Post-workout balls

It’s been hella quiet around these parts for a while now. With a very full-on new job (which I LOVE), wedding planning and trying to complete my nutrition course, that means something just had to give. And unfortunately it was this here blog.

It’s been really quite crap feeling like I haven’t had the time to write my own stuff, but I think once I get fully into the swing my new job, and once some of the big wedding things are out the way, I’ll be able to dedicate more time over here.

One thing I’ve been really keeping on top of since New Year is my eating habits. I have a goal ‘shape’ (not weight!) in mind for my wedding and honeymoon, so I’ve been keeping really focusing on what I’ve been eating and getting in those HIIT and weights session, along with keeping up my running and cycling, so I'll feel like the best version of myself come July.

One of my favourite post-workout snacks has been these Madeleine Shaw energy balls. I can’t say enough good things about her Get The Glow book and her energy/protein/snack balls are some of my absolute favourites – go buy it you won’t regret it.

My version is a slight adaption of hers, and I’ve worked out the macros (if you’re into that kinda thing) so you don’t have to.

Post-Workout Balls
Yields 8

• 50g Almond Butter
• 100g desiccated coconut
• 100g medjool dates
• 2 tbsp vanilla whey protein
• 2 tsps ground cinnamon

1 serving - 168 calories / 11.5g Fat / 9.9g Carbs / 5.8g Protein

Whizz everything together in a food processor, and then shape into 8 balls. Pop in the freezer for 30 mins before storing in the fridge. These keep for up to 2 weeks.

These are seriously tasty. I've been packing them in my gym bag so they're easy to grab when I finish my workout - perfect for making sure I'm hitting that refuel window straight after burning calories.

Have you tried Madeleine's energy ball recipes? Let me know in the comments what your favourite recipes are.

2016 Goals

2015 has been a strange year - a year of extreme highs and extreme lows. To say SEE YA to a bit of a weird one, I thought I’d end it on something super positive with my fitness and wellbeing goals for 2016.

It was a challenge in itself to even start writing these. I’d usually make a list of about 10 and then fret towards the end of the year that I haven’t achieved them. So for 2016, I’m making 3 goals and 3 goals only (thanks Zanna for the tip!) These are more overarching themes than anything (I do have a couple of sneaky really, definitely specific goals like run a sub 1 hour 55 minute half marathon, but I’m not really classing those as my bigger goals for this year).

Be consistent

This covers a lot of bases. Be consistent with exercise/training and be consistent with the good stuff I’m fuelling my body with. I beat myself up a lot about having to exercise a certain amount and can at times, stress over the food I’m eating too. On the whole, I look after myself well; I’m getting stronger everyday (I might have even seen an AB recently?) and I eat all of the right things that my body needs. I just need to keep this up and feel happy and confident in what I’m doing. 

No bad vibes

No neggy thoughts or vibes will cloud my thoughts this coming year. It’s a year of positivity and a can-do attitude. Short and sweet.

Swim!

Much more specific than the top 2, but this year I really want to get into swimming. I’m pretty much the worst swimmer I know, and want to follow my triathlete Mum’s lead by getting some swimming coaching to boost my confidence (major under water fear) and take it from there. I’m not making any grand plans just yet to do a swimming event or anything like that, just to start and see where it takes me.

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I'm looking forward to kicking off 2016 with a bang as well as I start my dream job in athletics in January and it'll be SIX MONTHS until J and I tie the knot (that has come around fast!). Bring in 2016!

How many goals have you set for 2016? Have you gone for the less is more approach? 

Festive Raw Chocolate

As IF it’s December already. I’m feeling pretty damn festive - the tree is up in all its glory and I’ve got an insane amount of Christmas candles on the go. 

I started getting well into Christmas food mode last weekend. Chocolate always features very heavily in anything sweet I make at this time of year, so I got to making a batch of these delicious pure chocolates from Deliciously Ella’s site. Using her basic recipe, I spiked these with orange zest for a true Christmassy flavour and scent.

The best thing about these chocolates are that they aren’t any ordinary chocolate - they're a healthy indulgence and kinda good for you too (excellent). Packed with cacao butter and raw cacao powder (hello antioxidants), they are such a delicious guilt-free treat.

The great thing about this recipe, is that there are so many different things you can do with the basic recipe, so it’s easy to have a play about an add whatever you’re into - cinnamon and nutmeg, vanilla - you could even add in some sugar-free flavour drops for a sweeter hit. 

Basic recipe:

• 1/2 cup raw cacao butter
• 3 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 2-3 tbsp rice malt syrup/maple syrup (rice malt syrup is better for a gooey caramel-like centre FYI)This couldn’t be a simpler method. 

• Melt everything together in a pan over a very low heat (don’t go boiling it though).
• Pour the mixture into moulds (I used some very un-festive heart-shaped moulds but you can buy festive moulds on the high street. Lakeland and Tiger are my best bets.)
• Freeze for 30 mins.

These will then keep in the fridge in an air tight container for ages, but I can guarantee they’ll be gone within about 10 minutes. They're that good.

What are your favourite festive flavour combinations? 

November Goals

I've really struggled with my goals the past few months. I don't know if I'm trying to do way too much or making goals unrealistic, but whatever it is, I've found the whole thing very throw-away and pretty demotivating.

One of the biggest things I haven't got to grips with at all is my nutrition course. Basically, I just haven't felt motivated to do it and have been using the 'I haven't got time' excuse at every opportunity. possible, which for someone proactive and usually very motivated, has been a bit of a weird one. Yes this nutrition course is a bit out of my comfort zone in terms of the biology aspect, but I need to remember this is the whole reason I wanted to do it - to challenge myself and to throw myself into something I have such a passion for and want to explore further.

After a chat with my life coach and the oracle that is my Mum (how is it that Mums always have the answers? Go Mamas), I've decided I need to simplify to get ahead. Set myself smaller goals. Have weekly check-ins. So, here we go; a different approach to my monthly goals.

3 Instagram Food Heroes

I'm not ashamed to say I'm a bit of an Instagram nerd (I know I'm not the only one, we're all addicted, aren't we).

My feed is mostly filled with insane looking healthy food, fitness inspiration (or fitspo...god, I hate that word) and, obviously, obviously, some hilarious cats for good measure. Amongst all the mire, there's three food-based accounts I've been absolutely loving recently, and they're three you definitely need to hit that follow button on now.

How to workout in Winter

Oh god. They’re here. And by ‘they’ I mean those dog sh*te dark mornings when you just want to stay wrapped up in your heavier tog duvet (yes, we’ve already upped the tog in prep for full-blown winter).

But, you know what they say - summer bodies are made in winter, so I’ve been thinking about how to make sure I stay motivated to train when it’s dark and cold outside and I’d far rather be eating crumble and custard than running.

So, with this in mind, I've pulled together a few tips to help make winter workouts a walk in the park.

Ullswater | Go Pro Video

So, we took a trip to the wonderful Lake District in September and took our Go Pro Hero4 along with us for the ride.

Here's a look at some of the best bits.

Two New Healthy Cookbooks

Payday week brings a whole host of treat yo'self moments.

In my case, these moments have included raiding Holland and Barrett, stocking up on goodies from MyProtein (come at me, kilo of almond butter) and buying some new healthy living cookbooks to add to my already crammed kitchen shelf (I don't know what it is about September, but I just want to curl up with good cookbook and plan how I'm going to eat my way through Autumn and Winter. #girlgains indeed).

My Hemsley Hemsley, Madeleine Shaw, Deliciously Ella and Amelia Freer books are looking well-thumbed and heavily bookmarked from being referred to for pretty much every meal over the last year or so, and although I love them to bits, sometimes you've got to switch things up.
So, the other day, I ordered a couple of new tomes which I'm sure will become firm food favourites.

The Post-Race Recovery Wonder

So I did it! On Sunday, I ran the truly mazing Great North Run and somehow managed to get a new GNR personal best of 1 hour 59 minutes 46 seconds. To be honest, I’m not quite sure how I managed it. I felt really low on energy the whole way through; I stopped five times which is very unlike me during a race. And that heat though. That was a scorcher. I have the sunburn to prove it. Ouch. 

I really wasn’t expecting to get under the 2-hour mark, so a celebratory and well-deserved pizza was on the cards for tea last night to help restore those energy levels (if you can’t be a serious #girlswithgluten contender after a half marathon, when can you?)

To help my legs recover last night, I used a product I’ve been loving recently to help with the aches and pains after intense workouts. Right before I crawled into bed last night, I lathered my legs in magnesium oil spray and y’know what? No stiff legs for me this morning. It's seriously a miracle worker. I highly recommend the Better You range, especially the Goodnight Spray which has essential oils in the mix to help you drift off.

Did you run the Great North Run? Have you ever tried magnesium oil spray to help with muscle recovery?

What's In My Bag | Great North Run Edition

I know I’m not alone in my love for What’s in my bag? blog posts and videos, so thought I’d do my spin on it this weekend.

Today, I’m running the Great North Run, the world’s biggest half marathon so thought I’d share all the kit I’ll be taking with me to help me conquer 13.1 miles. 

#FiveThings

What a couple of months. So much has happened and there's been a lot of change over a short period of time (that does crazy things to your head!)

Here’s a little look into life lately.

1. Moving on, m-moving on.

I have a new job! After three brilliant years in my previous job, I’ve flown the nest to another super creative communications agency in the Toon. Such an exciting move for me professionally, and it’s great to be spreading my wings. My lovely pals from DC gave me an ace send off - they were obviously sick of my healthy eating chat. 

2. #thislasscan

The running bug has well and truly bitten me again, and thank the Lord as it's just in time for the Great North Run. You may remember last year, my GNR was a bit of a disaster. Actually a massive disaster. But this year will be better as I won't have been poisoned.... I've also been nailing the heavy weights in the gym which I'm super chuffed about, long may it continue. #girlgainz 'n all that!

3. Supercharged coffee
My gym, The Fitness Rooms, opened their food and drink station FUEL@TheFitnessRooms a few months ago, but it's recently been taken over and they've seriously upped their game with a great selection of drinks and protein treats to fuel a good workout. I've been a little bit obsessed with the iced vanilla protein lattes using my favourite supplements brand, the brilliant Genetic Supplements (more on them to come soon). Next on my list to try at FUEL? Their bulletproof coffee.

4. Getting tidy
This book's being doing the rounds on the socials recently and for good reason. The Life Changing Magic of Tidying by Marie Kondo looks a decluttering for good with her KonMari technique. Hoping by the time I've finished it, I'll finally get round to sorting the bulk of my belongings that I left at my parents' house when I moved out three years ago (sorry Mum).

5. One year to go
As if it's now less than a year until we get hitched. Save the Dates are being printed as I speak - can't wait to get those bad lads out the door. Joe and I are having the best time planning (thanks Pinterest) and can't wait to share some snippets of the exciting things we have planned for our big day. Next thing on our list is to get our honeymoon booked up. Did someone say Bali?

Stay tuned for some proper blog posts - some exciting stuff coming up. Watch this space!

Workout Essentials | Wellbeing

I've been an active runner for around three years now, and that is definitely my first love when it comes to keeping fit and feeling the burn. I love chasing a PB and the elation of crossing a finish line (competitive much?).

But last year, I decided that running wasn't quite cutting the mustard - I wanted a new challenge and something to help complement my time spent on legs. To mix things up, I started attending beach bootcamp sessions every week. Man, my muscles were in for a shock - I remember waking up the day after that first bootcamp, and I ached. But in a really good way.

Since then, I've been doing beach bootcamp nearly every weekend, strength training, HIIT workouts, cycling and much more. And I bloody love it.