fit foods @ instagram

Een gezonde, "cleane" levensstijl voeren kan heel moeilijk zijn, vooral als inspiratie tekortschiet. Voor mij is de meest gemakkelijke manier om snel leuke maaltijd-ideeën op te doen instagram. Hieronder vind je 9 van de meest inspirerende instagram accounts die regelmatig gezonde gerechten posten (én recepten!), of je nu zin hebt in iets simpels, zoets of hartigs.

A healthy, "clean" lifestyle is not to easy to keep, especially when you're missing out on inspiration. For me, the easiest way to keep it up is getting inspired on instagram. Down here you find 9 of my fave instagram fitfood accounts that post great recipes, wether you're looking for something sweet, simple or special.

 Fitness_Food_Motivation --- Instagramfitfoods --- Justfitfoods

@ Food48 --- @Foodtipz --- @Besmarteatsmart

 @mynewroots --- @detoxtips --- @hipandhealthyuk

Quick and low-kcal meal idea

Jullie hebben me onlangs gevraagd naar snelle, gezonde en caloriearme maaltijden. Soep in zakken is voor mij dikwijls de ideale oplossing (Albert Heijn of Unox). Laten we soep in zakken eerst en vooral niet verwarren met verse, zelfgemaakte soep die op de gezondheidsmeter een pak hoger scoort. Toch is de soep uit zak een héél stuk gezonder en caloriearmer (gemiddeld 50-120 kcal per portie van 250 ml, in één zak zit 500 ml) dan de oplospoeder variant. Zo'n zak groentesoep met rundsgehaktballetjes bevat water, echte groenten (wortel, bleekselderij, tomaat, ui, prei, doperwten), rundergehaktballetjes (uit rundsvlees, water, tarwezetmeel, zout, rundereiwit, specerijen), gemodificeerd maïszetmeel, zout, peterselie, gistextact, geconcentreerd citroensap, bladselderij, kruiden en specerijen. Qua "onbekende" en "onleesbare" ingrediënten valt dat dus behoorlijk goed mee. Per 100 ml bevat de groentesoep 22 calorieën, 1 gram eiwitten, 3 gram koolhydraten (waarvan 0,7 suikers) 0,5 gram vet (waarvan 0,2 verzadigd) en 0,5 gram voedingsvezels. Opwarmen duurt 4 minuten in de microgolf en als je slechts een half uur hebt om te eten zit je meteen gevuld!

You guys recently asked me for other quick, easy and low-kcal meals. Soup in bags happens to be the ideal solution for me (Albert Heijn or Unox). First of all, let's not get soup in bags confused with real, homemade, soup that bursts with vitamins. But it's not so bad at all. It's a lot healthier and lower in calories than powder soup (soup in bags contains about 50-120 kcal per portion of 250 ml, there's 500 ml in one bag). Let's take a bag of vegetable soup with veal meat balls for example: it contains real veggies, real meat and no ingredients you can't spell or read. Per 100 ml it contains 22 calories, 1 gram proteins, 3 gram carbohydrates (of which 0,7 sugars), 0,5 gram fat (of which 0,2 saturated) and 0,5 gram fibers. Warming it up takes about 4 minutes in the microwave and if you only have half an hour time to eat you are full for hours!

Best way to eat your fruit & greens...

De meest efficiënte manier om dagelijks je vitaminetjes binnen te spelen én dagelijks een klein detox-moment houden zonder daar te veel tijd aan te spenderen zijn voorgemaakte smoothies. Je versnijdt bananen, appels, kiwis, mangos, wortels,.... en vult er zakjes mee. Je voegt eventueel reeds ingevroren fruit en bladgroente toe zoals aardbeien, blauwe bessen, bloemkool, spinazie,.... en je bewaart het in de koelkast (wil je voor langere tijd invriezen, gebruik dan diepvrieszakjes!). Op het moment zelf hoef je dan enkel de bevroren inhoud in de blender te kiepen met een beetje water - en je hebt een verse smoothie! Dus geen enkel excuus om je te vergrijpen aan een ongezonde snack.

The most effecient way to eat (or drink) your daily vitamins and keep a small daily detox without spending too much time is making premade smoothies. You cut up bananas, apples, kiwis, mangos, carrots,.... and you fill bags with it. You can add frozen fruit or greens like strawberries, mangoes, kiwis, blueberries, kale, spinarch,... and you keep it in the fridge (if you want to keep it for a longer time you can use freezer bags). The moment itself you only have to throw the frozen smoothie in the blender and add some water - and you have  freshly made smoothie! So you have no excuse to have an unhealthy snack.

