Sweating Buckets!

Morning!! Well...Afternoon now, but anyway.

I went to our new gym today - I'll get photos when I'm there next. It's lovely. What was once a ground floor windowless room is now a first floor expanse of lots of new machines, walls of windows and it's just lovely. I felt so much better and spent about an hour and a half there today - longer than I think I ever have before!

I did the workout I posted yesterday, after 25 minutes running to Zombies, Run! Season 2 Mission 5, and 20 minutes cycling on the recombinant bike while reading The White Queen. And I was dying!! It wasn't too hard to be honest, but it certainly finished me off.

According the the TechnoGym equipment computer the workout from yesterday burns around 250 calories - which is pretty good! Of course that'll be different depending on your build and what not. But yeah, 250 calorie in about 30 minutes. Not bad :)

Got my suitcase down today :D and started sorting out my wash bag. Going out to find a bolero thingy in a bit to wear on Tuesday for Rob's graduation, but then I think I'll be starting to pack :D

It's another very sunny day here, but I think today I'll actually sit in the sun :)

Working Out and Passing Exams

Guess what?!

I passed both my resit exams. Yaaaaay :D I am so beyond happy. I am finally entering into my final year at university. I've waited so long for this and now I'm here and I can barely believe this.

There may have been a Chinese take-away ordered and eaten tonight, but I can neither confirm or deny that haha. Right now I'm starting to think about my holiday, got my list done of what I want to take, as that way I should be able to pack a little easier and without too much hassle.

My gym has been shut, so I've been working out at home and with the weather being so beautiful I've been doing so outside. Not today unfortunately, as my knee and hip are going crazy! Proper shooting pains every so often when I walk. Not pleasant at all, hoping it's better for tomorrow.

Anyway, so I created this workout. There's a warm up, the workout and some stretching. It's an all over workout, with some cardio and some strength. Incorporate weights/bottles of water to make it harder and add resistance, but everything can be done without weights too.

It's a very long workout, so I've placed it under the cut. If you have a go at this, please let me know :)

ONE HUNDREDTH POST

This is my blogs centenary. My 100th post. I've been on this journey of weight loss, healthy living and generally sorting my life out for over seven months now.

First thing to say is: I've now lost 7lb since I restarted exercising and eating well after my exams. So wehey!

I did my final resit on Monday, and my results are going to be released tomorrow. Not sure whether it'll be 9am or 5pm...I'm reckoning 5pm but you never know. Not yet nervous, but I'm sure I will be tomorrow.

Yesterday, I went to Beamish Museum with Rob. It was so lovely! Cooler than it has been, and overcast, so it was the perfect day to go around it to be honest. There's an awful lot of walking involved. Plus, we had the most delicious fish and chips that have ever passed my lips. Fried in beef dripping. I didn't complete My Fitness Pal for yesterday, because I reckon my lunch alone was my daily allowance, then with the lasagne and chips, and apple pie and custard I had for tea. Oh I don't even want to think how many calories I ate yesterday.

Today I was very good, to make up for it. I had a smoothie for breakfast, which I ate on the way to town to shop with my mam (bought a peach jumper, brown knee high boots, some shorts for my hols, three pairs of pants and a rather special bra to wear under the dress I've made for Rob's graduation), then I had blueberry pancakes with raspberries and honey for my lunch, and a stir fry for my tea. I also did some pilates today - my thighs and stomach are killing me. Then I ate a magnum xD. So not completely good, but certainly better than yesterday.

Got many busy days ahead of me, but I'm looking forward to them. Hopefully tomorrow will go well, and I won't end the day in tears.

Another Day in the Sun

It has been very hot here the last couple of days and today's another on. It's currently 28C in the shade and 35C in the sun. To say I'm warm is a little bit of an understatement, but we'll go with that haha.

The problem when it's this warm is I don't get hungry, and I have to almost force myself to drink a lot of water. Of course, if I don't, I get quite sick, as I've found out before.

I had a very yummy breakfast :D

 I have no idea what's going on with this photo. It's the right way round on my computer, but I try to upload it and it turns.

Anyway, it's 2 wheat a bix, splash of milk, a tinned pear and a slice of watermelon. Comes to around 200 calories and it was yummy!!

We had a BBQ yesterday and played Formula D, so I have left over burgers for my lunch - yummy!!

Obviously I'm not going to the gym tomorrow, and it's my last resit exam in the morning, but after that I have a very full week! Getting my hair dyed and graduation dress shopping for my friend, visiting Leeds Armouries. It'll be all go :D

Hope you're all having fun in the sun, but be sensible! Wear sun tan lotion and take breaks in the shade :)

Evening by the Sea and Paris Dressing

Yesterday was a scorcher! I can't even begin to tell you. I'm no longer red but I am still a little sore xD. Anyway, yesterday evening myself, Rob, and two of his mates went to Saltburn. T'was so nice!

