Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is one of the ultimate fish to eat for brain health. Eggs are also a good source of several nutrients tied to brain health, including vitamins B6 and B12, folate and choline.
INGREDIENTS
2 large eggs
30g smoked salmon
2 tsp cream cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Wholewheat, rye or gluten free toast of
choice
Fresh lemon for squeezing
METHOD
Lightly beat eggs in a small bowl until combined. Coat a small nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring often, until scrambled, about 3 minutes. Spread cream cheese over toast, add scrambled eggs and salmon. Top with salt and pepper and a dash of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Enjoy!
This berry-blaster smoothie is packed with brain boosting benefits. Loaded with antioxidants, this smoothie serves as the perfect start to your day.
INGREDIENTS
1 small ripe banana
140g berry combo – blackberries, blueberries,
raspberries or strawberries. Or choose your berries of choice. Leave some extra to serve.
Apple juice or cold water. You decide.
METHOD
Slice the banana into your blender or food processor and add the berries of your choice. Whizz until smooth. With the blades going, pour in juice or water to get to the consistency you prefer. Toss in a few extra berries on top and enjoy. Pro tip – freeze your banana in slice beforehand for a thicker, colder smoothie.
Have you ever started running and then a few weeks later you find your body being consistently sore with niggles and possibly a potential injury? If you shouted ‘hell yes’ in your mind right now then this one’s for you!
Check this out: THE POWER OF MOVEMENT: INCORPORATING EXERCISE INTO YOUR LIFESTYLE Whether you are getting into running or you have been running for years, it’s very important to incorporate strengthening exercises into your routine.Strengthening your glutes, hamstrings and core will help you prevent injury and set you up for success.Many of us are naturally more quad dominant when we run due to weak hamstrings and glutes from sitting all day at work. You may feel like when you run your glutes or hamstrings struggle to activate leaving your quads with most of the work. This will cause injury in the long run if you don’t give it some time and attention.
When it comes to strength training there are many benefits you can gain:
Reduced risk of injury
A strong core and lower body will set you up for success. If you strengthen these parts of your body, you will be able to maintain a correct running form throughout your runs, reducing your risk of injury to your hips, knees, lower back and so on.
Many injuries form from muscle imbalances or weaknesses. Using strength training, you can treat theses imbalances or weaknesses and therefore avoid injuries altogether. Not only will you avoid the pain from injury but you will also avoid having to stop running because of an injury. This will leave you more motivated to continue running and it’ll help you form a consistent running habit.
Running becomes easier
Like anything else, if you run consistently it will become easier. Adding strength training to the mix will help speed up the process because if you strengthen the parts of your body that you are using when running your runs will feel easier and more doable.
Reduced fatigue
Strength training helps prepare your body for the stress it endures on a run. It will help your muscles perform for longer without getting tired. You will be more prepared to fight off those tough moments when you are running than before – avoiding cramping up or muscle fatigue.
Keen to get started with some strength training? Here is a gentle strengthening workout that you can do absolutely anywhere.
Workout: • 1 min single leg glute bridge (each side) • 1 min lying lateral raises (each side) • 1 min bird dog (each side) • 1 min lying clams (each side) • 1 min plank hip dips • 1 min single leg deadlift (each side) *Complete each exercise back to back with little to no break. 1-minute rest between rounds* 3/4 ROUNDS Happy Running!
Let’s keep in touch: Instagram and Facebook: @thelivelyfitnessgirl
Let’s face it, it’s been almost 8 months of COVID-19 restrictions and we’re all feeling a little burnt-out by now. Although the country has moved down to lockdown level one, the threat of COVID-19 is still very real and most of us are still working, studying and going about most of our daily activities from home while we try to adhere to social-distancing guidelines.
It’s easy to feel your energy levels drop when you’re stuck in the same routine every day, and it’s fair to say that the ongoing anxiety surrounding COVID-19 has taken its toll on our mental health, energy levels and all-around motivation.
That’s why in this week’s blog we go over our top 5 tips for renewing your mental energy, boosting your motivation and bringing more balance into your life every day.
