FITNESS INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS TO FOLLOW

There is nothing better than scrolling through your Instagram feed for a little motivation and it is definitely the social media I turn to for fitness inspiration.

I have rounded up my four favourite Instagram accounts with gorgeous gals and incredible healthy food.

@reneesomerfield is an Aussie model with an incredible body. She is a vegan and really passionate about animal rights and global issues which I really admire. I love seeing a beautiful girl being even more beautiful inside and she is certainly inspirational when it comes to leading a healthy cruelty free lifestyle. 

@ellie_gonsalves is a Brissy model currently living in LA so not only do I love her showing us some snaps from the city but she also shares her workouts and food. She is serious #bodygoals and an all round stunning girl. Ellie is also a vegan like Renee so that is another huge reason I follow her.

@alexisren is as cute as a button and great fitspo because she is incredibly fit. I love her natural beauty, fashion sense and constant adventure which she documents on her Instagram.

@niomismart is incredibly inspirational, having turned from fully fledged meat eating into vegan practically overnight. She is the most creative person I know with her meals and whips up the most delicious vegan versions of everything. The English beauty definitely gives me some food inspiration and I love following her travel adventures as well.

Those are four accounts I really enjoy on Instagram because they get me inspired about veganism, travel, life and fitness. I would highly recommend following them and I hope you enjoy their content as much as I do!

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3 EASY WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT AND BE HEALTHIER

Losing weight and being healthy doesn't have to be hard and these three tips prove that! All it requires is a shift in your attitude and a little bit of thought into your daily actions. Follow these three steps and you will see a boost in your nutrition and will be on the way to a healthy lean lifestyle.

Start your day with a smoothie
Whether you normally skip breakfast or opt for sugary cereal. - start your day right with a cup full of fruit, veggies and nutrition. Not only will it give you so much energy that will last throughout the day but it means you most likely won't need coffee - goodbye caffeine dependence! I would definitely recommend my healthy breakfast protein smoothie, you can watch the recipe video below or click here.

Swap soft drink for water
If you normally have a can of Coke with your lunch, swap it for water. It doesn't have to be boring because you can infuse it with citrus or fruits. It is truly appalling how much sugar are in soft drinks and you really shouldn't be fueling your body with it. I have heard some incredible stories of dropping weight once quitting soft drink and I absolutely believe it.

Drink your daily dose of veggies
A cup of spirulina may be absolutely disgusting (believe me, I understand) it immediately boosts your body with a hit of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. If this is too much for you then simply replace iceberg lettuce with kale in your salads, it has a much higher nutritional value.

Yes that is how easy these three tips are! Things you can start incorporating into your routine starting tomorrow, or even today.

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BEGINNER TIPS FOR STARTING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

So you are new to this healthy lifestyle and ready to start making some improvements? 

Just don't get ahead of yourself because you have this way of living for the rest of your life - so ease yourself in slowly with these five tips.

Stretch
This is one I wish I would go back and tell myself because I spent many mornings hardly being able to move due to pain! Stretching before your work out seriously decreases the aches and pains the next morning because it warms up your muscles and gets them ready for activity.

Work at your own pace
This is especially important if you are participating in a group workout session or class in a gym. Making sure that you don't try and match the person next to you will ensure you see results without pushing yourself too far.

It's all about the little things
Whether you choose that salad instead of burger for lunch or getting off the bus early to walk the rest of the way. These little things will make the world of difference.

Don't be too hard on yourself
If you aren't seeing result right away don't be discouraged, remember that you might be trying to reverse the results of unhealthy living from years and years so it will definitely takes time. Be patient and stay persistent.

Celebrate your accomplishments
If you notice a flatter tummy or that you can run longer than before then celebrate those accomplishments! You don't have to wait until you reach your goal fitness level or weight.

I really hope that these tips have helped out some beginners out there or maybe you are just looking to be re inspired with some motivation.

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HOMEMADE NUT MUESLI RECIPE

I love a bowl of muesli in the morning but the majority of store bought versions pack in way too much sugar. 

I find that making your own at home is more satisfying and completely guilt free because you decide exactly what goes into it. 

Ingredients:

Slithered almonds

Pecans

Sunflower Seeds

Oats

Desiccated Coconut

Honey or Maple Syrup 

Strawberries 

Method:

1. Combine the slithered almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds, oats and desiccated coconut together.

2. Add on top a bit of maple syrup or honey and mix around. 

3. Spread onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and put in oven for 20 minutes on 150 Celsius.

4. Give the mixture a stir around every 5-10 minutes in the oven so that it evenly cooks.

5. Take it out and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Package in a mason jar or other air-tight container. 

