Getting Festive...

So the man in the big red suit is nearly here and what a week it has been over here! I am working through, taking only the public holidays off, helping my clients stay on track over the Christmas and New Year season. I find training them helps me stay motivated; if they are smoking their work-outs then there is no reason that I shouldn't be smoking mine, right?

The last three days have seen me smash a massive pull session on Sunday, a monster quad session yesterday and tonight a sweaty conditioning work-out at my new gym The Cube. Tomorrow is shoulder day, my favourite, with my friend and client Michelle. Last week I pulled a 70kg deadlift for six reps for two sets and on Sunday I did three pull ups with the smallest resistance band {my clients love/hate these}. I am finishing off the year strong and am excited for what the new year will bring for me training wise.

Have you given any thought to what you would like to achieve next year? Have you set some new goals? Maybe 2015 is the year that you try something you have been wanting to try...give it some thought over the Christmas holidays. Make a list, create a vision board, recruit a training buddy...the motivational tools are there in abundance. I am also here to help!

Most of the gyms are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day so I thought I would suggest a few work-outs you can do at home with no equipment. Commit to 30 minutes on these days and then go and enjoy the rest of you day!

Work-out 1

Warm up 200 metres jog {100 metre along the road, 100 metres back}

AMRAP 30 minutes

A1. 25 x body weight squats
A2. 25 x push ups
A3. 24 x body weight static lunges {12 each leg}
A4. 24 x mountain climbers {12 each leg}
A5. 25 x abdominal crunches
A6. 200 metre sprint

Cool down 200 metre walk and stretch

Work-out 2

Warm up 200 metres jog {100 metre along the road, 100 metres back}

Time each set, completing three sets trying to beat your previous time
A1. 10 x jump squats
A2. 10 x burpees
A3. 20 x step ups {10 each leg}
A4. Plank
A5. 100 metre sprint
B1. 20 x jump lunges {10 each leg}
B2. 10 x narrow grip push ups
B3. 10 x box jumps
B4. 10 x death planks {go from hands to forearms then alternate}
B5. 100 metre sprint

Cool down 200 metre walk and stretch

Work-out 3

Warm up 200 metres jog {100 metre along the road, 100 metres back}

Find a set of stairs, sprint up them, walk back down. Repeat for 15 to 20 minutes.

Cool down 200 metre walk and stretch

All three will kick your arse and keep you on track even if you do reach for the mince pies and Christmas Pudding come Christmas Day! Enjoy every mouthful, it's what this time of year is about!

I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and the Happiest of New Years. For me 2014 has been an amazing year for obvious reasons but I am excited for what 2015 will bring and welcome it with open arms!

And finally a massive thank you to my wonderful clients! Thank you for your commitment to me and my business and for bringing your A-Game to every session. You certainly make getting up at 5.00am worthwhile!

See you in the gym.

Erin

x

Fibre...

Lets talk gut health, exciting stuff! Did you know that you have more bacteria in your gut than you do cells in your entire body? That's why, if your gut isn't in good shape, I can guarantee that your overall health is being compromised. Micro-flora in your gut play a vital role in your overall health and wellbeing whilst also affecting the immune system, weight and the increased risk of numerous chronic and acute diseases, from diabetes to cancers.

Symptoms of poor gut health include bloating, burping, farting, diarrhoea, constipation, fullness, nausea, rectal itching, weak and cracked finger nails, acne, iron deficiency, parasites, candida, food allergies, eczema, dermatitis, hives, psoriasis, rosacea, B12 deficiency and arthritis.

So there is the odd fart in our house and I do feel bloated from time to time so Simon and I are taking part in the Metamucil Challenge that is currently being run at all Fitness First Gyms. Available from reception is a 14 day starter kit of Psyllium Husks for $1. Yep, just $1 to set you on the road to better gut health.

Psyllium is the husk of the seed of the Plantago and is a top herb used for general intestinal health. It contains a spongy fiber that can reduce appetite, improve digestion and cleanse the system, making it an excellent addition to a healthy diet.

Simon and I are half way in, we both feel better, he is farting less and I feel great!

In addition to taking Psyllium Husks, here are some other ways that you can improve your gut health...

1. Probiotics
Naturally occurring “good” bacteria allow for the normal functioning of our gastrointestinal system – however this simply cannot happen when there’s too much “bad” bacteria (such as parasite, yeast and fungi) present in the gut. The easiest way to rectify this imbalance is to keep up probiotic intake {fermented foods, yogurts} or take a pro-biotic supplement

2. Diet
Eating a healthy, balanced, fibre filled diet rich nutritious food. Think lots of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, good fats and low GI carbohydrates {legumes, whole-grains}. Remove all the processed food from your diet especially refined sugars {lollies, chocolate, chips}

3. Water
Drinking plenty of water is also essential for the correct functioning of the digestive system. If there is too little water in the system, it slows down the body’s ability to pass stools through the digestive tract. The more build-up of waste in our system, the more likely our gut will become a hot bed of bad bacteria

4. Stress
An unexpected cause of bad bacteria in the gut is stress!! Check out one of my previous blogs here on my top way to manage stress

If there is one thing you do for your health this week...add some fibre!!

