We will be releasing a new range of products in March 2018.

We apologise to our loyal customers and will ensure those registered will receive a discount code to use with the new release.

Former Collingwood Football Club player Chris Tarrant recently treated students at Victoria’s Heidelberg Primary School to a visit. He wasn’t there to kick the footy, but to pursue one of his other loves – organic food.

Chris joined The Travelling Kitchen owner, Karen Koutsodontis, to teach years five and six students how to create healthy, certified organic vegetable fritters. It was all part of the very successful Australian Organic Awareness Month in October and marked the beginning of Chris’s new role as an ambassador for Australian Organic.

He says, “I was so thrilled to kick off my association with Australian Organic by participating in this Travelling Kitchen session.

“I am extremely passionate about teaching our kids how to eat healthily and how to maintain a healthy eating lifestyle and to share knowledge they will use for the rest of their lives.”

Students learnt about the importance of choosing certified organic food and were given tips about how to create their own organic garden at home – something Chris has been passionate about since changing his lifestyle to organic in 2010.

He says, “I was originally motivated to choose organic simply because of the taste but then when I started to notice an improvement in my on-field performance and my daily energy, as well as my ability to relax faster and sleep better, I decided to dedicate to a 100 per cent certified organic routine.”

Chris is also the co-owner of whey protein powder company INCA Organics, which is certified with Australian Certified Organic.

The Travelling Kitchen is run by food technology teacher Karen Koutsodontis. She’s passionate about teaching kids useful, health-based cooking skills.

Karen says, “We’re really excited about working with Australian Organic and Chris. Knowing the facts around organic produce is such a great message for children.”

In his role as an ambassador, Chris will donate his time to work with the hugely successful (and free) Australian Organic Schools initiative to encourage students to eat healthily and grow their own food. The program is compatible with the Australian Curriculum and now has over 60,000 students using it.

Over 60,000 students are now using Australian Organic Schools and, what’s more, it’s compatible with the Australian Curriculum. Go to organicschools.com.

Over the past years there has been a significant rise in the popularity of nutrient proteins. They’ve become an absolute buzzword and centre of focus for many in the health and fitness industry, associated with building muscle mass, and in weight management as a satiating nutrient, keeping us feeling fuller for longer. 

But beyond this protein is an incredibly important nutrient within the body, critical in maintaining life and absolutely fundamental to our architecture as humans. This incredible wee nutrient is abundant within our bodies, a structural part of every cell, tissue and organ, from muscles to bone to tendons to skin to hair. It functions as the building blocks of many of our hormones, enzymes, neurotransmitters and other important bodily molecules, helping countless physiological processes and chemical reactions occur, from breaking down and digesting our food into energy, to transporting oxygen around the body. It also serves as a fuel source contributing to 5-10% of our energy needs, with this percentage significantly increasing in situations where were not consuming enough dietary carbohydrates and fats.  As you can see protein is one powerful little nutrient.

What exactly are proteins? Proteins are large molecules made up of smaller, building block molecules called amino acids. Amino acids combine to create endlesscombinations of proteins, just as could create countless variations of necklaces by stringing together tiny colourful beads.  Many different amino acids exist in nature, but humans only require the use of 21 to produce all the proteins we need for healthy growth and function. Although our bodies are capable of making many of these 21 amino acids itself, there are 9 we’re unable to produce, which must be consumed through our diet – these are known as essential amino acids. Ensuring we have an adequate dietary intake of essential amino acids is vital to health, as once ingested, digested (where proteins are broken into amino acids – think of it like cutting the string between beads on the necklace!) and absorbed, these essential amino acids will be paired with naturally produced amino acids from the body, to help build new proteins with highly specific functions.

