Chia Seeds + Recipe

Chia seeds have an ancient history and were an important part of the Aztec and Mayan diet back in the day as they prized them for their ability to provide sustainable energy ⚡️ 💜

Chia seeds are amongst the healthiest foods on the planet and are loaded with nutrients that are beneficial for your body and brain 💡

Chia seeds have very few calories, are packed with antioxidants, very low in carbs, are high in quality protein and high in nutrients essential for bone health 💪

Chia seeds can easily be incorporated into your diet as they can be eaten raw, do not need grinding, can be added to puddings, sprinkled on your cereal etc. the options are endless - but here's a quick recipe for you below to get started 💛

Milly's Morning Munch ☀️

Serves: 4

➡️ 1 cup of old fashioned oats 🌾

➡️ 2 tablespoons of chia seeds 

➡️ 1 cup of almond milk

➡️ 1 cup plain Greek yoghurt

➡️ 2 peeled apples - organic is better 🍏

➡️ 1 cup of goji berries - blueberries, strawberries or any kind of berries 🍓

➡️ 2 tablespoons of maple syrup

➡️ 4 tablespoons of slivered almonds 🌰

➡️ 1 teaspoon of lemon juice 🍋

1⃣ Combine oats, chia seeds and almond milk - mix

2⃣ In a separate bowl grate apples, add lemon juice and maple syrup - mix well

3⃣ Add apple mix and Greek yoghurt to the oat mixture. Mix together and refrigerate overnight

4⃣ Remove from fridge and serve. Top with goji berries (or berries of your choice) and slivered almonds.

This makes 4 serves - so you can eat it over the next 4 days or share it. Enjoy 💚

Healthy Snacks - Milly's Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

One of my go to snacks 🔽🔽

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds 🎃

I keep these in a container as my go to snack at work and it saves me from snacking on things I shouldn't be eating ☺️

Milly's Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

➡️ Pumpkin Seeds

➡️ Soy Sauce - Tamari is better

➡️ Oil - Coconut is healthier

➡️ Large Roasting Pan

1. Mix 1/4 cup of oil and 1/4 cup of soy sauce together.

2. Spread pumpkin seeds in large roasting pan

3. Pour mixture over the pumpkin seeds mixing it throughout

4. Place in oven on bake at 180 degrees.

5. Leave for 15 minutes - check and mix to turn the seeds. Keep checking in 10 minute intervals afterwards. Seeds should be a darker green than previous but not burnt. Roughly 30 mins max is how long they should be in there.

Enjoy <3

Kale - The Queen of Greens 👑

Kale - the queen of greens 👑🌳

An amazing little superfood packed full of powerful antioxidants. Kale is low in calories, high in iron, has high vitamin K levels and is a great detox food.

Kale has many health benefits and can be incorporated into your daily diet without much change. 

Try out my Kale-fornia Smoothie ☀️

➡️ 2 cups of chopped kale

➡️ 1/2 cup of coconut water

➡️ 1 1/2 cups of chopped pineapple

➡️ 1 ripe chopped banana

➡️ 3 ice cubes

Combine kale, coconut water, pineapple, banana and ice in a blender and purée till smooth. Enjoy <3

5 Tips to Improve your Weightloss Journey - Tip Two: Cut Out Counting Calories

As I look back at my journey now I can see the fundamental points which lead me to my initial weight gain, but then I also saw the small changes I made in my life which made a huge difference on the scales for me. So below I'm going to share with you 5 tips to improve your weightloss journey - and they were all tried and tested by ME - they are probably ones you may have heard before but these are the things that really stood out and worked for me!

I hope these might help you get past your current plateau, begin your own weightloss journey, adapt the journey your on or simply provide a few tips to help you out along the way.

I am going to be releasing tips over the next few days

First Tip: Change your Surroundings - Click Here to read

Tip Two: Cut out Counting Calories

Counting calories can be a long and sometimes depressing side of the fit lifestyle - however it doesn't have to be that bad.

