Wednesday 31 July 2013

Ouch my head hurts

Recently i've been told so many things to do with nutrition my head truly hurts. Everything i'm being told contradicts what someone else has said. I just started reading this lean gains thing that my uncle has done and he got amazing results from it but my god it was so confusing i'm not sure i even make sense of it...

So here are some of the contradictions i've been told lately

Eat every three hours to keep your metabolism up, no you don't need to eat that often, don't eat carbs, you have to eat carbs, you shouldn't eat carbs after breakfast, drink protein shakes, protein shakes are bad for you, eat lots of fruit and veg, fruit is bad for you it makes you store fat...

OMG THE LIST GOES ON!! and my head really hurts!

but the thing is all these people are on different diets and while they are just sharing what has worked for them you don't have to listen to everone because what works for one person might not work for another. Find something that works for you. I like to take bits and pieces that i find that work for me and create my own diet plans, i love experimenting with food and i don't like cutting things out all together. I may not eat cake and chocolate every day but if i want it i will eat it, i don't deprive myself I have just learnt to eat in moderation! 

So I don't know what the truth is about this whole nutrition business but here are some things that work for me


It's all about trial and error, finding what fuels you to workout but cuts you enough to see a difference, you don't want to Undo all of your efforts in the gym with a bad diet...well you might want to and that's cool some people go to the gym so that they can eat crap and not get fatter...but think of your insides too!

So if you need something to start you off why not join me on my 5 day challenge starting next Monday? I posted it a couple of days ago but don't worry I'll be posting about it again on Sunday! 

Add me on instagram @myfatscrying and tag me in some pics :) 

Lots of hardwork and dedication 

Ps my head truly hurts after thinking about this post! 



feel the burn three

Hi all!

Welcome to feel the burn three, your hump day workout!


please excuse the squiggly lines, as i've said i'm having to make these on word and when i print screen i sometimes forget to removed the stupid lines...unfortunately i shut it down without saving it!

Anyway, as all feel the burns, it is circuit training...i've changed a few exercises so that you can do it at home with little equipment...

okay so butt blasters...i didn't no what to name this station but it hurt my butt so thats how i came to the decision...

find something to put your feet on so that you are in a declined push up position (hands lower than feet)
then step one leg down, return it and then alternate with the other leg :)

Hope you like your hump day workout! 

Lots of hardwork and dedication

Tuesday 30 July 2013

Don't be afraid to lift heavy

My main goal at the moment is to get stronger, to begin with I was scared I was going to bulk up and look like I was on steroids if I lifted heavy weights but the truth is that as a women you will just tone and define your muscles, you have to be incredible focused to start getting body building type muscles as we girls don't have high testosterone which is the muscle building hormone! 

So I decided to start upping my weights, if you read my post on Monday I spoke about pushing out of our comfort zones! And then in the rig class tonight jan said we were working on technique and lifting heavy PERFECT! So we worked on a deadlift, power clean and clean and press...get your technique right and then up your weights as much as you can do sets of 8-10 but as you get heavier you should be looking to fail around 8. This is a goal I want to work towards, keep practicing do I can hopefully see what my body can actually achieve!

After that I went on to spin! A great way to finish a heavy weights session...I highly recommend trying spin...I have a love hate relationship with it...but it is turning into a bit more love than hate! 

If you live in the sudbury area remember you can pay as you go at zest so if there are any classes you want to try come down and try it out...they also give you your first class free...and as an added bonus for a short time they are offering new members a one off month of £20!!

And to finish off as it is nearing the time I go on holiday I found a workout on Pinterest that you can do anywhere...I plan on doing a workout on the beach :) 


Enjoy! 

Lots of hardwork and dedication 

5 day challenge

A girl i work with always eats branflakes with yoghurt for breakfast and it always looks so nice. I've never been a fan of grown up cereals because they never taste as good as cocopops but needs must and i have been trying to eat cereals that will feel me up. So anyway i went to tesco and thought id give branflakes another try, and while looking at the box i noticed a '5 day challenge'. You are meant to eat branflakes for breakfast for 5 days and apparently you will feel less bloated and feel fuller throughout the day, as someone who is ALWAYS hungry i thought this would be ideal...so i thought id give it a go and then share it with you.

BUT

I decided that i would turn the next 5 days into a challenge to clean up my eating as its been a bit hit and miss lately, but i really need to get back on track as holiday is looming! So i put together this meal plan which is sort of what i will eat on a good day I do usually change up what I eat but for this challenge I thought if keep it simple..i would just like to remind you that I'm not trained in nutrition and only go by what gives me energy to workout but makes me feel good too...so here it is, its very simple, maybe a little boring but its only 5 days!


  • I tend to swap the first protein shake to before breakfast as i have it straight after my morning workout also if you find you are just starving or need energy begore an evening workout add in a rice cake with a thin spread of peanut butter.


  • Also the three egg whites can be upped if you wish but i can't eat more than three, alternatively have 2 whole eggs rather than just egg white

  • If you dont like almond milk just have water, I just loooove almond milk as its so creamy and makes the protein thicker!


So if you want to join me that would be great and don't worry i will post something really exciting to keep you going...

So i thought we will start next monday so you have plenty of time to go shopping, i'm doing the bran flake challenge this week so feel free to join in..i am putting together a workout schedule for you too so that you can do it along side the challenge!

I wrote you a little shopping list too...i'm too good to you aren't i!


Get noisy on social media! I'd love to know if you are planning on trying this with me! So I'm @daniellejade0 on twitter and @myfatscrying on instagram and if you want to email me its my.fats.crying@gmail.com

Also on Sunday I will hope to post a prep video so you can see how I prep for the week :) 

Let me know what you think! 

Lots of hardwork and dedication


Tuesday talk #2

Good morning all! 