How much should we be getting? Like carbohydrates and fats, protein is known as a macronutrient – which are nutrients we need to consume in larger quantities to stay healthy (in comparison, vitamins and minerals are known as “micronutrients” and are therefore needed in smaller quantities). If we don’t consume enough our health and body composition will both suffer. As far as how much we should be consuming, there is no one size fits all approach – the correct amount will vary depending on a range of factors including our age, current health status, physical goals, current energy intake, and activity levels, however it’s generally recommended the average man and women consume 0.75 grams of protein per kilogram of their own body weight per day.  In the western word, a lack of protein intake is not typically an issue given its availability across a wide range of foods; however what still needs to be taken into consideration is not just the quantity but also the quality of what we’re consuming. – and by focusing on where the protein comes from your ensuring the highest quality product. Another aspect of quality to take into consideration is whether a protein is a complete or incomplete protein. Complete proteins, such as our INCA organics whey protein range, are sources of proteins that contain all nine of the essential amino acids needed for good health. When a protein is lacking the complete range of essential amino acids it is known as an incomplete protein, although this can be compensated for by combining two or more incomplete proteins at meal time to create a complete protein.

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut chips

1/3 cup INCA Organics coconut whey protein powder

1/3 cup almond meal

Zest of a whole lemon

Juice of half a lemon

1 tbsp sticky sweetener (honey, rice malt syrup, coconut nectar)

1 tsp melted coconut oil

Method:

Add the coconut chips, almond meal and protein powder into a food processor and blend for 30 seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend for a minute or so until the mixture comes together. Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup cacao/cocoa powder

1/3 cup almond meal

1/3 cup INCA Organics raw cacao whey protein powder

2 tbspn coconut oil

1 1/2 tbspn maple syrup/honey

Dark chocolate to coat

Method:

Add into a blender the cacao powder, almond meal, protein powder, coconut oil, and sweetener and blend until the mixture starts to form a dough. Spoon out teaspoons of the mixture and roll into small balls. Place in freezer for ten minutes to harden. Dunk in melted chocolate and decorate with cacao nibs (optional) pop back in freezer until set. Keep in freezer/fridge.

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 cup coconut water

1 large handful of spinach

2 green kiwifruit

1 frozen banana

1/2 avocado

2 tablespoons INCA Organics coconut whey protein powder

Handful of ice

Method:

Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Ingredients:

4 cups plain rice crisp cereal (crisp not puff-the puffs will get soggy and it won’t hold)

1/2 cup melted almond butter

2 tablespoon melted coconut oil

1/3 cup brown rice syrup (you can use another sticky sweetener like honey if you’d like)

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/3 cup INCA Organics coconut whey protein powder

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

Dark chocolate to coat (optional)

Method:

In a large bowl combine the rice crisps, protein powder and shredded coconut and mix together. Add melted coconut oil, melted almond butter, sweetener, and vanilla essence and gently mix until well coated, it may take a minute or so (I used a spatula to do the mixing – folding technique works well).

Place mixture into either muffin cases or a lined tray and compact it well (try pressing the mixture down with the back of a spoon or a spatula).

Freeze for an hour. Dip bottom of each treat into melted chocolate (optional). Store in the freezer.

When we look in more detail at source of our ingredients many great differences arise in agricultural practises, in our how food is grown and raised. For example, in organic verses conventional farming organic crops must be produced without synthetic fertilizer and pesticides (among other things), and organically raised animals must be given organic feed, steered cleared of antibiotics and growth hormones, and given lots of space to roam and graze. As these farming practices are more expensive to run, organic foods come out pricier than their conventionally grown counterparts – and realistically, when on a budget, this can be problematic. Here shopping smarter can be a real asset – for example, it  has been suggested that thicker skinned produce that we peel, such as bananas, may possibly contain less chemical residue in their flesh than produce with thinner skin that we directly eat, such as conventionally grown grape varieties,  so opting for non-organic in situations like these isn’t so bad.  Or, if buying organic produce just doesn’t fit within your budget, take some additional steps such as thoroughly washing non-organic produce to remove any pesticides (try a three-part-water-to-one-part-vinegar solution in your sink – as pesticides tend to be fat-soluble, simply washing them in water won’t do the trick).  Fruits and vegetables are vital for our bodies, so organic or not, we need to be consuming a wide variety on the daily.

