A MOUNTAINOUS ADVENTURE

August 21, 2024 / No Comments

You know those moments in life where you look around and realize that everything is excellent? Well last weekend I had quite a few of them thanks to the amazing landscape that is the Lake District.

I ventured way up north from London to climb Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England to help one of my oldest friends, Cat, train for her 3 Peaks challenge. She’s raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital so give her a hand and donate here if you fancy.

After a 10 hour drive on the hottest afternoon ever (true fact) we arrived at our little pub/hotel which was in a village with one other house. That was it. No phone reception, nothing. Bliss.

After a good night’s sleep and a massive breakfast we left for the short drive to the base of Scafell Pike. Being keen beans we were walking by 10am which gave us a smug sense of satisfaction being able to saunter downhill past all the poor sods trudging upwards at 2pm.

 

Scafell Pike is the lowest of the 3 Peaks in the challenge (the others being Ben Nevis in Scotland and Snowdon in Wales) but is known to be the hardest due to the terrain. For 3 hours we walked up without any real flat sections for respite. Most of the uphill sections are made of rough stone steps which after even just 30 minutes was burning into the legs. We kept going, fuelled by sweets and laughter until we finally reached the top.

Despite it being a whiteout at the top and not being able to see further than 2 metres we celebrated, felt like superwomen, ate a lot of food and set off on the downhill section. I just want to mention at this point how proud I was of my little pup Pip who soldiered all the way to the top without having to be carried (apart from over the river at the beginning). She was full of beans the whole way with a wagging tail. Sometimes I wish I had 4 legs instead of 2.

The downhill section was definitely more pleasant despite being murder on the quads, especially as we knew that we were walking towards a right good cream tea.

Once we were down and devouring said cream tea we reflected on the achievement and felt even more proud that we’d scaled the highest mountain in England whilst laughing the whole way.

Let’s just not talk about the DOMs that lasted for 3 days…

 

I’M NOW PRE/POST NATAL QUALIFIED

August 9, 2024 / No Comments

Part of what I love about being a personal trainer is that to maintain your insurance you have to collect a certain number of CPD (Continuing Professional Development) points each year so as a profession we are constantly learning and developing our knowledge.

My personal career as a PT has evolved to the point that nearly all of my clients are women and so the next step for me was to get qualified to train pregnant and post-natal women. It’s a period in life where a woman’s relationship with her body changes and it can be a tricky time around fitness and physical activity.

I qualified with Premier Global recently and I’m now offering 1-to-1 PT sessions to pregnant and post-natal women. Get in touch and we can discuss your goals!

Submit a query through my website or email me on [email protected]

SOPHIE LEARNS TO RUN: PART 1

August 8, 2024 / 1 Comment

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you’ll have seen that my relationship with running is very on/off. Sometimes I only hate it a bit and other times I’d rather stick forks in my eyes than run.

At the moment, I’m edging towards the forks but I’m bullying myself into doing parkrun whenever I can on a Saturday morning and today I started a series of sessions at The Running School.

Today’s session was just to video my running form at 3 different speeds, a jog, a run and a sprint. While I was warming up the lovely Nick chatted through my goals, any niggles and what races I had coming up while completely putting me at ease. Once the videos had been taken Nick sat me down to analyse what was going on.

Surprisingly for me he said that my basic form wasn’t too bad but that there were a couple of things we could simply fix. I’m a heel-striker which I always thought was an issue but apparently it isn’t! The real issues are that I’m hitting the ground in front of my centre of gravity rather than touching down under my body and that my quads and hip flexors are over-working. These both mean that my glutes are being lazy and not firing up.

I’ve been given some balance and glute exercises to start to eliminate some of the instability that I feel when I run so I’ll be doing at least 10 of them on each leg every day before my next session at the end of the week.

Watch this space to see how I improve!

