RECIPE: Greek Stir-Fry + Meal Prep Haven Containers

 Greek Stir-Fry

Prep Time: 8-10 min

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients	Calories	Fat (g)	Carbs (g)	Protein (g)
• 1 lb. ground beef	1152	90	0	78
• 1 lb. frozen green beans	140	0	28	6
• 1 large onion	60	0	14	4
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil	234	28	0	0
• 1 15-oz. can of diced tomatoes	85	0	21	2
• 1 tsp. basil • 1 tsp. salt • 1 tsp. oregano • 1 tsp. garlic powder
Totals	1671	118	63	90
Per Serving	334	23.5	12.5	18

Instructions
• Melt oil in a large skillet and add diced onion.
• Cook three minutes or until starting to become translucent.
• Add ground meat and cook until well browned.
• While cooking, add spices.
• Once meat is browned, add the diced tomatoes (drain off liquid first!), green beans and any additional spices if needed.
• Cover pan and simmer 15+ minutes or until all vegetables have softened.
• Check after ten minutes and add a couple tablespoons of water or chicken broth if needed.
• Serve warm and enjoy!


Meal Prep Haven 1, 2, and 3 compartment containers:

• DESIGNED FOR MEAL PREP: Easily store food while prepping in advance. Pop your pre-made meals in the freezer for storage and thaw them in the fridge overnight for the next days meal. 
• EXCELLENT FOR PORTION CONTROL: Each container stores up to 17 oz of food, making it a great tool for keeping your diet in check. 
• BPA FREE: All our containers are certified BPA free to ensure that youre not exposed to chemicals typically found in containers. 
• MICROWAVE & DISHWASHER SAFE: These containers can withstand the freezer, fridge, microwave & dishwasher (top rack). Use them again and again so that you can save time & money.

Built for meal preppers, by meal preppers, that's our motto. At Meal Prep Haven, we know that preparation is the key to meeting your fitness goals. With the right tools and mindset we're here to empower all of our customer to stay happy, fit and healthy.

Weight loss isn't easy. In fact, it's damn hard. That's why we built our containers to help our customers plan their meals for the week ahead. Our 1 compartment containers help you stick your diet plan. Simply cook for the week ahead, portion them out evenly across a week's worth of containers and voila! your weekly nutritional needs are set ahead.

Order yours here: 
http://www.mealprephaven.com/store/
Meal Prep Haven on Amazon

Simple product that arrives quickly and does it's job perfectly. As a college student, meal prep has become crucial to managing my time wisely while still eating well. This product has aided me greatly in that endeavor. The containers survive the microwave no problem, even though they are quite thin and light. The seal is good all the way around the container and have yet to experience any leaks in my backpack when they are full of chicken breast and beans on my walks to class. These are also far more affordable than other leading brands. Highly recommend.

OpEd: Does Your Doctor Even Lift Bro??

 What’s your experience with dealing with doctors/PTs/chiros who treat like this?

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I’m not here to call in to question pain medication, or passive treatments (like soft tissue work or electrical stimulation or even joint manipulation) ... but I am here to challenge the use of those as the ONLY treatment in dealing with an injury. The medical system today is largely broken because we so heavily rely on what professionals do or give to those dealing with injuries. This creates a dependency on those treatments and doesn’t empower the injured person to take control and actively participate in the rehab process.
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Too many doctors ONLY prescribe pain meds & tell you to take time off. Too many physical therapists, physios & chiropractors rely on passive treatments instead of taking a step back & treating the person in front of them and how they move! Are there good professionals in all of these fields? YES & I applaud those who are taking a stand to change things but I think we can all agree we have more work to do!🙌🏼
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Now this is also a two way street because as athletes, WE need to quit searching out the quick fix.Sometimes the right approach is a longer process. BUT with the right team in place & the right approach that does not rely ONLY on passive treatments we can hope to find lasting results that keep you lifting and participating in whatever fitness aspirations you have for life.🏋🏼‍♀️

Product Review: XPO Trainer

 Product Details:

Multi-Purpose and All Surface!
The XPO Trainer® is not only the very first exercise sled on wheels but a training device so versatile that it serves multiple purposes:

Athletes
For the athlete it is simply the most effective push sled on the market today. With its revolutionary patent-pending exponential resistance curve, it delivers the ultimate workout in the shortest time possible! The XPO Trainer's automatically adjusting power demands will humble the most elite athletes from any sport.

Rehab and Physical TherapyFor the trainer, physical therapist, or individual working on rehab or recovery from injury, the same exponential resistance curve provides a safe method to work natural movements that will adjust to the needs of the user. Instead of pushing against a static object such as a wall, or pushing against a traditional sled that can quickly slide away and lead to further injury, the XPO Trainer provides a very low rolling resistance at low speeds with an immediate and automatic increase in resistance that will provide an opportunity for the user to regain equilibrium safely.

XPO Trainer Features

• Nearly silent operation. 
• Removable handles for easy transport, portability, and storage. 
• Safe for use on almost any surface, even indoors. 
• Suitable for any level from rehab to training elite athletes. 
• The only trainer or sled ever made that gets eXPOnentially harder to push the faster you go.
• Assembled Sled Weight: 60lbs

My Review:

Developed by Bill Strahan, co founder of Armored Fitness Equipment,  the "XPO" stands for Exponential Power Output. The XPO Trainer meets force with force, with all the resistance coming from a damper like motor. There is no friction, skidding or tearing up the surface since it is on wheels. Its smooth and quiet. One plate is all you need for some traction, no more loading up a few hundred pounds for a sled workout, or having to constantly change the weights due to variance in athlete What I love about it, is a you fatigue you slow down but you don't grind to a stop.