Victoria's Secret work-out & meals

Niemand weet beter hoe je er op je best uit ziet dan Victoria's Secret modellen. En dat is precies wat we nodig hebben voor het blote-benen-seizoen. Hieronder vind je een typische VS-meal-day én drie goede (uitgeteste en doenbare!) work-outs om thuis te doen.

The VS-model-meals:Ontbijt: Proteïne-rijke dingen zoals omeletjes uit eiwit, fruitpapjes, verse groenten, yoghurt en havermout.

Lunch: Een groenteslaatje (rauw of gestoomd) met kip, kalkoen of vis zoals zalm of tonijn. Liefst nog een groene smoothie (water + fruit + bladgroente), maar die drink je gewoon de hele dag door!

Avondeten: Hetzelfde als bij de lunch, maar voeg er bijvoorbeeld zoete aardappel aan toe om wat variatie te brengen.

Snacks: Bessen, kersen, peren, appels,.... (appels zijn heel lekker met een beetje pindakaas op!), komkommer, selder en notenmix.

The work-outs:Deze work-outs (beneden) zijn toegankelijk voor bijna iedereen, ongeacht het persoonlijke "level", je moet ze wel dagelijks doen om uiteindelijk resultaat te zien én gezond eten. Heb je een cheat-day? Geen paniek! Laat het geen cheat-week worden. Eéns taart of frietjes eten is helemaal geen zonde.

Victoria Secet models know better than anyone else how to look good (no, great!). And that is exactly what we need for the bare-legs-season coming up. Down here you find a typical VS-meal-day and three good (tested and doable!) work-outs to do at home.

The-VS-model-meals:

Breakfast: Protein rich things as egg white, fruit salads, fresh veggies yoghurt and oatmeal.
Lunch: A salad of veggies (raw or steamed) with chicken, turkey or fish (tuna or salmon). Drink lots of green smoothies! (Water + fruit + greens)
Dinner: Same as lunch, but you can add something like sweet potato. 

Snacks: berries, cherries, pears, apples (a slice of apple is great with peanut butter on it!), cucumber, celery and nut mix.

The work-outs:

These work-outs down here are doable for most people, but don't forget to eat right and do your exercises daily to see results. Having a cheat day? It's okay! Just don't make it a cheat-week. Noone ever got fat because of one slice of cake or one pizza.

quick/healthy appetizer snacks

De eerste lentedagen zijn een feit, en dat betekent zonnebrillen en terrasjes. Maar wie rosé wijntje zegt, zegt ook borrelhapjes. Een portie kaas/salami - laat staan gefrituurde finger food - is misschien wel leuk voor je niet-gezond-etende vrienden en familie maar als je op je figuur let is het echter geen optie. Daar deze twee alternatieven. Olijfhapjes zijn met 7 kcal/stuk niet bepaald caloriearm, maar wel gezond, een goede bron van antioxidanten én vitamine E (ze zouden zelfs helpen tegen veroudering). De groene zijn de "onrijpe" versie van de zwarte, zelf prefereer ik de groene. De kleine mini-fetakaasjes zijn dan ook een stuk gezonder in een olijfmix dan een kaasbord van een halve kilo. Als je thuis aperitieft zijn de gevulde veggie cups (Colruyt) die voor 30% bestaan uit spinazie-, selder- of bietensap een geweldige oplossing, met maar 18 kcal/kopje. Ik vul ze met noordzeegarnalen (caloriearm én supergezond). Je hoeft er niets bij te doen, het is in twee minuten gefixt én daarbij nog eens lekker! Een bordje wortel en selder-stengels is ook altijd lekker.

De first days of Spring are a fact, and that means sunglasses and terraces. But who says rosé wine also says appetizers. A portion of cheese/salami - let's not even start about fried finger food - is great for your non-healthy-eating friends but if you eat clean it's not an option. Two alternatives are olive snacks, not really low kcal as they contain 7kcal/piece but they are healthy, a good source of antioxidants and vitamin E (and they would slow down the ageing proces). The green olives are plucked when they weren't ripe yet, the black ones are softer and sweeter. The tiny feta-cheese chunks are way better for you than the enormeous cheese plate. If you have appetizers at home filled veggie cups (Colruyt) are a great option. They are 30% spinarch or beetroot juice and just 18 kcal/piece. I fill them with schrimps (low-kcal and super healthy). You don't have to add anything, it's fixed in 2 minutes and tastes great. A plate of carrot or celery sticks is also great.