When it comes to organic verses conventionally farmed livestock (our producers of dairy, eggs and meat), stark differences are often seen in living quarters, animal welfare, feed (grass-fed verses grain-fed), and an animal’s ability to graze and roam freely in grassy pasture year round. And yes the term, “you are what you eat”, does apply to cows too – nutritional differences in fatty acid compositions have been well established between grass-fed verses grain-fed cows, with grass-fed cows having significantly higher levels of the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acid.  An on-going concern for many individual is that conventionally raised livestock may often be given synthetic hormones, such as oestrogen, to artificially enhance and speed up milk production, as well as antibiotics to counter any rampant infections occurring due to close living quarters. This has led to concerns over the potential negative effects on aspects of the nutritional quality of the end-product when using hormones and antibiotics, which is where considering the source of your ingredients is important – read packages, research companies, and get an idea of their ethics. The only way to really guarantee the source of your product is when buying a certified organic product, such as INCA Organics. Holding this certification allows the guarantee over the quality and source of an ingredient.

Although regulations do exist surrounding the use of synthetic chemicals in farming (levels must have to fall under a threshold to be deemed safe), a considerable issue lies around whether continuous small doses of chemicals, repeatedly over a lifetime, may cumulate and contribute to increased health risks– are we guinea pigs to this idea? It’s important we acknowledge the source of our ingredients and opt for quality wherever we can.

Remember, while one of the most important things to aim for in a healthy diet is the consumption of real food, it’s also important that your real food eats real food too.

Our children learn from us, so we’ve got to get out there and run around with them. We’ve all got busy lives! But this is one change that will be for the better. My making time for exercise as a family, you’ll be spending additional time with your family and ensuring you’re all getting your heart rate roaring on a daily basis. It’s hard to know how to find the time, but a simple trick is to assess a week of usual routine. Often you’ll find at least one hour a day where you’re all simply using technology. We say use this time to switch off, and get sweating!

If your children are signing up to a sport, remember to explain the real commitment to joining. Sport teaches children very valuable lessons such as discipline, motivation, commitment and cooperation. As a parent, you need to help them through the process of understanding these lessons, because these will help them tackle the big world later on in life.

Teaching your children how to love exercise will not only be a valuable lesson for them, but will also allow you to find time to get into shape!

Here are our top 5 tips for getting your children to love exercise.

1. Join in!

Promote physical exercise by getting involved with your children. Go to the local park and throw the football around, turn some music on and dance it out, go for a scenic bike ride, spend the weekend surfing. Whatever you and your children enjoy doing, do more of it!

2. Mix exercise with family time

Family time is important! Without making a big deal about exercise, and simply adding it into daily life, your children will certainly love it. Find your local trampoline park, make a competitive game out of star jumps, dance often, or add exercise to your daily activities. Whatever it is, make it active, make it fun!

3. Let the kids join your work out

If you work out at home, get the kids involved! Use your children as weights, teach them how to do your morning yoga routine, or see who can skip for the longest! You’ll be surprised how much more you can get done when focusing your mind on your beautiful kids.

4. Turn off the technology

Have rules of when technology can and can’t be on. This means you too parents! When off, make sure you’re all outside enjoying time together, building up a sweat.

5. Sign everyone up!

Find a sport you can do collectively as a family. This increases your family time together, and teaches you all valuable skills.

Most of all, have fun!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oat flour (basically ground up oats)

2 tablespoons INCA Organics coconut whey protein powder

1 medium banana

2 free range eggs

3 tablespoons organic milk of choice

4 tablespoons of shredded coconut

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 tsp baking powder

Method:

Into a food processor (I use the magic bullet-easy clean up and perfect size) blend all the ingredients except the shredded coconut until a smooth batter has been formed. Stir in shredded coconut. Cook pancakes on a medium-low heat with a little oil/organic butter in the pan. To get perfect circular pancake shapes use a small milk jug to pour your pancake mixture onto a pan. Once cooked, stack them up and top with coconut yoghurt, strawberries and pomegranate.

Recipe by the AMAZING @healthyalways

Ingredients:

1/2 cup almond meal

1 + 1/2 cups shredded coconut

2 tablespoons of INCA Organics raw cacao whey protein powder

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

3 tablespoons melted coconut oil

4 tablespoons cacao powder

Pinch of salt

Melted dark chocolate (optional) to drizzle on top

Method:

Preheat oven to bake 160 degrees. Into a bowl add the shredded coconut and Organic raw cacao protein powder, almond meal, cacao powder and salt. Mix with a spoon until well combined. Add pure maple syrup and melted coconut oil and mix in well (using your hands as mixers is good-squeeze the mixture together to really combine it well). Spoon out tablespoons of the mixture onto a lined baking tray, roll into balls, and press down flat. Bake for around 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Recipe by the AMAZING @healthyalways

Ingredients:

1 fresh coconut (the water and flesh)

3 – 4 frozen strawberries strawberries

½ frozen banana banana

3 ice cubes

1 tablespoons INCA Organics superfood and raw cacao whey protein powder

½ cup organic almond milk.

