Clothes Show Live

Me and mum

I am currently in the midst of the post Clothes Show blues.
Every year it is tradition that my mum and I, (yes monster mum as she has been previously referred to) go to the Clothes Show Live at the NEC.

We make a weekend of it, hotel, gorging on food, shopping literally until we drop and drooling over the models/dancers on the catwalk.

Skinting ourselves right before Christmas is something we treasure and it is something we look forward to all year. As we live in different counties, not only does it give us some real quality time together, just the two of us, but it gives us an excuse to do all the things girls love (as mentioned above.)

Bought a little more than we could carry

But now it is over and it goes way too fast if you ask me! So I am sad, all I am thinking about is the excellent weekend we had, the special mother daughter time and the excitement on Friday knowing we were heading to our favourite little pub The George and Dragon Coleshill  and to the best show of the year.

So here are a few photos and videos just to reminisce with, we think it is fair to say, this year's show was one of the best we have been to, mum - 6 shows, Kirsty - 10 shows.

Eggs for the win

I want to talk a little bit about eggs.

Eggs got a bad rep in 1988 when Edwina Currie, who was the health minister at the time, decided to make a statement to the nation that eggs were infected with salmonella.

I don't really know where that came from but I do know there were only 26 reported cases of salmonella that year and if you compare that to the amount of eggs eaten (we're talking tens of millions) it seems a little ridiculous.

Unfortunately that has left some people, even now, weary about eggs. However, they are an incredible source of nutrition and should be regularly eaten.

People also associate eggs with high levels of cholesterol however it isn't as bad as you may think. Yes one egg has roughly 62% of your recommended daily intake of cholesterol, however, the more of it you eat the amount you require changes. (Also to quickly note: the amount of saturated fat you eat has a higher influence on cholesterol build up).

To quickly summarise, your body needs cholesterol to survive and the liver creates it itself. But if you are ingesting cholesterol then your liver doesn't need to make as much so it balances the requirement out. So two eggs a day is perfectly okay.

Consider this, an egg has so much nutrition within it, it can form a living being (the chick). Just imagine how good it is for your body.

Not only is it a great source of protein but it is packed with a range of 18 different vitamins and minerals including the all important, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B12, Folate and Iodine, which all play an essential part in keeping your body healthy.

I love to have omelette night on a Monday. It is quick, convenient and healthy (as long as it is filled with the right ingredients). Mine is often filled with spinach, sometimes chicken sausages and lots of other veg, topped off with a small sprinkling of cheese (Applewood smoked or Parmesan have such great flavour you barely need any).

Alternatively, I also make great baked eggs in a spicy tomato sauce, now that is to die for. Watch out for the recipe soon!...

Hiit That!

I know I haven't been around again, I haven't been frequenting the gym too much either.

So what is the best way to get fitness levels up after a lazy stint? By punishing yourself with Hiit.

There are so many different ways and methods to do High Intensity Interval Training, like my 12 minute workout. So Matt and I decided to do some hill sprints. (Ouch).

We brutally sprinted up these very steep and long steps. By pushing ourselves for a short few seconds we were rewarded by getting our heart rate right up.

We would then walk down the steps to lower our heart rate before doing it all over again.

The main goal in Hiit is to make sure you push yourself to the maximum for 20-30 second (increase as you get stronger) and then recover for the same amount of time (decrease as you get stronger).

This is a very effective way to get your blood pumping and to burn fat.

Hiit is proven to keep your metabolism revving for between 24 and 48 hours after the exercise is finished.

That is because oxygen can't get to the muscles as easily during periods of intense exercise. So once the exercise is over your muscles work to make up for the loss.

Don't worry it sounds scary but it is all very safe - however if you start to feel dizzy then stop. It is the same as with all exercise, you must be careful not to push your body too far.

Combining this interval training with strength/weight/body weight training is highly effective at helping reduce your waist size.

Another bonus of Hiit, is the time it takes to complete. Unlike a long run where you have to go for an hour to burn 500-800 calories (depending on weight and speed) this is effective at burning hundreds of calories in half an hour and it continues to do so for hours after.