THE THING ABOUT CLEAN EATING

July 21, 2024 / 1 Comment

There’s been a lot said recently about ‘clean eating’ and what it really means and as it’s something that I hear a lot of in the fitness industry I though I’d throw in my two cents. This programme from Grace Victory has brought the discussion about clean eating back to the forefront and I think it’s opened up a lot of people’s eyes.

If I look back 2 years in my fitness journey I was following the Honestly Healthy diet and eating a majority of vegan food with the occasional bits of goat cheese, fish and white meat. Yes, I was lean and slim but I was also lacking in energy to do all the different bits of training that I wanted to. I wasn’t really building any real muscle mass because looking back on it I definitely wasn’t eating enough for my body to grow muscle.

I’ve also followed the diet beloved of Crossfitters all over the world, the paleo diet which in its strict form eliminates dairy, grains, sugar and gluten leaving meat, veg and a fruit to live on. In fact it was this diet that created anxiety for me because I was genuinely scared of not being able to eat ‘paleo’ if I went out for dinner or to a friend’s house. I used to make excuses or prep food in advance to take with which for someone who loves food (and let’s face it, nearly everyone) is not a healthy or happy way to live.

I fully accept that there are people who have genuine dietary allergies and intolerances but a majority of the population is not affected by this and therefore shouldn’t stay away from things like gluten and dairy. I have IBS that is sparked by excess gluten consumption in stressful times but that doesn’t stop me from chowing down on sandwiches, croissants and burgers as long as I’m not in a stressed state of mind.

Having experienced clean food obsessions and emotional binging, I can probably say that my attitude towards food and my body is the most peaceful that it’s ever been.

Yes, my legs jiggle when I run, yes I have sports bra bulge and yes my thighs chafe if I wear shorts to workout but I also feel beautiful, I have energy and I have zero feelings of guilt when I eat the food that I want to. Not that I’m eating chips every day and I do try to stick to a 70/30 rule – 70% unprocessed homemade food, 30% whatever I fancy. The reason it’s not 100% whatever I fancy is because to stay healthy, have energy and be able to progress in my fitness challenges I need to fuel my body correctly and for me that means meat, fish, rice, pasta, lots and lots of vegetables, some dairy, some bread and a lot of water.

And I think that’s my point. This process works for me but it might not work for the next person. I can argue until I’m blue in the face about the benefits of micronutrients and unprocessed food but ultimately you have to experiment to find out what works best for you. Just because someone else has killer abs and only eats a high-protein, high-fat diet that doesn’t mean that it will work for you.

As I’ve said before, you do you and I’ll do me and let’s just let everyone get on with his or her vibes. Are you in?

LIFE UPDATE

July 8, 2024 / 2 Comments

Well. I don’t really know where to start because life has been pretty crazy for the past couple of months, which is why I’ve not been around here much. Ok, personal life. I got married! We had a civil ceremony in Hackney and then drove down to the South of France where 2 weeks later we had a Jewish blessing and party with our friends and families.

I can’t really put into words how incredible the day was, publically committing to the most amazing man in front of our loved ones. My face hurt by the end of the day because I was beaming from ear to ear the whole day. We chilled out for a few days afterwards in Corsica and then drove back to London. It’s been a bit of a shock to the system arriving home and having 05:45 alarms again but that’s life!

 

Fitness-wise it’s been a bit quiet because I took the opportunity around the wedding to completely relax and embrace my lazy side. We had a couple of beautiful runs in France, one through the vineyards of Beaujolais to run off rather too much of the local wine from the night before and another along the promenade in Nice. We did a lot of moving around of heavy boxes containing alcohol and a day’s worth of horse riding but that’s about it!

I ate everything I wanted to, had an ice cream nearly every day and loved every minute of it.

