Bikini Boot Camp BLOG

Another amazing Bikini Boot Camper running with the torch! Cindy Spence! Go Canada Go!

The pictures are starting to roll in with our Bikini Boot Campers running with the Olympic torch! Here's another amazing participant Kara Iginla! Kara is a long time Bikini Boot Camp participant, enjoying programs with one of our best, Ara, right here in Calgary!

Way to go Kara!

Do you know of a Bikini Boot Camp participant that ran with the Torch? Let us know!

Go Canada Go!

Here's some information passed on from one of our staff regarding Gluten free bread. We know that some of you out there are on a limited diet due to allergies and such so we thought you might be interested in this little tidbit. Let us know what you think!

Hi ladies, I just wanted to pass along the name of a great Gluten free
bread. I've tried a lot of different brands and I find they either
taste funny, have a weird consistency, or weigh nearly as much as I
do. Most of them don't toast, they just get warm, it's really weird.
The name of the company is Maggie's Gluten Free Kitchen and I'm trying
the Home Style Kootenay Harvest. I bought it at Amaranth (in Calgary) in the
bakery section and I'm really liking it. The only problem is that
it's not cheap, none of this gluten free stuff is. I think it's about
$8 a loaf which is the most expensive I've see, but in my opinion it's
worth it to have something like real bread!
Have a great day and stay warm!

Here's one of my favourite salads. I've never made it but one of my best friends makes it and brings it over to the house. I had to ask her for her recipe, and found that she stole it from www.allrecipes.com website. It's a good one, but she made a few changes. You can cheat and use precooked bacon or packaged crumbled bacon (the real stuff). Also she uses 1/8 cup of berry sugar instead of the white sugar.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup bacon bits
1 head fresh broccoli florets
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup hulled sunflower seeds
1 red onion, chopped
1 cup creamy salad dressing, e.g. Miracle Whip ™
1/4 cup white sugar

Directions:

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the bacon, broccoli, cheese, raisins, onion and sunflower seeds.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the creamy salad dressing and sugar. Pour over broccoli mixture and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Who doesn't love BROCCOLI? If you don't, maybe we can change your mind...

Sidekicks: Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, turnips, cauliflower, collards, bok choy, mustard greens, Swiss chard.

Try to Eat: 1/2 to 1 cup daily

Broccoli contains:

- sulforaphane
- indoles
- folate
- fiber
- calcium
- vitamin C
- beta-carotene
- lutein/zeaxanthin
- vitamin K

BROCCOLI and it's sidekicks are among the most powerful weapons in our dietary arsenal against cancer. That alone would elevate it to the status of a SuperFood. In addition, broccoli also boosts the immune system, lowers the incidence of cataracts, supports cardiovascular health, builds bones, and fights birth defects. Broccoli is one of the most nutrient-dense foods known; it offers an incredibly high level of nutrition for a very low caloric cost.

More about broccoli:

Broccoli and it's related crucifers (sidekicks) are rich in folate, the B vitamin that is essential to preventing birth defects. We all know how common cataracts are in our aging population. Broccoli to the rescue! Broccoli and cruciferous vegetables are bone builders; it promotes the absorption of calcium. Broccoli is a great source of flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamin C, folate, and potassium that help prevent heart disease.

Some quick ways to get cruciferous vegetables on the table:

- keep fresh or frozen broccoli on hand to use in stir-fries
- puree leftover broccoli with some sauteed onions and mix with milk or soy and add a grind or two of nutmeg for a great fast soup
- toss shredded raw broccoli with red cabbage and red onion, some homemade vinaigrette, and maybe some poppy seeds, for a quick slaw
- snack on leftover cooked broccoli right from the fridge, with your favourite salad dressing
- coat cut up broccoli with a little olive oil and salt; roast at 425F for 20-30 minutes
- serve raw broccoli florets with hummus dip

There you have it, SuperFood #3! Share your favourite BROCCOLI recipes with us!

One of our amazing participants had the honour of running with the Olympic Torch right here in Calgary! Naomi Kennedy has been working out with Bikini Boot Camp for a year now with awesome trainer Laurie in the Deep South.

Do you know of a Bikini Boot Camp participant that ran with the Torch? Let us know!

Here's a quick easy recipe that includes blueberries, but you can use any and all fruits that tickle your fancy! This is a great addition to breakfast or use it as a dessert!

1/2 cup/120ml low-fat cottage cheese (or cream cheese)
1 whole-grain baguette (sliced on the diagonal into 1/2 inch pieces)
1/2 cup/120ml sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup/120ml fresh blueberries
1/2 cup/120ml fresh raspberries
1 tin mandarin orange slices (in their own juice, drained, juice reserved)

Preheat oven to 400F/200C.
Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper.
Arrange slices of baguette on the baking sheet and toast the bread.
Mix cottage cheese with 2 Tbsp/30ml of the mandarin juice. If using cottage cheese, mash well to make smoother.
Once the bread has toasted nicely, spread the cheese on top of hot toast.
Arrange toast on a serving platter, set strawberry slices on top and then distribute the rest of the fruit on top of the strawberries.