So rather than spending your evening at the gym, do a 30 minute intense work out - even less depending on the work out and the exercises incorporated.

Yes it is hard, yes I did moan, but yes, I felt great for it.

As mentioned before, this is only one example of Hiit. I have previously given another example and you can always do a minute of burpees, sprints, jumping jacks, etc, in between weight sessions.

Beach running

When I was on holiday recently, I decided to have a go at running.... on the sand.

I hated it. It was hard and slippy and I couldn't understand why people love it so much.

That was before I had another go on Sunday with Matt.

We went for a weekend away at Filey, East Coast and we stayed in a beautiful house on the cliffs overlooking the beach and sea.

The best holiday village ever

My mum has a caravan a couple of miles down the road so we decided to run to see her. (Did I mention we left the car there the night before during 10th wedding anniversary celebrations involving alcohol).

And do you know, I couldn't have enjoyed it more. The sand was wet, I think that was the key to it. It was more solid but gentle on our joints. It was easy to run on, much better than concrete and the view was spectacular. The sea air really made me feel healthy and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Even the part where we thought we might get stuck (the tide wasn't very far out).

Not the most flattering photo but evidence that I did it

All in all, as Matt and I share a love of fitness we completely relished in it and it just added to our lovely weekend break together. I think next time we will go further and do it because we want to - not because we have to, which was initially  the case.

It wasn't a long run, only a couple of miles but I couldn't have enjoyed it more. Running with Matt, along the beach, next to the sea. And to top it off, the sun was blaring down. Completely enjoyable. I highly recommend it to any runner.

Just don't do it on loose sand in 30 degree heat, that is miserable! Lesson learned. British beaches are the place to run.

Beautiful

A trio of top recipes

I realise I have been very sparse with providing my latest recipes on here recently.

So to make up for it, here are three of my favourite from the last couple of weeks - maybe give them a try this bank holiday?

The absolute best in my opinion and one that will become a regular mid week supper is stuffed peppers.

Now who doesn't like a stuffed pepper? But I have to admit, it took me a long time to master the recipe. It sounds easy enough to make but as it is such a simple concept it is important to get the flavour.

I also found a fast way to make the creation.

I hollowed out the peppers and then put the lids back on. I put them in the over in a little tin foil chair so they didn't fall over and just baked at 180 degrees whilst I prepared everything else.

Make up some cous cous and flavour it how you prefer. I had mushroom cous cous. Whilst that is soaking fry off some onion and turkey mince. I added in some oregano. (I think fresh oregano is too strong but I loved the dried stuff and it is a match made in heaven with turkey). Once it was all cooked I mixed the turkey mixture with the cous cous and cooked spinach for added benefits and then stuffed the peppers.

I left them in the oven for a further 10 minutes to make sure everything was cooked through and hot. It also lets the flavours combine. Then serve with salad. Yum!


This next dinner is a rarity as my other half hates courgettes so I take the opportunity when he is away to have this super healthy tea.

Spiralize your courgettes. They can be eaten raw or cooked slightly but I recommend keeping some crunch in them or they become a bit watery.

For a sauce I blended an avocado with half a sachet of creamed coconut. It was a very luxurious and tasty sauce. Just season it to your liking and add some lemon juice. The coconut was a new twist I hadn't done before but I had some left over so I gave it a go and now i'll never look back.

I fried some onions for some lovely texture, added the sauce and courgetti to warm it all through and served with a couple of poached eggs on top. When the luscious yolk runs into the courgetti it is heaven.

My third creation, and one I am currently eating is an adaptation of lots of recipes for protein balls. I see them all the time and wanted to give this type a go. I have made some before but these were easier and so good!

In a blender I whizzed together some peanut butter, unflavoured protein powder, vanilla essence and honey.

Once it all came together in a crumbly consistency I scooped some out and rolled it into a ball. I did this 12 times and let the balls cool.

