Posts tagged 'winter'

VOLVO AT THE GROVE!

Fitness On Toast - Volvo XC40 - The Grove Event-32

I spent last weekend in the company of one of the greatest Swedish icons; no, not Björn Borg, ABBA, or the Chef from The Muppets – but Volvo! Throughout my childhood in Karlskrona (southern Sweden) literally everybody’s parents drove this marque, including mine. Our country has a reserved, understated national culture, and it’s a point of humor that the populace differentiates its individuality by buying the *newest* Volvo. Now though, the exquisite, silky and muscular aesthetics of this freshly-launched beauty, the XC40, make our old 1990s Swedish 240 estate look about as aerodynamic as a cube! Our weekend at The Grove was themed around the classically Swedish concept of Lagom (there’s no direct translation but perhaps conjure Goldilocks and her ‘just right’ porridge), and part of my role was to lead a group of fabulous lifestyle press around a 30-minute HIIT workout on the ‘wellbeing’ part of their experience. Click MORE to read my thoughts on this car, to see how we got on with lagom, and to get a little BTS from the event!

Fitness On Toast - Volvo XC40 - The Grove Event-2 (more…)

THE BEST SOUP YOU’LL EVER MAKE ?

Fitness On Toast Faya Lentil Soup Taste Healthy Workout Recipe Natural Vegetable Protein Idea Diet Health Recipe Nutrition Lighter Home Made

It’s February already, which in England means that statistically, it’s raining 60% of the month and the average temperature is a mere 5 degrees. So it’s cold,  it’s wet, and the lack of sunshine adds insult to injury! Amidst this gloom, what could be better than a piping hot, hearty home-made soup to defrost your cold body?! This fool-proof recipe is one of my absolute go-to dishes which is both homely and comforting, and delivers all the nutrients your body will need to fight the effects of winter. The lentils are a supreme source of vegetable protein, not to mention that it works out to be a mere 25p per serving, and even if you ‘luxe’ your soup, you’ll struggle to spend more than £1.00 per serving. Click more to discover how quick and easy this classic winters recipe is, and up your soup game today! (more…)

WHEN SANTA HITS THE GYM! (MY XMAS ‘FITNESS GIFT’ WISHLIST)

Faya Fitness On Toast Christmas Wishlist Compilation Present Gift Ideas

Dear Santa, I’ve been really healthy (almost) all year and I intend to be next year as well; after a festive wander through Harrods, here are my 18 top fitness gift ideas that’ll certainly help keep me on track through 2014; including some clothes, trainers, workout equipment, healthy food & drink and other gym knick-knacks. The sort of thing any fitness freak like me would love to open in just a fortnight’s time! 😉 Faya x (more…)

“WILL FRUIT MAKE ME FAT ???”

Winter Berries Fruit Salad Blueberry Raspberry Currants Cranberry Fig Apple Almond Redcurrant Yoghurt Total fat free antioxidant Fitness On Toast Faya Blog girl - SMALLIn moderation, and the right type, no! I’m marking the change of seasons with some yummy winter berries. This healthy dessert should satisfy your sweet tooth (guilty!), whilst offering plenty of nutritional value too. I’m regularly asked whether ‘fruit will make you fat because of the sugar content’; true, too much of any type of sugar is bad news. However chomping on the right fruit (like these berries) means you’re not only eating fructose (the lowest-GI form of sugar with a glycemic index of 19, versus a glass of apple juice at 30, table sugar at 65, and glucose at 100), but also enjoying other benefits like fibre (helps digestion) & plenty of vitamins and minerals. By chewing solid food and metabolising it slowly (rather than drinking it straight into your bloodstream) you suffer less of a blood sugar spike. I’d rather have a delicious, beautiful, tasty, bowl of fresh berries with nutritional value including some protein (thanks to the yoghurt, plenty of calcium & vitamin-B too) than a dry cardboard biscuit that claims to be ‘low in sugar’.

The purpose of this berry dish is to promote the intake of… (more…)

RAID YOUR VEGETABLE BOX !!!

 

This soup recipe is quick, easy and very nutritious. One of the reasons I love making soups is that anything in the fridge is fair game… everything is a potential ingredient (within reason)!  This particular Leek & Carrot soup is made up of just 4 ingredients, which are unremarkable on their own, but when blended together, taste – if I may say so myself – delicious! It’s a healthy mix of carrots (rich in dietary fibre for digestion, vitamin A for healthy vision, and are proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease), yoghurt (contains protein to fuel muscle repair, potassium to condition the heart / brain / kidney, zinc to regulate testosterone, and vitamin B12 to encourage haemoglobin production), leek (rich in antioxidants, and calcium to strengthen bones), and some ginger (with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and digestion-aiding properties) for added flavour. Most recipe books I read suggest plenty of cream to thicken the texture; I’m sure Gordon Ramsay wouldn’t use yoghurt in a soup, but this miraculous 0% fat greek yoghurt from Total is miles healthier than its dairy cousin, and still gives the soup a wonderfully rich texture – just with a mere 57 calories per 100ml vs Sainsbury’s double cream at 445 calories per 100ml! Another great thing about this recipe is that it serves 3-4 people, for under £6.00 in 30 mins so eating fresh healthy food every day doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming!

To cook it, follow the easy instructions below. Hope you enjoy, and that it warms you up on these cold winters nights!

Faya x