You think your pre-workout formula is pretty effective, right?

Good.

Keep it.

See that orange-coloured liquid in that bottle, sitting there pretending to be normal?

Don’t be fooled for a second.

That’s a BodyForge pre-workout. And like all things BodyForge, that is not a statement to be taken lightly.

So your pre-workout gives you some jitters and jingles and a bit of a flush. I know. I’ve tried all of them.

This, however…this is something else.

This stuff is liquefied dynamite. I can’t even call it a pre-workout. This fluid has no business being anywhere outside the insulated nitro tank of a Formula One car.

Made in-house by our very own Dr Mike, using nothing but organic plants, this is based on an old recipe handed to us by a 95 year old gentleman who still looks like he could take on GI Joe and teach him a lesson.

I know it looks innocuous sitting there in the bottle but this stuff doesn’t screw around. It’s a potion that one of the nastier minions in Hell would cook up to give Satan a good time.

All it takes is a thimbleful (yes, that exact amount you can see in the cup) and I spend the next 15 minutes looking for where my training shoes and my socks have landed.

I’m not talking hype either. As soon as you knock it down (and knock it down you must, as the slightest hesitation would result in reflexive disaster), this stuff sears a ferocious bolt of fire right down into your stomach, making you gasp reflexively for your life even before it hits the pit of your belly.

It then takes a furious gallop around in a blaze of hellfire, and erupts upwards in a gleeful ball of flame, creating an incendiary inferno as it discharges out of your ears and the top of your head, disintegrating what is left of your mind.

This is liquid lava. An unstoppable tornado. A titanic tsunami of fire and brimstone. Unbelievable stuff.

SO WHAT’S IN IT?

For starters, there is enough garlic in this to turn Dracula into a steaming pile of fluttering ashes if you blow him a kiss from across Main Street. No need to bother with the wooden stake. He’ll just grab it and skewer himself through the heart if he sees you coming at 500 yards.

Think that orange color looks fun? That’s ginger and onion that has fermented for several weeks. You breath near any painted objected with that funk on your breath, and your local paintstripper is out of a job. I completely ruined my Mum’s new kitchen cabinet twelve hours after a shot of that thing.

There are other things stewing in there but this gives you the gist

One shot of this and you will sprout the gall and audacity to face an oncoming freight train. If this concoction were available back in the time of the Gladiators, one swig of this would have you hopping into the Colosseum yelling “Here, Kitty, Kitty!” as a horde of lions who had only eaten Corn Flakes and raisins for two weeks raced towards you licking their chops in expectant joy.

Honestly, I shared this out last week as an experiment and two of our middle aged clients hit puberty again.

This is cataclysmic shit.

Definitely looking forward to the next workout, with all the extra chest hair I am sprouting. Hell yeah!

The post YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS IS first appeared on IamDonatello.

“Food, glorious food. Is it worth the waiting for if we live till eighty four?”

LET’S MAKE THIS EASY

If you want help in the kitchen RIGHT NOW, just click on the book below and you can start cooking some seriously healthy and delicious food TODAY.

That’s how easy it is. No fuss, no song and dance, just getting the goodies right when you want them (and that’s how we love it).

Go ahead and get it now.

IF YOU NEED MORE DETAILS

OK, contrary to what they sing in “Oliver!”, I’m not really keen on hot sausage and mustard. And, honestly, I don’t see the appeal in cold jelly and custard either.

But, as an islander, I come from an upbringing where community is everything. I can truly equate with what Cesar Chavez once said when he uttered the immortal words ““If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with them. The people who give you their food give you their heart.”

I am blessed to come from a family who not only appreciates good food, but love the art of cooking it as well. I have great memories of my mother cooking some wonderful Sunday dinners for us while my brother and I ran around the kitchen playing, keeping one eye on the pot. Anyone in for some delectable rabbit stew or for some heavenly lasagna? And how about that gloriously enticing smell of homemade cakes and biscuits wafting up from our trusty oven at tea time?

