Greens greens greens! There are so many products around these days that make it easy to get a daily dose of green goodness into your hard-working body.

While a green smoothie each day is always on the cards, when I’m wanting to turn it up a notch these are my 3 go-tos for a little extra boost 🙂

1. Matcha Powder – one of the most popular superfoods of the past year or so, Matcha is said to deliver an antioxidant hit with a gentle energy buzz, making it perfect for those who are usually sensitive to caffeine (myself included!). Throw it in your smoothie, bake with it, add it to cold water & shake, pancakes, you name it. With so many Matcha companies around, I like to keep it local with Matcha Tea Co.

2. Clipper Decaf Green Tea – a LONG time fave of mine! You wont believe how much your skin improves if you drink 2-3 cups of this each day. All the goodness, zero caffeine!

3. Sun Chlorella Tablets – Concentrated doses of tiny, green nutrition – these are my new lifeline when I’m not able to have a green juice or smoothie, I carry these around with me and pop one whenever the need for a bit of a nutritional boost arises. They contain 22 vitamins & minerals, help the body renew itself, are a form of vegan B12 & also help the body to remove toxins. I get mine from The Little Organic Society.

I’d love to hear what your favourite way to boost your daily intake of greens is!

Be well,

Annette

♥

The ‘party season’ can be a lot of fun but can also leave us feeling tired and less than healthy. Be mindful this season as you engage in fun and celebration and you can sail through the festive time with a glow and vibrant health.

My top 5 tips this party season

♥

1. Stay hydrated: Water does more than quench your thirst and regulate your body’s temperature; it is also keeps the tissues in your body moist, especially the brain which is very sensitive to hydration levels. During the daytime ensure to get at least 1 litre, and have another litre for every hour of exercise you do. Consume a couple of glasses of water before a night out and add a glass of water in between alcoholic drinks. A great option for replenishing body salts after a night out is coconut water or a pinch of sea salt in a glass of water. Just a pinch and it needs to be Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt.

♥

2. Diet: Maintain a healthy balanced diet, with lots of greens such as kale, spinach, rocket. Choose seafood as it contains omega-3 essential fats or the ‘good fats’ which are great for your skin and protecting the liver from ‘bad fats’ such as those found in deep fried foods. Avocado is a superfood, considered a treasure trove of nutrients, fibre and potassium which we need for energy. It’s also rich in antioxidants which quench free radical damage and support a healthy liver.

♥

3. Tired?: The likely thing we turn to for a ‘pick me up’ is caffeine or sugary foods. Both are stimulants that instigate a dumping of sugar in your blood stream which is very short lived and can lead to further poor food choices, inevitable weight gain and ongoing fatigue. Instead of a sugar-filled muffin or caffeine boost go for a protein snack such as nuts and seeds, vegetable sticks with hummus or avocado dip. Best of all opt for nature. A walk in the nearest park or at the beach will get clean oxygen flowing through your body and energise you.

♥

4. Take a nap before a late night: Make it a power nap! Research suggests a 20 minute nap is optimal for restoration to the body both physically and mentally. A nap will improve alertness, increase productivity, stress relief and control appetite. If you have ever woken from a nap feeling groggy and more sleepy this is called ‘sleep inertia’ and is best avoided by maintaining the 20 minutes.

5. Limit sugar and alcohol: these substances will lead to weight gain. The amount of sugar found in a couple of pieces of fruit plus a teaspoon of refined sugar or honey daily is as much as the body can generally cope with. Any excess will usually be stored as fat. Sugars are in many processed foods so read ingredient labels often. Enjoy 1-2 standard alcoholic drinks daily but try to have at least 3 alcohol free days per week for healthy liver function. Drink less if you are trying to lose weight.

What are your top tips for staying well during the party season? Let us know in the comments below!

Article by Shannon McNeil, Wellness Manager and Senior Naturopath at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat. Find out more about special Christmas offers at Gwinganna here!

Be well,

xoxo

♥

♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!

