Morning!
I am very vocal about my hatred of cardio... the 60minutes on a treadmill, sitting on a bike in the gym and watching Corrie on the TV at the same time slowly moving your legs around for 45mins.... I HATE IT!!
But... cardio IS essential to any fitness or fat loss journey. It is great to improve your overall fitness levels and can assist that fat burning process.
I have been through quite the relationship with Cardio...
1. Initially when I was losing weight I did ALL cardio. Running was my thing, I signed up to 5k and 10k races to keep me focussed and motivated. I attended spinning classes regularly. The weight did come off
2. I then went to weight training, no cardio! After doing so much cardio my skin just hadn't "Toned up" if you like with my fatloss. I had a PT who never mentioned cardio, our sessions were solely weight training and that was "great for fat burning and tightening the skin and is good for your overall fitness too" So... about 4 months I trained with NO cardio whatsoever, just a cheeky 5 min warm up on the cross training pre each session.
Both experiences in my opinion were wrong. It isn't 100% in or out when it comes to cardio. The past 6 months I have been increasing my cardio & trying to determine what level is required for the results I want. I read numerous articles recommending HIIT (High intensity interval training), then other says LISS (low intensity steady state) is the way forward. I think all I can say is... it depends on you. What do you enjoy?? I HATE LISS training I find it so boring, I hate all cardio really but I think HIIT Training makes it a little easier as even though it is intense it is over with before you know it.
My new focus in Feb is to ensure I do cardio EVERY training day (I feel myself squirming as I write that).
I thought I would share some of my fave & most effective cardio sessions... give them a try!!
Download "Interval App" to set these up on your phone.
1. Step Machine
This is a killer in my opinion. I never have seemed to be good at walking up stairs!!
2 mins warm up at a steady pace to get your heart rate up.
30 seconds on - I do this at level 13 which is quite quick for my little legs!
30 seconds - Rest! I literally hit the stop button and stand there panting. I am quite the fan of an active rest however I think this one definitely requires a stand still moment.
Do this for 10 sets!
That's 12 MINUTES in total..... I usually spend the next 5 minutes lay down contemplating life and if I will survive!!
2. Rower
Set the rower to level 5 and warm up for approx. 5 minutes (do 1,000m as your warm up)
30 seconds on.... this is rowing at full speed, fastest that you can go!! You should be able to monitor how fast you're going (I think it is rows per minute on the screen). Make sure you determine your fastest level, then keep hitting it.
1 Minute active rest. You're still rowing but not overly exerting yourself. You should still be rowing at a decent pace though!
Do this for 10 sets. When I initially started I got to 8 sets then ended the session as it was tough, now I do 10.
That's 18 MINUTES in total with 5 of that being your warm up!!
I try to do this after I have trained back!
3. Body Weight Circuits
I HATE these, however, these are by far for me the most effective HIIT training I can do.
Here are some of the combinations:
Combination 1:
1. Step ups
2. Mountain Climbers
3. Burpees
Combination 2:
1. Squat Jumps
2. Toe Taps
3. Rope Swings (Use the massive ropes and move your arms out/in, not up and down)
For each combination try:
30 seconds for each exercise
30 second rest
Repeat the circuit 4 times.
Try and count how many of each you do and beat it each time.
In total that is 12 MINUTES but is an absolute killer!
Give them a try and see what you think! Enjoy :-)
Sunday 31 January 2016
Sunday 24 January 2016
My take on The Body Coach....Chicken Chicken Chicken!!
So....I recently saw this post on Facebook which I totally agree with. I have been recommending the new Body Coach recipe book but also following that with a caveat that "you need to tweak the recipes as they are really high in fat!".
The book itself is great for ideas, really easy recipes, no fancy ingredients! HOWEVER, as someone who tracks her macros I was gobsmacked when I calculated one portion of protein porridge and realised it took up over half of my days allowance (I have 164g Carbs, 150g protein, 53g fat... I'm on decent macros here!)
