 2 snacks and dinner 5) Log my food intake 6) Gluten-free 7) Sugar free
Fitting in the workouts will be the easiest part. These will be tailored to running and include different types of training runs, core workout and TRX workouts.
Shakes will be no different than what I do right now, except that I vary between and 2 shakes, depending on the day.
Water intake will be interesting. Besides coffee, water is the only liquid I consume, however, I have never really tracked my intake.
Gluten-free and sugar free will be a bit harder, I tend to eat 80% gluten and sugar free, but plan to completely avoid it this week.
Vegetarian will be the HARDEST of all of these challenges as I am the most carnivorous female you will ever meet! I have no real reason for incorporating this into my challenge, other than the sole fact that I want to expand the vegetables I eat and explore other sources of protein so that I can better aid the vegetarians I train.
I blog so that I hold myself accountable. I think stating a goal to others is important as it solidifies it as something you truly want to achieve. Keeping a goal to yourself leaves far too much room for you to negotiate with yourself and make excuses.
I set forth a goal for my 10.5km race yesterday, and stated to people close to my that I would like to place top 3 in the race. At the time, looking at previous years results, my results from 10k's I have ran this year and knowing I felt strong, I felt this top 3 finish was realistic. Race day proved otherwise, and I ended up playing 7th (we're talking gender placing). If you had been in my head during the run you would have been hysterical at the conversation I had with myself.
"Omg, another female passing you Alli, wtf you didn't train hard enough you don't deserve to reach your goal"
"No, it's fine, run your race, your pace is right on track. Settle in and grind away."
"Are you effing kidding me, is that another hill? That wasn't marked on the effing map. EFFFFFFFFFFF"
"Ok, just pump your arms and work your way up, hills are your fave training day, and you can kill this hill."
"Ok, there's no way I can finish top 3. What am I going to write in my blog? Everyone is going to know I failed my goal. I can't lie! Maybe I'll just pretend this race didn't happen"
"No, Alli, not everyone achieves their goal the first, second or third time. This just leaves room for improvement."
"Just keep running, Just keep running." (To the tune of just keep swimming from Finding Nemo"
"Where the EFF is the water station!!!!!"
"Ahhhhhhhhh finito. That wasn't THAT bad!"
Ya, soooo I'm a bit crazy when I run. So vastly different from team sports where I pretty much blackout and my body goes into autopilot. I do that when I'm driving too haha
Do you talk to yourself when you run? Please let me know I'm not the only one.
I am very excited today as I have a 1/4 marathon (10.5K) race tomorrow in Oshawa. My mom is running it too, along with her 10k clinic that she instructs at the Newmarket Running Room.
So, today will consist of training clients, an easy 30 min run for myself, hydrating and just fuelling myself properly for tomorrow!
My mom and I adopted a "pretty much" gluten free lifestyle in 2005. I remember this because it was my first year of university, and when she would come to visit she would load me up on groceries. (Side note: This was awesome. Thanks mom !!) Anyways, she began eating gluten free as part of a cleanse and then casually started swapping my regular food items for gluten free versions of them. For her, this was the kickstart she needed, dropping 25lbs and keeping it off as she found a love for running. For me, it was free haha. However, it stuck as I do find I feel better when I avoid wheat or starchy carbs. I don't have an intolerance or any stomach issues, it's totally a choice for my personal nutrition.
So that being said, my palate loves SWEETS, and to keep with a healthy, nutritious lifestyle, I experiment to make healthier version sweets to satisfy my sweet tooth and keep the bod tight. Win-win! I've come up with this gluten free, sugar free recipe for cookie bites.
1/4 cup all natural crunchy peanut butter 1/4 cup unsweetened chocolate almond milk 1 egg 8 drops stevia 2/3 cup quinoa flour 1 tsp baking soda Handful chocolate chips
Place in small muffin tin, bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes!
Everytime I step onto a cardio machine (which actually isn't all too often but....), I shake by head at the preset "fat burning" and "cardio training" zone buttons.
The fat burning zone is characterized by exercising at a lower intensity - walking or a light jog, not letting your heart rate go above 40-60% of your max. The cardio zone is an increase in heart rate percentage to 70-85%. So, how is it then, that when you are working harder you are actually "burning less fat?"
In actual fact, you are burning more fat when you are exercising at a higher intensity, the disconnect comes in the percentage of fat vs. carbs you are using when exercising at the two different intensity levels. When you are walking or jogging, your body does burn a higher amount of calories from fat. However, in the 'cardio' zone, you burn an overall higher amount of calories - meaning an overall higher amount of calories burned from fat.
Here is a chart to better explain taken from http://exercise.about.com/cs/cardioworkouts/l/aa022601a.htm
Low intensity exercise of 130 lb woman: Total cal expended per minute - 4.86 Fat expended per minute - 2.43 Total cal over 30 min - 146 Total fat in 30 min - 73 %of fat burned - 50%
High intensity exercise of same 130lb woman - Total cal expended per minute - 6.86 Fat expended per minute - 2.7 Total cal over 30 min - 206 Total fat in 30 min - 82 %of fat burned - 39.85%
While low intensity cardio has its place, if weight/fat loss is your goal, I believe that exercising at a higher intensity will help you to achieve the results you want.