The Breakfast Diaries Pt.1...

Breakfast, it's the most important meal of the day, yet I speak to so many people that are completely at a loss as to what constitutes a good breakfast. Some, even skip breakfast all together which is a massive no-no!

Breakfast provides the body and brain with fuel after an overnight fast - that's where breakfast gets it's name, breaking the fast!  Without breakfast you are effectively running on empty, like trying to start the car with no petrol!

Apart from providing us with energy, breakfast foods are good sources of important nutrients such as calcium, iron and B vitamins as well as protein and fibre.  The body needs these essential nutrients and research shows that if these are missed at breakfast, they are less likely to be compensated for later in the day.  Fruit and vegetables are good sources of vitamins and minerals so it is important that these are included in your breakfast no differently from your lunch and dinner.

Breakfast also restores glucose levels, an essential carbohydrate that is needed for the brain to function.  Many studies have shown how eating breakfast can improve memory and concentration levels and it can also make us happier as it can improve mood and lower stress levels.  In studies amongst children, breakfast can improve attainment, behaviour and has been linked to improved grades.  Just like any other organ in the body, the brain needs energy to work at it's best!

If you skip breakfast, you're more likely to reach for high sugar and fatty snacks mid-morning. Not good if your goal is fat loss and not good for your health!

So I have decided to post some awesome breakfast ideas over the coming weeks. Breakfast ideas that are quick and easy to prep in advance for those that are time poor in the mornings.

So The Breakfast Diary Part 1.... Salmon & Potato Fritters with Poached Eggs

Fritter Ingredients
1 egg
1 tbsp. coconut oil
1 tin of red salmon {approx. 200grams} skinned and de-boned
3 small chat potatoes peeled and grated
Half a brown onion grated or finely chopped
2 tbsp. of wholemeal flour

Fritter Instructions
1. Combine the grated potato and onion in a bowl
2. Heat 1/2 tbsp. of coconut oil in a frying pan, cook the potato and onion until soft. Set aside to cool
3. Combine the salmon, egg and flour and when cooled stir through the potato and onion
4. Shape mixture in to desired size. I made nine small fritters and three was a good amount for one breakfast
5. Heat the remaining 1/2 tbsp. of coconut oil and place the fritters in the frying pan and cook until golden brown on the outside
6. Place cooked fritters on a plate

Poached Eggs Instructions
1. Bring a pot of water and one tsp of white wine vinegar to the boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat and allow water to simmer
2. Crack two eggs slowly in to the water. Cook for three minutes then remove with a slotted spoon and place onto kitchen paper. Allow to drain
3. Place on top of cooked fritters on a plate

Next time I make these I am going to wilt some baby spinach making it even more healthy and even more delicious!

Naughty parabens...

I am a big believer in making small changes. Small changes that, in turn, improve your health in a huge way. Imagine if you made 10 small, positive changes to your lifestyle how much improvement you would see in your overall wellbeing

I have been making a few small changes in our home. One of them is switching all our skin care products to Paraben Free. I think having a baby in the house has made me a lot more aware of not just what I put on her skin but also on mine, Simons and my step-children's skin. It has been surprisingly easy to find Paraben Free products. Yes they are a little more expensive than your mainstream brands of skin products but I believe it is money well spent and here is for why...

A Paraben is a chemical that is used to prevent the growth of microbes {bacteria causing disease or fermentation} in cosmetic products and can be absorbed through the skin, blood and digestive system. They can be found in shampoos, lotions, deodorants, scrubs, eye make-up remover.

Parabens are several distinct chemicals with a similar molecular structure. Four of these are used frequently in cosmetics: ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben so if you see these on the ingredients label of your skin care products then it might be worth checking out a switch to something Paraben Free.

Parabens are known to disrupt hormone function, an effect linked to increased risk of breast cancer and reproductive toxicity. Parabens mimic estrogen by binding to estrogen receptors on cells. They also increase the expression of genes usually regulated by estradiol {a natural form of estrogen}; studies undertaken on cells show that these genes cause human breast cancer cells to grow and multiply. Parabens are also linked to cancer, reproductive toxicity, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity and skin irritation. If you think about it, parabens are used to kill bacteria in water-based solutions so they must have a good level of toxicity to be able to do this.

Next time you are shopping for skin products make sure you read the ingredients label and avoid those that use Parabens. There are more and more skin care companies that now offer "Paraben-Free" and "Preservative-Free" products. All good health stores will stock a great range of Paraben and Presevative Free products and I have found that Chemist Warehouse carry quite a few ranges that won't break the bank. You could go one step further and look at using Organic products {I'll save Organic for another blog post}.

Here are some of the products we are now using in our home...

Gaia :: For Baby Frankie

 

Sukin :: smells amazing

Cetaphil & Redwin {& Dermaveen} :: all available from the supermarket

 

And I also switched all my cleaning products to non-toxic products when I fell pregnant. These are great products that you can get from the supermarket; Earth Choice and Earthwise. Both are plant based, contain no chlorine or solvents and come in recycled packaging.



 

This is definitely a small change worth making!

Tough Mudder...