I then melted some chocolate with some coconut oil and dipped the balls into the choccy mix. One lesson I learnt was to keep the balls separate and in the fridge to set. As you can see from the below image they look a bit messy when they have been stuck together. Lesson learnt!

Once they set they have kept in the fridge for two weeks now (it has killed me trying not to binge on them) and they are a great healthy, on the go snack!

The nobbly bits give off the 'homemade vibe' or so I tell myself

Find all these recipes on my recipe page soon.

Sugar free my a**

I have just about had it with all these fad diets and trends.

Why is it so difficult to grasp the concept of eating well. We eat food that fuels our bodies and what nourishes our bodies, or so we should.

Now, I will be the first person to agree that sugar is the enemy. Refined sugar that is. If it has been processed it is no good for you! Your body cannot deal with it, you will not digest it the way you should, it is unnatural and therefore not designed for human consumption.

However, I do believe that a little bit of what you fancy will not kill you. If you want that donut, eat that donut. Just stop at one and ensure all your other meals and snacks are nutritious. I would be the first to eat the donut.

But to hear all these people now say that fruit should be cut out, FRUIT! Yes, fruit it full of sugar, but it is natural. I like to think of it in the same way as fat. There was a huge trend for a long time saying that fat is the

enemy. Again, unnatural processed fats are. But dairy, nuts, salmon, avocado, they are among the many foods which burn fat, and guess what, they are high in fat.

Did you know you need fat to burn fat? That may not make sense to a lot of people but the healthy fats like omega 3 and 6 feed the body and give it the ability to slowly release energy and burn the visceral fat.

So now to be told to cut out fruit has really wound me up. As someone with a sweet tooth, I need fruit to help me avoid eating biscuits every day. (And I would). Not only is it a better alternative but think about all the fibre and vitamins you would miss out on too. Vitamin C, potassium, calcium, the list goes on.

Also, the sugar in fruit helps fuel my runs, because you need carbs and sugar to give you the energy to run.

Why does it have to be a diet? Why does it have to be a lifestyle, fat free, sugar free, dairy free, wheat free. Unless you have an allergy or a personal reason for not eating a certain food group, then eat that food.

What a lot of people cannot grasp is that it is all about moderation and nutrition. You feed your body the kind of food that it needs, that helps it run at optimum performance then you can have that slice of cake, it is fine. The only thing I have heard of lately which I agree with is the 80/20 method.

Eat well 80% of the time then that left over 20% when you want to eat something naughty, don't feel guilty for it. Your body can handle it because it is happy.

Think of your diet as a healthy life style, a way of living and eating rather than a quick fix fad diet which will work for a week and then the weight and the lethargy will come flooding back.

Today's lesson: Eat that apple, then eat your steamed chicken and veg and then you know what... Eat that Rocky Road!

A hair-raising revelation

What a ridiculous flick

As I have previously written, I have had some real trouble with my hair these past two years.

It started falling out and became very thin. But, after some extensive research I managed to get back on track by lowering my stress levels and eating quality food which is good for hair health. The right nutrients are also key, particularly vitamin C, protein and iron.

I still feel it is a bit thin at the ends and can look straggly. I recently chopped it all off and it looked thicker, fuller and healthier. However, it just wasn't me, so I am currently in the middle of that process that most girls have been through of growing my hair out. It is at that mid stage where it just looks terrible and a really awkward length. It sits on my shoulders funny and flicks out and as it is thinner at the bottom, it just looks ratty.

So, upon my research reading the many hundreds of articles on healthy eating, nutrition etc... I stumbled across some editorial on hair. It was very interesting, it suggested that those with thin hair should CONDITION BEFORE THEY SHAMPOO.

Now, everyone has been taught to shampoo and then condition it just seems natural to us. But, who is to say that is how it should be done? Who made the rules and said it had to be that way?

Looking healthy and natural 

This article suggested that people with thinner hair condition then shampoo but if you have thick hair keep to the norm or condition before and after the shampooing process.

I have thin hair but a lot of it so it has never looked as though it was lacking until now. So I thought, what do I have to lose? Why not try it.

