Tag Archives: healthy diet

Paleo pumpkin cake

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Hello everybody!

It’s almost Halloween so I brought a perfect holiday treat for you, can you guess what’s the main ingredient?

Yes it’s pumpkin 🎃

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups almond flour
  • 2/3 cup sweetener of your choice
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup cashews butter (or any other nut butter)
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil (or avocado oil or any other)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened organic pumpkin purĂ©e
  • 2 eggs (for vegan use flax eggs)
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F
  2. Grease your square baking dish
  3. Mix wet ingredients in a bowl
  4. Than mix dry ingredients in another bowl
  5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients
  6. Pour it into your baking dish and bake it for 35-40 min.
  7. Enjoy and welcome!

3 ingredients Snickers

Posted in Recipes by

Hello everybody!

Today’s recipe is the easiest dessert you have ever made!

Make it, taste it and let me know how you liked it!

Ingredients :

1. Big juicy dates (6-8 pieces)

2. Any kind of nut butter (I used @grounduppdx )

3. Unsweetened dark chocolate

Directions:

1. Cut the dates in half, take the pit out

2. Fill the dates with nut butter

3. Melt the dark chocolate, add some stevia drops if you like

4. Cover the dates with the chocolate

5. Place them in the freezer for 20 minutes

6. Enjoy!

About my detox experience featuring JUICEit

Posted in Nutrition Tips by

IMG_20150305_013308Hello my dears! I wanted to write about a detox diet, or cleanse some time ago, first of all because a lots of my clients are asking me what is my opinion about it, is it ok to try it, is it safe, is it healthy. Second because I wanted to try it first and tell you my own experience. JUICEit made this experience possible.

They are a Company based in Bucharest. Their juices are 100% natural, cold pressed and delicious. All their ingredients are local, fresh and in season. The juices are made daily and sent for their clients all over the country in the next day. More info about the company here.

Firstly let’s see what a detox is.

A juice fast is a type of detox diet or cleanse that involves consuming raw vegetable and fruit juice and water for a short period of time. It is considered one of the more rapid methods of detoxification due to the reduced food intake and absence of solid food.

A typical juice fast lasts one to five days. Consultation with a health care professional is recommended, particularly for fasts lasting longer than three days or for anyone with a health condition.

Why do we need to detox?

The point of detoxing is to get rid of toxins from your body. Detoxes may shift you away from bad habits like too much coffee, alcohol, sugars and fatty foods, and help to adapt to healthier habits after you’re done

Benefits of juicing

A juice cleansing is a great way to give our bodies the break they deserve while also keeping ourselves energized and nutritionally sated. Juicing helps you absorb all the nutrients from the fruits and vegetables.

A few days of juicing can help you with

  • Concentration
  • It gives a glow to your skin
  • Reduces cellulite
  • help your digestive systems function
  • boosts your energy level
  • helps you with sugar cravings
  • helps people with high blood pressure

IMG_20150305_102752My experience with JUICEit

First rule, before you start a detox diet, pay attention on what you eat 2-3 days before. Try to avoid fast foods, alcohol, sweets and coffee.

Rule nr 2. Consume only juices and water. I received 6 bottle of 500 ml each for the whole day of juicing. These juices are specially created to give your body the nutrients and vitamins for the whole day.

Rule nr. 3. Every morning before you start your day, drink a glass of water with fresh lemon juice. When you feel like snacking, drink a tea.

Rule nr.4. A detox plan can last from 1 day up to 5 days, but for a person who never did this kind of cleanse, they recommend the 3 day detox program. You will receive your 6 bottles, all of them will have a number on it (for you to know which one is next).

Rule nr.5. After you finish your detox plan, the company recommends to not to get back on an unhealthy lifestyle immediately. For the first 2 days after the detox try to eat as clean as possible, mostly salads and fruits.

IMG_20150227_130045_1JUICEit offered me the NEW YOU detox program and I have to tell you it was a great experience. Being a very active person, I work all day with my clients doing personal trainings and also teaching aerobic group classes I really need to nourish my body the best way possible.

