Festive feasting and running with Rudolph

Okay, so I didn't exactly go running with Rudolph - what can I say I am a sucker for alliteration - but I did go running on Christmas day.

So what? I had this to burn off....

I also had a shiny new high vis jacket I just had to try out, not that it was needed in the blinding, winter sun. Yep it was one of those glorious days today in ye ole' Yorkshire.

All I wanted for Christmas (sad I know) was a high vis jacket, now the nights come early and it is dark for what seems like 24 hours of the day, I have been putting my life on the line to pound the pavements.

Yes, high vis and sunglasses combination, and what?!

I have been sticking to the streets to run on an evening purely because the tracks are too scary in the dark! Haha.
But most of my running clothes and jackets are black, some maybe with a splash of bright colour but not enough to ensure my safety. Now I am more eager to get out and run a couple of times per week.
I haven't run to often lately, I have been a bit under the weather but I will not let it beat me!
So I slipped on my trainers and off I went this morning to burn up an appetite ready for my Christmas dinner.

What a bright and beautiful run 

And what a great, refreshing run it was. I felt so much better for it and I love taking in the fresh air of the Yorkshire countryside. And as we all know, this is one of my most favourite routes.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and good running!

Feeling better with food

I am one of those people that feels really at home in the kitchen. 

If I am down, I cook.

If I am happy, I cook.

If I am celebrating, I cook.

If I am commiserating, I cook.

If I am ill, I cook.

Which is what I am right now - ill. Unfortunately I am having some severe stomach issues that are leaving me with no appetite one minute, to starving from lack of food the next. And once I indulge, welcoming the urge to eat which has been rare, I feel sick and writhe in agony.

So I decided to cheer myself up by recipe testing.

I had a go at making homemade, wheat and rye bread, chicken, vegetable and pearl barely soup and cinamonutty granola.

And am I pleased with my self or what?!

The granola is delicious and goes so well on top of yogurt. The soup is also great, made with homemade chicken stock really makes all the difference, and the different textures make it a pleasure to eat. And what more could you ask for when you're poorly than homemade chicken soup.
The rye bread is nice but it is a bit dense and heavy - but I guess rye bread does tend to be like that. One thick slice, toasted has been tasty and filling to dip in the soup, so I will definitely make it again - maybe tweaking it slightly each time.

To find out more watch out on my recipes page where I will shortly upload the method. 

Eating like a queen

So, after eating a large quantity of sugary foods (yes I have slipped back again) I decided to crank out two of my top healthy dinners.

Minted pesto courgette spaghetti and crunchy Greek style salad with chickpeas.

The salad is great for a lunch or accompanied by some form of protein for tea.

Crunchy Greek salad

Courgette spaghetti 

I have also been told I should do more food blogs and upload my recipes more so I will.

My main aim is to create healthy, fast and tasty food and I personally think these two are up there with my favorite recipes.

They are crisp, yummy and very quick to make. They are both refreshing in their own way too.

They are filling and keep me going for hours.
Try them yourself by checking out my Recipes for success page

A hair affair

Help me! I'm going bald! Okay that might be a little over dramatic but for someone who has always had nice, thick hair, thinning hair is a catastrophe.
It had been coming out either in clumps or one strand after another.
I know hair does fall out and some people have hair that comes out more than others but this is noticeably worse than usual.
My sister is also a hairdresser and told me it did feel and look thinner.
I am a big champion of natural hair. Often you see me walking around with wet hair as I like to let it dry itself and it is rare it is brushed.
I have to admit, I have felt a little more stressed than usual.
Both work and play have been hectic so I cannot help but think it must be the cause.
I am an emotional eater so I have eaten a lot of comfort food lately. I'm sure that has not helped either.
So what do I do?
Upon my research I found that the three key nutrients for healthy hair are vitamin C, protein and iron.
Vitamin C is great for looking after your follicles and scalp oils, iron helps oxygen circulate through the strands and you hair is made up of 97% protein so the more you eat the more it reinforces it.
So what foods have these essentials in?
Unfortunately for me, most of the foods I found that were key to maintaining your mane, I eat virtually every day anyway.
These were:

Fish/poultry - Salmon is the best as it is high in omega 3 fatty acids as well as a lot of protein. These fats help grow hair and regulate scalp oils.

Greek yogurt - Again high in protein low in fat and sugar. It is regularly my choice in breakfast. You can pair it with so much as I do. Often I will stir in some vanilla extract or honey and add nuts. Sometimes I would get a bag of frozen forest fruits out because the liquid that comes off them really is delicious on the yogurt.

Walnuts - Another food high in omega 3 and funnily enough they are also great on the yogurt to double up my hair growing abilities. Or you can just grab a handful as a snack. I have to admit, alone I don't really like walnuts but as an ingredient in something they are brilliant. I do make a delicious apple and walnut salad which is great both in summer and winter. I will upload the recipe for that the next time I make it.

Sweet potatoes - Ohh god do I love these golden vegetables. Quick fact, they are not actually a part of the potato family. The antioxidant properties in the beta carotene turns in to vitamin A which helps all the cells in your body function. Also they help keep your scalp healthy. I absolutely love making sweet potato wedges. They only take half an hour, keep the skin on for extra fiber and texture. Coat in a little olive or coconut oil, keep it simple with salt and pepper or spice it up with cajun seasoning, you really can't go wrong and it is a great accompaniment to salmon.

Spinach - Virtually all my meals contain spinach, whether it is scrambled egg for breakfast, salad for lunch or cooked, again with salmon and sweet potatoes for a super food splurge. It is high in iron and we have already learned why that is key. And to make it a bit more special it is also high in vitamin C and beta carotene.

Finally eggs - My go to meal. Morning, noon or night. You cannot go wrong with eggs. Super high in protein with some iron in there too. I literally have eggs all the time. After a heavy evening work out it is great for a fast, filling meal. I often make a big omelette and throw in anything I have around, mushrooms, spinach and tomato is a favourite. Sometimes I make a cheesy omelette for more healthy fats, protein and calcium or you can make it meaty by adding ham, chicken or any kind of fish. Smoked salmon is a personal favourite - particularly around pay day!