Method:

Into the blender!

Ingredients:

1 medium frozen banana

6 ice cubes

1 cup organic milk of choice

1/3 cup oats

2 tablespoons of INCA Organics coconut whey protein powder

1 tablespoon linseeds

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Method:

Add in ingredients into a blender and blender until completely smooth.

Recipe thanks to the amazing @healthyalways

Ingredients (for one):

1 tablespoon of almond meal/alternative flour of choice

2 tablespoon INCA Organics cacao whey protein powder

1 tablespoon cacao powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon melted butter/coconut oil

1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons organic nut milk of choice

1 organic egg

Method:

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. Add wet ingredients and whisk until a smooth batter. Pour mixture into a large mug (a large mug will help prevent the mixture from over-flowing) and microwave for 30 seconds. From then on microwave for another 30 to 40 seconds (depending on how fudgey and gooey you’d like it) in 5-10 second bursts, pausing it for a few seconds in between bursts (the cake will rise very suddenly as it cooks, and pausing the cooking time will prevent it from rising too high and over spilling from the mug – it’s quite fun to watch ). Eat directly from the mug or tip onto a plate and garnish with a little ice cream/melted chocolate.

Recipe thanks to the amazing @healthyalways

We’re excited to announce the launch of our new vegan superfood booster, that’s all-natural, dairy-free, gluten free, making it completely vegan and paleo friendly, and certified organic of course! Sound too good to be true? Well, believe it or not, but it gets better! This superfood powder is made up of Inca Inchi, an incredible superfood that’s a natural, chemical-free source of protein, amino acids, nutrients and omegas with no high temperature processing, deodorising, preservatives or additives. Now there’s a mouthful!

Inca Inchi protein powder is made from the nut of the Sacha Inchi plant, that has been cold pressed to remove the oil. What’s left is a dried nut powder which contains one of the most highly digestible, low-irritant, high-quality proteins available! What’s best, your body absorbs as much protein as it can digest, making Inca Inchi the most efficient protein powder on the market today!

Our vegan superfood powder is made to be used as a booster – sprinkle it over your breakfast, salads, or add it into your meals or smoothies. It will add an extra dimension to your meals, with the deliciously nutty flavour. The powders protein will help recovery and keep you fuller for longer, while the high amount of omega-3 will aid your hair, skin, cardio vascular and joints.

Key Benefits:

• Gluten, additive, preservative, dairy and GMO free
• Dairy-free, single ingredient super-protein which won’t irritate your stomach
• All-natural, vegan source of protein
• Highly (99%) digestible
• High in essential and non-essential amino acids
• High in antioxidants and omega-3 for joint support, cardiovascular system help
• Sustainably harvested

Ingredients:

• Organic Inca Inchi Protein Powder
• Organic Maca
• Organic Flaxseed Meal

Works Best For:

• Vegans looking for additional protein, omega-3, vitamin A, and calcium
• Individuals on gluten-free diets
• Active families to supplement their daily diet
• Gym goers and body builders
• Children who are fussy eaters – you can sprinkle Inca Inchi powder on salads, add to smoothies, hidden in casseroles, or over the top of veggies. Better still, they’ll love the nutty taste!

More Information About Sacha Inchi:

Inca Inchi comes from the Sacha Inchi plant, which still grows sustainably in on elf natures wonderlands, the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest. It’s been used for centuries by the Inca culture. At the moment the cultivation, harvesting and shelling of the seeds provides jobs to the indigenous people of Peru.

This superfood is perhaps the most potent non-animal food known to man! Not to mention, of all the foods known to man, the proteins and nutrients in Sacha Inchi are the easiest to digest (99% digestible). Which means your body gets the benefits quickly and easily, with maximum absorption. Sacha Inchi seed is the highest source of omega-3 on the planet.