My brother and I became experts at making goodies disappear out of the tray as soon as they were put out to cool on the window ledge. Of course, a mistimed yelp when that extra hot morsel hit the roof of your mouth was a complete giveaway that got us in hot water for stealing treats.

WHEN HEALTHY IS NOT HEALTHY ANYMORE

Unfortunately, over the last 30 or so years, I have watched the art of healthy, home-made cooking on my island die a slow death. Modern comfort is seductively insidious. Most Mums now prefer readymade food from the supermarket shelves or that inconveniently convenient fast food from the nearest outlet. Tear it out of the wrapper, put it in a microwave, and eat. Unwrap the brown bag and bite into that burger. No hassle with the cooking or the washing up afterwards. What could be easier?

And the ultimate kicker – it says “Natural” on the packet. And “they” wouldn’t lie, would “they”? Not ever.

Sadly, the truth is otherwise. Obesity is now a problem of epidemic proportions. I don’t need to bore you with statistics. Facts are facts. More people are fatter and more diseased than before. And this is directly linked to our lack of exercise and our addiction to junk food.

And my definition of junk food is not only limited to that greasy burger you like chomping down on when you don’t manage to get to the equally repulsive TV dinner aisle in the supermarket. Junk comes in all shapes and sizes. Some that you would not even suspect, pushed by an industry whose sole agenda is to create addicts and make profits.

ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE MUMS WHO WANT TO EVEN THE SCORE

For those Mums out there who like me, are both gourmets and gourmands, don’t despair. I have never lost my love for good food or my quest to find it wherever it may lie. Most diets are unnecessarily horrible and boring where they really don’t have to be. (Believe me, as an internationally competitive bodybuilder, I can tell you from experience when preparing for one of my shows that eating rice, chicken and veggies several times a day for months on end is vastly over-rated as a pastime.)

Now, I always make sure to source the richest, highest quality, most natural food I can find. I prefer unprocessed foods over today’s readymade junk with a fervor that amounts to religion. Most processed foods make me sick (literally). I almost never eat out (and that doesn’t bother me one iota either). If I want a treat, I make it my business to find a place that is as farm to table as it gets.

Look. I have been a coach for over 25 years and I have heard all the excuses imaginable about what prevents you from getting to good food. Reality is this – whichever way you look at it, you cannot put a price on your health. Or that of your children. Right?

If you want this to hit you in the face, just go and have a conversation with someone who has lost their health in some way or other. Listen to their regrets. Losing something that we take so easily for granted is devastating. It’s worth every cent you can afford to source the best quality ingredients that you can. For me and my family, this is an absolute priority.

SO LISTEN UP

It’s all about listening to your body. The tragedy of today’s lifestyle is that most people are too busy to listen to anything. Not to each other, and even less so, to themselves and their bodies. The human organism is a finely-tuned, highly accurate, intricately functioning machine. Listening to what it tells you will bring untold wisdom and the wealth of health.

Yes, it has been a long but very interesting journey of discovery. I still learn new things all the time, even to this day. I have found and tried food I didn’t even know existed. And the pleasure of cooking itself, the very art of making good food, is simply too comforting to be described. Talk about cooking soothing the heart of the savage beast.

So, I would love to share the following recipes with all of you Mums out there. I truly believe that they will make a difference in your life and that of your family. Take your time to prepare these meals, cook with love and savor the moment.

The simple act of making this healthy choice will change your life in a way you never imagined.

DON’T BELIEVE ME? JUST TRY IT

Without further ado, I invite you to my table to eat with me.

Here are my top 10 Paleo delights that are every bit as healthy as they are delicious.

You will certainly find something to please every palate here. It’s all about keeping it as real and as natural as you can.

I hope you and your family enjoy every morsel as much as I do.

They are yours for the taking.

It’s my gift to you for a better, healthier choice in your life, and that of your family.

The post MY TOP TEN PALEO RECIPES first appeared on IamDonatello.

HERE IS A THREE STEP SYSTEM TO GET YOUR GUT BACK

This one is a no brainer.

If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, you need to absolutely stay away from gluten (that nasty protein found in wheat, barley and rye that makes pizza dough oh-so-yummy and stretchy).

