What I Ate Wednesday #6

Happy Wednesday! Hope you are having a great day. What did you eat today? 

Throughout the day I consumed water and tea!

***Breakfast*** 

 5 medium oat pancakes drizzled with agave nectar.

***Snack*** 

Green smoothie. (recipe)

***Lunch***

Chicken and Veg soup. (store bought) 

***Dinner***

Roast potatoes with stuffed turkey, brussel sprouts, parsnips drizzled with gravy.

"No man in the world has more courage than the man who can stop eating after one peanut." -Channing Pollock

When is the Best Time to Workout?

Honestly, it depends when your able to give it your all. After school/ work might be your best time, but it's not mine. I prefer to train in the morning because;

1. It wakes me up better than any coffee. 
2. It releases endorphins that make you happy, thus lifting your mood.
3. Sets my day to aim to eat healthy because of the earlier workout. 
4. It gives me a burst of energy that I can use to travel the world on a carpet, Aladdin style.

It's not to shame afternoon/evening workouts but it's proven that those who train in the morning are more likely to stick to that routine. One of my clients said "I love going to your bootcamp in the morning because when I come home I've got my workout done before 10am." 

How do I find time to workout in the morning? 

Go to sleep earlier, having sleeping problems? I reviewed an all natural night time tea. Sleep is where all the magic happens. It's when your muscles rebuild and restore itself. I recommend 8-9 hours daily. If you make time to train harder, your body will find time to feel and look great.

When do you workout best? 

"Just finished my morning workout, feels good to start the day off right" 

Smoothie Sunday #3

There's been so much hype lately over green smoothies and their benefits so I decided to share my favourite recipe with you.

You might find it quite bitter eaten raw which is why I use mango, kiwi and/or banana to sweeten.

Ingredients

1. Handful of kale.
2. Handful of frozen mangoes.
3. 1 pear.
4. 1 kiwi.
5. 1 banana.
6. 1 cup of coconut water/ regular H20.

Recipe

Chop up all ingredients and blend until desired consistency. Feel free to modify accordingly.

The reason why green smoothies are given so much hype is because of the green superfood. In this recipe it's kale, a green vegetable low in calories, high in fibre and zero fat. It contains more iron than beef. It can lower cholesterol levels. It is high in vitamin K thus protecting us from various cancers. It's a great detox food that's included in many juice cleanses. There are a lot of benefits to this superfood if it's eaten raw. 

Do you make green smoothies? Have you ever tried kale? Will you be trying this out?

"The more colorful the food, the better. I try to add color to my diet, which means vegetables and fruits."

How to Stay Healthy During the Winter

A lot of people associate being fit and healthy around Summer time. Taking care of your body during winter ensures you get a head-start on the best body ever! 

1. Set mini goals. "We don't get what we want because we don't know what we want" It's the little goals that make a big difference. Write down what you want, when you want it and why you want it. Always refer back to this!
2. Don't depend on the weather. There are plenty of effective free indoor workouts you can do in the comfort of your own home. It's only a YouTube search away. 
3. Try something new. Whether it be a new recipe or an additional workout eg. skipping. It's going to spice up the routine and get you pumped up. 
4. Don't settle. During winter it's cold and a lot of comfort foods are processed eg packaged soups. Try make things from scratch so you know what you're putting into your body. 
5. Increase your fibre. It increases your anti-inflammatory proteins. It helps fight off sickness as well as aids your digestive and immune system. For example whole grains, oats & chia seeds click here for the benefits.

"Summer bodies are made in Winter"

What I Ate Wednesday

What I eat in a day varies whether I've got school or if I'm training etc. On this particular day I stayed at home. 

Breakfast;

Every morning I drink water before eating, it's important to hydrate your body after sleep. It also can boost your metabolism by 24%! Click here for a review on my favourite water bottle tracker. Today I had oatmeal with sliced bananas, desiccated coconut, chia seeds and almonds. 

Pre-workout;

Three multigrain rice cakes with peanut butter and chia seeds.

Post-workout;

Chocolate protein powder, banana and almond milk smoothie.

Lunch;

Chicken and ham salad (lemon & honey as dressing) sprinkled with chia seeds.

Dinner;

Brown rice with soy sauce, salmon and vegetables.

Drinks;

Throughout the day I consumed water and green tea.

What did you eat today? Did you enjoy this post? 

"I like food. I like eating. And I don't want to deprive myself of good food."
- Sarah Michelle Gellar

Can Certain Foods Prevent Cancer?

