Badass Fitness

Can this brownie give you muscles? It's got protein, but...

Food labels can be tricky. They oversell. They overpromise. They sometimes use tricky math.

Sure, food makers profess all sorts of things about the wonders and magical powers of their foods. This is especially true when it comes to fitness-related products like protein powders, supplements and protein bars and snacks.

Build muscle! More protein! Low-fat! Boost your metabolism! Gain energy with one serving!

Mmmmm hmmmmm, suuuuure.

So when the folks at Lenny & Larry's, a California-based company, offered to send me samples of their "Muscle Brownie" and "The Complete Cookie," I said sure, I'll check it out and let the Badass Army know what I think.

They sent me a box with three Muscle Brownies - Triple Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Cookies & Cream - and one sample of "The Complete Cookie," a large chocolate chip cookie with a label that boasts "All Natural."

The Muscle Brownies immediately gave me pause because of the tagline: "Eat Brownies, Get Muscles!" As much as I - and my sweet tooth - wish that were the case, it simply isn't. Certainly not with a brownie that, when eaten in its package entirety, is 340 calories with 12 grams of sugar. Yes, a brownie has 20 gram of protein. But they also have that sugar and a list of ingredients including "natural butter flavor" (I have no idea...), brown sugar, corn syrup (hello, more sugar!), and "marshmallow flavored pieces."

Still, they are chocolatey and this Badass can't usually resist chocolate. I'm also always curious about new fitness-marketed food products. So I took a taste of each brownie and the cookie.

My verdict: A 6 out of 10 on the Badass scale. Here's why:

The Pros

• The brownies and the cookie are free of trans fats.
• The cookie is vegan, a good option for those who don't eat animal products or their dairy byproducts.
• The cookie has a healthy 5 grams of fiber per serving, or 10 grams per cookie.
• The cookie is free of preservatives.
• It's chocolate! And when you're craving a brownie, you ARE better off eating one of these than a regular brownie, which probably will have even more sugar and certainly less protein. So having a Muscle Brownie on hand for cravings emergencies isn't the worst strategy.
• They taste good! The Muscle Brownies beat the Cookie for taste. And I will admit I really really liked the brownie after warming it for a few seconds in the microwave. Like I said, it's a decent dessert option!

The Cons

• Misleading labels: The brownie and cookie labels boast of their protein ("20 grams" for the brownie," "15 grams" for the cookie), but that count is based on eating the entire package. Yet they are...
• High in caloriers: For the brownies and the cookie, when you read carefully you see that there are actually two servings per container. And those servings, added up, equal a hefty 340 calories for the brownie and a whopping 408 for the cookie. You could eat one chicken breast for about 250 calories and 46 grams of protein.  
• Long shelf life = processed: The Muscle Brownies' product information includes, in fine print, the fact that they have a shelf life of 12 months. Unprocessed foods, real foods, like fruit and vegetables and meat and dairy, go bad or rotten before long. Our bodies like these things for fuel, because they recognize them. Yep, just as they have since the days of cavemen. But all of these made-in-a-factory, processed Frankenfoods? Our bodies don't process them so well.

So there you have it, a product review. And now you know what I might just turn to when I really want a brownie but REALLY don't want it to land on my Badass.

Coming this weekend: Pics from the SCW Mania fitness conference in Atlanta, where I'll be spending three days learning all sorts of new fitness tips and hanging with the Real Ryder crew. And Monday, I'll kick off a week of post-conference blogs to share what I learned!

Badass Foodie: This Ain't Your Aunt Betty's Soggy Coleslaw!

I have gone through most of my life with an unfair prejudice against coleslaw.

It IS coleslaw, after all. Because it's usually relegated to sloppy side items at barbeque restaurants, picked-over picnic salad platters and soggy summer parties, coleslaw gets a bad rap. How many times in your adult life have you thought "Wow, I’m REALLY craving some coleslaw right now.”

Yeah, I thought not. But if you’re like me, you probably just haven’t had coleslaw done RIGHT just yet. Because, like many healthy vegetables in this world (ahem, like my Roasted Broccoli recipe) once you learn how to prepare coleslaw properly, it can quickly become a delicious menu option for your Badass and your busy schedule!

Coleslaw, as we know it in American foodie culture, usually consists of raw green or red cabbage shredded finely, with some sort of creamy, mayonnaise-based dressing to bind and flavor it. There are many different types of cabbage as well as different varieties of dressings and add-ins.

