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 

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

SPARTACUS RUN - 10K AND 15 OBSTACLES LATER

The 1st of May was D-day. It was a day I had been training mentally and physically for the last two months. Since signing up for the Spartacus Run 2014 I had imagined this day many times. Especially the days and hours right before the race I had made up all sorts of scenarios of getting injured and not being able to finish! 

The night before the run I was extremely nervous and could barely sleep. I'm pretty sure I saw every hour on the clock! But surprisingly I woke up pretty alert and awake, it must have been the adrenaline that pumped me up... 

I had a filling bowl of porridge for breakfast, drank a cup of coffee and took off to the domain where the race would take place in the afternoon. Together with my friend Laurien we went to pick up our electronic chips, which you needed to wrap around your ankle so it would measure your time, and some other information. We were scaring ourselves while walking around the domain talking about all the obstacles we could see and the weather predictions. Not a good idea to talk too much.... so we went home to relax a bit. 

An hour and a half before the race I had half a banana, some water and a final cup of coffee (since it was recommended by many runners). Then it was time to go! 

I was only getting more nervous by the minute. It was the first time I participated in an event like this, so I didn't quite know what to expect. At 12:45 a.m. we headed to the starting blocks where we had to wait for 20 minutes until our wave would take off. We were both excited but VERY nervous. Laurien was getting a headache and I was feeling the coffee and water and needed a bathroom break! At 1:00 p.m. the first 250 people, of a total of 9000 people, took off. Now it was getting very close and my heart started beating faster. Five minutes later it was our turn. Suddenly everybody in our block started running and we were following. The race was on! 

In the first couple of meters we had to immediately run up a hill, a pretty exhausting beginning but I decided to go by a slow pace. 

The encouraging yelling from my friends and family were certainly helpful! 

This is how the track looked like

These were the obstacles

1. Crawling over and under objects

2. Walk on water: a net over/in water where you needed to crawl over. Completely soaked after!

3. El Capitan: a steep hill you needed yo climb.

4. Gravity: a slide with water and soap

5. Barbed wire: crawling on all fours under barbed wire for about 10 meters

6. Running over floating blocks on water

7. Labyrinth

8. Running over floating blocks on water

9. Sand for cement: running with a bag of sand (15kg) over and under obstacles

10. Belly scraper: crawling under fences military style (so hard!)

11. Swim sala bim: swim or pull on the ropes in the water (50 meters)

12. Bushrunner: run through the woods where smoke is created (you can barely see)

13. Human wall: a rugby team is blocking you and you need to try to pass them

14. The wall

15. Stihl Drill

Combination of climbing fences, crawling over wood and through pipes in water

The hardest part of the Spartacus Run 2014? Definitely the swimming! Although you had gotten completely wet by this point, it was still a shock for your body to be in cold water suddenly. I felt all of my energy leaving my body, it was an overwhelming and scary feeling. Right after the swimming there was the belly scraper, which was even more exhausting after the swimming! 

I finished the race in 1 hour and 24 minutes. I'm so happy I participated and finished. The whole experience, before, during and after the race, was a boost to try out new things in the future and to keep challenging my own body. I did need three days to recover from the Spartacus Run, all of my muscles were sore, my knees were busted and my left foot was bruised. But like I said, it was worth it! Now I'm going on the lookout for a new challenge, probably something completely different, but I'll keep you updated! 

x x x

Kathy

I RAN 10KM - SPARTACUS RUN UPDATE

I ran 10K guys! Woohoow! 

I reached my goal of running 10km (6,2 miles) this past weekend. Although I didn't stick to my strict running schedule I was following some weeks ago, I still made it. I guess all of my years slaving at the gym paid off during running training. 

So how exactly did I prepare to accomplish this? The past three months I have added running to my workout routine. I trained at the gym 3 to 4 times a week and in addition also ran 1 to 2 times a week. At the gym I mainly focused on "safe" cardio exercise, like the elliptical and bycicle. These are the safest ways of cardio, besides swimming, since they don't charge your body a lot, so you have less chance of getting injuries. 

My weekly runs were about 6km, but it really depended from day to day. Some days I felt I could run 100km like Forrest Gump, other days I felt like my legs were going to fall off after 1km. On the bad days it was really a matter of motivating myself and convincing myself I did it before and could do it again. This is also how I managed to go from running 6km to 10km. On Saturday I decided to run the full 10K on Sunday, no matter how long it would take me. When setting a goal like this for yourself, it's very important to value and appreciate it before you begin. You need to take a moment to realise what the goal means to you and why you want to accomplish it. This way you won't give up easily and put in all of your energy in reaching it. 

