Hey guys, I have to disappoint you, this is neither a fitness nor detox post. I'm simply gonna give you some tips about how to live healthy and stay in shape.
I don't only buy bio products, eat vegan or run to the gym every day. I'd say I simply have a pretty healthy lifestyle in general, I'm not restricting myself but take good care of my body. So no special secrets, here are just a few simple tricks how you can stay fit or live a little healthier.
Breakfast Choices
I'm a huuuge breakfast fan! I need to have something in my stomach before starting the day. There are so many people who simply have a coffee, a croissant or some juice. I could never do that, I need my breakfast, even if it's just a bowl of cereal or a self-made smoothie. It also helps my metabolism get going. I rarely eat sweet stuff for breakfast, once in a while I'll have a muffin or toast with marmelade but I mostly keep it healthy in the morning. For example, I eat cereal instead of sugared Kellogg's, which makes a big difference. I mostly eat unsweetened oats mixed with different kinds of seeds. A bowl of natural plain yogurt is also one of my favorites. I always mix it with fresh or frozen fruit and cereal. I also prefer whole grain over white bread or toast. I like to have some bread with cheese, turkey or honey if I'm craving something sweet. On Sunday or some special day I also love eggs and bacon or something fancy like pancakes, haha.
Coffee Time
I don't just stay away from coffee because I don't really like the taste. Coffee actually gives me a stomach ache. I can drink mixed stuff like cappuccino, latte macchiato and so on, but pure coffee makes my tummy feel like a mess. Even if it's mixed with milk it often makes me feel sick. So I just stay away from it. I prefer tea instead, I'm a passionate tea lover. We have all kinds of tea at home, from fruity sorts to herbal, detox or green tea. I also started drinking chai latte instead of coffee which is delicious.
Fruit Lover
I love all kinds of fruit, especially exotic fruits like mango, pineapple or papaya. Fruit is my favorite snack, I always take an apple or banana to school. I know that it contains a lot of sugar but I try to eat fruit at least once a day. It also helps you stay hydrated, watermelon can't be missing on a hot summer day. There are many ways to integrate produce into your meals. You can make a fruit salad or a fresh smoothie. Next, you'll see some recipes.
Self-made Smoothies
A lot of people on Instagram ask me where I get those yummy smoothies they see on my pics. They ask me for restaurants and bars, but you know what? They are all self-made and so easy to prepare! So here are a few recipes:
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| Mix kaki, honeydew melon, banana and for the upper part the same ingredients with pomegranate |
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| Mix pomegranate with plain yogurt and some lemon |
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| Mix a green apple with one banana, a kiwi, one pear and plain yogurt |
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| Layer plain yogurt, cereal, and a smoothie made of coconut milk, ginger, pineapple, mango, one banana and an orange |
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| Mix watermelon with one banana, mango, pineapple and orange |
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| If you don't feel like having a smoothie try this refreshing detox water. Simply put in lemon, lime and mint leaves |
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| This is a mix of orange and ginger tea with slices of orange and lime |
Cooking at Home
I really love cooking and I'd say I'm a pretty good cook. It relaxes me, just like working out or painting, when I'm cooking I don't really think of anything. Since I live with my sister one of us has to cook, we can't just go over to eat at my mom's because she lives way too far away. So I'm cooking pretty often. I love trying my grandma's recipes and also experimenting with new stuff. I'm a huge fan of salads so I'm always trying to invent some new yummy salad version. Have you ever tried figs, mixed with creamy goat cheese and spinach? How about self-made sweet potato fries or vegetable soup? So good! We don't eat much meat, just because we're not really into it. I love a good steak once in a while, but mostly eat it at my parents' house or at my boyfriend's. I also do love fish, especially salmon. We very rarely eat canned or packaged food. Once in a while we buy a kebab or pizza but we really try to cook every day.
Now you're probably all thinking, damn, this girl's just eating vegetarian, healthy food all day with all that whole grain and green stuff. I don't eat all that stuff because I have to, but because I really enjoy it AND I'm used to it! That's another big deal, what kind of food are you used to? Some people may find it very difficult to eat more fruit, whole grain products or vegetables. I actually grew up eating all that "healthy stuff". My mom never cooked too much meat, made whole grain rice instead of the usual white one, and gave us a yogurt or fruit instead of chips or candy as a snack. So I'm really used to eating healthy since I was born. I can imagine that it's a big challenge for some people to change their eating habits. But you know, it's never too late to start.