Weekend fit breakfast

In het weekend ziet dat kommetje havermout er heel wat minder aantrekkelijk uit en neigen we naar een slagers- en bakkersbuffet met een groot glas geconserveerd fruitsap die ingebeeld gezond is (in werkelijkheid: een suiker- en caloriebom). Een mooi bordje die toch gezond is is een omelet-toast. Je neemt een dikke snee bruin brood (hier heb ik zelfgemaakt zonnebloedpittenbrood), je snijdt er het zachte middenstuk uit, je toast het, je legt het op een pan (ingesmeerd met olijfolie), breekt er een eitje in en bakt het half-gaar. Na een minuut of 5 is de onderkant goed gebakken en haal ik de toast eruit om hem vervolgens te zouten en te peperen en nog 2 minuutjes in de microgolf te garen. Ik eet het met verse rucola en avocado, gedresseerd met limoensap en peper. Gezond én mooi!

The healthy oat porridge looks a lot less attractive in the weekends when we tend to eat a whole breakfast buffet that is not healthy at all. A great alternative is an omelet-toast. You take a thick slice of dark bread (I use selfmade sunflowerseed-bread), you take out the soft middle, you toast it, you put in on a oiled pan (use olive oil), you break  the egg in the middle and you bake it for about 5 minutes, the downside is ready by now. Then I season it with salt and pepper and finish it in the microwave for about 2 minutes. I have it with fres rocket salad and avocado, seasond with lemon juice and pepper. Healthy ánd good looking!

Emergency fit-food

Wat maak je in 4 minuten klaar, heb je altijd in de vriezer en is ongelofelijk gezond en caloriearm? Ingevroren spinaziepuree. Ik eet het zeker twee keer per week als ik geen tijd heb om zelf iets te maken maar me niet wil vergrijpen aan fast food. Je kunt het overal  kopen in ingevroren blokjes, en het hoeft zelfs niet ontdooit te worden - gewoon 4 minuutjes de microgolf in. Daarbij bevat een portie van 250 gram maar 175 calorieën (verschilt van merk tot merk, maar altijd onder de 200). Heel lekker en gezond is ook de variant met broccoli (nog minder calorieën!). Ook verkrijgbaar met worteltjes maar daar ben ik net iets minder fan van. Meestal eet ik er nog amandelnootjes, kerstomaatjes, diepvrieserwtjes of maïswafels bij om de maaltijd te "vervolledigen" met andere kant-en-klare producten. Enjoy!

What can be prepared in 4 minutes, is always available in your freezer and is incredibly healthy and low-kcal? Frozen spinarch puree. I have it at least two times a week when I lack time to make a decent meal and I want to avoid fast-fooding. You can buy it anywhere in frozen cubes, and you don't even have to defrost it - just put it in the microwave for 4 minutes. Besides, a 250 gram portion contains only 175 calories (depends from label to label, but always under 200). Very tasty and healthy is also the variant with broccoli (even less calories!) - or carrots, which I am not fond of. I usually have it with hazel nuts, cherry tomatos, peas or mais waffles to keep my meal simple and easy to make. Enjoy!

Eat-your-greens lunch

 Voor veel mensen is "groen" voedsel een moeilijk te zetten stap, vooral mentaal dan (natuurlijk ziet voedsel in Haribo-kleuren er veel aantrekkelijker uit), maar een proteïne-rijke lunch is belangrijk bij een evenwichtig dieet en is daarbij nog eens caloriearm (surprise...) hoewel het je wel een zeer vol gevoel geeft. In ieder geval, dit is een variant voor "beginners" dat heel makkelijk en snel klaar te maken is. Je zult bloemkool, groene linzen, spinazie en zonnebloempitten nodig hebben, net als zout en peper. Linzen (100 kcal/100gr) zijn proteïnebommetjes en zeer buik- en bilvriendelijk, daarbij zijn ze nog eens zeer vitamine-, mineraal- en en vezelrijk. Eigenlijk kun je ze vergelijken met vlees. Bloemkool (22kcal/100gr) is eveneens rijk aan vitaminen en mineralen en spinazie is een hongerstillende superbladgroente én powerfood met een te verwaarlozen caloriewaarde. Ik doe meestal zaadjes zoals zonnebloempitten of sesamzaadjes omdat ik er anders te weinig binnen krijg (en ze zitten boordevol gezonde oliën). Kook de linzen (20 min) de bloemkool (10 min) en voeg alles samen. Je hebt minder dan 250 kcal binnen én je voelt je echt volgegeten.

