Base Recipe for LowCarb Protein Pancakes

Hey all! This is an oldie, but a goodie. Try this recipe - do it now.

I  posted this recipe for super clean protein pancakes right when I started this site. People LOVE them! Bonus that they're extremely clean and tasty. I have these on the weekend usually when I want to spend some time in the kitchen with a coffee. It really doesn't take that long, so they can actually be made during the week.

Now I know everybody has their own version of protein pancakes. I came across this one years ago and I've stuck with it. The reason being that it's really clean. Some recipes get carried away with oats, "clean" flours, even sweeteners... but I like it simple. I know exactly what's in these and they leave me satisfied. They sometimes turn out a crepe-like texture which is fine by me.

Consider this recipe a base - and add your own extras. Apples and cinnamon?  Pumpkin puree? Go for it!

What are your favourites?

I'm on vacation!

Happy New Year to All! Thanks for checking out the TrainRite website :) Just to give everybody a heads up; whether you're a regular here, or you've found the my site through a listing on Amazon, eBay, or Etsy.... I'm OUT!

It's -24C here in Toronto, and that's just about my threshold.

I'm on vacation until January 16th, 2015,  so I've temporarily closed all listings for TrainRite Fitness Journals. If you're looking to place an order, no worries I will reactivate all listings on the 16th, and will return to normal shipping times. (Did I mention I typically ship SAME DAY?!). So you can wait until then, or you can email me directly at: admin@trainrite.ca. I will check these periodically, and alert you upon my return!

Thank you all for an exciting and successful 2014!

-Matt Cronin

New TrainRite Exercise and Fitness Journal covers!

Anybody starting to get their Christmas lists together? Check out some of the new covers for the holiday season for the ever popular TrainRite Exercise & Fitness Journal! All the same features as the traditional weight lifting log book, but with some fun new covers!

Available on Amazon.com, eBay & Etsy.

There's an even MORE compact TrainRite Fitness Journal coming soon!

Over the past year or so that I've been creating and selling Fitness and Nutrition Journals for myself and others, I've received a lot of great feedback! I want to personally thank each and every one of you who took the time to contact me and let me know how it's working for you, asked me questions about the best way to use the journals, or just general thanks and positivity. If you haven't yet, or have any questions, email me anytime - admin@trainrite.ca. As I've said before, my original intentions were never to sell these things, they were for me! I had goals that just weren't being met by "showing up". I needed to plan things out, and periodically review my progress. As people saw me using them, my progress and results - I kept getting asked where they could get them, and so TrainRite was born.

There are a ton of other options out there for basic weight lifting, fitness and food journals. 99% of them (trust me, I've tried many), have SO much wasted space and just general 'filler' that I'd never use. I personally wanted a small physical book to log my weight/reps, my newest 5k run time, my weight, along with my complete exercise regimen somewhere in the book so I'd always know what I'm working that day. That's it! A few journals I've found are actually very similar to mine. Simple, easy to use, compact and so on. The key difference I strive for is listening to your experience and evolving into a product that's better for everyone - not just me.

In the next month or so I'll be rolling out a different version of the TrainRite Exercise and Fitness Journal

So what's new? Based on feedback I've received:

• Keep it compact. Somehow more compact than the original, this version is also more a ‘traditional’ book shape making it strong and sturdy
• More sets. Many of you animals wanted more than 4 sets per exercise as in the first journal, so you’re in luck – this book’s got 5!
• More logging for cardio or classes. This version has 3 spaces per workout for cardio or other non-weight training activities.
• We like notes. A space for notes! ‘Nuff said.

And as always...

• No frills, no wasted pages.
• Waterproof cover and backing
• 10 exercises per workout
• 90 workouts worth of logging
• A planning chart for creating 12 unique workouts that is always with you

 So stay tuned!

- Matt 

New TrainRite Logbook feature: Pre-planning Workout Guide!

Hi all! I wanted to bring your attention to an exciting new feature that will ship with every TrainRite Logbook order!

The TrainRite Workout Guide  allows you to pre-plan a rotating 2 week fitness routine. This is a great addition to the logbook in the sense that you'll fill out the chart well in advance, so when you show up to the gym you've already done the hard work and know exactly what you're working that session.

I do this myself, and has been a critical step in creating well rounded workouts and meeting my goals. I've received an overwhelming request for this feature from current TrainRite users that I've shown my chart to. I rarely repeat exercises over my 2 week rotation, so my pre-planned routine can actually outlast my 90 day TrainRite Logbook.

Top 3 reasons to pre-plan your routine with the TrainRite Workout Guide?

1. Saves you time. By spending the time and doing the  hard work upfront, you're never scrambling to dream up your workout while on the way to the gym.

2. Forces you to take a step back and get a birds-eye view of how effective your workouts are. You'll see which muscle groups you're overlooking, or overworking, and help you gear your workout routines to meet your goal

3. Expands your horizons. You'll take more time researching new exercises and training techniques while you fill out your guide. The more variations of exercises and techniques you use, the less "routine" it will actually be!

