Tag: nononsensenita

all the greens simple green smoothie

All The Greens: Simple green smoothie recipe

14th January 2017

This weeks simple green smoothie recipe is below.  Starting as we mean to go on using ALL THE GREENS!  (All the green stuff we had anyway).  There can always be more greens….

INGREDIENTS:

Spinach (fresh and raw, a good handful)

Avocado (1/2 a frozen one)

Cucumber (1/3rd)

Kiwi (1 whole fruit inc skin)

Apple (1/2 a fresh green with skin, no pips)

Ginger (about an inch, fresh raw ginger root – skin off)

Water (COLD 240ml or more to acquired thickness)

METHOD:

Chop all the solid ingredients to chunks (you might want to leave the frozen avocado out a bit so easier to chop and blend), then add to blender  |  Add a good handful of raw baby spinach leaves to the chopped ingredients  |  Pour over the water to almost cover  |  BLEND (in the nutribullet we blend between 15-21 seconds)

Things to remember:

  • Try and use more vegetables than fruits in your green smoothie.  You don’t want too much sugar – even if its fruit sugar – at this time of the day otherwise you’re setting yourself up for a crash, a sugar slump, later on.  Saying that – if you are starting out with the smoothie blending and/or you naturally have a ‘sweet tooth’ start mixing fruits and veg and gradually replace the fruit to get to a higher ratio of veg to fruit as your tastes develop.
  • Try adding a splash of apple juice to the blend if you don’t like the texture of the blended apple it can be something you will get used to, but it can be bitty and separate easily, therefore the juice instead will sweeten the green smoothie a lot and give a better drinking texture
  • You can always use more/different greens – you can blend up any green veggies in theory – how about trying another few of our favorites from the list below for your next simple green smoothie:

Broccoli  |  Celery  |  Mangetout  |  Snow peas  |  Kale  |  Lettuce  |  Chicory  |  Asparagus

Nutrition Info:

  • In the green packed blend today you will find a huge vitamin C, antioxidant boost!  This comes from the KIWI fruit, which will also provide a healthy amount of both soluble fibre (the green part) and insoluble fibre (the skin and seeds)
  • You will also be lapping up a good hit of vitamin A from the SPINACH (remember this is great for your skin, hair and nails)
  • Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin – so blending this with the AVOCADO, will help the uptake of vit A in your body, while the good fats (ie about 10g of monounsaturated fat in half an avo) will also help in lowering bad cholesterol.
  • The avocado will also provide more fibre and holds vitamin B6 again good for skin, hair and nails, while it can also provide positive effects on PMT and hormone control.
  • GINGER of known more as a flavouring, and really will spice up your smoothie, but its also known for its anti sickness properties.  Its great for relieving nausea so if you’re suffering morning sickness, have a long journey ahead or are just feeling a bit queasy anytime ginger can help!

OK, well there you have it – the no nonsense nutrition, all the greens smoothie!  Have a go and let me know what you put in yours…  For more recipes grab our newsletter HERE and please share your lovely green smoothie pics and recipes with us via social – you can find us on:  FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

@nononsensenita | #nononsensenita

Want to join us for further help, motivation, support and accountability? 

The annual GET FIT IN FEB  is starting soon!  This year we are extending the community via Facebook and will include healthy eating ideas, recipes, tips and tricks alongside the exercise and activity boosts! 

Please register your interest via Facebook message or by signing up to the newsletter HERE and we will send you further details of this upcoming FREE PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP.

 

healthy eating habits

3 Basic Ways to Form Healthy Eating Habits

10th January 2017

This Tasty Tuesday its simple.   Here are 3 basic healthy eating habits to try.

Are you getting slightly confused/a little overwhelmed this time of year with lists and advice on things we should do, not do, eat and not eat?  21 day detoxing, 30 day ab challenges, 14 day matcha tea drinking…..the list goes on….?!