For most people "green" food is a hard step to take, especially mentally (of course Haribo-coloured food looks more attractive), but a protein-rich lunch is very important if you want a balanced, low-kcal diet and reduce the feeling of hunger. This one is for "beginners" (no unknown, strange ingredients!). You will need green lentils, spinarch,  cauliflower and  sunflower seeds (and salt and pepper). Lentils (100kcal/100gr) are tiny bombs of protein comparable to meat. They are tight- & tummy friendly and they burst with minerals, vitamins and fibers. Cauliflower (22kcal/100gr) is also very rich in vitamins and minerals and well... spinarch is just a super/power food. I usually sprinkle seeds (sesam, sunflower,...) over my green lunches as they contain good oils and otherwise I eat too few of them. Cook the lentils (20 min), the cauliflower (10 min) and add everything up. You have a lunch under 250 kcal that really makes you feel saturated!

Love of lunch boxes

Ik kan er niet omheen - boterhamdozen en thermoskannen geven mij altijd het gevoel dat ik een bouwvakker in pauze ben. Als je er een gezonde levensstijl op na houdt en een beetje een geschematiseerde voedselplanning hebt kun je de knalgroene IKEA- en weinig stijlvolle Tupperware varianten amper vermijden. Onlangs ontdekte ik hartjesdozen in de (jawel!) Action die mijn thuisverpakte lunch er al veel beter lieten uitzien. Ik zal er dan ook bij vermelden dat mijn vreugde groot was toen ik ontdekte dat ze tegen alle restricties in de vaatwasbeurt wél overleefden (al denk ik niet dat het slim is om er iets in op te warmen). Ondanks hun te verwaarlozen prijs zien ziet ons fruitslaatje er al veel aantrekkelijker uit en oogt het geheel ontegensprekelijk meer ladylike in de handtas. Dus wie nog moeite heeft met voedsel vooraf klaar te maken thuis of net als mij een haat koestert voor potsierlijke boterhamdozen (ik zwijg al van de lompe "banaandozen") vindt zijn motivatie wellicht op een onverwachte plaats...zijnde de Action...

I just hate lunch boxes and thermos flasks and anything else that makes me feel like I'm a construction worker on lunch break. But if you have a slightly bit of an organized food schedule you can barely escape the ugly green IKEA- and little stylish Tupperware options. Recently I discovered heart shaped boxes in the (yes!) Action that made my lunch looks a lot better. I'll also mention that my joy was big when I discovered that they were dish-washer proof (against all odds!), but I wouldn't recommend using it in the microwave. Despite the negligible price, our fruit salade looks tons better and the whole looks way more ladylike in the handbag. So if any of you has problems with pre-made food and suffers from a deeply rooted hate for lunch boxes (and the hidious "banana boxes", for that matter) will probably find the solution in an unexpected place...being the Action.

Printable Fabulous week planner

Gisteren startte officieel de Amerikaanse nationale Entrepreneurship week - en misschien is de meest toegankelijke ondernemende stap wel een weekschema opstellen. Inclusief work-out plan, eet-schema en dagelijkse to-do list. Februari-Valentijn-maand-stijl. Print de Fabulous week planner hier in hoge resolutie!

Yesterday the national Entrepreneurship week took off - and maybe the most accessible way to take action is getting your very own fabulous week planner, including work-out plan, food-schedule and daily to-do list. February-Valentine-month-style. Print out the Fabulous week planner here in high resolution!

