I long for a hot, satisfying, delicious breakfast but I want to avoid the heavy starches and carbs.

So this morning I decided to get a little inventive… Now, I’m not a chef or anything so my ‘inventive-maniac-cooking-sessions ‘ are not always a good sign. But this morning is stumbled on GOLD!

Seriously, it was exactly what I was hoping for.. hot, bursting with flavour, lean, low-carb and super EASY! If you guys are in the mood to try something new tomorrow morning.. ditch the porridge and give this absolute beauty of a recipe a go!

Here’s what you need:

• 1 Egg
• Milk
• Sliced Turkey or Chicken Breast
• 1/4 Avocado
• 1/4 Onion
• 1 Tomato
• Sweet Chilli Sauce
• Salt and Pepper

Chutney

(for 1 serving)

The best place to start is with the chutney…

1. Bring about 1/4 glass of water to the boil in a small pot.
2. Roughly slice 1/4 of an onion and add to the water.
3. Chop the tomato into quarters and throw into the water.
4. Whilst the tomato and onion are boiling away, add a good sprinkle of salt and pepper.
5. Once the Tomatoes are really soft, grab some tongs and pull off the tomato skins, then with a wooden spoon, mix and squash the tomato and onions together.
6. Add two tablespoons of sweet chilli sauce and let simmer.

Omelette Wrap

(for 1 serving)

1. Heat a non-stick pan on medium.
2. Crack one egg into a bowl.
3. Add a dash of milk, some salt and pepper.
4. Then use a fork to thoroughly stir the mixture.
5. Add the mixture to the heated pan and swirl around to spread it evenly.
6. Once its cooked through, just flip it to brown the other side.

And now we just have to put it all together!

Place some lean meat like turkey or chicken (I’ve used sliced chilli chicken from ‘Simply The Best’) on top of the omelette…

Top with Avocado, then Salt and Pepper to taste…

Then drizzle a generous amount of that gorgeous chutney to top it all off.. Roll it into a wrap, and dig in!

I hope you enjoy your warm, delicious, Bread-less Omelette Wrap Breakfast!

Remember you can make the chutney in advance and just store it in a jar in the fridge so there’s no hassle in the morning.

If you have any tips or comments, we’d love to hear what you think.

Love SLINKII xx

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Wow guys… I am so thankful. I just found out that my iBook for iPad has just received it’s 500th download. I’m so happy and just wanted to share that with you!

If you haven’t already you can download my book from iTunes for your iPad using the button on the right, or with the link below.

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It’s important for us to know our own bodies and keep track of whether we might be underweight, healthy, or heading towards the overweight category. But rather than comparing ourselves to what we see in magazines as the ‘perfect body’, do this little calculation to find out where you sit.

This is where your Body Mass Index (BMI) comes in… it’s a simple calculation that ESTIMATES your total amount of body fat.

BMI = (Weight in Kilograms / (Height in Meters  x  Height in Meters))

So, for someone that is 175cm tall and weighs 68 kilograms the equation should look like this:

BMI= (68 / (1.75 x 1.75)

Grab a calculator and follow these steps (substituting your own weight and height)

Step 1: You simply multiply your HEIGHT by itself like this:  1.75  x  1.75 = 3.0625 (write down your number)

Step 2: …and then divide your WEIGHT by the first number like this: 68 / 3.0625 = 22.2

Step 3: THAT’S IT! You’ve got your BMI, now make sure you check what health range you’re in and what this little number actually means.

If you’re not so into the calculations, here is a chart that you can plot yourself on… 

What your BMI Means

Once you have measured your BMI, you can determine your healthy weight range. If your BMI is:

• Under 18 – you are very underweight and possibly malnourished.
• Under 20 – you are underweight and could afford to gain a little weight.
• 20 to 25 – you have a healthy weight range for young and middle-aged adults.
• 26 to 30 – you are overweight.
• Over 30 – you are obese.

