Tag Archives: fitness

Legion Genesis Greens Superfood Review + Healthy Recipe

03/20/2017 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

The supplement market is saturated with products promising a wide variety of health supporting nutrients in a convenient capsule or as a powder. Searching for a good brand with quality ingredients that actually do as the bold words on the bottle claim is stressful. Luckily, Legion Genesis delivers a powerful greens superfood punch and has the research to back it up.

As Legion says, there are two major reasons why most greens products fail on their promises:

Legion Athletics provides a host of supplements for men and women wanting to perform at their best every day. They are committed to providing products with high quality, healthy ingredients at clinically effective doses backed by published research. This is what makes Legion’s Genesis Greens Superfood stand out among the rest.

A photo posted by RC Liley (@going_dad) on May 28, 2016 at 12:33pm PDT

I take many supplements each day. Some in powder form, some as capsules, and some as a liquid extracts. They all serve a purpose in helping me think, feel, and perform better, but it gets overwhelming trying to keep up with taking each one separately, not to mention time consuming by having to measure out each dose.

greens supplement superfood

With Genesis, most of the supplements I take are inside, and Legion did all the work for me by providing each ingredient at clinically effective dosages backed by research.

When I was given the opportunity to review their greens supplement, I jumped at the chance to try their product. Not only would it save lots of time from measuring, I already know how Legion uses only the best ingredients and cares about what they put into every product they create.

Here’s a list of key benefits taken directly from Legion’s site:

Legion Athletics Genesis Supplement Benefits List

Genesis is geared towards active individuals, but even if you’re just getting started in living a healthier, active lifestyle, this superfood alone will help get you going and stay on the right path. Here are the main players in Genesis that give this powder such potency. Provided from their site.

Spirulina

Research shows that supplementation with spirulina…

Improves the cholesterol profile [52]

Increases muscle endurance [53]

Helps control allergies [54]

Reduces muscle damage caused by exercise [55]

Helps the body eliminate heavy metals [56]

Lowers blood pressure [57]

Helps protect liver health [58]

Reduces systemic inflammation [59]

Improves insulin sensitivity [60]

The clinically effective dosage of spirulina ranges between 2 and 10 grams.

GENESIS CONTAINS 5 GRAMS OF SPIRULINA PER SERVING

Astragalus Membranaceus

Research shows that supplementation with astragalus membranaceus…

Boosts the immune system [61][62]

Helps protect heart health [63][64][65][66]

Reduces blood pressure [67]

Helps protect kidney health [68]

There’s also animal research suggesting that astragalus promotes longevity, but this has yet to be explored in human studies. [69]

GENESIS CONTAINS 3 GRAMS OF ASTRAGALUS MEMBRANACEUS PER SERVING, PROVIDING 9 MILLIGRAMS OF ASTRAGALOSIDE IV

Moringa Oleifera

Research shows that supplementation with moringa…

Helps protect heart health [71]

Reduces blood pressure [72][73]

Mitigates DNA damage [74]

May have anti-cancer benefits [75]

The clinically effective dosage of moringa ranges between 500 and 2,000 milligrams of the leaf.

GENESIS CONTAINS 1 GRAM OF MORINGA OLEIFERA LEAF PER SERVING

Maca

Research shows that supplementation with maca…

Improves subjective sense of well-being [76]

Improves sexual function in men and women [77]

Improves sperm production and health [78]

Improves libido in men and women [79][80]

Helps preserve joint health [81]

Can reduce feelings of anxiety and nonclinical depression [82]

The clinically effective dosage of maca extract ranges between 1 and 3 grams.

GENESIS CONTAINS 1.5 GRAMS OF MACA EXTRACT PER SERVING

Broccoli Sprout

Research shows that sulforaphane is a promising anti-cancer nutrient and is also known to have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. [85]

The clinically effective dosage of broccoli sprout depends on how much sulforaphane it provides, and the clinically effective dosage of sulforaphane is 1 to 9 milligrams.

