Breakfast of Champions

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Olivia

Your mother was right; breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Whatever you eat, or do not eat for that matter will impact your mood, energy level, digestion and appetite for the rest of the day.

Just imagine, you get up in the morning and you go to drive your car to school or to work. But your gas tank is empty, so you can’t go anywhere. Now imagine your body, getting up and skipping breakfast. How well do you think you will make it through your day? I love comparing it this way as cars cannot obviously run on empty and our bodies are truly no different.

Food is our body’s fuel source (and no sorry, it’s not your coffee). Without breakfast, we slow down our body’s metabolism, increase food cravings, promote overeating, and make it harder to focus and concentrate for the rest of the day.

Therefore, you want to be sure to start your day off right with a large glass of water and a nutrient dense breakfast. Choose a metabolism boosting meal that consists of three things: fiber-rich carbohydrates for quick energy, lean protein to promote fullness, and some healthy fats to keep you feeling satisfied.

Avoid eating processed carbohydrates without any protein or good fat for breakfast. For example, avoid sugary cereals or heavily processed baked goods. A nutrient depleted type of breakfast such as these will only spike your blood sugar levels, making it easier for your body to store fat and your energy levels to decline shortly after. As a trainer, I get a lot of people telling me that they don’t have time to eat breakfast. The truth of the matter is that there is ALWAYS time to eat something. You just have to want to make time.

Try this simple, energizing, fat burning smoothie if you are short on time. Simply blend the ingredients together and you are good to go!

Blueberry Delight:
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 banana
1 scoop vanilla whey protein isolate or brown rice protein
1 tablespoon coconut oil or coconut manna (my new favourite delicious healthy fat)
1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
2-3 ice cubes

Much love,
Olivia:)

3 Habits for Healthier (and Happier) Mornings

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Olivia

With busy, hectic, over scheduled lives, most of us are sleep (and nutrient) deprived to some degree. Truly, this is a result of the daily grind of our modern day living. We have long, demanding days that can result in the lack of proper nourishment, rest, and play leaving us feeling less then energetic and motivated to exercise and eat well. Instead, we find ourselves spending downtime sitting in front of the computer or watching TV while eating processed garbage (aka junk food). Once in awhile we decide we are going to eat clean and go the gym but in a few weeks, our busy lives take over and our motivation dies down.

As a trainer, I have seen firsthand how stress, poor nutrition, and an overwhelming schedule can negatively affect one’s health and fitness goals. When we are so busy that we find ourselves forgetting to drink water throughout the day, skipping meals, and struggling through workouts, it’s time to “work in” instead of struggling to work out!

For these reasons and to cultivate a healthier and happier lifestyle for the long haul, here are my top 3 simple habits to develop in the mornings BEFORE the hustle and bustle of the day begins.

1) Drink water – If there was only one healthy habit I could recommend for you to begin, it would be to drink a LARGE glass of water first thing in the morning before anything else. Drinking lots of water hydrates the cells and ensures proper regularity. Most people are “backed up” and mistake being tired and hungry for dehydration. Being dehydrated slows down your metabolism and the process of burning fat. DRINK UP:)

2) Move your body - Do some sort of cardio for at least 20 minutes first thing in the morning to awaken the body and boost your mood. Some mornings, you may only be able to fit in a brisk walk, but it’s important to do something every day. Walking, running, yoga or boxing are all great options. Doing so will work to kick start your metabolism and release the “feel good” hormone, serotonin into the body. This in turn, helps to relieve stress and increase overall self-confidence. Upon many other benefits, exercising in the morning can help you to be more alert, productive, and creative throughout the day. If you work in a high stress atmosphere, exercising in the morning is extremely beneficial. If you are more advanced, feel free to do a full, more intense workout in the mornings. Being intense AND consistent is great together, just make sure that you are consistent FIRST, in order to build the habit; especially in the beginning.

3) Be grateful – Practice gratitude by thinking of 5 things that you are truly grateful for everyday in the mornings. Give yourself a few minutes to dwell on them with an “attitude of gratitude,” possibly during your stretch after your workout. Although this can be tricky at times, especially as it tends to be human nature to notice all that is wrong or that we lack, I find that if we give ourselves the chance on a regular basis to notice the little things that are working, we can increase our overall sense of happiness, and create hope and optimism for the future, regardless of what is going on.