So instead of me slating this and saying stay clear of the recipe book I thought I would share how I have tweaked some of the recipes to fit into my daily allowances and make them a little friendlier to my waist line!
I have gone slightly chicken crazy this week as I got an amazing deal at Best of Bury Butchers so had 5kg chicken breasts to play with!! Give some of these recipes a go & let me know what you think. I have included the macros per serving for each (obviously will be slightly different depending on brands).
Ingredients:
200g spinach
155g onion
96g chorizo
98g half fat mozerella ball
195g cherry tomatoes
620g raw chicken breasts
Method:
1. Fry the onion and chorizo in the pan for a few minutes, add the chopped chicken breast and season. Cook for a further 10mins until the chicken is nearly cooked.
2. Add in the halved cherry tomatoes and cook for a further few minutes, adding in the spinach allowing it to wilt.
3. Once cook, tear the mozerella into pieces and make holes within the chicken/chorizo and add in the cheese. Remove from the heat and allow the cheese to melt.
4. Serve. Due to the reduced macros you could serve this with a side of sweet potato wedges!
Macros:
Calories 360
Fat 14.4g
Carbs 7.1g
Protein 47.6g
Page 126 in The Body Coach recipe book.
Ingredients:
775g miniature potatoes
140g spring onions
2tsp garam masala
3 garlic cloves
850g chicken breast
280g frozen spinach
Method:
1. Prick the new potatoes with a fork and add to a bowl, microwave for 2.5minutes, rest for 30seconds then microwave for an additional 3 minutes.
2. Fry the garlic and spring onions in a large pan for a few minutes, add in the garam masala. Slice the new potatoes and pour into the pan.
3. Add the chicken breast (chopped into chunks) and a splash of water to prevent the spices from burning.
4. Cook for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, add the spinach and allow it to cook for a few minutes.
Macros:
Calories 324
Fat 2.6g
Carbs 27.9g
Protein 44.3g
I have changed this quite a lot as I wanted more vegetables in mine and I didn't have any pak choi in the house!!
Ingredients:
200g onions
3 garlic cloves
820g chicken breast
160g peppers
300g courgette
20g acacia honey
1 red chilli
4 tablespoons light soy sauce
8 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
Method:
1. Slice the onion, peppers and courgette and add to a pan, fry with the chopped garlic
2. Slice the chicken breast and add to the pan with a splash of water - cook for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through
3. In a bowl finely chop the red chilli, add the soy sauce, honey and rice wine vinegar and mix well.
4. Once the chicken is cooked remove from the heat and stir in the dressing.
5. Ready to serve. I had his with some Singapore rice noodles.
Macros:
Calories: 244
Fat 2g
Carbs 13g
Protein 40.2g
Enjoy! xx
The book itself is great for ideas, really easy recipes, no fancy ingredients! HOWEVER, as someone who tracks her macros I was gobsmacked when I calculated one portion of protein porridge and realised it took up over half of my days allowance (I have 164g Carbs, 150g protein, 53g fat... I'm on decent macros here!)
So instead of me slating this and saying stay clear of the recipe book I thought I would share how I have tweaked some of the recipes to fit into my daily allowances and make them a little friendlier to my waist line!
I have gone slightly chicken crazy this week as I got an amazing deal at Best of Bury Butchers so had 5kg chicken breasts to play with!! Give some of these recipes a go & let me know what you think. I have included the macros per serving for each (obviously will be slightly different depending on brands).
Cheesy Chorizo Chicken (Serves 4)
200g spinach
155g onion
96g chorizo
98g half fat mozerella ball
195g cherry tomatoes
620g raw chicken breasts
Method:
1. Fry the onion and chorizo in the pan for a few minutes, add the chopped chicken breast and season. Cook for a further 10mins until the chicken is nearly cooked.