For anyone starting their weightloss journey it is important to understand the nutritional value and calories for food in general - it will also give you an understanding of the work needed to counteract the calories you have consumed. This can actually be quite informative and may surprise you - but that's what were here to do. I found when I viewed the exercise equivalent of the food I was eating it really made me change as I knew I had not done nearly enough exercise if any to cover the bad food choices I had made.

I like to use this site as an all round guide to understand the exercise equivalent to a specific food or item: http://www.athleteinme.com/caloriecounter.aspx

Its is quite helpful as it has a drop down box with the menu's of most fast food joints so you can pick from the menu. I do this as a fun experiment sometimes to show family and friends.

Did you know? That to work off eating only ONE McDonald's cheeseburger you would either need to cycle for 44 mins, jog for 27.9 mins, swim for 38.7 mins or walk for 69.1 mins. That means you would need to walk for more than an hour to work of just ONE cheeseburger.

When I first began my weightloss journey I became obsessed with counting calories and making sure I met my requirement for the day but it became more of a job than a lifestyle change so I stopped counting the calories of every single little thing I ate but became aware of the foods I was eating and the affect it would have on me.

Also by downloading the MyFitnessPal app it took all the hardwork out of counting the calories for me as it completely takes into account everything including exercise, water intake etc. At the beginning you add in your weight, height etc and how much weight you would like to lose - this then sets your daily calorie limit. Once food and exercise is added in the calorie counter on the side will increase and decrease depending on what you ate or the exercise you have added. I found this app really helpful as it charted out my weightloss and gave me a rough indication of how much I could lose each week if I stuck close to my calorie intake for each day. It is also great because you can add friends on MyFitnessPal and see the progress they're making - and lets be honest your more likely to complete your diary for each day if your motivated by others on a similar journey.

I'm not telling you to forget about calories all together and just go for it - but make it less of a job and stop focusing on the calories. At the beginning of your journey it is essential that you understand the calories and have a rough idea of the exercise equivalent as it does help you to make better choices. However as you are progressing through your journey you will find it becomes less about counting the calories and more about the progress you are making.

Plus remember everyone is allowed a treat every now and then but it doesn't mean to make it a treat week, turned treat month, turned treat year - A treat is a one off, every now and then. Maybe to reward yourself for something you have achieved - but all things in moderation.

Hope these tips are helping you all to achieve your goals!

Milly x

5 Tips to Improve your Weightloss Journey - Tip One: Change your Surroundings

As I look back at my journey now I can see the fundamental points which lead me to my initial weight gain, but then I also saw the small changes I made in my life which made a huge difference on the scales for me. So below I'm going to share with you 5 tips to improve your weightloss journey - and they were all tried and tested by ME - they are probably ones you may have heard before but these are the things that really stood out and worked for me!

I hope these might help you get past your current plateau, begin your own weightloss journey, adapt the journey your on or simply provide a few tips to help you out along the way.

I am going to be releasing tips over the next few days - So first up is

Change your Surroundings

You may be thinking 'change my surroundings'?? How can I do that and why? 

I used to work in childcare; I was working 7am - 6pm, Monday - Friday and although very rewarding I started to pack on the pounds without even noticing and slowly became the size I once was. It was fine though - well that's what I told myself - No one else noticed, or said anything and everyone else I worked with was the same so for me this was normal.

Fast track down the road a bit to where I changed jobs to working in Real Estate (complete change of careers - I know). I'm working 8:30am - 5pm, Monday - Friday and this is where I lost all my weight and slowly became the size I am now. 

Now how did this change of surroundings affect me and help me to lose the weight I've lost?

Well it was very simple; working in childcare is difficult, you eat when you can, generally eat what the kids are eating and when they are eating (which is all the time) and by home time all you can think about is finding the easiest fastest meal you can shoving it down your gob and then sleeping. And that was literally my routine - for roughly 4 years.

Where I worked we would buy lunch because it was easier than making lunch and I never really had time. My options that surrounded my work were McDonalds, KFC, Burger King and the Food Court (Mall) - So not exactly the healthiest options, but were all options I was choosing because hey it was fast, cheap, tasted like food and gave me enough time to grab it, eat it and get back to work. My work colleagues were the same, did the same, and funnily enough were around the same size as I was back then.