I'm pretty tough, well I like to think I am. I love a challenge! And when my client Chelsea mentioned to me that she had "enlisted" to go in Tough Mudder next month I couldn't help but jump at the chance to have a go! I am not a runner so the thought of running 20 kilometres fills me with dread but like I said I like a challenge and I know I am capable of doing anything when I put my mind to it.

Chelsea definitely knows how to sell Tough Mudder...here is the email she sent around looking for recruits...

Hello,

Do you: (tick all that apply)

1. Feel slowand lethargic after winter

2. Want to do something challenging/crazy

3. Need to prove a point to yourself (or someone else) 

Then this is for you! 

I have just enrolled myself in Tough Mudder, which is on in the Southern Highlands on Saturday 15 November.  It's a 20km obstacle course.  You run 1km, then there is an obstacle!   I am looking for a bunch of crazies to do this with (plus a bigger team will be an advantage in the log carrying, tyre flipping and climbing challenges). 

 

If I wasn't convinced before, reading this email made me a dead certainty for taking on this challenge.

 

Are you up for the challenge? Do you tick one or all of Chelsea's points? Then join us at Tough Mudder!!

 

I will be offering a free six week running program to everyone in our team and for existing clients your sessions and programming for the next six weeks will be designed to get you in tip top shape for next month's Tough Mudder!

 

If you are interested in getting super fit and super muddy, come along for the ride! To register to be apart of our team please email me and I will send you all of the registration details!

 

 

GBC...

German Body Composition {GBC}...the program I follow when I need to shake things up a bit and really walk out of the gym feeling like I truly smashed myself!

GBC is a training method devised by well regarded international trainer Charles Poliquin. He has based this training method on research done by the Romanian exercise scientist Hala Rambie. The goal of the GBC program is to produce as much lactic acid as possible. This is achieved by using multi-joint exercises with short rest intervals and super-setting a lower body exercise with an upper body one.

Rambie discovered that the lactic acid pathway* is far better for fat loss than the commonly accepted aerobic pathway and that high blood lactic levels decrease blood pH levels, which in turn sends a message to the brain to accelerate its production of growth hormone. Higher growth hormone levels increase fat loss!**

Here is my work-out from this morning for you to have a go at...

* Lactic acid plays a critical role in generating energy during your work-out. It is a by-product of the muscles using carbohydrates to create energy for exercise. Lactic acid then breaks down into hydrogen ions and lactate, and it's the hydrogen ions that cause the pain you feel in your muscles during a working set. During this process your cells make ATP {adenosine triphosphate} which provides energy for most of the chemical reactions in the body.

** The increase of lactate acid and hydrogen ions results in improved growth hormone secretion; the hormone needed to stimulate growth, cell reproduction and re-generation which results in our body using a greater deal of energy {calories} post work-out.

Simple veggies...

Day 15 of Sugar Free September asked for a picture of my dinner. It was yummy. It was simple. My favourite type of dinner....

Ingredients {Serves 2}
300grams of lamb fillet
4 red capsicums
4 red tomatos
1/2 bunch of chopped coriander
1 glove of garlic finely chopped
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Directions
1. Pre-heat grill to 180*
2. Cut capsicum in half and de-seed and tomatoes into quarters
3. Place on a baking paper on baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper.
4. Grill for 45 minutes turning occasionally
5. Once cook allow to cool before roughly chopping. Add to salad bowl with coriander and garlic
6. Lightly coat lamb in olive oil and salt and pepper.
7. Heat frying pan and cook for five minutes on each side on a medium to high heat.
8. Allow to rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving with the veggie salad.

Delish!!!

erineleini.com is live...

I am so excited to announce that my new website www.erineleinifitness.com is now live!!!

Building a website around a little baby has been quite a juggling act with most of the creation, writing and editing done during day sleeps and in to the evenings after Frankie has gone to sleep. But I am thrilled with the finished website and would love to hear what you think!

I am also really proud of myself with the extra work I have been putting in behind the scenes to get my independent Personal Training business up and running in time for my return to work in just five sleeps!

I am truly humbled that the people I worked with prior to my maternity leave have chosen to return to work with me and I can't wait to get started with them again and see them continue to smash their training and their goals!

I do have a few sessions available for any new clients that would be interested in working with me. If you are looking for a Personal Trainer that can offer you a 360* approach to your health and fitness then I am the girl for you so please do get in contact! I would love to have the opportunity to get you in awesome shape in time for summer!!

Sugar Free September...

Today is the last day of winter!! Tomorrow we wake up and Spring should be in the air! The days will start getting longer and beach days won't be too far behind.

I posted this photo on my instagram a few days ago...

A challenge to go Sugar Free for the whole of September. A photo challenge to post a refined sugar free photo each day of the month. I love this challenge and I am looking forward to getting a bit more creative with my instagram as well as completely ditching sugar.

Are you up for the challenge? Could you go a whole month without the sweet stuff? Are you sweet enough?

To offer a bit of encouragement to you all I have decided to run a competition to those that want to take part in Sugar Free September.

Successfully complete Sugar Free September including a refined sugar free photo each day of the month and you will go in the draw to win ONE MONTH FREE one on one personal training with yours truly.

