I am COCONUTS about COCONUT WATER!

I've really been into coconut water for the past few weeks. I generally only drink coconut water straight from the coconut in asian countries. But when I found out that Nudie had brought out a new range of coconut water I had to give it  a try.

I dont know if you guys know how good coconut water is for  you. But I did some research to back up my own thoughts on how I think you should add it into your diet.

Health Benefits

Coconut water contains organic compounds possessing healthy growth promoting properties that have been known to help. Some of the wonderful health benefits of coconut water are:

1. that it keeps the body cool and at the proper temperature
2. it orally re-hydrates your body, it is an all natural isotonic beverage
3. it carries nutrients and oxygen cells
4. it naturally replenishes  your body's fluids after exercising
5. it raises your metabolism
6. it promotes weight loss (great for FIMOJ)
7. it boosts your immune system
8. it detoxifies and fights viruses
9. it cleanses your digestive tract
10. it conotrols diabetes
11. it aids your body in fighting viruses that cause the flu, herpes and AIDS
12. it balances your PH and reduces the risk of cancer
13. it treats the kidney and urethral stones
14. it boosts poor circulation

I think after that you wont have any doubts in your mind whether coconut water is good for you! 

Flavours

The Nudie range that I have tried is the 'straight up' which is pure coconut concentrate and the other one 'with lychee and lime'. The flavoured one is personally not so great, I didnt like the taste at all and as you can see I really tried to get through it but couldnt. However I posted the flavour for those who like options and who might not generally like the taste of the normal one.

I personally LOVE the taste of pure coconut water. Does it taste the same as the natural coconut water I hear you ask? I think its pretty damn close, there is that feeling that it is from a bottle BUT its what I have available and I think i can deal with it :).

I've posted some nutritional facts for you guys to check out!

Price

Including coconut water in  my diet is one of the best things I have done. The nudie bottles can be a bit pricey ranging from $3-$4 for just 350mL. So my other option if you find price getting in the way of making an informed decision, is you can always choose those canned coconut water which is perfectly fine as well.

How it has helped my diet...

Ive been on FIMOJ again, and I want to try to shape up for the Summer and have been working hard at the gym and trying to keep a good diet (with some incentives). I think the coconut water has definitely been excellent as a replacement for fizzy drinks or even juice because its something that I really enjoy drinking!

What about coconut hair oil?....

Coconut has alot of beneficial qualities, and coconut hair oil is another wonderful thing to add to your routine. You can purchase coconut hair oil from any asian grocery/ supermarkets as well as the new emerging health stores. You apply is to your scalp 3 hours prior to washing. Best trick to remove oil from your hair efficiently is to apply shampoo before you wet your hair. This allows the shampoo to remove the oil without leaving your hair sticky after washing.

Feedback

Hope you guys liked this post. Let me know what you think as well as if you have tried coconut water :)

FIMOJ: Week 4

This is my 1 month anniversary for FIMOJ. Those of you who have followed this journey, you already know that I fit into my jeans. But I wanted to be able to feel great in my jeans rather than fit into them but only just. I have shed 4 kilos and my body feels much more tighter than before. I've been working out 4/5 times a week and I have been focusing on weights rather than cardio. My stomach is nearly flat again and my arms are solid and no longer have flab hanging off them.

I've been eating healthy BUT I have not deprived myself of eating my favourite foods such as chocolate (now and then). I made sure that if I privileged myself to such contiments I was able to work even harder to burn it off. I think if you can get a good balance between the foods you eat and exercise you'll be amazed at how you can really make a difference to your appearance AND you'll start feeling really good about yourself.

The added benefit of healthy eating and exercise would have to be the glow its added to my skin, since exercise increases circulation and gets the blood pumping.

I want to lose a further 4 kilos then I think I won't be aiming to FIMOJ but aiming to keep fit. Since a woman's bone density only increases till the age of 25- from then its only downhill. So I want to make sure my body is fit and I can maintain myself like that for the years to come!