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”- Robert J. Collier

I have always found positive, long term results by incorporating small, incremental changes that compound over time with any part of life. This way you can feel successful everyday without any overwhelm….awesome!

Much love and GRATITUDE,

Olivia Keane:)

Holiday Hangover Cures

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Olivia

We’ve all been there- the pounding headache, a desert-like dry mouth, and a stomach that feels like you went on a rollercoaster fifty times in a row. These are some various symptoms of the overindulgent and often inevitable holiday hangover. Fortunately, there are ways for you to prevent and cure the beloved hangover, besides the painfully obvious, not drinking in the first place. Most likely, this option is hardly appealing so the below 5 remedies can be very helpful in minimizing pain and maximizing pleasure this holiday season.

(1) Hydrate

Alcohol is a diuretic that forces water out of the body causing dehydration. Rehydrating your body is essential in recovering from a hangover. Be sure to drink plenty of water before you sleep and when you wake up and try to make a point of drinking as much water as you do alcohol during the night.

(2) Juices

You may have heard that drinking more alcohol the next day to cure your hangover is a good solution. Sadly, nothing could be worse in prolonging the hangover itself. Instead, try juicing fresh juice and vegetables, drinking tomato juice, or blending a fruit and protein smoothie to aid in replenishing essential vitamins and nutrients in the body.

(3) Eat

Try and eat a snack before or while drinking as this will help the body’s ability to metabolize the alcohol and remove it from your system. If you can stomach it in the morning, one of the best things you can eat are eggs, which are high in cysteine, and help the body process the toxins in alcohol.

(4) Coconut Water

Coconut water has the ability to cure the two main causes of a hangover; dehydration and electrolyte loss. It contains the 5 essential electrolytes to keep the body hydrated and functioning at its optimal state. It is also very high in potassium which can replace the salt and potassium your body expels whiling drinking.

(5) Sleep

It can seem almost impossible to get a good night’s sleep after a night of drinking. Alcohol can put you to sleep quickly, but when it begins to wear off after a few hours, the withdrawal symptoms can interrupt sleep patterns and make it hard for you to stay sleeping. Although lack of sleep on its own won’t cause the hangover, it most definitely can make it worse. If you have the luxury of time, stay in bed for as long as you can.

In the end, the only guaranteed treatment for a hangover is time. In the meantime, grab a tall glass of water and get plenty of rest. Cheers to having an amazing time!

-Olivia

Christmas Spice Protein Shake

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Olivia

With Christmas fast approaching, schedules are getting busier and those tempting treats are all around us. Try this healthy, festive shake for breakfast or as the perfect snack to curb sugar cravings and sustain your energy!

Recipe:

2/3 cup yam frozen (baked first)
1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 banana (optional)
1/3 cup ice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp clove
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix in a blender and enjoy!

Also, for a healthy alternative to a Christmas flavored Starbucks latte or frappuccino, try adding coffee to this recipe and increasing the amount of almond milk for a delicious treat!

Watch here to see more on how to make this recipe:

Much love,

~Keane 2 Be Fit

Protein Pancakes

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Olivia

Give your week a kick start with this healthy, deliciously satisfying Keane 2 Be Fit recipe. We guarantee that you’ll never look at pancakes the same way again:)

Ingredients:

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (vanilla works also)
½ cup gluten free oats
2/3 cup egg whites
1 banana
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 cup of mixed berries
1 tablespoons of almond butter
agave syrup or maple syrup to top

Directions:
Blend all the ingredients together and preheat a medium sized non-stick pan to medium heat. Place cooking oil in the pan, preferably coconut oil, and pour in half of the mixture and cook one side. Proceed by flipping the pancake once to cook the other side. Remove from heat and begin cooking the 2nd pancake. Top pancakes with almond butter in place of regular butter, melted berries, agave syrup and a dash of cinnamon. For gluten free option to this recipe just switch out the oats and banana for baked, mashed sweet potatoes. Also, these pancakes can be made in advance for weeks ahead and kept frozen for convenience.

Enjoy,

Olivia

The Best Healthy Snack Ideas

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Olivia

One thing I get asked more often than anything else is “what are some healthy snacks I can eat?”

