Are you looking to build muscle and gain strength? I hope so. That’s the absolute best way to improve your performance.
Are you low on magnesium? If you don’t know for sure then let me answer that question for you. There’s a pretty big chance that you are low and wow, what a difference when you fix it!
I try to get magnesium into my breakfast each day either though a green smoothie, a spinach omelette with ½ an avocado, or in my delicious peach cobbler pancakes. It’s also loaded with protein, zinc, calcium, selenium and other essential vitamins and minerals (calcium and magnesium need each other guys!).
I’ve oversimplified this but essentially, magnesium plays a critical role in numerous processes in the body such as oxygen uptake, energy production and electrolyte balance, as well as supporting the immune system. Magnesium also helps with the process of contraction and relaxation of the muscles. So, that stiffness you’ve experienced after a hard workout might in part be caused by magnesium deficiency.
Correct the issue, you will recover quicker and perform better.
I won’t go through all of the symptoms but here are some of the more common signs of magnesium deficiency:
- Muscle soreness after exercise
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Carb cravings
- Gut issues
- Allergies and sinus infections
Unfortunately, it’s not easy just to head off to the Doc and ask for a quick magnesium check. You need to look out for the symptoms. But better still, make sure you are getting adequate magnesium in your diet. Don’t go over board though, too much will loosen those stools and give you the runs. Isn’t that the very last thing you want to deal with during in the gym? Talking about blowing the WOD.
Remember too that even if you think you are getting magnesium, we lose it through sweating and being stressed, and not just work stress either. It’s also stress from heavy exercise, an argument with the other half, endless issues with the kids….need I go on?
So what do I do? I eat plenty of foods rich in magnesium like leafy greens, seafood, nuts and seeds and whole grains (Paleo eaters really need to pay attention to their magnesium). I use Epsom salts in my bath and I use magnesium oil (transdermal absorption is the quickest way to get that magnesium in the body). Keep the “oil” in a spray bottle in your gym bag and rub it all over after a workout.
Without further delay, here is the recipe for the peach cobbler pancakes. Enjoy!
Ingredients
For the pancake:
- 4 eggs (yolks and whites as you wish)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of ground almonds/almond flour (20g) or 1 tablespoon of coconut flour (8g)
- 1 scoop of protein powder of choice (optional)
- Splash of cold water
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)
- ½ to 1 thinly sliced peach (I use frozen slices)
- 6 raspberries (I use frozen)
- 1 tablespoon (15g) of coconut oil (to fry the pancake)
For the cobbler mix:
- 15g of pumpkin seeds
- 10g of sunflower seeds
- 5g of coconut
- 5g of chia seeds (optional)
- 1 Brazil nut
- 10g of oatmeal (optional)
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- Put put it all in a sandwich bag and crush with a rolling pin. I keep of jar of this already made up.
Method
Beat together the eggs, the almond meal, the protein powder, the water and the vanilla.
Heat the oil in a small frying pan/skillet and add the pancake batter to the pan. Leave for a couple of minutes and layer the peaches on top. Plonk the raspberries in the middle and then scatter the cobbler mix over the top. Put the pan onto low heat and flip the pancake. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes. The juice from the peaches caramelizes the cobbler mix.
Put a plate on top of the Pan and flip it over. Voila!
A quick method for making magnesium oil
- 1 cup of water
- I cup of magnesium chloride
Heat the water. Stir in the magnesium chloride. Allow to cool and add to a spritzer bottle. You can also do a quick fix using Epsom salts instead of magnesium chloride, but it’s not quite the same thing.
Chow for now,
Virginia
For more
- Want more killer recipes? You must follow Virginia on Instagram. Also, don’t miss her excellent blog HERE.
- For more nutrition info, check out the Faction Foods Nutrition Course.
- Need to gain muscle and strength? Don’t miss your chance to join the MUSCLE GAIN CHALLENGE.
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