Cowboys & Cave men

I totally agree with this post! Well said!

Revamped Website Debut @ www.fit2fly.co

For all my followers and readers out there, you may have noticed I have been AWOL for the past few weeks. In that time I have been working on a more user friendly and attractive site that is a truer reflection of my authentic self and my target audience.

A big big thank you to Nikki Hassett from Bliss Inventive for all of her magic, creativity, patience, dedication, hard work, love and overtime used in making my bliss happen!

Just to keep you all in the loop…. this will be my last post on this URL, so if you want to keep up to date with all my health, travel and holistic lifestyle tips, please some check out my new site at http://www.fit2fly.co and sign up for my newsletter.

Thanks so much for your support over the last six months or so, I can’t wait to share my new home with you and get this show on the road.

I hope you like it as much as I do!

Last Chance For BIG Savings

I’m writing to share some exciting news with you! In honor of what has been dubbed “Non-GMO Month”, the Institute for Integrative Nutrition is offering a special savings opportunity for those who enroll in the Health Coach Training Program by Wednesday, October 16th—up to $1000 off the cost of enrollment. Plus, they’ll make a $100 donation on your behalf to one of 3 organisations that support GMO labelling.

The October class will be the last to enroll at IIN with the current tuition rate.

Additionally, anyone who enrolls by Wednesday, October 16th, will get up to $1000* off that current rate!

With the tuition increase slated to be at least $1000, that means you my friend can save up to $2000 or more by seizing this opportunity for a healthy, happy new direction in life now!

Without wanting to sound cliched, the IIN course changed my whole life and confirmed my belief that my future would lie in working in the field of Health and Wellbeing, something I consider to be necessary, nurturing and healing not only in building our bodies through sustenance but also in nurturing our soul through sensation.

For more info on this awesome opportunity, click here and don’t forget to tell them that Linda Vantaggiato sent you, to scoop up this HOT deal.

How To Cook Quinoa – A Samsonite Staple

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) has the highest nutritional profile and cooks the fastest of all grains which makes it great for us peeps with a busy travel schedule. It is an extremely high-energy grain and has been grown and consumed for about 8,000 years on the high plains of the Andes Mountains in South America, having a remarkable tolerance for different growing conditions. Quinoa is able to survive high altitudes, thin and cold air, hot sun, salty or sandy soil, little rainfall, and sub-freezing temperatures.. which makes it the perfect fuel for flyers. Inca warriors ate balls of quinoa and fat to keep them going on long marches and in battle and more recently NASA has proposed quinoa as an ideal food for long-duration space flights.

Quinoa can be used in a variety of way which makes it versatile and fun to eat. It can be reheated with a splash of nut milk for breakfast porridge; or you can add dried fruit, coconut nectar, nuts and cinnamon for a sweet treat. Add finely chopped raw vegetables and dressing for a cooling salad or add chopped cooked root vegetables for a warming side dish. Uncooked quinoa can be kept in a sealed glass jar and stored in a cool, dry and dark place for up to a year.

Health Benefits of Quinoa

• Contains all eight amino acids to make it a complete protein
• Has a protein content equal to milk
• High in B vitamins, iron, zinc, potassium, calcium and Vitamin E
• Gluten free; easy to digest
• Ideal for endurance
• Strengthen the kidneys, heart and lungs

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups boiling water
• 1 cup rinsed and preferably soaked quinoa. Quinoa must be rinsed prior to cooking to remove the toxic (but naturally occurring) bitter coating, called saponin. Saponin, when removed from quinoa produces a soapy solution in water.

Method

• Using a fine mesh strainer, rinse quinoa with cool water until the water runs clear.
• Combine quinoa and water in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 12mins with the lid on, until all the water has been absorbed.

Kombu

I like to add a piece of kombu to the cooking water, to help make the proteins more digestible. I am sure none of you want to be bloated or crop dusting at 30,000 feet.

• Remove from heat and let stand for 5mins, covered.
• Fluff with a fork and serve

Cooked quinoa

For inspiration on creative ways to prepare this onboard, check out my previous interview with Jay Rob from A Fly Guys Cabin Crew Lounge.

Enjoy!

Closing The Distance Between Us – 15 Things You May Or May Not Know About Me

When I write my blog posts I often forget I am writing to a bigger audience than my nearest and dearest. I write as if I am chatting with my besties, because I consider you amongst those I call my friends.

In saying that, some of you who haven’t known me that long might be curious about the missing pieces to the Linda puzzle.

So, for those of you I haven’t had the pleasure of making a guest cameo appearance into your story of life, here is a trailer to my authentic self.

