Post-Workout Food for Recovery

Banana post workout

The main aim in post-workout refuelling is the amount of carbohydrate consumed. The amount you require will depend on the intensity and length of your workout and the timing of your next session. If an intense workout is planned within the next 24 hours, consuming carbohydrate within the first hour of finishing is ideal for replacing glycogen stores.
The meal or snack should provide 1-1.2g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight.
The table below includes meals or snacks that provide 50g of carbohydrate.
Carbohydrates are NOT your enemy! They are the fuel your muscle and brain relies on to function.

Carbohydrate-rich recovery snacks (50g carbohydrate)
• 2 slices toast/bread with avocado or banana topping
• 2 cereal bars (preferably homemade, recipe below)
• 2 large bananas
• 1 cup thick vegetable soup and large bread roll
• 1 large fruit bun or scone

Fruit bun post workout

If your goal is weight loss, you can still aim to refuel glycogen stores before your next session. However, it’s important that the post-workout meal is considered as part of your overall energy budget. You may wish to plan for one of your main meals or snacks to be consumed straight after your workout. This meal should provide a nutritious carbohydrate source along with other nutrients such as protein, vitamins and minerals.

Nutritious and Delicious Cereal Bars

Nutritious Cereal Bars

1 and 1/2 cup Whole grain Quick Oats

1 cup Rice Crispies

1/8 cup Flax Seed meal

1/4 cup each Nuts -Pistachios,Almonds

1/4 cup Raisins

1/8 cup Dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup Light Brown sugar

1/4 cup White sugar- (you can use all brown sugar instead)

1 tbsp Honey

1 Egg

1tsp Vanilla

1/4tsp Cinnamon

1tbsp Canola Oil

1 tbsp All purpose flour

1/4tsp salt

* You can add other nuts like walnuts/pecans or fruits like dried cranberries/cherries etc.

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 170C (335F). spread the oats and nuts on a cookie sheet and warm in the oven for 8-10 mins...until slightly toasted. reduce temperature to 160C (325F). Coat a 8*11 inch pan or 9* 9 inch pan with aluminum foil.Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2) Beat the egg.Mix oil, sugar and all of the above ingredients, stir well.
3) Press the mixture in the coated pan.
4) Bake at 160C (325F) for 15- 20 mins ....till slightly golden brown.
5)Let them cool and then cut onto bars with a oiled sharp knife
6) Store in airtight container.Makes 12 bars.

Taut, Titanium-strong Tummy

Stop doing sit-ups. Especially if you're head is flying forward, your neck is straining and your back hurts more than your abs!

Basic Plank

Incline Plank - Marching Legs

The most effective abdominal exercise is the plank - an isometric exercise, requiring you to hold your muscles in a contracted position to maintain stability. When you have mastered the basic plank (you may need to start on your knees), you can try these modifications to target different muscles and add a new level of challenge to your abs routine. How long can you hold?

Leg Arm Extension

Plank with Row

Side Plank

Mylo-Dee Bespoke Activewear

Two fabulous birthday presents this week! Thankyou to my fabulous personal training client and superstar, Miss V, for the nail art book. I see trouble.
Big big thankyou to Mylo-dee Activewear for the delivery of my bespoke designs! Am thrilled. It was like playing a fashion design computer game, choosing the cut and colour of my tops. Both Miss V and I sat down over coffee and concurred that:

• I rock at choosing colours
• The fabric is amazing (French jersey, no less)
• The designs are so flattering to the body
• The packaging is very luxe
• In-built shorts for the skirts are genius

Singlet design mylo-dee

All reasons to gift yourself or someone else. Trends come and go. Sportswear lasts forever! 

Skirt design mylo-dee

Skirt design mylo-dee

Could not go past this super-healthy, very yummy recipe for lunch, party food or entrees. Guaranteed vegan and vegetarian friends will have no issues here.
If you're not particular about organics or you like a few shortcuts, quality store-bought guacamole and non-organic fresh produce is your secret.

