Cacao-Nut Protein Balls

You are going to go NUTS over these protein balls! I have been loving these as a post workout snack or an after dinner treat! Once you try these you will be wanting more, trust me! My other favorite protein balls recipe is in the Guiltless Nutrition & Recipe eBook!

You won’t even be able to tell you are eating such a healthy snack because they are just THAT good! These little protein balls are packed with 4 scoops of my LSF Plant Protein and I know you are going to be just as obsessed with them as I am!

Cacao-Nut Protein Balls Ingredients

makes approx. 24 balls 

• 3 cups Medjool dates pitted

• 1 1/2 cups almonds

• 1/2 cup water

• 2 tbsp cacao powder

• 4 scoops LSF Plant Protein (Vanilla or Chocolate)

• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

• 1/2 cup coconut flakes unsweetened

Instructions

1. Add almonds to a food processor and process until it’s more of a flour texture. It can be coarse. 

2. Add dates and water, cacao and protein powder and process until well combined.

3. Add chocolate chips and hit pulse a few times to combine.

4. Use a spatula to remove mixture from the processor into a bowl. Then use your hands to roll even spoonfuls into small balls.

5. Pour coconut flakes onto a large plate or bowl and gently roll the balls to cover in the flakes.

6. Store in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container.

Craving More?

Find more delicious recipes like this + all of our favs here!

The post CACAO-NUT PROTEIN BALLS appeared first on Love Sweat Fitness.

Tips for setting up your Peloton bike (or any spin bike) with seat height, seat position, handlebar positions, and how to clip and unclip your pedals.

I’ve been participating in an exciting Instagram advice mission lately: helping reader friends set up their Peloton bikes. I’ve had the bike for two years but have taught cycling classes for 11 years now (WHAT), so quite a few people have reached out to me for help on how to set up their bikes. (One week, I helped four people set up their bikes via photos and video!) I feel like Peloton does a lot of things right, but when I first got the bike myself, I was so thankful that I was an advanced spinner because otherwise I would have felt lost with the initial process. I didn’t feel like the setup video was very thorough or helpful. They breezed through a lot of the details but thankfully, I was easily able to set it up myself.

I thought I’d make a video here for my friends who have recently purchased a Peloton or another spin bike or need to adjust their current settings.

The right settings can make such a huge difference in how your ride feels and can also help to protect against common issues like injury and pain in your knees, ankles, wrists, and low back. As always, be smart when you’re setting up any type of fitness equipment. Ask for someone to help you if you need it!

How to Set Up Your Peloton Bike (Or Any Spin Bike)

First, you’ll want to plug in the bike and get it connected to Wifi. From here, you’ll create a profile or log into an existing profile. This part is pretty easy! Next, you’ll need to personalize your bike settings by adjusting the seat height, position, and handlebars.

Watch the video for all of my tips on how to adjust the Peloton bike (or any spin bike) here:

Sharing a full blog post showcasing the differences between Organifi green juice and AG1 and how I use them in my routine. 

Hi friends! How are ya? I hope you’re having a wonderful week. It’s been a good one over here, except for the fact that half of the family is sick with colds. I’m knocking on wood, eating whole cloves of garlic, and following my usual immune boost protocol (when family members are sick or I’ve been exposed). Some of the things I do are in this post – I need to update it!

I also have to give credit to a couple of things that I use in my routine that I think have helped keep my immune system strong: Organifi green juice and Athletic Greens (aka AG1). I use and love both of these, so I thought today I’d share some of the benefits of these amazing products, the differences, and compare them.

Organifi green juice vs. Athletic Greens (AG1)

Benefits of drinking a daily greens powder:

TBH, it can be really hard to get the nutrients we need from food alone. You have to be strategic about it, and this can be especially challenging if you’re juggling a lot of other things. A majority of us aren’t calculating our B2 needs throughout the day and if we’ve hit it, you know what I mean? A powder can help us fill in the gaps, especially with certain vitamins and minerals.

