CLASS REVIEW - SOULCYCLE NYC

November 27, 2023 / No Comments

Pretty much everyone who I asked for advice on what I should do as a fitness tourist in New York told me that I had to try out SoulCycle. As a massive fan of spin classes it was of course top of my list.

The only class I could fit into the trip was 8am on our first morning in the city so joined by my sister-in-law we crept out of our apartment into the fresh morning. A brisk 20 minute walk through Soho and we soon found ourselves spotting people who’d obviously been to SoulCycle. They were easy to spot because they were the only people in leggings and sweaty vests on a chilly NYC morning, they were all smiling, oh and they were all wearing SoulCycle branded clothing. I mean, all of them. I knew it was like a cult here in NYC but really?

We went into the sweaty Soho studio to some very friendly faces at the desk, got kitted out with our shoes and water bottles and nervously watched the people coming out of the class before us dripping with sweat. The air-conditioning was a ‘little slow’ that morning which contributed to the sweat but we thought nothing of it.

After a quick turnaround clean in which the studio was sprayed with eucalyptus scent we went in and found our bikes. At this point my phone was taken away from me to be returned after the class which annoyed me slightly. I get that taking photos during the class would distract people which is why I would never dream of doing that but not even for the standard fitness blogger post-spin photo posing on the bike with the instructor? Whatever.

Grace was teaching the class and had picked a playlist made entirely of Billy Joel music. It was truly inspired. What little breath I had spare throughout the class went on singing along, my favourite thing to do during spin classes with great music.

The class was pitched perfectly with a good mix of standing up, ‘tapping back’ where you frantically try to move your bum back and forth over the seat in a standing position in time with everyone else, press ups, hovers and sprinting. I get bored in spin classes that don’t have enough variety so this suited me. We also had a long track in the middle of the class of upper body and core work with hand-weights that burned like nothing else.

Throughout the class Grace kept us going with some cheesy puns, off-bike dancing and inspiring words. She even moved bikes a few times during the class coming to sit alongside people to encourage them.

The last 3 tracks were done with the lights off and eyes closed. It was at this point that I realized why SoulCycle deserves the accolades it gets. Working to your own pace and climbing your own hill with the encouragement of the instructor in the background gives such a feeling of euphoria and focus that I pushed myself much harder than I thought I would.

All too quickly it was over and I was blinking the sweat out of my eyelashes. I’ve never sweated like that before in a spin class, which is mostly down to the AC playing up, but also showed how hard we were working. It was like doing bikram spin. Now there’s a thought…

Anyway, if you’re in New York I would highly recommend making time for a SoulCycle class but book in plenty of time (classes open for booking 7 days before) as they fill up quickly. First-timers can book a class for $20 (like I did) and get their shoes for free but expect to pay $1.50 for a bottle of water.

If you’re based in London and want a similar experience I’d suggest heading to 1Rebel and trying out a spin class from either Melissa Weldon or Tiago Silva, both of whom teach inspiring and endorphin-boosting classes with totally banging tunes.

 

 

REDISCOVERING THE JOY OF RUNNING

November 24, 2023 / No Comments

You know the feeling when you try something that you really don’t like, have a horrible experience and never want to try it again? Well I have that with fruitcake and more recently running.

I know, another post about my battle with running. However, this post is a confession and gauntlet being laid down all in one.

Following my triumph at the London triathlon in August and skimming over of the pain and desperation that I felt during the run I haven’t actually been for a run since that race. That’s nearly 4 months that I haven’t laced up my running trainers and gone for a trot.

The reason is that I felt like I left myself down on the running leg of the triathlon having had my strongest open-water swim ever and a solid bike performance. The 10km run took me over 30 minutes longer than my PB and I spent most of it walk-jogging trying not to cry. Mentally it hurt so much that I’ve ignored running since and semi-consciously replaced it with other forms of cardio such as swimming, cycling, boxing, spinning and circuit-training.

However, on my recent holiday I decided that it was time to break the cycle of denial. How could I go to New York and not run?! My plan was to head up to Central Park and join the hordes of other runners but as we were staying way downtown in the East Village I just couldn’t fit it in.

Instead on our last morning I laced up the old trainers and headed out into the early-morning chill with my fiancé and sister-in-law. We decided to attack the Williamsburg Bridge as it was practically on our doorstep and seemed like a good way to get some great views of Manhattan.

The first 1.5km were hell as always. My ankles were grumbling, my breath was ragged and my legs felt heavy. On I plodded up to the apex of the bridge where the views were indeed breathtaking. When I set off again after some photos I suddenly remembered what this is all about.

Charlie Dark’s mantra of ‘right foot, left foot, smile, repeat’ popped into my head and I started repeating it to myself. Running is simple when you break it down. It’s not about going as fast as you can or about as far as you can, it’s about putting one foot in front of the other and seeing where you get to mentally and physically.

I ran without headphones, one of the best habits that Run Dem Crew has got me into, and soon enough we were at the other side of the bridge. As we approached the turning point I suggested some sprints and so off we all went, recovering between manhole covers and racing back up the slope to the bridge.

Coming down the other side my mind started drifting back to that triathlon run and I felt sad that I had let one bad run get the better of me.