Weekend life saviours

Het is heel wat makkelijker om je pas aangeworven, gezonde 2014-lifestyle vol te houden in de week. Een minder stabiele agendaplanning in het weekend maakt voornemens zoals 2 liter water drinken en je rank strandlijntje in het achterhoofd houden toch net iets moeilijker. How to keep your eyes on the prize in the weekend:

Designer water: Je zult zien: de liters gaan een heel stuk vlotter binnen uit een designer bottle van Elie Saab voor Evian. Staat heel leuk op je bureau of aanrecht en eens de fles uit is kun je 'm hervullen uit een plastic flesje Evian of er stylish een bloemetje in zetten. (Carrefour)

Sleeping mask: Slapen is zeer belangrijk voor je humeur én je gezondheid. Sluit de zonnestralen nog even "10 more minutes" buiten met een girly nachtmaskertje. Stress in de hand hebben en tussen de 6 en 8 uren slapen draagt namelijk bij tot gezond gewichtsverlies. En dat doordeweeks slaaptekort kun je niet blijven compenseren met koffie.  (On The Go)

Kelly's pep-talk: Na een avondje stappen op zaterdag is zondag meestal een compleet verloren dag. Zelfs opgaven zoals douchen of ontbijt maken zijn niet aan jou besteed. Je kunt je lazy bed time dan zowel gebruiken om PR-sensatie Kelly Cutrone het luisterend oor te bieden. If you have to cry go outside and other things your mother never told you is namelijk een no-nonsense boek voor "powerbitches" over hoe je het in de (niet zo rooskleurige) mode-industrie kunt maken. Must-read! (Amazon.com)

Think green: Niets is zo verkwikkend als een kopje échte groene thee (échte blaadjes, geen vermalen stof in een zakje!). Het stimuleert vetverbranding, verlaagt stresshormonen, en is gezond voor je lichaam. Een paar extra koppen kunnen dus helemaal geen kwaad. Haal een pakje theezakjes bij Dille & Kamille en je kunt een aardig poosje weg met zelf thee zetten. (Carrefour)

Keeping up with your brand new, healthy 2014-lifestyle is way easier during the week, we tend to forget about our 2 litres of water and future bikini body in the not-so-scheduled weekend. This is how I keep my eyes on the prize on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays:

Designer water: By Friday you're probably tired of drinking so much water and having to pee all the time. Drinking out of an Elie Saab for Evian bottle might be surprisingly encouraging. Looks good on your desk, counter and when it's empty you can refill or use it as a vase for a flower.  (Carrefour)

Sleeping mask: Sleeping and reducing your stress-level is very important for your health. Lock out the sun rays for "10 more minutes" with a girly night mask. Sleeping between 6 and 8 hours per night is helping healthy weight loss. And you can't keep compensating the lack of sleep with coffee! (On The Go)

Kelly's pep-talk: After a night out on Saturday it's hard to got something done (or even get out of bed...) on Sunday. Try reading Kelly Cutrone's If you have to cry go outside and other things your mother never told you, a no-nonsense book for "Power-bitches" about working (and surviving) in the not-so-pink-colored fashion industry, written by PR-sensation Kelly. (Amazon.com)

Think green: Nothing is as healthy as a couple of cups of green tea (real leaves!). It fastens up your metabolism, lowers your stress hormones and is super healthy for your body. Get a couple of tea bags and fill them up with real green tea leaves. (Carrefour)

10 min green salad

Mensen beweren dikwijls dat het quasi onmogelijk is om lekker te eten, gezond te eten, en nog eens gerechten op tafel zetten waar gasten hun neus niet voor optrekken. Deze avocado-scampi-komkommer salade bewijst het tegendeel: het is proteïnerijk, in 10 minuutjes klaar te maken en bovendien kun je er de perfecte gastvrouw mee spelen als je het serveert als voorgerechtje.


Je hebt enkel het volgende nodig:
gelijke hoeveelheid
- scampi's (gepeld)
- avocado
- komkommer
dressing
- citroensap
- olijfolie
- fijn zeezout
- peper

People often claim that it's impossible to have delicious- guest-friendly ánd healthy food. This avocado-scampi-cucumber salad proves the exact opposite by being tasty, super healthy (protein-rich!) and surpisingly easy to make, even when you are having people over and you got to play the perfect host:

You will only need:
an equal amount of 
- scampi's(peeled)
- avocado
- cucumber
for the dressing
- lemon juice
- olive oil
- sea salt (ground)
- pepper

Je bakt de scampi's in olijfolie, je laat ze afkoelen, je pelt en ontpit de avocado, snijdt hem in vier gelijke stukken, pelt de komkommer, snijdt hem doormidden in de lengte, lepelt er de zaadjes uit - en je snijdt vervolgens de avocado en komkommerrepen in gelijke halve maantjes. Je mengt alles, voegt er naar smaak citroensap, olijfolie, zeezout en peper bij - en klaar ben je. Wie zegt dat je je moet vergrijpen aan een reep chocolade of zak chips als je overvallen wordt door plotse honger? De bereidingsduur is in ieder geval geen excuus. Smakelijk!