So what can I do? I don't know I will just keep trying to eat well and see how it goes. I will eat even more of these staple foods and hope for the best.

Autumn attire

Looking outside the sun was blaring, the sky was clear and it was a crisp autumn day.
The attraction to get outside and run was captivating me.
So I put on my usual three quarter leggings and vest top. With the nights being so dark now, Saturday mornings are the best time to get out for a long run.
But, as I found pretty much as soon as I opened the door, the weather was deceptful.
What do you wear at this time of year?
Last week it looked bleak and cold so I put on my running jumper and felt like I was dying from heat stroke.
This week I thought my arms and fingers would fall off from frost bite.
It is that awkward time of year. Visually, it is amazing to run in this weather but physically, I just cannot seem to get it right.
Covering my body up makes me feel too hot but as soon as I show some skin it is brutal.
What do you wear at this time of year?
When I covered up I wore long leggings and a running jumper, when I tried again I had three quarters and a t-shirt.
How about long sleeves and short leggings or long leggings and short sleeves? I tried that today at my local Park Run (which was fantastic btw - i'll fill you in lower down).
I wore three quarter leggings and a sweat resistant running jumper and it seemed to be the key.
Don't get me wrong I still got a sweat on, but who doesn't when running, especially at a faster than normal pace.
But I felt neither freezing or boiling. I think I found the balance.
I give it one or two more weeks and it may be time to start wrapping up head to toe, winter has come thick and fast. The dark nights mean running is limited for a small woman like myself.
So I will get out and appreciate the crisp fresh surroundings while I can.
Before the heavy down pours literally rain on my parade.

Park Run
I have really started to love this weekly event. I have run on it a couple of times and volunteered there now. If I run alone I always run 10k or a minimum of five miles, By no stretch of the imagination am I a long distance runner but as someone who tends to run well over 5k (the distance of Park Run), the shorter course is actually more challenging for me.
It takes me about 2.5k to get comfortable running but by the time I have settled into the rhythm I know that I am almost finished. So I have to push to run as fast as possible for my final lap so I can get a good PB. The shorter distances are more about speed for me. I always want to push.
Today, I got a place near to the front and did not let myself plod along at my long distance pace.
I said my aim was to get into the top 50 and run it in 25 minutes. I thought it might take a little longer to get there, however today I proved it is possible sooner rather than later.
I came 68/177 so I am getting closer and I did it in 25.09. And the only way is up!

A running stitch'uation

Out on the open road, looking forward to running a new route in Villamoura, Portugal.
It was set up to be a delightful run. It ended up being one of the worst runs I have ever had - at first anyway.
Off I went, slightly uphill at first, but I was enjoying it.
I love the challenge uphill presents because most runs are flat, but this one was bearable.
Usually it takes me around 15 minutes to get into a run and four miles before I am really comfortable. About 10 minutes into it I got a stitch, something I have never had whilst running before.
And my god was it painful. I am one of those who refuses to stop while on a run, I feel like a failure if I do.
I have even run through severe bouts of sickness. Doubled over, holding back the vomit, I have still carried on.
I did try to push through it but it stopped me in my tracks. My legs could have carried on and my mind was good to go but the pain in my side was excruciating. I was putting pressure on it in an attempt to compress the pain.
Who knew something as simple as a stitch which we all suffered as kids, could really be so painful.
It hurt enough to combat my stubborn nature.
As it was my first "stitch up" since becoming a jogger and with it coming after running only a short distance, I felt I had to get to the bottom of it.
It was around two and half hours since I had eaten, however it could have been the food I ate.
I had sushi for lunch, a chocolate pastry for dessert and shop bought granola for breakfast.
The combination of high sodium and high sugar foods must have had something to do with it.
It got me thinking about my diet in general. It has not been up to scratch lately and it made me feel guilty.
A bad diet can only lead to bad running. So it is time for a change. A 10 day detox and clean eating from now on. I am determined to eventually quit sugar but as we all know it is extremely addictive. It is also in everything! So it may take a while but it is something I am willing to be patient with.
On a more positive note. I was feeling rather disappointed about stopping due to the stitch and had resolved to take the shorter route home. But as I pushed through the pain barrier I started to feel better. Before long I felt stronger again. I ended up doing a much longer route then I initially thought.
So what began as a bit of a disastrous run turned into a successful, enjoyable jog.
Bur the moral of this story is bad diet = bad running.  

Park run problems

I did a park run for the first time yesterday.
As someone who regularly runs five to eight miles - five easily - I saw it as an opportunity to work on my pb (personal best).
Needless to say, my PB was the last thing on my mind.
Park Run UK is a weekly event staged in towns and cities all over the UK where runners of all abilities can join together and run, walk or jog 5k around local beauty spots.
I know what my body can do and how I can push it. I also know it takes me about 15 minutes to settle into a run and get into my stride. So I don't know why I was surprised with my speed and that it felt tough. By the time I had warmed up I was already half way round and had the mentality of just wanting to finish.
I did it in 27 minutes 58 seconds. Slower than the previous 5k race I did which was around 25 minutes.
I came 94th out of 300+ so it could have been worse for my first go while I got to grips with the mechanics of the race.

A detailed results table

Battling through the start line dodging all the slower runners was a nightmare for me. My patience is thin which is one of the reasons I love running alone - another obstacle I faced during the run.
Ducking and diving around other runners also proved difficult, I felt I had to over take a lot which uses extra energy that I like to save on just going forward. 
Next time I will try to start nearer the front.
The results table updates online automatically every week helping you work out your PB. I know I can do better and would have loved to but now it gives me something to work towards.
Next week I have been roped into volunteering so I will have to wait until the week after but that gives me two weeks to train. And train I will. I want to get under 25 minutes.
I am realistic I know that it is unlikely I will go from 28 minutes to 25 straight away so if I get under 27 I will be happy.
I do love having a goal.

