Workout Wednesday and reset your goals

Reseting my goals. Seriously I have dropped the ball this winter, I know...... 5kgs 11lbs isn't a big deal but that's when I get comfortable and just keep eating crapola, not exercising and before you know it!!! 20kgs later you are wondering how the heck you got here?

Are you ready to reset your goals? Here are a few simple things to remind us.

I will help you by listing what I will be eating and my exercise regime.

So breakfast is going to be purely based on goodness from now on like this amazing apple & strawberry crumble sprinkled with cinnamon. 

Breakfast

Apple and strawberry crumble for breakfast

Morning and afternoon snacks will consist of fresh fruit and vegetables, protein based products such as yogurt and cottage cheese. Also for those busy days, a smoothie on the run is always a winner!

Morning and afternoon snacks

Morning and afternoon snack ideas

Can't forget my amazing 180 Nutrition protein drinks for pre and post workouts. I love the chocolate protein powder with a banana, walnuts, vanilla essence, your choice of milk (or you can use water) and I add some oats to fill me up even more. Simply delish. 

Smoothie

Healthy chocolate protein smoothie

Lunch will depend if I am at home or I take it away. Here is a fresh lunch idea which you can have at home and also take with you if you are on the go! 

Store in an airtight container and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice when you are ready to eat. Grab whatever seasonal vegetables/salad you have in your fridge, wash, chop, grate and slice your vegetables. For added protein add either a tin of tuna/salmon, legumes or cooked meat. 

Lunch

Healthy lunch ideas

For dinner, I like to eat light and not too heavy so I will either omit the heavy tummy feeling I get from eating ordinary pasta and replace it with vegetable ones or wholemeal pasta. Here is my zucchini pasta (simply use a vegetable peeler and slice your raw zucchini) served with bolognese sauce. 

Dinner

Fresh healthy dinner ideas

As far as those nights that I feel like something sweet, I will either drink water or herbal teas to curb my cravings but if I am really desperate I will make these amazing peanut butter chocolate filled raspberries. Simply mix cacao powder with peanut butter.

Healthy snack ideas

So as you can see, we can do this together. We just need to plan and be prepared for those times we just grab a take away meal or a bad food choice. The main point to remember is you will eat what you buy. So please stock up your pantry and fridge with goodness.

Fitness

This is the other thing I am committing to. The Freeletics program is really intense so I want to ensure that I am getting enough sleep and fuelling my body. The next session I am doing is burpee max and between you and I, I loathe burpees but it's a total body workout so I know it's doing me good. For those that haven't registered or got their Freeletics guide CLICK HERE. 

We can also track one another on the app on iTunes so come find me and please join our 15 week transformation challenge. I will post my before pics ASAP to give me motivation not to give up over these next 15 weeks.

Please list your goals below as we strive to get back on track. 

Much love and friendship,

XxDani 

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Week 1 no added sugar and 50 squats every second day

Well I did the latter, can't say I did a complete no added sugar week. I buckled on Day 5 & 7 with some white chocolate macadamia cookies and 2 handful of M&M's. How was your first week?

Squats challenge - 50 squats every second day

Are you feeling the burn with our squats challenge? Remember it's only 50 squats every second day either body weight or you can use weights. Ensure you are doing this in conjunction with your regular exercise regime.
Do them as a straight set or break them up throughout your day. 10 while your brushing your teeth, putting the clothes in the washing machine, preparing lunch and so on....

Feta French Toast

Here is a lovely French toast recipe we made throughout the week which can also be drizzled with honey (omit the feta cheese and make them plain) and we replace it as our pancake treat. Our kids love them. Here is our savoury version.

French toast

Ingredients:
4 eggs
Splash of milk or water
250g Feta cheese
Bread of your choice
S&P

Whisk eggs, season, add a splash of milk or water and mash the feta with a fork. Dip your bread and cook in a medium heated fry pan with olive oil until golden brown. These are super quick and easy!


Green Smoothies

I'm going to get stuck into these more as well. They tend to curb my sugar cravings. We made this last week Day 1 no added sugar.

Green smoothie no added sugar

Ingredients:
4 cups of spinach
3 mandarins
1 cup strawberries
splash of water

Blend and enjoy! For those that are still not used to natural sugars in fruit and need to sweeten this up, add a banana or stevia, honey etc...


