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I think I am seriously addicted to running blogs! I can't stop reading and searching for them! A few of the ones I just keep  refreshing are

• Fat Girl Running -  http://www.fatgirlrunning.co.uk/
• Loser for Life -  http://www.loserforlife.com/
• JogBlog Running Blog -  http://www.jog-blog.co.uk/
• Run for the Quiet - http://runforthequiet.wordpress.com/

I am reading a lot of interesting things and learning a lot about running and running injuries. I have read about foaming and icing etc which I'd never even heard of before! I may need some of these recovery strategies tomorrow as I did 5k today! I thought I better get on with it and just do it, to be honest, it wasn't quite as bad as I thought, it was very hot in the gym! But I am looking forward to getting my fitness up and running outdoors! I am going to try to go for an outdoor run at least once a week! 

I have been reading about Janathon and I really wished I had found out about it sooner because I would have done it (or attempted to)! I know you can do it from whenever in January and continue but I don't want to do it half heartedly! I will be doing Juneathon instead!

Whilst reading about Janathon, I found out about #plankaday! I don't really know much about it but what I do understand is that you have to do a plank each day and record your findings. I asked my brother to go first as he did an amazing 1 minute and 33.7 seconds! There is no way I can compete with this so I need to get some practice in! My attempt was 39 seconds so not too bad but definite room for improvement! 

A 5k was completed today! I aimed to do 4k today (so one more than yesterday) but I thought I'd keep going and do 5k. I did do quite a lot of walking and did it in 40 mins and 3 seconds. I'm not worried about my times at the moment, for the next 2 weeks I am just going to try and concentrate on actually doing the 5k and then getting my time better!

My meals today consisted of Tomatoes on Toast (142 cals)

A wholemeal pitta bread with ham and carrot sticks (chunks) (229 cals)

I didn't eat the cheese, it ended up back in the fridge as I didn't fancy it, so I didn't add this to the calorie count!

And I had a mushroom omelette and salad, but I didn't take a picture of this as I was too hungry and gobbled it down! Of course I had snacks and plenty of drinks in between these meals! :)

I have just going twitter! Mainly to record my plankaday efforts (poor at the moment) and my running efforts and to tweet other bloggers!

@E_ninetytwo

so follow me :) 

Love x

Calories: 901 (so far)
Km's: 5
Calories burnt: 507
#plankaday: 39 seconds

Fitness Levels..

It is amazing how quickly your fitness can drop! I haven't really done any exercise for probably nearly 2 months and my fitness has seriously depleted! I knew I wouldn't be able to jump on the treadmill and run 5k straight off but I was surprised how out of breath I got as soon as I started running. Every few hundred meters I had to slow down to a fast walk just to get my breath back. With it being the first time back at the gym I didn't want to over do it and make myself sick or pull a muscle etc! I did 3k and once I'd come off the treadmill I was going to go back on but I thought better of it, I didn't want to over do it. I can feel my legs when I walk up the stairs now though! I did 5k on the bike, 3k on the treadmill, 5 minutes on the vile arm machine and some of the weights on my legs. The rotating arm machine really makes my arms ache but I am going to do 5 minutes every time I go to the gym so I am working my arms because I want to tone up my arms.

I need to do some interval training to increase my fitness. I used to do 100m sections, 100 walk (6.5km/h) 100m jog (8km/h) 100m run (9km/h) and then 100m sprint (either 10 or 10.5 km/h). This way I run 400m sections and then km's add up quite quickly and hopefully it will increase my fitness soon or a 10k will be out of the question by May!

http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/body+fitness/workouts/anyone+can+run+10km,7517
This websites gives an "Anyone can run 10k" plan and offers a training program

"Training Program

You'll be training in three different program styles each week.

