Month: August 2016

What’s on the Menu

This week’s edition of #whatiatewednesday focuses on the importance of bacteria. I imagine that when most people think of bacteria, they think of something dirty like the bathroom door handle or the floor of a fast food restaurant. The strains of bacteria I’m referring to are contained within our bodies and our food. Maintaining the appropriate amounts and types of certain bacteria within our gut can affect our mood, cognitive function and longevity (source). One dietary source of “good” bacteria that I pack in my lunch everyday is greek yogurt. I combine 1 cup of full fat Greek yogurt (20g of protein + beneficial strains of bacteria) with blueberries (antioxidants + phytonutrients) and ground flaxseed (omega 3 fatty acids) to create a nutrient dense mini meal that satisfies all the macronutrient categories and helps me maintain a healthy gut.

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Our First Cryotherapy Experience

If you’ve been a regular listener of the Addicted to Fitness podcast, you’ve heard me mention that I was going to take the podcast to my first cryotherapy session. Well the day has finally arrived! I hope most of you were curious enough to google cryotherapy if you weren’t familiar with it, but for those that didn’t, I’ll give you a short synopsis.

Cryotherapy was first used in Japan in the late 1970’s to help individuals with arthritis. Individuals would step into a open top chamber, like the one in the pic below, and be exposed to rapid, short-term freezing temperatures to drop the surface temperature of their skin. A short list of the benefits produced by this form of cold therapy include reduced muscle soreness and joint pain, reduction in pain sensitivity and a massive release of “feel good” endorphins (source). This episode goes into more details about the benefits of this innovative form of therapy, but if you’re still looking for more information, the cryotherapy center I used, Chill Therapy, has a ton of great information on their website and/or Instagram feed.

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I want to thank Brian from Chill Therapy for agreeing to let us podcast from his facility. I said it on the podcast but I’ll say it again, he runs a top-notch, state of the art facility and I can’t wait to go back. I truly enjoy trying out the newest health and fitness trends like this and I love taking you all along for the ride. If you have a suggestion on the next “hot thing” we should try on the podcast, please leave us a comment below. Also, if you have an extra second this week, please leave us a rating and review on iTunes. I hope you enjoy this episode and stay healthy this week folks!

Links to this week’s podcast

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/addicted-to-fitness-podcast/id1121420986?mt=2#episodeGuid=efc715e4012aa8ca06766c0418a7a2f0

Android: http://subscribeonandroid.com/addictedtofitness.libsyn.com/rss

Website: http://addictedtofitness.libsyn.com/our-first-cryotherapy-experience

Bone Broth, Plant Protein & Meal Prep

Guess who’s back, back again. Shannon’s back, tell a friend.

Sorry about that blatant and tacky rip off of the great Marshall Mathers, I’m just excited about Shannon’s return to the Addicted to Fitness podcast. She returns just in time to help me review a pair of beef related food products. I try a cup of beef bone broth, procured from Growing Rootz (a Tampa natural & organic food purveyor), while Shannon sips on a fruit and veggie smoothie containing Great Lakes beef collagen protein powder. We analyze the nutritional benefits of both products and let you know whether or not they’d be a good addition to your daily diet. After talking a whole lot of bull (get it), we go to the other end of the spectrum and discuss our favorite plant based protein sources. In addition to our preferred plant proteins, we list off a ton of favs given to us by listeners on Facebook and Twitter. Last but not least, we dive into our weekly ritual of meal prep. Shannon describes what we do every Sunday to help us maintain our nutritious diet day in and day out and we recommend a company that will help eliminate some of the burden of meal planning & grocery shopping.

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I’m happy to report that after only two episodes this month, we have already surpassed the download numbers for June and July. That means you’re listening and more importantly you’re sharing the podcast. You can’t imagine how much that means to us. We deeply appreciate your support. If you haven’t done so already, please leave us a rating and/or review on your preferred podcast app (an iTunes rating/review would be especially awesome). Thanks again and stay healthy this week peeps!

Links to this week’s podcast

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/bone-broth-plant-protein-meal/id1121420986?i=1000374410575&mt=2

Android: http://subscribeonandroid.com/addictedtofitness.libsyn.com/rss

Website: http://addictedtofitness.libsyn.com/bone-broth-plant-protein-meal-prep

What’s on the Menu

I’m back with another #whatiatewednesday post for you all. If you haven’t been living under a rock the last few years, someone has probably told you that avocados are good for you because they contain “healthy” fats (monounsaturated & polyunsaturated to be exact). But you may not know that 1 avocado has more potassium than a banana and 4g of protein with all 8 essential amino acids (source). They also include other important micronutrients like vitamin A, C, iron and calcium (source). These nutritional facts make them an important component of anyone’s diet, especially non-meat eaters. As you can see I like to dress mine up with a little red pepper & olive oil. I’m pretty fancy.

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From the Vault: Obesity is Beneficial to your Health?!

