Vegan Breakfast Sandwich

updated post Breakfast Sandwiches are a mainstay in our household. We make them for breakfast and sometimes for lunch or an afternoon snack. My husband especially loved them. And these days they are so easy to make vegan! Check out my fave ways to craft a vegan breakfast sandwich in under fifteen minutes...Read more »

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Ladies Only: Nutrition and Training for Performance and Cramps

Make the most of your cycle by learning what works for you while training.

Like clockwork, every other month when the tomato truck was in town, I used to wake up at 5 am with cramps on the cusp of becoming crippling.

 

If the tomato truck seems like a too-descriptive visual, then how’s shark week? It seems a little more subtle and might make you feel fierce.

 

Every other month only?

 

read more

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Caprese Chickpea Burgers

Lighten up your summer eating with this chickpea based vegetarian burger.

Lighten up your summer eating with this chickpea based vegetarian burger. Mixed up with a compliment of Italian seasonings, these chickpea patties bring a bit of pizzaz to your table while providing protein and fiber. One of the problems I’ve come across when making vegetarian burgers is that they tend to be more of a challenge to hold together because the legume base is a lower fat content than using meat. In order to allow this burger to be pressed together and remain moist, ground flaxseed and olive oil are added.

read more

from Breaking Muscle http://bit.ly/2I985yC
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Ladies Only: Nutrition and Training for Performance and Cramps

Make the most of your cycle by learning what works for you while training.

Like clockwork, every other month when the tomato truck was in town, I used to wake up at 5 am with cramps on the cusp of becoming crippling.

 

If the tomato truck seems like a too-descriptive visual, then how’s shark week? It seems a little more subtle and might make you feel fierce.

 

Every other month only?

 

read more

from Breaking Muscle http://bit.ly/2W4wwlD
via IFTTT

Caprese Chickpea Burgers

Lighten up your summer eating with this chickpea based vegetarian burger.

Lighten up your summer eating with this chickpea based vegetarian burger. Mixed up with a compliment of Italian seasonings, these chickpea patties bring a bit of pizzaz to your table while providing protein and fiber. One of the problems I’ve come across when making vegetarian burgers is that they tend to be more of a challenge to hold together because the legume base is a lower fat content than using meat. In order to allow this burger to be pressed together and remain moist, ground flaxseed and olive oil are added.

read more

from Breaking Muscle http://bit.ly/2WC01Q2
via IFTTT

Friday Faves

Hi friends! Happy Friday and helloooooo from the Disney Wonder. We’re having the most magical time on this cruise and I can’t wait to report back with all of the details. In a nutshell, the Alaskan scenery is absolutely breathtaking, I’ve been eating salmon upon salmon for pretty much every meal, we’ve loved spending all of this extra time with the Pilot, and the girls are living their best Disney lives. They’ve met so many characters already and are fully enjoying all of the activities and fun aboard the ship.

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party! Here’s where I share some faves from the week and around the web. I always love to hear about your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re lovin’ in the comments section below. 

Random + fun: 

Vancouver adventures. You guys. Vancouver is INCREDIBLE. We got to spend a few days in Vancouver before heading out to Alaska, but we already can’t wait to go back. There’s so much to do there and so many unique local restaurants.

While we were in town, we ate sushi at Kamei Royale,

(the sashimi salad was out of this world!),

swam at the hotel,

got gelato at Bella Gelateria 

(this flavor was a mix of rose water, saffron, and turmeric)

and enjoyed a full day at the aquarium. This one was highly recommended and didn’t disappoint. The girls LOVED it and the exhibits were so much fun. We got to see live sloths, enormous sea lions, bats (!! this ended up being one of our favorites! They flew around the cave stopping to eating fruit from giant fruit skewers), a dolphin, otters, jellyfish, a tide pool, and so much more. 

We took advantage of public transportation and I was thankful we didn’t have to lug carseats around. We took the Sky Train from the airport to downtown and the rest of the time, we took the bus or walked. 

Another memorable meal was breakfast at 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters. We shared a few donuts (vegan double chocolate, peanut butter and jelly, raspberry cheesecake) and for my entree, I chose the keto plate with salmon instead of bacon. (Got the salmon party started early.)

