… #Fuelyourawesomeness…

Ms. Riley decided to get into my box of Bob’s Red Mill’s Protein before I could!

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This summer, Bob’s Red Mill and Team Fit Approach are teaming up to help the community #fueltheirawesomeness.

They created the #summerstrong challenge to help those who need a little boost and support with working towards their health goals.

This is GREAT because it creates a community that can help encourage, motivate, and uplift those that are working on building a better/stronger version of themselves.

I have to admit… the Bob’s Red Mill protein is absolutely delicious! I was slightly skeptical to try it at first but, It honestly did not let me down.

I got to try the following flavors:

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The powder had a unique dry consistency, and the unique flavor was something that I appreciated!

Feel free to join us for the #SummerStrong Instagram challenge which will go on July 18-23, 2016! 

Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods produces more than 400 products, including a full line of certified gluten free products and an extensive line of certified organic products. With a wide variety of whole-grain products from flours and hot cereals to baking mixes and grains. Bob’s Red Mill has whole-grain foods for every meal of the day.  An Employee-Owned company, Bob’s Red Mill is the nation leader in stone milling and is dedicated to producing natural foods in the natural way. They stone grind all common and many uncommon grains into flours and meals on over one-hundred-year-old mills. With all of the sophisticated knowledge of recent times, no machinery has yet been developed that grinds grains into flour as well as these slow-turning, flint-hard quartz millstones of the kind used by millers since ancient times.

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…Exercise SOS: How To Prevent Knee Injuries…

Knee injuries are among the most common types of sporting injury. You use your knees for all kinds of different actions and there are many different types of injury. Sometimes, you can bounce back from knee injuries quickly. In other cases, you may be out of action for months. If you’re a fan of sports, or you work out regularly, this guide will hopefully help you to stay injury-free.

Strengthening and conditioning

The knee joint is heavily used in lots of different sports. Strengthening and conditioning exercises can improve mobility and flexibility. They will also help to reduce the risk of injury. You can work through a program with a sports therapist, or include targeted stretches and exercises in your training sessions. It’s also a good idea to try and condition your hips. Your knees and hips work together, and if you have weakness in either joint, this will manifest in the other.

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Image credit https://www.flickr.com/photos/dfid/17203097648

Warming up

Before you do any exercise, no matter how intense, warm up. Take a few minutes to stretch the muscles and get the heart going. Exercising without warming up is one of the most common causes of sports injuries.

Protecting your knees

If you are prone to injuries, or you have a history of knee problems, there are products you can buy to offer greater protection. A compressive sleeve for knee joints is a good idea. This kind of support helps to stabilise the joint while also improving circulation and aiding recovery. Search online for reviews or ask your doctor or personal trainer for recommendations.

Rest and avoid overtraining

It’s common for the knee joint to suffer if you overtrain. If you repeat actions such as jumping, for example, the joint can become painful and inflamed. It’s understandable to want to push yourself. But doing too much is often counterproductive. Pay attention to your body. If you feel fatigued, have a rest.

Play to the conditions

Knee injuries often result from rash tackles or sudden changes of direction. If it’s raining outside and the ground is slippery, take extra care. Always make sure you are wearing suitable footwear.

Perfect your technique

If you’re playing sport or doing exercises in the gym, make sure you use the correct technique. If you’re lifting, for example, bend your knees, and lift up from the legs with your back straight. If you’re not using the right methods, your risk of injury will be much greater.

Seek medical advice

If you’re worried about a knee injury, seek medical advice. If you’re getting pain, the joint is inflamed, or it feels weak, see your doctor. It’s always better to get injuries checked out. If you leave them, they are likely to get worse.

Exercising has numerous benefits, but it often carries risks. If you’re a big sports fan, or you work out a lot, it’s important to be wary of injuries and protect your joints. Always warm up and cool down. Wear a support and take enough time to recover. If you are worried about injuries, don’t hesitate to visit your doctor.

…Protein Rich Alternative Foods for Bodybuilding…

Protein Rich Alternative Foods for Bodybuilding

Contrary to what most people think, proteins don’t necessarily have to come from red meats and chicken. After all, it’s not unusual to find bodybuilders that are vegetarians, who rely completely on non-meat sources for their protein requirements.