School holidays

It's been great having all the kids home this week. Especially the sleep ins and no school and kinda runs. We have also been going to places the kids haven't been to, catch up with friends and down the beach to enjoy our sunny winters days here in Australia. My husband loves his surfing session. While he does that, we run around the beach and park.

So make sure you get out there for some fresh air! Regardless of the weather.

Lorne beach

Here's to another great week. I will start making more supportive sweet snacks to curb my sweet cravings. Obviously my body has been addicted to that daily chocolate I was having, so it's habitual for my body to continue to crave for it. I will also be making more time for my 15 minute workouts. I missed a few last week too!

What will you do differently with our no added sugar challenge?

XxDani

You have read this article 15 minutes workouts / green smoothie / lunch / squats challenge with the title lunch. You can bookmark this page URL https://jrhehjg.blogspot.com/2013/07/week-1-no-added-sugar-and-50-squats.html. Thanks!

Fitness Food And Style Photo A Day Challenge - Day 1 DENIM

Hello everyone, another month, another challenge.

I thought I would mix things up a little and get you to capture everything and anything Fitness Food And Style related. So get your camera ready!

The words are your guide, prompt, inspiration to get all creative. As you may know by now, I am such a visual person and I live on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. So please come and join me. Hash tag #ffsphotoaday and let's have some fun.

Photo A Day Challenge

Day One - Denim

Assorted denim

A denim bag filled with coloured and acid wash denim jeans. A denim vest, jacket and acid wash shirt! :-) can I have any more denim???

Here are my fantastic four pics that caught my eye from;

@kristinostevik
@sunshinengiggles
@bec_wallaby and 
@susanmarlene

Denim action

What's your favourite denim piece?

Hope you're having a fabulous Wednesday! XxDani

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Day 14 - no added sugar challenge on Valentines Day

WE DID IT!!!! 14 days with no added sugar! Bravo! I am so pleased you all took the plunge and read your labels with all that extra uneccessary added sugar and replaced it with the natural foods that have already has sugar in them (as our bodies still need some sweetness :-)

How do you feel? Did you think you were not able to do the no sugar over 14 days? What now? Can you try to continue it and allow yourselves a treat once or twice a week? I'd love to hear your thoughts!!!

Breakfast
180 Nutrition coconut protein drink
1 banana
chia seeds
milk

*For your exclusive 10% discount on any 180 Nutrition product simply use my 264464 promo number at checkout 

Morning snack
Watermelon and mango fruit salad with ricotta

Lunch
Eggs with asparagus

Asparagus with poached eggs on wholegrain bread

Afternoon snack
Spinach dip (store bought with no added sugar or preservatives) with wholemeal crackers

Healthy kids snack dip with crackers

We've had a superb day! A lot of fun in the sun today with the heat being over 30C degrees. I was going to make dessert from Sarah Wilson's I QUIT SUGAR but we opted against it as we just wanted the frogurts we made yesterday! Although having said that Noah did ask for a special request that we go buy that healthy dark chocolate because a little sugar is okay as long we don't consume the entire block! He obviously doesn't know his mother!!!! HA! Well the old one anyway......




Dinner
BBQ porterhouse steak with vegetables

Porterhouse house steak with steamed vegetables

Instagram your day!!!


I will be running a mini challenge called #igyourday over in Instagram land until the end of the month and of course here on my blog, Twitter and Facebook page. Just share what you do throughout your day and we can all learn off each other, how to best utilise our day as everyone says how busy they are. Let's see how everyone fits in their healthy living, eating, fitness regime, work/study, family time, hobby etc.... so it doesn't matter if you are student, single parent, family of 8 we can all get ideas on how best to manage our time and day. Please join in and invite your friends!

Watch this space and let me know if you will still be doing the no added sugar as part of your new healthy regime. I know I will be!!!! Especially when I see results like this!!!

NO SUGAR CHALLENGE 

Until next time.

♥ Dani

You have read this article #igyourday / afternoon snack / breakfast / dinner / i quit sugar / love / lunch / morning snack / no added sugar / valentines day with the title lunch. You can bookmark this page URL https://jrhehjg.blogspot.com/2013/02/day-14-no-added-sugar-challenge-on.html. Thanks!

