1 month progresss

It is a month since I start to work with Michelle Brannan as my coach and I begin my diet. 
This month was full of new experiences and lessons. 

Diet itself was hard at the beginning but after some amends I got used to limited food and preparing everything in advance. As soon as first changes started to come, I was more motivated to keep it. I sticked to my cheat days, but the be honest only once I cheat in a full understanding of this word (where we went to restaurant and I had cheesburger and fries ;). Other 3 cheats were more like refeeds with some freshly baked baguette and some ricecakes. So carbs, carbs, carbs mainly ;)

my cheat meal after week 2

Training wise I am thrilled about my resistance trainings and still working on proper amount of cardio I had to do ;)

my regular foods: some complex carbs (wholemeal couscous), protein (oven baked white fish) and veggies with balsamic vinegar

If it comes to stats, after 4 weeks I've lost 2kg and minus 4,5cm in waist and 3,8cm in my hips. Wow! :) I couldn't been more excited!

trainings legs 3 times a week results in rounder booty ;)

But, the most importnatly, by doing that, I haven't feel that good in my own skin for years! This is the best outcome I got so far!

Diet week 1 update

It has been exactly I week since I start my diet and new training routine as a part of Michelle Brannan's Shape Team. 

As I already mentioned on my Facebook page, for 3 months I will be working with Showgirls Fitness and see how are my results and motivation level after. If after 12 weeks I will be in a reasonably good shape, I might think about competing in bikini fitness :) 

my coach Michelle Brannan at last Olympia contest

My 12 weeks started exactly week ago, on Tuesday. 

I have to admit that first days were the hardest day dieting I have ever in my life. Calories restriction killed me and together with very, very busy working scheldue I was terrified how I am gonna survive that next 3 months.

favourite meal of the day - breakfast :)

The is only onre reason it was that hard and it is ME only. 

meal prep in full scope ;)

I was tottaly unware that I get into trap I was alarming every one of my clients: eating too much because of tiredness and active lifestyle. I was counting my macros but I relied to much on listening to my body. And my body was sending me signals about hunger when it was not only hungry, but tired and stressed. It all result in eating too much and too often. 
When I got my meal plan and eat according to eat, for the first days I couldn't adjust. Hunger I experience was indescribable.
Luckly, during that days I was in still contact with my coach Michelle. She reacted very quickly on each of my strugglings. After few days we adjusted little my calories intake and make things easier. 

Now every day required a lot of planning. I have to do meal prep at least every second day. But on the other day, during day I don't have to think what to eat to meet my goals, everything is ready so I just have to grab a fork and eat it. 

one leg press exercise

Training-wise I am thrilled. 
I have 5 day split training and I train legs a looot! 
I thought I was keen on almost every resistance exercise, but still tried some few new for me, like one leg press. 
This exercise literally killed my ass ;)
 
Beside resistance training I have my cardio workouts. Luckly, Insanity classes count as a one of them, so only with no-Insanity days I have to do something additionally. Cardio will be definately that big change if it comes to my training since I wasn't do much cardio during winter time.

On Saturday I had my first cheat meal/free meal. I had some of them before, but that time I wasn't dieting that strictly. This time it was tottally well deserved meal.

I didn't choose anything fancy, just a toast with double cheese and ham together with some corn nachos and rice cakes. Carbs mostly ;) Nothing sweet. Again, I just realise that I don't have necessar a sweet tooth ;)





The feeling of happines while eating my toast was soooo big. I don't want to build wrong realtion with food (and junk food), but I needed that carb loading.

Now I've just send my stats and pictures to my coach and wait about her comments about how well or bad I did during my first week. 
My current form pic (I dropped 2cm in waist, and 2,5cm in hips so far):

7 days done, 77 days to go :)

Free from...

Internet is back! Now I can blog again for real! :)

find me on instagram: majanordic

With previous Faceboook post probably you have noticed that I was forced to try gluten and lactose free diet. 


