7 Skinny Rules from Biggest Loser's Trainer Bob Harper's Book: Skinny Rules

One of my favorite ways to spend a Sunday is cozied up in a Chapters with a big giant pile of books. I just love reading, learning and the endless number of amazing, interesting ideas there are out there.

I picked up Bob Harper's book, Skinny Rules, last weekend and not only could I not put it down, but I was just going bananas with my highlighter. While the tips are habits I'd already built a few years ago, the value I found in this book was that it is such a great guide for someone who is just looking for a clear, detailed place to start.

1. "End the day with preparation for a good start to the next: put a large, full glass of water on your bedstand every night and drink it when you wake up, every morning." 

How much of a babe is this guy,
I mean really??!
 Source: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images North America 

-- LOVE this! We sweat while we sleep and of course, that leads to slight dehydration. When you wake up in the morning, your body is just screaming for a big juicy glass of H20 and downing a full litre first thing in the AM will set your bod on "smooth sailing" mode for the rest of the day.

2. "Net carbs are, in short, digestible carbs - the carbs that cause weight gain. The figure is arrived at by subtracting grams of fibre from total grams of carbohydrate. A piece of whole-wheat bread might weigh in at 25 grams of carbs, but when you take out the 10 grams of fibre, you've got 15 net carbs. I'll take fewer carbs any way I can get them." 

3. "Just how much protein is enough? ... If you're 200 pounds, try to get at least 100 grams. I'm not saying it's 100 percent scientific, but more and more research shows that consumption of a high-protein diet with reduced high-carb foods results in better weight control metabolism. I'm saying it works. For me. For my clients, my contestants, and for you." 
While it will vary for each individual, I personally aim for around 125 grams per day with my clients, but I think as a starting point, 100 grams per day is a fantastic goal.

4. "Eat 30 to 50 grams of fibre a day. ...Eating fibre in the amounts I'm advocating is looking more and more promising as a way to prevent type 2 (diabetes). And I am talking fibre from food, not from supplements."
I used to work with a guy who was overweight, and would always go on about how "I start my diet Monday. Yup, just this one more Wendy's meal then I'm goin' hard. I did an hour of running on my treadmill last night." He would talk a lot about how he had so much trouble going to the washroom but would down a glass of Metamucil and "how much better he would feel."  Ya, Metamucil does not work the same way as eating a diet high in naturally-occuring fibre. Don't be like that guy. :-)

5. "We are, as humans, hardwired to seek sweetness. It is a powerful, deeply rooted inclination. We even have specialized taste buds for it on our tongue. Think about it: in evolutionary terms, sweetness, as in berries and wild fruits, signalled something that was safe and edible and high in energy - what cavement and -women needed to run all day. We don't need to run all day. That's why I want you to get away from all added sweeteners." 

6. "For many modern eaters, it's hard to imagine a time when fast foods... were a rare treat, but they were. ... But that is how it was - fast-food scarcity! - until three things happened: 

(1.) The government encouraged overplanting of crops like corn and soy (to sell to global markets). 
(2.) Food companies used low-priced corn to make less expensive sugars, allowing them to sell supersized portions cheaply.
(3.) A new-style American family emerged, with two parents working and no time to cook."
Think: High Fructose Corn Syrup, soy based protein bars, I challenge you to go check any box of cereal in your pantry and count how many of the ingredients are corn-based.

7. "Harper's Way is not easy. I told you that when we started. The old easy way got you here! If you want to change your life, and not just your lifestyle, you've got to do things differently. Or say fat. Period." 
Yes, yes, yes! Amen, Bobby!!!

All of these excerpts have been taken directly from Bob Harper's Skinny Rules and truly only give you a teeny tiny taste of all the awesomeness he's wrangled together in this read. His book, along with a million other tools, are available on his website http://www.mytrainerbob.com/. 

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking for a very easy to understand manual for how to make small changes in your daily life that will lead you to BIG results with your energy levels, your self esteem, your body size and shape, and your health! And really... what a fantastic Christmas present! How awesome is it to be able to give someone a gift that really means something this Holiday season - something that could be that tool they have been looking for, that really just flicks the switch inside of them - and allows them to find their greatness?

Dare ya to try it, I can definitely say it's one of the most empowering and awesome feelings I've ever found!

