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…Summer Champagne Cocktails…

Ok… Lets be realistic. The sun is coming out which means the summer cocktails are going to come out. I feel that with my clients their biggest battle is figuring out how to balance living a healthy lifestyle with a FUN lifestyle.  I am not saying that you have to give up ALL things to reach your health and fitness goals.  BUT MODERATION IS KEY!

So yes…if you have been working your butt off for weeks and you have your gals coming over for a girls night, enjoy one or two drinks.  The best suggestions is to always stick with low sugar options.  Red wine carries a great nutritional profile and some are even low in sugar and carbs. Do your research and see what nutritional values are in the drinks you want to consume.  In the mean time… here is a guest post providing some delicious options for you and your friends to try!

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Impress your guests with champagne cocktails

In a circle of adults no important celebration is complete without champagne. In our minds it is associated with memorable moments of life. But don’t feel afraid to mix up your next soiree with some elegant champagne cocktails.

Champagne cocktails were served traditionally as an aperitif before a festive dinner, though you can serve them any time. So to get you started, we have prepared for you some of the most accessible recipes that we believe are the best.

General tips:

  • champagne in cocktails should not be shaken (it foams strongly), if necessary, it should only be slowly stirred with a spoon;
  • before preparation all the ingredients and the glass should be cooled down;
  • use only big glasses capacity of which is 20-30% higher than the total volume of all added components;
  • It might sound obvious, but the higher the quality of the champagne, the tastier the cocktail will be

Lemon Cocktail

Ingredients:

  • 100 ml of dry or semi-dry champagne
  • 20ml of lemon juice
  • 1 piece of sugar
  • a slice of lemon
  • ice

Preparation:

In the glass on a thin stem put a piece of sugar, pour the lemon juice, pour champagne on top, put an ice-cube and decorate with lemon.

 

Champagne ice

Ingredients:

  • champagne (brut or dry, e.g. Lanson Champagne) – 50 ml;
  • ice cream (white) – 100 grams;
  • strawberry – 50 grams;
  • mint – 2-3 leaves.

Preparation:

Slice strawberries in big pieces and finely chop mint. Mix strawberry, ice cream and mint in a glass. Pour in the champagne.

Drink cocktail through a straw. Remains of strawberries can be eaten with a spoon.

Champagne with ice cream and strawberries is usually served for dessert.

 

AMERICAN GLORY I

Ingredients:

  • 20 ml of pomegranate syrup Grenadine;
  • 40 ml of orange juice;
  • 10 ml of lemon juice;
  • Any champagne on offer;
  • For decoration: 1 slice of orange.

Preparation:

Mix grenadine syrup, orange and lemon juices in a glass for champagne by one-third filled with crushed ice. Top up with champagne. Decorate the edge of the glass with a slice of orange.

 

Martini Royale

Ingredients:

  • 75ml of white vermouth;
  • 75 ml of dry sparkling wine;
  • Lime – 30grams;
  • Sprig of mint;
  • Ice cubes – 160 g

Preparation:

Fill a wine glass with ice cubes till top. Pour in white vermouth and dry sparkling wine. Squeeze a quarter of lime there and gently stir with a cocktail spoon. Decorate the glass with a slice of lime and sprig of mint.

 

Sparkling Strawberry Sangria

Ingredients:

  • 4-10 strawberries;
  • 1 apple;
  • 1/2 of lemon;
  • 1 lime;
  • 1 cinnamon stick;
  • 2-6 leaves of mint;
  • 50 grams of sugar (preferably yellow cane);
  • 1 bottle of champagne (Brut or Asti) very chilled.

Preparation:

Slice strawberries into 4 pieces and the rest of the fruit cut into cubes. Add mint, cinnamon, sugar and put the mix in refrigerator for several hours until the sugar dissolves and forms a “syrup” on the bottom of the bowl. Add the champagne 30 minutes before serving. Everything should be very well mixed and put back in the fridge. The drink should be served very chilled!!! (Depending on the season, strawberries can be replaced with peaches (peeled beforehand) or you can add some wild berries (blackberries) which with give the drink very beautiful shade.

Bon Appetit!

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…Guest Post: 10 Best Health & Fitness Tips for Women’s Care…

10 Tips to Better Health and Fitness

Today we have Mr. Rod Devreese here to speak about some important key things to keep in mind for those who have recently started a new health and fitness routine.  Starting a new routine takes a lot of work, dedication, and patience.  You will learn what does and does not work best for YOUR body.  Try NOT to compare yourself to those around you because everyone is different! What I personally do may not work for someone else or it may give better/worse results to someone else.  It is about trial and error and figuring out YOUR body.  The goal is to stay motivated, stay on track with your healthy eating habits, and stick to your regular workout routine.  Doing these things will slowly start to show you the results you have been wanting! 

Now, lets hear what Mr. Rod Devreese has to say!

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If you want to be on your way to better health and fitness, you can follow these tips:

1. Don’t expect to improve your health overnight. It takes time to get used to
changes in your diet and lifestyle. If you are patient, you can succeed.

2. Be happy and the good hormones in your body will defeat cortisol. The latter is
also known as stress hormone. When you are happy, you will feel good. You can
watch funny videos or comedy movies with your friends or family, or you can just
talk about funny things.

3. Your monitor must be slightly above or just about the same level as your eyes.
a monitor that is lower than your eye level is sure to cause shoulder, neck, and
back aches.

