COCONUT WATER - MY NEW OBSESSION

A new obsession is in the making...

I've tested out coconut water for the first time this week, and haven't been able to go one day without. I was hooked instantly!

I had read about coconut water in the past, I remember some years ago it was boombing amongst celebrities like Rihanna and Jessica Alba, but I had never found it in Belgian supermarkets. This week I was talking to colleagues about vacations, tropical sun, coconuts.. and eventually coconut water. I decided to look for it in the supermarket again and luckily I bumped into it. I was excited to try it out but was also a bit sceptical and wondered if it would taste like natural coconut water or more like an aroma or extract. But I found the taste pretty close to the straw sticking in a coconut taste!

Besides being delicious, there are other benefits of drinking coconut water.
It's great for your skin, it moisturizes your skin from within and is great to clear up acne.
It facilitates digestion.
It reduces your blood pressure.
It boosts hydration.

This is the one my supermarket offers, Vita Coco water. The water contains per 100 ml 18 calories, 5 grams carbs, 0 grams fat and 0 grams protein.

I've also tried the coconut pineapple mix, which is delicious as well. A bit higher in calories but you do get the taste of a virgin Piña Colada! 

I would definitely recommend trying out coconut water if you haven't yet. It's a great variation to drinking regular water all day or if you've never been a fan of the bland water taste. I personally love to drink 2 liters of water a day, it makes me feel hydrated and healthy, but I'll be adding one or two portions of Vita Coco to my drinking routine!

Does anyone of you drink Vita Coco? Or do you know any other brands I should try out? 

x x x 

MENU MONDAYS

It's been a while since I did one of these, but I'm starting off the month with a Menu Mondays! It was a pretty exciting (but also stressful) day for me as I started working at a new company.
And when your daily life changes it's normal your mind and body need some time to adapt. You will need to readjust your morning routine, your social life, your meal plan, your workouts,... I still have to see how the job will progress, and I'm taking it day by day.

I tried sticking to my usual diet today and I'm pretty pleased of how I did! 

Take a look at what I ate this Monday!

Breakfast

I started off the day with some eggs with chicken and a soy milk cappuccino.

Lunch

I prepared my smoothie (check out the recipe here: http://beautiesmoothie.blogspot.be/2014/03/my-everyday-smoothie-recipe.html) in the morning and took it to work with me in hopes there was (room in) a fridge, luckily there was! I also packed some stevia sweetened granola to snack on in the afternoon.

Dinner

For dinner I had a tuna salad with chick peas, cherry tomatos, cucumber, rucola, red peppers and a yogurt/mustard dressing.

Snack

As final meal of the day I prepared my favorite snack. 1 apple with some peanut butter and granola. Great fuel after my evening workout!

Although I was a bit scared of binging during or after my first working day, I kept it healthy and balanced. And since the first day of the week went well, I'm motivated to keep it up the rest of the week! 

Did you start off June healthy in the kitchen and gym? 

x x x

GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE

As you might already know, I love to incorporate smoothies into my daily diet. They're a great way to take in vitamins and minerals and are super healthy when you make them yourself. However if you're a green smoothie virgin they can be a bit intimidating. Mixing green vegetables with fruit might put you off, but I promise you will barely taste it! The sweetness of the fruit strongly overpowers the flavor of the greens, which basically means you get the best of both sides; the yummy sweet flavors of the fruit and the vitamins of the veggies! 

Here's the recipe for my green smoothie!

1/4 cucumber

a handful of fresh spinach

1 banana

1/3 mango

250 grams light cottage cheese

3 tbsp almond milk

3 tbsp light multivitamin juice

(stevia or 0% Teisseire grenadine if you want to add more sweetness)

I found the easiest way to blend is to put the cottage cheese in first, then the fruit and veggies and finally the liquids. 

Mix all of the ingredients and decorate with a slice of cucumber. 

This smoothie is a great snack before or after a workout. It really fills you up and is super refreshing thanks to the cucumber! Definitely try it out!

x x x

JESSICA SIMPSON'S RECENT WEIGHT LOSS

Look what I found on the red carpet this week... it's a first celeb who's totally ready for bikini season! 

Jessica Simpson has been on a weight loss journey the past year and it looks like she's close to reaching her destination. The mommy of two showed off a slimmed down and toned body at The John Varvatos 11th Annual Stuart House Benefit in West Hollywood this weekend. The bright yellow dress and the big smile can only mean one thing, Jessica is feeling good about herself and wants to prove to critics and haters she's back to her old self!  