How do I use it?

1. Choose up to 6 days per week, and fill out the top row of the chart for each week. I workout Monday through Saturday, with Sunday's off for rest - so I'd fill out Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and so on to Saturday.

2. Then under each day, choose the musclegroup(s) you're going to target. A few examples from my own guide are Fridays I workout Legs/Shoulders and Saturdays I hit my Back/Core.

3. Now just fill out the exercises you're going to complete and the SETSxREPS of each. Over the two week rotation you can use the same days for similar muscle groups, but try to choose different variations of exercises to work those groups. This will help you build muscle and prevent you from getting bored with your workouts. The more variations, the longer you can keep using this same routine. And don't forget to choose additional rest days!

4. Peel off the backing and stick it to the inside the plastic backing of your TrainRite Logbook.

Where do I get one?

When you order any TrainRite Logbook, you'll automatically be shipped one.  http://trainrite.ca/products/

What I DID Wednesday

So a friend of mine so politely suggested that maybe I should post more often. I like hearing suggestions from fellow readers and anyone really, so I figured I could start today. I’ve been asked this question fairly often, and this was actually her suggestion to me: What does your typical day look like as far as exercise and meals go? Well my dinner tonight isn’t really typical - I’m expecting to eat as many wings and drink as much beer as I can handle on a “school night”- but the rest really is. On a typical weeknight for dinner I’ll more than likely have some sort of meat (lean steak, chicken breast/thigh, salmon etc.) with salad, steam veg or similar.

Portion control isn’t really my strong suit, so I try to eat before 6:30pm so I don’t feel so full for the early morning workouts.

5:30am Workout: Glutes, Chest, Core (all superset)

Barbell Step-ups – 110lbs x   20, 17, 16 (these are the worst) Pec Fly Machine – 190lbs x 12, 12 ,12

Glute Kickback Machine – 170lbs x 12, 12, 12 each leg Incline Dumbbell Press – 2x70lbs x 10, 10, 9

Barbell Hip Thrust - 185lbs x 12, 12, 12 (looks so suggestive…) Cable Press - 110lbs x 12, 12, 12

Leg Raise with Dumbbell - 25lbs x 12, 12, 12 Torso Twist Machine - 190lbs x 15, 15, 15 each side

Horizontal Sit-up - 45lbs x 12, 12, 12 Sitting Oblique Twist (with Plate) - 25lbs x 25, 25, 25

Finished it off with a 5K run! Now I’m ready for Wing Night!

FOOD:

Before Workout (5:15am) – 5g BCAA, 1 scoop protein powder

Post Workout (7:00am) ­– 5g BCAA, 1 scoop protein powder

Breakfast (7:30am) – Overnight Oats

Snack (10am) – Broccoli & cauliflower

Lunch (12:30pm) – Pulled Chicken Lettuce Wraps (I made tons - I'm eating this all week)

Snack (2pm) – Hardboiled egg & Tandoori Masala Roasted Chickpeas

Dinner (6pm) – Wing night…. So wings and beer! (lots)

Happy 4 of July, you 'Mericans!

Finishing the week strong, after a very slow start... Has anybody else come down with this dirty summer cold that’s been floating around the city?? I’ve missed so many training sessions this week. Today is my first day back, and I’m trying to condense the muscle groups that were missed in the past 4 days or so into today and tomorrow’s routine. It felt good to rest a few days, the cold really knocked me on my ass.

It actually feels nice to switch it up a bit from my typical training style of 2 muscle groups per day, superset with one another (mostly to save me time in the morning in an attempt to get to work on time! ;) ).

July 4 

Lats/Chest Wide grip pullups, 4 x exhaustion Bench press, 4x20 Lat Pulldown Machine, 3x12 Incline press, 3x12 Pushups, 3 x exhaustion

Bis/Tris Barbell curls, 4x20 Skullcrushers, 4x20 Alternating dumbell curls, 3 x exhaustion Dips, 3 x exhaustion Cable curls (bar), 3x12

July 5

Legs/Various Leg press, 4x20 Lower Back Extension, 4x20 Glute kickback, 3x12ea Decline bench dumbell pullovers, 3x12 Hamstring curl, 3x12ea

Core/Shoulders Cable crunch, 4x20 Smith shoulder press (heavy), 4x6 Hanging wipers, 3x15 Double cable lateral raise, 3x12ea Decline bench swiss ball swing, 3x25

2 MONTH SHRED CHALLENGE: WEEK 1 COMPLETE

Just a quick update (full results here): Well, after one week I don't expect to see much of a change, so here's a quick summary.

I followed my workout plan down to a tee, and did 3x5Km runs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Friday, you’ll notice, is also leg day for me… causing the run to be a little on the slow side (poor hammys!).

