Monday’s Meals| Desk time Snacking From Dole Live Right

 

I was contacted by Dole and asked whether I would like to try some of their new Dole Live Right desk snacking range of goodies. As a girl who spends most of her life behind a desk and is always trying to avoid the office box of chocolates that seem to appear form no where I jumped at this opportunity.

Upon receiving the goodies I was pleased to see that they came in handy pouches and bars so I can just throw them in my work bag or desk draw and open them as and when I needed a nibble. I was pleased to see that they are all 100% natural with only fruit nuts and seeds being the ingredients.  I received a wide range of the goodies, which come in 4 different forms but in a wide variety of flavours.  They are sweet in flavour but crunchy and filling, thanks to being crammed full of protein. To begin with I was a little weary of the sugar and carb content, however after speaking to my personal trainer I was pleased to hear that if I ate them at the right time of the day, so as and afternoon snack or ideally after a workout then they are fine as it is natural sugar.

This range is very yummy, very healthy and perfect for work day afternoon snacks. Plus with prices starting from only £1.49 they are very affordable! A new favourite of mine!

Have you tried of heard of the Dole Live Right Desk Snacking Range? What snacks do you grab at 3/4 in the afternoon when your sweet tooth kicks in?

Go check out Christina’s gorgeous blog Kimi and Me for fashion, lifestyle and all things pretty.

Fitness Friday| Healthy Snacking| Total Greek Fruyo Yoghurts

Following on from my post about healthy snacking and showing you my fun with fruit recipes I was kindly given the chance to try Total Greek’s new range of yoghurts Fruyo*… now I am not the type of girl that says no to food, especially not free food so obviously I jumped at the chance to try them.

I was especially excited as I eat tones of yoghurt… in my diet it is in its own food group. You would never open my fridge and not find a tub of Greek Yoghurt in there. It is so versatile, healthy and great for those with a sweet tooth. I use yoghurt in my overnight oats, in  smoothies, in recipes as a replacement for cream and as a healthy sweet snack; top it with fruit or honey or crushed up meringue or as a replacement for icecream.

Since I have moved house I now make sure all my post goes to my work address so that stuff isn’t left in the lobby in my apartment building. With most things its alright as it’s normally, clothes or makeup that is delivered there. However when my parcel arrived from Total Greek there was a bit of confusion as to why there was a cool bag of yoghurt being delivered there…. it’s not normally something that people order for themselves. I had to explain it was for my blog to the confused looks on my colleagues faces. When I opened the massive box I was very surprised to see a huge cool bag full of a wide collection of Fruyo flavours; Vanilla, Cherry, Peach and Pineapple. I had to guard the bag with my life as my colleagues were eyeing it up all day.

Anyways onto the product it self. Total Greek Yoghurt say that “Fruyo yoghurts are an exceptionally thick, protein-packed, fat-free Greek yoghurt with real fruit pieces. Ideal for breakfast, as a snack or dessert. It is packed full of protein with 7.7g of protein per 100g yoghurt… a benefit which will appeal to foodies, slimmers and fitness enthusiast alike. With no preservative, colourings or artificial sweeteners this is a substantial yoghurt upgrade for many.”

I love them!  Their vanilla flavour is divine!! You get a substantial amount of yoghurt in one pot and it is unbelievably thick and creamy! Unlike some Greek Yoghurt I have tried there is no sharpness at all. Matt and I have been having one each day as one of our snacks and I have been using the non flavoured one in my meals. I can quite honestly say that I am a total convert. I love that they are packed full of  protein in as well! It means I'm fuller for longer!

Do you eat yoghurt as much as I clearly do? Have you ever tried Fruyo yoghurts? Which is your favourite brand of Greek Yoghurt?

p.s. The picture above only shows a couple of flavours, but as they were so yummy Matt and I had eaten man before I got round to taking pictures… whoops!

Fitness Friday| Healthy Snacking| Fun Fruit

A foodie post for you all today. I’m really trying to make significant changes to my diet at the moment and have found that if I plan and prepare my meals then I am more likely to eat healthier. I decided that my diet needs to change as my fitness regime is pretty much there now, as in I am loving exercising and have to do it 5/6 times a week otherwise I go stir crazy. I pretty much hate my rest days and when I injured my leg the other day my first thought was “ oh no, I won’t be able to workout” I pretty much panicked. I know that I am going to have to rest it so that it recovers quickly, but my days feel incomplete if I haven’t worked out.

My diet on the other hand needs to improve, I still give into my cravings which is ok every now and again but not all the time. I need to eat less processed food and less sugar. So the snacks I am sharing with you above are perfect! Yes they do have sugar in them due to the fruit and little amount of chocolate spread, but they are a healthier alternative to chocolate bars or cake.

The snacks are super easy to make for the Banana Bites all you need it Nutella and a banana… these remind me of banana and Nutella crepes that I used to live on when I lived in France. You simply slice the banana then spread the Nutella onto one piece of banana and top with a second to make a little Banana Sandwich.

For the Apple Chunks you need Peanut Butter, desiccated coconut and an apple. Slice an apple and chop off the end so they are flat, this gives you an area for coat with peanut butter. After spreading on the peanut butter sprinkle desiccated coconut on top. The Apple Chunks are great to prepare for the next day in the office. I tend to have half in the morning and half in the afternoon. The Banana Bites I have in the evening if I’m craving something sweet.