However, that mayo-based dressing in standard American coleslaw can do some serious caloric damage. A “regular” serving of coleslaw at the popular Chicken Rotisserie food chain Boston Market will cost you 410 calories and 40 grams of fat!

But when I was preparing for a summer BBQ a few weeks ago, I came up with a recipe that changed my mind about coleslaw. Turns out that with a few simple changes, coleslaw can go from bland and heavy to a delicious, nutritious and summery side dish!

As this Badass Foodie sees it, the benefits of coleslaw are many.

Consider:

It’s adaptable!

• Don’t just stick with the standard green cabbage/white dressing combo – live a little! I like to use red cabbage as well as green, as it adds vibrant color and antioxidants, which are proven to detoxify nearly every system of your body just by eating them.
• You can also use napa cabbage, shredded carrots, or even shredded Brussels sprouts!  In the recipe below, I also added my favorite vegetable – broccoli – for added texture and crunch.

It’s convenient!

• For me, this is key. I like to make large batches of several salads, proteins and snacks on Sunday evening so I can grab and go throughout the week. Coleslaw is perfect for this, as I can make a large batch (with just one head of cabbage) and keep it in a large Tupperware in the refrigerator.
• Not only does it store well, but I’ve found that when the flavors “marinate” for a few days – it tastes better!

It’s cheap!

• Seriously, when’s the last time you scoped out the green cabbage prices in your local supermarket? It’s dirt cheap! You can usually swipe a whole head for around 59 cents a pound.
• Add in the nominal cost of the yogurt, vinegar, olive oil and seasonings, and you can eat coleslaw for a week – for about $3!

It’s amazingly good for you!

• Cabbage doesn’t deserve the bad rap its gotten, as its truly among the royalty of leafy green vegetables. A part of the brassica family of vegetables, along with broccoli, cauliflower and chard, the phytochemicals in cabbage have proven to reduce the risk of cancer. These powerful antioxidants cleanse your blood, your tissue and are also anti-inflammatory.
• Remember – leafy greens like cabbage, broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts are nature’s miracle food… so you should try to incorporate them as often as possible into your diet!
• Cabbage is also an excellent source of fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, calcium, magnesium and lutein.

Let’s all move past our anti-coleslaw bias and have a little fun, shall we?  You may be surprised at how much you like it for its versatility, flavor and convenience.

I have to confess that since discovering my “basic” coleslaw recipe here, I have made a big batch every week for the past month. That’s a lot of coleslaw. Yes, I’m borderline addicted!

For this recipe, I combined fresh, crunchy shredded red and green cabbage with Greek yogurt, vinegar, apples, and some Olive Oil Mayonnaise for flavor. But feel free to play around and experiment with different cabbage leaves, nuts, dried fruits and other types of vinegars.

Kirsten’s Kickin’ Cabbage and Broccoli Slaw

Ingredients

• ½ head of green cabbage, shredded finely (I used my beloved food processor!)
• ½ head of red cabbage, shredded finely
• About 2 cups of broccoli, florets removed and diced
• ½ apple, diced
• ½ red onion, diced
• ½ - ¾ cup of nonfat Greek yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil Mayonaise
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoon Stevia or Agave Nectar (or some sugar substitute)

Directions:

1. Combine cabbage, broccoli, onion and apples into large bowl. Sprinkle with lemon juice to keep fresh while you prepare dressing.
2. In a small bowl, mix wet ingredients together. Taste the dressing and adjust salt, pepper and sweetener appropriately.
3. Pour dressing over coleslaw, toss together and enjoy!

** Note – keep this in a tightly sealed container for up to a week – it gets better as it sits! Trust me.

Coming Friday: Can a brownie give you muscles? A product review by the Badass CEO...

Cross(Fit) this off the Badass Trio Bucket List!

The Badass Trio got its you know what kicked inside a 100-degree warehouse on Thursday, and our shoulders and quads are still feelin' the pain. The culprit: CrossFit BlackBox, one of the fitness challenges on the Badass Trio Bucket List.

The best way to avoid plateaus on the road to a leaner Badass is with a regular dose of shock and awe.  Instead of doing the same old routine over and over, shock the muscles and heart with something new and challenging. CrossFit, much like P90X, is built on the principle of varied circuit-style exercises that emphasize agility, plyometrics, flexibility, and using one's own body weight to build strength.

There is no cheating or slacking in CrossFit. It's all you, all speed and strength, and all determination. The Badass Trio loved every muscle-pushing minute, no matter how much our shoulders ached the next day.