So here is your second tuesday talk. Another ideal day (for me) of what id eat...here is a snap shot...



Breakfast: Protein shake mixed with Almond milk (sometimes straight after my workout so around 7am), Branflakes, banana and fat free yoghurt

Elevensies: Veggies, carrots, peppers, cucumber, celery

Lunch:Whole wheat pasta, cajun spiced chicken and dry fried peppers

3'oclock munchies: protein shake, 

Dinner: Turkey meatballs and roasted veg with a small amount of sweet potato 

Sweet tooth: Yoghurt, oats and pure maple syrup

The turkey meatball recipe is lurking around on my blog...so try something different today you might like it

Also rememebr to check out the 5 day challenge which we will start next monday!

Have a wonderful day!

Lots of hardwork and dedication

Monday 29 July 2013

Monday madness #2

Here is your monday workout...its a toughie but so good! Make sure you push yourself, if you have access yo heavier weights, try lifting heavier it doesn't matter if you have to drop back down but how can we expect to change if we do what we always do?


So this is part of the monday madness series, which belong to Lloyd. I decided it would be easier to name the workouts the same thing (based on which insturctor came up with them) so that if you prefer a particular style of these workout you can maybe do the series of them when there is enough. 

I hope these printables are okay, unfortunately i no longer have access to photoshop so i am having to do them on word...

Enjoy the workout...you can tweet me to let me know you are doing it @daniellejade0 or if you want to send me a sweaty pic on instagram its @myfatscrying - get social media active people and let me know what you want to see! 

Happy monday!

Lots of hardwork and dedication 


Sunday 28 July 2013

Whim #6

My Ryan Gosling motivation went down really well last week, infact it is the most viewed post that i have done haha so i thought id continue with this sort of motivation...so i bring you... the god of all men...

CHANNING TATUM


So no excuses...if you need to print this off and take it to the gym with you do so, or stick it on your fridge or snack cupboard because who would want to disappoint that? certainly not me!

We had a BBQ yesterday for my graduation, and i ate far too much food, i think i ate my body weight in crisps (my biggest downfall) so when my alarm went off i hit off and rolled over....but i felt bad and the gym gods wouldn't let me go back to sleep so off i went and i'm glad i did. It was a really good workout, as always (which i shall post later) and i really pushed myself today and lifted heavier than i usually would. and i proved to myself that i can do it, it may take me a little longer to complete the reps but i got there and i saw a progression and i felt really proud of myself. So do something today that you can feel proud of and that reflects what you have been working towards, push out of your comfort zone and you will be amazed with what you can achieve!

Happy Monday

Lots of hardwork and dedication

p.s - god i love a p.s don't i? I'm working on a '5 day clean up' i was hoping to post it yesterday but time got away with me so i shall post it later on and hopefully you will all join me!

remember to follow me on instagram @myfatscrying and on twitter daniellejade0 and #myfatscrying on both when you are dong any workouts i post or making any recipes

speaking of recipes our summer house is finally finished which means i get to do all my baking in there and it is so pretty and full of pretty cooking things i'm so excited!!!

Saturday 27 July 2013

Banana & Cinnamon Crepes

God i made these absolutely ages ago and completely forgot that i hadn't posted them...but as i always say better late than never right?

These are a great breakfast choice that wont cost you your cheat meal WAAHOO!!



You will need
  • 1 egg (or two egg whites if you want to be even better)
  • 1 tsp of cinnamon 
  • 1tsp of sugar or sweetner
  • 1 banana (half for mixture, half for filling)
  • 1/3 cup of oats - around 30g
  • 1/4 cup of almond milk
  • 4 strawberries (or any other berries you wanna use for the filling)
This mixture should make 4 - 6 crepes depending on the size of your frying pan and how thick you make them.
  1. So first of all cut the banana into rounds, take half of it and mush it up, and then put it in your blender
  2. Add in the dry ingredients and whizz it all up
  3. Then add the egg and almond milk, whizz it up and make sure it is all mixed in properly
  4. Turn your hob on and spray your frying pan with 1kcal spray
  5. Then cook :)
  6. Put a few bits of banana and strawberry inside, (i then put on a very tiny bit of pure maple syrup), roll up and eat!
YUM!!

Try them and let me know what you think. If i remember correctly the entire mixture has around 180kcal in but i think that was using two egg whites instead of a whole egg. But it definitely isn't more than 250kcal :)

Lots of hardwork and dedication 





Friday 26 July 2013

TGIF 2

Welcome to your second TGIF workout...they just get harder and harder...I think Duncan plans these death workouts as a way of punishing us for making him be out of bed for 6am....

so here it is...


As always i've changed some exercises to make them at home friendly...but i left the monkey bar swings as an option because they're so much fun and if you are working out at a park you should be able to do them :)

Everything is pretty self explanatory except cobra push ups maybe so here is a quick video as a demonstration :) 





Thursday 25 July 2013

Protein Oaties


I've finally ventured into the baking world of protein...usually my experimental cooking doesn't go to great...when i say experimental i mean chucking ingredients together and hoping for the best BUT for once IT PAID OFF and i've actually made some good protein cookies...the name was decided by a friend of mine at the gym...i like it!



So all you will need is:


  • 1 scoop of biohazard raspberry protein - £1 per scoop at zest gym
  • 80g oats - 20p
  • 2 tbsp of agave syrup - £3.30 from a health food shop so 40p ish?
  • 1 tsp natural vanilla extract - 10p
  • Enough almond milk to bind but not make it soggy about 1/4 cup - 10p



mix all the ingredients together, line a baking tray with grease proof paper and spray with 1kcal spray, roll into 8 balls and place on the baking tray, flatten them down and then pop in a pre-heated oven for around 15 minutes, flip them over and bake until done to your liking.

