Mini "STEP IT UP" leg challenge ends

Here we go. Another week has just flown.

Where does the time go? 

Oh yes, that's right. We have been stepping it up with our 100 steps per day this week, right? HA! I really don't know how we do it. How do we fit it all in? Eat healthy, prepare the healthy food, exercise, run a household, family and work commitments, have fun, good times and laugh, personal and hobby interests, sleep and do it all again the next day. We just do it.

Lorna Jane black tshirt and metallic leggings

Anzac Day

A day that we pause to remember those who sacrificed their lives during the war that have given us the freedom we enjoy today.

There are many traditions associated with ANZAC Day. The dawn service, which is a service of remembrance undertaken in the freezing pre-dawn darkness. Games of two up- a gambling game played by the service men during war. The Essendon vs Collingwood football game - we lost!! And of course Anzac biscuits.

Anzac Day WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

Adrian was going to take the kids to the dawn service, however the plan is definitely next year. We had a beautiful service at Noah and Oscar's school on Wednesday. The kids were so reverent and I was really moved. We truly are blessed to live in such a peaceful country.


What's your Anzac Day tradition? 

Anzac Day crepes


We had a great day yesterday (except for my footy team losing) and instead of making traditional healthy Anzac biscuits HERE I opted for my traditional crepes! Introducing my ANZAC DAY CREPES......

Anzac Day crepes

Follow my crepe recipe here but with this method, I mixed oat flour (blended Uncle Toby's oats until it was flour form). For the toppings, we just added coconut butter, honey, then some lemon and no added sugar strawberry jam. The healthy toppings are endless. Mix and match as you please. My fave are crushed walnuts!


Banana Choc Smoothie

Banana choc smoothie

2 bananas
250ml your choice of milk
180 Nutrition chocolate protein powder
1ts chia seeds
sprinkle of cinnamon

Blend and enjoy!

Our 80/20 fully raw lifestyle is going great! We make a lot of smoothies, I drink plenty of juices and then I'll make dishes like these primarily at dinner time.



Raw salad with meatballs

Fully raw salad with meatballs 

You can find my typical meatball recipe HERE and we just mixed various vegetables for our salad;

150g spinach
1 red & yellow capsicum
1/2 red onion
6 baby corns
2 tomatoes
punnett of tomatoes
1 cucumber

Our dressing was lemon with a drizzle of olive oil and it was simple and really quick. 

When I say quick, I kinda lie. The hardest part of this fully raw (80/20 really) is ALL THE PREPPING of the fruit and vegetables, I do throughout the day. My kitchen is constantly messy and I am forever washing, prepping, cutting fruit and vegetables!!! Yikes! Healthy living is really hard work. Don't get me wrong, once all that is done dinner is typically put together in under 15 minutes!

How are you managing this new fully raw lifestyle? What are some challenges you are faced with? 

Kristina from Fully Raw has posted this amazing Youtube video to help you with the top 10 challenges people face when they go fully raw.

Let me know what you think.

Until next time, much love and friendship xx Dani

Day 3 - no added sugar challenge

Gosh last night was tough, I was really craving that block of chocolate and those ice creams we had down the beach. I now officially know how it feels to become an addict of something. Sure. You may just think it's sugar and not a real drug but it's still considered an addictive "unhealthy" substance so really, I can put it in that category if I wish.

So for someone that has been eating relatively clean and then binging on all this sugar, I sure am paying for it. Moody. Agitated. Tired.

MIND over MATTER.

I can get through this. Trying to educate myself over the internet and re-reading the Sarah Wilson I QUIT SUGAR ebooks as some of you that know me, I am not a huge fan of reading at the best of times. Much rather be looking at those pretty pictures in Belle, Vogue, Inside Out etc.....magazines. Also her books cover heaps on all this sugar stuff so for those asking all these sugar questions, I highly recommend this book. I will also do a book review once I have fully read it, for those that are wanting a  sugar free bible to assist them in their day to day food choices.


Special blog guest


I am in the process of also writing up an additional post about which foods to avoid that have added sugar and also what to look out for in the ingredients list and nutritional tab. My lovely friend Karin is a Nutritionalist and Health Food Coach in New York and I will invite her to do a blog post on her views on sugar and finally be clear on some of those questions you have been asking. I really want us all to be on the same page. This is new to me, even though I ran this challenge last year. So I will clip on as much information as I can and hope you too can help with any of your resources.

Apologies once again for my delayed responses to the last few days of my posts, we have been in over drive here at home (wend preparation) as kids go back to school again and my husband starting a new job so I don't see him from 6am-8pm. So I am a one woman show and heavily tied up with managing our family and home so please be patient with me.....


I managed to do my FYM workout this morning and I love the fact that I don't have to spend hours at the gym and can do a workout between 15-20 minutes per day. What's your workout like? How long do you workout per day? Per week? Do you prefer to workout at the gym or can you motivate yourself and workout at home?

Breakfast

Pear and cinnamon porridge

I have so many variations that I make with our basic porridge concoction, so feel free to type in porridge or oats in the very top left hand corner box to see what I mean. I have added strawberries, orange, etc.....to our fave breakfast meal. What's your favourite?

