When I say party, I mean Christmas party, when I say Saturday, I mean this Friday and when I say that everybody will be waiting for me to arrive, I may be using poetic licence. So what.
Tis the party season and whilst I'm not a fan of diets, crash, fad, 'sensible' or otherwise, I am certainly a fan of turning up to a shindig energised, un-bloated and feelin' fine. Ideally we would feel this way all the time, but sometimes life happens and it just doesn't eventuate. So how do I make sure I turn up with my party shoes on (apart from making sure to wear my party shoes)? There are 3 main areas I cover off, which I concentrate on for 3 days beforehand.
1. Exercise - I make sure I get in a good 45-60 min sweat session for each of the 3 days leading up to the event
2. Diet - I eat plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit, lean meats, nuts and seeds. Water (3 or so litres including what I drink while I train) & green tea are my essentials.
3. Sleep - At least 8 hours each night.
Here is an example of what I would eat in the days leading up;
Breakfast - Smoothie with kale, banana, pea protein, almond milk & a little honey
Gluten free toast with Almond spread
Snack - Green Tea with Almonds and Capsicum Sticks
Lunch - A little brown rice with kidney beans and chopped avocado & Poached chicken with lemon + green tea
Snack - Beetroot, celery, carrot, spinach & ginger juice + rice cakes with tuna
Dinner - Lamb steak with steamed brussell sprouts & broccoli drizzled with lemon, flax oil and a few toasted sunflower seeds
And my training;
30 minute run, increasing pace every kilometre
Circuit (1 minute of each activity, 3 or 4 rounds)
Pushups
Bentover rows
1 leg squats
Planks
Frontal raise with shoulder press
So that is the surefire plan that gets me feelin' energised and confident at party season. The important thing is that its not drastically different from my normal exercise, diet and sleep patterns, I just make sure to be extra nurturing, consistent & mindful.
Which brings me to another point...I have the Sussan Womens' Fun Run on Sunday - which i'm trying to PB. So I am imagining that Saturdays post will be all about how to recover from excessive alcohol consumption in 24hours so as to run like the wind.
Happy partying friends!
Tuesday 29 November 2011
Saturday 26 November 2011
Sad Belly = Sad Run
Its true. I have a very temperamental belly. It doesnt like long runs or coffee or tea or wine or dairy or spicy or smoked meats or legumes or flax or .... you get the picture. Luckily, not everyones gut is like mine, but it is still quite common for people to get 'runner's diarrhoea' and an array of other tummy troubles when we are trying to perform at our best. Saturday I set off with the intention of doing an 8km trail run at 5.10-5.20km/hr pace. A mixture of dehydration from the previous days and cramping meant that I only got 5km out and it was HARD WORK! I walked the last 3km back to the car, which all you runners out there will know, gives you a whole other kind of fire in your belly (the mad kind!). When I got home it was time to get serious...these days of bad belly had to stop. I whipped up a beautiful gut healing shake, added a few supps and hey-presto, within hours my belly began to settle.
The all important ingredients - Aloe Vera Juice, Probiotics and Glutamine
My Gut-Love Shake
Serves 1
200mls Almond milk
100mls Water
2tsp Glutamine powder
1sml Banana
Handful of Ice
Before you start to make your shake, take 15mls of Aloe Vera Juice and 1-2 probiotics, depending on the strength they are (I try to get at least 20billion good bacteria).
Blend all ingredients until smooth, pour into a glass and enjoy.
All of the supplements for this can be bought from your health food store, and the great thing about them is that they store well, so you can use them all up until they are gone or you can keep them in the cupboard/fridge until you need them again. They also have an array of other uses;
Glutamine - Muscle recovery, gut repair, immune support
Probiotics - Immunity, bloating, after anti-biotics, constipation, IBS, diarrhoea
Aloe Vera - Immunity, bloating, IBS
Another key part of trying to settle an upset belly is to keep it simple. Bananas, brown rice, grated apple etc are all known for their binding effect. I try to eat a mixture of slow cooked carrot, leek and brown rice with some organic vegetable stock for most of my meals that day.
Happy running, riding and swimming!
NB This information is not medical advice and indicates what I do for myself only.
The all important ingredients - Aloe Vera Juice, Probiotics and Glutamine
My Gut-Love Shake
Serves 1
200mls Almond milk
100mls Water
2tsp Glutamine powder
1sml Banana
Handful of Ice
Before you start to make your shake, take 15mls of Aloe Vera Juice and 1-2 probiotics, depending on the strength they are (I try to get at least 20billion good bacteria).
Blend all ingredients until smooth, pour into a glass and enjoy.
All of the supplements for this can be bought from your health food store, and the great thing about them is that they store well, so you can use them all up until they are gone or you can keep them in the cupboard/fridge until you need them again. They also have an array of other uses;
Glutamine - Muscle recovery, gut repair, immune support
Probiotics - Immunity, bloating, after anti-biotics, constipation, IBS, diarrhoea
Aloe Vera - Immunity, bloating, IBS
Another key part of trying to settle an upset belly is to keep it simple. Bananas, brown rice, grated apple etc are all known for their binding effect. I try to eat a mixture of slow cooked carrot, leek and brown rice with some organic vegetable stock for most of my meals that day.
Happy running, riding and swimming!
NB This information is not medical advice and indicates what I do for myself only.
Thursday 24 November 2011
"Mojo: The life force. The essence. The right stuff. What the French call a certain... I don't know what. " Dr Evil
My training Mojo appears to be lost and there is a very simple reason - if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Now dont roll your eyes. This is not so much a lecture as a case study. After months of having great improvements in my running, riding and swimming times, something happened along the way and my schedule changed. I had a bit of an ankle 'thing' for 3 weeks which changed what activities I was allowed to do and since then my schedule has not recovered. Forgive me father, for I have hit 'snooze'.
Now, don't get me wrong, setting the alarm for 5am 5 days a week and just deciding what training to do when you wake up may work for some people, but in my own experience and my experience working with people...it rarely does. It is mucho easy to press snooze when you dont really know what you are getting up for. Remedy? Plan. Schedule it in. Do it now. Here are the general instructions for planning your own workout schedules for those who are relatively new to this.
1. Decide which days and times are feasible for you to exercise. Be realistic.
2. You can use any old piece of paper but I was given this great pad by a friend this year and it appeals to the part of me that loves everything to be neat and pretty (NB that part does not feature in the kitchen. 4 day old dishes in the sink don't bother me in the least)
3. As a general rule, try not to do exactly the same activity two days in a row. If you do like to run a lot or ride etc, then make sure each session has an aim. Try writing the activity, the intencity and the length of the session. See my schedule above for an example.
4. GET IT DONE!
I like to pin this on my fridge but you can put it anywhere that suits.
Ok - time to train!
Now, don't get me wrong, setting the alarm for 5am 5 days a week and just deciding what training to do when you wake up may work for some people, but in my own experience and my experience working with people...it rarely does. It is mucho easy to press snooze when you dont really know what you are getting up for. Remedy? Plan. Schedule it in. Do it now. Here are the general instructions for planning your own workout schedules for those who are relatively new to this.
1. Decide which days and times are feasible for you to exercise. Be realistic.
2. You can use any old piece of paper but I was given this great pad by a friend this year and it appeals to the part of me that loves everything to be neat and pretty (NB that part does not feature in the kitchen. 4 day old dishes in the sink don't bother me in the least)
3. As a general rule, try not to do exactly the same activity two days in a row. If you do like to run a lot or ride etc, then make sure each session has an aim. Try writing the activity, the intencity and the length of the session. See my schedule above for an example.
4. GET IT DONE!
I like to pin this on my fridge but you can put it anywhere that suits.
Ok - time to train!
Monday 21 November 2011
"It's just another manic monday, I wish it were Sunday, 'cos that's my funday" The Bangles
Ok. Lets clear the air. I have been a bad, bad blogger. I could give you all the reasons why. But the reasons even bore me. Onward and upward.
Today was yet another drag-your-feet Monday and, like most people, I was coming home from work completely exhausted this Monday evening. Monday evenings = many, many people scooting about getting any type of processed nutrition-sapped food they can so that they don't have to cook. I understand the urge. Who could be bothered spending time in the kitchen on a Monday night? But really, it doesn't have to be difficult. This little dish is so easy and so versatile, but full of flavour. All variations can be made in 10 minutes flat. And I don't mean 10 minutes cooking time. I mean 10 minutes from the minute you get the ingredients out of the fridge to the minute you sit on the couch with your steaming bowl of yum.
Chorizo Vegie Bowl
Serves 1
1/2 small Chorizo finely chopped
3 Brussel Sprouts, quartered
1 cup Broccoli florets
8-10 Cherry Tomatoes, halved
2tsp Sunflower Seeds
Steam the greens for 2 - 3 minutes. Keep them a bit crunchy.
Meanwhile, brown Chorizo in a pan, then add tomatoes.
Place greens in with Chorizo mix, add Sunflower Seeds and toss until mixed well and heated through. Serve.
The dish can easily be changed to suit whatever you have in the fridge. Sometimes if I have leftover BBQ Chicken and Brussel Sprouts only I will add half a teaspoon of chilli and a roughly chopped garlic clove to replace the heat and intense flavor that the Chorizo gives. Add the greens and tomatoes and you have a different flavor all together. Easy, delicious, healthy.
Get creative and just say no to 'junk food' that shows your precious little body no love at all! Peace out.
Today was yet another drag-your-feet Monday and, like most people, I was coming home from work completely exhausted this Monday evening. Monday evenings = many, many people scooting about getting any type of processed nutrition-sapped food they can so that they don't have to cook. I understand the urge. Who could be bothered spending time in the kitchen on a Monday night? But really, it doesn't have to be difficult. This little dish is so easy and so versatile, but full of flavour. All variations can be made in 10 minutes flat. And I don't mean 10 minutes cooking time. I mean 10 minutes from the minute you get the ingredients out of the fridge to the minute you sit on the couch with your steaming bowl of yum.
Chorizo Vegie Bowl
Serves 1
1/2 small Chorizo finely chopped
3 Brussel Sprouts, quartered
1 cup Broccoli florets
8-10 Cherry Tomatoes, halved
2tsp Sunflower Seeds
Place greens in with Chorizo mix, add Sunflower Seeds and toss until mixed well and heated through. Serve.
Get creative and just say no to 'junk food' that shows your precious little body no love at all! Peace out.
Friday 11 November 2011
"Here's to the Freakin' Weeken'" Rihanna
Here is to the freakin' weeken' my friends! I'm quite sure that my weekend was not what Rihanna had in mind when she penned that song. The awesome weekend of those of us gifted with an athletic obsession goes something like this...
Friday night work drinks. 2 wines. Quite sozzled. In bed by 10pm. "Sleep in" till 7am. Nasty brick session (nasty = gooood). Lots of sweat, lots of lactic acid, lots of smiles. Eat food, spend time with family. Out for dinner. 2 wines. Quite sozzled. "Sleep in" till 7am. Long ride with mother. Lots of gas-bagging. Less sweating, less lactic acid. Massive breakfast with the bestie. Eat more food, spend more time with the ones I love the most. Cook up a storm. Sleep...and we have arrived at Monday.
Mix a little sunshine in with it and it doesn't get a lot better than that!
But what comes before the weekend. Is that "Friday" I hear you say? Well my friends, you would be right. And this Friday was started in the very best way - with a sunrise run and a Cheeky Monkey smoothie. A Cheeky Monkey smoothie you say...yes. I love this smoothie after a good workout. It contains all the ingredients that you need for your muscles to recover, your glycogen to restore and the free radical damage to be minimised. Plus, did I mention its delicious? Well it is!
Cheeky Monkey Smoothie
200mls Almond milk (or your milk of choice)
100mls Water
30g Pea Protein (or your protein powder of choice)
1t Almond Spread
1/2 Medium banana
1/2t Agave syrup (or honey)
1t heaped Raw Cacao powder (or cocoa)
Blend all ingredients together for a few minutes. Add ice cubes if you want it extra cold. Enjoy!
Here's to your freakin' weeken'!
Friday night work drinks. 2 wines. Quite sozzled. In bed by 10pm. "Sleep in" till 7am. Nasty brick session (nasty = gooood). Lots of sweat, lots of lactic acid, lots of smiles. Eat food, spend time with family. Out for dinner. 2 wines. Quite sozzled. "Sleep in" till 7am. Long ride with mother. Lots of gas-bagging. Less sweating, less lactic acid. Massive breakfast with the bestie. Eat more food, spend more time with the ones I love the most. Cook up a storm. Sleep...and we have arrived at Monday.
Mix a little sunshine in with it and it doesn't get a lot better than that!
But what comes before the weekend. Is that "Friday" I hear you say? Well my friends, you would be right. And this Friday was started in the very best way - with a sunrise run and a Cheeky Monkey smoothie. A Cheeky Monkey smoothie you say...yes. I love this smoothie after a good workout. It contains all the ingredients that you need for your muscles to recover, your glycogen to restore and the free radical damage to be minimised. Plus, did I mention its delicious? Well it is!
Cheeky Monkey Smoothie
200mls Almond milk (or your milk of choice)
100mls Water
30g Pea Protein (or your protein powder of choice)
1t Almond Spread
1/2 Medium banana
1/2t Agave syrup (or honey)
1t heaped Raw Cacao powder (or cocoa)
Blend all ingredients together for a few minutes. Add ice cubes if you want it extra cold. Enjoy!
Here's to your freakin' weeken'!
Sunday 6 November 2011
Its Gettin Hot in Here
This morning was the first morning that I have trained where it has been above 15 degrees in what feels like a lifetime but is probably more like 6 months. It was perfect riding weather - light breeze, sun shining, but by the time I got off the bike and started my run the sun was out and it was H.O.T. A 23km ride followed by a 4.5km run that all in all took me about 1hr45mins. The ride was really relaxed and the run was easy-ish. Oh using these very blase terms kill me. My Garmin is being assessed for replacement so speeds, distances, splits are all a mystery to me. Tech heads, i'm sure you feel my pain.
The second best part about a good training session where you dont have to rush to work after...breakfast. We had a big fruit salad and vegemite toast. Not my usual breakfast fare but completely delicious.
When we got home I decided to whip up a batch of Pumpkin Pudding. Its based loosely on a mixture of recipes I have found with a few additions that balance it nutritionally because, well, i'm a nutritionist and thats what I do!
This is a great snack or evening treat and a good option if you get any cravings for sweet foods. Its also great for post training as it includes plenty of carbohydrates as well as good fats and protein. The Maca aids in balancing hormones and is a potent antioxidant - helping to limit free radical damage.
Pumpkin Pudding
2 cups Pumpkin Puree
2T Almond Spread
1T Maca Powder
2T Pea Protein Powder*
6 Medjool Dates
1t Cinnamon
1/2t Powdered Ginger - or fresh if you dare!
Pumpkin puree can be made by steaming pumpkin until soft, allowing to cool and then blending in your food processor.
Place all ingredients into your food processor and mix until smooth. Place into individual pudding cups or a large glass bowl and allow to set in the fridge. You can sprinkle the pudding with chopped nuts or chia seeds to serve if you like
*You can use any kind of protein powder for this - Pea, Rice, Soy, Cows, Goats, whatever you like. If you don't have Maca at home you can replace it with your protein powder and just use 3T of protein powder
A nice cool pudding to have as the weather heats up. Enjoy!
The second best part about a good training session where you dont have to rush to work after...breakfast. We had a big fruit salad and vegemite toast. Not my usual breakfast fare but completely delicious.
When we got home I decided to whip up a batch of Pumpkin Pudding. Its based loosely on a mixture of recipes I have found with a few additions that balance it nutritionally because, well, i'm a nutritionist and thats what I do!
This is a great snack or evening treat and a good option if you get any cravings for sweet foods. Its also great for post training as it includes plenty of carbohydrates as well as good fats and protein. The Maca aids in balancing hormones and is a potent antioxidant - helping to limit free radical damage.
Pumpkin Pudding
2 cups Pumpkin Puree
2T Almond Spread
1T Maca Powder
2T Pea Protein Powder*
6 Medjool Dates
1t Cinnamon
1/2t Powdered Ginger - or fresh if you dare!
Pumpkin puree can be made by steaming pumpkin until soft, allowing to cool and then blending in your food processor.
Place all ingredients into your food processor and mix until smooth. Place into individual pudding cups or a large glass bowl and allow to set in the fridge. You can sprinkle the pudding with chopped nuts or chia seeds to serve if you like
*You can use any kind of protein powder for this - Pea, Rice, Soy, Cows, Goats, whatever you like. If you don't have Maca at home you can replace it with your protein powder and just use 3T of protein powder
A nice cool pudding to have as the weather heats up. Enjoy!
Friday 4 November 2011
"The things you are afraid of, they will come and they will go...and you will be alright" Stevie Nicks
Words to live your life by - I think so. Words that you need to say to yourself over and over again when you are about to swim in the open water for the first time ever - absolutely!
Today I had my first swim in the bay. It was also my first time in my new 2XU trisuit. Actually, I'll be honest, its the first time I have donned the suit for anything other than parading around the house doing that Cameron Diaz butt-wiggle-dance or sitting on the couch watching the Kona 2007 re-runs that seem to be playing every Saturday & Sunday at 6am on my TV. Completely normal, I know. I digress.
So my swim was really challenging. I entered the water and it was so cold - about 15 degrees apparently. It took my breath away and it took me some time to figure out if I was having a panic attack or if it was just mighty cold. You see, I have never had a panic attack before but one lovely woman posted a blog with information about 6 people who had passed away in the US in the swim portion of the triathlon due to having a panic attack in the midst of it. Which, frankly, is enough to make you have a panic attack just thinking about it. After a few minutes I realised I was panic attack free and began to freestyle away from the shore. BUT. I couldn't put my head under - I was completely petrified for some reason, but instead of giving up I just kept swimming, thinking "So what if I have to complete the swim without putting my head under the water, as far as I know there are no rules against that!". I swam about 200m in total and then practiced putting my head under the water in the more shallow part of the beach. I started to feel more comfortable with it and I think that will just increase as I keep at it. All in all it was a very easy session physically, but a tough one for me mentally. I think tomorrow and every weekend in the forseeable will contain lots and lots of open water swimming.
How did your first open water swim session go? Have you got any tips for newbies?
And just remember..."you will be alright"
Today I had my first swim in the bay. It was also my first time in my new 2XU trisuit. Actually, I'll be honest, its the first time I have donned the suit for anything other than parading around the house doing that Cameron Diaz butt-wiggle-dance or sitting on the couch watching the Kona 2007 re-runs that seem to be playing every Saturday & Sunday at 6am on my TV. Completely normal, I know. I digress.
So my swim was really challenging. I entered the water and it was so cold - about 15 degrees apparently. It took my breath away and it took me some time to figure out if I was having a panic attack or if it was just mighty cold. You see, I have never had a panic attack before but one lovely woman posted a blog with information about 6 people who had passed away in the US in the swim portion of the triathlon due to having a panic attack in the midst of it. Which, frankly, is enough to make you have a panic attack just thinking about it. After a few minutes I realised I was panic attack free and began to freestyle away from the shore. BUT. I couldn't put my head under - I was completely petrified for some reason, but instead of giving up I just kept swimming, thinking "So what if I have to complete the swim without putting my head under the water, as far as I know there are no rules against that!". I swam about 200m in total and then practiced putting my head under the water in the more shallow part of the beach. I started to feel more comfortable with it and I think that will just increase as I keep at it. All in all it was a very easy session physically, but a tough one for me mentally. I think tomorrow and every weekend in the forseeable will contain lots and lots of open water swimming.
How did your first open water swim session go? Have you got any tips for newbies?
And just remember..."you will be alright"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)