The Power of NO!

Well there’s an interesting title.  "No" is usually associated with bad people.  It’s something we don’t look forward to hearing as it means we’re not getting what we’ve asked for.  It’s used by people stopping our progress.  People who just aren’t team players; but HANG ON ONE SECOND!

The power of a kind, well placed and diplomatic no is one of life’s greatest lessons and it’s careful use can open a gateway for your growth and ultimately a better outcome for everyone.  Let’s explore how you can use this often underused word to make everyone happier in the end; most importantly YOU!

How do you feel when you think of the word “no”?  What does it mean to you?  It’s an interesting thought exercise as it has different meanings to different people.  Are you the person that finds it easy to say no?  Perhaps you’re using it in the wrong way, or too much?  If you’re the type of person who is run ragged and finds yourself putting off important personal things at the expense of helping others or keeping appointments, then you should probably use it more.

The thing is, it doesn’t have to be a negative thing.  It doesn’t have to mean you won’t do something or help someone.  It may just mean that you won’t be doing it in line with someone else’s agenda!

So consider this for a moment.  The next time someone asks you to do something, PAUSE.  Just take a moment before that habitual “Yes, OK” response and ask yourself a question.  Is it necessary to say yes right now?  Do I want to do this at all?  If I want to do this, shall I agree now, or shall I postpone to another time when it is more convenient for me?  By asking these questions it will interrupt your pattern of immediately saying yes, or feeling you have to say yes and give you an alternative outcome.

This may seem like basic simple stuff, but I’m telling you now it’s potentially life changing!  Very quickly you will find that you’re working more closely to your plans and still satisfying the stakeholders that matter in your life.  It’s a wonderful thing!

Another interesting result of saying no is that it opens up a potential negotiation.  If you start with no and the other party remains persistent in asking for your time, then try asking for something in return for a yes!   “OK, I’ll do that for you, but it means I’ll fall behind with another project.  Could you do me a favour and organise a meeting with the team so we can delegate some tasks?”  If you start with no then you might get a little more balance in the transaction.

Try some of these things in the week ahead and let us know how you get on.  Repetition is the mother of skill, so we recommend you practice often by saying no :-)

• A great place to start is to decide what you’d like to achieve in the next few weeks.  All those things that you just don’t have time for.  It might be visiting family, going on a date, getting your hair cut, going to the gym, doing your Christmas shopping, cooking yourself and your partner or family a fresh meal.  Have fun with it and make a list.  You’re going to get to do all these things and having a clear picture of the outcome of your new habit will provide leverage and allow you to better follow through with the experiment.
   
• Book your activities into your diary.  If in two weeks time you  have decided to visit your friend in Scotland for 3 days, then book it in.  If something comes up that conflicts, you know what to do.  Just say no.  How did that feel?
   
• If someone asks if you can meet them to go through a proposal or idea at work make sure it’s on your terms.  If you can’t do it because you have other commitments, politely give them a time when it IS convenient.  If they can’t make that appointment then just say no.  See what happens!
   
• If you’ve got children you might be familiar with this already!  If they ask for something, say no.  If they are persistent then negotiate by saying they can have what they want if they….. clean their room, do the vacuuming, mow the lawn, clean the car.  It delivers a clear lesson that there is value in any personal transaction and it will assist them in later life.  It might even turn them into a top negotiator!

Often people who habitually say yes are taken advantage of by some individuals.  If someone asks you for something and you’d really rather not do it, SAY NO!  This is one of the hardest ones for many people (whilst others find it extremely easy).  You may be surprised at the other person's response.  Stick to your guns.

In the end if what we’ve done is to raise awareness of the fact that you can say no and give yourself some time to do the things your want and need to do, then it’s served it’s purpose.  If it’s given you food for thought, then our mission is accomplished.  Just don’t forget!

Finally I just thought I’d share something.  This lesson crystalised after an opportunity came by for me to catch up with the legend Chaz Davies.  For those who don’t know Chaz, he’s a World Superbike rider (Aruba.it Ducati Team) and an incredible human being.

My schedule was super hectic and I was really struggling with my inner dialogue around trying to make time for the adventure to visit Chaz at his home in Wales.  It meant that I would have to say NO to a number of people and projects and I was really struggling with the whole process.  In the end I made the right decision to say no and arrange to make the long journey into the countryside.

Arriving at Chaz’s extreme sports playground, you are spoilt for choice on what toys to ride, starting the days with a highland cross country runs chasing the sheep around, then ending with a endurance trials bike challenges through his private woodland… Needless to say this was one of the best action packed weekends I’d ever experienced.

In years to come I will not remember the things I thought were urgent, but I’ll never forget that time with my mate riding our bikes and just loving life.

Try saying no a little more often and see what happens.  It’s LIBERATING!

#respectyourtemple

Anchors & Healthy Chocolate Thick Shakes!

Interview with Shona Vertue on Anchors and her Thick Choc Shake for health!

TST “So Shona.  Great to have you with us today.  We want to explore anchors and how they may affect our eating on a subconscious level.  Tell us about some of your food memories from when you were at school."

Shona "Well, when I was little, one of my favourite things to do with my Dad was to have a Chocolate thick shake from Macdonald's. I became really attached to this Thick Shake because it reminded me of the time I would spend with Dad. It was comfort food."

TST “Ok, so that’s a perfect example of how we can create anchors which associate a particular thing with a feeling.  Over time this can mean that we crave that thing when we need to go to that same feeling.  Do you still drink them?"

Shona “Well I gave up MacDonalds some time ago, and I have to say it’s the only thing I really missed.  I guess it’s because of the thoughts of the great times I had with my father.  I think I was searching for comfort, but I found that replacing it with something better for me hit all the Anchors and kept me healthier and feeling better."

TST “OK cool!  So you effectively used the anchor that you’d already developed, but replaced the old habit with an empowering new one?"

Shona “Yes, that’s right.  I invented my own recipe for a thick chocolate milkshake and I have to say I actually prefer it to the old one so it’s a massive step forwards.  I still get the lovely smooth chocolate hit and feelings of comfort, but also some great fuel for my body which doesn’t have the crash effect of the old version packed with processed sugars."

TST “Thank you Shona.  So it’s a great lesson for all of us.  When you crave a certain food, just stop to think for a moment why that might be happening.  What feelings are you craving?  Try and find another “vehicle” to satisfy your needs.  This can be a food, but it can also be a number of other activities or things.  Maybe even a nice glass of filtered water to replace a bad habit.  Perhaps go for a walk in the fresh air.  Or invent your own healthier version like Shona did!

Here’s Shona’s recipe for her Healthy Thick Chocolate Shake.  We’ve tried it and it comes highly recommended.  As usual go organic with all your ingredients and enjoy!"

