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How to stay active on vacation

1/23/2018

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Here we are, just about mid-winter, and many clients are friends are heading for the tropics in the coming weeks for some Vitamin Sea and Vitamin D! So I thought I would share some tips on how to stay active on your upcoming vacation. 
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Typically for my husband and I, most of our vacations revolve around sports - most often we travel to surf, ski, bike or hike, with some R’N’R on the side either in the evenings or as a rest day in between. However, our recent European trip involved a lot of sight seeing, and relaxing on beaches with calm seas. Although we enjoyed our trip, for the most part, it did not revolve around a sport as it usually does - so I had to consciously work activity into my day. Check out some of the photos from our trip - on these days we incorporated beach walks, biking, hiking, and lots of walking into our trip.
When it comes to fitness and leanness, there are a few important components that come into play: your Resting Energy Expenditure (the amount of calories your body burns at rest just to stay alive, also known as REE), the thermic effect of food (certain foods actually burn more calories while consuming them than others), as well as physical activity. All of these components together are referred to as your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. 

In order to keep your TDEE high, it is therefore important to include physical activity in your day, as well as include thermogenic foods in your diet. 

So here are a few things that I tried to incorporate into my days during our holiday to make sure I was still keeping my TDEE up:

  • Morning beach runs: On the days that I knew we would be sightseeing, I started my day with a quick 5K run along the beach, and stopped at the end for a short a core workout using just body weight. Extra tip: Jog with your quick dry sports bra and bikini bottoms, and go for a dip in the ocean to cool off afterwards - the feeling is euphoric!
  • Resistance band workouts on the beach: Some days I also jogged with a resistance band and stopped to do a short strength workout with it on the beach afterwards. 
  • Walk to, and throughout, all your destinations: A quintessential part of any Euro trip usually includes lots and lots of walking to explore charming cobblestone streets and take in the sights. I wore my Garmin Vivo Active HR to track my footsteps. Any days that I thought my steps would be low, I would make sure to go for an extra walk either along the beach, or around the block or the house we rented.
  • Beach Walks: When we were relaxing on the beach, and playing in the sand, I would get up and take some time out to go for a long walk along the beach - sometimes getting in just a couple thousand steps, and sometimes as many as 6,000.
  • Swim, snorkel and beach play: The Mediterranean is beautiful temperature, so we would undoubtedly go for swims to cool off. I would usually choose a buoy as my destination, and swim to it and back to the beach. Extra tip: Carry snorkel gear with you to check out clear waters and fish at new beaches. We would also break to play in the sand occasionally with baby Syd. 
  • Paddleboard: We rented paddleboards to catch a small swell that came in, and we also paddled along the shoreline. Once you become more comfortable paddling, pick up the pace and start using your core and upper back muscles to generate more calorie burn. 
  • Incorporate hikes in your trip: We looked up local hikes in new areas we planned to visit. One day we did a short 1.5 hour hike in a gorge that was part of the town of Ronda. Another day we did a full day trip to a town called Antequerra, where we did a 12 km hike up to spectacular, prehistoric rock formations created by the extinct sea of Tethys when it existed 160 million years ago. 
  • Rent bikes: We love to bike, and tried to mountain bike for a couple days, but unfortunately the tour operators were fully booked. So instead we found a greenway - once built as a railway bed turned to gravel bike path - and spent a few hours biking 36 kms from point A to point B along the greenway. It was also a spectacular way to see the Andalusian countryside. 
  • Eat adequate protein at each meal: Protein is known to be a thermogenic food - meaning you burn calories during the digestive process. Try to include protein at every meal - use your hand to measure the quantity. Ladies - one palm size piece of protein per meal, and guys - up to two palm size pieces. ​
If you like what you have read, and would like to train with a certified fitness professional to reach your goals before or after a vacation, contact me! You can also subscribe to our newsletter.