Day 13 - no added sugar challenge

Hello there! Feeling more energised? Skin clearer? Mood better? That's all the feedback I have been receiving about this challenge and you know what? That's brilliant!!! That's what this is all about. Becoming healthier and happy peeps.

Today was a struggle for me. I have a pretty hectic day when Mietta goes to Kinda (early learning centre) for 2 hours as I drop off the boys to school in the morning, run some morning errands before heading back home for Zali to have her sleep, we then have lunch and then wake up Zali to take her big sis to Kinda for 2 hours! Then it's either another errand or walk around the lake during those hours. Then pick up the boys between 3-3:15pm and then rush to grab Mietta at 3:30pm!!! WHOOSH! That's the day GONE!

Breakfast
180 Nutrition coconut green smoothie (needed something to take away for the kids school run!)
spinach
celery
apple
ginger

Green smoothie spinach, apple, celery and ginger

*For your exclusive 10% discount on any 180 Nutrition product simply use my 264464 promo number at checkout 

Morning snack
Fruit salad with yogurt

Lunch
Tuna salad wholemeal wrap

Afternoon snack
Tzaziki dip with cherry tomatoes, hard boiled eggs and wholemeal rice crackers

Healthy snack

Dinner
Steamed vegetables with legumes

Steamed vegetables

Wasn't feeling overly hungry tonight, especially with the warm weather today. So we just steamed some vegetables and served the kids with tuna while we had a chickpea/legume mix.


Dessert
Yogurt mango and berry icy poles

Method:
Mix natural yogurt or coconut milk with mango and berries (or whatever fruits you have) freeze and enjoy!!

Can I just say how pleased I am to see such wonderful no added sugar meals in our #noaddedsugar #nashchallenge gallery. I am blow away!! Here's just a few that caught my eye!!!

No added sugar challenge

Thanks to @pippafitness for her mexican inspired stuffed capsicum @mrs_parkinson for her amazing protein pancake stacks layered with coconut yogurt and banana @fithealthymade sweet treat ideas for Valentines Day and @laura_rixon for her array of food colours!


This challenge has been fantastic and I am so proud of you all for taking the plunge! I'm loving my Sarah Wilson I QUIT SUGAR ebook, grab a copy here if you need some inspiration.

What about next month? And the rest of the year? Please let me know what other challenges you would like to see me run!!!

Ready for next months challenge?

List them in your comments below and see you tomorrow on the most romantic day ever.

♥ Dani

You have read this article 180 Nutrition / afternoon snack / breakfast / dinner / lunch / morning snack / no added sugar challenge with the title lunch. You can bookmark this page URL https://jrhehjg.blogspot.com/2013/02/day-13-no-added-sugar-challenge.html. Thanks!

Day 12 - no added sugar challenge

Day 12.....can you smell the roses????

I love Valentines Day, I'm one of those hopeless romantics (and yes my husband tends to deliver every year) however, we have agreed I'd much rather them spread out throughout the year. I see no point spending $200 on the one day!!! Well, I do but that's another romantic story....

How have you survived the last couple of weeks? Can you believe we only have 2 days left? Awesome! I'm pumped and so proud to know there are many of you across the globe doing this with me. I really appreciate you. I sincerely do.

Do you think you will be able to continue this way of living after the challenge ends? I really do hope to do our best. Our kids are brilliant and are such a supporting force to make this happen and live a more healthier lifestyle. It's not that we ban the sugar or say no! no! no! YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT!!! IT'S GOT SUGAR IN IT! Instead we just know it's not healthy for us, no panic, no fretting of missing out. Well, let's just see how we go.                                                                                                                      

As a super treat on Valentines Day I will be making our family Gwyneth Paltrow's berries with caramelised cream which she shares in Sarah Wilson I QUIT SUGAR ebook. Make sure you grab yourself a copy. Pretty cool meals in there that won't even make you want sugar any more.


Our day today in a nutshell.