The mixture gets so sticky so i tried not to handle them for too long!

Also be careful not to burn yourself like me...i'm so clumsy and now have THREE burns :(

So again i give you a clean recipe that takes next to no time to make and cost £1.80 for EIGHT COOKIES thats just...27p each! OMG!! so no excuse that clean eating is boring and expensive!

Anyway enjoy and sorry this is a little late today and that i've been rubbish and not posted but i have had a really busy day...spent around 5 hours making my cousins birthday cake...which i am going to upload as a cheat meal idea haha! I will also change the ingredient list to a fancy photoshop edit when i get a chance!

Let me know how yours come out and if you make any other flavours....i also made some using cookies and cream protein because im obsessed with it! they are also delicious...

Lots of hardwork and dedication

Wednesday 24 July 2013

Feel the burn 2

Here is your hump day workout guys!

OMG all of my energy is zapped today, i fell asleep when i got in from work for 2 hours hence why this workout is coming to you a little late...but better late than never...so if you haven't worked out today this is sure to give you a great cardio burn as well as building some lean muscle which we all know is essential for burning fat right?


can you see a resemblance to cardio burn 1? thats because Steve follows they same format but changes up the exercises each week which i really enjoy because i know what to expect...so all of Steve's workouts will be collected into the titled 'cardio burn' :)

So a couple of notes....i changed a few of the exercises so that this can be done anywhere....remember on a kettlebell swing you can just use anything that you can get a good grip on...switch arms after 30 seconds.

For chest flys lie on your back arms extended to the sides with a weight in each hand, then lift both arms up to meet each other directly over your chest (arms still extended)

I this hurts you as much as it hurt me :) I also did 30 minutes of spin after so if you want to go completely beast mode why not go for a run/powerwalk/bike ride :)

ENJOY...that body isn't going to happen by itself ;)

lots of hardwork and dedication

Tuesday 23 July 2013

Feel good Fajitas

How have a forgot to post this? 

One of the simplest meals I have ever healthyfied. It comes from my days of being a student where cheap and easy meals were favoured being healthy was a bonus :) 


Simply make chicken in fajita spice and substitute your wrap for an iceberg lettuce leaf...so incredibly cheap to make and you save over 100kcal per wrap

Why not use zero fat natural yoghurt instead of mayo or sour cream and save your self even more calories! 

Bon appetite :) 

Lots of hardwork and dedication

Ps I've just finished a great cross fit circuit class that I shall share with you tomorrow and then I did spin after...my legs are dying...if you did the bubble butt workout you will be feeling my pain right now! 

Danielle's Peanut butter cups

Okay so i have been saying im going to attempt to healthyfi these for ages now and i finally did and OH MY GOD they taste amazing...


As you can see they are no bake as well which means they are even easier to make!

Now for mine i used cookies and cream protein powder instead of co co and they taste sooo good but its doesn't bind perfectly with the coconut oil so i added a bit of coco tot he mixture i used on top and it set much better... you may also substitute the agave syrup for pure maple syrup or honey if you would rather but just remember there is a lot of flavour going on already and agave syrup is an alternative to sugar without much flavour :)

for 124 kcal you cant go wrong, all the ingredients are natural and clean so these are good for you PLUS there is no actual chocolate involved BONUS!!

I went on a massive hunt for cheap coconut oil and luckily i found some in Waitrose for £5 but in holland and barratt it was nearly £16!!!!!

So give it a go...i will def be making these again i can't tell you how delicious these were so go ahead and make them and let me know how yours come out! upload a pic to instagram and tag me @myfatscrying

Oh here is a picture of mine... the white bits are just coconut oil but it doesn't taste of anything :)



Also i would just like to add if you have any questions but don't want to post them on here feel free to email me my.fats.crying@gmail.com :)

NEXT UP: protein balls

Lots of hard work and dedication (and guilt free snacking)

Tuesday talk #1

So i've been trying to put together an ideal day of what i eat so that i can share it with you and so that you can see thats its not bland to eat clean :)


So on the menu is...

Breakfast: Protein shake mixed with Almond milk, Wheetabix with almond milk, banana and fat free yoghurt

Elevensies: Usually a granola bar and raisins

Lunch: lots and lots of veggies, a wholewheat bagel with homous - Moroccan is my fave

3'oclock munchies: protein shake

Dinner: Chicken, roasted veg and sweet potato with some coleslaw

Sweet tooth: Strawberry and Banana home made ice creams

Also drink lots and lots of water :)

I think i might make this a feature on tuesdays... hopefully give you some good ideas of what to eat and how you can mix and match to create you own ideal day :)

Coming later tonight Danielle's (better than reeces) protein peanut butter cups...eeeeeep so excited

Lots of hardwork and dedication

Monday 22 July 2013

Bubble Butt workout

Okay have you heard that song called Bubble Butt by Major Lazer? its literally on the radio all the time at the moment so i decided that this workout should be named after this song AND my butt is killing after doing this workout so its kind of fitting.

Now in true blonde fashion i forgot to take a picture of the workout we did this morning and there was a lot to it so i've been trying to remember it as best as i can



I know it looks horrendous right? It is! try doing it while you are still a little bit hungover :( waaah! but i survived so you will too!

This is curtsy of LLoyd so if you need someone to thank for being able to 'turn around, stick it out and show the world you have a bubble butt' Lloyd will be the one :)

It is truly an insult to music that song but unfortunately its kind of catchy so download it turn it up loud and begin this workout!

LEt me know how you are finding these workouts! Are they to hard? do you want anything a bit easier? bit harder maybe? or anything else, just let me know!

Anyway im off to attempt to make some peanut butter cups, wish me luck!!

Lots of hardwork and dedication




Whim #5

Monday morning again...

