GOLD to green: Staying healthy x my food routines

How is this post going to be? Let's see.

Sometimes, when you're busy and exhausted, being tired all day and don't have time to think about a recipe or you just don't want to cook, anyone tends to just have a snack or eat something fast. And yes, I have to admit that I haven't worked out since two weeks now (skating is no workout for me, it's more like a pleasure) and I do feel kind of guilty, but I am not saying that I don't have time.

I honestly don't like it when people say that they don't have enough time for something because if it's important they'd make time. Anyways, my point is that if I do not workout, I have other priorities like seeing friends and doing activities like skating, cooking, visiting the baltic seas since I'm going to leave Berlin in two weeks :( :(

Still, the thing is you can actually stay healthy when you are aware of what you eat. I just want to give you some tips to stay healthy when your calender is about to explode. And no, there's no calorie-counting or making-oneself crazy about food choices. But I guess, that's everyone's own choice if you want to nourish your body with fuel or rather with a short sugar-spike.

Breakfast: Start your day with carbs and fruits, be it a fruit salad with some bread and cheese, an egg-omelette with a bagel or oatmeal topped with sliced fruits. Load up on carbs, prefer whole-grain and oats. No processed food at all.

Lunch: And then usually I'd have some fruit between breakfast and lunch again, just to have something fresh and enough sugar for the day. For lunch I often have a whole-grain sandwich with protein, salmon or cheese. Spread some vegetable spread on it or have a salad and bread. I'd always try to have some carbs, raw vegetables and protein.

Afternoon-Snack: Working or being at college all day, I usually have a down-turn around 3 to 5pm, in which I just want to sleep or rest a bit. There's no way out but having an afternoon snack since power-napping doesn't really work with me. Try it out, maybe it does work for you? It's recommended to be 20 to 30 minutes long. As an afternoon snack I'd have some fruit again, almonds, dark chocolate, green tea or self-made granola bars.

Dinner: For dinner I usually stay low-carb. Yes, I have to admit that I try not to eat carbs at all for dinner. It's not a diet for me, because I still eat carbs now and then but since living in the U.S. I've noticed that having no carbs at night I do not feel full as much so that I sleep better. Furthermore eating low-carb at night I can maintain my weight and I think it's reasonable that you do not need carbs at night anymore, since you're heading to bed afterwards.

Oh boy, this is another food post I guess but I think you guys should know what my food habits are, you might question some of my recipe-posts. So, yeah, these are just a few tips to stay healthy and if you try it out, you might feel better, too. Be aware that I'm not saying this will work out for everyone of us and that this is the best to follow. It works for me, so try things out and see what works best for you :) We're all different and therefore have different needs and intentions. Maybe you're an athlete and you need tons of carbs, so go ahead, your body will thank you for ;-) Some of my friends, which have been influenced a bit by me, said that they feel much better and their skin is becoming better from day to day. I sincerely believe that you can eat your way to a healthy body, skin, appearance and will gain more benefits from it.

Start with healthy food shopping. And YES, I definitely indulge in some ice-cream, chocolate bars and pizza now and then, too. My mantra is: Go for 80% healthy, clean and raw and then 20% anything you're craving for (mine would be ice-cream in the summer). Many have asked me: Aren't you lusting for some cheese cake or chips and nutella sometimes? My answer: No, I think it's because I try to eat as clean as possible so that my body does not crave for artificial sugars and so on. Nevertheless, if there's a party or a BBQ, I definitely eat, lots, but do not feel guilty at all since I'm eating clean most of the time.

And never forget: Always have fun by doing it. If you do not want to make small changes in your food habits, then don't. This is a post for everyone who likes to experiment!

Click for more food pictures I've taken of my eats in the past, just found them on my computer...

Breakfast: