Break

Blog Holiday...

I have to catch up a bit with my research so I will pry not resume blogging until the weekend. Sometimes I forget that I have to put my research first, but I am still working out and eating as clean as I can, just not having the time to post.

Friday and Saturday

Still a busy time with my PhD, working weekends and evenings to get a project done making it harder to post every day.

Friday

Rest Day! Had to find a way to roll out of bed after Lucy's leg smash and realised walking was as much as I was up to.

Food:

 Meal One- energy bar

 Meal Two- Chicken, sweet potato, tangerine, pumpkin seeds

 Meal Three- left over turkey chilli 

 Snack One- Dark Chocolate 

 Snack Two- Vanilla cookie

Saturday Death Wish

Workout: Fat Blast (45 mins) and Yoga (60 mins) 

Food:

 Meal One- skip

 Meal Two- chicken and mayo

 Meal Three- left over tacos

 Snack One- Apple

 Snack Two- Vanilla cookie

 

Reflections: Looking at the week I didn't realise how much I let junk food slide into my snacks, even if I am baking with wholemeal flour and soya spread doesn't mean its any better. Today's workout was absolutely killer lots of weighted lunges, kettlebells (bruises forming now), press ups, dips, crawling on the floor, all around craziness! Was seriously beat up for yoga afterwords, I was shaking and it hurt to hold anything. I'm starting to think though based on certain class elements I could really enjoy cross fit. 

Thursday Surprise

Surprise Leg Day!

 

Workout: 1 on 1 with Lucy (45 mins)

Food:

Meal 1- Energy Bar

Meal 2- Chicken, sweet potato

Meal 3- Tacos

Snack 1- tangerine

Snack 2- pumpkin seeds

Snack 3- apple crumble

Reflections: Lots of pain, this is going to hurt tomorrow, lethal combination of squats, deadlifts, weighted jump squats, burpees, etc.

Wednesday- REST DAY & Food Research

REST DAY!!! Haven't had a chance to post with my PhD supervision on Tuesday and needing to email my supervisors prior.

Meal One: Chicken
Meal Two: Chicken, energy bar
Meal Three: Burger and chips
Snack One: Crunchie (oopps, never had one before and I blame the friend who forced me to try it, and it made me sick with the milk chocolate)
Snack Two: Pumpkin seeds
Snack Three: Popcorn (handful)

Reflection: I really need to stop thinking that just because it's rest day doesn't mean my diet can slack.

Here is a research article on how external influences may affect eating without the individual realising: Are We Aware of the External Factors That Influence Our Food Intake?

For those that can't access the PDF here is the abstract: 

Are We Aware of the External Factors That Influence Our Food Intake?
               Lenny R. Vartanian, C. Peter Herman, 
                          and Brian Wansink

Objectives: This research examines the extent to which people accurately report some of the external

influences on their food intake. Design: In two studies, specific factors (the presence and behavior of

others) were manipulated in order to influence the amount of food that individuals consumed. Main

Outcome Measures: The main outcomes of interest were participants’ spontaneously generated explanations for their food intake (Study 1; n 122), and their ratings of the importance of several potential determinants of food intake (Study 2; n 75). Results: In Study 1, there was high concordance between the amounts eaten by members of a dyad, but very few participants indicated that they were influenced by their partner’s behavior; they instead identified hunger and taste as the primary determinants of intake. Study 2 showed that participants’ intake was strongly influenced by the behavior of others, but people rated taste and hunger as much more important influences on their intake. Conclusions: If external environmental factors influence people’s food intake without their awareness or acknowledgment, then maintaining a healthy diet can be a challenge, with long-term consequences for health and well-being.

Tuesday

3 Fit Class Tuesday

Especially after Monday's weights 3 class Tuesday is killer and the worst part is I have to do spin (its right between two classes I like, of course!), but hey its good for me. I always am rocking some EPOC at this point so I'll make my post short.

Workout: Body Pump (45 min) Spin (45 min) Core (30 min) 

Food:

 Meal 1- Energy bar

 Meal 2- Chicken breast

 Meal 3- Turkey chilli and brown rice (x2) [I'll post this recipe later when I have leftovers this week]

 Snack 1- Tangerine

 Snack 2- Almonds

 Snack 3- Frozen grapes

Reflection: One arm snatches rock! Two handed kettlebell swings between the legs not so much, ouch, and really couldn't spread my legs wide enough. Will have some bruises for sure tomorrow between that and the kettlebell snatches, whats the Beast going to think, I have a new werewolf?

(What I feel like, not what I look like!!)

Working up to snatches, my favourite partner snatch photo (real love):

Now back to my pain coma, the trainer for core is a killer, straight up. I never swore until I met him, kidding, he sure does bring it out in me!!

Exercise of the Day

Burpees

Oh do I love them and oh do I hate them, in HIIT tonight Kate introduced me to a new kind of burpee hell, and here are 30 more kinds of burpees just to keep with today's theme: http://www.liftingrevolution.com/30-variations-of-burpees/

Here is some burpee motivation, if he can do back flip burpees I can do deadlift burpees:

Week 1- Day 1 Post

I started working out in March, doing fitness classes sporadically through the week, 10 lbs/4.5 kg lighter and almost 6 months later I have found myself relating fitness as a way of life. As I am embracing this new outlook I decided that there was no better way to track my progress and success then to blog about it.

Monday 2/9/13

Workout: Weights (45 minutes) and HIIT (30 minutes)

Food:
   Meal One- Oatmeal Cinnamon Raisin Energy Bar
   Meal Two- Chicken Breast
   Meal Three- Buckwheat Soba Noodles and Soy Sauce
   Meal Four- BBQ Beef Brisket (Homemade Sauce) and Courgettes
   Snack One- Cashews (Handful)
   Snack Two- Dark Chocolate Chip Muffins (x2)
   Snack Three- Lettuce, Tomatoes, and Balsamic Vinegar

Reflection: I think diet has to be the biggest struggle for me regarding fitness. My appetite isn't consistent, somedays I feel like eating other days I am lucky to get in one huge meal. Combined with my dairy intolerance getting the right amount of good calories to support muscle growth can be a nightmare. The best tips I have had so far from Lucy, a trainer, is to not let myself be restricted by traditional ideas of what a meal is, if I am not hungry for breakfast food have some chicken, who cares if its 8am! Baked sweet potato snacks are another tip from Lucy that has worked well, and I even enjoy them cold making it easy and convenient, just bake a couple and have them whenever during the week particularly to get my sweet craving fix. I have also took to making a whole chicken in the slow cooker, I can divide it up for lunch during the week. Whilst I really enjoy cooking I find I am too busy to cook every day of the week and these tips make it easier to get more than one meal in a day. My only dilemma now is how to bring together my love for baking and fitness. With my dairy intolerance I cut out butter and milk which helps, and I try to sub honey for sugar and I use wholemeal flour, however, even with these changes the question is, can baking ever be considered good calories or no matter what I do will I have to give it up over the next couple months?