MacShona's Thick Superfood Shake

1/2 - 1 Avocado (depending on size)

1 Tablespoon Raw Cacao Powder

1 ripe Banana

1 cup rice or oat milk (maybe more if you like a more runny consistency)

1 teaspoon Manuka Honey (If you like it a little sweeter try adding a couple of dates as well)

3-5 Ice Cubes

Sprinkle of Bee Pollen

Place everything in a good quality blender and hey presto!  MacShona’s thick Superfood Shake.

Shona Vertue xx

#respectyourtemple

Breath - are you going deep enough? Try this...

#Breath is one of the #7pillars of your Strength Temple.  Our guest contributor, Elizabeth McQuillan explains why.......

Few of us pay much mind to our breathing. Like walking or talking, we accept it as something that just happens, an incidental adjunct to getting on with life. However, each lungful of precious air has the capacity to help us heal, burn fat and energise the entire body.

Sadly, we just don’t do it very well. Without “trying”, simply consider your breathing. If you are like most folk you pull a shallow breath in that barely inflates your lungs. Now really try to breathe in, and notice what happens. If your shoulders have lifted towards your ears, and your chest moves upwards, then you are doing a good job of inflating the apex of your lungs. That leaves a big void of lung tissue redundant.

Years of breathing in this way, exacerbated by holding tension and stress in the neck and shoulder area, means the body is rationed in vital oxygen. It cannot possibly function to best ability. Without inhaling enough oxygen (O2), or exhaling enough carbon dioxide (CO2), problems can manifest in the form of mental fogginess, fatigue and reduced tissue function.

Current recommendations for non-medicinal treatment of stress, anxiety and even depression are rooted in cognitive therapy used alongside the practice of “mindful” breathing.

The sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for our fight-or-flight response, can cause all manner of knock-on unhealthy effects when placed under constant stress. In chronic stress, where cortisol and adrenaline are continuously being pumped into the system, it is not uncommon to find depression, muscle pain and tension, insomnia and gut troubles.

Deep and mindful breathing is one of the best ways to offset these effects. It quickly kickstarts the parasympathetic nervous system, which counters the sympathetic response and invokes relaxation. Breathing like this swings the pendulum so that the body chemistry changes to take us from a status of high alert, to feeling altogether more chilled out.

Shallow breathing is also not our friend if we are on the quest to burn fat and lose weight. To metabolise fat stored in the body, our system needs plenty of O2, and a deficit means that what we do have is channeled to more essential places.

Available oxygen will not be used for non-vital body functions (ie fat burning) and will be directed instead to vital functions. Breathing awareness will increase the oxygen circulated by the blood, and the increased oxygen supply will enhance the cells’ ability to turn the stored fatty deposits to energy that the body can use.

In cases of poor general health, cancers, viral illness and poor organ function, it is important to consider the wellbeing of our lymphatic system. This is part of our immune system and is essential in the disease-fighting process. It collects cellular waste, and carries it away for disposal.

Shallow breathing and immobility allow the lymphatic system to become sluggish and congested, organ function to become compromised, and a build-up of toxins to stagnate within the system. This can lead to oedema (perhaps seen as swelling in the feet and ankles) and may even trigger cell pathology.

Since there is no pump to circulate lymph, we rely on arterial pulsations, organ compression, body movement and muscle contraction to do the job. Importantly, we need the pressure changes in the thorax that breathing provides. Shallow breathing simply won’t provide adequate means to get the lymph moving.

Stig Severnisen - Can hold his breath for more than 20 minutes!  Picture courtesy of Wikipedia.

Deep and mindful breathing will also increase sporting performance by providing an increase in lung capacity. World Champion freediver, Stig Aavall Severinsen – the first man in the world to hold his breath for over 20 minutes – certainly has the technique down to a fine art.

Remember how a baby breathes, with its tummy rising and falling. Each day set time aside to stand, sit or lie down in a quiet place for five minutes. Don’t force your breath, but allow the air to be drawn into your lungs, and feel your tummy rise. Relax your throat, neck and shoulders, trying to pull the air deeper into your lower chest.

Gently let the breath out (without disturbing an imaginary feather under your nostrils). Play with the breath, and imagine pulling the air into different areas of your chest and body. Be quietly aware of sights, sounds, smells and thoughts that come to you. Don’t dwell on them, but acknowledge them and let them go.

If you practice mindful breathing, the benefits start to manifest themselves really very quickly. Skin is clear and glowing, health and wellbeing improve and there is definitely a renewed calmness and control within life. Well worth a try.

Elizabeth McQuillan x

#respectyourtemple

Are you throwing away your Avocado Seeds?

Vitamix Blended Avocado Seeds

So here's the thing.  We love Avocados at The Strength Temple and eat them regularly.  As well as tasting amazing (especially when sprinkled with a few soft flakes of Malden Sea Salt) they are so nutritious for you.  For example, did you know that the best part of the avocado flesh is the stuff just under the skin?  Yep - that's right, the really green stuff that you might miss if you don't scrape those skins out properly.  Don't leave this "green gold" behind or you are missing a trick.

The secret though is that people are throwing away the most nutritious parts - the "pit" or "seed".  The key is in knowing how to prepare them.

What we like to do is save a few up and let them dry out a little on the window sill.  After a day or so, pop them into a quality blender (we use a Vitamix or Sage Blender, and won’t be held responsible for breaking inferior blenders with this method!) and blend to a crumb.  The picture inset is of some Avocado seed crumb that has oxidised after blending (like an apple might go brown after cutting.)  You can prevent this by squeezing some lemon juice over the crumb or just savour the rusty redness!

The resulting product has a nutty taste and we like to use it as a topping for porridge or salads and as a lovely addition at the end of the cooking process in a curry.

If you are interested in some in-depth science behind the nutritious aspects of the humble Avocado check out this article from The Worlds Healthiest Foods or surf over to our friend Darin Olien’s website "Superlife" for some more learning!

Oh - and don’t forget to come back and leave a comment for us below on how you like to use your new ingredient.

#RespectYourTemple

Protein Banana Loaf

Let's face it, we're not quite there yet.  Finding health food cafes with gluten free & sugar free treats is not an easy task for most of us & certainly not cost effective once you do find them….

Get your baking hat on, get the kids involved, make it fun & make you're own tasty creations.  Personally I find it significantly more satisfying; you know what's gone in it & tastes better when you make it yourself!

This Banana loaf is great as a slice with your breakfast smoothie or after a workout when you’re body is craving some nutrition love.

Recipe:

1 cup coconut milk • 1/2 cup protein powder • 2 ripe bananas • 1/2 cup egg whites or 2 eggs • 3 tbsp coconut flour • 1 tbsp vanilla extract • 3 tbsp coconut flakes • 3-4 medjool dates (depending on your sweet tooth) • hand full of smashed walnuts • 1/2 tsp baking powder.

