Fitness discovery of the week: maple syrup.

In its purest form (no store-brand fake stuff, please), this sticky, sweet breakfast favorite is a fabulous energy booster with tons of health benefits, like antioxidants, essential nutrients (zinc, iron, potassium, calcium, and manganese, which aids in muscle recovery) and has fewer calories than honey. Try using it in place of sugar in recipes—even in homemade sports energy drinks.

How did we stumble across this stunning piece of healthy news? As it turns out, Denver is hosting the 2012 Fitness & Health Bloggers Conference this weekend (June 22–24) at the brand new Anschutz Health and Wellness Center, and one of the sponsors is Pure Canadian Maple Syrup.

The conference’s lineup looks pretty amazing. And Colorado seems like a pretty darn good location to host such a shindig, what with all the outdoor adventure in our backyard that practically demands that our peeps maintain an active, fit lifestyle. And guess what? You don’t have to be a blogger to attend. Anyone affiliated with the health, fitness, nutrition, or wellness industries—or even people with an interest in these or related fields—will likely benefit from this weekend’s experts, speakers, researchers, physicians, and built-in activity classes (cycling, rooftop yoga, pilates, strength training, and more).

We cruised the agenda, and here’s a sampling of interesting sessions and topics:

* Using the Internet to Grow Your Fitness Business with Adam Bordes and Ted Vickey

* Consumer Research Grocery Store and Restaurant: Where Theories of Everyday Healthy Lifestyles are Tested

* Current Evidence on Weight Loss and Weight Management

Want to register? Cough up $250 (that includes two dinners and two breakfasts) and sign up here through Zephyr Adventures (conference organizer). And don’t forget: Syrup isn’t just for pancakes anymore.

—Image via Shutterstock.