Nutriton Tip - Drink 1-2 glasses of water 5-10 minutes before eating a meal. Water will help you to feel more full and reduce the risk of overconsumption.
Fitness Tip - Try a Tabata for high intensity cardio. 20 seconds of as many reps of an exercise as you can (light-no resistance), 10 seconds rest - repeat 8X.
I used to avoid you To put forth the minimum effort and expect extraordinary results
They didn’t come.
I worked a little harder Got a little better And liked how success felt. So my effort levels increased, and goals were set. You got me out of bed in the morning and we’re the last thing I thought about before I went to sleep You challenged me, made me Stronger Smarter Successful You showed me what I can do That the only limits are the ones I set for myself You've allowed me to accomplish my dreams And to set my sights even higher I will never give you up. I will always
TGIF:) and I'm ready to hit the weekend in full force! I can't explain to you my obsession with mojitos. My friend Kim made me a blueberry mojito when we were hangin' poolside midday and I HAD to share it with you! Minus the rum you add ( a little, or a lot....) it's a healthier drink option, super delicious and looks pretty!
Ingredients 12 fresh spearmint leaves Blueberries 7oz sparkling water 2 drops stevia 1/2 lime Rum (to taste!)
In a tall glass, muddle the mint, lime juice and stevia. Add the blueberries and muddle gently. Add crushed ice, rum and then sparkling water. Garnish with a lime and some mint leaves and enjoy!
Today is a rise and grind kind of day! Sprang out of bed because I'm always excited to have my morning coffee and protein shake, then went to teach 6am and 8am Boot Camp. I fit in a quick circuit training workout afterwards.
I was talking to a former teammate of mine last night about how our training styles have changed so much since playing bball. For me, I no longer lift super heavy. I stick to higher reps and lower weight. Now, lower weight doesn't mean light weight.. it just means an appropriate amount of weight for the 15-20 reps I am doing. I find my body responds much better to this type of training and I perform better in races by doing so.
I left work today just feeling elated! It's mix of the summer weather, all of the fun I have been having with my family and friends, my purposeful workouts and the amazing people I get to train with. I feel so grateful to have the opportunity to be be building a career, while I study for another peice that I can add to the fitness business. I want to say THANKS to everyone for working so hard. MERCI beaucoup to those of you who make health and fitness a priority and GRACIOUS for allowing me to be a small part of your life!
I made this video to express with my voice what I cannot with my words haha
I also made this banana bread, let's call it ACAIN's gluten free banana bread (because I've always wanted to stick my name on something).
It's made with healthier ingredients, some of which are superfoods on their own!
1 cup extra virgin olive oil - healthier option than butter/marg (monounsaturated fat) 10 drops stevia - plant-based sweetener, 0 cals, antioxidant 2 (1/4cup) egg whites - source of protein 1/4 cup greek yogurt - source of protein, I used a lactose free kind 2 mashed bananas - high potassium, low sodium so is helpful for prevention of high blood pressure 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 cup gluten free all purpose baking flour - I use Bob's Red Mill and this is good for those with celiac disease, or a sensitivity to gluten 1tsp baking soda 1tsp baking powder 1/8 cup salba - source of protein, antioxidants and high fibre 1tbsp cinnamon - helpful for maintaining blood sugar levels Handful chocolate chips (optional)- because they're delicious and I wanted to.
Mix the wet ingredients together, the dry ingredients together and the add together. Bake at 350 for 25-30 mins and enjoy.
It was painful for me to actually measure the ingredients, but I wanted to post this so you could make it too! lol Any banana bread fans out there?
This post is fueled by alcohol. No, I'm not day drinking.... but I had a few conversations this morning about everyone's weekend and obviously with it being summer, weekends revolve around drinks, food and overindulgence! When the regular routine comes back on Monday, you don't want to be a) experiencing a 2-day hangover or 2) only fit into your winter hibernation clothes. So, I've put together some tips.
Drink clear liquor. Might mean you’re playing flip cup with vodka.... be careful! While maintaining your fitness would ideally mean no alcohol whatsoever…. that’s not practical for many. So, stick to your clear liquors, like vodka which is about 60cals a shot. Beer and coolers are notoriously high in cals and sugar… so be proactive in your battle on bulge and if you drink, make it a clear liquor. Also, someone alerted me to the fact that Canada 67 beer is decent too!
Avoid snacking. I might be a snackasaurus rex, but I'm trying to make my breed extinct. Saying no to snacking is like Kim Kardash saying “no” to money. However, meals in the summer time, and long weekends specifically, tend to be ginormous. Hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, potato salad, corn on the cob etc. etc. If you avoid the in between, just something-to-do snacking on chips and pop… and either wait for your meal or try something more nutritious then you can keep your total day calorie intake in check and still enjoy the wonders of the BBQ (and hopefully your sexy grillmaster/cabana boy) offers you!
Join in the fun! Frisbee, volleyball, wakeboarding….. all great summer activities that burn cals. Get out there and play!