How to regain focus and re-ignite your energy
1. Get some more sunlight
It’s easy to slip into the lockdown slump when you’re eating, sleeping, working, and relaxing inside the house every day. During lockdown a lot of people have slipped into ‘hibernation mode’, and aside from the rare bit of exercise or the occasional walk in the park, it’s safe to say that we’ve all become house hermits during these last few months.
Getting out of the house and enjoying the beauty of a bright sunny day is not only a great way to boost your mood, but it’s also an important part of helping your body to produce its much-needed vitamin D – an extremely essential vitamin that has powerful effects on several systems throughout your body.
Vitamin D is a vital part of maintaining a strong immune system, keeping feelings of fatigue at bay and helping you maintain higher energy levels and better focus throughout the day.
2. Practice mindfulness
When it comes to renewing your motivation and getting ready to face the week ahead, there’s no better mood-booster than putting mindful habits into practice.
Whether it’s setting aside some time to sit quietly and enjoy the stillness of the morning or coming home for a long day of work to some yoga or journaling, any part of the day that you can dedicate to self-reflection and stillness is an essential part of maintaining a more balanced life. Meditation, journaling and other mindful-based techniques have been shown to significantly lower stress and restore emotional balance.
Remember, the key to forming healthy, mindful habits is to give yourself the freedom to pick and choose which methods work best for you. Some days completing an entire yoga routine and mediation session might just seem like too big of a feat. On days like that, it’s okay to come home from a long day of work and simply do 10 minutes of calming breathing exercises to re-centre your focus and renew your energy.
The bottom line is that mindfulness is a moment-by-moment awareness of your thoughts, your feelings and the current sensations surrounding you. The idea is to allow these thoughts and feelings to come and go, without judgement or feeling the need to do anything with them.
3. Fuel your body with healthy foods
Maintaining focus and concentration throughout your day is imperative to improving your productivity, but most of us tend to forget that food is a major contributor to how we feel throughout the day. If you don’t fuel your brain with the proper nutrients, the chances are that you’ll start to feel a range of symptoms that reflect this deficiency – such as memory problems, fatigue and concentration problems.
From starting the day with a healthy, filling breakfast to pre-prepping hearty meals for the day ahead, eating well can set the tone for your week. Eating well has been shown to improve short-term memory and attention, as well as improve all-around brain function and focus. Studies even show that students who eat brains-fueling foods such as high-fiber whole grains, vegetables and fruits tend to perform better than those who don’t.
4. Increase motivation by giving yourself a break
It’s been a long year and, sometimes, the only way to rally a bit more motivation for the tasks ahead is to step back and take your foot off the pedal for a while.
Studies show that taking regular breaks from both work responsibilities and personal responsibilities can actually boost your motivation, increase your energy levels and improve your focus in the long run.
At first, you may feel a slight sense of anxiety as you struggle to keep your mind off every task that still needs to be completed, but it’s important to force yourself to detach from work and focus on relaxing in that moment.
During the week, this could be as easy as stepping away from your work for 15 minutes and refreshing yourself with a cool drink or nutritious snack, or taking a quick walk outside to get some sunlight. Even just giving yourself a few minutes to detach and listen to some music can drastically improve your motivation and your mood.
When you return to work, you’ll be surprised at how much more focused, motivated, or even creative you feel.
5. Talk to family and friend about your lockdown slump
If you’re feeling stuck in a rut, unfocused and uninspired, the chances are that you’re not the only one in your inner circle of close family and friends who is feeling this way.
Symptoms of fatigue, frustration, energy loss and lack of motivation during this time are common, and sometimes it helps to share those feelings with another person who might be experiencing something similar.
Getting support can be as simple as having a weekly zoom call with a close friend or family member to check in and discuss your highs and lows of the week.
Remember, it’s important to find a method of communication that feels right for you. This might be a face-to-face conversation over zoom or, or you might find it easier to talk on the phone or write down how you feel in a letter.
Getting motivated with WellBe
Here at WellBe we want to give you the right tools to strengthen your mind and your body. That’s why we’ve developed our two new 12 week nutrition and training guides to help you live every day with a clear intention to get closer to achieving your goals and living a more happy, motivated life.
