FITNESS WEEK: Junk Food Substitues

Hey Guys!

I'm always craving junk food and I bet lots of you guys are the same so here is a list of junk foods and healthier substitutes. The healthier substitutes are this colour.

Crisps - Vegetable crisps

Cinema popcorn - Homemade rosemary and evoo popcorn

Pepperoni pizza - Pita pizza with roasted vegetables.

Chicken alfredo pasta - Whole wheat pasta with avocado sauce

Chips - Oven-roasted potatoes

Ice cream - Frozen yoghurt with no added sugar

Chocolate milkshake - Berry smoothie with chocolate

Fried chicken - Roasted skinless chicken or tofu

Creamy ranch dressing - fat free Greek yoghurt and ranch seasoning

Chocolate bars - Dark chocolate covered fruit

Cheeseburger - Grilled portobello and feta burger

Chocolate cake with frosting - Angel food cake with fruit 

Coffee with cream and sugar - Coffee with stevia or agave

Fizzy drinks - Sparkling water with favourite fruit

I hope these are useful!

See you later!

FITNESS WEEK: Myths About Fitness

Hey guys!

There are so many myths about fitness that too many people believe!

MYTH: Running on a treadmill is as effective as running outside.

FACT: Because running against wind or on uneven terrain engages more of your muscles, it requires more energy and ends up burning about 10 percent more calories than running the same distance on a treadmill.

MYTH: You shouldn't work out every day.

FACT: Rest should be part of your workout, not an alternative to your workout, says Barbara Bushman, Ph.D., a professor of kinesiology at Missouri State University.

MYTH: You can't work out when you're sick.

FACT: As long as you don't have a fever and your symptoms are above the neck (think: stuffy nose or sore throat, not chest congestion or indigestion), you can totally hit the gym. Just listen to your body—or ask your doc if you're unsure.

MYTH: Crunches are the best moves for your core.

FACT: To really cinch your waistline, you're better off doing multi-muscle exercises that target every region of your core. (Crunches don't count.)

MYTH: You shouldn't work out on an empty stomach.

FACT: Your body burns more fat when you hit the gym before you eat breakfast, according to a new study published online in the British Journal of Nutrition. Just don't skimp on water.

FITNESS WEEK: Building The Perfect Salad

Hey guys!

Here is today's (Wednesdays) post for Fitness Week. This is going to be a short post mainly consisting of photos but it will teach you how to build a nutritional salad.

Here is a basic version.

Here is a much more detailed version.

Sorry for the short post but I hope it is helpful!

See you later!

FITNESS WEEK: How To Stay Motivated

Hey guys!

Here is Tuesdays post of Fitness Week on how to stay motivated to stay healthy.

I'm in a healthy mood right now with a bottle of water and plate of fruit next to me.

1. Set small, achievable goals

If you have goals of what you want to look/feel like then break them down. Make them smaller and make them more short-term otherwise you might end up putting the change off until last minute and it will be difficult to achieve your goal. Your aim should also be realistic otherwise your will be disheartened after a disappointing outcome of not reaching your goal. While your goals should not be outrageous, you should consider setting goals to keep you on track.

2. Reward yourself

With every goal, you need a reward. This reward can be something like a new pair of shoes or even clothes that you can now fit into after your weight loss. This will keep you motivated knowing that you will get more things out of it.

3. Keep healthy food in the house

From experience I know that we tend to eat whatever is in the house so if there is junk food and snacks around me I will eat those but if we have fruit and healthier snacks I will eat those so keep junk food out of the house and stock up with healthy food.

4. Cut out fizzy drinks

Water is a humans best friend so fill your body with it. It improves your skin, nails, hair and even your metabolism. It is a necessity and most people do not get enough. If you do not like the taste of water, add more flavour by putting in a lemon slice or other fruits.

5. Get enough sleep

The importance of getting sufficient sleep in definitely underrated. You should aim for at least 8 hours sleep each night if you are an adult and more than that if you are younger. Getting enough sleep means you will be less likely yo get sick, more likely to stay at a healthy weight, you can lower your risk of high blood pressure and diabetes, you can boost your brainpower and your mood and you can think more clearly and do better in school and at work.

6. Get cute workout clothes and trainers

If you have adorable workout clothes and perfect trainers, you are going to want to get use out of them so this is a great way of getting yourself to exercise more regularly. Personally, I love everything Nike because they are so cute and amazing quality (this isn't sponsored by the way!).

7. Everything in moderation

Being healthy doesn't mean never eating chocolate again but it meas not eating 6 chocolate bars per day. You need to balance exercise and healthy eating too. One without the other is like your phone without a charger; it works for a while but reaches a point where it's pretty pointless. Not being able to eat food you like because they aren't healthy can be off putting but remember that you are allowed them every now and again.

8. Go outside

You're going to get bored of looking at blank walls while working out every day so change it up and enjoy the view outside and exercise while experiencing nature.

9. Make smoothies

Smoothies are delicious and a way of getting lots of nutrition into your body without having to eat lots of fruit and vegetables if that's difficult for you.