In my opinion, there’s a certain type of wisdom behind this practice. For instance:

1. Not as expensive as meats

2. Contain fewer calories

3. Kinder to the environment

It’s just as easy to get protein without having to resort to meat.

Recently I overheard a conversation at my gym where two guys were discussing whether becoming a vegetarian would affect the muscle building process. One thing that caught my attention immediately was when one of the guys probed whether non-meat protein sources offered “complete proteins”.

Around a fortnight prior to that, I read a long article discussing “complete proteins”. For those of you wondering what complete proteins are, this term refers to amino acids that are the fundamental building blocks for protein in the body.

Did you know that there are up to 20 different types of amino acids that form protein? Did you also know that 9 of these amino acids aren’t naturally produced by the body?

These nine amino acids are often referred to as “essential amino acids”. Our bodies aren’t capable of producing these, and that’s where “complete proteins” come into play, because they help supplement “the missing nine”.

So it’s important to know what foods offer you “complete proteins”, and what foods don’t. For instance, eggs and meat will offer “complete proteins”, whereas nuts won’t. This doesn’t mean that you have to have every type of essential amino acid in every meal; you just need the right amount daily.

According to dietitians, diets that are purely plant-based contain a vast range of amino acids, meaning vegetarians are certain to get all they need with relatively little effort.

I used to be the type of guy that had to have “complete proteins” in all of what I ate. This wasn’t necessarily a problem, but at the same time it was and always necessary. Everyday foods like dairy products and eggs more than supplemented my requirements, but I was always on the lookout for new protein sources that didn’t necessarily come from meats.

Here’s what I found…

1. Spirulina

Contrary to what you may have been told in the past, Spirulina is not a “complete protein” source because it doesn’t contain any cysteine and methionine. It’s pretty easy to supplement these missing two elements by adding nuts, oats, grains, or seeds.

Suggested serving size: Approximately 4 grams of protein in a tablespoon

2. Peanut Butter

When you combine legumes like peanuts, lentils, and beans with certain grains like corn, rice and wheat, you will ultimately create “complete protein”. This is exactly why peanut butter mixed with whole wheat for instance is such a great snack! It’s high in calories, yes accepted, but it also provides an abundance of essential amino acids along with healthy fats that we all need.

Suggeseted serving size: Approximately 7.5 g of protein in a tablespoon

3. Hummus

Rice and wheat contain a similar type of protein, which lacks lysine. Chickpeas on the other hand ooze in lysine, and this makes the proposition of eating hummus accompanied by pita very interesting. Chickpeas contain an almost identical amino acid profile to most legumes, and they should leave you free to experiment with different types of hummus, i.e. made from:

1. Beans

2. Edamame

3. Cannellini

Suggested serving size: Approximately 3.5 g of protein in a tablespoon

4. Rice and Beans

The combination of rice and beans is probably one of the cheapest and simplest vegetarian meals around. Not only this, rice and beans is one of the best sources of non-meat proteins you’ll find anywhere. Beans themselves are low in methionine and extremely high in lysine. Rice on the other hand is low in lysine, and high in methionine. See where this is going? The two dovetail together to provide you with protein that is on par with what meat offers.

Suggested serving size: Approximately 7 g of protein in a cup

5. Seitan

Yes agreed, gluten doesn’t really have a very positive image in health circles, but provided you are not gluten intolerant, it can be a very good source of protein. By combining gluten with certain herbs and spices, hydrating it with water, and letting it simmer, you end up with seitan. Although this won’t give you “complete protein”, by simply adding soy sauce will make up the lysine-deficit that you initially started with.

Suggested serving size: Approximately 21 g of protein in a 1/3 cup

6. Quorn

This stuff was originally created to help combat chronic food shortages. It is created by growing certain fungus into meat-like substances that offer “complete proteins”. Although it might sound like something out of a science fiction movie, Quorn belongs to the mushroom family, and in all honesty, it’s quite tasty.