Quitting sugar

So I really want to quit sugar completely.
I have come a long way since I started this blog a year ago. I have lost around a stone and I do not binge to the same extent. I can even just have one biscuit (occasionally) and not go back for more.
I have done a lot of research and a lot of reading. The one thing I have learnt is that sugar really is our enemy.
So I bought Sarah Wilson's book I Quit Sugar. It comes with an eight week program to help you quit. I cannot put it down, it is so helpful and full of great tips and recipes.
I'm no saint so I know it is going to take me a long time until I reach the point where I can detox for eight weeks. But I have had a reasonably good start. I thought I would go slow to begin with and cut down.
Now, surprisingly by thinking this way, last week I did not touch any sugary food except for an apple a day. My skin had been getting really bad lately which had been bringing me down but by Thursday I could see a slight difference.

What more motivation do you need?

I was recovering from a pretty bad cold so I did not have the energy to stick to my usual exercise routine - I did keep up with it just not as strenuously as normal.

By Friday I was beaming because I had done so well to resist temptation.
But one thing I have learnt about sugar, it is everywhere, which means if you're not prepared for just how many things it is in, life and sugar will get in your way.
So I visited my family in Yorkshire and once again monster mum got to me with her delicious baking.

I might have also ended up at a cake-away. But look at it, who could resist while you're still a sugar addict?!

So I failed the week. However, I did not want to punish myself too badly as I had said I could take it easy to start with so I think I did pretty well.... I just wish it hadn't been for the last three days.

Jumping in at the deep end

I have not been swimming for a long time. Life just got in the way - as it does.
So when I got back in the pool it was like I fell in love all over again.
I personally enjoy swimming first thing on a morning. It is refreshing and really wakes me up.
I was surprised at how easily I just got back into the swing of it.
A mile every Tuesday morning really does help me with virtually everything.
It clears my head and relaxes me. When I'm having a tough time with work, as I have been lately, it is great for de-stressing. It also helps improve my running by regulating my breathing pattern as well as strengthening my entire body.

Not the most flattering photo but I spent most of my holiday in Cyprus in the water. I'm at my happiest in the blue stuff.

I hope I don't ever have to miss so many weeks of swimming again because I almost forgot how much I loved it.
I recommend it to all fitness fanatics. It helps improve your cardio and nurtures your muscles helping to reduce the risk of injury.
Gliding through the water on a morning is so therapeutic. I wake up extra early so I can get in as soon as the pool opens and for the first five minutes it is just me and the water and it is so peaceful.
Just writing this is making me want to take the plunge again.

Sugar rush

Here we are again, on a sugar high. 

The viscous circle has completed its loop for the thousandth time.

I really am on a mission to cut sugar from my life but my problem is, I just love food too much.

Being a big cook means I do not have to worry about unhealthy meals. 

Breakfast, lunch and dinner on the most part are home cooked foods. It is the stuff in between that get's me.

Unfortunately, the job I am in means I am rewarded by happy customers with treats.

The issue here is the people around me. I am in an office full of sugarholics, and while their intentions are good in that they like to share the food they buy, it does not help my mission.

I do not binge to the extent I used to which is a positive but I really have not restrained myself lately. If a cookie has been put in front of me, I have eaten it, if the bowl of cereal has winked at me, it  has not lasted very long. 

Now I feel my skin is awful. The sugar is punishing me.

I need help, what can I do? The world is surrounded by temptation. My will power is not quite developed enough.

My Fitness Pal

I would like to take a moment to appreciate an app of which I swear by.
My fitness pal is a fantastic app that has really helped me in my quest for a healthier life style.
It tracks your calorie intake. Not only that but it differentiates between fat, carbs and protein (as well as much more but they are my three main focuses).
I've banged on enough times now about my high fat and protein, low carb approach to food. This really helps me understand what I am eating and what I need more of.

An example of last Thursday's chart. Not as much protein as I would like and more carbs then is preferable but I did a lot of intense exercise that day so I needed the carbs. 

When I realised I needed to lose a few pounds this app helped me tenfold to what I would have done alone.
Not only did I understand the calorie value of food more but when I was naughty, I would force myself to enter it as a guilt trip.
You can create your own recipes and it calculates the nutritional values for you and adds up the calories. It saves your meals if you want and it records your exercise, so you can get a fair, accurate recording.
My fitness pal will tell you at the end of the day how that day will translate for you in the long term.
Warning, it is addictive. But give it a try even if you just want to learn more about the food you are eating.

Festival fitness

I am currently dealing with the after effects of Leeds Festival. 

Having a booze break 

While it was one of the best weekends of my life, I can really feel that my fitness level has deteriorated.
There is no possible way of eating well at festivals.
Four nights in a tent is one thing but the ground you cover walking and standing is another. While it is good for burning calories it is not so good for eating the right kind of calories.
Walking so much is already a strain on both your feet and your back so you do not want the added weight of carrying anything around, particularly food.

Feeling a bit worse for wear after day one

I started each morning with an apple and breakfast biscuits. Not the best start but certainly better then anything else on offer. 
The rest of the day was spent nibbling on random snacks just for an energy boost, whatever was on offer really, which was unfortunately a lot of crisps and chocolate/biscuits. You are moving around so much any energy boost is welcome. Then in the evening you need something sustainable so you go for whatever is on sale. There is a lot of choice and I had a burrito, noodles and a burger over three nights. The burger in particular was not worth it. 
Nevertheless it kept me going when I needed it. But on top of the bad food choices and random eating habits, I was drinking copious amounts of alcohol and having very little sleep.

Mid day music with larger to fuel us

 All worth it I must say - I attempted to eat as best I could when the option was available. We made a supermarket trip where I got a sandwhich for my tea one night and yoghurt and granola for a lunch another time plus watermelon and grapes throughout. But at the end of the day it does not compensate for everything else bad for my body that I consumed. 

It was all worth it 

Ever since I have been attempting to get my sleep pattern back to normal, my exercise routine back to normal and my eating much healthier. I have felt lethargic and constantly hungry since though, so it is proving a challenge at the moment.
I will get there, today was a pretty good day for the cause so it will not take long. But it is crazy how four days can mess up your system. 

