Category Archives: Nutrition & Wellness

Tart Cranberry Grape Protein Bites Recipe #BehindTheMuscle

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This post is sponsored by Isopure, but recipe, editorial remarks & enthusiasm are all mine!Tart Cranberry Grape Protein Bites TitleI was looking for a snack to take on a trail run the other day and just wasn’t happy with the packaged options available. I wanted something that would offer me enough quality carbohydrates to keep my body moving, but also protein for sustained energy and muscle recovery. It was going to be a long day – I also had a big workout planned later in the day. I needed to avoid nuts, wanted a snack that was good for my guts, and was in the mood for tart and tangy, something completely different that the normal chocolate and caramel concoctions. A big order!

Tart Cranberry Grape Protein Bites using Isopure AminosI ended up making my own concoction, Tangy Cranberry Grape Protein Bites — perfection and just what I “ordered”!  Made with a whey protein isolate and Isopure Amino Acids, I knew my workout snack was going to give me quality nutrition for muscle recover and building – especially with those BCAAs.

Drinking Isopure Aminos right after my workout has been really helping with muscle recovery! I’ve blogged about the Isopure Amino Acids before, I love this product – not only does it taste great, it features everything I need for head-to-toe recovery including all the branch chain amino acids ( BCAAs) to help me make more of my muscles, but also tart cherry to ward off inflammation and L-theanine for a calm and relaxed mind.

Other nutrition perks of these on-the-go energy protein bites? Lots of vitamins and minerals (especially vitamin C) and quality carbs to keep the engine revved on high. Not only are the unsweetened cranberries and drizzle of honey a good, dense source of carbs for any high-energy sport, the unmodified protein powder used serves the dual purpose of binder and beneficial resistant starch.

So, what am I talking about when I say unmodified potato starch is a “resistant starch”? It’s a type of prebiotic starch that “resists” digestion and prevents spikes in blood glucose and insulin.  As a type of prebiotic (aka, and digestible carb), it helps to establish and support good gut health – the right environment for gut bacteria. Studies are also suggesting that resistant starches may also help contribute to weight loss through lowered blood sugar spikes, decreased appetite, lessened fat storage in fat cells and preservation of lean muscle mass. There are many kids of resistant starches, but unmodified (aka, raw) potato starch is a reliable and easy-to use option (the Bob’s Red Mill brand is sold at most stores). Anyway, all the science is a little over my head, but I thought this article How Resistant Starch Will Help to Make You Healthier and Thinner  at ChrisKresser.com was very helpful in understanding.

Tart Cranberry Grape Protein Bites using Isopure Aminos

Tangy Cranberry Grape Protein Bites

  1. Add cranberries, honey and water to work bowl of food processor and process for 1 -2 minutes, or until cranberries very, very finely chopped up and sticky.
  2. In large bowl, mix together protein powder, amino powder and potato starch until combined.
  3. Add dry mixture to cranberry mixture about ½ cups at a time, processing each time until incorporated. Dough should be forming up into a big ball with some crumbling back down. If mixture still looks too sticky, process in 1 tablespoon of potato starch at a time until desired results are achieved.
  4. Roll into 24 bite-sized balls approximately 1-inch in diameter. May be left out in gym bag, but store in refrigerator overnight for best freshness.

Quick Macros Per Bite: 50 calories, 7g protein, 18g total carb (0.3g sugar), 0.125g fat, 12% DV Vitamin C,

 

Hope you get a chance to make this easy protein bite recipe for your next run or workout. They pack really well in a little zip top bag that you can take wherever you go, they don’t melt or fall apart or “go bad” sitting out all day. Stash a handful of these recovery treats in a fuel belt, pocket or gym bag and then feel free to KILL that workout knowing all your post exercise nutrition needs will be met in a few little “bites”. Also, check out Isopure BCAAs and all the other clean, lean quality protein products they offer.