2. Add in the halved cherry tomatoes and cook for a further few minutes, adding in the spinach allowing it to wilt.
3. Once cook, tear the mozerella into pieces and make holes within the chicken/chorizo and add in the cheese. Remove from the heat and allow the cheese to melt.
4. Serve. Due to the reduced macros you could serve this with a side of sweet potato wedges!
Macros:
Calories 360
Fat 14.4g
Carbs 7.1g
Protein 47.6g
Saag Aloo with Chicken (Serves 5)
Page 126 in The Body Coach recipe book.
Ingredients:
775g miniature potatoes
140g spring onions
2tsp garam masala
3 garlic cloves
850g chicken breast
280g frozen spinach
Method:
1. Prick the new potatoes with a fork and add to a bowl, microwave for 2.5minutes, rest for 30seconds then microwave for an additional 3 minutes.
2. Fry the garlic and spring onions in a large pan for a few minutes, add in the garam masala. Slice the new potatoes and pour into the pan.
3. Add the chicken breast (chopped into chunks) and a splash of water to prevent the spices from burning.
4. Cook for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, add the spinach and allow it to cook for a few minutes.
Macros:
Calories 324
Fat 2.6g
Carbs 27.9g
Protein 44.3g
Chicken Teriyaki (Serves 5)
Page 154 of The Body Coach recipe book.I have changed this quite a lot as I wanted more vegetables in mine and I didn't have any pak choi in the house!!
Ingredients:
200g onions
3 garlic cloves
820g chicken breast
160g peppers
300g courgette
20g acacia honey
1 red chilli
4 tablespoons light soy sauce
8 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
Method:
1. Slice the onion, peppers and courgette and add to a pan, fry with the chopped garlic
2. Slice the chicken breast and add to the pan with a splash of water - cook for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through
3. In a bowl finely chop the red chilli, add the soy sauce, honey and rice wine vinegar and mix well.
4. Once the chicken is cooked remove from the heat and stir in the dressing.
5. Ready to serve. I had his with some Singapore rice noodles.
Macros:
Calories: 244
Fat 2g
Carbs 13g
Protein 40.2g
Enjoy! xx
Wednesday 20 January 2016
Find your inspiration...
What Inspires You?
One of the most important things in any fitness, health or weight loss journey is finding what inspires you!! Inspiration will keep you on track, act as your reminder and show you that it is possible to achieve your goals!
My inspirations have changed over time and range from people on TV, people I have met at the gym, fitness gurus on Instagram, my friends (cheesy I know!). I'm also inspired by FOOD...sounds crazy right but good food is one of the biggest reasons I stay on track! So actually I suppose recipes inspire me and that's why I love sharing my food pics / ideas with everyone else....
So here's my top 3 inspirations right now:
One of my biggest inspirations at the moment is Michelle Lewin! I came across her months ago on Instagram. She posts regular fitness videos which show how hard she works. The other day I was blown away when I saw her post this progress picture. This goes to show that EVERYONE is on a journey and everyone has made sacrifices to get somewhere!! She is definitely keeping me on track at the moment.
I also use myself and my own results as my inspiration. there is NO shame in being inspired by your own results. I think it is important to always remember how far I have come as it reminds me that the hard work I put in does lead to results. The results may not be immediate, I get frustrated when I don't see changes straight away but this has always been the case. Seeing the change in me so far reminds me of the possibilities of the changes that may come in the future.
And finally....FOOD! My favourite thing of all. I flick through recipes every weekend to try new things, to experiment and give new foods a chance! I set up this blog to show people that being healthy doesn't need to be boring and I intend to do that. The latest food pic I shared on my Instagram (curves_with_confidence) seemed to be quite the hit, so, I wanted to share the recipe with you guys to hopefully inspire some of you!
