Author: HiB Fitness

Almond Butter Banana Pudding

Healthy snacks don’t always have to be dull and boring. Try this Almond Butter Banana Pudding for an amazing treat. This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients –

– 400 ml coconut milk
– 1 table spoon honey
– 1 large overly ripe banana
– 1/4 cup of almond butter
– crushed pecans (optional)

1. Preparation
– Open your can of coconut milk and separate the cream from the water.
– Set the water aside as you can use it to make smoothies

2. Mixing
– Place the coconut cream in a mixing bowl or a stand mixer
– Add the honey and using a hand mixer or the whisk on your stand mixer, whip until you have coconut milk whipped cream
– Add your banana and almond butter and mix until smooth and incorporated

3. Final Stage
– Transfer to serving dishes and top with crushed pecans and extra coconut milk whipped cream if you have any
– Store any extra in the refrigerator for up to 3 days

Why not try adding some chocolate, start by adding 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder while mixing in your banana for some added flavour. You can also add chia seeds to gain some extra health benefits.

HiB Fitness

Shaping you for life

October 22, 2015
The first step!

Did you have a long, tiring day? No energy? Are you still sore from yesterday and the day before? Don’t have the time? Do it anyway!

You have a goal to accomplish, or did you forget about that? Sitting there watching Netflix is getting you closer to your goal? Unfortunately someone can’t reach a fitness goal for you. You have no-one to blame but yourself if you don’t reach your goal, but on the flip side, you are the reason when you reach it. This is all you!

Remind yourself of why you started in the first place. That desire to better yourself.

How many times have you had to force yourself to go to the gym? How many times have you regretted it after? Sometimes all it takes is just showing up to get a great workout in. Every workout is productive. The difference between you and everyone else is that you have the discipline to show up. You can make your goals happen. You have fought that urge to stay at home before, you have conquered it. You can do it again!

Why is it even a question? Why is the internal struggle even there? Once again, remind yourself of that reason, that driving force that’s causing you to get in there and make great things happen. Show up! That’s all it takes.

HiB Fitness

Shaping you for life

October 13, 2015
Confidence is King!

Are you a runner? Are you a weight lifter? Are you a powerlifter, strongman competitor, or a stage competitor? Are you a little of all these put together? Whatever your fitness passion is, one thing in common to all of these is that you will never reach your full potential if you lack the confidence in yourself to achieve greatness.

Confidence can make the difference between 1st and 2nd place, the difference between a good and a great workout. It can mean deadlifting that extra 2.5kg. Confidence is a key to breaking what you think are your limitations, which definitely can be broken.

Confidence, as defined by dictionary.com is: full trust; belief in the powers, trustworthiness, or reliability of a person or thing

Full trust in yourself won’t always be easy! Belief in your own power will sometimes be hard, and at times, will seem almost impossible. But, confidence is what is going to get you to that moment, the pinnacle of any realistic goal you can set.

Walk into that weight room like you own it. Grab onto that bar like it’s the lightest thing you’ve ever picked up. Run that distance like it’s the shortest, easiest thing you ever done. Then, and only then, when you tell yourself, “I can do this!” is when you will succeed, break those limits and achieve your goals.

Don’t, however, mistake confidence for arrogance. Don’t be the one to walk into your training area like, “Look at me and what I can do.” No one likes, wants to be around, or train around an arrogant show-off. Be confident, yes, but don’t cross the line.

Self-confidence is boosted by a solid support system. To make your own confidence soar, surround yourself with like-minded people, people that will help to motivate and push you. “But, where do I find someone like that?” If you feel like the Lone Wolf searching for that someone who will always be there for you, to help you push those limits and motivate you beyond what you think are your capabilities, turn to Hi B Fitness. We have athlete motivators standing ready and waiting to help you out, waiting to help you find that confidence which already exists within yourself. If you’re still just not really sure where to look, send a message to us on the Hib Fitness page on Facebook or the contact email at www.hibfitness.ie. No one who is looking for support, inspiration, motivation, or self-confidence will be disappointed if they turn to Hib Fitness for help.

Whatever you do today, be great!

