Are you one of those who set up a new year's resolutions that means good food or a regular workout routine? A new year often means new goals and ambitions, and for many of us, fitness and health are high on the list. Setting a goal is one thing, but actually following through on it is another. New Year's resolutions often represents a great challenge. Good New Year's resolutions are those who have a concrete plan - the clearer they are, the easier it becomes to stick to what you promised. That’s why we have put together our best advice on how you can implement smart training and eating habits and more easily find motivation on days when the couch feels a bit more comfortable, or inspiration wavers towards healthy cooking. Here are our 5 best tips that are guaranteed to help you kickstart the year the right way, as well as 2 delicious recipe for healthy food!
1. Create a realistic training plan based on your level
Having a well-planned workout routine is crucial for staying motivated, but make sure to create a realistic training plan that fits your time and energy levels. What many people do wrong is having too high ambitions at the start, which leads to it being difficult to get going because the step feels too big, or they feel a sense of failure when things don't go as planned. Therefore, start with smaller goals, such as going for a 30-minute walk every day or getting to the gym 1-2 times a week, and then increase the difficulty once you have established a good routine and built up strength.
2. Book the training as if it is an important meeting
Being consistent in your training is the key to success. Therefore, set a regular training time each week and stick to it. Think of the training session as just as important as a meeting at work - if it's scheduled, you go. The hardest part about training is usually not the training session itself, but actually getting there. A couple of tips that can help you stick to the plan are to book group classes, or decide that you will train with a friend because you obviously don't want to be the one who backs out. Shared joy is also double joy, so it becomes much more fun when you train together and can motivate each other.
3. Vary your workout and discover new fun ways to exercise
Another thing that many fall for is that the training starts to feel boring and monotonous after doing the same thing for a while. Therefore, make sure to vary your workouts and find new forms of exercise that feel fun and motivating. Training is not just about running long distances or lifting heavy weights at the gym, but today there are endless workout possibilities that keep the joy of exercise alive. Everything from megaformer, jumping fitness, boxing, spinning, pilates, circuit training, HIIT, yes, the list can go on, so find something that works for you in the long run. Mixing different forms of exercise also provides a more varied workout that is healthy for the body.
4. Find a balance with healthy food
Abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym (or?). A healthy lifestyle is of course not just about maintaining a good workout routine; a balanced diet is just as important. That doesn't mean you should live on tuna and broccoli, but you should avoid processed foods and excessive sugar intake as much as possible. So don't go to extremes in any direction, but incorporate a mix of nutritious foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, protein, and healthy fats. At the same time, try to find a balance so you also feel that you can enjoy the little moments in life, like a coffee break with friends or Saturday sweets in front of a good movie on the weekend.
5. Plan healthy recipes for meal prep to achieve your goals
If you prepare your meals in advance, you avoid falling for unhealthy options when you're short on time. Create a weekly menu and make a meal plan that includes nutritious and simple food to help yourself stay on track. For example, you can make large batches on Sunday with stews or casseroles that you can easily throw into lunch boxes during the week, or make sure to always prepare an extra portion during dinner so you can take leftovers to a healthy lunch the day after. Here you will find our best tips on quick meals that is perfect for large cooking and gives you healthy meal boxes for a whole month! And here you can take part in 3 simple recipes on good food with potatoes - a very underrated, but oh so useful, root vegetable.
Two recipes for healthy dinners for weekdays and weekends
But we can't end our healthy tips without some new recipes for the collection. Therefore, here are two of our favorite recipes for healthy dinners for both weekdays and weekends. A quick salmon with sesame-fried broccoli and brown rice for the weekdays when time is limited, and a luxurious healthy open lasagna for the weekend when you have a bit more time in the kitchen. Both dishes are of course perfect for meal prep during the week as well!
