ALL HAIL KALE

1/4 a cup of oj (I usually freshly squeeze mine, tastes better and is better for you)
1/2 of lime (juiced)

Doesn't it look delicious?! ;-)

** PLEASE NOTE **
RAW Kale can be particularly 'hard' on the digestive system, meaning it can cause bloating or gas if you aren't usually used to it. If you try the smoothie and realise you're feeling a bit bloated, don't be alarmed! Simply swap your raw kale for cooked kale :-)

Be happy, be healthy xx

Kale has become one of those 'superfoods' that has become increasingly popular for health fiends worldwide. I'm always reluctant to try these types of foods as I'm never sure if they really are as super as the critics say, and feel as if is just a label placed on certain products which allows grocers everywhere to raise their prices.

HOWEVER in desperate need of a detox, I did my research and we all really should 'hail kale'...here's why!

• Kale has NO fat 
• Kale is rich in FIBRE (=great for detoxing and keeping your liver happy_
• Kale is full of vitamin A (skin health) v
• Kale has more vitamin C than oranges do (great for immunity and metabolic health)
• Kale has more CALCIUM than milk! - I was jumping out of my skin when I discovered this as I am lactose intolerant 
• Kale is low in calories

Now that you've joined me in my appreciation for this infamous green leafy veggie, I'm going to share my most favourite Kale rich, green smoothie recipe with you all! This recipe is relatively sour for a smoothie as I love myself a bit of zing, but there are many sweeter recipes you can check out if that's what tickles your fancy.

1 tsp of ginger 

1/2 granny smith apple
1 cup of spinach

1 cup of kale

1/2 lemon

BACK AGAIN

This blog is FINALLY back in action! If I haven't apologised personally to you yet, then I apologise to the frequent viewers for being inactive for so long, but, something called end of year exams happened.
I said from the beginning of the year that no matter what, I'll continue with going to the gym 3 times a week and eating relatively healthy, however when I found out my 6 exams were within 7 days, I decided to tone it down a bit because the gym ain't going anywhere...right?

At the start of the year I was terrified of gaining study weight as my brother gained 15 kgs this time two years ago, but something worse happened...I LOST6 kgs instead! I'm sure there's some of you reading this now thinking what is she complaining about?! BUT, I lost all the good weight, the weight I worked so hard for...MUSCLE!

I was so upset when I saw the scales drop under 60, I felt like all my hard work had dissolved, but all thanks to muscle memory and my crazy levels of motivation now that exams are over...I am already back on track.

This is my most recent progress pic (or lack there of!) 

Although I don't look all that different 6 kilos lighter, I can definitely feel it. My calf muscles, thighs and glutes have gone from tight and toned to soft and eh and my biceps and triceps are hardly showing through anymore.

SO I am going to start FRESH as of Monday by going to the day spa for an hour long massage and scrub that my lover treated me to, spoiling myself with some new gym gear and then heading off to the gym for an intense leg session.

I couldn't be more excited, to get the new me back - and I will go to the gym twice daily until I that girl returns!

Don't forget to follow @vanafiitt for more frequent updates, as well as staying tuned on here for more advice, tips and progress!

Be happy, be healthy x

Today

Today I did the Kokoda memorial walk (1000 steps) at the Dandenong Rangers National Park in VIC after not having done it in years, with my wonderful boyfriend Alex.
I was excited to do it as I have been wanting to for months and I was also quite confident with my abilities to conquer the steps - I was wrong.
Although we went up the wrong side of the track first, I realised how appallingly aerobically unfit I was! It also didn't help that I could hardly walk or sit down prior to doing the steps because I had an insane legs session with my Dad two days before (glutes and hamstrings are still aching). I don't really enjoy cardio, I love my weights, which is why I always put off doing exercises such as these.
My lack of ability has completely motivated me to intensify my cardio sessions that little bit more without over doing it because still, I'd hate to lose any muscle mass.

Overall I had such an amazing yet challenging day and it was an amazing change to exercise outdoors instead of in a gym! My boyfriend and I both agreed we're going to do it more often (and properly this time!)
I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone, no matter what your abilities are!

Rewind!

