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sadie radinksy author of whole girlHello friends, Sadie Radinsky here. I’m a writer, paleo recipe creator, freshman in college, and author of the new book Whole Girl: Live Vibrantly, Love Your Entire Self, and Make Friends with Food. The book is filled with empowerment insights and advice, wellbeing practices, and 45 delicious gluten-free, paleo treat recipes—all with the goal of helping young women embrace and celebrate our every part of ourselves. I’ve been a part of the paleo community for over six years now, and Mark’s Daily Apple has always been such a huge aspect of that. So, I am over the moon to be connecting with you all today and sharing a special recipe from the book.

I would like to introduce you to Lavender-Rose Truffles. These are silky smooth, rich chocolate truffles flavored with pure lavender oil and rolled in crushed rose petals. They are exactly as luscious as they sound. This is a wonderful treat to make ourselves for Valentine’s Day (or any day!) as an act of self-love. I hope you enjoy these truffles as much as I do.

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lavender rose truffles

Lavender-Rose Truffles from Sadie Radinsky’s new book “Whole Girl”



  • Author:
    Sadie Radinsky, featured on Mark’s Daily Apple

  • Prep Time:
    5 min

  • Cook Time:
    5 min

  • Total Time:
    2 hours 10 minutes

  • Yield:
    16 truffles

  • Diet:
    Gluten Free

Description

Rich dark chocolate truffles with a delightful hint of lavender and rose


Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut cream, scooped from the top of a chilled can full-fat coconut milk

1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips*

2 drops food-grade pure lavender oil (optional)

1/4 cup cocao/cacao powder

2 Tbsp dried rose petals, crushed (optional)


Instructions

Scoop the coconut cream into a heatproof class bowl, and rest the bowl on a saucepan containing 1 inch of water. Heat this on the stove on medium heat until the coconut cream hot to the touch, then pour in the chocolate. Turn the heat down to low. Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and forms a shiny ganache. Remove immediately from heat.

Stir in the lavender oil, if desired. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours, or until completely solid.

Pour the cacao powder and crushed rose petals into 2 separate bowls. Roll the refrigerated chocolate into 16 balls, then toss each in either of the toppings. Enjoy! Store leftovers in the fridge.

*To make this recipe sugar-free, use a stevia-sweetened dark chocolate such as Lily’s.

  • Category: Dessert

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 truffle

Keywords: gluten free truffles, keto truffles, low-carb truffles

Primal Kitchen Buffalo

The post Lavender-Rose Truffles from Sadie Radinsky’s new book “Whole Girl” appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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Originally posted at: http://www.nerdfitness.com/

Two LEGOs doing bodyweight training on a book

It’s time to discover the best compound exercises for beginners!

Compound exercises are the most “bang for your buck” when it comes to working out, so I’m super excited you want to learn more about them!

In our 1-on-1 Online Coach Program, we prioritize compound exercises when building workout routines for our clients. We’ll explain why today.




Here’s what we’ll cover:

Also, if you’re in a hurry, we’ve compiled all our strength and weight training content into one handy guide called (appropriately): Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know

Grab it for free when you join the Rebellion (that’s us!) below:

Alright, cue the music. Let’s do this thang.

What are Compound Exercises?

These LEGO characters are on a mission to grow some muscle.

Let’s compare “compound exercises” to “isolation exercises”:

  • Compound exercises require more than one muscle group working together to complete the movement. This replicates the way your body naturally moves.
  • Isolation exercises more or less train one specific muscle group. For example, the leg extension machine focuses on your quads, so it “isolates” training that muscle.

Front squats would be an example of a compound exercise, because it engages your entire  lower body and core, and quite a bit of your upper body too, as you perform the movement:

Coach Staci performing the barbell front squat

As opposed to biceps curls, which more or less just trains your biceps:

This would be an example of an isolation exercise.

As we explain in our Guide to Functional Fitness, whenever possible you want to focus on compound exercises.

Why?

Because in everyday life, you don’t use your muscles in isolation!

When you’re placing luggage in the overhead bin, hoisting a bag of dog food from the floor, or hauling your kid to bed, you’re using your muscle groups together. 

Just like you would with a compound exercise.

Plus, since you’re using multiple muscle groups at once, you’re taxing your body more when training. This can provide more efficient use of your time in the gym

In other words, why do three different exercises when you can just do one?

A classic scene from SNL

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get to working out.

The 5 Best Compound Exercises (Bodyweight)

Actually, you probably shouldn't waste your time with sit-ups.

1) The Push-up: The best exercise you could ever do for yourself when it comes to using your bodyweight for “push muscles.”

Muscles trained with the push-up:

  • Pectoral 
  • Triceps
  • Deltoids
  • Abs

Here’s our video on how to do a proper push-up:

Easier Variation: Knee Push-up

Rebel Leader Steve doing knee push-ups

Tougher Variation: Decline Push-up

Decline push-ups like this are a great way to progress your bodyweight exercises.

