Health | 5 Food swaps that won't leave you hungry

I'm very much a creature of habit. I'm also not good with huge changes. 

Which means I usually fail 100% of  healthy eating kicks - what I find works best for me is making small changes to my diet, over time that adds up to one big change (well that's what I'm telling myself!).

Below are the changes I've found were the easiest to make, hopefully you'll take them on and stick at them too!

Balsamic Vinegar swap for Apple Cider Vinegar

I use this with olive oil and lime to make an easy-tasty salad dressing or I add it to my veggies as they're cooking although, it pretty much goes with everything! It acts as a digestive tonic, it keeps away harmful bacteria in the intestine, flushes out toxins and relieves water retention around the stomach. 

Coffee swap for Green Tea

This change took the longest, I'm was a complete tea and coffee addict and, if I'm honest, couldn't stand green tea! Although, with a fair amount of willpower I now love green tea and rarely have breakfast tea or coffee (2-3 times a month). Green tea helps the body flush out excess fluids, calms stomach bloating and speeds up the metabolism! It also gives you the same perk as coffee!

Sunflower Oil swap for Olive Oil

Good fats can help you lost weight! Olive oil contains poly unsaturated fats that can keep away hunger pains. Olive oil also contains oleic acid which helps the breakdown of excess fat in the body!

White Rice swap for Brown Rice

Brown rice contains a huge supply of B vitamins which can help you burn calories faster. It is also a complex carbohydrate that is rich in muscle-strengthening protein and vitamins!

Spaghetti swap for Courgetti 

Buying a spiralizer has completely opened my eyes to a whole new way to eat vegetables! I thought I was being duped into some fad trend but this one, even if it is a fad, I love! I make courgetti all the time and, not only is it filling, but it is delicious, healthy and completely free of that stodgy full feeling Spaghetti gives you! You avoid all the refined white wheat flour in spaghetti and take in extra vitamins from the Courgette! Win, win.

Let me know how you get on in the comments! Any of these changes new to you?

Health | Cut Those Cravings

So I'm sat at my desk and all I can think about is a big packet of crispy, salty Kettlechips

I'm sure you have all had that feeling, when you feel like you can't go on unless you satisfy that craving. But then the angel on your shoulder wakes up and reminds you that you're eating clean for that holiday in the summer...

Decisions, get rid of the craving or stay healthy?

Well I've been doing some reading and, you can thank me later, you can now do both!

Below are your cravings translated into what they really mean, and how you can bust them without relapsing into junk food!

Wahey!

Craving Sweets? Feeling tired or under-the-weather?
Your body needs Chromium (involved in carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism and enhances the actions of insulin) eat Grapes, Broccoli, Cheese or Chicken! Here is a great recipe that involves Cheese and Chicken. Mmmm...

Craving Crisps? Feeling stiff or sore?
Your body needs Calcium (which helps grow strong bones and regulates muscle contractions), eat Cheese, Legumes and Sesame seeds to combat those cravings!

Craving Chocolate? Feeling anxious or tired?

You need more Magnesium in your life! Get it by eating Nuts, Seeds, Fish and Leafy Greens.

Craving Bread? Feeling fatigued?

You need more Nitrogen (this makes proteins in your DNA, muscles, blood and hair) You can get it from amino acids in protein rich food so boost your levels by eating Fish, Meat, Nuts and Beans!

Craving Fizzy Drinks? Feeling irritable or achey?

You need Calcium! Eat Cheese, Broccoli or Kale to boost your levels!

If you need some inspiration on how to work these foods into your diet check out my recipes - I cook with these everyday (ignore the cakes).

Fashion | Wish-list: Workout Watch

As you all know I like to have my cake and eat it, which means I usually exercise 4 or 5 times a week!

That may seem like a lot but I usually do really quick, effective gym workouts or those that I really enjoy, such as kettlebells! As the old saying goes "Time flies when you're having fun", so I rarely notice how long I'm spending!

However, in the gym world it is often crucial to keep an eye on the time and having a good watch makes a world of difference to a good workout - especially if you're doing a tabata interval workout or trying to hit a new record time on the cross-trainer!

For my usual gym session I like to mix it up with 1 minute kettlebell intervals (repeated 10-15 times), core exercises and a 15 minute cardio session to cool down. These timed exercise mean I always need to have my phone or watch handy.

I recently stumbled across The Watch Gallery and have completely fallen in love with this Unisex Bell & Ross* watch.

I love its clean design, so simple, and the square face gives it a touch of modernism!

