asian Archives - Cyntra in the City

Balance

Exercises to Slim for Office Christmas Party!

Christmas party season is well and truly in the throws! Drinks here, meals there and the after party.

So what is the trick to get ready for that little black dress?

Here are my tricks to slim down for the slinky black dress.

80/20

It is all about nutrition to beat the bloat. Cut out white carbs, sugar, alcohol (unless at the party), reduce salt and UP THOSE VEGGIES.

The above can lead to that little bulge that pops out in the lower stomach… the dreaded bloat. By upping your veggies and reducing the list above you can wiggle straight into your dress and feel as confident as ever

8 minute abs

This video is my go to! You get results in days and you can really feel it working. 8 minutes before your morning shower is nothing! So get crunching

Eat more protein

Protein fills you up and doesn’t make you bloat. Make sure you don’t go hungry: load up with eggs in the morning, salad and protein at lunch and in the evening keep on track with lots of veggies and more protein.

Eating Out

Tis the season to be jolly after all. When eating out with friends make wise choices. You can’t really go wrong with asian especially Japanese. Stay away from sugar loaded cocktails and stick to champagne and prosecco.

If you do drink a little too much…don’t succumb to the late night munch – drink a pint of water and get yourself to bed

HIIT

If you really want to look super strong, trim and lean – get those hiit sessions in. 3 times a week will really make the difference.

The Body Coach is my favourite. He is such an inspiration and really nice guy – so get in the know!

Sleep

Sleep, sleep and sleep as much as possible. When you’re properly rested you make better decisions. It also helps with recovery for muscle building and keeping your stress levels down.

If in doubt – go and have a nap

Wishing you all the fun in this festive period

Explore/ Recipes

Travel With Work: Healthy in Manchester

I travel a lot out of passion and for work. When I travel with work it means I stay in hotels and it can be very easy to eat out a lot and unhealthily. I am hoping to put together a guide to the places I stay and the gems I find to help those keep healthy in the places I stay.

I am also going to apply this to holiday hot spots – as its nice to find perfect little gems to fit in-between the cocktails and the tanning

Healthy in… Manchester

Food

Let’s begin with some food. I found this wonderful place for breakfast – lunch called…

55 Thomas Street,
Manchester, M4 1NA.
0161 832 3233

As I wandered through the Northern Quarter in the hunt for something that wasn’t in a burrito, burger, or dripping in some all American sauce, I stumbled across the Teacup Kitchen. I had a look inside and was taken by their advertisement of Healthy and Hearty lunches. I chatted with the host and asked him what the Soup of the Day was… (my eyes glanced to their pledge to get the best ingredients and sourced from the best places)

To my delight, he said “Celeriac with Truffle Oil”

Sold!

I was seated in this beautiful little restaurant that was informal and casual and had a buzz. I also ordered from their list of juices (tick) and went for the booster.

All in all, they have a delightful selection of healthy and not so healthy therefore if you are with guests or colleagues who give you a bashing for being “too healthy” then you can bring them here and they can shovel away the sugar while you peruse the goods.

Unit 2, Brazennose House East, Brazennose Street, Manchester M2 5BP

I was lucky enough to stumble on Shlurp a soup bar that makes everything fresh, all locally sourced and in season. They have options from Value to Skinny, Veggie to Meat. There is an offer of soup and a salad which is perfect to cover the nice comfort of the warmth and my snack later in the afternoon. Their ethos is incredible and they really care about the contents of their food. They let you know the Fat, Salt and Wheat and all other factors which concern those who look after their health.

Workout

Getting a workout when you are away from home is hard. You can though tactically book a hotel with a gym.

Here are some of the Central Manchester Hotels with Gyms

Doubletree Hilton

Radisson Blu

Britannia Sachas Hotel

Malmaison

Be savvy when you book accommodation as it will be your home and make sure you get all you need.

Eating Out

Manchester has a plethora of great restaurants. There are the more hipster ones in the Northern Quarter but those are usually the not so good for your waistline ones.

My favourite has to be…

I walked through the Northern Quarter and up to Oldham Road where I discovered this small little family run restaurant.

The insides were humble and I was greeted by a small but welcoming host who asked how she could help.