Various errands, plenty of home domestic bliss, more errands and of course fun times with the kids!!! Trying to fit in one on one time with the boys and their reading whilst girls are playing together. We also plan for our day and get everything ready for another day at school, work and my home office of course! :-)


Breakfast
Pear porridge with blueberries

Pear and blueberries porridge

Method: Cook oats on stove top with canned (or fresh) pear with juices and add milk. Cook until fluffy. When serving I mix frozen blueberries to cool it down for us all as we are typically rushing to get all kids out for our school run!


Morning snack
Ricotta & watermelon with almonds

Watermelon with ricotta and almonds

Lunch
Beef salad

Afternoon snack
180 Nutrition coconut (green smoothie)
handful of spinach
1 banana
A glass of milk/water

Incredible HULK and SHREK green smoothies

Our kids love these and named them a few years ago when SHREK was out so for those that need to get greens into their babes, name it after their favourite super hero and cartoon character. I do the same when I make broccoli soup!


Dinner
Quinoa turkey burgers with salad

Just a reminder to send me your meals that you would like me to "make over" into more of a healthier option for us all!! I know I love to eat taco's but have converted them into cos salad cups. Little things like that make a huge difference and can change your entire family's health around! We still need it looking and tasting cool.

Until we meet again tomorrow.

♥ Dani 

You have read this article afternoon snack / breakfast / dinner / green smoothie / i quit sugar / incredible hulk / lunch / morning snack / pear blueberry porridge / sarah wilson / shrek with the title lunch. You can bookmark this page URL https://jrhehjg.blogspot.com/2013/02/day-12-no-added-sugar-challenge.html. Thanks!

Day 11 - no added sugar

Hello all, well done!!! We survived Day 11!!!!!

3 more days left! How you doing with no added sugar?

I am having an early one tonight so forgive this short post but you are looking at (well reading really) one very tired Mama of 4 that desperately needs sleeeeeep. I hope you understand. I love you so much and am always here, so here's just a quick overview of my day.

Did an awesome 15 minute workout today and worked up a sweat. For those that don't have time to work out like me or are working out too long and not achieving results, I highly recommend this fitness regime. I have followed it since the birth of our 2nd son Oscar. He turns 6 later this year. So I am living proof that by eating healthy meals and doing only 15 minutes of resistance and 15 minutes of interval training, truly shapes your body and melts your fat away!! COME CHECK IT OUT!!!


I was rushed with kids errands ALL DAY!!!! Sorry no recipes below.

Our food today;

Breakfast
Overnight soaked muesli with strawberries

Morning snack
180 Nutrition coconut protein green smoothie

Green smoothie

NB: Don't forget to take up my exclusive offer. ALL my readers in Australia (overseas shipping COMING SOON) who purchase any 180 Nutrition product via my link will recieve a 10% discount off all your orders!!! Simply use promo code 264464


Lunch
Grilled capsicums with cottage cheese and chick pea salad

Chickpea salad

Afternoon snack
Fruit salad with cottage cheese

Cottage cheese with fruit

Dinner
Chicken thai salad

Chicken thai salad

Make over meals

Over to you now. Give me some of your dinners that you would like me to make over to a more healthy dish version.

For an example: Spaghetti bolognese, Taco's, Fish and Chips etc...something that is not so healthy but kinda is, sorta....... if it didn't have the thickened cream, added sugar, wasn't fried etc...

You name it! I need some of your meals to get this make over dinner underway!

Happy day 11 without added sugar! Super proud of you. Grab yourself a copy of Sarah Wilson's I QUIT SUGAR to help you tackle no added sugar in your day to day meals. You won't regret it. I love it!!!

KEEP GOING......XxDani

Smile and keep going

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Day 10 - no added sugar challenge

Did someone just say 10? WOWZA! Well done everyone, what a superb team we are. I am so happy to read all your comments and glad we have each other for support. Another 4 days to go!! We can do this!!!

Today was a fun filled day with the kids and Adrian. We try to do as many kids activities together as a family over the weekend as during the week we are pretty time poor as it gets late in the evening when Adrian arrives home and it's time for the kids bed routine.

Another sun shining day and I took this picture to showcase how I utilise my time whilst supervising and having fun with the kids, along with blogging and working on my weekly planner.

