Live Fast Live Fit

🔑THURSDAY TIP

⭐ If you’re having a hard time with the Cold Shower Challenge, here’s a big tip.

Ease into it!

Take your normal shower and turn down the temp until you start to feel a little uncomfortable. Then, do some deep breathing, which can help you feel warmer while taking your mind off the chill.

💦 Stay there for a couple of minutes, and then you’re done.

Try to go a little colder or stay a little longer every time ... and within a week you might even find you look forward to your cold shower!

How are you doing with the challenge? Let me know in the comments. 👇

REFERENCE
www.healthline.com/health/cold-shower-benefits

🤩There is a LOT to love about this recipe ... which features this week’s food of the week, bell peppers!
 
It is super fast and simple to make, it tastes delicious, and the cleanup couldn’t be easier because it’s made in just one pan.
 
TIP: Cutting the potatoes in half is optional but it will speed up cooking time.
 
🫑Sheet Pan Sausage & Peppers 🫑
(makes 4 servings)
 
● 4 sweet bell peppers (your choice: red, yellow, orange, or green sweet peppers), seeded, sliced, and cut into 1” (2.5 cm) pieces
● 1 large Vidalia onion, cut into slices
● 2 cups (300 grams) grape tomatoes
● 2 cups baby potatoes (300 grams), cut into halves
● 2 Tbsp avocado oil, coconut oil, or butter
● 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
● 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
● 1 tsp sea salt
● 1 (12 oz) package cooked chicken sausage, cut into thick rounds
 
Preheat your oven to 425ºF/220ºC. Line a baking sheet with foil.
 
In a large bowl, toss together the peppers, onion, potatoes, tomatoes, and drizzle with oil, vinegar, and Italian seasoning. Stir to make sure everything is well coated.
 
Pour the mixture onto the baking pan and roast for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and stir, making space for the sausage before adding it to the pan.  Place back in the oven and roast for another 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
 
Remove from the oven and serve. Enjoy!

🫑 Food of the Week … BELL PEPPERS!
 
✅ FACT 1: Bell peppers are actually fruits(!) that belong to the nightshade family.
 
Even so, we treat them as vegetables because of their sweet, slightly grassy flavor. They come in a variety of colors like green, yellow, orange, and red.
 
✅FACT 2: All peppers start out green. They turn other colors the longer they’re allowed to ripen on the vine.
 
Red peppers are actually the most nutritious type because they’ve ripened the longest.
 
Low in calories and high in nutrients, one serving provides 169% of the RDI of vitamin C.
 
Bell peppers are also an excellent source of carotenoids ... antioxidants that help keep your body healthy.
 
Plus, they are loaded with lutein, an antioxidant that promotes eye health and lowers the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration.
 
👩‍🍳They are delicious raw or cooked. Try stuffing, grilling, or roasting them.
 
REFERENCES:
www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/bell-peppers
www.webmd.com/diet/peppers-health-benefits #1
https://foodinsight.org/what-is-lutein/

🚿 WEEKLY CHALLENGE! 🚿
 
It’s the CHILL PILL CHALLENGE.
 
This week I am challenging you to take 3 COLD showers.
 
Did you know that people who regularly take cold showers report almost 30% fewer illnesses?!
 
Experts think it has to do with the way the body learns to adapt to harsher-than-normal conditions.
 
Subjecting the body to controlled stress might boost its ability to deal with REAL stress!
 
PLUS, cold showers are linked with:
 
● Better sleep
● Less fatigue & more energy
● Greater mental alertness & clarity
● Easier recovery from hard workouts
 
AND… regular cold-water dips can increase your metabolic rate.
 
It’s pretty simple. Just:
 
● Take your regular shower
● Near the end, turn down the temp
● Stay there for 1-2 minutes
● As you get used to it, try to stay in a little longer.
 
Are you in? Let me know 👇👇
 
REFERENCE
www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325725 -physical-recovery

🔑THURSDAY TIP

This week it’s the GOOD STUFF Challenge where we donate our gently used sports & fitness gear. It’s a win-win.

✔Studies show that being charitable can help:

* Increase feelings of happiness & joy
* Reduce stress hormones (cortisol) in your blood
* Promote positive mental health
* Lower your blood pressure
* Boost satisfaction in significant relationships

❓Have you found anything to donate yet? Let me know how it’s going in the comments!👇

REFERENCE:
www.huffpost.com/entry/generosity-health_n_4323727 

👨‍🍳If you’re looking for fast, easy, and delicious … you’ve got a go-to!
 
