WHY I’M RUNNING THE GAUNTLET AGAIN

December 26, 2023 / No Comments

You might remember how I took on the Gauntlet Games earlier this year with 4 of my friends (as the Gauntlet Girls) and had one of the best races of my life.

The excitement and joy of running 10k across country with some great friends, laughing so much we could hardly breathe and taking on the gladiators at each obstacle was so much fun that we’re going to do it all over again! It’s such an accessible event with a 5k option too meaning that anyone can get involved, it’s the perfect way to get into obstacle racing.

We’ll be taking on the 10k distance again this year at one of the events as well as being gladiators at the London event.

The Gauntlet Girls are teaming up with the Gauntlet Games to bring you some great training tips, special offers and exciting updates so watch this space!

To start with you can get your hands on one of 200 golden tickets which will give you a 20% discount off the entry price. Solve the anagram in the image below and enter the answer into the promo code box (all capitals) when entering your race online. If the code doesn’t work then have another go at solving the anagram or all 200 of the golden tickets have been redeemed. There will still be plenty of spaces available and you can still enter at the normal price.

TOP TIPS ON HOW TO STAY ON TRACK OVER CHRISTMAS

December 16, 2023 / No Comments

Mince pies, mulled wine, turkey and stuffing sandwiches, chocolate advent calendars, Christmas parties, hungover breakfasts, the list of temptation goes on.

But what happens if you have goals that don’t mix with that list above?

I, for one, am working towards the best body that I can have for my wedding in 6 months time. So while I’ve still got time to work on it I don’t want to lose sight of my goals over the next few weeks.

So here are my top 5 tips that I’ll be sticking to over the festive weeks:

1) Don’t let the workouts drop

If you’re going to eat a few extra carbs then you might as well put the energy to use and smash your workouts. If you’re lifting weights it might be a good time to try for that PB that’s been eluding you or if you’re a cardio queen, use that extra fuel to go further, faster or longer. If you can’t make it into the gym then set up some circuits at home and get sweaty or grab the rest of your family out for a long walk to burn off those breakfast mince pies

2) Limit the booze intake

It’s impossible to avoid at this time of year but try to limit the damage by alternating alcoholic drinks with water and drinking less calorific drinks such as vodka, fresh lime & soda. If you do have a blowout then sweat it out with a workout the next morning and refuel with plenty of water and a lean bacon sandwich with a micronutrient-packed side of steamed spinach, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms

3) Make the right choices

There can be a lot of dinners and lunches with friends, colleagues, family and clients at this time of year and there’s nothing more testing to willpower than a Christmas menu. However, if you make the right choices you can save yourself a lot of calories and stick to your plan. Go for grilled meat or fish (or turkey breast), steamed vegetables and boiled or steamed rice or potatoes. Ask for sauces on the side so you can control how much goes on your food. And then, since you’ve been so good with your main course, get a dessert. With extra brandy butter on the side.

4) Don’t beat yourself up

Slip-ups do happen, especially when surrounded by so much temptation so don’t get too stressed out. A meal off-track doesn’t have to turn into a day or even a week off-track, just shrug it off and hit it with your next workout or meal. One meal (or even two) will hardly affect your body so don’t feel like you’ve failed

5) It’s Christmas, give yourself a break

Admittedly this isn’t a tip to keep you on track but it is a tip to keep you balanced over the festive break. If you try to stick to your plan 100% you might struggle so go on, indulge yourself a little. If you are hitting your workouts, making the right choices and enjoying spending time with friends and family then a few mince pies or extra glasses of mulled wine is good for the soul.

 

 

 

MyProtein - Product Reviews

December 9, 2023 / No Comments

If you’ve been following me on Instagram you might have seen that I’m following a high-protein diet at the moment to help my muscles recover from all of the heavy weight-training that I’m doing. With just over 6 months until I tie the knot I’m beasting my body into shape.

With 143g of protein to consume each day plain chicken breasts get boring very quickly so I turned to my friends at MyProtein (or click here if you’re in the US) for some help.

A huge hamper of goodies arrived so I’ll take you through it product by product.

1) Protein crisps

These are probably the standout product because they satisfy my craving for crisps, which is WAY bigger than my craving for sweet things. At 100 calories per pack with 11g protein, 5g carbs and 3g fat they’re perfect for hitting those mid-afternoon cravings for something crispy and savoury. I tried them in the sweet chilli & sour cream flavour and they get a huge thumbs up from me

2) Protein pasta

Now this I was a little sceptical about because I’ve always been a great believer in having a bowl of pasta if you want a bowl of pasta, none of this zero-calorie noodle stuff. Each 30g portion comes in a little bag which you throw into a pan of boiling water, bag and all. I know, weird right? I went with it and it actually cooks perfectly in its little bag! By itself the pasta has a slightly more wholemeal/vegetabley taste than normal pasta because of the pea & soy proteins but in a sauce you won’t notice the difference as the texture is really good. I tend to use one 30g bag with some added greens for bulk mixed with a tin of tuna and some homemade pesto sauce. It’s a good option for days when you just don’t have the macros for proper pasta. Each 30g provides 18g protein, 6.3g carbs and 0.6g fat for 103kcals

This was 2 servings (60g) - WAY too much for one person

3) Protein wafers

If you’re a lover of those wafers you used to get at kids’ parties you’re going to love these…. I tried the vanilla ones because I’m not a massive chocolate fan and they were actually really good! There’s none of the typical ‘protein’ taste but they are incredibly sweet. I can manage half a wafer at a time before my sweet tooth is more than satisfied so keep them for when you really need a sugary hit. Each 42g pack (2 wafers) provides 15g protein, 13g carbs and 9g fat for 195kcals.