This recipes keeps for a couple of weeks but it probably won't last long since you will want to eat it every morning. 

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SWEET POTATO AND CARAMELISED ONION BURGERS

If you are a vegan or even vegetarian then you would know how sometimes salad wraps and burgers get boring and you need something a bit new and different to fill you up.

One of my favourite things to make is sweet potato and in this burger form you get all the nutrients and benefits of the complex carb while it is still filling and delicious.

Ingredients
500g Sweet potato
1 tbsp. garlic
2 small onions
4 tbsp. olive oil
Breadcrumbs
All purpose flour
Salt + Pepper
Parsley
Salad to serve

Method
1. Peel and cut up the sweet potato then leave to cook in boiling water (add a dash of salt).
2. Add 2tbsp of olive oil to the frying pan and place in your diced onions. Leave to simmer until browned.
3. Once your sweet potatoes are soft and tender, mash them up then add in your onion and seasonings.
4. Place the mixture in the freezer to cool down for about 10 minutes. Then roll handfuls of mixture into patties, dipping them into your flour and breadcrumb mixture before placing them on a sheet of baking paper.
5. Place them in the fridge for at least an hour to set.
6. When you are ready to cook them, place 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a pan and leave to cook for 3-5 minutes on each side with medium heat.
7. Serve on a wrap or bread roll with all of your favourite salads.



I hope you have enjoyed this recipe! It's a quick and easy weekend lunch or week day dinner. The best part is that you can freeze the leftover patties and then fry them up once you are ready to eat them, maybe on days when you can't be bothered cooking!

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PUMPKIN AND PINE NUT RISOTTO

Risotto is one of those recipes where it doesn't matter how much time goes into it, the results are well worth the effort. It's a rich and creamy rice dish while still being vegan so it is filling without leaving your sluggish afterwards. The absolute perfect winter warmer recipe!

 

This recipe is adapted from the Coles magazine, July issue.

 

Ingredients

4 cups (1L) vegetable stock

60ml olive oil

1 leek

800g Kent pumpkin

1 1/2 cup (125ml) Arborio rice

1/2 cup (125ml) white wine

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

 

Method

1. Place the stock and 1 cup of water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.

2. Add the oil to a saucepan and soften the leek as well as tenderise the pumpkin cubes.

3. Add the rice to the pumpkin and leek mixture, stirring to slightly brown the rice. Add the white wine and let simmer until evaporated.

4. Add a cup at a time to the risotto mixture, waiting until the rice absorbs the liquid each time.

5. Serve with toasted pine nuts and some vegan cream cheese or sour cream.

 

The whole process should take just under an hour and consists of a lot of stirring. The results are out of this world delicious and worth every second of tender love and care put into it.

 

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THE ULTIMATE VEGAN SALAD

Eating vegan, you end up having a lot of salads and vegetables but this is a salad that is a bit more exciting and incorporates a delicious mixture of ingredients.

 

Seriously, it's one of the best salads I have ever tasted and so I find myself making it at least a few times a week. It's light and refreshing while still being filling and hearty.

 

Ingredients

1/4 Pomegranate

1 Apple

1 Green Oak Lettuce

1/4 Salad Onion
Vegan Fake Chicken Fillets

 

You know the drill guys, just toss it all together. With that being said though, there are some tips!

- Fry up the vegan chicken fillets in a frying pan with some oil until golden and brown.

- Slice the apples paper thin so that the apple flavour isn't too overwhelming.

- Toss with a salad dressing of your choice if you want an added element.

- Add kale for some added nutrition.

 

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CREAMY MUSHROOM PASTA - VEGAN

 

It's easy to think that being vegan means missing out on rich and creamy foods but if this recipe is any indication, you can pretty much make anything vegan. This is a recipe for my creamy mushroom pasta; a decadent and bowl licking good mixture that has the same texture as cream filled and cheesy alternatives. Read on for this magic recipe that you will be hooked on.

Ingredients
1 large onion
2 Garlic cloves
3 extra-large mushrooms

1 can coconut cream

Vegetable Stock

Salt and pepper
Spaghetti pasta



Method- Dice the onion and mince the garlic then leave to sauté with olive oil in a hot skillet.

- Add the mushrooms and keep stirring mixture until simmering then add vegetable stock to taste.

- Heat up the coconut cream in a saucepan then add it to the mushroom mixture.

- Season to taste and leave to reduce.

- Serve on bed of pasta.

 

That's all there is to it, quite simple really. Give this one a go next time you are craving a naughty cheat meal because it is delicious, filling and above all - completely VEGAN!

 

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