LIVE HEALTHY... for you!!

Hi there friendly friends and happy Sunday!

Rest, recovery and relaxation!

Well, maybe not for me this Sunday.. because as I have finished school (and WACE and anything else I have to do!!!) everyday could be Sunday for all I know- so this Sunday was still a pretty active day for me as my weeks have no real starting or end point now- rest days are so randomly selected and yet I absolutely love it- look at me, living on the edge!! :P ;)

Any who, I started this particular Sunday with a challenging 94 min Fitness Blender 1000 calorie workout as I had an awesome rest day yesterday where I was still plenty active but my mind and body wasn't in workout mode- just fun in the Summer sun mode! (think beach, walking around, doing hand stand etc.) and so had the rejuvenated energy and motivation to smash this one out!!

And let me tell you- the sweat was real my friends!!!

Breakfast eaten (see my Instagram for the low-down on my utterly delicious creamy apple-pie oats), shower taken (essential), lots of water consumed (again, essential) and now here I am with you guys, about to talk about a topic that took me way too long to realise and way too much unhappy eating to experience!!

It's healthy lving- eating in particular.

First off, I'll start off with a sentence that just might blow your mind (because it seemed to blow mine, even though it's just so, so obvious). Healthy living, in particular eating doesn't have to be bad. It doesn't have to be boring, or a chore, or a one-siz-fits-all, this-is-how-you-get-healthy type deal. Healthy living and eating is extremely flexible and can be shaped and molded into any form you wish it to take.

For too long I was chowing down on plain quinoa and vegetables I just couldn't seem to enjoy the taste of with the thoughts of health and healthy living circling throuhg my brain telling me it had to be done to live a healthy and prosperous life (see my post on orthorexia about that one).

Same goes for exercise. Each day I would wake up and tell myself I had to sweat it out hard doing either a big sesh of cardio or lifting heavy weights in order to be the healthiest, strongest and fittest version of myself possible.

But that is entirely not the case.

It wasn't until I started listening to me, to my body and what it truly wanted that I started to see the positive changes. It wasn't until I granted myself unplanned rest days and movement I craved rather than felt I 'should' do (ie. choosing a nice slow run over a crazy legday, or an armday over an ab day because my abs were sore- just giving myself that permission to change things up). It wasn't until I ate what I wanted that I knew would still make my body feel energetic, light and full of energy, ditching the plain quinoa and the tasteless veg for my favourite meals, packed full of all the good stuff and more importantly all the tasty stuff!!

 Hello there big veggie sandwich, slathered with hommus, topped with spinach, avo, grated carrot, tomato and cucumber on a delicious warmed up purple wheat panini!!

 Eating the foods I truly craved and made both my mind and body happy, left me feeling so much more satisfied (essential for someone who experiences extreme hanger from time to time... ok, daily.)

 I enjoyed my meals again and looked forward to them and guess what? They're all still filled with all the nutrients and good stuff my body needs, so why did I feel the need to eat something I simply did not enjoy??

Eating for health and for you is the true way to a healthy life in my opinion.

 I love, love, love big smoothies filled with so much fruit and veg and this is one of my ways of getting in atleast two servings of veg before the day has even really begun.

This bad boy featured 1 large frozen banana, 1 large handful frozen zucchini, 4 cubes frozen spinach, small handful frozen mango, 3 big spoons greek yoghurt, 3/4 cup rolled oats soaked in 1 cup almond milk for 15 mins, splash of water to get things rolling!

 This is something I love and so now-a-days do it often because it is what my body truly wants.

 This was such a great smoothie- made with 1 frozen banana, handful frozen zucchini, some frozen mango, pineapple and mixed berries, 2 big handfuls mixed salad greens, soaked oats (like above), 3 spoons greek yoghurt and water- so, so tasty!

 The amount of times I've read having a savoury breakfast is so much more beneficial for health and will diminish sugary cravings throughout the day and quell appetite and yet, my body LOVES sweet, decadent, sometimes creamy, sometimes chocolatey sometimes ooey gooey and delicious breakfasts. Very, very rarely savoury.

 So why should I make myself chow down on eggs on toast when what I really want is a big mug full of sweet, delicious oats with warm, melty nut butter??

 This was my favourite oat combo of the minute- my vegan vanilla protein zoats (zucchini oats) with nutbutter throughout and leftover banana slices on top.