Snacking is very important if you are trying to watch your weight as having a healthy snack between your meals can help reduce the amount you eat during your meals, it ensures that you don’t over eat as you are never hungry. If you prepare a healthy snack and have one to hand you are less likely to grab something unhealthy on the move. You should always have some fruit of nuts in your bag to ensure you don’t grab a bag of crisps or chocolate bar while at the train station etc. A healthy snack that is made up of complex carbs, protein and health fats increases your energy levels for a longer period of time than a sugary snack does. This will ensure that you don’t have the 3 o clock slump in the afternoon.

Nutritional value (approx..)

Banana Bites - Calories-205 carbs- 27g Fat-6g Protein-3g

Apple Chunks - Calories- 225 Carbs-27g Fat- 12g Protein-0g

Don't forget to check out my blogger of the week Cantara from Gym Bags and Glad Rags. If you enjoy my fitness post you will fall in love with her blog. She is a stunner with a great blog!

Fitness Friday| One Year On

If you didn't realise form my Tweeting and Instagramming this week, Wednesday was my birthday. Now usually birthdays to me are a day that revolves around me; a day in which I can behave like the princess that I think I am without anyone telling me to stop being a diva. Obviously the day did go along those lines, but this year was more special to me as it was a day to reflect on how far I have come in my health gain and weight loss journey. I didn't actually start my new healthy lifestyle until the end of June last year but I thought I would still celebrate my success on my birthday by wearing the same dress I wore the year before, but with a completely different body underneath. 

I thought that by wearing the same dress I would be able to see the changes in my body more clearly  and I think the picture above shows very well how far I have come, but also how far I have left to go. If you know me and read my blog regularly then you will know that I don't weight myself as I have an unhealthy relationship with the scales, but mark my progress through inches lost. I still have fat to lose and muscle to gain, and would say that I am 2/3 of the way through my health gain journey. 

The past year has been a year of change for me; moving across the country, moving away from my boyfriend (thankfully we're back in the same apartment again), getting a new job, new body and new lifestyle. The past year has also been an empowering one for me.  My weight used to be a very sensitive subject for me and even when I was at my thinnest I was never body confident, and this grew to whole new levels of awful when I gained weight at university. When I went to university I essentially lost control of my body and will power. My confidence took a massive knock but I would still smile my way through it and kid myself that I didn't look too bad. I now know that wasn't the truth. 

This year has been the year when I have gained back control of my body! This past year I have learnt that a healthy lifestyle can be tough to learn and master, I still have slip ups. I have learnt that my body is capable of so much more than I thought it was. I've learnt how to push myself, when to be proud but when to not over do it. Even though my body is not yet where I want it to be I am starting to love it again and can look in a mirror and feel proud, not disgusted. 

So one year on I look at the picture above and feel proud. I look in the mirror and see a smile not a look of disgust. I am now 24 years old and for once in my life I am feeling more body confident, and to me this is the best birthday present I can give to myself. 

Don't forget to check out my blogger of the week Rhiannon from The Barbelle. If you enjoy my fitness and health posts you will love her blog. It is crammed full of fitspiration!

Fitness Friday| How to Squat| Get the perfect bum

 

After the many positive responses to this weeks Wednesday’s Watch I thought I would stick with the topic of squats as they are a very loved but hated move. I myself have been working on gaining a perfect bum this week with my first Bootcamp session at Kendal Bootcamp (more on that later) and obviously by partaking in the Ultimate Squat Challenge that I shared with you all. As a result I am currently sitting here writing this with a very sore glutes, but no pain, no gain girls!

I saw the above image showing the muscles that squats use on my Bootcamp Coach’s Facebook page and thought I would share it with you as it really shows you how much of your body a simple squat works! It seems that everyone I know loves squats because they know that they are good for you, but hate them because after doing a few correctly performed deep squats you will start to feel that burn! Squats are actually one of the most effective exercises you can do… they are a big calorie burner! However you have to do them right to get the most out of them and also prevent injury, so here’s some tips for you.

1. Stand with your head facing forward and your chest held up and out. Place your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Extend your hands out to keep your balance.
2. Sit back and down like you’re sitting into an imaginary chair.  Keep your head facing forward and tilt forward from your waist. Keep your back straight and abs tight so you don’t round your back.
3. Lower down so your thighs are as parallel to the floor as possible, with your knees over your ankles. Press your weight back into your heels.
4. Keep your body tight, and push through your heels to bring yourself back to the starting position.

My biggest tip for squats it to try and fit them in throughout your day. They will soon add up and you will notice a difference quickly! I actually do squats while brushing my teeth and when making cups of tea at work (as long as there is no one else in the kitchen! ) I have notice a massive difference in the tone of my bum since I have started doing them daily.

Did you partake in the Ultimate Squat Challenge this week? Do you love or hate squats? Have you got any tips to share with others?

For even more motivational fitness and health pictures check out my Facebook Page and give it a like!

Don’t forget to check out my  advertiser of the week Cantara from Gym Bags and Glad Rags. If you love my Fitness Friday’s you will enjoy her blog. A gorgeous girl who posts beauty, health and fitness.

Fitness Friday| 10 Weeks until June!

 

Wednesday was the first day of spring, although here in England you would think we were still in the depths of winter! Now I’m not one for wishing my life away at all, but I am one for preparing so with spring arriving that only means bikini season is up and coming! In fact June is only 10 weeks away! So if you, like me, are aiming to look fit and toned in your bikini this year then if you haven’t already started your body transformation you had better start now!Because if the above imagery is anything to go by, you are already two weeks behind everyone else being able to notice your body changing!