October 10, 2015
Fall Fitness Tips
The days are shorter and the nights are colder, but there’s no off-season for staying in shape. So here at Hi B Fitness we have a few fall fitness tips to maintain your fitness.
1. Using Technology – Apps and fitness watches such as Fitbit, help you keep track of your daily activity to ensure that you are still reaching your goals no matter the weather conditions.
2. Training Buddy – Find yourself a training partner to keep you in check. Making a plan to meet them will force you to go to the gym, even when you don’t want to.
3. Change your routine – If you stick with a routine for too long, you can start to find it tedious and you will stop putting in the effort. Switch it up to keep yourself entertained and challenge yourself with something new.
4. New clothes – Go out and buy new gym gear for the new season. By spending money on the new gear, you will be more comfortable heading into the gym, regardless of the weather.
5. Train for an event – If there is a winter event or something early in the new year, sign up for it. It will keep you motivated and help keep you focused.
If you find yourself slipping or lacking in motivation, you can always ask to speak with a member of staff that you feel comfortable with and we will be more than happy to help pick up your spirits.

Hi B Fitness, Shaping you for life!
October 2, 2015
Apple Pie Energy Balls
Anyone who has tried a diet in the past will know how hard it is to stick with it.

I think the key to success of any diet (other then determination and will power of steel) is to always have healthy, ready-made snacks on hand. This is why these apple pie energy balls are the perfect solution. Less than 10 minutes to make and really tasty.

Ideal snack to cut those food cravings, high in protein to keep you full, Or a fantastic pre-workout snack.

Ingredients:
1. 1½ cups chopped dried apple
2. ¼ cup dates
3. ½ tbsp honey (or other sweetener)
4. 1 tsp nutmeg (optional, to taste)
5. 2 tbsp cinnamon (optional, to taste)
6. ¼ cup toasted pecans
Method:
1. In a blender add the dried apples, dates and honey and blend until the apples have broken down into very small pieces and the mixture becomes batter like in consistency
2. Add the nutmeg, cinnamon and toasted pecans and continue to blend until the pecans reach your desired size.
3. Once blended, scoop out tablespoon sized amounts of the mixture and roll into balls, depending on the stickiness you can wet your hands a touch to make the balls easier to roll
4. Store the balls in the fridge in a sealed container for approximately a week, or you can keep them in the freezer for over a month
These really do taste like apple-pie. Great to keep a little tub with you while going for a long drive or to keep a few in the office to snack on before or after your lunch. I normally double up the ingredients and make a large batch, they hold for about 3 months in a freezer.

Let us know how you get on with yours and any variations that you do.

Hi B Fitness, Shaping you for life.
September 15, 2015
Benefits of Water
How much water should you drink? Sounds like an easy enough question, however, the answer is different for everyone. It depends on age, height, activity levels and a variety of other factors.

After doing a bit of research we found that most articles published agree with the average intake for male and females. (Male: 3 litres daily, Female: 2.2 Litres daily) These should be increased if you engage in physical activities such weight-lifting or participating in a fitness class.

Tips to reach your daily intake:
- Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up in the morning.
- Get a litre bottle (or bigger) and mark different levels on it that you want to reach by a certain time.
- Add some lemon and limes to your water for some added flavour (and added health benefits)
- Use apps like “Carbodroid” for android or “Waterlogged” for iphone to help keep track and remind you to drink more water.
Benefits of drinking H2O
1. Increases Energy & Relieves Fatigue – Increases brain function and which boosts energy levels
2. Promotes Weight Loss – Raises your metabolism, decreases hunger and has 0 calories
3. Flushes Out Toxins – Sweat out extra toxins
4. Boosts Immune System – Helps fight against flu and tooth decay along with many other illnesses
5. Prevents Cramps & Sprains – Hydrated joints move easier and hydrated muscles are more elastic
6. Puts You in a Good Mood – When your body feels better, you feel better
7. Save Money – More often than not, water is free. If it is bottled, it’s still cheaper than a latte
There are so many great benefits to adding more water into your life, and so many easy ways to too. It will be easy to reach your target and reap the benefits.

HiB Fitness, Shaping you for life!
September 12, 2015
Sweet Potato and Tuna Patties!

Looking for something a bit different and healthier to put on the BBQ? Try out this delicious and simple recipe. These can be served on their own or as a burger, they are great either way.

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS:

1) 1 Large sweet potato, peeled (roughly 600g)

2) cooking oil

3) 1/2 small onion

4) 1 garlic clove, crushed

5) 400g canned tuna (drained)

6) 1 egg, lightly beaten

7) 40g breadcrumbs

8) 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

9) 2 tablespoons plain flour

Method

1) Cut sweet potato into small pieces. Cook in sauce pan. Drain, and mash after cooked.

2) Add a small small bit of cooking oil to a non-stick frying pan. Add onions and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes.

3) Mix tuna, egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic, onion & sweet potato in a bowl. Stir until well combined.