That much is obvious, right?

So what happens when someone screws up and feeds you a gluten infused bomb without your knowledge?

I recently ran into this emergency when one of my clients was given a gluten meal by mistake.

She reacts really badly to gluten rich foods so we needed emergency measures…and FAST.

External symptoms of gluten poisoning may include lethargy, diarrhoea, bloating, constipation, headache, rash, weakness, joint pain, swelling, vomiting, and fatigue (not very pretty I know, it’s Jabba the Hutt on a bad day).

Whatever the visible symptoms, the climate inside the gut will be the same in all cases – gluten is in there, a toxin destroying everything it touches.

I have seen people take several painful weeks to recover from a mistake like this.

It’s a dangerous oversight that those who are not familiar with the condition might consider a simple blunder.

However, the truth is that thinking this problem is solved with an “Oh, I’m sorry, you’ll be OK” kind of retort is not only inexcusably ignorant but an attitude that I find very demeaning to sufferers.

It doesn’t work that way.

When you figure in that this immune reaction to gluten severely damages the small intestine leading to great gastric distress and nutritional deficiencies, most people start to sober up.

Adding in that left untreated, it may lead to infertility, osteoporosis, and intestinal cancer, then you know it’s not something you can just gloss over with a wave of the hand.

The key issues here are two – removing gluten as fast as possible from the gut and doing everything you can to help the gut recover as fast as possible.

So let’s start fixing.

#1 – TAKING GLUTEN OUT OF THE SYSTEM

The first thing we need to do is to get that damn gluten out fast. This is how we do it:

1. Break It Down With Digestive Enzymes
These will speed up breakdown and absorption of macronutrients. Make sure the enzyme brand you choose has something called dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP-IV), which helps break down gluten specifically.

2. Tie It Up With Binding Agents
There are two specific agents that bind toxins and help reduce bloating and gas. They are activated charcoal and bentonite clay. Make sure to drink lots of water when taking these or the mail will stop getting posted (and that’s not funny either).

3. Flush It Through With Water
If you’re vomiting and/or have diarrhoea, you will need to replace all that fluid lost. So drink up. A good volume to go for would be 3L-4L per day. Adding magnesium, potassium and zinc electrolytes helps too.

#2 – DEALING WITH INFLAMMATION

It’s essential to get gut inflammation down as fast as possible. An inflamed gut is not happy (and neither will you be).

Here are three ways to do just that.

1. Up The Fatty Acids
Mackerel, salmon, cod liver oil, walnuts, and chia seeds are all high in omega 3 fatty acids. Get those omega 3s in. You need to hit the 4g a day mark to help ease the inflammation caused by accidental gluten ingestion.

2. Get Ginger
Ginger tea helps ease stomach cramps and reduce nausea, thanks to the gingerol it contains.

3. Throw in The Turmeric
This is another member of the ginger family. It contains curcumin which is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Drop it into your ginger tea for added oomph.

#3 – HEALING THE SYSTEM

Did you know about 70% of your immune system is in your gut?

So, having a healthy gut is pretty crucial to your overall health, right?

Getting glutened definitely needs maximum attention – the damage it causes goes way beyond the cosmetic (in other words, you won’t just be blowing the trumpet and avoiding enclosed spaces and company).

Here is how to get, and maintain, an optimal internal system:

1. Pass The Probiotics
Take highly concentrated, probiotics daily (50-100 billion units per day). Double that dose for more effect if you have been glutened.

2. Slathering Up The Slippery Elm
The mucus in the gut serves as a natural barrier to protect the lining and promote healing. The mucilage in slippery elm stimulates the nerves in the GI tract to produce more mucus.

3. Glutton Up On The L-Glutamine
This amino acid helps repair the gut and re-grow the lining. At least 5g a day for a week are necessary to stimulate adequate repair after gluten exposure.