I LOVE greens powders like this because they often contain a mix of vitamins, minerals, superfoods, probiotics, and adaptogens, which can help our bodies to fight off damage from toxins and environmental exposure, improve immune health, restore gut function, and improve stress response.

The downside:

A majority of greens powders are disgusting. I’ve tried SO many, and a majority of them taste like you’re chewing on a tree. They’re bitter, earthy, chalk-y, and unpalatable. This can discourage so many people from adding a green powder to their routine.

Here are two that I absolutely love! They source high-quality ingredients and put an extreme amount of care into creating these superfood powders.

They serve different purposes, they taste different, and you can choose which one you want to try, based on your goals and preferences. *As always, talk with a doctor before adding any new supplements into your routine. I’m not a doctor and this is not medical advice.

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Sharing some benefits of stretching in the morning + my favorite morning stretches. 

Hi friends! Happy Monday! How was the weekend? Ours was a busy and fun one! Liv’s team crushed it in their last dance competition of the season, and she placed 7th overall for her solo! It was very exciting 🙂

Today, I’m going to chat a bit about stretching. While the research is mixed on stretching, I feel like it can be extremely beneficial. When you stretch, you’re taking your muscles and joints through full range of motion. When you have full range of motion, you’re less likely to compensate during your activities. Compensation can lead to muscle imbalances, altered movement patterns, and injury. Also, stretching feels good!!

Morning is a great time to get in a gentle stretch; it’s just important to remember to move slowly, especially since you’ve been (mostly) still all night.

(Top here // sports bra // shorts)

In today’s post, I’m going to share some of the benefits of stretching in the morning, some of my favorite stretches, and offer tips on how to incorporate it into your daily routine.

5 Benefits of stretching in the morning

Increases flexibility:

Regular stretching can help improve your flexibility and range of motion. This can help you perform daily activities with ease and reduce the risk of injury.

Can reduce stress and tension:

Stretching can help release tension in your muscles, which can help reduce stress and anxiety. It also promotes relaxation and can help you feel more calm and centered throughout the day.

Can improve circulation:

Stretching can help improve circulation by increasing blood flow to your muscles. This can help improve energy levels and reduce fatigue.

Enhanced posture:

Regular stretching can help improve your posture by lengthening tight muscles and reducing tension in your neck, shoulders, and back. This can help reduce the risk of chronic pain and injury.

Boosts mood:

Stretching releases endorphins, which are natural mood-boosters. Starting your day with a quick stretch can help you feel more energized and positive throughout the day.

So, how can you incorporate stretching into your morning routine?

Here are a few tips:

Start small: If you’re new to stretching, start with just a few basic stretches and gradually increase the duration and intensity over time.

Be gentle: Don’t push yourself too hard when stretching. Stretch to the point of mild tension, but not pain.<

Running, biking and other aerobic exercise help improve your health and fitness. Find out just how much aerobic exercise is right for you and how much cardio is too much.

Hi friends! How’s the morning going?? I hope you’re having a wonderful week. For today’s post, I updated an older *beefy* one with lots of fitness tips. If you’re wondering about how much cardio to do and need help with your routine, join us for Fit Team!

I frequently get variations of the same question. What is my weight loss goal? What cardio exercises should I do? What is a *good* amount of cardio I can do without losing muscle? What’s the bare minimum?

But what the core of each of those questions is ultimately asking is: How much cardio is too much?

Let me dust off my cardio queen badge and tell you a long tale.

How Much Cardio Is Too Much?

The Tale of the Cardio Queen

Back in the day, I thought cardio was the “end all be all” of health, fitness, and (what my goal was at the time) losing weight. I figured that more was better as far as cardio exercises go. Little did I know, I was burning my precious muscle away as I pounded the treadmill and was striding along on the elliptical.

It’s equally tragic and amusing to consider the amount of time I spent doing cardio, thinking I was throwing myself a solid to only later find out that it was overkill. I cardio-ed my little heart out, and there was a time when I was going an hour +, almost every day of the week. I was doing way too much cardio at high intensity. (This is also when I screwed up my me