Natalie is a strong believer in healthy, guilt-free eating. She says it’s better to eat a variety of foods from all food groups than labelling certain foods as ‘forbidden’ or ‘bad’. She lives an active lifestyle, working out six days a week, and monitors her diet to support her exercise regime. Natalie likes to stay on top of food trends, loves to cook, especially using organic and fresh produce.

Healthy Eating During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Article written by Natalie Forgione (BND, ABD)

There’s no doubt that expectant mothers have a lot to get their head around! A priority for most is to keep baby growing well and mum feeling healthy, and good nutrition plays an important role in both!

Overall a diet when pregnant or breastfeeding should be wholesome and varied, including foods from all of the core food groups. The old saying ‘eating for two’ doesn’t mean eating double your usual amounts, more so just carefully increasing the particular foods and nutrients needed to support the changes in your body.

What are some of the nutrients that pregnant and breastfeeding mothers require?

Energy

In order to achieve a healthy pregnancy weight gain, the right amount of dietary energy (calories/ kilojoules) is crucial. Similarly, producing breast milk post pregnancy burns lots of energy. The energy needs of a woman vary with age, body size and activity levels. The best way to tell if you are getting in enough energy is to monitor changes to your weight and discuss any unexpected weight changes with your doctor or an accredited practicing dietitian.

Pregnancy Requirement: 2nd trimester- additional 1400kj (334cal) per day, 3rd trimester- additional 1900kj (454cal) per day
Breastfeeding Requirement: Additional 2000kj per day (478cal/day)

Protein

Protein occurs in all living cells and has structural and functional properties, so its only natural that pregnant and breastfeeding women need to make sure they are getting enough protein. This will help to support changes in your own body such as increased muscle, tissue, blood and skin as well as the growth and development of baby. Protein is found in a range of foods such as meat, poultry, fish, cereal based foods, legumes, dairy foods and nuts.

Pregnancy Requirement: 60g per day (an additional 14g per day)
Breastfeeding Requirement: 67g per day(an additional 21g per day)

Folate and Iodine

For the normal development of your baby’s brain and nervous system, women require extra folic acid and iodine. The easiest way to ensure you are getting in enough is to speak to your pharmacist about a pregnancy specific supplement.

Pregnancy Requirement: Folate 600 micrograms, Iodine 220 micrograms
Breastfeeding Requirement: Folate 500 micrograms, Iodine 270 micrograms

Calcium

Calcium is important for the maintenance of mum and baby’s bones and it also plays a role in muscle function. When breastfeeding, 20% of a woman’s calcium requirement for the day is excreted in breast milk, so it’s especially important to be getting enough. 3-4 serves of dairy such as milk, cheese or yoghurt will meet your calcium needs. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach or broccoli, legumes, nuts, sardines or tofu can also provide some calcium into your diet.

Pregnancy Requirement: 1000mg per day
Breastfeeding Requirement: 1000mg per day

Iron

Iron is used for making blood and carrying oxygen around the body. During pregnancy, baby will also draw enough iron from you to last through their first 6 months of life. Pregnant women should try and eat plenty of iron rich foods such as lean red meat, legumes, dark green leafy vegetables, breads and fortified breakfast cereals. It also helps to consume foods containing vitamin C at the same time as your vegetable iron sources, to help with the iron absorption. For example, having a tomato based sauce on legumes or orange segments tossed through a baby spinach salad. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, it may be worthwhile speaking to your doctor about an iron supplement.

Pregnancy Requirement: 27mg per day
Breastfeeding Requirement: 9mg per day

***Note: (The values used in above are a guide based on a 60kg reference weight as per Nutrient Reference Values for Australian and New Zealand. For individual dietary advice, see an accredited practicing dietitian)***

How could I get this extra nutrition in?

In the second and third trimester of pregnancy, protein and energy needs an increase, but achieving these targets doesn’t have to be complex. If you’re already eating a normal healthy diet containing a variety of foods from the major food groups, it can be as simple as adding in a snack or two, just like the following smoothies.