The sweet Tooth
I looove German candy! Seriously, it's just the best! I tried candy in many different countries and can honestly say that my home country has the yummiest candy. There's a good reason why Kinder Schokolade, Haribo or Nutella is sold all over the world. I'm not gonna lie, I eat candy on a daily basis. The only thing that really keeps me away from eating candy is not buying it! If I know there's candy in the house, I'm lost! Especially around Christmas and my birthday I'm eating more candy than ever. And not only candy, I'm constantly craving cupcakes, cookies, all kinds of pastry or ice cream. I'm not really the most disciplined person when it comes to sweet stuff. Put a box of candy on the table and I'll eat it. So here's a great tip for those who don't have the best discipline: just don't buy it :-D
Eating out
My eating habits also depend on my lifestyle. When I lived in New York City I used to have lunch or dinner at restaurants almost every second day. I never really cooked, there were just too many great diners and restaurants to try in the Big Apple. When I got back to Germany I got used to cooking at home. The city I live in now also doesn't have the best restaurants to be honest. But when I'm on Mallorca I love a good pizza once in a while. I also like Thai or Vietnamese restaurants because you can never really get that exotic, special taste when cooking Asian meals at home. Allow yourself a romantic dinner or lunch with friends once in a while but try to stay away from food that contains too much fat or sugar. In the end, the food at restaurants most often has much more calories than the meals you cook at home.
The Burger Deal
I love burgers, self-made! I very rarely eat at Mc Donald's, Burger King or KFC. Not because I should stay away from it but because I don't like it much, plus it's too expensive for me, haha. Seriously, after eating one Mc Donald's burger with some fries and a Coke I'm still hungry! I need more than that so I'd have to buy like five or six burgers to be full. I rather invest my money in a healthier meal at some restaurant or cooking something fresh at home. I'm a pizza and burger lover, I also eat chips and all kinds of candy but try to not eat too much junk food. I probably visit a fast food restaurant once a month. I simply prefer fresh food over a packaged burger. For example, I never drink soda. In my fridge you won't find any canned, sweetened drinks. I only drink water and tea and once in a while some juice. Not just because I'm watching my weight but I'm also trying to protect my teeth. You should try to cook at home as often as possible to avoid getting into the fast food trap when you're hungry and need something "quick". Replacing a burger by a yummy salad or chicken breast or whatever it is that you like will make you feel so much better!
I do work out... when my sister forces me to go to the gym with her. Honestly, I'm not a sports freak. I never really did any kind of sports for longer than a few years. As a kid I went horseback riding for a couple of years and also did ballet for a long time. When I grew up clubbing became pretty much my work out, haha. Now that I'm studying in Germany I'm more conscious of my body. Instead of going to clubs I head to the gym two or three times a week. But, I need a sports buddy. My sister needs to motivate me every single time because I'm just a quiet person by nature that prefers chilling at home over a long run in the woods. I do love working out at the gym though. I'm not going on a daily basis but try to go as often as possible. I have to say that I really like our fatburn or yoga classes, running on the treadmill or weight training. I also move a lot more when I'm on Mallorca. Germany is pretty grey and rainy most of the time, so you can't really go out much to do sports. But on Mallorca I found a new hobby - paddle surfing. I love it so much, it's exhausting but fun and trains a lot of different muscles. My boyfriend is a kite surfer so I also wanna learn that some day. In summer we go snorkeling pretty often, I simply love being under water, swimming was always my favorite sport. So now I found a spot where I can do that ;-) I also enjoy long walks at the beach in summer with my boyfriend when I can't go to the gym in Germany. You just have to find some kind of sport that you like and even better, find a training buddy who helps you stay motivated and keep your routine.
Relax and enjoy
You can ask anyone close to me, I'm a huge fan of food. And eating. My mom's always surprised how much I can stuff myself. I don't stress about eating but have a pretty relaxed relationship with food. Here's the thing, Eva wasn't allowed to eat the apple so she just HAD to get it! If you force yourself to stay away from food, it will come get you! You can eat, eat as much as you want and enjoy it - but just the right stuff! Plus, you gotta move. Now that I'm 25 I notice that I have to pay more attention to what I'm eating and also have to work out more. I'm not a big fan of people who tell the waiter to leave out the sugar of the mojito they order (greetings to my super healthy freak from Greece). Get the mojito with the brown sugar in it and love it! Don't just drink it every day :-D