We had a lot of late nights 

I can also see it in my skin and hair. Both look dull and my skin is quite bad at the moment. It is due to the amount of sugar I took on board. My next step is to try and cut out sugar completely - bar the odd block of dark chocolate. We have to have some luxuries. 

Fitspiration

I had not run in eight days. Not because I was injured for once, but because I lost all motivation.
I temporarily felt bored by running.
Luckily that phase has passed and I do not know how or why.
The track I usually run on just does not appeal to me at the minute and I cannot explain it.
But I have found a new route which has more than one benefit.
It incorporates hills, climbs, flat, different terrain and a segment running with a friend.
My good friend and work colleague wanted to get into better shape. He cannot run as far as me so to get my miles in I run to his house, collect him, run with him and then run home.
It motivated me to get back out running again.
Seeing my friend getting fit inspired me to keep up with my fitness and not to let it slip.
Knowing that I am the force that is helping him is also a great motivator. I can't let him down.
I'm doing a 10k in a few weeks with two friends and they have turned it into a competition.
I usually run between five and six miles but I ran 6.4 today.
It was great knowing I could do that distance easily and it gives me a bit more confidence for beating them.
I would not have run that far had I not seen my new running buddy and been inspired by him.
So if you have learned anything from today's post I hope it is this.
Other people are inspirational.

Colour run fun

I might be a little bit late blogging about the colour run but never the less it is worth a post.
I recently ran a colour run with two friends, both of whom I run with separately. 
One of them I enjoy running long distance with, the other I am sort of training.
So we were all of different abilities but it did not matter. It was so much fun. 
I certainly recommend doing a colour run. They may only be 5k which to some is a short distance but it is not about the miles. A colour run is more about the atmosphere and enjoyment of running surrounded by people who also want to get smothered in colour.

Celebrating crossing the line

I have to admit, I did not hang back for the boys I ran on at my own pace. But the pride I felt when my friend crossed the finish line having run the longest distance yet was unbelievable. 
I love that he is starting to run and enjoy himself. 
The sun was shining and everyone was in good spirits, some people walked, some people did two laps some people jogged. There was a huge variety of people all with smiles on their faces and it was uplifting. I had read on many other blogs from marathon runners and serious runners a like that they still do colour runs. Because they are an experience and one that everyone should have a go at. 

Open water swimming

My family always said I could swim before I could walk.
How true this is I don't know but I do know some of my earliest memories are being in the pool and loving it.
I was lucky to have grandparents who had an indoor swimming pool.
I am a Pisces so maybe it is in my blood but I love water, I am in it at every available opportunity. Only last week I was swimming in a local lake because it was a hot day and, well, why not.
It has become ingrained in me now that I want to complete a triathlon soon.
Now, I can run 10k and I can swim a mile easily, but putting the two together will be a challenge as well as cycling, which I need to work on.
A trainer at the gym told me about this open water swimming locally. I thought this was something I should try if I am serious about a triathlon because it is slightly different to swimming in a pool. I headed down, it's called Uswim Openwater and it is an official weekly event that is run by professionals.
I even convinced my boyfriend (who is a swim-a-phobe) to come in and do a lap.
It was exhilarating. Boundary Park is a lake lined with trees so  it was really picturesque which adds to the charm of open water swimming.
Swimming is a bit like running. Yes the treadmill is a great machine - the swimming pool is a great facility, but why be stuck inside when you can be outside in the open taking in the world?
I headed down with a nervous stomach but full of excitement because I have finally found something that was made for me.
As soon as I was given the run down by the friendly professionals I was in and off. Buoys mark the course so you can swim without getting tangled in the weeds as they clear a path for you. On my first lap however, right at the end I did get stuck in a big tangle of weeds but it is something they raked away quickly.
I did four laps of the 400m course and felt fresh. It does not feel like exercise to me swimming comes naturally so I had a great day out and it was something different for a Sunday. It did also help that it was glorious weather.

Holiday blues

I can only apologize for my lack of posts recently. I have been working my butt off for some exams I had to sit and then I went on holiday - pause while the jealousy kicks in - so I have had a lot of other things to focus on. But now i'm back and you have my full attention.

Anyway back to the post... 

I have the holiday blues but not the typical type. I have the holiday blues of a food and fitness fanatic. I have had the most relaxing 10 days baking the heat of Cypriot sun. But unlike the more sane part of the population – relaxing for me includes incorporating exercise.
Without it I become jittery, anxious and convinced I’m becoming fat. Running also helps keep my head clear and my mind calm. So the 39 degree temperatures did not stop me from running. I promised myself I would go for morning runs before it got too hot. Not every day, I was on holiday after all. I am naturally an early riser so 8am runs came easily the first few days. But, as everyone knows, the sun and the heat can tire you out and make you lethargic. 

It was even baking in the evenings

The fourth day in I woke up at 8.45am at which point the heat was already searing. It was no time for a run. That was fine, as I said I wouldn’t do it every day. The next day was fine, I got up and ran but each day was hotter than the last and it got to a point where I thought I would be sick while running. Never the less, I soldiered on because the route I was doing was only a 15/20 minute run. Short and sweet but enough for a holiday.
But then I woke up late two days in a row and it started to spiral. Now I really started to feel agitated. Normally I would do between 45minutes to one hour exercise, six days a week. So the lack of activity combined with what I like to call the holiday affect – You eat stupid amounts of unhealthy food but are made to believe it is ok because “you’re on holiday”, - spelled trouble. I don’t have enough fingers to count how many people have said that. I am an emotional eater anyway, so if I eat badly I feel like a failure and convince myself I may as well indulge on everything in sight and I can start again tomorrow. This coupled with “you’re on holiday” gave my greedy side license to gorge. So between the guilt and the gluttony and the short, sparse runs, I have come home with the holiday blues. I feel like there is a lot of hard work ahead of me to combat the crux that comes with holidays.