At mealtime I did fairly well too – adjusted to the side-plate portion size and tried to avoid just piling high instead. This needs work haha. Luckily much of my meals have been veg and chicken so I don't feel so bad. Here's another example: shallot, mushroom, and herb scrambled eggs with tomato and avocado. So good.

Saturday Cheats: glass of Red, and mom’s Rhubarb pie. Def worth it!

Adjustments: I don’t think I felt anything need fine tuning quite yet. I may not run on Friday’s and shift the days to Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday… it’s really awkward to run right after a leg workout!

Results: I’m not expecting any real results photos-wise, but my weight did drop. This is NOT a typical drop, likely due to me cramming as much dirty food in my face as I could right before I embarked on this journey!

Starting Weight: 176.2lbs

Week end: 171.8lbs

My 2 Month Shred Challenge

So recently I decided to start a 2 month shred challenge for myself, to try and cut down some of the extra weight I’ve put on this spring. I tend to… how you say…. “eat like an asshole” when I decide to have dirty cheat meals, and then these easily turn into “cheat weekends”. Recently I've had a lot going on so these have been pretty abundant. Last November I did a 6-week challenge, and my reward was our family Christmas trip to Mexico. That challenge was really effective, I cut down to 158lbs with some great definition - I was really pumped with the results. I didn’t really take any photos for that challenge, as it’s somewhat out of my comfort zone. Also, our travel agency unfortunately cancelled the trip via email on Boxing Day (Canadians - never book with Nolitours!!), so I didn’t feel any satisfaction for of it. This time I’ll be posting weekly “selfies” to showcase the results I’m seeing. If you follow me on Instagram, you know I’ve come out of my shell a bit with the photos.

The Rules:

-          Generally a low carb, low sugar diet. On run days I’ll have a higher carb intake (usually through oats and fruit) -          Nothing with added sugars (this includes dried crans and sweet rice cakes) -          No breads, pasta, rice -          Snacks: fruit on run days only, vegetables otherwise -          3 runs per week -          6 workouts per week -          Meals on side plates only -          No alcohol -          No snacking on almonds as I get out hand with these. I’ll use them as part of meals only. -          Any cheating will be fessed up to

Workout Plan:

I've just begun a new workout routine utilizing my TrainRite logbook. Love this thing; I never have to think about what I have to workout each day – I did all the pre-planning. I actually began this regimen a while back, but due to a neck injury and illness I never got into the full swing of it. Now that I’m 100%, I’ll use it for the entire 62 days. 6 days a week and one rest day. Here’s the breakdown:

Sunday: Rest Day Monday: Lats/Bis Tuesday: Legs/Core Wednesday: Chest/Tris Thursday: Various*/Core Friday: Legs/Shoulders Saturday: Back/Core * “Various” refers to exercises that use a multiple muscle groups, or muscles I couldn’t classify with the other days

Cardio: 3 runs per week – Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday (generally quick 5km runs)

Supplements: -          Protein shake immediately before and after workouts -          5grams Creatine on workout days (taken with the aforementioned protein) -          10grams BCAAs, daily -          Daily men’s multi vitamin -          Daily fish oil

Exceptions: -          1 Cheat item per week (NOT a whole meal) -          1 alcoholic drink per week *I’ll adjust any of these that I deem effective or not as I go.

Keeping Track: Call me lazy, but I’ve found that the best way for me to track my results are weight and photos. A lot of people do measurements, but I don’t really think it’s necessary for me. Does anyone else have a method they’ve used before?

So here we go! Today is Day 1 of my challenge. This time I have a trip booked Aug 11^th, which gives me 62 days. The last challenge I did was extremely strict, this time I’m going to give myself a few rewards along the way.

If you have any comments or suggestions I’d love to hear them! I’ll keep track of my progress here, but I’ll also post weekly updates.

Thanks for tuning in!

Day 1: Monday, June 10, 2013

Weight: 176.2lbs

Base Recipe for LowCarb Protein Pancakes

Hey all! I just posted a new recipe for super clean protein pancakes

I have these on the weekend usually when I want to spend some time in the kitchen with a coffee. It really doesn't take that long, so they can actually be made during the week.

Now I know everybody has their own version of protein pancakes. I came across this one about a year ago and I've stuck with it. The reason being that it's really clean. Some recipes get carried away with oats, "clean" flours, even sweeteners... but I like it simple. I know exactly what's in these and they leave me satisfied. They sometimes turn out a crepe-like texture which I love too.

Consider this recipe a base - and add your own extras. Apples and cinnamon?  Pumpkin puree? Go for it!

What are your favourites?

My favourite breakfast on run days - Overnight Oats

Here's a quick breakfast I have about 3 times a week: Overnight oats! I'll post the recipe under the "food!" section of my blog, but it's comprised of: oats, protein powder (Cellucor's Peanut Butter Marshmallow is my personal favourite), chia seeds, ground flax, almond milk and banana.