And here is the fine print for the competition.
1. Your refined sugar free photo must be posted each day to my facebook page so that we can all keep each other motivated. Jump over now and like my page here and be sure to upload and tag me in your photo each day.
2. There will be two one on one personal training packages awarded at the end of September. Winners will be selected randomly.
3. New clients will receive two 30 minute PT sessions a week and existing clients can double their number of weekly sessions already booked. The sessions must be taken over the four week period in October.
4. Personal training sessions to be taken at Fitness First Balgowlah where you will need to be a current member.

Good luck and have fun!! I can't wait to see your pictures!!

Leg press...

Some love it, some hate it! Me, I have a bit of a love hate relationship with it! But there is no denying that the leg press is a pretty awesome machine for building up strength and lean mass in your legs.

And what is so good about the leg press is that you can hit some many different parts of your legs with the leg press simply by changing the position of you feet on the platform.

So here is a picture of the muscles in your legs, a front view...

and a back view...

The standard position with your feet in the middle of the platform, feet about hip width will work predominantly the quadriceps muscles, which are at the front of your thigh, and also your gluteus maximus, your bum.

Move your feet vertically up the platform to a high, standard position and you will take the emphasis off your quads, leaving the glutes to work alongside your hamstrings, so the back of your legs.

Move your feet vertically down the platform to a low, standard position and this makes the exercise even more challenging on the quads than the standard position.

A wide stance, so wider than your shoulders, will target the inner quads and the adductor magnus and a narrow stance, feet together, will ensure you are targeting the outer quads and the muscles on the outside of your hips known as the abductor muscles.

 

Move the balls of your feet to the bottom of the platform and you have yourself an exercise for your gastrocnemius; a big muscle in your calves.

The leg press is a great machine but because you are in a seated position you recruit less of the stabilising muscles and your core. Please make sure when using the leg press in your lower body work-outs that you still incorporate the big compound movements like squats, deadlifts and lunges.

Have fun!

New chapters...

I am a creature of habit. I love routines. I eat the same thing for breakfast every morning; I get this habit from my Dad. I do the same thing in the shower each morning, in the same order. I can't help it, I am a stickler for routines.

Having a new born baby has taught me that not every minute of the day has to be planned. Frankie has taught me that it is ok to not get everything done that needs to be done. It doesn't matter if the house doesn't get vacuumed. If the washing doesn't come in off the line. I have learnt that I should sit; sit and enjoy being her Mum; cuddle her for as long as I want. I can now go and sit in a coffee shop for half an hour instead of getting a take away on the run. I can sit and smile at her, hold her and enjoy my latte.

Having said that, I am looking forward to Frankie getting in to a routine. She is not likely to do this for another four to six weeks until her biological clock has developed a little more. Until then I am going to enjoy her random feeding times, her unusual three hour day time sleeps that seem to happen every now and then for no apparent reason.

When Frankie is in a routine is when I will return to work. I will be a working Mum. I am truly blessed to have a job that I can work around Simon's work. I don't, at this point, need to worry about child care. This doesn't make it any less hard knowing that I will have to leave her for a few hours in the morning. And it doesn't make the thought of getting up after her morning feed any easier. But I love my job, I love my clients and I am looking forward to being a personal trainer again.

This is kind of a new chapter for me. I am closing the chapter on working for Vivid Fitness and I have decided to become an independent personal trainer. After 12 months working as part of Vivid Fitness I have decided that it is time for a new challenge of running my own personal training business and working alongside a new mentor that can help further my professional development.

Erin Eleini Fitness, not quite sure what will happen to the name when I get married next year but it definitely has a certain ring to it! So my business name has changed and I am working independently but everything else will stay the same; the same awesome personal training sessions, the same great customer service, the same bespoke lifestyle and nutritional coaching, and most of all the same great relationships I have with my clients.

My mobile number will be the same but my new email address will be erineleini @gmail.com. Keep your eye out for my new website that I will be launching soon. And don't forget to follow me on my social media pages. I post quite a bit of info that encompasses health, fitness and well-being on these pages so they are definitely worth checking out!

Facebook www.facebook.com/ErinEleiniFitness
Instagram http://instagram.com/erineleinifitness
Twitter https://twitter.com/erineleini1984

I am looking forward to starting this new chapter and I hope you will continue to share my fitness journey with me!

Cacao Slice...

Craving a sweet but want to skip the sugar? Then this one is for you!!

A super quick, super yummy snack that we have just tried and tested in my house!

Cacao Slice...

Ingredients

2 cups of raw almonds
2 tbsp. coconut oil
2 tbsp. honey
1/4 cup of goji berries
2 tbsp. raw cacao powder
Splash of cold water
Desiccated coconut as topping

Directions

1. Blend the almonds in a food processor until course
2. Add the honey, goji berries, cacao powder and water and mix until combined
3. Melt the coconut oil and then stir through the mixture
4. Line a baking tray with baking paper
5. Spread the mixture evenly and squarely into the tray
6. Sprinkle the desiccated coconut on top of the slice
7. Place in the fridge for two hours and then cut in to individual serves {I cut mine into 16 serves}

Total Approximate Nutritional Breakdown
Protein 71grams / 16 pieces = 4.4grams
Carbs 142grams / 16 pieces = 8.9grams
Fats 162grams / 16 pieces = 10grams

Only one piece a day!!!! ;)

HIIT...