I ran 10km in 01:08:40, and I'm pretty proud of it. It's at a speed of 8,9km/hour. But the numbers aren't what really matters to me, the most important thing is that I've ran it and feel more secure about running the Spartacus Run next week. Now only the obstacles in the water scare me a bit! I still have seven days left to prepare for the race, and I'm confident I can do it! 

Please keep your fingers crossed the first of May for me! :) 

x x x

Kathy

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

FITNESS UPDATE - SPARTACUS CHALLENGE

When I was younger I was a master sprinter, I would outrun girls and boys in record times. Long distances on the other hand weren't my cup of tea. After 60 meters I was exhausted because I started too fast and couldn't spread my energy correctly.  I was more of a power and speed kind of girl! 

Since I've started my gym membership six years ago I haven't been a fan of the treadmill either. Three, maybe four times I've been seen on one of those. I've always preferred the elliptical machine or spinning bikes. Partially to avoid injuries on my knees and ankles, since running is more burdening because of the shocks everytime you land on the ground, and partially because I find it so much more exhausting! I can do the elliptical for 60 minutes straight, but on the treadmill I'm beat after 10. I found out this is due the fact you run on own strength, there's no machine to help you whatsoever so you really need to rely on your own muscles and feet. 

Since I've always looked up to runners and hear people enjoy morning runs in sunny weekends so much, I've decided to accept a new fitness challenge. Besides keeping my fitness routine on track, I'm going to add runs to my weekly training schedule. The ultimate goal will be participating in the Spartacus Run the first of May. What's a Spartacus Run you ask? Well it's a 10K (6.2 miles) race with 10 obstacles on the track. Some examples are swimming in cold water, passing a football team, getting through a maze, climbing over obstacles, crawling under ropes and so on. 

It might sound a bit unrealistic for a newbie to participate in an extreme race like this, but it's all about having fun and keeping myself moving. The Spartacus Run serves as running motivation, but is not the actual goal. The actual goal is to improve my fitness and stay healthy. 

How I am preparing

Diet
I want to loose some last pounds of fat, about 5 to 6, to be able to run faster. I'm sticking to 1400 calories a day with one cheat day a week. Since I'm working out 6 days a week, I do need to consume enough calories to keep me energized. On the cheat day I can have a big cheat dinner, some cocktails or some sweets. Basically whatever I'm craving but not overdoing it.

Weight training
I've added more weight training to my fitness schedule so my muscles and body will become stronger. I will definitely need more strength (mainly in my arms and core) to overcome the obstacles. I train my arms, legs and core each two days a week.

For my arms and legs I follow a training schedule I've created myself, for my abs I'm been doing Jillian Michaels: 6 Weeks Six-Pack Abs Workout that I found on Youtube. It's a great program for beginners and focuses on core exercises mixed with some cardio to shred that belly fat!

Running schedule
I found a running schedule online that seems very realistic. It basically teaches you how to run 10K in 10 weeks. http://running.about.com/od/10kracetrainingschedules/a/10Krunwalktrainingschedule.htm

I will always try to run outside and not on the treadmill since the race will be outside as well and I feel it's completely different to run outside than in a gym. I really want to prepare myself in the best way possible.

Of course I needed new shoes to help me reach my goal (wink wink), so I got some new Nikes! These are the Nike Pegasus +30 shoes. They are very comfortable and offer enough support on the outer side of my feet. 

I also love the neon yellow - grey color combination! They brighten up any gym outfit, especially since I wear a lot of black leggings and shirts.

Some tips I gathered going into this challenge: 

Breath naturally or focus on a breathing technique that works for you. 

Leave two days between runs in the first weeks. Your muscles need to recover, this ways you will avoid injuries. 

Stay hydrated. 

Eat light before running. 

Stretch when you get home. 

I'm so excited for this challenge and will keep you updated regularly. Has anyone tried something like this before? How was your experience? And got any other running tips for me? 

x x x

WORKOUT PLAYLIST - JANUARY 2014

How are you holding up with your New Year's Resolutions? Are you still keeping your promise to get fit in 2014? I've noticed my gym getting more full , it's about twice as crowded now as it was in December! 

I've been hitting the gym five times a week, and have also been working with weights at home. My abs and butt need to get toned like never before this year! Music helps me get through every work out, so I listed some of my current favorite songs that can motivate everyone.  

Yesss I know... a lot of Beyonce going on in my playlist! I just absolutely love every song of her latest visual album. The sexy songs and videos have definitely inspired me to work on my body. 

I mainly listen to R&B and pop music during my workouts, but sometimes some electronic beats like Avicci can make me step it up a notch during cardio sessions. 