Raw veg salad rolls

RAW ZUCCHINI, CARROT AND CASHEW SALAD ROLLS

Ingredients:

Salad Filling

3 medium organic zucchini, shaved thinly lengthways

½ organic carrot, julienned or grated

½ organic red capsicum, julienned or finely sliced

1 organic lebanese cucumber, julienned or finely sliced

¼ cup organic coriander leaves

¼ cup organic mint leaves, roughly chopped

Cashew Sour Cream

1 cup raw organic cashews, soaked a few hours or overnight

¼ teaspoon sea salt

½ tablespoon organic lemon juice (or cider vinegar)

¼-½ cup filtered water

Guacamole

1 ripe organic Avocado

2 tablespoons organic red onion, finely diced

½ lime, juiced

Dash of Tabasco, to taste

Salt, to taste

Description:
Salad filling

In a large bowl, gently toss the salad to combine.

* can add rocket leaves to the salad for a peppery bite.

Cashew Sour Cream

drain the cashews, place nuts in a food processor add remaining ingredients then puree until smooth. Refrigerate until needed.

To Assemble…To make one roll… on a clean bench or chopping board lay approx. 8 zucchini strips lengthways and close together, spread a spoon of each sour cream, guacamole and top with a small handful of salad and roll up tightly. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut in half and eat straight away!

You make me feel like dancin'

Tomorrow I look forward to instructing Ballet Sculpt at Kew Recreation Centre. If you can't make it, but you're curious, here is a short video from Self magazine that leads you through some ballet-inspired moves. Fantastic for postural alignment, strengthening the stabiliser muscles in your back, legs, glutes and abdominals and increasing your flexibility. From duck to swan in a month? Try it.

Slave to Sneakers

Not mine, I swear!

How to justify upcoming sneaker purchase? I know - I'll convince you to reach for your credit card too. A spending spree shared is a spending spree halved...right? What's your colour pick?

Asics Kayano

Nike Free

Saucony

Nike Air Max

Jeremy Scott for Adidas

Nike Free

Long lean and athletic - taste of barre3

Some of you do my Ballet Sculpt class at Kew on Monday mornings, but for those who can't make it, here is a short video from barre3 founder Sadie Lincoln. I love doing her DVDs at home - not only do they require minimum room, but I can feel my abs kicking in from start to finish.
Hope this inspires you to join me Monday mornings @ 11.30am!

 

Source: youtube.com via Cat on Pinterest

Mother's Day the Core Way!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a great opportunity to spend time with your mum doing something valuable for your mental and physical wellbeing. Sound too hard? Just sticking with chocolates and a card?
Here are some ideas...

Horse Riding

• Challenge your mum to download a free pedometer app (or gift her a pedometer!) and join you in meeting 10,000 steps in five days
• Give your mum a voucher to use at her local gymnasium/yoga/pilates/dance studio (depending on her fitness and interests)
• Enrol both of you in a one-day cooking course - Thai, Spanish, French, Italian, raw or vegetarian food. The link is for courses in Melbourne but hit Google for your local options

  

  Cooking course

• Give your mum three sessions with a personal trainer you know and believe will motivate and encourage your mum, whatever her fitness level
• Do an outdoor activity together you both enjoy - horse riding, bushwalking, paddleboarding, cycling, going to the zoo or an animal sanctuary...we're so lucky to have fantastic trails within a 2 hour reach of Melbourne

  

  Pedometer Challenge

If you have a suggestion, I want to know! Share it with other readers on Core Integrity With Cat Facebook.

Sweet and Waistline Friendly!

Apologies if you are not remotely near Fitzroy or willing to travel - this will deeply hurt you. There is a sweet, all natural, low fat and low kilojoule dessert right in the heart of Fitzroy at Berrissimo 360 Brunswick Street. If you're watching your waistline, have no fear. I asked the lovely Nat for the technicalities (fat and kilojoule count).