We knew we were in for a Badass Butt-Kickin' when we drove up to CrossFit Blackbox here in Tallahassee and saw the "facility:" an unairconditioned warehouse bay located in an industrial area filled with auto body and car detailing shops. If the exercises didn't wipe us out, the heat would. Game on.

Inside was more of the bare-bones same: No fancy machines, no towel service, no locker rooms with cherry-wood lockers. Just mats, bars and plates, weighted balls, wooden boxes of varying heights, jump ropes, and a station for pullups and Olympic ring triceps dips.

If Rocky Balboa lived in Tallahassee, this is where he'd get ready for his next match against the Russian heavyweight. Fitting, then, that Kickass Kirsten blared "Eye of the Tiger" during the drive from her office to CrossFit Blackbox. Eminem's "Till I Collapse" would have worked, too!

Here's a breakdown of our hourlong session, which you can easily do on your own - be it at your gym or at home with the right equipment. Or check out CrossFit Blackbox here in Tallahassee, or look for a similar CrossFit facility near you. The Trio is headed back to the hot box BlackBox next week! Bring the pain.

Warmup:

• 400 m jog/run
• 1 minute of jumping rope
• 15 reps of Olympic ring tricep dips
• 15 reps of full stretching crunches
• 15 reps of shoulder presses with a light weighted bar

8-minute AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible) Drill:

(**For eight minutes, with 45-pound bars, we did as many of these as we could bust out. I managed 20, and Kirsten and Jenn lost count but did between 16 and 18. Hoo-ah!!! They're listed as three separate moves, but combine them for a single movement once you get the hang of each)

• 1 Clean and Press
• 2 Deep squats
• One deep squat with overhead shoulder press

          
 
  
Circuit Drill - 5 sets of the following, circuit style, for time (i.e. as fast as you can)

• 9 Wall Balls: With a soft weighted ball or medicine ball, squat deep and as you come up, throw the ball up high against the wall. Squat as you catch it when it comes down. That's one rep.
• 7 Burpees:  Better known as Barfees, because if you do them correctly, you'll want to after several reps. Begin in a standing position. Drop into a squat position with your hands on the floor in front of you. Kick your feet back, while  lowering yourself into a pushup. Quickly return your feet to the squat position, while pushing up with your arms. Leap up as high as possible from the squat position with your arms overhead. That's one.
• 5 box jumps (20 inches high): Just like it sounds. Jump up onto a box, or bench. Land softly, with most of the weight in your heels not your toes.
• 200 m run

The Trio finished this in an hour and change, and we felt it for a few days afterward. My muscles felt alive, reawakened. We loved the grittiness of the facility, and the cost of roughly $8 per hour for three times a week is a great deal. Who needs warm towels and cherry wood lockers to really work our Badasses?

CrossFit Blackbox is, just like the RealRyder bikes at Sweat Therapy Fitness, a REAL experience. A REAL workout worth every penny and every minute. Do your Badass a favor and give it a try!

Coming Wednesday: Badass Foodie with a Hump Day Treat!

An executive decision, for a more sane - and rested - Badass CEO

 One of my favorite ways to end my cycling classes is with the Eminem song "Till I Collapse." The song has a driving beat, and matching lyrics, that push me and my students to push hard - even if we're so tired and sore, we just want to collapse.

But I think I also like this song because it's an apt description of "how I roll," so to speak. I take on a lot of work and responsibilities (three jobs, anyone?), and I just keep going - even when my mind and body are telling me they need me to let off the gas pedal and slooooow down because they're ready to collapse.

My days go like this: Up at 5 am to teach cycling, train clients, squeeze in my own weight sessions and then to the office all day for my "real job..." and then more cycling and clients after work. Oh, and then writing this blog five times a week.

I love each and every one of those things, but the fact is this: I am always tired. I don't spend enough time "in the present," as Badass Foodie calls it. I run from one thing to the next, juggling but not truly taking the time to enjoy and excel at what I'm juggling.

So it goes when you're a textbook Type A.

But even Type A's aren't superhuman. Something's gotta give. Or we collapse. Hence, my executive decision as Badass CEO to publish this blog three times a week instead of five.

This wasn't something I decided lightly. But as I turn another year older this weekend, I come to know myself - with all of the possibilities and limitations - a little better. I know that I need to stop trying to do it all at once, and to the max. It's like what Bethenny says in her book Naturally Thin: You can eat it all, just not all at once.

