Foodie Fresh: How I've Changed Up My Diet

With so many of my friends changing up their eating habits and becoming Pescatarian, Vegetarian, and even Vegan, I took a step back and started to analyse my own diet. 

This started whilst I was on holiday with my family in February. My sister had previously tried out a Vegan diet around November time, but by this point had found her happy balance by becoming a Pescatarian. I decided to try it out and join in whilst I was on holiday, and traveling around Thailand and the Maldives actually made a Veggie diet fairly easy. I'd been playing with the idea for around a year as my best friend has been Vegetarian since she went traveling. I've always been aware of gross animal farming and the mass effect that it has on the earth, but let's be honest, for those of us that love the taste of meat taking that first step is bloody hard!

Now I'm nowhere near a saint for doing this, there is no way I could become vegan, I love cheese and milk too much (and wine and beer), but taking the time to observe my diet and make a few changes has for sure left me feeling fitter and more energised. 

After a few months of going full-out Veggie, I've found myself a middle ground. I realised that after a while my meals became a lot more carb-based as I was trying to fill myself up without having meat. So with a bit of trial and error, I have now decided to include fish in my diet to try and find that balance.  

I know that for sure I am a lot happier with cutting down on my beef intake and that by making these dietary changes I eat A LOT more fruit and veg a day, dare I say more than my allotted 5... and I'm feeling a lot better for it. So keep your eyes peeled for a good few recipes coming your way. I'm really into my veggie burrito bowls, baked cod, chili and prawn tagliatelle and aubergine curry!

Fast Fitness: Full Body Workout

My New Year's resolution is still going strong! I'm hitting the gym 2-3 times a week and practicing yoga at home an additional 1-2 times. I have also recently changed up my training routine by increasing my reps and introducing a bit of cardio (I HATE CARDIO). I'm working on getting leaner for my May trip to Malta, so I'm eating more fruit and veg, and am pumping that iron. I thought I'd share one of my sessions with you guys, so you can follow this routine, or pick and choose the parts that you like...

Squats 6-8 x3

Bent over row 18-20 x3

Stiff-legged deadlifts 15 x3

Standing shoulder press x15 - flies x10 - x3

Cable legs 10 each leg x3

Bicep curls with bar 10 x3

Glute holds 20 x2

Leg curls 15 x3

Feel free to use whatever size weights you feel comfortable with for these exercises - the trick is to maintain your technique, don't let this suffer because you are trying to go too high in weight! 

Finish the session off with some HIT training on a bike, cross trainer or treadmill. 20-30 seconds sprinting 30-40 seconds even-paced for a minimum of 5 minutes.

Taylor's 32: An All-Natural Whitening Toothpaste

Taylor's 32 are a natural toothcare brand, which unlike so many other toothpastes are free from SLS, artificial preservatives, sweeteners and abrasives. It's safe to say when this product turned up in my Glossybox I was super excited to get some use out of it! They gifted me the Grapefruit & Mint flavour, and although I'm a massive fan of Grapefruit, most of my toiletries that feature this are soap oriented, so I wasn't quite sure how I felt about it...

My first use of the toothpaste wasn't actually too fab. As I had been used to typical toothpaste brands such as Oral B and Colgate, I only put a smidge of a dot on my toothbrush, and after the first use I was worried that it wouldn't leave my breath minty fresh, and in addition used mouthwash directly after, which definitely defeated the purpose of using this brand! But after a week of use, and trialing and testing using different amounts (ALWAYS USE A BIG DOLLOP), I have fallen in love with this fresh toothpaste, and am already starting to see my teeth looking whiter and brighter! I think next time I might take a wack of the classic mint, but it was nice to try a toothpaste with a flavour of something a little different. 

Beaut brand and beauty product, I would highly recommend!

Fat Buddha Yoga: Round 2 - The Ministry Of Sound

Last Tuesday I took part in my second Fat Buddha yoga session, and this time it was at The Ministry of Sound! Having only ever been to The Ministry for clubbing and partying reasons, it was a weird feeling to be back again to relax, unwind, and take part in this wellbeing fitness session. The class was completely full and before we started I was slightly worried about the amount of space per person, but the thought also crossed my mind that if there were so many yogis attending then it must be a pretty damn good class! ...

The class, held by Jessica Skye, was full of bumping basslines and relaxation, but unlike my last class held in The Old Truman Brewery, it was quite a tough workout! In my first session, I experienced mindfulness, relaxation, calm, soft and slow breathing along with some fairly easy movements- a great way to ease myself back into yoga. The Ministry Of Sound session was an intense class, it achieved a place of mindfulness and relaxation, but also provided positions of deep flexibility, core strength, and a full body workout- this was my sort of class!...