Hi there! I’m a personal trainer, nutrition & lifestyle coach, actress/model and a blogger – all of which keeps me very busy and active! I only moved back home to Perth in April after living away for 13 years mostly in Sydney, Melbourne, South-East Asia and New York. It’s a refreshing change of speed being back in Perth and I absolutely love the climate and lifestyle here ☺

My blog, Life with Elizabeth Rose, is very much from my heart and covers lots of lifestyle topics to do with health & fitness, business and personal development. The tagline on my blog is “Dream. Create. Live with joy” – I’m always dreaming big, creating things & trying my hardest to live my life with happiness…my goal is to guide my readers and clients in doing the same with their lives, with a strong focus on health and well-being!

You can find me at Fitness First Platinum in Subiaco for personal and small group training. I’m about to run a boot camp at Cottesloe Beach beginning November 5th. I’m really looking forward to it and can’t think of a better way to start the day!

As an introductory offer, mention this interview and receive 10% off your first 4 weeks of training ☺. Register your interest at liz@lifewithelizabethrose.com

♥

♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

I cleanse morning and night with Sukin Organics Cream Cleanser. I have very sensitive skin and find a cream cleanser to be the best! I haven’t used a toner for a few years now, and find my skin is fine without it!

I moisturize with Priori CoffeeBerry Natureceuticals Day and Night Complex which are both 98.5% natural. CoffeeBerry extract is nature’s most potent antioxidants to fight free radicals and the causes of skin aging, and it smells divine! If my skin is feeling particularly dry, I’ll add some Trilogy Rosehip Oil at night over my moisturizer.

For my eyes I use Aesop Parsely Cream Antioxidant Eye Cream…I’ve always used creams as opposed to serums for my eye area…I find my concealer goes on much easier too!

♥

♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?

The Deluxe Skin Renewal Spa Treatment by Suzey Luong at Vanity Box! This is a superior boosting treatment incorporating a facial massage with a soothing balm and a replenishing mask that firms, hydrates and exfoliates your skin. It’s such a relaxing treatment and is like a natural botox! My skin hasn’t looked this flawless in years!

♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?

I go all the way up to Yanchep which is exactly an hour away from my place, so I can see the lovely Rachel Firmin who is from the UK. My Mum and Aunty see her as well, so it’s always a bit of a family affair! I love seeing Rachel as she always keeps up to date with the latest styles from London and she is so sweet and friendly and offers endless cups of tea.

Because she works from her home, having a cut and full head of foils costs me roughly half the price of going to a salon! You can contact Rachel on 0415049311.

♥

♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

I’ve recently become an avid follower of Maria Hannaford’s blog, Econest, which is all about living life more sustainably! I love this easy and economical beauty treatment that Maria suggests…simply mash ½ an avo with a dash of milk and apply to a wet face – perfect as a skin conditioner and so simple!

♥

♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?

1. Coconut oil – this medium chain fatty acid has so many amazing health benefits! I cook with it and sometimes use it as a face and body moisturizer, hair conditioner and shave my legs with it! You can even use coconut oil as a base of a natural deodorant.

2. Priori CoffeeBerry Mineral Perfecting Foundation 3 – It has the best coverage and loving the fact the packaging is eco-conscious.

3. INIKA – all natural certified organic mineral blush in rosy glow…I love all their products!

♥

♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?

I have a few!

1. Daily exercise is a must! I feel so much better after moving my body, even if it’s just a leisurely stroll outside in the fresh air.
2. Sleep! I aim for 7-8 hours but have been struggling with this lately! I’m terrible at falling asleep before 10pm but know I need to as I wake up so early! When I do get adequate sleep, the difference in my energy, mood and creativity is huge.
3. Nutritious, organic food and plenty of water! You are what you eat!
4. Taking time out for myself. I always feel so revitalized after a bit of “me time”.
5. Keeping a gratitude journal always makes me feel great! Every Tuesday I write my ‘LWER Tuesday’s Blessings’ with 5-10 things I’m grateful for on my Facebook page. I love it when people comment with their own gratitude list ☺

♥

♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet?

I’d luurve to do some kind of retreat in Ubud, Bali. I hear it’s amazing at Como Shambala, which advocates proactive holistic wellness, combining modern science with ancient healing.

