gym bunny protein pancakes

1 Mar protein pancakes

whoop whoop it’s almost the big day! check out my easy peasy protein pancake recipe- perfect for pancake tuesday but perfect for any time of the year too 🙂

need:

1 large ripe banana

2 tbslp almond milk

1 egg

1/3 cup coconut flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbslp vanilla whey protein

protein pancakes

make:

mix all the ingredients, cook slowly in coconut oil and top with almond butter and blueberries or some coconut, melted dark chocolate and raspberries 🙂

makes 5 delicious cakes yum!

trust

22 Feb
trust
trƌst/
noun
noun: trust
  1. 1.
    firm belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something.
    “relations have to be built on trust”
    trust
    synonyms: confidence, belief, faith, freedom from suspicion/doubt, sureness, certainty, certitude, assurance, conviction, credence, reliance More

    “a relationship built on mutual trust and respect”
  2. 2.
    Law
    an arrangement whereby a person (a trustee) holds property as its nominal owner for the good of one or more beneficiaries.
    “a trust was set up”
    trust
    synonyms: safe keeping, keeping, protection, charge, care, custody; More

    trusteeship, guardianship
    “the money is to be held in trust for his son”
love and trust
verb
verb: trust; 3rd person present: trusts; past tense: trusted; past participle: trusted; gerund or present participle: trusting
trust
1.
believe in the reliability, truth, or ability of.
“I should never have trusted her”
trust
broken trust
trust-yourself1
synonyms: have faith in, put/place one’s trust in, have (every) confidence in, believe in, pin one’s hopes/faith on; More

new

10 Feb sun rise on a new day

new

njuː/
adjective
first day at school
adjective: new; comparative adjective: newer; superlative adjective: newest
  1. 1.
    produced, introduced, or discovered recently or now for the first time; not existing before.
    “the new Madonna album”
    new nike free runs
    synonyms: recently developed, newly discovered, brand new, up to the minute, up to date, latest, current, state-of-the-art, contemporary, present-day, advanced, recent, modern; More

    newly arrived, newborn
    “Roger used new techniques of measuring and recording growth”
    informalway out, far out
    “the committee is generally tolerant of new ideas”
    • not previously used or owned.
      little baby feet
      synonyms: unused, brand new, as new, pristine, fresh, mint, in mint condition More

      “you have to decide whether to buy your boat new or second-hand”
      antonyms: second-hand, used
    • of recent origin or arrival.
      “a new baby”
    • (of vegetables) dug or harvested early in the season.
      “new potatoes”
      newly weds kissing
  2. 2.
    already existing but seen, experienced, or acquired recently or now for the first time.
    “her new bike”
  3. 3.
    beginning anew and in a transformed way.
    “starting a new life”

    • sun rise on a new day
adverb
adverb: new
  1. 1.
    newly; recently.
    “new-mown hay”

not perfect, just trying…

23 Jan

not perfect

 

born to be real not perfect

 

you are not perfect

 

perfectly imperfect

 

you're so not perfect and that's ok

 

no one is perfect

meaning of happiness…

14 Jan happy woman
happiness
ˈhapɪnɪs/
noun
noun: happiness; plural noun: happinesses
happy woman
summer happy people
happy baby
happy eldery couple
happy litte boy
happy little girl
spread some smiles 🙂
1.
the state of being happy.
“she struggled to find happiness in her life”
synonyms: contentment, pleasure, contentedness, satisfaction, cheerfulness, cheeriness, merriment, merriness, gaiety, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, joviality, jollity, jolliness, glee, blitheness, carefreeness, gladness, delight, good spirits, high spirits, light-heartedness, good cheer, well-being, enjoyment, felicity;

decisions decisions…

6 Jan decision time
decision
dɪˈsɪʒ(ə)n/
noun
plural noun: decisions
1.
a conclusion or resolution reached after consideration.
“i’ll make the decision on my own”
decision time
different paths to choose from
good decisions and bad decisions
it's your decision
make a decision coco chanel
hard work pays off
synonyms: resolution, conclusion, settlement, commitment, resolve, determination; More

new year, new new year’s resolutions

30 Dec

so it’s that time of year again peoples…

let it go

putting together a to-do list is one of my all-time favourite things to do- yes, i’m a total and absolute loser but i do love a good list as much as the next OCD female…

girl on beach

here are a few things i have learned this year, some quite very recently and some things i need to mull over and change or take on for this coming year too!