4. Lick Up That Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice (DGL)
Licorice is an herb that has been used for thousands of years to heal ulcers and soothe indigestion, as well as maintain the lining of the GI tract. DGL is the version that comes with most of the glycyrrhizin in the licorice removed as it may cause issues. This is what you should look for when you buy this supplement. Go for 500mg three times a day, preferably before meals

5. Rustle Up That Marshmallow Root
This is another substance that contains mucilage, so it will help heal ulcers and treat both diarrhoea and constipation.

6. Bone Up On The Bone Broth
Yes, grandma’s recipe of bone broth contains large amounts of glycine and proline, two amino acids that reduce inflammation. The gelatin in the broth will also protect the lining of the gut.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR GUT

This 3 step system will really help reduce the misery of being glutened.

For those who go through it, it will be a lifesaver. Those days of sitting down on a toilet, strapped down with a seatbelt and wearing your crash helmet are just vastly over-rated. You owe it to your gut to keep it safe and to fix it as fast as possible when you screw up somehow.

Oh, and of course, let anyone who wants to feed you know that this is not a joke.

And if they think it’s nothing and “you’ll be OK”, just let loose in their bathroom. Works every damn time.

(Any questions? Just get in touch! We love helping people out.)

The post HAVE YOU BEEN GLUTENED? DON’T PANIC! first appeared on IamDonatello.

(Stick around for the bonus tip at the end of the article – if you only pick one tip to use of all the ones suggested here, this would be it!)

So you think you know healthy?

Think again.

A quick read through most of the emails I receive shows that there is some serious confusion about what the goal should be when comes to a healthy diet.

One of the most common mistakes I am seeing with many of my clients and those who are trying to start out a healthier lifestyle is a tendency to pepper a lot of science around and over-complicate matters, when it really does not need to be that complicated.

And all that stuff you keep reading isn’t really helping.

How can I state that? Well, we are not seeing any drastic reductions in obesity rates.

If truth be told, statistics are just getting more and more dismal.

Keeping that in mind, let’s try the simple approach.

Here are 11 top tips for you that I have gathered over 26 years of experience in the health and fitness industries, as a Life Performance Connoisseur, strength and fitness master coach, blogger, author, motivational speaker, international bodybuilding competitor and pharmacist.

These are some of the tweaks and tricks that will help you achieve healthier living, lose that fat fast – and keep it off.

It is, by no means a comprehensive list, but it will definitely jumpstart your quest to being a mean, lean muscle machine.

Here goes:

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#11 – IT’S A LIFESTYLE CHANGE

That’s right. It’s not a session, or a course or a program. These are habits that you put into your life forever. So you better make sure they are things you can sustain. If something you are doing is making you miserable, then you are not going to be able to sustain it. Period.

#10 – NO CRASH DIETING

Please avoid any diets that tell you to severely restrict your calories. They are a BAD idea. Sure, you will lose weight, but most of that weight will be water-based. You would rebound badly after that. Keep it smart, keep it healthy. Again, this is not an event, it’s a life journey.

#9 – GO EASY ON THE HIGH G.I. CARBS

Everyone knows this one – those nasty high G.I. carbs screw up your insulin levels. Reduce them to a minimum. Which is difficult because just about everyone prefers pasta, pizza, chocolate, potatoes and breads to other foods. But you just have to widen your culinary repertoire to the lower G.I. options. With a little imagination, they can be pretty tasty too.

#8 – EAT 5 TO 6 MEALS A DAY

Eating every three hours does not really increase metabolism as has been popularly believed in the past. However, frequent meals ensure you won’t overeat, your calories are spread evenly across all meals, smaller, more frequent meals will decrease stomach size over time, you will have more energy and focus as larger meals tend to make you lethargic, and you will be less likely to cheat if you know you will eat in three hours’ time.

#7 – CUT OUT THE SUGARED DRINKS

That’s right – soft drinks and juice are bad news. Even squeezed fresh fruit is a bad idea. Check what you are drinking for the sugar level – you might get a nasty shock. Always go for clean, fresh water when possible. If you absolutely need to have some sugar, make sure it is the exception rather than the rule.

#6 – WATER, WATER, WATER

Yes, we need a lot more water than we actually drink. A 90 kg person should be drinking at least 3 L of water. 4L would actually be better. Additionally, for those who are trying to control your portion sizes, water will fill you up and help you eat less.