 Into the saucepan goes 3/4 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup grated zucchini, 1 scoop vegan vanilla protein powder, 1 sliced banana, 3/4 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup water- bubbling away over medium heat until thickened and absorbed, crunchy PB on bottom, middle and top for rich, melty nut butter in every spoonful!

 My mind, body and soul is so much more satisfied when I eat something I truly crave and with hidden veggies, wholegrain goodness, vitamins and minerals from the fruits and veggies, protein and dessert-like decadence, this truly is a perfect breakfast. For me!

 You might actually be the kind of person who craves a savoury meal upon waking, or some other form of brekky. You might be the person who prefers to workout after they've eaten their first meal of the day, or even their second or third (hello, night gym-junkies!!). You might be the person who cannot stand the thought of eating a big salad for lunch, or chowing down on steamed vegetables for dinner, and that is OK!

 Don't eat a sweet bowl of vanilla oats for brekky if you don't want to. Don't feel the need to eat poached eggs and avocado if you feel like a big fruity smoothie. Don't workout first thing in the morning if it makes you feel faint/ makes you dread your workout. Or do workout in the morning if it is when you are most energised and motivated.

 Whatever it is you choose to do, do it for your health. But understand that health is a very subjective word and one that is actually completely different to every single person on this planet.

 The magazines don't know what you eat, or how much exercise you do, or your height/ weight/ gender/ lifestyle etc. So how can they make any judgement of the exact way in which you should live for optimal health.

 The girl next to you on the treadmill has a completely different life to you, with different interactions, work, hobbies, tastes and preferences, body type, hunger, metabolism, etc. So how is her lifestyle going to work perfectly for you?

 The answer to those questions is they can't and it won't.

Living for optimal health is doing the things you love to do in a way that your body loves.

For me that means fasted workouts early in the morning. It meas big, sweet, dessert-tasting breakfasts. It means 3 bigger meals throughout the day and a snack in the arvo to hold me through til dinner. It means always having a little something to round out the day, even if I'm full from dinner because it makes me happy (Lindt 90% dark choc- you are life!!). It means understanding that I feel sluggish and tired in the afternoon so that's when I start to slow down and rest up. It means coming to terms with the fact that I dislike a lot of eggplant or cauliflower and that is O.K.

You do you and trust me, you will feel so much happier and healthier for it.

It wasn't until I started doing the things I actually wanted to do that my body truly responded in the most efficient and healthy way- my muscles that I've been working on for so long are finally starting to show up (with shorter, more intense/ different workouts) and eating the foods I want has left me with so much energy and happiness- this is health people and everyone's definition of health is different!!

Your turn:
Do you ever get sucked into thinking there's only one way to optimal health?
Worst thing you've done to get 'healthy'
Most hated 'health' food?

I hope this post was eye-opening for some of you, or just reinforcing what you already know so you stick to making the best decisions for your health every single day. Being kind to our bodies is so, so important and life should be enjoyed, not dreaded- life is such a beautiful, beautiful thing and you are such a beautiful, beautiful being!

So, listen to your body, you do you and as always; EAT SOMETHING DELICIOUS!!! Bye for now friendly friends!! :D

Leg Day, Dessert For Breakfast And Exploring!

Hidy-do there folks and welcome back to the place we can chat about food, fitness, fun and everything else in between.. also known as my blog.

Today's post is a little like a Hollywood blockbuster, if you will. A little bit of everything; action, romance, comedy... well actually food, fitness and sun, like I mentioned above. I recently received an invitation to share some of my favourite spots around Perth and I thought to myself; Heck yes! Perth's awesome, let's showcase some of my fav places to visit!

But before we get into that, here's a little recap of how my morning went so far (the fitness and food before the fun! :P)

Today is Tuesday (yep, well done Steph) and thus I sort of went against my standard routine of #Legday Monday by doing a brutal, jelly-fying legday today! So... Legday Tuesday?!

Here are my beautiful Instagrams to showcase the love I have for this day:

(If you aren't following me on Instagram, well let me just tell you- you are missing out on all the EPICNESS that is my wall. Sorry! Rectify this insanity by checking out @steph2chef! :P :P)

1000 squats, deadlifts, more squats, lunges, single-legged deadlifts, box jumps, chair stands, more squats and a lot of scrunching up my face and grunting later- my legs were thoroughly worked!

And so it was time to head on into the kitchen to make some FOOD to refuel those fatigued muscles!!

