Friday Five: Top 5 Food Tips to Help you Reach your Heath Goals and Create the Body of your Dreams

 

STRENGTH –

Anyone can workout for an hour, but to control what goes on your plate the other 23 hours… that’s the hard work!

 

Ain’t that the truth.

You can sculpt, build, lift, push, pull and sweat as much as you can through exercise, but without the right food (and portion sizes) to fuel your body it won’t change as much as you want.  It’s not just about being strong in the gym but OUT of the gym, in the other 23 hours.

Last year I intensively worked out and ate very healthily however my body made the most dramatic changes when I modified what I ate, how I ate and my portion sizes.  Yes, I was eating healthy food but just way too much and being the carb monster that I was, the percentage of macronutrients that I ate was WAY off.

Once I set my goal the biggest thing I needed to do was change my habits and emotions towards food as well as eat smaller portions, different % of fats, carbs and protein, eat more often (every 2-3 hours) and, like I said before, stick to the plan.  No ifs or buts.

Food really is a science, that’s what makes it so interesting.

Abs really are made in the kitchen!

On that note, here are my Top 5 Food Tips 

1. Portion Control

I cannot stress this one enough!

We all built individually and need different amounts of calories and % of macronutrients (carbs, fats and proteins) depending on your goal(s), so what may work for your friend / sister / neighbour / training buddy may not work for you.  In my case, I was eating the same (if not bigger) portions than Maarten, my husband, who weighs nearly twice my weight!  No wonder I didn’t see any changes for all of those months.

You can check out some example of portion control on my Pinterest board here.

2. The best exercise you can do is walk away from the kitchen and fridge with a glass of water! 

Last year you could find me hovering around the kitchen, usually at times when I wasn’t so busy and had time to think about food.  I would go in there and nibble on a handful of nuts, or have a few sneaky crackers here and there.  Dates filled with walnuts were a huge favourite of mine – so I would have a handful of those too a few times through the day.

I thought I was being healthy BUT I wasn’t paying any attention to the calories or nutrition of the food I was eating.  Yes, dates and walnuts are healthy but they are packed with fats (even though they are good fats) and sugar (even though they are natural sugars), so are high in calories and carbs too.

Even though I was eating healthy options I was consuming far more calories than my body needed.

So next time you find yourself in the kitchen, looking for munchies – get yourself a big glass of water instead!  More often than not we are either “bored” or dehydrated when we think we’re hungry.

3. Be mindful what and when you eat

I have learned to say no.  Believe me, this was a massive thing for me.  I would always eat what, when and where I wanted.

I absolutely love food, especially cakes and would never ever turn down the offer of one.  Birthday parties, work gatherings, dinners out etc. were always exciting times when I would eat any of the things on offer.

However I had to make a conscious decision to really see and take on board all that I was eating – it’s an interesting thing to do – as, like I said, there were those moments alone in the kitchen with the sneaky handful of snacks that I wouldn’t consider as extra calories or even think about… but they all mount up.

So, think before you eat.  Make smart choices.   And learn to say “No”.

4. Keep a ‘food diary’ for a week

Something that made a huge impact was keeping a “Food Diary / Schedule”.

I really wanted to see what, how much and when I was eating so I started using the “Notes” function on my iPhone and ‘writing down’ what, when and how much I was eating.

What an eye opener!

Again – yes all healthy things, but WAY too much – especially in the evening.  I had formed habits, like eating peanut butter on toast with a tea at 20:30 when I would watch The Big Bang Theory.  That was my ritual.  And these were very unnecessary nutrients and calories that my body didn’t need, since I had already ate enough carbs and fats through the day.

So I had to change my habit and make a conscious effort to replace this ritual with something else… which has now become a salad and green tea.

Writing things down and seeing what I was eating was really interesting.  Give it a go!

5. Be accountable to someone other than yourself 

Another biggie!  Sometimes being accountable to yourself is just not enough.  “No one will know if I have that biscuit / croissant / McDonalds etc.”  You, of course, but sometimes the pleasure outweighs the guilt, so you eat it anyway.