Our easy-to-implement, lifestyle-focussed nutrition, training and health solutions are fun, simple and the perfect way to improve your focus and renew your motivation for the week ahead with a variety of healthy, balanced meal plans and killer workout routines.Want to know more? Check out our Instagram page or contact one of our friendly WellBe team members for more information today.
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 6 Tbsp warm water
2 cups whole rolled oats
½ cup slivered almonds
⅔ cup coconut flakes
1/4 cup brown/coconut sugar
1 tsp baking powder & cinnamon
¾ tsp sea salt
¾ cup almond milk
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
3 Tbsp melted coconut oil or butter (if not vegan)
1 banana, chopped
1 cup strawberries, sliced
½ cup blueberries
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180°C and spray an 8×8-inch (or similar) baking dish with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine flaxseed and warm water and set aside to thicken (about 5 mins). Reserve 2 Tbsp of almonds and coconut flakes and set aside. In a large bowl combine the oats, the remaining almonds, hemp seeds and coconut flakes, and the baking powder, cinnamon, sugar and salt In a medium bowl, combine the almond milk, maple syrup and coconut oil and whisk to combine. Stir in the flaxseed mixture and blend until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir to combine. Layer the bananas and strawberries in the baking dish and spread the oat mixture on top. Sprinkle with the blueberries and the reserved almonds, hemp seeds and coconut flakes. Bake for 40-50 mins or until the top is crisp and the middle is set. I find it easiest to wedge a knife in and make sure the middle has thickened nicely. Remove and let cool for 15 mins before serving.
You don’t need an ice cream maker to make this simple and fresh sorbet! With only 3 natural ingredients, this is the perfect summer sorbet!
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups frozen strawberries
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
3/4 cup cold water
METHOD
Add the frozen strawberries and honey / maple syrup to a food processor or blender. Then add about half of the water to start with and blitz until smooth. If needed add a little more water at a time until you get the right consistency. Either serve the sorbet straight away or transfer it to a container and freeze. When left in the freezer for a couple of hours the sorbet will freeze solid so leave it to defrost for about 15-20 min before trying to scoop it!
A quick-cooking whole grain, bulgur wheat is perfect for the time-crunched weeknight cooking. You can substitute quinoa or whole-wheat couscous if you can’t find any bulgar wheat.
INGREDIENTS
1 1/3 cups water
2/3 cup bulgur wheat
500 grams chicken breast cutlets
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper 4 cups packed rocket
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
2 cups sliced fresh peaches
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
METHOD
Bring 1 1/3 cups water and bulgur wheat to a boil in a small saucepan over high. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 10 mins. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain well; let dry on paper towels. Meanwhile, heat a grill pan coated with cooking spray over high. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Grill chicken, turning occasionally, until done, 6 to 7 mins. Remove to a cutting board. Let stand 3 mins. Slice against the grain into strips. Place bulgur, rocket, tomatoes, and peaches in a large bowl. Add remaining 1/2 tsp salt, oil, and vinegar; toss to coat. Divide mixture among 4 plates; top evenly with chicken.
We all know that incorporating exercise into our lifestyle is beneficial; but this does not change the fact that many of us do not feel motivated to be active. Exercise starts off as a discipline, that eventually turns into a habit. Initially it can be challenging to stick to your routine, but the more you commit, the easier it becomes. In this article we explore the benefits of living an active life and we explore the different kinds of exercise to help you find the type of exercise that will best serve you.
Benefits of Living an Active Life
Exercise has both physical and mental benefits. Not only does it build muscle, maintain weight, or encourage weight loss, but it also affects our brain positively:
Brain Benefits
Reduces stress
Improves memory
Reduces depression (increases serotonin)
Lowers anxiety
Physical Benefits
Lowers risk of chronic diseases (heart disease, diabetes)
Exercise has numerous benefits for our overall health, and one way to maintain your exercise regime is to find a type of exercise that you enjoy. Trying to commit to something you hate is a lot more challenging and increases your chance of giving up.
Types of Exercise: Finding your Niche
Exercise should be a lifestyle, not an event. It is therefore important for you to find an activity that you enjoy – this way, exercise becomes something you look forward to, rather than something that you do because of a specific outcome e.g. weight loss.
