Katie morgan

NN DAY 24 – MONDAYITIS

Published on November 24, 2014 by Katie morganLeave a comment

Well after yesterday’s blog post (HERE) which questioned how many of us are happy with our daily routine or how many of us are excited about Monday morning.. did anyone actually bounce out of bed, have an awesome brekkie, grab a coffee and sit down at their computer with a big ‘Friday’ smile on their face?

Well I must admit – although I try ever so hard to practice what I preach – I am still suffering from a case of Mondayitis. It all started promising as I began making a banana raspberry and chia smoothie (simply 1 frozen banana, 1/2 cup frozen raspberries, 1/2 cup oats, 1+ cups almond/coconut milk and 1Tbs chia seeds) AND then the blender leaked and short circuited the power. I didn’t know how to ‘fix’ this so I just went upstairs, 1/2 blended chunky (but still delicious) smoothie in hand and got Mr Fix it!!

Alas I was then driven to work (such a delight) and am now sitting down at my desk with my insanely delicious creamy hot coffee (great coffee from ‘Remedy’ Lonsdale Street Roasters for those curious Canberran’s) and have got the diary out to plan the week ahead. And then the Mondayitis kicks in. Busy week, submissions due, multiple evening events, things to catch up on…. and my coffee is now empty! I love what I do but sometimes we all need that little Monday pick me up!

So lets kick that Mondayitis in the butt by making these 6 simple promises to ourselves everyday this week. After all it is the last week of Nutritional November and also the last week of spring before our healthy and happy December begins! Side note 30 days 14 hours 32 minutes 01 seconds until Christmas (whose counting?)

1. I will…. set time aside for the most important person in my life… ME!! hello cuppa, couch and a magazine

2. I will … get some fresh air every day either by eating my lunch outside or taking a quick walk to the coffee shop

3. I will… always try and see the fun and not take things too seriously

4. I will… accept my strengths as well as my flaws

5. I will… keep in mind that I cannot control everything but instead control my way of thinking

6. I will… appreciate the simple things in life like a nice view, a pretty flower or a delicious treat

On that note HAPPY MONDAYITIS – I need another coffee …

NN DAY 23 – LOVE WHAT YOU DO

Published on November 23, 2014 by Katie morgan1 Comment

If you don’t love what you do everyday then change it. Life is too short to be unhappy and stuck in a routine that you don’t enjoy. Some people thrive on routine and others like the live in the moment and take each day at a time. Both of these ways of living are completely fine… As long as you are happy with what you are doing and the direction your are heading!

After reading a gorgeous article by Raylene Samuels about life and making the change for happiness it inspired me to think about the following…

1. Are you happy ?
2. Do you love what you do?
3. Are you excited for Monday morning?
4. Are you heading in the right direction?
5. Can you change it?

She says “Regardless of which stage in your life you are right now, it is never too late to pursue and live your dream, it is never too late to make a difference –whether it is in your own life, or others’ lives.”

It may be hard, but embrace the struggles knowing that with time, patience, and consistent persistence, you will eventually reap the rewards!

“The key to happiness is to have dreams. The key to success is to make them come true” – James Allen

NN DAY 20 – AVOCADO MOUSSE

Published on November 20, 2014November 20, 2014 by Katie morgan6 Comments

Gone are the days of RIDICULOUSLY expensive avocados and thank goodness for that.

I am a huge fan of avocado and consume on average 1/2 an avo a day. On toast in the morning, in my banana smoothie for morning tea, in my sanga for lunch, on crackers for arvo tea, in a salad with dinner or hidden in a decadent chocolate dessert. You name it – there is always a place for avo.

And finally Australian avocados are in season and super ripe and ready for consumption at an affordable price. The other day I managed to get my hands on 2 seriously over ripe large avocados for $3 which only meant one thing… avocado mousse!!

This is without fail one of the most simple and impressive desserts to whip up and impress people with and all you need is a food processor. Give it a try for your next dinner party or make some tonight for a mid week dessert! Go on you deserve it!!

AVOCADO CHOCOLATE MOUSSE – Serves 2

(you can double, triple or even quadruple the recipe depending on how many mouths you are impressing)

1 whole large ripe avocado (the riper the better)

2Tbs cacao powder

2Tbs honey

6-8 dates

Handful of walnuts, macadamia or cashew nuts

1tsp Vanilla extract

1/4tsp sea salt

Place ALL ingredients into the food processor and process until thick, smooth and creamy. Place in fridge for at least 1 hour to chill and then serve some cold generous servings and enjoy!!