My first juice components were: lemon, ginger, goji berries, cayenne pepper, agave syrup and filtered water. It was very spicy and energizing, perfect for the morning.

The next juice components: spinach, celery, cucumber, parsley, ginger, lemon and kale. I think this was the less tasty one of all, but I drink it without any problem.

The third juice: grapefruit, pineapple and mint. This one was one of my favorite. I adored this mix of flavors and I felt super fresh after. This was the drink before my aerobic classes.

The forth juice: spinach, pineapple, celery, cucumber, ginger, mint and kale. I had this drink during my classes. I have to tell you after this drink I felt super hungry. Maybe because I had 3 heavy classes, cardio, circuit and functional training. I think it’s normal to feel hungry. I have to admit I ate 2 kiwi fruits after the training.

The fifth juice ingredients: beetroot, carrots, apple and sea-buckthorns. After drinking this juice I still felt hungry, so I opened the 6 bottle. It was only 8 o clock in the night.

The last juice: cashew nuts, agave syrup, dates, vanilla powder, cinnamon, banana and filtered water. This was far the best tasting juice. It was like a banana ice cream shake.

In the night around 10 o clock I ate some baby carrots and green salad. I really tried to focus on and not to cheat on this one day of detox, but training so hard I think it made it almost impossible.

The day after I really felt energized, fresh and my belly was so flat, not that it won’t be flat all the time :)) hahaha

I recommend this program to everybody, who wants to recharge his/her batteries before spring is here. I definitely believe that you can lose weight by doing this program for 3 days, before an important event like a photo shoot or to fit in a nice dress or wedding or vacation.

Hope you liked this little review and you will try it yourself, I tell you it worth it! 🙂

Benefits of pomegranate

Posted in Nutrition Tips by

PhotoGrid_1422104140810Hello everybody!

Tip of the day!

Benefits of pomegranate seeds:

A pomegranate is a fruit that is very rich in nutrients which makes it quite popular around the world.

1. Pomegranates are often appreciated because they are filled with more antioxidants than green tea or acai berries.

2. Helps to lose weight. People are finding that pomegranates have a natural property that provides you with additional energy and cleanse the body, making it easier to lose weight.

3. It also contains high amounts of vitamin K that helps to support bone health and vitamin B5 that helps the body metabolize, protein, carbohydrates and fats.

4. Boosts digestive condition. Pomegranate juice helps to secrete enzymes with anti-bacterial properties that aid digestion. You can also use pomegranate juice as a laxative to treat constipation.

5. Helps to reduce inflammation. The anti-inflammatory properties of pomegranates stems from its high vitamin C content that will help to manage asthma, sore throat, cough and wheezing.

Besides all these facts, it’s super delicious 🙂

Enjoy!

 

 

Chia Seed Pudding Recipe

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Good morning my dears!

Here is a breakfast idea for you, that gives you energy, it’s loaded with nutrients and it’s super delicious.

wpid-dark_chia_sq__38560.1405434241.1280.1280.jpgThis pudding is made of chia seeds, I think you all heard about this super-food, if not, I tell you a few things about them:

1. The word “Chia” comes from the Mayan language and means strength. Chia seeds are a balanced blend of protein, carbohydrates, fats and fiber. It is said that 1 tablespoon of Chia can sustain a person for 24 hours. Athletes have reported that Chia seeds help them perform at optimal levels for much longer periods of time.

2. Chia seeds are high in quality protein, much higher than most plant foods.

3. Chia seeds are very high in Omega-3 fatty acids, they contain more Omega-3s than salmon, gram for gram.

4. They are high in antioxidants.

5. Almost all of the carbohydrates in chia seeds are fiber, this should increase fullness, slow absorption of your food and help you automatically eat fewer calories.

6. Chia seeds can play an important role in regulating insulin levels. They can reduce insulin resistance and decrease abnormally high levels of insulin in the blood.

7. Chia seeds contain no gluten or grains. Therefore, all of the nutritional benefits of chia seeds can be obtained on a gluten-free diet.