We all know I am not really a fan of cardio although I am doing a lot of walking at the moment. I am not able to get to the gym as often as I now have a little person to look after so I put Frankie in the stroller; we are really clocking up the km's.

When I do make it to the gym and I have time I try to finish off my weights session with a bit of HIIT {High Intensity Interval Training}. I wrote a whole blog on this type of cardio training which you can read here.

I have been asked on numerous occasions whether it is better to do your HIIT before or after your weights session. The answer to this, in my experience, is after your weights session. And here is for why...

Our bodies use glycogen as fuel in everything we do. Glycogen is carbohydrates stored in our bodies and is used for energy. Although we use a huge amount of glycogen when we weight train, a gruelling HIIT session will leave your glycogen stores completely depleted.

There is no way, after a HIIT session, you will be able to really push yourself 100% in your weights session. Doing HIIT before will result in a pretty ineffective weights session. You simply won't have the energy {glycogen} needed to smash out those last few reps. And it is during these reps that we stimulate the most muscle growth.

Hit the weights first and follow this up with your HIIT session. Your glycogen stores will be slightly depleted from the weights, the HIIT will completely empty the tank. Your body will then need to recover, your muscles will overcompensate with their ability to take up nutrients. This will leave you with fuller muscles that are able to store a greater amount of glycogen ready for you to lift bigger during your next work-out.

We all know the best way to build and strong lean body is to weight train. Even if your goal is fat loss, weight training is the most beneficial way to reach those goals, not hours and hours of cardio. The more you can deplete your muscles the better. Your muscles will then recover and take in more glycogen making them bigger and stronger. The bigger and stronger your muscles, the higher your metabolic rate. Your metabolic rate is the amount of energy your body uses to run. The higher your metabolic rate the more calories you burn at rest.

We all want to burn calories if our goal is fat loss!!

Kids...

I am a big advocate for kids exercising.

The weekends that my step-kids are at our home we try to get them out and about doing some kind of physical activity. Usually a walk around the park, a bike ride, a scoot along Manly beachfront. We have even promised Keely and Taj a dog when we move in to a house so that they have to walk it every day.

Keely does gymnastics, both the kids have swimming lessons once a week and Taj is just about to start Little Kickers in the new term. Keely and Taj's Mum takes them on bush walks so all in all my step-kids do an adequate amount of exercise.

I am so happy to see my home club Fitness First Balgowlah Platinum is introducing a Fitness Kids Program. For those that missed the Manly Daily yesterday there was an article that reported on the new program.

The program is designed for children aged from three to 12 years and are split in to three age ranges; 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12 year old. The programs combine expert fitness coaching, energetic music and physical activity set in a group session environment. The classes include a combination of cardio fun, strength based exercises, dance, balance and stability, speed and response, power, sport play, relaxation and stretching.

To see a bit of what the classes look like check out the promo video here.

There are currently two 45 minute classes a week for each age group being held at the Balgowlah club with prices starting from $12.50 per class.

An awesome investment in your child's health and fitness....and a way to have lots of fun!

Skin...

I've got extra skin on my tummy. Not surprising since there was a baby in there 10 weeks ago. I would be lying if I said I didn't look at my tummy and wonder whether it will ever go back to what is used to be like. Probably not. I am ok if it doesn't because Frankie is way more important than abs and I loved every minute of being pregnant and watching my tummy grow.

But I want to give my tummy the best possible chance to recover. I don't want to get 12 months down the track without having done anything to help my tummy so I decided to give it some love and attention.

Here are my top five tips that seem to be working for my saggy skin...

1. Drink more water
Hydrated skin equals healthy skin!! Drinking plenty of water will help keep your skin flexible and supple. I aim to drink three litres of water plus an extra litre on the days I train. I keep a one litre bottle with me at all times and ensure this is drunk and re-filled three to four times per day.

2. Dry body brushing
Exfoliating helps remove excess and dead skin cells and actually stimulates the growth of new skin cells. As these new skin cells grow they are more likely to fit your new body shape; in my case, my non-pregnant tummy. Body brushing also helps remove toxins from your body. Grab yourself a dry body brush making sure you exfoliate before you shower every day. Start furthest away from your heart working the brush in circular motions towards to your heart. This helps your blood stream carry away the dead toxins. Jump in the shower and wash away all those dead skin cells.

3. Moisturising
Keeping your skin moist will improve it's overall appearance and prevent dryness and stretch marks. I have been using a moisturiser from Kosmea that contains Rosehip Oil and I massage this in to my skin after every shower. Rose hip oil is a naturally rich source of essential fatty acids which help to regenerate skin cells and to repair damaged skin tissue.

4. Lift weights
Training to add muscle mass to your body is a great way to reduce the effects of loose skin. Muscle will take up space on your body frame as well, helping to fill out the stretched skin and give you a strong, active-looking physique.

