Hardangervidda/Flåm/Jotunheimen trip

As I promised, I am coming back with little update about my recent weekend trip.

As 17th of May is Norwegian national day and it is free, as well as 20th of May, we had all 4 days for ourselves! :)

the beginning of Hardangervidda - national tourist road

We started our trip from passing Hardangervidda - mountain plateau, which - on this time of the year - is still covered in snow and ice. 

Hardangervidda in the mid of may ;)

 Hardangervidda is an extraordinary place, which will be ever more special for me now <3

Stalheim hotel and mountains around it. Photo from visitnorway.com

Stalheim hotel was another destination on our trip. The view from hotels terrace is amazing, as well as the route down (Stelheimskleiva) - the steepest route in Europe!

view from Stalheim's hotel

grill on our way to next trip destination

 

marinated chicken was on the menu ;)

grilled chicken sandwich

Next 2 days we spend in wonderful small city Flåm, which is a Norway in a nutshell for me. 

 

Flåm in the evening

It has fiord, beautiful and high mountains around, little wooden houses and many mountain pathways for hiking, cycling and skiing. 

Up in the mountains with the view on Nærfiord

 We managed to take a proper mountain trip which took us few hours and was approximately 10km long. And found local brewery very welcoming the same evening :) 
We felt so good in Flåm and the weather was so amazing that we had to force ourselves to leave this hospitable place... :)

beautiful view from Stegastein

 Aurland's viewpoint (Stegastein) was the next on our tour. The weather was perfect for climbing up in the hills (with car this time) and admire Nærfiord from above.

grilled salmon - yummy!

grilled salmon menu :)

mighty Jotunheimen Mountains

Last, but not least, we crossed Jotunheimen - the highest mountain range in Norway. This was spectacular! But, I have to admit, very scary at the same time! We were there almost alone and the scope of mountains was even overwhelming! On passing mountain shelters, we met professional Alpinists who were discovering Jotunheimen Mountains by foot (and skies).

waterfall in Jotunheimen mountains

Despite it were only 4 days, I totally relaxed, charged my batteries and had a wonderful, and very emotional :), time. It was all about relax, chill, love, celebration and splurging! Like a proper vacations should be :)

first ice creams this year ;)

"Nordic's kitchen" ;)

Busy day, quick lunch

 

super tasty salmon sandwich served with steamed vegetables

Today I work double shift - first in the reception and as an instructor in the evening. I need energy and some quick lunch. 
I made myself a quick&tasty salmon sandwich. I used salmon which I prepared on Sunday (just baked in the oven and put to the lunchbox and then to the fridge).

For one sandwich you will need:
* 2 slices of low carb bread (or whole wheat bread)
* 50g of salmon (I used baked filled, but smoked salmon will be good too)
* 1 slice of 10% fat cheese
* broccoli and fresh spinach

I chopped salmon and put it between two bread slices, together with few broccoli tops. In few minutes I got tasty and nutritious lunch. I putted also no sugar ketchup on the top.


Nutrition value for one sandwich:
298 kcal, 25,5g protein, 15,5g fat, 11,2g carbs,

Girlie shopping list

I am home alone for few days before my Poland trip. I have to do some food shopping and it came out very, very girly I guess ;) 

On my shopping list there was:

* organic broccoli&bean soup
* low fat vanilla quark (mager kesam vanilie)
* cottage cheese
* glutenfree oats
* feta cheese
* flavoured rice cakes
* Coca Cola Zero (my weekend weakness)
* cod
* portion of salmon
* Skyr (natural non fat quark)
* sweet potatoes
* fresh green beans
* little avocado (hidden somewhere)
* sprouts
* fresh blackberries (my favourite fruit together with raspberries!)

Now when I'm stored with good food, I am ready for the next part of the weekend :)

My daily supplements - part 1: omega 3

I have to admit that I have a long history of taking "magic pills" which suppose to do everything for you - lose weight, strengthen your hair, eliminate cellulite and so on. 

In the end I came to assumption that nothing like balance diet and regular fitness routine can help you best. 

nothing can replace balance diet

However, not everyday is perfect. Not always there is a time to prepare food in ideal nutrition proportions. And sometime your body simply needs a little more than you can provide it with "normal" eating.

Since I have moved to Norway, I started to focusing more on quality of supplements I am taking rather than quantity. But, on the other hand, I had a chance to try things I have never tried before (thanks to MyRevolution Team).

So which products am I using daily and I can truly recommend?

Omega 3 - fountain of strong hearth, fresh skin and lean body!

In many research it is said that Omega 3 supplements are the most crucial one.
Omega 3 (which contains of EPA and DHA fatty acids) is essential and naturally ocurrs in fatty fishes (like salmon, mackerell), walnuts and flaxseeds. 

We need both Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, but nowadays the tendency is to provide 15 times more Omega 6 fatty acids than Omega 3 which cause imbalance.  That is why supplementing Omega 3 is so important.

Supplementing omega 3 helps with increasing HDL cholesterol level, strenghtening immune system, protecting your hearth &vascular system and and increasing symptoms of arthesis. Omega 3 also regulate your hormonal balance and helps your skin. It has strong anti inflammation properties. 


And, what is very important: omega 3 helps also in losing weight!  Omega 3 faster metabolism and increasing insulin sensibility. Simply speaking, it also protecting muscles as well as fasten their recovery.

