Effective + Easy FAT BURNING workouts!!

Hey, hey! I don't have too much time to write today but that won't keep me from sharing with you two fat burning workouts that will leave you exhausted and feeling great because you got your cardio done in less than 45 minutes. Remember guys, the more is not always the merrier. You can walk/run for an hour on a treadmill but the amount of fat burned won't be higher than the amount you burn when you do intervals, use the starimaster or engage on this type of HIIT training that I'm about to describe. Consider the fact that in order to get the same results that you will get with 15 minutes on the stairmaster, you will have to run/jog for at least an hour, and on top of that you will be more exposed to muscle loss while using the treadmill.
Research shows that an aerobic exercise program that exceeds more tan 45-minute sessions per week has a limited effect on improving your aerobic capacity. But if you're still a treadmill fan and you don't want to give it up, it's better if you try walking with a really high incline (I personally use 15%) at a peace that won't allow you to chitchat (I do 3.5 or 4.0) for at least 35 minutes and no more than 45 minutes.

Anyways, for all of you that feel like trying something new or do not count with a lot of time to get in that cardio, here are two options of  HIIT that have been working for me:

Workout #1

-Stairmaster 10 minutes
-Jump roping 3 sets x 100
-Bodyweight squats 3 sets x 50 reps
-Jackknives 3 sets x 30 reps
-Back hyperextensions 3 sets 30 reps
-Elliptical or treadmill x 10 minutes to cool down


Workout #2

-Kettlebell swings x 1 minute
-Burpees 3 sets x 10 reps
-Knee tucks on ball 3 sets x 10 reps
-Burpees 3 sets x 10 reps
-Bodyweight lunges 3 sets x 40 reps (20 each leg)
-Push ups 3 sets x 15 reps
-Elliptical or treadmill x 10 minutes to cool down.


Ready, set, go! Sweat mode ON! ;-)

Hope you have a great workout! Me? well, I'm extremely sore due to a double workout yesterday + a killing shoulder workout this morning, but I'm loving it!!

See you tomorrow, friends! And remember to follow me on Instagram: @flor.loda. More stuff is yet to come! ;-)

Big hugs.

Flor.-

QUINOA SHOTS, anybody??

I know exactly what you're thinking.. "Quinoa shots? Wait, WHAT?!" Yes, yes, and yes. Today I bring you this recipe that combines Quinoa seeds and shot glasses. But no, it doesn't involve any type of alcohol, unfortunately. Or fortunately, since I'm trying to promote a healthy lifestyle here.

Anyway, the reason why I've decided to try this recipe is because I realized that I have a really strong sweet tooth at night, right after dinner. It won't happen during the day, just at night time. I know I'm not the only person with this "problem" because it is a known fact that one way or another our bodies crave sugar. Either because we're feeling stressed, or undergoing some hormonal process (a.k.a PMS), even when we're anxious, it's the way our bodies have to "treat" themselves. Wright or wrong, it's something that happens and the least thing you want is to munch a snickers bar right before bed, allowing all those glucose molecules to freely travel through your bloodstream to end up stored as fat.
So, I'm on a quest to find relatively healthy (and I say relatively because I haven't found a 100% healthy recipe YET) recipes to calm down my inner sugar-monster without throwing away all the gains and improvements that I've achieved during the day.

This is the first recipe I'm trying and so far...so good. It has the right amount of crunchiness, sweetness and healthiness needed to satisfy my cravings without feeling guilty. It's a little bit high on carbs due to the quinoa (I'm not a big fan of carbs at night but quinoa is gooood) and fats, but HEY they are healthy fats that come from the peanut and hazelnut butter + coconut oil.
To sum it up I would say I rather eat one of this homemade shots/cups made out of healthy stuff rather than any other store bought candy/chocolate. Enough said, let's go to the important part... The recipe!

Ingredients

- 1 cup puffed quinoa (*)
- 1/4 cup peanut butter (I used chunky but you can use creamy)
- 1/4 cup Justin's hazelnut butter (please, PLEASE do not use Nutella, it's LOADED with sugar)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup (optional)

Directions

1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl add the puffed quinoa.
2. In a saucepan add the peanut butter, hazelnut butter, coconut oil, vanilla extract and maple syrup if using. Stir continuously over low heat until everything is melted.
3. Pour the mix over the quinoa and stir until everything is incorporated and you can see the quinoa fully coated.
4. Let cool and then drop heaping tablespoons of the mixture to shot glasses or muffing liners if you prefer.
5. Take them to the freezer for an hour to set. After that, you can store the in the refrigerator.
6. Enjoy!