4) Protein brownies

Now these I wasn’t so much of a fan of. I can normally give or take brownies, I definitely wouldn’t pick one in a cake shop but sometimes you just need that chocolate hit so I gave them a go. The protein taste is quite evident in these which put me off a bit and there was just too much chocolate for me to handle. I’ve heard that they’re really nice if you microwave them for 30 seconds and I imagine they would go well with a bit of citrus-flavoured yogurt to cut through the richness. They provide 23g protein, 27g carbs & 9.7g fat for 287kcals.

5) Protein cookies

I felt about these pretty much the same as I felt about the brownies but that might be because the only flavour that I fancied when I put in the order was double chocolate. Whoops. However they now do oats & raisin white chocolate & almond, both of which are much more up my street so I’ll give them another go. They went down exceedingly well with my other half though so don’t take my lack of sweet tooth as a judgement on the product! They provide a whopping 38g protein, 20g carbs and 10g fat for 320kcals (probably best on a reefed day or if you’re bulking…)

6) Protein pancake mix

These are amazing… Seriously, you need to try them right now. I’m used to making my own protein pancakes with mashed banana, eggs and protein powder but these blow those ones out of the water. I tried the maple syrup flavour and they’re so easy to make. Just measure out 50g of the powder, mix with water, let it stand for 10 minutes and then cook in a pan with a little bit of butter. The texture is great, the taste isn’t synthetic and the fluffy insides really make you feel like you’re treating yourself. Even more so if you serve them with blueberries and ice cream as I did one night for dinner… They provide 34g protein, 6g carbs & 3.2g fat for 191kcals

What’s your favourite high-protein product?

 

Disclaimer: I was provided with these products for free in return for a review. All opinions are my own as always.

HOW TO STAY HEALTHY ON HOLIDAY - OR NOT

December 1, 2023 / No Comments

Before I went away a few weeks ago I was planning on writing a blog post about how to stay healthy and on track when on holiday but after what went on while I was away that would be insincere of me.

After 2 months of tracking every little thing I’ve eaten I fell off the nutrition wagon somewhat while on holiday. I still tracked everything I ate but I can’t even begin to explain how many carbs I ate rather than basing my meals around lean protein as I’m used to.

The 14 year-old me would have been used to the amount I ate but the 28 year-old me is a little astounded that so much food could fit into my body. As the go-to meal in Las Vegas is an all-you-can-eat buffet my willpower was tested to the maximum. I feel loathe saying that I failed because actually I made a conscious choice to indulge myself.

Chicken AND beef nachos because NACHOS

Throughout my whole life I’ve always ‘indulged’ myself and felt an intense guilt and self-loathing afterwards at how I couldn’t control my willpower. I always felt disappointed with myself and that contributed to a warped sense of reality around food.

Fast-forward to this trip and not one bit of guilt was felt as I munched down on ice cream, fried chicken for breakfast, fries and giant plates of pasta. I knew that although it was going to undo some of the good work that I’d been doing before I went away I would slip right back into that positive way of eating that I’d been making into a habit when I got home. My brain has slowly been retrained not to see food as a guilty secret and something to be ashamed of. It’s now something to fuel, repair and nourish my body to help me to reach my goals. It isn’t the enemy and getting back on track isn’t scary.

Fried chicken, mac n cheese and a nutella danish - just part of one morning’s breakfast

Also, out of the 9 days that we were away I managed to exercise on 6 of them including 3 early-morning heavy lifting sessions in the hotel gym (thank you jet lag), a spin class, a run with hill sprints over one of the New York bridges and an entire day of walking around New York. So while my nutrition wasn’t entirely on plan, my exercise certainly was which helped me to enjoy all of the food.

This pretty much sums up my holiday

So here are my tips on how to enjoy your holiday based on my experience:

  • Exercise will help to combat jet lag and will make you feel smug if you’re in the gym at 06:00 each morning
  • Running is a brilliant way to explore a bit of where you’re staying so definitely pack your trainers
  • Be realistic about your nutrition – unless you’re in prep for a bikini competition then a few days of over-indulgence isn’t going to derail your progress too badly
  • Have a look at the restaurant menus in advance if you can and choose what you’re going to have whether you’re going to eat on plan or not – this helps to curb impulsive choices
  • Keep some healthy snacks on hand at all times – try rice cakes with humous or peanut butter for savoury cravings or try protein bars like the Quest nutrition ones for your sweet tooth
  • Stay hydrated – flying can dry you out like nothing else so drink even more water if you can and slather on the moisturizer. Air conditioning is another culprit for dehydrating which is why my skin is complaining. I mean, seriously people of Las Vegas, it’s not hot outside in November so why is everywhere full of recycled cold air?!
  • Watch the booze – cocktails can contain hidden sugars so you’re better off indulging in vodka, soda & fresh lime if you’re going big. The hangovers also seem to be much easier on this concoction
  • Take advantage of the fitness-scene in the place you’re going to – a fresh perspective on a class can motivate you that bit more. Research this online, ask Twitter or get in touch with some fitness bloggers from wherever you’re going

How do you like to stay on track on holiday?