Tonight's inspiration is absolutely one of my favorite all time quotes ever to be found. You know that feeling you get when you see fireworks? It kinda makes me feel like that, but in my heart. Love this.

"It's never too late to be what you could have been." - George Eliot

Yours in strength and stretchiness,

- Brooke

xox

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Keeping it Clean + Lean: The Starbucks Strategy (Part 1)

Now, while I definitely do recommend that in search of finding that balanced, happy, healthy life, there are certain habits that will have to go out the window; but I also feel that there are some that are non-negotiables. And Starbucks is one of them - for me anyways! Ha ha :-)

Today, I share a few of my tips + tricks for keeping my Starbucks trips in check! Enjoy :-)

Rule #1 - A Single Indulgence is Still An Indulgence
We have all heard that moderation is key - but what does that really mean on a day-by-day basis? One of the rules I've found that really works in the long term is that it's fine to enjoy life and indulge a little - but I like to keep it so a "Single Indulgence" instead of a "Double"!

What this means is that if I am going to treat myself, I choose either a drink or a 'pastry' as an indulgence - never both. 

If I can't stop dreaming about Gingerbread Lattes  (Mmmmmm) I recognize that the sugary-sweet coffee is my treat - and save the goodies from the 'snack bar' for another time. (I am getting my sugar + calories from my coffee, and minimizing/eliminating extra calories from food).

If instead, I decide that to treat myself to piece of my fav Reduced-Fat Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake, I'll order just a normal brewed coffee with just a splash of soy milk + honey. (I am getting my sugar + calories from the banana cake, and minimizing the sugar/calories in my drink).

Rule #2 - Say No to Portion Distortion 
During my Business Degree, I got to spend a semester studying and living in Copenhagen and my gosh, I've got to say - what an eye-opener! It's funny, but I never truly realized how incredibly super-sized the whole world of North American food really is until I got to see how other people in the world live. Other beautiful, fit, trim, active, healthy people, that is... ha! (I'm not joking - everyone in Scandinavia looks like a walking supermodel and when you peek inside homes they really do look like a page from an Ikea magazine ha ha :))

So what's their secret?? Their portion sizes aren't distorted like ours! Denmark's "jumbo" sized coffee is the size of our Grande (medium)! Venti cups literally don't exist. I'm pretty sure if you showed a Dane the container that 7-11's "Big Gulp" comes in, they'd think they were on an episode of Punk'd.

My solution to our problem of "Portion Distortion" is simple - Starbucks' Venti, Second Cup's large and Tim Hortons' Large & Extra Large sizes, do not exist.  They are not even an option.

To really make this make sense - keep in mind that the average stomach is the size of a clenched fist -- doesn't it seem a like a bit of overkill to consume something that is about 2-3x that volume? I mean, really? If we actually take a moment to think about this, do we really need a LITRE of coffee?  Or do we just order that size because we have created a habit that we are so used to, we don't even think twice about it?

This brings me back to a point I have brought up many times before. When I talk about sustained weight loss - dropping the pounds and inches you want to drop - then actually keeping them off, it really is about re-inventing your set of "eating rules" and replacing unhealthy, destructive habits with happy, healthy ones.

By making the choice to remove the "Venti" size from your mind, you are creating a new way of thinking and I promise you, this truly is one of the secrets to a long, happy, healthy life!

Rule #3 - Your New Favorite Word: Mod
"Mod" is the hospitality industry's lingo for "to modify" - or to request a few changes to the menu item you're ordering. In general, the way I look at it is how can I cut calories, sugar and fat from my favorite drinks without having to doom myself to very sad life of never ever tasting another Gingerbread Latte? (ha! Can you tell I've got a weakness for GBL's? lol)

You've probably heard of the whole "half-sweet" idea before - and this one is GREAT! Ordering your latte "half-sweet" means that instead of putting 4 pumps of Gingerbread syrup into your Grande, they only put 2. Yes, it will taste a little different at first, especially if you are used to the 4 pumps, but back to my earlier point - to be successful with health and fitness in the long term we must be willing to change some of our habits and find a way to enjoy our new way of thinking. For example, try telling yourself the Half-Sweet Gingerbread Latte tastes better than the full-sweet version, and focusing on how sneaky you are for cutting all those extra calories and sugar from your diet - and trust me - before you know it, you won't even be able to taste the difference!