Now i am only assuming that girls are reading my blog and following it (sorry to all the boys out there if you are following this) but my phone is broke which means the image i had all ready for this fine monday morning i can no longer access so as always i went to interest and i stumbled across this and thought it would be rude not to share it with you


Yuuuummy....who doesn't love a bit of ryan gosling so set you up for a good week? So if you are thinking of skipping your beginning of the week workout think again...you wouldn't want to disappoint Ryan would you?

I've already done my monday morning workout and my god it was a KILLER!! but i'm 100% sure Mr Gosling was impressed with me.

So i shall be sharing with you todays workout a bit later on when i finish work along with some other exciting stuff :)

Speaking of work, i have a new job, and for all my sudbury readers i would LOOOOOVE for you to pop in and see me...i now work at the Coffee house down Gainsborough street (opposite prezzo), they do all sorts of yummy things including freshly made sandwiches and salads, granola pots and if you are having a cheat day some cake and the best coffee ever....PLUS fresh smoothies and iced coffees for this glorious weather

I would really appreciate if you could all like the facebook page 

https://www.facebook.com/coffeehousesudbury?fref=ts

Have a good monday, check back later for your 'bubble butt' workout

Lots fo hardwork and dedication

Sunday 21 July 2013

Feel the burn workout

If unlike me you are feeling fresh today here is a workout for you to do on this sunday afternoon! I did this the other day and it sure gets your heart rate up. I've changed a few of the exercises so that you can do it where ever you are. However, if like me someone forced you to drink waaaaay to much last night why not just try this one in the morning :) I don't drink very often so when i do i suffer big time with hangovers...boo!!

So i've made it in to a printable again so that you can take it with you and this time you can tick off each exercise as you go :)


Steve put this workout together, his circuits are always cardio intense so they are really good for getting that fat off :)

Enjoy your sunday!

Lots of hardwork and dedication


Friday 19 July 2013

Mums homemade burgers

So recently someone asked me what should i eat then? doesn't eating healthy take a lot of time and money?

the answer is NO and here is a quick recipe perfect for theses summer days that we should be making the most of!



My mum makes these all the time and they are so yummy...and so simple!

I sometimes crumble a bit of cheese into the mix or put in some cajun spice because i am OBSESSED with cajun spice!

I usually cook them on the lean mean fat grilling machine (i wish they made one of these for human fat) but we BBQ'd them the other day and they came out so nice!

So you've seen how easy they are to make but what about the other question of cost....

Lean mince from tesco - £4 or buy three packs for £10 and freeze the others
Half a red onion - 20p
Fresh Basil - practically free once you have bought a plant because it keeps on growing...but lets just say 20p

So you have a total cost of £4.40 making each burger just £1.10....you can't get nice, fresh burgers with no added animal bones and what not for cheaper than that!!

So just to recap not only are these so simple to make (you can make loads and freeze them thats what we do), they are also cheap to make but most importantly they are so clean...and you no exactly what you are putting into your body!

Have a go at making them and let me no any variations you make!

Lots of hardwork and dedication

PS do you like the design? im trying to make everything a bit easier to read and keep track of so you can print this off if its easier...not that there is a lot to remember

TGIF WORKOUT

Morning all,

IM OFFICIALLY A GRADUATE!! and now have much more time on my hands...i have so much to blog about that i'm not sure where to start, i have a lot to catch up on so make sure to check back regularly but i thought id just give you todays workout and then sort of work backwards over the weekend!

So i thought id try something a little different today...i created a little image that you can print and take with you as i know that sometimes there are a lot of exercises to try and remember so here it is...


It should take around 30/40 minutes to complete but don't worry if it takes you longer just remember to keep good form and do it with 100% effort! So most of the exercises i have modified so that you can do this workout at home but if you have no stairs just go ahead and do mountain climbers for two minutes!! 

For the Bicep curl to shoulder press just take a weight in each hand or something heavier and use two hands, curl it into your chest and push above your head :)

Press ups to failure basically means do as many as you can until your body won't physically let you do any more, you should be able to do 100 if you drop down to your knees but this should make you burn out :)

I hope you like the little design and that it makes it easier for you to complete these workouts...Oh BTW Duncan put us through this workout so as always if you are looking for someone to thank or abuse head over to https://www.facebook.com/ZestGym?fref=ts

Have a wonderful weekend and remember to keep active and make smart choices that your future self will thank you for!

Lots of hardwork & dedication

Wednesday 17 July 2013

Your hump day workout

This morning we done an awesome cardio burn circuit and I can't wait to share it with you BUT a lot of my readers don't have access to the gym so I'm going to make it into a little printable that you can take anywhere even the park :) I mean why not make the most if this weather and catch a tan while working towards that body you so desperately want? So i shall do this sometime over the weekend as i am GRADUATING tomorrow so dont have the time today or tomorrow :)!!

So as a little workout (though dont be fooled its so hard) I thought if share with you the 100 BURPEE BURNOUT oh yes it will make you sweat but it's very satisfying :) 

So you do 10 of each variation of burpee - there are 10 variations hence the name 100 burpee burnout :)


So some are self explanatory some not so much...