5. Food
Vitamin A is great for your skin so I try to eat a lot of carrots, sweet potato, tuna and red capsicums. I also ensure I eat plenty of green leafy veggies, fruit and nuts. These are packed full of anti-oxidants and help clear out damaging free radicals which don't help with loose, sagging skin.

Photos on the left taken four weeks after Frankie was born, photos on the right four weeks later.

I am happy with my mummy tummy!

Moroccan Mince

I haven't posted a meal idea in a while so here is one that is in pretty constant rotation in our house...

Moroccan Mince with Roasted Eggplant

Serves 4
Approximate Nutritional Breakdown Per Serving
Protein 44grams
Carbohydrates 19grams
Fats 6grams
Fibre 7grams

Ingredients...
Mince and Eggplants
500grams of beef mince {I buy extra lean from Woolies or 5 star from Coles}
4 medium eggplants
3 tbsp. olive oil
zest of one lemon
1 medium brown onion
2 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp allspice
1/2 cup of fresh coriander to garnish

Yogurt dressing
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup natural yogurt
1 tsp of finely chopped garlic
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp sea salt

Directions...
1. Pre-heat oven to 180* if fan-forced, 200* if not
2. Chop eggplants in half lengthways. Scoop out the flesh leaving about 4cms of flesh around the edge and base of the eggplant. Roughly dice scooped flesh
3. Sprinkle eggplants with salt and brush with two tablespoons of olive oil. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until eggplant is soft
4. Heat remaining oil over a medium-high heat in a large frying pan. Add the onion and eggplant flesh and cook for three minutes, add garlic and spices and cook for a further two minutes. Add the beef mince breaking up with a spatula. Cook for about five minutes or until the meat is cooked through. Stir in the lemon zest and set aside
5. To make the yogurt sauce, combine the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic and spices in a small bowl
6. Once the eggplant is cooked, remove from the oven and on four plates fill up each eggplant with the warm mince mixture, top with a tablespoon of yogurt sauce and garnish with the fresh coriander

As you can see from the photo, I add a side of veggies to the eggplants. Simon makes this for the two of us so we have a serving each for packed lunches the next day. It tastes just as good re-heated!

Enjoy!

Baby bump...

I am sorry for the silence. I have been busy. Busy being heavily pregnant, busy giving birth and now busy looking after a newborn baby. It is a good busy, a busy I am really enjoying. Before I write about what I have been up to since my baby girl Frankie was born two months ago I think it is best to write first about my pregnancy.

I have been asked a few times over the last six months about why I didn't blog throughout my pregnancy about being pregnant. My blog is about health, fitness and wellbeing and being pregnant really did incorporate all three of those things so why did I decid not to share my experience.

I shared some photos on social media and I posted some work-outs that I did whilst pregnant. I also referred to my pregnancy in my blog and on my facebook page but I really didn't discuss what kind of pregnancy I had, how I felt, what training I was able to do.

When I sit back and think about the reasons why I chose not to share my pregnancy in greater detail it is not because I believe pregnancy to be a private, personal experience. Nor was I ashamed or unhappy with the obvious changes that I saw happen to my body. I really believe that everyone is entitled to their own pregnancy experience and the need to see what someone else is doing, or eating, or growing or how much they are exercising wasn't necessary.

When you fall pregnant and you start to tell the world your exciting news you very quickly realise that there are a lot of well intentioned opinions. You get very good and smiling and thanking people for their advice and you take or leave what you choose.

Many people will tell you you shouldn't be weight training when pregnant. If I heard one more person tell me I was going to "strain" something I thought I would scream. Even my very well meaning physiotherapist told me, at 14 weeks pregnant, to stop weight training and start gentle walking and swimming. I didn't listen and when the physio checked me over at 30 weeks he said my hips and pelvis were in great shape! Little did he know I had kept on training which had obviously caused no issues or injuries.

I trained as much as I could and really did listen to my body. I lowered my sets, adjusted the weight and each week worked out what felt good and what I knew I no longer could do. My aim was to try to exercise every day and an ideal week was three or four days training with walking on the other days. There were weeks when this was spot on and there were weeks when I only managed a few days.

At 31 weeks I started to experience terrible Public Symphysis which felt like I had been kicked in between the legs and it made standing painful let alone moving around. My tummy was strapped which did nothing to help and I soon realised the only cure for this was to give birth. I managed for five weeks to continue training sitting down and did mainly upper body work with very little lower. At 35 weeks I said goodbye to the weights and swam four times a week from then until 40 weeks.

I suffered morning sickness from week six to 11 and lost my appetite completely until I was about 25 weeks pregnant. This was challenging and really frustrating; going from loving food, eating five to six meals a day to not knowing what you feel like to eat for weeks and weeks on end. It was stressful. I wanted to give my baby all the nutrient rich food I was used to eating and all I could eat was sausage rolls and toast. I couldn't stomach chicken, couldn't eat meat until the evening and the thought of cooked veggies made me gag. I drank a lot of green smoothies and veggie juices as that was all I could stomach in the way of veggies.

Looking back now I feel like I should have eaten better throughout my pregnancy but at the time you do all you can to eat whatever your body will allow. I try not to think about the sausage rolls and lack of veggies and focus on the fact that Frankie came out big, healthy and strong. I did a good job growing her.