4. Monitor your heart rate especially during workout. A heart rate monitor can be
very useful. You need to use one to ensure that your heart rate is around 75% to
85%. The heart rate must not be too low or too high to get the best result from the
workout.

5. Boost your energy level by eating an energy bar or any other food that is rich in
sugar and fiber. Banana is also a great snack before doing any form of exercise.

6. Focus your attention on eating a balanced diet and getting a good exercise rather
than thinking about losing weight. The figures on the scale will not be able to help
you out.

7. Before doing any workout, you should do some stretching and other warm-up
exercises. This can prevent injuries. A lot of people tend to ignore this and later
on, they can have muscle injuries.

8. Some people think that aiming for better health and fitness means that a person
no longer needs carbs. This is a common misconception. In fact, you need carbs
to fuel the body and get the needed energy. You need to eat high-fiber foods
like fruits and vegetables, as well as protein sources. This will ensure that
carbohydrates are broken down with ease.

9. If you are the type of person who lacks motivation, you can try working out with a
friend or close member of the family. With a buddy, you will find ‘exercise’ time
cool and lots of fun rather than trying to achieve your fitness goals alone.

10. Routine activities are normal but if you want to be physically fit, you should learn
to be flexible. The freedom to do things as you see fit is a great way to motivate
yourself and to avoid boredom.

Aside from the tips above, you also need to look into diet food plans. If you truly want
to get in shape, there is a need to follow a diet regimen that will work for you. It can be
hard at first but once you get into the habit, you can live a healthier life and be fit.

Author Bio:

Rod Devreese is a former collegiate athlete as well as a health & fitness enthusiast who writes on
topics such as diet food plans, exercise, general health, and nutrition at Diet Brand Reviews.

 

 

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…Guest Post: 5 Ways to Stay Motivated To Get In Shape…

5 Ways to Stay Motivated To Get In Shape

Aiming for a new body is a common goal for a lot of people, but like many other
endeavors, it’s easier said than done. While commitment to the cause is always
impressively solid at the beginning, few actually get through to the finish. The following
are suggestions on how to keep the fire going when trying to get into shape.

Bring a friend

The easiest way to help discipline oneself to stick to workout routines and schedules is
to have someone check on them. Make sure to invite someone who’s disciplined and
equally determined or else you might end up giving each other excuses. The goal is for
you to motivate and encourage each other. Since not all of us are lucky enough to have
that friend or family member, joining a class or team works too.

Know what you can and can’t do

Everyone has limits, especially in exercise. There’s nothing wrong with wanting that six-pack to materialize itself in a week, but we have to face the physical constraints lying between us and our goals. Keeping your workouts within your capacity lessens the likelihood that you’ll quit because of the impossibility of the exercise (and transitively,the goal of getting in shape). Be creative. Mix and mash the workouts that you can do.

Give yourself a deadline

Our teachers knew what they were doing. How much schoolwork would we have
finished if they didn’t give deadlines? Setting specific dates for certain goals adds to the
pressure of having to achieve them. The more detailed your goals are, the better. Think,
“be able to lift forty-pound weights in two weeks” rather than just “improve weightlifting”.

Track your progress

Keep records of how you’re doing. Nowadays this is especially easy to do because of
the dozens of free smart phone applications designed for this purpose. Improvement
isn’t always easy to feel, but writing it down keeps you assured that you’re going
somewhere. For additional motivation, reward yourself whenever you see progress
markers achieved.

Let brains improve with brawns

Getting in shape isn’t just about the body. It’s easier and faster to achieve that dream
figure when you use tried and tested methods. Hundreds of thousands of books and
websites contain information on dieting, exercising, conditioning, and bodybuilding. It
helps to join online forums and groups where you can share routines and tips.

Often, the biggest enemy in working towards getting fit is time. Desired results can take
months or years to manifest. Above all, it’s important to find enjoyment and fulfilment in
exercise because work turns into play when you’re having fun.

About the Author:

Macy is an experienced writer on health and fitness. She loves to help people learn
more about methods and machines that help in losing weight and building muscle.

References:

American Diabetes: 15 Ways to Stay Motivated to Exercise;
[http://www.americandiabetes.com/living-diabetes/diabetes-fitness-articles/15-ways-
stay-motivated-exercise]

Pete Williams, Core Performance: 7 Secrets to Get Motivated for a Workout;
[http://www.coreperformance.com/daily/mindset/7-secrets-to-get-motivated-for-a-
workout.html]

Ruth Zukerman, The Huffington Post: 10 Ways to Stay Motivated to Work Out;
[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ruth-zukerman/10-ways-to-stay-motivated-to-work-
out_b_931603.html#s335840&title=Dont_Go_It]

Anne Stein, Chicago Tribune: Staying motivated to exercise;
[http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-03-21/health/sc-health-0321-fitness-excuses-
20120321_1_exercise-class-morning-exerciser-department-of-exercise-physiology]

Aura Dundalk Leisure Centre: Top 7 Ways To Stay Committed to Exercise;
[http://aurasportleisure.newsweaver.co.uk/auraleisurecentre/1kxnwq0cqt8]

Heather Scott, The Examiner: How to stay committed to your exercise routine;
[http://www.examiner.com/article/how-to-stay-committed-to-your-exercise-routine]

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