• I love anything kitch and retro, especially pink flamingoes, think Miami front lawns circa 1972.
• My Dad used to always tell me everything is good in moderation. I am pretty sure he wasn’t referring to the nasty stuff that would see me put behind bars, although a life of balance and harmony is something I strive for each and every day.
• Disorganisation within my home or long periods away from it make me feel anxious, off balance and lose focus. I need regular alone time and connection to my creature comforts to refuel my fire. It doesn’t taking a degree in rocket science to see that my days of living the life of a suitcase entrepreneur are well and truly numbered.
• My biggest fear in the world is snakes and the thought of moving back to Oz freaks me out a little, for that very reason.
• I am a Cancerian which means I am homely, affectionate, maternal, nurturing & have a hard outer shell but extremely soft and sweet on the inside.
• I am totally in love with my sponsor child, an orphaned Amazonian Woolly monkey I named Serenity, living in Peru. We met after her mother had been shot for food and she was left to fend for herself. A local Peruvian who was working on the permaculture farm we were staying brought her in for rescue and it was mutual love at first sight. After spending three days playing mother dearest, I had to return to civilisation and have missed her dearly.

Monkey Magic with Serenity, my precious little jewel found at Chakra Alegria De Amor, Peru.

• I am half Italian (my Dad’s side) and proud. I feel so blessed to have been able to grow up experiencing amazing cuisine and fresh produce. I am thankful for my curious palette and the passion I have towards food and cooking.
• I’m quite partial to a costume party. Previous alias’s include Wonder Woman, Kylie Minogue and Nancy Spungen from Sid and Nancy fame (mistaken for Sandy from Grease) – to name a few.

Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen at a friends ” Dead Celebrity” party.

• Although I have been immersed in various concrete jungles over the past two decades, I am a born and bred country girl. I see a return to my roots in the foreseeable future.
• I consider myself a guru in creating awesome vacations and want to include holistic holiday planning as part of my service in the future.
• I have acquired many nicknames over the years but the ones I currently answer to are Lady L (a term of endearment given to me by my boyfriend Nic) and The L Vitamin (the love drug/bug). The L Vitamin was inspired by listening to lectures given by Joshua Rosenthal the founder of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. He refers to Vitamin L as the love vitamin which is often missing in people’s primary foods. L also represents Linda and as your health coach I support you with the love you need to create the life you want. When you squish The L Vitamin together you get my initials LV in the middle. Cool huh?!
• For a good part of my twenties and early thirties I was flying solo. After becoming aware of the voice of my ego and learning how to put it on mute, I finally had the courage to stop worrying about what everyone else thought of me, wean myself off my addiction to the security of being surrounded by gay men and create the loving relationship I have today.
• I am a reformed party princess and festival junkie. Once upon a time I considered myself a local celebrity on Sydney’s infamous Oxford St, clicking and shimmying my way in and out of every nightclub on the strip. For a short time I had a gig as the Queen of Dubai Disco Royalty, but when the King relocated to Italy, I passed on the crown. Although I will probably be returning to Burning Man (in the Nevada desert) with my future children to awaken their creativity and appreciate the gift of giving, my dance floor fix these days is quenched through Nia training and Gabrielle Roth’s “5 Rhythms” dance meditations.
• I am convinced that myself and Peter Pan may very well have been separated at birth. I guess you could refer to me as a late bloomer and I will always be young at heart.
• I am a modern day hippy, otherwise referred to as a glippy (glamourous hippy).

I am going to leave you with my mantra for the day….

My Friend Passport – Interview With Siobhan Forrest

“Your Airline’s Either Got It, Or It Hasn’t”. Siobhan, endearingly known amongst friends as Sy-oh-ba-han is just one of the reasons Britain’s flag carrier is “Still Red Hot After 29 Years”! As an authority on the matter and another fit friend I love, Siobhan shares with you some of her tips for travelling and gives you a locals perspective on how best to enjoy the noisy, vibrant and truly multicultural, London – on your next 24 hour stopover.

Introducing…

My confidante, fellow dreamer, partner in fun, creativity and travel – Siobhan.

Friend Stamp – Siobhan Forrest

Hit me with your elevator speech…

About me….I’m a piscean, bit of a gym bunny who’s recently found a passion for running. I’ve been a long haul flight attendant for the last 10 years which relieves my often itchy feet and has provided me with an international award in cocktail sipping in swanky locations! I’m ready now to have my heels more firmly on the ground and I’m looking forward to seeing what unfolds.

Your take on how we met….

Ibiza, deflated pink lilo, a meeting of minds, humour and souls, toe tapping while surrounded by mutual friends…..

Siobhan and I catching up for my birthday dinner in New York City – July 2011

Where is your favourite destination to relax and unwind?