I promise you Badass Army soldiers that quality will make up for the reduced quantity. Think of it as savoring each bite of healthy real food instead of scarfing down fast food. See, my hope is that I'll have more time to plan out and research each post -- even more importantly, that you'll gain more from reading them than you already do.

So starting Monday, it's three times a week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday. I'll post extras here and there, but I'll also be sleeping maybe an extra half hour (for a glorious total of maybe seven hours! Yay!) instead of staying up late to write. I'll even have more time to work my own muscles at the gym, rather than just tell you all to work yours. Practice what you preach, right?

With that, I wish you all an awesome weekend. I'll be spending mine relaxing and being "in the present" with my best friend and her newborn #2. I can't think of anything better than a new baby to offer perspective on savoring every moment...

Coming Monday: From the Badass Trio Bucket List - CrossFit will kick your you know what. Just ask our quads!

The Incredible, Edible Egg: Perfectly Badass

If someone told you that for the next month, you could only eat three foods, the first thing on your list  -- besides brown rice for whole grain carbs and kiwi fruit for higher-than-oranges doses of Vitamin C -- should be eggs.

Yes, eggs. Not just the whites but the whole yolk-filled shebang. For a lean Badass, you need lean protein. Even better is when that protein doesn't break the bank, right? Well, eggs fit the bill.

At about $3 for most organic or cage-free dozens, eggs are as close to a perfect food as you can get. According to the Egg Nutrition Center, eggs are second only to mother's milk for human nutrition. Wow.

Consider:

• One large egg has roughly 75 calories, 5 grams of fat and 6 grams of protein. A solo egg white has less than 20 calories of pure protein (4 grams) sans the fat.
• One egg contains omega-3 fatty acids and all of the essential amino acids your Badass needs to run strong. A whole egg boasts 13 essential vitamins and minerals, including Vitamins B12, A, D, and E. (Fun fact: Eggs are one of the few foods out there that contain Vitamin D naturally.)
• They'll also keep you from going hungry. Several studies have shown that people who eat eggs for breakfast end up consuming fewer calories throughout the day, thanks to all of that slow-digesting lean protein.

All of this makes whole eggs worth eating regularly, in spite of the high cholesterol hype that has surrounded them. Yes, if you eat 12 whole eggs a day you'll probably have some health 'issues.' But studies have shown that eating a couple a day will not spike your cholesterol.

So how can you make your daily eating more egg-citing? A few ideas:

1. Hardboil ahead: Every Sunday, I hardboil 10 to 12 eggs. That way, I have them throughout the week for easy, portable protein consumption.They're ideal for mid-morning, with fruit or string cheese, or as a mid-afternoon tideover that doesn't break the calorie bank.

2. Scramble your dinner: Badass CEO Confession -- I love breakfast for dinner. Specifically, scrambled eggs with spinach, tomatoes and feta cheese served with a side of turkey sausage and whole wheat toast. Not only is it nutritious, it is a very easy meal to whip together in a pinch. Try it!

3. Skip the sandwich: Make a low-fat quiche or frittata for lunch instead. It's more interesting than turkey on whole wheat, and you can make a quiche Sunday and eat it with a side salad for the next few days. Discover the French gourmand within!

Coming tomorrow: The Badass CEO makes an executive decision....

The Badass Trio is headed to Crossfit Blackbox for a Badass-kickin' tonight. Cannot WAIT!!!! Bring da pain.

You + Rubber Band = Badass!

If you've ever been shot in the arm with a rubber band from across a room, you know how much that little piece of flexible stretchy string can sting!

Likewise, if you've ever really used a resistance band to its full potential, you know that it can whip your Badass. I used resistance bands with three clients in the past week, and midway through each session they all had the same reaction: Wow. These are really hard.

Yes, they can be! They're also cheap, easy-to-store, and portable - proof, yet again, that you don't need big fancy machines to sculpt and strengthen your physique.

The bands are color-coded, each color an indication of how much resistance they provide. In other words, some stretch easier than others, and some stretch very little - making them more challenging (or "heavier," in free weight dumbbell terms). All you need are a few bands in different resistances, and you've got the tools for a mighty little workout.

So, Badass Army, find the resistance bands at your gym or buy your own, and add these moves to your arsenal! You can do the following as a circuit, and then repeat once or twice depending on how much time and mojo you're feelin'.

