My December Inspiration and moodboard

Being inspired is one of the greatest feelings and state of mind that can happen to anyone! At least it is like that for me. When I am inspired I feel so powerful, alive, strong, full of ideas and aims, just unstoppable and the world is my oyster! Like real Wonderwoman that can and will save the World. 

I have realized that in order to get there I need some daily dose of inspiration, even in some small things - like motivational picture or some encouraging words. 

It's been years I am collecting those kind of pictures and quotations, colors and good words than whenever I or someone else around me needs some positive boost I just look them up and send it over. A great way to try to make someone else to feel better. For me it works every single time - lifts my spirits and gives me energy again. 

As a visual person who loves pictures and colors and inspire others I have decided to try out a new thing - a monthly mood board that would be a preview of my next month aims, dreams, colors, ideas, travels, workout, etc. Maybe it will encourage you too to make some for yourself too to dream a little and reach goals faster and easier. 

DECEMBER MOOD BOARD highlights- HOLIDAY, FESTIVITY and GOAL REACHING.

December Moodboard

So how does my moodboard seems to you? Inspirational? 

The main highlights of month are: 

Travel: Italian mountain getaway or in a seek of a "Green" plant Cathedral

It's been a while since I last time managed to run away from Milan and it was not for a work.

Lately I have been travelling like a flight attendant and working day and night that's why I said to myself (and to my boyfriend): " That's it! you and I need a break!and we need it now!"He completely agreed and on a sunny Sunday morning we headed North to find a place called Catedrale Vegetale - a Green tree Catedral somewhere in mountains which was suggested by a friend . Sounded mysterious but I did not mind - in contrary was happy to get some little dose of Italian mountain beauty and have a small adventure.

The Green Cathedral

Finding the cathedral was not as easy as we though even with a navigator and GPS, so we used old fashioned way and just asked locals. (Which is actually a lot nicer way to learn about the place and get some good references and tips). the road had to cross Oltre Il Colle mountains-region to get to our destination.

Recipe: Healthy snack or an alternative way of eating frittata

It's been a while since I had been posting my food experiments, but that does not mean that I was making them - in contrary, I have been more active than ever mixing, matching, adding and experimenting.
One of my easiest, fastest preparing discovery of all time was an Egg&Mushroom frittata healthy snack which can be easily brought to work with you as it is divided by single muffin molds. Clever, huh?

Alternative firttata - divided by muffin molds

My combination of this frittata was basically all the things I like mixed together.
Ingredients:
Zucchini+canned champignons mushrooms (normal, not in the oil ones), red tomatoes (you can also use red bell pepper if don't like tomatoes) + eggs+spices.
Preparation:
1. Whisk/ beat eggs add all ingredients cut/sliced and spices.
(you have 2 options - can put the mixture directly in molds and pour over eggs or mix all together. as you prefer. I have tried both and both works).
2. Pour in the muffin tins/molds
3. put in the pre-heated oven for 30 min in 200C° or till golden and poufy.
4. Voilà! Ready!

Put all ingredients in the muffin molds

I mixed mushrooms, zucchini and tomatoes

pour over whisked eggs

put in the oven for 30 minutes or till gets poufy and golden brown crust appears

Nom,Nom! ready to eat!
Easy-peasy, healthy and fast! 

Workout/Food: 15 Exercises to burn off calories taken by that delicious junk food

If you have ever been on a diet you probably know how hard is to resist a temptation of snacking and having a cheat meals outside the diet plan and especially of those sweet/ salty delicious ones. I am not a chocolate lover but I know people who are and their struggle of giving it up. The same is for bad eating habits, like Cheeseburgers, popcorn with a movie (guilty, guilty guilty), Coca Cola, cocktails during Happy Hours with friends and so on and on. We all have our week point and some foods that is hard to resist especially when you are trying to reach a goal, like loosing weight or improving your eating habits. As I am currently on a super strict diet than I know what I am talking about resisting those food cravings and temptations just to reach my aim even if I don't see it in a mirror yet..