Thankfully many people have clocked onto the fact that we will be wanting to up our health and fitness efforts in the coming weeks and the Tone It Up girls are no exception. If you have not heard of Tone It Up before, you need to go and visit their site as they are really motivational! They offer workouts, recipes, regular motivating emails and workout schedules… all for free! This year they have partnered with Self Magazine and have started the Drop 10 Challenge. 

For the Self Challenge Drop 10 Challenge all you have to do it sign up and you have access to 10 weeks of fun workouts! So this means you will become bikini ready in 10 weeks thanks to fitness videos, HIIT workouts, exercise schedules, online tools, daily motivation and tips and recipes and menus! Basically everything you could possibly need.

I have signed up for the challenge as I am moving out of home next week so I need to ensure that I keep my diet on track when I’m back picking my own meals and cooking for myself. Plus I really need to increase my toning exercises. I have lost alot of fat thanks to cardio exercise over the past three months, but need to get some definition in on my arms, stomach and bum! So hope by this challenge will help me achieve that.

So far this week I have completed a couple of strength exercises and know I am out of practice! I did the workout below with a medium sized weight which I used to lift with ease, and couldn’t move my arms properly the next day! Its a great short strength workout, that says it works all areas that you need to target, however I felt it most in my arms and bum! Give it a go!

Have you started your fitness and health regime in preparation for your bikini body? If not, are you going to start now? Do you fancy the Drop 10 Challenge, if so let me know!

Fitness Friday| Freeze Your Fat| 15 Minute Isometric Workout

 

I don’t know about you but when I workout I am guilty of hammering the cardio and sometimes forgetting about strength…. which is not good! Strength exercises obviously build up your muscles and it is a fact that the more muscle you have the more fat your body will burn during the day! Now you don’t have to hammer the weights to get your strength workout in, in fact you can stay completely still and still work your body hard.

Above is a range of isometric exercises that slim you down and tone you up without moving a muscle! Isometric exercises require you to remain static and use your body's own resistance and weight to challenge your muscles. So all you have to do is hold each of the positions for 60 seconds, three to four times, will a 30 seconds rest between each.

1- Plank- Lie face down on the floor and prop yourself up on your forearms and toes. Keep your bum down and your body in a straight line. Concentrate on your abs and glutes and squeeze them as tightly as you can and hold still.

2- T-Stabilisation- Firstly get into a push-up position. Next shift your weight onto you left hand and rotate your chest to the right as the raise your right arm towards the ceiling. Keep your feet stacked. Hold for a few seconds, then try it on the other side. That’s one rep!

3- Wall Squat- Stand with your feet should width apart and back against a wall. Lower your body, slowly down the wall, until you knees are at a 90 degree angle. Push into your heels and hold still.

4- Lateral Raise- Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder width apart with your arms at your sides and a 1kg to 2.5kg dumbbell (if you have no dumbbells, use a tin of beans). Slowly raise your arms until they are in line with your shoulders and hold them there!

5- Static Squat- Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder width apart  or slightly wider. Extend your hands out in front of you to keep your balance. Sit back and down like you are sitting on an imaginary chair. Keep your head facing forward as your upper body bends forward a bit. Lower down so that your form a 90 degree angle with your knees and hips, ensuring that your knees never go over your toes. Press back into your heels and hold still.

Have you tried isometric exercises before? Or do you prefer to use weights? Which one of this moves is your favourite?

Fitness Friday| The benefits of Green Tea

This weeks Fitness Friday is more health related if you hadn’t already guessed. I don’t know about you but I always find that I can easily commit to being fit but struggle to keep my diet healthy all the time. Personally I try to change small things in my diet one at a time so I can make a habit of it. One of these things is drinking green tea! Since I started working in an office my tea consumption has gone through the roof, and although many say tea is a healthy alternative to drinking coffee, it still has plenty of caffeine in it when drank in large quantities!

So as I have started swapping my builders brew for a green tea when I’m in the office I thought I would share the health benefits to drinking green tea, in the hope that some of you may swap one of your usual brews to a green tea!

• Its a healer- Green tea is packed full of goodies and antioxidants that can help fight against certain medical conditions such as;cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, high cholesterol levels, cardiovascular diseases, and infection.
• Smile- Green tea can help prevent tooth decay and bad breath. Its bacteria destroying abilities kills the bacteria that causes dental plaque.
• Weight loss- Green tea aids weight loss… fact! There have been countless studies across the world which have all found that participants who drank green tea lost more weight than those who did not. Green tea boosts that metabolism of yours, meaning you burn the fuel in your body quicker than before.
• Need a boost? Green tea enhances the energy levels in your body! so when you get to that afternoon slump, instead for reaching for a coffee and chocolate bar, try a green tea instead!
• Depression- Scientists have found that there are goodies in green tea that help fight depression. However like with all teas, those who drink it find that it is relaxing and helps fight against episodes of anxiety.
• Hydration! We all know the importance of drinking water, however I know many of you do not like the taste of it. So how about drinking a few cups of green tea? Green tea provides hydration benefit similar to water… plus it has no calories or sugar unlike some flavoured water!
• Fight the Flu!- Green tea’s high levels of antioxidants along with its Vitamin C consent help fight against infections and keeps cold and flu at bay!
• Super Skin!- Fro you beauty blogger green tea is a must! Green tea helps keep your skin clear, youthful and fresh. Many facials and face cream contain green tea extract because of its ability to keep your skin agile and help prevent the aging  process! Great for your skin

Do you drink green tea already? Do you know of any other health benefits to share with everyone? Would you swap your usual brew after reading up on the benefits to green tea?