Our next SuperFood is BLUEBERRIES!

Sidekicks: Purple grapes, cranberries, boysenberries, raspberries, strawberries, currants, blackberries, cherries and all other varieties of fresh, frozen, or dried berries.

Try to Eat: 1 to 2 cups daily

Blueberries contain:

- A synergy of multiple nutrients and phytonutrients
- Polyphenols
- Salicylic acid
- Carotenoids
- Fiber
- Folate
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Potassium
- Manganese
- Magnesium
- Iron
- Riboflavin
- Niacin
- Phytoestrogens
- Low calories

BLUEBERRIES Now here's a SuperFood you can take to the bank! A small but mighty nutritional force, the blueberry combines more powerful disease-fighting antioxidants than any other fruit or vegetable. [And in more recent studies, the Acai berry, has become the most powerful SuperFruit.] Just one serving of blueberries provides as many antioxidants as five servings of carrots, apples, broccoli or squash. The extraordinary health and anti-aging benefits of blueberries include their role in lowering your risk for cardiovascular disease and, most likely, cancer. And we can't forget their help in maintaining healthy skin and reducing the sags and bags brought on by age.

A couple of other tidbits about blueberries:

Blueberries promote digestive health: rich in pectin, a soluble fiber, blueberries work to relieve both diarrhea and constipation. Moreover, the tannins in blueberries reduce inflammation in the digestive system, and polyphenols have also been shown to have antibacterial properties. Like cranberries, blueberries are a plus for urinary-tract health.

Berries are available fresh, dried or frozen, so they can be eaten year round. Some ways to eat blueberries:

- sprinkle berries and wheat germ or granola on yogurt.
- mix frozen berries into hot oatmeal or quinoa.
- toss onto cold cereal.
- whip into a smoothie with yogurt, banana, ice and soy or milk.
- drop some into your favourite pancake recipe, just before turning them.
- in a bowl topped with some sweetened soy or milk with a touch of honey.
- just as they are.

There you have it, SuperFood #2! Share your favourite BLUEBERRY recipes with us!

From the front page of my Clean Eating Magazine, January/February 2010 issue...

I haven't yet tried this recipe, but I've not been disappointed in any of the Clean Eating recipes I've tried...

Try it, and let me know what you think!

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium carrots (peeled, cut into 1/2 inch dice ~ about 1 cup)
1 cup fennel (cut into 1/2 inch dice)
1 cup red onion (diced)
2 large cloves garlic (finely chopped)
2 bay leaves
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (chopped)
1/4 tsp fennel seeds (crushed)
1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans (white kidney beans ~ drained)
2 cups fresh plum tomatoes (peeled, seeded and diced)
1/3 cup uncooked quinoa
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup fresh spinach (cut chiffonade*)
3 Tbsp basil (thinly sliced)
2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano (finely grated ~ about 1/2 cup), optional

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add carrots, fennel, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and fennel seeds, and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add 6 cups of water, beans, tomatoes, and quinoa. Increase heat to high and ring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently until quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Stir spinach and basil into soup just before serving in warm bowls. Garnish each with 1 Tbsp cheese, if desired.

*What is Chiffonade?
It's a technique for cutting herbs and leafy greens into long, thin ribbons:
1. Stack the leaves.
2. Roll them tightly.
3. Slice across the bundle with a sharp knife.
4. Fluff to separate ribbons.

TIP: Greens darken at their edges when cut, so use the cuttings immediately.

Taken from the pages of Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Cookbook...

1 x 19oz/540ml can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 x 19oz/540ml can red kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
1 x 19oz/540ml can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
1 x 19oz/540ml can firm lentils (rinsed and drained)
1 bunch scallions (trimmed and chopped)
2 Roma tomatoes (coarsely chopped)
1/4 cup/60ml cilantro or parsley (chopped)
2 Tbsp/30ml avocado oil (or olive oil)
2 Tbsp/30ml apple cider vinegar
Juice of freshly squeezed lime

Mix all ingredients together and chill for at least two hours. Serve as a side dish with any meal.

Recipes for bean salad are a dime a dozen. But everyone needs a good bean salad in their arsenal of good eats. It's great when you're in a pinch. Keep your pantry stocked with these basics.

Our first Superfood is BEANS!

Yes, the musical fruit! But all kidding aside...

Sidekicks: All beans are included in this SuperFood category.

Try to Eat: at least 4 half cup servings per week

Beans contain:

- low-fat protein
- fibre
- B vitamins
- iron
- folate
- potassium
- magnesium
- phytonutrients

BEANS are a virtual wonder food. A delicious source of vitamin-rich, low-fat, inexpensive, versatile protein, beans deserve a place at the table for those reasons alone. But the full power of beans to lower cholesterol; combat heart disease; stabilize blood sugar; reduce obesity; relieve constipation, diverticular disease, hypertension, and type II diabetes; and lessen the risk for cancer make this ancient food an extraordinary and important addition to any diet.