Well if it’s a work trip I can be found in Johannesburg, it’s starting to heat up and so the vitamin D combined with no jet lag works so much better for my body. The gym and spa there is amazing too! If it’s my own time, being able to take advantage of the snow and slopes of Europe (right on my doorstep), is always a great workout too! I usually follow an exhilarating afternoon of snowboarding with a heavenly hot chocolate (dark of course).

Let loose in London for 24 hours only, what would be on your list of must do and see?

London in 24hrs!!! Ok…Food Lab on Essex road Islington is a perfect breakfast/lunch local hotspot for organic, fresh, homemade delicious food. Spitalfields market for some east London culture, hidden treasures or the hippest finds on students stalls from the London College of Fashion. A ride in a London black taxi. Cocktails in ECC Chinatown but make sure you google how to find it first as it’s unmarked! A jog along the Thames passing the Tower of London, Big Ben, Tate Modern. Afternoon tea at The Wolseley.

When travelling what staple items are in your carry on luggage?

Well I definitely never travel without Elizabeth Ardens 8hr cream. The most nourishing and rehydrating cream that can be used on lips and eyes. I’d always have my ipad, a book, probably a couple of mags to flick through. A large Evian water bottle, the sports cap work best for me and also some Green & Blacks 85% chocolate for those travelling sugar lows and movie munchies!

As a frequent flyer, how do you manage your beauty sleep and GTY (gym, tan, yoga) whilst being part of the international glamourset?

I think the secret to keeping up with the GTY is about timing and using the resources available while travelling to your advantage. I’m a fan of Bikram yoga and so I always look up the studios and timetable of where I’m going and also any deals from local beauty salons that are in the area, it’s good to fuel the local businesses rather than the large hotel groups.

Where are your favourite places to shop in London for healthy, organic wholefoods and supplements?

My London favourite organic store would be Wholefoods. The store is huge and packed with everything you could imagine. More local though to me, and a shop I use daily is Mother Earth, they make the best raw pizza and raw chocolate fudge I’ve ever had, yummy!

Your award goes to…….. as London’s number one, healthy dining hotspot?

Food Lab on Essex Rd, Islington is my favourite local place to swing by for fresh juice or to have lunch/dinner. The menu changes daily, it’s all organic, prepared and cooked on site, tasty, I just wish they were all over London.

Are there any fitness classes or places to enjoy training outdoors that you would consider unique to London, to keep our bodies as trim, taut and tauriffic as yours?

Don your Nikes and headphones, set some tunes up and run! Start off at St Paul’s follow the Thames taking in all the sights, history and culture of London, crossing over Tower bridge and many more. The great thing is you can make your run as long or short as you want and even slowing to a jog or walk there’s still loads to see.

What’s your favourite on the go, healthy snack choice?

My first snack of choice is Naked cocoa orange bar. It dairy, gluten, wheat free, 100% raw and vegan, one of your five a day and MADE IN BRITAIN.

Fave on the go snack!

Can’t live without natural beauty enhancer to keep you looking fresh, hydrated and ready to hit the worlds best dance floors, post flight and where do you shop for it?

Water mainly, apart from that, then the beauty enhancers I can’t go without would have to be a shimmer for my lips, a dark kohl for the eyes and Rimmel scary black mascara. All available at a local pharmacy or department store. However, always a squirt of Chanel No.5 or else I’d feel nude and that’s just rude ;-)

Love, Light and Gratitude to you for sharing your knowledge Siobhan!

Change your pla…

Change your plate. Change your fate. Kris Carr – Author and Cancer Thriver

What Is Health Coaching?

I am a holistic entrepreneur, my love – life – work – spirituality are not separate.

What is health coaching?

3 Days of Different – 30 Minute Workouts Ideas

A few quick ideas to keep you motivated as we near the end of our 30 day, 30 minute minimum, workout challenge. These can easily be done in your Hotel gym or you can do sprints in the park, if you prefer to train outdoors. The only equipment needed is a skipping rope, which can be effortlessly transported in your luggage.

Keep up the good work! You’re on the right track!

Fuel For The Flyer – Green Lemonade

Green Lemonade

If I were to tell you that there is something you can drink that literally infuses your body with millions of enzymes, keeps your immune system strong year-round, offers unparalleled protection against osteoporosis, and tastes highly refreshing and filling, would you want some?

It’s called Green Lemonade, and I don’t know a single successful wellness guru who doesn’t drink some variation of this recipe.

In fact, nothing on the planet is is more rich in live-enzymes and easily absorbable nutrition than freshly extracted vegetable juice, and I don’t mean canned V-8. I’m never surprised when my clients cringe at the first mention of green juice. What they haven’t realised yet is that there is a way to make vegetable juice delish and some would claim, borderline addictive!! I call this “Green Lemonade.”  Try it! You’ll love it!!