Badass Bands Bonanza

Shoulder Press: Stand on the middle of the band with both feet, positioning them hip width apart. Grab the handles, palms facing out. Raise arms to 90 degrees. From there, press up. 20 reps.

 
 
Squat and Press: With feet positioned the same as the shoulder press, and still holding the handles with palms facing out, drop into a squat. Press up as you come up out of the squat. 20 reps.

 

One-Armed Triceps Extension: With your right foot on the center of the band, and the right handle in your right hand, position your upper arm and elbow near your right ear and your forearm reaching down toward the center of your back. Squeezing the tricep, raise your forearm up, then slowly lower it back down. Keep your elbow and upper arm as close to your right ear as possible. Do 15 reps. Switch sides, stepping on the band with the left foot as you work the left tricep. Do 15 reps.

 
 
Deadlift with Row: Stand on the middle of the band with both feet, positioning them hip width apart. Cross the handles of the band so that the left handle is in your right hand, and right handle in left hand. You want your back in a straight, flat line, with knees 'soft,' or bent slightly.

From standing position, deadlift and row: Put the chest out and slide the shoulder blades down to keep the shoulders from hunching or rounding forward. As you lower the chest toward the floor, keep your gaze ahead. As soon as the handles come just below your knees, come back up and squeeze the glutes. At the same time as you come up, pull the handles back into a row, squeezing the shoulder blades and lats together. Do 20 reps.

Wide pull-ups: With your foot still stepping on the center of the band, turn the handles of the band so that your palms are facing your legs. With your arms wide, pull up, leading with your elbows and squeezing your upper back together as you come up. 20 reps.

 

Side biceps side curls: Step on the center of the band with right foot, and grab one end of the band in each hand. Rotate your hands out to the sides and, starting with arms at about 90 degrees, curl up. 20 reps.

 
 
Hammer curls: Rotate your arms to the front, still holding the ends of the band in each hand. With palms facing each other, curl up. 20 reps.

 

Coming tomorrow: The Incredible, Edible Egg. The perfect food for a lean Badass, in an affordable-and-less-than-100-calories package!

Badass Foodie Finds the "F Word"

I want to talk about the F-word. Yup, you heard me – THE F-word.

FATS.

As in, delicious, nutritious and good for you fats. Our bodies need them, yet many of us do not get enough.

Why did we let the “f –word” become so taboo, especially among healthy, Badass people? Perhaps it was the low-fat craze of the 1990’s, or the usage of the word “fat” as a descriptor – but we still seem to fear fat in our quest for a Badass body.

By now you’ve probably heard all about how you should be getting a daily dose of “healthy fats” from things like almonds, cold-water fish and avocados. You may even be able to recite the importance of fats in building a healthy body, keeping inflammation down and being a part of a healthy diet. You probably throw an extra serving of salmon or almonds into your menu for good measure.

The problem is – we’re still not getting enough on a daily basis. We may all know that we’re supposed to embrace Fats in all their “F-word” glory – but if so, why are we still so afraid of them?

I’m as guilty as every other calorie-conscious woman (and man) out there.  I KNOW I’m supposed to get sufficient healthy fats, but I am a creature of habit, and I have diligently counted my calories and kept fat in check for years in order to lose weight. Calories in, calories out, right?

Well, it turns out – maybe not.  The more I read and experiment with it myself, the more I become convinced that we - especially diet-conscious women - are deficient in the right types of fat. We have allowed our fear of increasing calories with healthy, delicious fats to sabotage our ability to eat nourishing wholesome foods that actually satisfy our bodies.  Study after study has proven that those who consume a higher level of omega-3 fatty acids on a daily basis are slimmer – while obese individuals are almost always deficient in these type of fats.

So, as part of the“Metabolism Makeover” cleanse that I’ve been doing with Shannon and “the original” Badass Bertsch, I’ve started adding a lot more of the right kinds of fats back into my diet, in addition to cutting out processed carbs and sugars.

Before you go any further in this post, I beg you to read this (short) blog post from a former “Fat-phobe” who works for Mark’s Daily Apple, one of the best health and wellness blogs out there.  She explains how she used fat to drop 20 pounds after  years of struggling and eating the usual diet foods.

As you see, Sara has a common story with a dramatic ending. The weight literally FELL off of her when she started feeding her body what it naturally needed, instead of ridiculous amounts of processed starch, disguised as low-calorie “diet food.”

Also, there are more and more studies showing you have to EAT fat to BURN fat.