Here are a few popular varieties of beans:

- Adzuki beans
- Black beans (or turtle beans)
- Cannellini (or white beans)
- Chickpeas
- Fava beans (or broad beans)
- Great Northern beans
- Navy beans
- Pinto beans

Here are some bean ideas:

- Hummus is quick and easy to make. Puree canned chickpeas with chopped garlic and olive oil.
- Bean salads are fast to make. Toss different varieties together for a colourful salad with some fresh herbs and olive oil.
- Baked beans count, too! Buy or make them without too much added sugar or salt.
- Lima beans or green peas. They're available year round, frozen, in the supermarket.
- Combine beans with pasta.
- Mash beans with some finely chopped garlic and use as a sandwich spread.


There you have it, our first SuperFood! Share you favourite BEAN recipes with us!

SUPERFOODS are quoted as being the ten or fourteen foods that will change your life! At this time of year, we all seem to think about making positive changes to our lifestyles. One of the top five New Year's resolutions is to get fit and lose weight. What a better way to do that than with Bikini Boot Camp! We are not your typical personal training experience, we help you maintain a healthy lifestyle, and you can't have a healthy lifestyle without having healthy eating habits!

Each week I will be reviewing one of the fourteen SuperFoods. I look forward to your feedback and any recipes that you may have in your repertoire to share with the rest of us!

According to SuperFoods Rx there are fourteen Superfoods. That doesn't mean that any diet should be limited to these foods! Variety in food choices is absolutely critical to health. These foods were chosen because of the high concentrations of nutrients or the otherwise hard-to-get nutrients they contain, as well as the fact that many of them are low in calories!

What is a SuperFood?

A SuperFood is a food rich in phytochemicals, which are special chemicals that have been noted to have disease-fighting properties. Phytochemicals can reduce the risk of certain forms of cancer, reduce inflammation, strengthen the immune system, or in some other way contribute to a person being healthier. When foods are high in these phytochemicals, they may be eaten not only because they taste good, but because they are good for you too.

For more detailed information on these SuperFoods, please check out the variety of books on the subject. The book I will be referencing is SuperFoods Rx ~ by Dr. Steven Pratt and Kathy Matthews

Stay Healthy!

One of the items I've come across in my quest to eat healthy, is to watch my portion control. Here's some information I came across in my reading that I thought would interest you. Perhaps you're one of the many who has made it your New Year's Resolution to life a healthier lifestyle, or want to get fit and lose weight. These tips will be sure to help you achieve your goals!

Examples of ONE Canada Food Guide Serving are: (from the Health Canada website)

Vegetables and Fruit:
125 mL (½ cup) fresh, frozen or canned vegetable or fruit or 100% juice
250 mL (1 cup) leafy raw vegetables or salad
1 piece of fruit

Grain Products:
1 slice (35 g) bread or ½ bagel (45 g)
½ pita (35 g) or ½ tortilla (35 g)
125 mL (½ cup) cooked rice, pasta, or couscous
30 g cold cereal or 175 mL (¾ cup) hot cereal

Milk and Alternatives:
250 mL (1 cup) milk or fortified soy beverage
175 g (¾ cup) yogurt
50 g (1 ½ oz.) cheese

Meat and Alternatives:
75 g (2 ½ oz.)/125 mL (½ cup) cooked fish, shellfish, poultry or lean meat
175 mL (¾ cup) cooked beans
2 eggs
30 mL (2 Tbsp) peanut butter


Here are some tips from the American Dietetic Association on how to recognize appropriate serving sizes: (in layman's terms)

A medium potato should be the size of a computer mouse
An average bagel should be the size of a hockey puck
A cup of fruit is the size of a baseball (not a softball)
A cup of lettuce is four leaves
Three ounces of meat is the size of a cassette tape (have you ever seen a cassette tape?, it's about the size of a deck of cards)
Three ounces of grilled fish is the size of a cheque book
One ounce of cheese is the size of four dice
One teaspoon of peanut butter equals one die
One ounce of snack foods - pretzels, etc. - equals a large handful

Did you get a diamond engagement ring this holiday season? Well, let Bikini Boot Camp get you ready for that walk down the isle! Our amazing trainers are ready to help get you on your way! Our Frosty and Fabulous programs are just starting, and our Jump Start to Spring is just around the corner. Sign up today! For more information, click here.

You're not getting married, but know someone that is, then why not bring them along to one of our "Bring a Friend" days, just ask your trainer for more information.

Jump Start to Spring is coming soon! Registration is just around the corner.

Can you believe it, Spring is going to be here before you know it. Programs fill up quickly so don't delay, register on January 15, 2010 for our Jump Start to Spring programs starting in March!