 

So what’s next? This Sunday I’m running (or probably more likely run/walking) the British 10k around London’s landmarks which I’m really looking forward to. I’m also taking part in the Shine Night Walk for Cancer Research which I did a few years ago and I’m really looking forward to doing again. There’s something about walking 13.1 miles through London in the middle of the night with thousands of other women that is great for the soul. After that I have no big races or events planned for the first time in a few years. I’d still like to do another triathlon this year but my fitness took a back seat leading up to the wedding and there would be a lot of catching up to do.

My immediate plans are to get back into the groove with some weight sessions, boxing training and spin classes. I’m aiming for 3-4 sessions each week so if anyone wants a workout buddy let me know! It’s always easier if you have someone to be accountable to.

GLADIATORS ASSEMBLE

May 19, 2024 / 1 Comment

You might remember a little race that I did last year called The Gauntlet Games, an entry level obstacle race that I did with a group of friends. We basically laughed our way round the 10k and across all of the obstacles but one of the things that really made it for us were the gladiators so this year we decided to give back and be gladiators ourselves.

A very early start saw us arriving at Trent Park in deepest, darkest North London where we changed into our gladiator costumes (I kept my hoody and leggings on underneath because it was bloody freezing) and we shivered our way over to our obstacle

 

 

Kate and I were on the Zig Zag Walls where we had to direct people to traverse the walls using the harder or easier side. Both sides were of course made harder by the fact that we were armed with super soakers filled with paint water… Claire and Carly were stationed on Life’s A Beach where they had to face people charging through a load of beach balls

 

 

We didn’t have to wait too long until the first runners came through in dribs and drabs and then all of a sudden we were inundated with runners. The time absolutely flew by as we challenged, encouraged, cajoled and soaked the runners. We were met with screams, scolding and a bit of soaking in return as everyone took on the Zig Zag Walls.

It was so much fun knowing that we were helping people to love their first experience of an obstacle race and helping them get round the distance. The time flew by and then before we knew it the last group had gone through (big shout out to the mum and dad running the race with their awesome kids) and we were tidying up and heading back to the finish.

 

 

I still think the Gauntlet Games is a brilliant obstacle race for entry-level runners, even with the inclusion this year of some tougher obstacles including monkey bars over water and the rope swing through the finish line. And if you don’t think you’re quite up for running the event, try volunteering as a gladiator so you can get the feeling of the race before you do it. Particularly as a gladiator you get to pick a race at another location to run for free!

I HEART LONDON - THE BRITISH 10K

May 2, 2024 / No Comments

Aaaaaaaaannnnnddddd I’m back!

There’s been a brief hiatus on this poor old blog of mine thanks to a super busy period of work and a little something called wedding planning (which is nearly complete thank goodness). Less than 8 weeks to go. Eek.

I thought I’d return though with a blog about how I’m planning a gloriously sunny (hopefully) run through my home town, London, on July 10th in the British 10k.

I’ll have returned from a gluttonous 3 weeks in France for my wedding and honeymoon a few days previous to the race so my plan is mostly just to trot round and soak up the atmosphere of London in the summer, especially as the roads will be closed.

Vitality British 10K London run
Copyright image 2015©
For photographic enquiries please call Anthony Upton 07973 830 517 or email [email protected]

The route goes through all of my favourite parts of London including Hyde Park Corner, Big Ben, the Thames and Westminster Bridge before a big finish with a lap of Parliament Square and crossing the finish line on Whitehall. With 15,000 runners there’s bound to plenty of excited spectators which for me is always the best part of a race.

I also love running with friends so sign up here and come and run with me!

 

DISCLAIMER: I’ve kindly been given a place in this race so I can review it afterwards

WEIGHTS FOR BEGINNERS

January 21, 2024 / 1 Comment

Have you ever walked into a room and everyone has stopped what they’re doing to look at you? So you go red, mutter an apology and stumble out? Well that’s what my first foray into the weight-lifting area of a gym was like back at university.

