Wednesday 31 December 2014

Digestive system

Rule 69

Be easy on your digestive system…

Yes it’s a rule!
So many of us suffer from problems of digestion (some more often then other), so I’ve decided to give you a few tips.
  • 1.       Make sure you exercise or do some kind of activity to get you your blood flowing
  • 2.       Make sure you eat a variety of veggies (check previous post and you’ll see how many veggies have the power to help you)
  • 3.       Cut on sugar and flour
  • 4.       Drinks lots of water (I’m talking about 4 liters)
  • 5.       Drink less caffeinated drinks (soda and hot chocolate count as caffeinated)
  • 6.       Drink tea with mint, honey and ginger

And if that still didn’t help you need to switch gear and for a few days eat cooked veggies and not raw ones!

Sounds bizarre because we got used to thinking raw veggies are the cure for everything, but just as I like to remind my clients: out body is really screwed already from things like: pollution, sitting too much, sugar, alcohol, weed, legal and illegal drugs, birth control, sodium and more.

It’s been like that for over 200 years so we won’t be able to fix it all now, nor do we want to! I mean I like sitting, coffee and ice cream; and birth control can take its toll on my health but I’m still going to use it… I might be a hippie but I’m a smart hippie ;)

Anyway where were we? Yes cooked veggies and their benefits:
1.       Easier to digest (something easy is good)
2.     
           According to research done at Cornell University some veggies are better cooked especially to prevent cancer. They found that nutrients in carrots, spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, cabbage, tomatoes, dark green leafy veggies and peppers are only released through cooking, which breaks down the cell walls of the plant.
3.   
            In winter time, you’re going to eat something warm and comfy – cooked veggies are healthier than mac and cheese.
4.       
Now let’s get something right: I don’t say “don’t eat raw veggies” I say you need to eat both! Eating raw in lunch time is great and you make sure you get a variety of nutrients, and eating cooked veggies in dinner time makes sure you get a bigger variety of nutrients.

Never stick to something and never label your diet. Your diet should fit you and only you!
There are no magic pills! You need to eat healthy and you need to move.
Being fit and healthy is not hard but you need to work at it.

And now recipes:

Buddha bowl:
Cut your favourite veggies, cook them in a sauce pan, add your favourite sauce (soy, Frank’s hot sauce, tahini) and 1 -2 tbsp of your favourite seeds (like sesame) and enjoy!


After workout bowl:
Now that’s a great way to get to most for your backs…raw and cooked veggies, protein, carbs and fat!
1 cup cooked yams, 2 cucumbers, ½ onion, 4 oz lean beef and 1 tbsp tahini. Mix it in a bowl and enjoy!
Calories: 486 Protein: 38 grams Fat: 12 grams Carbs: 51 grams



Asian tuna bowl:
In a sauce pan cook 1 bell pepper, 2 cups green and purple cabbage, 1 onion, ginger and 1 tbsp. soy sauce. Add 1 can tuna and cooked for 2 more minutes. Enjoy!
Calories:251 Protein: 28 grams Fat: 0 grams Carbs: 22 grams

Yellow chicken bowl:
In a sauce pan add: 1 cup eggplant, ½ onion, 1.25 cup cauliflower, 3 tbsp turmeric. Cook about 5 minutes. Add 4 oz chicken breast cut to strips. Cook until chicken is no longer pink.
Calories:295 Protein: 38 grams Fat: 5 grams Carbs: 18 grams



Curry chicken bowl:
in a sauce pan cooked 1 big carrot (cut to small cubes) for about 5 minutes. Add ½ an onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add ½ cup peas and 4.5 oz chicken breast (cut to small strips) and 3 tbsp curry powder. Cook until chicken no longer pink.
Calories:337 Protein: 46 grams Fat: 4 grams Carbs: 26 grams


Dessert bowl:
1 Greek yogurt, ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 tsp sprinkles.
Calories:130 Protein: 7 grams Fat: 8 grams Carbs: 17 grams
And that’s it for now.
I hope you’ll feel good and you’ll have a good night sleep after eating those bowls J
It’s super easy to make it so no excuse! It healthy, tasty and fun so go ahead and be good to your body!