Check out this study from the University of Alabama that proves the importance of fat consumption for those who are trying to slim down.  According to these researchers, mice that were fed more fat in the beginning of the day ended up burning more fat cells throughout the day.

So which fats should you choose?  Stick with sources that are high in mono- and polyunsaturated fats as well as those that deliver a healthy punch of omega 3 fatty acids, which aid in reducing inflammation.  There are lots of tasty sources of these lipids, such as: wild salmon, almonds, walnuts, avocados, flaxseed, mackerel, sardines, grass-fed beef, and cage-free eggs.

And me? I’m definitely noticing some positive benefits of eating more omega-3’s – though I’m sure some of those are also coming from my sudden reduction in processed carbs as well. My skin is clearer, with a healthier glow, I have more energy and I don’t get as irritable late in the day.

Though I miss the occasional sweet treat or piece of bread, I have stocked up on salmon burgers, sardines, almond butter and am cooking with real oils now instead of that fake “spray” I’ve been using for eons. I even grilled my first grass-fed steak last weekend as a special treat – and it was awesome! My new favorite snack has become roasted marcona almonds with a few olives and a small piece of good quality cheese.

My relationship with processed, insulin-spiking sugars wasn’t about to end painlessly. And I have no doubt that this will be a nagging relationship that will follow me for life… like that high school boyfriend you just can’t quite get over. 

But adding healthy, wholesome fats and proteins to my diet has made kicking my sweet tooth much easier.  It’s a lot easier to go without a piece of chocolate or some low-fat ice cream at night when you munch on delicious marcona almonds with rosemary or a spoonful of almond butter. (Can you tell I’m developing a little weakness for almonds?)

Stop being afraid of FAT and embrace it! Nourish your body wisely, and you may be surprised at how it rewards you.

Kirsten’s PHAT-ty Protein Bars

In my quest to eat more protein, more healthy fat and no processed carbs, I discovered that I couldn’t eat many of my normal quick grab-and-go snacks at the office or when I was on the run. Those whole wheat crackers, chemically engineered protein bars and artificially sweetened granola bars are off-limits– so I made my own quick snack bar that is high in healthy fat, high in protein and low in carbohydrates.

These protein bars may seem small, but they're extremely dense and they tide you over for awhile. Plus, they’re tasty and completely natural – there’s nothing processed, sugared or fake in these babies.  I make a batch ahead of time and then store them in the freezer so I can grab them on my way out the door.

Ingredients:

Wet Team:

• ¼ cup almond butter
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry Team:

• 1 oz almond flour (Note: Almond flour can be purchased in most health stores, or just measure out 28 almonds and quickly process in a blender to a fine crumb– voila!)
• 1 oz unsweetened flaked coconut meat (Be SURE you get unsweetened, which can be found in most health food stores)
• ½ cup unprocessed whole wheat bran
• 2 scoops/servings of vanilla protein powder (about 60g)
• 4 packets of Stevia (or Splenda, but I prefer Stevia as its all natural and calorie free)
• 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 1 oz walnuts, chopped
• Optional Topping: 1 oz unsweetened dried fruit; reserved coconut flakes

 Directions:

1. Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl. If using solid coconut oil, allow to come to liquid form in a bath of warm water before measuring.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then slowly incorporate into the wet ingredients.
3. The mixture will be thick and sticky – feel free to get your (clean!) hands in the bowl and knead. Mix until all is incorporated.
4. Grease a pan of your desired size with a healthy oil and spread mixture in pan evenly.
5. I used a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan to make 12 cube-like squares – though you can experiment with whatever size you wish!
6. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 15 minutes – but don’t overcook. You want these to be a little gooey in the center and on the tops – if they cook completely they will end up really dry and crumbly. Pull them out early on your first batch just to experiment.
7. Allow to cool, then cut into individual servings.

 

 

 

 

Nutritional profile:

(For one serving, or 1/12 of this recipe. Just cut them into larger bars if you want more!)

• Calories: 112
• Fat: 8g (that’s all healthy fat – 3 grams of polyunsaturated, too!)
• Carbs: 5g
• Fiber: 2g
• Net Carbs: 3g
• Protein: 7g

Coming tomorrow: U + Rubber Band = Badass!

Supplements worth adding to your daily Badass routine

You walk into the drugstore or health food/vitamin shop, and it's a sea of confusion. So many bottles, so many scientific-sounding names with multiple syllables. Which do you need? Which are bunk? Are they safe? What can they do for the Badass Journey?