Directions : blend together • pour in loaf tin (greased with coconut oil) • sprinkle shaved almonds on top • bake 180c for 45-60mns (until browned)

Can't wait for the coffee run!

#respectyourtemple

#Video: Fancy a Quickie?

Breath is one of the Pillars of your Strength Temple.  It's there for a reason as it's so important for health, both physical and emotional.  One of the most amazing ways to focus on breath is through Yoga practice.

Here’s a beautiful article from Shona Vertue around treating yourself to some Yoga love.  We thrive on this at The Strength Temple and invite you to let Shona into your lives too.  She’s a force of nature.

How many of you find the thought of practicing yoga intimidating? Daunting even?  Putting the body in compromising positions, confronting situations, discomfort, stillness … it’s pretty scary stuff right?

I’m going to be honest here and tell you that it scares me too. And no word of a lie, about 2 minutes into my daily practice my brain has pretty much written a thesis on why I should stop and do something else.

That’s where the #yogaquickie concept came from … I thought – 5 minutes every day (or #yogaeverydamnday in the land of instagram) is better than 90 minutes once every month or fortnight.

6 minutes of deeply concentrated, joyful and breath-synchronised movement, is far more beneficial than 90 minutes of a pseudo-yoga class with a front row ticket to your own internal monologue ranting on about your likes and dislikes, to-do list and see-through lululemon pants.

10 minutes, 5 minutes, just 3 deep breaths even – it’s all yoga. To me an advanced yoga practitioner is determined by the quality of the connection between their body, mind and breath, not by how well they can impersonate a german pretzel.

I live in a busy city, time is more valuable than money and ironically more scarce – so I understand the need for fast, effective results. In my experience as an elite gymnast, yoga teacher, personal trainer and massage therapist, I know that nothing works better and faster than good old consistency (remember that concept of sticking to something for longer than it takes to go through your Facebook news feed?)….

So – give me roughly 3-5 minutes. Every day. Try a quickie, and see how you feel.  I've quite flexible!  Don't force any of the moves and only do what feels comfortable.  If you are unsure speak to your trainer or GP before you start on any type of new fitness campaign.

You’ll be amazed that you’re actually doing yoga. Every damn day and your body will thank you for it.

x
Miss Vertue

#respectyourtemple

Stairway to Heaven "Glutes"

“I should just note that I wrote this one quite some time ago when I was living in sunny Sydney. I Sadly don’t live near any park with steps. London is very flat. However, if you are near stairs – I hope this article brings you some inspiration to climb up, then down, then up again, then down, then up (because it’s important to finish on a high). Enjoy…”

Lately I’ve been looking at more dynamic and explosive ways of training my body, 1. because it’s fun and 2. because I don’t seem to have the time for these luxuriously long workouts anymore – so it has to be efficient with the time I have.

Stair sprints have been the answer.

There are a few main benefits to stair sprints. As mentioned above it is time efficient, allowing for a great cardiovascular and intense workout in under 15 minutes of training. Legs and Butt to brag about is benefit number two, as the explosive nature of stair running can do wonders for the Gluteus Maximus & Medius and Quadriceps. Benefit number three is the fact that it’s way more interesting that sitting on a leg extension machine or stepping up and down bench in the gym – you’re hopefully outdoors, in the sun, breathing fresh oxygen.

Today I ran up the beautiful, yet painfully steep steps at Cooper Park, Sydney 10 times. Resting at the top for 30 seconds before I would run down to enjoy it all over again (ok so I may be exaggerating when I say enjoy – it’s a love hate thing). Each time I ran back up the stairs I made a promise that I would go as hard as I could to the top, sprinting 2 steps at a time so that I would get a better Glute workout as opposed to just my Quads doing most of the work.

How To:

Begin with a quick warm up. Using Dynamic stretches like deep squats and psoas lunges. Also, complete a quick jog up the steps – taking one step at a time with a nice and gentle spring in your step.

When you feel warm go ahead and sprint as fast as you can up the steps, taking 2 steps at a time, drive through the heel of your top foot so that you are engaging, not just the quad, but the gluteus as well. Make sure that your knee is tracking directly over your ankle as you run up the steps. (Watch out for knees dropping inward – this could mean that you are not stable enough through the glute and need to slow down. Instead of sprinting, try walking up two steps at a time, consciously driving through the heel of your foot, watching the tracking of the knee and concentrating on squeezing your butt muscles to get you up).

Repeat this 10 times. Resting for anywhere between 30 – 50 seconds. If you’re new to this or you feel under conditioned take a longer rest.

Write down your results – how long it took you to get up the steps, how long you rested for and how many sets you did. Then beat it next week.

Obviously you shouldn’t be doing this sort of explosive training if you have any injuries – anywhere in your body. I say that very seriously – I know it may sound a little overprotective, however this workout is intense and extremely taxing on the body. Why put it under unnecessary stress when it is trying to heal? Injuries require slow stabilising workouts and massage – so be honest with yourself and your current physical state before attempting this workout.

If you can do the workout – Then try the post exercise stretch sequence below.

Watch the video first and then copy the sequence I have written for you below. It’s very quick and simple. DONT SKIP YOUR STRETCHES PEEPS!

1. Cresent lunge:

Begin with feet together and step back the left leg into a crescent lunge. Make sure your hips are square, your lower stomach is drawn in and pelvic floft edited (the kind of squeeze you would doif you were busting to go to the toilet).

Bring your palms together at your heart and reach up to stretch out your psoas and hip flexor muscles, twist your body to the right and hook your left elbow on the outside of the right leg (twisting crescent lunge).

2. Ardha Hanuman

Come back to centre and bring your finger tips to the floor. On an exhale press your hips backwards so that you come into Ardha Hanumanasana / Half Splits. Let your head completely relax down so that you get the full fascial stretch from the sole of your foot through the back of your leg right up to the back or your neck (yes! it’s that connected!)

Move in between these two postures, the lunge and Ardha Hanumanasana, by inhaling to brand the front knee and exhaling back in the the half split (Ardha Hanuman pose). Take as many rounds of this as you like going that little bit deeper each time (if your body allows for it).

2. Skandasana:

From Ardha Hanumanasana come back into the lunge by bending your front knee. Take both hand into the inside of your front leg. Begin to shift your weight all onto the front leg and you twist your body to the left. Place both hands on the outside of your left leg and fold forward.

Transition to take it all on the left side by bending the left knee into a lunge and repeat from the Crescent Lunge.

