Diet tip of the day: drink more water

75 % of your body is water - in fact, 70-80 % of your brain tissue consists of water. If you're dehydrated, your body and mind are stressed.
Every chemical reaction that takes place in the body needs water - basically, your cells need water to function properly. By drinking water I mean drinking pure water; not coffee, beer, coke, juice or other sugary fluids.

If you wait until you're thirsty, your body is already a little dehydrated. Symptoms of dehydration may include dry skin, loss of skin elasticity, increased wrinkles, dry eyes, thrist, tiredness, dry mouth, headache, constipation, dizziness or lightheadedness. Severe dehydration may result in low blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, confusion and fever.

Water affects your health extensively. Your body needs water to recover from injuries and diseases, to detox (cleanse the body of contaminants), and to improve digestion. Decent hydration will boost your energy levels, increase your mental sharpness and help boost your immune system. Drinking water helps you build muscle tone (helps muscles to contract better), decreases muscle cramps and lubricates joints. Best of all, water may help you lose those extra pounds you've been trying to shed.

According to a study (Davy et al. 2010) drinking water before a meal has been proved to aid weight loss. The study states that drinking two (2,5 dl) glasses of water before every meal affected the participants' eating habits - in fact, the participants ate in average between 75 and 90 fever calories during the meal. The participants were successful in keeping the weight loss even 12 months after the study. Basically, water makes people feel satisfied and keep hunger off, at least in the older population.

How much water is enough? That's a tough question, since a person's need of water depends on age, body size, physical activity and weather. An average adult needs at least two litres of water a day. You'll need a lot more water if you're physically active, spend a lot of time in a dry environment (for instance, if your home or office has an effective airconditioning system) or if your environment is very warm and you sweat a lot. Keep a glass of water or a bottle nearby to remind you to stay hydrated. When in doubt, drink a little more. ;)
Drinking much water won't give you a bloated body - water retention is caused by eating too much salt, not by drinking much water. In fact, drinking water helps you get rid of feeling bloated, since it flushes the body.

I'm not saying that water is a magic potion, but it can aid you in losing weight. Water makes you feel fuller and revs up your metabolism. Acccording to some sources drinking ice cold water makes you burn even more calories, since your body has to warm it up - but seriously, you'd have to drink a lot of icy water to lose weight solely on that method. A study showed that drinking approximately 5 dl of near-freezing water only burned approximately 4 kcal. Your diet makes a bigger difference to shedding fat.

Remember, that there's also a possibility to drinking too much water (water intoxication). Water intoxication is not easy to achieve, trust me. Obsessive-compulsive water drinking or an extended athletic activity, where the athlete drinks a lot of water, may cause water intoxication. This means that electrolytes (especially sodium and potassium) in the blood are diluted to the point that it interferes with brain, heart and muscle function. Athletes tackle theproblem by using sports drinks with minerals to keep their body in balance. 

Here's a link to an online water calculator, check it out!

A few tips to drinking water:

• As I said earlier, keep a glass or bottle of water close by at all times, to make sure you remember to hydrate. One tip is to fill a 2l jug of water in the morning and making sure you empty it during the day. I usually fill a 650 ml glass bottle with water three times at work - and I drink a big glass of water with every meal. Think of places you can stash your water bottle (your purse, the car, on your desk at work..)
• Create your own vitamin drink. For example, try one of my smoothies!
• Drink a glass of water with every meal. By sipping water during your meals you'll enjoy your food more and slow your eating. 
• Drink herbal teas. Try different infusions and enjoy them after meals - you'll aid your digestion by drinking a warm tea after a heavy meal.
• Try berry- or veggie flavoured waters (see picture below). For example, you could stuff a mason jar with ice cubes, citrus slices and some mint leaves - add water and enjoy.

Cheers!

/Ulrika

Picture source 1 2 3


References:
Brown, CM; Dulloo, AG; Montani, JP. Water-induced thermogenesis reconsidered: the effects of osmolality and water temperature on energy expenditure after drinking. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006 Sep;91(9):3598-602
Dennis, EA; Dengo, AL; Comber DL; Flack, KD; Savla, J; Davy KP; Davy, BM. "Water Consumption Increases Weight Loss During a Hypocaloric Diet Intervention in Middle-aged and Older Adults", Obesity 18 (2): 300–307
Popkin, BM; Barclay, DV; Nielsen, SJ.Water and food consumption patterns of U.S. adults from 1999 to 2001. Obesity 13 (12): 2146–2152

Clean eating smoothie: part 7

Good morning, fit people!

Today's clean eating recipe is a pineapple and berry smoothie. It's simple, it's packed with vitamins and other antioxidants and it tastes wonderful.

Now, before I reveal the simple recipe, I want to share the health benefits of the basic ingredients of my smoothie.

Health benefits of pineapple
Pineapples are rich in vitamin C, vitamin A and B-complex group of vitamins like folates, thiamin, pyridoxine, riboflavin and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, potassium, copper and manganese. Potassium (K) is an important component of cell and body fluids, helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Copper (Cu) is a helpful cofactor for red blood cell synthesis. Manganese (Mn) is a trace mineral your body needs to build bones and connective tissues, and it also is a co-factor for an enzyme which battles free radicals.
Since pineapples have these anti-inflammatory qualities, eating pineapples can greatly ease the pain of arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and gout.
Pineapples are also the source of bromelain (a mixture of protein-digesting enzymes). Bromelain helps regulate the secretions in the pancreas to aid in digestion, and it neutralizes acidic fluids in the gastrointestinal tract.
Pineapples are 94% carbohydrates, so if you're on a carbohydrate-restricted diet, keep your pineapple intake at one cup per day.
Always go for fresh pineapple when you have the chance. Here's a great seven-step wikihow article on how to tell if a pineapple is ripe.