Snack

2 hard boiled eggs with vegetable sticks

Lunch

Chicken wrap with feta, tomato, cucumber and spinach 

Snack

Tzatziki dip (yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice & garlic)
with vegetable sticks and rice crackers

Dinner

Chicken tenderloins with cauliflower, broccoli and beans

Okay another super quick dinner tonight as we have a few things on.

Method:

1). Season chicken tenderloins with S&P, tarragon (omit or replace with your favourite herb), garlic and lemon juice
2). Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes while you wash and prep your favourite vegetables.
3). Steam veggies as you either bake the chicken tenderloins or I prefer now to use my Chefs Toolbox as I can leave in my sauté pan with the lid on and attend to whatever one of our 4 kids are wanting from me at this busy hour (5-7pm is mahem at our place)
4). Once all vegies are cooked to your liking I like to mix up some yogurt, seeded mustard and glaze the vegetables so they have a bit more flavour!

How did you survive Day 3 of our no added sugar challenge? Thanks again for coming and I really do love you all visiting, please tell me about how your day is going. See again here tomorrow.

Xx Dani

Friends around the World…Skype FUN!!!

Motivation of the Day: A Positive Healthy Life is Contagious

Maintenance Modified ME!!!!

I can remember being in junior high & high school sitting in my parent’s kitchen talking on the phone plugged into the wall with that coil like cord being my talking friend lifeline. WOW….has time changed…and in my lifetime…so amazing. Today…everything cordless and the ability to receive messages via a phone in my purse anywhere I go. What really blows my mind is being able to talk to people around the world through the internet…specifically Skype. I am honored everyday with emails from fans asking advice, leaving comments, and the BEST of the BEST, requesting to be a client. This is fabulous fitness fun for me as I consult with clients via Skype from all over the world. It is a learning adventure for me as I get to experience different cultures, foods, and ways of life right here on my computer. I get to see the people I am consulting, their smiling faces, enjoy laughs, and really get to know my clients from around the world in a personal way…..it is like traveling without getting on a plane. Imagine I am here….and thousands of miles away I am helping someone get healthy…having a great conversation on how to adapt a Stay Healthy life. I can go to Europe, Japan, and Australia….the world at my fingertips…..now this is a Stay Healthy Global Experience of YAHOOOOO proportion! YES…I get excited over things like this….YES…I am passionate about health and fitness and overall quality of life…So to be able to help someone across the ocean from right where I am sitting is completely FABULOUS!!!!! Today has been a very accomplished one for me as a trainer as I am continually blessed with wonderful clients from here and everywhere. Speaking of fabulous clients…time to train;)


My Workout of the Day:



ARC Trainer: 45 minutes


Bodywork ~ I completed the circuit 4x (Watch the Video)


Modified French Press 10lbs on bar 25 reps
Biceps Curls 15lbs @ 25 reps
Body Ball Abs 25 reps


Rope Stretching




My Nutrition of the Day: (Meal 2 on the Video)

Coffee , one cup please

Powered Up Oats are BOMB!

1-Post-Workout Shake
2-Powered Up Oats
3-B/S chicken breast & avocado on sprouted bread
4-2 Vanilla Whey Raisin Protein Balls & 1 Orange
5- Lean Turkey Meat Taco Salad
6- Protein Pudding

Post Workout Shake Coming Up!

IF YOU ENJOYED THE CONTENT, LIKE IT, LEAVE A COMMENT, AND IF YOU LIKE….OFFER ME A SHAKE;)






STAY HEALTHY!

My Banana Oat Protein Pancakes for Breakfast!!!!!

YOU CAN MAKE THIS!!!

Good Morning Readers!

This morning I am sharing my breakfast with you. I am on a mission to show that eating healthy is easy and fun.....so get in that kitchen and let's go...

Have ready your griddle, spray with PAM, heat on low, otherwise your pancakes will cook too fast on the outside and be gooey on the inside, and a bowl. Nothing fancy....my tools here are a bowl and a fork for mixing.




You will need:

1 ripe banana

1 egg white

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup old fashion rolled oats

1 scoop whey vanilla protein

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tblsp flax meal

1/2 tblsp wheat germ

Vanilla soy milk (yes you can use n/f milk instead)

In your bowl, smash ripe banana with your fork until it stirs well and juices release, add your egg white, 1/2 tsp vanilla and stir again. Put the oats in your blender and grind until flour consistency and add to the wet ingredients in the bowl, add your vanilla protein powder, your flax meal and wheat germ, stir. The mix will be thick at this point. Add just enough soy milk to make the mixture pourable (careful not to make runny), so add a bit, stir and check. I like my mixture a bit "thick pourable". Pour 2 equal amounts of batter onto your prepared griddle, cook on one side a few minutes, (check for color by gently lifting an edge), if to your liking, flip over and cook the rest of the way. This recipe makes two large pancakes. I eat one and save one for the next morning so I do not have to cook. Really, this only takes about 10 minutes to throw together....you will be done before your tea or coffee is done brewing. Also, a time saver since you have an extra that you can have tomorrow, or for a snack later.


Let me know what you think....


Stay Healthy!!!!

Darla:)