Extra; if you like choc mint you can add some mint leaves or peppermint essence if desired!!

ps. you wont believe its avocado !!

NN DAY 18 – TO THE BEAT

Published on November 18, 2014November 20, 2014 by Katie morganLeave a comment

Firstly I must start by saying that this post needs a “LANGUAGE WARNING” and is aimed at those with young ears!! Yes mum I am talking to you – don’t go blasting these songs to your gorgeous PT clients at 6am, because I can guarantee that both them and the neighbours won’t appreciate it!

These songs are loud and obnoxious with a great beat to lift your mood and get your heart rate firing! But isn’t that what we need to get that awesome sweat dripping workout under the belt. I am the one in the gym whose ear phones are so loud you can comfortably listen to my music standing meters away from me. Yes this is bad for your ears, and my lovely other half constantly tells me to turn it down (and he is completely correct) although how am I expected to do a burpee without J-Lo blasting in my ear to ‘get right’ ?

So here goes. After much internet research I have come up with a list of the 10 best workout songs for 2014. The sooner you get them on your iPod the sooner you can get your sweat on! Enjoy

Drake “0-100/ The Catch-Up” – Best for Cardio

Chromeo “Jealous (I Ain’t With It)” – Best for Zumba or Dance

Nicki Minaj f/ Soulja Boy “Yasss Bish” – Best for outdoor cardio

Kid Cudi f/ Raphael Saadiq “Balmain Jeans” – Best for Yoga

Migos “Fight Night” – Best for Bootcamps

Future f/ Pharrell, Pusha T & Casino “Move That Dope” – Best for High Intensity Interval training (HIIT workout on blog HERE)

Cam’ron & A-Trak f/ Juelz Santana “Dipshits” – Best for Running

Iggy Azalea f/ Charli XCX “Fancy” – Best for RPM or Spin Class

Wiz Khalifa “We Dem Boyz” – Best for total body conditioning (try my kettlebell workout HERE)

Lil Wayne f/ Drake “Believe Me” – Weight training

Apologies as this post is not for everyone!! Tomorrow’s will be full of peanut butter goodness or something more calmer!!

Photo Cred to the amazing sisters of Base Body Babes. @basebodybabes

NN DAY 16 – AB WORKOUT

Published on November 16, 2014November 14, 2014 by Katie morgan1 Comment

Too many wines or cheese last night? No worries. The number one rule of a healthy lifestyle IS NO GUILT!!! Guilt only causes stress which inevitably causes weight gain so let it go! An indulgent Saturday night was probably exactly what you needed after a busy week!!

Want to get your body moving?? I am calling this THE ‘AB‘ WORKOUT. Not only is it an ‘abdominal’ workout it is also a created by the amazingly talented West Aussie icon ‘Amanda Bisk’ aka AB. This girl has an out of control gorgeous strong body and is stunning on the inside and out. I got this quick little Ab burner from her super popular instagram page >> @amandabisk but for more workouts and great healthy advice head to her blog for a sunday read HERE!! Thanks Amanda!!!

THE AB WORKOUT

3 ROUNDS

20 x sit ups

20 x side crunches (each side)

20 x knee to elbow plank

20 x alternating toe touches

There is a video of her completing these exercises if you need more information on her instagram page @amandabisk! just scroll through and have a ponder!

NN DAY 15 – KNOCK ONE BACK

Published on November 15, 2014November 14, 2014 by Katie morganLeave a comment

Dear Red Wine drinkers; I have wonderful news… your red wine habit also happens to come with some happy health benefits, such as protecting your ticker and even slimming your waistline. Winding down with a glass of vino is a good call all round.

Red wine is good for your heart; it contains resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant compound which protects your heart and arteries against the effects of saturated fats (which we now know all about after yesterdays post HERE) and can prevent the formation of blood clots as your levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol rises.

Red wine contains antioxidants; containing a number of other antioxidants which can slow the signs of aging, osteoporosis and prevent degenerative illnesses like diabetes. These antioxidants can also help fight off a cold, prevent tooth decay by hardening the enamel and protecting the gums, AND believe it or not prevent the growth of fat cells which essentially block the pathways necessary for immature fat cells to mature and grow.

Red wine controls your blood sugar; the skin of red grapes – which is where the rich antioxidant sources lie – actually help diabetics regulate their blood sugar levels. Researches suspect that resveratrol may help stimulate insulin secretion or activate protein that helps regulate glucose and insulin sensitivity.

