THE ULIMATE CHOCOLATE DESSERT

INGREDIENTS 

2 ripe avocados, skin and stone removed
60 g (2 oz / 1/2 cup) cacao
125 ml (4 fl oz / ½ cup) organic maple syrup
125 ml (4 fl oz / 1/2 cup) coconut cream
60 ml (2 fl oz / ¼ cup) cold-pressed coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla bean extract
Pinch of sea salt

Step-by-step.

Step 1: Identify Your Weaknesses

Sure, this probably sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s not as easy as it might seem. Actual weaknesses are usually the easier of the two to identify. These are areas where you just stink. Like tripping over the rope repeatedly as you try to skip. Or more generally, you may struggle to break parallel and reach depth on your squat, and you have a weakness in the area of mobility.

Step 2: Pick a few to focus on

If you’re anything like me, your weakness list might be a bit long. As in 27 items long.... Yes, it can be overwhelming to look at yourself and the areas where you want to improve, but having a solid understanding of the big picture can help you to identify the baby steps you’re going to need take to get there.

Step 3: Set Goals

Setup S.M.A.R.T goals. Goal setting is a bit of an art in and of itself, but setting achievable goals is an important step in improving your weaknesses. 

Step 4: Create your plan

Now that you know you’re weaknesses, have chosen which to work on, and set goals around those areas for improvement, it’s time to formulate your plan.

Step 5: Get ‘er done!

You’ve laid all the ground work, and now it’s time to put your head down and do work! This should be the part of the process that is the most fun. Remember, show up every day.

Step 6: Retest and reassess

Once you’ve completed your goals and plan, the time is finally here to see how far you’ve come. Retest yourself and your weaknesses then reassess your next steps.

References:
http://www.fitnesshq.com/how-to-train-your-weaknesses/

BY LIZZA GEBILAGIN

We all know New Year’s resolutions have a bad rep, with less than half of us sticking to our promises by the time June hits. Despite our good intentions, the main problem is we’ve usually made grandiose commitments that are too vague, ill-informed or difficult to stick to beyond the first week of January (sound familiar?). But this isn’t a reason to give up on yourself: the following resolutions are so simple, you’ll be set to slay your health goals in 2018.

Old resolution: “I want to stop [insert bad habit here]”
Why it doesn’t work: If you’ve been trying to kick a certain habit for years, but haven’t, it’s likely because you’re trying without any awareness.
New resolution: “I’ll practise 10 minutes of mindfulness daily”

“In order to break a habit, you have to first be aware that it is happening. Mindfulness allows us to be present with what is happening in any given moment, so we can choose our actions and break our habitual patterns,” psychologist Mary Hoang from The Indigo Project says. “Create a habit of sitting quietly for five minutes in the morning and five minutes before you go to bed. Try ‘Mindfulness of breath’, a simple technique that involves focusing your attention on the sensation of the breath as it enters and exits the nostrils, or use apps such as Headspace or Smiling Mind if you need some guidance.”

Old resolution: “I’m going to drink veg juices every day to lose weight”
Why it doesn’t work: Juices are filled with extra kJs, contain little fibre and don’t keep you satisfied, meaning you’re likely to eat more to compensate (and hence, put on weight).
New resolution: “I’m going to eat fruit and veg whole”

“While it’s fun for hardcore health-foodies to down greens via a straw, most of the palatable juices available simply contain too much fruit in one go. This can be hard on the digestive system to process and can result in abdominal pain and bloating,” dietitian and nutritionist Larina Robinsonsays. “Stick to eating your fruit and vegetables whole instead, so you get all their filling fibre, and less of the sugar rush.”

Old resolution: “I’m going to sleep more and stress less”
Why it doesn’t work: When life gets busy, it’s easy to prioritise work and going out over sleep, both of which end up increasing your stress levels.
Replace it with: “I’m setting a daily reminder to be grateful”

“Research shows that having a gratitude practice can increase sleep quality by 25 per cent, plus lower stress-related illnesses by 10 per cent and increase positive emotions and productivity,” Mary says. “The act of practising gratitude also releases dopamine and serotonin into the brain, which has the same effect as taking an antidepressant.”