2) The Bodyweight Squat: This exercise serves a dual purpose – it is the foundation for building strength AND helps build proper mobility. If you are going to ever do barbell squats, you need to work on hitting proper depth with a bodyweight squat first! 

Muscles trained with the squat:

Easier Variation: Assisted Bodyweight Squat

Coach Staci showing you the an assisted bodyweight squat

Tougher Variation: Goblet Squat

The goblet squat is a great way to build muscle for women.

3) The Inverted Bodyweight Row: Until you can get your first pull-up or chin-up, these exercises are GREAT to start building your pull-muscle strength.

As you get lower, like this, the row will be harder to do. Great way to progress into a pull-up.

Muscles trained with the inverted row:

  • All of your back muscles (Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius)
  • Biceps
  • Forearm muscles (dorsal, ventral)
  • Your grip

Easier Variation: Incline Inverted Row

A bodyweight row like this is a great "pull" exercise you can while building up strength for pull-ups.

Tougher Variation: Elevated Feet Inverted Row

Raising your feet will make rows more challenging.

4) The Pull-up and Chin-up: Once you can support your body’s weight above the bar, the world becomes your playground. No strength training routine should be without pull-up or chin-up work! (Can’t do a pull-up yet? We got you.)

Muscles trained with the pull-up:

  • All of your back muscles (Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius)
  • Biceps
  • Latissimus dorsi (Lats)
  • Trapezius (Traps)
  • Abs
  • Your grip

Here’s how to perform a proper pull-up:

Easier Variation: Negative Pull-ups

Staci jumping up to do a negative pull-up., a great movement until you can bring regular pull-ups into your circuit.

Tougher Variation: Weighted Pull-ups

A weighted pull-up is great for progressive overload on your muscles.

5) The Bodyweight Dip: As you start to get stronger with push-ups and need to find a way to increase the challenge, consider doing dips.

Warning: these are very advanced, but are incredible strength-building exercises. 

Bodyweight dips are a great exercise to include in an strength training practice.

Muscles trained with the dips:

  • Pectoral 
  • Triceps
  • Deltoids
  • Rhomboid (Back muscles)
  • Abs

Easier Variation: Assisted Dips

A resistance band is a great way to get started with this bodyweight exercise.

Tougher Variation: Weighted Dips

My favorite method for doing weighted dips includes a special belt (shown here).

These 5 compound exercises will propel you into the world of bodyweight training. 

For more ideas on how to train without a gym, check out The 42 Best Bodyweight Exercises (Work Out Anywhere).

Now, it’s barbell time![1]

The 7 Best Compound Exercises (Barbell)

These LEGOs are working the bench and doing some deadlifts. Nerd Fitness approves.

After getting comfortable moving your own bodyweight around, it’s time to start training with barbells!

To up the difficulty with these compound exercises, simply add more weight. 

The fun thing about barbells: you can almost always add more weight (disclaimer: provided you do it safely). 

Here are The Best Barbell Compound Exercises

6) The Barbell Squat: Probably the best compound exercise when it comes to building strength and muscle throughout your whole body. 

The back squat will help you transform into a superhero.

Show me somebody who squats heavy and I’ll show you a great physique. This is a MUST.

Here’s how to perform the barbell back squat:

Muscles trained with the barbell squat:

7) The Barbell Deadlift: Maybe the best exercise of all time. 

Rebel Leader Steve showing how to do a 420 lb deadlift at the gym.

It’s certainly the most primal: “pick the weight up off the ground. Done.” 

Here’s how to perform the deadlift:

Muscles trained with the barbell deadlift:

  • Glutes
  • Erectors (Spinal muscle)
  • Hamstrings
  • Pretty much every muscle in your body

9) The Barbell Romanian Deadlift: Think of this as the top half of a conventional deadlift (imagine you’re a “drinking bird” bending over at the waist):

Coach Staci showing the Romanian deadlift

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to perform the Romanian deadlift:

Muscles trained with the Romanian deadlift:

  • Hamstrings
  • Glutes
  • Erectors (Spinal muscle)
  • Rhomboid (Back muscles)

10) The Barbell Overhead Press: Press a barbell above your head. 

Staci performing the overhead press.

Muscles trained with the overhead press:

  • Pectoral 
  • Triceps
  • Deltoids
  • Rhomboid (Back muscles)
  • Abs

All the muscles in your chest, shoulders, and arms are engaged in order for you to lift the weight over your head. As a bonus, you need to really flex and brace your core, which gets those muscles working too.

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to perform the overhead press:

11) The Barbell Bench Press: Lie on a bench, and lower a barbell until it almost touches your chest. Pause, and then press it back up towards the sky. 

