Guilt-free Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Thank you to Bakerita for the recipe!

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and we know as well as you that there’s no escaping the temptations of all the delicious food that’s about to be spread in front of us.

When it comes to dessert, there’s no need to shy away! Especially with this guilt-free pumpkin pie recipe. With no gluten, dairy, or refined sugars, this pie is bound to please everyone at the table. 

Try it out and be sure to let us know how it was (or feel free to drop some off the next time you’re in the studio)!

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: One 9″ pie
Author: Rachel Conners

INGREDIENTS

For the Crust:

  • 2 cups blanched almond flour
  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup coconut oil solid
  • 1 egg beaten

For the Filling:

  • 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons creamy almond butter
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ginger
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon cardamom

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Crust:

  1. In a medium bowl, stir together the almond flour, coconut sugar, and salt. Add in the coconut oil and using a fork (or your fingers), cut into the almond flour until the coconut oil is in mostly incorporated. Stir in the egg until the dough is slightly moist and forms a ball. There may be streaks of coconut oil running through your dough.
  2. Press the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the freezer while you prepare the filling, or place in the refrigerator if not using immediately (can keep in fridge for up to 1 week).
  3. When ready to bake, roll out your dough in between two sheets of parchment into a 12-inch circle. Lay dough into a 9-inch pie dish (not deep dish). Place in the freezer while you prepare the filling.

For the Filling:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the filling until completely smooth and combined. Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust.
  3. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the the center of the pie doesn’t jiggle. Let cool for at least two hours before serving to let set.

Enjoy!!!

October 1, 2018

5 Tips to Actually Make it to Your Morning Workout

With school back in session and the summer getaways coming to an end, it’s time to fall back into routine. It seems that amongst the ‘health and fitness’ crowd (or maybe more broadly the ‘hustlers’ of the world) there is a deeply held belief that the early bird gets the worm. Early morning workouts, long before the sun comes up, are the way to put you on the path to success and productivity.

But what if you hate mornings?

Sure, it feels great to get your workout done for the day. There’s less temptation to pass on your workout due to the mental fog that can come from a long day of work or for social events (no one is asking you out for post-work drinks at 6 AM). But if you’re someone who feels like they are continually battling what they “should be” doing (i.e. getting up and working out) and what they “want to be doing” (i.e. getting a few more hours or sleep) then we’ve got some tips to help you actually make it to your AM workout.

How to Get Out of Bed & Workout in The Morning

Change Your Mindset

As far as we know, there isn’t any magic potion out there (including coffee) that makes getting up at 5 AM feel good, (especially so if you aren’t a morning person). But instead of thinking about all the work that needs to be done (i.e. miles to run and squats to bang out) think about the chance to get some alone time just for yourself before the rest of the world (work, family, etc.) starts knocking at your door.

Don’t Jump Out of Bed

It might seem counterintuitive, especially if you want to hit the snooze button, but give yourself a moment to transition from sleep to awake. Sit up in bed. Hit the light. Drink some water. Over time these small queues will help your body recognize that sleep is over and it’s time for the next phase of the day.

Add In A Pre-Workout

Now that you’re actually out of bed, it’s time to give yourself a little mental boost. Pre-workouts often contain caffeine, plus a variety of other cognitive workout enhancing ingredients such as β-Alanine, Citrulline Malate, Creatine, and amino acids like tyrosine which have been shown to help with mental focus giving you the extra boost you need to crank up the dial for an intense workout.

Start Slow

Mentally you might be feeling more alert thanks to the previous tips, but physically your body still isn’t there yet. Give yourself the space to allow your body to warm up slowly. Try a 5-7 minute run at a slow pace (we’re talking a 3 or 4 out of 10 on the exertion scale) coupled with some dynamic stretches to really get the blood flowing to the muscles. Taking the time to add this warmup onto your workout may seem like wasted time that you could have spent in bed, but it will actually help you go harder once you get to the ‘main’ part of your workout and avoid injury to muscles which aren’t quite ready for the grinding workout you have in store.