Down down up up - do your burpee when you are in the press up position go down to your elbows push back up to your hands then jump up -that's 1 

Half super man - burpee, then when your in the press up position lift opposite arm and leg, then switch then jump back up  

One arm and one leg are exactly that....make sure to switch over half way through these two sets 

Front kick - burpee, get up and kick out in front of you on each leg

Shoulder tap - burpee, when you are in press up position tap opposite hand to shoulder, do both shoulders then jump up

Hip twists, do the same as down down up up, when you reach the down position twist one hip to the floor and then the other push back up and jump up 

Leg swings - do your regular burpee but instead of jumping the legs straight behind you, jump them to the side 

Tuck jump burpee - do a regular burpee but thus time when you jump up you are going to do a tuck jump :) 

And that's that, it should take around 15 minutes so what I want you to do is run 1 mile before and 1 mile after to make this into a full workout

Enjoy!! 
I think I might upload a video of this so you can see me doing it but that won't be for a few days :) so have a go and just make sure you sweat 

Lots of hardwork & dedication

Tuesday 16 July 2013

Strawberry and banana ice-creams

So I've been wanting to make some fruit pops for a while as i always freeze frubes and they are deliciousj but thought it might be better to make my own as they will be a lot cleaner

so while I was on a trip to homebase for my dad I saw some lolly moulds so decided to buy them - on dads credit card of course! Well he had just made me embarrass myself at homebase looking for all sorts of screws and stuff BUT I did lift big bags of bark by myself for which I'm proud of...I'm def getting stronger....if by the way you wonder why I write def it's not to be cool it's because I'm dyslexic and genuinely can't spell the word and it never gets corrected by spell check and I've kind of got used to it now and quite like it :)

Anywaaaay it's time to show you my fruit pops 


Yuuuuummy!!

All I did was blend one banana with a little bit of almond milk then put it in the moulds 

Wash the blender

Chop and blend strawberries then put then on top of the banana 

Then put the sticks in...taking care not to put them in upside down like me...I know I'm a bit special sometimes

Put them in the freezer until they are solid and then eat!! So refreshing and clean its unreal! Why not try it with your favourite fruits! 

Is there anything you want me to try and healthyfi? Please let me know because I'd love to do things you actually wanna see!! 

Lots of hardwork & dedication

Clean Vegan Key Lime Pie

When i discovered this recipe i was very skeptical about making it i mean WHAT THE HELL IS KEY LIME PIE?

i have no idea where the word key comes from? lime yeah but pie? now pie to me is pastry based like apple pie! This is actually more of a lime cheesecake.

So anyway i made it and here is the out come


Looks pretty doesn't it....well although all the ingredients are extremely clean and natural it still packs a whopping 176kcal and 13.1g of fat a serving (the fats come from the avocado so it's good fats at least)...and the base will be very thin...i however did not like the base as it is made out of walnuts and the tastes just didn't quite gel together

HOWEVER the cream bit was my kitchen revelation...now i'm sure you have all heard of banana ice-cream...(frozen bananas blended) well what about frozen blended avocado? sounds gross? think again...i squeezed a load of lime juice and then grated lime zest into avocado...blended it up (well attempted to...my blender isn't great) and then put it in the freezer for about an hour...it tastes just like sorbet but has good fats in their as well!

So from this lil kitchen experiment i have two new recipes...

KEY LIME PIE

For the base

  • 85g walnuts 
  • 6 medjool dates (soaked in water for about an hour)
For the top
  • 2 avocado's
  • 4 limes
  • tbsp of sugar

  1. drain and pit the dates, and then put the base ingredients in your blender and blend it all up
  2. put the base into a pan or individual ramekins and press down 
  3. wash your blender and then put the avocado, lime zest and lime juice into the blender and blend it all together...hopefully yours will come out smooth unlike mine
  4. then put you cream onto the base and then pop into the freezer for an hour or so
  5. dish up and decorate however you choose...i topped mine with strawberries because i love them :) 
You're done.

AVOCADO & LIME ICECREAM

  • 2 avocado's
  • 4 limes
  • tbsp of sugar
  1. blend it all up as smooth as possible, put it is a dish and freeze for about and hour :)
SO EASY ITS ALMOST TO GOOD TO BE TRUE I KNOW

Let me know what you think...i'm going to try the key lime pie again with a different base so i shall let you know how i get on...i am also making some healthy peanut butter cups because who doesn't LOOOOOOVE peanut butter?

Lots of hardwork & dedication

Luck has nothing to do with it

There are a small handful of people in this world who can stay slim while eating a load of crap and very rarely working out...which everyone thinks is great and become envious...but why? no matter how slim a person is, if all they do is shovel fat ridden sugar infested foods into their gobs then they are not healthy...your body shape doesn't determine you health and while yes being slim is great surely your internal health should mean a lot more to you? (plus if you make smart choices with your food your body will show the world your smart choices)

But what really bugs me is that i don't stay slim while eating a load of crap, in fact if i even sniff as much as a chinese takeaway i'm sure i gain 10 pounds, so when people say 'you're so lucky you're so slim' it really gets on my nerves because luck has nothing to do with it. I workout nearly every day and 2 or 3 days a week i workout twice a day....i am always conscious of what i put into my body (obviously apart from cheat meals) so thats how i stay slim...and its not easy, in fact it is actually quite hard to have strict control of what you eat...working out is the easy bit...how hard is it to go and workout for an hour i mean you have another 23 hours in the day and thats where its hard because for those 23 hours you must control what you put into your mouth. But its not impossible you just have to want it bad enough

So if its not luck what is it? I keep saying it over and over and in fact i sign all my blog posts with it...it is sheer hard work and dedication nothing more and nothing less.



So put the excuses away stop thinking that luck has missed you out and go clean up your cupboards and go kick some ass in the gym!

Have a great tuesday! also check back later for a kitchen disaster that actually turned out to be a kitchen revelation (well i think so anyway), its zesty healthy and sweet but above all its super clean and super good for you....

Lots of hardwork & dedication

Monday 15 July 2013

My color run experience

Well I have just discovered blogger on my phone which means I can reach you anywhere any time...how awesome ;) 

Any way so in a previous post I told you that I would be doing the color run...and I did! In 31 degree heat...it was extremely sweaty but such a great experience!


At every km there are volunteers with what I can only describe as ketchup bottles full of this powder and they squirt/chuck it on you...such a fun run. They don't give you a time because its meant to be for fun with no pressure so would be a great first race if you are new to running/fitness! 