There was an old lady who swallowed a fly

Has anyone ever asked her why she swallowed the fly? I don't think so. Maybe it is because she doesn't know how to control her breathing properly while running?
That is definitely the reason I swallowed about 50 flies tonight. I was running in unknown territory so it was more like a little exploration exercise, however this meant I came across big steep hills with rubbly terrain so I had to push myself quite a bit. This is something I enjoy but I was sucking in the air and I must have inhaled a large population of the little field flies that were hovering around. I can deal with that, it's the bigger flies that you feel hitting the back of your throat that I have had enough of.
So after my run I got on the web and did a lot of research. Turns out the gob flopped open approach is actually my best bet. Great, come at me flies, looks like I have no choice but to get the extra protein down my neck.
So, I made it sound like I struggled and I was huffing and puffing, this isn't quite the case. I was ok but for the last few runs now I have thought, I really want to learn proper running form and technique.
I was under the impression breathing right while running really helps your performance, and it does but I need to test out the recommendations first.
So naturally most people breath and their chests move right? Well this is wrong.
Belly breaths are the way forward. Big, deep, slow breaths that make your belly move and your chest stay still are for the best. It means you are getting more oxygen into your body and breathing deeper and slower.
Your best bet is to practice this at home first. I have been sat here doing it for about an hour. It is actually quite relaxing. Again, I'll have a go when I'm running tomorrow and find out if it is easier said then done.
According to many sources on the web it is also best to have your mouth open, it keeps your face muscles relaxed and your mouth takes in more oxygen than your nostrils.
It is also recommended that you work on finding a pattern, for example breathe in when you take off on your left foot and breathe out when you land on your right. Obviously this will be entirely individual and will differ depending on speed, terrain etc.

Slave to snacking

I love a good snack, whether it be sweet, salty or savory. 

So this week I am setting myself the challenge of stopping the snacks. If I can do this week without snacking on the naughty stuff even just one or two bits here and there I will feel such a sense of achievement. 

I am so weak when the good stuff is put in front of me but one thing I have learnt about myself is I am stubborn and competitive. Give me a challenge and I will do it. Therefore I challenged myself to this. 

I need to prove to my brain that I don't need bad snacks, they are not a treat and I don't really enjoy them while I eat them. It is all in my head, I know that but sometimes my head is very strong willed. 

(There maybe a left over Easter egg in it for me if I can do the seven days). I have done two days so far no problem. And temptation has been put in my way so there is a positive I can thrive off. I have shown some strength.

Fruit salad is one of my favourite things to eat so I have made a huge one to put in the fridge for snacking on.

I have banned everything naughty from my flat and have a healthy eating plan in place. 

This can be done!

Back on the track

Wow did I pound the pavements today. 
Anyone who loves to run will appreciate where I am coming from. I hurt my ankle running one month ago and made the stupid mistake of pushing through it. It meant I spent the rest of my week off limping around. But after 10 days taking it easy, the weekend came and my ankle was feeling better. After one too many vodkas I decided to sprint home from town. 
What a huge error on my part. I further hurt my ankle. Terrified of doing more damage and having to "rest" my ankle for longer I vowed to take three weeks off from running and stick to low impact exercises like swimming, bikes and cross trainers. 
Running for me is a form of stress relief and body wise, I react to that cardio and stay leaner when I jog then any other exercise. 
So these other exercises have not been cutting it. But today my three weeks were up! I rolled out of bed first thing, strapped on an ankle support and off I went. I iced it last night pre-run because, well, what would it hurt, and iced it after the run. Low and behold, the day is over, I have spent it all on my feet and my ankle feels fine. Hallelujah!  
Words cannot describe how much I needed to run. I only did three miles. Initially I only intended on doing two miles to ease the ankle back into it, but I just can't help myself. I will stick to three miles this week, up it to four the week after and then hopefully I can get back on with my five mile runs. 

Beating the buldge

I have seriously got my skinny head on right now. To kick start my motivation again after a couple of months of it seriously lacking I am going with two tried and tested tricks.
First of all I am back on the Bootea. As I have written about in previous weeks I did the two week detox and noticed great results.
I had a flatter belly, better skin and felt lighter and fresher. Knowing that I have spent £20 on a product that has to be used daily really helps keep me on track too. I would not want to have wasted my money for the sake of a steak or chocolate bar.
I am also doing the 30-day-squat challenge.

Currently I am on my first rest day

I have done this once before. I went from having a pretty flat, flabby bottom to having a booty! Something that I have maintained to a degree. The first week is killer, after that it stops hurting as much but it can get pretty boring so I tend to squat while watching the tv. It really helps!
Squatting is a great overall work out and it really targets your glutes and upper thighs (inside and out) which is just what I need right now.
Once I start seeing results I will feel loads better about myself and hopefully it will really help me get back on track. So far so good. I am on day four of both and I am feeling great.

Protein princess

So yesterday I blogged about my bad habits and not doing so well on the healthy eating front.
I also think it is equally important to blog about the successes I have.
I know it has only been one day but it is the first of many good ones. I had convinced myself I had fallen off the bandwagon and would struggle to get back on again. Alas, today I did it. I had three healthy meals: protein shake made with milk, soup and sourdough bread and chicken stir fry. Snacks have been healthy and nutritious: kiwi, boiled eggs and peanut butter on sourdough bread. I know I have had bread twice but I did a big weight training session today so I needed the extra carbs and anyway sourdough bread is a healthy alternative.

Today's nutrition chart

I always feel a sense of achievement when protein is my main source of energy because it seems so hard to do, especially as most go to foods are carb heavy or fatty. But today I got the balance right.
I have eaten approximately 1,418 calories and burnt 357 calories during a cardio workout. I would not know how to work out how many I burnt weight training but I'd say enough to warrant the peanut butter on bread as more of a post workout snack than a naughty snack.
Tomorrow should be another day great of healthy, nutritious food. The feeling you have at the end of the day for eating well definitely outweighs the five minutes of pleasure from eating crap food. I just wish that was something I could remember more often when the chocolate bar or sausage roll calls my name.