I decided to take part in the Prostate Cancer Awareness Month (November) Campaign by informing you on the implications of the foods that we consume daily. I decided to interview an expert meet Megan Roosevelt, a Registered Dietitian.

• People say the foods we eat and how we cook them is linked to certain cancers, is that true?

According to the National Cancer Institute (also known as cancer.gov) cooking certain foods such as meat (beef, pork, fish, poultry) at high temperatures produces chemicals known as Heteroclycic Amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The National Cancer Institute states that, “HCAs and PAHs have been found to be mutagenic—that is, they cause changes in DNA that may increase the risk of cancer.”

• What are the foods we should be avoiding?

To start, I definitely recommend that we avoid all artificial ingredients for example, artificial sweeteners. Also eliminate and reduce the intake of processed foods and increase intake of real, whole & plant-based foods.

• What foods can we eat to prevent certain cancers?

According to research studies by Dr. T. Colin Campbell as found in his book "The China Study", eating a plant-based diet can help prevent the growth & development of cancer. Be sure to check out my interview with Megan on her plant- based diet here.

• With the change in weather, what should we be eating to prevent illness/flu?

Foods high in antioxidants will help boost the immune system so eating more fresh fruits and vegetables also reducing intake of foods made with added sugars and or foods lacking in nutritional value is smart. A few foods that contain antioxidants such as vitamin C include sweet potatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, oranges & lemons.

• Do you have any further comments on this topic?

Eat real food and always be learning!


Thank you Megan for informative interviews! 

References:

http://nutritionstudies.org

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/cooked-meats

www.healthygrocerygirl.com

BIO:

Megan Roosevelt is a plant-based Registered and Licensed Dietitian as well as the founder and CEO of healthygrocerygirl.com. She is an author, web TV host, producer and regular nutrition expert for magazines as well as local and national television. Healthy Grocery Girl® provides nutrition services and multi-media resources that help individuals and families shop, cook and eat healthy including the Healthy Grocery Girl® Nutrition Plan and Online Community and the "Healthy Grocery Girl® Show", a free weekly online cooking and healthy lifestyle show.

Megan Roosevelt, RD, LD

Founder l CEO at Healthy Grocery Girl LLC

w. healthygrocerygirl.com

NEW! Nutrition Plan and Online Community  

Social Media:

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"The best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago, the second best time to plant a tree is now" -Chinese Proverb

Healthy No-Bake Protein Balls Recipe

This ball of energy is the easiest recipe that is high in fibre and protein! It makes the perfect pre or post workout snack you can also have it on the go. 

I made five large sized protein balls.

You will need;

1. Oats
2. Peanut butter
3. 1 scoop of protein powder
4. Milk of your choice
5. Chia seeds click here for benefits
6. Dried fruit 
7. Nuts of your choice 
8. Desiccated coconut (for coating) 

Mix all the ingredients adding the milk slowly. If it's too wet add more dry ingredients and vice versa. Wet your hands to prevent sticking. Roll into a ball and coat with coconut. Refrigerate or freeze!  

                            "Eat clean to train mean to get lean" - Jenny Olatunji

Bananas vs Plantains + Recipe

This is a new series where I compare foods and share with you a recipe. Let the games begin....

You can purchase plantain at any African/ Asian Food Store

1. A plantain is a vegetable whereas a banana is a fruit.
2. Plantains are a lot bigger and have a thicker skin than bananas.
3. Plantains are mainly used in Afro-Caribbean and Asian main/ side dishes. A banana is consumed in most continents.
4. Plantains should be cooked before eaten because it's rich in starch. Bananas are usually eaten raw.
5. Just like a banana the riper the sweeter. 
6. Plantains are  slightly higher in dietary fibre. They are both high in vitamin A which helps maintain healthy eye-sight, skin, hair & tissues. Vitamin C which aids in healthy teeth, gums & blood vessels.

Well who wins? 

I prefer the plantain as it's more satisfying than a banana. It's versatile, it can be baked, boiled, fried, grilled, made into chips and some people eat in raw when the skin is nearly black. The only disadvantage would be that it's not as convenient as a banana because of the preparation and cooking time.

Plantain Chips Recipe

1. Pre-heat oven to gas mark 3.
2. Peel the plantain and thinly slice and lightly season with cinnamon and salt.
3. Place onto baking tray lined with baking paper.
4. Place into oven and bake for 20-30 minutes (until crispy).

It's vital that you slice it up thinly to get it crispy!

Have you ever tried plantain? Which do you prefer? How do you like to eat it?

            "More die in the United States of too much food than of too little"
    - John Kenneth Galbraith