Health benefits of lingonberry
Lingonberries are supposedly one of the richest sources of polyphenols. The little red berries are an excellent source of vitamin A, B and C and are packed with minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, sodium and potassium, and also flavonoids, especially quercetin. Quercetin has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, but it also has antihistamine properties that help alleviate allergy symptoms.
Lingonberries contain tannins that help boost the walls of blood vessels, resolve mineral metabolism and neutralize toxins. Like other dark red and blue berries, lingonberries boost the levels of good cholesterol and improve blood pressure. Also, lingonberries contain a berry biocomplex that reduces hardening of blood vessels. Lingonberries are and excellent addition to a diverse diet, since it improves heart and circulatory health. Apart from being rich in essential nutrients, lingonberries are also a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Health benefits of blueberry
The nutrients in blueberries include selenium, iron, potassium, copper, zinc, manganese, anthocyanin, vitamins A, C, E and B complex. Several studies show that blueberries can improve brain function and prevent (or slow) the progress of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Blueberries also improve glucose and insulin levels, and reduce abdominal fat. Like lingonberries, blueberries are a heart-healthy superberry. They also boost your immunity, since they are packed with enzymes with antibacterial and antiviral properties. The blue shade of blueberries provides anthocyanin, which is rich in bioflavenoid and antioxidants.
Both lingon- and blueberries are excellent to use both fresh or frozen.

Now that you know why I like my berries so much, here's the recipe to my antioxidant-packed supersmoothie:

Clean eating: Pineapple and berry supersmoothie
1 dl fresh pineapple chunks
1 dl lingonberries
1 dl blueberries
1-2 dl water, coconut water or any clean eating liquid you prefer to use

Place all the ingredients in a blender, blend until smooth. Pour in a tall glass or protein shaker and enjoy :)

Tip #1: I use this as an addition to my breakfast omelette. In case you plan on having just a smoothie for breakfast, make sure you get enough proteins. The protein count of this smoothie is really low, so feel free to add a protein powder or quark to the mix.
Tip #2: Since pineapples are diuretic (drive water out of the body), make sure you drink plenty of water with your smoothie.
Tip #3: For an added "superfood effect", add a tablespoon of maca, a teaspoon of Opti-MSM and a teaspoon of lucuma to the smoothie.

Now, I'm a regular multitasker in the mornings. I brush my hair while I let my dog out, I get dressed while my omelette is cooking and I enjoy half of my breakfast in the car on my way to work. Today I poured my smoothie in a protein shaker and drank it whilst commuting. It ain't pretty, but I got to get my natural vitamins in the morning!

Cheers!

/U

Picture source 1 2

Testing, testing.. FAST Pudding

FAST Pudding is a new protein product, launched by FAST Sport Nutrition in October-November 2012. Finnish personal trainers, fitness models and competitors have been "hyping" this for a month now, and I've been meaning to try it out myself to see what the fuss is all about. Now, because this is a Finnish product, I'll be writing this in Finnish, too.

The product comes in two flavours: creme caramel and chocolate. I got my hands on a 700 g bag of creme caramel. The bag costs around 26€ and will give me up to 24 servings of pudding.

The instructions are very simple: mix a scoop of protein pudding powder with 1,5-3 dl milk in a shaker, pour in a bowl and let it set in the fridge for 5 minutes before consumption.

Picture source

/// FAST Pudding on loppuvuodesta 2012 lanseerattu proteiinivanukas, jota suomalaiset valmentajat, fitnessmallit ja -kilpailijat ovat kovasti mainostaneet ja kehuneet viimeisen kuukauden aikana. Olen itse ollut jokseenkin kiinnostunut kokeilemaan tuotetta, vaikka aiemmat kokemukset proteiinivanukkaista eivät ole olleet maininnan arvoisia.

Tuotetta on kahdessa maussa: toffee ja suklaa. Sain käsiini toffeen makuisen 700 g säkin, josta ehtiikin "testailla" tuotetta jonkun aikaa. 700 g säkki kustantaa kaupassa noin 26€ ja siitä riittääkin noin 24 käyttökertaan, eli yhden annoksen hinta on noin 1€.

Puddingin käyttöohjeet ovat hyvin selkeät: sekoita yksi mitallinen (n 30g) jauhetta 1,5-3dl maitoa "sheikkerissä" (eli proteiinisekoittimesta, esimerkiksi tällaisessa), ravistaen seosta kunnolla. Kaada seos kulhoon ja anna seistä jääkaapissa 5 minuuttia ennen tarjoilua. 

WHAT IS IT MADE OF?

Nutritional info and ingredients of FAST Pudding (Creme Caramel).

Calcium caseinate is a protein derived from casein in skim milk. Caseinate is widely used by bodybuilders and other athletes. Calcium caseinate is ingested before bed or after a workout, as it breaks down at a slower rate than whey protein and supplies the body with a sustained amino acid release. This can help you prevent catabolism, i.e. the breakdown of muscle proteins. Additionally, calcium caseinate contributes to a feeling of satiety, aiding in weight loss. Also, calcium caseinate has a high content of L-glutamine, which is an amino acid essential to building muscle. Calcium caseinate is soluble and does not clot in the stomach. Other than possible allergic reactions, there are no known side effects associated with use of calcium caseinate. 


Inulin is a carbohydrate produced by many types of plants (banana, agave, garlic, onion and many more). Since inulin is not absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, it is considered a dietary fiber. Inulin is used in processed foods, because it can be used to replace sugar, fat, and flour. Inulin is generally recognized as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The consumption of large quantities (in particular, by sensitive or unaccustomed individuals) can lead to gas and bloating, and products that contain inulin will sometimes include a warning to add it gradually to one's diet. If you're interested in learning more about inulin, read this article.


Sucralose is an non-caloric artificial sweetener. Sucralose is stable under heat, so products containing sucralose can be used in baking. Sucralose is ranked as "safe" and is accepted by the FDA and the European Food Safety Authority, after reviewing more than 100 safety studies on sucralose.
 