With hectic, busy schedules, eating enough throughout the day can sometimes become last on the priority list. However, when we skip meals, we are much more prone to binge eating and energy crashes. This, in turn leads to slowing down the metabolism and storing excess body fat.

Below I have listed Keane 2 Be Fit’s favourite snack ideas. All of these snacks are whole, REAL food snacks. Meaning that these foods have not been heavily processed and do not contain added sugars or preservatives to prolong their packaged shelf lives (yuk)!

Also, you will notice that most of these snacks are some combination of protein, healthy fat and complex carbohydrates. This works to provide your body with good sources of energy (complex carbohydrates) while ensuring your muscles are fed and blood sugar levels stay stable (protein & healthy fat). For instance, adding almond butter to a sliced apple works to balance out the blood sugar spike effect that the apple would give to the body on its own. Not to mention that the protein and fat will help keep you feeling full and satisfied much longer. Hence, why eating a piece a fruit on its own can sometimes make you feel even more hungry after than before you had the piece of fruit.

Here are some of our favourite snack ideas:

1) Cut up veggies of choice (carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes, celery, broccoli, green beans, etc.) served with hummus

2) 1 apple or banana and almond butter (peanut butter works great too)

3) Natural, unsweetened Greek yogurt, berries and granola

4) Power protein shake: blueberries, strawberries, almond milk, flax seed oil and protein powder

5) Organic dried fruit (no sugar added mango, apple, pear, dates, figs) and a handful of almonds

6) Chocolate protein pudding (see recipe)

7) Quinoa Greek salad (see recipe)

8) “Clean” protein bars (around 10 ingredients to which you can pronounce/read/understand)

Love,

Olivia

Stop Blaming Your Genetics and Start Taking Control

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Olivia

“It’s my genetics; it runs in our family, look at my parents.”

We have all heard this massively defeating belief when it comes to our bodies. Seriously, can we give our folks a break! Their genes will NOT dictate us being overweight, and definitely not obese. The truth is genetics plays only a MINOR role in your outcome with weight. Even if every close relative of yours is overweight and has been for centuries, the most that could mean is that you have inherited a capacity through an unhealthy lifestyle for storing fat. This accounts for a tiny 11 percent of your overall ability to become overweight.

What you are more likely to have inherited from your parents that will contribute to weight gain are poor eating, cooking and lifestyle habits. Fortunately, all bad habits, while difficult, can be 100% unlearned. You can change the way you think and what you do. You are in the driver seat!

3 tips to gaining control of your weight forever:

Always eat protein at breakfast. Protein will keep you full and satisfied. It does this in two ways: by slowing down the rise in blood sugar and by remaining in your stomach for longer, because it takes the body longer to digest it.

Never skip meals. This will ensure you avoid blood sugar crashes and binge eating.

Exercise. Workout at a high intensity for 45 minutes 3-5 times per week and don’t be afraid to sweat.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit.”
– Aristotle

Be consistent and keep your eye on the prize!

Much Love,

Olivia

Top Five Fitness Myths

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Olivia

1. As long as you’re moving your body, you’re burning fat
First off, if you’re moving as fast as a slug, you are guaranteed to be burning zero body fat. Push yourself with interval training where you vary in between high and low intensities and be prepared to sweat.

2. Morning is the best time to get results
Are you a professional athlete training two to three times a day? If not, the timing of your workout hardly matters. What does matter is finding a time in your schedule when you can be consistent with your training. Listening to your body and knowing when you perform the best will help you decide if, in fact, mornings, afternoons or evening workouts are when you have the most energy. Energy and mindset are so important when it comes to having great workouts. Listen to your body’s internal clock and train when you feel the strongest.

3. Women should only lift light weights
This is some of the most ridiculous information you will hear! Weight training is essential in preventing osteoporosis, developing lean muscle mass, building strength and kicking up your metabolism. Besides, how are you going to sculpt those glutes and chisel your abs with only 3 pound weights? Restricting your heavy strength training is just holding your body back from the wonderful benefits of strength training. And it’s not just limited to women — men: get moving with those heavy weights too!

