Author: Shane Wilson

This decadent pie consists of a smooth raspberry-flavored chocolate truffle filing and a dark chocolate almond/pecan crust. This is truly an indulgence for that special occasion. 

Ingredients:

• ½ cup raw almonds
• ½ cup raw pecans
• ½ cup Medjool dates (about 6 large dates), pitted
• 3 tablespoons raw cacao powder
• ½ tablespoon coconut oil, melted
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1½ cup raspberries, frozen or fresh

• 1 can (13.5oz) full fat coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup raspberry sauce

Instructions

• chop almonds and pecans in a food processor until coarse meal and place in a bowl
• process dates in the food processor until they form a creamy paste
• add date paste, cacao powder, coconut oil and vanilla extract to the bowl with the almonds and pecans and mix to combine all ingredients
• pat the crust mixture onto the bottom of an 8-inch removable bottom pan lined with parchment paper.

• add 1 cup of raspberries to your food processor and pulse until smooth (if you are using frozen raspberries, let them thaw out completely first)
• pour into a strainer set over a bowl, and gently press the raspberries to extract their juices
• reserve ⅓ cup of the juice for the filling
• mix the remaining ½ cup of whole raspberries into the sauce

Recipe serves about 10 people. Store pie in the freezer.

Recipe sourced from: www.livinghealthywithchocolate.com

Metabolic rate is affected by several factors including age, weight, and genetics. Although there’s not a whole lot you can do about those things, there are still choices that can cause metabolism to fire up or fizzle. If losing weight is your goal, avoid these metabolism-slowing mistakes in the morning.

1. Eating too late: Skipping breakfast is one of the worst things you can do for weight loss since it causes your metabolism to slow down. When you don’t eat, the brain sends a message to the rest of the body to conserve energy, signalling it to hold onto the stored fat that you’re trying to get rid of. Eating within an hour of waking sparks the metabolic process called thermogenesis that turns the food you eat into energy. And no — a cup of coffee does not count as breakfast, but an energising green juice does! Make sure to eat throughout the day to maintain blood sugar levels since any drops can cause the body to burn muscle for fuel.
2. Not exercising: Research shows you continue burning calories up to 24 hours after working out, and studies also show that morning exercises burn more calories than those who sweat it out during other times of the day. If you’re planning on exercising anyway, for maximum calorie burn, your best bet is to get it done in the a.m. Include high intensity cardio intervals since challenging yourself is proven to activate fat-burning genes, which translates to an increased post-workout calorie burn — 100 to 200 more.
3. Not pumping iron: Lean muscle mass burns calories, and just adding 2-5kgs of lean muscle to your frame will increase your daily calorie burn by 100 calories. Include strength training in your morning routine such as Cross Physio’s 7 Rounds for Time Workout!

spotted at: www.popsugar.com.au/fitness

Welcome to our Beginners Guide to Meal Prep

There are no excuses, we have 168 hours in the week.

4-5 workouts a week would take 4-5 hours out of that 168 hours, leaving you 163 hours. Subtracting 40 hours for work gives you 123 hours left. Deducting a minimum of 56 hours a week for sleep and you have 67 hours left. Surely can you take one hour out of whats left of your week to do some meal prep?

Want to get healthier? Want to lose weight? – Try prepping at least your lunches. It is so easy and takes so little time to prep some chicken and veges for your lunches. Try these simple ideas for a healthier lifestyle.

Bake 5-6 chicken breasts for 20-30mins in the oven with some garlic and spices, no oil needed and there you have 5-6 lunch or dinner staples that you can mix up with different vegetable and carb sources.

To prepare vegetables, do the same. Dice some different veggies and bake for 20 mins at 180C. We recommend trying pumpkin, kumara, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, onions and any other hearty vegetables. Try mixing it up by eating them cold in a vege salad or heating them up for a warm meal with your chicken.

Meal prep doesn’t have to be complicated. You can just have a lunch box of veggies and a lunch box of chicken in your fridge for quick lunches or dinners. This great tip saves you resorting to an unhealthy option and is also an inexpensive way to stay on top of your diet.

We challenge you to replace your morning latte with this energising green juice.

This recipe, courtesy of Urban Remedy, is low in sugar and rich in nutrients. It also delivers a boost of energy when you need it the most. It is a low-glycaemic juice, which means it is the best option to maintain energy. Although Lattes can be a saviour at times, the added sugars can cause a spike in energy levels, leaving you crashed by lunchtime. These Green Juice ingredients will sustain you throughout the day, here’s why:

Cucumber: It contains phytonutrients that provide valuable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer benefits; it also contains B vitamins, which help support energy levels.

Spinach: This dark, leafy green is a nutritional powerhouse! Spinach is high in iron, and a lack of iron equals a lack of energy.

Celery: the juice from celery rapidly alkalinizes the body and is rich in vitamins and minerals. It is also very high in water, helping flush out toxins.

Parsley: Rich in energy-producing chlorophyll, parsley helps to build red blood cells, which equates to higher energy levels. Added bonus: parsley also freshens breath and increases oxygenation of cells, which supports detoxification.

Ingredients – choose Organic when possible

• 1 cucumber, peeled or non-peeled
• 3 cups spinach
• 5 stalks celery
• 1/2 bunch parsley

If you find this recipe is not sweet enough for you, add 1/2 an apple and a small piece of ginger for a sweet-spicy juice. You can also add two small beetroots with the greens; the beetroot will provide added sweetness and extra energy.

Instructions

Run everything through a juicer and serve over ice. If you don’t have a juicer, you can use a blender just add a little of your favourite organic juice and give it a whirl. This recipe will make enough for 2 servings, and will keep for up to 3 days!

With the amount of time we spend at work, it’s important to make the day as healthy as possible. Here are four easy ways to make sure that work is one of the healthiest parts of your day.

Make Time For a Workout

Exercise is a simple way to combat work-related stress, and it will give you more energy! Even if you only have a 30 minute lunch break, you can still get in a quick blast. Chat with one of our PT’s about how to get the most out of a short session.

Take Desk Breaks

To fight the effects of a sedentary lifestyle, take small desk breaks to walk around, either inside or out. Fill up your water bottle and spend a few minutes each day stretching.

Keep a Stash of Healthy Snacks

To keep energy levels up throughout the workday, resist the temptation of chips and chocolate. After the initial sugar rush wears off, you’ll be feeling worse than you did originally! Instead, keep a stash of healthy snacks at your desk. Nuts, yoghurt, and fruit are always good options.

Brown-Bag a Healthy Lunch

Even when you buy a seemingly healthy take away, there’s usually no way of knowing everything that went into the recipe. Save money, calories and temptation by packing a healthy lunch! Need some inspiration? Chat with our Fitness Team or register for our online diet plan, Nutrition Complete.

Spring – the ideal time to try new recipes using fresh and healthy ingredients from the vegie garden and market. This superfood salad combines raw broccoli and crunchy red onion with a creamy yogurt and feta dressing. Try this tasty number today, guaranteed to surprise!

Salad

• 3 cups Broccoli florets (approx 1 medium size head of Broccoli)
• ½ cup Diced Red Onion
• ½ cup Raisins
• ½ cup Feta Cheese (crumbled)
• ¼ cup Sunflower Seeds

Dressing

• ½ cup Organic Yogurt
• ¼ cup reduced Mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

In a large salad bowl, simply combine chopped broccoli with diced red onion. Add the sunflower seeds, raisins, and crumbled feta cheese.

In a separate bowl throughly mix organic yogurt, mayonnaise with lemon juice and sugar to make the dressing.

Finally add the dressing to the dry salad mixture and toss to mix. Season with salt and pepper as needed.