The restaurant prides itself on being a family run establishment providing the healthiest and freshest home cooked Vietnamese food to the heart of Manchester

I read through the menu checking out all the delicious offerings from Vietnamese Salads to the traditional Pho

I settled on Prawn Summer Rolls and Chicken Pho.

Phở, (pronounced fuh) is one of the healthiest and most delicious Vietnamese dishes eaten every day by the Vietnamese for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Pho is a fresh, nutritious & tasty broth-based noodle soup. The dish is served with a side plate of fresh herbs, sliced-up chillies and lime wedges. The best part is that you can customize your Pho to what you desire to suit your taste.

My Summer Rolls arrived – so fresh and low in calorie.

The Pho arrived and it looked and smelt beautiful

I added my fresh veg and some added chilli to give it a kick. Chillies despite their infamous reputation of adding heat to a meal – have a plethora of health benefits from lowering LDL, high in vitamin C, A and B and high in a number of minerals

I left Saigon Lotus with a belly full of goodness and a smile on my face. I would definitely recommend for dining on your own, with a partner or out with friends.

tip: When eating out stick to Asian food or simple protein and veg combos for a healthy alternative when it’s not your choice of the venue

So I hope you like it – and find it informative. Please comment below and let me know of any healthy finds you have in Manchester. Always on the hunt and word of mouth is always better!

Balance

Today’s London: Probiotics for a Healthier You

We have been bombarded with the word pro-biotics for years. I was under the impression until recently this meant your usual sweet yoghurt based shots you have first thing in the morning… but the more I investigate the more I realised…nope just another sugar filled shot of nonsense.

I went investigation on the world wide web and found out the benefits of having raw, unpasteurised and femented probiotics.

Probiotics help boost the billions of good bacteria that live in our gut… now you may be thinking “whaaa? I don’t want bacteria” no no no this is the good kind. The stuff that boosts your digestive health, increases your immunity, increases the level of nutrients you get from food and your overall wellness. It has also been linked to more energy, shedding pounds and help with allergies.

For more scientific info have a look at the following:

http://foodmatters.tv/articles-1/6-healing-benefits-of-probiotics

http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/surprising-benefits-probiotics

Wahoo – these sound wonderful – where do I get them…?

The best way to increase these bacteria is by the following:

Kefir – Several varieties of probiotic bacteria are found in kefir products such as Lactobacillius acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Streptoccus themophilius – the list goes on. It is tart to taste and is not good for those avoiding milk.

Sauerkraut – Good old pickle cabbage! Make sure it is raw and unpasteurised. I quite like this – its a bit vinegary but great to include in meals to give a sour/ sharp accompaniment.
Miso – Miso soup – found in most supermarkets or Japanese restaurants. Order as a side when out for dinner to give your tummy a boost

Tempeh – Similar to Tofu – tempeh is made from fermented soy beans originally from Indonesia. Full of protein and probiotics – an absolute winner to meatless monday or everyday life.
Kimchi – an spicy and sour side dish from Korea – packed full of probiotics. A great addition to make your stir fry a little more fiery

Kombucha tea – This one I am yet to try… (instantly jumps on amazon to order) a tea which can be sipped throughout the day to add this goodness in.

If you are like me and would give the world to feel full of energy, no bloatedness and know that my gut is as happy and healthy as the rest of me – then join me in my conquest to add billions of the good stuff to my gut.

Love your gut and your gut will love you

Recipes

Todays Clean Eat – Asian Quinoa Salad x

This little treat you can make in advance and it will last you for about a week! yummy nutritious and full of colour

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup quinoa
1/4 cup shredded red cabbage
1/4 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup corn kernels
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
1/4 cup chow mein noodles, for serving

FOR THE SESAME VINAIGRETTE:
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons STAR Natural Rice Vinegar
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated ginger

INSTRUCTIONS
To make the vinaigrette, whisk together rice wine vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, sugar, ginger and soy sauce in a small bowl; set aside.
In a medium saucepan, cook quinoa according to package instructions.
In a large bowl, combine quinoa, red cabbage, carrots, corn, green onion and avocado. Stir in sesame vinaigrette.
Serve immediately, topped with chow mein noodles, if desired.

Balance

Today’s Clean Eat – Food Preparation

This is my food prep for the week 🙂

Planning is key to being healthy – if you don’t plan its easy to forget to bring food which will result in poor choices – as most food readily available is processed and full of chemicals

To start the day – my favourite – a boiled egg – one or two of these little delights set anybody up for the day – easily transported and if cooked right – delicious!