  • people will talk about you no matter what you do and you can do nothing about it. prove yourself to yourself 🙂
  • nobody is in charge of my happiness except me. not one other person.
  • feeling healthy feels better than anything else in the world. i don’t want this to change.

fitspo

  • eat clean, train like an animal and feel 110% on the beach next summer!
  • you can’t change people but you can help them grow, likewise for me 🙂
  • i need to stop over-thinking as a wandering mind is a dangerous mind for little me.
  • i need to save a little more. last year i started off quite good but didn’t end up so good- oopsie!
  • 2014 is the year of the hobbies- getting fitter, healthier, stronger and taking lots of time for me- taking photos, playing (trying to play) my guitar and learning learning learning.
  • hand in my final digital marketing assignment and get stuck into my certificate in nutrition 🙂 wuhu back to school again 🙂
  • get my website up and running and put 500% into it- woooohuuu!
  • start my new job and give it everything 🙂
  • everything doesn’t need to be perfect all the time. this one is rotten.
  • go somewhere totally different- fun, new and beautiful!

beach time

  • push myself- stop the silly procrastination that can happen with our species more often than not. be more decisive.
  • stop being such a scary driver!
  • learn to relax a little more- i’m reaaaaaally bad at doing nothing- it kills me!!!
  • get a bike and hope for a very sunny summer 🙂

 

to be continued…

clean beef in lettuce cups

28 Dec lettuce beef cups

this is the most amazingly easy but incredibly tasty quick lunch at home or quick dinner in the evening.

need:

1lb of lean round steak minced

tsp chopped red chilli

few glugs of olive oil

tsp fresh ginger crushed

2 x tblsp soy sauce or salt free equivalent

scallions- chopped

iceberg lettuce leaves

some black pepper and sea salt to taste

avocado is also a lovely addition on top, cut into slices!

serve with a wedge of lime

 

clean beef wraps

 

make:

few glugs of olice oil into a heated wok

add mince and cook until brown

add minced garlic, chopped chillis and ginger and stir through

add the soy sauce and stir for a minute or two

wash your lettuce leaves- keep them intact as they are the ‘cups’ to hold the lettuce

dry the leaves and place two on a plate and gently add some of the mince mixture into the lettuce cups

sprinkle with the chopped scallions and add some avocado if you like too

serve with a wedge of lime and a big cup of green tea and enjoy 🙂

 

 

my 3-day juice detox review and why we should be detoxing all the time!

23 Dec
detox
informal
noun
noun: detox; plural noun: detoxes
ˈdiːtɒks/
  1. 1.
    detoxification.
    “he ended up in detox for three months”
verb
verb: detox; 3rd person present: detoxes; past tense: detoxed; past participle: detoxed; gerund or present participle: detoxing
diːˈtɒks/
  1. 1.
    detoxify.
    “both my mind and my body were detoxed”
    juice detox bubblicity
    a detox program can be an incredible natural cure for general fatigue and the perfect thing to do to  boost your energy and overall health. although scientific research is still in its infancy (dr. mercola has lots of interesting and very current research on this!), many dieticians, nutritionists, GP’s and therapists have been  recommending dietary and supplementary plans that enhance the body’s detoxification mechanisms for many years now.
    simple dietary adjustments, supplements, and some natural therapies to enhance detoxification can ease, or even completely end your fatigue and increase your overall general health. i had a perforated stomach ulcer years ago and suffered with my stomach for years- so i’m a complete advocate that healthy living can totally turn your life around 🙂

    what is a liver detox?
    the term detox doesn’t refer to refraining from alcohol or drugs, nor does it mean a colon cleanse or a juice diet. It refers to the science of how your body rids itself of waste—a metabolic process involving your own liver’s natural detoxification enzyme systems. these detoxification enzyme systems convert toxic substances into non-toxic, water-soluble compounds that can be eliminated through your urine, sweat, and..well other waste matter 🙂 ! as your liver is the body’s main organ for your detoxification activity, the main focus of a liver detox is to enhance your liver’s enzyme systems.

    the gastrointestinal tract is also paramount in decreasing toxic load- this is why most detox plans  also strengthen your natural intestinal bacteria and enhance colon function.
    what are the main goals of a liver detox?
    • to increase your intake of certain nutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals) required for detoxification-related biochemical processes.
    • to minimize ingested allergens, toxins, and chemicals to reduce your exposure. (allowing your intestinal tract a chance to repair itself and allows it to process waste and harmful compounds more efficiently)
    • to increase bowel function and bile flow for quicker elimination of waste and toxins, minimizing  your toxin exposure.
    • to optimize alkalinity by increasing your intake of vegetables to encourage urinary excretion of toxic compounds.
    the dietary portion of a liver detox program, however, is so important! you can’t just start eating loads of fruit and expect to see results. certain foods trigger acid formation in your digestive system so you need to be clever about your methods of detox to reap the benefits!
    your focus should be on natural, organic if possible, vegetables to minimise potential exposure to antibiotics, pesticides, any artificial chemicals, corn syrups or preservatives.
    whole, natural vegetables along with adequate fluids- ie: lots of filtered water, is the premium option for anyone seeking a leaner, cleaner body for the new year. i also supplemented my detox by body brushing each day and drinking lots of green tea. i did yoga on one of the days and a small at-home workout on one of the other days too.
    juice cleanse

