Sexy smoothie

7:19 AM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments

Here's the Green Smoothie recipe Angela told us about in the "Food for Beauty" class last weekend.
Sexy!

Green Smoothie
Makes 1 16oz Smoothie
1/2 frozen banana, sliced
2 ice cubes
1/2 Tablespoon Natural Peanut Butter, unsweetend
1 dash cinnamon
1/2 Tablespoon honey or agave nectar
3 cups baby spinach
1 cup cold water
1/2 teaspoon spirulina powder, optional
1/2 Tablespoon Maca root powder, optional
Place all ingredients in blender for 30-45 seconds.

Enjoy this healthy dose of greens first thing in the morning, 30 minutes after your hot lemon water

Half a Swede!

9:05 PM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments

Not my usual typo!

It's a Rutabaga!

HA!

What is that?!

9:02 PM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments

After my recent Knowledge + Action Seminar I received this question more than once. "What is that?" In my Foods for Beauty seminar I outlined some of the best things to eat to keep skin clear, nails and hair shiny and strong and our bodies looking and feeling their best. A few of the foods are less than common and needed a bit more instruction for use. So, read the previous post on gorgeous good food and then refer to the list below for explanation and yummy recipe ideas.

GRAINS
Amaranth: Contains loads of calcium and magnesium.
Barley: Good for digestion, low gluten levels.
Kamut: Contains 2x as much protein as wheat, more minerals and essential nutrients.
Millet: High in Iron, Vitamins B and E. Great energy booster.
Quinoa: Lots of protein, low fat.
Rye: Good for baking.
Spelt: Good form immune system and lasting energy.
BEANS
Aduki: High in nutrients, low in calories. High fiber content is good for weight loss.
Mung: Good liver cleanser.
Fava: Great protein source.
Soy: A complete protein with cancer fighting properties.
Lentils: Souper good!

Lentil dahl with vegetables and quinoa
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 cup of red split lentils per person
1 cup of quinoa per person
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground coriander
pinch of cayenne (very hot so beware!)
half a cauliflower
1 stalk of broccoli
half a swede
1 tsp garam masala
tamari
nori flakes

Method
Rinse the quinoa and put in a pan with 2-3 times the amount of water. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat, cover and simmer until all the water is absorbed (about 40 minutes).
Put the lentils in a large pan with plenty of water. Bring to the boil and skim off any scum that appears. Turn down the heat, add the spices, except the garam masala, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the chopped vegetables, tamari and garam masala and cook until the vegetables are soft. Serve the dahl on top of the quinoa and sprinkle with nori flakes.

Quinoa, sprouted chickpeas and baked squash
Ingredients
Serves 2

Large Butternut Squash
½ cup Quinoa (cooked) per person
Sprouted chickpeas

Method
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Stab the squash and bake for 40 minutes.
Cook the quinoa in 2-3 times the amount of water for about 25 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Add the sprouted chickpeas towards the end of cooking.
Meanwhile make a green salad.
Once cooked, serve the quinoa onto plates.
Slice and deseed the squash and place on top of the quinoa and serve with the green salad.


Stir fried mung bean sprouts with vegetables and brown rice
Ingredients
Serves 2
1 cup Brown rice
4 carrots, cut into strips
½ head red cabbage, finely shredded
½ head savoy cabbage, finely shredded
1 cup broccoli, cut into small florets
½ red onion, finely diced
1 TBSP fresh ginger, grated
Method
Put the rice on to cook first.
Heat some olive oil in a pan and add the onion and ginger. Cook for a few minutes and then add the other vegetables and some tamari. Cover and steam for a few minutes.
Add some sprouted mung beans and cook for a few minutes.
Serve the vegetables on the rice.