It was crazy...15000 people all wanting to be coloured in like a rainbow and I got extremely covered in fact It won't come out of my blond hair...so girls (and boys) with blond hair don't be a douche like me wearing your hair down trying to make the headband look a bit cooler put your hair up and possibly wear a hat! Unless you don't mind having pink hair...I mind because I have to graduate on Thursday!

 I loved this sign because I thought it mimicked the title of my blog


And at the end they give you a pa let of colour and at the stage they have a finishers festival...they do a count down and then you all chuck colour into the sky and create a rainbow cloud...pure brilliance! 

I was also given coconut water for the first time, it's extremely good for you a d a perfect way to hydrate naturally with flavour! I will def be investing in some in the near future! 

So that was my experience! Have you done a color run? Would you like to do one? Let me know!! 

Lots of hardwork & dedication 



Monday madness

Afternoon all

have you worked out yet? If not have no fear i have finished work and finally have time to share with you the workout i did this morning...This one is curtsy of Lloyd....so remember if you do this workout and want to thank or abuse him head over to the Zest facebook page and let him know.

Now i'm not going to lie it was a HARD workout but it is extremely satisfying when you have finished it.


 But what Lloyd fail to write was that tuck jumps are actually squat to a tuck jump...i no he led me into a false sense of security as well.

So on round one do it exactly as in the picture
On round two reduce all the 50 reps to 25
and on the final round reduce everything to 15 (except stair runs and the 0.25 mile sprint)

Or if you wanna go completely crazy and have the time do what you see 3 times

Okay so if you are working out at home here are some modifications...


  • no dumbbells for the burpee press? go find some cans of beans or water bottle
  • No kettle bells...find something heavy that you can get a good grip on for the kettlebell swing
  • No stairs...go ahead and do mountain climbers for 2 minutes
  • No pull up bar? like ive said before hold heavy weights above your head and jump :)
  • Knee raise's...just do 25 crunches if you have no where to hang from 
Good luck! I felt great after completing this workout and i'm sure you will too!!

Let me know if you try it :)

Lots of hardwork and dedication

Whim #4

Monday again... time really is just passing me by at the moment and so i thought today id share something with you that i stumbled upon on pinterest




Other than being very colourful which is always good for a monday morning the words also stuck me. Lately i've been wishing the time away because i just want to start my teacher training and why time seems to be doing what i want i think its important that we begin each day being grateful for something. Most of you reading my blog are most likely trying to change your bodies but while we are looking to the future to our 'ideal' bodies we should take the time to be grateful and happy with the bodies we have and even more so, be thankful that we have the ability and power to change what we think needs changing.

ANYWAY whim over! Make sure you start your week with a great workout, one that challenges you and make sure you SMASH it...i will be posting later the workout i did this morning which was an absolute killer but i feel great for doing it....I will also be sharing with you later my experience of the first ever UK color run so make sure you check back for those...I am also working on some healthy clean eating muffins which i can't wait to share with you :)

What are your plans this week? I graduate on thursday (OMG!!) which means i can't go to one of my favourite classes on wednesday evening as i will be at the hotel in Leicester (yuck)...so i might do a little hotel workout instead!

Happy monday

Lots of hardwork & dedication

Friday 12 July 2013

Oh my quad!!

Good morning,

So I thought id share with you this mornings workout...



Yes i know it looks horrendous...and it was. HOWEVER it was a very good workout, the workouts that make you pull stupid faces like 'what the hell' and 'i'm sure i'll die if i do this' usually are the good ones...we only have a half hour class in the morning and so the big x3 that you see was a little unachievable BUT it makes you go faster to try and complete as much as you can...I managed one and a half rounds in the 30 minutes but carried on to complete two full rounds...

So here is how it works

If you are at the gym you can do every thing on the board as i'm sure your gym will have the basic equipment needed...however here are some modifications if you are missing some stairs or a place to do chin ups

do 35 burpees to warm up

THEN THE FUN BEGINS

  • 25 chin up 25 press ups 20 chin-ups 20 press ups 15 chin-ups 15 press ups 10 chin-ups 10 press ups 


simples unless you have no where to do chin ups... as an alternative find some heavy dumbbells hold them above your head and jump up as high as you can)


  • now go for a 0.2 mile sprint (or sprint on the spot for 1 minute 30)


shake your legs out because you are about to understand why i titled this post 'oh my quad'...

  • 25 squats 25 squat jumps 20 squats 20 squat jumps 15 squats 15 squat jumps 10 squats 10 squat jumps


Now for some lovely stair runs...in the gym we are lucky to have two sets of stairs that lead to other training areas...if you are at home i'm sure you have stairs (unless you live in a bungalow which would be unfortunate for this workout)

MODIFICATION - 30 second mountain climbers


  • So run up the stairs or do 30 second mountain climbers
  • 10 crunches
  • run back down or do 30 second mountain climbers
  • 5 burpees


repeat this section for a total of 10 rounds

To finish off row 500m or if you are without a rower run half a mile

and when you finish all of that...you have completed ONE WHOLE ROUND!! so you only have two more!

NOW i would like to again remind you that i have not made this workout up...we have Duncan the instructor from the gym to thank for this torture :) so remember if you make it to the end and have time (and live near) pop in to the gym and let him know how hard it was...or if you're so dead you can't make it to the gym go to the Zest page on facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/ZestGym?hc_location=stream ) and THANK HIM or abuse him for the pain.

Completely off subject but i'm too excited not to share this news....one of my best friends Vanessa (the girl who inspires motivational mondays) won entry into the color run UK in london and guess who she asked to do it with her...ME!! and im soooo excited! I've wanted to do one for years and its finally come to the UK!! so i shall post after sunday all about the days events!!

