Start the day with these easy breakfasts!

ontbijt waar je lang vol van zit

TOAST WITH AVOCADO AND SALMON

Ingredients;

  • 1 avocado
  • 1/4 lemon
  • 2 slices of brown bread
  • pinch of cayennepepper
  • 75 grams of smoked salmon
  • handful of watercress
  • 1 sprig of dill
  • Optional: 1/4 onion

Method of preperation

  1. Put the bread in the toaster until it is nice and crispy.
  2. Cut the avocado and mix it with the lemon and cayenne pepper.
  3. Spread the avocado on the sandwich and place the salmon and onion on top.
  4. Finish with the watercress and dill

ontbijt waar je lang vol van zit

PURPLE SMOOTHIEBOWL

Ingredients

For the smoothiebowl

  • 100 grams of red fruits (from the freezer)
  • 50 grams of blueberries
  • 1 banana (save some for the topping)
  • 25 grams of oat meal
  • dash of almond milk

Toppings

  • hand of granola
  • slices of banana
  • coconut grater
  • almonds
  • Optional: pieces of dark chocolate

Method of preperation

  1. Put all ingredients (except the toppings) in a blender and mix it until it’s smooth.
  2. If it’s not good yet, you can add some almondmilk.
  3. Finish the smoothiebowl with your favorite toppings.

What do you think about these meals? Are you going to try one for tomorrow morning? You can never go wrong with avocado ;). Let us know what you think in the comments!

3 delicious pasta salads!

Hoe maak ik een lekkere pastasalade?

From the Vegetarian Fitgirlcode Guide

ZUCCHINI PASTASALAD

Ingredients

  • 70 grams of whole-weat pasta
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 150 grams of zucchini
  • 40 grams of arugula
  • 1 tomato
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 30 grams of dairy spread
  • 15 grams of pine nuts
  • pepper and salt

Method of preperation

  1. Cook the pasta for 8-10 minutes.
  2. Cut the avocado, zucchini, tomato and garlic to the desired size.
  3. Heat some baking spray in a pan and fry the zucchini and garlic in it. When the zucchini starts to cook, the tomato may also be added. Also add the pepper and salt and possibly some other herbs.
  4. Heat the pine nuts in another pan, without baking spray or coconut oil.
  5. When the pasta is ready, it can be added to the pan with zucchini, garlic and tomato, together with the dairy spread and avocado.
  6. Wait until the dairy spread has melted and make sure everything is well mixed.
  7. Put the contents of the pan on a plate and divide the arugula and pine nuts over it!

Wat is het recept van een avocado pastasalade?

From the Vegetarian Fitgirlcode Guide

CREAMY AVOCADO PASTA SALAD

Ingredients

  • 60 grams of whole-weat pasta
  • 1 tomato
  • 1 onion
  • 100 grams of broccoli
  • 30 grams of dairy spread
  • 70 grams of avocado
  • 2 tsp paprika powder
  • pepper and salt
  • optional: pine nuts

Method of preperation 

  1. Cook the pasta in 8-10 minutes.
  2. Cut the tomato, onion and avocado in desired size.
  3. Heat some baking spray in a pan. Bake the onion, when the pasta and broccoli are as good as done.
  4. Add the tomato, avocado and paprika powder a little later. Wait until these are warm and then put all the other ingredients in the pan, including the pasta and broccoli. Leave the pan on a low heat for a short while.

Zo maak je een pastasalade

From the Vegetarian Fitgirlcode Guide

GREEK PASTA SALAD

Ingredients 

  • 120 grams of whole-weat pasta
  • 100 grams of feta
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 120 grams of olives
  • 1 paprika
  • 2 spring onions
  • 2 tsp green pesto
  • 60 grams of dairy spread
  • pepper and salt
  • parsley

Method of preperation

  1. Cook the pasta in 8 – 10 minutes.
  2. Cut the feta, tomato, olives, paprika and spring onion in desired size.
  3. When the pasta is ready, let it cool off a little and then mix it with all the ingredients.
  4. Put half of the pasta salad in a container after it has cooled. Keep it in the fridge (for your lunch tomorrow).
  5. You put the other half on a plate.

 

Which one are you going to try? These pasta salads are super healthy and very easy to make! Enjoy your pasta girls! 

All the photos are made by @storiesbysuus.

Try out these proteine snacks after your workout!

When I cycle back home after my workout, my stomach often starts to growl. I played hard so my body needs a refill! In order to prevent me from lying down on the couch with a pack of cookies, I make sure that I always have a number of healthy protein snacks ready. You make these snacks in no time, but they are super tasty and healthy! Win-win, right? 🙂

CARAMEL FRAPPÉ

Ingredients:

  • 140 grams of crushed ice
  • 240 milliliters of milk (for example almond milk)
  • 1 scoop of coffee caramel whey protein
  • ½ banana

The method of preperation: 

The preperation is easy peasy, put all the ingredients in the blender and mix it until it’s smooth. Straw in it and your protein frappé is ready!

proteïne rijke snacks

BANANA PROTEIN BALLS

Ingredients

  • 180 grams of oat meal
  • 50 grams of whey protein
  • 120 grams of a banana
  • A pinch of sea salt
  • 1 tsp of cinnamon
  • 20 milliliters of honey
  • 60 grams of peanut butter
  • 30 grams of dark chocolate

Method of preperation 

  1. Crush the oat flakes.
  2. Put the oat flakes in a bowl with the protein powder, sea salt and cinnamon.
  3. Mash the banana and add it to the bowl.
  4. Put the honey and peanut butter in a bowl and put them in the microwave for 30 to 40 seconds to soften.
  5. Add these to the other ingredients.
  6. Knead the whole into a mixture.
  7. Finely chop the chocolate and add it to the mixture.
  8. Make 12 equal balls, put them on a plate and let them set in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.