These grass-fed burgers check all of those boxes.
 
✅Quick Tip: when you’re cooking grass-fed beef … cook it for less time because it tends to cook faster than regular beef.
 
Noteworthy: Grass-fed beef is more succulent when it’s cooked to medium-rare.
 
🏆Go-To Grass-Fed Burgers 🏆
(makes 6 burgers)
 
● 1½ lb (680 grams) grass-fed ground beef
● 1 tsp sea salt
● ½ tsp ground black pepper
● 1 Tbsp avocado oil
● Optional: additional salt & pepper for seasoning
● Your favorite toppings (tomatoes, lettuce, onions, avocado, etc.)
 
Divide the beef into 6 portions and create 6 loosely-formed patties about 1½” (4 cm) thick, gently using your hands. Season each side with salt and pepper
 
If the patties are still cold, place them on a plate and loosely cover, bringing them to room temperature before cooking.
 
Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, place the patties in the skillet and then turn the heat down to medium. Cook 4-6 minutes on each side for a medium-rare burger.
 
Serve with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
 

👩‍🍳QUESTION: How often do you eat red meat?
 
💡If you haven’t already, there are lots of reasons to consider switching from grain-fed beef to grass-fed whenever possible.
 
It’s better for the cows, for the environment, and it’s better for YOU.
 
● Grass-fed beef offers up to 5 times the volume of omega-3 fatty acids as conventionally raised beef. (The healthy fats most of us don’t get enough of.)
● It’s also higher in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), another protective fat that appears to be linked with a lower incidence of some chronic diseases.
 
Plus, it takes less energy to raise and causes less soil erosion and water pollution.
 
You can buy grass-fed beef in most supermarkets, but a nearby farmer’s market can help you to find a good local source!
 
✅Because grass-fed is a little leaner than grain-fed beef … you should cook it at a lower temperature for a shorter time to avoid damaging the omega-3s.
 
REFERENCES:
www.healthline.com/nutrition/grass-fed-vs-grain-fed-beef
www.ewg.org/meateatersguide/a-meat-eaters-guide-to-climate-change-health-what-you-eat-matters/why-go-organic-grass-fed-and-pasture-raised/
www.webmd.com/diet/grass-fed-beef-good-for-you #1
www.healthline.com/nutrition/conjugated-linoleic-acid
https://theorganicbutcher.com/blogs/news/44363009-how-to-cook-100-grass-fed-steaks-there-is-a-difference

This week we’re going to “share the love” with the GOOD STUFF CHALLENGE.
 
Your challenge this week is to clear out your space ... by filling someone else’s.
 
Do you have any unused fitness items lying around – like equipment or sports gear that’s no longer being used, or gently used workout clothes?
 
Let’s focus on helping others get fit & healthy by DONATING these items to someone who will get good use out of them! 💪
 
Help someone else get in shape & clear out your space at the same time.
 
✅ You can either donate your items or find someone to swap with!
 
[COACHES: You can easily turn this into a charity workout by asking your challengers to bring a fitness-related item to donate in exchange for admission to an in-person workout – add something about this if so.]
 
❓Are you up for the challenge? What good stuff do you have to give away?👇

Come on, spill it! ⬇️

🏆This recipe is a winner … because it makes just about every vegetable taste great!
 
It’s one of my favorite sauces for green beans (& it’s also amazing on broccoli).
 
✅TIP: You can make this with frozen green beans, too – just defrost them in the microwave first. It’s a great $$$ and time saver.
 
To make this a meal, serve with tofu ... or add some chicken or shrimp.
 
⭐️Green Beans in Thai Sauce ⭐️
(serves 4)
● 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, divided
● 2 cloves garlic, minced
● 1 lb green beans, ends trimmed & rinsed
● 1 Tbsp coconut aminos
● 2 Tbsp natural peanut butter or almond butter
● 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
● 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
● Splash of sriracha or hot sauce
● ¼ cup water
● Salt, to taste
 
In a large skillet over medium heat, add ½ Tbsp sesame oil and the garlic, saute for a few seconds (just enough to toast the garlic without burning), and then add the green beans.
 
Stir fry until the beans start to brown slightly.
 
While they are cooking, prepare the sauce: in a bowl, combine the remaining ½ Tbsp sesame oil with the coconut aminos, nut butter, ginger, rice wine vinegar, hot sauce, and water. Stir to combine, making sure the nut butter is fully incorporated.
 
Once the green beans are almost done, lower the heat and stir the sauce into the beans. Let simmer until the beans are ready. Taste and adjust seasonings.