5 Simple Steps for Weight Loss 

5 Simple Steps for Weight Loss 

Losing weight can be hard and there is so much information out there now, and so much of that information is often conflicting and incredibly overwhelming - it makes it seem so complicated - BUT it doesn’t need to be. If you’re unsure of how to begin your weight loss journey, here are five simple steps that you can take to get started.

Burrito Bowl

Burrito Bowl

This is one of my favourite go-to recipes on a busy day because it only has five ingredients and it is super fast and easy. To make it even easier, I use the food processor to prepare the vegetables.

These are my favourite vegetables to use, but really, you can use any vegetables you like, and if you want to make it vegan, you can use a can of black beans instead of the meat, (I actually like it better with made with the black beans!)

All or Nothing

All or Nothing

You have been perfect with your ‘diet’ for weeks now and you have been exercising consistently as well going to the gym most days of the week when suddenly you get that feeling, like you just need to have a piece of chocolate or a cookie. One won’t hurt right? Now you find yourself feeling guilty because you have completely ruined your perfect diet, might as well have another one then, next thing you know the whole packet is gone.

Zucchini Slice

Zucchini Slice

I have a veggie packed recipe to share with you today!

This is my spin on zucchini slice. I love zucchini slice, I like to make it on the weekend or when I have a day off, slice it up into portions and freeze it so I have a healthy meal ready to take to work, or after a busy day when I don’t feel like cooking.

To make this recipe even easier to prepare, I used my food processor to grate the zucchini, carrots, and broccoli. You can use a hand grater if you don’t have a food processor it will just take a bit longer.

Set Action Based Goals To Get Results

Set Action Based Goals To Get Results

Have you ever noticed how some goals make you feel like you’re at the mercy of outside forces, like how your clothes fit or the scales, while other goals put you firmly in the driver’s seat?

You can’t directly CONTROL the end result. For example, you can’t actually control “losing 20kg” even if you wanted to.

But what you can control is the actions you need to take to make it happen - like adjusting your nutrition and changing your workouts (among other things).

Creating action based goals are not only great for your confidence and building momentum, but they will also give you clear benchmarks for success.

How to Count Your Macros (Part 2)

How to Count Your Macros (Part 2)

In my last blog post I explained how to calculate your macros, if you haven’t read it yet, click here to read it first because today we’re going to put those numbers you calculated into action.

Before we get started, here are some tips:

TIP 1: Don’t stress about getting your macros exactly right. Use them as ballpark figures vs. trying to be perfect and hitting them exactly. Think of this as a process of learning, rather than something you have to master right out of the gate.

TIP 2: If you don’t already have an online food journal, you’ll want to create an account at one of the free sites (like MyFitnessPal, Cronometer, FitBit) since they have databases of nutrition info for almost any food.

TIP 3: It’s easier to plan your meals/macros ahead of time. Otherwise, you can be left with a weird configuration at the end of the day, wondering what you can eat to hit your numbers.

How to Count Your Macros (Part 1)

How to Count Your Macros (Part 1)

Calculating and counting your macros is a tool that you can use that is all about flexible eating to help get you the results you want.

It works very similar to calorie counting which I have written about before, (you can check out those posts here and here). It works whether you want to gain weight, lose weight, maintain your weight, or try clean eating – without following a strict menu plan.

It might seem a little complicated at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll see that it is actually quite easy!

Vegan Black Bean Brownies

Vegan Black Bean Brownies

Who here has a sweet tooth? I know I certainly do!

That is why I love to make healthier versions of my favourite sweet treats.

Today I am sharing a healthier brownie recipe, it uses black beans and oats instead of flour which means it is packed full of fibre, it has no refined sugar, and if you use dark or dairy-free chocolate chips, it’s also vegan-friendly.

Emotional Eating

Emotional Eating

Do you ever find yourself eating to “numb out” your emotions?

Maybe you had a stressful day at work, or got into an argument with your partner, received some bad news, or maybe you are just feeling bored or tired.