Mung bean stew
Ingredients
Serves 4
2 cups mung beans soaked for at least 6 hours
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp cumin
1 wheat-free vegetable stock cube
2 carrots, trimmed, peeled and chopped
half a butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped
1 celery stalk, trimmed and chopped
1 tsp tamari sauce
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Method
Rinse the mung beans thoroughly and drain.
Place the onion, mung beans, turmeric, cumin and vegetable stock cube in a saucepan with 750ml water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the carrot, celery, squash and tamari and simmer for 10 minutes.
Serve with brown rice and sprinkled with coriander leaves.
To turn this into a soup for the next day, add more water, extra fresh herbs of your choice, some more stock and blend until smooth. Fabulous.

You are what you EAT!

1:46 PM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments

I taught a seminar Saturday on beauty foods. There is so much to learn about all the wonderful things good food can for you - besides help you lose weight -- food can help you look good too!

Here's my handout. I'll post some recipes and meal plans and definitions of the lesser know beans and grains next! Thanks for coming!


Healthy food can make you feel and look great!

Some things good food can do:
-Strengthen your heart, bones and whole body
-Lifts your spirits and you energy levels
-Reduces mental and physical stress
-Helps your body fight illness, disease and cancer
-Helps keep away the common cold, influenza, and infections
-Reduces the swelling and pain of arthritis
-Boosts your sex drive and fertility
-Makes your skin, hair and nails beautiful!

Examples of good foods:
Raw fruit and veggies (Organic are best)
Sprouted seeds and grains
Carbs without refined sugar; whole grain breads, grains, rice, potatoes
Beans, quinoa, and other veggie proteins
Healthy fats, avocado, nuts, seeds, fish
Unprocessed foods, fresh meats, etc

Cruddy foods do cruddy things to our bodies
What Cruddy food does:
-Makes you feel and look older than you are
-Causes weight gain, obesity and diabetes
-Weakens the immune system making the body susceptible to illness
-Makes you slow, tired, and lethargic
-Causes mood swings, headaches and stiffness
-Gives you unhealthy looking hair, skin and nails
-Doesn’t make you feel sexy

Examples of Cruddy Foods
Simple carbs; sweet things made with refined sugar, white flour or rice.
Overcooked fruits and veggies
Foods sprayed with pesticides and chemicals
Hard to digest proteins; super fatty meats and dairy
Packaged, refined foods.


Three Beauty Stealers
1. Faulty Digestion
2. Inflammation
3. Free Radicals

The Most Helpful Anti-Oxidants
Vitamin A and Carotenoids: Support vision, immune function and skin health by promoting cell turnover and circulation.
Carrots, squash, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, kale, collards, cantaloupe, peaches and apricots (bright-colored fruits and vegetables!)
*6 leaves of romaine lettuce provides %100

Vitamin C (ascorbic Acid): Needed for growth and repair of all tissues, skin (collagen), teeth and bones.
Citrus fruits like oranges and lime etc, green peppers, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, strawberries and tomatoes
*1 cup of strawberries provides %100

Vitamin E and Omega 3’s: 
Skin care, wound healing.
Nuts & seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oil, olive oil, liver oil
*1/2 oz of walnuts provides %100 of ALA

Selenium: Free radical protection.
Fish & shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, chicken and garlic


Other Awesome Antioxidants
Some common phytochemicals (plant foods)
Flavonoids / polyphenols: Protects skin from UV rays
Soy, red wine, purple grapes or Concord grapes, pomegranate, cranberries, tea
Lycopene: Helps prevent sun damage
Tomato and tomato products, pink grapefruit, watermelon
Lutein: Keeps eyes and skin healthy as we age
Dark green vegetables such as kale, broccoli, kiwi, brussels sprouts and spinach
Lignan: Free radical scavengers
Flax seed, oatmeal, barley, rye, pumpkin seeds, berries


Eat these....