That brings me on to that gauntlet that needs to be laid down… Next year I will be taking on the Hackney half marathon. It’s more than double the furthest distance that I’ve run and even the thought of signing up makes me feel anxious. I know however that by signing up with friends and with the support of Run Dem Crew I will be smashing that half that is right on my doorstep. Also, it is 6 weeks before my wedding so the thought of that will be keeping both feet moving.

Watch this space for training reports and more musings on running as I get back into it.

 

Hi-PRO HIGH PROTEIN CHICKEN SATAY RECIPE

November 4, 2023 / No Comments

You know those emails that pop into your inbox and you open purely because you’re on autopilot? Well luckily for me I did…

The lovely people at Hi-PRO Nutrition said possibly the best words anyone could ever say to me…. ‘Do you want to try our new high-protein peanut butter?’. Various phrases involving bears and woods came to mind but in essence I said yes and eagerly awaited my delivery.

There are plenty of protein nut butters out there on the market but what marks Hi-PRO out as different is that the extra protein in there comes from peanut flour and whole peanuts rather than added whey which means the taste is entirely peanuts. I’m not a fan of the flavoured nut butters either really because I just like the taste of the roasted nuts too much.

Hi-PRO is 33% protein providing 5.1g of protein per serving of 15g along with 7.4g of fat and 0.9g of carbs. Compared to other products on the market the protein is 1g higher and the carbs are 1g lower per serving making it perfect for people who are following a high-protein diet. Every gram counts people!

Seeing as I’m eating an awful lot of protein at the moment in a quest to build up my baby muscles this is music to my ears but rather than just spread it on toast (or eat it out of the jar with a spoon, who am I kidding…) I wanted to create something savoury with it.

Cue my favourite dish, chicken satay. It’s a really simple recipe, can be on the table within 20 minutes of starting cooking and packs a hefty protein punch. Oh and it’s totally tasty. What more could you want?

If you want to find out more head over to the Hi-PRO website or check them out on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Recipe serves 1 person

Ingredients:

1 x tbsp Hi-PRO peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)

1 x tbsp soy sauce or tamari

1 x tbsp water

1 x tsp minced ginger

1 x tsp minced garlic

1 x tsp sesame oil

1 x chopped chilli (deseeded if you don’t want it too hot)

1 x chicken breast chopped into bite-sized pieces

Method:

In an oven-proof dish combine all of the ingredients apart from the chicken until it forms a paste. Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees. Add the chicken, cover with the marinade, leave in fridge for 15 minutes to soak up the flavours. Put chicken in oven for 15-20 minutes. When the chicken is piping hot all the way through and not pink inside your dinner is ready!

To serve:

Transfer into a bowl or plate and garnish with sliced spring onion and a squeeze of spring onion. I served mine with steamed brown basmati rice and steamed cavalo nero and broccoli but you could have white rice, noodles or a vegetable stir fry on the side

In case you’re interested the macros for just the satay chicken made to this recipe are:

Calories - 426

Protein - 59

Carbs - 6

Fat - 18

 

Disclaimer: I was provided with the products and paid to create this recipe but all opinions are my own

SHREDDING FOR THE WEDDING

November 1, 2023 / No Comments

In case you didn’t already know I’m getting married in June next year to this wonderful beard

I always said that I don’t want to be one of those brides that loses so much weight before her wedding that she doesn’t look like herself in the photos but I definitely want to look my best.

I already have my wedding dress having found it in a shop that sells ex-sample gowns and I therefore can’t change shape too much because whilst seamstresses are incredible they aren’t magicians. Plus, I love my body, from my muscly calves to my wide hips to my small boobs, so I don’t want to change it or lose my curves.

So here are my goals to achieve before I get hitched:

  • Reduce my body fat by 5%
  • Be able to do 5 strict bodyweight pull ups (because how cool would that look in my wedding dress?!)
  • Continue to lift weights at least 4 times a week to grow muscle and enhance my curves

I’m following a new routine that I intend to follow all the way up to the wedding because it’s the most achievable and realistic programme that I’ve ever come across.

Nutrition-wise it revolves around counting macros within a certain amount of calories to reach your goals. To explain, macronutrients (macros) are carbs, fats and protein, all of which you have to eat in certain proportions, depending on what works best with your body. For example on days that I work out I eat high-protein, high-carb and low fat. Then on rest days I eat high-protein, high-fat and low carb. The beauty of this way of eating is that as long as I make sensible choices I can pretty much eat anywhere because I can just adjust my macros for the rest of the day to fit whatever I’ve just eaten. I try to eat home-cooked, unprocessed food for most of the week and then allow myself a little bit of leniency once or twice a week to indulge my cravings. Due to this freedom I haven’t really slipped up because I’ve been able to eat most things that I want!

When it comes to exercise I’m lifting weights in the gym 4 times each week plus 2-4 cardio sessions depending on what takes my fancy each week.

5 weeks later I’m already feeling on top of the world. While I’ve only lost 3lbs I can see the visual evidence of fat loss. I feel so much leaner and stronger and can start to see my little muscles popping out.

I can’t wait to see where I am in the next 5 weeks, keep an eye out for Shredding For The Wedding Part 2