And I am glad I did. Instantly my hair was looking better. It didn't look dull anymore, in fact it had a new kind of gleam, a very natural looking one and it just looked healthier. It wasn't as frizzy and had less fly-aways and it felt as soft as silk. Even the knots seemed to disappear. It was a real revelation.
  
So, I continued with the pattern for a week and seven days down the line I don't think I will ever go back to shampooing first. I urge anyone with thinner hair to give it a try, maybe even those with thick hair, who is to say it won't work for you?

The big move!

Again, I have been a little quiet on the blog front. That is because I am in the middle of moving house. It has taken me a few days just to finish this post!

So moving and packing is exhausting, especially when you have made your current place homely as I had. We have been so busy and there has been so much to do!

I have moved in with my boyfriend, Matt. We both previously lived in flat's so we couldn't be more excited to live in a house with a garden so we can enjoy some sunshine properly! (If it comes back!)

Men are so much different to women, it took one evening to pack most of Matt's things up. It slowly took us around a week to do mine, and did I mention I live in a top floor flat complete with a spiral staircase.

Matt's stuff was moved into the new place throughout the week and mine on Saturday. It took Matt, two removal men and me to get all of my things out in a reasonable time. 

Needless to say we didn't make it to the gym or for any runs for a few days.


It also meant we had to whittle our food supplies down. If I hadn't already mentioned, I am a hoarder! A massive one, and that includes food. So I had a few frozen left over curries and loads of eggs. So tea for the last few days before moving was whatever we had. As you can see by this image, one night that meant, left over curry and scrambled eggs. Surprisingly, it was delicious and satisfying. 

My "What's left" creation

It also meant Saturday night was a take-away treat night. By the time we sat down and stopped unpacking I was way too tired to even think about cooking. We also had a few naughty treats as little sugar boosts such as Krispy Kremes and salted peanuts. If ever there was a good excuse to eat dirty this is it! The pick me up was just what we needed! I am sorry but a banana would not have cut it.

We are both just too stubborn to miss out on training although we did avoid it during the weekend, on top of being tired we just did not have the time. Moving house is like a work out in itself anyway. Between moving everything from one property to another and then re-building and unpacking everything we were exhausted. But this is such an exciting time for us and we couldn't wait to spend our first night in the new house. It has been incredible and now we miss it when we're away.

Our living room looking homely and beautiful

It is our place, which is new for us both. It has our stamp on it and we love arranging and organizing the furniture to suit us. 

But today is Monday and it is virtually complete except for some storage and reorganising, so we are back on the straight and narrow. Nutritious healthy food and a good amount of gym time. 

The Color Obstacle Rush

I don't often take part in organised runs or races but when I do they are so much fun!

Twice now I have done a color run (It irritates me that it isn't colour - but I digress) and both times have been hilarious.


Last year was just a 5k event which was done in an attempt to get a couple of friends running. This year was done with a group of friends from the gym, so the fitness elite and it was a bit different. This one was an obstacle course, too.

The big, bouncy, inflatable courses just made the running part a doddle while you cried with laughter trying to sabotage your friends (or in my case, become a victim of sabotage) as you all try to dip, duck, dodge and dive though the bounce castle barriers.

Don't get me wrong, for the five of us it wasn't the biggest challenge but it was a great way for us all to get out together and have a laugh. To be able to get out of the house - or the gym - and do something that is in line with all of our favourite pass-time (sport/fitness) was excellent and just what we all needed.

We went in crisp white and fresh and what came out at the other end was a mish mash of colours in a tie dye frenzy.

The feeling of camaraderie at the end of an event like that is something that needs to be experienced first hand and for those of you who want to enter your first run or race, one like this is well worth the cash!

Five victors

The Girls

Feeling successful and ready for food

Matt and I in good spirits

Food really is fuel

We have all heard it 100 times before, you need food to fuel your body.

And the food you eat depends on how you use your  body.

