You guys know our FAVORITE personal trainer and fellow coach in the 10 in 4 Challenge, Dave Smith, right? Well, today he’s sharing some fascinating info on workout intensity and doing workouts that get results. It might be quite different than what you’ve heard before … and he’s even got a workout for you to try! Why Are Your Workouts Not Working? When it comes to exercise, a lot of people fall into one of two groups: Group #1: I don’t like it. These people dislike working out. They don’t like going to the gym, they don’t like sweating, and …
Turn on these tunes and work it out. It’s almost May, yo! I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) – Recorded at Spotify Studios NYC, Fall Out Boy Because everyone loves a good Whitney cover. No Excuses, Meghan Trainor No excuses needed to rock out to this one. Stardust, Shwayze Because you’re a (workout) star. Lemon (Drake Remix); N.E.R.D, Rihanna, Drake Just try not to move while you listen … Hoodie On, Matt + Kim We did this workout … with a hoodie on. Life in Pink, Kate Nash Kate Nash, we heart you. Out On the Street, The …
I’ve always had a thing for working my arms. For some reason, they’ve always just been the most responsive to strength training. My friend Sam jokes that she never sees in me in sleeves. She’s not wrong — I do love to show off my arms. Everybody’s got their thing, right? With so much equipment out there, and new stuff being added all the time, dumbbells (here are our fave ones to use) are still the perfect tool to build your bi’s and tri’s. So here we go again, finding new purpose for an old favorite — this time we’re using …
If you (or someone you care about) needs a little more convincing on the importance cutting junk food out completely, look no further than today’s guest, Dr. Joel Fuhrman. Seriously, he is passionate (to say the least!) about educating the masses on the immense damage just a little greasy food can cause. After this episode, you may never look at french fries or baked goods the same way again! In his newest book, Fast Food Genocide, he outlines exactly how processed foods can affect your health — we’re talking several kinds of cancers, autism, heart attacks and depression. He also mentions how …
It has been a FUN couple of weeks. We never in a million years thought we’d get to collaborate and help design a pair of leggings as cute, functional and performance-oriented as these. But we did! And we are in LOVE with them. And we’re getting down to the final days of our flash sale. After Wednesday, they will be gone. Done-zo. Never able to be ordered again. Which means that if you haven’t ordered your pair yet, you’ve gotta hop to it right now! Order your leggings here. And just in case you need a few more reasons to …
For a full year now, I’ve been going to a few Orangetheory Fitness classes a week. I do that, plus a few hard-core workouts at my usual gym, The Fit Pit, plus a quick run around the neighborhood or some yoga at home as needed, and I feel like my it’s been really great for overall fitness. I’m doing a lot of different things, but in a way that I really enjoy and that allows me to ebb and flow with my work and childcare schedule — which is, like, always changing. (You know how that goes, right? Of course …
Not long ago, we went, well, nuts for this recipe from Paul Vincent, a Hollywood trainer who’s worked with celebrities like Chris Pine, Ryan Gosling, and Harrison Ford. And while we do love that seasoned almonds recipe, we wanted to hear a little more from him. Like, oh, what it’s like working with Han Freakin’ Solo. Happily, Paul obliged! I’ve been on numerous movie shoots like, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, to help my clients prepare for big roles. Something I learned very quickly is that I needed to train actors in the same way that I trained my athlete …
Ever wished your workout felt more like a party? (Haven’t we all!) Well, get ready because today we’re talking with Robbie Ann Darby, an actress, dancer, and fitness expert who hosts a series of RAD fitness events where, as she puts it, “event planning meets fitness.” However, her personal journey has had its rough moments beginning with an eating disorder which began between middle school and high school. The pressure to stay thin and popular, as well as Robbie’s admitted perfectionism, created the perfect storm for disordered eating that lasted well into grad school. She’s vocal about her struggle as well …
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How many times have you tried a “healthy” recipe that boasted it tastes just like the real thing! only to be immensely disappointed…again?
My list of never-make-this-food-abomination-again recipes is a lengthy one; I don’t care if it’s healthier than the original recipe it impersonates because if it tastes terrible, it’s not worth eating. Plus, that perpetuates the idea that healthy food can’t taste good, and that just isn’t true.
Recently I tested this recipe out on my picky spouse. The immediate wide-eyed response: “A protein shake shouldn’t taste this good. It tastes like you put ice cream in it.” Now that I’ve boldly hyped up this chocolate protein shake that actually tastes like a milkshake recipe, let’s get to it so you can make it right away and enjoy its smooth, tasty, protein-rich deliciousness.
The Protein Shake Ingredients
1 cup almond, cashew, or soy milk*
1 scoop chocolate protein powder**
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup frozen blueberries (cherries or strawberries are excellent options too)
1 tablespoon peanut butter (optional)
Put all the ingredients, except the peanut butter if you plan to use it, in a blender (I’ve been using my Ninja for over four years; it gets a ton of use and still works perfectly and was much cheaper than other popular blenders).
Blend on high speed for 30 seconds. You may want to scrape down the sides and blend for another 20-30 seconds if you’re not using peanut butter.
If you do use peanut butter, drop it in. Blend on high speed for another 30 seconds.
Pour, drink, enjoy, and sing praises to my name that you finally discovered a simple protein shake recipe that actually tastes like a milkshake.