You can also try subscribing to one of my Beachbody workouts to complete at home anytime, or maybe even on vacation!
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Beef Noodle Bowl

11/6/2017

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A warm bowl of noodles can be really comforting on a cool fall or winter day. Last week,  I did a post about alternatives to traditional pasta, so this recipe uses Shiritaki Tofu noodles as an alternative. And by the way, these noodles are approved by my husband, who is NOT a health nut. Always a good sign!

Ingredients:
lean ground beef, (125 g)
tofu shiritaki noodles (1 package)
Beef broth (0.3 cup)
1 onion
broccoli rabe (0.5 cup)
red pepper (0.5 cup)
red pepper flakes (1 tsp)

Instructions:

1. Saute onion and lean ground beef in casserole pot with coconut oil until meat is lightly browned. Toss in red pepper. 
2. Add beef broth, red pepper flakes, toss in broccoli rabe.
3. As a final stage, right before eating, toss in noodles. Season with salt, pepper


if you liked this recipe, please share it! And don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for outdoor fitness trips, recipes, and tips and tricks on everything Stand Up Paddle, & fitness!

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Steps to Meal Prep

11/2/2017

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Taking the time to meal prep at least once per week is the secret to fat loss. When we have healthy, homemade food ready to eat in a pinch, we make better food choices. 

In this video, I review some of the steps to meal prepping, and have outlined them below. I also showcase my FAVOURITE new cookbook in the video - SIBO Family Favourites. For any of you experiencing digestive distress or diagnosed with Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, I highly recommend you check it out. So far, I am LOVING it!

Steps to weekly meal prep

1. At the beginning of week, or on the weekend, make a menu of what you will eat overnight. Make enough so that you can have the leftovers for lunch the next day. 

2. Use your favourite cookbook for recipe inspiration. Check out my new cookbook, SIBO Family Favourites. 

3. Write our the list of ingredients you will need to purchase from the grocery store. 

4. Go purchase groceries (make sure not to go to the grocery store hungry - eat a meal or have a snack first as this eliminates the possibility of you making poorer food choices when you are hungry. 

5. Come home, put groceries away, but leave vegetables out. Pre-chop your veggies for the week, and store in tupperware. 

6. Make at least 1-2 meals on your meal prep day to keep you going for at least a couple days at the beginning of the week, if not the whole week. 

7. Make sure to pre-cook carbs (quinoa, brown rice, roast sweet potato or squash). Make sure to make a batch of protein (could be baked salmon filets, for instance), and pre-chop your veggies, so you can throw it altogether for a quick meal in a pinch!


If you liked this video, please share it! And don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for outdoor fitness trips, recipes, and tips and tricks on everything Stand Up Paddle, & fitness!
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Alternatives to Traditional Pasta

11/2/2017

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During the cooler, wetter months, many of my clients have been looking for alternatives to traditional pasta. In some cases, something that is more nutrient-dense, something that contains less calories, or something that is gluten-free. In this video, I review some of those options and have listed them below as well. 
Here are some of the alternatives I go over in the video:
  • spaghetti squash
  • zucchini noodles, made using a Spiralizer
  • Nupasta
  • Tofu Shiritaki noodles
  • Konjac Shiritaki noodles
  • Yam Shiritaki noodles 

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Paleo/Keto Chocolate Fat Bombs

9/7/2017

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MMMMmmmmmm fat bombs. Balls of delicious fatty-ness. As the name suggests, these little paleo/keto-friendly balls are filled with healthy fats, some protein and a mix of omega 3s and some omega 6s, and will hold you over until your next meal - that is, if you are even hungry on a keto-style diet.

​I have been experimenting with some keto-style eating recently and whipped these fat bombs up as a snack, inspired by Canadian Keto-Queen, Leanne over at Healthful Pursuit. Technically, these are not 100% keto because of the vanilla extract, which contains alcohol sugars. However, you can substitute the vanilla, or just omit it altogether. 

You can whip these fat babies up in 15 minutes and they require zero baking. I repeat, zero baking! Who has time for baking?! Not me, at least not unless it's the weekend. Plus, in the heat of the summer who wants to turn on the oven? Until next time, enjoy the fatty-ness!