It goes without saying healthy eating is a must for all. Filling your body with vital nutrients, vitamins and minerals is the most important thing. But, we all have a treat now and again - you have to!

As someone who really loves cake, sugary cereals and ice cream (to name just a few vices), I have to work hard so I don't give in or I would eat it all day, every day.

But remembering that sugar is the enemy is difficult when that brownie is melting in your mouth.

Which is what happened to me over the weekend. Cooking lunches, dinners, breakfasts, even snacks are not difficult for me. I only cook healthy food with natural ingredients - wherever possible - it is just that cookie that is presented to me that ruins things. But as those kinds of sugary treats hadn't really been on my radar since coming back from holiday and I haven't struggled too much.

I enjoyed feeling energetic and fresh last week living on a hearty and healthy diet. I didn't even feel hungry!

But then I went home to Yorkshire - where the dreaded monster mum lives and it all went down hill.

She had baked brownies, chocolate cake and a strawberry tart. We also had a big family BBQ. I managed to reign it in with the BBQ, eating just a few nice pieces of meat and some salad with only one (homemade) breadcake.

And what a BBQ it was

But then came the strawberry tart with homemade ice cream. (I did ensure it was a small portion but when you're out drinking all night ((a friends wedding do)) the calories rack up no matter what.)

Then the next day I enjoyed two big sticky brownies. Yes I did turn down the chocolate cake but the amount of sugar consumed in everything else made up for it anyway.

Matt and I didn't eat very well that day, skipping meals and eating bread and oil when we finally wanted something to eat at 8pm!

I am ashamed.

But the main point of all of this is, the next day I really felt it. I was sluggish and lethargic - as was Matt and when it came to going to the gym neither of us had it in us to actually train hard. After 20 minutes of slowly trying to push ourselves we gave in.

We were close to burning out and it just isn't worth the exhaustion. So we went home to rest up and I am happy to say we both ate very well, as we will the rest of the week.

Grilled chicken, sweet potato and veg. Mmmm

So, hopefully with properly fueled bodies we can train hard again and get back into the fantastic shape we were a month ago!

Hot Holiday Bods

When I say hot bods, I mean temperature, because wow was it hot when we tried to keep on top of our fitness levels when we holidayed in Cyprus last week.

It was tough! But, I just wanted to write a post to show how easy it is to tie in a workout without the gym or any equipment.

Myself and my partner Matt, did a couple of shorts run. They were short because it didn't matter what time of day it was, it was sweltering running or not running, especially as we were not accustomed to 30 degree heat.

But, I highly recommend even a short run along the sea front. I personally hate running on the beach but most places have paths along the top of the beach which are ideal to run on. It is so serene and beautiful running alongside the sea. It would make even the most dubious of runners enjoy themselves.

Alternatively - a routine such as my 12 minute workout is perfect for a quick and effective way to get your heart rate up. It can be done anywhere and adapted slightly if needs be.

Incline push ups

That is exactly what we did about half way though our holiday when we had a slightly overcast morning.

The 12 minute workout was our cardio and then we continued to do some body weight exercises. We used what we had to create a good routine. As it was the only day with a bit of cloud we used the opportunity to push ourselves and have a bigger session to feed our craving for the holiday.

We have been looking into a lot of doubles exercises lately and these push up taps were something new. We both loved them. It looks like a simple exercise but it isn't, you can really feel it working your core and balance. It is a great upper body work out.

Push up

Touch

This exercise, in which you both do a standard push up (keeping your body in a straight line) and when you come up, clap your right hands together, return to push up position and repeat but using the left hands.

It targets the chest, triceps and core whilst also testing your balance.

So, as you can see, even for a wannabee slob like myself, there is no excuse to fit in the odd workout here and there while you are on holiday - but please make sure it isn't your soul focus and you do relax. That is what holidays are for after all.

The running bug is back

Just over a year ago I wrote a post  proudly telling you all how pleased I was to have finally run five miles.

I will never forget the sense of achievement I felt as a relatively new runner to have reached that milestone. And that feeling continued for the next few five milers until it just became the norm.