This INCA Tropical Protein Smoothie provides enough energy to meet the extra requirements of pregnancy. It also contains a third of your daily calcium and half of your daily protein! Spinach, wheat germ and pumpkin seeds are all rich in iron, and the vitamin C from the mango helps with iron absorption. Not to mention it contains one serve of both fruit and veg!

If you are breastfeeding, short on time and tired, try whipping up a delicious INCA smoothie to sip on between feeds. The oats and protein will keep you feeling full in case a meal time gets away from you. Containing a third of your daily calcium, a serve of fruit, and the energy to help you meet the demands of breastfeeding, it’s great for mum and bub (and it tastes delicious too!).

Tropical Protein Smoothie

1 cup baby spinach
¼ an avocado
½ a mango (fresh or frozen)
2 tablespoons INCA organic coconut whey protein
1 cup skim milk
¼ cup mint leaves
2 teaspoons wheat germ
Handful of ice
2 teaspoons pumpkin seeds for topping (optional)

Blend everything except pumpkin seeds together in a powerful blender on high. Top smoothie with pumpkin seeds for a bit of crunch and enjoy while cold.

Cherry Ripe Revival Smoothie

3 tablespoons rolled oats
½ cup skim milk
½ cup plain greek yoghurt
½ cup frozen cherries
2 tablespoons INCA organic cocao whey protein
2 teaspoon raw cocao
1 tablespoon peanut or almond butter
1 medjool date

Blend all ingredients in a powerful blender on high until smooth and serve ice cold.

A Note on Food Safety

When you’re pregnant, changes in your immune system make you and your baby more prone to food related illnesses, so a bit more caution around food safety is needed. Make sure you wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before using them. Store any leftover smoothie in the fridge and use within 24 hours.

Article By Natalie Forgione (BND, ABD)

1 cup fresh mango
1 cup fresh pineapple
1 frozen banana
2 tablespoons Inca organics coconut whey superfood powder 1/2 cup milk of choice
1/4 cup coconut milk
8 ice cubes
optional: squeeze of lime

Method:

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until silky smooth. Enjoy!

1/2 cup oats
1 + 1/4 cups of your organic milk of choice
1 frozen banana
1 cup frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons of Inca organics coconut whey protein powder
1/4 cup organic coconut milk

Method:

Soak oats overnight in the 1 cup of your organic milk of choice. In the morning blend the oats and soaked liquid for a few minutes until smooth. Add the frozen banana, raspberries, 1/4 cup milk of choice, Inca organics coconut whey protein powder, and the coconut milk and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl, top with fresh fruits and enjoy!

1 tbs of INCA Organic Whey Protein Powder (Coconut)
1 tbs of INCA Organic Whey Superfood Powder
150ml Organic Full Cream Milk and 150 ml coconut water or coconut water / water combination –note: no low fat milk –use more water if too creamy!
1/3 Organic Banana
1/2 cup Organic berries of choice Pinch of Cinnamon

Method:
Into the blender

What is Burst Training?

Burst Training combines short, high intensity bursts of exercise, with slow, recovery phases. Generally the session (not including warm up and cool down) last no longer than 15 minutes and can be completed on any traditional form of cardio – walking, running, cycling, cross-trainer or rower. Different forms of resistance training (Kettlebell and Power Pilates) are suitable also.

Benefits of Burst Training?

Recent studies found many key benefits for burst training. These include:
-Burn up to 3x more body-fat than moderate cardio (Australian Study from University of NSW, 2010)
-Following two weeks of Burst Training, fat burning increased by 36% (Journal of Applied Physiology, 2007)
-Your body continues to burn fat for the following 48 hours after you complete your session.
-More effective use of time, less degenerative injuries, increased conditioning and superior results.

Sample Burst Training Session

Are you ready to try Burst Training for yourself? Here’s a 10 minute session designed for everyone. Set your timer on minute beeps and your away. As the rest periods decrease your cardio conditioning will be challenged. Don’t forget to include a warm-up of dynamic stretches prior and a cool down of static stretches.