I've decided to rewind back to my exercising habits from pre-year 12/the holidays. I'm extremely surprised that I've somehow managed to maintain my appearance with only doing one third of the exercise, but nevertheless, I've made this decision not because of my appearance but because I'm worried of getting sick, feeling run down and having no energy again (exactly how I felt before I started training!) I need that energy boost again!
SO I've decided to make an exercise plan for myself, just to assist in me getting back into it and also making sure my exercise and weight training is balanced, not just impulsive.

Monday - LEGS DAY 
Bike at a high grade/incline - 20 mins
Stepper - 70 steps per minute for 10 minutes
Leg press - 5 sets of 8 (on 100 kg at the moment)


TUESDAY - CARDIO & CHEST DAY Cross trainer - 12 minutes
Bike - 200 cals in 10 minutes
Chest press - 6 sets of 8 (30 kg at the moment - don't laugh :( )
Treadmill at a high incline and medium speed - just to warm down

WEDNESDAY - REST DAY

THURSDAY - TRIS, BIS & BACK DAY (Ideally, I'd like to split this day up a bit more and I definitely will as soon as Nov the 6th hits - last exam)
Cross trainer at a high level - 10 minutes
Triceps pull down - 6 sets of 10 (only 30 kg but I'm getting there!)
Barbell curls (for biceps) - 6 sets of 10 (only 23 kg at the moment, again - getting there!)
Back row - 5 sets of 8 (32 kg)
Treadmill at a high incline and medium speed - just to warm down

CORE TRAINING - all completed at home before bed
Leg raises
Knee up crunches
Plank
SQUATS - also to be completely at home after gym


That's it for now, I'm excited! Starting today...

Be happy, be motivated xxx

Q! #4

This is going to be an extremely belated response as I've had a busy couple of weeks. My sincerest apologies. 

At the moment my exercise hasn't been as consistent as I'd like it to be due to studying and all that jazz, so I haven't stuck to any sort of plan (slack, I know) 

I try to go to the gym three times a week, Monday, Thursday and Thursday. I'm usually quite impulsive in what I do at the gym. If I want to work on my arms, I'll do arms (and chest and back) if I feel sluggish or cant stay at the gym longI'll only do cardio and if I'm feeling sloppy I'll do legs which is my favourite. I try to keep everything in proportion though, so my body is in proportion - I'm extremely fussy about being in proportion! 

I'm going to develop a full prof exercise plan when I'm not so busy and can go to the gym as much as I desire (everyday!) and once I'll do, I'll post it and let you know! 

Sorry this wasn't much help. xxx 

Boozin'

I acknowledge that most people viewing my blog are probably young adults (who know me personally) and are going through that stage in life of booze booze booze. Although some people assume I am, I'm not straight edge or anything like that. I do have a drink or four on the rare occasion, but it's important to know that you can still enjoy yourself on the weekend with a couple of friends and drinks without seriously damaging your body and more importantly, without reversing all of your hard work. I'm not saying cut out alcohol because I've always said never cut out the things or love or enjoy completely, I just want to express that there ARE tons of healthier alternatives alcohol wise.

Before I reveal these healthier drinking habits to you...here are some things about alcohol dietary wise that you may not be aware of...

• The calories that come out of alcohol are empty calories. Empty calories mean that they have no nutritional value whatsoever, so have no benefits. (apart from the exception of red wine and it's antioxidants - in moderation of course) 
• When you consume alcohol your body will work hard to get rid of it as it can't store it. This causes all the other processes (such as burning fat and absorbing nutrients) to be interrupted and delayed. 
• Alcohol contains 7 calories a gram which is almost the same as pure fat
• One lolly drink (eg. Cruisers and those other popular pre-mixed drinks) can take up to 4 hours of cardio to burn off 
• One drink of ciber is equivalent to eating one sugary, fat filled donut. 
• Fat gain in those who drink excessively has largely got to do with the poor dietary behaviours that being intoxicated brings...basically it's all the junk that people eat in conjunction with drinking that is a massive reason for weight gain. 
• Alcohol is obviously extremely calorie and energy dense. If you're going to binge, be prepared to work it off and pay for it the next day. Although, no exercise can work of the internal damage excessive consumption of alcohol does to your body.
• Before you go for those sugary, girly, fruity alcoholic drinks...just check the kilojoules on them first. You'll be shocked. Sometimes, I assure you you're probably better of having a meal or two at a fast food place rather than having a night out on lolly drinks. 