As a way to either to comfort yourself or cope with the situation, you find yourself diving headfirst into a tub of ice cream or a bag of chips.

I think most of us have been here at some point in our lives. I know I certainly have. This is something that I struggle with regularly and is the biggest challenge for me when it comes to eating right.

What Is Self-Efficacy?

What Is Self-Efficacy?

In this post, I want to talk about self-efficacy.  

So, what is self-efficacy?  

Basically, it is your success barometer. It’s a trait that can predict how successful you will be!

What makes it even more awesome is that you can build and develop it in a short period of time. It’s almost like a superpower.

Self-efficacy is basically a fancy term for what happens in the children’s story, “The Little Engine That Could.” 

Do you remember it? 

Healthier Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten free, vegan, paleo)

Healthier Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten free, vegan, paleo)

Who doesn’t like a treat every now and then?  I know I certainly do, especially ones that involve chocolate.  

Today I am sharing a recipe for a healthier version of chocolate chip cookies.  The recipe is gluten-free, paleo-friendly, vegetarian, and can be vegan if you use dark chocolate chips that do not contain any milk (just make sure you check the label).

Recipes like this are proof that it’s totally possible to enjoy an occasional treat while living a healthy lifestyle.

5 Reasons Women Should Strength Train

5 Reasons Women Should Strength Train

Strength training is one of the best activities a woman (or anyone for that matter) can do for their body. These days it is pretty well known that strength training is the best form of exercise to help you lose weight and to build and sculpt the body that you want, but do you know of the many other health benefits?

Strength training reduces your risk of osteoporosis by placing stress on the bones which in turn causes an increase in bone density - if you want stronger bones, you have to give your body a reason to make them stronger.

Two Simple Ways to Track your Food Without Counting Calories

Two Simple Ways to Track your Food Without Counting Calories

So, you have decided counting calories is not for you… Now what?

Here are two methods to help you reach your goals that are easy and don't require any counting.

The first method is to simply just write down what you are eating, approximate portion sizes, the time of day and any other information that you might find useful, such as how certain foods made you feel, energy levels etc. This method still takes a little bit of time but is very useful to help figure out where improvements can be made or how foods can affect your moods or energy. My favourite way to do this is to use a Google sheets template, that way you can easily copy and paste meals that you eat regularly to make it a bit quicker and you can set it up to record any information you want to keep track of.

Two Easy Ways to Start Counting Calories

Two Easy Ways to Start Counting Calories

Whether your goal is to lose weight, gain muscle or you just want to get healthy, counting your calories can be a very useful tool to help you stay on track and to gain awareness of just how much you are eating.

If you have read my post about the 'The benefits of food tracking' and you have decided that it sounds right for you. The next step is learning how to actually start.

There are many ways that you can go about counting calories. The easiest way is to use an app like my fitness pal.

How to design your own simple and effective training plan

How to design your own simple and effective training plan

You have joined the gym and your motivation to get in shape is high, you turn up on your first day, look at all of the different machines and free weights and all of a sudden your newfound motivation vanishes, you feel totally out of place and you have no idea where to even start.  so you just get on the treadmill and walk for an hour then leave feeling like you have achieved nothing.

You are not alone, I felt this way when I first joined a gym and I know so many others that have too.

In this article, I am going to explain how to put together an effective full body strength workout that will get you the results you are after and without having to spend hours in the gym.

Simple and Tasty Lunch Ideas

Simple and Tasty Lunch Ideas

Do you struggle with what to bring to work that’s healthy, easy-to-make, and tastes great.

I think there’s one key to having a plan for your lunches... and it’s to keep it as simple as possible! 

My two go-to lunch choices are either leftovers from dinner the night before, or putting together a full-meal salad that I can keep in either a mason jar or another similar container. 

My salads will usually always include nuts, greens, chopped veggies, fetta, and even some fruit like pomegranate seeds or chopped up mango, depending on what I have on-hand.