8. They can be used as an egg re-placer, combining 1 tablespoon ground chia seeds with 3 tablespoons water for each egg you’re replacing.

And now here it is the delicious recipe

wpid-img_20141202_101959.jpgIngredients
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (coconut milk or rice milk)
1 cup plain  Greek yoghurt
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or raw honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup chia seeds
handful of raspberries or strawberries

Directions
In a medium bowl, gently whisk the almond milk, yoghurt, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, the vanilla until just blended. Whisk in the chia seeds. Cover and put them in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Moderation is the key!

Posted in Nutrition Tips by

IMG_20141010_170335Hello everybody!

I have a little tip for you today. do you see this wonderful, delicious dessert on the picture? Well I ate it all…. and no I don’t eat things like this every day! Now maybe you ask yourselves now, but is this kind of food allowed in a diet? My answer is, yes BUT moderation is the key!

Everything in moderation! It’s important to have balance and have treat like this every now and then if you crave it. Otherwise you will go totally crazy, you will get out of control,  and eat the whole fridge :))

One thing I’ll say though, after I eat things like this heavenly dessert, the next day I eat extra healthy and clean!

Enjoy your life! Live it, and don’t restrict yourself too much!

Have a wonderful weekend! :*

Ricotta soufflĂ© with pumpkin blossoms

Posted in Recipes by

IMG_20140709_115929Hello my dears!

Here is the recipe of the delicious suffle I posted some time ago on my facebook. You can make these little muffins in maximum 15 minutes. they are great for breakfast, but u can carry them with you as a healthy snack during the day.

Here is what you need:

Ingredients

  • 250 g ricotta cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • black pepper
  • 2 tbs of parsley, chopped
  • pumpkin blossoms (10 – 15 pieces)
  • 100 g parmesan, finely grated
  • 1 tbs of chickpea flour

Directions

1. Set the oven to 240°C/gas 8.

2. Place the ricotta and eggs into a food processor and whiz until the mixture has increased in volume.

3. Cook the pumpkin blossoms for 10 min on olive oil and a little garlic.

3. Pour into a large mixing bowl and fold in pumpkin blossoms, salt and pepper, parsley, the chickpea flour and the parmesan.

4. Pour the mixture in small muffin tin cups and then finish by sprinkling a little more parmesan on top.

5. Cook for 15 minutes, and you are done!

Have a good appetite and enjoy! :*

Foods Highest in Carbohydrates (that you should avoid)

Posted in Fitness Tips, Nutrition Tips by

wpid-photogrid_1405676669108.jpg Hello my dear readers! 🙂

I have something for you today, an article about some carbs you should avoid especially if you try to maintain your 6 pack in the summer :))

Carbohydrates are found in almost all living things and play a very important role in the proper functioning of the immune system, pathogenesis, blood clotting, and human development. A deficiency of carbohydrates can lead impaired functioning of all these systems. Excessive consumption of carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates like sugar or corn syrup, can lead to obesity, type II diabetes, and cancer. Below you can read a list of foods highest in carbohydrates, almost all these foods should be avoided.

#1: Fructose and Granulated Sugar

Fructose and granulated sugar represent a pure refined carbohydrate and are indeed 99.999% carbohydrate with practically no fats, proteins, minerals or vitamins. These refined sugars should be avoided, they are nothing but  empty calories.

#2: Sugary Cereals

Most cereals which come in a box are packed with sugar, this is even true for those that claim to be “whole grain”. Read the label on the back of the box, some of these foods are 90-93% carbohydrate. In contrast, the cereals which you prepare at home like oatmeal and rye can contain 10-12% carbohydrate, with far more vitamins and complex carbohydrates that are better for your body.

#3: Dried Fruits (Apples, Prunes, Dates)

Lot of persons being on a diet are not aware of the fact that dried fruits like apples, prunes(plums), bananas, and dates are all high in carbohydrates and calories. These foods are high in dietary fiber and several vitamins. It is ok to consume them in moderation to help satisfy sugar cravings. BUT, for the long term, it would be best to limit these foods. Dehydrated apple, prunes, and bananas are 88-90% carbs, dried peaches and apricots are 83%, raisins are 79%, and dates are around 75% carbohydrate.

