Getting Fit Doesn't Mean Losing Weight

Everyone thinks that getting for is measurable on the scales but its not always the case.

Don't get disheartened when you start exercising and the scales go up. It happens to the best of us. I had a tablet review with the nurse who had to take my weight and she moaned about the increase; not even she realised that they aren't always correlated. 

This photo shows the reduction in fat that I have noted with the body fat calipers. The calipers only measure millimeters less than when I started.

Even the doctors don't understand that getting for includes building muscle (you'll weigh more) and taking in more water ( you'll weigh more). 

Even if your weight goes up you're still improving don't give up!!!

Need inspiration? Just head to Instagram. So many to chose from but my fave is #naughtygirlseatclean who also uses #ngec workouts and recipes. She is also on fb head over to SJX Fitness

Today

One of  my friends got back from uni yesterday so we went for some drinks and after getting very hungry, a fudge cake =( 

So today had to kick it back in a little. (I could have done a lot more but am restricted on time, height and various other things)

I was gonna have a nice healthy breakfast but am to short to reach any of the cereals except the coco pops =S but healthied it up but substituting my semi skimmed milk for hazelnut alpro.
This saved approximately 3g of sugar, 60 calories a small victory for the day.

Due to shopping and mum needing my car I didn't have as much time to exercise as I wanted but made the most of what I could.

The floor is still a little messy ( its covered in christmas decorations and boxes ) so I couldn't do proper sit ups - I need the sofa to hold my feet down. Instead I did the better compact movement - Crunches.

Next I did an evolution on crunches - a mix of vertical leg crunch and crunch to your legs if I had a ball I would have used this to make more of the exercise. 

     - start by crossing your legs in the air 90 degrees to the floor
     - crunch raising your arms towards your toes
     - lower your arms back to the floor and engaging your abs lift your pelvis off the floor

        using a medicine ball will make more of the exercise as your burn more calories

After I tried a new exercise for me, kick backs.
     - on all fours, keep your back straight, abs engaged
     - kick your leg back straight for 20 reps, change leg
     - repeat for 3 sets

At the gym I only had half an hour while my mum was in the area so I didn't get much but did 9 min treadmill, uphill with 3 'sprints' and 18 minutes cycling level 4. Not long, or many calories burnt, but a personal milestone, longest cycle I've managed at the gym.

Tonight's dinner, I would have takn a pic but it was too good to resist and I ate it straight away.

1 bell pepper
Cous cous (already prepared) with basil
1 spring/salad onion finely chopped
sprinkle of cheddar

stick it in the oven for 20 mins gas mark 5/6 - our ovens not very reliable so adjust where necessary

=D much better than yesterdays meals/drinks

Enjoy the exercise ideas and my little recipe

Improving recipes

Today I made some lovely cranberry and hazelnut flapjacks. This is the recipe I used but it can be altered to make it healthier.

Cranberry and Hazelnut Flapjacks

 Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

100g Natural Selection Ideal Ingredients Dried Cranberries150g butter75g golden syrup125g  jumbo oats125g porridge oats50g roasted hazelnuts, chopped.

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180°C (Gas mark 4) and grease tin with butter. In a saucepan gently melt the butter, then add the sugar and golden syrup. Heat until smooth and syrupy. Add oats, cranberries and hazelnuts and mix well. Place the oat mixture into the tin and press down gently with the back of a spoon. Bake for 15 minutes in the oven.

It neglects to say how much sugar so I used 100g of brown sugar for the colour. How to make them healthier: 

1. Measure in grams how much sugar you needed and replace with same weight of maple syrup. 

2. Maple syrup has lower sugar than golden syrup so as long as its thick enough to hold your oats together use that!

3. Almonds have more protein, less calories, less fat tons more calcium and magnesium. 

Adding any dry ingredient like fruit flakes, protein powder, or nuts just substitute that weight of dry ingredient from the oats. Try it out!!!
Original recipe from Natural Selection

saying no to laziness

It can be so easy to say no to working out or doing anything. But its important to keep motivated as much as possible.

Yesterday at the gym, their fire alarm went off and I was so close to calling it a day. Disrupting your workout can be dangerous as you don't get back  into the swing of things. My motivation yesterday was my tablet review appointment today. Today's motivation is that I got back on the bike after having to evacuate yesterday.

Carrying on after you decided to give up is a great achievement and a great source of motivation each session.

When you haven't got the energy to carry on get in the right state of mind, working out sometimes is a job but JUST DO IT!!!!!

Lunch idea avocado chicken salad

Shake paprika over chicken mini breast fillets. Grill, I place tin foil to collect the juice help coat the chicken - plus it cooks quicker.

Cut half an avocado, 2 leaves romaine lettuce, cucumber, half bell pepper, handful of spinach and toss together. 

Throw the chicken on top. 

I grated some cheddar over the top to add a kick to the avocado =D

A lovely, healthy, filling lunch or dinner option. Low calorie, high vitamins great and quick meal idea!!!

Weights Room | How to exercise when ill

So I'm still ill =( and this cold is making it impossible to breath so hard cardio isn't a choice at the moment.
I thought I would give you an insight into how I exercise when I'm ill.

I always like to start any session with a cardio warm up as even using weights you need to get your HR up and kick in your metabolism a little.

Warm up: 7 mins cycling level 4 a gentle warm up, followed by 5 mins cross trainer, gets your legs and arms working, stretched and ready for lifting.

Main exercise:
1. I start with shoulder press as I find that the most difficult machine and every week I try increasing it by 2.5k but at the moment I'm only capable of lifting 10k. Set the weight so you can manage but the last rep is a real struggle! 10kg, 10 reps, 3 sets
the order afterwards depends on how many idiotic men sit on the machines doing nothing or talking and not exercising; you want to chat go to a coffee shop and get off my machines!
2. Chest press. Again every week I try to up it but by 5k. 25k, 10 reps, 4 sets
I visited the chest press again and tried 27.5k as I couldn't get to my multi tool bicep/tricep machine
3. Leg extensions. 30k, 10 reps, 4 sets
4. Squats with exercise ball. 9 squats tenth hold for 10 seconds, 4 times
5. Sitting on your exercise ball to balance bicep curls and tricep extensions. 2k (3 for curls when available) 10 reps, 5 sets
6. Leg press. After doing the squats I wasn't sure what my legs would hold so I started at 30k, 15 reps then each set increased 10k up to 80k - next week I'll try 90k

Cool down: Reclining bike 5km level 4. Then importantly STRETCH that's how to avoid DOMS - that pain after exercising.

Don't let illness ruin your workouts this winter
For those in my area after trying out other gyms I'm very happy to use the weights room and cardio at Loughton gym, part of the Everyone active gyms with great online extras, tips and workout plans