Lots of hardwork and dedication

Thursday 11 July 2013

One of those 'urgh' days

Today when my alarm went off i really wasn't feeling a workout...but feeling like i was cheating myself i got up and went to the gym....BUT i should have listened to my body...i was tired and when i got to the gym i struggled through the workout...i didn't even make it to the end and now i feel crap...where as if i had listened to my body and had a longer sleep i would probably feel 100x better now.

So i just want to highlight the importance of listening to your body...its dawned on me that i am probably training too much (though i have cut back a bit) and i need to learn that it's okay to take a few days off so long as I go hard on the days I train and make sure I keep on track with my eating habits.

So while we are on the subject of taking time out make sure you have a cheat meal...i mentioned this the other day but it is important that you give your body what it wants rather than what is needs on this very special occasion...i call it a special occasion because that is what it should be...one meal, one day a week, nothing more! An amazing blogger i follow religiously, Cassey Ho (blogilates) likes to call it a YOLO meal, which, although i hate that saying it kind of seems appropriate because it is a reminder that while we should look after our bodies on the inside and out, we should remember that we only get on life so indulging every now and again is okay!

HERES A HANDY TIP

I don't like cheat meals because i always feel like ive gained 10 pounds and un done all of my hard work BUT one of the very nice instructors at the gym today, actually his the owner of the gym, Al, told me that the next day we should sip on water as the reason we bloat/puff up/feel the size of a house is because our skin sucks all of the salt out of our food and retains water weight....which kind of seems ironic that we should then drink water but it goes something like this

eat naughty food which is high in salt - body retains water - drinking water the next day makes us pee - pee out water retention and debloat (and get glowey skin) :)


Anyway i thought id share with you a workout of Cassey's that you can take to the gym or do at home


click here to watch the video, she shows great alternatives if you do not have the equipment :)


It is a great workout and handy to print out and take with you to the gym...i substituted hollow rocks for  40 crunches because i just cant do hollow rocks...she has others in the series...4 i think but i haven't got round to doing the others yet but i will and i shall blog once they are done!

Heres me when i did it the other day...#sweatypic




SO GO DO IT...unless you're having an 'urgh' day then go back to bed, have a bath, paint your nails, anything that is relaxing....for me im baking...i looooove to bake! today i'm decorating a birthday cake i've been asked to do...its going to be covered in so much chocolate its probably going to give them all the sugar shakes...but it's not me eating it so what the hell! Maybe ill even post a picture so you can all drool over it praying that your cheat meal will hurry the hell up!!

Anyway

Lots of hardwork and dedication



Wednesday 10 July 2013

Why not try mixing it up

So i absolutely LOVE it when people tell me they are actually reading my blog and a friend of mine has asked if i will start posting some more cross fit style workouts that i do...some will be easy to do with out a gym others not so much HOWEVER i will try and give at home variations so you have no excuses not to do it!

So this morning as per usual i went to the gym at 6am, i sat down in the coffee area as we do most mornings awaiting our early morning death sentence...we entered the gym to see the WHITE BOARD...yes it is a moveable board which the instructors write exercises on which means you work on it at your own pace but you have to do a certain number rather than doing circuits where you have a set time. So im trying to remember what we did today and it went a little something like this

(warm up for 5-10 minutes before the class starts)

50 dead man press ups (go all the way down and take your hands off the floor, takes a while to master the technique)
0.25 mile sprint
50 plate lunges (hold a weight above your head and alternate lunges - 25 on each leg)
0.25 mile sprint
50 burpees
20 chin ups (if you can not do chin ups at home what i want you to do is hold a dumbbell in each hand above your head, arms straight...then simple jump as high as you can :)  )
1 mile run
100 crunches
100 squats

try this and tell me how you felt...this is how i felt...


It was such a good workout and something you can easily do at home...however i love the buzz of doing it in a group so why not get some people together and have some cross fit fun :)

Lots of hardwork and dedication :)

(just for the record i did not make this workout up! Compliments to JAN the gym instructor for putting this workout together...so if you do it and love it be sure to pop in to zest(if you live near by that is) and thank him for an awesome workout)

2% down

Okay so I had my body analysis done 3 weeks ago...not know what a body analysis is?
 well it says it in the name...its an analysis of your body...what you are made of in terms of fat a muscle...i was really happy with my results...18% body fat with a muscle mass of 41.8kg not bad....then yesterday i had it done again...thinking i had gained weight i was very skeptical about my results BUT although i had gained .7kg i had LOST 2% body fat and gained 1.5kg of muscle! I nearly fell over (just kidding but i was very happy) One of the best results was the visceral fat rating...which is basically the fat around your internal organs...mine is as low as it can be (unless you can get zero but i'm not sure you can) and i maintained that over the three weeks...to me knowing that i am healthy on the inside is one of the best things to be told because you can see the benefits on the inside so to know what im doing is making me healthy is a great feeling.

Heres my body analysis's



So how have i done it? Pure hard work and determination....you may have noticed i sign all of my posts  'lots of hardwork and dedication' and there is a reason for that....its the only thing that will get you results....you cant half arse a workout or slack on your diet and expect to see a change....also for the record when i say the D word (diet) i don't mean starving yourself to the brink of death i mean eating good whole foods that fuel your body for a positive attitude CLEAN EATING

So i have been doing a lot of this...


Crossfit style workouts are the best way to get fat off your body because it is never the same so your body doesn't get used to what you are doing, you can do so much with this style of workout and it can be great fun (as well as pure hardwork). A lot of people think that running on the treadmill for an hour everyday will get them nice lean shape BUT ladies you need muscle so that you can optimise your metabolism (thing that burns calories) even when you are doing nothing

I've been eating a lot of these...