There are many types of exercise, and depending on your interests, availability, and access, you may opt for different forms:
HIIT Training
HIIT training stands for High Intensity Interval Training. It alternates between short intense anaerobic exercise with less intense recovery periods. For example, TABATA, which is 20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest interval. It is great for individuals who only have 30 minutes to squeeze in a training session. It is a form of cardio training and is effective in burning fat and calories.
Cardiovascular Training
Cardiovascular training is any type of exercise that leads to a sustained rise in heart rate throughout the exercise duration. For example: swimming, running, and cycling. This type of exercise is generally sustained for a longer period of time than a HIIT workout.
Yoga is a form of neuromotor training – it involves balance, agility, and coordination. It is important to improve posture, decrease risk of injury and reduce stress and inflammation. Yoga is a great way to build muscle and it is less intense on the body than activities such as running and HIIT.
Gym classes
A lot of individuals benefit from exercising with others. When it is a social event, they are more likely to commit and enjoy themselves. Gyms offer numerous classes such as spinning and Zumba which allow for an interactive exercise routine.
Pilates
Pilates is a low-impact activity that focuses on flexibility, muscular strength, endurance movements and core strength. It emphasizes proper postural alignment, core strength and muscle balance.
Team Sports
Many people enjoy exercise when it is in the form of team sports. Joining a hockey team or soccer club creates a community and your commitment to the sport increases. The enjoyment of the game is the primary focus and the health benefits are secondary. It becomes a social activity and often not seen as a challenge like going for a run alone.
As you can see, there are numerous ways to reap the rewards of exercise and any form of movement is better than none. Remember, exercise should be a part of your lifestyle, not an event. It is therefore important for you to find an activity that you enjoy – this way, exercise becomes something you look forward to, rather than something that you do because of a specific outcome e.g. weight loss.
It’s normal to start feeling your energy levels drop throughout the day. Most tend to feel sluggish, fatigued and slow by early afternoon. The good news is that there are some small but really effective practices that you can put in place every day to renew your energy.
That’s why, in this week’s blog, we give you our top helpful, healthy habits that will
reignite your energy levels and re-energize your mind and body so that you can be your most productive self every day.
Energy-boosting habits
A lack of energy could significantly affect your ability to perform basic daily activities, as well as noticeably affect your productivity at work. That’s why it’s really important to identify the source that’s draining your energy and develop small changes in your everyday habits to fix this. So, here are our top pick-me-up tips that are proven to work:
1. Pay attention to how you fuel your body
Eating clean isn’t just about looking good. Remember, the food we put into our body acts as our primary energy source for the day. The fact is that not all foods will fuel your body equally. The type of food you eat in particular plays an essential role in determining your energy levels during the day. The right food contains nutrients that could help increase your energy levels and better maintain alertness and focus throughout the day.
After all, nutrition is the key to a healthy mind and a healthy body. So, it’s only natural that heart whole-foods will equip you with a long-lasting energy source, while refined, junk-foodie meals will leave you feeling unfulfilled and sluggish.
For example, a simple banana could be considered a superfood when it comes to boosting your energy and alertness. It’s an excellent source of complex carbs, potassium, and vitamin B6 – all of which can help boost your energy levels. These essential minerals and vitamins are all needed to keep your energy and your immunity strong.
2. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep
The reality is that we just can’t function at our full capacity without having an optimal number of hours of sleep every night (most experts say that’s around 7 to 9 hours a night). That’s because sleep is the key ingredient when it comes to keeping us healthy and functioning well. Sleep lets your body and brain repair, restore, and re-energize itself every night, so that you wake up refreshed and ready to tackle a new day in the morning.
Mounting evidence even suggests exhaustion and sleep deprivation can severely impede your productivity, with one study of 4,188 workers citing that those who didn’t get enough sleep every night had “significantly worse productivity, performance, and safety outcomes”at work.
Not only that, but individuals who fail to get enough sleep every night are also more prone to depression, weight gain, lower immunity and impaired thinking. So, maybe it’s a good idea to skip that last episode of Nailed It tonight and turn the lights out early.