Berrissimo

"We make our frozen yoghurt fresh onsite with low-fat milk and fat-free yoghurt. Our most popular flavour is the Original which has 370.56kj and 0.98g fat per 100g. The Wildberry has around 460.8kj and 2.08g fat per 100 grams. Our most popular dairy-free and vegan flavour is the Choc Mousse which has 455.5kj and 2.09g fat per 100g. We also have a range of fresh fruits and homemade toppings to choose from!"

Breakfast Fuels Your Day: Dietitian Melanie Guest Blogs!

Melanie McGrice

GUEST BLOGGER: Melanie McGrice, dietitian

The Aussie Breakfast Report found that the average Australian only allows 8 minutes to prepare AND eat breakfast each morning. As a result of our busy lifestyles, one in every two Australians skips breakfast at least once per week. 

As a Dietitian, I am one of those people who chant that ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’.  Half of all breakfast skippers admit that it affects their performance throughout the morning.

In addition to improving your performance, starting the day with a balanced brekkie will also help you to meet your nutrition requirements.   

A balanced breakfast includes:

• a serving of wholegrains, 
• a serving of fruit and 
• a serving of low fat dairy.  

Wholegrains help to protect against heart disease, bowel cancer, type 2 diabetes and obesity.  Fruit is rich in antioxidants and helps to protect against cancer and low fat diary is rich in calcium helping to protect you from osteoporosis.

For those who struggle to fit breakfast into their day, I’ve started recommending BelVita breakfast biscuits with a piece of fruit and glass of low fat milk or skim latte.  BelVita are scientifically proven to provide 4 hours of sustained energy release with eaten with a serve of low fat dairy.  They are also low GI and contain 5 wholegrains, so nutritious as well as quick.  I have to admit that I find them handy to throw into my gym bag on days when I go straight from the gym to work.

If you’ve got any questions on this or any other nutrition topics, please contact me on www.facebook.com/NutritionPlusNews.

Thanks Melanie. Other good brekkie options?

• Wholegrain oats, low fat milk, mixed berries
• 250g tub of natural yoghurt with chopped fruit, slice of wholemeal toast with avocado

Instructions for one serving oats and berries:
½ cup wholegrain rolled oats
1¼ cups boiling water
¼-½ cup light milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon stevia (natural plant sugar substitute)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup blueberries
¼ cup raspberries

Instructions
1. In a nonstick saucepan, add oats and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes to toast. Stir often. Add boiling water and reduce heat to a simmer.  Simmer on low for 5 minutes or until most of liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.  Stir in ¼ cup soy milk, vanilla and continue to simmer for about 3 minutes, until desired consistency.  Add more milk, if desired.
2. Stir in stevia and cinnamon.
3. Spoon into serving bowl and top with berries
Makes 1 serving

No Chemical Cleaners! Easy to Make

Got a shelf full of random bottles full of unnaturally coloured liquids? Ever wonder what 99 of those 100 ingredients listed are?

Here's what you need and how you can use the ingredients to clean/scour and create a healthy home.

• Distilled white vinegar (kills 99% of bacteria!)
• Eucalyptus or lavender oils
• Castile soap (vegetable-oil based)
• Bicarbonate of soda

Bathroom Cleaner

Bathroom Cleaner

Mix 2 cups bicarbonate of soda with 2/3 cup castile soap, 2/3 cup of water, 2 and a half tablespoons of vinegar and a few drops of lavender or eucalyptus oil for scent. Seal and shake ingredients in a spray bottle. Apply with a cloth or sponge before rinsing thoroughly.
Keeps for 1 month

Drain Unblocker

Pour 1/2 cup bicarbonate of soda into the drain before adding a cup of white vinegar. Allow to sit for 15 minutes then pour boiling water down the drain. If it's a stubborn blockage, you can leave the mixture overnight or repeat the process.

Shiny Floor Solution

Bicarb of soda

Mix 1/2 cup of white vinegar with 8 litres of hot water and a few tablespoons of eucalyptus oil in a bucket. Mop or sponge floors. No rinsing required! 