Binging

I was fully prepared tonight to blog about my achievements of the day. I am sorry to say that will not be what I blog about but I will tell you all about my failures.
My post was supposed to be about how I had some little treats today, a couple of pieces of chocolate and a small amount of birthday cake (co-workers birthday, we all know the score) but at the last hurdle I failed.
Unfortunately I cannot mentally get it into my head that it is ok to have something naughty as long as it is in moderation. I go into this mindset as soon as I eat something bad that I have failed so I may as well eat everything I want in one day, get it out of my system and start better tomorrow.
So, when 9pm came and I had managed to enjoy three very healthy meals and a few small treats I felt very smug and proud of myself that the little voice inside my head hadn't got the better of me.
But I am sorry to say the one little Thorntons chocolate that wouldn't harm turned into six and then before I knew it I had binged on everything.

The cake that started it all

I don't tend to have bad food in like chocolate and biscuits but I had caved earlier today and bought a small bag of chocolate (which would be fine if I could managed one or two a day but I can't). I'm like Pringles, once I pop I just can't stop. Before I knew it I had finished the chocolates, eaten two bowls of shredded wheat and nibbled on just about everything in my fridge.
To be completely honest I have really fallen off the bandwagon lately. I lost quite a bit of weight and started to feel great so I began to go a little bit easier on myself. But that turned into ooo just one won't hurt, maybe another, oh I may as well have that and slowly I am putting the pounds back on. It is a slippery slope and one I need to fight. Willpower is something I have never been very good with. So tomorrow is a new day, and I am going to eat well, do a massive workout and set myself up for a clean eating weekend. Starting Monday I am going to feel energized and refreshed. It will set me up for a good week. I am also going to do another round of Bootea which helps keep me on track because I refuse for it to be a waste of money.
One thing for sure is I am an emotional eater. I recently hurt my ankle running so have had to stop that for a while which is something I am struggling with. I love running and I am itching to get back out there so the frustration of not being able to just go is getting to me. One more week of rest and I plan on seeing how I get on going for a short run.
But for now I am going to feel guilty about the amount of food I have consumed today and look forward to a healthier future.

Benefits of a juicer

Every once in a while I feel the need to cleanse my body. Sometimes it is with products such as Bootea other times it is with a juice cleanse.
I have been feeling a little bit too exhausted this week to do a full juice cleanse so I just incorporated a couple of juices into my week.
They served as my snacks and pre-workout drinks.
The best one has definitely got to be my fruity beetroot juice. Whether you like beetroot or not you should try this one. It is a delicious recipe and the apples make it sweet and yummy.

Lovely beetroot juice

Beetroot

The benefits beetroot have to offer are endless. The purple plants are packed with betalains, plant pigments that give the beets their distinct colour. Not only do they give these root veggies their vibrant colour but they have great anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties. 

The purple jewels also contain potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamins A, B6 and C, folic acid, carbs, protein and soluble fibre. They are great pre-work out and experts suggest they can increase stamina, manage blood pressure and delay dementia. 

It might sound a bit extreme but what have you got to lose? Whether that is true or not it will still do more good than harm packing in some beet juice with your lunch. 

Juice

I cannot shout about my juicer enough and anyone who wants to incorporate more of the vitamins and minerals raw fruit and veg has to offer, should invest. 

I am not stupid, I know whole fruit and veg has even more in the way of nutrition and a lot of fibre is in the skins and peels. But when you're pushed for time or just not motivated enough to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables one day, this is a quick and easy way to get some of the best benefits of the healthiest foods into your system. 

So try a juice and see if you feel energized and refreshed. Also if you have beetroot don't be alarmed by your pink urine. That is normal. 

Chocolate

While laid here struggling to sleep due to an incredibly guilty conscience after having an evening of mindlessly binging I realised I haven't yet blogged about my successful attempt at lent.
Being a self-confessed chocoholic I knew the ultimate challenge for me would be to go the whole six weeks without any form of chocolate. 
It isn't until you give up something like chocolate that you realise just how many food products have chocolate included. Biscuits, cereal bars, granola's, ice-cream cones. It is a constant battle trying to avoid the stuff. 
While I didn't go without the occasional craving I found it surprisingly easy to do. There came a point where I really didn't miss chocolate (although the bourbons at my sisters were a true test to my willpower). 
So when Easter weekend came something in my mind told me I had to be excited about eating the luxurious milky egg I had waiting for me. I also decided I would eat a number of things I had craved over lent. 

Courtesy of Lee McCoy

Now, I am not ashamed to say I ate the whole egg including the bars it came with as well as some extra bits. But one thing I really have to admit is, deep down I was not looking forward to it and when I was stuffing my face I really did not enjoy it. The one thing that has been a constant comfort in my life did not satisfy me and really did not taste that great. It has not stopped me having the odd few pieces this week but it has certainly opened my eyes.
I definitely feel much better after a big fruit salad then I do after a bar of chocolate. I can only hope the mental craving doesn't cloud my clear vision again. There really was a point in my life very recently where I couldn't get through the day without some chocolate but I know that is all in my head. The problem is I am very weak mentally. 
Hopefully I can keep in mind the disappointment I feel every time I have eaten chocolate this week and it will become a rare occurrence in my diet. 

Protein and fat meal plans

After a week of feasting and not thinking about the food I ate, (including take-aways and chocolate bars) I felt it was time to seriously get back on track.
My healthy life style has taken a back seat and I twisted my ankle so I could not even run to rectify the bad behavior in the kitchen.
I have blogged before about having a high fat/protein and low carb diet. I am going to use the next two weeks to take this more seriously.
Here is an example eating plan.
Monday:
Breakfast - Yogurt, berries and nuts.
Lunch - Grilled chicken salad.
Dinner - Salmon and a variety of vegetables.

Tuesday:
Breakfast - Almonds and protein shake made with milk.
Lunch - Homemade soup.
Tea - Tomato coated chicken with variety of vegetables and sweet potato wedges.

Wednesday:
Breakfast - Poached egg on flat mushroom.
Lunch - Soup.
Dinner - Chicken salad.