You bake the scampi's in olive oil, you let them cool, you peel and stone the avocado, you slice it in four, you peel the cucumber, you slice him in the length, and you spoon out all the seeds. After that, you cut the avocado and cucumber in tiny, half-moon-like curves. You mix everything together, add lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt and pepper to your taste - and you're done! Who says you have no choice but grabbing for chocolate when you're struck by hunger? Bon appetit!

Simple fit everyday breakfast

Every morning I start my day with Greek yoghurt (about 120 kcal/100gr and rich in protein, better than low-fat yoghurt), oats, flakes or other full grain products and frozen fruit. It takes me about 3 minutes and the combination possibilities are endless! You just put a bowl of frozen fruit in the microwave, let it defrost, add 2 tablespoons of yoghurt and add oats. Sometimes I sprinkle some sunflower seeds/nuts/sesame seeds for a real nutrition bomb. This and coffee, all I need in the morning. Down here you see some of the combinations I frequently make.

Frozen mango bits, full grain cornflakes (Kellog's) and greek yoghurt.  

Just heated frozen berries with Greek yoghurt straight out the fridge. Put this in the freezer for 20 minutes and you have icecream! (Make sure the fruits aren't hot and put foil around it so it doesn't absorb the fridge smell)

Greek yoghurt, strawberries and oats (Quaker). Quaker oats are also great with hot soy milk (best filling porridge ever).

Strawberries, greek yoghurt and muesli and dry fruits (If you wake up feeling fancy).

These Weetabix grain bars are incredible, I just can't get enough of the texture and stuff, so crusty and light and it's great for your health. With cherries, greek yoghurt and sesame seeds.

I promise you will start your day full of energy!

guilt-free 2 ingredient cookies

Here's a fool proof, guilt-free, cleal, low-kcal and most of all HEALTHY recipe for cookies. (Yes, you heard that right!) And the best thing about this recipe is that it only requires (!) 2 simple ingredients. It's a known fitness recipe but in case you never heard of it/never tried it before: go ahead and prepare yourself the most delish dessert ever.

You will need:
- 2 bananas (super ripe bananas are great for this)
- 1 cup of oats/wheat/grains,....
+ you can add ANYTHING you like if you want to,
f.e.: pure chocolate drops, fruit, nuts, seeds, cinnamon raisins,....

All bananas are different size so don't be afraid to add more oats if the texture seems too runny. Just mash everything together basically.

I also rolled them in wheat to have a "crust". If you're working with wheat the center will be softer, if you're working with oats (and flatten them more) you'll have more hard, crustier cookies.  Don't forget baking paper/ a greased cookie sheet.

Put them in the oven for about 20 minutes at 200 degrees, but  time/degrees may vary, it all depends on what you use as mix-in. They won't burn too quickly, just keep an eye on them and see what time works for you. And you know what the best thing is about these babies? You can eat the whole bowl and realize you've only had two bananas and a cup of oats!

Detox smoothie

Hi guys, we're already day 5 of our detox week. I've received a lot of questions if the mentioned fruits & vegetables are the only ones we're allowed to eat. The answer, of couse, is no. These are just a few very effective ones! Just make sure you drink plenty of water, have portions of both fruit and veggies and mix a lot of smoothies!

Personally I am very fond of the green smoothie. This is a great way to start your day healthy, and do your "daily part of detox" - wether you are on a detox diet or not. Green smoothies look gross to a lot of people, but there is absolutely no reason as they taste delicious, and there is no way you'd manage to have all these vitamins, minerals and fibers inside you in such sort time and pleasant way. Green smoothies contain at least one green veggie, and lots of fruit and water. This recipe down here is a very good starter!  But please don't feel like you have to stick to the recipe, feel free to change or add other fruit.