Yep, me too.  So how about remembering what we already know and actually just doing it?  Taking action on our intentions to be the best we can.

A lot of us (me included) are embarking on a healthier lifestyle this January and eating well is a  big part of it.  That’s great, just don’t be too hard on yourself if by now – yes 10 days in – you think you have already broken all the rules/resolutions you set and you’ve totally blown it.  Don’t despair if you’re bored, hungry and cant be bothered.  Its ok.  Its what we do, we are human.

How about trying the no nonsense way instead?

3 basic ways to form healthy eating habits we should all be able to stick to:  Apart from saying NO to seconds and YES to salads, try these for a no nonsense way to bring on healthy eating habits this year:

  1. Drink more water. 

    It will fill you up, aid digestion, and of course keep you hydrated.  You’ve heard it before, I will say it again – the brain can easily confuse thirst and hunger signals, so a lot of the time you think you’re hungry you are actually just thirsty.  Try a drink first, but remember to eat at regular intervals too.

  2. Do not deprive yourself

    Don’t stock pile for a binge.  Remember healthy is about BALANCE.  Storing up the junk food or only eating it at weekends is prolonging the pain as far as I’m concerned.  Enjoy a little of what you fancy, do not label any foods good or bad and think about MODERATION as key.  A healthy attitude to all food leads to better healthy eating habits.

  3. Write down what you eat/drink.

    Be honest and write down EVERYTHING you consume.  Believe me, if you start this now at the end of the day/week when you look back over your food diary, you will either be proud or disgusted!

There you go – 3 basic, simple, no nonsense tips and tricks.  Tried and tested and results seen every time.  You see – they say there are no quick fixes, but there are 3.  All you have to do it take action and follow them to create healthy eating habits this new year.

 

To find out more about how no nonsense nutrition can help you prepare and stick to your healthy eating goals, please email : info@nitakothari.com

Want to join us for further help, motivation, support and accountability? 

The annual GET FIT IN FEB  is starting soon!  This year we are extending the community via Facebook and will include healthy eating ideas, recipes, tips and tricks alongside the exercise and activity boosts! 

Please register your interest via email here: info@nitakothari.com via Facebook message or by signing up to the newsletter HERE and we will send you further details of this FREE PRIVATE group

 

dehydration nutrition and hydration week

Day 5 Nutrition and Hydration Week

18th March 2016

On today – Day 5 Nutrition and Hydration week we are looking further at dehydration.  Its all very well to emphasize how much we should be drinking and that hydration matters, but how do we know if we are dehydrated? READ MORE HERE

The NHC say: “Water makes up to 60% of an adult’s and 75% of an infant’s body weight and performs crucial roles such as carrying nutrients and waste products between our major organs, helping regulate temperature, lubricating our joints and acting as a shock absorber.”

The NHS says: “Water makes up over two-thirds of the healthy human body. It lubricates the joints and eyes, aids digestion, flushes out waste and toxins, and keeps the skin healthy.”

(info sources are listed on the full blog here)

So hydration matters for all those things – carrying nutrients, regulating body temperature, lubricating joints, aiding digestion, flushing out toxins, keeping skin healthy….. its really important, BUT its also really understandable that keeping that level of water topped up in our system can be hard and we can easily become dehydrated.  If we are exercising, in a hot climate, if we are ill or recovering, if we are simply not drinking enough we should be looking out for the early warning sign of simply – THIRST.  Yep – you shouldn’t really ever feel that thirsty.  Once you feel thirsty, you are probably already a little dehydrated.