Which is where I found this lovely lass (otherwise known as my mother) sporting full pink as I rocked the full black- opposites!!
pic

Anywho, for brekky I made up these delicious bites of awesome-ness:

 That I like to call; No-bake vanilla protein chickpea blondies!

 With a side of mixed berry and zucchini fro-yo for that refreshing hit of creamy fruitiness!

 And to whip them up? SUUUPER simple! Just pop 3/4 cup rinsed and drained chickpeas, 3/4 cup rolled oats, 1 heaped tablespoon crunchy peanut butter (or any nut butter/ spread), 1 scoop vegan vanilla protein powder, 1 teaspoon maca powder (optional), splash of almond milk- whaz up until smooth!

 Then I simply scooped out portions and rolled into balls, flattening into squares for the typical blondie shape and then popping in the freezer on a plate to firm up a bit (probably 15-20mins) taste-testing along the way of course (this girl was HUNGRRRYYY!!)

 The fro-yo was simply a handful of frozen zucchini, a handful of frozen mixed berries and 3 big spoons of greek yoghurt, whazzed up until smooth and creamy- popped in a cup and into the freezer for around the same amount of time as the blondies :D.

 But seriously guys, if you ever want to eat rich, sweet, vanilla flavoured, fudge-like blondies for breakfast and not just 1 or 2 but 6!!!! Then whip up this recipe- it is so so good and filled with so much goodness too!

 Especially post-workout, this meal is filled with protein from the protein powder, chickpeas, nut butter and greek yoghurt- your muscles will be mighty happy and recovery will be optimised!

 Soft, chewy, delicious bites of joy:

 The ultimate way to start the day:

 #Dessertforbreakfast

Fitness, food and now onto the fun!

So if you didn't know already, I am an Aussie born and bred girl and so thanks to the email from Cara, I think it's about time I rattled off some of my favourite places to adventure to in Perth (because Perth is filled with so many awesome sites and activities)

First and foremost: Hillary's Boat Harbour:

A harbour for boats filled with restaurants, shops, small beaches, fish, arcades, a ridiculous amount of ice cream shops and smiling people and families everywhere you go- a truly awesome place to visit!

Next up we have Rottnest Island which is a short ferry ride out of Perth and is home to some of the most unique and amazing flora and fauna in the world!

Including this litte guy- the quokka (the reason Rottnest was called Ratsnest when it was first discovered- explorers thinking the island was filled with rats!)

Fremantle is also a favourite of mine to visit:

Filled with so many hidden gems of restaurants and market places (Freo farmers markets- the best!!) where you can buy anything from huge, freshly-made cinnamon doughnuts, to lavender scented bath salts- not to mention some of the best vegan and hipster cafes I've been to!

Health Freak Cafe will always be one of my favourite cafes to visit in Perth, offering so many different optiona for every dietary type:

As well as Voyage restaurant -right near the beach and offering some of the best foods I've ever tasted!

And on my wishlis this Summer: To go hiking in the John Forrest Reserve- looks so amazing!!

Ultimately though, the place I will most probably be day-in day-out here in my amazing Perth is the beach!

Perth beaches are incredibly beautiful and I live pretty much next door to it, so that will be the main place I'll be visiting this Summer!!

If you want more details about how to book tickets for local events in your area, click here!!

Alrighty! What a post! I'm sure you're totally overwhelmed by this Hollywood blockbuster and I would be utterly impressed if you made it all the way to the end!

Your turn:
What's your favourite workout of the moment? I'm loving all of Fitness Blenders workouts right now- so fun and challenging!
Favourite breakfast of recently? This guy takes out the ranks!!
Favourite place to visit in your home town? Paint me a picture of what it's like!!

Have yourself a truly awesome day, do something you love to do, be with those you love, smile lots and, as always, EAT SOMETHING DELICIOUS!! Bye for now friendly friends!! :D :D

Brekky Round-up!

Hey guys! It’s been a hot minute since I’ve shared with you what I’ve been loving on lately in the breakfast front- and as you all know; breakfast is not only the most important meal of the day but just so happens to be my utterly favourite meal of the day.

For whatever reason, breakfast time is when my creativity is at it’s peak, my stomach is at its growliest and thus my creations/ random throw-together-of-ingredients-that-I-call-recipes appear

 Like for example, these super choc protein oat balls- the recipe can be found on my Instagram and I definitely recommend giving a try! (Insta name; Steph2chef)

Recently there have been quite the number of tasty delights to start my day (honestly, how can people skip this ridiculously delicious time of the day!?!) and yes, most of them mimic the taste of some kind of decadent dessert or another because that’s just the things my body seems to crave when I wake up in the morning (savoury brekky, nah, I’ll pass.)