Omega 3 supplement which I am using currently

I take my dose of Omega 3 daily. I do not have problems with drinking a spoon of liquid omega 3, but I know that for many it can be a problem. Take pills then :)

Preparation is the key

In rushy days try to plan your meals ahead. It is the thin I am currently working on. It will be easier to grab a lunch box and heat it than prepare each meal before you want to eat it. And you are sure that you won't eat any shitty just only because you were extremely hungry and there was nothing else to consume.

All the preparation is also time sparing - you cook rice/past/meat/veggies once and only divide them into portions. 

That is what I prepared yesterday: chicken/cooked salmon/baked salmon with spinach with rice/buckwheat and lots of veggies. There is also low carb homemade crispy bread for snacking.

From last week I try to incorporate this lunch box system for me and my beloved. Out kitchen looks like body-builders kitchen ;) hehe. 

Last week lunchboxes: chicken is soy souse with whole grain pasta and vegetables

 I basically use the same source of food for both me and my men, but with different proportions: more carbs and protein sources for him; for me less carbs, more veggies instead.

Another lunchboxes from last week: chicken curry with rice and veggies

Lunchboxes are life savers when you dropping home for only an hour (like I did now) and you already have you healthy meal prepared :)

Have a nice Monday! 

Salmon's lasagne

healthy lasagne with salmon and lot of vegetables

If you looking for some healthier alternative for traditional lasagne, you can try salmon's one, full with vegetables and rich in protein.

You will need:

1. Approximately 400g of salmon

Take the skin of and chop the salmon

2.Lasagne pasta (I used normal one, if you have whole-wheat - it would be eve better)

Try to use more vegetables then pasta - you will save your calories

3.Vegetables of choice

any other vegetables like broccoli, spinach, onion would also fit

4.Cottage cheese (to avoid using fatty regular cheese)

fat-reduced alternative to normal cheese

Preapartion is very easy and pretty the same as preparation of normal lasagne:

* boil water and cook pasta that it will be al'dente style

take a big bowl and do not forget to drop a little olive oil

 * pre-fry salom and spice it with salt, pepper, oregano, basil and garlic

use spices of choice, but oregano and basil suits best in my opinion

* steam/cook vegetables and mix them with salomon, put the first layer of your mix into oven pan

under the first layer you can use a little oil to prevent ingredients from sticking to the pan

* put anothet layer of pasta

cover first layer with pasta

* cover it with cottage cheese

then put a cottage cheese on it

* continue with other layer ntil your oven pan is full

another layer

* decorate it with regulare cheese

no casserole without real cheese ;)

* roast it for about 50 minutes in 220 degrees

And done! :) Enjoy!

ready to eat salmon's lasagne

Kettlebell swing and favourite dinner

How are you dear readers?

Kettlebell swin from today's workout

Training motivation is high and I used it with pleasure today.
Circuit 2 - check!

warm up: powerwalk on treadmill for 5 minutes
10 burpees*

burpee in 4 moves

 




* burpee is my love-hate exercise but it really warm-up all body! Try it! I don't say you will like it, but for sure you will feel it.




 The rest of Tuesday's workout consisted of:

* legs lunges with dumbbells 12x16kg each leg, 10x16kg, 10x16kg

good morning exercise

* legs, butt, chest, shoulders kettlebell swing 12x8kg, 12x10kg, 12x8kg
* glutes lying leg curls 12x15kg, 12x15kg, 12x15kg
* back, biceps pull up (on easy power station) 12x25kg, 12x25kg, 12x25kg
* back, chest, triceps chin up (on easy power statnion) 12x25kg, 12x25kg, 12x25kg
* shoulders upright barbell row 10x11,5kg, 12x6,5kg, 12x6,5kg
* obliques russian twist 12x8kg, 12x8kg, 12x8kg
* lower back hyperextensions 12x5kg, 12x5kg, 12x5kg 
* lower back, glutes good morning with barbell 12x11,5kg, 12x11,5kg, 12x11,5kg
  

This training was followed by one of my favourite dinner: 
salmon with sweet potatoes and broccoli - perfect combinaton of tastes and - at the same time - so healthy!

easy dinner in only 10 minutes

Circuit 3 and orange dinner

bulgarian lunge with dumbbells exercise

Sunday's training 

Today was the last training for this week, circuit three.
I had so much power that I also did some additional exercises and beat my own 3 records! :)

Today's total body workout:
* inner thighs side split squat with barbell 12x12,5kg 12x15,5kg 12x15,5kg
* thighs bulgarian lunge 12x6kg 12x8kg 12x8kg
* back bent over row 12x12,5kg 12x15,5kg 12x15,5kg
* back seated rowing 12x35kg 12x35kg 12x35kg
* lower back, glutes deadlift 10x40kg 10x40kg 10kgx40kg (!) my new deadlift record!
* abs kneeling crunch 12x22,5kg 12x22,5kg 12x22,5kg
* chest bench press 10x14,gkg 12x14,5kg 10x14,5kg
* legs, butt leg press 45 degrees 12x110kg 12x110kg 12x120kg (!) my new leg press record!
* shoulders lateral raise 12x4kg 12x6kg 12x6kg
* calves calve muscles leg press 20x110kg 20x110kg 20x110kg
* chest max reps of classic push up - I made 40 in a row (!) new record in push ups!

Sunday's dinner

delicious oven-baked salmon with sweet potatoes and carrot&apple salad

After work and such a great training there was a a time for a good dinner: salmon with sweet potatoes and carrot-apple salad :)

I am a big fan of apple&carrot salad, however I do not always have time to prepare it. You simply have only to grate carrots and apples, that is it!

don't forget to add few drops of olive oil that all the vitamins from carrot could be absorbed