// FAST Pudding toffeen ravintosisältö ja ainesosat:


Kalsiumkaseinaatti on maidosta johdettu proteiini, jota kehonrakentajat ja muut urheilijat käyttävät katabolian eli lihaskadon estämiseksi. Kaseinaattia suositellaan käytettävän iltaisin tai treenin jälkeen, sillä se hajoaa kehossa hitaammin kuin heraproteiini, taaten pitkäkestoisen aminohappojen erityksen. Kalsiumkaseinaatti sisältää myös korkean määrän L-glutamiinia, lihaksen kasvuun tarpeellista aminohappoa. Kalsiumkaseinaattia käytetään myös painonpudotuksen apuna, sillä se luo tunteen kylläisyydestä. Mahdollisten allergisten reaktioiden lisäksi kalsiumkaseinaatin käytöllä ei ole raportoituja haittavaikutuksia.


Inuliini on hiilihydraatti, jota esiintyy luonnossa useissa kasveissa (suurimmat pitoisuudet mm. banaanissa, agavessa, valkosipulissa ja sipulissa). Inuliini ei imeydy ruoansulatuselimistössä, joten se lukeutuu ravintokuituihin. Inuliinia käytetään yhä enemmän prosessoidussa ruoassa, sillä inuliinilla voi korvata sokerin, jauhot ja rasvan. Inuliini on Yhdysvaltain elintarvike- ja lääkeviraston mukaan turvallinen aine. Suurten inuliinipitoisuuksien käyttö saattaa aiheuttaa vatsavaivoja (ilmavaivoja ja turvotusta), jonka vuoksi inuliinipitoiset ruoat suositellaan otettavan käyttöön vähitellen. Jos olet kiinnostunut lukemaan enemmän inuliinista, tsekkaa tämä artikkeli.

Sukraloosi on kaloriton keinotekoinen makeutusaine. Sukraloosi kestää hyvin kuumuutta, joten sukraloosia sisältävät elintarvikkeet soveltuvat hyvin mm. leivontaan. Sukraloosi on luokiteltu turvalliseksi Yhdysvaltain elintarvike- ja lääkevirastossa sekä Euroopan elintarvikevirastossa yli 100 turvallisuustutkimuksen perusteella.

I mixed the pudding powder with 2 dl skimmed milk. It coagulated almost instantly, I had to scoop it out of the mixer - a pleasant surprise. The pudding felt almost like a mousse, not at all like a decent pudding. Not sure whether I like that or not, because the "pudding" was a lot lighter than I expected. The taste was OK, a bit too sweet for my taste. I'm not that into caramel flavoured products, so I'm a bit biased. I tested the product again with satsumas and grapes - MM! Now there's a combo I can honestly recommend. You can also add a teaspoon of raw chocolate powder to the mix to get a lovely chocolate pudding.

Sekoitin pudding-jauheen 2 desilitraan rasvatonta maitoa. Pudding hyytelöityi samantien, jouduin kaapimaan sen sheikkeristäni - olin tähän positiivisesti yllättynyt! Olin odottanut puddingilta aika paljon, tekstuuri ei ollut lähellekään niin hyytelömäinen kuin odotin, enemminkin moussemainen ja aika kevyt. Itse maku oli todella makea, hieman liian makea omaan makuuni. En ole hirveämmin toffeenmakuisten proteiinivalmisteiden ystävä, joten olen tässä puolueellinen. Toisaalta, söin puddingin välipalaksi aamupäivästä, enkä ollut kovinkaan makeanhimoinen, joten vanukkaan makeus meni mulla vähän hukkaan. Kokeilin tuotetta uudelleen satsuman ja viinirypäleiden kanssa - tätä komboa voin suositella :) Voit myös kokeilla sekoittaa pudding-jauheeseen 1 teelusikallisen raakakaakaojauhetta saadaksesi suklaisen vanukkaan.

Conclusion: The product is OK to use when you have a serious hankering for something sweet. The ingredients of the product are pure and suit most people well (but not for people with milk protein allergy!). Because the product has inulin and sucralose, I recommend that you start using the product gradually to minimize any side effects (see above).

Yhteenveto: Tuotetta on ihan OK käyttää, kun on järkyttävä makeanhimo - ihan perus "välipalaksi" tämä ei sovi ainakaan allekirjoittaneelle. Vanukkaan ainekset sopivat suurimmalle osalle ihmisistä hyvin (huom. ei maitoproteiiniallergikoille). Inuliinin ja sukraloosin vuoksi suosittelen puddingin vähittäisen käyttöönoton, jotta mahdollisilta haittavaikutuksilta vältytään (kts. yllä). 

Did I answer all your possible questions about the product? If not, leave me a comment :)

Vastasinko kaikkiin mahdollisiin kysymyksiisi tuotteesta? Jos en, jätä kommentti :)

/Ulrika  

Clean eating: Smoothie (part 6)

Hi guys, 

Hope you've recovered from all the eating on Christmas. I returned to work today, whoo-eh! 800 emails in my inbox, I thought I would die. Why didn't Santa bring me a nice-looking secretary for Christmas? I'm dissapointed.

I started this morning with a lean ham omelette and this smoothie. I added this picture (and recipe) to my Instagram, and people seemed to love it! Now I want to share this with a bigger audience. (by the way, my instagram account is @pug_a_licious. Follow me for new recipes (and "pugstagram" pictures, ha-ha).

Clean eating: Mango and blueberry smoothie
(serves 4)

Ingredients
1 cup diced mango (fresh or frozen)
½ cup frozen blueberries
1 banana
1 tbsp maca
1 tbsp lucuma
1 tbsp Opti-MSM
1 tsp spirulina
1-2 cups water

1. Place all the ingredients in a mixer and blend until smooth.
2. Adjust the consistency of the smoothie by adding more water - the smoothie should be drinkable :)
3. Pour in medium to tall glasses - enjoy!

Tip #1: You don't need to use "superpowders" at all - just blend the fruits and berries together for a nutritious smoothie.
Tip #2: In case you want to start using superfoods, start off with one powder. I'd recommend maca for a start - I use lucuma to balance the bitter taste.

I challenge you to try this one out - let me know what you think!

/Ulrika

Clean eating: Smoothie (Part 5)

Boost your immune system with this antioxidant-packed supersmoothie!