It took me a while to go back and that was only with another woman to keep me company. Since then I’ve fallen in love with lifting weights, especially with how it makes me feel and how it enables me to sculpt my body. Also, I see cardio as an evil necessity and find it much easier to push myself when it comes to picking heavy things up and putting them down again.

But I’ve been asked many times about how to get into weight lifting so I thought I’d put together a beginner’s guide to weight lifting for men and women (because the weights room can be a scary place for men too!)

Step 1: Picture the hero or heroine in your favourite film and strut into the place like you own it. Hold your head high, have confidence in yourself and remind yourself that you’re there to enjoy it

Step 2: But don’t be scared about asking for help

Step 3: Nail the basics. I’d recommend that you start with a squat, a deadlift, a shoulder press and a bicep curl. Watch videos on YouTube if you really don’t want to ask for help but remember, personal trainers and gym instructors are there to keep you safe

Step 4: Perfect your technique before you start adding on any serious weight because bad technique + heavy weights = all of the pain

Step 5: Once you’ve got the technique down start adding the weights on. You should be using a suitable weight for the number of sets and reps that you’re doing. At the end of each set you should be feeling like you can’t really do many more. This is how you force your body to adapt and hit your goals, whether they are strength, hypertrophy (muscle growth) or endurance

Step 6: Track your progress rather than trying to remember all of the numbers. I keep a note on my phone of all of the weights that I’m currently lifting

Step 7: Just like with any other physical progress you may hit a plateau. If this happens, have a deload week. Try some lighter weights or try some other things. When you come back to it you’ll feel fresher and most likely will be able to push your weights up

Remember, it’s never as scary as you think it’s going to be and everyone is much friendlier than you think they’re going to be!

If you’re really struggling it might be worth having a session or two with a personal trainer to put together a programme and show you some of the moves. If you’d like to train with me just drop me an email at [email protected]

Now, please excuse me while I go and hit a PB…

SHREDDING FOR THE WEDDING PART 2

January 11, 2024 / 5 Comments

I’m getting married THIS YEAR. I know, how did that happen?! Apart from being incredibly excited about celebrating my relationship with my soulmate, I’m also ready to buckle down for the next 5 months and continue to work on my body composition.

As you’ll know from part 1 of this series, since September I’ve been focusing on weight lifting with a bit of cardio and tracking macros and calories to make sure that I’m fuelling my body correctly and facilitating the fat loss.

Check out the results so far:

The key thing that’s motivating me are these photos because there’s only about 4lbs difference between these two. I use the scales to keep an eye on things but they don’t give you a clear picture of what’s actually going on within your body. I’d urge you to take photos (you don’t have to plaster them all over Instagram like I do!) each month and use them to track your progress rather than the number on the scale.

My training is about to get a bit mixed up as I start training for my first ever half marathon which I’ll be running 6 weeks before the wedding. My weight training will continue although it might drop down to 3 times each week rather than 4.

Are you training for a specific date or event? Let me know how you’re getting on!

HOW TO DETOX THE FITOLOGY WAY

January 7, 2024 / No Comments

New year, new start, new you.

Sound familiar? It’s all I’m hearing and seeing on social media at the moment and this is probably the first year that I’m not jumping on that bandwagon. Especially after my attempt at a juice cleanse earlier this year saw me fall asleep at my desk and give up after one day…

For me, the new year is exciting because it marks 6 months until my wedding in June but apart from that it’s just the beginning of another month and I’m cracking on with my consistent training and nutrition.

That said, I am going to do a detox but the Fitology way.