Betsy and I also took an early morning Orangetheory class overlooking the water! Class on Monday morning was super intense (a 1.5 mile run followed by a 2000m row and bodyweight circuit) but a great way to start off vacation. 

A recent find:

Havenly! I’ve been wanting to update the formal living room for a while now and came across Havenly. They ask for dimensions and photos of your room, info about current products you have and want to keep, and you go through a few rounds of questions for the stylist to determine your style preferences. From here, your stylist presents concepts for your room, including where to buy each of the listed products. I LOVE her idea for the formal living room! I asked for an updated feel, wanted to add a plant, and wanted to keep our leather chair and couch from World Market. Here’s what she came up with:

If you want to check it out, my referral link is here! (It gives you $50 off a full design package and $20 off a mini design.) It’s a great way to get ideas for a full refresh or just an update, especially if you’re like me and you get overwhelmed once you start looking online for products. (#notsponsored)

Fashion + beauty:

Beautycounter sunscreen. We’ve been using this a lot lately. I love that it’s mineral-based (so much better for your skin and for the earth!), and it glides on smoothly without being chalky. The kiddos also enjoy using the sunscreen stick. I always have one in my purse to put on my hands while I’m driving. 

Ordered this swimsuit before we left for our trip and it’s SO cute. It’s extremely flattering and the bottoms are high enough to hide the scar on my belly. Wins all around. (It’s on sale right now, too!)

My splurge sandals. I got these in a recent Trunk Club delivery and while they looked incredible and fit well, I felt like the price tag was too steep. I was flooded with DMs on Instagram, and it was a mix of “Keep the sandals, I have three pairs and love them!” or “They have these ones that look the exact same on Amazon.” In the end, I decided to stick with the original ones because the quality is fantastic and they feel really comfortable to wear. The reviews for the Amazon ones were mixed as far as comfort goes and I’m really picky about shoes fitting well and feeling good since we’re out and about all day. The thing that sealed the deal: the Pilot saw them lying on a chair in our room while I was debating and said, “Those are really cool shoes. You’re keeping them, right?” Welp, twist my arm.

Nordstrom half-yearly sale is heeeeeere. This is pretty much a holiday (and ends this weekend).

Some fave picks from the sale:

The famous Leith dress is 20% off. I have three of these because they’re incredibly flattering and perfect to dress up or down.

Love these wedges! They give me extra height and are extremely comfortable to wear all day.

This dress is perfect for summer weddings or date nights.

This chambray romper.

How cute is this phone case?!

Fitness:

One of my fave treadmill workouts.

An interesting reason to maybe consider that marathon…one of these days.

Lower body AMRAP workout.

Read, watch, listen:

Advice for your younger self.

Where the Crawdads Sing. I feel like I was the last person to read this one and why did I wait?? I’ve been devouring this each night before bed. The descriptions in this book are so vivid, you feel like you’re living the story along with the main character. I can’t wait to finish this one.  

The podcast will be back next week! Make sure you’re subscribed if you haven’t already, and I’ll have a giveaway next week to celebrate its return. 

Good eats:

You need this s’mores in a jar.

Delicious packable sandwich options.

Can’t wait to try this baked strawberry oatmeal.

Happy Friday, friends! Hope you have a beautiful weekend.

xo

Gina

The post Friday Faves appeared first on The Fitnessista.

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Full Body Jump Rope Challenge Workout

Workout equipment:

Workout type: Challenge

Timer setting: Stopwatch

Complete 3 rounds:

50 Double unders OR 100 Single unders
15 Push up plank jumps
30 Side lunges
50 Criss-cross feet jumps w/ jump rope
20 Handstand shoulder touches
10 Knees to elbows
20 Plank hip dips

Bonus: 3 rounds max Pull ups

——————————————————

Leave your time in the comments below.

My time for today’s workout: 15:07

Did you do this workout?Tweet It!

The post Full Body Jump Rope Challenge Workout appeared first on 12 Minute Athlete.

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5 personal trainer red flags

When I first started working with a personal trainer (in college) I had no idea what to expect. I got suckered into a contract through a big box gym – it was a pickle to get out of it, let me tell ya – and had a guy with very little experience training me. He had a high school degree and no fitness-related certifications. I learned a lot about muscle groups and how to strength train in the first couple of weeks, but it went south very quickly. For example, he told me to get a bagel with cream cheese after each training session but also said I should only eat 1000 calories per day. (<— never ever do this) 

Now that I’ve been in the fitness industry and have been certified as a personal trainer for 10 years (!), I thought I’d share some red flags I wish I would have known as a personal training CLIENT. We all know that personal trainers should support clients as they work towards their goals in a safe and strategic manner. There are so many incredible trainers out there, but unfortunately, there are some jokers in the mix.

Here are some red flags to look out for when you’re considering working with a personal trainer:

– They don’t do any type of movement assessment before training you. A good trainer should be able to determine your strengths, weaknesses, and body composition, and use this information to develop your training plan. You should also complete a Par-Q (which determines your readiness for exercises), a health history form, and a form that indicates your exercise experience and goals. The first meeting should be very little training; lots of paperwork and movement assessments. You’ll often have to do something like a 3-minute walk or jog, an upper body strength and/or agility test, lower body strength and/or agility, overhead squat assessment, push, and/or pull assessment. 

– They don’t help you with proper form. As a gym-goer, it’s surprising for me to see trainers with their clients, and they’re not actively watching them. They should be correcting you along the way to make sure you’re executing the moves safely and with proper form. If they’re daydreaming, or looking at someone else: red flag. 

– They tell you what and how much to eat. This is a huge NO. It’s outside the scope of our practice to tell clients what and how much to eat. We cannot give specific eating plans. However, we can share healthy meal ideas! If your trainer writes you a meal plan without any background training (like an RD or reputable nutrition certification), bye Felicia. This also holds true for supplements. The only person who should consult you on the types of supplements to use is a medical professional. This also holds true for medical diagnoses. A good trainer will always refer you to a medical professional if you need specialized care.

– They spend the whole time talking about themselves. Yes, friendly banter is important (and makes the session more fun) but the emphasis should be on YOU: your goals, your family, your jobs. If you want to talk about it! And if you want to be silent while your trainer counts reps and corrects form for you, totally cool. 

– They don’t create a plan for you, and seem to “wing it” each time. Many trainers will wing sessions based on a goal they have in their mind. At the same time, they should have a file for you with weight progressions (how much you’re squatting, etc.) so they know how to build up. They should also phase your training (an endurance phase, a max strength phase, and a hypertrophy phase) so you don’t hit a plateau. 

So tell me friends: have you worked with a personal trainer? What was your experience like? 

Any red flags you’d add to the list? 

xo

Gina

The post 5 personal trainer red flags appeared first on The Fitnessista.

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The 12 Minute Athlete June Flexibility Challenge

“Get more flexible” is a common goal in the 12 Minute Athlete community. So for our June community challenge, we’re focusing on building flexibility through targeted stretches and mobility work. 

Flexibility isn’t just helpful for stretching into cool-looking poses, although it’s an awesome perk! Improving your flexibility and mobility can help you maintain proper form in your workouts, help your muscles recover faster, and improve your overall posture in your daily life.

If you…

• Want to feel less tight following a workout
• Spend most of your workday sitting at a desk
• Want less back pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, etc.
• Have trouble getting through a workout because of tight muscles
• Want to improve your form during workouts
• Feel muscle imbalances when you have extended exercise (like walking, running, and hiking)

…then this challenge is for you!

With this challenge we want to show you why it’s important to stay flexible and how having much mobility can help with other cool skills and exercises.

We’ll give you the tools you need to work on your flexibility for the long run, and you can take whatever stretches you like and add them to your post-workout cool down routine!

What to know before you start the June Flexibility Challenge:

• Although you can certainly get more flexible in a month, the key to long-term flexibility is to stretch a little bit almost every day. Even 5-10 minutes of stretching at the end of every day will make a big difference in your long-term flexibility.
• Each week includes a suggested light warm up – don’t skip this! You can also do the stretching routine after your regular workout, but make sure you’re warm before you do the stretches. It’s important to never go into static stretching completely cold.
• If you really want to up your flexibility game, you can continue the previous week’s stretches as you add on new stretches in time with the challenge. This is a great way to continue to build flexibility in some areas of the body while you start to work on new ones. Remember, flexibility comes with time and practice!

