Healthy Apple Blueberry Crumble

Perfect dessert as the cooler months approach, this apple crumble is made with delicious toasted walnuts and coconut, juicy green apples and superfood dried blueberries. I served mine with vanilla and nutmeg coconut milk icecream.

Brooke Burke's butt workout and morning shake recipe

Brooke Burke sits firmly in place as one of my all-time-favourite fitness inspirations. She takes such good care of her body and it shows in her amazing shape and glowing skin. The 40-year-old takes her fitness seriously and I always look to her for new tips on toning, especially for the butt. While Brooke has released a workout DVD, which I plan to add to my collection, you can find some excellent express exercises to do at home by looking on you tube. I've posted my particular favourite video below, which is a butt burning series of moves that will really tone up your trouble areas. 

Brooke's breakfast contains a shake of coconut water, berries, 1 scoop of protein powder, omega oils and some kale. She blends this together every morning for a great breakfast on-the-go and she also credits this combination to keeping her skin fresh and her body lean.

For more workout tips from the actress and model, check out Fitness Magazine's list of Brooke's favourite gym exercises. 

Fitness Model's Workout and Diet Plan

Here is a sample plan of a workout schedule and diet plan to follow to achieve a fitness model physique, which won't be as bulky as a bodybuilder but will be toned and lean. For sample menu plans, click here.

Plan to workout with weights 4 days a week, and if you have some fat you need to blast, you add 2 days of cardio, no less than 25 minutes and no more than 45 minutes. For example:

Monday is always going to be Upper Body

Tuesday is always going to be Legs

Wednesday is Cardio

Thursday is Glutes and Abs

Friday is Upper Body and Legs (mini workouts)

Saturday is Cardio

Sunday is your OFF-Active Rest Day, and also Food Prep Day (grocery shopping and meal planning)

Start every workout with a warm up. Warm up simply by walking in place, then moving side to side, and then picking up the intensity to say maybe jumping jacks, and then running in place. Aim for a warm up for at least for 5 minutes.

Pick Three Exercises PER Body Part.

Perform 8-12 reps for 3 sets, at a challenging weight where the last 8-12 are hard to finish.

25 Minute Cardio Workout:

Fitness models focus on keeping their heart rates down, not allowing them to start burning off their hard earned muscle mass.

Fitness models rarely run, because this too "eats at their muscle mass," and makes them flabby.
Fitness models aim at no more than 25-to-45 minutes of cardio, unless it's time to compete, where they bump it up.

Don't run or try to embrace another form of low impact cardio. Fitness models and other professionals lean towards the "no running" principle because it's known to "eat away" at the muscle you work so hard to gain.

Don't work against yourself and defeat your progress by running. It takes a lot of energy with no real gains, except for cardiovascular. You can receive cardiovascular benefits from other low impact versions such as using the Elliptical, Nordic Track, Air Stepper, and the Stair Master.

Don't do less than 25 minutes, or more than 45 minutes. This "magic zone" between 25-to-45 burns fat. If you do more than that your body "hits a plateau" and your body "hits a wall" and you slows/stops your progress.

Don't overtrain! If you overtrain, your appetite will increase and you will start eating like a 250-pound football player and not a fitness model. Rather do just enough to blast fat, and not to hit a plateau. Again if you overtrain, your body will "lock up" and not allow you to burn the fat off that you need too, because it will reach a state of "shock," thus holding onto the fat.

Sample Meal Plan:

Meal 1 (Breakfast): 5 egg whites + 1 yolk, 0% plain Greek yogurt
Meal 2 (Post Workout): Protein shake
Meal 3 (Lunch): 1 chicken breast, sliced over spinach salad + tomatoes, red onions, snow peas (no dressing)
Meal 4 (Afternoon): Almonds, chopped veggies
Meal 5 (Dinner): chicken stir fry
Meal 6 (Evening): 0% cottage cheese with pepper OR 0% plain Greek yogurt OR protein shake.

For more meal plans, click here

For sweet treats, try these recipes:

• Carb-free banana pancakes
• Chickpea Blondies
• Sugar-free Protein Rocky Road

Flourless Coconut Chocolate Protein Pancakes

This was a treat for Easter Sunday breakfast so naturally these pancakes had some luxurious sprinkles of chocolate scattered through them. I added my favorite pea protein powder and some coconut flour, which makes these pancakes gluten-free and low in sugar. If you are using a good non-stick fry pan, flipping your pancakes will be easy. If you don't want to use chocolate drops, try adding blueberries.

Flourless Coconut Chocolate Protein Pancakes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs, lightly whisked
• 1 large mashed banana
• 1/4 cup of coconut flour
• 1/2 cup of soy milk
• 2 scoops of protein powder
• 3 tablespoons of dairy-free sugar-free dark chocolate drops
• 3 tablespoons of stevia sweetener powder
• 1 teaspoon of coconut oil

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl until combined. 
2. Heat up a large non-stick fry pan and spray with coconut oil.
3. Pour an even amount of pancake mixture into the pan (my pan could fit four at a time).
4. Cook on a medium heat until the edges of the pancake start to peel from the pan. When this happens, carefully flip each pancake using a rubber spatula.
5. Cook on the other side for a few more minutes until cooked through.
6. Serve with low-fat Greek yoghurt and berries.