Do you work out to these songs or do you listen to a completely different type of music? 

You can also check out my previous workout playlists here: http://beautiesmoothie.blogspot.be/2013/04/workout-playlist-april-2013.html and here: http://beautiesmoothie.blogspot.be/2012/12/workout-playlist-2012.html

x x x

MAKEUP WHILE WORKING OUT - DO OR DON'T

When you go to the gym, you can spot two types of girls. The ones with clean natural faces and the ones with a full on makeup glam face. Usually the full makeup ones are also focused more on texting on their phones and talking to boys than on working out.. 

I ALWAYS go to the gym to work my ass off but I can be seen with or without my makeup. It depends upon the day. When I'm at home all day I won't put on makeup for my workout, but if I worked all day or went shopping I won't take off my makeup either. 

Besides dripping foundation and smudged out mascara, I wondered if there were any other unfavorable effects on working out with makeup on. 

Skin specialist Debbie Thomas says: 

"When we get hot, several things happen to the skin. The first is sweating and the second is a slight relaxing and enlarging of the pores. When you add a layer of even the best makeup on this, you will end up with streaky makeup, but you're also increasing the likelihood of a breakout. Your skin needs to breathe, during a good workout even more so. Mix in sweat, heat and open pores and over time the skin will become blocked. Not everyone will get spots, but most will get blackheads coupled with dulling and possible uneven skin texture." 

So how should we go work out? How can we prepare our skin in the best way possible?

"Ideally you should cleanse your skin first, then apply a light serum which is suitable for your skin type and penetrates quickly. A heavier product will probably sweat off anyway. We create free radicals when we exercise, that's why it is important to make sure there are enough antioxidants in the skin to counteract them.  

After your workout it is recommended to use a light cleanse and apply your normal day or night creams. 

But what if you have a spot, or are too insecure to exercise makeup free?

For example when you're trying to impress a guy.. Afterall, it is easier said than done to go barefaced... Then you should try to reduce your makeup to a minimum. Some examples:

Curl your lashes, but leave out the mascara (even if it's waterproof!). 

Ditch the foundation, and opt for a tinted moisturizer. 

Groom your eyebrows instead of filling them in. 

Opt for chapstick or tinted gloss instead of lipstick. 

And run harder, so you will get a rosy blush.

Also remember all the positive effects exercise will lead to. Exercise will get the blood flowing, more oxygen will be carried by the skin which leads to improved skin health. Your skin will begin to produce more of its' natural oils and will be left with a beautiful natural glow. 

So even if you're a bit sceptic to go natural in the beginning, think of all the positive effects in the long run! 

x x x

Sources: 

Debbie Thomas, Vogue.co.uk

Huffingtonpost.com

EverydayHealth.com

WORKOUT MOTIVATION FALL 2013

Since posting the "Tips on maintaining your Summer body through Fall&Winter",I decided to gather some inspirational quotes and pictures that will motivate you to maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout the year. Most of the time I am motivated enough to exercise 5-6 times a week and eat healthy, but when I do feel like I'm in a rut or am bored of the same routine I do need some motivation. 

So where do I find this type of inspiration? First off, I am lucky enough to have a boyfriend who is the biggest gym addict I know. He loves to go to the gym and get his testosterone level up, then come home as fast as possible and show off his ripped muscles. Besides making me laugh with his silly bodybuilding poses, it does also motivate me to sculpture my own body and to reach my own goals. 

Talking to (or looking at) people in the gym or in your personal social circle with a drive for fitness can be very inspiring. They can push you to work out and even give you some tips on how to get better results. 

Another way I get motivated is by looking at inspirational quotes and pictures about fitness and health. They give you a kick on the days you're not feeling the exercise atmosphere. Just look through photo galleries on facebook (Fitness Girls, Fitness Inspiration, Sexy Freak, Powerfit Nutrition are some of my faves) or Tumblr and get your butt to the gym as soon as you're questioning of going. 

There are also two quotes I always remind myself of on my off days. First off I ask myself; "Will I feel better or will I feel worse after my workout?" And the answer has never been worse! A workout gives my body a boost of energy that keeps me going all day and clears up the mind. It's true what they say, the gym is like therapy. 

The second thing I remember is; "Sometimes you just gotta do it". It's as simple as that. Somedays you do NOT want to go out and sweat your ass off, you just want to lay on the couch with a bag of chips and Sex And The City on all afternoon. Well these are the days you need to get up and just do it! Only people with will power will reach their goals. And don't you want to be one of them? Remember, if it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you! 

I hope you have found some inspiration in my words, and as a bonus here are some of my current favorite fitness quotes/photos!

Good luck everyone! 