Research is key before any purchase - especially the purchases you put into your Badass temple. So do your own reading and questioning, because there is plenty of scary stuff out there that is expensive and overrated, even dangerous.

In the meantime, here are several supplements that I put into the vessel of the Badass CEO:

L-Carnitine: This amino acid supplement has long been used to help treat heart problems, and researchers have proven its positive affect on memory, mood, and cognitive ability. But it's also used by bodybuilders for fat-burning. The body uses L-Carnitine, which occurs naturally in many meat and dairy products, to turn fat into energy. And don't we all want to get rid of the fat and boost our energy AND our physique?

CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid): Our bodies don't make CLA, so we have to get it from our food - and from capsule supplements, if desired. Research shows that it increases lean muscle mass by interfering with the way the body stores fat.  Much like L-Carnitine, it helps the body to use existing fat for energy. Take one 1,000-mg capsule with three meals a day.

Cayenne: This is the stuff from hot red cayenne peppers, and taken in capsule form daily it has multiple benefits. It boosts metabolism by raising norepinephrine levels, and its helps with digestion and to clean out the arteries. Take capsules, ideally one with each meal three times a day. Or simply add spice to your cooking.

Cinnamon: This sweet spice doesn't just taste good. It's good for you. Cinnamon has been used for centuries to deal with indigestion, upset stomach and other digestive ailments. But recent studies have also found that less than a teaspoon a day can help keep sugar levels stable by improving insulin sensitivity - a key element in weight control. Add it to your daily oatmeal or yogurt, or take cinnamon extract capsules with a meal.

Glucomannan: This is a form of dietary fiber that comes from the root of the konjac plant. Fiber helps us stay feeling full and is great at keeping the appetite at bay, particularly when we're trying to lose weight or maintain weight loss. My "Tallahassee Mom, " Badass Kim Bibeau, takes this with food every day. You can take three capsules with water before meals, or do like she does and break it apart and stir the fiber into yogurt. She's obviously onto something, because have you seen her hot bod?

Calcium chews: They taste like sweet caramels, but they're each packed with half the daily recommended calcium and, in most brands, Vitamin D. Plenty of us don't get enough daily calcium or Vitamin D, so chewing one of these each day ensures we do. Have it at night after dinner, and call it a sweet (happy) ending!

Green tea with caffeine: Guess what two of the primary ingredients are in all those expensive fat burners on the market? Yep, green tea extract and caffeine. Caffeine binds to fat cells, preventing storage, and it gives our metabolism a little boost. And green tea contains catechins, one of which helps stop the breakdown of norepinephrine. That little act can keep your metabolism and fat-burning hummin' along as well. So have your morning coffee and afternoon green tea -- or take a capsule supplement of caffeine and green tea once daily.

Coming tomorrow: Badass Foodie gets her protein from a bar. And no, it's not beer from Bullwinkles!

Ode to Pain: If Badass CEO's BFF can birth natural, you can do this workout!

My best friend is a total Badass. Like, Badass Queen of the Universe. Badass Squared, times Infiniti.

Yesterday, over the course of more than six hours and without an epidural to dull the pain, Beth pushed and breathed and pushed some more. And at 2:38 p.m., she pushed one last time and brought into the world handsome little Evan Elwell, 7 pounds 7 ounces and 20 inches long.

The doctor induced her labor early Thursday morning, more than a week early, for a few reasons. I'm a worrier who hates being four hours away from my best friend. So I slept fitfully Wednesday night, woke up early as usual Thursday and decided that if she was about to spend several hours in intense, scream-like-you're-being-tortured pain, I could put myself through some self-induced pain.

It was my lame but well-intentioned way of commiserating from afar! But it also got me thinking about pain and soreness and fitness, and the amazing feats our bodies are capable of accomplishing. It got me thinking about the Badass within each of us, the inner "athlete" waiting to be unleashed.

Consider the Tour de France cyclists, who are about to enter yet another weekend of steep mountains. For 21 days, they cycle for several hours up and down amazing flat roads and beautiful mountains - racing to be first, no matter how much their quads are screaming. They cycle all day, go to sleep, and wake up to do it all again. For THREE weeks.

When I lead my RealRyder classes through steep climbs and one- and two-hour classes, I often remind them of this feat. "If they can cycle for eight hours today," I tell them, "we can cycle for an hour." And the thing is, we really CAN.