Clean eating: grapefruit and blackcurrant smoothie
(serves 3-4)

Ingredients
1 avocado
200g blackcurrants
4 dl grapefruit juice (or 2 large grapefruits, peeled)
100g vanilla whey protein powder
4+ dl water

1. Peel and pit the avocado. Put the avocado, berries and grapefruit juice (or grapefruit) in the blender and blend until smooth.
2. Add the whey powder and water to the mix, blend on low speed (if you blend it on high speed, the whey will foam). Add extra water to get the perfect consistency, if the smoothie feels too thick.

Tip #1: In case you don't want to use additional protein powder, like whey, substitute it with 400 g quark. Make sure you add enough water to the mix to get the desired consistency.
Tip #2: Vanilla whey is quite sweet. In case you don't use whey powder, add a banana or 2-3 dates to the smoothie to sweeten it.
Note: Don't use plain sugar (or even honey) if possible, never use artificial sweeteners like asesulfam K or aspartame. Use natural sweeteners like banana, dates, organic stevia or erytritol.
Tip #3: To kick-start your morning, use chilled green tea in stead of water. Green tea works perfectly for morning smoothies, since it's packed with caffeine and antioxidants.
Tip #4: This smoothie is really nice as a dessert, too. Skip the whey and add a banana to create a tangy, dairy-free, sugar-free smoothie. I like the freshness of this smoothie after a heavy and/or greasy meal, it leaves me feeling light yet satisfied.

Have a great Thursday!

/Ulrika

Clean eating: Keeping a dietary log

Hi guys,

I wanted to share my dietary log of one day with you guys - just to show you what a day of clean eating can look like.
My doctor told me that I'm supposed to eat at least one serving of dairy per day, plus one serving of wheat, oats, barley or rye for three weeks before undergoing lab tests. Normally I'd stay off grains, except for the occasional oatmeal.

Monday 29.10.2012
I woke up at 6.30, stayed in bed for an additional hour reading a cr*ppy Stephen King book. Drank 2 huge glasses of water before getting up.
I was at work from 13 to 22: a few personal training clients plus a few hours of customer service. Not bad at all.

8.00-8.30 Brisk walking with my dog
9.00 2 cups of coffee (with milk), 2 glasses of water, 1 glass freshly pressed apple juice. An omelette: 2 eggs, 160 g tomato, 1 dl chopped spinach, 50 grams Greek cheese.
+ multivitamins, Omega-3's and liquid vitamin D
11-12 lower body strength & plyo workout + 7 dl water (similar workout here!)
12.30 Recovery smoothie: 30 g whey, 2 dl semi-skimmed milk, 150 g strawberries
16.00 Chicken salad with pomegrenade, some yellow bell pepper, tomatoes and rocket. 7 dl water
18.30 1 pink grapefruit, 10 almonds. 7 dl water + a few cups of herbal tea with my friends
19.30 Tuna salad with bell pepper, cucumber, tomatoes, rocket and lettuce. 7 dl water.
21.00 Evening smoothie: 30 g whey, 15 g oatmeal, 1 tbsp coconut flakes, 150 g blueberries and 3 dl milk.
22.45 Omega-3's, magnesium, zinc, B-vitamins. 2dl water.

Nutritional info:
1830 kcal
97g carbs (22%)
76g fats (38%)
177g proteins (40%)

Workout info (according to my heart beat monitor)
Brisk walking 30 mins 172 kcal
Gym workout 60 mins 516 kcal
 

One simple picture to explain what clean eating actually is:

I don't really want to think of stuff as "allowed" or "not allowed", since that makes clean eating sound like a fad diet. I'd rather say "more fresh fruits and veggies, less white flour".

We (as in my hubby and I) eat organic meat and dairy. We buy our beef from an organic farm close to our villa - we know the meat is organic, grass and grain-fed. The final product looks (and tastes!) a lot different than non-organic beef. Especially ground beef is a lot thicker, it feels almost solid compared to the spaghetti-like non-organic ground beef.

Now, just to be clear, this isn't a diet plan. It's just my diet plan at the moment. If I didn't work out, I'd skip the recovery smoothie (~270 kcals). 

So, tell me - what does your dietary log look like? :)

/Ulrika

Picture source 1 2

Clean eating: making raw chocolate

My post on raw chocolate earlier received quite a lot of attention, and since I got a few emails about making raw chocolate, I wanted to share the recipe I (always) use.

Making raw chocolate is actually quite simple. You need to buy a lot of ingredients, but once you've got them in your cupboards, you can make raw chocolate as often as you like.

Clean eating: Raw chocolate (makes ~20 small pieces)

Ingredients
125 g cacao butter
1 tbsp organic honey (or a tsp Stevia)
5 tbsp raw cacao powder
3 tbsp raw lucuma powder
2 tbsp raw maca powder
a pinch of high-quality salt (pink Himalayan salt, grey sea salt)
(2-4 drops mint oil)
(nuts, dried berries or fruits)

1. Grate the cacao butter (or chop it up to tiny pieces).

2. Boil some water in a pan. Remove it off the heat after it's boiled.
3. Place the grated cacao butter in a bain marie and wait until all the solids have melted. 

4. Add the honey (or stevia) and the cacao powder and mix with a spoon until smooth.
5. Add the lucuma, maca (, mint oil) and salt and mix until smooth.

6. If you want a little twist, put some (crushed) walnuts, goji berries, mulberries or other dried fruits in silicone moulds and pour over the raw chocolate mixture.

7. Let the raw chocolate set for a few hours in the fridge (or if you're as impatient as I am, place the moulds in the freezer for 30 minutes).
8. Pop out your chocolates and share them with the people you love.

Our friends love these delicious treats. The chocolates in the picture above are flavoured with mint oil and I've added a few crushed walnuts. These tiny walnutty pieces were delicious! In case you haven't got greedy friends like I do ;) , these chocolates will store in the fridge (or freezer) for a week or so.

Try this recipe out and let me know what you think!

/Ulrika

Clean eating: Lemon chicken

 

I plan most my meals on Sundays and prepare most of them on Sunday nights or on a Monday morning before work. This is one of my favourite lunches, because it's super-easy to cook in bulk! You could easily cook 6 chicken legs at once, because they stay perfectly well in the fridge for 5-7 days. Freezing the cooked chicken is always an option.