Tip: do you want to keep them for a longer period? Put them in the freezer! 

What do you eat after a good workout? I’m curious! I’m definitely going to make one of these snacks for my workout tomorrow. Let us know what you think about the recipes in the comments! 

How to become a meal prep queen

Every week I come to the office with my prepared lunches and I still get the question how I always do that. Meal prepping has become such a habit for me that it no longer feels like a must-do. It almost never happens that I take a sandwich to the office and I get a very funny look when I leave my boxes at home. I do not want to say that I am a mealprep queen, but I would like to help you to stop seeing mealprepies as a burden either. That’s why I share all my secrets!

1. PREP ON FIXED DAYS

I scedule an hour on Sunday, usually in the evening, to prep. Because I have already kept this hour free, I take this into account during the day and I know that I cannot do anyhting else at that moment. This makes it so much easier to be in the kitchen for just that hour or sometimes even shorter. I usually prep for 3 days ahead and make two more delicious lunches or snacks for later in the week on Wednesday evenings. In total, prepping costs me a maximum of 2 hours per week, while I enjoy it for at least 5 days. So is that really that bad? Another tip: Cook some rice/pasta/quinoa while cooking. This saves your time and you are already in the kitchen.

2. GET THE BASICS

I understand that you don’t always have time (or money) to cook the best meals, but you don’t have to! I always make sure that I have a number of standard products that I can prep with.If I don’t have time to buy groceries, I can always fall back on my basics and still conjure up a delicious lunch on the table. I have these products as standard:

  • Quinoa
  • Dries lentils
  • A can of beans or corn
  • Tomatoes
  • Cucumber
  • Hummus
  • Frozen fruit
  • Bananas
  • Oat meal
  • Almond milk

That’s it. With the quinoa or rice I have a good basis for my meal preparation, the lentils or beans serve as a good source of protein, the cucumber and tomatoes are the perfect snack and can go through any meal preparation and the hummus serves as as delicious dressing. With frozen fruit and / or almond milk I make a smoothie or make this together with the oatmeal and banana a cake or cookies. So you see that you don’t need much at all. mealprep tips

3. DON’T THINK TOO HARD

You can go crazy with all fantastic recipes and interest-worthy preps. But that is absolutely unnecessary. I have a number of fixed preps that I fall back on as standard: A ‘Mexican’ salad with rice, beans, corn and tomato (sometimes with guacamole as a dressing), a ‘Greek’ salad with quinoa, lettuce, cucumber, tomato, olives and feta or a warm bowl with lentils, sun-dried tomatoes, falafel and some extra vegetables. I often try to think of small variations on my favorites so that it never gets boring and I have never regretted a lunch I brought with me. Every day I look forward to it again. The same applies to a healthy snack. You may be tired of your standard banana bread after a while, but when you vary with toppings and ingredients, you will conjure something surprising on the table.

I hope to have made it a little easier for you to bring the tastiest creations yourself every week. Do you have a golden meal prep tip? Share it in the comments below!

4x yoga exercises that help against back pain

Back pain is a common irritation, with the lucky bastards among us, who have an office job or simply have to sit all day at work or school. Going home with pain every time is pretty annoying. And although we would like to take a massage every day to solve this problem, it does not really fit into our budget. Fortunately, there are many ways to remedy the pain at home. With these yoga exercises against back pain, you will certainly succeed!

CHILDS POSE

This well-known yoga pose is ideal for pain in your lower back. You can do it both in bed and on a yoga mat and it is the ideal way to unwind. I like to do this exercise myself before I go to bed; then I fall asleep wonderfully!

How it works:

Sit on your knees on a mat and stretch your arms in the air. Breathe in and move your hands as you exhale to the floor. Hold this for about 10 seconds and come up again.

FORWARD FOLD

Don’t worry, you don’t have to be super flexible for this exercise. However, it makes your back a lot more flexible. With this exercise you stretch your lower and upper back and your hamstrings. So you can say that this pose is ideal for stretching your body after a day of sitting still.

How it works:

Stand with your legs wide in a position that feels nice to you, your knees may be slightly bent. Then bend forward and place your forearms on the floor. Is this not possible? Then put your hands on the floor. Hold this for 10 seconds and go up.

CAT AND COW

This exercise can also easily be done in bed and is therefore the ideal stretch for bedtime. By moving your back up and down, you stretch your spine and your back becomes a little less stiff. Do this exercise a few times after a long working day and you will immediately feel less stressed.

How it works:

Sit down on hands and knees and fuly extend your arms. Let your head hang down and make your back convex. Then lift your head and move to a hollow back. Swap these postures a number of times for a nice stretch.

SPINE TWIST

This is one of my favorite yoga exercises for a sore back. When I come home after a day at the office and notice that my back hurts, I often lie down in this position. After changing a few times, it soon feels better again.

How it works:

Lie on your right side with your legs to the same side and your feet together. Lay your right arm flat on the floor and turn your head towards your left shoulder. Move your left arm and part of your back to the left until you feel a good stretch. Hold this for a few seconds and move back. Repeat several times and then do the same on your other side.

Make a routine of these exercises and your back pain will be less in no time! Do you have permanent back pain and nothing helps anymore? Then it might be smart to talk to a physio. Hopefully these exercises will help you get into your bed without pain!