Happy Stretching.

x

Miss Vertue. (info@shonavertue.com)

#respectyourtemple #movementpillar

Chia Pudding & Removing bad habits

As you know our Director Richie Norton has been on the road recently training some exciting new drivers in Abu Dhabi looking to enter the world of F1.  Getting hold of some of the ingredients we usually take for granted was a real challenge and it’s brought home to us the amazing access we have to Superfoods in the UK.

Bio Science and investigations into natural superfoods is teaching us so much, but we still see so many ignoring the facts and continuing to poison their bodies with junk.   We understand it's not easy breaking habits.  To get started you can simply be open to a healthier set of choices that look amazing and are absolutely delicious.

We've been duped by advertisers pushing that massive greasy pizzas or cupcakes towering with frosting make us feel good when they absolutely DO NOT!  When you get on the track to eating cleaner and really listening to your body after you’ve eaten junk you’ll get it. We promise!  By the way; we love this ad.  We are not endorsing Weightwatchers and don’t necessarily agree with their philosophy, but we do LOVE THIS AD.  My son studied it in his media classes and came home excited to tell me all about it.  It’s extremely powerful.  Watch it and see if it highlights the fact that what we all do is purely habitual.  The great news is that once we realise this we can change it :-)

So how do we move forwards?  Well it’s a gradual thing.  We need to create an empowering alternative to make it easier to win this game of improvement.  Make better choices when you're shopping and play around with some new superfood creations.  Start to learn how to cook clean (there’s plenty of inspiration here on this website) & get your kids involved. They are the future after all.

We deal extensively with replacing bad habits with new empowering ones as part of our programs.  There are also loads of tips here in the website to keep you motivated and on the right track.

So let's start with a beautiful superfood - Chia seeds.  You can use them to sprinkle on all sorts of dishes.  They are relatively tasteless, so you can go savoury or sweet.  They are a great source of soluble fibre and extremely nutritious:

28 grams (1oz) of chia seeds contains:  11 grams of fibre, 4 grams of protein, 9 grams of fat (5 of which are Omega 3), Calcium 18% RDA, Manganese 30% RDA, Magnesium 30% RDA, Phosphorous 27% RDA.  They also contain Zinc, B3 (Niacin), Potassium, B1 (Thiamine) and B2.

Recipe:

Chia pudding.

Method:

Get yourself a big jar and cover the bottom with a tablespoon of chia seeds (available in all health food shops or via Amazon UK in the link at the bottom of this article).  Then you can try either of these methods or make some up yourself.

The awesome looking purple one at the top of this article is Chia with coconut water, blueberries & some fresh mint leaves.  Just add the blueberries and mint to the chia in the jar and top up with the coconut water.  Give them a good stir and pop the lid on.  In time they will exude their halo of goodness and fill up the jar - it's magic and simple!

The one we used to top our porridge is Chia with coconut water, sunflower seeds and goji berries.  Use the same method.

Soaking them brings them to life releasing all the nutrient benefits.  A jar should last you all week.

Try adding a spoon full to your smoothies, use it to top your porridge, eat it with some fresh yogurt or simply eat it from the jar.  It packs a nutritious punch & they keep for up to 2 weeks if refrigerated.  The featured picture is Organic Porridge topped with Banana, Kiwi, Chia Pudding (the goji and sunflower one), bee pollen and a flavour bomb of passion fruit in the middle!  It’s currently in my tummy and has fuelled the writing of this article :-)

If you like what we’re talking about and want to make sure you don’t miss anything you can subscribe to our newsletter here.

#respectyourtemple

Sevenhills Wholefoods Raw Chia Seeds 2kg Buy on Amazon

Zen Valley Big Goji Berries 1KG, 250gx4 packs, Free from Preservative&Sulfite Buy on Amazon

Morning rituals to kickstart and detox

Some of you may already know about this magic morning potion, but either way you may need a reminder to kick off your day in the right way so you're ready for action.  It’s a bit of an acquired taste, but we highly recommend you give it a try!

Method:

Take a nice clean glass and fill with warm water.  If you use boiling water it will destroy many of the nutrients and if you use cold water it will take longer to hydrate you.  Trust me - warm water is like baby bear's porridge - just right!

Add the juice of half a lemon and a tablespoon of raw, unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar.  Drink to hydrate and stimulate your body’s natural detox processes.

Here's a few reasons why you should try this...

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LEMON

• Boosts your immune system
• Flushes out unwanted materials
• Flushes out unwanted toxins
• Helps aid in weight loss
• Is a natural blood purifier
• Balances your pH level
• Helps relieve respiratory issues
• Helps aid in throat infections
• Decreases blemishes
• Decreases wrinkles
• Naturally energizes you
• Hydrating
• Alkaline in the body
• Aids digestion
• It even oxygenates the body so you feel revitalized and refreshed.
   

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

• Very rich in enzymes and potassium
• Helps clear up acne
• Helps relieve allergies
• Lowers blood pressure
• Lowers cholesterol
• Reduces inflammation
• Helps aid in weight loss by breaking down fat
• Balances pH level
• Helps relieve muscle pain from workouts
• Helps dissolve kidney stones
• Helps prevent sinus infection
• Helps prevent acid reflux
• Helps prevent arthritis
• Lowers levels of fatigue
• Aids digestion
• Helps control and prevent candida.

Give it a try.  If you can't find our favourite Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar you can buy at at Amazon in the UK via the link below.

#respectyourtemple

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Change your state in an instant

So we were having one of our stand up meetings at The Strength Temple HQ and brainstorming what we felt you’d like to hear about today.  Some of the most powerful techniques we teach as part of our Mindfulness Pillar are ways in which our clients can change their state in an INSTANT.  By state we mean how you are feeling in a given moment.

Before we go onto empowering ways to do this, it's important to cover an important point.  The reason that many people turn to drink, drugs, arguments, self harm or other destructive behaviours is purely about changing their state.  The power of these levers is in the instant effect that they have on your state.  Simply being mindful that this is the reason your are doing these things (if you do) is sometimes enough to start a shift in behaviour.  Techniques that you can employ to shift your state in a more supportive and empowering way for your body and mind are pure gold.  Cherish them.

There are many different ways to do this in our arsenal, but one of the simplest that we can give to you right now would be to start your own list of best quotes.  It might seem obvious as you read it, and this really works.

The following quotes are our favourites to motivate.  We have separate lists if we want to focus on different areas of our lives.  These might be love and relationships, growth, giving or our financial wellbeing etc.  For now we would like to give you our motivational quotes as a basis for you to start your own list.

We would absolutely love it if you would add some of your own to the comments section at the end of this post.  We are ALWAYS looking for new quotes to add to our master lists, so please share the love!

We have copies of these all over the place.  One of my favourite places is right in front of our running machine.  When the going gets tough reading through them motivates and changes our focus and ALWAYS gets us to the finishing line 😃  So copy and paste these and print them off.  Stick them on your fridge, or hang them up in your gym.  It will start to move you in a more powerful direction.