This meal takes about 5 minutes to prepare, plus the 50-60 minutes it bakes in the oven. 

Quick and easy - what's not to love?

Clean eating: Lemon chicken

(serves 3)

Ingredients

3 chicken legs, lightly salted

1 lemon

1 tbsp sage

1 tsp rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit).

2. Cut the lemon in thin slices (appr. 1 cm thick).

3. Place the chicken legs in a large oven-proof bowl. Spice the legs with sage, rosemary, salt and pepper to taste. (I, personally, don't need any extra salt or pepper)

4. Place the lemon slices between and around the chicken legs and drizzle some olive oil on top.

5. Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes, until the chicken legs are golden brown and the meat comes easily off the bones.

6. Enjoy with clean eating sweet potato chips, quinoa or fresh salad.

Tip #1: Use different citrus fruits. Oranges, lemons and limes are great with chicken!

Tip #2: Bake a few potatoes, carrots or sweet potatoes with the chicken - lemon and potato is a great combo.

Tip #3: Use duck, goose or different forms of poultry for new flavors.

Let me know what you think!

/Ulrika

Clean eating: Sweet potato chips

Thursday treat: sweet potato chips!
 
Do you love chips or french fries, but can't stand the excess calories? Do you want to keep your meals clean, yet exciting? If you answered yes, here's a recipe you should definitely try.
 
This is one of the easiest cheat meals ever. If I can do it, you can. I really love the simplicity of the recipe. Few ingredients plus a really simple preparation is always a plus when it comes to eating clean!

The chips take about five minutes to prepare plus the 15-30 minutes in the oven. You could easily cut up the slices in advance to cut a few corners. I usually keep cubed and sliced veggies in the fridge to save time.

Ingredients (makes 2-4 servings)
1 sweet potato
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt, herbs and pepper to taste


  
1. Preheat the oven to 200C. 
2. Peel the sweet potato and cut it in thin slices (approx 5mm each). 
3. Spread the slices evenly on a oven-proof pan, drizzle on some evoo and the spices of your choice. 
4. Bake in the oven for 15-30 minutes (depending on the thickness of the slices) and enjoy as a snack or with some chicken.

Tip #1: Mix it up by using different veggies. Sweet potato, yams, potato, zucchini and aubergine are perfect for this, and they work splendidly together.
Tip #2: Use different spice mixes. Try cinnamon, different herbs (rosemary potato is one of my personal favourites) or a low-sodium & sugarfree spice mix (e.g. bbq or pumpkin spice mix)
Tip #3: In the summer, use the grill. A smokey flavour is perfect with the sweet potato.

Enjoy!

/Ulrika

Clean eating: Breakfast pancakes

"Start every day like it's your birthday!"

OK - So it's pancake time!

I've had an awful start of the week, so a mini-birthday-Wednesday was in order. I usually plan all my meals for the week on Sunday nights, making all preparations and shopping if necessary. This Sunday I prepared a few OJ&Greek yogurt popsicles and a few other treats to get me through a stressful week. Today's breakfast menu was unplanned, but luckily I always store these ingredients at home. I've tried a lot of different protein powder pancake batters, but I'm still not quite convinced. I really don't like the aftertaste of protein powder, especially unflavoured rice protein. If you've got a decent recipe to share, I'd be more than happy to try it!

The pancakes are dairy-free, flour-free, sugar&sweetener-free and sooo simple to cook!

Clean eating: Breakfast pancakes (serves one)
1 ripe banana
1 egg (organic, if possible)
1 tsp unsalted butter

Step #1: Peel the banana and chop it to small pieces. Preheat a pan to medium-heat.
Step #2: Put the banana and the egg in a blender, blend until smooth. The batter should be soft and airy, almost like a mousse.
Step #3: Melt the butter in the pan and make four or five mini-pancakes of the batter. If possible, use a frying pan made for pancakes to create prettier (and symmetric) pancakes. Fry the pancakes for a few minutes, until they're golden brown. Turn the pancakes carefully! The pancakes will rise a bit, but after turning them they will fall. So be careful when turning them, you don't want to ruin your perfect ("birthday") breakfast.
Step #4: Enjoy! Serve with home-made strawberry "jam" (the strawberries are really sweet by themselves, no thickening sugar needed - I used pectin for thickening) and some Greek yoghurt on the side. Yum!

So try this out and let me know what you think!

/Ulrika

Need to lose a few pounds?

Are you trying to lose weight? I probably meet people just like you every day at work. The reasons for being overweight are always different; just like we are different from each other. The main goal is nearly always the same "to lose weight".

Whether it comes to shedding just a few pounds, toning your body a bit or losing a lot of weight you should still have a game plan. In my previous post I wrote about setting goals. I strongly recommend reading it before getting started.

After you've written down a list of goals and things you need to do, this is the next step. I recommend a dietary journal for at least two weeks to get you started. After keeping the log for a fortnight, analyze it. Check for possible pitfalls, your eating rhythm (did you eat 4-6 smaller meals or 2-3 bigger meals?), and the balance of your diet: protein/carbohydrate/fat - ratio. In case you have no idea what I just said, take your diet log to a personal trainer or nutritionist and you'll get started.

Keep a journal of everything that goes into your mouth (drinks too!) for two weeks, and let's see what happens.. Here are the things that you should write down:

- Time e.g. 8 a.m.
- What you ate and drank The amount should be as precise as possible. You don't need to have a cooking scale though; it could be something like this: two eggs, boiled hard; one tomato; two cups of coffee with milk and sugar.
- Who prepared it? Did you make your breakfast yourself or did you eat take-out?
- How hungry were you before eating? Use a scale from 1 to 5, 1 being "not hungry at all" and 5 being "starving". Trust me, this one is important.
- What were you doing while eating? Did you watch TV, read the newspaper or fiddle around with your iPhone while eating, did you have breakfast by yourself in silence or with your family?

These points are important and really helpful when it comes to analyzing a person's eating patterns. You'll see your eating habits in a different light after keeping a journal - and you'll know what to change. Every single one of you readers probably know what a healthy diet should consist of, now you just need to make it happen.If you feel lost in the jungle of "healthy eating", send me a message to ulrika(dot)lillsunde(at)gmail(dot)com and we'll work something out.