IN A LIGHTER NOTE...now for those alternatives I promised.Firstly, I'll tell you a bit about my drinking habits. I already do not drink very often because I don't particularly enjoy it all that much and often find I have a better time in the absence of alcohol. When I do drink, it's probably once every one or two months, and if so it's not very much. At a party, you'll always see me walking around with a bottle of straight vodka. I drink straight vodka because it basically has zero carbs, thus extremely low in calories compared to other choices. I also, surprisingly enjoy it! I usually mix it with lime soda water/plain soda water with a slice of lemon and ice...or if I'm feeling cheeky I'll mix it with some OJ or iced tea. Yes, ice tea is full of sugar but if it's homemade it's far better for you AND still better than most other drinks.

• Other alcoholic drinks that contain zero carbs are your straight gins, rum, scotch, whiskey and tequila.  STRAIGHT is always the way to go if you're training and don't want to consume something high in calories. If you can't stand it though, as said earlier mixing it will soda water or any other low-calorie mixers is the way to go.  They're refreshing and still do the job.
• I have also read in numerous places that some wines are the better calorie friendly choice as they lack cholesterol and fat. I suggest to still steer clear from the fortified, sweet wines if you have intention on binging as they're much higher in calories. 
• LIGHT beers will drop your calorie intake without dropping much flavour as one light beer will typically have 108 calories per serving whereas ale or lager will have up to 216 calories per serving 

ALWAYS REMEMBER, dehydration is a major factor in causing that nasty hangover the day after. Always drink a whole lot of water either during or after drinking as alcohol causes insane dehydration and water retention (causing that blotting look and feel)

I really hoped this helps in one way or another. Be happy, be healthy! xx

Q! #3

1. I don't know my weight at the moment because I don't weigh myself anymore. That number on the scale means nothing to me. As long as I feel and look okay, I'm happy. Last time I weighed myself though (months and months ago) I was exactly 60kgs. My height is - 168cm or so.

Q! #2

I don't know what my calorie intake is because I don't calorie count. A lot of people would probably find this strange or argue it, but I'm almost against calorie counting. Yes, it may be beneficial physically eg. if you're over weight and looking for a healthier lifestyle BUT (from experience) it can really be damaging mentally. When I attempted to calorie count for a while it really screwed with my head. I could feel myself becoming obsessive with what I was inputting and outputting, which I don't view to be healthy at all. When a family member ho could relate noticed so did I, so I stopped completely. I judge my health on how I feel, lack of sickness/illness, how my clothes fit and what my family members tell me!

Everyone is different though, so don't let my response discourage you or anyone. I'm just stating why I'm against it.


ASK me more questions of for advice if need be, I'm here to help - links are provided on my blogspot

Refreshin'

The perfect substitute for soft-drinks or any other sugar packed beverage couldn't be more simple! If I ever crave anything apart from water, I either go for some freshly squeezed OJ, a "Nudie' juice or my all time favourite...soda water, a slice of lemon and ice. Yum and refreshing.






Not only will this fix your craving but the lemon also provides awesome health benefits!
 

Ditch those sugary drinks, they're worse for you than you think!

Be happy, be healthy xx

I'm back baby!

I woke up this morning feeling refreshed, energised and sickness free. I celebrated having fought off a cold that hadn't even arrived yet with rewarding my body with a nutritious and well deserved morning snack filled with vitamins, particularly vitamin C (so the sickness does come back) AND a boxing and skipping session at home which was well overdue.

I grilled and also steamed some fresh veggies (pumpkin and zucchini) accompanied with a bit of feta, 8 almonds, some corn and two cruskits with vegemite. I was so full but to finish it off I had a cup of this new green tea I'm trying with lemon and lemongrass - it's definitely becoming a new favourite.
                                                                           

Well balanced meal and great for you!

I'll get my protein in tonight

Straight after I filled myself with some well deserved energy I went into my garage, put on my ridiculously old boxing gloves and went at the bad for about 15 minutes, which absolutely killed me seeing as I haven't been to the gym in a week! I realised how much I missed boxing, it's honestly one of the best feelings and is the only sport I've been passionate about. Kickboxing also works absolutely everything, core, arms, legs, chest! I'll make a separate post about the benefits of kickboxing within the next week

I also then skipped for about 8 minutes straight at a fairly fast pace to make sure my heart rate was staying moderately high. Skipping is definitely my favourite cardio workout!

                                                                               

This was the result...me dead, on the floor of my garage. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

KEEP MOTIVATED! xx