seated low row

Need some assistance with FREE WEIGHTS and FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT?

Watch these how-to videos if you are just starting out, OR if you are an experienced weightlifter hoping to correct or check your form!

Check out VIM’s Free Weights & Functional Movement Series – Each week we’ll post a video demonstrating a new move. Next up, SEATED LOW ROW!

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Gluten free cookies

Ahhh New England winters.

I hope you were able to stay safe and warm inside during the storm! I took the day to relax, and try out a new gluten free and vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe!

If you’re looking for an easy (and healthy!) homemade treat, try this one out!

It’s a small batch, so you won’t be tempted to eat x-dozen cookies. They’re chewing, sweetened by dates, and surprisingly satisfying! Feel free to swap out the chocolate chips with your favorite nut or dried fruit. Enjoy!

gluten free cookiesGluten Free, Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies (makes 9)

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour of choice (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
  • 12 dates
  • ⅔ cup water
  • 1/4 cup almond butter (I used Barney Butter Vanilla Bean & Espresso!)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Generous pinch of sea salt
  • 1/4 cup dairy free chocolate chips

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350F.
  • Blend dates and water in a high speed blender to make a date paste.
  • Combine all the ingredients except the chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl. Mix to form a thick batter. If it’s too dry, add a little water.
  • Fold in the chocolate chips.
  • Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of dough, roll into a ball, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press down to flatten.
  • Repeat with the remaining dough.
  • Bake for 12-16 minutes at 350F or until the bottom edges are just golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven, cool for at least 10 minutes. Enjoy!

You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, although they are best fresh and will become softer with time.

HANGING LEG RAISES

Need some assistance with FREE WEIGHTS and FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT?

Watch these how-to videos if you are just starting out, OR if you are an experienced weightlifter hoping to correct or check your form!

Check out VIM’s Free Weights & Functional Movement Series – Each week we’ll post a video demonstrating a new move. Next up, HANGING LEG RAISES!

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food environmental pyramid

Why do people go vegetarian?
You’ll find there is no single answer to this question.

Some people care about animals, some do it for their health, others want to reduce their environmental impact, and even more do it for a combination of these reasons. The reason why there is no single reason as to why you, or anyone, may adopt a vegetarian diet is because each reason is interconnected.

In particular, a healthy diet is also likely better for the environment.

The United Nations Food & Agriculture Organisation defines sustainable diets as:

“Those diets with low environmental impacts which contribute to food and nutrition security and to healthy life for present and future generations. Sustainable diets are protective and respectful of biodiversity and ecosystems, culturally acceptable, accessible, economically fair and affordable; nutritionally adequate, safe and healthy; while optimizing natural and human resources.”

But what does that mean in practice? To summarize, here are some basic principles for healthy, low carbon eating:

  • Aim to be waste-free. Reducing food waste (and packaging) saves energy, effort and natural resources used to produce and dispose of it, as well as money.
  • Eat better, and less, meat and dairy produce. Consuming more vegetables, fruits and grains, and smaller amounts of animal products, helps reduce health risks and greenhouse gases.
  • Buy local, seasonal and environmentally friendly food such as organic from local farms. This benefits wildlife and natural environments, minimizes the energy used in food production, transport and storage, and helps protect the local economy.
  • Choose Fair Trade-certified products. This ensures that imported goods are benefitting sustainable farming as well as providing a living wage and fair treatment for workers.
  • Select fish only from sustainable sources, certified by the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch. Future generations will be able to eat fish and seafood if we act now to protect our rivers and seas and the creatures living there.
  • Get the balance right. We need to cut down on sugar, salt and fat, and it doesn’t hurt to avoid questionable ingredients and processes such as genetic modification (GM) and many additives.
  • Grow our own, and buy the rest from a wide range of outlets. Nothing is better than food fresh out of the garden! Even if you don’t have a garden, stop by your local farmers market for seasonal, sustainable foods.

Author Michael Pollan puts it even more simply: “eat food, not too much, mainly plants.”

The food pyramid most people are familiar with does not accurately reflect a sustainable diet.

This image compares a sustainable diet with the conventional pyramid to give you an idea of how to focus your meals to reduce your environmental impact:

food environmental pyramid

Now that you know which foods are sustainable, and which aren’t, it’s easy to see how a vegetarian diet is a great way to protect both your health and the world we live in.

What will you change in your diet first? Leave comments below!

boot camp

8-WEEK BOOT CAMP: February 15 – April 15

PRESALE: JAN. 15 – FEB. 14

Package Includes

  • 2 Small Group Training classes per week ($258 value)
  • Unlimited Team Training
  • Open gym access
  • MyZone belt ($150 value)

…FOR JUST $249

SIGN UP BY CONTACTING TYLER BELOW:

[contactform email=”[email protected]”]

Bulgarian split squats

Need some assistance with FREE WEIGHTS and FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT?

Watch these how-to videos if you are just starting out, OR if you are an experienced weightlifter hoping to correct or check your form!

Check out VIM’s Free Weights & Functional Movement Series – Each week we’ll post a video demonstrating a new move. Next up, BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUATS!

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vegan cookie

Fun fact: I’m vegan.

It’s not exactly secret, either, since whenever I go to a holiday party I always have to ask what has eggs, butter or milk in it, and avoid all the main meat dishes or delicious-looking desserts. I’m used to it by now, so I usually eat a snack before hand or bring a dish to add to the table that I can enjoy, too.

But I’m not the only one who sometimes feels left out at food-filled events. Anyone with allergies or sensitivities to certain foods also has to be careful. This time of year seems to be filled with all of the top allergens: wheat, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts and soy.

If your best friend is gluten free, your dad is allergic to shellfish, and your cousin just went vegan, here are a few recipes (and store-bought goods!) that everyone can indulge in.

Gluten Free & Vegan Apple Pie:

Vegan Meringue:

Gluten Free & Vegan Raspberry Pinwheel Cookies:

Allergy Free Truffles:

Allergy Free Brands:

Enjoy Life Foods:

Divvies:

Simple Mills:

BARBELL INCLINE CURLS

Need some assistance with FREE WEIGHTS and FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT?

Watch these how-to videos if you are just starting out, OR if you are an experienced weightlifter hoping to correct or check your form!

Check out VIM’s Free Weights & Functional Movement Series – Each week we’ll post a video demonstrating a new move. Next up, BARBELL INCLINE CURLS!

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Under VIM’s TRAINER SPOTLIGHT for January: RICH!

rich destefaniRead on to get to know him:

Rich first started lifting weights when he was 14, preparing for high school football. Even before then, Rich grew up on a farm so he spent his childhood “lifting things” as well as understanding the meaning of hard work.

Even though Rich was always a strong guy, he had a history of being overweight. Rich was 140lbs around the age of 7 and was already over 200lbs by 12. Rich was finally able to get his weight in check by sophomore year of college (down to 230lbs from 280), until 21 hit.

From 2009 to 2016, while Rich competed in strongman, he did not follow a nutrition program and eventually, his weight blew up to 325lbs and was mostly fat.

After a poor performance at a major strongman competition of March 2017, Rich set goals for himself to reach a certain body weight and win a national championship in strongman. In June 2017, he became the 275lb national champion. Since then, Rich has traveled to Finland and Greece to compete and has become a professional strongman.

It doesn’t matter what your end goal is, Rich wants to help steer you on your journey to success.

[button link=”https://www.smartwaiver.com/w/52e3f4c984538/web/” text=”TRAIN WITH RICH!” color=”green” size=”large” fullwidth=”true”]