But above all, red wine makes us happy! It creates an atmosphere that is social, fun and gives us that extra boost of confidence we need to kick off our heels and let our hair down. And lets be honest, we all know the more vinos we consume the louder, more funny and sexier we get right?? Until we cross the line of TOO MANY and it’s time to go home … (and eat the entire fridge contents and sleep << please note this behaviour is NOT promoted) If you get hangovers have a read of my healthy hangover cure on the blog HERE.

Although red wine has well known health benefits, drinking any alcoholic beverage in excess can lead to serious health problems, so of course limit yourself to not more than 2 glasses a day. Now how many of you just read that and thought… “well if I don’t drink Monday – Thursday does that mean those 8 glasses can be added to my Friday’s 2 glass allowance so I can knock back 10 glasses and still be under the ‘healthy’ limit….” well NO!! Sorry is doesn’t work that way. Stick to two glasses a day! (except for special events and one off occasions) remember it matters more what you do everyday than what you do once in a while!

Fun fact; pinot noir grapes have the highest resveratrol content

SAY CHEERS TO GOOD HEALTH

NN DAY 14 – THE BIG FAT TRUTH

Published on November 14, 2014 by Katie morgan4 Comments

IF YOU WANT TO LOSE FAT – YOU HAVE GOT TO EAT FAT

Now for some this does sound crazy I understand … but honestly I could not offer a better tip that just that. Although as usual there is the fine print with such a statement. You have to eat the RIGHT types of fat which are essential to our diet and important for good health. These are the GOOD FATS. But what are the different types of fats and which ones are good or better than others??

Simple!! Here is a quick and easy explanation to help you understand.

SATURATED FATS; These fats are usually solid at room temperature ie fats in meat, coconut, butter and cheese. These fats are important however eating excessive amounts of these fats are NOT good for our overall health.

UNSATURATED FATS; There fats ARE IMPORTANT to our health and should be consumed on a daily basis. Unsaturated fats decrease the risk of heart disease, lower cholesterol and reduce/prevent belly fat (yes please). There are TWO TYPES of unsaturated fats – Mono and Poly;

Mono-unsaturated fat; are the omega 3 fats found in chia seeds and oily fish ie salmon and omega 6 fats found in some oils and nuts such as sunflower oil and brazil nuts.

Poly-unsaturated fat; found in olive and canola oil and nuts and seeds such as cashews, almonds and flaxseeds.

UGLY TRANS-FATS; trans fats are unsaturated fats that have been processed and as a result act as saturated fats. eating trans fats ARE BAD!!! they are found in most packages foods and also in some butters and margarines. Use food labels to seek out these trans fats.

YOU SHOULD BE FOCUSSING ON INCLUDING AS MANY UNSATURATED FATS AS POSSIBLE INTO YOUR DAILY DIET

Here are 5 healthy unsaturated fats that you should include in your diet tomorrow! See how many you can get on your plate and make the smart swap!!

1. Avocado

2. Almonds and cashews

3. Salmon or tuna

4. Olive oil

5. Peanut butter

I happily eat every single one of the above 5 favourite fats on a daily basis and my body could not thank me more for it!! (satay salmon stir fry topped with cashews followed by avocado mousse for dessert?) A lot of people have always thought that products with ‘low-fat’ or ‘diet’ written on them are always the better choice. However I personally believe this is incorrect. The only reason such products are ‘low fat or fat free’ is because the fat has been artificially extracted and most likely replaced with sugar and chemicals. (hello chemical sh*t storm) Eat whole products like whole fat milk and whole fat yoghurt. Fat will keep you fuller for longer and avoid sugar spikes or cravings meaning you are less likely to pig out on junk foods and the ugly trans fats.

Have a generous thumb size amount of fat in EVERY meal or snack. It digests slowly, so you feel satisfied for a longer period and eat less overall. Reach for a few of these heart healthy fats every day!!!

NN DAY 13 – STRETCH IT OUT

Published on November 13, 2014 by Katie morgan4 Comments

Ever noticed how babies can grab their feet and lift them up to their mouth or head with ease? Yep that’s right every single one of us has been able to touch our toes at some point in our lives. You may not still be able to swing it up to your ears but that’s because our legs are a lot longer and our flexibility decreases and tightens over time if we don’t stretch.

“Stretching releases dopamine which helps you feel happier and more positive about the world”

One of the most important parts of exercising is warming up and cooling down and of course STRETCHING! I am sure we are all guilty of it – me number one – of neglecting the stretch. I try to do pilates, yoga and body balance at my local gym but this is probably once I week if I am lucky – which lets face it, is not enough mat time. 10-15 minutes a day is all it takes and trust me your body will thank you for it. Especially if you sit at your desk all day – a good old spine stretch could be just the ticket to a perfect nights sleep!

