My Top Tips to help you stick to your workouts!

It's easy to talk yourself out of working out! Even when you have the best intentions to work out, excuses are so easy to find - “I’m too tired” or "I’m busy," or "The weather is bad." Here are my top tips for staying in the game!

1. On Sunday nights plan your week of workouts! Treat them like an event so make time for them in your daily schedule! Write them down in your diary and put reminders on your phone!

2. If you workout in the morning, layout your training clothes and shoes before you go to bed so they are ready for when you jump out of bed

3. If you don’t train before work Have training clothes and shoes in your car so you can stop by the gym on the way home from work

4. Organise a active date/catch up during the week with friends or family. Other people will keep you accountable!

5. Have a collection of workouts you can do in your living room for when the weather is miserable and you don’t want to leave the comfort of your home. My SophiaFIT Home Workouts are perfect for this!

6. Set a goal! Write it down and stick it on the fridge or add it as a daily reminder on your phone. This will act as the driving force when you lack a bit of motivation!

If you are looking for the extra kick, send an email to sophia@sophiafit.com or click here. I would love to work with you and help you achieve your health & fitness goals.

Veggies - How many do we need?

Vegetables provide nutrients vital for health and maintenance of your body! The list of benefits Veggies provide is ongoing but below are a few of the important ones!

• Can help you lose weight
• Are high in important nutrients including potassium, folate, vitamin A, vitamin C and the list goes on…
• Can reduce your risk of certain cancers, chronic diseases (such as diabetes) etc.
• Help to keep you immune system strong, heart & skin healthy
•Keep your gut, digestion and brain healthy

HOW MUCH?
Adults need to be eating a minimum of 5 serves of veggies! For kids 4 - 7 years they need at least 4 serves and 8 -18 years at least 5 serves of vegetables.

WHAT IS A SERVE?
A serve of vegetables or legumes (yes legumes such as lentils & beans count as veggies!!)
1 serve =
1/2 cup of cooked veggies
1/2 cup of dried beans, peas or lentils
1 cup of salad veggies

If you are struggle to include your 5 serves of veggies into your diet, My Nutrition E Book & 7 Meal Plan E Book are jam packed with veggie inspired recipes! And you can still receive 30% OFF my 7 Day Meal Plan Ebook! You can add your details here or shoot me a message for the discount code!

Hearty Oats

Protein-packed, full of fiber and low on fat, oats are designed to boost your energy levels and help you lead a healthy lifestyle. Oats contain a wide range of nutrients including vitamin E, essential fatty acids and the list goes on!! They are not only good for the stomach but are interestingly super filling, satisfying and very versatile! Due to their versatility they are super easy to add into your diet whether it be your morning oats, your afternoon snack or even dinner!

One benefit of Oats that may actually surprise you is that oats May Help You Lose Weight!! By delaying the time it takes your stomach to empty of food, the beta-glucan in oats may increase your feeling of fullness. Beta-glucan can also promote the release of peptide YY, a hormone produced in the gut in response to eating. This hormone has been shown to lead to reduced calorie intake and may decrease your risk of obesity! And for those asking what is Beta-glucan.. Beta-glucan is a type of soluble fiber!

Now we all now the everyday uses for oats so I thought I’d share with you a two recipes that include oats that aren’t muesli or porridge!

Oat Burgers (Makes 10)

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup Coconut Aminos Sauce or Tamari
• 1 tablespoon onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic mince
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian season
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 cups oats
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1 tablespoon flax seeds

METHOD

1. Preheat oven 400 degrees. Bring water to boil in a saucepan.
2. Add Coconut aminos or Tamari, onion , garlic, Italian seasoning and cayenne pepper.
3. Stir in oats, cooked rice, walnuts, black beans, and flax seeds.
4. Reduce heat and keep on stirring until liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool enough to handle.
6. Using a large canning jar lid including the rim, form patties placing them on a lightly oiled baking paper.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, turning halfway. You may also cook in a lightly oiled pan on both sides. Top with your favourite toppings!

Banana & Zucchini Oat Muffins
Perfect afternoon snack or breakfast on-the-go.
(MAKES 16)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water (alternatively, you can use 1 egg)
• ¼ cup almond butter (or peanut butter)
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• 3 small-medium over-ripe bananas
• 2 small zucchinis (2 cups grated, don't squeeze water out)
• ½ cup almond milk (any milk will work)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups oats (alternatively can use gluten-free)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• Optional add-ins: ¼ cup of walnuts

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a muffin tin with coconut oil. 
2. Place flax and water in small bowl. Stir and set aside to “gel." 
3. Place bananas in a large bowl and mash with a fork. Add grated zucchini, almond milk, vanilla extract, almond butter, maple syrup, and flax mixture and combine.
4. Add oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and add-in's of choice. Stir until just combined.
5. Spoon mixture into muffin cups, filling to the top.
6. Bake for 23-28 minutes, or until a fork comes out clean. Store cooled muffins in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. These freeze well, too!

Egg-Cellent Eggs

Eggs, which have been a usual part of many people’s breakfast, definitely have a place on SophiaFIT’s Superfoods list. They are loaded with nutrients and as they can take up to four hours to digest, this protein can actually help you lose weight!!

Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet, containing a little bit of almost every nutrient our bodies require! They truly are the perfect food to be added into our diet!

One Eggs contains the following:
* Vitamin A
* Folate
* Vitamin B5
* Vitamin B12
* Vitamin B2
* Phosphorus
* Selenium

Eggs also contain decent amounts of Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Calcium and Zinc!

Along with containing all of the above, they are a great source of inexpensive, high quality protein with more than half the protein of an egg is found in the egg white!

Instead of loading you up with a plethora of facts about Eggs, I thought I’d just choose one!

Did you know that eating eggs can help you lose weight? I know this may come as a surprise to those who thought eggs were fattening or unhealthy, but a study carried out by the Rochester Center for Obesity Research found that eating eggs for breakfast helps limit your calorie intake all day, by more than 400 calories. That means you could lose three pounds or more per month.

The high level of protein in which eggs contain help keep you fuller for longer therefore decreasing the chances of you reaching for that mid-morning snack or over eating at lunch!

Don’t have time in the morning to cook your eggs?? Cook them the night before or meal prep on Sunday! Boiled eggs last for safely up to a week in the refrigerator after they were cooked or prep your omelette the night before whilst cooking your dinner!

It doesn’t stop there!! The use of eggs extends past the kitchen! Egg whites can be used for face masks to help tighten your pores and cure acne problems. For a quick and easy Hydrating Egg Facemasks all you need to do is combine 1 egg white , ¼ ripe avocado and 1 teaspoon yogurt!

Hopefully this weeks Superfood Series Blog has helped provide you some insight into how amazing eggs are! If you are stuck for ideas on how to incorporate eggs into your diet, both my Nutrition E Book & 7 Day Meal Plan Ebook contain plenty of recipes showing the versatility of eggs! Alternatively send me an email at sophia@sophiafit.com as we can work on meal plan together!

The Superfood Series

Welcome to the SophiaFIT “Superfood” Series! You’ve probably all heard countless times about the nutritional benefits of these everyday ingredients such as blueberries, kale, salmon, commonly labeled “superfoods.” Although there is no official scientific definition of a superfood, the theory behind superfoods are foods that contain high levels of much-needed vitamins and minerals. They can also be a source of antioxidants, substances that shield our bodies from cell damage and help prevent disease. Yes there are a number of common foods that provide these nutrients, there is also an array of more exotic and less mainstream superfoods that are worth getting to know!

Through this series of blog posts I will be going through my favourite and budget friendly “superfoods”! Enjoy!

Apple Cider Vinegar.. Yes, No, Maybe?

What is all the fuss about you may ask? Yes Apple Cider Vinegar is a great addition to a salad dressing but is it really a health miracle?

It is touted as a natural health cure, with a number of suggested health benefits such as weight loss, improved heart health & even treats dandruff. Although some of these health claims have potential, with small studies to back them up. Others, however, have little to no evidence of their validity.

Yes some small studies show encouraging results for apple cider vinegar's weight loss benefits. Though it may help with weight loss and health conditions, apple cider vinegar should NOT take place as a soul weight loss method!

Evidence-based weight loss plans encourage people to:
- Cut back or avoid processed foods and added sugars
- Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats
- Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week

Apple cider vinegar is good to include but definitely NOT an essential! If you are keen to try start adding 1 - 2  tablespoons to a glass of water to enjoy in the morning upon waking!

Are you getting quality zzz's?

Did you jump out of bed refreshed? Sleep is vital for your physical health as it helps support so many of your bodies functions such as metabolic function, cognitive ability, your immunity and even helps with balancing your hormones!!

Create a bedtime routine, allow your body the time to slowly wind down for the night as this will make falling asleep and waking up rested so much easier! Plus a well rested body means dramatic improvements in weight loss and general health!

Check out my top tips on ensuring you have at least 7 hrs sleep HERE!

Fail to Plan. Plan to Fail.

I’m sure you have all heard this saying many times but it couldn’t be more true! Planning will help you stay on track with your weight loss goals, improve your health and might even save you money. If you find yourself wasting time in the kitchen, spending hours at night cooking dinner or want to stay on track with your 2018 health goals then meal prep is for you! The benefits of meal prep definitely out way those few extra hours on Sunday you spend cooking such as it will save money and help with achieving your goals.

The key to getting ahead with meal prep is to have a few staple foods that you can batch-cook and use in a number of different ways. If you really don’t have the time, opt for tinned tuna, salads, raw veggies (think carrot sticks, cucumber, avocado, tomatoes, capsicums), fruit and nuts, which take no time to simply throw in a Tupperware.

Here are my top tips for Meal Prep!

• Invest in some quality Tupperware and ziplock bags! They will become your new best friend!
• Cook in large batches and store in the fridge or freezer to keep fresh for during the week plan ahead. Sit down and write a list of the meals you are going to cook and the ingredients you need
• Make a shopping list and STICK TO IT!!
• Set aside few hours a week to chop, cook and prepare your meals for the week!

Click here to download my Weekly Meal Planner!

My New Years Bundle contains both my ebooks that are filled with a range of delicious, easy & healthy meals that you can prep for the week! Subscribe to my mailing list to receive 50% OFF! Subscribe HERE!