3. Drink more water
If you’re dehydrated, the chances are you’ll have far less energy than those around you. Simple things such as staying awake at your office desk or making good on your promise to go to the gym after work might seem impossible, and strenuous exercise will seem like a mountain of a challenge.
Many studies have shown that dehydration lowers energy levels, impedes athletic performance and causes individuals to feel sluggish and off their game throughout the day.
That’s why drinking water is the ultimate health hack. Upticking your water intake will not only renew your energy levels, but it will also improve your memory and mood, increase your weight loss and give your skin a healthier glow.
4. Boost your mood
We know that sometimes your day can feel like it’s super-packed, not-stop busy. It might feel like you don’t have a single moment to spare to eat, sleep or breathe. That’s why it’s important to make the most of every hour in the day and develop habits that will help you to be as productive as possible.
Taking an hour out of your day for self-care might seem counterintuitive at first. It’s difficult to allow yourself to step away from your work when there’s competing deadlines and clients emailing you 24/7. But it’s time to lose the guilt and make way for your own self-care every day.
By simply devoting an hour a day to any activity that will help will boost your mood, you’ll end up banking more productive hours in the long run. Studies show that self-care improves productivity and helps to break the cycle of feeling overwhelmed, exhausted and disinterested in your work.
Start by committing to waking up early in the morning to meditate or go for a run, or set aside an hour in the afternoon for any type of exercise, meditation, yoga. Even just a stroll outside will help change the way you tackle the day and renew your motivation for the tasks ahead of you. While it’s not always easy to implement new habits (some say it takes up to 21 days of repeating a habit for it to stick) it will be well worth it in the long run.
Staying energized with WellBe
Here at WellBe&Co, we believe that better health starts with better habits. That’s why we’ve introduced our 12-week body reboot training guide to give you a step-by-step roadmap towards living a more happy, healthy and energy-filled life. This workout and training guide is the best way to boost your energy, get those endorphins flowing and help you stay more motivated everyday.
You won’t find any excessively restrictive, bogus claim, too good to be true fad here. Our mission is to debunk these many false health and fitness myths and help empower people to live at their best life, on their own terms.
When it comes to eating clean, we’ve got you covered too. Our nutrition and recipe guide will equip you with the most up-to-date nutrition, training and supplement advice tailored to your individual needs, goals and personal preferences. View your plan, track your progress and stay motivated by using our downloadable WellBe Health App.
Pssst: Did you know that, if you buy both guides together in the month of September only, you’ll save R150. You’ll also save an additional R100 when purchasing both plans together if you use the promo code WELLBE100. Isn’t that great?
I am a holistic health and fitness coach with a heart full of passion to help people create a beautifully balanced lifestyle that is sustainable and realistic. Since I was a little girl I always had a lot of energy. You would always see me jumping around and moving around. I never wanted to sit still and I would get bored super easily – sorry parents LOL!
I found myself naturally leaning into sports, specifically running. I loved the challenge of it and I love how it made me feel – unstoppable, strong and free. As I got older, I got very good at running in High School and then I naturally started going to gym and discovering new ways to challenge myself. After studying a BCOM at University, I realized very quickly that I’m not cut out for the corporate environment so I went ahead and studied a Personal Training Certificate and Group Instructing Certificate at FitPro. I then decided I wanted to further my knowledge, so I got a health coaching certificate through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition which qualifies me to guide my clients to create a holistically healthier life – from exercise and nutrition to relationships, career, and spirituality.
With a couple years of experience working as a Health and Fitness coach – I couldn’t be happier with the path I chose to help people create and live the lives they deserve.
Let’s talk about you!
Anyways, enough about me! Let’s talk about you. How are you doing right now? Are you constantly hopping on and off diet and exercise plans? Are you restarting every Monday after binging on the weekend because you were too restrictive during the week? Are you feeling like you can’t stick to anything and you can’t seem to find balance?