GENESIS CONTAINS 500 MILLIGRAMS OF BROCCOLI SPROUT PER SERVING

But what about the taste? Something dark green with all of those healthy supplements must taste bad, right?

Nope. With the use of only stevia and erythritol as natural sweeteners and nothing artificial or full of fillers, the taste is quite pleasant. I just used water to mix my dose each day and could easily sip and enjoy the drink. If mixing with almond milk or in a smoothie, I bet it would be even better.

So it tastes good, but does it work?

Yes! I just returned from a week long family vacation and had no desire to lug my entire stack of supplements. Instead, I chose to bring Genesis to take at the start of each day. I’d drink a serving in water every morning on an empty stomach and could feel the smooth stream of energy, health and mood-boosting benefits throughout the day. Mixing is easy with no clumping in a shaker bottle. I mixed with a fork and had a few clumps, but since it tastes good, I didn’t mind.

As a guy who prefers to cook his own food, I had limited resources which meant I was eating less than usual. Being at the beach and a lover of all things active, I wasn’t just lounging around, I was fighting the waves, playing in the sand and water with my daughter, walking all over the area, and kayaking. I attribute my ability to maintain healthy energy levels and recover properly to do it all again to Genesis.

Legion Genesis_Perform Better

Playing with my daughter is extremely important to me, and my confidence in this supplement has been won for helping me perform at my best.

Standing with Avery in Ocean_Back

Even on the plane trip there and back, I was fasting until I could get to some real food, but Genesis kept me functioning at healthy levels. Without having water, I simply put the powder directly in my mouth and was amazed at how good it tasted like that. Imagine Pixie Sticks flavor, but in superfood form.

Now that we’re back home, I’m still taking Genesis every day and not touching my giant stack of supplements. I’m sure I’ll get back to them again, but why spend so much time when Legion has just what I want at the doses proven to work?

I’ve been completely satisfied with this greens superfood supplement and honestly can’t find anything bad to point out. Some people may not like the flavor, but I find it pleasing and could even eat it as a treat. I’ve used other healthy greens supplements and can say firsthand, they are not as pleasant.

Legion’s Genesis gives anyone that’s active or looking to become active what they need to get going. As a parent, I couldn’t recommend this enough to keep you performing at your best for you little ones. Life is too short not to get down and play with your family, so make sure you are living and leading the healthy life you want your loved ones to follow.

Legion Genesis_Be All That You Can Be

Update: I wanted a way to have a healthy, family-friendly snack that’s full of high quality protein and immune boosting superfoods, so I used Legion’s Genesis and their Whey+ Protein Powder to make a delicious bread sure to please the palate and fuel your body right.

Legion Genesis Green Superfood Protein Bread

by RC Liley

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 40

Ingredients (1 9×5 Loaf)

1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup protein powder (I used Legion Whey+ Vanilla Protein)
1/4 cup Legion Genesis Green Superfood
1.5 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
12 drops vanilla or regular liquid stevia (or use 3 – 4 stevia packets or 1/8th pure stevia powder)
1 overripe banana, mashed
1/3 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
2 whole eggs or 1/4 cup egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Grease a 9×5 loaf pan making sure to get all the up the sides and corners. I used coconut oil.

Preheat oven to 350 F

Add all ingredients and blend until smooth.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake in the middle of the rack for 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely to room temp. This allows the bread to retract from the sides as it cools which makes it MUCH easier to remove.

Go around the sides with a thin rubber spatula or butter knife and turn upside down to remove from loaf pan.

Slice as thick or thin as you’d like and enjoy your healthy bread plain or with a pat of grass-fed butter. Better yet, smother it in NuttZo!

Check out Legion on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep up to date on their latests supplements and promotions.