Butternut Squash & Spinach Lasagne
Ingredients (Serves 3):
500g butternut squash (Tesco frozen)
2 Garlic cloves
20ml Balsamic Vinegar
400g Plum Tomatoes
125g Spinach
125g Lasagne Pasta Sheets
40g Parmesan cheese
200g Tesco Light Cottage Cheese
60ml Skimmed Milk
Method:
1. Roast the butternut squash until soft
2. In the meantime place the crushed garlic, plus tomatoes and balsamic vinegar in a pan and simmer for 20mins until thickened slightly
3. In an oven proof dish spread a little of the tomato sauce, add a layer on spinach then the roasted butternut squash. Sprinkle with some parmesan cheese. Layer with some pasta sheets and repeat (excluding the butternut squash as this should all be used on the bottom layer).
4. On the final layer of pasta sheets, combine the cottage cheese and skimmed milk to loosen slightly, layer on top then sprinkle the remaining parmesan.
5. Place in the oven for 40-50mins, 200degrees until the pasta is soft.
Macros
Carbs 53.5
Fats 6.7
Protein 22.7
Calories 375
Give it a whirl & let me know if you are feeling inspired xxx
One of the most important things in any fitness, health or weight loss journey is finding what inspires you!! Inspiration will keep you on track, act as your reminder and show you that it is possible to achieve your goals!
My inspirations have changed over time and range from people on TV, people I have met at the gym, fitness gurus on Instagram, my friends (cheesy I know!). I'm also inspired by FOOD...sounds crazy right but good food is one of the biggest reasons I stay on track! So actually I suppose recipes inspire me and that's why I love sharing my food pics / ideas with everyone else....
So here's my top 3 inspirations right now:
One of my biggest inspirations at the moment is Michelle Lewin! I came across her months ago on Instagram. She posts regular fitness videos which show how hard she works. The other day I was blown away when I saw her post this progress picture. This goes to show that EVERYONE is on a journey and everyone has made sacrifices to get somewhere!! She is definitely keeping me on track at the moment.
I also use myself and my own results as my inspiration. there is NO shame in being inspired by your own results. I think it is important to always remember how far I have come as it reminds me that the hard work I put in does lead to results. The results may not be immediate, I get frustrated when I don't see changes straight away but this has always been the case. Seeing the change in me so far reminds me of the possibilities of the changes that may come in the future.
And finally....FOOD! My favourite thing of all. I flick through recipes every weekend to try new things, to experiment and give new foods a chance! I set up this blog to show people that being healthy doesn't need to be boring and I intend to do that. The latest food pic I shared on my Instagram (curves_with_confidence) seemed to be quite the hit, so, I wanted to share the recipe with you guys to hopefully inspire some of you!
Butternut Squash & Spinach Lasagne
Ingredients (Serves 3):
500g butternut squash (Tesco frozen)
2 Garlic cloves
20ml Balsamic Vinegar
400g Plum Tomatoes
125g Spinach
125g Lasagne Pasta Sheets
40g Parmesan cheese
200g Tesco Light Cottage Cheese
60ml Skimmed Milk
Method:
1. Roast the butternut squash until soft
2. In the meantime place the crushed garlic, plus tomatoes and balsamic vinegar in a pan and simmer for 20mins until thickened slightly
3. In an oven proof dish spread a little of the tomato sauce, add a layer on spinach then the roasted butternut squash. Sprinkle with some parmesan cheese. Layer with some pasta sheets and repeat (excluding the butternut squash as this should all be used on the bottom layer).
4. On the final layer of pasta sheets, combine the cottage cheese and skimmed milk to loosen slightly, layer on top then sprinkle the remaining parmesan.
5. Place in the oven for 40-50mins, 200degrees until the pasta is soft.
Macros
Carbs 53.5
Fats 6.7
Protein 22.7
Calories 375
Give it a whirl & let me know if you are feeling inspired xxx
Sunday 17 January 2016
The first of many.....
Hey all!!
So after so many messages & comments on my Instagram asking for recipes, health advice, training plans I thought it would make sense to set this blog up to share my own journey in a little more detail but also post some of my recipes and fitness programme!