*Unsweetened almond or cashew milk works well and only contains 25 calories. Vanilla soy milk is my personal favorite (makes the shake extremely creamy and more milkshake-like in flavor and texture) but has 100 calories per cup. Note: If you want the protein shake to have the closest taste and texture to a milkshake, use vanilla soy milk.
Use your favorite milk source; be mindful of how many calories it adds, especially if you want a lower-calorie shake option.
**The choice of protein powder makes a huge difference in flavor and texture. A whey/casein blend works best for this shake, but whey is okay too. A protein blend tastes better, in my opinion, and makes the shake creamier. I use the chocolate fudge brownie Team Skip blend from True Nutrition (you can get 5% off with the coupon code liftlikeagirl). Use your chocolate protein powder of choice, as long as you think it tastes good, otherwise the shake will be disappointing; no recipe can save a protein powder that tests your gag reflex. (Another tasty chocolate protein powder is PEScience select protein, chocolate frosted cupcake flavor.)
Pea protein is notoriously thick and creamy, so if you like pea protein powder or need a vegan or dairy-free option, then a chocolate one could work.
Again, to make sure you get the tastiest shake possible, I recommend a chocolate whey/casein blend you think tastes good on its own, but use whatever you think tastes good.
The Nutrition Details
I’ve seen many a protein shake contain way more calories than people realized. It’s easy to keep adding stuff to them and it can get to the point where you might as well have a real milkshake from the ballooning calorie count. (There’s not a thing wrong with enjoying the real thing. For more information check out the popular article Eating in Moderation: How to Do It Right.)
The exact calorie and protein content of your shake will vary, depending on what milk source and protein powder you use (the unsweetened almond and cashew milks contain 25 calories per cup). My shake contains about 235 calories without peanut butter (and packs 26 grams of protein), and 330 calories with one tablespoon of peanut butter (about 30 grams of protein).
Depending on your calorie needs, keep an eye on which ingredients you use and add to the shake.
What About a Lower-Calorie Peanut Butter Option?
Some people like powdered peanut butter because it delivers a peanut butter taste with fewer calories (about 45 per serving). If you prefer a lower-calorie option but still want a peanut butter flavor in your shake, then use powdered peanut butter in place of the real thing.
How to Make This Shake a Meal
This chocolate protein shake is a great fast-and-easy breakfast; make it heartier by increasing the peanut butter to two tablespoons. If unsweetened almond or cashew milk is used, the shake would contain 425 calories and pack 34 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. That’s a shake that will keep you satiated for hours.
How to Make This Shake a Low-Calorie Meal Replacement
If you’re trying to lose fat, this shake is a tasty meal replacement. In that case, stick to using unsweetened almond or cashew milk and omit the peanut butter. The shake will contain 235 calories (1 cup milk, 1 cup frozen blueberries, 1 scoop chocolate protein powder, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder).
Another option to bring the calories down more: use one to two cups of ice stead of frozen fruit. That would make this shake only 155 calories.
This chocolate protein shake recipe is versatile and can be tweaked depending on your preferences and needs. It’s also a great way to fuel a Beautiful Badass workout, or a refreshing easy-to-prepare post-workout shake.
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Wish you were more limber and flexible? Hey, us, too, which is why we’re sharing this guest post on how to really become more flexible from Rachael Schultz of Elev8d Fitness. According to her research, it’s not about stretching more … it’s all about alignment. And it’s so interesting. Forget Stretching: Alignment Is the Key, By Rachael Schultz After a long day at work or an extra hard workout, you probably stand up at some point to realize your legs, your back, your shoulders have become quite stiff. The solution you’ve been hearing for years? You need to stretch more. After all, …
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Let’s get to talking about a part of our body that is often neglected — our glutes! Courtney Wyckoff of Momma Strong is supercharged about women firing up their entire glutes (especially that gluteus medius) in this fun, chatty and oh-so-i nformative episode. Courtney began her journey after giving birth to her second child. During that time, she experienced depression while struggling to get her body back in shape despite her background in Pilates and personal training. It was then that she turned to exercises focusing on extension versus flexion — and that brought her the “aha moment” that changed …
It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of the barbell. Often, it’s just my first instinct on strength days at the gym to just head to the barbell platform and get to work. But as I’ve pointed out in the past few posts of this series, that’s not always possible. We have so many fitness tools available to us nowadays, each with its pros and cons, so it’s important that we remain open-minded about the tools we use to get stronger and fitter. Besides, why limit ourselves when there are so many fun and creative ways to move our …
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If you are looking for a little inspiration and wisdom for your ear holes, then get ready for our guest today: Olympian, author, life coach and advocate Silken Laumann. Her multitude of accomplishments includes winning the bronze medal in rowing in 1992 (and doing so just 10 weeks after a brutal leg injury!), as well as the silver medal in Atlanta in 1996. Silken is one of Canada’s (and, heck, the world’s!) most highly-respected athletes, so it was surprising for many to learn in her memoir, Unsinkable, that she struggled during her childhood with an eating disorder. Silken’s journey has taken …
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When I attended my first yoga class, I made the same mistakes many newbies make — I compared myself to others, and judged myself for not being able to get into or hold poses that other people (who appeared to be less fit than I) seemed to do easily. I pushed, I forced, I … well, I felt really totally demoralized, and when the instructor came by with a strap and a couple of blocks, I took it as an insult. Fast forward 20 years or so and … yeah, I’m well aware that this is not how yoga is …
Put all the ingredients, except the peanut butter if you plan to use it, in a blender (I’ve been using my 