Fitness Friday| Portion Control

One of the hardest things I have had to learn on my journey to health has been portion control. There is no easy way around making your portions smaller, you just have to train your stomach over time. I remember when I first moved home after university; I felt hungry all the time as my mum was feeding me much smaller portions that what I had been used to. I hate to think about how big of portions I ate while I was at university!

If you are on a health kick and are trying to lose weight you need to keep an eye on your portions, there is no point eating healthy food if you are eating too large of a portion! Portion distortion is very common thanks to the fact that the average portion size has increased by 25-50% over the past 30 years. In fact the average restaurant portion could feed 2 or 3 people sometimes!

To control my portions I follow recipes exactly. I don’t have much flair in the kitchen, so I have to do this anyways, but tools such as the above help measure out the correct quantities of food. Keeping Measuring Cups* and food Weighing Scales* to hand can really help keep your portions in line, so you can imagine how thankful I was to receive these from Confused.com in a Fitness Goody Box they put together for me. However when you don’t have any to hand, you need to learn to eyeball standard portion sizes. A good way to figure out your portion sizes is to compare your food portions to something visual that is easier to remember, you can see examples of this in the table above.

Other than learning about correct portion sizes there are a number of ways to ensure you keep your overall serving sizes in line. Here are a few tips I have learnt and have heard of;

• Eat from a smaller dish- This is scientifically proven to trick yourself into thinking you are eating a larger portion.
• Divide your plate up into half, fill one half with fruit or veg, the other half should have equal portions of protein and starch. This is the ideal balanced meal!
• Serve food according to the portion sizes and don’t go back for seconds unless its more veg!
• Put away leftovers straight away to stop grazing. Try freezing them into single servings so you can use them for dinners at a later date.
• Never eat directly out of a packet or bag… you will ALWAYS over eat by doing this!
• At restaurants ask for a smaller portion, or a half portion, and if you have the courage order a child's meal.
• When at restaurants analyse your dinner and organise your dinner into the ideal portions and serving sizes as shown above and leave the rest on the side. Servings in restaurants can sometime be enough to feed atleast two people!
• If you have  dessert, share it! I know this is tough to hear for people with a sweet tooth like me, but your waistline will thank you! 

Do you eat the correct portions? If so how do you ensure you keep your portions sizes in line? Are there any other more fun visual comparisons that you know?

Fitness Friday| Healthy Living Tag| My Personal Regime

 

So this Fitness Friday is a little different to my other one’s and gives you a little insight into my daily life and routine, and my battle to become a healthier person. I have had quite a few of you ask me over the past few weeks what regime or routine I follow, or how did I lose weight, so this tag is perfect timing really!

I was tagged by the lovely Maya Craig from Super Food Babe, she is an avid Tone It Up girl and a great inspiration.  Her blog is full of healthy recipes and motivating posts, go check her out!

 

 

1. What did you eat for breakfast?

Today I had a banana and cereal bar at my desk. I admit that this is not the best start to the day and I do really need to work on my breakfasts. However I take pride in the fact I actually eat breakfast now, as I never used to and something is better than nothing!

2. How much water do you drink a day?

I drink LOADS of water! I have a glass when I wake up in the morning then go through 2 litres while I am at work, and then have another few glasses in the evening. So I imagine it’s about 3 litres of water. Water and tea are the only things I drink day to day. The easiest thing to do to make sure you drink more water is always have a bottle with you; on your desk, in your bag etc.

3. What is your current favourite workout?

I love my running! I am very happy that I finally do, it took me about 3 months of dragging myself outside and forcing myself to run 3/4 times a week to get to the point when I enjoyed it again. I admit somedays I have to force myself to do it and don’t enjoy it, but I mix it up. Somedays I run on the treadmill, others I go outside. Sometimes I’ll aim for distance, or I’ll do intervals, or hill sprints, or try for my quickest mile… keep it fresh and exciting!

4. How many calories do you eat a day?

I do not have a clue! I don’t calorie count at all. I have an idea of what I should aim for in each meal so if I buy a sandwich at the shop I know which one to buy. If you are calorie counting and trying to lose weight the amount of calories you need to eat vary for everyone, it all depends on your height, age, weight and exercise level, you can used online calculators like this one as a guide.

5. What are your favourite healthy snacks?

I love hummus and veg sticks, nuts, dried fruit, rice crackers etc. I get a lot of great snacks from my Graze box, which helps, especially when I have the nibbles in the office. One of my favourite healthy treats to have is a banana sliced in half and spread with a thin layer of Nutella… chocolaty goodness!

6. What do you usually eat for lunch?

I have soup everyday, either homemade, or a cup-a-soup if I’m unprepared. I have my soup with either some rice cakes, fruit, nuts, or carrot sticks and hummus. I am planning to become more organised and make more salads to take for my lunch, especially when Spring time comes round.