Suggested serving size: Approximately 13 g of protein in a 1/2 cup

7. Quinoa

With a similar appearance to couscous, quinoa is extremely nutritious. It’s packed with iron, fiber, manganese, and magnesium; and it’s a great substitute for rice. Quinoa is extremely versatile because it’s used in cookies, breakfast casseroles, fritters, and even muffins.

Suggested serving size: Approximately 8 g of protein in a cup

8. Buckwheat

Buckwheat is related to rhubarb, and has absolutely nothing to do with wheat. Buckwheat is a favorite in Japan because it’s used to create “soba” (popular noodles). The seeds are usually grounded together to create a flower like substance which can be used to cook pancakes, and oatmeal. This ingredient is super healthy because trials have shown it to help enhance circulation, keep blood glucose levels in check, and lower blood cholesterol.

Suggested serving size: Approximately 6 g of protein in a cup

9. Hempseed

Related to hemp, and contains massive amounts of all of the nine essential amino acids plus calcium, iron, zinc, and magnesium. Moreover, hempseed is a great source of essential fatty acids such as omega-3s that are known to help alleviate symptoms of depression.

Suggested serving size: Approximately 5 g of protein in a tablespoon

10. Soy

As stated earlier, beans are known to be low in methionine, whereas soy is considered to be a “complete protein”, and according to nutritionists, it thoroughly deserves this status. Soy comes in a number of forms, “natto”, “tempeh” and “tofu”. The former two are created by fermenting the beans, but the latter is said to be the best known soy product out there. In terms of finding the best protein, it’s believed that the firmer the tofu, the more protein it contains.

…4 Of The Most Exciting Sports Shoes On The Market Right Now…

An essential element of our mission for ever-greater fitness is footwear. What we wear on our feet matters. If our shoes aren’t any good, we’ll be uncomfortable. In the worst case scenario, a bad shoe can lead to injury.

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Things are changing fast in the world of shoes. Now you can get some amazing sports shoes for relatively low prices. You’re bound to find something that suits you.

The following are some of the most exciting shoes on the market right now.

Nike Zoom Soldier

Nike wasn’t messing around when they chose the name “Zoom.” They really did want to make a shoe that was “So fast, you’ll buckle up.” And to a degree, they’ve achieved this.

This shoe is great, whether you’re looking run over many miles or just need to do fast sprints. And it helps to protect your feet through a variety of mechanisms. One is the air pockets under the sole of the shoe, which help to cushion when the foot strikes the floor. The other is the cross-linked internal mesh of fibres. These add directional support while running.

The shoes aren’t cheap, but thanks to these Foot Locker coupons, you can get some substantial money off the final price.

HOKA Speedgoat

HOKA were going for a similar vibe as Nike with their Speedgoat name. They wanted to capture the idea that your shoes would help you run faster. Perhaps even as fast as a mountain goat.

But while they might not be able to achieve that, the shoes themselves are quite impressive. They feature a Vibram sole from the off-road specialists. So this means that, in theory, you can take these shoes with you if you go mountain running.

The shoes themselves are lightweight. And they come with some enhanced geometry designed to help while running over rough terrain.

Brooks Glycerin 13

The Glycerin is Brook’s attempt at an adaptable shoe. It’s designed to cater for all sorts of different gaits. And it’s meant to offer a range of different cushioning levels. The company’s IDEAL Pressure Zone technology distributes pressure over the sole of the shoe. And this helps to reduce the force your foot experiences when striking the ground.

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In other words, if your running style isn’t ideal, then the shoe is designed to accommodate this. In a nutshell, it’s forgiving.

Pearl Izumi EM Road M2

Pearl Izumi has decided to go high-tech with their new road running shoe, the EM Road M2. Rather than have the upper made in a factory, it’s actually 3D-printed out. That means that it’s a lot lighter than it would have been. And the shape is also more finely tuned to the shape of the average runner’s feet. Though we’re still a little way off personalised trainers, Pearl Izumi’s new shoe reminds us that that day is not far off.
The shoe itself features a couple of crush pads under the sole. These are designed to redirect energy from hitting the road, back up into the runner. This literally gives them a spring in their step.