(*) You can purchase puffed quinoa, but if you prefefr to make your own like I did, simply heat a pot over a medium heat. Oce the pot is hot, pour a small amount of quinoa in the pot and start moving gently so that the quinoa swirls around and it doesn't burn. (It's like making popcorn). The quinoa pops in a very quiet way compared to the corn kernels, so be careful not to overheat them!

Easy, right? Oh and BTW, I used shot glasses just because I didn't have any muffing liners haha, but feel free to do things like normal people would do and pop the mixture onto muffing liners, that's totally fine, although the shot glasses are totally FUN! ;-)


Hope you liked this recipe, you can also follow me on Instagram: @flor.loda for more recipes and fitness stuff!

Have a nice one!

Big hugs,

Flor.-

(recipe adapted from kriscarr.com)

I'm back! (and I know you want some protein pancakes...)

Hey, hey! Do you remember this girl?! Yeah, me neither. It's been ages since my last post and I really don't know what excuse to make. Well.. life has been busy lately, but I don't want to bore you with my personal stuff, I will just tell you two of what we could call "highlights of Flor's existence": a) I got married last September to an amazing man (that I love deeply) and b) I'm not vegetarian anymore. Whoa! I'm sure you weren't expecting that! haha

Anyways, I also don't remember the last time I made protein pancakes (and they actually tasted good) but, to be honest, I went through different websites today and came up with this recipe, which is a mix of all the recipes in the protein world (?). This protein oat-blueberry pancakes taste AMAZINGLY good, they're super filling and don't need ANY type of syrup. Seriously, not even one drop. And no, I DIDN'T use sugar, honey, sweetener, aaaanything! I'm definitely sticking to this recipe at least for a while.
The only downside (to me) is that the main ingredient are rolled oats (duh!). So, "why is that a problem?" you say, and you are right. It's definitely not a problem if you are using this recipe for breakfast, since oats are complex carbohydrates that make your body work hard to digest them keeping you feeling full for a longer period of time. BUT, if you are craving a mid-afternoon snack (just like me, I'm a sucker for snacks!) well, then you might want to try a different recipe unless you are working out at night time or during the evening. Why? Well, like I said before, oats are complex CARBOHYDRATES, they make a really good source of energy that if it's not used (a.k.a if you are not moving for a considerably amount of time) they will store as fat. To sum this up and go right to the recipe I would say; load yourself with oats as early as you can, but don't panic if you went on an oat binge (like I did with the pancakes) on the afternoon. You are not going to be obese because of that. Remember that it's always better to eat healthy carbs than sh***y carbs. And please, PLEASE don't be obsessed with food, just enjoy it and stay healthy.

Now to the important part... the recipe!

Ingredients

- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 scoop whey protein (I used vanilla)
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Frozen Blueberries

Dierctions

1. Place all ingredients on a blender (everything but the blueberries) and blend for 30 seconds.
2. Lightly grease a skillet (I sprayed it with coconut oil) and pour the batter like making regular pancakes.
3. Before flipping the pancakes, sprinkle some blueberries on top.
4. Don't you dare waiting until they cool down, eat them right away! ;-)

Seriously though, I had to tie up my hands (not literally, of course) to avoid eating them right from the skillet. Let me know what you think!!

Alrighty folks, that's all for today, I hope you like the recipe and see you tomorrow!


Big hugs, joy and happiness to y'all!

Flor.-

Good Morning, cinnamon lovers!

Every day I wake up in the morning "feeling like P. Diddy" (Ke$a dixit). NO, really, every morning of every day, I wake up and the first thing I do, besides brushing my teeth and drinking a glass of water, is having breakfast (duh! might seems obvious but do you now how many b-fast skippers do I know?? Pff! Plenty of them!). Since I don't have too much time or I don't want to wake up the people in the house, I usually choose a quick + healthy option to start the day: Oatmeal. Hell I can't get bored of it! It's sooo tasty, and the texture.. OMG!

So, I grab my oats, put 'em into a pot, add some water, seeds (pepita, sunflower, flax, chia and quinoa), sometimes raisins, whole raw almonds or egg whites... and voilà! After a couple minutes I have my perfect breakfast ready to get in my belly. But not without the final touch: a sprinkle of ginger, nutmeg and CINNAMON.

Why is Cinnamon good for us?

Well, first of all, because of its high levels of manganese, fiber and calcium (yes!). It also has an extremely low Glycemic Index (which means its impact on blood sugar is nearly null) therefore helps lowering the GI of the oats, since seasoning a high-carb food with cinnamon can help lessen the impact on the overall sugar levels (a.k.a slowing the rate at which stomach empties after meals).

Some other benefits of cinnamon are:

-Prevent unwanted clotting on blood platelets
-Can be used as an alternative on food preservation (because of its "Anti-microbial" activity)
-The combination of calcium and fiber in cinnamon is important and can be helpful for the prevention of several different conditions, like heart disease.
-Usually used as a "warming remedy" to provide relief when facing a cold or a flu (specially if it's mixed with fresh ginger and tea)



So do you understand now why is Cinnamon so popular? (especially in winter time) I personally love it! Tastes good, smells good, looks good! AND it has amazing effects on your body... why don't you give it a chance?? ;)

Hope you find this post useful and have an AWESOME day! (:

Flor.-

Follow me!
Instagram: florgualdoni
Twitter: @florcitagu

Fabulous "Top 10's" to lose weight and gain muscle!

Hey there! I know it's been a long time since I wrote my last entry but these last weeks have been extremely busy and exhausting. The good news are that I haven't forget about you! And that's why I want to share with you this two "Top 10" of food you have to eat in order to:

1. Lose weight
2. Gain muscle

I think you might like them and I really hope you find them useful. (Even though I'm vegetarian, I know most of you aren't, therefore, my advices are including "animal"food.)

Top 10 to Lose Weight

1. Fish
2. Chicken Breast
3. Egg Whites
4. Whey Protein
5. Vegetables (a lot) and fruits (not that much)
6. Quinoa
7. Oats
8. Nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts)
9. Brown Rice
10. Sweet Potatoe

You should eat at least 5 to 6 small meals during the day,every 3 hours, in order to keep your body and metabolism working so it can burn fat faster. Ideally include protein in EVERY meal and carbohydrates only in the first 2 or 3.

Top 10 to Gain Muscle

1. Chicken Breast
2. Red Meat (Lean)
3. Fish
4. Whey Protein
5. Vegetables and fruits
6. Rice
7. Potatoes / Sweet Potatoes
8. "Good fatty acids" (olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds)
9. Egg whites
10. Oats

This top 10 of food to eat in order to gain muscular mass does not differ too much from the "losing weight" one, it's just you should increase the amount of carbohydrates and protein you eat, plus do less cardiovascular exercise and lift more weight. The goal is to gain lean mass and reduce the fat level.

Last but not least, remember to always drink plenty of water (100 oz / 3 liters per day at least) get good nights of sleep, and: if you are looking to gain muscular mass; you should lift heavy weights and supplement with BCAA's (if desired). If your intention is to lose weight, you should drink green tea, black coffee (not more than 2 cups a day) and do some cardio training.

These are only advices I'm sharing with you because they worked with me and I feel they can be useful for you too!

Hope you all have a great Saturday night. See you soon!

Big Hugs, Flor.-

Follow me!

Twitter: @florcitagu
Instagram: florgualdoni

Protein Shakes - Batidos Proteicos

Since my trainings became "harder", I decided to start also taking some supplements, more precisely protein supplements. You may think that I need it because of my new status as a vegetarian, that I may have some ind of deficit or something like that. But no. Fortunately, I have plenty of knowledge in Nutrition to efficiently satisfy all my protein requirements just by eating vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and so on. So I decided to complement my diet with more amino acids just because I want to increase my muscular mass. Protein Powders are an excellent option for that, and they also help loosing body fat and sometimes they can be used as a meal replacement.

Today I want to talk about "Whey Protein". Whey protein is a natural product with high nutritional quality easily absorbed by the body, low in fat and carbohydrates, and proteins obtained from cow's milk during the process of converting milk into cheese .

Milk has mainly two types of proteins: casein, which is approximately an 80% of the milk protein, and whey protein, which is about a 20%. Whey protein is more soluble than casein and also has a high quality since it is more nutritious protein available.

There's three types of Whey Protein: 

 

1. Concentrated Whey Protein.

2. Isolated Whey Protein.

3. Hydrolyzed Whey Protein. 

They have two main differences: Speed of their absorption and Purity. The hydrolyzed and isolate are the best since they are absorbed by the body more quickly.

-Concentrated Whey Protein : It has some fat , cholesterol and lactose. Its components are more bio-active .

-Isolated Whey Protein : This type is processed to remove the fat and lactose and it has a higher amount of protein by weight compared to the concentrate.