Foods For…
Your BODY
To Aid Digestion: Artichokes, Avocados, Carrots, Millet, Parsnips, Rice, Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Tofu, Turnips, Yams, Tea and Herbs: Fennel, Peppermint, Licorice
To Prevent Gas and Bloating: Yellow Squash, Mung beans, Kidney beans, Barley, Beets, Oats, Carrots, Parsley, Celery, Chicken, Pumpkin, Root Veggies, Fish, Leafy Greens, Turnips, Yams
To Prevent Dandruff: Flax Seeds
To Get rid of pimples: Get more fiber and less dairy
To Prevent Chipping/Splitting Nails: Milk thistle, broccoli, cabbage, whole grains, nettle tea
Eliminate Dark Circles: Food variety, quinoa, cranberry juice

Your HEALTH
To Be More Energetic: Sprouted seeds, beans and grains. Fruits and veggies; broccoli, spinach, peaches, grapes. Flax and sunflower seeds. Yams and squashes. Beans; black, mung, aduki.
*Feeling sleepy in the afternoon can be caused by an unbalanced diet. Instead of grabbing a cup of coffee or sugary treat after lunch, make your meal for energizing. Eat beans, seeds and yams with lunch for natural energy.
For Immunity Power: Broccoli, ginger root, lemon, mushrooms, licorice root.
To combat symptoms of PMS and Menopause: Apples, Fennel, Flax, Kidney beans, Oats, Olives, Seeds, Soybeans, Yams
To relieve Stress: Celery, sunflower seeds, brown rice and oats, cabbage, almonds, berries, cucumbers, asparagus, avocado and garlic


My Top 10 Tips for Health, Weight Loss and Beautification
1. Move More
2. Eat Breakfast Everyday
3. Eat Lots of Fruits and Veggies
4. Choose high fiber, smart carbohydrates
5. Include lean or vegetarian protein at meals and snacks
6. Drink plenty of water and herbal teas
7. Eat a small portion of healthy fats
8. Avoid cruddy foods 80% of the time
9. Sleep, nap, rest. Aim for 7-10 hours at night.
10. Chill out!

Resources:
The Natural Makeover Diet by Dr. Joey Shulman
Feed Your Skin, Starve Your Wrinkles: Eat Your Way to Firmer, More Beautiful Skin with the 100 Best Anti-Aging Foods by Allison Tanis
Cooking Well: Beautiful Skin: Over 75 Antioxidant-Rich Recipes for Glowing Skin
How to sprout: http://www.sproutpeople.com/grow/sprouting.html

Do you want to lose weight, feel sexy and have more energy??!! Would you like to stand up taller, ease pain and reduce the chance of injury?!?

8:23 PM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments

If you answered YES to either of the questions then I've got just the thing for YOU!

Lift Weights! Yup, it's that easy.

Clients often come to me after doing months, even years of cardio exercise and watching what they eat still not seeing the improvement they want most in their body shape and weight asking, "What am I doing wrong?!". The answer is nothing, really. Getting regular, sometimes intense cardiovascular exercise is a huge part of staying healthy, strong and feeling good. Eating a diet full of nutrient rich foods and avoiding junk will help you live longer and live better. But, if you want to change your body shape, boost your mood and improve performance in both athletic and daily pursuits you've got to do one more thing -- strength train.


And here's why....




Strength Training Provides Myriad Benefits:
· Improves your ability to do everyday activities: The stronger your muscles, the easier it is to get groceries out of the car, get a package off of the top cabinet shelf, push the lawnmower or stroller…..the list goes on and on!

· Improves your balance and stability: The stronger and more resilient your muscles, the more balance is sturdier. This will help keep you safe in your daily activities and decreases the risk of falls or accidents.

· Builds muscle strength: Adults lose between five and seven pounds of muscle every decade after age 20. Strength training will help prevent this muscle loss, and rebuild what you may have lost.

· Decreases your risk of osteoporosis: Inactivity and aging can lead to a decrease in bone density, leading to brittleness. Studies have shown that consistent strength training can increase bone density and prevent osteoporosis.

· Reduces blood pressure: Strength training can be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure by strengthening the heart, allowing it to beat more efficiently.