However, having another person to be accountable to (and not wanting to let down) can really help you focus, stick to the plan and help in the motivation department.  For me this person was my coach Jerry Koolhoven.

So share your goal with someone (your partner, a friend, a colleague whoever) and go for it!

Another blog post you may find interesting and like to read is:

Hungry, or think you are hungry?  

 

Friday Five: 5 Clean Eating Swaps

In my experience getting healthy, and eating healthier, has been something that happens one decision at a time.  Making choices that you will stick to – not just for one day or a few weeks, but making the same decision so often that it becomes habit.

When I first set out on eating cleaner there are a few swaps that I made, which have stayed with me up until this day.  Simple swaps can make a huge difference.  Like I said, it’s these incremental changes that pave each day out to make a healthier you.

Below are my top 5 clean eating essential swaps:

1. (Cooking) oil / butter SWAP FOR extra virgin coconut oil

Not only is it the healthiest oil to cook with but it has loads of health benefits.  A win win!  A side note – extra virgin olive oil is very good for you, but should only be used cold, not heated up as an oil to cook with.

2. Salad dressings SWAP FOR Apple Cider Vinegar or biological balsamic vinegar (pls check out the ingredients for sneaky E numbers!)

Many pre-packaged salad dressings have added sugars, chemicals, E numbers and salt, which all lead to weight gain and a build up of toxins in your body.  My advice is to go simple by adding a little extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar or biological balsamic vinegar – not only will they spice up your veggies but apple cider vinegar has many of health benefits too.  For more spice in your salad add black pepper corns and cayenne peppers (which boost your metabolism and burn fat).

3. Latte / macchiato / cappuccino SWAP FOR black coffee / espresso

OK, this took a major switch for me, habitually and emotionally.  I knew that when I sipped on my latte coffee I was consuming unnecessary calories that wouldn’t help me lose body fat and I also knew that I was drinking something that was full of sugar which my body just didn’t need.  So, one day – motivated by the knowledge that my latte (as yummy as it was) just wasn’t benefitting my health, I switched to black coffee.  Granted, it didn’t taste like my latte BUT I’m now converted.  I can actually taste the gloriousness of the actual coffee (rather than the milk or sugar which I added to it), it gives me a productivity boost, fuels my work outs and is my new found morning friend.  Give it a go, you must just like it. BTW, black coffee can also help you lose weight!

4. Black tea with sugar and milk SWAP FOR green tea

Being British I grew up with PG tips and earl gray tea, which I would drink with milk and sugar.  No matter what situation, tea would always be the answer, as well as a staple 10:30 mid morning habit.  However I have been a green tea devotee for over a decade now when I made the decision to switch, knowing that it was packed filled of health benefits (for instance it helps fight cancerous cells, fights inflammation and helps aid weight loss).

5. Sugary snack or biscuit SWAP FOR rice cracker with nut butter

This was another habit I had to break – mid morning and evening sugary snacks.  My best advice is to just go ‘cold turkey’ – get rid of the sugary snacks.  If I have them in the house, then I knew they are there, and there was just too much temptation.  Instead of reaching for the biscuit / chocolate etc.  go and spread some yummy nut butter on a rice cracker.  It not only fuels you with good carbs and fats but is a very good substitute for biscuits or snacks.

Football Fever Edition: ‘Hup Holland Hup’ Pumpkin and Garlic Soup

Especially for the FIFA world cup semi- finals game tonight I wanted to post an orange colored treat for you – my ‘Hup Holland Hup’ Pumpkin and Garlic soup.

Easy, healthy, clean and delicious.

Cooking time: 35 mins. 15 mins prep and 20 mins cooking

Ingredients:

1 large onion

8 cloves of garlic

1.5 kilos of pumpkin

1 spoon of coconut oil

Himalayan salt and pepper to taste

How:

Cut up all your veggies.

Heat the coconut oil and “fry” the onion and garlic for 3-5 mins.

