If you don’t follow her on Instagram, come out from the cave you’ve been residing in & get to it!

This girl is major in the fitness community ( clearly obvious by looking at those abs…but OMG, those abs ). I really, really admire her because she pretty much kicks ass in every way!

So anyway, today she’s sharing with her top ten foods exclusively with TSC readers…aka YOU!

Ok, I’ll hand ya over to Kayla:

Hi! My top ten foods are packed with nutrients, they can easily be incorporated into so many other recipes and most importantly, they’re delicious!

♡ ♡ ♡ Berries, Bananas, Yogurt, & Mint:

Besides being absolutely delicious fresh berries are an amazing source of antioxidants. Antioxidants are what help our body to protect and repair our cells from damage made by free radicals. Our bodies are exposed to free radicals naturally through our metabolism. We can cope with SOME free radicals but an overload can cause things like arthritis, damage to the eyes, & increased risk of heart disease or even certain cancers. Free radicals are often caused and increased by smoking, stress, alcohol, & poor diet.

Yogurt contains something called probiotics. Probiotics improve digestive health and keep your tummy healthy! Make sure the yogurt you choose has ‘live and active cultures’ on the label.

Banana’s are the only fruit that contain the amino acid tryptophan & B6 together. In combination, these two nutrients help to produce serotonin which is a natural produced hormones in the body that helps to alleviate mental stress. Bananas are also one of the best sources of potassium and an awesome source of energy!

I absolutely LOVE mint! I have it with almost anything. Aside from the refreshing taste and the smell, it can also aid weight loss in the health way. Mint is a stimulant. It helps to stimulate the digestive enzymes which absorb nutrients from the good you eat. It consumes the fat and turns it into usable energy for your body, rather than being stored and contributing to weight gain.

One of my favorite smoothie recipes ♡:

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana

2 cups of berries ( strawberries, raspberries…whatever you like! )

4 mint leaves

100g of low fat yogurt

2 cups of chilled water or skim milk

♡ ♡ ♡ Avocados, pumpkin, turkey, almonds, spinach, & tomatos:

Avocado is one of those versatile ingredients that be used in or on, almost anything.

I personally like to use avocado instead of butter on my sandwiches/wraps. It’s full of healthy fats which reduces levels of bad cholesterol in the blood as well as lowering the risk of stroke & heart disease.

A local restaurant I like to eat at has the BEST mashed pumpkin on toasted rye bread. It keeps me full so long and tastes amazing. Pumpkin’s full of the antioxidant beta-carotene, which is one of the plant carotenoids converted to Vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is essential for healthy, glowing skin, strong eyesight, & keeping the immune system strong!

We all need a good source of protein in our diet. I try to change it up regularly between red & white meat. One of my favorite white meats would be turkey. It’s so yummy & can be added to a lot of quick & easy meals. Turkey’s a huge source of protein. Eighty grams of turkey is equivalent to 65 grams of lean beef or lamb. Try swapping chicken breast for turkey next time!

Spinach is another really versatile veggie & can be eaten raw or cooked. You can add spinach into most meals or even in a smoothie. Just one cup of spinach has nearly 20% of your recommended daily requirement of fiber. Fiber helps digestion, maintain low blood sugar, & curbs overeating by keeping your full for longer. Try adding some to your next smoothie, or with your morning omelette. Add some tomatoes to your omelette for some extra zest too. A single tomato can provide about 40% of your Vitamin C requirement. Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant which prevents again cancer-causing free radicals form damaging the body’s systems.

Natural, unsalted almonds are a tasty and nutritious snack as well. They’re among the healthiest of tree nuts. Almonds contain healthy fats & protein which makes them a natural energy booster. Give them a little roast in the oven for a warm, sweeter tasting snack!

Love, Kayla Itsines

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