Whilst there are some exceptions, (like pregnant women, bodybuilders with huge muscles, and people under 18), this should give you a pretty good idea of what your health level is. Make sure you treat your body like a temple, focus on keeping it healthy, eating great food and enjoying a full active life!  :)

Love SLINKII xx

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Surface Screen is a spray on product that ‘just works’. I’ve used other cloth protection products before with varying degrees of success to be honest.

It wasn’t until I checked out this video, that I thought ‘hmmm OK, I’ll give this a go!’.

Surface Screen really works as described, and more importantly, it didn’t damage my suede boots, but it did protect them from yesterdays crazy storm in the city, so I’m very thankful!

Surface Screen is available from www.surfacescreen.com.au and I’d highly recommended treating your entire wardrobe with it!

But one thing us coffee-lovers need to keep in mind is the calories we’re mindlessly drinking away. A lot of the popular Starbucks drinks are so heavy in calories that they equal an entire meal. Seriously, some of them are 680 calories a hit! You see, research shows that we don’t get as full from beverages as we do from food containing the exact same calories. But there are some healthier choices, we just need to make some clever little substitutions when we order our drinks.

Firstly, don’t go Venti!

I know it’s awesome having a bucket sized coffee to sip on for the next hour, but it’s entirely unnecessary, and WAY too many calories to justify. We constantly see all these celebs walking around with a fashion-statement sized coffee, probably accompanied with a Chihuahua in a bag, but come on, stick with a normal sized drink and save yourself the unnecessary milk overload. Think of it this way, If you drink one Venti Caramel Frappuccino with whipped cream daily, you add 182,500 calories to your year.  This breaks down to a whopping 23 kilos a year thanks purely to Starbucks!

Sugar fix much?

The next thing to think about is your sweeteners, avoid adding the flavoured syrups or white sugar. If you absolutely have to have a flavour-burst, opt for a sugar-free syrup that has 0 calories, but be aware of the artificial sweeteners. I always take some sachets of Stevia (a natural, herb-based sugar substitute) in my handbag to add a little sweetness.

Finally, choosing non-fat or ‘skinny’ milk will save you 60-120 calories compared to full fat milk. And of course, ditch the whipped cream and just enjoy the frothy milk. Yummmm…

Keeping these tips in mind, here are my favourite Starbucks choices under 100 calories:

1. Tazo Tea (0 calories)
2. Tall Pike Place Roast (5 calories)
3. Solo Espresso (5 calories)
4. Tall Caffè Americano (10 calories)
5. Tall Iced Caffè Americano (10 calories)
6. Tall non-fat Café Misto/Café Au Lait (60 calories)
7. Tall non-fat Cappuccino (60 calories)
8. Tall Tazo Black Shaken Iced Tea (60 calories)
9. Tall Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte (90 calories)
10. Tall Coffee Frappuccino Light Blended Coffee (90 Calories)
11. Tall Skinny Latte (90 calories)
12. Tall Skinny Caramel Latte  (100 calories)

So next time yo step foot into that Starbucks, choose one of these lean options and enjoy your little pick-me-up guilt free!

Love SLINKII xx

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Makeup Looks and beauty trends come and go… sometimes it depends on the season, on the current trend or even just your mood. Lately I’ve been a touch obsessed with the ‘old hollywood’ vintage look made famous by the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Loren…I even went a bit overboard and gave myself a fake beauty spot the other day! Haha Shhh!

So for today’s fun little makeover I thought we’d delve into the beauty tips of yesteryear’s silver screen sirens!

Marilyn Monroe’s Flawless Skin

Famed for her Hollywood glow, Marilyn used an odd technique to maintain it — hormone cream.

She layered Active pHelityl Cream, a topical natural hormone replacement, and a powder foundation on top of each other to create a radiant base that shimmered on camera. The downside was that she grew a fine layer of peachy-blonde hair over her face, which she was encouraged to shave off but refused.

GET THE LOOK: In a bid to avoid the hairy face, skip the hormone cream and get the look by mixing a pearlescent primer with a liquid or cream foundation, then lightly dust with finishing powder to perfect that flawless matte look.

