Spring clean your lifestyle!

The days are longer, temperatures warmer; ahhh the beautiful season that is Spring! Such a lovely time of year which sees the end of the cold and with it, quite possibly, the end of many bad habits too! Stodgy food, too many takeaways, very little or no exercise- all because it's been "too cold". Spring can bring all kinds of new fitness goals as well as the warmer climate, from wanting to start running/ entering races to simply wanting to get in shape for Summer. 
It's sometimes just knowing where to begin? You could start by making a brand new manageable plan which fits into your lifestyle by jotting down a few things to motivate you... Your aims, the habits you need to change, what kind of exercises you enjoy (or at least don't mind!). Many new classes begin in Spring (even us instructors like to hibernate a little over Winter!), why not see if there are any new or existing classes in your local area you'd like to try. You could spring clean your fitness wardrobe to, a nice new pair of trainers and/or fitness clothes can be very motivating. After all, there's no point having new clothes if you've nowhere to wear them!
As for the eating it's time to say bye bye to carb loaded winter foods and to say hello to yummy light dishes instead. Check out this link for inspiration:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/healthy-spring 

I'm Back!!

It's been a while but after 2 lot's of maternity leave (and 2 new little people to keep me waaay too distracted!) I am now back in action ready to share my ideas, recipes, tips, likes etc once more. So if you're fed up of checking and seeing the same old blog entries then fear not... new entries are about to grace you with their presence and, more importantly, will continue to do so. Message me for anything you'd like to see on here and I will try my best. Happy Reading!

Feel fab loves...

... Vaseline Aloe Vera.

Brrrr, winter is almost here. Time to dig out your long running trousers, woolly hat and gloves and hit the pavements for a frosty yet refreshing jog, run or brisk walk! Winter can be a challenge exercise wise, but preparing for it can make it a little easier. I find these handy little tins of vaseline to be the perfect winter accessory for outdoor exercise (as well as all of the above), with the Aloe Vera vaseline giving even more soothing moisture with a lovely smell too! Simply smooth some on your lips before heading out, pop the tin in your pocket and wa-la... you're ready for action! 

Race yourself fit...

It's that time of year again... time to dust off your running shoes if you're a keen (or not so keen?!) runner or to maybe embark on a new challenge if not. Whether running the whole route or walking some of it, a race or fun run is fantastic for getting fit, for general motivation whilst being great for losing the pounds too! There are plenty of races coming up in Preston this Spring/Summer, why not have a look and see if any take your fancy...

Preston Guild 5k Run, Monday 7th May 2012 10am, Avenham Park. Click here for details.

Race For Life Sunday 17th June 2012 11am, Moor Park. See www.raceforlife.org to register or for details.

Run Preston Sunday 30th September 2012- 2k fun run, 5k an 10k options. Click here for details.

 

Healthier lifestyle... Younger looking you!

They say a picture paints a thousand words and this article from Yahoo aims to do exactly that by showing how someone could look in 10 years time depending on their lifestyle choices. Barring the added tan (which surely promotes tanning!), i'd say it looks spot on... Beats plastic surgery any day!

Click here for the article and see for yourself...

Summer treats WITHOUT the calories...

Summer's here, the sun is shining (well some of the time!) and with it comes plenty of socialising... Problem is, this often means plenty of calories too!

So here are a few ideas to help keep those calories at bay:

* Fruit Juice Spritzers.... a great alternative to white wine spritzers, saving approx 120 calories per glass! Also great if you don't drink, or don't want to, and fancy something a little more tasty than water to quench your thirst. Simply mix- or ask for if dining/drinking out- 1/2 a tall glass of fruit juice (of own choice) with 1/2 a glass diet lemonade/soda and waa-laa... your very own low calorie spritzer to keep you refreshed all summer long!

*Fruit Skewers.... A fantastic snack or dessert idea, fruit skewers are refreshing, tasty AND highly nutritious. All you need is a pack of wooden kebab sticks (or cocktail sticks if making mini versions) as well as a selection of fruit of your choice. Fruits such as melon, strawberries, grapes and pineapple are ideal as they don't dry out or brown as quickly as e.g apples and bananas. Now slice and dice your fruit onto plates or into containers, grab a stick and slide on whichever fruit pieces you fancy. You can then have them as snacks throughout the day (perfect for hot sunny days) or serve them as a dessert... you could even add a small amount of ice-cream if wanting a bit of a treat! Scrumptious.

*Solero Smoothies... Ok let's face it, we can have the healthiest of intentions all we like but sometimes we just neeeed ice-cream (it is summer after all)! So why not choose one that tastes delicious but isn't actually that naughty at all. Solero Smoothies contain just 99 calories and 2.2g fat, and taste just like ice cream (without all the extra calories!). You can choose from Strawberry and Banana or Blackberry and Banana... a tasty summer treat without the guilty feeling!

Run for fitness.... Race for Life!

Sunday 3rd July, Preston Under Cover Market, 10am

Want to get in shape AND raise money for a good cause? Then Race for Life is just for you! It's only 5k which may sound far but really isn't bad at all. In fact, you'll be crossing the finish line before you even know it.

It costs just £14.99 to enter and is a great day out with the added sense of achievement for actually making it round (whether running the whole route or even walking parts).

See www.raceforlife.org for full details or to register. Why not get a group of you together (friends, family, colleges) and make a day of it. It's a great way to get fit, maybe even lose a few lbs, whilst raising money for Cancer Research. Go on, there's too many reasons not too!