Total Insanity

Morning all,

I don't usually go to the gym thursday mornings because it's my day off work! However yesterday after the class a group of us decided we would come down the gym and in the dance studio we would do insanity, and i can't resist a bit of Shaun T so i decided to go, even though rumour has it he is gay :(.

My aunty lent me insanity a couple of years ago but i didn't have the room in my university house to do it...but i watched a couple of them and OMG i wanted to die just watching them, i did try a couple when i was home and they were good so i thought i'd give it a go this morning and it was so good, it was so different to what we do in the cross fit classes so it was good to mix it up and you don't need any equipment.

Now i'm not saying go out and buy this as it is over £100 and i wasn't sure if i would be allowed to make a printable of what we did because i wasn't sure if i could get in trouble and get my blog cancelled (waaah!) and it wouldn't really be the same intensity or pace.

BUT have no fear

I found the video on youtube muahahaha some guy has filmed himself doing it but you can hear all of Shaun T's instructions....i would do this for you but i look like a dying seal when i workout and it might be a little embarrassing, however our little fitness group who i like to call team awesome are hoping to get T25 and do it some mornings so i might see if they would mind me filming everyone if not i might just suck it up and brave it  :)

And if you want more subscribe to this guys youtube channel he has them ALL!!!

So this is your thursday workout i hope you like it, i know you can't see Shaun T but print a picture off and stick it next to your laptop YUM!!

I would just like to take a moment to thank everyone who has been viewing, following and actually using my blog! I usually get around 100-200 views a day depending on how many posts i put up but today my blog has already been viewed 300 times!!!!!! before i even posted so thank you so much <3

Lots of hardwork and dedication (and Shaun T loving)

feel the burn three

Hi all!

Welcome to feel the burn three, your hump day workout!

please excuse the squiggly lines, as i've said i'm having to make these on word and when i print screen i sometimes forget to removed the stupid lines...unfortunately i shut it down without saving it!

Anyway, as all feel the burns, it is circuit training...i've changed a few exercises so that you can do it at home with little equipment...

okay so butt blasters...i didn't no what to name this station but it hurt my butt so thats how i came to the decision...

find something to put your feet on so that you are in a declined push up position (hands lower than feet)

then step one leg down, return it and then alternate with the other leg :)

Hope you like your hump day workout! 

Lots of hardwork and dedication

Your hump day workout

This morning we done an awesome cardio burn circuit and I can't wait to share it with you BUT a lot of my readers don't have access to the gym so I'm going to make it into a little printable that you can take anywhere even the park :) I mean why not make the most if this weather and catch a tan while working towards that body you so desperately want? So i shall do this sometime over the weekend as i am GRADUATING tomorrow so dont have the time today or tomorrow :)!!

So as a little workout (though dont be fooled its so hard) I thought if share with you the 100 BURPEE BURNOUT oh yes it will make you sweat but it's very satisfying :) 

So you do 10 of each variation of burpee - there are 10 variations hence the name 100 burpee burnout :)

So some are self explanatory some not so much...

Down down up up - do your burpee when you are in the press up position go down to your elbows push back up to your hands then jump up -that's 1 

Half super man - burpee, then when your in the press up position lift opposite arm and leg, then switch then jump back up  

One arm and one leg are exactly that....make sure to switch over half way through these two sets 

Front kick - burpee, get up and kick out in front of you on each leg

Shoulder tap - burpee, when you are in press up position tap opposite hand to shoulder, do both shoulders then jump up

Hip twists, do the same as down down up up, when you reach the down position twist one hip to the floor and then the other push back up and jump up 

Leg swings - do your regular burpee but instead of jumping the legs straight behind you, jump them to the side 

Tuck jump burpee - do a regular burpee but thus time when you jump up you are going to do a tuck jump :) 

And that's that, it should take around 15 minutes so what I want you to do is run 1 mile before and 1 mile after to make this into a full workout

Enjoy!! 

I think I might upload a video of this so you can see me doing it but that won't be for a few days :) so have a go and just make sure you sweat 

Lots of hardwork & dedication

Monday madness

Afternoon all

have you worked out yet? If not have no fear i have finished work and finally have time to share with you the workout i did this morning...This one is curtsy of Lloyd....so remember if you do this workout and want to thank or abuse him head over to the Zest facebook page and let him know.

Now i'm not going to lie it was a HARD workout but it is extremely satisfying when you have finished it.

 But what Lloyd fail to write was that tuck jumps are actually squat to a tuck jump...i no he led me into a false sense of security as well.

So on round one do it exactly as in the picture
On round two reduce all the 50 reps to 25
and on the final round reduce everything to 15 (except stair runs and the 0.25 mile sprint)

Or if you wanna go completely crazy and have the time do what you see 3 times

Okay so if you are working out at home here are some modifications...

• no dumbbells for the burpee press? go find some cans of beans or water bottle
• No kettle bells...find something heavy that you can get a good grip on for the kettlebell swing
• No stairs...go ahead and do mountain climbers for 2 minutes
• No pull up bar? like ive said before hold heavy weights above your head and jump :)
• Knee raise's...just do 25 crunches if you have no where to hang from 

Good luck! I felt great after completing this workout and i'm sure you will too!!

Let me know if you try it :)

Lots of hardwork and dedication

Whim #4

Monday again... time really is just passing me by at the moment and so i thought today id share something with you that i stumbled upon on pinterest

Other than being very colourful which is always good for a monday morning the words also stuck me. Lately i've been wishing the time away because i just want to start my teacher training and why time seems to be doing what i want i think its important that we begin each day being grateful for something. Most of you reading my blog are most likely trying to change your bodies but while we are looking to the future to our 'ideal' bodies we should take the time to be grateful and happy with the bodies we have and even more so, be thankful that we have the ability and power to change what we think needs changing.