Recipe alert! Healthy chicken pesto pasta

Who doesn’t like pasta! We eat here at the Fitgirlcode HQ so many variations; with meat, fish or vegetarian. Hot or cold, it doesn’t matter to us. Today we share one of our favorite recipes: the healthy chicken pesto pasta. Buon appetito! 🙂 

INGREDIENTS:

  • Whole grain penne ( I love penne, but you can use any other type of pasta that you like)
  • Chicken fillet or smoked chicken fillet (it’s just what your prefer)
  • Jar of pesto, or make your own pesto
  • Mozzarella
  • Cherry tomatoes or dried tomatoes (I usually alternate)
  • Pine nuts
  • Basil

METHOD OF PREPARATION

  1. Cook the pasta according to the instructions.
  2. Cut the chicken fillet into small pieces / cubes and fry it in (coconut) oil until done.
  3. Sift the pasta and stir in the pesto to taste (I really like pesto so I usually add 2,5 tablespoons).
  4. Cut the mozzarella and tomatoes into small pieces and add it to the pasta.
  5. Roast the pine nuts briefly on high heat and add a small hand of nuts.
  6. Finish the dish with some basil leaves and enjoy!

 

Are you looking for more food inspiration? We have a #FITGIRLCODE Guide, with more recipes and workoutschedules! Start your Fit journey with one of our Guides! Let us know what you think of this recipe in the comments 🙂

5 workouts for a kickass booty!

If there is one thing we can never get enough of, it is training out booty! Round or flat, thick or thin, be proud of it. Summer is coming, so we all want to look good in our new bikini’s. Let’s train our butt and get that baywatch moment. 😉 There are a few exercises that can give you that extra booty! We share our best exercises that work for us! 

CROSS LUNGES

This exercise is just a little more effective than normal lunges and you feel guaranteed muscle pain after a few sets. Moreover, it is also nice for the necessary variation. Because the same exercise all the time becomes a bit boring.

How to do it:

Stand with your feet shoulder width and grasp your fist with one hand. Then step backwards with your left leg. You now form a kind of cross. Slightly lower your knees. Then go back to the starting position and repeat this with your other leg. This is one repeat. Do three sets of 15 repetitions with this exercise.

CLAMSHELL

For this exercise you can lie comfortably on the floor, but that certainly does not mean that it is not tough. To make the exercise harder you can also use a resistance band. But it is certainly not a requirement!

How to do it:

Lie down on your side and lay one leg on the other. Bend your knees at a 45-degree angle. Bend your arm and lean your head on it. Tighten your legs and buttocks and then lift and lift your knee as fas as you can. Your foot stays on your other foot. Hold this for 3 seconds and bring your leg back. Repeat this 20 times and then change sides.

SPLIT SQUATS

This variation on the squat is in our opinion just a bit more challenging and fun. You need a bench for this exercise, but you can also use a stool or stack of books.

How to do it:

Step backwards with your right leg and place your toes on the stool. Make sure that your left leg is far enough forward and that your knee does not go beyond your toes when you drop. Bend your knee and now slowly go down. Hold this for a few seconds and come up again. Repeat 15 times and then switch legs. This is a set. You do three sets in total.

PLIÉ SQUATS

You feel like a ballerina while doing these squats, but be honest now. We have all secretly wanted to try that, right? With this variation of the squat you put a little more tension on your buttocks, which makes it a kick ass exercise!

How to do it:

Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width and let your knees and toes point outwards. Keep your back straight and stand on your toes. Drop down now while you tighten your buttocks. Hold this for 3 seconds and come up again. Repeat this exercise 15 times for 1 set. Do 3 sets in total.

BRIDGES

I regularly do this exercise in the gym with both legs on the floor, but I did not yet know the variation with one leg up. Of course I tried it out and I can tell you that it is a big butt burner.

How to do it: 

Lie down on your back with your hands and feet flat on the floor. Bend your knees and lift your body until you reach the bridge position and now move your left leg up while keeping your knee bent. Return your leg and repeat with the other leg. This is a repeat. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

We know for sure that your booty will be well trained after this short workout. And remember, it doesn’t matter what they look like. As long as you are busy, you can be super proud of your booty! 

4x what does caffeine do to your body

‘But first, coffee.’ ‘Don’t talk to me before my morning coffee.’ ‘Coffee: the most important meal of the day.’ You probably know them, all those spells about coffee. For many of us, this kind of morning is well integrated into the daily rhythm. But do you know what the caffeine from your hot drink does to you? (Except waking up). All the facts in a row. 

First an update where the substance caffeine can be found. The best known is, of course, just coffee, but did you know that tea is also known as theine? In addition, caffeine is also in cola, iced tea, energy drinks and even in chocolate. The amount of the substance in each product varies considerably, but the biggest sources of caffeine are espresso and energy shots.

YOU BECOME ALERT

As soon as caffeine is absorbed into your blood, it enters your brain. There it blocks certain receptors, so you will get an increased state of alertness. The release of adrenaline is also stimulated, which only reinforces that. Result: you can handle the world, but it could also be that you feel a bit hunted.

YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE RISES

Because of the adrenaline and cortisol released after drinking a cup of coffee, your blood vessels narrows. This causes your blood pressure to rise, which in turn causes your heart rate to drop. With a large intake, this can even lead to arrhythmias, but no worries, you really have to drink a lot of coffee.

YOU HAVE TO PEE MORE

Caffeine stimulates your kidneys, so you have to urinate more. You probably recognize this: right after your cup of coffee or tea you immediately feel the pressure on your bladder. This is not because, contrary to what people often say, caffeine dehydrates, so you have to pee more. It is still the same amount, you just have to go to the bathroom faster. If you sit there for a number two it is not so strange, because coffee also stimulates the stomach and intestines. But whether that is because of the caffeine, or whether another substance is responsible for this, is not (yet) known.

YOU HAVE MORE ENERGY

In addition to all the effects, you also get more energy from coffee and it takes away your tiredness. This can be great during exercise, because this way you can keep your spicy workout up! Exactly the reason why caffeine is often added to pre workouts shakes. However, it can also be a disadvantage that caffeine makes you so alert, energetic and motivated. For example, if you suddenly become completely hypedbent after a cup of coffee after dinner, while you actually wanted to go to bed early. You lie there and stare at the ceiling. A good tip to get to sleep better is also to avoid these drinks!