I’d also love to do an Ayurvedic retreat at Deepak Chopra’s ‘Chopra Center’ in California.

♥

♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

I eat very closely to the Paleo Diet (and recommend this to most of my clients), which is a diet that closely resembles what our ancestors ate in the Paleolithic era. It’s basically very high in protein and good fats, with lots of low starch veggies, salads, nuts & seeds and fruits such as berries.

My day always starts with a tall glass of water with lemon juice, some powdered greens in water and a probiotic. I shower then for breaky I will always have some protein such as 2 eggs with smoked salmon and wilted spinach (no toast!).

Morning tea is usually a ‘mini meal’ which is basically a bit of what I prepared for lunch (I always make a little bit more so I have enough for a snack and lunch!), or my own trail mix of activated almonds, coconut flakes and goji berries.

♥

Lunch is protein of some sort with either a salad or steamed greens. Kale is my favourite at the moment! So good for you!

Afternoon tea is usually one of my superfood protein smoothies from my Super Smoothie Collection, that I have post workout or a green juice.

Dinner is either oven baked salmon with veggies or chicken and salad.

♥

And finally for supper I have herbal tea and blueberries with 2 tablespoons of organic full-cream greek yoghurt or occasionally 30g of dark organic chocolate such as Loving Earth’s ‘luvju’ coconut mylk raw organic chocolate…yum!

I get emails all the time from women wanting guidance on what to eat. I know it can be confusing and frustrating trying to decide what to cook and which foods to buy, so I recently put together two 7 day meal plans to help shape your bod for summer! They are available for sale on my blog: click here! For the next 48 hours I’m running a special price of $17 (down from $27) for Wellness WA readers if you use the code “LWER” when you purchase!

♥

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

I train with weights 3 times a week, practice yoga twice a week, and do interval training (HIIT) 2-3 times a week, plus I’m about to give pole dancing a go for a bit of fun! I like variety and my body does too ☺

♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.

I have an entire drawer in my kitchen that is filled with supplements! At the moment, I mostly take fish oil capsules, Vital Greens, a pre & probiotic, mega B and magnesium.

I’m a bit of a fan of alternative therapies, and have experimented with many in my pursuit of tip top health! I’ve been to naturopaths, homeopaths, Ayuvedic practioners and I’ve tried kinesiology and colonics, to name a few! I’m currently seeing a GP who specializes in nutritional medicine at Health Quest in Melville, and just had my first hair mineral analysis…I’m very interested in finding out the results!

♥

♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?

Oooh how I love relaxing! My fav ways include practicing yoga at Tamara Yoga, meditating, getting a massage/facial, or simply enjoying some quiet time at home watching a dvd.

If you have any questions about Elizabeth’s fantastic routine, please leave a comment below!

Make sure you check out her blog too!

Be well,

xoxo

♥

♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!

I love to be fit and healthy both physically and spiritually. I devote my time to learning and teaching others about health and fitness and how they can help to be the best person they can from the inside – out. My number one passion is Pilates (my business is Renz Pilates!).

♥

Whilst working in London as a personal trainer in 2005 I learnt of Pilates. Within a few months of returning to Australia I commenced training with Polestar Pilates to master the method and learn to teach others. My style of workouts have since been a fusion of Pilates and personal training.

♥

♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

I am LOVING Miranda Kerr’s Kora Organics range and have been since December 2012. I use my Cream Cleanser day and night, followed by Purifying Day and Night Cream for my face and the Recovery Eye Gel Cream for my eyes (Miranda recently recommended to try the Vitamin Enhanced Lip Balm to act like a hydrating mask for the eyes too, which I agree is divine) and the Enriched Body Lotion for my body. After my long days of teaching and training it is nice to enjoy the Hydrating Mask for my face and the lovely Rejuvenating Foot Balm for my tootsies. I am trialling a couple of new organic sun creams too but haven’t found a favourite yet (welcoming any suggestions?)

♥

♥ What’s the one beauty treatment you can’t live without? And your favourite place to have it done?

Following a run, I love rubbing my body gently with moist beach sand before swimming in the ocean allowing my skin to enjoy a natural exfoliant. I enjoy this at every sandy beach in the world I visit.

♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?

Karri Steele – uber cool, but sad she has just moved to Melbourne.. Aveda Subi: Nikki, Kylie & Danni – I just love Aveda – seems to work so well with my hair.

♥

♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

Sleep. There is a reason it is called beauty sleep. Make the time and reap the benefits.

♥

♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?

Right now: KORA Organics Cream Cleanser, Recovery Eye Gel and the Hydrating Mask

♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?

A positive attitude – always have honest and positive intentions – sometimes actions are perceived by others in a different light, but if you know you are acting with good intentions I believe karma always returns positive energy to you.

And sweat, laugh and move: dance, walk, run – whatever makes you smile.

♥ Chiva Som

♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven’t yet? (Due to time, money, scared etc!)

Internationally: Chiva-Som, Thailand and Reethi Rah, Maldives.
Locally: Bodhi Day Spa, Wembley.

♥

♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

Everyday is different, it depends on my mood and what I have scheduled for the day but generally..

Kickstart the day: Always a Spirulina and Vitamin C drink.
Smoothie: I will make either green smoothie made up of whatever greenery is in season – mixture of kale, spinach, celery, zucchini, spirulina mix, avocado & cucumber, or kiwi and cacao nibs, bee pollen, maca and filtered water and goji berries to serve OR a chocolate smoothie made up of raw cacao, chocolate vegan protein powder, almonds, frozen berries, bee pollen, spirulina mix, maca and filtered water.
On the weekends maybe a frozen banana-rice milk smoothie with lots of yummy extras and an egg white omelette with veggies.

Mid morning snack: I usually teach privates and classes from 6am through to lunch time, so don’t have much time for snacks. I drink lots of water and green tea in between sessions.

Lunch: Huge, super colourful salad (always changing, but as long as I can put in as many bright delicious colours as I can get my hands on) sometimes with chicken, tuna, salmon or beans of some type.

Mid afternoon: Either celery or raw zucchini with my home made hommus.

Dinner: I go out a lot for dinner, so when I order I try to stick to steamed veggies or as clean as possible. This is the one meal I am usually eating with my friends or family and I try not to be too strict amongst others as I often get reminded to be a little crazy and “try the tempura prawns!”

♥

After dinner treats: This is definitely my weakest point of the day. I LOVE chocolate treats. Over the years I have learnt so much about chocolate and the cleanest, healthiest ways to enjoy it. I now make my own organic chocolate with lots of special treats inside (like goji berries or cacao nibs). Right now I am working on mastering a Bliss Ball recipe (raw cacao, freshly sprouted nuts, coconut oil, etc) so much goodness packed into the cutest little ball! My boyfriend provides great feedback – so we are getting very close to mastering the perfect recipe.

♥

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

One thing about my fitness is that there is definitely no routine about it. I obviously do Pilates everyday. I workout a lot with clients and if I have had a day where I haven’t had much of an opportunity to move, I will get in a short run along the beach or river to pick the heart rate up or do any of the following:

♥ Dancing – I love teaching Xtend Barre at Pure Moves in Cottesloe and I am quite often dancing around my home with Tracy Anderson, and if I am out with my girlfriends we will pretty much always be making a dance floor appear out of no where!

♥ Yoga – I love Twisting Fish in Claremont

♥ Surfing – Not as much as I would like at the moment, but when & where ever I can

♥ Jacobs Ladder and Kings Park – to really pick up my cardio

♥ Boxilates – one of my new favourite classes I have designed at The Hurt Locker in Claremont

♥ Walking – either on my own or this is a great time for a girly catch-up with my friends

♥

♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.

Some would say my super green smoothies are alternative or the spirulina I take is a supplement, but these are what is normal for me. I have tried various supplements over the years and I think they all have their merit – as long as they have good clinical research with substantiated claims and can prove the efficacy of the product they are worth trialling.I have really enjoyed Reiki in the past and currently I am enjoying a bit of an acupuncture phase.

♥

♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?