Whereas working in Real Estate although it can be very full on at times; I eat at specific break times (morning, lunch, afternoon), eat healthier options, and actually eat a meal for dinner with my flatmates every night.

I still buy lunch most days but the options I have around me are much healthier than the options I had at my previous job. Here I am surrounded by Subway, sushi, the supermarket, cafes and a bakery (probably the unhealthiest option). Yet it is still relatively priced, tastes amazing and still gives me a decent lunch break. Again my work colleagues are the same, do the same and are all around the same size as me.

Now I'm not telling you to up and leave your job because there is a McDonald's around the corner from your work - but more so be aware of your surroundings and what they have to offer. I was simply making the wrong decisions, surrounded by the wrong options and it took a career/job change for me to notice.

So when you head to work tomorrow have a look at what surroundings you might change? It may be as simple as scoping out other places to eat, sitting with a different group of colleagues at lunch or pre preparing lunch and taking it instead of buying. 

What surroundings of yours are you thinking of changing?

Remember happier, healthier and fitter!

Lots of love,

Milly x

Goal Setting - For Weightloss!

Setting goals for yourself can be hard and lets be honest we don't always reach our goals. But when I was looking at my pictures from a few years ago I remembered that goal setting was what I did as encouragement for myself to go further and to achieve what I had set out to do - become fitter, healthier and happier and ultimately lose weight.

Instead of setting myself goal weights that I needed to get down to or be I instead opted for a few different goals and set these up along my journey to ensure I kept on top of the weight loss. Below are a few different goals that I set for myself along my weight loss journey and how they can help you with yours. Having set goal weights in my opinion can be some what daunting - especially when you keep stepping onto the scales and not seeing a difference (baring in mind that scales lie - you may be losing fat and gaining muscle but still seeing no difference on the scales)

If you haven't already - don't forget to head over to my Facebook Page so you can follow me. Plus I'll be doing a giveaway at '100' likes! 

Like Milly's Journey to Muscles

My Goal Outfit
I have this amazing ball dress that I wore to my Year 13 ball, it is also a size 10. After my year 13 ball was when I began putting on weight (became size 14) and upon trying on my dress only 6 months later and finding I couldn't fit it was rather disappointing - however I made this one of my goals. My goal was to fit back into my ball dress. It made my goal a little less daunting and more of a fun challenge. I suggest that everyone who is on a weightloss challenge - especially a large one finds that one outfit/dress/bikini whatever it is that you want to shine in and make that your goal outfit. 

This was something I was able to achieve 4 months ago - this was a very happy moment for me because it represented all the hard work I had put into losing the weight. Not to mention that when I finally tried it on it zipped up perfect with even a little bit of room - BONUS! :)

My Goal Exercises
It's no secret in my family that I could not do a 'man push up' or 'pull up' to save myself. Yes if you are wondering I am one of those people who sporadically thrashed around trying to pull myself up on the bar - and it never happens, it just doesn't. Well not until recently that is, one of my overall goals was to become fitter so I set a few personal goals for myself in regards to doing a push up and pull up - something I knew I could not do yet wanted to achieve. I set an exercise goal of being able to do at least 20 man push ups and 20 pull ups - I would definitely like to progress from there but so far I can only pump out one or two of each - but for me this is a big achievement and for my family a little less entertainment as I no longer thrash around trying to pull myself up the bar or tremble as I tried to finish a push up. The weak me is no more and the fitter me is taking over - I love it!