4. You can target specific areas of the body
Don’t buy into the myth that exercising specific body parts will work to reduce fat in that area. While it’s true that strength training exercises will target specific muscles — for example, bicep curls will strengthen the biceps — exercise targets the body as a whole. For the greatest results, work on exercises that engage large muscle groups like squats and lunges to get the best bang for your buck!

5. You need to exercise for at least an hour to get results
No way! It all depends on the type of workout you’re doing and your goals. If you’re doing a high intensity interval training workout also known as “HIIT”, you can achieve your goals in 20 minutes. Tabata training: eight sets of 20 seconds of hard work followed by 10 seconds of rest, is only four minutes long but an awesome high impact workout. You can even download a free App for Tabata onto your phone for simplicity and motivation. Overall, to truly get results, it’s more important to focus on what you’re doing, the intensity you train at and the overall structure of your training plan.

Get moving! Much love!

Olivia:)

Quinoa Greek Salad

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Olivia

Gluten free and simple to cook, quinoa is a must have superfood ingredient to have on hand. This nutrient dense, high protein recipe will help to curb cravings and sustain your energy levels throughout the day.

Ingredients:

1 cup                      Quinoa, rinsed
½ cup                     Grape Tomatoes, cut in half
2 sprigs                 Green Onion, chopped
¼ cup                     Red Onion, chopped
½ cup                     Green and/or Yellow Peppers, chopped
¼ cup                     Kalamta Olives (water cured), chopped
¼ cup                     Feta Cheese (Lactose Free: substitute with goat cheese), crumbled
2tbs                        Lemon Juice
2 tbs                       Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbs                       Balsamic Vinegar
2 tbs                       Fresh Parsley, chopped
1 tsp                       Basil, Oregano, and Black Pepper

Preparation:

Add 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of water in a saucepan
Bring to a boil, cover with a tight fitting lid, and turn the heat down to simmer
Cook on low heat for 15 minutes
Fluff quinoa gently with a fork
Place in fridge to cool completely
Combine lemon juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, and oregano. Whisk and set aside
Combine cooled quinoa, chopped vegetables, feta cheese
Drizzle with dressing
Season with parsley and black pepper

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Fit Tip:This salad stores great in the refrigerator for about 4-6 days. Be sure to prepare large portions of this recipe at one time and enjoy as a snack or meal when you are stuck for time.

Love,

Olivia

When you don’t find balance, the world finds it for you!

Posted on June 5, 2012 by Olivia

We have all heard the saying “what goes up, must come down.”

This is definitely the case with many extremes in life; especially our bodies. Just look at what a night of heavy drinking can do to you the following day, what a poor diet can do to your weight, and how sleep deprivation can largely affect your mood.

Which leads me to one of my favourite sayings of all time…” if you don’t find balance, the world finds it for you.”

Lifestyle imbalance of our modern, fast paced, consumer driven society has its consequences. Undoubtedly, when we don’t find balance in our lives, the world works hard to present it for us. Weight gain, disease, illness, injury, allergies, low libido, insomnia, and depression are just a few ways it manifests in our bodies. This is why it is so important to not only address symptoms, but more importantly, root sources of problems.

For years now, we have known that the body cannot heal from fatigue, stress or illness unless it has the opportunity to rest. Yet, a long period of bed rest is not realistic for most people, nor is it necessarily fixing the underlying issues.

The particular kind of rest we need from the stress of our 21^st century lifestyles is not just from lying down, but rather from standing up for ourselves and taking responsibility, eliminating toxic thoughts and people, and living life with purpose and passion. For when we are out of balance, feeling purposeless and unhappy, we find ourselves suffering mentally, emotionally, and eventually physically.

For example, try taking 100% responsibility for ONE day of everything in your life; the good, the bad, and the ugly. It truly is remarkable how much better you will feel about yourself and everything that happens to you:)

The thoughts we feed our mind and the beliefs we base our life on may have the biggest overall impact on our health and happiness when compared to the usual focus of this blog; exercise and nutrition. As the foundation of our life philosophy and the sense of purpose we create, or neglect to create, can either empower us, or create helplessness, the most debilitating and stress inducing emotion that exists.

At the end of the day, it is empowering to remember that you can do most of what is necessary to gain control and balance of your health and life at any moment and you always have the choice…..always!