BLOG

5 ingredient ‘Nutella’ fudge cake

Ingredients

150g coconut oil
3/4 cup cacao powder
6 eggs
1 cup rice malt syrup
1 cup hazelnut meal

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius and line a circular baking pan with baking paper.
  2. Place coconut oil and cacao in a saucepan and stir until combined and melted.
  3. In an electric mixer, combine eggs and rice malt syrup.
  4. Add hazelnut meal and the chocolate mix to eggs and rice malt syrup and fold lightly until combined.
  5. Pour into the baking pan and bake for 35 minutes. Let cool, dust some cacao powder over the top and enjoy!

About My Clean Treats

Jess Lirosi is the creator of healthy dessert blog My Clean Treats. Featuring simple, guilt-free recipes, from chocolate cacao cake to traditional white chocolate and raspberry jelly slice, Jess’ desserts are made with no refined sugars or plain flours as she makes natural alternatives to her favourite treats.

You can find more of Jess’ clean treats at mycleantreats.com or follow her on Instagram @jess_mycleantreats, like My Clean Treats on Facebook or Twitter @jeslirosi for more healthy sweets.

 

“Fitness HQ for Women is proudly locally owned and operated based and is the only 24-hour womens gym on the North Shore”

How to stay on track over the festive season

During the festive season a lot of us tend to fall off the bandwagon and lose track of our healthy eating habits and regular exercise routine. Whilst it is perfectly okay to overindulge at your family Christmas BBQ or drink a little too much champagne over the New Year, you don’t want to lose sight of your end goals completely.

A common excuse at this time of the year is that you will start over in the New Year so everything you do now doesn’t count. Using this excuse to slack off your routine makes it that much more difficult to get started in the New Year and can often come with a lot of dread when you notice your favourite summer dress is a bit tighter than usual. Staying on track and enjoying this silly season doesn’t have to be a big task and doesn’t have to stop you from doing the things you love at this time of the year.

Here are my top tips to staying on track whilst still having a good time:

  • Drink plenty of water in between all the festive treats and alcohol! Staying hydrated will help to reduce overindulging, feeling sluggish and that hangover feeling the next day. If the idea of having a glass of water doesn’t appeal to you throughout the day, mix it up! Pour yourself a glass of sparkling water into a champagne glass and add a slice of lemon and some mint leaves! Great way to fend off the peer pressure!
  • Try all the salads and grilled veggies! Rather than loading your plate up with garlic bread, potatoes and meat, give some of the salads a go! Put the salads/vege on your plate first so you bulk your plate up with goodness before the carbs. Add your meat or protein source and then with the small room left take your garlic bread. You might discover a new salad recipe you love for summer
  • Stay away from the nibbles table when possible! At your family events or BBQ’s, try to strike up a conversation with someone out of reach of the nibbles. This way you can’t just sit there, mindlessly snacking the whole time. Enjoy the nibbles by going up to the table, grabbing a few things, and walking away again.
  • Keep as little festive treats in your house as possible! If it’s not available to you, you can’t eat it. I’m sure during the festive season you will be indulging in treats at Christmas and New Year events so you don’t need the extra treats lying around your house for you to snack on.
  • Get outside and enjoy the sunshine! Going to the gym might not be doable for you at this time and that’s perfectly okay. However, try to make the most of the longer summer days and get outside for walks with your friends, play cricket on the beach, kick a ball around or swim at the beach! Anything that keeps you active and expending some of that extra energy you’ve got!
  • Enjoy summer fruit! Instead of reaching for a candy cane or chocolate bar, snack on a piece of fresh fruit. Have the fruit prepped and ready to eat in the fridge so it is the first thing you see when you open the fridge. I like to chop up my pineapple and watermelon ready to grab and go.
  • Get creative with your favourite festive baking! Try to find some healthy alternatives to your favorite recipes and create your own healthy version that works for you! There are so many small ingredients swap you can do to make your recipe a bit healthier!

Don’t restrict yourself from your favourite foods and don’t feel guilty for not making it to the gym like you usually would. The most important thing is to find a balance in your lifestyle that works for you. You could always just try an maintain your weight over this period instead. Do your best and enjoy your holidays!

 

“Fitness HQ for Women mission is to provide women of all walks of life an environment where they can feel empowered to live a healthier lifestyle. We provide over 20 Group Fitness classes, personal training and a 24-hour main gym.”

Getting back on track after the Winter slump

The dark mornings and nights, and the moody weather of Winter can cause motivation to be at an all-time low. Now that spring is here and the days are looking a little brighter here are a few tips to help you get back into your gym routine.

Set Your Next Goal

Organising your next significant goal is one of the best ways to keep you on track. With a challenge planned for the near future, you will be less likely to give in to the urge to skip a session.

Here are some examples:

  • 6km/12km/ Half or full marathon
  • Sign up for a triathlon
  • Tough Gal Challenge – An obstacle mud run. Great way to challenge all your aspects of your fitness and have fun too!
  • Goal to squat or deadlift bodyweight
  • A goal to beat your own 1000 m, Ski erg, rowing or 5km Run time

 Plan tomorrow, tonight

Spending a few minutes at the end of each day thinking about what you’re going to do tomorrow, and physically writing it down, increases your likelihood of completing the task.

  • Plan your workout
  • Plan what time you will train
  • Write a mini goal for your session
  • Have everything you need laid out and ready to go – gym gear/clothes, alarm set, food and snacks prepared etc.

Train with Others

Making a commitment with a friend or a group not only makes the workouts more fun, but also keeps you accountable. Knowing that you are meeting someone will make you less likely to skip the gym. Convince a friend to join you and take turns at planning your workouts to keep things interesting. Joining a group fitness class is also a good way to make friends at the gym to keep you accountable.

Change your workout routine

Repeating the same routine and exercises can become boring and contribute to motivation loss. To avoid this, try out a new workout style, new exercises, or a new group fitness class. By switching things up you’ll keep your mind and body engaged. Doing the same routine continuously can create some great results (if you are doing a progressive overload), but can become very monotonous and boring. It’s great to try new things and challenge your muscles in a different way to keep yourself interested.  Come see us for a new complimentary personalised weights program for the main gym.

Treat yourself to some new gym gear

A term called “enclothed cognition” refers to the psychological influence that clothing can have on us. It suggests that “dressing for the part” subconsciously changes our behaviors and attitudes. Basically, if you’re dressed for the gym, you’re not only more inclined to be active, but you can feel more confident in your abilities, leading to improved focus, motivation, and gains. So yes, this is your excuse to go buy some new gym wear that you feel good in 😊

 

“Fitness HQ prides itself on a safe place for ladies to feel comfortable, motivated and supported towards their health and fitness goals. With over 20 group fitness classes per week, there is something for everyone!