Add the pumpkin and cook for 5 mins

Add 750 ML water and let it simmer for a further 10 mins

Take the pan off the heat and use a hand held blender to whizzzz it into a creamy consistency.

Voila – ready to eat.

 

Hope you enjoy the soup and the game tonight!

Gooooooooooo Holland!!!!  Hup Holland Hup!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday Five: 5 Health Benefits and Reasons to Eat Strawberries

It’s summer summer summer summer time (sorry for putting DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince in your head) but summer = strawberry time!

These bright red jeweled berries pack a punch when it comes to nutrients, antioxidants and health benefits.

Below are 5 health benefits:

1. Helps burn stored fat
2. Helps fight cancer
3. Builds strong nails and hair and prevents skin from sagging
4. Promotes blood flow and oxygen, which can result in weight loss
5. Helps to whiten your teeth

 

Awesome!

Friday Five: 5 clean and healthy snacks

Let’s talk snacks.  In all honestly I would always go for the carb option – crackers, muffins, toast etc.   White, refined and processed carbs (yes, I’m talking about you Mr Muffin) will give you a quick fix, but they are simple carbs which will spike your sugar levels and leave you feeling hungrier… not good.  PLUS, sugar is not good for you.

My best advice – stay away from sugary snacks.  This took a change in my mindset, as I did like my evening bit of toast and my muffin on a Friday afternoon, but once you change your habits you will start to see physical results whilst making your body a healthier place – a win win if you ask me.

So, what shall we snack on? I hear you ask…

Here are 5 healthy and clean snacks that will fuel you body with valuable nutrients and antioxidants whilst help keep hunger at bay.

1. Vegetables

Slice up veggies (for example red pepper, celery, tomatoes, cucumber, spinach, kale) add pepper and chili pepper to spice things up a bit and fuel fat burning.  Important note:  do not consume too many vegetables that are high in starch (like green peans, sweetcorn etc.) as those calories will start to mount up quickly. Check out a list of vegetable groups here.

2. Rice cracker + nut butter

My favorite at this moment are spelt rice crackers + 100% organic almond butter.  Nut butters are so easy to make yourself, click HERE to see how.  Let’s remember, everything in moderation (this is also a note to self) – so 2 rice crackers + nut butter are sufficient.

 3. Glass of veggie juice

My recommendation – 2 celery sticks, 1 carrot, 2 big handfuls of spinach or kale and a little water – chuck it in the blender and voila, done!

4. Cup of green or herbal tea

My 2 all time favorites are 100% green tea and Nan Yu tea.  Full of antioxidants, they help burn fat, have loads of health benefits and helps to curb food cravings. Awesome.

5. Teaspoon of virgin coconut oil

1 teaspoon of virgin coconut oil will give you energy and keep hunger away.  I would recommend 1 teaspoon per day, max. as you don’t want to be consuming more (good) fats than your body needs.

Need more ideas?  Click here for my clean eating snacks board on Pinterest.

What are your favorite healthy clean snacks?  Leave your comments below, I would love to hear them!

It’s never too late to change your body (true story)

It was 1995, Rhythm of the Night was playing everywhere and there lived an insecure teenage girl.

She used to look in the mirror and wonder why she was “blessed” (ahem, sarcasm) with a bigger behind than fit the rest of her body.  She used to cover it up with long jumpers and by tying things around her waist.

One summer she was lying out in the garden reading Cosmo and came across an article that said “…no matter what training exercises you do, you cannot change the shape of your butt”, well this utterly depressed her and made her think  ‘Oh well, why bother if nothing will change it’, so she lived with it, covered it up with long tops and wore baggy trousers.  No, she was not a fan of this body part at all.

