Pancakes, Veggies and How to Get Better Sleep!

I can't believe how fast the past week flew by - I didn't get any posts up and all of a sudden it's Friday again... well, it's technically Saturday, but we'll call it a Friday, ok?
Sure ;)

This week's challenge!
Every day this week (and of course, keep going!), you are going to eat 2.5 cups of veggies.
I actually started this today, and it feels great. One cup is simply one cup, except with leafy veggies, like lettuce, but 1 cup of that counts as 0.5 cup, so 2 cups of lettuce count as 1 cup. Other than that, it's pretty simple!

This week's recipe:
Whole Grain Pancakes with Fruits!
*1 packet pancake mix, OR your favourite pancake recipe. (Remember to use whole grain flour if baking from scratch. To make your mix healthier: Add a bit of whole grain flour, then thin your batter with milk until it is the right consistency.
*Fresh fruits of your choice (I love strawberries and bananas for this!)
*Agave syrup, maple syrup or honey - just make sure it doesn't have anything added to it!
*Fruit spread, if you wish.

Now, simply bake your pancakes, spread some fruit spread on it if you feel like it, fill it with good-for-you sliced fruits, and drizzle a few drops of sweetness over the whole thing - yummy!
And this week's "bits of this and that": Sleep!
I know perfectly well that I should sleep 7 to 8 hours each night... yet somehow, I always end up getting way to little sleep... which is not good. Sleep is so important. Did you know, that once we get into a deep state of sleep, our brains start solving the problems we are dealing with? That is why it is somehow easier to make difficult decisions when you've slept well - your brain has been working on the answer while you were sleeping! So instead of worrying and staying up all night - just go to sleep!
Also, women who get five hours or less of sleep every night, are 32% more likely to gain weight than women who get 7 hours or more - that's a fact that wakes most of us up!
But what if you want to go to sleep... but just can't? We've all been there, just lying and staring at the ceiling... it's not fun. What can you do? Well, try those tips!

*Skip caffeine for at least 4 hours before you go to bed.

*Form your habits and rituals. Always doing the same things before you go to sleep can train your brain into falling asleep faster and more comfortably (the same things applies to your children!).

*Avoid distractions. Things like TVs and computers do not belong in your bedroom, especially not if you are having trouble sleeping.

*If you're stressed out during the day, that stress will stand in your way when you're trying to fall asleep later. Try doing yoga or relaxing breathing exercises during the day (lunchtime is perfect - you don't even have to leave your desk!). You will be more relaxed, which will definitely help you when it comes to sleeping.

*Not too chilly, not too warm. If your bedroom is too warm, you will probably encounter some problems falling asleep. However, make sure that your feet stay warm - it's very difficult to fall asleep when your feet are cold (scientifically proven!). Try some soft and cosy socks!

*Eat carbs! No, not a whole truckload. Sorry :) Just about a half cup of dry cereal, eaten about two hours before you go to bed, will help your brain release serotonin and tryptophan, which will aid when it comes to sleeping.


That's it for this week, I hope you all stay happy and well!
Yours, Miss Diorista

P.S. Please take a minute to vote on the poll, it would mean the world to me ;)

Getting started!

It's the first post of our journey towards better health in 2011! I'm so excited, and I really hope that you are going to be doing this with me - it's so much easier (not to mention way more fun!) to do it together!
In this post we will be discussing how to get started. But first of all, this week's challenge! Drumrolls, please...

Challenge: Eat at least 1.5 cup fruit every day!

One average fruit (1 apple, 1 orange, 1 pear, etc.) is one cup - but if dealing with for example berries or melons, simply fill up one cup. 0.5 cup of dried fruit equals one cup of fresh fruit, and if you like 100% fruit juice, then 8 ounces count as one cup.

Why is this good for me? Well, first of all, we all know that we should eat more fruits and veggies - for most of us, it is somehow easier to fit in the fruits, so that is why we are starting with that one. But when you look at the nutrients, then fruits are packed with good-for-you fibres (fibres help keep you full for longer) and vitamins. Last but not least, when you have to fit this into your diet, you won't have as much room left for the unhealthy stuff!

So of course, this week's recipe compliments the diet challenge. It's nothing too complicated, but I hope you like it. It's perfect for breakfast (I ate the one above for breakfast), since you get in a good load of fruit, calcium and whole grains!

Fruit Salad (for one person)
*About 1 to 1.5 cup of chopped-fruit. I like apples, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, plums and pears. Just use what you have, or use the opportunity to try out something new!
*3 T yogurt (preferably low in fat and sugar - and organic if you like)
*1 T granola - make sure you buy good stuff. Many brands of granola are not so healthy once you look closely!

Simply mix the fruits together in a bowl, put the yogurt on top, and sprinkle your granola over the whole thing. Don't forget to eat up ;)

A quick smoothie: Fruits can be a great snack on the go, and smoothies are a fab way to dress them up a bit. My favourite smoothie is simple: 1 cup blueberry yogurt and 1 chopped up, frozen banana. Mix together in a blender - it's so yummy!

Quick tip: If fruits are getting slightly too mushy for eating them plain (but are still ok), chop them up and put them in the freezer. They'll be great for smoothies!


So, then. We've covered the recipe and the challenge, now it's the rest:

Getting started!

The most important tip I can give you (although of course I am no expert!), is to take care not to go too fast. When we are beginning to make our lifestyles healthier, we sometimes get so excited that we go all out for one week - and then end up quitting because we're already burned out. Start slowly, not only in exercise but also with diet. For example, don't cut out all your sugar at once - you'll just get cranky and end up eating way more than you otherwise would have.

Also, a key factor for beginners is to have some good knowledge about where you're heading. You wouldn't sail across the Atlantic without a map, would you? So here are some of my favourite websites for information and support on healthy lifestyle:

Shape: A great website which gives you information on both diet and exercise.

Prevention: This one also covers diet and exercise :)

SparkPeople: A great website where you can keep track of all kinds of goals, as well your diet and exercise plan. They have a galore of exercises and a huge database of food for you to log. Find out how much you burn when you jog for an hour, read interesting articles and chat with people who have similar goals to yours.

SparkTeens: A version of SparkPeople, but designed to fit teenagers' needs. If you are younger, you might like this one better than the original.


I hope you check out those websites, they are all really great. Also, join the challenge! I will be updating you in the comments on how I will be doing, hope you will do the same!

Love, Miss Diorista

Drink water!

Now when it has been extremely hot here in Iceland, I felt like reminding myself and all of you, about the importance of drinking enough water.



Water is important for every part of your body. Google "importance of drinking water" and you get tons of great reasons for filling your glass. Find your favourite reason to motivate you. What gets me drinking is the fact that is helps keep my skin looking healthy and glowy.



I really like drinking water. However, I also like to mix things up a little bit. Just simple things like decorating your glass (on the picture, I carefully cut a slice into the strawberry, then placed it on my glass), or put a bit of ice into your water, can spice things up, and prevent boredom. Also, I know that some people dislike water, maybe it is the taste... or the lack of taste (I wouldn´t know, since I love water). In that case, try to trick your taste buds into liking it. Infusing your water with fruits and even vegetables can do the trick. The most common thing is slicing lemons and limes for your water, which can be quite nice. Don't be afraid to experiment! Use frozen strawberries instead of ice, it gives you taste and cools your water. Or slice cucumber, or apples, or peaches... just anything you have on hand! Slice it, place it in your water and place your water in the fridge. When you want to drink it, pour in a nice glass and drink it with a bit of ice. Lovely!



My best regards,

Miss Diorista.