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Swimming For Weight Loss, 5 Super Simple Recipes

Swimming for weight loss   Swimming is the perfect activity when trying to lose weight.  Its easy on the joints and works every muscle in your body helping you burn calories easier and also step your body into what they call “the after burn effect”, meaning if you’re training in a specific way you body can burn calories for many hours after your workout, torching away at any unwanted body fat. However, they do say, “abs are made in the kitchen”. So as a followup from nutrition for sprint swimmers, we’ve done the hard work for you by coming up with 5 recipes that are super quick, simple, nutritious, low calorie and extremely tasty.   1) Banana & Egg Mini Pancakes   [caption id="attachment_2323" align="aligncenter" width="420" caption="Image thanks to babe_KL"]Banana pancakes[/caption] One straight from the Simply Swim HQ’s, we like to talk about food a lot here, more than people should. When I heard about this simple recipe, I was surprised to say the least. It’s totally nutritious, low cal and super healthy. Ingredients: 1 Ripe Banana, 2 Medium Eggs, coconut oil. Method: Crack two medium eggs and whisk away. Then peel your banana and continue snap into small pieces. Don’t be afraid of getting your hands messy and scrunch the banana up and throw it in with the eggs. Continue to whisk away until you have a rather fluid liquid (don’t be afraid of a few lumps). Make sure your frying pan is hot and add a splash of coconut oil. Continue as you would with traditional pancakes, cooking for 30 seconds a side. Tips: Pour mini amounts in at a time, no bigger than the circumference of a mug. This will allow them to cook easily and maintain shape. Add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and top with fresh berries to serve. Cinnamon is great for helping you feel fuller for longer. Shortcut: Use a blender to cut down time and effort.      2) Organic Rolled Oat, Banana and Raison Cookies   [caption id="attachment_2324" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Image thanks to jazzijava"]Oat and banana cookies[/caption] Another straight forward minimal recipe that any fool could muster up.  We found out about this little piece of magic when searching for improvements on our pancake recipe. These low calorie cookies will offer you optimum performance with ingredients that will keep your energy levels stable, ideal before your morning swim workout. Ingredients: 1 Cup of organic rolled oats, 1 ripe banana and handful of raisons. Method:  Adjust your mindset to “get involved”. Find a big mixing bowl. Pour 1 cup of oats into the bowl, then grab a peeled banana, snap it into smaller pieces and put in with the oats, finally grab a hand of raisons to throw into the mix. Mix your ingredients together into small clumps that resemble cookie shaped lumps. Proceed to place into a preheated oven and cook for 15-20 mins. Tips:  If you have a sweet tooth, sprinkle the cookies with brown sugar and organic dark chocolate. Shortcut: If you’re stuck on time, simply throw them in the microwave on full power for 2.5 to 3 minutes. They still taste great, but lack a certain je ne se quoi.     3) Chicken Burgers in Whole meal Pita bread (or Ciabatta) with Cool Mint Yogurt [caption id="attachment_2325" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Image thanks avlxyz"]Chicken in ciabatta[/caption] A great little recipe from applemint.com, this meal is light, filling and extremely tasty. The nutrients are also great for restoring muscle and energy levels, allowing you to keep your workouts regular and consistent. Ingredients: Chicken breast, red chilies, garlic cloves x2, handful of chopped coriander, cucumber, crunchy lettuce, 1 tsp of cumin, whole meal pita bread (or ciabatta), low fat Greek yogurt and mint leaves. Method: Take two pans and place one on hot heat and leave the other on standby. Proceed to slice your chicken breast in half to reduce its thickness. Rub olive oil into the chicken and add diced herbs and spices to the chicken, covering it in great flavours. Cook the chicken till done and place onto a hot plate. Place your other pan on hot heat and toast your pita bread for 30 – 40 seconds per side. Once completed slot your slice of chicken into the pita pocket. Quickly chop some mint and add to your yogurt, proceed to fill the pita with a splash of yogurt, finally top it off by adding some cool cucumber and crunchy lettuce. Tips: Consider going a step hotter by using part of a scotch bonnet chili instead of traditional red chilies. Warning: This will blow your mind, quite literally so make sure you have plenty yogurt to cool that sensation down if it gets out of hand.   4. Grilled Avocados Stuffed With Chicken and Ricotta Salad. [caption id="attachment_2326" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Image thanks to Jeremy Bronson"]stuffed avocado[/caption] This little snack is surprisingly filling and choc full of fat burning properties, protein and key nutrients. There is a misconception about the amount of fat in avocado flesh, leading people to believe that they’re unhealthy, when in fact the fat in avocados is brilliant for keeping you fuller for longer and for protecting your vital organs, whilst torching existing unwanted body fat. Ingredients: 2x Large avocados, ricotta cheese, no skin chicken fillet, spinach, chili x1, sprig of ginger, tomato, white wine vinegar and olive oil. Method: Get your grill hot and proceed to cook you chicken breast right through until done. Remove the chicken and place onto a hot plat and proceed to cut into little chunks. Now place your avocados on the grill (removing the pip) until you see the green flesh start to wilt and dry out. Whilst waiting for them to grill, finely chop some chili, some spinach, a tomato and a small sprig of ginger (no bigger than half an inch. Remove the avocados from the grill and continue to stuff them with your diced chicken, vegetables and spices. Finally top off with a spoon full of ricotta cheese and a light drizzle of olive oil and white wine vinegar. Tips: If you’re struggling for space to stuff your avocado, hollow out some of the flesh to fit more tasty stuffing in. Consider changing chicken for a crab salad.     5) Grilled Asparagus and Cottage Cheese on Whole Wheat Flatbread [caption id="attachment_2327" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Image thanks to The Hippie Triathlete on Flickr"][/caption] Taken and adjusted from Martha Stewart’s website. This meal idea is delicious, filling and low calorie meal and ideal for low GI diets. Ingredients: Whole wheat flatbread, rocket salad, asparagus, cottage cheese, 1 x lemon, olive oil, basil and tomato. Method: Drizzle oil over flatbread and place directly over the grill along with asparagus. Whilst on the grill, finely chop basil, rocket, tomato and zest of a lemon. Remove bread from the grill and cover with clumps of cottage cheese. Then place asparagus and finely chopped ingredients over the top (oiled side), making sure you sprinkle the basil and lemon zest evenly. Season to taste with a sprinkle of sea salt and a drizzle of lemon juice. Tips:  To get a great authentic taste and aroma, consider making these from fresh doe and placing on a coal fired BBQ. Also consider blending herbs in with the doe to make for a more interesting taste sensation.             
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