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

WORKOUT PLAYLIST APRIL 2013

Hi everyone!

I thought I'd share a new workout playlist with you. I've been hitting the gym 5 times a week recently to get in top shape for summer, which means I need a lot of different songs to change it up while working out!

But why does music help you with your workout? I found this explanation online:

Music acts as an ergogenic aid to exercise. Ergogenic means "an increasing capacity for bodily or mental labor especially by eliminating stimulus". There are five strategic ways that music influences physical activity and in turn performance and in turn performance and motivation. Dissociation, attainment of flow, synchronization, arousal regulation and acquisition of motor skills. Dissociation, or music to make the mind forget feelings of fatigue, causes the body less effort, and the exerciser feels happier. When the exerciser experiences dissociation, the workout is more fun and there is more motivation to continue. 
http://www.livestrong.com/article/140042-how-is-music-motivating-exercise/#ixzz2PclsuFI5

The effect of the music depends on the BPM (beats per minute). A warmup requires less BPM (80 - 100 BPM) than a cardio workout (112 - 115 BPM). So it's useful to save your upbeat music for later on in the workout and start off with more calm music!

Here is my list of favorite tunes of April 2013:

Cher Lloyd - Want u back
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inwAc-ZBpx0

Destiny's Child - Lose my breath
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqeIiF0DlTg

Jennifer Lopez ft. Fabolous - Get right (remix)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiN5t73dxX8

Kat Deluna ft. Akon - Push Push
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNFaIij6AlU

Jay Sean ft. Lil Wayne - Down
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUbpGmR1-QM

Pitbull ft. Christina Aguilera - Feel this moment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jlI4uzZGjU

Sean Paul - So fine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PQgYpnhDIw

Ke$ha - C'mon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8A4QVop3-8

Usher ft. Ludacris & David Guetta - Rest of my life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_nziODUGcw

Maroon 5 - Daylight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzltJdMfux0

Nicole Scherzinger - Boomerang
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoRrGsgohYE

Taylor Swift - I knew you were trouble
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNoKguSdy4Y

Enrique Iglesias ft. Sammy Adams - Finally found you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_EiqPp-vBM

Calvin Harris - Drinking from the bottle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uztCqjxrkjQ

Macklemore - Thrift Shop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK8mJJJvaes

I definitely notice a difference between working out with or without music. Do you notice a difference? Or maybe you have other motivators?

x x x

BIKINI SEASON WORKOUT MOTIVATION

So Spring is here and Summer is only a few months away! Yeaah, finallyyy! Wintertime has always been my least favorite season of the year (except for the Holidays). I am someone who is cold everywhere, all the time. I absolutely despise low temperatures and can't stand cold or snow, it makes me agitated and moody.

Summer on the other hand... is to me sun, cocktails, vacations, BBQ, ice cream, festivals, strawberries, passionate nights, beach and... BIKINIS!

Oh right, Summer also means tiny short shorts, floral skirts, bare legs, tube tops and parading in a bikini on the beach with EVERYONE judging every inch on your body (or at least it feels like that). Hmmm..
It is always a little bit scary when you're invited, last minute, to a Birthday pool party or to a day at the beach with friends. You didn't have time to wax those unwanted hairs (without getting the rash the day after) or get that sunkissed spray tan to look less pale next to your "I'm always naturally tan"- friend. But most importantly you didn't get a chance to work that extra mile at the gym to get rid of those Winter -muffin- pounds.

That's why you need to prepare yourself NOW. Don't let Summer surprise you this year, it will be there in a heartbeat. To make sure you feel comfortable in your bikini (or monokini) you need to start working out regularly and start a healthy diet with lots of fruit, vegetables and water. I have always been a pretty sporty girl and loved working out, but in cold and snowy days I cheat a little bit (too often) on my healthy lifestyle with a bag of Doritos chips or chocolate cookies on the cosy couch.
And of course there are some days I need that extra push to go to the gym and work out. A workout buddy can definitely help. You can keep each other on the right track and set up workout dates at the beginning of each month so you both have no excuses to back out of your training session.

Another way I get motivated is by looking on the internet at pictures of toned and healthy looking women. I try not to pin myself on one particular person or picture. If you don't reach the exact same results you might loose your drive. Every woman is built differently and has their own uniqueness and strengths. Just try to find inspiration in fit looking women and celebs and use this to look your own best!

The results you will get will only depend on your own effort and motivation. Don't let anything or anyone keep you from your goal, YOU are the one in control of your own body!

Here are some pictures I get inspired by...

Killer abs

Toned arms

Defined legs

Inspiring words...

And finally... 

Have a nice workout! 

x x x