A quick reminder of how Jessica looked pre- weight loss and pregnant of her second child.

Here is how she looked like in October 2013, a couple of months after giving birth. Jessica already lost a lot of weight.

Jessica Simpson is obviously proud of her hard work and results, here she's posing for an Instagram picture in the gym.

And back in February the singer was looking amazing as well. Here she was showing off her defined arms and legs in a Weight Watchers commercial.

It seems as if Jessica is very motivated to become a sexy mommy and is putting in a lot of work! Being a spokesperson for Weight Watchers must also help to stay motivated. In the past I've noticed WW being one of the most successful diet programs amongst people in my direct environment. It is known for being a healthy lifestyle plan that promotes a variated diet with cheat meals once in a while, which makes it easier to stick to than popular crash diets. 

I really hope Jessica can reach her goal (if she hasn't yet) and finds inner peace with her weight. She certainly has had to deal with a lot more criticism about her weight and looks than necessary during her career and pregnancies! 

x x x

MY EVERYDAY SMOOTHIE RECIPE

Smoothies are an essential element of my diet, I consume one everyday after working out to provide my body with  the vitamins and minerals it needs. While pre-made smoothies can be a little tricky, you don't know how fresh the ingredients are and how much additional ingredients -like sugar and syrup- are added, homemade smoothies are as healthy as you want them to be. You can basically add any type of fruit or veggie you want, and make as much as you like to turn it into a healthy snack or lunch.

So what exactly is so healthy about a smoothie? First off the water in the fruit hydrates your body. Especially after a workout your body needs lots of water, besides drinking water during and after your workout, you can also get it out of fruit and vegetables.
Also the yoghurt has some benefits. It helps absorb protein and promotes the digestion, which makes it great for a faster metabolism and will give you an energy boost. 

My standard smoothie recipe:

1 banana

frozen mixed red fruit

frozen blueberries

250 gr of low fat cottage cheese

almond milk

orange juice

light grenadine (stevia based)

muesli

This is the order I put everything in my blender:

First the 250 grams of cottage cheese, then almond milk, orange juice, banana, frozen fruit and finally the light grenadine. 

Mix the ingredients until all chunks are gone and you are left with a smooth substance.

Top it off with some muesli and decorate with some fruit. 

Sometimes I change up the ingredients. Depending on which fruits are in store, I will add mango, pineapple, oranges or strawberries. Some days I will add some greens like spinach or cale to create a green smoothie. The green color might not be as appetizing as a yellow or pink smoothie, well don't let it scare you! You barely taste the veggies since the taste of the fruit and grenadine are overpowering. 

I eat this smoothie everyday as a lunch and it's about 370 calories, it varies of which brands you use and how much muesli you add.

Do you include smoothies in your daily diet? If so, what's your favorite recipe? I always like to learn (and taste) more smoothie recipes! 

x x x

SNACK OF THE DAY - CRUNCHY APPLE TOWER

So I recently discovered Pinterest and all its wonderful pictures and ideas it has to offer. I know I'm very late with it, but hey it's hard to keep up with all the different social media nowadays! But I very much wish I had discovered this one before. I find myself amazingly inspired in all types of subjects, from hair and fashion inspiration to fitness videos and healthy (or indulgence) recipes. 

Yes, you guessed it right, another Pinterest addict is born! 

One of the recipes I came across looked so easy and healthy that I wanted to try it out myself. 

Looks yummy right? It almost looks as good as the original pic, if I say so myself! The apple creation is an ideal afternoon snack that will give you an energy boost to keep you going until dinner and will also satisfy your sweet tooth!

What you need

1 apple

some peanut butter

muesli (or oats, cereal, dried fruit, raisins, nuts...)

How to prepare

Core the apple and cut it up in equal slices. Spread a thin layer of peanut butter on the slices and sprinkle the muesli over them. Staple the slices to form a delicious fruity tower. 

Hmmm, one of my favorite new snacks! 

x x x 

SIX THINGS TO EAT DURING THE HOLIDAYS

Now that the holidays are right around the corner, the last thing on your mind is a healthy diet. Everyone is looking forward to rich meals filled with carbs and butter and of course the tasty sweet pies and desserts. Well I have some good news for you. There are foods you can indulge on during the holidays without feeling guilty. These ingredients can even increase your digestion and metabolism!

Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes could be the secret to burning fat during the holidays. These type of potatoes are rich in fiber, which will make you feel full and improve your digestion. Sweet potatoes also contain a hormone that balances out your blood sugar. For best results, boil or steam your sweet potatoes.

Dark chocolate
You probably already know caffeine is metabolism-boosting and an be found in coffee, tea and energy drinks. You might not know that an antioxidant called catechin exists. This antioxidant raises your resting metabolism by 4%, which means you will burn an extra 80 calories a day! Dark chocolate contains both caffeine and catechins, which makes it the ideal bite to end your meal. Do stick to a small portion of one ounce per day, otherwise the fat and calories will outdo the positive effects.

Cinnamon
This time of the year cinnamon is a very common ingredient. Apples/cinnamon or coffee/cinnamon combinations are highly popular during these colder days thanks to the warm and sweet flavors. Cinnamon slows down the digestion and balances the blood sugar, which will lead to boosting the metabolism. I always start my day with some cinnamon in my coffee, it's the perfect combo for a boosted metabolism!

Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C that help burn fat. The satisfying flavor of tomatoes also helps to turn off hunger and promote feeling of satiation so you will eat less calories. If you haven't decided on your Christmas menu yet, it's time to add some tomato soup and sauce.

Edamame
If you're planning on a sushi Christmas dinner, don't forget to order some edamame. Edamame are baby soy beans and are a cholesterol-free source of protein which increase the metabolism. The soy beans also contain a compound called genistein that helps to shrink fat cells.

Turkey
Lean protein in poultry like chicken and turkey are ideal during the holidays. Turkey meat will make you feel satisfied and require extra energy during digestion. This will boost your metabolism! To avoid extra calories, opt for a piece without the skin or sauce.

Keep these ingredients in mind during and after the holidays. And don't feel too guilty when you do bake your sweet potatoes or do add gravy to your turkey, it's Christmas only once a year, you have the next 364 days to make up for your indulgence!

x x x

MENU MONDAYS

Hi guys! Today I'm showing you again what was on my Monday menu! 

As you might have read previously on my blog, I have started a water challenge. I am drinking three liters of water a day during a whole month. And I must say so far, so good. I have been at it for a week and I haven't found it difficult to drink this amount of water. On the other hand, the toilet trips every 20 minutes can be quite annoying... 

Besides drinking more water I promised not to change anything else in my diet to guarantee the most honest results, so I've been following the same eating pattern as I did before. Briefly this means three meals a day and one snack (around 1300 - 1500 calories a day), two cheat meals a week and one day a week alcohol is allowed. 

Let's take a look at what I ate this Monday!

Breakfast

Omelette of two eggs with smoked salmon and a salad with cherry tomatoes on the side.

Lunch

A bowl of vegetable soup (minestrone inspired except no meat or beans) with some whole wheat bread and peanut butter.

Dinner

A couscous salad with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, dried tomatoes, spring onions, red peppers, olive oil, mustard vinegar and feta cheese.

Snack

One banana with peanut butter, some oats and some mixed nuts.

I think I did pretty well this Monday. The Holiday season, and of course Holiday dresses, definitely motivate me this time of year. I like to make an extra effort in the gym and kitchen so I can indulge a bit more during the Holidays without feeling guilty! 

Have you started off your week healthy? 

x x x

MENU MONDAYS

Hi guys! I have another Menu Mondays for you today. 

The weather is getting colder but I'm not letting it affect my diet, I'm still in hot weather spirits and am craving light salads and fruit! 

The days I don't prepare a salad, I like to eat fresh soups or whole grain sandwiches with lots of veggies. 

Here's how I started off my week!

Breakfast

yogurt mixed with light grenadine, a kiwi, a banana, Special K and granola

Lunch

three slices of dark whole grain bread with smoked salmon, cucumber and salt and pepper

Dinner

tuna salad with cucumber, corn, tomato, spring onions, carrots, light mayo, some pieces of cheese and fresh pineapple (it didn't really work with the salad, so I took it off and ate it after I finished the salad!)

Snack

a banana sliced in half, spread with some peanut butter, then dipped in oats and granola

Hope you enjoyed this Menu Mondays! 

x x x

TIPS ON MAINTAINING YOUR SUMMER BODY THROUGH FALL & WINTER

Weight gain during fall and winter months isn't just a scary myth, be afraid cause the extra pounds are very real! Cold makes us hide inside in warm and lazy environments and less sunlight makes us feel down and moody, we try to compensate the winter blues by eating our favorite comfort food.
There have been studies that have proven the average person will gain up to seven pounds during the colder seasons of the year. Are you dreading to loose those extra pounds by the end of winter? Well I have some tips that will help you keep it tight and make it easy to hold on to your hot summer body!