Warm Up (10 minutes)

10 sec 80 – 95% effort
50 sec Active Recovery (30 – 50% effort)
20 sec 80 – 95% effort
40 sec Active Recovery (30 – 50% effort)
30 sec 80 – 95% effort
30 sec Active Recovery (30 – 50% effort)
40 sec 80 – 95% effort
20 sec Active Recovery (30 – 50% effort)
50 sec 80 – 95% effort
70 sec Active Recovery (30 – 50% effort)
50 sec 80 – 95% effort
10 sec Active Recovery (30 – 50% effort)
40 sec 80 – 95% effort
20 sec Active Recovery (30 – 50% effort)
30 sec 80 – 95% effort
30 sec Active Recovery (30 – 50% effort)
20 sec 80 – 95% effort
40 sec Active Recovery (30 – 50% effort)
10 sec 80 – 95% effort
50 sec Active Recovery (30 – 50% effort)

5 minute cool down followed by static stretches.

Reference:

Boutcher, Stephen H. (2010) High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise and Fat Loss. Journal of Obesity. University of NSW. School of Medical Science.

Image: Arthur Belebeau Self Magazine 2014

Hey guys, I’m Chris, one of the founders of INCA Organics.

I’ve been using protein powders to aid in recovery after exercise and maintain lean muscle for a while now. Growing up in rural Victoria, you can imagine I loved my sport from the get-go. I’ve played a total of 270 professional football games in the AFL (Australian Football League) for Collingwood and Fremantle football clubs, and panelled on the All-Australian team in 2003. During my professional football career, I was trained by the leading sports scientists in the country! I’ve also completed high altitude training camps in Arizona and South Africa.

The thing was, no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t find a protein powder that wasn’t full of preservatives and additives! I was searching for a certified organic product, made only from the very best ingredients in the world, but there was certainly a gap in the market. That’s where INCA Organics came about. After research, research, research, my brother Jamie and I sourced the very best ingredients around the world.

You would’ve noticed the Sports Supplements controversy in both AFL and NRL football codes, dominating headlines over the last couple of years. It’s true that clubs and players are always looking for a competitive edge to improve performance, but some have really pushed the boundaries!

Here at INCA, we really believe in focusing on the quality of products. Which naturally starts with looking into the source of the ingredients, that are found in foods and supplements we are consuming. The question we need to ask our leading sports nutritionists and scientists is, ‘can you tell me exactly where this product comes from?’.

The only way to guarantee the source, is to have a third party such as ‘Australian Certified Organic’ to regular it. In the absence of such regulation, brands rely on self-promoting and marketing to make people aware of product specifics, whether it’s true or not.

We’re firm believers in being transparent about our protein powders! But there’s a lot out there that you don’t know! For instance, ‘Grass Fed Whey protein from the USA’ only requires cows to graze on grass for 110 days of the year. That’s only a little more than 30% of the entire year! This is why we make sure our cows are fed grass every day of their lives, in order to ensure our product is the best it can be!

Here are some of my tips to help YOU be the best you can be!

Increase Growth Hormone (GH) Production

The growth hormone is your bodies internal clock. By increasing it, you can build muscle, slash fat and boost energy levels. The body makes growth hormone within the pituitary gland. Natural production of this hormone decreases after the age of forty, particularly in men. Low GH levels are to blame for many effects of ageing.

Signs of Sluggish GH Production

– Decreased muscle mass

– Increase in fat

– Loss of energy

– Decreased Mental Clarity

The most effective way to increase your body’s natural production of GH is via your food choices and exercise selection. We’ll be discussing more about exercise selection in the coming months, so stay tuned.

Nutrients Needed for Increased GH Production

– Protein

– Glutamine

– L-Arginine

– Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)

– Choline

– Niacin

It’s essential you eat organic foods rich in these key nutrients (and contain no pesticides, fertilisers, hormones or heavy metals), to build strength and lean muscle.

We’ve formulated a special ‘Muscle Up’shake and have included a sample eating plan. These will provide you with a potent shot of all these GH generating vital nutrients to help your body build muscle and energy.

** INCA ‘Warrior’ Smoothie **

– 1 tbs of INCA Organic Whey Protein Powder (Raw Cacao or Coconut)

– 1 tbs of INCA Organic Whey Superfood Powder

– 150ml Organic Full Cream Milk and 150 ml coconut water or coconut water / water combination –note: no low fat milk –use more water if too creamy!

– 1/3 Organic Banana

– 1/2 cup Organic berries of choice

– Pinch of Cinnamon

Into the blender!