Another great little option that I love is the Americano Misto. I like to call this one my secret little weapon. This one's a great little replacement for a Cafe Latte - the only difference is it replaces 1/2 of the milk with water - saving you half the calories and carbs. (Awesome.)

And in closing, of course, my wise words for the day: 

“So be sure when you step, Step with care and great tact. And remember that life's A Great Balancing Act. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed)"  - Dr. Seuss 

Yours in strength and stretchiness,

- Brooke
xoxo

Bikini Bod Snacking: My 6 Current Snacking Obsessions (all around 200 cals!)

Well helloooo there beautiful!

After a week or so of being MIA, dont you worry, don't you worry child -- I'm BACK ;-) Wonder what I was up to? Ohhh just dancing the weekend away under the sunshine and stars at the very best jamboree there is... BMan.. there's just something about hearing your very favorite songs, live, in a big open field with a beer in your hand (yes, even us bikini athletes have to find a way to find balance in life and not forget to enjoy the little things! ;) I will note: this weekend's Bud Light Lime was my FIRST beer of the whole summer!!! Balance, balance, balance. 

Anyways, I've been meaning to put this post together forever now, and am so excited to share some of my absolute fav foods at the mo. These are all super easy, super simple and nice + balanced snack ideas that are great little ideas to have up your sleeve. Short + sweet post for today. Enjoy. 

1 cup 1% cottage cheese topped with ½  cup sliced red grapes

Nutrition: 260 cals | 32g protein | 3g fat | 29g carbs

Why's this snack brilliant? Well... first of all because it  (in a really weird way) kinda reminds me of cheesecake... and well.. come on, we all know that's just awesome! Something about the savory/salty flavor of the cheese, and the sweetness and crunchiness of the grapes.. i just love it! Instead of just eating a full cup of grapes, which are super sweet and pretty high carb, I balance this snack out by adding some protein and 'volume' with the cottage cheese. 

A sliced apple topped with 1 tbsp Maranatha all-natural almond butter + a sprinkle of cinnamon

MMMM... apples + cinnamon = 

Nutrition: 180 cals | 3g protein | 8g fat | 26g carbs

Why's this snack brilliant? Adding cinnamon to this high-carb snack actually helps slows down the whole digestion process. The benefits? Your blood sugar levels jump less than they would have by eating the apple sans cinnamon and you feel full longer :) score!  

2 tomato-basil rice cakes with ½ cup 1% cottage cheese

Nutrition:  200 cals | 18g protein | 5.5g fat | 25g carbs

Why's this snack briliant? This is another one of those "reminds me of" snacks. And it kinda "reminds me of" pizza! Seriously delish... just so very delish. 

2 plain rice cakes topped with 1 tbsp Maranatha all-natural chocolate almond butter + ½ a banana (if you really want a sweet tooth fix, sub the 2 plain cakes for 1 chocolate chip caramel rice cake! ;) hehe)

Nutrition: 215 cals | 5g protein | 9g fat | 32g carbs

Why's this snack briliant? Hollywood has it's power couples, and the world of food has almond butter. Ha ha. Yes, it's really THAT good for you! Not only is it a super-healthy fat, it's also packed with 7g of protein per serving. Protein being a bit more complex than the simple carbs (the rice cakes) takes longer for our body to digest, which is another bonus. Are you noticing a trend here? ha ha! Slow digesting foods are your friend. ;-) 

2 cups watermelon cubes dipped in ½ cup vanilla-flavored greek yogurt 

Nutrition:  215 cals | 12g protein | 2g fat | 38g carbs

Why's this snack briliant? Oh my goodness... my mouth is watering just thinking about this one! Gotta make this explanation quick. Greek yogurt is higher in protein than just regular yogurt, which helps prevent muscle loss, and fills you up. Also, watermelon is a superfood and the vanilla with the melon-y goodness is just unreal... seriously. Schwiiiing! (FYI: nutrition info listed is for Oikos 0%)

A banana sliced down the middle and spread with 1 tbsp Maranatha all-natural almond butter

Nutrition:  145 cals | 3g protein | 8g fat | 18g carbs

Bonus: Pretty much just an upgrade to the classic PB and banana combo... but there's just something so irresistible about the more mild, but creamier flavor of almond butter. Try it try it, try it! You gonna like it. ;) #OBSESSED.