All-in-all this class was an absolute dream. I love attending sessions where I can push myself to a degree of my own choice, they provided several levels of intensity from beginners to pro, as well as entering a space of calm where I could then lose my thought for a good hour out of my week, leaving work and worrying locked in a box for that short amount of time. I will definitely be back again for my monthly portion of yoga, and can't wait for the new year when this session will be available every week!...

Thanks so much Jessica and Fat Buddha! 

Love,

K.

My Gym Routine: Booty Workout

Hey guys, I'm really excited for September and getting back to hitting the gym hard! I let my gym routine slip a bit over the summer, and now it's time to get back into the swing of things. I thought I'd share one of my workouts with you for some gymspiration! 

Weighted Stiff-leg Deadlifts (bar or free weights) 3 X 12-15

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Ski Side Squats 3 X 6 each side

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Kneeling Squats with bar 3 X 12

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Single leg Glute Bridges 3 X 12 each leg

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Single leg Step-Ups (the higher the step the better) 3 X 10 each leg

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Barbell Squats 3 X 12 

Hope this helps anyone out looking for some fitspiration! 

K.

How To Workout At Home

Sometimes getting yourself to the gym can be a right hassle, so on those days when I really don't have the time to get to the gym or want to add in some extra exercise without having to go anywhere, I use my simple home workout circuits. These are a great way to add a short burst of exercise into your day, either in your living room or in the garden! If you have weights at home don't be scared to add these into the routine, if not don't worry, these circuits will get your heart rate up and have you out of breath in no time, but don't forget, it won't help if you don't push yourself! 

Circuit 1 (X 3)

 Mountain Climbers: 20 seconds sprint

Sit Ups X 20

Donkey Kicks X 20 on each leg

Box Press Ups X 20

Glute Bridges X 20

Circuit 2 (X 3)

Plank: 45 seconds - 1 minute

Lunges X 20

Jumping Squats X 10 

Triceps  Press Ups: until fail

The Rude Health Product I Swear By

Breakfast is always a super stressful meal for me, If I can grab something whilst running out the door then perfect! Most days I won't even give myself time to have breakfast, which is stupid because missing the first meal can mess up your food plans throughout the rest of the day. I can't help it, if I can have five more minutes in bed, then I'll take it! If I have enough time I will occasionally make myself a bowl of cereal or have some yoghurt. 

But I'm about to share my all-time breakfast secret, a Rude Health product that I now swear by and would miss breakfast almost every morning without... Rude Health Smoothie Oats. 

These drinking oats are great! Scoop a few spoons into a shaker, mix with your choice of ingredients (I like honey, banana and milk), and hey presto! Unlike other oats these quickly dissolve into your cold drink and create a smooth texture, rather than the lumpy and bitty texture you get after blitzing your normal oats. So there you have it, a great way to have a quick and easy grab and go breakfast, and it's not even expensive! The prices vary between £2 and £3 in different stores, including Waitrose, Morrisons, Holland & Barratt and other health food stores!

K.

How to Achieve a Good Gym/Work Balance

Having Started working full-time recently, I've found myself reevaluating a perspective that I believed was completely and entirely true - There's always time to exercise. Now, I have been lectured by a few friends about this before, and used to entirely agree with this statement, but now being in the world of work, rather than being a University student, has thrown a few more hurdles my way. My first issue is my commute, depending on where I'm commuting from, this can vary between 30-45 and 1hr 30 mins. I currently spend some nights at my house, and some at my boyfriends. So depending on what night it is I get home anytime between 6pm and 7pm. Now if I get home at 7, then eat at say 7.30, then I wont want to exercise until at least 8.30, and by that time I could be snuggled up on the sofa in my pjs, see my issue? 

Exercise is something that A LOT of people struggle with, and now I can see why. I used to go to the gym around 4 times a week, I am now struggling with 2, and wish I could fit in 3. So, what's changed? I am no longer within walking distance of my gym, I no longer finish my working day at 4, and I am VERY tired after a days work. So this is my plan, this doesn't have to be yours, but here are some tips and tricks for anyone stuck at a desk all day long, who also struggles to make it to the gym every week. 

1. Designate 2 gym sessions that you know you can make each week. You don't HAVE to go to both, but you MUST stick to at least 1.

2. Exercise once at home, whether it be an online Zumba Youtube video, pilates, or in the garden doing circuits.

3. If you're really struggling allocate 1 or 2 days a week where you eat your lunch at your desk, then use your 30-60 minute break to go for a walk or a run. This is a key tip as many people forget to break up their day, this is not only healthier for you, but also makes you more productive when you are at your desk as you have a fresh state of mind. 

So there is my short but sweet rant about how exercise has become a bit harder recently, and now I totally get you guys! Hope these tips and tricks help. 

K.

Legs, Bums & Tums

So summer is just around the corner, and if you're like me you'll be thinking 'How am I going to get my booty looking amazing in such little time?!' and 'I wanna be getting that hot bikini bod for my holiday!' Well fear not! with some hard work and training it's still possible to get your body looking fineeee. To help with your progress I thought i'd share one of my favourite workouts which targets all those areas that girls want to 'tone' for the summer... 

Squats: 3x10

Kettle-bell dead-lifts: 3x15

Leg extensions: 3 sets until failure

Sit-ups (with a medicine ball): 3x15

Glute bridges (with or without a powerbag): 3x20

Mountain climbers: 3x20 second sprints

Donkey kicks: 3x15 each leg

Plank: hold until failure

Push yourself and you'll achieve! 

K.

Why Girls are Different

So, I know the title of this post is a bit ambiguous, and you are probably wondering what on earth i'm going to say. Is this going to be a feminist rant? Am I going to be discussing deep political issues? Well i'm afraid not, in fact this post is all about exercise and fitness, and until recently, everyone was pretty sure that both men and women should train the same. Some may still believe this, but after some discussion, research and observation I believe girls  should train differently to guys. We are different, no matter how you look at it we are biologically different, our physicality's, how we store more fat for reproduction, differences in hormones, our menstrual cycle, these are just a few. So why do we try and exercise  the same way? Here are the reasons that I think us girls should have a different gym routine to the lads...

1. Women are more capable of training with higher reps

 In Training, specifically weight training, female muscle fibres are more likely to be converted to type 1 fibres (slow yet long lasting) or aren't converted at all, whereas in men they generally change to type 2 (faster but don't last as long). Female type 1 fibres are also proportionally bigger than men's, and show a high resistance to fatigue. Therefore, women can often achieve more reps than men. 

2.Women have been shown to recover faster

Research has shown that women not only need less rest-time between sets, but also recover faster between workout sessions, and therefore are capable of training more often than men. This is because of oestrogen. This female hormone helps muscle repair, and protects muscles by reducing the damage being caused to them during exercise. We are also capable of having less rest in-between sets due to more type 1 fibres, as they have a higher resistance and are less prone to fatigue.  


3. Explosive training doesn't work as well e.g HIIT

As Previously explained, females are better at endurance work, and can work better at a consistent and achievable level over longer periods of time. Men on the other hand deal better with explosive training, due to having more type 2 fibres that are stronger, but don't last as long. It has also been proven that men create significantly more muscle when completing high intensity training than women.

4. The menstrual cycle 

Last but not least, the menstrual cycle. Unfortunately, we can't escape it and we all know we have that time of the month that affects our mood and body pretty damn significantly. It affects some more than others but for around 4-6 days we have our periods, and some may say that whilst exercising in this time, you should do less intense workouts and not push yourself too much. Other research suggests that women may be stronger and more durable during menstruation, this might be something you might like to experiment with if you're looking to hit some pbs!

So here's a short summary of what us gals should do differently... Train high reps 
Do more sets
Rest less time
Train more often
and work with your period!

I hope this helps out anyone looking to change their gym routine.


K.

Bonkers about Baking

Hey guys! I haven't done a post like this before, but i'm always wanting to try new things. I want to share some of my favourite baking recipes with you, along with a playlist to keep you motivated whilst you're tinkering away in the kitchen. Hope you enjoy!

1. Blueberry Muffins

135g white sugar
1 large egg
112ml vegetable oil
75ml milk
1 tsp vanilla
62.50g all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
120ml of natural yoghurt
 Half a pack of blueberries

Bake at 190c for around 25 minutes. Sprinkle white sugar over the top with 10 minutes to spare

2. Chocolate chip and almond cookies 

125g all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Baking soda

1 cup Brown sugar

230g Chocolate chips

100g Granulated sugar

1 tsp Salt

2 tsp Vanilla extract

112 Butter butter

Cook at 180c for 8-10 minutes

3. Raspberry and Banana Bread  

• 1 Egg

2 Bananas

• 88g of raspberries 

• 210g all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• a pinch of Salt
• 150g Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 75g Butter
• 75ml natural yogurt
• 
  
• Mix all ingredients with a hand blender, then add the raspberries at the end if you want them whole, or mix if you want the loaf to be a pink colour 
• 
  
• Bake at 180c for around an hour 

4. Lemon drizzle loaf 

3 large eggs 170g
self raising flour 170g
caster sugar 170g
poppy seeds
unsalted butter 170g
Zest of 2 lemons
1 tsp of baking powder
The Drizzle:
Juice of 2 lemons 
110g powdered sugar

Bake at 180c for 30-35 minutes at 

5. Raspberry and white chocolate muffins 

135g white sugar
1 large egg
112ml vegetable oil
75ml milk
1 tsp vanilla
62.50g all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt
120ml of natural yoghurt

60g white chocolate
60g raspberry 

Bake at 190c for around 25 minutessprinkle white sugar over the top with 10 minutes to spare

Music for your making... 