Suddenly I was easily running 10k three times per week. Running makes me so happy, it gives me a sense of freedom and accomplishment.

So you can imagine how miserable and disappointed I have felt with myself these past few months when I let my cardio fall by the wayside.

My strength is at an all time high and I got carried away weight training. I barely looked at any cardio machines in the gym let alone the treadmill. And when I did think "I should go for a run" I was easily swayed against it when I looked out the window and it was dreary and dark. A poor excuse I know - and not the Kirsty I know.

A lot has changed in my life recently though, so I had to do a lot of adapting to do.

I have attempted to go on a few runs recently and not found it too pleasant. To be fair the last four miles I did, I did on a very full stomach after eating out so the stitch which plagued me was nothing but my own greedy fault.

And then a friend of mine who is a gym instructor, asked me to go for a run, and being with her really kept me moving forward. We did 4.5 miles and I felt great. I know I can do more I just let myself believe I couldn't and I got a bit lazy if i'm honest. The warm and comfort of the gym and the free weights had a stronger pull than I realised.

However, it was after this run that I realised, I am still capable of my five and six miles I just have to push myself.

So today, my gym plans were delayed so I didn't think about it I just went. And got to my five miles again. Yes I struggled and there were times I wanted to stop which is the case during most runs but I didn't and I survived.

Yes, I know to a lot of people five and six miles is not a long run but to me it is and I am happy to keep it at that. Extra long runs are saved for special occasions.

So, I learned something from this. It is all about confidence and belief in yourself. I had let myself think I couldn't do it anymore, so I didn't. But as soon as I strapped on my stubborn head (which I am renowned for) I proved to myself I can still do it. And now I have the running bug back I want to keep doing it.

And so I will...

A little bit of what you fancy

Now, I know this blog is about the battle against the sweet tooth and fitness goals - but... I am a firm believer of having a little bit of what you fancy.

Every week, my boyfriend and I have a day of eating what we want. We both enjoy exercising (in fact he is my training partner) and we both like to eat well, so we look forward to letting loose.

I would be lying if I said it was the only day of the week we ate badly, sometimes it turns into a weekend and we do give in to the odd treat throughout the week, but generally, this is the day we look forward to.

And yesterday was so good it was worth sharing with you all. I won't talk about everything we ate, just my top three foods of the day.

The most delicious ice cream

First, the sun was shining so we went on a little drive to a place called Blaze Farm where fresh ice cream is produced.

There is nothing better than eating fresh ice cream in the sun, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by green hills. I had cappuccino and raspberry, Matt had Turkish delight and rhubarb and custard (vile in my opinion).

We also made our own pizza, base and all. It was purely experimental and I had to use two different flours but it turned out pretty well. We both topped our own pizza's and then split them.

My pizza (the best) parma ham, pineapple and sweetcorn.

Matt's very meaty pizza

And then, the piece de resistance. Nutella stuffed digestives. We both love biscuits, they are a big weakness for us. And we both love a classic digestive - sometimes over a chocolate covered one. And dunked in a good brew they cannot be beaten. At least that is what I thought. I love Nutella, I eat it out of the jar with a spoon. So, I had a light bulb moment and spread a nice thick layer of Nutella on a digestive and topped it with another. Dunked in that brew - it was like heaven. I don't think you could get a better snack.

It just looks perfect

It tasted like perfection

By no means am I trying to say that throughout the week we eat boring food. We cook some delicious healthy meals but we both have a sweet tooth which is our downfall and what we miss for five and six days of the week.

I am a firm believer of the 80/20 rule (even if sometimes the ratio is not quite that). I would rather indulge in good foods which we crave once in a while than have the perfect body and feel grumpy and hungry all the time. I am the kind of person that suffers with the "hangry" syndrome (hungry and angry). As is Matt.

We both enjoyed what we ate so much yesterday it was worth a mention. It may be a contrast to my usual blog posts but I wanted to show that everyone deserves a treat.

Getting back into the swim of it

I love swimming - I really get into the zone and immerse into a world of my own. 