I've got just some regular PB with my banana
here but this picture's from a few months ago.
Although PB and banana is unreal, I
am just absolutely in LOVE with almond butter
right now so I switch the 2 up :) 

Now THAT was a good meal! My little
tomato-basil rice cake thrown into a
dinner... yes. I like it THAT much!

There's definitely plenty of other great, smart options out there that are easily searched up on pinterest, fitness magazine websites like fitnessrxwomen (my fav) and blogs. A healthy, happy lifestyle starts with small changes that become habits, so for the next 7 days, I challenge you all to focus on one small change: commit to yourself to snacking smarter! :-)

Until next time, remember "commitment is staying loyal to what you said you would do, long after the mood you said it in has left you".  

Have a happy, healthy, fit and fabulous week! 

xo Brooke 

Get In The Zone: The 11 Little Things You're Not Doing - But Should Be - To Get That Beachbod

Ok but really.. who is Jamie
Eason NOT an inspiration to?! ha ha

1. Change your computer password to an inspirational phrase "iamtightonedandfit" .. "cutandjackedinjune"..  I personally log on to my work computer at least 10 times a day, so 10 times each day I'm refocusing my mind on my goal... awesome, right?

2. The first and last 30 minutes of your day are when your mind is most open to suggestion and programming. Fill this time slot with the most insanely inspirational images/videos/word you possibly can.  Review your goals -- What do you want to achieve in the next 30 days? Why do you want it? What does your life look like a year from now? Do you have a vision board? Make one and look at it.

3. Take 20 minutes of your day to find and download 3 songs that make you want to light it up (search top hits on itunes, google "workout playlists" or scroll thru playlists on 8tracks or songza that are tagged "sweat" "beast" or "gym".  A few of my favs: 2 Reasons - T. I.  /// Feel Again - One Republic /// Show Goes On - Lupe Fiasco /// All of the Lights - Kanye /// The Motto - Drake /// I Made it - Kevin Rudolf /// Don't Wake Me Up - Chris Brown /// I Need Your Love - Ellie Goulding /// It's all about the #GYMSWAG, babyyyy!!

4. Drink 4 L of water a day. Go to Walmart and buy a giant water jug. Mine's 2.2 L and I fill it up and drink it dry twice a day.  If you can chug a pint of beer when wanna get wild, you can chug a pint of water when you wanna get ripped. I don't care if you don't like water. Suck it up.

5. Include both HIIT (high intensity interval training) + steady state (running at a steady pace for 45 mins) in your training schedule.

6. Tea will make you skinny. Def helps you get extra h20 in for the day, and it feels like a treat! My fav right now's Chocolate Mint by Stash but you can totally mix it up -- stores like David's teas have flavors like Red Velvet Cake.. camonnn now.. who wouldn't like that? ;)

7. Write your goals down. I write mine in capitals, on a big white piece of paper in a sharpie, and put it on the floor of the passenger seat of my car so I see it every morning and am focused on my way to work, to the gym and during my downtime throughout the day.

#selfie!!! 

8. Green veggies will get you shredded. And you'll live longer. Roasted brussel sprouts: cut in half, EVOO, salt, pepper, spread on cookie tray and bake at 350. Chopped green onions: add to egg "muffins", salads, top stir frys. Kale chips: tear off stems, rinse + dry, 1/2 tbsp EVOO, onion powder, garlic powder, salt + peppa, bake on cookie tray at 350. Get it in ya.

9. Pump up your workout. When I know I've got work to do in the gym or long run, I'll take a pre-workout (right now I'm using BSN's NO-XPLODE) or fat burner right before my workout (my fav is LIPO6 Black Ultra Concentrate). Other times, I'll have a cup of coffee or SF energy drink (these are loaded with crap.. it's an addiction I'm trying to kick!!) Get yourself pumped up and ready to rock...

10.  SELFIES! Take progress pics. If you actually commit to a training and diet plan, you will see changes, and nothing is more motivating than being able to compare pics from day 1 to day 14 and seeing just a little more tone, a little more lift, a little ab ... nothing. Promise.

11. When you go the gym tomorrow.. (What? You thought your day was too busy and you were planning on skipping the gym? Didn't want to wake up early? Why are you making excuses? You will never unlock your true potential until you can learn to be honest with yourself. The only person you're cheating is yourself. If you have to set your alarm for 5 AM, you set your alarm for 5 AM. Life starts at the edge of your comfort zone.) When you get there, hop on to the treadmill. Set the incline at 3.0, and the speed at 3.5 and the time at 10 min warmup. Watch this video. My bet's you'll be running before you hit the 6 minute mark.....