7. What is your favourite body part to strength train?

I’m torn between my arms or my bum. I love to train my arms because there are so many different exercises to do, plus you can see results VERY quickly so it’s very motivating. I also love to train my bum as I love to do squats. They work you hard, burn more calories than other strength moves and give you an amazing bum… what’s not to love!

8. What is your least favourite body part to strength train?

Either my abs or legs as they hinder the next day’s exercise and daily tasks. There have been times when I struggle to walk up or down stairs, or end up in pain whenever I laugh or sneeze. However the pain is always a good pain, as atleast I know I have worked my body hard!

9. What are your “bad” food cravings?

EVERYTHING! I love food, and love unhealthy food. I could not live without chocolate, Dominos Pizzas, or a crunchy fresh white baguette or bun! It is just a matter of learning not to eat unhealthy food everyday. However if I fancy a Dominos Pizza I will have one, I just choose a thin base, low fat cheese and a smaller size than what I used to have.

10. Do you take vitamins or supplements?

I don’t at the moment, but I do sometimes. If I am ill I will pop vitamins C everyday. I do try and take a multi-vitamin if I remember or some calcium supplements as I don’t get enough in my diet as I hate milk.

11. How often do you eat out?

About once a week. My boyfriend and I have a long distance relationship so at the weekend we like to go out for lunch or dinner together as a treat.  Because I know this happens I can compensate for it during the week. I make sure I eat healthy throughout the week as at the weekend I have a treat to look forward to!

12. Do you eat fast food?

Yes! I am human after all! I am trying to become a healthier person, but I don’t see why I can’t have a pizza every once in a while. I used to have a takeaway atleast once a week, however now it is more like once every three weeks/ a month. Being healthy is about moderation, not deprivation!

13. Who is you biggest supporter?

I would like to say myself, as I’m the one who pushes myself out the door into the cold to go for a run when I really don’t want to, however I know I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for the support from my boyfriend and my family. They are constantly telling me “well done for going for a run” and “look how skinny you’re getting”. Just the other day my boyfriend was telling my that I was disappearing!

14. Do you have a gym membership?

No. I tried the gym and figured out I can do everything I do there at home! It’s a lot cheaper! My mum and I have a lot of equipment between us; treadmill, weights, exercise balls and DVD’s. However you don’t need any equipment to workout! The road is free… get out and run! Use your own body weight for your strength training… squats, lunges, push-ups, the plank are all free to do and super effective!

15. How many hours of sleep do you get a night?

I aim for 7.5 as that’s the optimum, however recently I’ve been a busy bunny, so it’s more like 7 or 6.5 on a bad night!

16. Do you have a “cheat” day?

I don’t have a designated cheat day, but if I fancy a treat I will have one, I just make sure I don't’ have seconds, or have a treat the next day. If I’ve really indulged I’ll add an extra mile to my run, or make sure I workout twice the next day.

17. Do you drink alcohol?

Of course I do… I could not live without my champers! However I drink a hell of a lot less than I used to. I think alot of it comes from not being at university any more. However most of it comes from getting older… I’ve always had bad hangovers, but they are just getting worse, and I hate wasting my days off in a hung-over state.

18. Do you have a workout buddy?

I workout with my mum sometimes (when she isn’t injured, which she has been recently) and I also drag my boyfriend out for runs on Saturday and Sunday mornings. It’s nice to have someone beside you as you can encourage each other.

19. What is the best thing that has changed about your life since committing to a Healthy Lifestyle?

Probably that I love running again. I used to run alot before I went to uni and enjoyed it so much, but when I stopped doing it and then tried back at it, I found it difficult and punishing so I would never continue with it. However after many months of pushing myself I now have a changed state of mind. I now wake up on a Saturday morning and think “oh the weather’s nice, what a great day for a run!” ….  6 months ago you would of had to drag me out of bed on a Saturday morning.

20. What was the last healthy thing you did?

Last night I went out in the sub zero temperatures and pushed my tired legs to run 5k for the second day in a row. I am feeling it today, but I also never felt more proud when I had finished my run!

 

I hope the above answers helped demonstrate how I try to live a healthy life, and perhaps gave you some ideas and tips! Let me know if you are going to do the tag, leave your link below.

I do want you all the comment by answering… What was the last healthy thing you did? Lets share the inspiration and give ourselves a pat on the back by acknowledging our little accomplishments!

Motivation Monday| Work out Smarter Part 1| Interval Training

 

How is everyone's health and fitness resolutions going? Still going to the gym? Still eating healthily? I know I've slipped up a couple of times, but the trick is to not let it get you down! Success comes from getting straight back up when you fall down! Do not let one bad day become a bad week, then that bad week become a month…. get back to it!

From what I have gathered through talking to friends and through you lovely blogging ladies, changing your diet is the easiest task when it comes to changing your attitude to health. I have been in awe of many of your gorgeous healthy dinners on Instagram and Twitter. It seems to be the exercise that people struggle with, and as I personally love to workout I thought I would share some tips with you on how I have found the motivation to go from Couch Potato to Mad Runner!

To be fit, healthy and toned you need to balance a healthy diet with regular exercise. Now for many of you especially my fellow bloggers finding the time to workout if difficult... What with full time jobs, blogs to manage and write, friends and family to see and time to sleep... Where you you squeeze in a workout?

The trick is to workout smartly! You can do a half an hour workout 5 times a week and still see results quickly, you just need to make the most of the little time you have! This is where Interval Training comes in! Yes it is harder than traditional hour long cardio workouts but if you want to spend less time to get the results you need then this may be your answer!