    my  3 day juice cleanse
    i chose to do a 3 day juice cleanse with bodyfirst nutrition and bubblicity. the program costs €75 and was delivered to my front door just one day after making the call!
    i received 12 juices in total, so that was 4 juices per day, which i was recommended to try and have one every 3-4 hours to keep any hunger pangs at bay!
    the weirdest part for me was, of course, not eating…for anyone who knows me i’m a huge eater and tend to snack every two hours so the habitual part of eating and snacking suddenly gone from my day was very strange at first.
    i wasn’t exactly staaaarving hungry at all really- well the second night i found a little difficult as my boyfriend decided it would be a great idea to cook some sausages- so it was the smell that killed me! i felt like a vampire not allowed my allocation of blood haha! 🙂
    the juices themselves were really tasty- especially the carrot, lemon and ginger one called ginger tonic and the one called enerjuice- i actually craved it when i had finished my 3 days! i’m not a huge celery fan though so i found the one with celery, brocolli and courgette quite hard to palate, but a few friends who have since done the same plan actually really like it!
    juice cleanse
    they are actually quite filling too and it’s suprising how quickly your body gets used to eating smaller amounts and how ‘full’ you feel after the juices. now don’t get me wrong- you are hungry before each juice but i found that my last juice of the day i didn’t even feel i really needed until quite late at night. however, the later i had the juices at night, the less i slept so that’s something to be mindful of!
    i didn’t get any headaches or big mad side effects either, which some people have mentioned they find happens, but i do eat quite healthily and don’t drink a huge amount or eat that may carbs so that may be why!
    One Juice left!
    when i woke up on day 4 it was sunday morning and i hadn’t eaten anything since wednesday at 9pm so it was a bit of a shock to the system to be able to eat again-
    my first meal was two poached eggs, 1/2 an avocado, one sausage, some black pudding and some fennel bread toasted with natural butter- and of course a big mug of green tea…
    i felt great straight after the meal and still hungry but when i got home a while later i had quite a sore stomach so it might be best to start small once you are done 🙂 i’m a greedy pig when i’m hungry though!
    i didn’t have any dinner last night either as was still quite full after lunch on sunday- steak with steamed vegetables and a little peppercorn sauce- so i had a hot chocolate as a treat and had some green tea before bed…
    if you are thinking of doing the detox, i would definitely recommend it- i feel lighter, brighter and leaner after doing it, which is the perfect way to kick start a new year’s diet or exercise program.
    good at-home workout
    the following are a few recommendations i would have for anyone thinking of doing the juice diet:
    do it do it do it- you will feel better afterwards 🙂

    • before you do it- say 3-5 days before, cut down on your carb and sugar intake and ease off the coffee too
    • when you start, you will be thinking of food all of the time, as is normal, so keep yourself busy and drink lots of water and green tea in between your juices.
    • try to go to bed early each night- your energy will be lower than normal- i went for lunch with the girls and found it hard to follow all of the conversations- i felt a little tired and groggy but after my mid-afternoon juice i was back on track 🙂
    • stick to it- even if you feel hungry, tell yourself it’s just three little days and your body will get a nice rest from all it’s hard work for a few hours, and will be ready to bounce back again!
    as a final word- our bodies are well capable of detoxing themselves but with the amount of chemicals we consume- makeup, perfume, food, antibiotics, contraceptive pill etc…our bodies are constantly in a state of inflammation. we are eating more sugar than ever before so it’s nice every once in a while to take a break and let your body rejuvenate itself and clean out any nasties!
    empty fridge
    equally it’s very important to enjoy life and give yourself a break too from time to time and eat whatever makes you happy 🙂
    if you are interested in doing the juice diet, email info@bodyfirst.ie or call (01) 537 9394 and ask to speak to Ray- oh and tell him gymbunny says hi 🙂
    before and after juice detox
    p.s if you have any personal questions for me while you are doing the detox, give me a quick mail through my facebook page here!
    good luck
    xx

hot & spicy chicken noodle broth

12 Dec

(recipe for four servings)

need:

1 chicken breast with no skin
6 cups chicken stock- bouillon do a good gluten and nasties free one if you don’t have time to make your own
2 teaspoons red curry paste
gluten free rice noodles- a handful will do
1 red bell pepper very thinly sliced
4 scallions, sliced in diagonals
a handful of chopped corriandera
1 lime to squeeze on serving

 

spicy chicken noodle broth

make:

bring the chopped chicken, broth and 2 cups water to a light simmer. lower the heat, cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, roughly 30 minutes or so.
remove the chicken and let it cool down separately.
shred the meat and leave aside.
strain the broth and whisk in the curry paste and bring it back to a simmer over medium-ish  heat.
add the noodles and pepper and cook until the noodles are just tender, about 3 minutes should be fine.
gently stir in the chicken.
ladle the soup into bowls and top with the scallions and cilantro leaves and serve with a little lime squirted on top.
i also added some shredded carrot, a fried egg, some low salt soy sauce to mine and some chopped chillis as i like it spicy but the original recipe is above. fried egg addition is SAVAGE though.

enjoy 🙂