 

In short: that daily cup of coffee does quite a lot with your body. And to be honest, at Fitgirlcode HW we can no longer do without. Also so fond of this hot drink? Will you let us know in the comments what your favorite coffee is?

Vegan recipe: Wrapini with tahini

If you read this article, you are probably here for one of the following reasons: You want to eat (more) vegetables and you are looking for a tasty vegan recipe. Or you are looking for what the hell a wrapini is. We feel you ;). Until recently, we didn’t know what a wrapini was. But now we are a real fan since the discovery!

And now the moment you have been waiting for. Here is the recipe for the delicious wrapini!

INGREDIENTS FOR 1 PERSON

  • 2 whole-grain wraps
  • 20 grams of arugula
  • 1 spring onion
  • 1 tomato
  • 100 grams of tofu
  • 25 grams of almonds
  • 10 grams of tahini
  • Pinch of paprika powder
  • Pepper and salt

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. Cut the tofu into pieces and fry it in a pan with some baking spray and herbs.

2. Cover both wraps with the tahini.

3. Cut the spring onion, almonds and tomato to the desired size and divide this together with the tofu, arugula and herbs over 1 of the wraps.
4. Place the other wrap on it (with the tahini on the bottom).
5. Now place the wrap between a grill plate and heat it up. If you do not have a grill plate, you can also bake the wrap in a pan.

Nutritional values: kcal 556 | carbohydrates 50 | egg whites 25 | fats 28

 

Will you let us know what your thoughts are on the recipe? We are very curious about your creations! And now you can tell everyone what a wrapini is. 😉

7 tips to drink enough water every day

Drinking more water sounds really easy, but drinking enough water can be a challenge. There are many benefits to drinking enough water. If your water intake is not equal to what you lose in water, you can become dehydrated. There are several (health-related) reasons why drinking enough water is important. I have listed a few for you! 

 

♥ Water helps to keep the balance of body fluids
♥ Water helps to keep the muscles flexible.
♥ Water helps to keep skin beautiful and to give you that special glow.
♥ Water helps you kidneys.

We probably all know that drinking water is good for us. But let’s be honest, do you really drink more than 2 liters of water every day? Well, not me. Here are some tips to make sure you drink that extra bottle of water.

water

1. ADD A TASTE

Water is quite boring, so you can add almost any taste to it! For example, fruit (berries, orange, lemon, pomegranate or watermelon), vegetables (cucumber or celery), or spices (mint, lavender, cinnamon, vanilla). It gives that little bit extra to your regular water. There are also special water bottles for sale with a part where you can put fruit, vegetables or herbs. These are called infusion bottles. Google it 😉

2. TRY AN APP

There are several apps that will help you manage your water intake. For example ”Water your body” or “Waterlogged”. If you don’t want to use an app, you can aslo put some alarms for yourself on your phone reminding you to drink a glass of water. Or two glasses. ?

3. CARRY IT AROUND

If you always have a water bottle within reach, it gets easier to drink more. You keep reminded to drink water everytime. Be prepared! Wherever you go, always make sure you have a bottle of water.

IMG_1092-1024x732

5. DIY REMINDER

Buy a clear bottle that you can write on. Mark with lines the amount you want to have drunk at a certain time and add this time. This way you literally keep your goals in sight all day.

6. USE A STRAW

You probably drink more and faster with a straw. Let’s see what happens when you use a two ;). Drinking with a straw is also better for your teeth. The liquid does not get through your teeth through a straw, so this is less harmful. Just try it out!

7. EAT FOOD WITH LOTS OF WATER IN IT

This doesn’t really count as drinking but it does hydrate you. Foods such as cucumber, lettuce leaves, grapefruit and watermelon are known for their high moisture content. About 20% of our fluid intake comes from food, so let’s eat some water!

8. USE SPARKLING WATER

Mix fruit juice with sparkling water and you will have a nice and fresh drink all day. It’s just like soda!

So for all Fit Girls: keep your water bottles ready and drink! If you are looking for a nice bottle to take your water with, check out our #FITGIRLCODE water bottle. This ensures that you drink enough water because 1 liter fits in and it looks great!  

Why you should try out these outdoor sports!

Sometimes you want to do a totally different workout and not just exercise in a gym. You can effectively exercise outdoors. When you are on vacation, you do not always have a gym nearby. Outdoor sports can be great fun, but what are fun sports that you can do outdoors? I have listed a number of challenging workouts.

HIKEN

You have probably heard of ‘hiking‘. There are many Fit Girls who do this workout and I can tell you it’s great fun! Of course it depends on where you live, but otherwise look for a place where you can hike. Especially on vacation, this is a very nice workout that you can do almost anywhere. For example, go with sunrise or sunset, then you can immediately take beautiful Instagram photos. Two birds with one stone! 🙂

INTERVAL RUNS

This can certainly be a good challenge for yourself! You can make it as fun as you want, go to a beautiful and peaceful environment. Gently start building the run and then take on the challenge. First warming up with leisurely walking, then fast walking and running and again fast walking and running again. That way you really challenge yourself!

STAIRS

We all know walking the stairs and we do it regularly. You have a special device for this in the gym, but you can of course also do this outside. This workout is super good for your legs, buttocks and core. So let’s do this! You can also do it together with your workout buddy, that’s even more fun!





JUMPING ROPE


Jumping rope is typically something you used to do as a child. But who says you can no longer use it in your workout. Go outside and jump rope! On the internet you can also find various exercises with a jump rope. So make it a challenge, that’s how it stays fun!