Soreness and pain (not injury pain, but push-your-muscles-pain) are relative, and they're temporary. A little bit of both is necessary to get stronger, fitter, and more Badass. Just like a little bit - or a lot - of pain is necessary to bring a baby into the world, it's necessary to push through the burn to birth your inner Badass.

So try this cycling and weight training workout, and remember: No matter how much it burns, it's not cycling through the Alps for eight hours. And it's not birthing a 7-pound baby without an epidural!

Shannon's Ode-to-Pain

1. Bamboleo, Gypsy Kings, 3:23: Warmup in the saddle. Light tension. Stay loose and relaxed on tops. Find your groove on the bike.

2. Jump, Madonna, 3:59: Continue warmup. Add a slight amount of tension, enough to come up out of the saddle into a standing run. Up for 30 seconds, seated for 30 seconds. Repeat for the entire song, keeping a steady quick pace.

3. La Grange, ZZ Top, 3:52: Begin the first climb with rolling rolls in the saddle. Add a turn or two until you're at a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10 tension. That's your base. After 20 seconds, add a full turn and keep pumping, trying to maintain the same pace through the tension for 20 seconds. Take off what you just added, cycle for 20 seconds, then add back that full turn. Repeat the pattern for the whole song, ending at the base tension of 5.

4. Vertigo, U2, 3:15: Keep climbing! Add one full turn. This is your base. From here, add a half turn every 30 seconds for the duration of the song. Extra challenge: Add speed, through the heavy tension, during the chorus. Quad burn...

5. Morning After Dark, Timbaland, 4:53: Jumps from seated to standing climb with moderate tension. Add tension back until you find a 5 or 6 on a scale of 1 to 10. The pattern is 16-second counts in the saddle with the tension, and then move into a standing climb position. So count 16 seconds, then walk your hands out to the end of the handlebars and let the rest of you follow until you're climbing out of the saddle. Your nose should be right at the middle of the handlebars, not out beyond them. Butt is back over the wide part of the saddle. Stay here for 16 seconds, then sit back down for 16 seconds. Then standing climb for 16 seconds. Go for the whole song, resting when you need to. Extra challenge: Speed up some of the jumps to 8-counts and 4-counts.

6. Breathe Me, Sia, 4:37: Back uphill for a long climb! From where you were in song 6, add a half turn. Every 20 seconds, bump the tension up slightly, for a total of 10 turns. It will get very heavy. Push through, being careful to take care of your knees. Come back down the same way, bumping the tension back slightly every 20 seconds for a total of 10 times. Stay here through the end of the song.

7.  Shut it Down, Pitbull, 3:46: Back to a flat road for 1 minute. Flush the legs out. At minute 2, add a bit of tension back and go into a standing run for 30 seconds. Go back to the saddle for 30 seconds, then back into a standing run. Keep it up for the whole song.

8. Imma Be, Black Eyed Peas, 4:17: One more push up! Add back tension until you find an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10. Keep climbing until about 2 1/2 minutes in when the song pace picks up. At that point, go back to a flat road and speed it up at a race pace to the finish line. Hang onto that pace through the end. You've come too far to give up now!

9. My Way, Los Lonely Boys, 4:26: Cool it down with a victory lap! Find a flat road and just keep pedaling, flushing your legs out. Take deep breaths as your heart rate comes down. Hop off the bike, it's time for strength work!

Standing shoulder presses on a Bosu ball (25 reps)

Hammer biceps curls on a Bosu ball (25 reps)

1 minute of burpees followed by 50 low squats

Stiff-legged dumbbell deadlifts holding challenging dumbbells (30 reps)

20 triceps dips off a bench or step, followed by 20 pushups on a Bosu ball 

Front shoulder raises (20 reps) followed by side shoulder raises (20 reps) on Bosu

1 minute of squat jumps: Go down into a squat and use your leg strength to jump up out of the squat. Land as softly onto your heels as you can as you squat and then jump back up. These can also be done as box jumps, jumping from a squat up onto an elevated bench. 

One-legged squats (20 reps on each side) while holding 15-pound dumbbells

Mountain climbers (one minute)

One-arm, one-legged dumbbell rows (20 reps on each side): Stand on the left leg, and lean forward, letting the right leg extend up and back so that it's parallel to the floor. With one heavy dumbbell in the right hand, do a row, squeezing up as you work to maintain balance. After 20 reps, switch sides, rowing with the left arm as the left leg is extended back.

45 seconds of jump squats, 45 seconds of burpees.

Repeat the circuit one more time

Now get out there and enjoy the weekend! I have some baby shopping to do!