Roller Derby Workouts

Last week I went to the intake session for the local Roller Derby team, the Middlesbrough Milk Rollers.

I had so much fun, and I didn't fall down once - yay me! I was very chuffed with how well I did, I can't stop...or turn very well, but I can go pretty fast, I managed all the fall techniques and I even managed some cross overs.

The next day though, I was so sore!! Which means I seriously need to work on my derby orientated fitness. Therefore I came up with these two workouts:

They're a little bit different, however they both focus on the muscles that I really felt the day after my two hour skating session.

Plenty of lunges and squats, plus exercises to strengthen my ankles & knees, get a stronger core and also upper body fitness for all the shoulder checking I'm going to be doing!

The first Newbie Session is tomorrow night and I'm so excited, I can't wait to really get started on this sport!

Big Breakfast Smoothie

I've been pretty much off the whole smoothie thing for about six months now. But the time that I spent on the wagon really became a part of who I am and what I eat - if that makes sense - so I still occasionally have a smoothie for breakfast or for lunch, usually when I'm feeling a little like I'm over indulged.

This morning I've made a super tasty 'Big Breakfast Smoothie'.

Ingredients:
1 banana
1 cup frozen mango (defrosted a little to make it easier to blend)
1/4 cup frozen raspberries
1 scoop protein powder (mine's strawberry flavour)
Spoonful of nutella
Enough milk to make it liquid & drinkable

Nutritional Info
540 Calories
29g Protein
75g total carbs
58g total sugar

Obviously calorie count will be decreased if you use skimmed milk or even coconut milk/almond milk, or if you veto the nutella or the protein powder. However, I'm not watching calories atm, I'm just trying to eat good food that makes me feel nice :) and this certainly makes me feel nice!

New Workout!

It's been a while since I created a workout!

But I'm not joining the gym and figured I could do with something I can do at home, so this is my plan for the morning.

Today I also signed up for the Race for Life (link to my justgiving page) in aid of Cancer Research UK I'll be running a 5k in June round a local manor house estate.

I'm so excited because I've never done anything like this before, and it feels so good having something to aim towards. I really want to step things up (as much as I can while I'm still revising of course) and try to get myself in shape to make a really good try of this event!

Revision Lunch

First full day of revision for my final university exams!

So far it's going okay. I still have a fair bit to get through, but I'm hoping to have everything gone through at least once by Saturday, and most of it will have actually been gone through twice, so yay!

This is my lunch and it's so super yummy!

Mushrooms, rice noodles, cucumber in miso soup plus cranberry green tea :D

I'm hoping that by eating food that isn't too stodgy and heavy I'll keep my mind focused and to the point.

I'm also going to be looking into foods with high omega fat content. I'm going to invest in some avocados and nuts to snack on, but I'm going to look in to other super healthy foods too. Need things to keep my brain working and my mind clear of crap that isn't revision things.

It's been a while...again

Frankly, I haven't been living the healthy lifestyle I've worked so hard for over the last year or so.

University is coming to an end (as of now I only have 2 hours of lectures left) and pretty much all my energy is going towards revising and trying to pass this degree. In only four months I'll be practicing...that's insane! And I'll be honest I still don't quite believe they're going to allow me to graduate!

I have still been going to the gym, but not terribly regularly (2 or 3 times a week at best) and frankly I've stopped thinking about what food I put into my mouth. It takes too much effort to think about that while also trying to graduate.

But I'm coming home from university in a couple of days, and while I'm not signing up to the gym, I am signing up for the Race for Life! I'm also trying out for the local roller derby team, the Middlesbrough Milk Rollers on Saturday, so I'm hoping to keep myself moving and active. I'm also hoping to get back into those blogilates videos.

Here's hoping I actually manage!!

New Year, New Me....Sort Of

It's been a year!!

One year ago now-ish since I first started this blog and set myself off on taking control of what I was eating and holding myself accountable for my diet and fitness routine. It's been a rollercoaster really, and my weight has fluctuated somewhat, but I can honestly say that for the most part, I've felt much better about myself and have enjoyed the process :).

Surprisingly, or not so surprisingly, I have the exact same goal now as I did this time last year. Remember back in August, and I finally got in to the skinny jeans my mam bought me? Yeah, well I'm not in them anymore *sigh*. But I am hoping to be by my birthday in 5 weeks time.

I have signed up for the Blogilates Diet Bet where I now have 27 days to lose 2.8kg (about 6lb) which is a few, but technically doable. I've also set myself up for the new Nerdfitness Challenge, with pretty decent quests to help me reach my goal. I'm going to lift more, walk more, eat smoothies again and just generally take care of myself.

The other day I made myself a meal plan, which can be found in my workout & food diary spreadsheet (cause I'm anal like that), and the idea is that I shall plan for meals for each week, then workout a shopping list and that way I won't spend as much on crap food and stuff I don't need. That's the plan anyway, I suppose we'll see how it actually goes.

The whole thing kicks off on Monday, when I go back to the gym and start taking care of myself.

Wish me luck!!

Lunch time noodles!

The other week, Rob and I went into Newcastle and had the most amazing lunch at this place called Nudo Sushibox. I had the most delicious noodle box! It was quite large, and inside was noodle, vegetable gyoza (funny japanese dumplings - super yummy) and miso soup paste. They then added hot water, microwaved it for a time and that was it!!

Well it gave me an idea, because surely I could do something like that for my own lunch? And I totally can!!

Ingredients
Rice noodles
Mushrooms
Prawns
Miso paste
Hot water

So first I cooked my rice noodles (3 mins in hot water) then I drain, rinse and pop in my lunch pod. Then I slice my mushrooms and put them in and pop some cooked prawns in too. Or you could add in anything! Spring onions, dumplings, mussels, anything really. I shot in an unopened sachet of miso paste and I'm good to go to uni!!
When it comes to lunch, I buy a little thing of hot water, empty my miso sachet, pour over my hot water, and tada! Noodle miso soup :D

Nutritional Info: Calories: 293 Total Carbs: 47g Protein: 22g Fat: 2g

They're low calorie, but they totally fill me right up! Very yummy and perfect for cold days :)