-Hydrolyzed Whey Protein: This is the best Whey Protein of all. Even more isolated, we could say this is as "partially digested" protein. It absorbs quickly and contains no fat or cholesterol .

There are many brands and types of protein and is very easy to get confused . Rather than focusing on the brand, it is important to look at the nutritional information. It should say "ISOLATE" since, of course, is the most isolated and it also has less carbohydrates. A good protein (protein powder) should have less than 150 calories, between 20 and 30 grams of protein, less than 4 grams of carbohydrates , ideally less than 2 grams of sugar and less than 140 mg of sodium. It should be low in fat and cholesterol. The one in the picture (the big black one) is called "Hydrolyzed ISO100" and it is one of the best even though it's a little bit more expensive. The small one ("Biochem") was the first I bought and honestly it didn't end up being a very good acquisition. Although it's not bad, it has slightly more sugars and carbohydrates.How often take a protein shake to gain muscle mass? Well, the ideal is to take a measure (one/two scoops, it depends on the brand) in the morning, right after getting up and with an empty stomach; one before and one after training. We should remember that after training , we have a 30 to 60 minute "window" where our body is much more receptive to everything we eat. For this reason, it is a good option to eat foods with a higher protein level, and a complex carbohydrate (such as oats), to fully nourish ourselves.Now, why a protein shake? Why not a piece of chicken instead? Well, the chicken takes about 4 hours to be digested, therefore, when the proteins of the chicken are ready to be dispatched to the muscle, this "window" that had been opened after exercise it's now closed.On the other hand, protein powder proteins are, as explained at the beginning, "partially digested ", most isolated and always ready like a "boy scout" to run into the muscle. They are going to refill the muscle fibers that we just "broke " with exercise, and of course, increasing the size of the muscle. This is why it is important to take a protein shake while this "super absorption " phase is going on . 
Last but not least, the other thing I have acquired, as shown in the picture, are BCAA's (Branched -chain Amino Acids). Basically, these are more isolated amino acids used to the same purpose. But I will devote an entire post to this topic. Now I  have to continue with my studies because I would like to have my beautiful  "Personal Trainer" Certificate before Christmas! Yay!!
 
See you soon, have a good Wednesday!

Big Hugs,

Flor.-

__________________________________________________________________________________

Desde que empecé a entrenar más “duro” como para llamarlo de alguna forma, decidí empezar a tomar algunas suplementaciones, más precisamente proteínas. Muchos de ustedes pensarán que tal vez lo necesito ya que, con mi nuevo status de vegetariana, tengo déficit proteico o algo por el estilo… Sin embargo, no. Afortunadamente tengo bastantes conocimientos en Nutrición como para poder satisfacer de manera exitosa mis requerimientos proteicos utilizando únicamente vegetales, legumbres, semillas, nueces, etc. Lo que me lleva a querer complementar mi dieta con más aminoácidos es, simplemente tratar de aumentar un poco la masa muscular. Los polvos proteicos son una excelente opción para eso, y además ayudan a reducir la grasa corporal y en algunos casos hasta pueden ser un sustituto de alguna de las comidas del día.

Hoy quiero hablar de la “Whey Protein”.  La proteína del suero o proteína de Whey es un producto natural de alta calidad nutritiva de fácil absorción por el cuerpo, baja en grasa y carbohidratos, y que se obtiene de las proteínas de la leche de vaca durante el proceso de convertir la leche en queso.

La leche tiene dos tipos de proteínas principalmente: la caseína que supone aproximadamente el 80%, y la proteína de whey, aproximadamente el 20%. La proteína del suero es más soluble que la caseína y también tiene una calidad superior ya que es la proteína más nutritiva disponible.

Existen varios tipos de Whey Protein: 

 

1.Whey Protein Concentrada, 

2.Whey Protein Isolatada, 

3. Whey Protein Hidrolizada. 

Su diferencia radica en la rapidez de su absorción y su pureza.  La hidrolizada y la isolatada son las ideales ya que son las que el cuerpo absorbe más rápidamente.

-Whey Protein Concentrate: Tiene algo de grasa, colesterol y lactosa. Sus componentes son más bioactivos.

-Whey Protein Isolate: A este tipo se la procesó para retirar la grasa y la lactosa, tiene un rango mayor de proteína por peso comparado con la concentrada.

-Whey Protein Hydrloyzed: Esta es la mejor de todas. Aún más aislada, podríamos decir que está como “parcialmente digerida”. Se absorbe muy rápido y no contiene grasa ni colesterol.