For couple of weeks (or even months) I've been feeling bad. Always bloated, with water retention, with huge problems with indigestion. For a person who works in fitness industry (but as well as for any other person!) this was a nightmare. Imagine coming on a class and your instructor have a belly like a 3 month pregnant woman! ;)

I started to look for some reason of that and accidentaly saw that at Stratford they make allergic tests. I took one of them and the results were obvious: highly intolerance for wheat gluten, intolerance for dairy (milk, yoghurt, cheese), yeast, leek, onion and chive. 
The only think to do for now is just to try avoid those products.

my test's results

But what is exactly a problem with intolerance of gluten and lactose? 

  
Gluten is a protein from wheat, rye and barley. 
Some people tolerate it good, some can't have anyting with gluten (one who suffers from celiac disease) and others have gluten sensivity. I am in the third group. 

If you experience bloating, pain in your joints and bones, 'chicken skin' in the back of your arms, dizzines, chronic fatique, you might suffer from the same condition as I. 

With dairy intolerance is even eeasie to explain. Most of the people has very little lactaze enzym which digest lactose, sugar from milk. But there is group of people who tolerate it even worse than others and  after consuming milk products they get bloated, sometimes diorrhoea, winds and stomach pains.


Luckily nowadays we have lots of gluten and diary free products. Not mentioning all the natural ones like vegetables, fruits, meat and fishes. However, I love yoghurts and kefir and there were always the best snack for me, so I will have to look for some other snacking choices..

even with gluten and lactose intolerance, you can still eat lots of food, just be creative!

If you also can't consume gluten (in my case only from wheat) and diary, you can still have:
* gluten free oats
* pure whey protein with little carbs in it (the less carbs - the less lactose in it)
* rice
* lentils 
* groats
* coconut, hazelnut, almond milk
* vegetables
* fruits
* starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes and so on
* eggs 
* soups (watch out for ready ones, they are often with flour)
* pastries from sesame, oats, rye or buckwheat flour
* nuts and peanut butters
* rice and corn cakes 

story of my life! cottage cheese I miss you!

Stay away from:
* bread, rolls
* yoghurts, creams
* souces
* cheeses
* tortillas
* crispbread
* cookies, muffins and pastries
* beer (contain gluten!)
* pastas 
* supplements like gainers (they have lots of carbs, with lactose included)

now we can find a big range of gluten and lactose free products! ufff!

Protein&spinach muffins

Recently I've ordered few products from bulkpowders.co.uk
 

psyllium husk&spinach powder, proteins plus coconut oil from bulkpowders

I still look for my healthy food supplier and checking English companies out. Bulkpowders was one of them, recommended by my friend. Despite the name, they don't have only products for those who are on bulk ;) 


They don't have fancy packing, just simple, minimalistic ones. Together with no big adds. But the variety of products is really big. I got few protein powders from them (simple whey and mixed), gainer for my beloved, psyllium husk, hmb and spinach powder from them. For now whey protein chocolate orange is my unquestionable favourite, especially with my mornings oats. 

my recent baking

Having some day off I decided to use ordered spinach powder. I used it for muffins and they came really tasty.

For 8 muffins you will need:
* 1 scoop of vanilla protein
* 2 tbsp of sesame/quinoa/regular flour
* 0.5 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder 
* 0.5 tbsp spinach powder
* 1 egg
* 1dl of almond/regular milk
* sweetener (Sukrin or other)

Mix all dry ingredietns first, then add egg and milk for dough, watery consistency. Mix together and put into muffins forms. Bake for 30 minutes in 200 degrees.

ready to eat muffin with glaze and dried raspberries on top

Glaze:
* 2 tbsp of Philadelphia Light (or other soft cheese)
* powdered sweetener (Sukrin Melis)
* dried raspberries on top 

Enjoy gluten free, sugar free, protein&spinach muffins! :)

isn't that true? ;)

Weekend

I rarely drink alcohol these days, but if I drink, I go for champagne ;)

This weekend I spent like never before! First of all, with new job I rarely have Saturday and Sundays off. Second of all, I travel to city centre not so often, even thought it is not so far away from place where I live.

with my lovely Mom

My mother's visit was the best excuse to change that! We celebrate her birthday (happy birthday Mom! :*), went on a musical, drank champagne during our shopping and eat lots of good food. 