You will need:
- three celery ribs
(good for digestion, lowers bood pressure, reduces bad cholesterol)
- some spinarch
(aids in digestion, prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar, curbs overeating)
- half a mango
(helps digestions, maintains healthy teeth & gums, immune booster)
- a small RIPE banana
(regulates heart rhythm, vitamin compounds for eye health)
- an apple
(controls weight, detoxifies liver, boosts immune system)
- a kiwi 
(bursts with antioxidants, will make sure that the body doesn't take up carbs rapidly)
- freshly squeezed orange juice
(protects skin, alkalizes the body, provides smart carbs)

Start off by mixing the spinarch with a bit juice first, as the pile of spinarch looks huge but once it's mixed it turns into a very small amount of juice. Then add the other fruits & veggies. I mentioned "RIPE" banana as it's important to eat ripe ones, when they're not ripe enough they contain more carbs. By the way, all the mentioned benefits of the fruits & veggies are only the most common ones, there are plenty more!

I had two cups of the green smoothie with my first meal: a portion of brown rice, nuts and cherry tomatoes.

FIT winter breakfast #1

Breakfasts are extremely important, skipping breakfast can make weight control a lot more difficult. You will end up eating more food than usual the next meal or take high-calorie snacks to stave off hunger. Some studies have pointed out the fact that people tend to accumulate more body fat when they eat fewer, larger meals than when they eat the same number of calories in smaller, more frequent meals. A healthy season-bound breakfast idea is this cinnamon-nut-apple-red fruit mix. A perfect, healthy energy boost in the morning.

You will need:100 g of green/red apple with skin: apples are low in calories, fat, sodium and contain vitamins, minerals and fiber. Fiber helps you feel full longer (it expands in your stomach so it takes less food to satisfy your hunger). Keeping your sodium low will help prevent excess water weight. There are very few people who know that there are enzymes in apples that help your body digest food more efficiently. Oher health benefit is the high amount of vitamin C which is an antioxidant and the soluble fiber that slows the absorption of carbohydrates, keeps blood levels on an even keel. And we're no even done: apples contribute a nice smile and breath as they stimulate your gums and promote saliva production.


10 g ground hazelnuts: Hazelnuts are very high in polyunsaturated and mononunsaturated fats that are very healthy. They raise good cholesterol and have a high amount of vitamin E and B including folate. Vitamin E can do a lot for your skin, hair and nails and vitamin B is important in proper cell and energy metabolism. The minerals potassium, calcium and magnesium provide a healthy blood pressure and other benefits. We're using ground hazelnuts as mixing it with the red fruit and other ingredients will result in a nice pastry mass.

30 g frozen red berries mix: Berries are also loaded with fiber, besides, they are nearly the best antioxidant power. Strawberries have more vitamin C in a one-cup serving than an orange and are high in folic acid. Blueberries contain 20 types of anthocyanin (antioxidants). Blackberries, raspberries and boysenberries each contain 8 g of fiber in one cup - that is 1/3 the daily recommended amount.

10 g peanuts: Purdue University researchers published a study showing that when 15 normal weight adults consumed about 500 calories of their daily diet in the form of peanuts they compensated by eating fewer calories throughout the rest of the day - they actually lost weight. The study also found that peanuts yielded an increase in metabolism of 11% after 19 weeks of regular peanut consumption. Often people fail to chew peanuts well, so a portion of their calories may not be absorbed.

a sniff of cinnamon: cinnamon is rich in manganese, iron, calcium and fiber. It is sweet and satisfies the craving for sweet food that generally afflict diabetics. Cinnamon also prevents increased storage of dat due high blood pressure. In addition, it influences the manner in which sugar is metabolized by the body and prevents the transformation of the metabolized sugar into fat. Cinnamon also delays the passing of food from the stomach into the intestine. You feel satisfied for a longer time and eat less. Cinnamon also helps the body to process carbohydrates more efficiently and this assists you in losing a few pounds. Studies show that tummy fat is more sensitive to the effects of cinnamon than fat from other parts of the body!

5 x sexy abs at home

 You don't need to go to the gym or buy a workout tape to sculpt beautiful abs. You can be just as dedicated and see just as much result at home. Here are 5 of the best workout videos for beautiful abs online. There are short ones, easy ones, specific ones and some that make your abs burn. Make time in your schedule to do these on the daily and watch your body transform. Trust me: seeing result is extremely addictive!

1). Victoria's Secret model ab workout: As the VS Fashion Show tape was launched just couple of weeks ago I thought this is a very nice, motivational video to start with. Cassey is such a motivating person, she just keeps on pep-talking and sharing super easy healthy recipes that come just in hand. The entire Blogilates channel is very useful for everybody trying to get fit!

