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 :)

New Workout!

I haven't posted on here in ages!

For the past couple of months I've been joining in with the Nerd Fitness challenges. It's such an amazing community over there and I've been having so much fun!

I've been struggling a lot with what I've been eating and generally just feeling like crap, therefore I eat like crap, and it's just not very good. However, I saw the film Catching Fire the other day and it made me all like...ugggh to be all fit and stuff. Basically Jennifer Lawrence is my idol and please can I be her?

So I came up with a workout. I add other moves in, but this is the core of the workout. Training like a career for the win!

Yummy Brekkie!!

This morning I treat myself to some yummy oat pancakes topped with peaches and frozen raspberries and honey.

They tasted so good and were just what I needed this morning to get me up and moving about.

My Monday's are so hectic lately, what with being at uni 12-5, then having to jump in the car and race to work, trying to get there for 5:30. It hasn't happened yet.


I'm going to the gym 3 times this week. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I've just come to the end of the second 6 week Nerd Fitness challenge and I'm already thinking of the next one. I have new goals, new plans, and I'm determined to keep at it this time. I lost my way somewhat in this last challenge, started eating sweets again and just not eating good. Which is all well and good except it's made me feel bad, sluggish and bad. I want to be feeling good again!

Ready for a Re-do

This is now my fifth week at university and it's not going as well as first thought.

I feel like I'm never settled, as I'm constantly on the move. I barely spend any time at my uni house and I'm almost always at home or at work. I miss my fiance like mad and I miss my family too, but then I want to spend time with my friends at the same time, but there really isn't enough time for all of this.

My diet isn't too bad. I'm not eating as well as I'd like to be, and I'm annoyed because I'm not using the food in my freezer as quickly as I'm used to. This week I'm only having 1 meal at my university house, which was tonight! It's bizarre and frankly I don't like it.

I have no time for either knitting or writing, and while the writing side isn't bothering me too much, the not knitting is! I have three projects on the go and had I been back at the flat with my fiance I know I would have been further on with them! I'm just not in to a new routine yet and it's really starting to get to me.

I need to try and sort myself out before I have some sort of meltdown, and I'm afraid that in the end something will have to give. I just don't know what it will be.

Ratatouille Bake

I didn't take a photo! It looked amazing, you'll just have to believe me when I say this :).

So in my fridge I had 2 courgettes, an aubergine and Greek yogurt (among other things) but I kept thinking that I wanted to do something with them. First I found a recipe for ratatouille, but then I kept thinking about this aubergine bake I had a couple of weeks ago so I decided to mix the two!

Ingredients
1 Aubergine chopped
2 Courgettes chopped
2 Tins of tomatoes
200g Greek yogurt
50g Cheese grated
1/2 red onion chopped
Splash of ground nut oil

Fry the onion in the ground nut oil in a frying pan. Then add the courgette and the aubergine, sweat down before adding the two tins of tomatoes plus any spices (I added Worcestershire sauce and chili). Then place this into a baking dish and top with greek yogurt mixed with the grated cheese. Then bake in the oven at 200C for about 20 minutes.

I served mine with a sweet potato :) This also made enough for three meals :D

Nutritional Info
186 Calories
13g Protein
14g total Carbs

Back at Uni...

And killing it!!

Yes, three days ago I returned to university for my very final year! And let me just say that so far, it's going well.

I've settled well into my house, and while I miss my fiance and my family, things are getting better. I've already been to the gym twice and am eating superbly if I do say so myself! I came home from lectures yesterday and got them typed up that same night - so long as I can keep this up, I think I'll be okay!

It's a horrible day today, but I walked to the gym, and spent about an hour there using the free weights, doing lots of squats and things. I also got to wear some of my new gym gear, the jogging leggings my mum brought me back from Florida. They're SUPER tight, but they make me feel sexy, so I like them :).

This morning for breakfast I've have a quarter of a honeydew melon, and I have a mango, raspberry, pear smoothie to drink once I've had a shower. Then for lunch I'm having my paleo pancakes, cause they're yummy and warm and it looks really cold out! Then I'll be off walking to uni for Fresher's Fair, then to the single lecture I have today, and finally home for my tea (leftover from last night - Spinach and ricotta filled pasta shells with a tomato and aubergine sauce - YUMMY!). And then I'm going bowling with the pharmacy committee!

Busy busy.

I'm really hoping that I can do well this week and manage to keep the weight off so I can win my dietbet. I've got myself some vanilla ice cream and galaxy counters for when I win :D

Yummy Lunches

So I've lost 2.6lb :D which is awesome! And I put it down to trying to be really good with what I'm eating this week. I don't know how many calories are in these things, but I know I've been getting at least 1200 a day.



Wednesday I had this lovely salad, made with fried bacon, a fig, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes and avocado. Plus a drizzle of homemade vinaigrette. It was so yummy! And very filling :) Just what I needed to get me through my afternoon of sewing.

Then yesterday I have a mushroom, spinach and cheese omelette, which too was yummy :)

Then last night I had a vegetable dupiaza from the local take away xD. But I weighed myself this morning and like I say, I've lost 2.6lb :D

Detox!!

So here in the north of England, Autumn's properly hit. Even when the sun is out there's still that fresh breeze that means you need your cardi on. Today, I even wore boots!