Luckily a sort of “Booty Saviour” came along in the late 1990’s, in the form of J Lo, who made it cool to have a bigger behind.  This helped a little in making Ms Insecure feel a bit better BUT she was still very self conscious.  Let’s flash forward to last year when she started eating clean, lifting weights and doing some cardio – changes started to happen, however bigger and better significant changes started to happen since January this year (under the guidance of her coach and trainer Jerry Koolhoven).  By sticking to a strict, but healthy food schedule and by focussing on specific weight training exercises (namely in the form of squats and kickbacks), this booty of her’s transformed and still is transforming, one squat and one rep at a time and by carefully choosing specific foods to fuel her body, and glutes.

In her head, she is still the girl with the bigger thighs and booty than fits the rest of her body, but progress photos and the mirror shows a different story.  It is indeed possible to transform your body and health.

Learnings

Insecure about your body?  So are many many others.  Embrace those parts and make the most of what you have!  If you want to make them more toned, all I can say is There Ain’t Nothing to it but to Do It (thanks Ronnie Coleman).  It won’t happen over night, but by eating right and working out, you can make changes where you want them.  Have faith, persevere and Just Do It.

Do not believe everything you read, that article all those years ago in Cosmo was very questionable – who was the source? Who was it tested on? Over what period? Through exercise only or also diet? Data and stats can always be questioned so make yourself aware of which to disregard and which to see as true.

That article really made an impact on me and all I can say is that I wished I had started having more confidence in weight training and eating clean way before last year.

So whether your goal is to be healthier, eat cleaner food, cut out sugar, get involved in fitness, take up running, do a marathon, compete for a contest or competition, drop a dress size, tone your muscles, whatever.  Have a clear focus of what you want and go for it.   Try and surround yourself with people who believe in you, or have similar interests, as this will help support you and give you more confidence to reach your goal whilst helping you see body changes that you sometimes don’t see.

The good news – it is never too late to change your body.  Why wait and why be self conscious like I was?  You can start today!

I would love to hear your stories!  Is there something would like to change or have changed?  Please leave your comments below.

Sneakers: Asics

Leggings: Nike Legend 2.0 tights (similar here)

Tank: H&M

Friday Five: 5 Tips for when you have food cravings (or think you are hungry)

Cravings, and thoughts of hunger.  We all have them at various times through the day.  In the past I would give in to hunger pangs far too quickly and end up eating way more than was necessary.

Over the past months I have found ways to manage cravings and hunger which I want to share with you.

So, when cravings kick in or if you are hungry / think you are hungry try these 5 tips:

1. DRINK A FULL GLASS OF WATER

When you get cravings, or think you are hungry, you can actually be dehydrated and your body is calling out to be watered, even though it feels like you are hungry.

Fill a big glass with filtered water and drink up… wait 30 mins before you approach the “Am I hungry?” question again.

2. DO SOMETHING

Many times when you start to think about food is when your mind isn’t occupied with a task (be it work, physical activity etc.)

My advice – pick up a book, read an article in a magazine, check out a blog, go outside, exercise, do yoga, wash the dishes, call a friend, whatever – just do something that will keep your mind busy.

3.  BRUSH YOUR TEETH

Not only good for teeth and gum health, but brushing with toothpaste helps curb your appetite and cravings.  Not just that but many people don’t feel like eating once their teeth are (minty) fresh, shiny and clean.

4. DRINK DILUTED APPLE CIDER VINEGAR

This awesome tonic helps control cravings and detoxifies your body whilst offering a whole host of health benefits, as shown here and here.

VERY important: do not drink apple cider straight as it is far too acidic – always dilute it.

How?  Mix 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar with a glass / cup of water or tea.

5. VISUALISATION!   FIND AND PRINT OUT PHOTOS OF YOUR GOAL

I’m big on images and visualisation, so if your goal is to get fitter, be leaner, tone up or lose a few pounds – make a Pinterest board, or Inspiration Folder on your computer – search for, save and print out a photo (or photos) of your dream body / how you would like to look and hang it in your kitchen cupboard(s).  I find this really helps keep me on track and has me thinking twice about whether I am really hungry or not.

Do you have other tips you would add to this list?  If so, leave them in the comments below.  I would love to hear them!