Mariana's BLOG page with her best health tips & recipes
Balance with Mariana's blog page, The Balance Journal, provides unique and useful tips on healthy living and holistic nutrition, delving into topics of digestive health, hormonal balance, weight loss, making healthier choices, improving body image and more!
Mariana also emphasizes eating healthier (yet delicious), more balanced, plant-based meals, and provides easy and delicious recipes.
I’m a huge fan of smoothies for breakfast, but only because I’ve found how to make them delicious yet still super healthy, low-glycemic and most importantly: FILLING. What’s my trick?
I always add these 4 ingredients (in good quantities)… Read my blog for the 4 important elements to a healthy, delicious, metabolism-boosting, hormone-balancing, satisfying and FILLING smoothie.
Read MoreToday I’m sharing my DELICIOUS, hormone-balancing, digestive-friendly, energy-boosting smoothie - which takes into consideration Ayurvedic wisdom to make it extra healthy, balancing, warming and easy-to-digest. This smoothie is filled with superfoods, and is vegan, paleo-friendly, gluten free, dairy free, grain-free, contains no added sugars, is filled with fiber and plant-based protein, and is super yummy and easy to make.
Read MoreA smoothie is an awesome way to get a shot of nutrition for breakfast, and can serve as a fully balanced meal that will boost your metabolism, give you tons of energy while keeping your blood sugar stable.
Read more for my favorite 16 healthy additions to your morning smoothie (all of which I use!), that will make your smoothie more anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting, hormone balancing and gut-healing.
Read MoreI think most of you know of my love-affair with avocados. I could eat them with every meal - they’re so delicious, versatile, and good for you. But what I never knew until recently is that the seed/pit of the avocado has a ton of health benefits as well.
It’s actually fairly simple!
Read MoreIn last week's blog, I discussed optimal foods to eat before working out - but what about after?
Post-workout you need some healthy protein and a small amount of complex carbs to help your body restore energy, repair any micro-tears in your tissues after exercise, build muscle and increase your metabolism. Certain minerals and micro-nutrients such as potassium and fiber (found in bananas, avocados and coconut for ex.) are also hugely beneficial!
If you exercise after work, a snack might be unnecessary, but aim to have dinner within 30-45 minutes of working out, and don't forget your protein! If you want a light dinner (which I highly recommend if you're working out late), that can be as easy as adding some hemp seeds to your vegetable soup, or a very small serving of lentils or tuna to your green salad.
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Giving your body adequate fuel & nutrition before and after every workout is key for staying energized, building lean muscle, burning calories and losing weight, and for promoting a healthy recovery of your tissues.
Pre-workout, you want to focus on getting healthy complex carbs (such as veggies, fruits and whole grains) and healthy fats (such as nuts, seeds and avocado). When we eat carbs, our bodies store them in the muscles as glycogen, and as we exercise, we begin to deplete this glycogen – particularly in the first hour. Our bodies also metabolize fats and protein for energy, particularly in longer workouts, so including a little bit of vegetarian fat and/or protein is recommended. However, it’s important to make your pre-workout meal very light so it doesn’t weigh you down, and eat it at least 30-45 mins before starting your exercise.
WHAT IF YOU'RE WORKING OUT FIRST THING IN THE MORNING - SHOULD YOU STILL EAT? Unless it's just a light exercise like walking or gentle yoga, then yes, ideally you should eat something small. Working out while hungry can place stress on your body, activating your sympathetic nervous system, and can even make you lose muscle mass as your body will draw protein from your muscles for fuel. Just a small portion of 1 of my suggested pre-workout meals can do the trick.
Read MoreI have to admit that one of my favorite things about the Halloween/ Thanksgiving/ Christmas holiday season is the FOOD. And I know I'm not the only one!
However, it can be difficult to stay healthy especially with the abundance of desserts that are constantly served and so hard to resist!
The key is to allow yourself to indulge a bit, while finding ways to stay as healthy as possible. And to stay on that healthy path, I always suggest dedicating some effort to planning ahead.
I personally like to cook a lot during this season, and come up with healthier versions of the traditional heavier holiday meals.
I challenge you to make this holiday season your healthiest yet, by finding the holiday foods you love and making healthier versions of them. It's fun and easier than you may think!
Today I want to share my healthy version of one of my favorite holiday desserts - Pumpkin Pie.
Read MoreBy popular demand and as a follow-up to my Beginners Smoothie Guide from last month, today I'm sharing some easy and super healthy smoothie recipes that I make almost every morning. These smoothies make a filling and delicious breakfast that will keep your blood sugar stable, rev up your metabolism, and serve as a great tool for weight loss. Plus, they're quick to make and easy to take on the go!
Read MoreWhile I don’t particularly like the excessive marketing around Valentines Day, it is nice to share the spirit of LOVE, and to get in the mood with a nice red dress or lipstick. Another idea is starting your Valentines Day with a nice healthy red smoothie. I've recently tried adding beets to my smoothies, and it tastes amazing, giving the smoothie a nice added sweetness. And apart from giving off a nice red color and sweet flavor, beets are surprisingly nutritious!
Read MoreBalance With Mariana is a holistic Health Coaching practice that works with individuals looking to lose weight, overcome their food addictions and improve their digestive issues, by teaching them new healthy lifestyle habits that help them reach their specific personal goals. Clients of Balance With Mariana develop not only a better relationship with food, but also an overall more balanced and happy life.
Balance With Mariana | , Miami, FL