Try this - you'll thank me later.

/Ulrika

//Translation//Käännös
Aikaisemmassa tekstissäni kerroin, kuinka määrittelet itsellesi tavoitteet. Viimeisenä pisteenä tavoitteiden laatimisessa oli ruoka- ja treenipäiväkirjan pito. Tämän tekstin tarkoitus on tuoda sinulle ohjeet oikean ruokapäiväkirjan pitämiseen, jotta varmasti onnistut. 
Pidä ruokapäiväkirjaa kaksi viikkoa ja varmista, että syöt sinulle normaalisti kahden viikon aikana. Älä huijaa itseäsi, sillä analysointi on silloin huomattavasti vaikeampaa! Kahden viikon kirjoittelun jälkeen ruokapäiväkirja analysoidaan. Tarkkaile siis ateriarytmiäsi (söitkö 4-6 pientä ateriaa vai 2-3 suurta?) sekä ruokavaliosi monipuolisuutta ja tasapainoa (proteiinit/hiilihydraatit/rasvat-suhde). Jos et tiedä yhtään mistä puhun, vie ruokapäiväkirjasi Personal Trainerille niin pääset alkuun.

Tässä muutama asia, jotka olisi hyvä näkyä ruokapäiväkirjassasi:
- Kellonaika
- Mitä söit ja joit (esim. kaksi kananmunaa, yksi tomaatti, kaksi kuppia kahvia maidolla ja sokerilla)
- Kuka valmisti ruokasi? Söitkö itse tehdyn aamiaisen vai haitko sen kulmakuppilasta?
- Kuinka nälkäinen olit ennen ruokailua? Käytä asteikkoa 1-5, jossa 1 on "ei ollenkaan nälkäinen" ja 5 "pahin mahdollinen nälkä". Pyri havainnoimaan tätä numeroa, sillä se on tärkeä!
- Mitä teit ruokailun aikana? Katsoitko televisiota, luitko lehteä, näppäilitkö kännykkääsi, söitkö yksin hiljaisuudessa vai yhdessä perheesi kanssa?

Niin kuin aiemmin sanoin, kokeile tätä kahden viikon ajan. Näet ruokailutottumuksesi uudessa valossa ruokapäiväkirjan pitämisen jälkeen - tiedät varmasti mitä muuttaa. Uskoisin, että jokainen lukijani tietää miltä terveellinen ruokavalio näyttää, nyt ei muuta kuin toteuttamaan sitä! Jos koet olevasi eksyksissä itsellesi sopivan ruokavalion suhteen, lähetä minulle sähköpostia osoitteeseen ulrika(piste)lillsunde(at)gmail(piste)com niin katsotaan mitä voin tehdä.

Testaa tätä - kiität minua myöhemmin.

/Ulrika

Clean eating: Smoothie (part 4)

Hi,

As I promised before, here comes my recovery smoothie. This smoothie serves as my breakfast smoothie, if I go for a quick workout in the morning. I feel satisfied really fast because of the avocado, the rice protein helps me build muscle mass without any additional (E-coded) ingredients. I buy all my protein powders and other dry ingredients online, I prefer iHerb or Luontaispörssi.

Clean eating: Recovery smoothie
(makes 1-2 servings)

1 ripe avocado
2-3dl blueberries
1 tbsp lemon juice (fresh)
1 scoop (30g) rice protein powder, unsweetened
2 tsp BCAA (branched-chained amino acids)(click here to buy)
1 tbsp (organic) maca powder
1 tsp (organic) lucuma powder
1 tsp (organic) raw cacao powde
1 sachet Pukka Clean Greens
1 tsp Opti-MSM powder
2-3 dl water
a pinch of unprocessed sea salt (or himalayan salt)

Place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Tip #1 Use different berries for a change in taste.
Tip #2 Use a banana instead of avocado for a higher carbohydrate content.
Tip #3 If you haven't eaten maca or MSM before, go easy on the amounts of powder you put in your smoothie.. Both maca and MSM have a very distinct taste, which you'll learn to like. Blackberries are a nice addition to smoothies when you're learning to use MSM, since the berries cover the yuck-y taste really well :D
Tip #4 I usually carry the powders in a tiny plastic bag with me wherever I go. If I don't have the opportunity to make the smoothie in a blender, I'll blend it in my shaker (with just water; no avocado or berries) and drink it on the go. However, I use a larger amount of water and maybe a teaspoon of goji powder just to get some berry flavours in it.

Ahh, the joy of delicious food. To be honest with you, I had to get used to drinking this recovery smoothie after my workouts. I hated it at first, until I got over the fact that MSM is derivated sulfur and tastes like cr*p. I still won't drink it with water so I'll have to mask the taste with berries. I know MSM is really good for my muscles and joints (I can feel the difference!), but for some reason my taste buds don't like it... Well, let me know what you think!

Over and out.

/Ulrika

Clean eating: Smoothie (part 3)

Good morning !

I wanted to share my most basic smoothie recipe ever. This is the base to all my weirder experiments (including beetroot smoothie, goji and cloudberry smoothie etc). This is also the smoothie I recommend to my nutritional coaching clients, just to get them hooked on berrylicious flavours (and to wean them off sugary treats in the morning). I'm really into making smoothies for recovery drinks. The consistency is a lot different, since I use protein powder and other supplements with the basic recipe. I'll reveal my secret protein shake to you some other time.

As you have seen in the previous smoothie posts (here and here), the smoothies are really easy to make. If I have a really busy morning, I usually place the ingredients in the blender the night before (and the blender in the fridge, ofc). I'm a regular multitasker in the morning: I usually brush my hair or apply my make up while the smoothie is mixing in the blender. If I'm in a real hurry, I'll pour the smoothie in a protein shaker and drink it on the go. "Fast food" ;) So no excuses for skipping breakfast!