New Sportswear Releases

Stella McCartney for adidas 2013

What Stella McCartney designs for adidas filters into the sportswear designs of pretty much every other collection out there! Sure, it costs a bundle, but it looks FANTASTIC. I can spot someone wearing a piece from miles off! See the collection: http://adidas.com/go/WxAAA

Nike Free Run 5.0

Also, Nike Free Run 5.0 latest releases are out. I'm yet to find better colours and more flattering designs than the Free. Guaranteed you will see these around. Be the first! I recommend Eastbay for the best range and prices. Fast delivery too!

Afternoon Slump - Fix It

Maybe not every day, but most days, do you get that feeling of lethargy and blahness between 2 - 3.30pm?
Here are some reasons why and what you can do to say goodbye to afternoon blues!

• Quality of sleep: at LEAST 7 hours of sleep is recommended for optimum energy
• Carbohydrates: Too much and you'll be tired trying to process them but even worse is no carbs at all! Your brain requires glucose so if you skip carbs at breakfast/lunch you are starving your brain of fuel, not to mention your muscles!

  

  Fruit and smoothies

• Protein: Lack of protein can result in missing out on vital nutrients and your appetite is likely to surge mid afternoon. Good options are canned fish, natural yoghurt, lean meat
• Healthy fats: Not only appetite-satisfying but necessary to absorb key vitamins. Also fabulous for your brain, heart, skin and hair. Avocado, olive oil, salmon and walnuts are excellent!
• Stress: By mid afternoon, all those niggly issues you've been avoiding or postponing can creep up on you. Keep a list of what you need to get done and tackle the tough stuff first. If you are struggling to do it alone, ask for help.

Coffee a peril



• Caffeine: Keep it for a morning boost but the downside to caffeine is it gives you an instant energy hit and then you rocket back down. Beyond 2pm, go for herbal tea, water, juice.
• Sugar: Same deal as caffeine. Initial burst of energy and then....bleugh. This does NOT include fruit. Fruit is an excellent snack to have on hand - apples, stone fruits, citrus. All excellent sources of vitamins, minerals and importantly, glucose for energy and brain function.
• Exercise and posture: If you're slumping over your desk for hours, the tension through your shoulders and neck will have you feeling like you're carrying a load of bricks by the end of the day. Shoulders back, long neck, think about extending through the spine. A brisk walk during the middle of the day gets your circulation going and can reinvigorate you for the rest of the afternoon. Get outdoors and get some sunshine!

Easter Fitness Fun

barre3

Are you in Melbourne over the Easter long weekend? Join me on Monday for BodyPump at 9.30 or Ballet Sculpt at 11.30am at Kew Recreation Centre.
If you're looking for other ways to work on hot buns (or just work some off), try barre3 online workout options, go for a walk outside and add some push-ups, stair runs, lunges and sprints for strength!






Stair runs

Squat with towel overhead

Piercing Not A Plaything!

Sam and assistant at Hairhouse Warehouse

Piercing has become so ubiquitous it's almost astonishing NOT to see someone with a ring or stud. I still remember having to plead my case for pierced ears at the age of 12. Anyway. This is important - if not for you, then for your friend or child or partner who is considering getting a piercing.
I went to Hairhouse Warehouse because I'd done my research. Every tool and item of jewellery is sterilised using a high power autoclave system. They have won several awards for body piercing and their pricing is really good.

Two ear piercings

I went to Northland Hairhouse Warehouse and Sam did my piercing. He was funny, friendly and explained the whole procedure and hygiene/safety processes. Though it did hurt (well, there's needles involved!), the pain subsided quickly afterwards and I was given thorough aftercare instructions (antibacterial wash and spray twice a day, no bumping or agitating the area).
Why is this timely and important? Because it's essential not to end up with an infection or worse as a result of poor hygienic standards or training. ASK QUESTIONS!
Big thanks to Sam - love your work!