Thriller musical at Lyric Theatre

wonderfully decorated Carnaby Street

After such intensive two days I am so happy and pleased. That was a really great break from (sometimes harsh) reality..

another glass of amazing champagne

our brunch at Grind Coffee Shop (Westfield Stratford) and healthy pouched egg sandwich

Diet spaghetti

diet spaghetti - half of calories, full of good carbs and protein

Today I tried to prepare diet spaghetti :) How I turn that dish into healthier option? I used sphagetti squash instead of regular pasta.
As I mentioned in previous post, I have a little winter squash obsession those days. Checking out spaghetti squash was next on my kitchen wish list.

raw spaghetti squash

How to prepare diet spaghetti?

half squash and take out seeds (use spoon)

Half squash and take out seeds.
Put two halves on baking paper and make some holes with knife.

put squash on baking paper and make little holes with knife

Bake 30-40 minutes in max temperature in the oven until squash is soft.

inside of prepared squash goes very easy out, you need only fork

In a meantime prepare meat. I used extra lean pork meat (less than 5% fat). I basically fry it on a teflon pan with garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. 
Then I added canned tomatoes and lots of tomato puree. I boiled everything together until I got great souse consistency.

half of calories, yummy taste

Serve spaghetti squash with meat in tomato souse or serve half of regular pasta portion and fill the dish with squash.
Enjoy your low carb dish! :)

Eat your veggies

broccoli mousse

Struggling with eating enough veggies? Make yourself a soup! I have already written how good soups are in term of your PH balance here.

broccoli mouse soup with chunk of chicken

I used boulion I made last time. I simply frozen part of it and defrost during the night. I added little more water, then chopped broccoli head, parsnip and carrot and boil everything together.

mix your veggies

After 20 minutes I mixed everything together, add spices (salt, pepper, garlic) and spoon of greek yoghurt and Philadelphia light.

add some greek yoghurt for better consistency

I will eat that soup with chicken chunks, but you can served it with pasty. 

good dish for cold autumn days

Easy, quick, healthy and delicious :)

Hello squash!

If it comes to food choices, go for seasonal vegetables and fruits. Late autumn is perfect time for wonderful squashes and tasty brussels sprouts.

my little squash collection ;)

For recent weeks I try different types of winter squashes. Rich in beta caroten, vitamins and minerals, squashes are perfect way to add some variation for your diet. 

My personal favourite is kabocha squash which I chop and boil. The great thing about kabocha is that you can eat it with the skin, so it means less work for you. 35kcal per 100g and  8.2g carbs makes kabocha a perfect source of carbohydrates :)
Another favourite is butternut squash, but its preparation takes a little more time.
I can wait to check out spaghetti squash!

an inside of spaghetti squash

Kale chips

crispy, salty, healthy snack

Want some salty and spicy snack? Try super easy and healthy kale chips.

Kale is green veggie full of iron, with characteristic curly leaves. It contains lots of iron, beta caroten, vitamin K and C. In 100g it has only 28 kcal.

How to prepare chips from kale?

Wash and dry kale leaves and tear them into medium size pieces (I used packed, already washed kale).

Warm up oven til 200 degrees.

put kale on baking paper, spray a little oil on it and season

Put kale on a baking pan and spray oil on it, then season with salt and pepper (or chili).

bake for 30-40 minutes in 200 degrees

Bake for about 30 minutes until kale is crispy. 

done :)

Enjoy! :)