Salmon with Sesame-Crusted Broccoli & Brown Rice
Ingredients:
Salmon
Honey
Soy
Sesame oil
Lemon juice
Broccoli
Sesame seeds
Brown rice
Creme fraiche
Salt & pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 175 degrees
- Cook the brown rice in a saucepan on low heat
- Mix honey, soy sauce, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl to make a marinade.
- Cut the salmon into portion sizes and mix with the marinade.
- Sear the salmon in a skillet with sesame oil until it has a crispy surface, then finish cooking in the oven until fully cooked.
- Coat the broccoli with sesame seeds and sauté in sesame oil.
- Serve the salmon, broccoli, and brown rice on a plate with a dollop of crème fraîche and enjoy!
Open lasagna with almond pesto
Tomato sauce
2 dl crushed tomatoes
1 crushed garlic clove
½ small shallot
Dried oregano
A pinch of chili flakes
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Salt & peppar
½ dl water
Pesto
½ dl almond
25 g butter
1 pc lemon
½ tsp honey
Mushroom & spinach filling
200 g fresh spinach
250 g mushrooms
½ shallot
1 garlic clove
Salt & pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
Assembly:
½ can ricotta cheese
Västerbotten cheese
Lasagna sheets
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Tomato sauce: Chop onion & garlic on a cutting board & sauté in a pan. Pour in crushed tomatoes, water, chili flakes, oregano, white wine vinegar, salt & pepper & let simmer
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Pesto: Rost the almond in a frying pan & mix gladly with vegetable chopper egetable chopper to quickly & smoothly achieve a perfect consistency for the pesto. Then brown the butter & grate the lemon peel finely with a grater. Mix these 3 ingredients with honey & a couple of drops of lemon in a bowl
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Filling: Sauté the mushrooms in a dry pan, add oil when they have shrunk & season with salt & pepper. Add garlic & onion & sauté. Fold in the fresh spinach last & stir until it has wilted.
- Assembly: Boil the lasagna sheets in salted water in a pot. Place a lasagna sheet on the plate & top with tomato sauce & then layer another lasagna sheet on top which is topped with the spinach filling. Repeat these two layers once more. When you have added the last layer of spinach filling, top with ricotta, almond pesto & Västerbotten cheese as a final touch.
@mydorrehome Open lasagna with almond pesto! 🤌 Dinner is saved! 🥫 Almond pesto: 1/2 dl almonds 25 grams butter 1 lemon 1/2 tsp honey Instructions: Roast almonds in a frying pan, preferably using the Loke vegetable chopper from Dorre.se which quickly and easily creates the perfect consistency for the pesto. Brown the butter until it smells nutty. Wash the lemon and grate the peel, then mix it with the crushed almonds and butter in a small bowl. Stir together with honey and a couple of drops of lemon. Tomato sauce: 2 dl crushed tomatoes 1 crushed garlic clove 1/2 small shallot 1/2 tsp dried oregano pinch of chili flakes 1 tbsp white wine vinegar salt and black pepper about 1/2 dl water 1 tbsp olive oil Instructions: Chop the onion and garlic into small pieces and sauté in a pan. Mix together and add the crushed tomatoes, a little water, a pinch of chili flakes, oregano, white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Simmer together. Filling: 200 grams fresh spinach 250 grams fresh mushrooms or portobello 1/2 shallot 1 garlic clove salt and black pepper 1 tbsp olive oil Instructions: Sauté the mushrooms in a dry pan, add a little oil when they have shrunk, salt, and pepper. Add the onion, garlic, and sauté. Fold in the fresh spinach. Stir around and sauté until it has wilted. Assembly: ½ jar ricotta cheese Västerbotten cheese 4-6 lasagna sheets Instructions: Boil the lasagna sheets in salted water. Place one lasagna sheet on the plate, add tomato sauce, place another lasagna sheet, then add the spinach mixture, and repeat. Finish by dolloping ricotta cheese, almond pesto, and Västerbotten cheese on top! Bon appétit! 🍽️ #mattips #middagstips #middag #recept ♬ A Moment of Relaxation - Muspace