ANYWAY whim over! Make sure you start your week with a great workout, one that challenges you and make sure you SMASH it...i will be posting later the workout i did this morning which was an absolute killer but i feel great for doing it....I will also be sharing with you later my experience of the first ever UK color run so make sure you check back for those...I am also working on some healthy clean eating muffins which i can't wait to share with you :)

What are your plans this week? I graduate on thursday (OMG!!) which means i can't go to one of my favourite classes on wednesday evening as i will be at the hotel in Leicester (yuck)...so i might do a little hotel workout instead!

Happy monday

Lots of hardwork & dedication

Why not try mixing it up

So i absolutely LOVE it when people tell me they are actually reading my blog and a friend of mine has asked if i will start posting some more cross fit style workouts that i do...some will be easy to do with out a gym others not so much HOWEVER i will try and give at home variations so you have no excuses not to do it!

So this morning as per usual i went to the gym at 6am, i sat down in the coffee area as we do most mornings awaiting our early morning death sentence...we entered the gym to see the WHITE BOARD...yes it is a moveable board which the instructors write exercises on which means you work on it at your own pace but you have to do a certain number rather than doing circuits where you have a set time. So im trying to remember what we did today and it went a little something like this

(warm up for 5-10 minutes before the class starts)

50 dead man press ups (go all the way down and take your hands off the floor, takes a while to master the technique)

0.25 mile sprint

50 plate lunges (hold a weight above your head and alternate lunges - 25 on each leg)

0.25 mile sprint

50 burpees

20 chin ups (if you can not do chin ups at home what i want you to do is hold a dumbbell in each hand above your head, arms straight...then simple jump as high as you can :)  )

1 mile run

100 crunches

100 squats

try this and tell me how you felt...this is how i felt...

It was such a good workout and something you can easily do at home...however i love the buzz of doing it in a group so why not get some people together and have some cross fit fun :)

Lots of hardwork and dedication :)

(just for the record i did not make this workout up! Compliments to JAN the gym instructor for putting this workout together...so if you do it and love it be sure to pop in to zest(if you live near by that is) and thank him for an awesome workout)

Whim #2

Wow is it really that time already? Monday again and of course the beginning of JULY!! If you have been struggling recently with fitness, healthy eating or motivation start fresh...its a new month!

So this week i want to talk about GOALS, i think its really important to have reason for doing something wether it be for self satisfaction, to look good for your graduation (my most current reason), wedding, party or simply just to prove you can. Once you understand your reason you goal will probably follow naturally

My goal recently has been to get stronger and i can definitely notice a difference...i work in a pub and we have to carry huge trays of glasses....the boys always used to take them off me as they watched me struggle...but not any more HURRRAH! in fact they don't even offer any more (not very gentlemanly i no but i don't mind)

So this week i want you to think of a goal or more than one if you want. I like to set lots of goals for example i have a scale goal (though i use this as a gage as i don't want to lose weight just maintain it) i have a gym goal, at the moment that is still to get stronger and slim my legs down which is proving a tad difficult but i'm still persevering and i have a clothing goal which is a pair of shorts that i am determined to feel happy in by the time i go on holiday.

So make sure you set a goal, it can be one that you will achieve quickly or one that will take some time...don't be put off if your goal will take time because that time will pass anyway in when it comes around you will have wished you carried on.

And lastly make sure your goal is realistic but that it CHALLENGES you because if it doesn't how do you expect to change....if you do what you have always done you will look how you have always looked. So push your self because what challenges us CHANGES us.

I would love to know what goals you have set for yourself and why you have set them so why not let me know?

Have a beautiful week!

Lots of hardwork & dedication

Oat & Maple Cookies

So a little while ago i tried to make these banana and oat cookies and i have to say they were and EPIC FAIL! So i decided to make up my own recipe and i must say i actually impressed myself!

Okay, these cookies are sooooo easy to make and even better still is that they are super tasty and really low in kcal.

So all you are going to need is 3 ingredients, oats, almond milk and pure maple syrup. Yes i know your wondering how you didn't think of it before right!

So for my recipe which made 6 smallish cookies for 31kcal & 0.05 sat fat each you will need

• 32g of oats (i couldn't be bothered to take oats out thats why its 32 so you can do 30 if you wish)
• 20ml of almond milk
• 1 1/2 tbsp of pure maple syrup

Preheat the over to 180 degrees Celsius 

Mix all of the ingredients together and then split into even sizes. like i said i made 6 but you could make less if you want them bigger.

Grab a piece of grease proof paper and lay it on a baking tray

I then sprayed 6 sprays of 1kcal spray onto the baking paper (one spray for each cookie to sit on)

Place the balls of the cookie dough (which will probably be quiet wet and sticky) onto the sprays and flatten them down. I flatten mine quite a lot as they get a better crunch at the end.

Then put them into the oven for about 12 minutes and then flip them over. I then put mine back in for another 10 minutes but use your judgement as to how crunchy you want them.

And thats it....super clean, super tasty and super easy! What more could you want for a snack?

The oats should give you energy so would be a great pre-gym snack but for more energy why not try and little bit of peanut butter on top of each cookie or try mixing it into the mixture.

Let me know how yours turn out! Also what have you done today? I went for a 6am spin class and i will be doing crossfit and spin again later on after work! Remember this week is about no excuses!

Lots of hard work & dedication