Listen, I TOTALLY feel you. We’ve all been there. All of a sudden becoming too restrictive and too hectic can cause you to resent the whole process and journey of health and fitness. Yes, if you have goals you want to reach you do have to make certain sacrifices but if you are trying to create and maintain a sustainable healthy lifestyle, becoming overly restrictive will make you hate the process and turn back to your old habits.
The goal is NOT to feel like you need to consistently restrict yourself or start again every Monday. The goal is to create a lifestyle where you have balance. Where you feel good about yourself all of the time! Trust me, I know it’s easier said than done but what I do know is it is 100% possible. Starting small, celebrating yourself along the way and keeping it simple is a fab place to start!
The health hacks you’re after
Let’s dive into it! Here are a few tips to get you to start building a healthy balanced lifestyle for yourself:
1. Start small
Don’t go from zero to hero, it never works! Being super restrictive isn’t sustainable over a long period of time. Focus on creating small changes or small healthy habits that will become the building blocks to an overall balanced lifestyle.
2. Move your body
We all know that after getting some form of exercise you feel more positive and productive. Set a routine and ensure you move your body or exercise for at least 30 minutes every day – whether it be the morning, afternoon or evening. Also be sure to find something you enjoy and stick with that! Any form of exercise will do.
3. Work on your mental health
This is SO important. Often, we are focusing far too much on diet and exercise that we don’t even check up on our mental health. Just like you need to make healthy decisions everyday with regards to diet and exercise you need to do the exact same for your mental health.
Take some time in the day and check up on yourself, make some time for meditation, journaling and breathing. If your mental health is not in check it will directly affect everything else in your life. Make this a priority!
4. Fill your fridge with yummy goodness
No, this doesn’t include just kale and broccoli.
I’m talking about filling your fridge and pantry with a variety of fresh wholesome foods that will make you excited to eat your meal. Start learning some new healthy, tasty and quick recipes – there’s millions on Google. Being healthy doesn’t mean missing out on yummy food it means learning how to cook and create healthy yet tasty meals.
5. Have healthy snacks available always
Guys, full disclosure: I’m a snacker myself and if there’s no yummy fruit available or something to grab I will always feel like I need to have something sugary or salty to fill the hole.
Have fruit, nuts, natural health bars/protein bars etc. available to you to avoid grabbing the wrong things.
6. Drink water
No but really drink water. Most of the time if we haven’t drank enough it causes us to snack unnecessarily.
7. Get some good shut eye
Guys, sleep is so important. I know it seems like a basic thing but often we stay up too late working, fiddling on our phones or watching too much TV instead of trying to wind down for good quality sleep. In order to do this, you need to make sure you have a good night-time routine! 1 hour before bed, start slowing things down and preparing for at least 8 hours of sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep it will affect how you function during the day and it will affect the choices you make during the day.
8. Treat yourself
What a lot of us try to do is cut out absolutely everything we like and then hope for the best. Becoming too restrictive like this can cause us to then have a huge binge day because you’ve restricted yourself far too much. You can still have the foods you love but in moderation. Try not to get into the habit of creating a ‘cheat day’ because this mostly leads to us over doing it and feeling super sick and angry with ourselves. Have a chocolate, have a pizza etc. but then continue with your normal meals and routine thereafter.
9. Listen to your body
What is your body asking for? Sometimes your body might need you to slow down a bit and this is when you need to listen. Not every day are you going to feel like an intense workout session. Maybe sometimes your body needs something more chilled like stretches or yoga. This is a huge part of creating a balanced lifestyle because not every day will feel the same. So, tailor your day to day to what your body needs. And no this doesn’t mean giving into laziness or giving into excuses. It means changing things up when your body genuinely needs some TLC.
The bottom line
If you are trying to feel good, then let’s start by saying hell no to quick fixes! Learn that nothing worth having comes easy – you need to put in the work and make the changes. After all, nothing changes if nothing changes, am I right? 😉 If you make consistent healthy decisions every day you will quickly start to form a new routine and new normal for yourself. This new normal is the balanced lifestyle that you deserve to live. Something that will be sustainable throughout your life. Realize that there is no destination to health and fitness. It’s a journey and it’s your journey! Enjoy the ride.
Let’s keep in touch: Instagram and Facebook: @thelivelyfitnessgirl
