Blood test results

Last week I was at the blood test I had done with health coach Tessa. Fortunately, it was not alarming, but there are definitely some things that can be improved. From a chart with all yellow, orange, and red bars that I didn't understand, Tessa could read my results precisely. I won't bore you with that, but it is incredibly interesting what you can check with such a test. Liver, intestines, allergies, inflammation, metabolism, and information about vitamins and minerals. That kind of stuff. Tessa advised me on some extra supplements to get things back on track. I now start my morning with a multivitamin, fish oil, vitamin D, and in the evening I take magnesium. The latter is especially needed if you train a lot, and it helps you sleep well. It's good for your muscle and bone development and reduces muscle pain. Oh yes, one more thing. My liver was extremely in the red. Oops. While I don't drink alcohol every week, but well, if I do, then I do it right. Fortunately, it wasn't very concerning, as most people get the same result when it comes to their liver (unless you really don't drink a drop). To tackle it a bit, I now take a shot every evening Oligoplant Cynara to support the dysfunctions of the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. I'm curious what the test will say in a year.

Felice knows me

Our dear intern Felice said goodbye last week, as her internship was over, and she baked a carrot cake. I usually decline a piece of cake (without any effort, by the way), but here I said a huge YES! Felice eats gluten-free because she really has an allergy. The recipe was from Jamie (you can read it here) and he is my favorite, so this cake was really delicious. To make it even healthier, you can replace the sugar with dates.

A good start is half the work

Without breakfast, I can't get going. I always start the day with lemon juice (good for digestion, it detoxifies, and it gives me a nice kickstart), then I often make tea with fresh ginger. I bought a kind of jam jars with a handle at the store Hutspot and they are really nice to drink from. Useful for tea or for a smoothie.

I try to vary a lot with my breakfast. One time a smoothie, then oatmeal, then a pancake or an egg.

I ate this week at Bakers & Roasters, one of the nicest breakfast spots in the city. Especially the Bircher Muesli is incredibly delicious and perfect after a workout. It's oatmeal with apple, dried fruits, and nuts. I also made a banana pancake this week on Tessa's recommendation. Mega simple and incredibly tasty. I'll give you the recipe for 1 pancake:

– 2 eggs

– 1 banana

– 25 grams of oatmeal

– cinnamon

– coconut oil (for frying)

Beat the eggs in a bowl, add the oatmeal, and mash the banana into it. Voila, the batter is ready. A little coconut oil in the pan, and when the pan is hot, add the batter. Fry until golden brown on both sides, and you're done. A bit of cinnamon on top, and I had some blueberries with it. Really delicious.

Muscle pain to the max

I had a weekend with a lot of training. On Saturday, I was with the Girls Love to Run crew at gym Sport World where we had a training session with the guys from Personal Body Plan. Lots of weights, a lot of squats and lunges, so I'm still feeling it. On Sunday morning, I was at Robby Nelson's door at 9 o'clock. I'm not drinking this month, so that helps a lot when getting up. I'm as fit as a fiddle.

Robby made us sweat quite a bit with the abs. I was paired with Mandy Meuwese, owner of PR agency Ganbaroo. This was our favorite (not):

Lie on your back while the other stands wide-legged above your head. Grip their legs with your hands. Swing your legs straight up into the air. Now the other person will push your legs away with some force. Keep your legs straight and swing them back up. Don't look straight up, but look at your navel and engage your core. Maybe complicated, but just look at the pictures. It's really tough, but very effective.

Then there's also a huge tire, and when I see it lying there, I sometimes want to turn back. That thing gives me calf muscle pain for 3 days, but if you want tight buttocks, then this is a good workout. So of course, I do it. Very simple: one by one, put your foot on the tire. A kind of stepping. You can also easily do this at home with a low stool or on a step. To make it a bit easier, swing your arms along.

I'm now going to toss around with Liesbeth with our new exercise balls that we bought to sit on instead of our chairs. Happy Monday!