Disclaimer: I received Legion Genesis free of charge in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own, and I truly love everything this company offers. Promise! 🙂 This post also contains affiliate links. If you click on them and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission. Thank you in advance if you do so. 🙂

Guest Post, Parenting

Tips On Incorporating Your Family Into Your Exercise Routine

01/09/2017 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

When you become a parent, suddenly your time — and really, your life, if I’m being honest — is never your own again. I say that almost jokingly, but it’s an entirely serious matter. When you become a parent, especially when your children are babies and literally rely on you to keep them alive and safe every single minute of every single day, it can be really easy for many aspects of your life to fall to the wayside, including matters of your own personal care and health, such as your fitness.

I have come to know many parents in my lifetime, and one of the biggest frustrations they all voice, regardless if they work full-time, part-time, stay at home, work from home, or any combination therein, is that they simply don’t have enough time or hours in the day to workout. We all have only 24 hours in each day, regardless if we have kin to care for in each of those hours, and there’s nothing we can do to get “more” time, as it is. If you want to take care of yourself and fit in fitness to be part of your daily routine, you’ve got to exercise as much commitment, flexibility, patience, and creativity to it as you do your own parenting. Take it from me!

I had been a committed and regular runner (and specifically, a marathoner) for nearly five years before I had my first child. I wanted to continue to run after I had my first child (and since I’ve had my second), and I’m happy to say that I’ve been able to do so. Like I said before, figuring out how to “fit in fitness” after having children necessitates a ton of flexibility and creativity — not to mention support from your family/partner and patience/grace from yourself — but it’s entirely possible. Below, I’ll outline my tried-and-true tips to help you figure out how you can fit in your fitness routine each day with your family in tow.

Invest in a running stroller so you can run with your children. I didn’t buy my first running stroller until my oldest was a year old, but by the time my second kid came around, I was running with her by the time she was just about 4 months old. If you like to run, and if your child’s weight and height satisfies your running stroller’s safety requirements, I can’t urge you enough to invest in a high-quality running-specific stroller. There are many buying guides out there that will give you some great insight into various stroller brands out there, and while their price tags might be shocking, they are worth their weight in gold. An added bonus: pushing a stroller while running doubles as an excellent strength workout, and the mental toughness you’ll cultivate over the miles of pushing upwards of 100 pounds is indescribable. Chat with your pediatrician before you run with your child, though, to be sure that you have his or her blessing.

Ride alongside your children/pull them along behind you. Many of us can remember learning how to ride our bikes for the first time and have fond memories of riding through our neighborhoods growing up. If you enjoy bike riding, consider getting a bicycle for your child so that he/she, too, can learn to ride and can eventually become proficient enough of a rider to ride alongside you. Conversely, if your child is very young, you could always purchase some type of bicycle trailer to pull your baby behind you on a ride. Having bikes in the family can also be a great resource to you/your partner because one of you can run while the other (plus the children) ride bikes or ride in the stroller, too. It goes without saying, but by riding bikes or running alongside your children, you’re setting a positive precedent for them — an excellent role-modeling example — that exercise is both fun and a necessary part of a healthy and vibrant lifestyle. If your children grow up constantly seeing you or your partner exercising, chances are that your children will emulate your behaviors in their own lives, too. Everybody wins!

Embrace your inner yogi as a family. While physical health and well-being is important, so, too, is mental health. As a family, you can easily incorporate a family-centered yoga practice into your everyday routine in the comfort of your own home. There are many DVDs out there that offer family-friendly yoga routines — ones that don’t require an advanced yoga practice or even much in the way of experience — and you may find that the calming effect of yoga helps you to connect with your children and with your family in ways that are harder to come by when you’re out pounding the pavement on a run or logging miles on a ride.

