2 Minute Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients:

-24 large frozen shrimp (peeled and tail off)

- 1/2 cup spinach leaves, chopped

- 1 tsp olive oil

- 1 clove garlic, crushed

-1/2 tsp dried basil

-1 or 2 splashes of hot sauce

- sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients together in large, microwavable bowl making sure to coat the shrimp well. Microwave for 1 minute, remove and toss again. Microwave for another 1 minute and 15 seconds and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.

**Can also be eaten with a whole wheat pasta or rice if you require a bigger meal (I definitely would).... Still only 3 grams of fat, about 100 calories and 14 grams of protein.

Twisting it Out.

At this time of year where superfluous drinking and eating is the norm, a great way to detoxify your body is through any kind of twist. Below are two poses that don't require much balance and can be held for a longer period of time to really feel the benefits. Traditional Sanskrit texts say that twists have the ability to increase appetite, destroy most deadly diseases, and awaken kundalini, a spiritual energy that lies dormant in our body until we awaken it.

Try holding each pose for 60 seconds, bring the spine back to neutral and then move to the other side. You can repeat this as many times as feels good.

Twisted Malasana
- Tones belly
-Stretches groin, ankles and back torso
-Energizes the spine

Half Lord of the Fishes Pose
- Stimulates liver and kidneys
-Stimulates digestion
-Relieves cramps
-Therapeutic for asthma

6 Minute Christmas Baking BURN!

Sometimes there are not enough hours in the day to get a workout in and especially at this busy time of year it can be difficult to burn off as many calories as you take in. Here is a quick routine that you can do in your living room on those days where the gym didn't quite make the schedule:

Complete 3 Rounds of the following 5 exercises at 20 seconds each:

1)High Knees- Running on the spot work to bring your knees up as high as possible.
2)Burpees- Start standing and bring your hands down to the floor, kick both feet out behind you and then quickly back in. From that crouched position bring your hands up over-head and jump as high as you can. Repeat.
3)Split jump- Start with your left foot forward and right foot behind you, bend both knees so that your back right knee almost touches the floor- spring up and switch your legs as you land so that the right foot comes to the front and the left goes behind. Repeat.
4)Push-ups- Ensure you come down far enough so that your arms bend to a 90' angle. Complete as many as you can either on your toes or on your knees.
5)Jack-knife sit-ups- Lay down on the floor with your legs straight and your arms behind your head. Bring shoulders and arms off the ground and at the same time lift your legs in the air so that you can touch your feet. Repeat.
6)Rest

Body vs. Mind : Which is stronger?

"The mind is the athlete; the body is simply the means it uses to run faster or longer, jump higher, hit harder....."

Fitness Fashion Junkie

As a trainer and fitness instructor in Vancouver one of the best parts of my job is being among the obligatory Lululemon wear that runs rampant in my classes and makes my clients look amazing while they train. There is something inspiring about seeing 30 people sitting on bikes in front on me all wearing the latest bright tank top and cute pair of pants. At the end of class I rarely get questions about working out, but always get a comment on whichever top I wore that day... Sometimes going to the gym can be made 100% easier just by having the right outfit.

Double Back Lululemon top

Check out the Lululemon website for more of their latest goods:

http://shop.lululemon.com/store/productslist.aspx?categoryid=500&pagesize=15

The 13 Best Foods to Eat

If you want to....

Lose weight without trying:

- Lemon water, Artichokes, and Red Grapefruit

Make your skin glow:

-Watermelon, Figs, and Red Bell Peppers

Boost your immune system:

-Beans, Prunes

Prevent heart disease:

-Cherries, Dark Chocolate

Boost your brain power:

Blueberries, Cinnamon, and Plums

Turn Your World Upside Down

Adho Mukha Svasana Downward Facing Dog

Balasana Child's Pose

When I first started yoga the idea of holding a handstand was completely daunting and something only the real "yogis" did. However, since dedicating myself to a more vigourous practice as well as learning the therapeutic benefits of inversions, this pose is one I aim for daily.

Benefits include:
- Calming the mind to help with depression

- Stimulation of the pituitary gland- ie the control center in our brain that releases hormones which help us function properly

- Stimulation of the Pineal gland which is located at out third eye (in between the two eyebrows). Related to the 6th chakra the third eye promotes imagination, psychic ability and dreaming.

- Strengthens lungs

- Tones abdominal organs

- Improves digestion

- Helps relieve symptoms of menopause

- Therapetuic for insomnia and asthma.

Amazing that just flipping your body upside down can have such a positive affect on your health. The real beauty of inversions is that you don't have to balance in handstand to reap the rewards... Other variations of the same action include Child's Pose and Downward Facing Dog.... Add one or both to your stretching regimen and see what happens.

Welcome

I started this blog because as a personal trainer and fitness instructor, I am always searching the internet for new exercises, tips, and pieces of inspiration to not only make my job easier, but also to challenge my clients and enrich the lives of the people around me. Over the years I have found TONS of great stuff that I typically write down on a random piece of paper and then inevitably lose, or just never look at again. I yearned for a single resource that would inspire me in one well organized site, but despite its vast reach, the world wide web kept coming up short... I had no other choice but to create my own: so here it is.

Welcome to FitnessJunkie.