Not only is Shannon still recovering from her persistent cold but I’m smart enough not to make her podcast on her birthday, which was yesterday. Even though I gave her another week off I didn’t want to rob you all of her soothing voice, which is why I reached back into the ETT Wrap Show vault and pulled out Shannon’s podcast debut for this week’s episode. In addition to Shannon’s lovely voice, you’ll hear us discuss my personal weight loss story, mauy thai with Duane “Bang” Ludwig and a ridiculous news article that explains the “benefits” of being obese.

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I’m truly grateful for all the great feedback we’ve been receiving about the Addicted to Fitness podcast. We have a ton of great podcast topics in the hopper, but we’d still love to have your input on what we should address on a future episode. Also, we still need a few more reviews to get rated on iTunes so do us a solid and give us a review and when you share this episode, tell your friend to do the same. Thanks peeps!

Links to this week’s podcast

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/from-vault-obesity-is-beneficial/id1121420986?i=1000374139966&mt=2

Android: http://subscribeonandroid.com/addictedtofitness.libsyn.com/rss

Website: http://addictedtofitness.libsyn.com

Peloton Cycle Review

The day has come. I didn’t think it was going to happen this early in the history of the Addicted to Fitness podcast, but it has. I’m referring to the first episode where I have to fly solo because Shannon has come down with a nasty cold. While Shannon recovers, I perform a live product review of our newest piece of exercise equipment, the peloton cycle. We’ve mentioned peloton on the past few episodes, but if you aren’t familiar with them, check out their promo video below.

I huff and puff my way through all the options the peloton cycle has to offer. Scenic rides, live spin classes, on-demand videos featuring DJs and exercise videos you can do off the bike. The big 20″ touchscreen display allows for easy user interface, and you can even chat with other peloton users. I won’t lie to you, the financial investment for the bike is substantial, but when it comes improving our fitness, I believe it’s money well spent.

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Reviewing fitness products is something I’d like to incorporate more into the podcast. If you have a product you’d like us to review, leave it in the comment section below. While you’re at it, please leave us a rating or review and share the Addicted to Fitness podcast with a friend. Thanks peeps!

Links to this week’s podcast

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/peloton-cycle-review/id1121420986?i=1000373856778&mt=2

Android: http://subscribeonandroid.com/addictedtofitness.libsyn.com/rss

Website: http://addictedtofitness.libsyn.com

What’s on the Menu

This week’s #whatiatewednesday post features a food sold at most grocery stores that has been found to be anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic superfood. The root, that looks a lot like a worm, I’m referring to is turmeric. Turmeric contains a compound known as curcumin that is believed to have the same pain relieving effect as medication like ibuprofen, but without the negative side effects. Curcumin inhibits the same enzyme ibuprofen does that causes inflamed areas of the body to become painful (source). I’m not quite sure the best way to unlock it’s beneficial properties, but for now I’m peeling, chopping and tossing several pieces into a seeping bag to create a powerful afternoon tea time. To get your daily dose of curcumin you can buy ground or whole turmeric and add it to food, or you can buy curcumin supplements. Supplemental forms of curcumin can contain mega doses, which is why you should consult your physician before taking them.

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An Interview with Cookbook Author Anna Vocino

I have to admit, Shannon and I were not in the best physical condition while recording this week’s Addicted to Fitness podcast. We had just returned from the One Love. One Pulse. charity yoga event. As far as charity events go, this was the most intense one we had ever been to. Two other ETT members, Adrien and Casey, joined Shannon and I as we performed nearly two hours of continuous sun salutations, and if you don’t know what a sun salutation is, please check out the video below. As physically demanding as it was, I was extremely happy that ETT was able to contribute to such a worthy cause. I was also extremely happy that the majority of this week’s episode consisted of an interview with cookbook author Anna Vocino.

Anna has wide range of expertise. She’s and actress, stand-up comedian, podcaster and cookbook author. During the interview, she explains how her Celiac disease diagnosis in 2002 lead to her creating a multitude of delicious recipes that contain little to no sugar, grains and/or gluten. We also discuss the best way to influence others to eat healthy and Anna gives out one of her favorite recipes from her cookbook Eat Happy. You can hear more from Anna on the Celebrity Fitness Trainer podcast with Vinnie Tortorich and get more of her recipes at annavocino.com. The digital version of Eat Happy will be available for purchase August 16th, but you can pre-order it today on Amazon.

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Image courtesy of annavocino.com

I really enjoy interviewing experts in the field of health and fitness and I hope you all enjoy listening to these interviews. If you do, please leave us a rating or review, and if you really love us, please share the Addicted to Fitness podcast with a friend. Here’s to a happy and healthy week!

Links to this week’s podcast

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/interview-cookbook-author/id1121420986?i=1000373525897&mt=2

Android: http://subscribeonandroid.com/addictedtofitness.libsyn.com/rss

Website: http://addictedtofitness.libsyn.com