Go for a hike (or even a walk through the mall). Last but certainly not least, one of the easiest and most accessible activities you can do as a family — while still satisfying a personal fitness goal — is to simply go for a walk or a hike. It doesn’t matter if you stroll through a local mall or if you hit up your local park; sometimes, it’s just nice to slow down, take in the scenery, and chat with your family. Again, if your children are very young, you could always push them along in a stroller or even wear them in a baby carrier, if you’d like. Regardless of the type of walking or hiking adventure you take, the experience remains a way for you to connect with your family and incorporate them into your exercise routine — and in the process, model for them that regular physical activity is an important and meaningful part of day-to-day life.

I’ll be the first to admit that being a parent can be really tough and trying at times, and it’s easy to neglect our own personal welfare and health for the sake of our children — or because we feel like we “just don’t have the time.” My experiences have taught me that it’s entirely doable to incorporate my family into my regular exercise routine, so long as I am patient, flexible, and creative with my endeavors. Some of my most meaningful training runs and races have been the ones that I’ve run with my kids, and I have no doubt that if you also include your family into your training, that you, too, will find your time with your family while on a run, ride, walk, or meditation also incredibly meaningful.

Author’s Bio:

Owner of Runnerclick.com, Nicershoes.com and Monicashealthmag.com. He is an entrepreneur from Copenhagen, Denmark. He loves to travel and compete in ultramarathon distance races. He has been featured in a lot of running blogs around the world.

Going Strong

Get Combat Power Fit With This Pokemon GO Workout

07/21/2016 R.C. Liley 1 Comment

What did we do before the release of Pokemon GO? If it was just sitting around, then most of us are better off with the popular app. Except, maybe, your actual pet….

I haven’t even played the game for a week, and try to keep it minimal. Staring at my phone as I walk around is not my favorite pastime, so luckily its addictive power has not fully overwhelmed me…yet. It has, however, given me an idea for a way to turn it into a workout.

Nothing like getting outdoors with your smartphone and working up a sweat as you hunt Pokemon. There’s a sentence I never thought I’d say. But in an effort to roll with the current trends, I’ve found myself playing the game, and even saving my daughter from a vicious Pidgey attack.

Pidgey Attack on Daughter_Pokemon GO

She’s lucky I have a accurate Pokeball throw!

Anyway, as I’m sure many of you already have the game and are familiar with the platform, let’s get right into the workout.

Combat Power Pokémon GO Workout

1. Find a popular Pokemon hangout. Preferably an open area like walking/jogging trails or a park to give you plenty of space. Inside your home will suffice too.

2. Launch the app and walk/jog/run until Pokemon show up. If inside, running probably won’t happen. Take this Pinsir I found wandering inside our home, for example.

Pokemon GO Pinsir in House

3. Catch the Pokemon.

4. Once caught, you’ll see the list of stats about your fresh catch. What you want to look for is the CP (Combat Power) of your Pokemon. Use each number to perform bodyweight exercises.

Pokemon GO Pinsir Stats

Notes:

For this Pinsir, his CP was 88. So I would choose to do 8 reps of one exercise followed immediately by 8 reps of another exercise. As your experience level increases, so will the CP, even into the triple digits. Then you’ll have 3 different exercises to perform for each catch.

If you get a number with a 0 in it, like 10, just do one exercise of 10 reps. Or, if it’s a triple digit like 220, then do 2 reps of an exercise, then 20 of another.

Here’s a useful list of bodyweight exercises to use. Choose ones you’re able to do with good form, and with opposing muscle groups for multiple sets. For example, if your Pokemon has a CP of 345, you’d perform 3 push ups, 4 sit ups, and 5 squats.

Walking, jogging, running, or sprinting until you find another Pokemon depends on your fitness level as well as your chosen location. Please please PLEASE, do not sprint into the street!

Pokemon GO is already great for getting sedentary folks moving more, but for those that want more, this is a simple workout you can do anywhere. All the while, you’ll add to your Pokedex. Like ~~killing~~ catching two ~~birds~~ Pidgey’s, one stone.

To some, this might sound easy at first, but find an area swarming with Pokemon and you’ll feel after a while, I promise.