Until recently i have been eating ALOT of fruit....but apparently all the sugar in fruit causes your body to store fat...who knew? not me thats for sure! but since i've cut down to one or two pieces a day and swapped on to veggies i feel less bloated and my tummy is flatter which was one of my main goals.

I couldn't have done it with out the encouragement of all the gym instructors...finding a gym that you feel comfortable and happy in is so important because it means you are confident to try new things. There is a group of us who go the cross fit classes every morning i like to call us TEAM AMAZING because lets face it we achieve more by 7am that most people achieve in a day! They also keep me going when i want to give up!

So, train hard, eat well and find a gym (or a group of people) that you can workout with and have fun doing it but remember it is okay to have a cheat meal once a week AND I SAY CHEAT MEAL because i mean it...you can't have a whole cheat day because lets face it that is just full out cheating...so plan a cheat meal it will give you something to look forward too!

Im still working on my one week clean eating diet plan so keep your eyes peeled for that in the next week or so!

Have you achieved anything this week that you are proud of? Let me know i would love to know!!

Lots of hardwork & dedication

Monday 8 July 2013

(converted) Peanut Butter Lover

In a bid to eat cleaner I've ditched the Nutella and turned my attention to peanut butter and i have to admit it is growing on me!

So today for lunch i added in some peanut butter...now i hate sandwiches and i hate salad so lunch time can be quite a tricky meal for me but alas Wholemeal bagels have saved lunch times



So today i toasted my bagel and spread some peanut butter on it, added in some chicken and cucumber and woola! it was done! I thought it was really tasty but i guess some of you may find it a bit dry...but i dont like soggy foods so this is perfect for me!

What do you have for lunch usually? are you sure you are getting everything you need into your main meals?

This week i have sort of written myself a 'clean eating' plan...im going to share it once ive tried it out and tweaked some things...(and actually written it down because actually its in my head)

Anyway

Lots of hardwork and dedication

Whim #3

Sorry this is a little late in the day but i've been trying to catch some rays on my day off...but better late than never right! There is still time to motivate yourself to eat well, drink more and workout.



Im a true believer in positive energy. If we surround ourselves with a positive people it causes us to be a lot more optimistic and therefore we put a lot more into our workouts and diets. NOW one thing we have to be truly grateful for is the glorious sunshine that we have been blessed with this week....I myself am a major sun worshiper and like to make the most of it when it comes around because us poor brits are a bit hard done by in the sun department. Don't you just feel so much better when the sun is out? i do! my whole attitude changes, i become a lot more positive, i find it a lot easier to avoid junk food and i find that my body craves water! And finally the sun also acts as a constant reminder that it is BIKINI season and i will soon be on holiday and having to wear my bikini...if that isn't motivation i don't no what is!

So remember
Be positive, take control and be confident with yourself

Lots of hard work and dedication

Thursday 4 July 2013

Maple and Oat yoghurt

I know i know, im a little bit obsessed with maple and oats but they just taste so good!



It's such a quick and inexpensive snack idea all you need is...

Yoghurt of your choice, I use Rachel's organic fat free vanilla because it just tastes sooooo good 

A spoon of oats

And a drizzle of pure canadian maple syrup 

It's that simple, the total cost of the snack is around 60p...much cheaper than a bag if crisps which are something stupid like 80p for a handful bluuuurgh! 

Happy snacking

Lots of hardwork and dedication 





Zero noodles

Hi all!

So i was walking round Holland and Barrett the other day and i came across these zero noodles! i had seen them used in a lot of American recipes but didn't know you could get them in England!



So basically they are an alternative to noodles for people wanting to loose weight so you can add in a ton of veggies and lean protein (chicken, turkey or tofu) yet you will feel fuller even though you are eating less!

They have ZERO sugar ZERO salt ZERO gluten and they are organic and fat free!

The whole pack has eight calories in, which is very little so you do need to make sure you are adding a lot of other foods to it. For sauce i made a sweet chilli sauce and it was delicious - i will post the recipe soon :)

THE VERDICT

The initial smell wasn't very nice i have to admit but when i had cooked them up they didn't taste of anything so that was good. The texture was a bit strange to begin with but i did get used to it. These are a good alternative if you are wanting to loose weight but they are a bit pricey at £1.99 a pack.

Let me know if you've tried them, and how you made them into a meal

Lots of Hardwork and Dedication

Monday 1 July 2013

Getting personal

So i thought it was time to get a bit personal and share with you my progress so far.

As you have gathered i love being at the gym i go twice a day and wouldn't have it any other way....well until i had to go back and work at the pub...which means that i sometimes work until 2am leaving me absolutely shattered in the mornings so trying to make 6.30 classes is a struggle but i have to say i finished at 12 last night and i got up at 5.45 this morning and guess what I SURVIVED! no i didn't want to go, i wanted to stay in bed but i made myself get up and i was really glad i did because it was such a good class (blog to follow) and i feel so much better for going.

Okay lets cut to the chase...these pictures were taken just over a week apart and over the course of the 8 days i ate really clean and trained twice a day. I was actually really shocked with the progress i made in just a week...the main change i made that week was with my diet, by cleaning it all up and eating fresh foods i actually done my self proud and yes i have drawn a crop top on one of them i wasn't expecting to use the image haha




So this week im going to try really hard to get back to eating clean as i've kind of been slacking in the kitchen recently but to me the proof is in the picture and it goes to show what a little discipline can do for you. Everything i know about diet is really learnt on the internet i do a lot of research into whats good for me and what changes i can make to help me progress. I'm trying to share all that i know but it is taking a long time (i guess that just means i have a big brain full of lots of information) but i promise to keep on sharing and hopefully inspiring

No matter what stage you are at in your fitness journey take a picture of yourself so that you can create you own progress picture just remember to put a sports bra on :)

Lots of hardwork and dedication