Audrey Hepburn’s Puppy Eyes

She pioneered the baby-doll look with a slick of liquid kohl eyeliner and a super-fine layer of mascara on the upper lashes. Rumour has it that she got her lashes so plush and natural-looking by painstakingly separating them with a pin after applying each layer of mascara.

GET THE LOOK: There’s no need to spend hours splitting lashes (or risking your eyesight!) — TK’s Eyelash Extensions has an applicator that allows you to build coverage gradually.

Sophia Loren’s Secret to Radiance

The Italian screen siren used olive oil to stay beautiful. She included at least two tablespoons of oil in her food every day, rubbed a small amount into her face and added a few capfuls to a hot bath for a nourishing skin soak.

GET THE LOOK: Olive oil is a great natural moisturiser, but if you want the results without the mess, just try applying Palmers Olive Butter Cream Oil, to your body after showering.

Red Lipstick

Regardless of your skin tone, you can rock a red lip. The Hollywood stars of yesteryear had flawless skin to complement their crimson pout but the key to getting this makeup look on point is to choose a color that matches your skin tone. Apply concealer around the outside of your lips to further define them.

The Sultry Cat Eyes

Bring the Brow Back

Having a set of dark and defined eyebrows can make your makeup look polished and accentuate the eyes. Old Hollywood had it right when all of the stars had a well-defined and dark brow. Use a dark brow powder to fill in and shape your eyebrows.

Rosy Cheeks

Vintage Hair

 Try a few of these classic look makeup tips for your next night out.. I know you want to!  But remember not to go too crazy, pick and choose the features you want to enhance, subtlety is the key

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Want the secret to the famous Brazilian bum or China’s trick to stay incredibly young looking?

Learning the details of how women from different continents, countries, and cultures view beauty, how they maintain it, and what they do to perfect it reveals a much more than just physical secrets. Their beauty techniques reveal things about their lifestyles, their diets, and even their belief systems. It’s fascinating, and definitely helpful if we want to try the best beauty tips from around the world….

The Spanish Secret to Beautiful Eyes

We’ve all heard the recycled beauty tips to eradicate puffy eyes or the dark ‘I-haven’t-slept’ circles we all despise- cucumber slices or tea bags, right? Either that, or some excessively costly eye cream…But sometimes natural remedies can be just as effective, we just need to try something new. The ladies of spain have a great under-eye remedy: they use very thin potato slices. Applied over your eyes for about ten minutes, they’ll get rid of under eye circles like that! They actually lighten your skin, causing the bruised looking circles to fade.

Japanese Perfect Porcelain Skin

Japanese women have some of the loveliest skin I’ve ever seen, and this is due to a couple different beauty techniques. Camellia oil is one such technique: it can be used to get rid of wrinkles, even after having a baby; strengthening nails and skin; rejuvenating and nourishing hair; and even soothing burns. Beauty experts also advise that rather than relying on injections of Botox and collagen, eating food that is collagen induced helps keep skin firm and flawless.

Brazilian Cellulite Cure

Brazilian women are known for having the perfect butts! So what is the Brazilian secret to banishing cellulite?  If you’ve ever seen women from the country rubbing sand onto their bodies, then you’ve already witnessed the treatment. Using sand aids in the elimination of cellulite and stimulates your skin, gradually breaking down the stubborn fat that causes cellulite. Exfoliate gently with a sand or sugar scrub in circular motions and you’ll soon flaunt that teenie-weenie Brazilian bikini!

Zimbabwe’s Energy Fix

Having energy and boosting your metabolism might not seem like beauty techniques, but they really are. You need energy and a high thriving metabolism to get through the day. Forget about Redbull, Rockstar, or Monster energy drinks. In Zimbabwe the women rely on hot tea infused with lemon. It cleanses their systems, gives their metabolism a jump start, and provides plenty of energy.