Prepared in 15 minutes | Makes 9 balls

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup hemp hearts
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp melted coconut oil​
1 tsp sunflower seed butter

1 tbsp cold coffee (leftover from the morning)
1 tbsp cacao powder
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Place flour, seeds, hemp hearts in a mixing bowl and mix with fork. Add melted coconut oil and mix in thoroughly. 
2. Add sunflower seed butter and mix in thoroughly. 
3. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. 
4. Form balls with ingredients, place in cookie tin or tupperware and keep refrigerated otherwise the balls might be a little crumbly. 

Tip: To make these balls, 100% keto, you could add an artificial sweetener. I would recommend stevia.


-Nikki

Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for outdoor fitness trips, recipes, and tips and tricks on everything Stand Up Paddle, & fitness.

To Learn more about the Ketogenic Diet, visit the Healthful Pursuit blog, by Leanne Vogel, nutrition educator and Canadian-Keto Queen!
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DIY Paleo/Keto Smoothie Bowl Topper

8/26/2017

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Green smoothies are a great quick breakfast or meal option when you're on the go and don't have a lot of time to make food and get your protein, carbs and healthy fats in all at once.

As much as I like my green smoothies, I also personally really like to eat or chew my food. It's more satisfying. I find that just drinking my smoothie doesn't leave me feeling satisfied.

So I often make a green smoothie, pour some into a small bowl and then top it with some yummy goodies. I've seen these "superfood" packages being sold in the organic sections of grocery stores and they are pricey!

Now I pre-make my smoothie topper so I can have it ready for a few days worth of smoothie bowls to speed things up a bit in the mornings.

Paleo/Keto Smoothie Bowl Topper Recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Chia seeds
1/2 cup of hemp hearts
1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut shreds
1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup of almond flour
1/4 cup of sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in small to medium sized mason jar.

2. Shake it up until throughly mixed.

3. Add to a smoothie bowl as a topper and enjoy!
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EXTRA TIP: You can also try other goodies like raw cacao nibs, sunflower seeds, or other nuts. I also like to add a pinch of bee pollen on top of my topper!

-Nikki

Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for outdoor fitness trips, recipes, and tips and tricks on everything Stand Up Paddle, & fitness.

To Learn more about the Ketogenic Diet, visit the 
Healthful Pursuit blog, by Leanne Vogel, nutrition educator and Canadian-Keto Queen!
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Cauliflower Rice

8/9/2017

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Swap out your rice for a more nutritious version: blend up your cauliflower to rice size, and use it instead of a bed of rice. It is a great option for Paleo and Keto eaters, and if weight management is an issue for you, it is a good option for an "anytime meal", aka non-post workout meal.
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Ingredients:

Head of cauliflower
1 TBSP of coconut oil

salt and pepper
a pinch of chilli flakes
other spices like fresh garden herbs:
​oregano, basil, parsley, chives


Optional toss-ins for extra crunch and flavour:

diced red onion and a few diced celery sticks


Instructions:

1. Cut up cauliflower into smaller pieces. Place in food processor. (If you are in the market for a food processor, check out Reviews.com and do your research on the best brands out there).

2. Blend on low to start and then on high. You may need to stop and stir to get any unblended larger pieces closer to the blade.

3. Sauté your cauliflower rice with coconut oil and toss in the spices. Celery and red onion are a nice addition for more flavour and crunch.

4. Enjoy with stir fries, salad bowls, add to omelettes. The sky is the limit!
​
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Mean Green Veggie Patties

7/20/2017

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I really like recipes that I can make in a single pot, kind of like this one. Less steps involved, and less clean up.

First and foremost, I've highjacked this recipe from my best and oldest, friend, Alexandra Goodman, Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Owner and Operator of Whistler Christmas Dream.

She originally made these for me at her place and I devoured them. I've modified it slightly by replacing buckwheat flour with her original recipe, which called for quinoa flour, but you could use either.