1. Send me on my way - Rusted Root 

2. How D'yah Like your eggs in the Morning - Dean Martin & Helen O'Connell

3. Banana Pancakes - Jack Johnson

4. Brown Sugar - The Rolling Stones 

5. Pour some sugar on me - Def Leppard 

Enjoy! 

K. 

Milk! Almond, Coconut, Soy or Dairy?

I Don't know about you guys, but recently i've been bombarded with thousands of articles, posts and pins trying to convince me why Soya is the new Dairy, or Almond is the new Coconut, or even some that tell me to forget everything i've read and just stick to cows milk for a healthy source of calcium and protein. So I've decided to strip it back to the basics and look at each milk individually by looking at their ingredients and determining health benefits and disadvantages. 

Almond

Alporo Fresh Almond Milk

Per 100ml-

Fat 1.1g

Calcium 0.12g

Vitamins D, E, B12, B2

Carbohydrates 0.1g

Protein 0.4g

Sugar 0.1

Salt 0.13

Cholesterol -

Lactose -

Almond milk has a creamy and nutty taste. It is often used by those that are lactose-intolerant or vegan.

Soy

Alpo Fresh Soya Milk

Per 100ml-

Fat 1.8g

Calcium 0.12g

Vitamins D,B2,B12

Carbohydrates 2.8g

Protein 3.0g

Sugar 2.7g

Salt 0.06g

Cholesterol-

Lactose-

A dairy alternative that is considered to be just as high in protein. Although you may want to consider a vanilla flavoured version. Soy is an acquired plant-like taste (not my personal favourite) with a thick texture. 

Coconut 

Koko Dairy Free

Per 100ml-

Fat 2g

Calcium 0.12g

Vitamins D,B12

Carbohydrates 1.9g

Protein 0.2g

Sugar 1.6g

Salt 0.1g

Cholesterol-

Lactose-

*Contains MCFA's (Medium-chain fatty acids)

*Fruit not nut, good for those looking for a dairy alternative but are allergic to nuts

Coconut milk comes from the meat of the coconut, it is not the water retained within the shell that is sold separately as coconut water. I use it a lot for cooking curries and sauces to create a sweet and creamy thick texture. The downside of coconut milk is that it is high in saturated fats, you may decide to use it occasionally rather than an every-day ingredient. 

Cow's Milk

Tesco's Semi-Skimmed 

Per 100ml-

Fat 3.6g

Calcium 0.124g

Vitamins B12

Carbohydrates 4.8g

Protein 3.6g

Sugar 9.6g

Salt 0.2g

Cholesterol- 5g per 100g

*Contains MCFA's (Medium-chain fatty acids)

*Contains lactose, a sugar and carbohydrate that is a digestible source of glucose (energy). It is made up of glucose and galactose. Often when people refer to 'bad' sugars they are referring to sucrose of fructose, and consuming these is large amounts can lead to negative effects on the body. Lactose is seen to benefit the body, one example of this is that is supports the development of the brain in children. 

We are the only species that consume milk in adulthood, cows milk is meant for a baby calf. Some people believe that it is not 'needed', although some research has suggested that humans' genes have adapted to include dairy in our diets. 

This is a study by Hartman et el in 2007. It suggests that when comparing milk protein with soy, milk protein demonstrates a higher rate of muscle protein synthesis (building muscle)

I hope this information has helped you out. My conclusion is that it entirely depends on what you are lacking and need more of in your diet. If you want to build muscle, chances are you're better off drinking cows milk. If you are looking for a low fat alternative Almond and Soya are what you're after, these are also good if you're trying to cram some extra vitamins in. Coconut and Soya are good if you're looking to cut carbs. Therefore, before looking for a dairy alternative I would suggest looking at your diet and seeing what you need more and less of, and whether the change is needed. Another factor that affects this is also taste! I love the taste of almond, coconut and dairy milk, but unfortunately can't bring myself to use soya, and whats the point of eating/drinking something you don't enjoy?!

K.

My Workout Playlist

Hey Guys! As i've had a recent change of gym I thought I'd share my new playlist with you to give a taste of the sorts of songs I use to keep myself hyped on a workout...

1. Work : Rihanna & Drake

2. Missing : EDX, Mingue 

3. Breathe : Wilkinson, Shannon Saunders 

4. Lush Life : Zara Larsson 

5. White Tiger, The Heaveytracker Remix : Izzy Bizu, Kano 

6. Stay : Kygo, Maty Noyes

7. Good Times : Ella Eyre

8. Something Special (into you) : Fastlane 

9. Ex's and Oh's : Elle King 

10. Alive : Chase & Status, Jacob Banks 

SUPERSET

1. Breakn' A Sweat : Skrillex, The Doors, Robby Kreiger

2. Go : The Chemical Brothers 

3. Better Love : Foxes 

K.