Indian Hair Treatment

Women from India have hair to die for. It’s thick, lustrous, and flowing. How do they do it? Coconut oil is one beauty trick. It can even strengthen your hair if it’s starting to get thin. By heating up coconut oil and massaging it into your scalp once each week, you too can have shiny, wonderfully thick hair. Go to sleep with it and then wash your hair the next morning. You’ll noticed healthier hair instantly!

Luscious Italian Lips

This is one of those beauty techniques that proves you don’t have to spend a lot of money on your beauty regimen. In Italy, women use an easily accessible ingredient to sooth and condition their lips. They rub their lips with olive oil, which also provides extra shine. As a matter of fact, Greek women use olive oil as well. There, it is used to soothe skin when it’s irritated, dry, and sunburned.

Scandinavian Skin

Scandinavian women have amazing skin. How they get it is really quite simple. Not only do they drink plenty of spring mineral water, but they bathe their faces with it too. In addition to leaving skin hydrated and healthy, that can get rid of puffiness. The key is that it needs to be icy cold, and you should indulge in 20 good splashes.

China’s Anti-Aging Secrets

Some of the best beauty techniques deal with fighting the signs of age. Growing old gracefully is a beautiful thing – and you don’t need to rely on Botox, collagen, and things like that. Rather, do what women in China do: drink white tea. It will help shield your skin from free radicals.

Love SLINKII xx

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So rather than wasting our time with pointless and often counteractive diet fads, or popping over-advertised weight-loss pills, and eventually losing motivation altogether, let’s take a step back and do some maths…

So, how many calories do you need to eat per day to lose weight?

Calculating your ideal caloric intake for weight loss is a relatively simple, three-step process. Once you have figured this out it becomes very easy to stay in control of your body, and it’s not a quick-fix solution, this knowledge will be with you for life… I want to introduce you to the Harris-Benedict equation (for women).

BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) – (4.7 x age in years)

You just need to plug in your age, height, and weight. The number you get is the total number of calories you need each day to exist (also known as your basal metabolic rate, BMR). For example, a 50-year-woman who is 5′ 7″ and weighs 160 pounds has a basal metabolic rate of 1441 calories.
Since you don’t lie in bed all day , you’ll burn more calories than this. To estimate how many calories you burn during your daily activities, we’ll use the activity factors listed below.

• Sedentary: Minimal movement, lots of TV watching, reading, etc. Activity factor = 1.4
• Light activity: Office work, 1 hour of moderate exercise/activity during the day. Activity factor = 1.5
• Moderate activity: Light physical/manual labor during the day, plus more active lifestyle. Activity factor = 1.6
• Very Active: Active military, full time athlete, hard physical/manual labor job. Activity factor = 1.9

Next, multiply your activity factor by your BMR. For the example we’re using, we’ll choose an activity factor of 1.5 (common for most people) and multiply that by 1441 calories, giving us 2161 calories. This number is your total caloric needs, or roughly the amount of calories that you need to eat each day to maintain your weight.

To lose weight, you need to eat LESS than this. How much less? That’s the next step.

Determining how many calories to cut each day is where weight loss becomes more of an art than a science, as there are many variables that can impact the calories in < calories out equation, including:

1.How you exercise- Resistance and interval training will burn more calories after you stop exercising compared to traditional aerobic training.

2. What you eat- High-protein diets burn more calories, as protein takes more effort for your body to digest and metabolize.

3. Your metabolism- The Harris-Benedict equation or any equation that estimates your calorie needs is just that, an ESTIMATE. These equations are based on averages, and you are probably not average. So please don’t take the numbers you generate after reading this article as gospel, but use them as a starting point, put them to the test, and adjust from there.

Traditionally, recommendations are made for individuals to subtract 500 calories from their total calorie needs in order to lose 1-2 pounds per week. This is because a 500-calorie daily deficit yields a 3500-calorie weekly deficit—which is the number of calories you need to burn to lose one pound of fat per week. 

However, if you find  that these reductions are too aggressive feel free to start with a 250 calorie deficit which means you’ll see result you’re happy with but can still eat more and it will set you up for long-term weight loss success. You can always increase your exercise to burn calories rather than cutting out food.