Today was my day of rest but managed to do a little practise with my headstand (you may remember my handstand pose last month). I am really loving my yoga stretches pre and post workouts. I do want to take it to the next level and actually go to a class. Until then I practise and self teach myself at home.....

Headstand (Shirshasana) yoga pose

Headstand (Shirshasana) is often referred to as the king of all yoga poses. Here are some reasons why headstand should be practiced everyday. 

1. Improved circulation occurs with a headstand practice. Because the heart constantly has to pump blood upward to the brain, the headstand gives the heart a rest and reduces unnecessary strain. In addition, while in headstand de-oxygenated blood is able to flow more easily from the extremities to the heart.

2. A headstand simulates a “face lift” by letting your skin hang in the opposite direction (which is always a good thing!) By reversing the flow of gravity, the inverted position of a headstand also flushes fresh nutrients and oxygen to the face, creating a glowing effect on the skin. We all love beautiful fresh and youthful looking skin :-)

3. Some yogis say that it will even convert grey hair back to its natural color! So I'm doing these every day since I have no colour pigmentation in my hair! Headstands increase nutrients and blood flow to the scalp, decreasing onset of grey hair.

4. Increases your sexual hormones, so you can expect better sex with a consistent headstand practice. Headstands stimulate and provide refreshed blood to the pituitary and hypothalamus glands. These glands are vital to our wellbeing, and are considered the master glands that regulate all other glands in the body (thyroid, pineal, and adrenals). 

5. When the adrenal glands are flushed and detoxified with headstands, we create more positive thought. Depression will decrease, as going upside down will almost always put a smile on your face. 

6. Once you have perfected these you can do a headstand at the next party you attend. Your friends will be extremely impressed!

7. Strengthen deep core muscles. To hold a straight headstand for an extended period of time, the practitioner must engage the obliques, the rectus abdominus and the transverse abdominus. To really engage and strengthen the core, pike the legs by lifting and/or lowering both legs at the same time when coming in and out of the pose.

 

Please ensure you learn a headstand from a qualified teacher, these should be avoided if you have neck injuries, extremely high blood pressure, ear and eye problems, if you are menstruating, or have acid reflux.

Our food today;

Breakfast

Scrambled eggs with bacon, feta and spinach

Clean eating scrambled eggs

Ingredients:

8 eggs (serves 6 people)

5 slices of rindless bacon

1/2 cup of feta cubes

splash of milk

minced garlic

spinach leaves to serve

Method:

Cook bacon with garlic until golden. In the meantime whisk eggs, add milk, feta in a bowl and pour into frypan on a gentle heat. Swirl and stir until cooked to your liking. We served ours on a bed of spinach and sundried tomato pesto. Real quick, kids had a second serve.

Morning snack

180 Nutrition chocolate protein drink

1 banana

1/2 cup berries

250ml milk

NB: please take up the exclusive 10% offer when ordering your next 180 Nutrition protein powder and bars. Simply quote promo code 264464 at checkout.

Lunch

Chickpea and 3 mix bean vegetable salad

Afternoon snack

Corn thins with laughing cow cheese

Vegetable sticks and cherry tomatoes 

Dinner

Prawn salad with tartar sauce

Clean eating tartar sauce with prawns

Tartar sauce

1/3 cup of plain yogurt

1-2 tbsp of dijon mustard

3 diced baby pickles 

5-6 diced capers

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp of lemon juice

Mix all these together and enjoy a guilt free dipping sauce!

Dessert

Watermelon with ricotta cheese

I hope you had a sensational weekend and are looking forward to finishing off strong this week with the no added sugar challenge. Have you found the Sarah Wilson I QUIT SUGAR ebook helpful, do you think you will kick the habit after 14 days as well? Let's see how we go. I would like to try and perhaps incorporate some indulgences throughout our week so we don't go out and binge. But hey! That's just me.  

Any plans for Valentines Day?

♥ Dani 

You have read this article 180 Nutrition / afternoon snack / breakfast / clean eating tartar sauce / dinner / headstand / i quit sugar / lunch / morning snack / prawns / sarah wilson / yoga with the title lunch. You can bookmark this page URL https://jrhehjg.blogspot.com/2013/02/day-10-no-added-sugar-challenge.html. Thanks!