 Research and writing by Dana Gat ©2014




Wednesday 17 December 2014

Let's talk about WHEAT

Rule 68

Wheat

As you know I don’t eat flour that often because it’s just really bad for you.

I had someone comment to me “the researches aren’t decisive yet about flour and my answer is: it’s processed, aka – bad for your body! You don’t need research to know that - just a brain that works.

Wheat is more than a flour. It can actually be quite healthy if you eat the fruit part!
It promotes digestive health, helps lower blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels, aids in weight management and encourages regular bowel movements.

The Harvard School of Public Health (one of my favourite places to get health information from) reports that whole grains, such as wheat berries, contain plant oestrogens or phytoestrogens that may reduce your risk of developing of cancers so yay! Mama nature got our back again! J
It’s high I fiber, magnesium, selenium and copper!



And here’s a few recipes for you to try.

Wheat berries and goat cheese:
Ingredients
·         1 1/4 cups wheat berries
·         2 1/2 cups chopped English cucumber 
·         2/3 cup thinly sliced green onions 
·         1 1/2 cups loosely packed chopped arugula 
·         6 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
·         1 pint grape tomatoes, halved 
·         1 tablespoon grated lemon rind 
·         3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
·         1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
·         2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
·         3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled goat cheese
Preparation
1. Place wheat berries in a medium bowl. cover with water to 2 inches above wheat berries. Cover and let stand overnight. Drain.
2. Place wheat berries in a medium saucepan. Cover with water to 2 inches above wheat berries. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook, uncovered, 1 hour or until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well. Place wheat berries in a large bowl. Add all ingredients.
Let stand at least 30 minutes; serve at room temperature.

Wheat berries vegan pudding:
Make 8 serving
Ingredients
·         1 cup wheat berries
·         2 tablespoons plus 3 cups your choice of milk, divided
·         1 cinnamon stick
·         1 strip orange zest, (1/2 by 2 inches)
·         1/2 cup pure maple syrup
·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract
·         1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preparation
1.       Rinse the wheat berries well. Place in a large heavy saucepan and add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, adding more water if necessary, until the wheat berries are tender, about 1 hour. Drain well.
2.       Place the wheat berries and 2 tablespoons milk in a food processor. Pulse, scraping down the sides as necessary, until most of the wheat berries are coarsely chopped (some may remain whole).
3.       Combine the chopped wheat berries, the remaining 3 cups milk, cinnamon stick and orange zest heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often to prevent sticking, until the mixture is very thick, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; discard the cinnamon stick and orange zest. Stir in maple syrup and vanilla.
4.       Serve warm or chilled, sprinkled with cinnamon.

Wheat berries vegan chilli:
Ingredients
·         1 cup wheat berries
·         3 cups water
·         1 large onion, chopped
·         1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
·         1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
·         4 tsp chilli powder, or to taste
·         1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
·         1/8 tsp black pepper
·         1 small can tomato sauce
·         1 large can tomatoes, diced
·         2 medium cans black beans
Preparation
1.       Cook wheat berries in 3 cups of water for 1 hour until tender; add more water if necessary, drain. Rinse wheat berries with cool water and drain thoroughly.
2.       In a saucepan on medium heat, cook onion, green and yellow pepper for until softness.
3.       In a 4-quart pot, combine remaining ingredients with vegetables. On stovetop, bring to a boil and simmer uncovered 1 hour or until desired consistency is reached, stirring occasionally

Ok and that it for now!

Make your own dish using wheat berries and post it IG, tag me @danagatfit and use the hashtag #eatcakenotgetfat for you chance to win a customise workout plan!