After thirst comes:

  • Dry mouth,
  • Becoming light headed
  • Dizziness
  • Perhaps followed by tiredness
  • You will probably get a headache
  • You will also notice if you are dehydrated your urine will be darker in colour
  • And you will pee a lot less often

Severe dehydration will take on all these symptoms and more:

  • You may also feel unusually tired and lethargic
  • You may become confused
  • The dizziness may not pass if you are severely dehydrated
  • A weak and/or rapid pulse may be another symptom

These symptoms are very important to look out for in others too – if you know anyone complaining of these sorts of symptoms treat as dehydration – ie get them some water and/or cool them down. You may need to replace lost salts/electrolytes if the cause of the dehydration has been sweating (heat, exercise etc) so put a little salt and sugar into water to make up a solution for them to drink. *NOTE: Severe dehydration can become a medical emergency and require immediate attention, so please refer anyone with severe symptoms to a medical professional as soon as possible*

READ MORE from this weeks blog

FIND OUT MORE from Day 5 Nutrition and Hydration Week

CONTACT US FOR MORE info@nitakothari.com and remember if you are looking to book a consultation, quote Nutrition and Hydration week for booking discounts all this week

SHARE MORE with us via Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Google+

8 glasses of water nutrition and hydration week

Day 3 Nutrition and Hydration Week 2016

16th March 2016

Here we go – its Day 3 Nutrition and Hydration Week and today we raise the question: Do you think you drink enough every day?  Do you know how much enough is? And perhaps: Do you know someone else that may need their fluid intake monitoring or encouragement to drink more? 

Lets think about that for a minute – there are lots of factors that can influence how much you should be drinking for optimum hydration – your age, gender, activity levels for a start.  What about the weather, illness/recovery, the foods you’re eating, are you training/exercising regularly…..?  Taking these factors on board, here are recommendations for average fluid intake (UK):

The European Food Safety Authority recommend: 2.5 litres of water for men and 2.0 litres of water for women per day, via food and drink consumption

The British Nutrition Foundation recommend: 1.6L of fluid per day for women (about 8 200ml glasses) and 2L of fluid per day for men (about 10 200ml glasses) This is in fluid alone, so using the 80/20 rule we talked about yesterday (ie 80% fluid intake from drinks and 20% from foods) this works out the same as the EFSA.

Here at no nonsense, we like the following recommendation from the UK NHS best: “Studies have tried to establish a recommended daily fluid intake, but it can vary depending on the individual and factors such as age, climate and physical activity. A good rule is to drink enough fluid so that you’re not thirsty for long periods, and to steadily increase your fluid intake when exercising and during hot weather. Passing clear urine (wee) is a good sign that you’re well hydrated”.

So – Day 3 Nutrition and Hydration Week check yourself, check your family, check your friends your colleagues, your class and anyone else you know is getting enough.  And do me a favour – if you find anyone who’s not getting enough, GRADUALLY increase fluid intake.  I don’t want the blame for the inconvenience of too many trips to the loo!

  • Remember to check out Nutrition and Hydration Week here: www.nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk
  • Remember to follow @NHWeek on Twitter and Tweet us @nononsensenita with any tips, info, events you are taking part in.
  • Remember to sign up on the right for our newsletter so all this info and more can find its way conveniently to your inbox without you having to do anything further…..
  • And contact me on info@nitakothari.com for further details or consultation on personal nutrition and hydration.  This week we are offering discounts on all consultations booked when mentioning Nutrition and Hydration Week 2016.
  • And finally remember we are also on Facebook / Instagram / Google+ sharing news, info, pics on Nutrition and Hydration all this week so come and share too

(sources for info as above will all be in this weeks blog to be published tomorrow – Thursday 17.03.16 – please sign up for the newsletter on the right for sources and for the blog – you can of course unsubscribe at any time and its all free)

regrowing celery hydrating foods nutrition and hydration week

Day 2 Nutrition and Hydration Week 2016

15th March 2016

‬Its Tasty Tuesday and Day 2 Nutrition and Hydration Week 2016!

Our focus on hydration continues today as promised and as its Tasty Tuesday – today we are looking at hydrating foods.

Did you know 80% of your hydration and fluid intake usually comes from water (and drinks) but 20% can in fact come from hydrating foods?