#4: Low fat Crackers, Rice Cakes, and Potato Chips

The large majority of low fat products and snacks on the market have high carb levels to keep items tasty. Low fat crackers, rice cakes, and potato chips are 81-83% carbohydrate. For purposes of comparison honey is 82% carbs. Be sure to consult labels on any low fat products before consuming.

#5: Flour, Cakes, and Cookies

Flour and it is derivative products, usually cakes, cookies, waffles, corn tortillas and breads are all high carb foods. Also pasta is included in this category. Cookies and cakes can get up to 84% carbohydrate, and most flours will be 70-78% carbohydrate.

#6. Starchy Vegetables

Peas, potatoes, corn squash, and corn can contain up to 30 grams of carbohydrates per cup. Choose green leafy vegetables or broccoli instead.

#7. Pizzas

The amount of carbohydrate in pizza depends on the thickness of the crust, and people often create ultra-thin-crust pizzas in order to cut back on the carbs. Depending on the toppings and thickness of the crust, pizzas tend to be 22-30% carbs.

#8. Fruit juices

If you drink your fruit instead of drinking it, you miss out the fiber, that lowes the glycemic impact of the food. Most of the time people donĂ t just drink a half cup of juice (that equals one serving of fruits). Pay attention on your portions!

#9. Salad dressings, hot sauces

Dressings and sauces can be as much as 35% carbs, and low fat dressings are often sweetened to 32% carbs or more. Try to avoid them as much as possible!

#10 Sweetend, flavoured yogurts

For example, a 250 ml (8 ounce) serving of low-fat fruit-flavored and sweetened yogurt can contain as much as 47 grams of sugars. This amount of sugar is equivalent to almost 12 teaspoons of sugar. Mixing plain yogurt with berries is the best way to enjoy fruit-flavored yogurts without overdosing on sugar.

I hope you enjoyed, see you soon! :*

What you need to know about carb cycling

Posted in Fitness Tips, Lifestyle Tips, Nutrition Tips by

carb cycling picHey everybody!

I have some informations for you today, about a diet plan called carb cycling, which is one of the most effective diets used by body builders and fitness personalities. This article may be a little longer than other articles I used to write, but trust me it worth your time.

Carb Cycling is a low/no-carbohydrate diet with intermittent periods of high or moderate carbohydrate consumption.

Most people have the misconception that consuming low carbs on a daily basis for long periods of time is good for them. You cannot eat that way forever. Your body needs carbs for its daily functions. They deplete your energy and strength and are not the best method when attempting to lose body fat and retain muscle.

There are also those individuals who preach high carb diets. While high carb diets help to speed your metabolism, they are not ideal for weight-loss or reduction of body fat as we know, for weight loss the body needs to be in a  calorie deficit.

This is where carb-cycling comes in. Carb cycling is an in between type method that will give you the benefits of both a low and high carb diet which allows you to hold on to the muscle you already have and shed body fat.

This type of diet will also help you maintain your sanity, strength, and energy.

So let’s see how this diet works

Carb cycling works by giving your body the fuel it needs to increase your metabolism and create a calorie deficit to increase fat loss.

There are typically three types of days when carb cycling:
high-carb days
low-carb days
no-carb days.
These days are rotating between them.

Generally the most common carb cycling approach used is where you will place higher carbohydrate days on your heaviest training days and then lower carb days on off/low-intensity training days. This plan is usually based on eating 5 smaller meals per day, 3 meals and 2 snacks (healthy ones)

In order to lose weight, our bodies need the right combination of proteins, carbs, and healthy fats.