Research and writing by Dana Gat ©2014

Sunday 14 December 2014

Chicken recipes


Rule 67

Chicken

I apologise to all of my vegan followers but I’m not vegan (I do eat lots of vegan dishes) and this blog is not for you; but the next post is for you so stay tuned J
I love chicken! Especially wings! But I usually eat the breast part because it’s pure protein and low in fat (animal fat is not good for you).
You want to eat protein because you can’t survive without it and also because you can’t burn fat or gain muscles without it.
I recommend eating about 0.8-1 gram of protein to every lb of your body = I eat between 130 to 150 gram of protein daily.
It’s a lot! But my body needs it. I also workout 4-5 days a week so you know…
So much have been said about why you should eat protein in order to lose weight, that I’m going to save it from you and just give you awesome recipes to eat chicken breast because it’s kinda boring after a while and your food shouldn’t be boring….

Dana’s yellow chicken:
Ingredients:
·         4.5 oz chicken breast cut to small pieces
·         1 cup eggplant cut to small pieces
·         ½ onion cut to small pieces
·         1.25 cup cauliflower cut to small pieces
·         3 tbsp Turmeric
Direction:
1.       Heat a saucepan and add everything beside the chicken together and cook for about 5-7 min
2.       Add the chicken and cook until chicken is ready


Eat The Cake Not Get Fat Chicken Curry:
Ingredients:
·         4.5 oz chicken breast cut to small pieces
·         1 cup diced tomatoes
·         ¼ cup water
·         2 carrot cut to small pieces
·         ½ cup peas
·         1 tbsp curry powder
·         1 tbsp turmeric powder
·         2 tsp garam masala powder

Direction:
1.       In a saucepan cook the carrot for about 5 min
2.       Add the chicken until you can’t see pink
3.       Add everything else and cook for 5 min


Grilled chicken breast:
1.       4 oz chicken breast put in a foil paper with 1 tsp honey and 1 tsp mustered.
2.       Grilled for 20 min.


And that’s it for now.
I just wanted to show you chicken breast doesn’t have to be boring J
Make sure you check my IG account because I post theere at least 3 chicken recipes per week J

Research and writing by Dana Gat ©2014

Monday 1 December 2014

Carbs Cycling and fat burning recipes

Rule 66

So many diets out there, promising you things like losing 21LB in 30 days!  But let me tell you the truth: It takes just as fast to gain it back.
I’m one of the rare people who lost weight (40LB) and never put it back!  And you know why? Because I didn’t diet - I changed my lifestyle.
I can’t stress enough how important it is to understand there isn’t any magic pill for losing the weight; the only way to do it by is putting in the work (at the gym or something similar) and by eating correct portions and healthy food.
You have to move; you know it because you’re smart and because I keep saying it J
You also must measure your food because somewhere in the 70’s we lost track of what is a portion. If you’re trying to lose weight and you can’t there are 2 options: either you eat too much, or you don’t eat enough.

2 months ago I was stuck (not getting as ripped as I would love to) and couldn’t understand why, so I cut my carbs even more but it didn’t change a thing!
So I started measuring my food, thinking that maybe I’m eating too much fat (ok, too much peanut butter); my goal was 220 grams of carbs, 50 grams of fat and 100 grams protein – a total of 1730 calories…I couldn’t! I was eating 100 grams of protein. No problem there, but the fat and the carbs were hard to hit…I ended up eating pita just to hit it!
And it made me feel gross…once in a while it’s ok but eating it every day just made me feel gross…do you ever get it?
So I decided the hitting over 200 grams of carbs daily was too much for me, (my body prefers protein and fat and my body is healthy enough to know what’s good for it) so I decided to do something called “carbs cycling”.

Carbs cycling is when every day you eat different amounts of carbs; for example:
Monday: 170 grams
Tuesday: 200 grams
Wednesday: 150 grams
Thursday: 130 grams
Friday: 250 grams
Saturday: 170 grams
Sunday: 150 grams

Now ideally you want to change your fat and protein amounts to fit but this should be calculated for you by a professional. So first start with just watching your carbs and to make sure you play it safe. 