Thursday:
Breakfast - Yogurt, berries and nuts.
Lunch - Chicken salad.
Dinner - Omelette with tinned mackerel.

Friday:
Breakfast - Scrambled egg and tinned mackerel.
Lunch - Soup
Dinner - Fish or chicken with a variety of green vegetables.

Snacks - Seeds, nuts, protein shake and small amounts of fruit.

This is the plan I followed the first week I changed my diet to be more protein and fat based. That week I instantly felt better in myself and like my body was tightening up. I have some left over Thai curry that will be a dinner in place of Wednesday's chicken salad but this is an example of a focused week.
The main foods that I eat for a protein and healthy fat enriched diet are there, including a lot of eggs, vegetables and fish. Fresh food is the way forward and this diet is the best way to incorporate it in my opinion. 

Metafit

This week I took the week off work and went back to my home county, the glorious Yorkshire.
I have spoken before about the temptations that present themselves at home. The dreaded "goody cupboard" as expected has not been avoided and I haven't been able to resist my mums delicious home baking (lemon and coconut cakes) my hips worst enemy.
So this means I have to make sure I keep my exercise regime tip top. Luckily the beautiful Yorkshire countryside makes this easy. I love running the old rail tracks at the back of my house and the weather at the moment is perfect for running, sun shining with a slight breeze and not too hot. Ohh how I enjoy myself.
However, I can't run every day and shouldn't really be running at all right now as I have hurt my ankle. I don't know what I have done but after a run it swells up and I am in agony. I have limped and squealed all day today.
So to break it up I tagged along with my step mum to her metafit class. For those who don't know, metafit is a new type of interval training that uses body weight and short bursts of intense activity to target the largest muscle groups. The classes vary from 16 minutes to 30 minutes and participants are expected to put in maximum effort but for shorter periods of time.
It is proven to raise your heart rate much faster then a standard cardio workout, raises the metabolism and keeps you burning calories for much longer.
Now don't be mistaken, 16 minutes does not sound like much, and trust me I am quite fit so I thought, yeah I can do this. I did do it and it didn't kill me but my god I could really feel it working. It felt like I was getting more toned and fit as I was doing it.
In the class I went to, we did four exercises for 30 seconds with a 10 second rest between each one. Then did all four one after another, no rest. We then moved on to four different exercises and followed the same pattern. And finally the third round, we did the same again with four new exercises. Then to finish just for good measure, we did all 12 exercises one after another, no rest.
Needless to say my step mum and I stood up at the end, looked at each other, no words were needed, we just gasped.
Red faced and sweaty we walked out feeling like we had done a good hour in the gym. That was last night, today I have felt a little tender and stiff. I have a funny feeling tomorrow I am really going to feel it and my long walk is going to be torture.
But whatever the weather, I could not recommend trying this class enough. It takes no time out of your day at all and really works. What more do you want?

Great work outs

In the last couple of months I have really upped my game when it comes to working out.
Don't get me wrong, before I was exercising five/six times a week but I guess I wasn't pushing myself properly.
Ever since I got my backside into gear I have really started to feel good. I would almost say I am fit now.
One work out I try to incorporate every week is the Fat-Blasting Treadmill Workout. I tell you what, when I first started this I thought I was going to die while doing it. At first glance it looks easy but I promise you it isn't. It uses muscles I didn't use before. On the treadmill I would either just run flat or do a bit of a steep hill climb.
I would call this interval training but I don't know completely what I am talking about so correct me if I am wrong. But here is what I follow.

This 30 minute workout really works!

Whether I am adding it into my workout or only have time for 30 minutes this always makes me feel like I have worked hard. I can always feel it the next day too which I always see as a good sign. I cannot recommend it enough, and I promise, it does get easier, I can manage it now without feeling like I am about to shoot off the treadmill. It is just a great way to break my workouts up so it isn't the same monotonous routine. The rise and decline in incline and speed really keeps your body guessing, so give it a go.

Weights

I have also started doing a lot more weight training. I used to do a little bit after an hour of cardio. When I started putting in a decent effort with cardio I noticed a difference and felt great but after a while I became a little bored and stopped noticing any more change in my body.

After a lot of research I learned that building muscle burns even more calories as the more muscle you have the more calories your body continues to burn. So I got on the internet and spoke to the instructors at the gym and now I try to do a good 40 minute weight session three times a week. Weight wise I haven't seen a drop but when I look at myself in a mirror I cannot believe the difference. I have always had big hips and a tiny waist and hated how uneven I looked. Now the proportions look great, I can see a positive change in my shape and have noticed more tone and definition everywhere, especially my shoulders. Now I am addicted and love building up the weights. Don't be fooled, women don't get muscly like men because they are not designed to, so your body will treat you right and start to look the way you want if you treat it right. 

Get on the weights, I am glad I did. 

Terrible two's

So, while I totally believe that the only way to have the best body you could have is to live a healthy, balanced lifestyle, I also believe that we need to indulge once in a while.
Unfortunately for me, it is more often then once in a while.
Well not anymore. I have no excuse for it because I genuinely enjoy healthy food, I look forward to having fruit and yogurt for breakfast and I usually don't enjoy myself when I binge, but I do it anyway.
So I recently decided to swap my high carb/low fat diet to high fat/low carb. In one respect it has done wonders for me. I have barely felt shaky, I have low blood sugar levels so I can come over all funny very quickly and need sugary shots fast. This seems to be under control now and it makes sense to me that the less sugar I eat the less shaky I will be. So this is one positive. But then I weighed myself on Friday and had put two pounds on. Anyone who has ever weighed themselves knows how disheartening that is.
I will admit, I haven't been totally strict and have eaten what I wanted when I wanted in the last week but I have not been too bad.
So, seeing this I realized, if I want to drop what was half a stone, now is three-quarters of a stone I need to commit fully for a while.
I allowed myself this weekend to eat what I wanted but I went a little bit overboard. I refuse to weigh myself for the next few days it will just depress me.
First thing in the morning I will wake up with a positive attitude and get back on track. I will be going home next week so that will be a challenge as I won't have full control over dinners and what is in the fridge but it will be a test to my will power (that is non-existent but I am working on it).
I loved the way I felt when I was eating healthy all the time so I need to channel that.
I will blog more, to keep me motivated and keep that beach body image in mind.
This confession that I have overeaten was my first step, hopefully it will send me off in the right direction.
Wish me luck.

