Gaining workout insight and inspiration from movement, music and PGX!

Without fail, if you wish for sun all weekend, you will not get it. And following that, you?re pretty much guaranteed to wake up Monday morning to – bingo! you guessed it! – clear blue skies and sun. That?s the way it always works, am I right?

This Monday morning was no different. However, today, I took advantage of the sunny skies and found inspiration in them for a great work out. The inspiration struck quick and I wasn?t about to waste the beautiful morning watching the news or immersed in my book!

So, I got my cycling gear on (quickly), got my iPod ready and headed out the door. My goal was to do 45 minutes of power cycling through the neighborhood. But, of course, I needed some auditory inspiration; I decided to rely on my trusty Monday Morning Mix. My mix relies heavily on much of the soundtrack featured on the 2010 documentary from Trafik Pictures: To Live & Ride in LA. However, there are a few other little gems I snuck in there that also get me pedaling a little harder. My Monday Mix is about 60 minutes long and, I can tell you, it made my Monday morning and put me in a positive mood. I?ve been smiling all day.

I powered through the hills and focused on the falling leaves that abound in our neighborhood. Although I find fall in the northwest a bit dreary, there is always a silver lining on days like this. When I returned home and began my usual weekday tasks, I did them with a big smile on my face. I feel great and I think a little of my positivity rubbed off on my kids and wife too.

Right before my morning smoothie, I took my PGX, my multivitamins and I can tell you I?m ready to take on this week. Have a great week and remember to always find inspiration with movement, music and PGX!

 My ?Monday Morning Mix?

• Chromatics – In The City
• Bad Veins – Falling Tide
• Datarock – Bulldozer
• The Chemical Brothers – Theme for Velodrome
• Trouble Andrew – Bang Bang
• Ballerina Black – Microphones In the Mattress
• From Monument to Masses – Checksum
• Eulogies – Eyes On The Prize
• Bad Veins – Crosseyed
• Themselves – Dark Sky Demo
• Ballerina – Leaves
• Hot Hot Heat – Implosionastic
• Minus the Bear -Animal Backwards
• Darker My Love – Summer Is Here (…it?s really not, but I can wish!)
• Futurecop! – Starworshipper
• Minus the Bear – Secret Country
• Streetmedia – The Life (feat. Diego Redd)
• Crown City Rockers – Restless

Try this delicious Creamy Chocolate Mid-Day Shake with PGX SatisFast from nutritionist, Kristin Metvedt, RHN!

Figuring out the right ingredients to add to your protein shakes can be a tricky business. So, we went to our friend, nutritionist, Kristin Metvedt, to help us come up with some great PGX SatisFast smoothie recipes.

Our first recipe, includes our new Double Chocolate flavour. If you’ve only tried this new flavour with water, give it another shot with Kristin’s delicious recipe below!

Wise words from Krsitin: “Raw cacao bean powder provides minerals; magnesium, potassium and zinc. Raw agave nectar is sweeter than sugar and rates as low glycemic.”

Ingredients:

• 375 ml cold water
• 1 scoop PGX SatisFast Rich Chocolate
• ? avocado
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (or a pinch to taste)
• 1 tbsp Cacao powder, unsweetened
• 1 tsp Agave syrup to sweeten

Method:

Measure out liquid into a blender cup and blend all ingredients until smooth. Quick, simple and easy!

Be sure to drink an additional glass of water (375-500 ml) after taking PGX.

Nutritional Information:

• 212 calories
• 16 g fat
• 20 g carbs (12g fibre, 5 g sugar)
• 16 g protein
• 227 mg sodium
• 525 mg potassium

Have questions for Kristin? Ask her here!

Enjoy!

We’ve all been there.

You might be trying to get motivated to go to the gym for the very first time, the first time this year, or just sitting there staring at your running shoes wondering if you should go or not. It really doesn’t matter what your fitness background is, we’ve all been there. Sometimes you just want to go home and forget all about it.

But the key to getting motivated is to visualize and have some strategies to combat those sluggish thoughts. Here are some tips to help you get and stay motivated.

Sluggish thoughts:  I just don’t have the time. 
Instead think:  A 30-minute workout is only 2% of my day! If I want to give up after 30 minutes that’s okay but let’s get going. Visualize how good you will feel after your workout.

Sluggish thoughts: I hate working out, running, the treadmill, etc.
Instead think:  I love my workout playlist! Distract yourself with something you do like and divert your thoughts while you’re working out. Are you working out for an upcoming vacation? Visualize your vacation and how much you’ll enjoy it. Are you working out because your health care provider recommends it? Picture yourself in their office with a healthier checkup. I visualize that I’m winning a race.

Sluggish thoughts: I should stop early – I have work to do! 
Instead think:  After my workout I’ll be much more productive and smarter! According to this article in Men’s Health , “one of the first studies to find that exercise improves brain performance was a 1986 investigation of 30 women at Purdue University. During the study, the women boosted their fitness levels by 17 percent and simultaneously netted a 12 to 68 percent improvement in their ability to process information and make sound decisions.” So let’s get fit and smart at the same time!