The faster you push it, the harder it gets. The XPO Sled is designed to bolster explosive functional power for any class of athlete from the most elite to your grandmother, on all types of different surfaces. Unlike traditional push sleds and pull sleds that are abrasive on most flooring surfaces,The XPOs durable inflated rubber wheels are easy on indoor surfaces such as carpet and rugged enough for outdoor training on grass, turf, concrete or asphalt and even slightly uneven surfaces. This makes the XPO the perfect training tool for sports performance centers, sports teams, crossfit gyms and even physical therapy clinics!  

When rehabbing individuals in the therapy setting, implementing sled pushes allows your body to naturally work the core muscles and those of the hips and legs simultaneously without having to instruct someone to do multiple exercises for activation or isolation single muscles.  Once an individual is able, this can help save a lot of time and teach more practical applications of muscle engagement.  The XPO sled resistance progresses along as the patient recovers increased work capacity, which means no more guessing if the weight is appropriate for their plan of care.  As their capacity to push this sled increases the individual is forced to place their trunk in  good position and create appropriate stiffness to continue pushing at force, thus this sled is extremely helpful in reinforcing proper positioning while also being the perfect progressive resistance tool.

My Rating: 9/10
An XPO workout is easy to get into, feels great, and takes less time than existing aerobic and strength exercise to deliver more of the results you desire. A few critiques to justify my rating include price point, and attachments.  I know this sled is not the cheapest on the market ($700) but one sled can be used for any number of individuals and serve all their needs equally.  Another thing I was a little disappointed in was that it was missing different attachments or hand holds for different pushing or pulling grips.  Looking similar to your standard prowler sled I was wishing it had a high and low bars, as well as  carabiner loop in the front for sled pulls and drags (or atleast options for such features).  However, the standard sled push is what the XPO does best, and is by far my top ranked piece of equipment for the movement.  In summary, training advantages I noticed include: safe acceleration/deceleration, full body engagement, convenience for groups, and being surface friendly.

Nothing is more functional than feet on the ground training your body in real world, not simulated, athletic movements. Increase speed, acceleration, and explosive power on the surface you play on.

You can get your own XPO Trainer sled on their website using this link:
https://www.armoredfitness.com/products/xpo-trainer

Top 5 Kettlebell Movements - Part 2

 The Snatch is one of the quintessential kettlebell movements; the combination of strength, power, stability, and cardiovascular fitness embodies kettlebell lifting perfectly. Whether you want to build power or strength endurance, the Snatch is a great exercise to add to your training. Another reason to love the kettlebell Snatch is that the movement is accessible to a larger population than the barbell Snatch; the mobility requirement is less stringent, with many of the same benefits.

Since the Snatch is a highly technical movement, take plenty of time to practice with a light kettlebell. The neuromuscular system needs time to coordinate the movement and build muscle memory. The shoulder also needs time to build stability in the overhead position. A great way to start is to practice the Half Snatch. This allows you to focus on the upswing of the movement before tackling the more challenging drop into the backswing. Once the upswing is mastered, you can work on the drop, making sure that you allow the bell handle to skip the center of your hand on the way down so there is no pulling on your palm, which can cause blisters and tears.

There are two variations in technique you can use on the Snatch. The first is a Snatch that uses a hinge motion, which is great for building strength and power. The second is a Snatch that uses a pendulum leg action, which is ideal for endurance work. Choose the variation that suits your goals, or simply the one you enjoy more!

1.      Start in a standing position with feet about hip width apart and a kettlebell in front of your feet. Grab onto the kettlebell with hook grip (bell handle in the fingertips, and thumb locked over the fingers).

2.      Pull the bell into the backswing, then drive with the legs to bring the kettlebell up. For the hinge-based power swing, use a hinge motion and extend the hips forcefully. For the pendulum-based endurance swing, use a slower pendulum leg action that follows the motion of the kettlebell.

3.      When the kettlebell reaches the “float point” (somewhere between hip and shoulder level), redirect the kettlebell into the overhead position as you punch the hand up and through the bell handle to meet the kettlebell in the overhead position. For the power swing, the arm and the kettlebell should stay tight to the body on the way up. For the endurance swing, the bell should be allowed to follow its natural path (which will be farther from the body) before redirecting into the overhead position.

4.      After stabilizing the kettlebell in the overhead position for a couple seconds, turn the bell and allow it to drop; give the kettlebell a head start before following it into the backswing with the torso. The arm should hit the hip before the torso folds forward.

5.      Once the kettlebell completes the backswing, go into the next repetition. 

The Renegade Row is a challenging core exercise that involves both pushing and pulling upper body components. The movement is comprised of one kettlebell push up followed by a row on each side from the plank position. One of the main functions of your core is to prevent trunk rotation, which requires your core, glutes, and hips to work together. Keeping the hips in place while performing rows in the plank position is a great way to train anti-rotation, as well as upper body pulling. The push up provides the upper body pushing component, and requires the core to stay active.

The Renegade Row should be trained with focus on form, not speed. Moving quickly typically leads to hip rotation and less core engagement. Instead, move slowly and deliberately to ensure proper body position in each part of the sequence. Start with 3-5 repetitions and work up to 10 repetitions. When you can easily complete 10 repetitions at a particular kettlebell weight, you can move up to a heavier weight.

1.      Start in the plank position with a kettlebell underneath each shoulder. Begin with the feet spread apart wide, and move them closer if you want to make the movement harder.

2.      Perform a push up, keeping the elbows in close and the belly button pulled up toward the spine to engage the core.

3.      From the plank position, perform one row on each side. Try not to move the hips -- this is the anti-rotation component -- and think of pulling the elbow and hip toward each other while you row.

4.      Once you complete the rows, go into the next repetition.

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