Quote of the Day

The ultimate protein smoothie

There seems to be a buzz about protein powders of late and following an array of health events, I’ve become intrigued by the benefits of this sports powder and the best way to incorporate it into my diet. I’ve always viewed sports powders as something only professional athletes and body builders would use. I also thought protein powder as only suitable as a meal replacement or weight loss tool. It appears I was wrong on both counts. 

Protein powders are a great morning boost that’s good for repairing muscle and helping your body recover after exercise. 

Here’s a recipe you will all become obsessed with. It was created by chef Teresa Cutter for Blackmores and is gluten free, low GI and protein rich. 


BERRY AND VANILLA SMOOTHIE Serves 1 

250 g (2 cups) mixed frozen berries 
1 tablespoon goji berries 
1 small banana or red apple, chopped with the skin 
200 g natural low fat yoghurt 
150 ml (2/3 cup) water 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1 teaspoon ground linseed (flaxseed) or flaxseed 
A little sweetener such as stevia or honey if required 
1 scoop/ sachet of protein powder (at the Blackmores event we tried this recipe with the ProDefinition for Women powder). 

Combine all the ingredients into a high speed blender. 
Blend until smooth and creamy. 
Serve immediately and enjoy. 

Kilojoules: 917 
Calories: 208 
Protein: 17.3 g 
Carbs: 31 g 
Total fat: 2.5 g 
Saturated: 0.2 g 
Fiber: 9 g 

Quote of the Day

Ripper quote! "Instead of wiping away your tears, you should wipe away the people who made you cry"

Workout of the Month

Workout of the Month - April

1. Jump Squat

How to: Lower into a squat, then jump into the air
Repeat for 30 seconds (15/20 reps)

2. Push ups

How to: Complete on either your knees of feet depending on your strength level
Repeat for 30 seconds

3. Burpee

How to: Squat down, then jump your feet behind you to come into a push-up position. Reverse the move to stand.
Repeat for 30 seconds

4. Invisible jump rope

How to: Jump quickly on the balls of your feet, turning your arms as though skipping, keeping your elbows tight to your sides.
Repeat for 30 seconds

5. Plank

How to: Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.
Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.
Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.
Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle.
Hold for 30 seconds

Repeat the above exercises 3 - 4 times through from exercise 1 - 5, with 90 seconds rest after you have completed the 5th exercise.

Complete 3 times per week.

It Really is Worth it!

Chlorophyll

Chlorophyll helps support the body’s detoxification process by assisting in the elimination of toxins. Chlorophyll also works with the normal bacteria in the gut to maintain a healthy balance.  Chlorophyll is highly alkaline which can help to counteract the acidic nature of processed foods.  Found in the green pigment found in plants, it is responsible for absorbing and transforming energy from the sun into essential nutrients needed by plants to grow.  Available in liquid and tablet form from most good health stores and is one of the best additions to any eating plan. 

Green Tea

Green tea has many amazing benefits that can assist with weight loss and fat burning, bringing a positive effect to our body weight as well as our well being.

Green tea is the least processed tea variety compared to oolong, black and white which all come from the Camellia sinesis bush, of which green tea leaves are steamed.   Due to this process it preserves the powerful antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) giving green tea its many health benefits.

These health benefits are as follows: 

•  Increases your metabolism helping you burn more calories/kilojoules during your day
•  Can help reduce the risk of developing many forms of cancer
•  Help lower total cholesterol levels
•   Helps improve the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol
•   Help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
•   Increases your body’s ability to burn fat

Keep in mind it is recommended to drink green tea on a regular basis being between 4 – 8 cups per day in order to get the full benefits from drinking green tea.  (Green tea does contain caffeine so for caffeine sensitive individuals it is recommended to limit your intake)   

Start adding green tea to your daily diet and you will start to see the wonderful benefits before you know it.

Calories !

"Calories (noun) Tiny creatures that live in your closet and sew you clothes a little bit tighter every night."