Have a mindful day, share this post to help others and don’t forget to…….

#respectyourtemple

"If you're gunna be a bear - be a grizzly."
Mahatma Ghandhi

"Life isn't about how many breaths you take, but the number of moments that take your breath away."
Unknown

"A man is not so much measured by his successes, as by the challenges he has overcome."
Adapted from Booker T Washington

"Never give advice unless you have walked the walk, because anybody can talk the talk."
Valencia Mackie

"Life is about using the whole box of crayons."
RuPaul

"We do today what others won't. We do tomorrow what others can't."
Jerry Rice

"Pain is weakness leaving the body."
Daniel J Evans

"It's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."
Abraham Lincoln

"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough."
Mae West

"Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than anything on which it is poured."
Mark Twain

"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity."
Dorothy Parker

"The difference between Ordinary and Extraordinary is the little word Extra."
Adapted from Jimmy Johnson

"Courage to start, strength to endure, resolve to finish."
Unknown

"You are the most prepared maniac I have ever met!" 
Nick Pugh

"Improvise, Modify, Adapt, Overcome." 
The Recruit (modified from a Marines quote).

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."
Aristotle

"Fear is your best friend or your worst enemy. It's like fire. If you can control it, it can cook for you; it can heat your house. If you can't control it, it will burn everything around you and destroy you."
Mike Tyson

"The highest reward for a man's toil is not what he gets for it, but what he becomes by it."
John Ruskin

"In order to be the best you can be it's OK to fail sometimes. It's never OK to give up." 
Unknown

"If you're going through hell. Keep going."
Winston Churchill

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
Winston Churchill

"The two most important days in your life are the day you were borne and the day that you find out why."
Mark Twain

"The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have."
Vince Lombardi

"If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten."
Tony Robbins

"The mind is everything. What you think you become."
Buddha

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
Martin Luther King Jr.

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
Gandhi

"Tough times never last, but tough people do.”
Dr. Robert Schuller

"You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them."
Michael Jordan

"You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take."
Wayne Gretzky

"Every ending, has a new beginning."
Laura McGrath-Scott
 

Vegetable Roast Up!

Colourful roasted vibes right here!

It’s so easy, trust me on this one.  Get some vegetable love into your body with this super tasty Roasted Vegetable Dish.

Ingredients:

Kale, sweet potato wedges, parsnip chunks, capsicum strips, whole garlic cloves, coconut oil, rosemary, malden salt, freshly ground black pepper, lemon juice.

Method:

So simple you can do it blind folded (be careful of the sharp knives of course).  Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees C, chop up your roasted goodies, throw in an ovenproof bowl (exclude kale at this stage), add coconut oil, add your seasoning.   Massage the coconut oil into the veg so it’s all covered and then pop them into the oven.

After about 15 minutes take them out and give them a shake to move the brown bits around and baste in their own juices.

Kale goes in at the end with 5 mins to go; leave until it browns up and goes super crispy.  After 20-30mins ish they will be ready.

Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice for extra ZING!

#respectyourtemple

Breakfast Porridge Jars

Breakfast on the move!

We would usually recommend you get up 30 minutes earlier and enjoy a steady and un-rushed breakfast experience, but we’re also realists and know that some of you like to fly about like a pinball.  If you can’t beat em, join em!

The fact is that eating breakfast is so important and if you can’t manage to make some time in the morning to have a proper feed, we’re going to encourage you to get your nutrition in one way or another.

This is a great breakfast hack and doesn’t take any time to make.  For those of you that get up, get in the shower and get out, you can do this the night before and leave it in the fridge.  Just don’t forget to take it with you.  Perhaps leave your keys with it 😉

Breakfast Porridge Jars

Make your porridge which takes a few minutes in the microwave - there’s no excuse!  We like organic gluten free, steel cut porridge oats.  Make it just how you like it, but if you are leaving it in the fridge overnight, make it slightly thinner as it will thicken up as it gets cold and the oats swell.

Put your porridge in an old Coconut Oil jar, or similar and top with your favourite toppings.  Breakfasts like this are an ideal time to get your nut and seed intake on board as well as a great opportunity to smash some fresh fruit into your body.  We’ve gone for berries here, but you can go with what’s in your fruit bowl.  Strawberries and mango is another top choice of ours.  Sprinkle your favourite seeds (chia, poppy, sunflower, pumpkin etc), muesli or trail mix on the top and pop the lid on.

Oh - and don’t forget to take a spoon 😃 

#respectyourtemple

Green Smoothie Quickie

Our founder, Richie Norton, is working in the Middle East at the moment. He’s been running a very heavy schedule working with some exciting new drivers and the changes in temperature from red hot track to ice cold air con have been playing havoc with his body.  He's been craving some greens goodness amongst the sweet treats available everywhere. We just got this message from him, so thought we’d share it with a picture from The Strength Temple kitchen in the UK with the amazing @shonavertue modelling these health promoting breakfast smoothies for us.

"Today was a right treat, managed to find some ingredients this morning, borrowed the chefs blender and showed the kitchen crew how to rustle up a brekky super smoothie #thestrengthtemple#style 👉🏽🌿spinach • mixed with a green apple • melon • cucumber & a coconut 🌴 bosh! 🙏🏼Looking forward to some home comforts...missing my bed & my kitchen. 

Happy Thursday!! 💚” Richie Norton

So start with some ice in your blender and get these incredible ingredients in there to start your day.  Add some coconut water or filtered water to get your desired consistency and enjoy 😃 Make a little extra and stash it in some recycled jam jars in the fridge to give you a hit of goodness later when you need it!

#respectyourtemple

Powerful Thought Game to Transform Your Future!

The first time I did this my goal was to get out of rented accommodation and into my own home.  I didn’t think I had the financial capacity to do it and it was really getting me down.

Within 2 weeks I’d found a new home and placed an offer that was accepted. I also used it to stop smoking and change my career.  This stuff works!

A good way to really take some action towards something is to momentarily  consider what would happen if you don't.  Think of something you really want to change.  It could be anything - your fitness level, your finances, your relationship with someone (existing or imagined!), your diet, smoking, drinking or anything at all really!

Now, the following process can can feel a little emotionally painful in places, but it's worth it and will allow you to shed your fear and live in the now.  It's also important when doing this exercise to make sure you have a good half an hour of no interruptions.  Turn your phone off.  Find a quiet place.  Make sure you are comfortable.  It's a kind of meditation, and so light a candle if that's your thing, and get yourself centred.  If you can’t do it now, book some time in your diary for later and look forward to it!