4) Make mixture into patties using your hands. Add flour on a plate. Coat patties in flour mixture, shaking off excess.

5) Cook for 4 to 5 minutes each side or until golden and heated through.

Don’t be afraid to get adventurous with this one. Try adding some more flavours or substituting the tuna for shredded chicken or pulled pork. Let us know how you get on with yours and what you added.

HiB Fitness, Shaping you for life.

September 6, 2015
Types of Training

With so many different fitness classes from tabata to aqua aerobics, it can be hard to find the one that is right for you. Here is a list of 4 different training styles and which class is best suited to each.

1) Cardiovascular Fitness

Cardio fitness refers to working the heart and pumping the blood. So it’s all the activities that work this system harder; like Tabata, Spinning, Metafit etc

Other ways to improve your cardio fitness is to train through a range of intensities. By doing short fast spurts of speed (any exercise) followed by recovery period, this type of training sessions is called interval training.

2) Muscular Strength

Muscular strength means giving your muscles a resistance (weight) and getting them to lift it or move it over several reps. The muscle responds by growing and getting stronger. You need to add more resistance to continue to grow the muscle and strengthen it. The best classes for this would be: Bootcamp, kettlebells etc

3) Muscular Endurance

This is similar to above but it is very different, it is where your muscles are resisting continually for quite a long time. So it builds muscle as well as endurance. However the muscle built is often a leaner muscle. All exercise class will help benefit your muscular endurance, however if you just continue to do the same exercise with the same resistance, you will cease to yield results.

4) Flexibility

When we talk about flexibility, we are not just referring to being able to touch your toes or twist your body like a pretzel. This is more about your joints being able to work with its full range of motion without causing you pain. The best classes to help with this: Yoga and Pilates.

For more information on any of the above training styles come in and speak with any of our fitness instructors. Don’t forget to check out our full list of classes available:

Fitness Classes

HiB Fitness, Shaping you for life.

September 2, 2015
Nutella Dip!

Looking for a healthy snack for your kids party or a playful treat for guests coming over. Whatever the age or occasion everyone will love this quick and simple treat.

Ingredients:

1 cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup Nutella

Variety of dipping items: fresh cut fruit, biscuits, cereal bars, nuts etc.

Method:

1) Put non-fat Greek yogurt and Nutella into a bowl and mix until completely combined together.

2) Place into fridge for 10-15 minutes

3) Place into small serving bowl and serve dipping items on the side.

Try adding chopped nuts into the nutella dip for extra flavour and crunch.

Leave a comment and let us know how you get on with yours!

Hib Fitness, you for life.

August 30, 2015
Staying Motivated!

At some point or another we have all found it hard to get off the couch and get to the gym. Fitness goals can be hard to achieve.

So, here is a few ways to help keep yourself motivated to help reach your goals!

1) Find positive like minded People

Finding a community of positive people (friends, coworkers, or even your family) can help you stay motivated and positive. If you can’t find someone in your local community check out social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. There is over 7 Billion people in the world, you are not alone.

2) Join the gym

This seems like an obvious tip, but gym membership is an instant access to a local fitness community. In addition to this, fitness classes and top-notch equipment are at the ready. And here at Hib Fitness, there will be a spot for you in our community.

3) Fitness is FUN

Fitness should be fun, even when it isn’t. There are so many different styles of training, it is just a matter of finding one that suits you. Here at HiB Fitness, we provide a variety of fitness classes to help you find one that you like. See the link below to see our current fitness class timetable.

Fitness Classes

4) Routine

As you already know, habits are hard to break. So, create a routine of coming to the gym or going for a jog and before you know it, it will become a habit that you won’t want to break.

5) Share with others

Tell others your fitness goals and plans, this may be a bit daunting at first, but it will help you in the long run. This makes you accountable and will provide you with a cheering squad.

6) Personal Trainers

If would prefer not to tell your friends and family about your fitness goals, try hiring a personal trainer. A personal trainers two biggest jobs are firstly: making sure that you are safe while exercising and doing everything correctly, Secondly: to help keep you motivated and on track. This is their job, and they are pretty good at it.

Not all personal trainers are the same, so contact us and speak with the personal trainers. Make sure that you get the right one for you.

Declan @ Performance Kinetics : 085 7800 069

Katie @ KT Fitness : 086 1255 406

Barry @ BeFit4Life : 087 770 7320

Healthy living is a journey with many ups and downs, but it’s a journey you get to take each and every day. So figure out what works for you and roll with it.

Consistency Is Key

August 29, 2015