Tart Cranberry Grape Protein Bites #Isopure #Behindthemuscle @isopurecomany #Ad

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Do you have a homemade workout snack? Have you ever heard of resistant starches? Did you run a race, have a fitness competition, do something else fabulous this weekend? Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer 

EnlightenMINT Mint Protein Smoothie #BeFitForLife

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EnlightenMINT Protein SmoothieOne of the perks of finding a really good vanilla protein powered like Bowflex French Vanilla Fitness Shake is that it can be the body-making base for so many healthy recipes – everything from whips, ice creams, baked goods (like my protein donuts) and more! Of course a smoothie is a smart way to use protein powder and my EnlightenMINT Mint Protein Smoothie will leave you with a whole new understanding of light, bright smoothiliciousness while enjoying a full feeling that won’t fatten you up (just 200 calories following the recipe).

EnlightenMINT Protein Shake with Bowflex Fitness Shake

In addition to the Bowflex French Vanilla Fitness Shake mix, this EnlightenMINT Mint Protein Smoothie features bits of frozen banana, pineapple, kale and fresh mint leaves.  It’s so good, you’ll want do double the recipe to share with a friend.

Here’s how you make it:  Add 10 ounces of water to blender jar along with one scoop French Vanilla Fitness Shake powder, 3 oz. frozen banana (about 1/2), 2 oz. frozen pineapple, one kale leaf torn in shreds and 6 mint leaves. Process until smooth, adding ice to desired consistency. Serves 1.

Eating enough protein not only helps slim you down and fill you out in all the right places! That’s right, you can build a better bod by making sure you’re getting 25 – 30 grams of protein and EVERY meal and supplementing with protein-rich snacks throughout the day and at bedtime if you are an athlete or lead a very active lifestyle. Eating enough protein helps create a feeling of satisfaction after meals and keeps sugar crashes away. Research shows that adequate protein at meals starting in the morning can lead to weight loss and management. And, most of us runners, CrossFitters, weight-lifters and other fitness aficionados know that protein after an intense workout is a MUST to support the body’s ongoing growth, repair, and maintenance of its skeletal muscle groups. And, for those of us over 40 years old, it helps fight off Father Time at a time when muscle mass is allegedly supposed to be diminishing.

Fit Girl Abs

So, I’ll let you know one of my stay lean secrets. I’ve been drinking Bowflex French Vanilla Fitness Shake all summer and into the fall – it truly is one of the best-tasting protein powders I’ve ever had straight from the shaker bottle. Just put a scoop in with ice and water and give a good shake. It’s has a creamy and rich taste without the addition of anything but water, but you can add one of the Boosters designed for specific purposes:

The fitness shake on its own (not the smoothie recipe) has only 125 calories per serving and 15 grams of the highest quality proteins. In addition you get 5g prebiotic fiber, only 5g sugar and 16 potent antioxidants including acai, goji, pomegranate, mangosteen, spinach, kale and more.  It is also lactose free, soy free, low sodium and low fat, whahoo!  So nutrient dense, the Bowflex French Vanilla Fitness Shake makes a great meal replacement once a day to drop a few pounds quickly and safely (check out the success stories). For those of you who need more food to fuel your warrior day or want to build muscle, I suggest adding the Peanut Butter Protein booster (+10g) for sustained energy and some extra quality calories.

Bowflex Body Fitness Shake Protein Powder and Boosters

 

Ahhh! EnlightenMINT Protein Smoothie #BowflexBody @Bowflex #Fitfluential #Ad

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Bowflex Fitness Shake and BoostersTry it for yourself! Use the discount code BOWFLEXSHAKE to get 20% off products along with free shipping and handling. Plus, the company has a satisfaction-guaranteed policy. Check it out!

So, do you have a favorite smoothie recipe? Do you like mint? Have you met your abs?  Please share in the comments below — XOXO, Jennifer

 

This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Bowflex Body.

