Working out!

I’m currently doing the 30 day ab challenge and arms challenge and really noticing the benefits- my stomach constantly feels flatter and slimmer (even after the previous weekend’s blow out at the hen do). I thought that maybe all the sit ups and crunches were burning belly fat around my tummy since I was really working the muscles there but after a Google sesh, it appears that this is a myth and that good eating and cardio activity is the key to burning fat- sits up will give you more definition which I am definitely noticing.

The ab challenge gets you doing 4 simple exercises:

1.        Leg raises to tone your lower abs (video demo here)

2.       Sit ups, because when it comes to abs, there’s no getting away from these (video demo here)

3.       Crunches (watch how to do them here)

4.       The plank- which is good for building strength around your core.  It’s good too, so I’ve heard, if you suffer from back problems as by strengthening your core, it helps take pressure off your back.

It’s the same with the arm challenge too, a series of simple exercises repeated daily:

1.        Push ups (I can’t do these and instead do this easier version)

2.       Mountain climbers (video here about how to do them but they are an awesome little exercise)

3.       Tricep dips (demo here and using the bottom two stairs of your pad usually put you in a good position for this exercise)

There is an app available from the Apple store to support your 30 day ab or arm challenge and tells you how many reps of the above exercises you need to do.

If you are into your apps though, some of my favourites for fitness are the Nike Running app, whichbasically clocks your distance, time and calories burned on an outdoor or treadmill run.  You can select a power song too that will automatically start playing if you slow down and request cheers from your Facebook friends too whilst you're out plodding.  It also adds up your total distances too, so you feel really pleased with yourself when you open the app to see you’ve run 25k in the space of a week. Happy heart.

Another one of my favourite apps is called Seven, also available on the app store.  It’s free and takes you through a seven minute interval training workout.  Open the app and it will instruct you to do a range of exercises from jumping jacks to the plank.  I don’t use this as often, choosing to run and go to the gym instead, but it is an absolute winner if you’re short on time and want to begin to do some sort of exercise each day.

For me though, my big work out is still running.  I love it and it’s the exercise that works for me, along with a few leg, bum, ab and arm workouts at the gym.  I’ve clocked up 12 miles of running this week and have thrown in some outside runs too just to keep my body working and so my fitness level doesn't plateau.  I’m running the Pretty Muddy 5k race next weekend and hoping to do it in a decent time despite the mud and obstacles!

This week, I’ve also felt like I needed more vegetables in my diet, so I’ve been steaming veggies that I would usually eat for dinner and taking them for lunch, served with a piece of salmon/ chicken and sometimes with a blob of leftover humus too.  Filing and delictious.  I tend to use my steamer for cooking veg, giving carrots and green beans 20 minutes and then throwing in the broccoli and asparagus in for the last ten minutes of cooking.  Toss all of your veg together in a bowl with a little sea salt and black pepper, adding some Chiloa if you wish.

Speaking of which, I’ve discovered Chiloa hot sauce (seehere) and am using it all the time to dress salads or as an alternative to mayo.  Saying it’s a manufactured sauce too, the ingredient list is pretty

minimal and there’s no oils or sugar added.  It’s definitely become one of my cupboard staples!

I’ve also become a little bit obsessed with courgette this week and having it simply with pesto for lunch or with a piece of grilled salmon for my evening meal.  I simply use my spirializer (this one) to turn 2-3 courgettes into a whacking big pile of ‘spaghetti’, but without the gluten, sugars and carbs.  It is surprisingly filling and you can pile it high on your plate too because unlike pasta, it’s completely guilt free!

Finally though, this week I had a big reminder as to why I choose exercise and healthy eating over junk food and refined sugar.  The hot weather meant it was time for some summary clothes and I wore my faithful skinny jeans with a floaty cream top.  Below is a photo of me in the same outfit before I quit sugar in 2013, compared to how I am now.  Back in 2013, I probably didn't need to lose any weight but seeing the two pictures together gave me a real shock and will always serve as a reminder that cutting out refined sugar and eating clean is the best lifestyle change you will ever make.

Happy Eating!