Cheatmeal

Hey there!

I know, some of you have already seen this on Instagram or Facebook, but I thought it would be worth mentioning it here as well, to keep things honest.

I actually started my preparation on the 1st of August. But this doesn't mean that I don't have the permission to enjoy a cheat-meal once in a while.

Before I started this preparation program for my first competition, I took the opportunity to indulge on everything for the ,,last time''. And when I say 'everything', I mean everything :From pasta, pizza and over to chocolate, donuts and so on... I stuffed myself  ,which was actually a very good strategy, because I was quite disgusted by junk food and sweets.

Then I was eating and training according to my diet-plan and training plan for an entire month! And I had great results...remember when I posted about my transformation after 1 month of clean-eating? 

''Unfortunately'' ,we went to the Electric Love Festival in Salzburg, Austria, for 5 days in July. Even though I prepared my food, I had to throw it away after 2 days, because it started to smel kind of nasty. And I didn't feel like risking a food intoxication... So I tried to make the best out of it, which only worked for exactly one day .I forgave myself by telling me that I was following my plan to a T for the past weeks and that these few days couldn't be that bad. Therefor, the festival became kind of a big cheat-meal , whoops! 

And yesterday, my boyfriend and I decided to have another epic cheat-meal. Actually we wanted to wait until his birthday, which is in 2 weeks only, but we couldn't resist and we ordered at Pizza hut's. MUAHAHA! 

We shared 2 garlic breads with shrimps and a big and greasy cheezy crust, half brie-cheese and honey, half ''Antillaise' (which is pineapple with chicken, so it's a bit healthy too, *joking*)

I am not saying that this cheat-meal ruined something,but I have to admit that my form this morning was kind of different. However I am still satisfied and I know that I will be in my previous form by no later than 2 days. 

For now, I will stick to my plan again until my coach is back from his holidays. We will have another check-up in early September and of course Ken and I will probably have one last cheatmeal again before we really hit the 'shredding-phase'.

That said, enjoy the rest of the week! 

Heavenly cheezy crust

garlic shrimps bread

 

Left: morning form after weeks of clean eating //

Sushi: Cheat meal or not?

Are you on love with sushi as much as I am? Because I could eat sushi for breakfast, as mid-morning snack, for lunch, afternoon-snack , for dinner and even as a night snack. You see, I am a real sushi-addict! 

Before I started my preparation I always considered sushi as a cheat meal, and therefor I only ate sushi once a week. But is it really a cheat or more like a healthy treat? 

Let's have a closer look: 

• Before ordering your sushi plate, make sure to start with a miso soup, as it's low in calories (75 calories for one cup) and it helps to fill up a bit. So you don't run the risk of over-eating with sushi. 
• If you love wasabi, go ahead! Personally I don't like wasabi at all, which is a pity because it is packed with antioxidants like isothiocyanates which gives a great anti-cancer punch. You don't even need to eat a lot of it to reap the benefits, great isn't it? 
• What about that little pile of ginger that you always have on your plate? Ginger really helps to boost the immune system as an effective antimicrobial and antiviral agent. It is also a great source of potassium, magnesium , copper and manganese. Same here, eat it!
• If you love soy sauce as much as I do, especially the sweet one, ask for reduced-sodium soy sauce,if possible. Normally they are packed with a lot of sodium which isn't that good for your body anyways.

Now let's go over to the main course, sushi! 

Here are some explanations and tips how you can enjoy a HEALTHY treat:

• Sushi is the definition of a low-fat meal but if you are not eating it the right way, it's not low-fat at all! 
• If you really want to benefit from sushi, go for pieces that are high in omega-3, such as salmon and tuna. They are both low in calories , high in protein and omega-3 and they also deliver a lot of vitamin D, which is very important for your body.
• Focus on ordering pieces that have been steamed or grilled, like sashimi because it's actually only the fish without any rice or extra ingredients.
• Try to stay away from the delicious crunchy stuff which have been deep-fried to get that golden crust. ' The less fancy the roll, the better!' , always keep this in mind. 
• And please, don't do the same mistake as I, stay away from the delicious special rolls covered or filled with a creamy yummy sauce! Order sushi without any mayonnaise or cream cheese fillings. (Which isn't traditional anyways)
• And if you are a real vegetarian or if you love the veggie-rolls with fresh cucumbers, avocados or sea vegetables, you are on the bright side already. Sea vegetables are a real powerful healing food that is full of nutrients like vitamin K, magnesium and folate. So it's the best kind of a treat-meal!
• You now that the are huge amounts of fiber in brown rice, that is also important for maintaining a healthy digestion and regular bowel movements, so if possible, as your sushi with brown rice. It's a great source of manganese, selenium and magnesium. Always keep in your head that each sushi roll has about one cup of white rice in it. This can easily ass up to a lot of extra calories if you are eating several rolls. Opt for sashimi rather than maki sushi. 

If you follow some of these tips you can easily enjoy your sushi as a healthy treat or even as a healthy lunch or dinner. But if you really want to spoil yourself , go for the fancy and crusty rolls and enjoy them! That's the most important thing. If you don't enjoy your cheat-meals or if you feel guilty afterwards , save your money for other things because sushi is not cheap at all! Try to enjoy your treats without feeling guilty because you earned it!

And please don't believe this:

' Using chopsticks may help you to eat more slowly than shoveling food in with the very-easy-to-use fork or spoon' 

That's complete bull****! I am a chopstick-pro and I eat even more fast when using chopsticks than using a fork haha... 

Have a great saturday and enjoy your cheat-meals!