These mean green guys are a good way to use up any excess leafy greens you've got loafing around in your fridge, that are either fresh or just about to get wilt-y.

Ingredients:

Head of Kale
Other leafy green options to add: spinach, beet and radish greens
Cupped handful of almonds
3-4 cloves of garlic
Medium onion
1 egg
1/3 cup of buckwheat or quinoa flour
3 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in food processor. Blend on high until ingredients are ground into tiny pieces. It should look like a gritty green mixture.

2. Heat frying pan with coconut oil, form small patties with your hands and lightly fry the patties until browed on one side, then flip. (Make sure patties are small enough to easily flip with a spatula).

3. Let cool and enjoy, or keep refrigerated for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They are tasty with eggs in the morning or even as a dinner side with salmon or chicken.

Note: You can also keep the gritty green mixture in your fridge until you're ready to eat a patty fresh.

​-Nikki


​Don't forget to 
subscribe to our newsletter for outdoor fitness trips, recipes, and tips and tricks on everything Stand Up Paddle, & fitness.
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Buckwheat Granola

7/20/2017

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Despite it's name, Buckwheat is not a grain, but is actually classified a seed. Half a cup of Buckwheat contains 6g of protein, which is actually the same protein content as quinoa. Buckwheat can also be a great gluten-free alternative.

As someone who experiences gut dysbiosis, (an imbalance of good to bad bacteria in the small intestine), I have actually found that Buckwheat sits well with me, compared to other grains that tend to cause bloating and a whole other range of symptoms that I will spare you from.

So I've tried my hand at making Buckwheat granola, and it's a fun alternative to an oat-based granola. There is no added sugar in this recipe - just straight up seeds and spices.

You can eat it alone as a granola - good post-workout snack, or use it as a smoothie bowl topper too!

Ingredients:

2 cups of water
1 cup of raw buckwheat
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup of hemp hearts
1-2 TBSP of coconut oil
1-2 TBSP of Ceylon Cinnamon
1-2 TBSP of Cacao powder (optional)
Option to also add other winter spices such as nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, mixed spices
Option to add maple syrup or honey if you want a sweeter granola (I tend to not add sugar but eat with fruit instead)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees on convection.

2. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 cup of buckwheat. Stir occasionally. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Drain access water. Let cool.

3. In a large bowl, mix cooked and cooled buckwheat with seeds, hemp hearts and spices.

4. Melt coconut oil over stove or microwave, drizzle over the buckwheat mixture.

5. Mix it all together in the bowl and then place on a baking sheet.

6. Bake in oven for 15 minutes, remove to stir, then place back in oven for another 10-20 minutes, removing half way through for another stir until desired crunchiness is reached.

-Nikki


Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for outdoor fitness trips, recipes, and tips and tricks on everything Stand Up Paddle, & fitness.
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Golden Caffeine-Free Latte

7/8/2017

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One of my favourite foodie places in Whistler is Olives market in Function, and this recipe is inspired by them.

I also don't drink coffee for digestive reasons, and so I am always looking for a Latte alternative - Rooibos lattes are great and now this one will be another staple.

More about the ingredients: Tumeric has anti-inflammatory properties, e.g. good for any kind of inflammation or bloating related to digestion. Pepper is known to help with the absorption on turmeric.

Ceylon Cinnamon is a thermogenic food, which may help increase metabolism and calorie burning by enhancing thermogenesis - a process in which the body burns calories to utilize the foods just eaten - converting calories to heat.

So lots of goodness in this Latte. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Cup of almond milk
Tbsp of turmeric
Tbsp of Ceylon cinnamon
Dash of pepper
Dash of bee pollen or organic creamy honey

Instructions:

1. Place all Ingredients in pot and whisk until reaching desired temperature.

Note: I used a Nespresso milk frother, which also works wonders.

-Nikki


Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for outdoor fitness trips, recipes, and tips and tricks on everything Stand Up Paddle, & fitness.
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    Nikki Johnston Beaudoin is an outdoorsy Mountain Mermaid, and the Founder of Sea to Sky Fitness.

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