· Increases calorie burn: Strength training increases the body's metabolic rate, causing the body to burn more calories throughout the day. This aids significantly in long term weight loss.

· Reduces low back pain: Research has shown that strength training can increase low back strength and alleviate low back pain.

More Muscle = Less Fat: It’s all about the burn!
Just sitting around watching Castle on Monday nights, a body with more muscle will be burning more calories. Just sitting there! And this is true all day long. Muscle fibers naturally burn more calories than fat – so a stronger body will ultimately be a leaner more healthy body. What better reason to get to the gymJ

Guidelines and Definitions:
The number of times that you perform an exercise represents the number of sets. The number of times that you lift each weight represents the number of reps, or repetitions. There are many different ways to organize your strength training routine depending on your time frame and goals. No matter what format of reps and sets your choose having a plan helps you avoid picking up any old weight and tossing around – getting you nowhere, slowly.

Important Principals:
· Pay attention to proper form and technique, as they are very important for injury prevention and producing results.

· Never hold your breath during the exercises. Always exhale when exerting force (on the hard part of the movement).

When selecting a weight, it should be heavy enough that you feel the muscle working and the difficulty increasing as you get to the 12th repetition. The weight should be light enough that you can do 8-12 repetitions without pain or breaking proper form.

· Strength training should never be painful! If you experience pain, stop the exercise immediately.

Switch it up: Change is Good! Varying your strength workouts keeps you more interested and can help you get better results. If you stick with the same routine month after month, year after year, your muscles adapt to those exercises; but by working your muscles from a variety of angles, you involve more muscle fibers and keep your muscles challenged.

If you haven't had a professional trainer develop a personalized strengthening program for you - now's the time!

Here to help,
Remy

Ten Tips - (first five!)

8:03 PM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments

OK. Time for a challenge! (Why wait until New Years!?) All of the students in this seasons fat loss class – “Better Food, Better Fit” are taking this on. Try it too and you can lose weight, speed up a sluggish metabolism and feel better than ever in 30 days. It takes 21 days to make a new habit stick. Do your best to stay focused and follow closely.
Here are the first 5 of 10 habits to make you healthier and happier this fall.
Here’s to the fittest October ever!

Do this…
1. Go bigger at Breakfast. Front load your day. Eat the most in the morning. Aim to get something in your belly 30-90 mins after waking. If you can make this a substantial meal you can ward off mid day munchies and set yourself up for more good choices all day long.


2. Where’s the beef? Ok, now we know we shouldn’t be loading up on Big Macs! But, ask yourself as you look at your plate at every meal and snack – where’s the protein?? Protein helps restore muscles after workouts, balances hormones and blood sugar and can help us lose extra weight. Make sure you are getting enough. Try 4 oz of fish or chicken, ½ c lentils, 1 scoop protein powder, ¼ pumpkin seeds.

3. Choose carbs wisely. Go for the best! Eat high fiber whole grains in the appropriate portion sizes during the day to give you energy. Consider keeping dinner more protein and veggie focused. Here are some examples of good grain servings…3/4 c slow oats, 1 slice whole grain bread, ½ brown rice. Skip the white stuff like potatoes and rice.

4. Fill your day with colorful fruits and veggies. Soak in the last of summer fruits and berries. Enjoy the bounty of fall! Add squash to tomato sauce, toss spinach in your smoothies, pile up that salad with beans of all sorts. No one got fat on carrots and celery sticks, seriously – Eat up!

5. Top it off with healthy fat. Good dietary fat is a misnomer. Healthy fats, monounsaturated ones like olive oil, avocado and flax actually help the body shed unneeded fat. Be sure to mind your portion sizes and add a ‘sprinkling’ of these fats with each meal and snack. Try few walnuts on your salad, slivered almonds in the stir-fry and this slices of avocado on your sandwich or morning muffin.
Integrate these 5 habits into your nutritional lifestyle and read loads of benefits. You should feel fuller, more energized and more vibrant. Try it today and see how great you can feel in 30 days. Trust me you won’t look back! Be sure to get regular exercise – strength train 2-3x a week, stretch, move, move, move.