Run, Workout, Eat, BCAA 2x Day, Repeat! + Med Ball WOD

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Jennifer Fisher Austin Runner - Zilker RelaysRunning comes naturally to me, it always has and I am so thankful for that. Being a runner is part of who I am (been running strong for 25 years), and God-willing, I’ll be competing at some level for many more decades. But I don’t just wake up and assume my body will perform like my ego thinks it should. I’ve eaten crow too many times for that. Staying where I want fitness-wise takes a holistic, whole-body approach which includes training smart along with eating and sleeping well. While real estate tycoons capitalize on location, location, location – we athletes make our gains on recovery, recovery, recovery!

Now, as hard as it is to admit, my gains look a little different. I’m no longer that runner in my late 20s who can train hard and play hard and still pull of a 2:50 marathon. Flash forward 20 years (and it was a flash), and I’ve slowed some . . . while that’s a hard pill to take some days, I remind myself that I perform at a higher level on an age-graded scale and, overall, I’m a stronger, more well-rounded athlete. I actually workout now– not just run!  I just have to pay more attention to rest and nutrition as part of my recovery strategy.  Today, I’m recovering from a run and this Med Ball Workout.

Medicine Ball Workout

Sleep is so important for recovery and a problem area in my life, but I’ll get to that later. Nutrition is the other main component, and thankfully I can more easily control how goes down with my workout recovery! I optimize my performance for the next day by eating a colorful, wholesome diet with plenty of muscle-making protein balanced with healthy complex carbs. After an intense effort, I have a 3:1 carb-to-protein ratio snack or shake within 30 minutes (typically a whey protein isolate in the form of a shake or bar), followed up by a good meal within a couple hours. Personally, for my size, I’m eating about 100 grams of protein a day to support my active lifestyle – that’s quite a bit, but not undoable if choosing lean proteins or super-clean protein powders.

Drinking Isopure Aminos right after my workout has been really helping with muscle recovery!

Isopure AminosStill, I sometimes have trouble with achy joints, dead legs or delayed onset muscle fatigue (damn you CrossFit). I’ve started taking a great new lean amino acid protein product immediately after I exercise (in addition to my protein snack)–  Isopure®  Aminos. If you think amino acids are for hard-core bodybuilders only, look at me and think again. This forward-thinking formula supports comprehensive body and mind benefits with BCAAs combined with Tart Cherry (to reduce inflammation and thusly next-day soreness) and L-Theanine for a relaxed, calm feeling. There are studies that suggest both tart cherry and LTheanine also help to promote better sleep – yay!

Research shows that the biggest surge of muscle-making growth hormone happens while we sleep, so it’s important to get enough quality snoozing time and have adequately eaten before bed. To fuel my body through the night, I always have a slow-digesting protein snack before bed such as Greek yogurt, almonds or a protein powder shake – if I don’t, I’ll wake up before 4 am hungry! Adding a BCAA product like Isopure®  Aminos can also help with the night-time muscle recovery and building process – plus, the Tart Cherry brings on the elusive Zzzzz’s!

Isopure AminosSo, are you wondering — how do you use this stuff? Just put a full scoop of Isopure®  Aminos into 10 – 12 ounces of water – I appreciate that it dissolved really easily into my water bottle, no shaker or blender required. Isopure Aminos also tastes really good and refreshing after a sweaty workout or run and comes in yummy flavors including Cranberry Grape, Alpine Punch and Cherry Lime.

With only 10 calories per serving, there’s no worry about busting your daily allotment – it’s just a great booster to pair up with a whey protein isolate or other protein-rich food.

Isopure AminosCome back on September 29th – I’m sharing a yummy bedtime snack using Isopure Aminos. Meanwhile, check out ISOPURE to get more info on how it can help you bring your strongest fight to a workout every time!