Do you prefer to exercise indoors or outdoors? Let us know! We are very curious about what kind of workout you prefer to do. 🙂 


             
How to make a healthy meal in no time!
Nowadays, almost everyone is incredibly busy. Working, studying, traveling, appointments, visiting family, meeting with friends, playing sports ans so on, our busy schedules ensure that we have almost no time to do nothing. Unfortunately, these busy schedules also ensure that we do not have hours to prepare the most healthy and delicious meals in the kitchen, but we prefer to cook a somewhat unhealthier meal that we can make faster. That is really a shame and absolutely unnecessary, because with the right preparation you can also simply put a quick, healthy meal on the table! Curious how? I share the best tips for a quick healthy meal with you!


MAKE A WEEKLY MENU


Yes, you’re right: make a weekly menu for yourself every week. For example, think about what you want to eat for the rest of the week at the weekend and make sure you know exactly what ingredients you need per day. Then try to get all the groceries in one go! A big advantage of this is that you get exactly what you need, and leave the unhealthy snacks in the supermarket. If you sit on the couch one day and feel that there is a snack attack coming, you cannot take unhealthy things! In addition, it also saves a lot of time if you only have to go shopping once a week, and time is exactly what we all sometimes lack, isn’t it?


THINK FAST


As the name suggests, a fast healthy meal is especially nice because you can prepare it quickly. Stay realistic, because a recipe that normally lasts 3 hours isn’t suddenly ready within 15 minutes. For example, choose to put a tasty soup on the table once or twice a week. In addition, our website is full of recipes that are all delicious and healthy and also quite fast and easy to make, so you can get enough inspiration from this!


PREP IT!


Many Fit Girls are already using this method and we are a huge fan: meal preps! Choose a day when you really have time to cook different dishes that you can eat during this week. In this way you can already cook pasta, cut certain vegetables or bake chicken. In this way, you do not have to be in the kitchen for so long. Winning!


USE YOUR FOOD SCRAPS


Have you cooked a little too much by accident and have you really not been able to eat all those goodies? Don’t throw it away! You can use this as a lunch for the next day. In addition, you can also save all the ingredients that you have left during cooking and turn them into a delicious dish at the end of the week. That way, you don’t throw anything away, you still have the healthy things at home and it is all pre-baked or pre-cut. Ideal, right?!


FREEZE IT


The freezer is your best friend! You can store almost everything in the freezer and this is the ideal solution if you don’t have time to cook! Make sure there are a few dishes in your freezer that you can easily defrost. Ideal! So are you planning to eat a nice cup of soup this week? Then immediately make 5 cups! You can keep this perfectly in the freezer and that saves you a lote of work in the kitchen if you are in a hurry!


Hopefully these tips will help you to put a quick, healthy meal on the table more often. If it doesn’t work out for once, this is of course absolutely no problem! Balace is key and it is especially important that you can really enjoy your meals. How do you ensure that you put healthy meals on the table when you are busy? Let me know by responding below this article!


          
Why you should do a cooling down
Before I start exercising I often start with a good warm up. Just 10 minutes on the treadmill or good stretching and I can take it. But when I finish my workout, I often can’t wait to go home. I forget something very important: a cooling down! Recognizable? I will explain to you today why a cooling down is important and I will give you tips on how to perform it as well as possible. 


THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR COOLING DOWN


Did you know that  a cooling down does more than just prevent muscle pain? There are a number of other important benefits attached to it. The biggest reason to do a cooling down is to prevent dizziness, this is caused by a change in the blood circulation. When you suddenly switch to rest mode from a good workout, that change is very sudden and you can get a bit dizzy. In addition, a cooling down is very important for your muscle recovery. A cooling down reduces the lactic acid in your body. The lactic acid accumulates in your muscles during exercise and causes a slower recovery. When you do your cooling down, the lactic acid is removed more easily and your body recovers better.


TIPS FOR YOUR COOLING DOWN


    

  1. Plan your cooling down
    2. 



When you know you have an hour to do your workout, plan 50 minutes for your warm up and workout and keep the last 10 minutes for your cool down. This way you will be ready in time for the next thing on your schedule.


    

  1. Make it a routine
    2. 



Do you exercise according to a certain schedule? Plan your cooling down into your schedule. If you repeat this scheme for a while, you automatically get used to it and it becomes a routine. So you never have to think about whether or not to do your cooling down.


    

  1. Keep it simple
    2. 



A cooling down does not have to be complicated or take a long time. Keep it simple by walking for 2 minutes and then doing some stretches. Or do a yoga routine of 5 minutes for example, easy does it!


I will never skip my cooling down again! Do you always do a cool down after working out? Or do you, just like me, skip it too often? I like to read what you think! 🙂


           
Recipe alert! Salad with zucchini, pear and blue cheese
Now the weather is getting a bit warmer again, our food choices are changing as well. That’s why we thought it was time for another salad! This one is super easy to make and super tasty! Let’s read on… 


If you want to eat this salad for dinner, you can add some quinoa, for the carbs. Or warm a nice baguette with it. The choice is endless!


INGREDIENTS


The nice thing about the salad is that you only need a few ingredients. And that while the flavors are perfect! 😉


What you need for two persons:


    

  • 200 grams of arugula mix
    • 

  • 2 pears
    • 

  • 1 zucchini
    • 

  • 1 avocado
    • 

  • handful of walnuts
    • 

  • 100 grams of blue cheese
    • 

  • olive oil
    • 

  • (fig)balsamic
    • 



gezonde salade


HOW YOU MAKE THE SALAD


    

  1. Peel and slice the pear. Seed the avocado and cut into cubes.
    2. 

  2. Wash the zucchini well and cut into thin slices. You can use a cheese slicer for extra thin slices.
    3. 

  3. Heat a large pan with a small dash of olive oil and fry the zucchini and pear for about 8-10 minutes. Then remove the pan from the heat and let it cool off. Do you have a grill pan? Then it is also very nice to grill the zucchini.
    4. 