Yup, You are worth it! !

Cod Fish with a Spanish Flair - Ole!

11:09 AM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments

Tried a new recipe and it was GOOD. Try it yourself and let me know what you think.

Spanish Cod

Serves 4

1/2 TBSP olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 TBSP chopped fresh garlic
2/3 cup tomato sauce
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup chopped green olives
1/4 cup deli marinated Italian vegetable salad, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 Tsp black pepper
1/4 Tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 Tsp dash paprika
4 (4 ounce) fillets cod fillets

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onions and garlic until onions are slightly tender, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add tomato sauce and cherry tomatoes, and bring to a simmer. Stir in green olives and marinated vegetables, and season with black pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika. Cook fillets in sauce over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork. Serve immediately.

I served Andrew's portion over a 1/2 cup of jasmine rice and mine on a bed of fresh spinach leaves. We each had a small garden salad and a glass of red wine. Winner!

PS> Pretty salty with the marinated veggies and olives so don't add too much at the table or skip it all together.

ENJOY!

Recipes – As Requested!

1:46 PM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments

Here are a few simply delicious recipes. These first few are particularly appropriate for post-exercise with the right combo of protein and carbs to help you recover and keep you going. I am so excited to get my new Precision Nutrition Cookbook for more awesome meals like these!
These are great meal for after a good, hard workout!

Post-Workout BANANA CRÈME PIE OATMEAL


These are great meals for after a good, hard workout!

Ingredients:


Low-fat milk or almond milk 1 cup, Coconut milk ¼ cup,
 Old fashioned large flake oats ½ cup,
Water ¼ cup,
 Vanilla protein (equal to 25 g protein) 1 scoop, 
Banana (sliced) ½

Serving Size: 
Serves 2 large or 4 small.

Preparation Time: 
3 min. Cooking Time: 10 mins

Instructions:


In a small pot bring milk and coconut milk to a boil over medium heat. Add the oats. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until milk is absorbed (approximately 7-10 minutes), stirring occasionally. Combine 1⁄4 cup of water with protein in a separate bowl. Mix with a fork until protein is dissolved. For a smoother consistency, mix powder with water in blender or food processor and blend until protein is dissolved. Pour protein mixture and bananas over oatmeal and serve. Serves 2 large or 4 small.

Variations and Options:


If you like your oatmeal softer, add 2-4 tablespoons of extra water to the pot before adding oats. If you are lactose intolerant or wish to avoid dairy, replace the 1 cup of milk with 1 cup of water and ½ scoop of protein powder or 1 cup of almond milk. Alternatively, you can substitute with non-cow’s-milk dairy (e.g. goat’s milk, yogurt). For a creamier mixture, instead of mixing the protein with ¼ cup of water, try combining the protein with ¼ cup of apple sauce or yogurt. If you’d like your oatmeal to be infused with banana flavor, add ½ cup of mashed banana once the oatmeal has simmered for 5 minutes. Then continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes or so.

Post-Workout SPAGHETTI SQUASH SPAGHETTI

Ingredients:


Spaghetti squash 4 cups, 
Coconut oil or other high quality oil 1 tbsp,
 Salt ½ tsp,
 Pepper 1⁄8 tsp, 
Cinnamon 1⁄8 tsp,
 Olive oil cooking spray,
 Ground sirloin or extra lean ground beef (340 g) 12 oz,
 Onion (small diced) 1 cup,
 Tomato sauce 2 cups, 
Cashews (crushed) ¼ cup,
 Parmesan cheese (grated) ½ cup

Serving Size: 
Serves 2 large or 4 small.