Next healthy snacks. Fruit is a perfect snack in the morning but should not be consumed in quantity after 2pm as fructose turns into sugar which then turns to fat if not burned 🙂 Carrot sticks and homemade beetroot and mint dip, hummus or tzatziki are perfect afternoon snacks – if you can add a bit more protein even better!

Lunch for me is simple: Prepare 100g of lean white meat or fish, 1/2 cup of complex carbohydrates (sweet potatoes are best) and cup of vegetables and salad.

I prepare up to 4 days in advance so I do not even have to think when I am rushed off my feet at work.

In a good fridge they will keep well and if you add fresh lemon to chicken and basil – the flavours infuse even more

Enjoy xxx

Recipes

Today’s Clean Eat – Chicken Noodle Soup

Delicious and healthy chicken noodle soup

All you need is

Chicken breast
Miso soup sachet
Red onion
Garlic
Ginger
Gluten Free rice noodles
Sweetcorn
Carrots
Soy Sauce
Coconut oil
Spring onion
and coriander

Brown off the chicken in a pan. In a separate pan – bring miso soup to boil. Add chicken and onions, garlic and ginger. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add carrot and noodles and stir gently – after 5 minutes add sweetcorn and spring onion. At last minute splash in some soy sauce and coconut oil – and its ready!

Eat with chopsticks!

Yummy and healthy xxx

Balance

Today’s London – Flesh and Buns

Is that Iron Maiden playing in Covent Garden!? Oh yes – we just stepped into Flesh and Buns!

What a breath of rock n roll fresh air!

We were on our way to see Queen’s of the Stone Age gig at Wembley so initiating in some rock n roll Asian food was the perfect warm up to an incredible show.

When I finally finished singing along – Nicolas and I settled in to our first drinks: Me as always a prosecco and Nicolas a Raspberry and Pineapple Cobbler – which was delicious

Navigating my way through then menu which consists of small plates – both hot and cold and the namely Flesh and Buns

Our adventure began with Mixed Seafood Cerviche – this wonderful dish is becoming ever more popular and seeing it more frequently on various menu’s around London – FYI if you are looking for a low calorie but insanely tasty dish – this is your ally!

The Cerviche intertwined chilli, corn, lime and cucumber with a selection of raw seafood. It was delicious and invited you back to the point we began dipping our second small plate – Calamari – in the marinade left over. We finished our small plate selection with some soft shell crab rolls – crunchy, and flavour-some.

Now to the Flesh and Buns

We decided to go for the salmon teriyaki – with pickled cucumber. You have to order your buns to accompany the flesh – recommended is 2 per person to make sure all flesh and bun is combine perfectly!

(I was a newbie to this course so was given a quick lesson by Nicolas in the appropriate way to consume our dish)

In hindsight Nicolas updated that perhaps the Sirloin Steak may be the most appropriate way forward…however in the Salmon’s defense is was perfectly cooked: juicy, crispy and full of flavour!

The tunes were rolling, my singing was getting louder and after the 3rd game of name the band…we moved on to the s’more’s!

This is one of the most impressive dessert experiences I have had in London – the whole set up was brilliant – really bringing to life the campfire experience our American counterparts love!

Let’s begin…

The fire arrived to our table – followed by the Marshmallows, biscuits, green tea chocolate

Place the Marshmallow over the fire – turning appropriately – otherwise you burn it and its gross

Take both biscuit and green tea chocolate and when the Marshmallow is ready to melt – apply both sides and squeeze

Nicolas may have been the King of the Bun but I was definitely Queen of the S’more

Flesh and Bun – is the perfect place for a quick bite to eat which is full of flavour and a new experience. My only fault I would give it – the staff are rather hasty and in your face – no sooner had you rested your chopstick for a second before they were pulling out the plates before you… therefore I would recommend for couples but not for dates . This in/out mentality is kinda a buzzkill for seed of romance.

The cocktails were superb – fruity, delicious and fresh 🙂

The Prosecco was served in a wine glass 🙁

The side plates were delicious 🙂

but all served at same time so the game to eat before they got cold left us stuffed 🙁

The Flesh and Buns – totally worth it 🙂

S’more – a winner in my Book 🙂

Results: two 🙁 and four 🙂

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