My Goal Look
Looking at all the stars and celebs and seeing how slim they are is seriously unfair - but how about taking what they have and using it as motivation. Do you have a specific look you are going for or a look that you like? When I first began my journey to weightloss I found a picture of Jessica Alba - there is no denying that she is a babe - I used this picture to then become my motivation. I printed off the picture and stuck it up around home in places I knew I would see it (i.e. the bathroom mirror, bedroom mirror, front of the fridge, on the door of your snacks cupboard etc) By sticking it up it is a constant reminder of what you are striving to achieve. The one thing I did do was crop her lovely head off the body as I knew that if I kept seeing Jessica staring at me the idea of working towards her body would of been a bit scary. Here are the pics I used below (this is the look I was heading for - but by no means does that mean it has to be yours. Feel free to pick whoever you want, it may not even be a celeb. The choice is totally yours)

I admit seeing the numbers on the scale dropping is an amazing feeling - but don't forget those scales can lie and at times make you feel worse about the progress you've made than better. I still check my weight every so often to monitor where I am at - but I believe real progress can be felt, seen and even heard (from others - its a great feeling to have other people compliment you on your weightloss or how amazing you are looking) Don't forget to take these compliments, you deserve them!

These are just a few of the different methods that I used while on my weight loss journey and I still use them now - I also have a few others that I used so keep an eye out for those in my upcoming blog posts. So what are you goal outfits, exercises, looks? Do you have any different methods other than jumping on the scale? Would love to hear from you guys.

Healthier, happier and fitter

Lots of love,

Milly x

Im in love with this....

UFC Refresh Coconut Water is so good! I have tried other coconut waters previously and this is by far my fav so far.

I know many people drink this for the health benefits or the essential nutrients but can I just mention how amazing it tastes.! The added benefit of knowing its good for you too just makes it even better

Over the past few years coconut water has become a 'thing' just check out the graph below to have a look at sales of Coconut Water for the last 10 years.

I decided to do some more digging to see what I can find out about coconut water as I have heard of its benefits and then came across this article about Coconut Water being no better for you than water?

Click the article below to have a read

There's Bad News for People Who Swear by Coconut Water - Click Here

What are your opinions do you believe that Coconut Water is better for you and helps retain the essential nutrients you require or is it really just as good for you as water?

I love the taste of coconut water and the supposed benefits, if anyone has any opinions or thoughts let me know. I would just like to see where everyone sits on it and whether or not it is beneficial for me to continue drinking these.

Stay tuned for more

Lots of love Milly x

My Journey Begins..

I've decided to start this blog to keep track of my progress from getting from where I was to where I am now and I where I plan on moving forward to. I will keep you updated with the different fads I try, exercise regimes, eating plans, tea tox's etc. 

My plan is to get the fit body physique with muscles, yet not overly muscly because I'm sorry but this is not sexy >> 

Yet I am drawing inspiration from people such as Jen Selter, Kayla Itsines,  Dana McDonald and Erin Stern.

These are all ladies who in my opinion follow a healthy lifestyle while still obtaining and maintaining their bodies. This is where I'm headed. 

Jen Selter - there is no denying she is a babe and that ass! But her page is more than just about her having the most instagrammed ass. She also has fitness tips, healthy eating, and promotes living a healthy lifestyle.

 Dana McDonald & Erin Stern

Kayla Itsines (Fellow Australasian here)

So who is your motivation? Do you have pictures of where you want to get or who you aim to get like? Post them up here and share your journey with me.

This is my motivation, dont forget to follow along my journey as I post more about it. Get fit, healthy and happy! x

Lots of Love Milly xx

To check out my new website see www.missmillyxx.com

My Two Year Journey - Lost 30 Kilos!!!

14/07/2014

This time two years ago I was uploading my 21st birthday pictures, we had all gone as mythological gods’ and goddesses and of course I went as Aphrodite (Goddess of Love). I had such an amazing time with my family and friends but upon looking through my pictures I realised I was really unhappy with the weight I had gained and decided it was about time I started making better choices and losing some weight.

I had people tell me I needed to lose weight in order to be a better gf (as if my weight had anything to do with being a gf but okay!), to get a better job, to wear nicer clothes. I was told it all. I want to make sure that it is known that I did this for ME and for no one else or their benefits at all. For those who are making the same changes or is thinking of making changes make sure you do it for yourself and no-one else or their opinions.

I’m not saying it is for everyone but I really have noticed a positive difference in my life now than I did two years ago. Two years later, thirty kilo’s lighter, two dress sizes smaller and I feel healthier, happier and better for it. ♥