Well which foods I hear you ask? The top 3 foods with the highest water content are:

CELERY = over 95% water

LETTUCE (especially the lighter green ones eg iceburg) at again over 95% water

CUCUMBER at over 96% water!

Did you see the Sunday Science article we shared via Facebook?  Check it out for more info as the 2nd best thing about celery and lettuce is you can buy it once and grow it again yourself!  You can also check out this how to video: How to grow a garden from kitchen scraps to find out more about growing your own in the simplest way possible.  I have no allotment, garden, balcony or even window box, but reckon I could give this a go – if I can, you can I’m sure, so as spring approaches why not take a stab at growing your own hydrating foods – its free!

A full list of hydrating foods will be included on the Thursday Blog, so be sure to come back and check that out.  In the meantime we suggest you sign up to the newsletter by completing the panel on the right and the info will automatically drop straight to your inbox – no nonsense!  And do share your own nutrition and hydration tips by Tweeting us @nononsensenita or posting to Facebook

More info on Nutrition and Hydration week can be found here: www.nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk

nutrition and hydration week

Nutrition and Hydration Week 2016

14th March 2016

Hi all – just wanted to draw your attention to Nutrition and Hydration week 2016 – starting today – Monday 14th March and lasts the full week.  Whats it all about?  Take a look here: www.nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk and pledge your support by emailing info@nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk

For the 2nd year running, we are proud to support  Nutrition & Hydration Week in raising awareness of not only good nutrition as we usually do, but the importance of good hydration too.

Do you know just how much water you should be drinking every day?  Do you think you drink enough?  Do you know what percentage of your body is made up of water and what happens when you become dehydrated?  Do you know what causes dehydration? Did you know foods can hydrate too?  Do you know someone that requires extra monitoring of their hydration – someone who may may be older/recovering from illness/sick/in hospital/requiring care?  Someone involved in a sports/exercise/activity/training program?  Do you know the importance of hydration on weight management?  What about the effects of alcohol (dehydration)?   We will be addressing these questions though the week via Facebook / Twitter  @nononsensenita and Google + so for the answers please go like/follow/tweet/share/comment etc and let us know your thoughts on Nutrition and Hydration this week.  You can also follow the @NHWeek Twitter feed for ongoing events and info this week.

 

britains biggest breakfast cancer research uk

Biggest Breakfast!

11th March 2016

Its TODAY. Friday 11th March.  Its finally here – Britains Biggest Breakfast in aid of Cancer Research UK.

Many thanks for your donations so far – the online ones and the cold hard cash!  There is still time to give – just hit the justgiving link here: http://www.justgiving.com/nononsensenita and let your credit/debit cards give too!  Remember as we cant physically host a biggest breakfast event, in return for your donation you can get your hands on our smoothie recipes to try for breakfast yourselves.  If you want the recipes, just let us know your email address once you’ve donated and we can send them over!  (email it to me info@nitakothari.com / sign up to the newsletter via the panel on the right, or facebook message us here)

Go on – give – do it – and enjoy your breakfast!

For further details on the work of Cancer Research UK please see: Cancer Research UK

If you want further details on Britains Biggest Breakfast please see: Britains Biggest Breakfast

power of you powerofyou

Power of You

10th March 2016

The Power Of You – well just in case you missed it, here’s another opportunity to check out this weeks blog post.  Inspirational doesn’t even cover it – you need to know these women! Shaa Wasmund, Lynne Franks, Suzy Greaves – get to know them here: IWD BLOG while celebrating International Womens Day (Tuesday 8th March) and realising the power of you!

I really want to urge all the wonderful women reading this to do themselves a favour, take a look at the BLOG and get to know these ladies celebrating their own power and the power of you.  I had the pleasure of sharing last Friday with them and  I was blown away by their positive generosity and their incredible achievements.  Power to you, power of you, powerhouses!

You can also find out more about these women here too:

Shaa Wasmund

Lynne Franks

Suzy Greaves