We ate fish and chips and had a good old wander about - my legs are sore today! I totally blame all the steps we had to climb.

 We saw yarn bombing! There's been quite a bit going about lately, mostly in Saltburn but also in Guisborough and all around. I was so impressed with them, as a knitter myself I could appreciate the time and effort that must have gone in to some of the pieces.

It was quite busy, with lots of locals out enjoying the sunshine. Up here in the North you know, we've got to make the most of it haha.

Oh! I booked mine and Robs holiday today, yaaaay! Now I just need to find somewhere for us to stay down near Cheshunt, preferably away from the M25. I need a map.





Today, I'm going looking at bridesmaid dresses with one of my other bridesmaids :). And since it's beautiful and sunny and because I'm feeling pretty good about myself lately, I thought I'd try and get into a dress my nana made for me 4 years ago, for a trip to France I took with Rob and his family.

The only time I've worn this dress has been out and about on a very hot day in Paris. It's my Paris dress and I'll always love it, solely for that reason. I've changed a lot since I was 18, my figure more than anything, but I'm happy to say that I totally fit into this dress!!

On the left is me in the dress now
On the right is me in the dress in Paris in 2009, holding the only thing I bought in Paris - a Parisian Vogue haha

Healthy Food and Exercise

I'm living with my parents at the moment, back home from university for the summer, and I was a little...worried, about how my diet would go. But as it turns out, they're both on diets too! My dads lost half a stone already, in about a month, so yeah. Woo hoo! My mam's jealous, because she's not losing anything, but she will, I know she will :).

Anyway, my mam has been taking all of our dinner recipes from these Rosemary Conley (how good does she look for 60 something btw?!) magazines and recipe books. And I thought, hmmm, I'll have a look through, and there was a breakfast suggestion in one of them that I just had to try. Well, I had it the other morning, and it's become pretty much my staple meal lately xD.

That's two wheat-a-bix with just a little milk (enough to make them a little soft) topped with sliced tinned peaches. It's 168 calories and it's delicious! Plus it's already a pretty decent start to one of your five a day, right?

It's such an awesome post workout breakfast I can't even begin to tell you.




Today I also went to the gym - it's moving, and I really hope the room it goes to has windows - I killed it! 5 minute warm up on the rower - high intensity, I was sweating before I'd even really started. Then I did this:

Now, you all know how much I love and adore Cassey Ho off of Blogilates. She's my major fitspiration - her and Jennifer Lawrence, they're both such beautiful healthy ladies. And she's been making these printables and today I was like - I am doing this!

I was a bit of a wimp and only did one set of each, but this wasn't the only thing was doing. I added on about 30 more squats, plus plie squats with heel raises, chest presses, skull-crushers etc.

I was dying! Then I did 10 minute sprints on the treadmill.

My stomach hurts now, and I can't tell if it's actual tummy ache or if it's my muscles xD, but it only really hurts when I stand up. But it's so sunny and warm out today, I really don't plan to do a lot of standing haha.

Happy July!

Into the seventh month of the year, we're over half way to 2014! Hasn't it been going quickly? I certainly think so.

Yesterday I received an email from one of the places I applied to do my Pre-Reg with, I'll be honest, I expected a rejection, because that's all I've got so far, but no! It was an email asking me to go to an assessment day on the 18th July :D. Unfortunately, it's in London. I don't live in London, I live quite far from it in fact. But I'm going to get there :).

So I have just over two weeks to properly tone myself up. I'm obviously not going to loose a lot of weight in that time, but even 4lb will make a difference, though I'm unlikely to do that what with my exams and the dirrty hot dog from Varsity I'm going to be eating after each one, hehe.

The plan now is to get a holiday booked (to start the day after this interview thing) and get a premier inn or travelodge booked for this interview. I also need to find something to wear! I need to look awesome and professional and like I know what I'm doing lol.

I'm going to be posting more recipes in the next couple of weeks (hopefully) and also coming up with some other workouts for indoors and for outside in the sun :D

Lots of Yummy Food

Woke up early this morning and spent about half an hour in the gym. Not long, I know, but certainly long enough. After my time in the gym, I made myself some pancakes again, but this time I added blueberries in, and instead of a chopped banana, I had raspberries and honey :D.

 It was so yummy!

And it made me feel good, which is all I wanted from this new 'diet' thing. I'm still trying to lose weight and be sexy in a bikini of course. Me and my fiance have decided that we're going to go somewhere sunny, after my resits :).