Make sure the fat you eat is healthy like:
·         Ghee
·         Butter
·         Coconut oil
·         Olive oil
·         Sesame oil
·         Flax seed oil
·         Nut and seed butter
·         All kinds of seeds
·         All kinds of fish and sea food
·         Soy bean
·         Organic Eggs
·         Nuts (walnuts, almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews)
·         Avocado
·         Chickpeas

Fat helps the sugar in the carbs to be digested better by your body and prevents it from being stored as fat.
Fat is what helps you to process the carbs and to use them for energy, so make sure you eat fat if you eat carbs because this “low fat high fiber” diets doesn’t do good to your body; your body deserves the best and just like you put lotion on your skin you need to moisturize your body from the inside (with fat).
·         Coconut oil can be used as lotion too J
And now for the magic question….how do I count my grams of carbs?
I downloaded an app called “calories counter” to my smartphone. Being healthy has never been so easy, so stop making excuses and be healthy and happy.

Dare to dream!

And if you need help with calculating how many grams to eat or with a workout plan I have new sell for the holidays: 30% off for the first 30 people so contact me today!

And now for recipes…Yum Yum

These recipes have carbs, fat and protein and are easy, healthy and tasty!

Coconut shrimps with pineapple salsa
Ingredients

SHRIMP:
·         28 large shrimps (about 1 1/2 pounds)
·         1/3 cup cornstarch 
·         1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
·         3 large egg whites
·         1 1/2 cups flaked unsweetened coconut 
·         Cooking spray 

SALSA: 
·         1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple 
·         1/3 cup finely chopped red onion 
·         1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
·         1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
·         1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
·         1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation
1.       Preheat oven to 400°.
2.       To prepare shrimps, peel and devein the shrimps, leaving tails intact. Rinse shrimps in cold water; drain on paper towels until dry.
3.       Combine cornstarch and red pepper in a shallow dish; stir with a whisk. Place the egg whites in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium-high speed until frothy (about 2 minutes). Place coconut in a shallow dish.
4.       Working with one shrimp at a time, dredge in cornstarch mixture. Dip in egg white; dredge in coconut, pressing gently with fingers. Place shrimp on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Repeat the procedure with remaining shrimp, cornstarch mixture, egg white, and coconut. Lightly coat shrimp with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until shrimp are done, turning after 10 minutes.
5.       To prepare salsa, combine pineapple and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl; stir to combine.

Chickpea recipe (vegan and gluten free):
Ingredients
·         1 tbsp olive oil
·         1 onion, finely chopped
·         2 garlic cloves, minced
·         2 tbsp curry powder
·         1 tbsp ginger, minced
·         2 small sweet potatoes
·         1 large can diced tomatoes
·         1 medium can chickpeas
·         1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Preparation
1.       Heat a large saucepan over medium-high. Add olive oil, onion, garlic cloves, curry powder and ginger. Cook 2 min.
2.       Peel sweet potatoes and chop into 1/2-in. pieces. Stir into saucepan along with diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, 15 min. Stir in chickpeas, drained and rinsed, and continue cooking until sweet potatoes are tender, about 10 min. Sprinkle with cilantro.

And that’s it for this time.
I hope you’ve learned something new J

Love

Research and writing by Dana Gat ©2014

Thursday 27 November 2014

Superfood

Rule 65

Superfoods.

You hear about it all the time, especially from yogi and vegan people but everybody should have some superfood added to their diet (even bodybuilder, crossfitter, powerlifters and bikini athletes).
So what are the most popular superfoods out there?

Just to clarify, the “usual suspects” include cancer, diabetes, heart attacks, cold, flu indigestion, overweight and the rest of lifestyle diseases.  
·        
      Goji berries (also known as wolf berries) - coming to us from China and packed with nutrition! Great for overall health and protect against the usual suspects.


·       
          Acai berries – coming to us from the rain forest, also named as “secret weight loss pill”, they’re very healthy and protect against the usual suspects but you won’t lose weight by eating it, you still got to move and not eat junk.


·         
      Maca root – coming to us from Peru, this root is not only great for skin and anti-ageing purposes, but also helps with everything to do with hormones and sexual health (PMS, fertility, menopause, mood balancing and more). Great for energy. Don’t take more than 5 grams in a dose!