Preparation is the key. Put all of this in place before you read on, or this won't work.  I want you to do this properly, and this will take me some time to write and explain, so return my investment in you by doing exactly as I ask, and don't cheat.  You will be rewarded at the end for your honesty.

The process requires you to stop at times. When I write PAUSE, do what I have asked, and don't read on until you have done this.  Promise me.  Don’t cheat yourself out of a better result.  It will work so much better if you follow these instructions to the letter.  After the pause there will be a long blank section to stop the temptation to read on before time.  When you are ready just scroll through these sections to the next stage.

OK - So have you prepared??  If you haven't PLEASE DON'T READ ON.  Get yourself set up.

I'm assuming that you're ready and have done all I asked.  I respect you for this, and wish you an interesting and enlightening journey. Let's begin. Be prepared to feel all the emotion associated with it.  I promise you will feel great at the end and have more clarity.

START

Sit quietly on your own with no distrations. Now consider your life where you are now. Really think about your current situation, the current thing you either don't have, or behaviour you would like to change, and allow yourself to "feel" everything.  Take a couple of minutes, don't rush.  How do you feel about this thing?  Breathe deeply.

PAUSE - do this then scroll down to the next part...

OK. Once you are focused on this, you need to consider what you want.

I want you to focus on this for a minute, and more importantly the perfect scenario. Imagine a balanced life.  Imagine you have changed the bahavious you want to change, or achieved the goal you imagine.  Close your eyes and focus using pictures - make them colour, sounds, smells, touch and taste. This process uses what's called the "theatre of your mind". There are no rules, no restrictions, it's all up to you to make it real.  Really take time to describe this to yourself as if it’s happened.

PAUSE do this then scroll down to the next part...

Have you done this? If you haven't thought about the perfect situation go back and start over - it won’t work properly unless you do this exactly as I describe.

If you are still being good, awesome.  Enlightenment is round the corner!  Does it almost seem real because you ave taken the time to really feel it, and imagine it with colour, sound, smell - everything? 

Good - Now for the more difficult part.

In a minute, I want you to close your eyes again, and see yourself in 1 years time WITHOUT what you wanted to happen.  Not just the actual habit or thing, but all of the things you would have missed out on, or how your energy levels will still be low.  I want you to really FEEL how things are with nothing changing. Use all your senses again. OK do this now.

PAUSE do this then scroll down to the next part...

Have you done it? If you haven't stop right now and do it bofore reading on.

OK. Now I need you to do the same thing, but forward yourself 5 years into the future.  You still haven't changed, or achieved the thing you wanted.  How old are you now?  What are you doing?  What is missing in your life because you haven't simply gone for it?  Do you have any regrets?  Really feel it. Don't skip the steps.  Do this now for a minute or so.

PAUSE do this then scroll down to the next part...

OK. Now launch yourself 10 years into the future and do this again.  What has happened.  How is your physical body and health.  What are you doing?  What have you missed out on.  What are your wider friends and family doing?  What do they think of you?  Again for a minute or so close your eyes and really FEEL the situation like you are there 10 years from now.

PAUSE do this then scroll down to the next part...

OK. I should think you're feeling pretty rubbish by now, so lets really raise the bar. I want you to project your life 25 years into the future.  This will be hard, but really see yourself without what you want.  Where are you.  What do you look like.  What have you missed out on?  Are you happy?  Do this for a minute or so, and use all your senses.

PAUSE do this then scroll down to the next part...

OK.  I am sorry to have had to do that to you. It will be more than worth it though.  The thing is:

NONE OF THAT HAS HAPPENED

Feel relief. Feel thankful for your current situation and that you have the opportunity and power to bring any change in your life you desire.  Bring yourself back to the present.  Breathe deeply and give yourself the opportunity to take another look at your future.  This bit is amazing.  Take your time before you start, because you have just gone through quite alot.  Have a sip of water or something.  Breathe for a while and feel relaxed in your surroundings and body.  All that stuff hasn't happened, so let's design your future the way it WILL AND SHOULD BE!

So you've thrown away all of the future you just envisaged - BIN IT!!  Lets do this again.  This time, FEEL everything in the theatre of your mind for what would be going on in your life if you go for what you want or change what you need to change.  In 1 year from now, if you have that perfect relationship, what are you doing?  If you have decided to change your diet and take regular exercise how do you look and feel, what are your energy levels like?  Where are you?  Give this some thought for a minute and close your eyes.

PAUSE do this then scroll down to the next part...

You guessed it - starting to feel a little better.  Now it gets better and better.  5 years get's a chance now. Do it again. Don't skip the steps.  Really take time to enjoy the feelings that you are experiencing having achieved what you wanted.  If it was a new relationship - are you married (if that's what you wanted)?  Do you have children.  What do they look like.  If you wanted a new house - where are you living.  What is everyone doing around you in your new life? Feel everything. Get into minute details. Don't hold back.

PAUSE do this then scroll down to the next part...

OK - That's great, now let's go for ten years. Don't rush this. Have a good look at yourself. It's tempting to rush at this point, but really take time to experience your new life as it will happen. What are you up to now??? Did you stop smoking or drinking?  Where have you been travelling to in the world?  Amazing! Take as long as you want.

PAUSE do this then scroll down to the next part...

GREAT! Now let's go for the big one. 25 years from now in your desired situation how do you feel?  Is there a picture of you on holiday somewhere on the wall? Feeling great, looking fantastic; amazing?  Think of EVERYTHING. Take as long as you want and enjoy and relish in the experience!

PAUSE do this then scroll down to the next part...

Right - bring yourself slowly and gently back in time to the present.  Have a think for a minute about the two scenarios you have just allowed yourself to consider. The ying and yang of your future if you will. One - not what you want, the other - what you are perfectly capable of. Which one do you want to focus on and do everything in your power to go for and attract?

You might want to try this exercise with a friend if they have an open mind and are perceptive to it.  There is a share button at the bottom of the post.  We’d love to impact on as many people as possible to reach their dreams.  Please spread the word.

If I were you I'd sit and reflect for a while. Feel content in your power to design your future. You really have all you need to make it what you want.  Just don't be afraid to go for stuff.  If you get hurt or knocked back, what the heck.  All you have is a lesson in how not to get there, so try something else.  It's not what you know - it's what you do.

If you don't make mistakes, you won't make anything, and your life will rush away from you.  The past does NOT equal the future.  You have the power to go for what ever you want, and it starts right now.

Oh - and don't rush, enjoy the journey :-)

#respectyourtemple

Rich 

Mindfulness, Anchors & Peak Performance on demand

I’m at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend.  I’ve been here for the last few weeks working with some awesome people and getting their game just right for the incredible sport of Motor Racing.

Teams at this level invest significantly in every 100th of a second.  It’s apparent from the sheer obsessive attention to detail of the people involved that they leave no stone unturned and no technique is omitted in their goal of the perfect race.