Over winter I did a lot of swimming and took part in the Aspire Swim Challenge just to encourage me to do more and raise a bit of cash whilst I was at it. But life has overtaken my need to swim lately.

So on Tuesday morning I got myself out of bed early and went for a dip in the pool. It was so refreshing and set me up for the day. 

It felt incredible to glide through the water and it was satisfying to know that my swim stamina had not faltered. I did my usual mile in 35 minutes - which is the average time it usually takes me, so I was definitely pleased.

This is not me haha! Photo taken from @PolaroidGal on Flickr

It has inspired me to get my act together and get back in the pool more often. Swimming is one of the best exercises for your body (particularly mine which likes to break a lot).

It tones and works your entire body and it is low impact but high cardiovascular. Plus the front crawl, which is my chosen stroke, works 48 muscles and burns around 400 calories per hour for someone of my size - depending how slow I go. I tend to do a fast 35 minutes so it is likely it equates to the same amount.

You can't ask for much more! I encourage you all to get out and swim!

12 Minute Work Out

There have been a few occasions lately where like many of you - I have been too busy to get a full work out in. I usually have a routine and that has gone to pot over the past few months.

So I put together a quick work out with a range of all the exercises that I know are the most effective and target the whole body.

It takes approximately 12 minutes so if you have a little more spare time try doing it twice or even three times. I have to warn you though! If you do it properly it is hard and you will sweat!

Let me know how you get on!

Bikini body blast

It's that time of year again. The sun is peaking out giving us a taste for summer and the smell of sun cream is in the air.

Our summer holidays are upon us plaguing our minds while we look down at our winter pouch.

Because, let's face it, even the fittest of us do not keep up with our routines as thoroughly in the cold months. The drizzly mornings make us roll over rather than roll out of bed.

The Christmas chocolate, cheese and biscuits are still sitting heavily in our greedy guts.

But the short shorts are staring back from the dark corner of the wardrobe and we know it isn't long until we will need to whip them on.

So this is the way I ensure I have a good week. I get organised!

Forward planning is the key. It is essential in ensuring you don't get stuck on a night with nothing in to eat and the "goody cupboard" enticing you in.

Now trust me, I'm no saint. The plan below was faltered by the fact that today (Tuesday) we had a working lunch so we had to put on a spread for clients making it inappropriate for me to pop out of the meeting room to get my packed lunch, and also, my boyfriends mum wanted to make us tea.

Obviously, you cannot dictate what someone else cooks for you. So Tuesday was a flop, but it is okay because you cannot let one day ruin the rest.

And in the grand scheme of things - one day is okay.

By planning and putting the time aside to prepare lunches and set your workout routines you can make sure the rest of your week is planned around your health and fitness schedule.

It might sound tiresome to some people but to enthusiasts alike, it makes life complete. And once you get in to the swing of it, you will enjoy it. Particularly when you see the results and feel yourself getting faster and stronger. But the final satisfaction comes when you strut down the beach, in the bikini you dreamed about all last year and couldn't face, with the confidence to match your hot bod!

Prepare! Prepare! Prepare!

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Snack	Dinner	Workout
Monday	Scrambled egg and watermelon	Feta and avocado salad	Greek Yoghurt and banana	Broccoli and beef stir fry	Run, Chest and Abs
Tuesday	Protein and banana smoothie	Chicken and avocado salad with watermelon	Apple and nuts	Sesame crusted chicken fingers and courgette quinoa	Sprint intervals, and arms (Biceps and Triceps)
Wednesday	Scrambled eggs and watermelon	Courgette quinoa salad with tuna	Protein shake, apple, almonds	Salmon and sweet potato	Morning run, Legs and obliques
Thursday	Monkey nut yoghurt and granola with watermelon	Salad and fruit	Protein shake and nuts	Mexican quinoa	Morning Swim, Shoulders and Abs
Friday	Scrambled eggs	Tuna salad and fruit	Apple and yoghurt	Simply cook box	Back  and cycling

Free running

First of all I would like to offer my apologies for the month long hiatus. I have had some personal issues to deal with but I am back!

