Friday, January 6

Guilty of skipping exercise time!

Omg!!


Picture this - You've been thinking of really keeping up with your exercise routine but somehow you couldn't keep it twice in a row and instead of waking up at 6.45 am to go for a run, you actually hit the snooze button and ended up waking late only to rush to work in a jiffy. - Fail fail fail - that's what your mind's saying right now!


And now is a time when you're starting to feel guilty about picking up the cheese sandwich for breakfast. After all you've missed your morning jog twice this week :D Sound familiar?


'Guilt' is the one most common feeling that people associate with exercise and fitness. There are so many people out there who fall into this negative rut when they miss their planned workouts - only to keep dropping even further into the vicious circle of negativity! You might want to really stop and think - is 'guilt' the best way to keep your exercise discipline? Is a negative emotional mechanism of this sort really the best way to go to achieve and maintain a healthy fit body?


If you look around at people who look happy, at peace, fit and balanced - they all will have one thing in common. They move, stretch, run, lift weights, dance or anything else - because they LOVE to! They don't beat themselves up about missing out a session or two because they know that they're doing it out of love for themselves. Not out of an obligation to stick to a schedule!


What's the difference?


If you're happy to move (exercise) and remind yourself about how you're doing what you're doing as a way to nourish your mind and body - you're much more likely to be doing a great job with your routine 


than 


If you're on your tenterhooks - worrying about missing your exercise hour or struggling to keep up with the exercise plan that you have charted for yourself 


Remember - the key here is to start 'positive'! Don't let guilt guide your decisions. Don't be stuck on a 'certain way' of doing things. 


That means:


- Take the steps to the 5th floor office at work even if it means getting to your desk 5 mins late - so you make up for the lack of blood circulation because you missed your morning work-out


- Relax and breathe every few hours during your work day - the amount of oxygen you'll get by doing that and avoiding stressing out - is probably worth more than a 30min workout!


- Quit thinking of reaching for a big sinful dessert as a reward for getting a 45min workout that morning. This sort of reward system might work in the short run but it's taking you nowhere when it comes to developing a healthy relationship with your body - and if you want to be pink and fit that's the one think you really want to develop :)







Friday, December 30

Hectic Holidays - 3 tips you can really use NOW!


While you're busy making plans for the festive season and gorging on some nice goodies that seem to be in abundance everywhere you go - it might be good to remember that the feverish pace of these few weeks can get a tad bit overwhelming for your body!



Although sometimes the adrenaline high seems to be just fine and you can go on for days on the constant thinking that races through your head - what you might not realize is that it actually takes away your energy on a subliminal level. Here are some ideas to help you slow down and let your body and mind align with the pace of things!

- Schedule a 10min time with yourself in the middle of a day (especially a day that's bound to be really hectic) Trust me - just making that appointment with yourself is an extremely powerful step towards feeling more grounded and in control. Once you actually get down to keeping that appointment with yourself you'll feel empowered and fresh. What you do with those 10mins is totally your choice. Some ideas are - meditation, chanting, singing, dancing, moving, stretching, sitting quiet or just anything else that allows you to slow down!

- Try practicing the "One Breath" It's not really meditation, its not difficult and its not going to take you years to master it. No matter where you start - this will make you feel more balanced and present and make you happier, lighter, more productive and I am going to say (without exaggerating) more attractive too. Trust me on that :)

- Chew Well - This is so basic that you will definitely overlook it. Time and again it has been noticed that people who are overweight or have an unhappy digestion are not chewing their food well. This is especially true for times like these! Holidays tend to make you slightly preoccupied - with family, plans, cooking, chores and a zillion other things. This is when it's most important for you to be more present with your food. For more tips on eating healthfully, click here.

Monday, December 19

Alpha Alpha Sprouts

Oooh....those tiny little thread like sprouts - they're soooo full of nutrition that they're regarded as the best in the family of sprouts and you know how healthy sprouts in general are! 


These sprouts will most definitely figure in my list of 'Super Good Super Healthy' foods - which is a list of those nutrient dense foods that you will really want to add to your diet. The foods listed on that page have received the special status because they can make you feel great energy, help you with better digestion and make you feel amazing overall. 


And coming back to the alpha alpha's - I love their versatility! You can eat them raw in salads or process them with other stuff in smoothies or just sprinkle some over different dishes. I'll soon introduce you to some ways I've tried them.


But before that, here's your 'nutrition information' fix!!! These sprouts are probably the only plant food that actually contain the FULL range of Vitamins - A, B, Bcomplex, B 12, C, E, K. They also contain good doses of calcium, folic acid, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorous, potassium, sodium and zinc.


They are the best anti-oxidants! For those of you who've only known that word on cosmetic labels - let me remind you that anti-oxidants are great for preventing degenerative diseases which could include heart disease, osteoperosis or even cancer. Besides, taking these can help reduce arthritis problems, high blood pressure, bad cholestrol (LDL).






My current favorite way to eat these is in a carrot salad!


Shred a few carrots
Thoroughly wash similar qty.of alpha alpha sprouts
Mix the above two gently (go ahead, get your hands dirty!)
Add 2 tablespoons of fresh grated coconut (or use dried flakes)
Keep Aside


On a lightly heated pan, roast some groundnuts until they become crispy
Let them cool
In a mortar and pestle roughly grind these into medium size pieces


Now, add in the chopped, toasted groundnuts to the above mixture, throw in some sea salt and lime to taste and your simple and yum salad is good to go!


If you've tried these in some form before or have questions about how they look and where to find them - feel free to drop me a line!