Here’s why:

  • Protein builds and maintains muscles and these muscles burn calories like. Protein also breaks down more slowly than carbs and fat, which burns even more calories and helps you feel fuller longer.
  • Carbs are the preferred fuel source for your muscles and organs, and they come in healthy versions (vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes), and not-so-healthy versions (cakes, cookies, soda, doughnuts, candy, and many processed foods).  Healthy carbs are also very important for burning calories, and since they break down more slowly than those not-so-healthy carbs, they keep your blood sugar and energy levels steady
  • Healthy fats (unsaturated fats) eaten in moderation help the development and function of your eyes and brain and help prevent heart disease, stroke, depression, and arthritis. Healthy fats also help keep your energy levels steady and keep you from feeling hungry.

So why do we alternate high-carb and low-carb days in carb cycling?

On high-carb days you’re stocking your calorie-burning furnace so that on low-carb days your furnace burns fat, and lots of it! So it tricks your metabolism into burning a lot of calories, even on those low-carb days. It’s an amazing and well-proven process.

Occasionally, you may feel hungry on your Low Carb days. This is because you’re avoiding starchy carbohydrates which fill you up fast and contain a lot of calories.

In these cases you can add more protein and vegetables to your meal. There’s no harm in eating an extra chicken breast or more salad.

Here is the list of the approved carbohydrates:

  • Brown rice
  • Oats (Slow Cooked Preferred)
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Spelt whole grain
  • Starchy Veggies (corn, peas, etc.)
  • Beans/Legumes

Approved Yet Limited Carbohydrates

  • Whole-wheat pasta
  • Whole grain breads, pitas, etc.

Approved Lean Protein Sources (A)

  • Chicken (white meat)
  • Turkey (white meat)
  • Tuna Fish (can), natural, no oil
  • Fish (flounder, tuna, salmon, shark)
  • Shellfish (all types)
  • Protein (preferably whey post workout, and casein before bed; must be low-carb)
  • Lean beef (including lean cuts of steak)
  • Cottage Cheese (0 or 1% fat)
  • Egg whites (egg beaters)

Approved Higher-Fat Protein Sources (B)

  • Chicken (dark meat)
  • Turkey (dark meat)
  • Eggs (half whites, half whole eggs)
  • Steak and other meats
  • Cottage Cheese (Whole Milk)

Fat Sources

  • Almonds, wallnuts, nuts, peanuts (or nuts natural butter)
  • Flax Oil
  • Cod Liver Oil
  • Hemp Seed Oil
  • Olive Oil

Water Consumption
In short, you can never have enough. The ten 8-ounce glasses per day recommendation is the minimum. You should drink at least a gallon (3.5-4 liter) per day

Here is a weekly cycle that should work nicely for most:

Monday = No Carb
Tuesday = Low Carb
Wednesday = High Carb
Thursday = No Carb
Friday = Low carb
Saturday = High Carb
Sunday = Low Carb

The carb cycling diet is easy to maintain, and because you cycle on and off carbs, the body does not plateau like it would on a prolonged low carbohydrate diet.

Carb cycling speeds up metabolism and gets your body to efficiently use up fuel while sustaining muscle and burning off body fat! Use a carb cycling diet along with a consistent workout plan!

Hope you enjoyed it! Have a beutiful day! 🙂

How to make your own healthy almond butter

Posted in Nutrition Tips, Recipes by

PhotoGrid_1398987531520Hello everybody!

I have a little tip for you today, on how to make your own almond (peanut,cashew or any kind of nut) butter.

The ones from the stores are loaded with sugar, vegetable oil, salt and preservatives. You don’t need that stuff!!

It is so simple to make it, that you will be amazed! 🙂

How to do it:

  • Silk your natural unsalted almonds (2-3 cups) overnight
  • Place them in the food processor and start to process
  • After 10 minutes it starts to stick to the side of your blender, so stop for a while and mix it with a spatula
  • Process it again for about 10 more minutes, till it starts to be like a cream
  • At the end you can add if you want a little honey, vanilla or cinnamon.

And here you go, your almond butter is ready. You can eat it with apple slices, you can make smoothies with bananas and almond butter,  almond butter granola bars, flour less almond butter healthy cookies and so on.

Enjoy! 🙂