By Alison Hooper, Canadian Junior Elite Triathlete

Gluten is a protein composite that appears in foods processed mainly from wheat and related foods including barley and rye.

Last summer my younger sister was experiencing a lot of random anxiousness and she often felt sick to her stomach. Her doctor recommended cutting gluten out of her diet (after trying a lot of other things). And interestingly enough was she got better! Back then I was living at home, which meant that my mom was doing the majority of the cooking. There was no way I was going to cook a separate meal if there was hot food made so I adapted to a gluten free diet, as did our whole family. After moving out I re-introduced gluten into my diet and it really didn’t sit well with me so I’ve been eating gluten free every since. Which is one of the main reasons I started eating Elevate Me in the first place!

At the beginning avoiding gluten free foods was hard but now I’m totally used to it. There are a lot of gluten free products and bakery’s that make some pretty yummy treats. Bread without gluten will never taste the same but here is a pancake recipe that is totally flourless and I think I like them better than normal pancakes! Here it is:

Gluten Free Banana Pancakes
1 banana mashed
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbs nut butter (I use hazelnut or almond)
-Add everything together and cook like a normal pancake. I usually grease the pan with coconut oil.

I find this recipe is perfect for one serving… topped with yogurt and berries!

Other additions:
-Shredded coconut
-Peanut butter and mini dark chocolate chips
-Any other type of nutbutter
-Applesauce

Whatever your fancy, a gluten-free day, is a great way to start the day!

For many of us, the season of gluttony begins with candy-laden Halloween, continues through bountiful Thanksgiving and festive Christmas, and wraps up with party-time New Year’s Eve. January hopefully represents a clean slate and, for many people, a cleaner plate.

While lifestyle and diet resolutions are not new, the new year is still a welcome and opportune time to make a fresh start in healthy eating, including developing better snacking habits.

Indeed, finding snacks that fit into a resolved new way of eating is not always easy, especially when snacks have long been viewed as an indulgent reward. The good news for those intent on starting 2011 with a different snacking mindset is that a wider array of better-for-you products are available and the overall approach to eating better is more focused on sensibility than on fleeting fads….

Find out more about healthy eating for your new year resolutions, the scoop on protein and how to reduce your waistline AND make a positive impact on your environment…

To subscribe check us out here…. http://www.prosnack.com/elevateme-newsletter

This month, I’ve been up and down, and through and though this city more than ever – it’s almost like my bike trip never ended! Vancouver itself is actually quite a decent training ground for anyone on a bike looking to train their bodies for cycle touring. If you can get out and ride early in the morning and avoid downtown (and hence, all the stop lights and pedestrian crossings), you can pick up a modest speed and encounter some challenging hills. Need more of a challenge? Use your bicycle to help a friend move from one end of the city to the other! Even with fully-loaded panniers and a laundry basket tied to the end of your bike, in Vancouver, no one will bat an eye (and your quads will thank you)!

On a nutritional note, moving from one place to the next can create a fertile environment for slipping into poor eating habits. If the move involves several “temporary” places, it’s hard to stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables if you will only have to pack any leftovers to bring to your next location. This past month, I’ve found ElevateMe Bars (especially the new apple pie ones!) to be extraordinarily invaluable for keeping my protein and nutritional profile on par. I’m also keeping an eye out for fresh and cheap eats within the city for when I’m on the go during meal times. Here are a few of my recommendations:

1) Broadway Sushi (Broadway and Stephens): Fresh, light and affordable. I stopped by for a light dinner before a yoga class and ordered a “Kid’s Combo” for $5. This included green tea, miso soup, a small plate of vegetable sushi rolls and 2 rice-filled tofu pouches. The combination of quick and easily digestible carbs (okay, maybe white rice isn’t the best) and vegetable proteins are the perfect fuel for biking and yoga. I was also impressed because it is rare for me to find a restaurant that allows adults to order kids items, and really appreciate the option! Who knows, maybe with my helmet hair I look 12? Either way, this is a great place for eats!

2) Whole Foods Market (Downtown Robson, Cambie/8th, West 4th/Vine): At first glance, their menu may seem expensive, and it’s easy to get carried away at their incredible salad bar. However, if you poke around a bit you will find some delicious and affordable options here. Often their deli will have a special on one of their prepared foods items, and they have recently come out with an ongoing 2-for-$5 promotion for some of their pre-packaged foods (like salads, pakoras, etc) in their refrigerated section. My must-have item is their wheat free, omega-full kamut and spelt bread for only $0.39. Seriously. Oh yes, and if you still need that dessert but don’t want to splurge, they always seem to have samples going on in the bakery! Don’t tell them I sent you – I think they’re onto me!

3) Greens and Gourmet Vegetarian Buffet (Broadway and Trafalgar): Beware – another delicious, all-vegetarian salad bar! For a quick bite, try one of their baked samosas or a “healthy” piece of raw food pie. My favorite (when I just need a nibble to tide me over until meal time) is their sprouted grain bread. You will find this on the cold salad bar, and $0.62, you will be enjoying a filling, moist, and delicious pod of energy and protein. The staff here is incredibly welcoming – definitely a must-go for the Kitsilano dweller.

So cheers to good eats, warm places to sleep, and the opportunity to live in this beautiful city!

Stay elevated,

Brenna

I have found myself more motivated than ever and perhaps that is because it isn’t dark out when I wake up and when I get off work. I feel like I have more energy as well as time. There are a lot of activities you can do outdoors, for example, hiking, biking, running, walking, skipping, roller blading, and the numerous team sports that exist out there (soccer, ultimate Frisbee, basketball, tennis).