What is Interval Training and How does it work?

Interval Training involves short intervals of maximum intensity exercise separated by longer intervals of low to moderate intensity exercise. It burns more calories than traditional cardio exercise because it involves you working to your maximum effort. Overall an Interval Training session consists of a warm up followed by 6 to 10 repetitions if high intensity exercise, separated by medium to low intensity exercise, ending with a cool down and stretching.

The benefits to Interval Training

• It burns more calories, both during and after your workout as it takes your body longer to recover.
• It increases your metabolism so you improve your overall fat-burning potential.
• Improves your overall fitness and athletic capacity and condition
• It works both your anaerobic and aerobic energy systems.
• It limits muscle lost that occurs during weight loss compare to traditional steady-state cardio exercise

The biggest advantage to Interval Training is that you can adapt it to your fitness level! You can alter the number of repetitions you do in a routine, you can change the length of your recovery periods etc. You can also do it in a variety of different ways; running, cycling, rowing or on the cross trainer.

Prior to the last two weeks I had not done much Interval training but since I have been doing it I have noticed a big increase in my fitness levels and running performance. More importantly I have been enjoying my workouts more! I hate the treadmill but as it is dark when I finish work I can’t get out on the fells to run so I don’t have much choice. I used to run at the same pace for about 45 minutes and be bored out of my mind, but since I have started Interval Training the time goes a lot quicker even though I am pushing myself harder than ever before!

I have been using the Tone It Up interval routines this past few weeks, you can see them above. But have also includes some others for you to try.

Have you ever tried Interval Training before? Do you enjoy it, and did you see any results? Let me know if you give this ago!

Fitness Friday| 2013 The Year of Health

 

It’s that time of the year again, gyms are getting full, health food shops have never been busier, and it appears that everyone is now running or cycling everywhere… all the time! Yes it’s the time of the year when 90% of us pledge that this year we are going to lose weight! So for 4 weeks the gyms are busy, the pubs are empty and we think that we’ve done ourselves some good thanks to our crazy detoxes or exercise regimes. Then it slowly creeps back to drinks after work, skipping a few workouts and before we know it your trainers are collecting dust in the back of your wardrobe and your fridge is fully stocked with wine and cheese!

So this year I am asking you to join me and not pledge to lose weight… no this year we are going to get healthy! You can do this anyway you want, be it small changes such as making your lunch everyday, walking home instead of getting the bus, having a 15 minute run round the block… it all still counts! Or you can really go for it and eat clean, train hard and challenge yourself everyday.

What I am aiming for, and I think you should all aim for is health! If you can change your attitude so you focus of making the correct choices everyday that will make you a healthier and happier person then the weight loss will not only come… it won’t creep back on! If you can teach yourself new habits… no more fizzy drinks, no more wine after a hard day at work, your weight WILL reduce, and it WON’T come flooding back on as it does when you go on crazy diets and detoxes.

What you, I, and everyone needs to remember is that weight loss is a lifestyle change! It is not a 2, 4, or 6 week eating plan, diet or regime. If you don’t learn to adopt healthy habits any weight you lose will just reappear over the year and you will be making the same resolution in 2014… to lose weight!

So my resolution this year is to make sure that next year, 2014, my resolution won’t be to lose weight!

How you learn your healthy habits is very much a personal journey, but for me I surround myself with healthy images, motivating pictures and interesting articles. For me I use my tumblr account where I follow other blogs who post pictures that inspire me to be fit and healthy, plus it’s great for finding workouts, challenges and information. I also subscribe to Zest Magazine on my iPhone, which cost me £19.99 for the whole year, which I think is a bargain! I also enjoy challenging myself and after completing my own Festive flat Tum Challenge and getting some great results, I am now going to follow the Love Your Body Challenge from the Tone It Up Girls. I know that Jayne from Miss Jayne Becca is a huge Tone It Up fan and will be doing this challenge also, so if you want to join us let us know, we can support each other! Having that support and encouragement makes it so much easier to stick to as well!

What do you think? Are you going to aim for healthy this year? How do you motivate yourself? Any tips, let me know!

Fitness Friday| Personal Weight-loss| Progress Picture

 

Firstly this post is a little bit late, my apologies, but like many of you, I have been especially busy the past week getting everything organised for Christmas. Now that I am at my Boyfriends’ parents house (where I’m spending Christmas) I can finally put my feet up and relax. I am currently writing this post while sitting in my PJ’s waiting for my tan to dry and nibbling on Cadbury’s Chocolate fingers… yum!

Anyways on to the purpose of this post… my personal weight-loss or even fitness/health journey. As you should all know by now, as I keep going on about it, I have been taking part in my own Festive Flat Tum Challenge over the past few months and although I haven’t quite achieved a flat tum tum yet I have seen some results which I wanted to share with you.

I have on this journey gained more than I have lost.. I have gain a new perspective on my health, body and fitness. I write this post as a completely different girl than what I was 4 months ago. For example, yesterday I was out in torrential rain running… I have officially turned into a mad runner… but more than that I enjoy it! It isn’t a chore, I enjoy going out and working out, I enjoy pushing my body and working hard and no matter how many pounds or inches I lose will change that.