As such, it's time for me to hit this new season with a bang. In a previous post I showed you my shopping haul, and this is my meal plan for the week:

	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday
Breakfast	Honeydew melon & Nectarine w/ Greek yogurt	Honeydew melon & peach	Porridge w/ peaches & blueberries	Pancakes w/ raspberries	Wheat a bix w/ peaches	Orange & peach	Porridge sachet made w/ water & honey
Lunch	Fig & roasted avocado spinach salad	Mushroom spinach omelette	Peach, avocado & fig salad + fruit jelly snack [@work]	Jacket potato [@work]		Porridge w/ raspberries
Dinner	Roasted courgette w/ sweet potato & corn on the cob	Indian take-away	Chicken Kiev w/ chips	Aubergine & tomato bake	Pork chops w/ mash potatoes & veg	Jacket potato [@work]	Rob’s bday ?

Obviously these are subject to change, though I don't think they will by any vast amount.

Shopping Trip!

I went shopping last night after work, and bought lots of healthy yummy things :)

Let's see, we have:

• Half a honeydew
• 3 Peaches
• 3 Figs
• 2 Avocados
• 3 Courgettes
• 1 Red onion
• Packet of mushrooms
• Bag of baby spinach
• Corn on the cob
• Cherry tomatoes
• Greek yogurt
• Canned tomatoes

And what am I going to do with all of this?! Honestly, I'm not 100% sure. I need to buy an aubergine, because on Saturday we're having an Aubergine, Tomato bake, which should be yummy. The courgettes I'm having tomorrow for tea as baked courgettes with corn on the cob and salad, which should be nice too. The figs and spinach will be going into salads; fig and roasted sweet potato salad and roasted peach, avocado and spinach salad. The honeydew shall be for breakfasts, with the oranges and nectarines I already have in my fruit bowl.

I'm really excited about these meals this week. The figs and avocado especially! I've never used figs, but I know I like them, so it should be interesting :D

Working Out

I've lost 2lb since starting my dietbet! Just hope I can keep that off this week and improve on it for next week :)

Today I didn't go to the gym, as I went yesterday, instead I did day 5 of the Blogilates Sweatember Calender. You have to subscribe to her site to get the password to be able to see the calender :) However, this was my favourite video from today's workout! My arms were dying!!

Low Calorie Vegetable Soup

This is a super yummy, very low calorie soup, that is perfect for me right now because I have a cold! But my diet-bet is starting tomorrow, so I need to be on the ball!

Ingredients are below. In a large saucepan fry the carrots, onion and leek, then add the tin of tomatoes, puree, stock and frozen peas. Bring to the boil then add the dried pasta shapes and simmer for a further 15 minutes :)



Ingredients (Makes 4)
2 chopped carrots
1 onion chopped
1 chopped leek
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1tsp tomato puree
1 litre vegetable stock
80g dried pasta
40g frozen peas
Splash of Worcestershire sauce

Nutritional Info
106 calories
0.8g fat
3.1g fibre
3.9g protein
94.2% vitamin A

Dietbet

I lost 3lb last week :)

This week I've been to the gym and on a 5 mile walk with Rob around a golf course, and hopefully I've been eating well enough that I'll have a similar loss this week, but we shall see. I did go out for steak for my tea again last night, so you never know.

However, yesterday I joined Blogilates Dietbet. The idea is you 'bet' $25 (£16.62) then you have an initial weigh in, where you weigh yourself and take photos, then you attempt to lose 4% of your weight in 28 days and if you manage you win! and get a share of the pot :).

4% of my weight is about 5lb, so that's just a little over 1lb every week, which I think should be more than doable. I'll be back at university for a couple of the weeks, so I'm likely to be going to the gym far more often, and as I'll be buying my own food again, perhaps I'll be eating a little healthier too. Also, in the next two weeks, (the first of the challenge) my parents are away, so I'm going to be deciding on my own evening meals.

I'm crossing my fingers that I'll manage, because I really want my $25 back lol.

Nerd Fitness

Last week I did the weekly ADF Fit Club post, and one of the girls who commented mentioned this website: Nerd Fitness. I figured I'd check it out, see what it was all about. As it turns out, it's brilliant!

I spend all my time on the site on the forums. They have a real life role-playing game, in which you level up by giving yourself quests and challenges through a 6 week period, and if you achieve your goals you may distribute points between the usual D&D style stats system (STR CON WIS CHA DEX and STA(stamina)).

They also have a place where you can log every day what you've been up to, what exercise you've been doing and what food you've been eating. It makes me feel accountable.

I'll be honest though, this week hasn't been my best. The first two days were okay, but then I went to a country show and out for steak and chips on Wednesday, then I'm at work yesterday and today, so yeah...not so good.

Tomorrow though, gym! I'm going to attempt to go three days in a row, but we'll see how well that goes. However, if I'm knackered tomorrow, I'll get my rollerskates out at least and go for a little jaunt :)

Links: Daily Battle Log - First Challenge log - Nerd Fitness Profile

Paleo(light) Pancakes

Starting off the week right!

This morning I had these pancakes for breakfast. They're the same as my other pancakes, except made with water instead of milk!

Ingredients
1 sachet instant oats (27g)
1 egg
enough water to consistency

Then fry like a pancake :) I had mine with a banana and a little honey.
Nutritional Info
166 calories
6.5g total fat
2.8g fibre
8.5g protein