Hay muchas marcas y tipos de proteínas y es muy fácil confundirse. Más que fijarse en la marca, es importante fijarse en la información nutricional, que diga ISOLATE (isolatada) ya que, como dijimos anteriormente, es la más aislada y tiene menos carbohidratos. Una buena proteína (polvo proteico) debería tener menos de 150 calorías, entre 20 y 30 gramos de proteína, menos de 4 gramos de carbohidratos, idealmente menos de 2 gramos de azúcar y menos de 140 mg de sodio. Que sea baja en grasas y colesterol. La de la foto (el tarro grande), se llama ISO100 Hydrolyzed y es una de las mejores si bien es un poco más cara que el resto. La del tarro pequeño (Biochem) fue la primera que me compré y honestamente no fue una muy buena adquisición. Si bien no es mala, tiene un poco más de azúcares.

Con qué frecuencia tomar un batido proteico para aumentar masa muscular? Bueno, lo ideal es una medida al levantarse (con el estómago vacío), otra antes de entrenar y una después. Recordemos que después de entrenar, tenemos una “ventana” de 30 a 60 minutos donde nuestro cuerpo está mucho más receptivo a todo lo que ingiramos. Por eso mismo, lo ideal es alimentarse de alimentos altos en proteínas y algún carbohidrato complejo (como ser avena), para nutrirnos al 100%.

Ahora, Por qué un batido proteico y no una presa de pollo? Bueno, el pollo tarda aproximadamente 4 horas en ser digerido, por lo tanto, cuando las proteínas de ese pollo estén listas para ser depachadas al músculo, esa “ventana” que se había abierto tras el ejercicio ya se cerró. 

Por el contrario, las proteínas del polvo proteico están, como expliqué al principio, “parcialmente digeridas”, es decir, más aisladas y listas cual boy-scout para rellenar el músculo. Reponiendo las fibras musculares que acabamos de “romper” con el ejercicio y aumentando así la magnitud de dicho músculo. Es por esto que es importantísimo tomar un batido proteico mientras transcurre esta fase de "super absorción".

Por último, pero no menos importante, (podría escribir hojas y hojas pero no quiero aburrir) otra cosa que adquirí, como puede verse en la foto, son BCAA’s  (Branched-chain Amino Acids). Basicamente más aminoácidos aislados para el mismo propósito. Pero ya le dedicaré un post entero a este tema. Ahora me voy a seguir estudiando, ya que quisiera tener mi hermoso titulito de Personal Trainer antes de fin de año!!! Iupiiii

Nos vemos luego, que tengan un gran Miércoles!

Flor.-

Energetic + Delicious + Easy to make... "Endurance Crackers"

Alright, these last days have been quite exciting and filled with weird emotions. Being far away from my family/friends it's hard sometimes, especcialy when good and bad things happen and you wishe they could be here with you... at least to give you a hug!

Anyways, for those who do not know, I won a 5K race last Saturday in which the first prize was a FLIGHT TICKET to anywhere I want in Latin America! Yay for me! I honestly couldn't believe it (must say even now it's hard to believe). It is an awesome feeling... I'm training so hard (not to running races, but who cares) that it's good when you see that all the effort you are doing it's worth it. Grrrreat!
So, I want to share with you another recipe. (A friend told me she has already tried my "6-pack-abs routine" reccomendation... Have you been trying my recipes as well?) This time I make something called "Endurance Crackers".. just in case you need a boost of energy before training, studying or simply to go to work. They are also vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, sugar-free, and oil-free to boot!

Ingredients

1/2 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pepita seeds (or pumpkin seeds)
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 cup water
1 large garlic clove, finely grated
1 tsp grated sweet onion
1/4 tsp salt to taste
Spices/herbs

  
 Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, mix the seeds together. In a small bowl, mix the water, grated garlic, and grated onion. Whisk well. Pour the water mixture onto the seeds and stir until thick and combined. Season with salt, to taste. Add spices or fresh herbs if you wish.

3. Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet with the back of a spoon until it’s less than 1/4 inch thick. Not to worry if a couple parts become too thin, you can just patch them up.

4. Bake at 325F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, slice into crackers, carefully flip onto other side with a spatula. Bake for another 30 minutes, watching closely after about 25 minutes. The bottoms will be lightly golden in colour. Allow to cool completely on the pan. Store in a container or plastic baggy.

Done! Yummy & Energetic! ;)

Easy, right? Snack ready to go! Give this lovely crackers a chance... :)
I'll be enjoying them right now with some "mate".

See you next time! Big hugs.

Flor.-