Firstly I need to explain that I don’t use weighing scales, so I measure my progress through this progress  picture I am sharing with you, along with the inches I have lost and how my clothes fit. I used to have an unhealthy relationship with the weighting scale and would concentrate more on the pounds I lost than how I felt and looked. For example if I have a really good week where I had worked out 6 times a week and eaten healthily everyday but then I only saw a small amount of pounds lost I would feel awful, upset and demotivated. Now I concentrate on my performance in my workouts; how far or fast I run, how may squats I can do, how long I can hold a plank for. This means I end up pushing myself a little bit harder with each workout and I know the harder I work the sooner results will come.

To achieve the results I have I have simply changed my attitude; I focus on health not weight-loss. I eat healthy 80% of the time and workout 5/6 times a week for about an hour. I have not deprived myself of anything at all; If I want to go out for dinner and have a big burger I will. I just know to not have a huge big burger the next day. I eat 3 meals a day and have 2 small healthy snacks, so I am eating little but often. Because of  this constant grazing I am rarely hungry so I don’t end up binging on something I shouldn’t because I feel starving. With my exercise I aim for 30 to 40 minutes of cardio a day and 30-20 minutes of strength exercises a day. For my cardio I mainly run, but do use a mixture of workout DVD’s and games also such as Zumba. With my strength exercises I either makeup a routine of simple but effective moves such as Squats and The Plank or I use a DVD such as The 30 Day Shred.

So my results are as follows. In 4 months I have;

• Gone down about 2/3 dress sizes on my top (dependant upon the shop)
• Gone down 2 dress sizes on my bottom (again dependant upon the shop)
• Lost a total of 13 inches, including 2 inches off my boobs, hips and bum and nearly 2.5 inches off my waist!

I still have a long way to go till I will be completely happy with my body, but I am very happy with my results so far.

Have to been on a fitness or health mission this year also? Have you seen any results from exercise or changing your diet recently? I always love to hear about success stories!

Fitness Friday| How to get a flat stomach

 

As many of you will know I have been taking part in my Festive Flat Tum Challenge for the past month with an aim to tone up and get a flat tum for Christmas. You may be asking… why work out in the run up to Christmas, with all the parties and food… am I mad?! Well yes, it is proving to be difficult especially with the boxes of chocolates being brought into the office weekly, but I want to look fab for Christmas so the challenge is worth it!

So with an aim to get that flat tum I have been doing my favourite, most effective ab workouts daily, and I wanted to share with you my tips on how to gain a flat tum. I am in no ways a nutritionist or qualified personal trainer, these are purely tips I have learnt through my passion for fitness and health. So here goes!

Firstly to gain a perfect flat tum you firstly need to get rid of the fat hanging around your midriff. You can do as many crunches as you want but if you have fat around your middle this will always hide the muscles you are building underneath. So you need to combine both cardio and strength exercises. Ab exercise alone won’t get rid of belly fat!  Think of it this way; you use strength exercise to tone from the inside, and you use cardio to loose the inches on the outside that will allow you to show your sexy toned stomach! So make sure you are working up a sweat for 30 minutes 5 times a week, at least!

Next step is strength, I want to share with you the go to strength exercises that I recommend to tone that tum as quick as possible. Basically you should be doing exercises that use as many muscles as possible in one go and for this I recommend The Plank and Bicycle Crunches!

The Plank is the best move I can recommend as it works a tonne of muscles all at the same time! You don’t need any equipment, you can do it anywhere and it works you hard in relatively little time! The Plank works your muscles more effectively than traditional crunches! It has been scientifically proven to build endurance in your abs, back and arms, as well as stabilise the muscles. It is also the perfect move building up strength for those dreaded pushups! Here is some tips on how to perform The Plank;

1. Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.
2. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.
3. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.
4. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle.
5. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.

Bicycle Crunches are my next tip! These little painful beauties have been proven to be the most effective abs exercise! This move, like The Plank works a series of muscles all at the same time. They work the  rectus abdominals (the six pack area) and the obliques (the waist). The Bicycle Crunch works those side abdominal muscles like no other core exercise, so if you want that sexy waist get going girls! Here is some tips on how to perform Bicycle Crunches;

1. Lie face up on your mat and place your hands behind your head, lightly supporting it with your fingers.
2. Bring the knees in to the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the floor without pulling on the neck.
3. Rotate to the left, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee as you straighten the other leg.
4. Switch sides, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee.
5. Continue alternating sides in a 'pedalling' motion for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

So there we go! To gain your flat tum you need to burn off the fat with cardio and perform effective core exercises such as these often. I do them daily, but try to at least do them 3 times a week.

What are your favourite ab moves? Do you have any other exercise your recommend to tone up that stomach in time for Christmas and New Year?

Motivation Monday| Festive Flat Tum Challenge Week 3

 

*Images taken from Tumblr*

I am writing this post to give both you and myself some motivation as this past week my motivation has been zero!! I am actually appalled at the lack of exercise and control I have had over my diet, I have been a inspiration to no one this week, so I apologise to you, but mostly to myself! I need a good kick up the bum, and need to get my bum into shape!

I have picked my favourite pictures from Tumblr this past week, to motivate myself and you. Who doesn’t love picture of girls looking fit and fab, while working out hard! And  a good motivational poster always makes me want to go outside and run! I think my favourite picture this week is the Princess Tshirt.. I definitely need that to go running in… very cute!