Even it has been a while I am living and eating healthy and clean even I have days when my leg (hand) slips and I eat something I really shouldn't..yes, I am human too! But as long as it is a balance and a cheat meal does not turns into a cheat day or even worse - a week - it is fine to give yourself a break. But have you ever stopped and think what is the consequences of that all delicious, bad food to your body? 

I did! and trust me, this really inspires me every time I am sweating my butt off in a gym. Because burning those bad calories are 10 times harder than taking them up.

Here comes some popular foods and their calories together with exercises you should do to burn them off... Behold!

1 large fries are equals to 524 burpees

Travel: A Glimpse of Japan - Part III - Osaka and Universal Studious

Time has come to finish up third and last part of my Japan's adventure which takes us to Osaka and Universal Studious.

Universal Studious Japan

Boy, it was something unbelievable! For a big kid like me it was like a paradise!

The first thing we did - we headed to newly opened Harry Potter part of the park to enjoy the 4D ride.
And I must say it was really impressive! All the part of Harry Potter was crowded with fans lining and queuing for souvenirs and rides, attractions or food. (As it was Sunday the part was crowded, luckily we were on a " mission" and we could skip the lines!

Travel: A glipse of Japan - Part II

My London trip has come to an end so it is a time to continue with my Japan story so can catch up with timing and switch to my European adventures.

The second part of my Japan unexpected meeting took us to Kyoto - an ancient Japan's capital a city full of UNESCO heritage objects. Indeed it is an amazing city even more beautiful than I have imagined from the movies and books. 

Couple dressed in kimonos at Kyoto

(One of my all time favorite books is Memoirs of a Geisha which gave me a small preview of a life of a geisha back in 30ies, strolling down the narrow streets heading to a fancy dinner party and life back in than in general). Actually Kyoto is still an active geisha district where, if you are lucky, can see a real geisha heading for a dinner appointment).

On our free time we started our sightseeing (2 hours) tour with old part of the town and than heading to temples and shrines.

Travel: A Glimpse of Japan - Part I

It's been over a week that I have been back from Japan but the impressions are still live and vivid like it was just yesterday.

Welcome to Japan

This trip came as pretty big surprise to me as it was kind a last minute announcement from my company to join our company's bi-annual Expo in Tokyo (Sanrio Inhouse Expo)  and an offsite meeting in Kyoto.. So you can imagine HOW excited I was. Like a little girl before Christmas or Kevin from Home Alone.
What a thrill was to go to see the land where Hello Kitty was born with my own eyes and to see Tokyo with my own eyes. I must say it is even more colorful, crazy, hectic and advanced than I could ever imagine. but the same time so safe, so clean and organized.
The flight was long and tiring and didn't even manage to close my eyes for more than an hour therefore arrived at my destination pretty destroyed, but after hotel check in, quick shower and outfit change I was ready to hit the city. With which I mean I was ready to go for first meetings and Store check.

Hotel Check in and checking myself out before hitting the town

In late afternoon and after all the blinding city lights, colors, people I started to get pretty tired and sleepy but still could resist and continued my store check cheerfully.

Tights and stocking paradise is in Tokyo

 The ones who knows me are aware of my passion of cute, colorful, trendy and fun socks, tights and stockings I have in my collection so you can only imagine my thrill seeing all these lines of socks in department stores - ahhh a Paradise.

socks paradise as well

 The same for the socks. So colorful, fun, cute and playful. just you want them all and want to make your feet happy and show off.
Of course as a culture where the shoes comes off at the house doors right before entering a nice pair of socks is an nice idea for a conversation starter.

Luckily dinner was scheduled pretty early as we were kind a starving after the long trip and working all afternoon.

Traditional style Japanese restaurant

We were taken to a quite but trendy street right near of Shibuya (the district where we had our hotel) where we could have a nice peace of mind and enjoy our traditional Japanese dinner.