Rules of the June Flexibility Challenge:

• The challenge will run for four weeks, from June 3rd to June 28th. 
• The first week kicks off on Monday, June 3rd.
• We’ll post the weekly focus and instructions for the upcoming week on the blog each Monday.
• You won’t need any equipment for the stretches but ideally you’ll have access to a foam roller for mobility work.
• Aim to complete the recommended exercises three to five times a week.
• Hold each stretch for 45-60 seconds, and do them for 2-3 rounds.
• You can take part in the challenge by posting to our Facebook group or by tagging #12MAflexibility and @12minuteathlete on social media.
• One lucky hard worker will win my favorite foam roller and a signed copy of the 12 Minute Athlete book!

The post The 12 Minute Athlete June Flexibility Challenge appeared first on 12 Minute Athlete.

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Thick Thighs to Save Lives

Using BFR bands can help gain muscle size and strength.

Biologically, men maintain most of their mass in their upper half while women maintain most of their weight in the lower half. Body types come in endomorph, mesomorph, and ectomorph flavors with variations. The title of “hard gainer” typically attributes itself to the ectomorph, you know, long and lanky—imagine an adolescent basketball player.

 

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from Breaking Muscle http://bit.ly/2VUhezS
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Thick Thighs to Save Lives

Using BFR bands can help gain muscle size and strength.

Biologically, men maintain most of their mass in their upper half while women maintain most of their weight in the lower half. Body types come in endomorph, mesomorph, and ectomorph flavors with variations. The title of “hard gainer” typically attributes itself to the ectomorph, you know, long and lanky—imagine an adolescent basketball player.

read more

from Breaking Muscle http://bit.ly/2MgvtPN
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Medicine Ball Burner HIIT Workout

Workout equipment:

Workout type: 16 Minute

Timer setting: 24 x :10 x :30

1. Wall balls
2. Shoulder touch push ups
3. Jump lunges
4. Medicine ball pike jumps
5. Medicine ball slams
6. Medicine ball twists

Bonus: 30 Medicine jackknives + 20 Candlestick hip bridges / side

——————————————————

Leave your reps in the comments below.

My reps for today’s workout:

Wall balls 18, 17, 17, 16
Shoulder tap push ups 15, 14, 14, 13
Jump lunges 30, 28, 26, 26
Medicine ball pike jumps 34, 34, 33, 34
Medicine ball slams 23, 22, 23, 22
Medicine ball twists 34, 33, 33, 34

Did you do this workout?Tweet It!

The post Medicine Ball Burner HIIT Workout appeared first on 12 Minute Athlete.

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Vegan BLT Salad

This fast, easy and flavorful Vegan BLT Salad is perfect for lunch. You could also serve it alongside a vegan pizza or pasta at dinnertime. Or you could double the portion size for a full on entree salad. Creamy vegan ranch dressing coats crisp romaine lettuce, juicy summer tomatoes and tempeh bacon bits too. Add some steamed broccoli if you'd like and a hefty portion on buttery avocado on top...Read more »

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Classical Phys Ed for All

This is a simple, effective, and complete training program to help you operate better in the world.

Bodyweight training is fast, effective, accessible, and the best way into training. With a progressive, consistent approach, elite levels of fitness can be forged in this manner. After all, the body and its environment are really all most humans have ever had to train with.

 

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from Breaking Muscle http://bit.ly/2EPasWz
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Ginger Scallion Pork Burgers

Change up your barbequed burger routine with a little something unexpected.

Summer sun leads to relaxing summer grill-outs with friends and family. Change up your barbequed burger routine with a little something unexpected. Using meats that are not just beef for your patties brings both flavor and variety to your table. Ginger scallion pork burgers combine ground pork with the zestiness of garlic, ginger, and scallions along with the delicious sweet salty tang of soy sauce for a unique Asian flavor.

 

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from Breaking Muscle http://bit.ly/2X6Q3Dq
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Classical Phys Ed for All

This is a simple, effective, and complete training program to help you operate better in the world.

Bodyweight training is fast, effective, accessible, and the best way into training. With a progressive, consistent approach, elite levels of fitness can be forged in this manner. After all, the body and its environment are really all most humans have ever had to train with. Bodyweight calisthenics is the backbone of Georges Hebért’s Natural Method and the training of nearly every elite fighting unit throughout time.

read more

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