I want to say I didn't weigh myself but I did. I was 61kg when I fell pregnant and I was 74kg when I gave birth to Frankie. This was more than I expected to put on, I thought I would be one of those women that put on 8 kilos, but I believe my body put on what it needed to put on to safely make my baby.

And this is Frankie. Born at 2.10am on Monday 14th April 2014. My 30th birthday.

She is the most amazing thing ever!

Headspace...

I find it really hard to switch off.

I find it really hard to sit down and do nothing.

My mind goes 100km/h with the things that I need to do.

Being pregnant has really tested this part of my personality. I have reached a point now where I can't do everything that I want and need to do. I have to now ask for people to help me or put things off until tomorrow when I have more energy.

I suffer from anxiety and have been medicated for this for a number of years. I was first medicated for depression. I truly believe exercise helped me overcome by depression. Although the depression has gone, the anxiety is still there. I get stressed easily and I panic if I am out of control.

I can't wait for the baby to be here but I also do feel anxious that looking after a new born baby, something I have never done before, is going to be quite stressful. I can feel the start of the anxiety attacks coming nearly everyday...

So I have been meditating. Something that I am trying to do every day. Something, that like most things in life, takes practice and patience. I am getting better. I am loving the 15 minutes each day where I can just sit, try to shut out the world and think of nothing more than my baby wiggling around in my tummy. It is our time together and a time that I feel the baby really enjoys; no noise, no stress, just calm.

 

I have downloaded an App on my phone called Headspace Take 10. It is a free App where you do 10 minutes of guided meditation every day for 10 days. The App just talks you through how to meditate. At the end of Take 10 you can purchase the Headspace App for more meditation tools and techniques.

I cannot recommend meditation more highly. I have only been doing this daily for the last three weeks and I think it is helping hugely with the anxiety I am experiencing.

Meditation isn't completely about stopping the mind from thinking but rather trying to stop the "chitter-chatter" of the mind by focusing on each breath. Think of meditation more as conscious breathing rather than trying to completely shut off the outside world.

From doing Headspace Take 10, the main things I try to practice when meditating are...

One.
Find a comfortable seat. You don't need to be sitting in the lotus position in a Zen garden to meditate. You could be on your sofa, at the kitchen table, even sitting behind the wheel of your car. Conscious breathing is easiest without distractions so picking somewhere that is comfortable is quite important.

Two.
Close you eyes and lengthen your breath. Breathe in for a count of six and visualise your lungs filling up with air and your chest expanding. Breathe out for a count of six and visualise your lungs empty and your chest descending. I count my breaths; inhale is count number one, exhale is count number two, and so on until you get to 10, then start back at number one.

Three.
Starting with your head and working down to your arms and feet, notice how you feel in your body. Taking in your head and neck, notice if you feel tense, relaxed, calm or anxious. See how much you can spread any sensations of softness and relaxation to areas of your body that feel tense. Once your reach your feet, work back up your body.

 

Four.

You will get distracted, your mind will wander to the sounds around you, you will start thinking about what you need buy at the supermarket, the deadline you have a work. It is natural for your brain to continue to think of things. Don't try and force your brain to stop, simply recognise when your mind has wandered and draw it back to your breathing.

 

Five.
You don't need to meditate for an hour, five minutes is a great start. We are all busy and telling yourself you are going to meditate for an hour when you know that you simply don't have the time is only going to see you putting your meditation to bottom of the to-do list.

There are numerous, proven scientific benefits of meditating which I am not going to go in to but I do want to outline the emotional benefits you may receive from taking 10 minutes everyday to practice meditating...

• Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations
• Building skills to manage your stress
• Increasing self-awareness
• Focusing on the present
• Reducing negative emotions

Happy breathing x

Bodies...

Do you know your body type? And I don't mean apple shaped, pear shaped, lean, round....I mean your real body shape?  When you ask someone about their body type most people will answer with one of the above, or something similar, that are descriptions of how they look physically. There are actually three body types that can provide an insight into how our bodies respond to our food intake, training styles and our Sympathetic Nerve System (SNS).

Have a look at the photos below...

 

Which body type category do you fall in to? Do you fall in to one or are you a mixture of one or two?

Ok, so there are three body types; Ectomorph, Mesomorph and Endomorph...

Ectomorph

Megan Fox and Alexsander Skarsgard would be your classic ectomorphs; they are skinny with small frames and lean muscle mass. Ectomorphs don't gain weight {fat or muscle} easily, they generally small shoulders and the females have flat chests. If you asked someone to describe an Ectomorph they would use the words skinny, lean, small, slight.

 

 

Ectomorph Nutrition Guidance

Ectomorphs have a fast metabolism and a high tolerance for carbohydrates. They need a high carb intake to aid in muscle growth with a moderate protein and lower fat intake. An Ectomorph's ideal diet may be 55% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 15% fat.

 

Ectomorph Training Tips

If your goal as an Ectomorph is to gain muscle then you need to train each muscle group at least once a week using heavy weights! Heavy weights with a low repetition range of 8-10 for 4 sets is perfect Use lots of big compound exercises; squats, lunges, deadlifts, push ups, pull ups. Try to keep cardio to a minimum as you want to use as much of your energy as possible to grow more muscle mass.