Clearly the car has a large amount to do with this, as do the teams with their carefully honed skills in pit discipline for tyre changes and telemetry analysis, but it’s the driver that I’ve been focusing on.

There are many lessons to be derived from elite athletes and one of the areas I’d like to discuss is Mindfulness and Anchoring.

Mindfulness is defined as the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something, or a mental state achieved by focusing ones attention on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting ones feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations.

Focusing on achieving mindfulness can also produce a state where we feel what’s commonly described as “flow.”  Flow is the state where your senses are heightened and you are able to focus on the task at hand with what feels like 110% of your brain.  It’s this state of “flow” that we look for when coaching our clients, and we are careful to build anchors for them to allow a rapid return to that state when it’s needed most.

So anchors are a fascinating thing.  Let’s just take a quick look at them before we go into a technique for getting into your flow at will.  Have you ever heard a song on the radio from years ago that immediately teleported you back to that place where you experienced feelings of that time in your life?  Sometimes the sensations are so acute that they can come as a bit of a surprise as memories come flooding back to the present.  Other people mention a smell that they experience like candy floss (cotton candy for our US brothers and sisters) that takes them back to a fairground experience as a child.  These types of sensations and emotions can be positive or negative.  What you’re experiencing is an anchor.

The interesting thing is that we can create anchors on purpose that can act as empowering levers delivering top performance in a desired situation.  These anchors can take various forms from rituals to a physical act or a set of words and the key to their success in their consistent use at the right time.

Our Pillar on Mindfulness takes you through a full process for developing anchors, but for the sake of this article try this.

Find a routine that’s easy to do when you feel you are in a peak state of “flow."  Something like pinching your ear lobe.  Make sure it’s something unusual that you must mindfully do.  Something you wouldn’t do by accident.  Each time you feel in that state of flow in your life be sure to be mindful of this moment and activate your chosen anchor (e.g. pinch your ear lobe.)  You must constantly do this so it becomes a habit.  If you do this consistently, in time simply pinching your ear lobe will evoke the same  feelings and with practice it can be of the same magnitude.

Some of the people I’ve been training with in the last few weeks have anchors.  They may or may not be aware of them.  Sometimes what we might call “natural” athletes and high performance individuals have just stumbled on the technique by accident if it’s not directly taught.  I love it when I see it happening as they enter that state of flow.  It's a wonderful thing.

I’d like to encourage you to research the topic more.  It’s fascinating and can give you that extra edge required when the race starts or the business meeting kicks off.  Let us know how you get on - we love hearing from people on how they apply our techniques.
 
So until next time have an awesome and mindful day and don’t forget to.......

#respectyourtemple.
 

Vegetable Stew - clean power through colour

So it’s a gorgeous crisp morning in the UK.  Our Brothers and Sisters in the US have just enjoyed Thanks Giving and some may be recovering from a feast or two!  It’s with this in mind that I want to share this simple, but tasty recipe for a vitality promoting lunch that will leave your insides feeling clean and fresh.

Vegetable stews are a staple in The Strength Temple Kitchen.  You can keep them really simple and just add a load of your favourite veg to some stock and simmer, or you can take a little more time and get everything to the right texture by getting your chopping game up to scratch!

They key to our favourite stews is to make sure your veg is all cooked to perfection.  Harder veg should be chopped thinner so it cooks in the same amount of time as softer veg, which should be left larger.

You can see from the insert picture that we’ve chopped our carrots quite thinly where as we have left the cherry tomatoes whole and kept our peppers and courgette (zucchini) slightly larger.  We also don’t like to over cook our veg to maintain it’s awesome texture, taste and nutrient content.

So try this little vegetable medly and let us know your favourite combinations in the comments section below.  We love feedback!

Ingredients:

Makes approximately 4 servings

4 potatoes, cubed (you can leave these out of you are on a low carb day)

2 carrots,  1 courgette (zucchini), 1 red onion, 1 leake, handful cherry tomatoes, 1 yellow pepper, 1 red pepper, 4 garlic cloves,  pinch chill flakes (to your taste)

2 handfuls cavil nero or your favourite cabbage

2 litres of your favourite stock

Malden or Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper.  extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Method:

Place 2 litres of stock in a large saucepan and boil your potatoes until they are about 10 minutes away from being done.  If you don’t want pungent garlic, gently fry it in some coconut oil before adding to the pot, add your vegetable medly and simmer for 7 minutes.  Right at the end add your cabbage, simmer for a further 3 minutes and season to your taste with salt and pepper.

Service in large bowls, drizzle with a dash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, slurp away and try not to get it down your chin :-)

#respectyourtemple

Fluro power! Rainbow Chard

Spending time in Australia literally changed my life.  I met so many influential people and had so many adventures.  One of the most awesome things I encountered was a movement called “One Wave is all it Takes”.

OneWave is a non-profit surf community tackling funks like depression, anxiety and bipolar with a simple recipe; salt-water, surfing, good mates and Fluro Fridays.  They are some of the most awesome people that I’ve ever met and I regularly don my fluro gear (even in London) to raise awareness and spread their messages.  Yep - I get a few crazy looks, but I get more smiles and that’s what it’s all about!

Here’s an extract from their website www.onewaveisallittakes.com

It doesn't matter whether you're riding a wave for the first time or the hundredth time…you never forget the feeling of being on a wave, letting everything go and enjoying the moment. OneWave is all it takes... To free the funk. To give you hope.

OneWave holds weekly Fluro Friday sunrise sessions up and down the coast to raise awareness for mental health. We dress up in the brightest outfits possible and surf/swim/do yoga. Fluro makes people smile and it gets people asking important questions, which are normally avoided about mental health. Everyone is welcome and it is a free event.

Fluro Friday are started by everyday people in your community. We would LOVE to see the stigma reduced in your local community. Find your favourite beach and start your own.

So here’s a funky recipe with some cool Fluro colours that will smash a load of Vitamin C into you and protect you from those winter bugs!  I had this for breakfast and it literally turbo charged my morning!

It features one of my all time favourites: Rainbow Chard.  Not only does it look cool, but you can eat it raw so it’s great for pimping up your salads and virtually fat-free.  It’s an awesome source of dietary fibre and a wicked way to get your vitamins A, K, E, & C.  It’s also packed with iron and full of phytochemicals (good for health & healing).

Method:
Take 3 whole stems of chard • coconut water or filtered water • coconut flesh • whole kiwi • small hand full blackberries • fresh basil • hand full spinach • 2 frozen bananas • chia seeds • 1 tbsp flax seed • small chunk of ginger - BLEND!!!