So, what exactly have I been noshing on for brekky

recently??

Well, do you remember that time I went through the ‘cookies for breakfast’ phase? One morning I woke up and had the most intense desire for one of those muesli-esque, warm, crispy, chewy oven-baked breakfast cookies and then this resulted:

 Super quick and super easy- I literally just throw around 3/4 muesli into a bowl with some cinnamon and then some warmed up pb and almond milk (a heaped tablespoon PB and 1/2 cup almond milk) and stir together- onto baking tray, into oven at 180 degrees celsius for around 15 mins (until golden) and then nom!!

Utterly delicious, filled with all the good stuff and a perfect way to start off the day!

Eaten alongside some refreshing and creamy mango froyo (frozen mango, frozen zucchini, greek yoghurt whazzed up until smooth and creamy)  it truly was a perfect breakfast!

Now, my two other obsessions came back strong these past few weeks as well: Oats and green smoothies!

 So many variations happening over here but these delightful beauty (that I just so happened to whip up today following arm-day- hence filled with protein!!) has taken the ranks as my favourite yet; A huge vanilla protein banana green smoothie!! 2 large frozen bananas, handful frozen zucchini, 4 chunks frozen spinach, 2 big scoops greek yoghurt, 1 scoop vegan vanilla protein powder, 1 heaped tablespoon crunchy PB- whazzed up in the Vitamix until smooth thick and creamy delicious!!

 And yes, this was basically just half the amount I made... the rest was eaten staright from the blender- perfect! :D :D

If I didn’t wake up craving the refreshing, creamy, thick, volumous delight of a green smoothie:

Than the body decided to wake up craving a big bowl of hearty, wamr, gooey, sweet oats, of whatever flavour:

 Like these gloriously pink cherry cheesecake oats filled with oats, 1 thinly sliced banana, frozen cherries, almond milk, water- cooked up on the stove until absorbed and thick and then somew greek yoghurt stirred through at the end- NOM!

 Crucnhy PB layered throughout (even coverage my friends!!)

 And lovingly devoured!

 Chocolate oats are probably one of the most decadent breakfasts I have during the week because they atste just so rich, gooey and fudgey that it just feels like your eating a fudge brownie warmed up and served to you with fresh bananas and love:

 But these guys are filled with protein, fibre, wholegrains, antioxidants and very minimal fat/ sugar etc.

 With an ingredient list of rolled oats, sliced banana, raw cacao powder, vegan choc protein powder, cinnamon, almond milk and water- greek yoghurt stirred in at the end- this brekky is almost too good to be true!

 Note the almost! :P :D

I think it must be a texture thing whereby my body flicks from creamy and slurp-able to thick, warm, gooey oats eaten with a spoon and nut butter drizzled throughout, melty along the warm oats, creating a pool of the most deliciously nutty taste.

 These simple banana oats made with rolled oats, sliced banana, maca powder, cinnamon, almond milk and water truly hit the spot the other day and the simple banana slices and pb throughout just topped it off perfectly!

Of course there have been some other experiments involving not smoothies or oats or cookies such as these delicious vanilla mint protein balls (throw-back whoo!!)

 Original recipe can be found here

Eaten alongside a delicious cherry smoothie for another perfectly refreshing pairing.

 As these are make-ahead and you simply pop them in the freezer until you want them- brekky can come together in no time at all (sometimes just what I need after my fasted morning workouts that leave me a little on the... HANGRY MONSTER side!! :P

 Just leave to thaw for around 15-30mins (depending on how soft you want them) and them nom them right up!

 High protein, filling fats, sweet, delicious and oh-so-good-for-you, what more could you want??

 I had a few other breakfasts tp share with you but I have noticed this post getting a little on the lengthier side, so I shall save those up for another day!

In the mean time- keep eating glorious, delicious foods that nourish your body and your soul and make sure you make your next brekky a great one!

Your turn:
What did you eat for brekky today?
Sweet or savoury breakfast?
Favourite dessert? (I'll grab some ideas as to what health-i-fied/ breakfast-i-fied creation to whip up next!!

Have yourself a truly awesome day, do something you love and as always; EAT SOMETHING DELICIOUS!! Bye for now friendly friends!! :D :D