 

Digital detox

Over Christmas I had a few comments from loved ones about how much time I spend on my phone and while a lot of my business is online I am aware that I’m spending too much time starting at a screen. I’m consciously trying to cut this down by reading a book before bed rather than checking Instagram and only using it for essentials rather than just mindlessly consuming content

 

Biatch detox

I’ve noticed how quick we are to judge people and it’s a quality in myself that I don’t like. I’m putting a filter between my brain and mouth and retraining myself to see the best in people even more than I already do. After going through my own personal journey and being judged at every step it’s not something that I want to be a part of

 

Organisation detox

At the beginning of each week I want to set goals of what to achieve each day to keep my brain on track. As things get busier with my PT business I need to be even more on top of everything so that nothing gets dropped. I hope this will also help to keep my brain from spiralling into stress when my to-do list is as long as my arm

 

Sleep detox

When things are busy my sleep suffers because my brain is whirring all night. I’ve been trying out the Himalayan bath salts from Westlab in my nightly baths to help calm my mind, remove some of the toxins from my body and top up my levels of minerals like potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron (there’s over 80 in these salts!). It’s also sorted out some dry patches of skin on my lower legs from shaving and helped me to drop off to sleep like a baby which is important when I’m up at 05:30 every day!

So there you have it, that’s how I’ll be detoxing this January, the Fitology way.

Are you detoxing? If so, how’re you doing it?

 

Disclaimer: I was sent these salts by Westlab in return for a review but all opinions are my own as always

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?

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

WHY I LOVE THE FACT THAT FITNESS IS MAINSTREAM

October 21, 2023 / 1 Comment

As I sit here sipping on my protein smoothie, looking forward to a strength workout tomorrow and planning training sessions for clients, I can’t help but think how much my life has changed in the last 2 years.

2 years ago I couldn’t walk 2 miles without getting out of breath, I was so unhappy in myself and I was the heaviest weight I’d been in years. Back when I started my journey back to fitness I definitely met with a few sceptics in my life. It wasn’t ‘normal to workout 5 times a week, it wasn’t ‘normal’ to make restaurant choices based on healthy options and it wasn’t ‘normal’ to get more excited about new trainers than new heels.

Fast forward 2 years and now everyone goes spinning, that woman down the post office does hiit workouts using an app and your neighbour and her dog only ever wear lycra. Fitness has spread.

Feeling strong, feeling happy

And you know what? I love it. Far from being annoyed that it’s now mainstream, I love that my lifestyle is now easier to follow and much more supported by everyone. Here’s the other reasons why I love the fact that fitness has gone mainstream:

1) No one even looks twice if I order something off the menu in a restaurant

2) I don’t get pressured to drink on nights out anymore

3) Health has become a priority for many more people which is great for everyone involved

4) The emphasis is now on strength which fits with my goals and an increasing number of my clients’ goals

5) Early morning workouts with friends have become the new coffee dates

6) Even if I’m not the ‘smallest’ or ‘lightest’ I’ve ever been I’m definitely the strongest and most importantly, the happiest I’ve ever been

7) It’s acceptable to wear lycra in between clients, even if I’m not actually exercising

8) Telling people you’re taking on a massive personal fitness challenge won’t garner looks of disbelief and pity

9) Talking about macros, PBs, deadlifts and burpees is totally acceptable at the dinner table

10) Not going to lie, as a personal trainer this shift has been lucrative!

 

What do you love about fitness becoming mainstream?

WITNESS THE FITNESS

October 14, 2024 / No Comments

Something simple today, my fitness inspiration.

Microsoft recently got in touch with me to ask what my fitness inspiration was and to narrow it down to one thing was tricky but I think I’ve got it.

My fitness inspiration is simply the fact that I can. I am lucky enough to do pretty much anything I put my mind to (even if I’m not the best or the most elegant) and I don’t want to waste that gift. The only thing stopping me doing anything is my mind, not my body, so I have to take full advantage.

I’m doing this by trying out all sorts of things and one of my favourites is cycling. It makes me feel free, fast and amazed that I can power myself up hills on 2 wheels, just with my legs.

What’s your fitness inspiration?

You can enter the #LumiaFitnessInspiration competition to win a £1000 Microsoft bundle here, just by sharing your fitness inspiration: http://www.microso ft.com/en-gb/mobile/camera-phones/fitness-inspiration/