Clean eating blueberry and strawberry smoothie (Makes 2-3 servings)

1 banana
200-250g quark
2-3 dl blueberries and strawberries
2-3 dl water
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
pinch of Himalayan salt or unprocessed sea salt

Place everything in blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!
The smoothie can be stored in the fridge for up to two days.

Tip #1: As before, try using different berries and fruits: whatever you have in your cupboards. Anything goes, as long as it's fresh (or freezed) - try to avoid canned products, especially if the fruits are conserved in glucose syrup.
Tip #2: For a dairy-free smoothie, replace the quark with coconut milk, rice milk or almond milk. I'm really loving the quark, because it's packed with protein to keep me satisfied all morning. Being creative is always a plus - so keep mixing it up with different bases ! Chilled herbal or green tea works really well as a base, as you may already know.
Tip #3: If you're used to making smoothies for one, you can store the rest of the banana in the freezer. Cut it up in "coins" and place it in the freezer - it makes a delicious snack or a base for your smoothies later in the week. One option is to make a bigger smoothie and freezing it in popsicle moulds for later. Mmmm...
Tip #4: Use different sources of fiber, changing it every week. Psyllium, flaxseed, chia seeds, other seeds and brans work wonders in your GI.

I love this smoothie because I always store these ingredients at home. My freezer is always packed with berries, a few peeled bananas, grapes and spinach, I always keep quark in my fridge - and my cupboards are always filled with herbal teas.

Here's to a beautiful day!

/Ulrika

Eating clean: raw chocolate ice cream

I used to be an ice cream monster. Seriously, I could gulp down a litre of ice cream in one week - that's an enormous amount of unnecessary sugars and bad fats. I felt really bad too - my digestion wasn't exactly thrilled about the dairy I stuffed myself with. And the guilt! Almost unbearable.
I've lived without sugar since April this year, when something just clicked in my head. I realized that all my workouts so far have been wrong, my diet was totally off and my stress levels were way too high. Now I'm eating clean and I do mostly strength workouts. And I'm feeling awesome.

This is my absolute favourite cheat meal so far. My weekend treat, the best way to start a Friday night.

Raw chocolate ice cream. Pure deliciousness in a bowl. The texture feels a bit like sherbet with a taste of chocolate and banana. The taste is just divine, so chocolate-y and sweet.

Raw chocolate ice cream (makes 2 small servings or 1 big serving)

Ingredients
2 bananas
1-2 tbsp powdered raw cocoa
1-2 tbsp powdered lucuma
½ dl chilled green tea or coconut water


1. Peel and chop the bananas and stick them in the freezer for a few hours.
2. Put the frozen bananas and the rest of the ingredients in a blender. Blend until the mixture is a fluffy smoothie. I recommend using a lower RPM on the blender for best results.
3. Enjoy!


Tip #1: Season the ice cream in different ways. My favourites are mint chocolate ice cream (using 1 drop of peppermint oil), mocca ice cream (using a chilled espresso in stead of the green tea) or coconut ice cream (with coconut milk as the base).
Tip #2: In case you need an additional sweetener, add a few drops of stevia or honey to the mix. Lucuma is a natural sweetener (powdered fruit) - I find the ice cream sweet enough with 1-2 tbsp of lucuma.
Tip #3: Raw cocoa and organic lucuma can be bought at several webshops, my favourite is Luontaispörssi. You'll find loads of superfood in this section, click click.

//EDIT: I made choco ice cream, and satisfied my chocolate needs quite fast. Here's the result of my raw chocolate popsicles:

I simply poured the ice cream into popsicle moulds, and stuck the moulds in the freezer. I did a small experiment, crushed a few blueberries in the mix - the taste was so much lighter and more fresh than a simple chocolate ice cream. I sincerely recommend testing it ;)

Let me know what you think!

Love,
Ulrika

Clean eating: Smoothie (part 2)

Part two of my "clean eating: smoothie"-series. My goal is to share different smoothie recipes for clean eating and "cheat meals" - i.e. reward foods. I'd go crazy if I didn't reward myself with some delicious smoothies, home made frozen yogurts or other treats. I eat clean 90% of the time, giving myself a 10% cheat margin for each week, i.e. 1-4 meals of pure delight.

Everyone deserves a reward meal, no matter where you are from reaching your goals. Having a reward meal every now and again is good for your metabolism when you're following a strict, clean diet. Eating a high-calorie meal has your body working hard to process the food and boosting your metabolism. So endulge once in a while. No need to count calories, when you remember the facts I list below.

The main thing with cheat/reward meals is to:

• Keep it in proportion. Don't make it a cheat day!
• Eat at a table, focusing on your food. Once you get up, the meal is over! No snacking or refills.
• Avoid large portions, fried foods and plain junk food
• Enjoy!

Now, back to the recipe.... This smoothie works really well as a morning smoothie, a snack or a special treat. The fiber from the apple makes the smoothie a little thicker than usual and fills you up really well. If you find the smoothie too thick, add a little extra water to it. Chia seeds work as thickeners, so make sure you control the use of them. If you find the consistency too thick, ditch the chia seeds.

This is a dairy-free and sugar-free smoothie. Really easy to make, too. I grow the ingredients in my back yard, but in case I need to buy groceries, I always prefer organic ingredients.

I love to vary this recipe by changing the liquid part. I get easily tired of eating the same stuff, and I often use different teas and veggie milks as base in my smoothies. Green tea has a detoxifying (and fat burning!) effect on the body and gives a caffeine kick in the morning. I'm one of those people who are caffeine-sensitive, so I don't make this with green tea if I plan to enjoy it after 4 p.m.
(I didn't include soy milk in my ingredients list. Soy doesn't work well for me, but you could use unsweetened soy milk as well, if you like it.)


Clean Eating Cinnamon Apple Smoothie (Makes 2-3 servings)
2-3 dl cubed or sliced apples (I prefer tangy apples)
2-3 dl raw spinach or oak leaf lettuce
2-3 dl unsweetened almond milk, rice milk or chilled green tea
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp chia seeds
(½ tsp spirulina powder)

Place the ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.