Oh - and if you see some crazy dude in Fluro gear on his bike or in a coffee shop in London - it's just me flying the flag for my brothers and sisters at www.onewaveisallittakes.com 

#respectyourtemple
 

IMMUNE BUSTER! Carrot, Turmeric & Ginger Soup

Ok, so a new soup recipe for you to try.  Our Founder had his wisdom teeth out recently and retreated to Soups for a week.   He literally went soup mad and felt the need to share!

Soups are great all year round; a superfood full of antioxidants :-)

Perfect if you're short on time & want to cram loads of goodness into one bowl to pack a big healing punch!  The key is getting one that's not full of sugar & other junk.  We’re not being “soupist” but you really don’t want that in your body!

Make it yourself so you know exactly what's in it:

• 8-10 large carrots • 1 leek • 2 sticks celery • whole yellow pepper • 6 asparagus stems (lightly fried in butter) • 1 ltr fresh veggie stock or our special chicken stock • tbsp chunk of ginger • 1 - 2 shallots • 2 large cloves of garlic • tbsp coconut oil • pinch of cayenne pepper • palm full of coriander • Malden Salt & Pepper.

Gently fry the asparagus, ginger, leek, shallots and garlic in the coconut oil.  Then add the remaining ingredients.  Blitz them all up in your blender (add filtered water to preferred consistency). Depending on your blender, it might heat it for you, but if not pop the soup in a pan and heat through.  Garnish to make it pretty.

#respectyourtemple

Are you a Human Being or a Human Doing?

Let’s just pause to think about this statement for a moment.  Does it leave you feeling like you might have missed a trick?

I don’t want to define this statement too much as I want it to be more of a process of pondering and thought rather than a lesson delivered on a plate.

I suppose it’s a little like looking at abstract art.  Your interpretation of a piece of art may be entirely different from someone else.  Does that make either of you wrong?

I guess one thing I will say is that there is a message in here about mindfulness.  Mindfulness is defined as “the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something” and “a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging one’s feelings, thoughts and body sensations."

I think for me a Human Being is more mindful and not on autopilot.  We’d love to hear what this means to you.

Have a Mindful day.

#respectyourtemple
 

Magic Potions - The secret to making your own nourishing stock

So it’s definitely that time of year.  Here at The Strength Temple HQ we had our first dusting of snow last night and it’s certainly getting colder.  Some people find they fall prey to a cold or flu around this time of year, and we want to make sure you do everything you can to stay healthy.

Your wellbeing starts with what you put into your body.  You might be craving sugars at this time of year, but don’t do it.  Processed sugars are food for bacteria and not a great idea!  They also cause your blood sugars to spike releasing insulin.  When this happens the amino acid tryptophan is converted to serotonin in our brain making us feel happier, thus perpetuating the cravings.  This is part of the reason that cramming sugary foods is a common habit during the winter months when daylight is less and some people start to be affected in varying degrees by SAD (seasonal effective disorder) sometimes known as the “winter blues”.

If you’re feeling in a bit of a funk, just recognise and acknowledge the feeling, check in with how you are talking to yourself internally and know that it will pass.   Make sure you take regular walks and runs in the fresh air.  When you're out, take time to bring yourself to the present moment.  Listen to your environment and focus on the birdsong - it's a wonderful thing.  If you think you’re not getting enough sun - perhaps take a vitamin D supplement.  Finally follow our ritual and start to make your own stock.  It really is very therapeutic.  Indulge yourself.

There’s something amazingly pleasurable about taking a load of ingredients that many people will just throw away and creating something absolutely delicious from it to raise your food to another level.  We love making stocks and watching them blipping on the stove is a magical thing and adds to the anticipation of what’s to come.

Our risottos, noodle soups, stews and sauces would all pale into insignificance if we didn’t take time to make great stock.  We never purchase a whole chicken without turning what’s left of the carcass into amazing stock and you should do the same!

As far as health promoting benefits are concerned there are many.  Some are based in science and some more mythical as stock has been made for thousands of years.  Home made stocks contain a load of minerals (magnesium, calcium, phosphorous etc) easily absorbed by your body.  They also contain broken down material from cartilage and tendons such as chondroitin and glucosamine.  Yep - that’s the stuff you spend money on in your joint supplements!  Finally don’t forget that it’s hydrating.  You just can’t go wrong.

Remember to experiment a little with your ingredients and you will gradually get a “feel” for what makes a great stock that’s exactly to your taste.

If you want to make vegetable stock, just leave out the meat.  It's that simple.  For fish stocks we will write a whole new recipe.  Stay tuned.

The only think we’d advise against as a rule are brassicas such as broccoli, cabbage, sprouts etc.  They are a bit smelly and don’t make great stock!

(If you want to go Eastern)
Include half a Star Anise
1 Clove
3 large pieces of Ginger
3 Stalks of Lemmon Grass
Handful of Coriander stalks
Chilli to taste

Ingredients:

1-2 chicken carcasses
2 Carrotts
1 Onion
2 sticks Celery
6 peppercorns
5 garlic cloves
Filtered Water

Place your chicken carcass (carcasses) into a large pot.

Note:  If you are using raw carcasses cover them with filtered water and bring them to the boil before adding the remaining ingredients.  As soon as they are boiling, discard the water and continue as below.  Raw Carcasses produce a lighter coloured stock with a slightly different flavour.  This process removes a bitter note from the stock and is often forgotten.  Also, ensure you maintain good hygiene if using raw carcasses, washing your hands and paying attention to your work surfaces.

Add the remaining ingredients roughly chopped.

Finally fill the pot with filtered water to just above the level of the contents and put on a high heat to bring to a boil.  When at boiling point, turn down the heat so the surface just “blips” with bubbles and allow to simmer for 1 hour.

Strain the resulting liquid into a suitable container and don’t forget this next step.  TASTE YOUR STOCK!  If it tastes at all watery, then place the liquid back on the stove and reduce it by boiling off some of the liquid.  Flavourful stock is what we are looking for.

Let the stock cool in a container before you cover it and store it in the fridge.  We keep our stocks for up to 4 days and if we think we won’t use them in time we freeze them.  Freezing stock as ice cubes is a great way to have handy amounts on hand to add to sauces.  If you have a dog and some left over stock give it to them for a treat.  They will absolutely LOVE YOU FOR IT!

Try using your stock in the following ways:

Drink a mug of warmed stock when you return from your windy walk :-)
Use it as the liquid to make your next risotto.
Use it as the liquid to make your next spicy rice.
Add it to your next casserole or stew.
Use it as the base for your next gravy.
Use it to make noodle soup.

Stay tuned for some of the recipes above as we add them.  If you'd like to make sure you don't miss them subscribe here and we'll send you loads of cool stuff.  ff you’re having a roast chicken today don’t throw the carcass away!

With love from The Strength Temple.

#respectyourtemple