As crazy as this may sound, I am de-stressed when I am teaching or working out. I find both of these to be quite meditative for me. When I am teaching I am 100% present and focused on my client – there is no time for any other thoughts to make my mind busy. Running is also a great time for me to clear my head and process my thoughts. I love yoga in that I am very focused on sort of surrendering myself to the universe and allowing my body and mind to move either my thoughts or body in whatever way it can.

And to relax, obviously a full body spa treatment will nearly always do the trick!

If you have any questions about Renee’s amazing lifestyle, please leave a comment below! 🙂

Check out where you can take a class with her at Renz Pilates!

Be well,

xoxo

♥

♥ First up, briefly tell us a little bit about yourself!

I am the founder of Live Healthy Simply – A source of inspiration for everything related to food, cooking & healthy living. I started the blog on a bit of a whim last November and I'm very humbled that people aside from my Mum are actually reading it! I'm also in the processes of opening up an online health food store www.shophealthy.com.au & will start studying nutrition next year.

♥

♥ Tell us about your daily beauty routine.

In the morning I cleanse my face using Akin facial cleanser and apply Antipodes Rejoice Light Facial Day Cream

In the evening I cleanse my face then apply Antipodes Rosehip Oil to my face and neck and apply Akin Rejuvenating Eye Cream under my eyes. I use Antipodes hand cream on my hands. For a body scrub I love Scented Holistic Skincare's Coconut Sea Salt Scrub – it smells so yummy! I try to remember to exfoliate once a week on my face and body and use my Antipodes Clay Mask. My mum makes her own cosmetics and I use her body butter and exfoliant.

♥

♥ What's the one beauty treatment you can't live without? And your favourite place to have it done?

I love massages! I couldn’t live without them! I love Thai & Chinese massage the best – I find regular massages in beauty salons are too gentle, I prefer my massages to be firm.

♥ Who do you trust with your hair in Perth, and why?

I've never been to Perth (I would love to go!) and I'm on the look out for a good hairdresser in Sydney…Any suggestions would be very welcomed!

♥

♥ Favourite budget / at home beauty treatment?

It would have to be my DIY hair treatment – I use coconut oil to keep the ends of my hair moisturised. It works really well and is much cheaper than buying expensive treatments.

♥

♥ Your three, absolutely cannot live without, favourite products?

– butter LONDON nail polish in red
– Adorn Mineral Cosmetics mascara
– Arbonne Foundation Powder

♥

♥ Do you have any secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?

Eat & drink lots of veggies! I have recently started juicing and the difference it has made to my skin is unbelievable! It's so much more glowy and healthy looking. I also make sure I drink 2 litres of purified water per day.

♥

♥ What beauty treatment/ wellbeing activity would you love to try but haven't yet? (Due to time, money, scared etc!)

I would love to try a fish pedicure! I'm really ticklish so I'm sure how much I would enjoy it but it certainty would be an experience!

♥ Cacao Powder

♥ Describe a typical day of eating for you.

For breakfast I have a smoothie with pea protein, oat milk, raw cacao powder, carob, chia seeds and acai berry powder.

Lunch is usually a salad of greens, tomato, nuts, chickpeas, kale chips and roasted veggies. Dinner is some kind of stir-fry, curry, pasta, veggie pattie, soup or salad.

I snack on nuts, fresh juices and raw vegan treats that involve lots of raw cacao powder – I LOVE chocolate!

♥

♥ Describe your fitness routine.

I'm getting married in September so like all brides I've significantly stepped it up in the exercise department! At the moment I'm exercising five times per week when before I use to exercise three to four times per week. I do a mixture of yoga, core work, weights and cardio.

♥

♥ Do you take part in any alternative therapies or take supplements? If so, discuss.

I take spirulina, B vitamins, chlorophyll and zinc. I try to remember to take them everyday day, but it doesn’t always happen!

♥ How do you like to relax? What are your favourite ways to de-stress?

I love soaking in a bath with Epsom salts and reading a good book, pure bliss!

We hope you enjoyed Jessica's routine! If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below! 🙂

Find out more about the great work she is doing…

Web: http://www.livehealthysimply.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveHealthySimply
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LiveHealthyJess
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/LiveHealthyJess
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/LiveHealthySimply

Be well,

xoxo