 Until next time... "Desire is the starting point of all great achievement. Weak desire brings weak results. Keep this constantly in mind." 

Have a fantastic, fit and sweaty day!!!!

xo Brooke

Q + A: Protein Crash Course -- My 20 Fav Protein-Packed Foods + Top 3 Protein Powders!

Q: Matt asks “I am wondering what kind of protein you use? My mom is looking for some advice and since I don’t know anything about girl health I wanted to know what’s good!”

A: Girl Health.... lol. Don't you worry, Matt... I don't think you're the only guy out there who isn't a "girl health" expert. ;)  

Keep in mind that I am not a certified nutritionist or prep coach and my advice and opinions are simply what has worked for me. It has been recommended to me, by my trainer, for my body type and fitness goals, and this isn’t necessarily what is right for everyone. That being said…… :) 

There are two different basic ways to get your protein – food sources and protein powders.

Food-Based Protein

Food-Based Protein Sources
While my diet changes a bit when I am prepping for a contest, I generally stick to these foods --->>>  which are mostly great lean, clean choices. The “most efficient” (in terms of reducing body fat, building muscle, getting the bodybuilder/bikini babe “look”) and richest food-based protein sources are meat and dairy and for this reason, that’s mostly what our diets look like. But! I will take a second to mention that there are plenty of other vegan and whole food sources that are great too -- (beans, lentils, etc)… I just don’t really see a lot of them lately :) lol

Protein Powders
As for protein powders, I really wouldn’t really say the key to success is in choosing the “right” one as there are SO MANY different flavors and brands out there and many are very similar. Yes, you need to find one you like so that you’ll stick to your diet plan (if you are following one) but other than that, I would say as long as you’re around about 120 cals/scoop, and 30 g of protein, you’re in great shape. Now here comes the epic protein debate.. natural vs. “mass market” protein powders. My best friend, Christal fromwww.nutritionistinthekitch.com, swears by the North Coast Naturals, and for good reason – it ROCKS! However, our styles are a little different - she is also a bit more strict in sticking to a 100% natural diet, whereas I’ve found that this is definitely harder with my show prep dieting, so I also use some of the more “mainstream” proteins. Here are a few of my favs:  

My 3 favs are:

Quattro by MAGNUM – Chocolate Love

This one is seriously a gamechanger.. !! I am pretty sure this is my all-time fav.. it doesn’t have any chemical-y sweetener taste, and it’s a perfect balance between mild and “intense” .. if that makes any sense? Blends fantastically with water,  Seriously, try it.. it is BOMB!

North Coast Naturals – Chocolate

This one’s really good to throw into the mix because it’s aaaaaall natural, which I LOVE! Has a super mild flavor and is not super sweet like so many of the other powders out there.  This one’s also very great for baking because it really just ups the protein value of your recipe and has a light cocoa-y taste, instead of the more intense “protein powder” flavor you get with some of the other ones. I buy this one in the Organic section at Superstore (which seriously is a TOTAL goldmine!) for $32.99 a jug. Smaller jug, but lower price too.

Isoflex by ALLMAX - Mint Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Chocolate

These two are pretty basic and pretty popular but have def been one of my good, dependable go-tos.

[BONUS] Isoflex actually has a new line called “Chiller” that I got a sample of from my supps store (Guaranteed Nutrition on Ellerslie + 91^st) and it’s ICED TEA flavored! Yeah.. seriously. I know!! Ha ha I got the Peach Iced Tea sample and it was seriously amazing.. especially during prep when my diet usually consists of a protein shake for 3/6 of my meals. I find that it’s pretty easy to get sick of just downing milky powdery drinks all day so this one was really great because it’s actually clear and really tastes like Iced Tea! I had a bit of trouble with it mixing nice and smoothly, but I didn’t have my normal shaker and didn’t add any ice, so I’m sure that problem would be easily solved. Absolutely worth checking out, I would say!