**Sample Daily Eating Plan**

Breakfast

2 Organic Eggs (Omelette) with mushroom, onion and capsicum

1 Cup of Natural Museli with banana, berries, Organic whole milk and tablespoon of INCA Organics Superfood Powder

Mid Morning

INCA ‘Warrior’Smoothie

Lunch

Lean protein source (Grass fed beef, chicken, fish) with 1 cup of quinoa or legumes and vegetables or salad.

Afternoon

Ezekiel Bread with Almond butter

Post Workout

INCA Organic Whey Protein Shake (within 20 minutes of completion of session –prior to cool down/stretch).

Dinner

Lean protein source (Grass fed beef, chicken, fish) with 1 cup of quinoa or legumes and vegetables.

Note:

– Always choose Organic ingredients to achieve the full benefits.

– Portion sizes dependent upon your bodyweight and dietary requirements.

– Ensure plenty of sleep –as this is when your body releases GH.

– Vigorous exercise also stimulates GH production

– Ensure optimal Vitamin D levels (70 – 100 ng/ml)

– Try intermittent fasting once a fortnight

– Aim 1-4L of Water per day depending on temperature and energy expenditure

References

Stokes, K.A., Toone, R.J & Williams, C. (2013) Growth Hormone responses to consecutive bouts with ingestion of carbohydrates plus whey protein. International Journal of Sports, Nutrition and Metabolism, 259-270.

When it comes to protein, there might be a tendency to think of it as the gym-bound man’s route to bulky muscles via powders, shakes and bars –but there’s a whole world of benefit beyond that! Did you know increasing your daily protein intake can be a great strategy in managing your weight more effectively and keeping yourself healthy?

Protein is a wonderfully filling nutrient, that is slow to vacate your stomach, which helps keep you feeling fuller for longer and prevents that gnawing hole in your midriff between meal times (you know the feeling!). It also takes longer to be digested, metabolised and converted into useable forms of energy within the body (a process known as thermogenesis), meaning this simple food addition to your meals helps burn more calories compared to carbohydrates and fats!

Adding more weight to the argument (pun intended!), keeping up an adequate intake of protein during weight loss efforts helps ensure we lose fat whilst maintaining muscle mass. As muscle is a highly metabolic tissue, the more we have the more calories we burn, while active or at rest. Together, these effects help benefit anyone watching their waistline, while keeping you at peak health in the process!

Incorporating protein into each meal is highly beneficial for weight management –and there are a couple of extra tricks to maximise its potential. A great way to help regular your appetite from the get-go, is to ensure you make use of the filling effects of protein at breakfast! This can be as easy as including a few scoops of protein powder into your morning shake or bowl of oats. One of my favourite quick morning fixes, that’s tasty and nutritious is INCA Coconut Whey blended with a banana, a handful of frozen berries, ice and almond milk.

It’s also important to ensure an adequate protein supply after a muscle-building workout. Add a few scoops into a shake, along with some high-energy fruit such as bananas, to ensure your glycogen stores (the sugars stored in your body for quick energy) are being refuelled too!

The amount of protein we need on a daily basis will differ depending on gender, age, weight, state of health, activity levels, and health goals. For us ladies to reach the recommended dietary intake of protein it’s recommended we consume a minimum of 0.75g/kg of protein a day. However, these recommendations increase in special cases like pregnancy and breastfeeding, to 1.00g/kg day during the second and third trimesters.

References

Leidy, H. J., Bossingham, M. J., Mattes, R. D., & Campbell, W. W. (2009). Increased dietary protein at breakfast leads to an intial and sustained feeling of fullness during energy restriction compared to other meal times. British Journal of Nutrition, 798-803.

Ministry of Health. (2003). Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Adults: A background paper. Wellington: Ministry of Health.

Ministry of Health. (2006 (revised 2008)). Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Healthy Pregrant and Breatfeeding Women: A background paper. Wellington: Ministry of Health

Paddon-Jones, D., Westman, E., Mattes, R. D., Wolfe, R. R., Astrup, A., & Westerterp-Plantega, M. (2008). Protein, weight management, and satiety. The American Journal of Clincial Nutrition, 1558-1561.