·        
      Chia seeds – coming to us from Mexico. These seeds are packed with fiber, protein and omega 3 and of course protect against the usual suspects.


·       
            Hemp seed – coming to us from all over the world. Because its cousin (marijuana) is not legal to grow in some countries. But it’s a superfood - not a drug (it doesn’t have THC and it will not make you high). It’s not just super healthy, packed with nutrition and protects against the usual suspects; it can also be used to make cloths, ropes and papers! Nature at it best J


·       
            Cacao powder/nibs – you know why! In case you forget check the post about it: cacao post



·        
      Cayenne pepper – coming to us from Guinea (formerly French Guinea), this is a must if you’re trying to lose weight. You eat it and like all spicy food it makes your heart beat faster for a few second and that helps you to burn fat (same as HIIT cardio). It also protects against the usual suspects and tastes good!


·         
      Cinnamon – you know why! Check the post about it:cinnamon post


·        
      Turmeric – coming to us from India, this orange coloured root protects against the usual suspects and promotes brain health (helps you study and stay focused at work instead of Ritalin)



·         
      Stevia - sweetener and sugar substitute extracted from the leaves of the plant species Stevia rebaudiana. Looks like a mint leaves and has zero calories. It’s a healthy, easy to enjoy sweet thing without using sugar or its very unhealthy substitutes.



And now, I’m sure you want some recipes how to use them?

Goji berries & Cacao:

Ingredients
·         100g 90% dark chocolate (or you can make the chocolate by yourself  click for recipe
·         2 tbsp coarsely chopped almonds
·         2 tbsp Goji berries

Directions:
1. Melt the chocolate using the “2 bowls method” 
2. Lay out a sheet of greaseproof paper over a tray or plate.
3. Divide the melted chocolate into 8 rounds on the baking paper and sprinkle the tops with almonds and GojiGoji berries (press them down gently to make sure they stick in the chocolate). Place the plate in the fridge.
4. Leave in the fridge until the chocolate has completely hardened again, at least 20 minutes.

Check the Facebook page for more recipes like Goji tea or Goji and cacao nibs protein bar click here

Acai berries and chia seed “ice cream”:

Ingredients
·         1 packet of frozen organic acai berry pulp
·         2 heaping handfuls of organic spinach
·         1 frozen banana
·         ½ cup your choice of milk, unsweetened
·         2 tablespoons of chia seeds (soaked for at least 20 minutes in some of the milk)
·         dash of cinnamon
·         ice as needed to thicken

Directions:
1.       Simply add all ingredients into your Vitamix or high speed blender until thick and creamy.
2.       The texture should be very thick, if too thick then add more milk. If you stick a spoon into the mixture, the mixture should be able to be thick enough to stay on the spoon; if not, add ice or more frozen bananas.
3.       Eat after making.

Chia pudding:

Ingredients
·         1/4 cup Chia seeds
·         200ml your choice of milk
·         1/2 tsp sugar free vanilla
·         2 RAW pitted date

Directions:
Put everything in a bowl. Let it sit for 30 min and stir every few minutes. You can add fresh fruit to it like blueberries or pomegranate.

Superfood brownie:

Ingredients
·         1½ cups walnut kernels
·         10 Medjool dates, pitted
·         ½ cup raw cacao powder
·         ½ cup Goji berries
·         1 tbsp chia seeds
·         1 tbsp Maca powder
·         1 tsp cinnamon powder
·         1 tbsp spring or filtered water

Directions:
1.       Add walnuts to the bowl of a food processor and process for a few seconds until walnuts form a coarse meal.
2.       Add the rest of the ingredients (except water) to food processor and run until a crumbly dough has been formed. Using fingers to 'pinch' dough together, checking it if will stick together. If mixture is too dry then add water, a little at a time and process again for a few seconds, until it holds together
3.       Take tablespoon amounts of dough and use hands to roll into balls. Enjoy, or store in a covered container in the fridge for up to one week.

And that’s it for now. Hope you learn and get healthier now.
Remember…Health is fun and easy J

Research and writing by Dana Gat ©2014