Then for my lunch, oh my lunch :)

Two rashers of grilled bacon, one grilled tomato and one poached egg. So yummy, and just what I wanted. I really wanted something fatty to be honest, and my brother was making bacon sandwiches, and I've heard that eating fat without carbs is better for you or some such thing. So yeah :)

I'm feeling much better today, better about having to do these resits and better about myself. Looking forward to two weeks on Monday when this will all be over :)

Super Yummy Breakfast Pancakes

Morning! I'm off to work today for 4 hours, and when I work these Saturdays I always want to eat something for breakfast that will stop be being hungry until 2pm when I get home. Today, I think I'm on for a winner!

Cassey Ho, off of Blogilates, has started a new webseries entitled Cheap Clean Eats. I've never tried any of her recipes before, because generally I simply can't get hold of the ingredients she uses what with being in England and all. But this one, with a little substitution, I can do! (If you want to make the actual recipe, which is definitely lower calories, click on the link above).

Honestly, eating this I did not feel like I was eating diet food! I'm so full and it was so yummy! You just have to make them :D

Ingredients
1 Quaker Oats So Simple plain porridge sachet
Dash of cinnamon
1/4 cup semi-skimmed milk
1 egg
1 banana
squidge of honey

Basically, just shot it all in your blender (but only 1/2 the banana) and blend until smooth. Then fry like a pancake. I made one thick one, or you could make a few little ones. Then I chopped up the other half of the banana, folded my pancake in half and drizzled it with a little honey :)

Nutritional Info
264 Calories
6g fat
9g protein

Cats and Bridesmaid Dresses

This morning I ate a weight watcher's yogurt for breakfast. My initial plan was to have the yogurt, go to the gym and swimming then come back and have a banana. However, I was in the gym longer than expected, ended up proper sweaty! I did 10 minutes on the rowing machine (did 2 km), then spent a while with the weights doing squats etc. Got some help carrying the exercise ball and step by some proper large bloke with no neck (everyone's so friendly while we're all sweating it out!). Then I went into the pool and did 4 laps, so 100m. Not a lot, but I was knackered!

I'm giving myself the weekend off as I'm at work tomorrow and on Sunday it's a friends 80's style 21st birthday party, where I'll be drinking margaritas and sangria by the pitcher - no bother :D.

Now, yesterday, I spent a little time waiting for Rob (he was helping his dad collapse the shed in the pouring rain) so I played with Tomcat :D

He's a proper sweetheart. He's about 18 years old, and he's looking a little scruffy, and he molts like nothing else. But he's always pestering for a cuddle. He's the biggest softie ever :) I love him.

Today I also went looking for at bridesmaid dresses with one my bridesmaids. Mostly it was just for colours and styles, but it was very fun! and I saw some lovely dresses which gave me a much better idea as to what sort of thing we're going for :)

Tomorrow I'm not going to the gym or anything, as I'll be at work. But I'm still going to be good with what I eat and such :) My tummy already feel firmer!

Good Morning!

It's been a good morning so far!

I had a weight watchers yogurt and a strawberry smoothie for breakfast, then I went to the gym! For like an hour and a half!

This is the workout I tracked through Fitocracy. However, I did more than this, only it doesn't really let you track everything.

I did these funny exercise ball spike press-up things that I saw Cassey Ho doing:

They were super hard, and I did about 30 of them (which is where my press ups came from). And my form was not nearly as good as Cassey's but I tried really hard!

I'm going to be brave today, and I'm going to get a photo of me in a bikini, as a sort of before photo. The thing is, I'm not really unhappy with the way I look, I'd just rather my curves were muscle rather than fat. I don't really want to be any smaller than I am (I happen to like my big bum and hips).

Anyway, time for a shower! Then I think I'll get some writing done before I go to Whitby with Rob for fish and chips!! :D

Oh I Ache!

Yesterday was a good day. I had cereal for breakfast, tuna and cucumber on crisp breads for lunch, then bacon egg and beans for tea (I skimped on the chips).

I also did quite a lot of exercise!

My house (that is my parent's house) has a huge back garden, so I did quite a few sprints up and down the lawn, before getting into this 'Crossfit Style' work-out I found online.
It's called - The Ladder and can be found here. Now I am a wimp, so there was no way I could do 50 press ups. So this is what I did:

20 press ups
20 lunges (each leg)
15 sit ups
20 squats
5 burpees
30 second plank
Then I repeated it back up the other way!

I'm so sore today. Which hasn't been helped by the fact that I've been clearing my flat today, climbing up and down four flights of stairs with heavy boxes and bin bags is not fun. I'm covered in bruises!

But you know what? I feel firmer already. And I'm going to go to the gym tomorrow and Friday hopefully, might even go swimming on Friday. Tomorrow I'm also going walking around Whitby, up those 199 steps, so that'll be a pretty decent workout too :)

I'll be ready for the beach in no time haha :D