A little about me first then...I will let you all get to know me more in my upcoming blogs!
This is me (or should I say WAS me):
This is me now:
I still love food!! The only difference is I have a massive interest in health and nutrition, some serious goals and I train ALOT! My health is my biggest interest now.
So if you ever think you can't change your habits, think again.
I hope to share with you some tips on how to make some changes in your life without feeling deprived.
Since I look food so much I cook ALOT! So get ready for some mega recipes (including the macros for those who track them like myself).... As a start I want to share this one with you!
Bombay Chicken
This is from the Jamie Oliver Superfood book - with a few tweaks!
Ingredients (Serves 4):
800g Cauliflower
Stock cube
330g Total 0% Yoghurt
1 heaped tsp curry powder
1 heaped tsp turmeric
2 garlic
15ml balsamic vinegar
680g raw chicken breast
Method
1. Grate the raw cauliflower and place in a pan with the stock cube and water (just enough to cook, not too much). Cook for approx. 7mins until soft and all water soaked up.
2. Place the yoghurt, curry powder, turmeric, chopped garlic and balsamic vinegar in a blender. Blitz until a smooth paste.
3. In a large oven dish spread the marinade. Chop the chicken in to chunks and mix into the marinade. Pour in the cauliflower & combine so it is all covered.
4. Place in a pre-heated oven (200 degrees) & cook for 20 minutes.
Macros
Carbs 12.8
Protein 57.2
Fat 6.4
Calories 334
Review
This was so easy to make and has a great flavour!
I love the combination of cauliflower and chicken, it makes a change for a curry to not be full of onions, peppers etc.
Great to serve with some spinach, poppadoms and some rice if desired (although no need for the rice actually as the cauliflower bulks this up considerably).
Let me know what you think guys!xx
So after so many messages & comments on my Instagram asking for recipes, health advice, training plans I thought it would make sense to set this blog up to share my own journey in a little more detail but also post some of my recipes and fitness programme!
A little about me first then...I will let you all get to know me more in my upcoming blogs!
This is me (or should I say WAS me):
I loved food! Any food... I didn't care how unhealthy it was! In fact I didn't know how unhealthy food was. I didn't exercise, I didn't consider my health in the slightest. This is me now:
I still love food!! The only difference is I have a massive interest in health and nutrition, some serious goals and I train ALOT! My health is my biggest interest now.
So if you ever think you can't change your habits, think again.
I hope to share with you some tips on how to make some changes in your life without feeling deprived.
Since I look food so much I cook ALOT! So get ready for some mega recipes (including the macros for those who track them like myself).... As a start I want to share this one with you!
Bombay Chicken
This is from the Jamie Oliver Superfood book - with a few tweaks!
Ingredients (Serves 4):
800g Cauliflower
Stock cube
330g Total 0% Yoghurt
1 heaped tsp curry powder
1 heaped tsp turmeric
2 garlic
15ml balsamic vinegar
680g raw chicken breast
Method
1. Grate the raw cauliflower and place in a pan with the stock cube and water (just enough to cook, not too much). Cook for approx. 7mins until soft and all water soaked up.
2. Place the yoghurt, curry powder, turmeric, chopped garlic and balsamic vinegar in a blender. Blitz until a smooth paste.
3. In a large oven dish spread the marinade. Chop the chicken in to chunks and mix into the marinade. Pour in the cauliflower & combine so it is all covered.
4. Place in a pre-heated oven (200 degrees) & cook for 20 minutes.
Macros
Carbs 12.8
Protein 57.2
Fat 6.4
Calories 334
Review
This was so easy to make and has a great flavour!
I love the combination of cauliflower and chicken, it makes a change for a curry to not be full of onions, peppers etc.
Great to serve with some spinach, poppadoms and some rice if desired (although no need for the rice actually as the cauliflower bulks this up considerably).
Let me know what you think guys!xx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)