1. Low-intensity, long-duration cardio: This involves single-paced jogging for relatively long periods. Your aim is to keep moving for the entire time, no matter how slow your pace. Don't worry - you'll be alternating jogging with walking to catch your breath.
2. High-intensity interval training: These sessions lift the intensity by reducing the volume. There's no jogging: you'll run at a fast pace for shorter spurts to make them manageable and your recovery periods will be inactive. You rest for the same amount of time that it took you to complete the previous run. For example, if a 500-metre run takes you three minutes, then you can rest for three minutes. Go hard!
3. Strength circuits: We've showcased five exercises that strengthen your legs for running. We'll be putting the exercises together in the following three ways to really get your heart rate up.

• Circuit: Complete 10 reps of exercise one, 10 reps of exercise two and so on, until you've done 10 reps of each exercise. Rest, then complete another round of each exercise until you've completed the recommended number of sets.
• Freestyle: You can do the exercises in any order and the amount of reps you do at a time are up to you. For instance, you may start with 15 squats, then do 20 core climbers and 10 lunges. Just make sure that by the end of the session you've completed the total volume of reps recommended for each exercise.
• Endurance challenge: Complete all the reps for exercise one before moving on to exercise two. For example, you might do 20 reps of squats, rest, and then do 10 more. This style will up the muscle burn and raise your endurance." 

I am going to start this program tomorrow, I just wanted to go do something in the gym today to 'ease myself in'.

So far today I have consumed 404 calories and burnt 420 at the gym! It does feel good to be eating healthy and really concentrating on what I am eating.

Love x

"For Tomorrow We Diet.."

This is a very very appropriate phrase for today as my diet starts tomorrow. I am really looking forward putting my all into planning what I am eating and doing some exercise. I am going to weigh in again tomorrow to get a definite starting weight and then weigh every Wednesday from then on. Hopefully I will still be 9st9 and it has not gone up giving me an extra pound to lose. 

I think going to the gym will be a shock to the system tomorrow but I am genuinely excited!

And in all honestly, I'm sick of eating rubbish and cant wait to eat really nice and really good food!

I'll update tomorrow after the gym if I am still alive!

Love  x 

"Keep It To Yourself.."

At the moment, because I have not officially started my diet yet, I don't really have much to say but I feel the need to blog! I don't just want to keep repeating the same thing. I am starting to check the calories on things I usually eat and start to think about what I should be eating and trying to reduce my portion sizes. It is surprising how many calories you eat without realising.

I am glad major running and sporting events are aired on TV, I have just been watching the Edinburgh Cross Country Run the female was a 6k run and the fastest time was 21.30 minutes and the male was a 3k race with the fastest being just over 9 minutes, 9.09 I think. I was trying to think how fast I can run 1k, and I am going to see on Monday how long it takes to do 1k and do this every Monday training session and try to improve it each time. Setting myself little goals and challenges really works! What works for you?

I have just had a good clearout of my wardrobe but instead of coming straight online and looking for things to replace the things I've thrown out or put on eBay, I am going to wait, no point spending money on clothes that hopefully won'y fit me in 2 or 3 months time is there? Plus the SS12 things are starting to come in, with pastel pinks, peaches and mint greens and it is too wintery to wear that at the moment!

I love painting my nails bright and dark colours so I think I am going to go and paint my nails black I think!
Love x

"Don't Put Off Until Tomorrow..What You Can Put Off Indefinitely."

So my motivational post didn't work, I have not yet made it to the gym! I have a 'Keep Calm and Carry On' style flip chart and some of the anecdotes are quite funny and inspirational. The topic of this post tonight is based on today's motto "Don't Put Off Until Tomorrow..What You Can Put Off Indefinitely." I keep telling myself to get to the gym, my brain wants to do it but my body still seems to be in Christmas slacking mode! The end of the week is going to be awful, I have 2 birthday celebrations including meals out and a Nando's catch up with the girlfriends. Instead of beating myself up about it I am going to watch what I'm eating at the other times throughout the weekend and go strict strict strict from Monday. I have devised an eating plan so I am going to timetable this and plan my exercise for the month! I need to get into a routine ready for starting back to Uni towards the middle of the month. I know that once I'm back at the gym and back into a routine I'll be dying to go, it's just making that step!

Completing the 5k Race for Life in the summer was the most amazing feeling ever so I am going to sign up for two more runs this year. Knowing people were sponsoring me and it was all booked really helped me get to the gym and push myself for the miles last year. I'm planning to do a 10k in a few months time (April/May time) and then do a Bupa Great Run about September/October time. Hopefully the challenge of these distances will really push me to clock up the miles (or the kms) and get me fit too! My running trainers will soon be out and well used! 

I recently made an amazing Chocolate Swiss Roll / Chocolate log and thought I'd share the recipe I used. I got it off the Cadbury website and it made a lovely cake! (Not very healthy but it wasn't for me!)

Ingredients:

Cake

3 medium eggs

75g caster sugar
75g plain flour
25g Bournville Cocoa Powder
Caster sugar, for dusting
Butter Icing:
100g butter, softened
100g icing sugar
75g Cadbury Dairy Milk, melted

How to make it:

1. Preheat the oven to 200⁰C, gas mark 6.  Grease and line the Swiss roll tin with baking parchment.

2.  Using an electric hand mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until thick and creamy and leaves a trail.  Sieve the flour and cocoa together and fold into the mixture carefully with 1 tbsp hot water, trying not to knock out too much air.

3.  Place into the prepared tin and tilt the tin to level the mixture, making sure it goes right into the corners.  Bake for 10-12 minutes until springy to the touch.

4.  Dust a large piece of baking parchment with caster sugar and turn the sponge out onto it.  Trim off the hard edges and make a dent along the width, 1cm in.  From this end, roll it up with the paper in the middle.  Cool on a wire rack.

5.  Beat the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy and then beat in the melted chocolate.  Unroll the sponge, spread over the butter icing and up roll again.  Serve in slices.

The cake in this Swiss roll has not butter so the fat content would be quite low if no butter cream was used. Diabetic or No Added Sugar Jam could be used instead of the butter cream and I'm sure it would help to add a sweet and moist flavour to the middle of the cake. I covered this in Cake Covering chocolate melted in order to decorate but it definitely does not need this! I think it looks much nicer without the covering as a moist Swiss Roll. You could even miss out the coco power and have a plain and jam Swiss roll served with fresh strawberries which would create a lovely and hopefully not too fattening dessert!

Let me know what you think of this
Love x

Welcome Back!

Hi, it has been a very long time since I've posted on this blog and reading back I really do think it helped me express my thoughts and feelings so I'm back!
A lot has happened in the last 9 months and I don't really know where to start. My weight loss in the summer was successful but I fell off the wagon in the winter, like many, and now I am determined to get back on track.
With an amazing Christmas and New Year behind me, and an inspirational year for my fitness, I am planning to make this year even better!

To update you all:
My lowest weight, in the summer, was 9st 2 and I was quite happy at this.
My current weight, straight after New Year, is 9st 9. I have gradually gained this weight since September/October.
I completed the 5k run in June in 29 minutes!
I dropped a dress size.
And then I got lazy, unmotivated and distracted by a mountain of Uni work! I did feel bad for not going to the gym, especially as I was paying, but even worse because I could tell I was gaining weight. Every time I wanted to go to the gym, my uni work got in the way, but every time I was doing work, I felt like I needed to be at the gym. At first I did carry on eating quite healthily but gradually stopped eating as healthily and became unmotivated, stopped calorie counting and started snacking. I know exactly what I've done wrong so I do know what I have to change.

I was going to get up and go to the gym this morning but the weather is awful so I am going to leave it until slightly later this afternoon. This week will be a struggle to go cold turkey on unhealthy foods so from today I am going to try to reinforce some healthy eating habits and try to go to the gym at least twice to try and ease myself back into it. Plus, all the Christmas food is still in the house, which just tempts us to have that biscuit, these should be gone by Monday as we don't have too much. From Monday it is strict healthy eating.

I am going to calorie count this week and try to make sure I'm between 1500-2000 calories, which is quite a lot for me.
From Monday, I am going to do 2 weeks at 1000 calories to kick start my weight loss then 2 weeks at 1200 and then up to 1500 if the last 4 is successful.

As I am currently 9st 9 - 135lbs

My ultimate goal at the moment is to be 9st (126lbs) by 1st April 2012. This gives me 4 months to lose 9lbs and this doesn't seem too unrealistic.

Other goals include:
1st Feb - 9st 5
1st March - 9st 2
1st April - 9st 0
And then if I reach this goal, by my 20th birthday (middle of July) I want to be 8st 10. For my height this is in a healthy weight as my healthy weight according to my BMI is about 8st 4.


I may change these goals accordingly each month. Some people may feel that with these goals I am setting myself up for failure but I want to lose a total of 13lbs, so not even one stone, so fingers crossed this should be do-able!

To motivate me for every pound I lose, I will put £5 in order to pay for a new tattoo in April. And when I start to lose weight I feel that it will motivate me further.

Another one of my aims is to blog and journal my feelings at least 3 times a week, and maybe everyday.
I have devised a few meal plans so I will try to stick to these.
I am not going to punish myself if one day I eat something I know I shouldn't, I'm 19 so will go out for meals with my friends and boyfriend!
I am to drink much more water throughout the day.
My calcium intake also needs to be increased, mainly through milk and low fat yogurt.

Previously, I have adopted a low carb diet and felt like it did help me BUT I was barely eating any calories usually about 800 even though I did feel like I was eating a lot, so such a small calorie intake would stop me from losing weight.
I am going to try and have a balanced diet, including carbs, but less bread and more brown rice, wholemeal pasta and potatoes.

I am now watching the Food Hospital and looking forward to watching The Biggest Loser tonight as they help to motivate me with food and fitness tips.

Future posts will discuss my love for food, my love/hate relationship with fitness and a love of fashion and reading.

For now, I may go have some breakfast.
Love x

Detox?

I felt 10x better about myself after a decent workout yesterday!
I was determined to burn more calories than I had eaten so far that day. I had eaten 399 calories so I was determined to burn 400 calories on cardio machines before I moved on to any weights.
I feel that the reason I am sticking around the same weight at the moment (9st7) and not really losing much is mainly because I am building muscle with my exercise! I am also not being extremely strict with myself either!

Despite not liking the shape of my arms, I only really tend to do weights for my legs at the gym and usually around the arm machines there are lots of men and being a young girl this can be embarrassing! I need to get into the habit of doing toning exercises for my arms at least twice a week at home!

I am still going to weigh myself once a week to see if I am making any progress but try and use the mirror to determine whether I am losing any weight or not! I want to feel better in my self and try to reshape my body, this will involve building muscle and muscle weighs more than fat right?

It is approx 8 weeks until I go on holiday so I really need to step it up a gear! Its also about 6 weeks until the race for life so I need to step that up a gear too!
I was planning on going to the gym this morning and then going out for lunch, and then I realized I don't have my car this morning! I don't think lunch will take all afternoon so I am going to go on the cross trainer this morning and walk up to the post office and then if I have time this afternoon go then! If not I'll have today as a rest day and go for the rest of the week.
I really enjoyed going late yesterday afternoon because when I go in the morning by the time I've got up, eaten (usually), got ready and drove there, then been to the gym come back and showered its like my whole morning is gone because I usually have to get back in time for something in the afternoon!


I have 2 detox plan books and I was taking a look through those this morning and I am considering taking a detox next week, starting on the 1st May. It is a 4 week plan and if it works then I will have about 3/4 weeks until I go on holiday. The first week is detox week and each stage of the detox lasts one day. I am only really worried about the first day which would be liquids only, this does include freshly made juices and unsweetened fruit and herbal teas. I think before I make a decision I am going to discuss it with my mom and see how this week goes.

I'll wait and see
x