After a delicious dinner we were heading back to our hotel - Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel. On our way we had a glimpse of an Japanese socialising after work and side walk bars.

Traditional Japanese bar at Shibuya

Even if I felt like walking dead and sleep walking the curiosity to see the view from our hotels 40th floor was stronger than me. 

..and I was right - the view was definitely worth seeing. Pity that couldn't manage to sit down at their famous restaurant on 40th floor as it was too late but still managed to catch a glimpse from above.

view to Tokyo from above in the night

Tokyo at night from above

My room was at 23rd floor and I can say that my view was not bad at all.

The next day we were off and running to our in-house Expo, meetings and some more meetings.

Sanrio Expo 2014

A nice review of the Expo you can also find here.

Blending in

I tried to blend in in the Expo as a mannequin but unsuccessfully but turns out I shouldn't move and stop smiling to make it more believable.

rice triangles

 Even when travelling I am trying to stick to my diet therefore for lunch I looked up for a healthy food store and got myself a nice rice triangle and salmon with seaweed to get my daily protein and good carbs. and in top of that managed to save money + ate clean. Really proud of myself.

Salmon with seaweed

 Luckily half of the food packaging is transparent and I was able to spot and choose things without finding someone who would translate it for me as in Japan is pretty tough to find someone speaking good English.

 Before dinner we had two hours free to see near district so we went to near Yoyogi park.

Yoyogi park selfy

Yoyogi park

 already getting closer to the entrance in the park we instantly felt the serenity and silence that isolated all the sounds from the street and the city and made you feel like you are in other dimension - more calm and peaceful.
Heading to the shrine we found a wall of Sake barrels from typical brewers as an exhibition and reminder for keeping alive Japanese traditions.

Sake Barrels

Sake barrels

 Coming closer to our destination we stopped at a place where you can purify your soul with a clear water by washing hands and drinking a sip of the clean and running water.

purifying water

Add caption

The place for me was something amazing, relaxing and just so great. we were even lucky with the lovely afternoon sun that shined above us making everything even more magical.

Meiji Shrine

 I kept on having feeling and imagining how it was centuries ago when people really lived there, worked and prayed there. something that makes you travel back in time and put yourself in their shoes.

wall of prayers

 For a good fortune and getting hopes come true there are a wall of prayers where everyone could put their own good thought or prayer to get it fulfilled.

Even if I would have loved to stay there for hours and get my mind relaxing I knew the time is thick but Tokyo is so big, so tried to managed as much as possible and headed to near Harajyuku shopping street where you can see various styles, colors and cos-play costumes. eat and shop till you drop.

Harajyuku Takeshita street art

Takeshita street 

Cos-play Costumes

As two days before there were a grand opening of a Sunday Jam X Mister Man cafe than we headed also there to see it for ourselves and have a quick rest with a cup of coffee to share our impressions.

Sunday Jam in Harajyuku street

Sunday Jam X Mister Bump pancakes offer

wouldn't be nice to have a breakfast there with nice pancakes on this lovely organized plate? if heading to Tokyo make sure you stop by there and than tell me how it was as i did not manage to try anything but a nice cup of coffee from Mr.man mug. Which you can buy also there.Neat!

Little Miss Sunshine table

You can not not love the interior - so playful, colorful and fun!

And this, my friends are end of first part of my trip. Stay tuned and Kyoto part will follow up - even more colorful and beautiful..

Workout: The color run in pictures

It's been a while since I participated in The Color Run here in Milan, but the feelings are still fresh and so are the pictures!

Before the race

And I feel like I have to share them with the world as it was a great experience!

Workout: Are you ready to run those colorful 5km this Saturday?

Oh happy day! today going to get my race pack for Saturday's The Color Run 5km!

The Color Run Milano - sold out

It will be a super-big event as it is completely sold out! so it means just one thing - there will be more than 10K participants! the more the merrier!