10. Make a fitness tumblr

This probably sounds stupid but tumblr is perfect for motivational stories, photos and tips so head on over and make a health based tumblr and follow my fitness account there too (this was a great opportunity to promote my fitness tumblr).

http://living-for-health.tumblr.com/

I hope you enjoyed this!

See you later!

FITNESS WEEK: Quick & Easy Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Hey guys!

I decided for this week to be FITNESS WEEK! This basically means that each day until Sunday you will be getting a new post based on fitness. I have fallen a tiny bit behind schedule so you will recieve Monday, Tuesday and todays post today. I have a lot planned for this month so follow me on bloglovin' here. 

All these recipes take between 5 and 15 minutes but are also really healthy!

I hope you enjoy Mondays post for Fitness Week. 

Easy Overnight Oats

Serves: 4 adults

Preparation: 10 mins

Cooking: 0 mins

Calories per portion: 294 kcal

Ingredients

• 150g high fibre porridge oats
• 25g dried cranberries
• 50g ready-to-eat apricots chopped
• 25g sultanas
• 300ml unsweetened apple juice
• 8 tbsp low-fat natural yoghurt
• 100g frozen blueberries thawed (fresh are also fine)
• 100g frozen raspberries thawed (fresh are also fine)

What to do

1. In a large bowl, mix together the porridge oats, cranberries, apricots and sultanas. Add the apple juice and stir well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. In the morning, share the soaked mixture between 4 cereal bowls.

3. Spoon 2 tbsp of natural yoghurt onto each portion. Share the blueberries and raspberries between the bowls.

Tip 1: As a change from raspberries and blueberries, top with sliced banana or chopped fresh apple instead.

Tip 2: Try using dried cherries instead of cranberries and raisins instead of sultanas.

Tip 3: Without the yoghurt, this is a dairy-free recipe. Use a low fat soya-based yoghurt if you prefer.

Fruity French Toast

Serves: 4 adults

Preparation: 10 mins

Cooking: 5 mins

Calories per portion: 115 kcal

Ingredients

• 4 slices sliced fruit bread
• 1 egg
• 150ml 1% fat milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp vegetable oil
• 4 bananas sliced
• 200g frozen summer berries or forest fruits thawed

What to do

1. Cut the slices of bread in half diagonally.

2. In a large shallow dish, beat together the egg, milk and vanilla extract. Add the pieces of fruit bread and leave them for about 2-3 minutes, turning them over once so that each side is thoroughly soaked.

3. Heat a large non-stick frying pan and add the vegetable oil. Add the soaked bread and cook it gently for about 1-2 minutes until it has set and turned golden brown. Turn over the pieces and cook them on the other side for another 1-2 minutes.

4. Share the bread between four warm serving plates. Slice the bananas over the top and serve with the thawed berries.

Tip 1: This recipe works well with slightly stale fruit bread, as the drier texture soaks up more of the liquid, so it's ideal for using up a 2-3 day-old loaf.

Tip 2: Instead of bananas or berries, try a sliced fresh mango or canned pineapple chunks or peaches packed in natural fruit juice.

Tip 3: Serve with fresh strawberries, raspberries or blueberries when they come into season.

Forest Fruit Smoothie

Serves: 4 adults

Preparation: 5 mins

Cooking: 0 mins

Calories per portion: 157 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 banana
• 150g frozen summer berries or forest fruits
• 150g low-fat natural yoghurt
• 750ml 1% fat milk

What to do

1. Slice the banana into a blender and add the frozen fruit (there's no need to thaw it first).

2. Add the low fat yoghurt and milk. Blend together for 15-20 seconds, then pour into 4 glasses. Serve at once.

Tip 1: Try using frozen summer berries or frozen raspberries instead of forest fruits. Adding them to the blender while frozen makes an icy-cold smoothie.

Tip 2: If you don't have a traditional blender, use a hand-held stick blender instead.

Tip 3: If you can't tolerate dairy products, use soya-based milk and yoghurt as an alternative.

Strawberry Yoghurt Shakes

Serves: 4 adults

Preparation: 5 mins

Cooking: 0 mins

Calories per portion: 284 kcal

Ingredients

• 150g low-fat strawberry yoghurt
• 150g strawberries stalks removed
• 0.8L 1% fat milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

What to do

1. Tip the yoghurt into a blender. Slice the strawberries, then add them to the blender with the milk and vanilla extract (if using). Liquidise for 15-20 seconds until smooth. Alternatively, put all the ingredients into a large jug and use a handheld stick blender to puree them until smooth.

2. Share the drink between 4 glasses and serve at once. Use some funky straws to liven up the look of the milkshakes.

Tip 1: Make a variation by using low-fat raspberry yoghurt and 150g thawed frozen raspberries instead of strawberries.

Tip 2: Use frozen forest fruits or frozen raspberries to make the shakes when fresh fruits are out of season or too expensive. There's no need to thaw the fruit first.