So this next week is a fresh start, I am sticking to my Festive Flat Tum Challenge calendar, and I’m going to incorporate my new Zumba game* into my workout regime to see if it really will give my abs a good workout as it promises. I will also be trying out the below Holiday Squat-athon regime.  As I said before, I need a kick up the bum and need to get it into shape. I have a couple of dresses that are too small at the moment, with the hips and bum area being the worst fitting area, so I really need to loose a good couple of inches off them, and hope this regime as well as my Festive Flat Tum Challenge will help tone my bum up so I can fit into the dresses by Christmas. It’s a big ask, but I’ve got to try!

Squats are a great exercise move, and so simple! I’m going to try and get into the habit of doing my squats while brushing my teeth or while waiting for the kettle to boil… might as well make use of the time rather than stand still! I have also shared the poster next to the Holiday Squat-athon picture, as this shows you that you only need to do three simple moves often to workout out your whole bum and get a lovely toned one for Christmas! So aim to do the squats mentioned in the Holiday Squat-athon picture, but also incorporate lunges and jumping jacks into your fitness regime to get that perfect peachy bum!

How has your week been… inspiring or disappointing? Are you going to join me in the Holiday Squat-athon? Or are you still working on my Festive Flat Tum Challenge? Where do you get your fitspiration from?

Fitness Fridays| Festive Flat Tum Challenge

This week’s Fitness Friday is a little more personal. I am setting myself a challenge of getting a festive flat tum! We have 6 weeks and 4 days until Christmas, or 46 days, really not long! However it is long enough to do something about your body if you want to! I know this time of year is busy and stressful, with parties to organise and attend, deadlines at work and university and Christmas shopping to be done, but if you can spare half an hour to an hour a day and make small changes to your diet you will notice a difference in your waistline, and will look amazing in your Christmas party dress... just imagine the dress!

By starting now, and by pushing yourself you will look and feel amazing, but more importantly will be the most confident you! I personally can’t wait to look drop dead gorgeous in my Christmas party dress, and turn some heads this year. Over the next 46 days I am challenging myself and you to become toned, motivated and confident.

I am aiming to tone up my hips, bum and tum (hence the title) and am going to share with you how I plan on achieving this as well  as keep you updated with on-going posts about all my highs and lows, meal ideas and workout reviews.

Diet- “Eat Clean, Eat Often”
With the endless Mince Pies, Christmas Chocolates, buffet tables and cocktails surrounding you over the next 46 days, it is vital that you are full of healthy food all the time to help you avoid temptation. I aim to;

• Eat 5 times a day- 3 meal and 2 snacks
• Eat clean(er)- Swap my snacks of crisps and cereal bars for fruit and nuts. If it comes from a packet it’s not going near my mouth.
• Reduce the carbs and up the protein- My dinner is always low carb, however I eat carbs for breakfast and aim to swap this for a more protein full breakfast, by replacing my cereal bars for egg; boiled or scrambled.
• Keep the alcohol to a minimum! I am doing pretty well at this since I have moved home, but still need to keep control of it at the weekends... no bottle of wines in front of the television on a Friday night.

An example of a typical days meal plan;
Breakfast- Yoghurt and fruit with scrambled egg, bacon & tomato/ boiled egg.
Snack- Green smoothie/ fruit/ nuts
Lunch- Soap (homemade ideally) or vegetable crudités with houmous.
Snack- Fruit/ nuts
Dinner-Chicken or fish with vegetables
Exercise- “Go hard or Go Home”
This is where I am going to excel! Go hard or go home as they say!
I already try to run at least 2 miles a day, 5 times a week, which has significantly helped my waist line over the past couple of months. I aim to continue this and also add another workout, so I will be working out twice a day, one workout will be cardio based, the other will be strength and toning.
The running will make up my 30 minutes of cardio but you can choose a different cardio exercise if running is not your thing. You could try swimming, skipping, aerobics, Zumba, cycling or even a brisk walk.
For my second exercise I plan on concentrating on toning by using a variety of workout videos. I am going to use the 30 Day shred workout, varying between levels 2 and 3 as they both use different muscles, as well as using the workout videos form the lovely Tone It Up girls, who have a Holiday Hotties workout challenge going for themselves at the moment. These workouts tend to last around 30 minutes, so I won’t be over doing it as I will only be working out for around 1 hour a day.
You can find the workouts below: (Note: the videos do not below to me, and I am not responsible for the content of 3rd party sites.)  

• 30 Day Shred- Level 2
• 30 Day Shred- Level 3
• Tone It Up Workouts- You Tube Channel

I have included two workout calendars, one the “Go hard or Go Home” option which I will be using, and another less strenuous plan for those just starting to workout or who don’t workout often. Yes they are both a challenge, but that is the fun of it! With your health and fitness you get back what you put in! If you workout hard and often then your body will soon see results, and you will look fab for Christmas.

I have designed the calendars to match my schedule and Christmas plans, but feel free to change them. Also one last tip; please make sure to stretch well after all your workouts!  

I will be posting regularly throughout this challenge, with updates on my Twitter and two blog posts a week. One will be Motivation Mondays, which will include a load of motivational pictures and sayings to keep you on track, the second will be a Fitness Friday, which will share my highs and lows, along with healthy meal ideas and workout video reviews.

Be sure to follow me on Twitter so you can keep up to date with the latest posts and I can spur you on with your own fitness kick.

Let me know if you do want to join me, I need all the support I can get! Do you have your own personal plans to get fit this Christmas? Are you aiming to fit into the perfect party dress like I am?