Better Yet, Start the Night Before

Going back to our first tip, there may not be a magic potion to make getting up feel any easier, but there is something to be said for a good night’s sleep that has you waking feeling well-rested.

 

What are your tips for getting out of bed for that sweet Rise & Grind? Let us know!

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September 4, 2018

The Benefits of a Vitamin D Supplement

Vancouverites have all experienced – at one point in time – a lack of motivation or energy that might come after a streak of rainy, grey weather. Believe it or not, you may have been experiencing this low state of energy due to a lack of sun exposure and Vitamin D! Who knew that the sun could have such a big impact on your physical health?

Sun exposure, or more specifically vitamin D absorption via sun exposure, is immensely important for a number of reasons. North Americans (especially Vancouverites) are highly susceptible to Seasonal Affective Disorder that is characterized by symptoms of depression (fatigue and lethargy) mainly due to the changing of seasons. This is more prominent in the fall and winter seasons due to a lack of sun exposure – and it is here where vitamin D supplements come greatly into play.

Vitamin D Supplements to the Rescue

Vitamin D supplementation has been shown to decrease the likelihood of seasonal depression due to it’s mood and energy enhancing effects. The infographic above summarizes a study done on elite soccer players in Northern Europe. The players either took a large bulk Vitamin D supplement once a week or several smaller doses daily. The results showed that a daily dose of vitamin D was more effective at changing mood and energy levels than taking a bigger dose once a week.

Benefits and Daily Dosage of Vitamin D Supplements

Vitamin D is a key player in maintaining heart health, a strong immune system, strengthening bones, and binding calcium. Therefore, receiving a smaller daily dosage allows the liver to continuously process this vitamin, keeping levels high. Conversely, a weekly dosage would get processed by the liver within a day or two, causing the levels to drop back to what they were before.  The daily recommended dose of vitamin D for adults under 50 is 400-1000 IU. In contrast, for over 50s, it increases to 800-2000 IU since the risk of osteoporosis increases after the age of 50.

So get out and enjoy the sunshine while you can! It’s not only good for your mental health, it’s good for your physical health too!

 

Patryk Zuk
Professional Training Coach
Innovative Fitness Kitsilano

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September 4, 2018

**PRESS RELEASE** – Innovative Fitness Recruits a Key Educator to Join their Established Team!

We are extremely excited to announce that Chad Benson, one of the most respected personal trainers and educators in the industry, will be joining our corporate team.

Chad will be spearheading the launch of our education platform that will include entry level certifications (certifying personal trainers) as well as high level continuing education opportunities for experienced industry professionals. Our goal is to develop a cutting edge academy of learning while providing further educational support to our trainers, thereby ensuring the highest quality of training sessions and programming to our clientele.

 

Chad Benson: MSc, BSc, BPE, CSCS, CanFitPro PTS

Educated at the University of Victoria and Memorial University of NL, Chad holds degrees in Psychology, Physical Education and Kinesiology. He is a published book author, keynote speaker, fitness presenter & blogger. Chad specializes in corrective exercises and athletic performance and has been a strength and conditioning consultant for Nike, the National Woman’s Basketball Team, the National Sailing Team, the Vancouver Canucks, and the BC Lions.

Prior to joining the IF Team, Chad was the Director of Education for Steve Nash Fitness Clubs where he developed the nashFIT and Prepair2Perform functional platforms and ran certifications through the BC Personal Training Institute. He is a graduate of the IRHSA Business Institute and holds current certifications in Kickboxing, Muay Thai Striking, Kettlebell, Bulgarian Bag, Fascial Mobility and Trigger Point Therapies, Functional Performance, Preventive Injury, and movement assessments such as FMS and SFMA.

Educationally, Chad is a member of the JCC & CanFitPro Advisory Boards and has delivered educational content throughout North America.

Chad spends his spare time creating cancer awareness, climbing mountains, training for adventure races, exploring scientific journals, sipping red wine, and exploring warm weather destinations.

