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?