Garden Salad with a Crepe'

Open Sandwich with mushrooms and cherry tomatoes

My treat- hazelnut and chocolate cake! mmmm

Keep smiling :)

Ps: I will be holding a giveaway very soon! Keep checking :)

FIMOJ: Day 10

Day 10 and I think I am going well. Still keeping up with a strict diet- no chocolate or chips! It's been hard, ive been tempted so many times to just pick up a packet in the shopping isles but luckily with the support of my good friend I was able to resist the temptation to buy such products.

I've posted some pics of the 'healthy' snacks I have been eating if I get a craving for chocolate. The first one are "chic NUTS' which are basically roasted chickpeas (you can get some flavoured ones or stick with lightly salted).

The second is walnuts! This is definitely something anyone should be eating, whether you are dieting or not. It is very high in omega-3, which helps in the growth of hair and nails. I have definitely noticed my hair is much thicker and grows healthier and shinier. I only have at most a cup of walnuts a day- do not over do it.

Water is a must- you should be drinking 2Ls of water a day to keep hydrated. You can notice when your skin is lacking water, because it will become dull. Another sign of dehydration is under your eyes, one of the key ways to remove under eye circles is drinking alot of water!So get to it!

Keep smiling :)

FIMOJ: Day 5

Diet today:

• Breakfast
• Oats + Soy Milk
• Snack
• Some Roast Veggies
• Including: Sweet Potato, Carrot, Onion and Cherry Tomatoes
• Lunch
• Napolitana Homemade Pasta
• Snack
• Walnuts (good source of omega 3)
• Dinner
• Salad and Soy Sausages (TBC)

Exercise- Legs

So I have reached Day 5 of my FIMOJ and I have to say it's going well. I am seeing slight improvements now. Not only do I feel much healthier, my skin is the best it has been in months! Today especially I noticed that my face felt a bit more firmer. I think this is due to the extra circulation of blood because of me exercising regularly.

This was just a quick update, no pictures unfortunately but hopefully I can make some yummy 'healthy' recipes to show you!

Keep smiling :)

Books to get your skin looking fabulous

Everyone always wants the 'quick' fix to get great looking skin and most of the times we end up spending large amounts on skincare products. But what alot of us dont know is that beauty comes from within (like literally). If you don't have a good diet and are not exercising regularly chances are you will have acne prone, dull and irritated skin. Obviously some of this is genetic or are caused environmentally but alot has to do with what youre putting into your body. I can't say I am perfect but I have tried to change the way I perceive food, opting for more healthier options and I have to say I have never felt better!

These are the three books I turned to when I wanted to really give my body some TLC. And you may not get immediate results, but you will definitely notice changes to your mood, sleeping patterns and your overall wellbeing. Not only that, you will lose weight without even noticing!

Some tips to a healthier lifestyle:

1. Never skip meals!
2. Snack on nuts, fruit and salads if you are feeling peckish.
3. Do not overeat (people don't realise when they are full, it takes an estimated 2 mins for the food to reach the stomach plus if  you overeat you will be stretching your stomach thus causes a bloated feeling)
4. Want a treat? Opt for Soy Icecream or fat free substitutes.
5. Artificial sweetners- this is the most dangerous of them all, people believe that if the decreased sugar (such as Coke Zero) it is ok to have, but these artificial sweetners can cause cancer! So beware!!
6. Never give up- ok so youve had a few bad days and youre stressed and just want a tub of ice cream, never think that its 'too late' to go back into the healthy regime, everyday is a new day!
7. Walk with confidence- alot of people lack inner confidence, and believe that clothes and other material things will make them 'happier' but this is only a 'moment' of happiness and after a while you wont even remember it. Try to be happy from the inside and happy with yourself, that way youll be confident with the way you are- shape, colour, form.
8. Its ok to cry now and then- it is always good to let out emotions and not keep them bottled inside. This way you youre over and done with it and you can move on with  your life.
9. Exercise- the more you exercise the better your metabolism will become so you can burn off food much faster without it storing as fat! You don't need to go all out- try to find your 30 minutes a day- it will make a huge differencei n the future.
10. Bone density- as sad as it is, none of us can beat aging, its bound to happen but did you know that women's bone density begins to decrease at the age of 25! So stock up on calcium and make sure youre doing enough exercise to keep those bones healthy for your old age! No one wants a crippled 25 year old.

Do you have any other ways in which you like to keep healthy?

Keep Smiling :)