 

Welcome to the IF Team, Chad!

 

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August 9, 2018

Pack the Essentials: Your Guide to Healthy Summer Road Trip Snacks

We can all agree that there are few better feelings than a good old-fashioned road trip right? Windows down, sun shining, warm air, music up.  But don’t let your summer getaways derail your latest fitness efforts.

Yes, travel brings freedom and excitement with regards to discovering new yummy eats and treats and laying off the workouts.  But, this freedom can also feel tempting (and possibly stressful) if you’ve been putting in the time at the gym and making gains.

The good news is that a little planning and prep will easily satisfy your munchy boredom cravings while also keeping your energy steady and your nutrition in check.

Healthy Road Trip Snacks: The Approach

With every choice you make, your efforts should be focused on foods that are high in protein and fibre and limited in added sugar. Think low sugar protein bars, your favourite powder in a shaker bottle, fresh fruit & veg.

Lookout for big bags of munchy foods that are tempting to grab and easy to mindlessly chow down multiple servings of (especially when you’re not paying attention like driving and chatting).

And don’t overlook hydration! Water is essential, but zero-calorie artificially sweetened electrolyte drinks, and carbonated waters can also be fun and help curb some cravings.

Healthy Road Trip Snacks: Our Top Picks

Our top recommendations?  Grab a cooler bag and stock it with the following:

  1. Protein Bars
    Here are our smart nutrition parameters: find a bar that’s going to kick your craving for a sweet candy bar to the curb but doesn’t deliver more than 10g of sugar. Look for at least 15 g of protein, and bonus points for choosing one with fibre and (or!) greens.
  2. Fruit & Veg
    Don’t be afraid to throw together a bag of fresh veg such as peapods, cucumber, mini carrots, etc. to munch on. Low in calories and high in fibre, you can munch for a while, feel good and keep your calories in check. Buying a container of prepared cut fruit or packing some apples is also an excellent way to hydrate and satisfy a sweet craving. Plus it gives you a boost of antioxidants which help fight off those damaging free radicals in your body.
  3. Healthy Fats
    Adding in some healthy fats (in addition to protein) with your snacks is ideal way to satisfy, curb cravings and resist temptations. Consider a squeeze pack of nut butter, trail mix (watch your portion, though!), or even an avocado.
  4. Salty Snacks
    Who doesn’t love a good salty snack to much on? Nowadays you can even find some options are better for you options, like having added protein. If you can buy or pack single portions, you’re in better shape and packing healthier options will likely be better than what you can find on the road. Our go-to choices: dry-roasted chickpeas or edamame, protein chips (yes, they are a thing!), kale chips and jerky.
  5. Sweet Treats
    Sometimes you just want some candy! Check out SmartSweets gummy bears (and sour gummy bears), a line of low-sugar, high-fibre candy that legit tastes like the real deal. With 3g of sugar and 28g of fibre per bag, they will help you #KickSugar (without feeling like you are).
  6. Beverages
    Aside from the obvious water, we like buying single stick-pack powder packets for the road to add to any bottle of water. Top choices include single-serve protein powders (ideal to hold you over until you can get a quality meal), greens powders for a vitamin and antioxidant boost, collagen (add to your coffee order), and electrolyte sticks for hydration. Not only will these options keep your drinks exciting to your taste buds, but they might also help you skip some less-than-ideal choices.

Finally, we get it – sometimes it’s just not possible to plan ahead or pack your snacks. And while there’s a lot of junk in gas station marts and fast food stores, the good news is that there are an increasing amount of good options too!

When you’re in a bind and dying for food look for:

  • Single serve bags of nuts & seeds
  • Ready-to-drink protein shakes, a good rule is 15g – 20g protein and less than 10g sugar per bottle.
  • Protein bars, (consider our recos above)
  • Zero calorie drinks and electrolyte waters
  • Healthier Fast Food Options

Reach out to us if you’ve got more questions on how to keep it healthy on the road!

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August 1, 2018

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