Plan your workouts in accordance to partying. Get in a workout before AND after you drink/eat your body weights worth of burgers. This isn’t the way to make progress with your fitness, but it will keep you from gaining too much.
Healthy, active living is the best lifestyle!
P.S. Make the healthy choice and opt for MAN CANDY instead ! :)
Hope you had a fab weekend! I certainly did :) Saturday morning I worked a few hours at the chiro clinic which I really enjoy. Although I am grateful for the break from CMCC, I worry that I will go back to school in Sept. and forget everything I learned this year. Being in the clinic keeps me fresh.
After work I made a few housecalls to people doing their 90 day challenge, and then did a shopping workout :) Credit card sure worked up a sweat... ! One of my purchases were these 4.5 inch heels!
I am a tall girl and wearing these, I stand at about 6'3! I choose to embrace my height and wear these skyhigh heels though... wouldn't want my ankles to get bored.
Saturday night we went downtown to celebrate JMann's bday!
Overindulgence may have happened, and I watched Shawshank Redemption multiple times while lying on the couch Sunday in "recovery" mode. I put myself together at around 7:30pm and went for a nice, long run. Weather was perfect at this time, and I decided to run through a part of Newmarket that I don't normally visit. It was so nice and peaceful, and I found some cute new communities that I didn't know existed!
My day today consists of 3-way calls, training, the driving range and a hill workout tonight.
This heat is really messing up my routine... I want to give full effort with my race training and find that running in the heat causes me to come up with a hundred excuses to cut my runs short. So, I have been waiting until 8-9pm to train.
With all of my time during the day, I have been experimenting with healthy baking! My latest experiment was Protein Fudge.
To make the fudge, combine all ingredient in a box and mix together until stiff. Flatten into a pan and put into freezer for at least an hour!
I broke these into little pieces so they were easy to grab, and had it along with my shake for breakfast and lunch today. Obv use it as a treat and don't go overboard!
Yummy healthy alternative!
On another note I am looking to hire some health and wellness enthusiasts to help me build my fitness and nutrition business! If you are looking to make some income in your spare time and enjoy living a healthy active lifestyle, we should chat! Email allison@acaintraining.com
I post a few everyday, but I probably look at a few hundred! I love being inspired, and I also like to try to pass on that inspiration to you.
I came across this quote the other day, and it really put things into perspective: "Genius; 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration" - Thomas Edison. So true, right? Quotes might evoke a temporary feeling of "I can achieve anything!" But unless you wake up everyday to work towards that goal..... The motivation really hasn't done anything to put you any closer to your goal.
I challenge myself everyday to do something towards at least 3 of the various goals I have... And finally my perspiration has paid off in one aspect... I am moving out of my mom's home and into a condo downtown!
I've had this plan for over a year now, and there were a few major obstacles, with $ being the biggest one. By taking on a second business that I worked on in my spare time, and at my own pace (that I love to do and isn't a chore!) I am now able to afford that downtown price tag... It's a great feeling!
Hard work pays off! I challenge you to do something everyday to work towards your goal!
P.S. Nothing with ACAINtraining is changing! My life is staying the same in all aspects except for where I return home to at night :) I love boot camp too much to ever leave! Lol
Last September, my husband and I moved to Newmarket and I finally decided to use this moving month to make some changes in my fitness and lifestyle that were a couple of years overdue!
I found Alli through a simple on line search for a bootcamp and decided to give it a try. I was not looking for a gym with a lot of people or an individual program as I do best with a small group plus it is more affordable!
My first day was tough as it had been awhile (as I explained to Ali) but I had been my best a couple of years before this and was pretty sure I could do it again. It was time! Alli reminded me to do what I could, baby steps and the rest would come. Of course she was right. I loved that I finished the first session..that was a good step. The rest was to build up my endurance, and keep going.
Did I mention that I also had my 50th birthday in February and this was also my commitment to myself for my 50th year . To be healthy and fit again. Menopause had also arrived early - bringing with it lots of hormonal changes, little energy, etc..I needed to do this first step in hopes that it would help with the rest. It’s now 8 months later and all is going great – down two sizes and 30lbs. Thank you Alli for such a great boot camp! I love the classes and really enjoy the creativity in each one. The fact that each class is different is also what keeps me coming back. Each exercise is always explained in detail and this really helps me to hopefully do it right. I never knew you could do so much with a medicine ball , kettlebell, TRX and weights, etc.
I still have a ways to go..and will reach my next step as well.
Your recommendations on healthy eating program, etc has also helped and provided the energy I needed to get back into things.. I travel a lot and run a business with my husband so we are constantly on the road for both work and our own personal passion of travel. The Vi progam has also helped me to get back on track with an easy breakfast and lunch and additional energy. I’m now sharing with friends who are asking me what I’ve been doing. ..
I wished they all lived in Newmarket and we could add another boot camp class to the week!
Thanks for sharing, Elaine! Your transformation has been incredible! You are doing this the right way; setting small, measurable goals and ticking them off one by one before setting a new one. I am proud of you!
