FACTS ON FLAX

Fiber: Just two tablespoons of flaxseed provides 4 g of fiber...almost 1/5 of our recommended daily fiber intake! Studies suggest that when flaxseed is added to  the diet, harmful LDL cholesterol drops, while good LDL cholesterol remains put.  Fiber also improves our regularity ;)

Lignans: These are natural antioxidants that flaxseed contains high levels of.  The lignans in flaxseed can bind to circulating that might promote unchecked cell growth.  In two tablespoons of flaxseed you get as many lignans as eating 30 CUPS of broccoli.  

Alpha-linolenic acid: Flaxseed is a mega-source for this Omega-3. The oil in flaxseed is approximately 50% alpha-linolenic acid, most oils such as canola or walnut are only 10%.  One serving of flaxseed contains 2400 mg of omega-3.

eXcellent choice: Many doctors and nutritionists recommend adding flaxseed to your diet.  You can eat the natural untreated seeds whole, ground into meal or sprouted!  Great to add to granola, smoothies or breads.

Hey Pumpkin ;)

It's here!  Fall. The start of warm and heavy comfort foods, pumpkin-filled desserts, drinks and pastries.  Stay lean through this season with these pumpkin pointers:

1.  Choose the smaller pumpkins for cooking.  Before adding to soups, breads, purees, pies or smoothies, steam or roast them.  As for the small decorative ones, try to cut off the top, scoop out the seeds and stuff with a savory protein filling (i.e. spiced ground turkey).

2. Roast the nutrient-rich seeds and use to top a salad or munch on as their own healthy snack!

3. Pumpkin helps with blood sugar control

4. 1/2 C of pumpkin provides 3 g of filling fiber...13% of your daily value!

5. The healthy fats in pumpkin seeds ward off cravings and keep your metabolism rolling

6. You can veganize a recipe when baking by swapping one egg for 1/4 C. of pumpkin

CRUSTLESS PUMPKIN PIE
Ready in 30 minutes and makes 8 servings

15-oz can pumpkin puree
8 oz unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp virgin coconut oil
Zest of 1 orange
2 eggs, whisked
2 tsp cornstarch

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Prepare a 9"x13" glass baking dish by placing a kitchen towel on the bottom.  Place 8 small ramekins (about 1/2 C size) on the towel.  Fill a kettle with water and bring to a boil.

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until smooth.  Fill each ramekin with 1/2 C of the pumpkin mixture.  Place the baking pan in the oven.  Bring the boiling water over to the oven and fill up the baking dish with the water so that it rises about halfway up the ramekins ( a water bath).

Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 72, Total Fats: 2 g, Cholesterol: 53 mg, Sodium: 56 mg, Total Carbs: 13g, Protein: 3 g, Iron: 0.5 mg.

The Card Workout

Almost all of my clients travel with work and more often than I would like. Unfortunately, I can't go with them.  So what can you do when you have minimal equipment yet need to stay on top of your workouts?  One of my FAVORITES is the Card Workout.  Here is how you do it:

Choose one exercise per suit.  Take a deck of cards and flip one at a time and do the amount of reps as the number on the card of the exercise that suit is assigned to.

For example:

Clubs: Sit ups
Spades: Burpees
Hearts: Push Ups
Diamonds: Lunges

So, if you draw the 7 of hearts, you would do 7 push ups and then immediately flip the next card and perform that exercise.  Go through the ENTIRE deck before you are done!  An ace is a minute break...OR you could really challenge yourself and make an ace 14 reps.

If you do the minute breaks, you get 90 REPS of each exercise.  Without the minute breaks, it is 104 REPS!!!!  Best part about it?  It only takes about 20 minutes or so.  It's an efficient calorie scorcher.

No more excuses on vacation or while you are traveling for work!

Still want more? Choose 2 exercises per suit.