 

Mesomorph

 

Michelle Bridges and Hugh Jackman would be good examples of the Mesomorph body type. They have an athletic, rectangular shape. If a Mesomorph is physically active they will have a hard body and defined muscles. Mesomorphs have broad shoulders, are naturally strong and gain muscle easily and gain fat easier than Ectomorphs. Some descriptions for Mesomorphs would be athletic, muscly, ripped, toned.

 

 

Mesomorph Nutrition Guidance

Mesomorphs tend to respond well to a mixed diet consisting of a good balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. A good guide to a Mesomorph's macro-nutrient split would be 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fats.

 

Mesomorph Training Tips

If you are a Mesomorph and don't want to build too much muscle then circuit style training is best for you. Moving quickly from one exercise to another with minimal rest will result in an increase in strength and stamina without gaining too much lean mass. Moderate sized weights are best with around 15 reps for each exercise and four sets of each. Try not to do too many different exercises on the same muscle group, ideally three is enough so as not to stimulate too much muscle growth on one particular muscle group. Aim for three strength sessions plus three HIIT {High Intensity Interval Training} sessions per week to keep fat loss in check.

 

Endomorph

 

Kelly Clarkson and Jack Black are your Endomorph examples. They have soft, round bodies with large shoulders and are typically short and stocky. They can gain muscle easily if physically active but also gain fat very easily which they find harder to lose. Endomorphs have what is best described as a slower metabolism so they have a tendency to store both muscle and fat. An Endomorph may be referred to as big boned, chubby, round, stocky.

 

 

 

Endomorph Nutrition Guidance

Because Endomorphs are a lot less tolerant of carbohydrates they do best on a higher fat and protein intake with the correct timing of their carbs {ie. after exercise}. A good guide to an Endomorphs Macro split may look like this; 25% carbs, 35% protein and 40% fat. They should drink lots of water and load up on fibre to transport the nutrients from their food and flush out waste. Aiming to eat five to six small meals a day to ensure their metabolism is constantly working.

 

Endomorph Training Tips

Endomorphs should lift moderate to heavy weights as this will build muscle and in turn boost your metabolism. All over body training is best, working lots of different muscle groups in the same session. Think giant sets moving from one muscle group to the next as part of the same set or circuit style training. Aim to do this three to four times per week with two days of HIIT for 20-30 minutes each session.

 

If you find after reading the descriptions that you fall into two categories pick the category that greater describes your body type. Give the nutrition and training tips a try and see how your body responds. If you see little or no changes after eight weeks, try the other body type tips.

 

Please bare in mind that the guidance above is just that; guidance. They are tips for the wider population and haven't been put together with any particular person or individual's goals in mind.

 

And for more info on HIIT have a quick read of my previous Sprints blog post here.

Hooray for Chicken...

I have not eaten chicken for 24 weeks, not eaten it since two weeks before I found out I was pregnant. The fact I couldn't bare the sight, smell or even the thought of chicken was probably what made me realise that we had fallen pregnant.

On Sunday, I felt like chicken! Hooray!

Simon received Fast Ed's Dinner in 10 recipe book for Christmas and flicking through it I came across his Piri-Piri chicken with zucchini fritters and avocado. In the book Ed uses chicken drumsticks which I am not a huge fan of; too much fat and skin even without the pregnancy challenges. So I substituted the legs for tenderloins.

Ingredients {serves 3-4}

2 lemons
500grams chicken tenderloins
Salt & pepper
1tbsp of chilli flakes
1tsp garlic powder
1tsp ground cumin
1/2tsp ground coriander
2tbsp olive oil for chicken
1tbsp olive oil for zucchinis
4 large zucchinis
2tbsp plain flour
2 eggs
1 cup of chicken stock
1/2 bunch of oregano leaves
2 avocados

Instructions

1. Finely grate the lemon zest and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper then add the spices

2. Pour the olive oil in to a 5L saucepan and add the chicken. Shred the zucchini on the course blade of a box grater into a second large mixing bowl. Put a frying pan over a medium heat

3. Stir the flour & eggs into the zucchini, season with salt and pepper and mix. Add the olive oil in to the frying pan

4. Place 8 large spoons of the zucchini mixture into the hot frying pan and flatten in to disc shapes

5. Add the chicken stock to saucepan and put the lid on

6. Turn the zucchini fritters

7. Pick the oregano leaves

8. Peel the avocados and remove the flesh

9. Place the zucchini fritters on the serving plates. Slice the avocados in to fans and arrange on the fritters. Take the chicken and plate up garnishing with the oregano!

AMAZE!!!!

I have also just realised that I have not done a recipe blog post for a looooong time. This has had something to do with my very limited appetite which I have had to deal with during my pregnancy. I joked this morning that I have been on a carb detox for the last six months...living purely on carbs with very little protein. I have been going with the flow and just giving my body what ever it needs but fingers crossed this is the start of getting back to trying new, adventurous, healthy meals which I can then share with everyone!