The importance of a healthy fridge

I know I am not alone in this, there are a few of us out there who appreciate a full fridge.
So I thought I would share with you all, the contents of my fridge after a "big shop" and a night doing prep work in the kitchen.

My Fridge

From top left; Watermelon, homemade lemon and mustard salad dressing and half a butternut squash.
Second shelf down from left; Cottage cheese, Muller Rice (my naughty treats), Greek yogurt, homemade pesto, eggs and the superfruit - strawberries.
Bottom from left; A variety of mushrooms, frozen blackberries defrosting for breakfast, haddock (always have some kind of fish in). The containers, stacked from the bottom; homemade chicken soup, cooked quinoa ready to go as a quick salad or carb and roasted butternut squash (supposedly to add to salads but often used as a snack). Also hidden in the back is a salad prepared for lunch tomorrow.
Drawer; loads of fresh veggies like rocket, spinach, broccoli, spring onions, peppers etc... a lot of greens.

As you can see with a fridge stocked so well with delicious goodies it is hard to miss the foods and snacks like crisps, chocolate and pizza. I have full, healthy meals ready to go when I want and great things to pick at.
I find it so satisfying to know that I made healthy alternatives to foods. By making things like, my own salad dressing and pesto, I know exactly what the ingredients are and it is good to go whenever I am.

I hope my fridge inspires one or two of you to pre-prepare just on thing whether it be soup or even cooking up some brown rice.

Eat smart guys.

A lady that lunches

I have posted before about prepping meals for the week. I cannot recommend it enough.
This Saturday I spent the whole afternoon in the kitchen, I know for some people that sounds like hell, but I love cooking and experimenting so I was in my element.
I got a full chicken and had a go at jointing it. I have to say it wasn't the prettiest crown when it was finished but not a bad job for a first attempt.

Ready for roasting

I roasted the crown so I had lovely roast chicken for salads and scrambled egg etc.. all week. I then used the bones, thighs, legs, wings and whatever was left and made chicken stock. It was the first time I had ever made it and it was pretty easy. It tasted great too. I then tore the meat from the legs and thighs to put with the roast breast. Once all the chicken I could get was torn up I had about five 100g portions. Yum.

Lots of chicken ready to go for whatever I want.

So that was my quick protein source sorted but as we all know, I also love a good soup. So I used some of the chicken and all of the chicken stock to make a chicken and barley soup. Next to that I made an Indian spiced vegetable soup.

Spiced veg on the left and chicken on the right

I left some chunks in the spiced veg soup but blended most of it for a lovely curry consistency. The chicken one, made with the homemade stock is so rich and gloopy. I had never made any soup that was not just a vegetable based soup so I was pretty pleased with it. They freeze brilliantly too. All I have to do is get which ever I fancy out in the morning and heat up at lunch. Each soup made six servings so I have enough to last two weeks now, as I will have a few salads and egg based dishes to mix my lunches up a bit.

Some ready for freezing, others ready for lunch this week

If you're not a big cook don't worry. You don't have to spend hours in the kitchen to get these results, soup can be made in no time at all and as for a chicken, roasting a crown, just put it in an 190degree oven and forget about it for 50 minutes. It really is that easy. This way you save the pennies, jam pack your lunches with nutrients and vitamins from veg and have protein on standby. I can't recommend taking an hour out of your weekend to do something like this enough. Home made soups taste 100 times better than tinned stuff, are more filling and provide much more nutritional benefits to the body. So get out your crock pot and give it  go.

High fat low carb

In a previous post I mentioned metabolic testing. I went and had loads of tests done on me to measure my body fat percentage and to find out which fuel I burn the most - carbs, fat or protein.
When it comes to healthy eating I have always had a higher carb diet and a reasonably low fat diet. Most of the carbs came from fruit. I always knew that fruit had sugar in it but never considered that combining the amount of fruit I ate, especially high in the glycemic index such as bananas, pomegranate and grapes, with my nagging sweet tooth would be making much difference.
But, I had hit a plateau with my weight loss. I understand a lot of the pounds are now muscle rather than fat, and I am in no way over weight but I still wanted to lose a couple more pounds.
I also know that snacking like I do doesn't help but on the most part it has never been a problem when I wanted to drop those hefty extra pounds.
So learning that my body burnt next to no fat and way too much sugar it all became clear. I need to cut back on the sugar so my body will look to my fat stores for energy.
So this week I have written a diet plan. I am in day two and so far I have stuck to it really well but I have to admit I am struggling. Usually when I am peckish and eating well I reach for some fruit, while I am still eating fruit I have to cut back considerably. So this has been difficult. But I have succeeded.

Today's results

As you can see, I keep a food diary using the My Fitness Pal app, which I think is fantastic and would recommend. It calculates everything from the amount of sugars consumed through carbs and which fats you have consumed. (I am pleased to say the high fat count comes from virtually all healthy fats and saturated fat intake is still low as always.)

But to burn more fat I need to provide my body with fat. Anyone with the slightest interest in nutrition knows that you can't have both a high fat and high carb diet as sugar makes fat stick. And there is a lot of arguments out there over which is the best, I personally think it is individual. Hopefully after a few weeks of working really hard, eating loads of fat and protein, no unnatural sugars and limiting my carb intake I will be able to make my own mind up.

Coming from someone with a sweet tooth who eats a lot of fruit to combat it, I am finding it tough. High fat and protein means I am even more limited in satisfying my need for a sweet treat but hopefully cutting back on it will help. Luckily I love yoghurt and milk which have been saviors when I have just needed a sneaky swig of something extra. One thing is for certain I MISS CEREAL sooo much. The cheerios will just have to wait for a rainy day and if my body fat percentage lowers, hopefully it will motivate me to cut back on the naughty snacks for good.