#5 – CARB ROTATION

I have found that if you eat 1 g per pound of bodyweight for 3 to 5 days, then double that for the next 1 to 2 days, it really helps with your fat loss goals. That means a 200 pound (90kg) person can eat 200 g of carbs for 2 to 5 days, then 400 g of carbs for next 1 to 2 days, then repeat.

#4 – YOUR MAMA WAS RIGHT – UP THE VEGGIES

Vegetables pack a lot of nutrients in a very small space. Plus, they help you go to the toilet regularly. Make sure you get clean, healthy vegetables from a source that does not use any pesticides and is completely organic.

#3 – NO FAT BURNERS

Everyone wants that magic shortcut. Fat burners are the number one question I get from my clients who are looking to lose body fat. There are a ton of useless fat burners out there and very few good ones. So make sure you get your diet on track first, before considering any other options. Discipline is paramount.

#2 – BODYBUILDERS WERE RIGHT – PROTEIN HELPS WITH FAT LOSS

Science is finally backing up what bodybuilders have known for decades – significantly increasing your protein intake is a fantastic way to burn fat and build muscle. Forget the scare stories – in normal, healthy people, elevated protein intake will NOT harm liver or kidneys. If your goal is to get leaner, protein is going to be an amazing help.

#1 – CHEATING IS GOOD

Yes, cheat meals on planned occasions, will help you with your fat loss goals to. That’s because they elevate the amount of leptin in the body, a protein that regulates appetite and energy. This will stop the body from going into starvation mode and holding onto your fat stores. So don’t be afraid of cheating a little sometimes. I did say sometimes okay?

And the number one, absolute best piece of advice I can give you is…

#BONUS TIP – INVEST IN A COACH

This is the one thing that few people ever do. There is a difference between spending money and investing money. There is also a HUGE difference between a personal trainer and a coach. Do your homework. Learn the difference. And, once you find that great coach, go for it. You will save yourself so much time and effort, and get to your goals so much quicker.

=======================================

There you are guys. I hope these points help you along in your journey. Remember, the KISS principle a pretty good bet – Keep It Simple Sweetheart.

Do you have any questions? What do you think of these tips? Are they helpful? We would love to hear from you. Shoot us your burning questions here and we will get back to you.

The post THE TOP 11 TIPS FOR BURNING OFF FAT AND ENGAGING IN A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE first appeared on IamDonatello.

Everyone loves a succulent homemade burger.

They are quite easy to do, and, when using grass fed beef and organic ingredients, are a wholesome, tasty crowd-pleasing option without any of the associated dangers of industrial burgers.

You can also make several patties, freeze them, and use them as required. Great way to never be caught short-handed for a meal.

So here is one great way to make a delicious, mouth-watering burger that will have everyone asking for more.

INGREDIENTS

170g (6 ounces) non-fat plain Greek yogurt
115g (4 ounces) hothouse cucumbers (unpeeled), coarsely grated (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 clove garlic, crushed to a paste
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
450g (1 pound) lean ground beef (grass fed)
115g (4 ounces) zucchini, finely diced (about 1 cup)
65g (1/2 cup) crumbled reduced-fat feta
45g (1/3 cup) finely diced red onion
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil cooking spray
200g (7 ounces) fresh organic roasted red peppers
Shredded romaine (optional)
Sliced cucumber (optional)

PREPARATION

1. In a bowl, combine yogurt, cucumbers, garlic and juice; set aside.

2. In another bowl, mix beef, zucchini, feta, onion, marjoram, salt and pepper.

3. Form beef mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick patties.

4. Coat a grill pan or grill rack with cooking spray.

5. Grill patties over medium-high heat, flipping once, about 5 minutes each side, until internal temperature reaches 70°c / 160°F.

6. Serve the burgers with the roasted peppers, yogurt sauce, lettuce and cucumber.

7. You can also serve with white rice as a side dish.

The post GREEK BURGERS WITH CRUMBLED FETA first appeared on IamDonatello.