Saturday 3 January 2015

It's 2015 - and it's going to be your year!


It’s 2015!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015!



We are here again, bringing in a new year and I for one can’t wait to sample all that 2015 has to offer! Do you make resolutions? I don’t but that’s just my choice. I’ve realised that I can’t keep a resolution because I don’t take them seriously – I expect to break them and guess what I do? Yep, you got it! I don’t need any of that “new year new you” stuff from weight loss groups either, after all I don’t want to be a new me, I quite like being me! More recently I have worked out some plans for the coming year. Last year I planned to improve my fitness and strength so that I could really enjoy my grandchildren – I did it and intend to keep doing it. This year I have many plans but those to do with me directly include;

·         Blogging regularly

·         Buying a Bodyblade to use on my active rest days

·         To try out new macro and plant based recipes

·         Go to the gym three times a week

·         Complete the South Downs Way path

 

As I am planning to do these things I find myself working out the whens and hows – and that is what stops me breaking them – I will have invested time in planning what I want to do!

So maybe resolutions work for you or maybe like me you’d be more successful if you plan ahead. What plans do you have for 2015?

Don’t forget to make your plans SMART!



Here’s an example; “I will make an appointment to visit the local gym with a view to joining by the end of the second week in January 2015 because I want to improve my fitness.”

If you want a printable sheet to complete with your SMART goals for 2015 email me and I'll send a simple pdf to you. xxxx

 

Don’t get your knickers in a knot about I but do get on and get ready to achieve all that you wish for! The quicker we get on with it the quicker we see the changes we want.


Who cares about past “failures”? They aren’t failures by the way they are part of life’s steep learning curve. Look forward with positivity and you sure as heck will make it!

 

A FEW IDEAS TO HELP YOU ON YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS………………………without spending tons of cash!

Okay so getting fit and eating well is expensive yes? Well actually no it isn’t! Gym kit, warm walking clothes for the winter can be dirt cheap and last as well if not better than a lot of the branded gear out there.

My gym kit cost £30 for my Nike trainers, £8 for my leggings, £4 for my breathable top and £2.50 for 5 pairs of trainer socks!!!!! All from Primani or Sainsburys.

My walking kit includes a long sleeve top (thermal and very pretty) from £10 from Uni Qlo, thermal leggings for £6 courtesy of Primani.

In terms of food go to the website of Marlene Watson-Taras website where she shows you how to make a gazillion deliciously healthy burgers for 99p.

 

I’ve always found that tracking what I am up to in terms of exercise and food consumption is thy key to success for me. Have you tried it? There are sooooo many expensive gadgets out there to do this for you however I always look for a FREE alternative! I loooove Endomondo for tracking my exercise and My Fitness Pal for food. The two apps link together so that all the calories you use in exercise are transferred across to MFP so you know what calories you have for the day in your daily diary. Well worth a look and your bank manager will love you for it! Oh and before I forget MFP has a fantastic library of foods and restaurant food values, a scanner for bar codes and will save your recipes and meals for you.

 

If you aren’t a techie lover grab yourself an inexpensive notebook and track in there each day!

 

There are two books that inspire me and I hope will inspire you too:

Til The Fat Lady Sings by Debbie Flint  A great easy to read book available on Kindle and as a paperback that looks at the true problem of overeating – our brains!

Macrobiotics for all Seasons by Marlene Watson Tara  A fantastic to try something new written by a true expert in the field based around the seasons and will guarantee you a healthier happier life. (and I’m not joking!)

 

MY FAVE CHEAP AND CHEERFUL WINTER WARMING SOUP!

I just love the silky texture of butternut squash soup. It's creamy and soft and fills me up and makes me feel all cosy! It’s wonderfully inexpensive to make and takes no time at all – there’s no faffing with pre roasting or any of that hoopla either – yay! So here is the recipe;

 
Ingredients

1 butternut squash (yes, the shape of them still makes me giggle!)

2 carrots

Dried thyme to taste

Veggie stock cube

Soy sauce

Pepper

 Method

·         Peel squash with your speed peeler, cut in half and remove seeds, cut in to small chunks

·         Chop carrots into small pieces

·         Chuck squash and carrots in your big pan with the crumbled stock cube and the dried thyme and about 1000mls of water or max level on soup maker

·         If using a soup maker follow the instructions to start cooking  and making a smooth soup

·         If using a pan bring to boil and then turn to simmer until squash and carrots are cooked through – about 15 minutes, using your and blender or blender whizz until smooth.

·         Add soy sauce and pepper carefully to season to your personal taste

Delish served with a slice of sourdough bread – yummmmmmmy!

 

DID YOU KNOW?
That the pub chain Wetherspoon have published a great chart about what’s in their food? It shows everything they serve with full nutritional and allergen info. It’s a good step forward in helping you make the right choices when eating out. It’s available in all their pubs to pick up.

If you visit the JDWetherspoon website there is a really helpful page where you can indicate your dietary requirements (very detailed) and it will build a menu for you.

BTW I’m not affiliated to this pub group but I had a rather nice emergency 5 bean chilli there today and spotted how much effort they are putting in to their menus and making sure that the consumer can make choices knowing the facts.

I just had to show you this article! It’s about the colour of your plate affects what you eat. Apparently if you are served your food on a blue plate you will also eat less! 
 

Soooooo next week we're going to get savvy about alternatives to sugar and fall in love with beautiful beans (not the Jack in the Beanstalk story!), as well as usual updates on what’s going on in the media re food and fitness.

If you fancy sharing your 2015 plans for fitness and health get in touch here as I’d love to know how you are getting on xxxxxxxx

See you next week xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxjaniexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx