Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

This is one of my Absolute favourite recipes to have for breakfast or any time of the day really!

Ingredients

Pancakes

• 200g baked pumpkin
• 1 whole egg
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 Scoop Vanilla Whey Protein Powder (I used Pharma Whey or Pharmapure)
• 1 tblsp no fat greek yoghurt
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Topping (Optional)

• 1 tblsp raw cocao powder
• 1 tsp coconut oil (melted)
• 1 tsp stevia
• 1tblsp boiling hot water
• 1 tblsp protein powder

Other things you will need:

Frying Pan

coconut oil spray or 1/2 tsp coconut oil

pancake spatula

Serves 1

Method

Pancakes

Combine all of the pancake ingredients in a blender ( i use my nutri-bullet its the best thing ever and its amazing for all of the smoothies i make) and blend until smooth.

Spary a pan with coconut oil spray (or simply use 1/2 tsp coconut oil and coat the pan). Let the pan heat up for a minute. Make sure the Pan is set to a low heat. Spoon the pancake mix into the pan into small round circles. 1 pancake should be about 3-4 tablespoons of mixture until you have 3 small pancakes on the Pan. Cook for 3-4minutes or until pancakes are firm enough to flip. cook for a further 2minutes until golden and firm. 

Top with anything you like! i love to add berries, cocoluscious ice cream (its an organic gluten and dairy free ice cream) , sugar free maple syrup or protein chocolate topping

Topping

Place the protein powder, cocoa, stevia and coconut oil into a cup. add the cot

water and stir until smooth. you may need more hot water depending on the consistency of your protein powder. drizzle on top of pancakes and enjoy.

Macros (Without Topping) Calories: 300, Protein: 36g, Carbs: 17g, Fat: 5g

nom nom nom .. Love nina <3

Finding my balance in the fitness world

The Battle with Dieting

Diets! These days from a young age we are constantly bombarded with images of stick thin models or ultra fit fitness models in marketing, advertising and social media. There is a constant pressure to look thin or fit or be a certain weight so naturally we are all trying the next fad diet or quick fix to get those desired results. I too have faced these issues but I have also managed to overcome them so let me share this with you. I was originally a professional dancer in an academy of performing arts and in order to stand out at auditions you not only had to have the talent but you also had to look the part. I was constantly battling with food and exercise extremes in order to be as slim and petite as possible to have a better chance of being booked for a show. After years of yoyo dieting and hardly even eating my passion changed to fitness and in time I took my love for fitness and after a year of training in the gym I decided to do my first fitness contest.

The Fitness Extreme

After winning my first show I continued to compete without a break until I won my IFBB Pro Card in March of 2011. In this time I was very fit, I trained hard and ate very “clean” foods so in my mind I thought I was the epitome of health. Looking back now with the knowledge I have today I can see the flaws in my extreme lifestyle. The pressure to always look good as I was becoming well known in the fitness industry was HUGE. My diet was super strict where I was not aloud to have foods that were not on my plan except for a weekly cheat meal. This really made me develop a bad relationship with food as I viewed certain foods a “bad” or “unclean” and when I would consume these on my cheat days I would have an incredible feeling of guilt afterwards. The next day would usually follow with extra cardio just to make me feel better about binging on certain foods the day before. I know we have all had those guilty days in the gym after a big weekend or overindulging in a dinner the night before. However things turned to an extreme when in the lead up to a show I was working full time, doing 2 hours of cardio a day plus a weight training session each day with one rest day a week. Now i may have looked great on the outside but this was not something that was going to be sustainable for a long period of time without some consequences. 

The Wake Up Call

After winning my Pro Card I definitely got a reality check. I had a very bad hip for the previous 2-3 years and turned out I had tendonitis and bursitis in the same joint. After further testing I was also diagnosed with PCOS (which i later found out was hypothalamic dysfunction), adrenal fatigue and hypothyroidism. Clearly this type of lifestyle was not sustainable without my health suffering so after taking some time off from competing in order to focus on healing my body I had to find an alternative training and nutrition method. I love fitness and I love competing and nothing was going to stop me from doing what I love. BUT, and a BIG but, I needed to find a way that was healthy and sustainable. I now this is something that many people also struggle with.

Post contest rebound and after reverse dieting and becoming leaner in a healthy way

The Flexible Dieting Approach

When I found the flexible dieting approach I can honestly say that it has changed my life for the better. This is an approach to food that not only athletes benefit from but that anyone can do to lead a fit, healthy, balanced lifestyle. So I know you are all wondering… what is Flexible dieting? Well its just that, a Flexible Diet, but let me elaborate further. Flexible Dieting is where you track your daily food intake in an app (On your computer, tablet or smartphone) like My Fitness Pal, and hit your food quota for the day. Yes it is that simple. You can either track your overall calorie consumption or break it down into a protein, carbohydrate and fat quota. I love this approach for so many reasons. Firstly no foods are off limits if you can fit them in to your overall target for the day. This really helps you find a balance in your diet. When you track your food you become more aware the amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fats that are contained the foods you eat every day which helps you make better food choices overall but eliminates any guilt when you choose to indulge. For example if you want to eat a cupcake then you may choose to only have one cupcake instead of two or three like you normally would because only one fits into your daily food target. My absolute favourite breakfast is pumpkin pancakes topped with maple syrups and organic ice-cream which I have almost every day. So YES now you can have a balanced diet with your favourite foods without feeling guilty about having them whilst still reaching your health and fitness goals. Just give it a try and remember, like anything, it takes the time to get hang of but once you do it will be life changing.

My favourite breakfast! Pumpkin Pancakes!

Watch this space for more tips on flexible dieting!

In the mean time try a Quick Cardio HIIT

If your goal is to burn fat without spending hours in the gym then intervals are your best friend in your training regime. The magic of HIIT (High intensity interval training) is that it allows your body to continue burning fat long after your workout is complete.

Try this: Pick any machine or form of cardio (hill sprints, cross trainer, spin bike, cybex, stepper etc)

Warm up: 5mins

Interval 1: Sprint 20seconds (As hard as you can physically go and I mean HARD)

Rest: 1minute 40seconds (Go easy or slow but keep moving)

Repeat another 5-7 times

Cool Down: 5minutes

This is great to do on your off days from doing any weights or resistance style training. I love to finish off with some abs afterwards.

Chocolate Protein Proto Balls

Ingredients
1 cup Almond meal (or ground almonds in blender/food processor)
8 scoops of chocolate or vanilla Proto Whey (Note that 2 scoops of proto whey = 1 serving)
4 tblsp Raw cocoa powder
1/2 cup Stevia (i used splenda here as i ran out of stevia, but stevia is the best option)
1/2 cup cocoa nibs (optional but adds extra crunch)
approximately 1 cup desiccated coconut (for rolling)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1tblsp natural almond butter
1/2 cup melted cocoa butter OR Coconut Oil

Method
Combine almond meal, Proto Whey, cocoa powder, cocoa nibs and stevia in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl mix vanilla extract, almond butter and cocoa butter.

Add the wet ingredients in the with dry ingredients and mix until combines into a thick dough type mixture.

Note: you may need to add a little water to help mix if needed

Roll into small balls and then roll in the coconut.

Place on a tray with baking paper and place in the fridge or freezer.

I like mine in the freezer ;)


Remember this is a healthy alternative to a sugary dessert or snack that i add in to my cheat day to help satisfy those chocolate cravings!

Everything in moderation

Enjoy!

Choc Raspberry Protein Cheese Cake

Base:
1/2 cup flax meal or almond meal
2/3 cup oats (Get Gluten free Oats if you have an intolerance)
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup cocoa nibs (optional)
1/4 cup Stevia (the amount is optional but i have a sweet tooth)
2 scoops vanilla Proto Whey protein powder (you can use choc if you like - 2 scoops of protowhey is equal to one serving)
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 tsp natural peanut butter (optional)

Pulse all Dry ingredients in a food processor/blender until combined together
Place in a small bowl and mix through coconut oil and peanut butter

Line a dish with baking paper and press mixture flat on the bottom. Place in freezer for at least 10mins


Chocolate Filling:
2 cups raw cashews pre soaked in water over night
4 scoops Chocolate Pept1 Ultra burn (You can also use Chocolate/Vanilla Proto Whey - remember that pept-1 does contain 100mg of caffeine per serve) - Protowhey is certified Gluten Free
2/3 cup Raw unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup stevia
1 tsp natural peanut butter
1/3 cup melted cocoa butter
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup cottage cheese (optional)
1 tsp xanthan gum (optional)

Place all ingredients into a blender/food processor until combined - You may need to pour them into a bowl and stir to make sure it is all combined properly if your blender is anything like mine haha)
Spread mixture out evenly on top of the base
Place back in freezer while you make the raspberry layer


Raspberry Topping:
1 cup raspberries (I used frozen just defrost slightly first)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tblsp coconut oil
2 tblsp stevia (optional)

Place all ingredients into a blender/food processor until combined
spread on top of the chocolate layer
if you wish you can draw a knife through the mixture to swirl the raspberry into the chocolate

Place in freezer for at least 30minutes

When ready to serve remove from freezer and dig in!
i like to pre chop mine up into squares once firmed then place back in freezer.

This Particular recipe is quite a bit higher in good fats with moderate protein and carbs. Its something i only add in on my cheat day as i usually cant resist temptation of going back for more!

Its a great alternative to a high sugary Cheese Cake!


Remember everything in moderation ;)

ENJOY!

I want to do a comp .. Start up and insight :)

Ok so iv had a lot of you (yes the guys too) ask me about getting started if you want to start competing (And personally I think this can apply to anyone just looking to get into training for the first time to an extent) so here goes!

Preparing for a competition is a great goals to have to get in shape and have a challenge and a goal work towards. It’s a journey like no other and you cant quite explain it until you have actually experienced it yourself.

before i get into what steps to take to get started i need to cut to the chase.....

In my opinion you need to ask yourself “Why do I want to compete?”. In all seriousness you really need to consider this, for if you are doing it for the wrong reasons it can be quite a detrimental experience in the long run. But on the other hand it can be the best thing ever. Personally for me competing is really about taking that healthy fit lifestyle to the next level and really challenging myself to be better each time I step up on that stage. So make sure you are doing it for exactly that .. to better yourself… as you will be your own biggest competitor. If you are doing it purely to win, or get ripped then I have some news for you .. you wont always win and you wont stay that ripped. Let me elaborate on this point……

 Firstly its quite an amazing process where you work so hard for months just for one single moment but at the end of the day it comes down to judges opinion and you simply are either what they are looking for on the day or your not, You cant let this dishearten you, Just make sure you are the best you can be on the day .. If you give it your all then remember to be super proud of yourself as just making it to the point where your are stepping on stage is a HUGE achievement (many wont make it through the whole prep to even make it on stage). If you do a second comp and a third and step on stage in better condition each time and you have WON!

Secondly if you are doing it to get super lean and ripped then this also isn’t the best reason and let me tell you why. When you see photos of people in comp shape on comp day they will only really look like that “on the day”. Ok so YES competitors get very lean leading u to a comp and look amazing but most will dehydrate and alter their diet to certain extremes to really get as cut as possible for the big day. So what I’m saying is the photos of the physiques you see on comp day wont stay in this condition after the comp is over as realistically you don’t want to. Staying at a very low body fat percentage for a long period of time is actually not very healthy at all. It’s ok during comp prep as you are only this low for a short amount of time in your last few weeks of prep. For example anything below about 11 or 10% for girls is considered quite low where your body doesn’t function like it naturally should. Also you want to be building muscle in your off or “improvement” season so you need to be consuming a little more calories to do so. At the same time you most certainly can stay very fit and in great shape post comp and continue to lead the healthy lifestyle if you keep putting in the work.

OK now that I have burst your bubble a little bit (sorry but no beating around the bush here) there is A LOT of positives that come out of comps as well J

It still is a great goal to have to really help get you into shape quickly as it really helps get you in a routine of a healthy lifestyle. A lot of my clients or anyone iv given advice or help with contests come and se me after and always say that even when they try to go back to their old life habits they find they cant. They always tell me that they cant handle un clean foods as much and really fall in love with training and seeing their body change and getting confidence to train in the gym without feeling intimidated. I know one thing I cant live without since I started training is my protowhey protein powder! Yummy!

its a fantastic way to kickstart your training or take training to the next level. but also remember that you can still achieve this without doing a comp! so just be true to yourself, stay realistic and get into that healthy lifestyle regardless of whether you end up on the stage!

So how do you get started for your first comp?

First thing you really nee to do is find ONE person that is going to give you a good nutrition/supplement plan! This needs to be someone that is experienced with competitor diets. Now everyone is different and there is not one single right way to diet for a comp so the best piece of advice I can give is to pick ONE person to listen to and make sure you listen to that ONE person from the star to the finish. This is very important as a lot of people can start telling you lots of different things, which can really get very confusing and throw you of track. So it’s simple, get a plan and stick to it from start to finish and you cant go wrong!

I get a lot of questions on the best way to rain and how many times a week to train. Once again this all very individual but to get started if you are unsure of how to train either get a program done for you have hire a trainer that is experienced with comp preps.

Personally I like to take photos in a bikini then you can see what muscle groups need more work than others etc … some people will need a full 5-6 day of weights and others may only need 3 or 4 days depending on what you need to work on. In terms of cardio this also varies on how much body fat you need to lose or how much food you have in your nutrition plan. You may start with 3-5 days a week or you may start with twice a day 6 days a week and his may change during your prep so get a program and go from there.

Remember to just focus on YOU and not what everyone else is doing!

So like I said if its your first time you REALLY need to get a plan in place (this goes for anyone not just first timers). Your plan will change as you go depending on how your body goes so the best thing to do is start EARLY. Its never too early to prepare for a comp. Most competitors really start getting in a serious routine about 20 weeks out as its just as important to “eat up” and build that muscle and definition as it is to cut later on. In my opinion the off season or lead up is the most important part because that’s where all the changes happen. At about the 12 week mark s where you really start adding in the cardio and start to lean down. Its not about getting lean super quick its actually a very slow process because you want to keep all your muscle and even build a little while your cutting. If you do it too quickly you risk losing the muscle that gives you all your awesome shape and tightness (we don’t want that!). So START EARLY!

POSING is also a HUGE part of competing. How you move and stand on stage can make a very big difference. You want to emphasize your shape to the best of its ability and you want to be comfortable on stage. So get to some posing classes at least 12 weeks out!

Now that’s quite a list where you need a trainer or mentor, posing classes, supplements, and don’t forget the bikini! So make sure you have the finances to do so as well so save and budget J

Once you have ticket all the boxes and are ready to start your prep its honestly one of the best personal journeys you can experience. There is so much you will learn and like any journey it has its up and downs but you just dig deep and keep pushing through. When you make it to the end and stand up on that stage you know how much hard work has been done to get the that moment! I know that as soon as I step off the stage all I want is to get back on! I wish there were more comps in a year! :D

I hope this has helped in some way. If anyone needs more advice or some contacts for prep, posing, bikinis etc please shoot me an email at nina@muscleworx.com.au J as I could go on and on all day about this topic! So many factors!

Keep training hard! Hopefully see you in the spotlight soon!

Nini xxxx

Supplement NOT Replacement

In order to find the right protein powder for the customers that come in to see me I tend to ask a lot of questions, as there are many types of protein powders to suit different individual goals and needs. One of the most common questions I ask is “What times of the day would you usually take your protein?”  .. The responses I get vary from just post workout, post workout and before bed… but the most common answer I get is “As a Meal replacement”. Now this isn’t so bad when its someone who is trying to gain weight and cant always find time or have the stomach to eat the immense amount of food they need for to reach their calorie intake quota (still not ideal better than not eating) as they would be taking a heavy weight gainer jam packed with high protein, mass amounts of carbs and high sugars at 600-1200—cals a serve!!! (whoa that at least 3 meals of mine in one lol ).

 But the majority of people I see want to either lean down or simply put on lean muscle whilst staying as lean as possible. This mean they will generally need a low carb protein powder at about 100-140cals per serve with only about 20-30g protein under 10g carbs (usually 5g or less). This is NOT sufficient enough to sustain you for a meal .. You wouldn’t go and eat just a piece of chicken for lunch would you? But there’s a bit more to it than that….

Now some of you might be thinking “but real meal replacements have all of my nutrients, carbs, vitamins, protein” etc etc to sustain me for a meal … But here is why (In my option) meal replacements simply do not work………

Now we have all been there done that and IV tried my fare share of “Very Low Calorie Diets” (VLCD’s) in the past with a mission to drop a few Kg’s! It’s the diets that emphasise that LIQUID nutrition and de-emphasise whole foods with the result of promoting weight loss FAST! While this seems like the ultimate healthy quick fix, in actual fact is one of the worst things you could ever do to your body and your metabolism in the long term and here’s why:

Firstly very low calorie diets whether you are using a diet formula or low calorie protein shake to replace your meals (or even simply not eating enough during the day) will trigger the body to respond as if the person is starving … which triggers the defense mechanism to conserve energy (store that unwanted fat) and preparing to gain weight at the first opportunity! Sound familiar? These liquid diets or replacing your meals with shakes can give you dramatic weight loss quickly but will give your even MORE dramatic weight REGAIN afterwards along with psychological damage that comes with it!

Sorry to burst your bubble but there is NO quick fix … At the end of the day if you want results they don’t come fast and they don’t come easy .. they take hard work with  good consistent nutrition and exercise!!

So now to get to my point of lean protein powders…

If your wondering why your working out like crazy and not seeing the results you want, then its likely that you aren’t getting enough protein in your diet … especially around training times.

Why?

Protein has the amino acids that are important for building and maintaining lean muscle. (Or girls that more toned look! You WONT get bulky)

So the main time to take your shakes is after your workout to allow your body to absorb the protein quickly in order to trigger repair and recovery. If your body cant recover it needs to pull energy from somewhere so it will burn away muscle for energy before it burns the fat.  In a nutshell a protein shake helps prevent muscle breakdown ….  fast recovery = lean muscle growth = more fat burn = sexy toned bikini body!!

But to get the results you want, protein is essential to your entire daily diet

But they do NOT work as Meal REPLACEMENTS like mentioned before.  Whole food meals instead of meal replacements boost your metabolism as your body burns a certain amount of calories just to break them down. So adding whole food protein to most meals not only helps continually recover and fuel your muscles but actual helps boost your metabolism as your body uses about 30% of the calories from your protein just to digest it and break it down!

But not every one has the time or  the desire eat meat or eggs in every meal (unless you’re a fitness competitor and then you just have no choice haha) so adding a protein powder to a meal is a great way (and yummy way!) to get your protein intake. But treat your lean protein powder at the “protein component” of your meal …. Firstly having it on its own will not sustain you for long enough as its JUST protein and secondly adding whole foods such as oats, fruit, nuts, veggies with your shake use more calories to break down and will keep you fuller for longer as you are getting a COMPLETE meal with all the nutrients your body needs.

So ditch those meal replacements and the idea of using liquids shakes (either protein shakes or just “meal” shakes) and adjust your lifestyle to eating wholesome unprocessed foods and use your supplements as just that … an addition to your healthy diet to help your body get everything it needs if you cant get it all from food.

Shakes = Meal additions and pre/post workout recovery!!

(Unless you use a casein based protein before bed but that’s a whole other story)

Hope to see some more of you in the Muscle Worx Stores!!

Train Hard

Nini xxxx

Consiatncy pays off :)

Wow another overall win yesterday has completely blown me away and I just had to share my little journey this time…

After the last comp in October I actually had no intention of competing this march. I had taken on a new role at work with Muscle Worx not to mention still fitting in clients and I knew I ha a lot to still work on in terms of my physique. After the world championships in Serbia I really saw I wasn’t quite up to scratch to match up to the international girls which gave me the extra drive I needed to take training to the next level.

The plan was to spend the next 6 months training hard so I could improve on the things I needed while focusing on life in general as well. So for the first time I didn’t have an “off” season it was more of an “improvement” season. I had a new training program in place that was structured with a specific eating plan to help me build some muscle. Well in this case I had prepared myself to put on a few extra kilos as my calories were a lot higher but still structured.

Over the next 6 weeks I really started to see some great changes.. and believe me I was working my butt off (well in this case trying to work it on!) day in day out while still working full time and trying to really perform in my new role at Muscle Worx. I was loving the extra food and my weekends off from training and still had no intention of competing as I just wanted to keep seeing the changes come.

It wasn’t until about 5 weeks out from the comp date that I was talked into getting my measurements done and to my surprise I was a lot leaner than I thought!! At this stage I thought I would just amp things up a bit and see where my progress could take me and only compete if I reached the comp condition I was happy with. I kept up the consistent training and new lower calorie diet. It was about 3 weeks later that I really saw the benefits of my “improvement” season. The leaner I got the more I could see how my body shape had really changed and by comp day I was more stoaked with my progress that winning just became the icing on the cake!

A lot of girls/competitors (including me in the past) will tend to just stop training or let the diet go after a comp. But at the end of the day there is no off season if you really want the best results possible! It really does become a lifestyle adjustment. You should always be “on” to an extent. Of course we need to live life and enjoy those little moments as well but just make sure you make the right choices at the right times and maintain that balance so you remain fit and healthy always an avoid those “blow outs” because they are not fun and very hard to bounce back from!

Make sure you keep challenging yourself so that every time you step onto the stage you have improved from the last time.  I think that is the biggest challenge and achievement of all!

On that note im off to bed to kick off training first thing tomorrow! Hope this made sense! Haha

Keep working hard and take it to the next level!

Love Nini