7 ways to improve your eating habits this week

 

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Hello Fitness Friends!

Hope you all had a great weekend! Did you get up to anything new, fun or exciting? I have been busy trying out all the new Slim Secrets Speedy Recipes which are delicious! There have been so many great submissions and congratulations to the winners! If you haven't yet checked out the recipes then make sure you do. Super easy to make and they take no time at all.

Over the past week I've had a few questions from readers regarding ways that they can improve their diets, without making drastic changes. If you consider yourself someone that eats quite healthy, but could improve in a few areas, this this post is for you.

Sometimes we have those little "extras", which might not seem like a lot at the time, but could be adding a few kilograms to our waistline each year. It's important to make small changes which you wont even notice! Most people eat out of habit and are not consciously thinking about their food as they prepare or eat it. We go into an auto-pilot mode. ie. pick up the coffee, add 2 sugars, fill up half the cup with milk and we are on our way. All we have to do is change those habits and you could be saving yourself a lot of calories and extra time at the gym.

I have put together 7 ways you can improve your eating habits this week - read on to find out what they are...

1. Old Habit: Full fat milk in your coffee

Swap it for: Small amount of skim/low fat milk              

Even better: No milk (yes I know most of us are horrified about the though of black coffee, but I have been drinking it for years and once you get used to it its great!)

2. Old Habit: x 2 slices of white toast with breakfast (even worse, the really thick, white, cafe toast!)

Swap it for: x 1 slice of wholemeal toast           

Even better: Swap toast for more protein (scrambled egg whites) or even some fresh fruit or low fat, low sugar yoghurt. 

3. Old Habit: Orange/Fruit juice from a bottle

Swap it for: Freshly squeezed juice from a blender with some vegetables added (beetroot, celery, spinach are great additions)    

  
Even better: Blend whey protein with some berries/fruit for a high protein, after workout, repair drink!


4. Old Habit: The 3pm chocolate fix (Giant Freddo Frog, KitKat...whatever is in your desk!)

Swap it for: x 2 squares of Organic 72% Dark Chocolate

Even better: Slim Secrets Afternoon Snack Attack Bar. Delicious, high protein and low fat, this will fill you up way more than x 2 squares of dark chocolate will!


5. Old Habit: Eating dessert every time you have dinner at a restaurant

Swap it for: Ask the server if they make you a fresh bowl of berries (raspberry, strawberries, blueberries) or fruit salad.


6. Old Habit: Adding sugar to your beverages

Swap it for: Sachet of Splenda

Even better: Buying your own packets of natural sweetener Stevia and taking them with you in your bag.


7. Old Habit: Snacking on roasted, salted nut mixes with dried fruit

Swap it for: Non-salted nut mix (no dried fruit)

Even better: Natural almonds, pecans, walnuts (non salted).
 

Do you have any ways that you save on calories by making a simple swap?

I hope you all have a great week and let me know if you attempted any of the above changes to your eating habits! Once you make the change you will see a difference.

Be fit & well :)

Courtney

How to cleanse your system - the quick & easy answer!

Hands up who had a big weekend with a little too much food, a little too many glasses of champagne and maybe not enough exercise? If you are feeling a bit run down, tired or just plain "yuck" today then I have a simple solution for you that will:

- cleanse your system

- increase your energy and metabolism

- improve digestion

- eliminate toxins

Lemon water! I know, simple yet very effective.

You can add a few squeezes of fresh lemon to warm water in the morning upon rising, or fill up a large jug with water, fresh lemon slices, lime slices and some mint. Sip this drink throughout the day and make sure you keep refilling it, so you always have a nice fresh glass on hand.

If you are someone that doesn't drink enough water, then this tangy twist on water may help to up your intake, while it cleanses and detoxifies!

Try my Lemon Water challenge for 7 days and let me know how you go!

Until next week, be fit & well :)

Courtney

Courtney Barber for Slim Secrets - The healthiest dinner recipes from Thailand - low carb & low fat!

Hi Everyone!

Recently I was in Thailand and was lucky enough to sample some of the best and healthiest food I think you could find on this planet! If you have been to the island regions of Thailand then you will know what I am talking about...beautiful fruit, fresh coconuts, vegetable stir-frys, freshly caught fish - amazing! I was able to eat the most tantalizing meals throughout my time there and each place I went to had their own twist. Every meal was different and they all were delicious! I was never bored with the food and was able to pick up some recipe ideas so that I could have my own piece of Thailand in my home whenever I wanted to try something different.

It got me thinking though, how many of you are having the same meals every day? Are you bored with your dinners? Do you cook your chicken the same way each week with the same vegetables? Would you like to spice things up in the kitchen?

It is very important to try new recipes, especially when you are sticking to a healthy eating plan. Things can get very boring very quickly if you don't experiment with new dishes, spices, vegetables etc... Trying new and exciting recipes can reignite your passion for clean eating and also give your metabolism that much needed boost!

These attached photos are some amazing dishes that I tried in Thailand, which can be recreated in your own home! They are very simple and only need a bit of preparation. You can substitute the fish for whatever fish you can find at your local market.

 - Baked Red Snapper with Chili, Lime and Nuts 

- Chicken Stir Fry with Cashews 

- Steamed Sole with Black Bean & Vegetables 

- Red Snapper in Soy Sauce

The best thing about all these dishes are that they are full of protein, low carb and low in fat! Now you can have the healthy tastes of Thailand for dinner any night of the week.

Be creative!

Courtney