  4. Meanwhile chop the walnuts and crumble the blue cheese.
    5. 

  5. Mix the arugula mix, avocado, zucchini and pear.
    6. 

  6. Top with walnuts, blue cheese and a little olive oil and (fig) balsamic vinegar.
    7. 



Let’s eat! 


I’d love to hear what you thought of the salad and whether you might have a good variation on it! Will you let me know below if you made it? I would like to know! 🙂


              
What mindfulness can do for your fit journey
A fit journey is always accompanied by a good workout and healthy eating. But you may not have thought about applying mindfulness to your daily life. But you can pay more attention to it, and it can bring you alot! This way you can improve your sports performance and you can learn to eat mindful. Curious about what mindfulness can bring you? Read on!


WHAT IS MINDFULNESS


To find out what mindfulness can mean for you, you must know what it means. In short, mindfulness means that you consciously pay attention to your experiences. You do this with an open and involved attitude. You live in the moment. In today’s world everything has to go faster and faster and we less often think about what we are doing at that moment. During our lunch we already think what we should eat tonight and during dinner we are busy with 10 other things. If you live mindful you can get much more satisfaction from your daily activities. You can enjoy the little things more and be more positive. Your body is removed from the automatic pilot, which can provide many new insights.




mindfulness


MINDFUL EATING


Then there is such a thing as mindful food. As I explained above, during dinner we are often busy with 10 other things at the same time. We check social media, watch TV or make a to-do list in our head. This all sounds super useful, but it ensures that you get much less satisfaction from your food. Mindful eating means that you only focus on what you are eating; you try to taste the flavors that come with every bite. You are therefore much more consciously eating your meal and you will soon notice that you feel satisfied.


3 tips for eating mindful:


1. Eat like a scientist:


Try to analyze every bite carefully as if you were writing a report about it. How does it smell, what happens when you put it in your mouth. Which flavors do you taste? And so on. Really try to describe it.


2. Put down your cutlery after every bite


Teach yourself to put down your cutlery after one or two bites, this way your attention will remain with the bite that you have in your mouth at that moment. Many people are already busy with the next while taking a bite. But because of this you hardly taste what you are eating now. Your brain will only give you a signal after 20 minutes that you are saturated. So the slower you eat, the better you know if you have really eaten enough.


3. Be a snob when you eat 


Be extremely picky when choosing what to eat. Only put something in your mouth if you really like it and don’t eat to eat. Leave mediocre snacks and spend your hunger on food that you really like.


MINDFULNESS AND WORKING OUT


Since mindfulness teaches you to focus on 1 thing, you can also use this very well during exercise. Your ability to concentrate has improved, which means that you can complete your exercises in the gym or your daily run with much more concentration. You focus purely on what you are doing at the time and therefore have more endurance. After all, your body doesn’t have to worry about other things. In short, mindfulness can help you to increase your motivation and concentration during exercise, to tolerate pain and fatigue better and to reduce tension.


We are very curious whether you will apply mindfulness or perhaps that you will do this after this article. We believe that it can take you a lot further. Leave your opinion in the comments! 


           
Get killer abs with these exercises
Let’s be honest: secretly we all want abs of steel. 😉 And no matter how boring those crunches are, training your abs is a very important part of your workout routine. It’s time to bring some variation into your abworkout! With these simple exercises you can train your abs just as hard. 


DEAD BUG


The name of this workout is a bit silly (but let’s be honest, we can’t think of a better description ourselves), but that certainly doesn’t make it any less effective and in our opinion a lot nicer than crunches. This is how you do it:


 


    

  1. Lie down on your back and extend your arms. Raise your legs and bend your knees.
    2. 

  2. Now extend your right arm backwards and at the same time move your left leg forward.
    3. 

  3. Go back to the starting position and repeat with the other side.
    4. 



V-UPS


With this exercise you can train your obliques, and we need them too! It’s a very effective workout, but it’s also super easy and quick to do. Sounds good, right? This is how to do it:


    

  1. Lie on your right side with your right arm extended and your left hand behind your ear. Lift your feet off the floor.
    2. 

  2. Now move your knee and your elbow towards each other, while your right forearm remains flat on the floor.
    3. 



HIP DIPS


Another fun name! This exercise is again very effective for killer abs and you can do it everywhere you want. You don’t have to move to do it, that’s what makes it a very easy exercise. Ready for some killer abs? Here you go:


    

  1. Take a plank position and make sure your back is straight and your elbows and hands lie flat on the floor.
    2. 

  2. Lean with your hip to the left, while your spine remains straight. Then move to the right.
    3. 

  3. Repeat this in a smooth motion to perform the exercise as well as possible.
    4. 



WOOD CHOPPER


You need a dumbbell for this exercise, but you can also use a big bottle filled with water. Be creative with what you have! Also with this exercise you train your oblique abs again. The more repetitions you can do in a minute, the more effective it is. This is how to do it:


    

  1. Grab a dumbbell and stand with your feet shoulder width.
    2. 

  2. Slightly lower your knees and keep the dumbbell at knee height.
    3. 

  3. Now lift the dumbbell above your head in a smooth motion and move it back to your knee in the same way.
    4. 



 


With these exercises it can be more fun training your abs. So don’t listen to those excuses! What is your favorite ab workout? Let us know in the comments! 🙂 


          
4 different salads with avocado
We love to eat avocado at noon. Because of the fats, you are full for a long time and that’s perfect, because you have more energy for the afternoon. But avocado toast can get a little boring. That’s why we searched for the best salads with avocado, that are filling enough. Want to know more? Read more! 