Preparation Time: 
15 min. Cooking Time: 45 Mins

Instructions:


Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut squash in half and clean out the center and seeds. Place cut side up on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil or butter. Season with salt, pepper and cinnamon and then place in the oven. Bake squash for 45 minutes or until tender enough to stick a fork into it with minimal resistance. Remove from oven and allow it to cool a little. While the squash is baking, preheat a non-stick frying pan on medium heat, lightly coat with spray and add the ground sirloin. Sauté the sirloin in batches if necessary, until lightly browned and cooked all the way through. Add onions and sauté for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat, add in the tomato sauce and cashews, and set aside. Once squash has cooled a little, scoop the flesh out of the skin with a spoon, measure and add it to the meat sauce. Next, reheat in the frying pan on medium until warm. Garnish with the parmesan. Serves 2 large or 4 small.
Variations and Options
Make this post-workout recipe a chicken recipe by substituting sautéed chicken breast for the ground beef. For a lower-carb anytime dish, reduce spaghetti squash from 4 cups to 3 cups. For a more gourmet approach, plate the warm squash first, top with the hot meat sauce and then garnish with the parmesan, adding some chopped basil on top.

Post-Workout CHICKEN PESTO PIZZA

Ingredients:


Boneless skinless Chicken breast (170 g) 6 oz, 
Salt ¼ tsp, 
Pepper 1⁄8 tsp,
 Olive oil cooking spray, 
Whole wheat tortilla, 
Pesto 3 tbsp,
 Broccoli florets (small) ¼ cup, 
Sundried tomato (thin sliced) ¼ cup,
 Asparagus (cut into ½ inch pieces) ½ cup,
 Aged white Cheddar ½ cup

Serving Size: 
Serves 1 large or 2 small.

Preparation Time
: 10 min. Cooking Time : 45 Mins

Instructions:


Season chicken with salt and pepper and then sautee until done. Set aside. Preheat oven at 400°F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with spray and place the tortilla shell on the tray. Spread the pesto base evenly around the shell leaving the outside inch free for the crust. Combine all the other ingredients except for the cheese in a mixing bowl and toss until mixed together. Spread evenly covering the pesto. Top with the cheese and bake until cheese is melted and shell is lightly toasted (about 10 minutes). Serves 1 large or 2 small.

Variations and Options:


For a flavor variety try your favorite hummus or spread as a substitute for the pesto. Use seasonal vegetables whenever possible as they not only taste better but have a healthier nutritional profile. For a cheesy variety, try using mozzarella, feta, havarti or swiss instead of cheddar.

Saturday Sweetness

6:23 PM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 1 Comments

Not much better than this. Feeling so blissed out I just had to write about it. We had a wild Friday night for us - out 'til midnight! The OBRA Cyclocross kick off party at Upper Escehlon Fitness was a blast. We arrived too late for the raffle but in plenty of time enjoy the free beer and talk bikes and racing with old friends and new ones. It's truly invigorating to connect with people you've never met in a unique and exciting way. After that we headed to the Holocene dance club to party it up for a friends birthday. Not much of a dancer I can either hate or love being tossed out on the floor. Last night - I liked it. The beats pumped and hips gyrated! I even discovered a new dance move! I think I called it the Space Invader. So much fun! And what a workout!

10am was a fine time to wake up today. After a leisurely walk in the neighborhood and big ol'breakfast Andrew and I drove out to Alpenrose dairy to pre-ride the course we will be racing on tomorrow afternoon. Smartest thing I've done today. Oh boy, we are in for a heck of a ride. Two sets of barriers to jump over, one massive hill, lots of tight corners, a field of cow patties and a set of cement stairs. Sometimes 45 minutes seems like an eternity and sometimes it just flys by - never know until you're in it.

The annual Greek Festival is raging across the street. Baklava and pastries make for great pre and post race treats. Really! Before the drizzle started I enjoyed a warm spinach pie and some fresh Greek salad. Now, the couch. My man is asleep next to me. The din of football fills the living room. Sounds of children high on loukamades float in from the street. I'm perfectly happy sitting here with a cat in my lap, sipping glass of light beer and planning my attack!