Stretching is also great for;

– relieving PMS pain, emotional imbalance and bloating

– loosening the muscles which relieves fatigue so you can exercise longer

– improving concentration as the blood flows around the body

– lengthening your muscles to prevent tear or injury

– increasing circulation

Here are 10 simple ‘yoga’ stretches/positions to try tonight. Hold each stretch for 45-60 seconds. It will only take 10 minutes of your time – so bung the dinner in the oven and get stretching whilst you wait!

Pelvic tilt

Cat-cow stretches

Downward facing dog pose

Pigeon pose

Lunge hip flexor stretch

Pyramid pose

Mountain pose

Standing forward bend

Seated twist pose

Savasana pose

Try this 10 minute sequence 2-3 times a week and see how you feel. Challenge yourself to get deeper into each stretch and take note of how your flexibility increases over time! Your body is the only place you have to live forever SO TAKE CARE OF IT!!

STRETCH IT OUT

NN DAY 12 – HIIT WORKOUT

Published on November 12, 2014 by Katie morgan1 Comment

Firstly HIIT huh?? HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. If you have heard the buzz surrounding it, you now that it’s a super fast, very effective way to work out. Basically HIIT involves short intense bursts of exercise with less intense moves or complete rest in between.

The reason why so many people are loving HIIT at the moment is because it is crazy efficient as you only need to spend 15-30 minutes in the gym whilst still coming out with the same if not more benefits as the usual 1 hour class.

When you turn up the intensity on your workout you are making your heart work harding as your heart rate sky rockets.

HERE IS A SIMPLE 15 MIN HIIT SESSION TO GET YOUR COVERED IN SWEAT AND FEELING AWESOME (well not during it but after I bet you will)

Now I say simple because the exercises are simple ‘to understand’ however this quick feisty workout is anything but easy. There are 5 exercises. Complete each exercise for a total on 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds of rest before moving on to exercise 2, 3, 4 and 5 etc. Rest for 90 seconds at the end of the first set (once all 5 exercises are complete) and then repeat a total of 3 rounds.

1. Squats (add small jump for the advanced)

2. Push ups

3. Kettlebell Swings (it wouldn’t be a kale and the kettlebell circuit without one. Full kettlebell workout on the blog HERE)

4. Step ups (can use a step or bench/chair 30-50cm high)

5. Plank (now that you know the correct form from Friday’s NN DAY 7 post HERE)

REST 90 seconds!!! Complete 3 rounds in total

Try your absolute hardest for the 20 seconds and earn your 10 second rest. The harder your push the more intense the intervals are and therefore the higher your heart rate will go burning more fat and calories. GOODLUCK!!

Photo source: www.sweatandoranges.com.au

NN DAY 11 – GO BANANAS

Published on November 11, 2014November 12, 2014 by Katie morgan4 Comments

Bananas have always been one of my favourite fruits. If you think bananas are just for monkeys… think again. But hey we are part monkey after all right? And a banana was probably the first solid food that you ever ate as a baby.

HAVE YOU HAD YOUR BANANA TODAY??

Bananas are great for maintaining healthy digestion, lowering blood pressure and curbing appetite. They are dubbed natures energy snack and are great brain food to help keep you alert at work. Because they are rich in potassium, bananas are good for heart and kidney health as well as bone density. They nourish healthy bacteria in the digestive system and help the body to absorb nutrients and resist bacterial infection.

Nutritionally, a banana is a powerful package. The number one quick source of carbohydrates for many athletes or people working out, a banana will give you a sustained and substantial energy boost which is quickly digested and converted to muscle fuel, great for pre or post workout nutrition. They are easy to transport in your handbag (just don’t forget about it), backpack, work draw or car so they make the perfect on the go snack.

How can you look at a banana the same way again after discovering the amazing health benefits and many reasons to add them to your diet DAILY! and why wouldn’t you when they GO WITH ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING! Smoothies, ice cream, healthy slices, muffins RECIPE HERE, mug cakes RECIPE HERE and pancakes RECIPE HERE. In fact I don’t think there are many of my clean living recipes that DON’T use a banana.

CONVINCED YET? TRY THIS CREAMY BANANA AVOCADO SMOOTHIE BELOW.

CREAMY BANANA AVOCADO SMOOTHIE RECIPE – serves 1 (simply double recipe for 2 people)

1 ripe banana (fresh or frozen)

1/2 avocado

1 cup dairy, soy or almond milk

1tsp cinnamon

1Tbs raw honey

1Tbs chia seeds

1Tbs peanut butter

Handful of ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Enjoy!!