Remember, it’s not going to happen overnight, but if you stay focussed and stick to your plan, IT WILL HAPPEN! 

Also, it doesn’t have to be the same every day, once you start to know what your calorie intake should look like, you can alternate between having higher calorie days and lower calories days- just make sure at the end of the week, you’re within your right amount.

I am not a doctor so please check with your doc before you take any of my advice.

Love SLINKII xx

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It’s actually a fibre within our connective tissue- so it literally helps hold us together. That’s why high levels of collagen means your skin will be tight and plump rather than droopy or soft. But here’s the thing, it needs to be made IN your body.

Collagen is essential for healthy and beautiful skin, so if you want to achieve that radiance, don’t rely on creams or injections to tighten and plump your skin. Help your body produce collagen from the inside out and you will minimise the signs of ageing for life. It’s about maintaining a healthy lifestyle and eating foods that help induce collagen production.

There are a number of foods that provide the building blocks for collagen production. I thought you might like the full shopping list…

Soya products such as soyamilk and cheese contain genistein. Genistein gives soya products their collagen production qualities, and helps to block enzymes that break down skin.

Dark green vegetables also contain collagen producing agents. They are rich in Vitamin C and eating them regularly will help your body to manufacture collagen effectively.

Red fruits and vegetables are also good sources of collagen. These include red peppers, beets and tomatoes. They contain lycopenes which act as antioxidants and increase collagen production.

Omega fatty acids found in fish such as salmon and tuna are also excellent because they create the ideal environment for collagen production. If you’re a vegetarian, you can still get the same fatty acids from nuts such as cashews and almonds as well as avocados.

Foods that are rich in sulphur are also important in collagen production. Some examples of sulphur rich foods are green and black olives, fresh cucumbers and celery stalks. Working together with the sulphur, vegetables that are rich in Vitamin A help keep collagen levels high. Carrots and sweet potatoes are rich in Vitamin A.

It is important that you have a balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables, important in collagen production. By doing this, you will see significant improvement in the quality of your skin tone as well as improved health.

So try include some of these in your shopping list and stop worrying about worry lines!

Love SLINKII xx

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If you are doing the Sunday cheat-day you’ll be really keen to get back to our healthy eating schedule today! I know I am.. so I thought it’d be a great opportunity to talk about GRAINS.

If you’ve read the SLINKII 7-Day Diet you’ll know that we like to keep our carb intake at a minimum. Except for breakfast, when we need some good, slow-releasing energy that will ensure we stay satisfied for longer.

This is where  the benefits of wholegrains come in, that’s right.. not grains.. WHOLE grains!

Personally, I can’t say ‘no’ to some rolled oats, a few nuts, and a dollop of yoghurt topped with some berries for breakfast! YUM!

Whole grains are healthy for us because they’re loaded with immune-boosting vitamins, energy sustaining carbs, and filling fiber to encourage weight loss, and they are a low-fat source of protein.

These benefits are derived mainly from wholegrains and largely diminished when grains are refined. The refining process removes the bran, which is the outer layer of the grain, and the germ, which is rich in vitamins and minerals, leaving only the endosperm- so that soft, fluffy white flour is basically only starch! Not exactly what we want to be eating!

So make sure when you’re buying your cereals or rice that you avoid the refined grains and always opt for whole grains. This small swap will make a huge difference to your overall diet as its not just the quantity of carbs that matters- but also the quality.

I know there way too many different grains to choose from, so I thought it might be helpful to draw up a little table so you can find out which wholegrains are lowest in calories and which offer the most fiber and protein…

See why I like rolled oats! Just add some protein powder to your yoghurt

Remember, be careful about portion control here, this table indicates the nutritional value based on 1/4 cup, which is 30 grams- so don’t mindlessly pour an entire bowl of oats (or any wholegrain you choose), make sure you measure your quantities!

Love SLINKII xx

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