Run, WOD, Eat, Drink @IsopureCompany, Sleep, Repeat! #BehindTheMuscle #Ispoure #Ad

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Do you take any post-workout supplements? How many hours of sleep are you logging per night? Please share in the comments below — XOXO, Jennifer

This post sponsored by ISOPURE. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Run Faster 800 Meter Workout + Protein Bar #FeelGooder

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The start of the school year has always been the unofficial kick-off of my marathon training. Even though Austin is still in the dog days of summer, with temperatures over 100 degrees, I will start upping mileage and long speed intervals, be mindful of my hydration needs and stock up on one of my favorite protein bars as I ready up for the San Antonio Marathon on December 6th.

Perfectly Simple Protein Bars from ZonePerfect offer 10 - 11g protein to help me recover after a workout or run.

As I hinted, hydration is so important, but I also insist on eating a protein snack after a long run or intense effort workout, like running 800 meter or mile intervals.  Research study after research study has shown that consumeing a protein-rich snack after hard workouts is vital to protein syntheses, and a must-do if you want to repair taxed muscle tissue, increase strength and recover faster.

Perfectly Simple Protein Bars by ZonePerfect

Perfectly Simple protein bars by ZonePerfect are a great solution for me, each tasty on the go snack offers about 10 – 11 grams protein and around 200 calories or less, the perfect post-workout fuel  for me to #FeelGooder until I can follow up with a full-on clean meal. I love how these protein bars embrace the “less is more” approach to life – the company is super-picky about the ingredients they choose to ensure a simple yet tasty feel-good healthy snack.

ZonePerfect Perfectly Simple Bars are great fuel for running and workouts.

Even if you’re not working out, a protien-rich healthy snack, like a protein bar, helps you feel fuller, longer – which means you won’t be grabbing a handful of M&Ms every time you walk by the community candy jar (okay, I’m talking about myself here).

Roasted Cashew & Dark Chocolate protein bar from Perfectly Simple

Oh, Hello My Precious!

Right now, if you visit ZonePerfect Perfectly Simple, you can get a $1 off  coupon for a box of these nutrition bars. Right now, there are four delicious flavors (five protein bars per box) including Almond Toffee Crunch,  Bing Cherry & Almond ,  Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk, and Roasted Cashew & Dark Chocolate.

So, are you ready for the 800 meter workout – it’s a doozy. There is just no arguing that the muscle fatigue, lactic acid build up and special brand of pain that comes with knocking off a bunch of 800s sucks, but if you’re getting ready for a marathon, it’s time to embrace that suck. Am I right?  Plus, 800s can be used as a loose guideline to predicting your marathon time  — just google Bart Yasso’s Yasso 800s. Basically the gist is that you work your way up to 10 800s in a session, keeping them as close in time as possible (a second or two flux is okay). The resulting average 800 time can be extrapolated to be your marathon time – eg: average 3:00 minute 800s equals a 3 hour marathon,  3:30 minute 800s equals a 3:30 marathon, and so on. My workout is a little different, but still great for a marathon.

Try this 800 meter workout challenge to improve your speed and endurance for a maratho.

 

My 800 Meter Challenge workout won’t take you all the way up to the 10 full half-mile laps, but it will get you strong enough to eventually get there! Enjoy.

 

Zone Perfect Perfectly Simple Bars are Healthy SnacksDon’t forget to check out ZonePerfect Perfectly Simple Nutrition Bars to grab your $1 off  coupon for a box of these delicious protein bars.

Do you incorporate speed workouts into your trainjing? Do you have a go-to interval workout for marathon season? I like cashew and chocolate – what two flavors would make the best bar for you? Please share in the comments below – XOXO — Jennifer

800m workout to #RunFaster and Perfectly Simple protein bars to #FeelGooder @ZonePerfect #ad

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Happy, Healthy Hive + Buzz on #Zarbees Vitamin Drink Mix

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This is my hive. A husband of almost 25 years and three teenage boys – can you believe it?!Zarbee's Naturals - TheFitFork.com and her Hive

Even though my children aren’t babies anymore, their health and well-being (as well as my own) is still my number one priority. The busy schedules I help them juggle which includes academics, sports and music combined with my own overloaded agenda of work, athletic endeavors and domestic duties don’t allow for any downtime – let alone spare time for an of us being sick!

Zarbee's Naturals keeps me healthy and well and ready to workout!

Zarbee’s Naturals helps keep me healthy, well and ready to workout!

But, being so busy can make you sick, or at least leave you feeling fatigued and run down. Since I am mindful about the foods I offer my family and personally keep a primarily clean diet, it makes sense that I’ve always been wary of overusing over-the-counter medications. I’d rather take natural, preventative measures that rely on popping pills at every ache or sniffle.

Zarbee's Naturals - Find happiness in all that soothes.That’s why I was excited to discover Zarbee’s Naturals, a product line of delicious vitamin drink mixes created by Dr. Zak Zarbock. When Dr. Zarbock, a parent himself, couldn’t find effective, chemical-free solutions to keep the whole family healthy, he created his own products using handpicked natural, safe and wholesome ingredients. With Zarbee’s Naturals, it’s easy to find happiness in all that soothes!

 

Zarbee's Naturals

Zarbee’s Naturals come in six tasty, all-natural flavors, specially formulated proprietary blends sweetened with honey and other wholesome ingredients – there are no drugs or alcohol of any kind and all products are gluten-free. Depending on the blend, Zarbee’s Naturals can be mixed with hot or cold water and is safe to use daily to help meet any nutritional gaps in your diet.  You can find Zarbee’s Naturals exclusively at Target on the cough aisle – and now, through the end of September, their products are on sale for $4 off.

Zarbee's Naturals Antioxidant Blend with Honey

The Apple Spice flavored Zarbee’s Naturals Antioxidant Blend with Honey is so soothing before bed.

  • Antioxidant Support with Honey – Apple Spice: This high potency antioxidant formula contains essential vitamins, minerals and selenium and is sweetened with honey. Enjoy this blend hot.
  • Immune Support Drink Mix – Citrus Spice: This blend helps support a healthy immune system and features elderberry extract and dark honey. Packed with vitamins A, C, E, selenium and zinc, this mix is best served hot.
  • Invigorating Drink Mix – Lemon Ginger: Get a boost of energy with this blend featuring green tea, ginger, and guarana seed for natural alertness. Full of vitamins B2, B6 and B12, this mix can be enjoyed hot or cold.
  • Calming Drink Mix – Lemon Mint: Enjoy a bit of tranquility and calm with this blend brimming with chamomile and honey. Passion flower offers natural relaxation while the vitamin boost features A, C, D, E, and B-Complex. May be served hot or cold.
  • Multivitamin with Prebiotic – Orange: This blend helps to support a healthy digestive system and contains essential vitamins A, C, D, E, B1, B2 and more. Best served cold.
  • Multivitamin with Antioxidant – Mixed Berry: This antioxidant rich blend features 12 essential vitamins plus selenium to help support optimal health. Serve cold.

Zarbees Naturals College Care BoxI’m drinking Zarbee’s Naturals on a daily basis to help keep me well, rocking through my workouts and ready to take care of my family. When I’m feeling great, it’s just easier to keep my family feeling great! And, speaking of keeping a family feeling great – I’ve put together this care package to send to my oldest son who just left for college. I think the Invigorating blend will be great for all those study sessions and the Immune Support blend will keep his body’s defenses up during a naturally stressful transition time.  Remember to come back on September 10th to check out my follow up post about Zarbee’s Naturals and how awesome it is to shop at Target — first pump, thumbs up, agreed?!  #DrinkForYourself  #Zarbees  #madetomatter

When I take care of ME, my whole hive stays happy! #DrinkForYourself @zarbees Immune Support Mixes #ad

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Have you found ways to simplify or lower the stress of the family’s back-to-school schedule? Do you find your “hive” getting sick or catching colds easier during the fall season – what are your natural remedies?  Please share in the comments – XOXO, Jennifer

This post was sponsored by Zarbee’s Naturals via Sverve. However, all editorial content reflects my own honest opinion about the products.