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

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

Todays Gym Plan

Tonight after dinner I'm going to the gym and here's what I will be doing.
This feels like a nice balance of cardio and weights and can be altered while there to get even more out of my workout.

Warm up:

Treadmill - Increase speed up to 6 over 4 minutes hold for 2 mins, increase speed to 8 for 1.5 mins, decrease to 6.5 for 2 mins, increase to 9.5 for 1.5 mins, decrease 6.5 for 1 minute cool down 1 minute = Total 13 minutes

Main exercise:

Bike - 7 minutes resistance 5 with two 30 second sprints in the middle
Shoulder Press - 2 sets, 10 reps 5kg (I'm a little weak when it comes to this exercise) then try 10 reps, 7.5kg
Squats with Ball - 4 sets of 10
Front Row (seated cable machine) - 3 sets, 15 reps, 25kg; 1 set, 15 reps, 30 kg
Chest Press - 3 sets, 15 reps, 25kg
Reclining Bike - 10 minutes, interval training
Row Machine - 1000 meters
Leg Extension - 3 sets, 10 reps, 30 kg
Cable Tricep Extension and Bicep Curl - 3 sets, 10 reps, 15kg
Leg Press - 3 sets, 20 reps, 50kg

Cool Down:

Cross Trainer - 12 minutes, resistance 4
Stretches - Arms, back, legs hold each for 20-30 seconds

Go home feeling happy that you got off your backside XD
How would you improve tonights workout? Whats you favourite workout plan?