Zo maak je avocado salade met couscous


Source: @storiesbysuus


COUSCOUS AVOCADO SALAD


Ingredients


    

  • 60 grams of couscous
    • 

  • 1 tomato
    • 

  • 80 grams of tofu
    • 

  • 1/2 paprika
    • 

  • 1/2 avocado
    • 

  • 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
    • 

  • Olive oil
    • 

  • Salt and pepper
    • 

  • 100 ml of soy sauce
    • 



Method of preparation


    

  1. Cut the tofu in cubes and let them marinate in the soy sauce. The longer you let it marinate, the more taste it absorbs.
    2. 

  2. Put the couscous in a bowl and pour over 50 ml of boiling water. Cover the dish and let it stand for 3 minutes.
    3. 

  3. Fry the tofu in a frying pan.
    4. 

  4. In the meantime, cut the avocado, paprika and tomato to the desired size.
    5. 

  5. Stir all sliced ingredients into the couscous and divide the sunflower seeds over it.
    6. 

  6. Season the salad with olive oil, salt and pepper.
    7. 





Hoe maak ik een quinoa avocado salade ?


Source: @storiesbysuus


QUINOA AVOCADO SALAD


Ingredients


    

  • 60 grams of quinoa
    • 

  • 1/2 avocado
    • 

  • 70 grams of sugarsnaps
    • 

  • 50 grams of cucumber
    • 

  • 50 grams of mixed salad
    • 

  • 20 grams of dairy spread
    • 

  • 1 spring onion
    • 

  • 1 teaspoon of dill
    • 

  • salt and pepper
    • 



Method of preparation 


    

  1. Prepare the quinoa as indicated on the package.
    2. 

  2. Cook the sugarsnaps for 3-5 minutes in a pan with boiling water and cut the cucumber, spring onion and avocado to the desired size.
    3. 

  3. Mix the quinoa, sugarsnaps, sliced vegetables, mixed salad and dairy spread.
    4. 

  4. Finish the salad with the dill and some pepper and salt.
    5. 



Wat is het recept van een avocado rijst salade?


Source: @lisa.s


TASTY RICE SALAD WITH AVOCADO


Ingredients


    

  • 65 grams of brown rice
    • 

  • 1 spring onion
    • 

  • 1/2 paprika
    • 

  • 20 grams of arugula
    • 

  • 50 grams of lentils
    • 

  • 1/2 avocado
    • 

  • 30 grams of Hummus
    • 



Method of preparation


    

  1. Prepare the rice and lentils as indicated on the package.
    2. 

  2. Cut the spring onion, paprika and avocado to the desired size.
    3. 

  3. Mix the rice, lentils, spring onion, paprika, arugula and avocado.
    4. 

  4. Finish the salad by stirring the hummus through the salad.
    5. 



Ben je op zoek naar een salade met avocado en zalm?


SALMON AVOCADO QUINOA SALAD


Ingredients


    

  • 60 grams of quinoa
    • 

  • 1/2 avocado
    • 

  • 1 salmon fillet
    • 

  • 50 grams of sugarsnaps
    • 

  • 25 grams of cucumber
    • 

  • 60 grams of mixed salad
    • 

  • 1 teaspoon of dill
    • 

  • 20 grams of dairy spread light
    • 

  • 20 grams of spring onion
    • 

  • salt and pepper
    • 



Method of preparation


    

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
    2. 

  2. Prepare the quinoa as indicated on the package.
    3. 

  3. Meanwhile, put the salmon in a baking dish and sprinkle with some pepper and salt. Then put the dish in the oven for 20 minutes.
    4. 

  4. In the meantime, cook the sugar snaps in 3-5 minutes in a pan of boiling water and cut the cucumber, iceberg lettuce, avocado and spring onion to the desired size.
    5. 

  5. Mix the quinoa, sugarsnaps and sliced vegetables.
    6. 

  6. Finally, stir in the dairy spread and dill and place the salmon fillet on top.
    7. 



 


Hopefully we have given you some inspiration to make a new recipe with avocado! Which one are you going to try? Let us know what you think about this blog in the comments! 


            
The best arm workouts for fit girls
It’s time for a new workout! We often hear that women don’t like training their arms as much as the rest of the body. Maybe it’s because the exercises can be quite intensive, but did you know that your shoulders and upper back contain the least fat of your entire body? So if you do the right arm exercises, you can give this area a makeover in no time!


 


THE THREE BEST ARM WORKOUTS


The normal push-up


The great thing about the push-up is that you can do it anytime and anywhere. These exercises not only provide training for your arm and chest muscles, but also make your core stronger.


Instructions:


    

  • Lie flat on the floor with your face to the ground. Keep your feet together. Your weight must rest on your chest.
    • 

  • Put your hands down with your palms flat on the floor, slightly wider than your shoulders and with your elbows facing your toes.
    • 

  • Now raise yourself by using your arms. At this point your weight must be carried by your hands and the ball of your feet.
    • 

  • Make sure you are in a straight line from your head to your feet. You call this position a ”plank” and you can also use it for various other exercises.
    • 

  • This is the start and end position of a push-up.
    • 



On your knees:


If you are still unable to do a regular push-up, try to do it on your knees. You can also start with normal push-ups and then move to your knees if it gets too heavy. Follow the instructions for the normal push-up, but keep both knees on the floor. Make sure you use your chest, shoulders, and triceps to raise yourself. Don’t use your hips or back!


 


Kettlebell lifts 


You probably see people waving more and more in the gym with a weight that looks like a cannonball with a handle. Those weird things are called ”kettlebells”, and they have used for centuries by Russian powerhouses to become ”strong as a bull”. If you don’t have a kettlebell yet, you can buy one, use a dumbbell or even a bottle filled with water.