Throughout all my troubles running has been an escape, a place for me to feel free and lose myself in thought.

Just putting on your trainers and running with no knowledge of how far you might go or where, has been delightful.

Don't think I do that every time, most of the time I know exactly where I am running to, how far and roughly how quickly I can do it. But once in a while I just get out and go. Something I want to start doing with my bike too! Which has been neglected during the cold winter months.

From Alain Limoges on Flikr 

But one thing I really appreciate, is crisp winter sun blaring down while you run. It make's the run so refreshing.

I need it at the moment! I am so sluggish, I have not been eating very well and have had to limit my runs due to my ankle.

I tore the ligament in it last year and I felt it happening again. Something I learned from last year was if you can feel it twinging then rest it. You'll be out longer if you don't. It has been difficult and it does make me feel frumpy not getting my miles in but it is worth the rest. 

I intend on putting in a few miles in the coming days though so it will make me feel better. Tomorrow I am putting on my trainers and going with not a care in the world. 

One thing I have also noticed which is worth mentioning is my pace. I have added an extra minute per mile on to my average speed. This can be attributed to interval training and running with a faster partner. 

Happy running.

Falling off the bandwagon..... again!

It was a spectacular fall.
Let me give you an example. Yesterday I had two slices of cake, didn't eat tea and went to bed scoffing lots of chocolate.
Woke up this morning, knowing I was going out for dinner and cocktails, had a healthy cereal and scoffed lots more chocolate.

Coming back to monster mums I discovered I still had a tin of Roses left from Christmas - sorry waistline!

 I weighed myself and I am three pounds heavier than I want to be.
To be honest, I just haven't been focusing on food lately. I guess it has been a nice break but it is my birthday next week and I want to look my best for a good night out.
I need to gather all my will power and have a strong week which I know I can if there is no temptation in my way... which I strongly believe there may be, in the form of cake! - Birthday cake!
MODERATION - that is key which needs ingraining in my mind!

What is cake without a brew - what is a brew without cake?

But seriously, if I wanted cake I had it, if I wanted to eat a pack of biscuits I did and so on and so forth. The problem is, I always want this stuff so, as one might imagine, I have been a little greedy porker recently!
On the plus side, I have also been nailing the gym and weights! Not so much cardio, I am working on that! So I truly believe that one of those pounds may be muscle. That's what I am going to continue to tell myself anyway.
I'm terrified I'm falling too far off the bandwagon though so I need to focus. 

Get my head in the game! Happy, healthy eating all!

Fasted run

What a mistake - this is something I will not be doing again.

I decided to get up and do a fasted run. I haven't done many medium to long distance runs for a while due to my stomach (see previous post).

So when I was in Yorkshire - and we all know how much I love running in Gods County - I thought, get up and go!

That way I had the rest of the day to visit the family. I have done a fasted run (running first thing before eating anything) many times before but in hindsight, this has been when I just did short distances like two or three miles.

Any more than three I should eat, especially as someone with low blood sugar.

So I set off and I already felt a little ropey with the stomach problems (IBS) but I know that once I get into a run I am fine.

Well, this route I know is a good four miles - a nice distance for easing back into the outside world.

It is a great run in the open countryside, there are challenges to start with as I stumble on the slippery, muddy tracks until reaching the concrete. That makes me slower and uses extra energy reserves as I am so focused on not falling or doing the splits.

I got about one and half miles away and felt faint and terrible. It felt like I was so close to two miles but so far. I knew if I went two miles I would have another two miles back, which normally is a breeze but my body was screaming to stop. And I hate stopping! So I turned and back I went.

I ended up running past my usual junction to head in the direction home thinking I would at least try another. That was another mistake. That was so bogged down I didn't even attempt it.

That turned out to be a good thing because it made me go back on myself giving me an extra third of a mile on my run which made me feel slightly better for cutting it short.

Safe running guys, you live and you learn!