As Staci shows here, keep your arms vertical (as much as you can).

Repeat! And get strong. 

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to perform the bench press:

Muscles trained with the benchpress:

  • Pectoral 
  • Triceps
  • Deltoids
  • Rhomboid (Back muscles)
  • Abs
  • Pretty much every muscle in your upper-body

12) The Barbell Bent-Over Row: Bend your torso over and hoist a barbell up.

If you've been following along at home, it's now time for performing the row with a barbell!

Muscles trained with the bent-over row:

  • All of your back muscles (Latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, trapezius)
  • Biceps
  • Forearm muscles (dorsal, ventral)
  • Your grip

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to perform the bent-over row:

Note: The above might be tough if gyms are closed around you. If that’s so, here’s how to build a gym at home (using household equipment).

Start Performing the Best Compound Exercises (Next Steps)

A woman pressing as against a beautiful sky.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: commit to trying ONE of these compound movements in the next week. Use 20 seconds of courage, recruit a friend who has lifted or trained before, and try your best. 

We all start somewhere! 

Speaking of starting out…

Have you yet to do ANY of these compound exercises?

Always start out with bodyweight moves and make sure your form is correct!

If it’s a barbell movement, use a broomstick (or PVC Pipe). 

When it comes to movements like squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, bench press, etc. – your form is crucial.  Develop good habits with lighter weight and you will save yourself months of frustration later and will protect you from injury.

If you’re struggling with certain elements of a movement, don’t get frustrated! Just understand that you’ll have areas in which you can improve.

When I started, I really liked practicing all of the movements at home because I could watch a video online at the same time as I was watching myself do it in a mirror.

Film yourself and compare it to our videos, or post it to the form check section of the Nerd Fitness Forums.

Still uncomfortable with the movements after that? Look around at some local strength and conditioning gyms and see if you could hire a coach (here’s how to find a good trainer) for one or two sessions just to go over the basic movements (or consider working with an online coach).

No matter what path you take, the most important thing you can do: START NOW!

If you wanna win a race, you need to start it!

Don’t overthink it. Just pick a compound exercise and learn how to do it. We can add more exercises to your routine down the road.

Want a little help getting going? The perfect next step to start your strength training journey!

You got it. 

Option #1) If you want a coach in your pocket, who can do video form checks, provide feedback, and adjust your workouts based on your progress, check out our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program

I’ve had an online coach since 2015 and it’s changed my life. You can learn more by clicking on the box below: 




Option #2) If you want a daily prompt for doing compound exercises at home, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).

Plus, you get to build an awesome superhero in the process!

Try your free trial right here:

Option #3) Join the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.

Sign-up below and receive our free guide Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know. It includes step-by-step instructions for the Best Compound Exercises covered in today’s guide. 

Alright, enough from me. Your turn:

Do you agree with my list of best compound exercises?

Am I missing any?

Any tips or tricks for a newbie just getting started?

Let me know in the comments!

-Steve

PS: Make sure you check out the rest of our Strength Training 101 series:

###

GIF Source: Weighted Dips, Biceps Curl, Will Ferrell,

Photo Source: lightfieldstudios © 123RF.com, Workout, LEGO bench pressLance Cpl. Tayler P. Schwamb, 101, 102, 103

Footnotes    ( returns to text)

  1. My favorite time.

The post The 12 Best Compound Exercises for Beginners (How to Train Efficiently) first appeared on Nerd Fitness.

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If you’re into a keto diet, this might be the snacking hack you were looking for.

Is it a good time to start a keto diet routine? Fat Snax may help.

 

If the spread of covid-19 has motivated you to pay extra attention to your health, the keto diet is something you might want to research

 

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Coach Mike Tromello talks about how to look and perform like an elite athlete.

 

In this episode, I am joined by Mike Tromello of Precision CrossFit. Mike was an accomplished athlete and is now a top coach.

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Seaweed may be a vegan, gluten-free superfood, but it also tastes great.

If you are vegan, or just looking for healthy, nutritious snacks, you might want to try GimMe Organics’ Premium Roasted Seaweed.The first thing that stood out to me was the variety of flavors. The sesame and olive oil-flavored seaweed snacks are mild, but the wasabi seaweed will give you a good kick and clear your sinuses.

 

That is after you finish a 0.35 oz pack all by yourself. But it isn’t just the slight saltiness or spiciness that makes the experience; it’s also the texture.

 

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Bring bodybuilding principles to functional resistance training by focusing on quality of movement rather than intensity.

There’s a reason functional bodybuilding has become an overactive buzzing buzzword in the fitness industry today: It combines traditional strength training with a more, let’s call it, practical way to train, one that gets you moving better—moving more functionally. This goes a long way in improving health and fitness long-term.

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