Instructions:


    

  • Sit on your knees and put the kettlebell (dumbbell/waterbottle) in front of you.
    • 

  • Grab it with both hands, hold your elbows along your body and lift the kettlebell to the height of your chest and put it back.
    • 

  • Make sure you keep your back straight and push your pelvis forward as you lift the weight.
    • 



 


Reverse push-up


This reverse push-up is the complete opposite of the normal push-up. Your hands and feet are still on the floor, but you are in an inverted position.


Instructions:


    

  • Lie down with your back on the floor, with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
    • 

  • Place your hands on the floor with your ears flat and palms facing your feet. Your elbows should then face the ceiling.
    • 

  • Raise your hips towards the ceiling and at the same time push your shoulders off the ground by actively using your arms.
    • 

  • Fully extend your arms, bend your back and lift your heels off the ground.
    • 

  • Slowly lower yourself again until you lie down and repeat the exercise.
    • 

  • If your body is raised, you should form a nice arch and your head should hang straight down.
    • 



 


So, now you know what to do! Try to do what you can, but don’t go too far. You may challenge yourself, but do it with your mind and listen carefully to your body. Reaching your goal can also take a little longer than a month. It doesn’t matter! The most important thing is that you take steps towards your goal. This is how you will ultimately get there! Good luck girls! 


              
How can you really enjoy working out?
I think that there are two types of people: the ones who enjoy working out and the ones who work out, but only do it to get a fit body. But I also think that everyone can become person one. Want to know how to become that person who really enjoys working out? Then read on!


CHANGE YOUR GOALS


Working out to lose weight is a good motivation, but I don’t think you can maintain that mindset for a long time. Just try to think of the other benefits that working out gives you. Exercising can clear your head for a while, and that can be really relaxing! You can shift your focus from body to mind, so you can never feel disappointed again, if you take it easy at the gym. Try to change your goals into something you can achieve in a shorter time.


TRY DIFFERENT SPORTS


When you decide to start a healthy life, many people think immediately of going to the gym. But if you immerse yourself in different sports, you will soon find that you really don’t have to do fitness to lose weight. You can start boxing, football and many more sports! There will definitely be a sport that suits you.


UPDATE YOUR PLAYLIST


I can’t train without my music playlist, so I always make sure that I update it once in a while. Try to vary with different music styles.  That way, you can find out the music style that gives you the most energy to train! One playlist simply works better for you than another.


NICE OUTFIT


No more black leggings and sportbras, but cheerful prints and bright colors! Treat yourself and find the most amazing sportoutfit to rock your next work out! Or treat yourself everytime you reach a goal with a new item. So you always have something to look forward to!


You too can get pleasure in sports, you just have to think a bit different! It’s not too bad, right? What do you do to make working out more fun? Let us know in the comments!


             
3x snacks for the vegans out there!
The weekend is the perfect time to make some snacks for the upcoming week! You benefit from it all week. Today we share three delicious vegan snacks, that are also healthy! You get a snack, you get a snack, everyone gets a snack!


vegan snacks


VEGAN CHOCOLATE COOKIES


Ingredients


    

  • 1 banana
    • 

  • 60 grams of oat flakes
    • 

  • 25 grams of dark chocolate
    • 

  • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 

  • Pinch of salt
    • 



Method of preparation 


    

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
    2. 

  2. Mash the banana and chop the dark chocolate in pieces.
    3. 

  3. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix it together. You can now make the cookies and place them on a baking sheet with baking paper.
    4. 

  4. Slide the baking sheet into the oven for 25 minutes.  Turn the cookies after 25 minutes and then leave them in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
    5. 

  5. Now add everything together and let it cool. You can keep them in a preserving jar or other airtight box. YUMMIE!
    6. 



VEGAN PEACH DATE CAKE


Ingredients


For the bottom:


    

  • 8 soft medjool dates
    • 

  • 25 grams of buckwheat groats
    • 

  • 50 grams of oatmeal
    • 

  • 50 grams of coconut chips
    • 

  • 1 tbsp of rice syrup
    • 

  • 3 ripe peaches
    • 



For the caramel:


    

  • 225 ml of water
    • 

  • 10 soft medjool dates
    • 

  • 2 tbsp of chia seed
    • 

  • 1 tbsp of agave syrup
    • 



Method of preparation


    

  1. Put all the ingredients for the soil in your food processor and mix until everything sticks together. If the ”dough” is not sticky yet, add some water and 2 more dates.
    2. 

  2. Then spoon the mixture into a round shape and press it well. Then place the mold in your refrigerator while you make the caramel layer.
    3. 

  3. The same applies here (for the caramel). Put all the ingredients together in your food processor and let it run until a soft caramel remains.
    4. 

  4. Spread this over the bottom and put the cake in the freezer for an hour so the caramel becomes hard.
    5. 

  5. Decorate the cake with slices of peach and enjoy!
    6. 



 


vegan snacks


SPRINGROLLS WITH AVOCADO AND MANGO


Ingredients


    

  • 8 rice sheets
    • 

  • 1 red pepper
    • 

  • 1 avocado
    • 

  • 1 mango
    • 

  • 40 grams of cashew nuts
    • 

  • pepper and salt
    • 



Method of preparation


    

  1. Cut all the ingredients in stripes and roughly chop the cashew nuts.
    2. 

  2. Soak a rice sheet for 30 seconds in lukewarm water so that it becomes soft.
    3. 

  3. Place the sheet on a cutting board and fill it by placing the strips in the middle. Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle cashew nuts over it.
    4. 

  4. First fold the outside inwards and then carefully roll it up.
    5. 



Well, now we can enjoy our delicious snacks! Which one are you going to make first? And do you want to see more recipes like these? Let us know in the comments!