For those of you who want to strength train but have been hesitant because you don’t like being inside, take your workout to the streets. Here is a simple beginner workout which can be done in less than 45 minutes. All you need is yourself, a band, and the great outdoors. Always warm-up/cool-down with some light cardio (5 min) and dynamic (before) and static (after) stretching.

Circuit 1: repeat 2-3 times

1. Push-ups (modified- bench push-up), as many as you can or 10-15 reps
2. Tubing row (wrap tubing around a pole, fence post etc), 10-15 reps
3. High Knee’s, 30 seconds
4. Front bridge (modified on bench), hold as long as possible

Circuit 2: repeat 2-3 times

1. Squats, 10-15 reps
2. Tubing shoulder press, 10-15 reps
3. Step up’s on bench or high step side walk, 10-15 reps
4. Side bridge (modified from bench), 10-45 sec/side

Circuit 3:

1. Walking lunges, 10-15 reps
2. Tricep push-ups (modified: on bench) narrow arms, 10-15 reps
3. Stair run or sprint, 30 sec-1 min
4. Bird Dog, quadruped opposing limb raise, 1 minute.

Working out can be fun, especially when you are in your natural environment.

Until next time,

Nicola Gildersleeve, athlete ambassador

Hi!

Hope your 2010 is off to a fabulous start! We’re back safely from Africa, and I’m happy to say that our whole team made it to the summit of Kilimanjaro! I’m also happy to say we exceeded our $150k fundraising objective! These funds will directly drive the program expansion of Power To Be and reduce waitlists, helping hundreds more underprivileged youths and families in our communities.

I wanted to thank you for all your support and providing us with the Elevate Me bars. I can say with certainty now that nutrition played a critical role in helping us all get to the summit, and your bars provided us with the nutrients and protein we needed to get to the top! You may also be interested to know the porters seemed to enjoy them as well. With a few bars left over, we decided to donate them to an orphanage in Moshi, which we visited after the climb – the orphanage appreciated the bars very much. This journey was a major life experience for each of us, and we were glad that Elevate Me was there every step of the way.

We’ll be sure to keep you posted on our next adventure, and please feel free to continue to check our site for updates
https://www.powertoclimb.ca

Best,
Mike Schauch
Expedition Leader, Power To Climb 2010 Mt. Kilimanjaro Expedition

So trying to keep this month’s blog in the theme of Christmas I want to share a couple of my secrets to avoiding those extra unneeded snackies and maybe…possibly sneaking in a little exercise? Because I am based in a year-round training center we don’t technically get any time off. However, we do have a whole week this year of on-your-own training which is sometimes hard to fit in, especially around a holiday like Christmas. Not including the chilly weather, relatives and friends would probably take priority over going to the gym for a workout. What I do:

-Plan ahead and schedule what workout I am going to do and when I am going to do it the day before so it is set in stone

-Try and incorporate a workout around something else that needs to be done (going to get a Christmas tree? Walk to the store)

*-But what works the best is getting up a little earlier and squeeze my workout in before all the planned daily fun starts. (Last year I did a swim and a run before half my family had got out of their pyjamas)

-Finally, try and get the whole family involved. My family, ever since I can remember goes for a long walk early afternoon and finishes right before Christmas dinner duties call.

Now about those snacks….there are going to be everywhere of all varieties so prepare yourself! The one thing that gets everyone are the little dishes or bowls of mixed nuts, crackers or sweets. Since you’re not putting them on to your plate it’s hard to pay attention to how much you’re eating. Also, liquid Calories…Alcohol and many seasonal drinks taste good but are loaded with sugar and sometimes fat! What I do:

-Take 1 portion only and then ignore that dish (its hard but I’ve trained myself)

-Limit myself to one drink every night and depending how much I plan on eating, 2 drinks on Christmas

-Water, Water, and Water…besides that fact that your body needs and craves it to run properly…drinking water before a meal or appy’s will fill the spaces that maybe unnecessary cheeses or chocolates could.

Holidays are hard and there is a fine line between enjoying yourself, letting loose and over indulging.

Here is a great Oatmeal Pancake Recipe that I love- fat free and full of protein they last me forever!

6 egg whites

1 cup oats

1 cup cottage cheese

2 tsp sugar (I use brown sugar splenda)

1 tsp vanilla

And some cinnamon

You can add whatever else desired- I usually put some raisins. And make sure you use a good non-stick pan!

Merry Christmas

Alison Hooper

This winter I am making it my mission to get up the mountain at least once a week to go snowshoe running. Not only does it billed a wicked running base and increase cardiovascular endurance, you can get a killer workout in less than an hour. Warning: snowshoe running is hard, it gets the heart rate up and you will be tired at the end of it. Perfect!  Snowshoe running also uses all of the same muscles as running on dry land: the quads, hamstrings, calf muscles and the smaller muscle groups of the feet and ankles. Depending on how much you weigh, you can burn approximately 11 calories per minute, which is over 600 calories an hour!

If you have never been snowshoeing, there are a lot of different options out there to get yourself introduced to the sport. Most of the local mountains have nightly snowshoe clinics, where you can rent snowshoes and get a semi-private tour of the mountain. If you want to have some fun and be a little more competitive, you can sign yourself up for two of the Yeti Snowshoe running races. The first one takes place on Mt. Washington and the second is a local race on Mt. Seymour. They are loads of fun and a great way to spend time outdoors with like minded individuals.  You can race solo or as a team of 5 or more people. Just make sure to recover properly and eat an Elevate Me! protein bar directly after the race.

See you in the trails…or in the snow!!!!

Nicola Gildersleeve

Ambassador Athlete