My FAV! Quattro 4 Choc Chunky Monkey Shake. <3 

Lastly, there are many different types of proteins out there (hemp, soy, pea, whey, etc) but I stick to a whey isolate for my normal everyday use, and casein as my “before bed” go-to. Whey is quicker digesting and simpler, so it’s great for pre and post-workout as well as throughout the day, paired with a healthy fat or carb source. Casein is a slow digesting protein and definitely a bit thicker, so it is great for the last “meal” of the day as it will keep your body from burning your muscle while you sleep and help prevent you from feeling starving when you wake up.

Overall though, to get that lean, tight bikini bod, just meeting your protein requirements or just taking “cutters” really won’t work. In order to really look and feel fantastic, it takes consistency, discipline in diet and a properly structured training plan, and a whole lot of patience! J

Until next time, remember… “It’s never too late to be, what you could have been.”

Have a sweaty, fit and fantastic day!!

xo Brooke

Q + A: The A's to your Q's! Today -- Finding a Workout Plan Online :)

Sabrina asks -- I am joining a gym this week and I was just wondering if you have any websites that have good suggestions for routines or anything like that :) 

You were juuust wondering if I have any suggestions... Ohhh boy oh boy, Sabrina, do I ever! I have so many, that Suggestions could probably be my middle name ;) ha ha Here are some of my favs!



Websites

If you are looking for a full, structured plan, I would definitely suggest bodybuilding.com! You can plug in your starting point (weight, body fat, etc), what physique you're aiming for, and find a nutrition and training plan to follow. One of the most popular ones that I've seen is Jamie Eason's LiveFit training program so I would say that's probably a good place to start! Everyone's going to have a little bit of a different style that they like, so you can peek at a few and see which one you think would be best for you! Bodyrock.tv is this super cool fitchick from Oz who posts wicked 12 min HIIT workouts that will get you sweating STAT -- these would be great to add to a weightlifting plan, as part of your cardio. And the last two - rippednfit.com and fitnessrxwomen.com are just general health and fitness sites that have tons of interesting reads, along with free printable workouts.

bodybuilding.com 

bodyrock.tv 

rippednfit.com

fitnessrxwomen.com

Blogs 
Another really great idea, which would be less structured, is just trying random workouts that other fantastically fit chicks have posted. Blogs/personal websites, facebook and instagram are all great places! A great little added bonus is that almost all of these spots will have nutrition tips too! :-) 

Ashley Horner - love this girl! <3

Lori Harder, 2010 Miss Bikini America, 2010 Miss Figure America and 2010 Miss Bikini Universe at busygirlhealthylife.com 
Brittni Shae, WBFF Pro at littlebshealthyhabits.com 

Insta/Facebook 
Brittni Shae, WBFF Pro   @bshaefit
Ashley Horner, WBFF Pro  @ashley_horner 


Now, of course I have to add this little bit in - To be perrrrfectly honest.. you can sprint your ass off, do crunches for hours a day, and glute kickbacks till you puke, but until you commit to a consistently clean diet, you will not see results. ha ha! It really is true what they say - 70 or 80 or 90 or (whatever very high percentage you want to use, lol) of seeing a difference in your body is diet. This is definitely my biggest struggle, I will admit. I truly love to workout - I love lifting, a nice long 14 km run is my go-to stress buster, and sweating buckets in a hot yoga class is my idea of a blissful Sunday. But I ALSO really, really, really love food. Like... level 10/10 in love with food. Given, I really really really enjoy tons of different healthy, nutritious foods, but I also have a major sweet tooth and get a little big of a high off of clean baking (and my best friend having the most amazing, to-die-for clean eating blog www.nutritionistinthekitch.com definitely doesn't help! haha seriously tho... double chocolate coconut donuts?! #yourekillingmeee!! )


Anyways, a great, consistent workout plan can absolutely transform your body, I will say that. Just keep in mind, there needs to be a commitment to clean eating as well. :) 

Hope this helps, Miss Sabrina, I would love to hear about what you find and how you make out! 

But until then... keep this in mind - "Strength is the product of struggle, you must do what others don't, to achieve what others won't." - Henry Rollins


Have a fit, sweaty and fantastic week!! 

xo Brooke 

The Gummi Bear Dilemma: Cravings + How to Kick them!

The Gummi Bear Dilemma. In order to be successful in living a happy and healthy life where you feel like you're in balance (and not in the middle of some diet battlefield), one of the important things to master is cravings!