Workout: tips getting back in shape after summer holidays

It is already end of summer and it means just one thing - the summer holidays are over and it is time to get back to everyday routines and it is time to get back on a new workout and  fitness schedule, with new goals, aims and challenges!

After a long vacation in South of Italy I will have to catch up with quite a lot of things, especially at fitness and healthy lifestyle level. (I have been working on a new, exciting project and soon will be ready to reviled also to the world - so stay tuned! ) 

I can bet I am not the only one to get back on track so here are some tips to get out of that post-vacation depression and get back in shape.

*Set a reachable goal

The best thing that motivates is setting a clear and obtainable goal. Like loosing 2kg (gained in summer vacations) till winter holiday. (One of my goals too - get in shape for next holiday! so can do that together! )

It can also be a goal to get able to run 5km marathon and participate in The Color Run (the worlds funnest and colorful 5km ). I am going to participate on 6th of September here in Milan! who is in with me?

It also can be a detox or teatox cure to loose weight, clear skin and boost immune system. 

and so on and on, it can be several, important that they are attainable and realistic.

Whatever you choose stick to the plan, track your progress and make a deadline, therefore you will be more motivated and inspired by your own results to keep going.

Set a Goal

My last year gym motivational post before the Color Run!

Travel: Exploring Calabria from East to West and inbetween

Hello from South of Italy!

Benvenuti al Sud (Welcome to South) - a restaurant in Castrovillari, Calabria

I finally managed to escape the city and head South - to Calabria where I will be spending another week (one is already done) trying to catch up with sleep, get tanned and stay in shape. However, it has been really difficult as the cuisine is just divine and you wan't to try everything and the constant heat is not letting you to work out either... not even mentioning that all gym's has been closed down already.

7 Fast and healthy lunch recipes for busy people

I have always liked to cook, bake and experiment but when it comes to lunch it is pretty difficult to prepare a masterpiece during working week especially for a busy working girls always on a run.
In order to stick to eating healthy and swap away those boring supermarket salads for a home made meal  to make your lunch meals diverse but the same time healthy.
So here comes my one week in a pictures of different meals for lunch breaks.

Monday - Simmental and Bulgur+Quinoa salad

Bulgur Guinoa and Simmental (canned meat) 

I really love Simmental (Italian brand for meat in gelatin). low fat and rich with protein. (No wonder they sponsor Italian National Football team as they are supporting athletes).
in their homepage they have several, nice recipes. (unfortunately only in Italian).
Kcal - 221, Protein 16g, fat - 3, Carbs - 32

Travel: Tips for a short trip to Bavaria's Capital - Munich

During my business trips it's hard to get to know the place you are going to, so I always try to make best out of the both, combining work and private life squeezing in some picture,note or reference about the country and people, mixing together with my personal impressions, feelings and discoveries.

This time was Munich. The mother of beer gardens, beer fests and class.

This is my impression of capital of Bavaria.

So here are some pictures caught on running from one meeting to another and from hotel to dinner without a map.

I stayed in this small but fashionable boutique hotel Falkentrum . It is right behind the main shopping street - Maximilianstrasse, where you will find all the big brands : Guchi, Dior, Chanel, Rolex, etc.etc.

Hotel has a lovely touch in each room combining houndstood pattern and having some small accents here a and there like orchid tied together hand and fingertip towels in bathroom and a small candy on a table.

Hotel Falkentrum doubble room design

Extra motiviation boost to get ready for the summer holiday

It's remained 20 days till my beach adventure at the south of Italy and can't wait to knock off heels and feel the sand under my feet! So doing my best to get in best possible shape-  it's my second week of infused water and detox cure (and i must say it is working!!! ) also now going everywhere with my bicycle and try to walk and move as much as possible and cutting back on those friendly Milanese aperetivos and socializing eating/drinking instead inviting people over to my place/ their place for homemade, healthy brunch, (check some healthy and delicious recipe ideas here) picnic/dinner or after dinner tea. good for your health as well as your pocket!

Motivation to myself before The Color Run last year