TIP 1 -The first and probably most important tip is to stay motivated!
In the summer you can find motivation everywhere. Looking your best for that best friend's Summer wedding, going on vacation and wanting to fit in that new neon bikini, the pool parties during the weekends...

When it gets colder, it also gets harder to find that motivation you need to push yourself diet and working out wise . This is why it's important to find the true reason for wanting a fit physique. Also remember that it's way easier next Spring to reach your ideal Summer body when you have a head start because you kept working out throughout colder months!

TIP 2 - Maintain your diet
During Summer our diet consists of healthier and overall less food. We crave refreshing, light products like salads and veggies. Fresh fruit is more accessible and less expensive, it's easier to hold on to a balanced and nutritious diet. A lot of the healthy foods will no longer be in season which will lead to increasing prices during Winter. More difficult yes, impossible no. Look for fruits and vegetables in season like citrus fruits, apples, cabbage and broccoli. And switch your salad for a nice bowl of homemade soup or a wok dish.

TIP 3 - Reward yourself
Do not forget why you started losing weight or started your healthy lifestyle journey. When you had a good week or month reward yourself with a treat that is something other than food. For example a new running T-shirt or a pair of shoes. And don't feel guilty about it, you deserve this reward. This trick will keep you motivated throughout the year!

TIP 4 - Get some sunlight
Go outside for a walk with the dog or go shopping with friends. Even when the temperatures are below zero the sun can give you energy and brighten up your mood. Just half an hour of sunlight a day will elevate your state of mind and keep you from munching on sweets.

I hope you found these tips useful and are motivated to hold on to your summer body throughout the whole year!

Thanks for reading and good luck! 

x x x

MENU MONDAYS

I know it's already Wednesday but here's my Menu Mondays after all! Since I came back from Sardinia I've been hitting the gym almost every day. I've been on a workout high and am trying to make my diet as healthy as my exercise routine. To fully develop muscle and tone I'm trying to eat more protein and less carbs. I want to maintain my summer body throughout the colder seasons and maybe even improve it! Of course I'm still enjoying my cheat meals and some cocktails during the weekend... but on Monday it's back to business! 

My diet this Monday looked like this...

Breakfast

two eggs

two Cracottes (light crunchy toast) with some peanut butter

a cappuccino with some almond milk 

Lunch

yoghurt and skinny cottage cheese mixed with some light grenadine

some blueberries, nectarine, banana, nuts, oats and cereal

Dinner

a salad with cucumber, tomato, red peppers, hot peppers, spring onions, beans, tuna and a yogurt vinaigrette 

Snack

a fitness cereal bar, white chocolate flavor 

Talk to you soon! 

x x x

MENU MONDAYS

Hi everyone! After a couple of weeks missing, Menu Mondays is back! I've recently been experimenting with some new products, because I felt like my body needed some changes. I've cut out regular (cow) milk out of my diet because I've dealt with some digestion problems and read avoiding milk (and dairy products overall) can help. So I've replaced the cow milk with almond and soy milk, and I can't believe I didn't do it before. The flavors are very sweet and soft, it's definitely a nice change after drinking regular milk for 23 years. Plus they contain less calories! Almond milk about half the calories and soy milk about 10% less calories. 

I've also been loving muesli and oats. Again as part of speeding up my digestion, but I also enjoy the crunchiness and flavor of muesli. However I don't eat loads of it because muesli is pretty calorie rich. 

Besides milk and muesli I've added a lot of spice to my daily menu! I've been eating tons of red peppers (both big, sweet ones & small, spicy ones) , in every salad, and just spicy foods in general. Also a boost for the metabolism!

Let's take a look at the dishes I started my week with! 

Breakfast

2 eggs

2 cracottes

cappuccino with almond milk

Lunch

blueberry smoothie (yogurt, frozen blueberries, fresh blueberries, some light grenadine for sweetening) sprinkled with some oats and muesli

Dinner

salad with smoked salmon, tomato, cucumber, red peppers, spring onions, some light mozzarella chunks and a yogurt based vinaigrette

on the side some pita bread sliced in two, some light mozzarella and salt & pepper on top and grilled in the oven for a couple of minutes 

Unfortunately no snack.. I had a pretty late dinner and didn't felt the need for a snack! 

x x x