It has a large hands which make it easy to read even at a glance (perfect if you're trying to keep your balance on the running machines!) and the second dial that measures seconds is a bonus for when you're doing intervals of less than a minute!

The watch also has a plastic strap which means it doesn't matter if it gets a little sweaty and its waterproof for those of you that like a post-gym swim!

Its definitely on my wish-list for my new gym time-piece!

Fitness | Workout Songs of the Week

Well... this weather is hardly the type to make us jump up off our sofas and go for a run or dash to the gym! Especially when it's making those summer months feel like years away.

Here are another 5 songs that will instantly make you want nothing more than to be in the gym working for that summer body!

What are you listening to at the moment?

Fitness | Short and Sweet

How hard is it to find the time to exercise?! 

If you're not nodding your head in agreement right now then you're a superhero. For the rest of us, there is a way of increasing the effectiveness of your time in the gym! 

Hallelujah!

Sometimes you don't need to slog away on those cardio machines for hours, its all about short, sharp and effective training - and I have the answer.

So what is this marvellous magical mystery exercise?

Tabata! 20 minutes of tabata is all you need to replace 40-60 minutes of low-moderate intensity cardio. Over six weeks it can increase your anaerobic capacity (the capacity your body has to use it's systems without oxygen) by 28%! Whereas, if you stick with your moderate intensity exercise then you won't get any significant improvement. Check out the science here.

So what is tabata?

Its 20 seconds of high intensity exercise with 10 seconds rest. Do this for four minutes (That's 8 repetitions). Repeat that set 3-4 times with a 1 minute rest inbetween and you have yourself a 12 minute-ish work out!

If you're fairly fit and a regular gym goer up the sets to 5-6. 

You can do this method on any equipment in the gym; rower, runner, bike ect. Just make sure that your high intensity sections are working hard - aim for exhaustion! 

Enjoy, and let me know how you get on!

Fitness | Workout Songs Of The Week

The health kicks are in full swing but I always find (one) of the hardest things about going to the gym is finding the music to keep me going!

That's why each week I'll release a few songs that I'm listening to that I hope may just inspire you to stay on that treadmill 10 more minutes (that's roughly an extra 150 calories!).

These are all available on Spotify so they're easy peasy to have on the go. 

Let me know what you think! 

What are you listening to at the moment?

 

Fitness | Sticking to your 'Health Kick'

We're a week or two into the new year. That means we're a week or two into 'Health Kicks', 'New Year, New Me'... 

A week or two and you can probably already feel yourself slipping, that 'Exercise 5 times a week' resolution has already slipped to 3 and giving up caffeine failed that first frosty morning you had to drag yourself away from bed early. 

Never fear! Here are five steps to make sure you stay on track this year. 

(You can thanks me when you're sunning your washboard abs in St. Tropez).

Enjoy it!

This is the biggie: You will never stick to something you don't enjoy! If you can't find the motivation to drag yourself to the gym - go swimming, running, cycling - find something new! I try not to do the same exercise twice in a week, I find I get bored and don't put enough effort in. I went and tried Surfing.... in Scotland.... in a blizzard! It may not be everyone's cup of tea but the point is - always try something new, you never know you'll probably enjoy it! 

Be Social.

There is nothing worse than doing something on your own. Starting School, Walking into a full room when you barely know anyone - its all the same! Going to the gym, running, swimming (Especially Swimming) - if you're new to it its intimidating! Take a friend with you - if you think you're going to embarrass yourself at least you'll have company. You'll find having someone there will keep you going longer and harder - nothing like a healthy bit of competition - and, most importantly they'll keep you going back.

We Don't Like Losing.

Its human nature - we don't like losing! That is where Stickk comes in, what they do is offer you the chance to take out 'Commitment Contracts', to show to yourself and others the value you put on achieving your goals.You pledge your goal and, if you fail, you lose the money you put on the line. Simple!

The Write Way.

Keep a diary - write down everything you have achieved towards your goal. That way you can see where you're doing well! If you want to get really technical you could even make a spreadsheet... but we'll leave that to the tech geeks. 

Keep it Real.

Don't go hoping for a Kelly Brooke bottom or Eva Longoria legs in 12 weeks. It may not be realistic, if you aren't seeing the changes you aim for you'll get disheartened and you'll end up on the slippery slope to failure. Make small achievable targets that will keep you on ( the running) track. I know if I didn't then I would fall of the wagon too. I keep myself content knowing I'm healthier and happier doing the exercise I love and if I skip a day, its not the end of the world, there is always tomorrow!

What do you think will be your toughest challenge to sticking to your health kick this year?