Tip #1: Make this smoothie with different types of apple. For a sweeter version, you could also use pears or add a banana to the mix.
Tip #2: No need to peel the apples. Blend the apples for a little longer for a smoother texture.
Tip #3: If you like to use spirulina, make sure that you taste the smoothie before serving it! Spirulina has a funky taste, and you might want to use smaller amounts before getting used to the taste.. Spirulina is one of the world's most antioxidant-packed nutrients. It's used widely by athletes and health enthusiasts, and there's a reason for it. ;)
Tip #4: If you find yourself "too busy" to make yourself a smoothie in the morning, make it the night before. Add a splash of lemon juice to keep the apple a light colour. The spinach and spirulina are actually natural preservatives (because of the high antioxidant levels), so by using a larger amount of greens you make sure your smoothie stays fresh a little longer.

I haven't yet made popsicles from this smoothie, but I'm eager to try it sometime. Today there were no leftovers (soooo yummy!).

Have a strong day!
/Ulrika

Clean eating: Warm meals (part 1)

The clean eating series expands with yet another category: warm meals.
The recipe I'm presenting today is the dinner my hubby made for me yesterday. Simple, yet delicious.

We don't normally eat pork, but Italian prosciutto is our weakness.. We eat it about once a month, usually in a home made pizza or wrapped around a fish or chicken fillet.
  

Clean eating: Pike by K. (one serving)

150 g pike fillet (skinned, pin bones removed)
2 slices of prosciutto, parma or other air dryed ham
2 fresh sage leaves
pepper to taste
1 tsp butter (for frying)

Salad
Spinach and lettuce leaves
Fresh veggies: cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, radishes (chopped)
50 g honey melon (cubed)

Dressing
½-1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Chili sauce to taste
Pepper to taste


1. Season the skinned and boned pike fillet with pepper. No salt needed - the prosciutto will be salty enough.
2. Wrap the pike fillet in prosciutto, leaving the sage leaves under the ham.

3. Heat the butter in the frying pan over a medium to high heat. Add the pike fillets. Fry for 5 minutes on each side, or until the prosciutto is golden-brown and the fish is cooked through.

4. Place the lettuce, melon and the chopped veggies on a plate. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and drizzle it on top of the salad.

Your plate should look something like this...
(Sorry for the blurry Instagram pics)

Enjoy !

Tip #1: Try this with different types of fish. For an energy-richer meal, choose salmon in stead of pike.
Tip #2: For a less-fat version, cook the fish in the oven. Heat the oven to 200C, leave the fillet in for max 15-20 minutes (until the prosciutto is golden brown and the fish is cooked through).
Tip #3: For a bigger meal, serve with quinoa and steamed broccoli.

/Ulrika

Clean eating: Salads (part 1)

Happy Monday, fit people!

The clean eating series continues with salads. This is the first part, introducing a heavy salad packed with protein and polyunsaturated fats. And it's delicious, too! This salad works really well as a lunch or dinner salad and it keeps you satisfied for a long time. I don't normally do dressings, but I love the taste of spicy chili with blue cheese and salmon.

I'm really bad at measuring things. Mostly I just throw ingredients together and see what happens. :D So sorry for the vague measures in this recipe (and the ones before).

Clean eating salmon and bluecheese salad
Fresh spinach leaves, mixed lettuce leaves and onion stalks
½ Diced bell pepper
diced cucumber
5-10 cherry tomatoes, halved
5-10 red grapes, halved
100-120 g smoked salmon (with lemon, dill and unprocessed sea salt)
30-50 g blue cheese

Dressing: 1 tbsp olive oil mixed with chili sauce and black pepper to taste.

As always, my recipes are easy to make. Place the spinach leaves and diced and halved veggies on the plate together with the salmon and bluecheese. Mix the dressing in a separate bowl or bottle and drizzle it on top. Enjoy!

Tip #1: Mix it up with different colours. Yellow bell peppers are packed with vitamin C, red cherry tomatoes are rich in potassium. Red grapes are packed with phytonutrients: the seeds are loaded with tannins and other antioxidants, the sweet flesh is loaded with fiber and the peels are rich in flavonoids.
Tip #2: For a non-dairy version, ditch the blue cheese and add a few almonds for a heavier protein and fat content.
Tip #3: Use as many organic ingredients as possible, you will taste the difference.

Have a strong Monday!

/Ulrika

Delicious coconut chocolate treats.

Healthy treats: chocolate coconut balls and fresh strawberries.

Most of my friends (and a few co-workers) comment on my diet a lot. Some of them think that eating clean means no treats at all, but they're wrong!

These balls are healthy and packed with antioxidants. They're not addictive, so you don't have to be afraid to eat the whole lot in just one sitting. They contain zero sugar and they're rich in unsaturated fats and proteins that fill you up pleasantly. So no desperate cravings afterwards.

They're really fast to make, it took like five minutes for me to throw the ingredients together. Easy enough for you? ;)

My healthy chocolate coconut balls
150 g organic peanut butter (my favourite is Urtekram)
250 g crushed organic nuts. I used mostly almonds.
1- 1½ dl organic raw cacao powder
1 dl organic rice protein powder
½- 1 dl organic cacao nibs
½ dl organic chia seeds
2- 2½ dl shredded organic coconut
150 g organic coconut butter (oil)
2-3 teaspoons organic raw lucuma
1-2 tbsp organic raw maca powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Some additional shredded coconut to top these beautiful tiny balls


Blend the above in a bowl, using a metal spoon to push the coconut oil and peanut butter through the dry ingredients. Don't be precise - throw in what feels right (that's why my recipe isn't that precise either). The dough will turn "wet" because the coconut butter will turn into oil, so just chuck in some more dry stuff (e.g. chia seeds) to adjust the consistency.
Grab little handfuls and form into balls. Dip the balls in some shredded coconut to get the lovely "topping". Put the balls on wax paper or a large plate. Stick in the fridge for an hour (or if you're impatient, in the freezer for 20 minutes). I was patient enough to wait for 12 hours for these babies to set - and they're gorgeous! I enjoy my coconutty delights with fresh fruits or berries.

You can tweak the recipe to your own taste - add some licorice root or maybe a little peppermint oil.. You choose :)

Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Kisses,
/U