As I'm sure you'll know if you've spent more than an hour with me, I have a major sweet tooth. Major! ha ha The guys at work all make fun of me because when I want something sweet, everybody knows. I literally go from office to office asking if anyone has a stash of candy... ha ha! But then, almost always, everyone says no, so I make my way over to our lunch room & grab one of my freezer treats. They're just sweet enough to cut the craving, but still nutritious so there's no "damn! damn! damn! why did I just eat those neon gummi worms!" afterthoughts ha ha ha! ....what? is that just me?

What I've learned is you've got to reprogram your brain to act differently in the situation. What is that saying? The definition of crazy is doing the same thing and expecting different results? And it's so true! Until you change your attitude towards the cravings and find a new way of reacting in the situation, you will most likely end up defeated again.  So, here's a few of my tricks! :-)

- Distraction - I go and do something! A lot of times, I'm just bored, or thirsty, or saw someone else eating sweets. If you focus your attention on something else for 15 minutes and still can't stop dreaming about Reese's pieces, have a snack, but opt for something like fruit or a healthier substitute - in this case, my peanut butter protein cups would be a great substitute!

- Be Prepared! - Making sure I have other, much healthier, treats on hand, like the recipe I've got for you today -- Pumpkin Protein Bars

- The with-yourself Convo - I was in Wal-Mart last night looking for the natural peanut butter and of course, their organic foods are right between the 8 billion bags of chips aisle and 4,000 bags of cookies section. If this isn't temptation, I don't know what is! I started thinking about buying a bag of chips and "just leaving the rest for Adam" (my brother).... but as soon as I caught myself justifying it, I shut that voice off and switched into mantra mode. "Resist, resist, resist, resist" "Our character is a sum of our choices" -- and guess what! I walked right outta that aisle like it aint no thang! ha ha ha :-)

Anyways... now for the good part! On to the recipes!

Pumpkin Protein Bars 

pumpkin protein bars

This recipe is originally by a huge inspiration of mine, Jamie Eason. She is a serious fitness guru and has tons of great recipes and tips worth checking out! I couldn't find brown sugar xyla so I just used the regular kind, and opted for greek yogurt instead of apple sauce because it's a little higher in protein and it's what I had! A few other small changes and voila.. my version of Jamie's little treats. :-)

1/2 cup xyla (natural sweetener)
1/2 cup natural, plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground clove
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp non-iodized sea salt
2 tsp pure vanilla extract (not the fake stuff!)
4 large egg whites
1 can of raw pumpkin puree
2 cups brown rice flour
2 scoops vanilla protein powder (I use IsoNatural which is sweetened with Stevia, and has no artificial flavorings or additives)
1/4 c almond milk
1/2 c chopped walnuts

Get your oven up to 350 F & your pan ready to rock n roll. I use a dash of grapeseed oil to grease the pan, but you can use whatever type of oil you'd like. I also use a mini loaf pan because I have a bit of OCD... ha ha! This allows me to portion the bars properly and it just looks nicer and more intentional than baking them in a big tray & cutting them up. But you could just pour the mix into a 9 x 13 pan like Jamie does, up to you.

Be careful not to overfill! The recipe should
make 24 bars, so it fills each mini loaf
about 1/3 of the way. 

Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl. Mix all the wet ingredients in another. Combine. Ooooohhh... ahhhh... such a fancy process.. ha ha (not!) I pour my flour through a hand sifter just because my dad's always used one and it makes sure it's nice and airy, but I don't think this is necessary! Also, if you want to throw in a few extra shakes of cinnamon, you go girl! (or guy?... ha ha) Cinnamon is absolutely packed with health benefits including lowering cholesterol, helping with dairy & fruit digestion and it's antibacterial & antifungal (prevents yeast growth which leads to stomach ulcers and a variety of other problems). Aaaaanyways... the point being: adding extra cinnamon is a great idea. ha ha

Depending on the tray/pan you use, baking time will vary, but start by checking them at 25 mins if you're using a muffin/mini loaf tin and at 30 mins if a larger tray. They're ready when you can stick a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean. I like to keep mine in the freezer because they stay fresh longer and I just like them cold.

Anyone else have any freezer treats they whip up and love??   Tried these & love em or hate em? Let me know!! I love reading your comments!

Happy Thursday all! Have a freaking fantastic day and remember that our character is a sum of our choices!

- brooke :-)