2) 10 Min Abs Workout: This short but effecient workout by FitnessBlender comes straight to the point and shows you the excercises in a very neutral way without any chitchat or distraction. It's better for those of you who just like to see the excercises. It's perfect as a morning/evening routine!

3) 9 Moves to a Flatter Stomach: This video by XHIT Daily teach you simple moves that get you a flatter stomach. Quick and simple! They also have great excercises for burning calories and losing belly fat.

4) 4 Min Abs Workout for Women: For heavier people or just starters it can be very hard to start working out. Difficult and devestating workouts have have the opposite effect and make you want to give up. This is a super short and easy starter: after you are able to do  this effortlessly, you can go to the next level and try a longer and more intense workout video.

5) Abs On Fire: POP Pilates: This one is not for beginners! Once you feel like you can use a challenge you should definitely try the Abs On Fire workout by Blogilates. This will make your abs burn! (Real good!)

Natural flat tummy pills

We're not even close to bikini season, but let's admit: that New Year's Eve dress looks way better without our stomach sticking out. Even skinny girls often have their stomach sticking out, without being fat at all. The last two weeks I've been testing the the Tight Stomach pills by Eger for about €5. These are completely natural pills that promote digestion. Eger is a vegetarian brand of the supermarket chain Colruyt and the tight stomach pills contain nothing but natural ingredients such as dandelion extract, fennel powder, artichoke extract, blessed milk thistle extract, starch, stabilisator and brightner.

 

I have been using the Eger pills 2 x/ day: one right before breakfast and one right before lunch. The pack contains 60 pills (so you use about one pack per month). They're easy to swallow as they smell/taste like herbs (which they actually are). No negative side effects such as diarrhea or nausea occured. I do notice that I have a flatter stomach as the digestion is probably more regular. It's hard to describe the feeling but you also feel more "empty", in a good, healthy way (not hungry kind of way). By "flatter" I mean in "depth", not in "width". I don't feel like I have a slimmer or thinner waist due the use of the pills, yet I have the feeling that my stomach doesn't press up my jeans/ jeans button that much when I eat a lot. Will this product make you lose weight? Most probable not. Healthy, durable weight loss should always be achieved by eating clean and working out regularly. These pills will help you to achieve your result, or help you to "tuck the tummy in" by promoting your digestion system. They won't do anything special or magical, see it as vitamine C pills that contribute to a better immune system. But they won't make you skinny/do all the work while you stuff yourself with calories. Will I continue using them? As they consist of natural ingredients, promote a natural, healthy digestion and are safe for daily use and will have a durable, sustainable effect - yes. For more questions you can contact me personally!

Watch out for other digestion pills! Not all of them are benefiting your health. If you see "senna" or "senna leaf" in any diet product, from pill to tea, watch out for its laxative properties. It's very strong and is habit forming, so it's very dangerous to use it daily. Especially when you are young/pregnant/ill/....


Other Eger products may help you to eat clean! You can find sugarfree chocolate, cookies, vegetarian burgers and many more.

Calorie counter & fitness app

Are we all capable of losing weight? Yes. Of eating clean? Yes! Of working out on the daily? Of course we are! So why is it so hard to reach that Victoria's Secret body? Because every one of us comes to a certain point where they can't overcome lack of motivation. If you want a healthy, sexy body you have to want it every moment of every day. It's suppost to be a goal. And that goal demands a new mentality, a new lifestyle. To keep up with this new lifestyle you will need CONSISTENCY. As a matter of fact, consistency is key to every succes story. I am personally a big fan of myfitnesspal - a free app for Android and iPhone that helps me to become and stay fit.

What it does:

- You can open a free profile, set your goal weight (it will tell you how much calories you will have to eat per day, but it's adjustable) and add friends to support you.

- You can track every meal you have. You can add food simply by the bar code, by searching in their database (they nearly have everything) or add a food youself. It's even possible to add a recipe.

- You can record your weight, your hips size, waist size,.... and see the progress in a clear schedule. You can also see how much carbohydrates, protein and fats you have eaten.

- You can link this app to most work-out apps like RunKeeper to record your work-outs. You can also manually add your work-outs and see how many calories you've burnt.

The pictures down here are from my account so it's in Dutch and I don't have any friends because for me it's more of a personal thing. But feel free to add me as friend, I'll motivate you! You can simply find it in the app store.