Old resolution: “I’m going to exercise like an animal to get better results”
Why it doesn’t work: After those first few intense sessions at the gym, you’re in so much pain you couldn’t be bothered going back (Netflix and the couch are less torturous).
New resolution: “I’m going to treat my workouts as moving meditation”

“When you exercise, are you really focusing on what your body is doing or are you miles away thinking about trivial things?” asks Darren Cox, functional wellness practitioner at Total Reformation. “If there’s one time in your life when you should be 100 per cent focused on your body, it’s when you’re exercising (especially if you’re doing weights or high-intensity interval training). When you break the habit of using exercise as a ‘disconnect’ from reality, your results will come sooner and you’ll become more competent in moving well and pain-free.”

Old resolution: “I’m going to be happier”
Why it doesn’t work: This statement is so vague that you’re setting yourself up for failure. What does it mean to be happier anyway?
New resolution: “I’m going to schedule weekly catch-ups with loved ones”

Mary says, “If you want to be happier and healthier in the coming year, invest in close, positive relationships. Research shows having someone to lean on helps with emotional, and even physical, pain. Set aside time every week to foster your most important relationships, and allow space to debrief emotionally. What’s important is not the number of friends you have, but the quality of your close relationships.”

Old resolution: “I’m going to start following [insert new healthy diet trend here]”
Why it doesn’t work: Most new diet trends are usually complicated and so strict (or bland), you’ll be bored after a few days. If you want to eat healthily, it’s actually really simple.
New resolution: “I’m going to fill half my lunch and dinner plates with colourful vegetables”

“Think zucchini, tomato, carrot, pumpkin, broccoli, cauliflower. The more colour you add, the more variety you’re enjoying, and according to research, you’ll likely live longer,” Larina says. “Plus, they contain water and fibre for a happy digestive system, and thanks to their different colours, are loaded with a variety of antioxidants to fight premature ageing and free radical damage.”

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INGREDIENTS

• 6 eggs

• 4 Tablespoons of milk

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1 cup of red peppers, diced

• ¼ cup of sun dried tomatoes

• 5 Tablespoons of olive slices

• 1 teaspoon of dry parsley

• ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon of Himalayan salt

• 2 Tablespoons of goat cheese crumbles

• 3 Tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

• ¼ cup of walnut pieces or pine nuts

• 3-4 gluten-free tortillas

• chives (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a silicone muffin pan with cooking spray.

2. Cut out 12 circles of the tortillas using a circle cookie cutter. Place each one of the cut-out tortillas at the base of the muffin pan.

3. Beat the eggs and milk together in a large bowl and stir in the garlic, red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, olive slices, parsley, pepper, salt, nuts, goat cheese, and Parmesan cheese.

4. Pour the egg mixture into the muffin pans filling them about ¾ the way full. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Let set about 5 minutes before serving.

Stretching is so often something people neglect to do at the end of a training session because they are too tired to do anything else. Or when they do, they just rush through each stretch and so don't get the full benefit of each one. We stretch to improve our flexibility. Flexibility is the range of motion that is available to a joint or joints.

Flexibility is important because:

· It improves muscle balance around a joint, thus improving posture
· It reduces the chance of injury when playing a sport or in every-day activities
· It increases the blood and nutrient supply to muscles and cartilage, thereby also reducing muscle soreness after training.

Stretching Correctly:

Stretching should not be done as a warm-up to an activity as you could potentially injure your muscles if stretching them when they are cold. We recommend 3-5 minutes of cardiovascular activity beforehand to ensure the muscles are warm. Each major muscle group should be stretched slowly and with control, holding each stretch for 1 to 3 sets of 10 to 60 seconds. Hold each stretch at the point of mild tension or tightness, not to the point of pain. It is important to stretch after doing any physical activity. When muscles perform any exercise, they tighten and shorten as a result. Stretching them out helps to restore and improve their length. When doing strength training, you could stretch each muscle group directly after performing each set.

When not to Stretch:

· Following muscle strains or ligament sprains
· When joints or muscles are infected, inflamed or hurt
· After a recent fracture
· When sharp pains are felt in the joints or muscles