My leg training routine

Since giving up my cardio obsession, and becoming an avid fan of strength training I've found a new found respect for strong men and women.


My eyes opened up to the many ways I could train legs. I was excited but apprehensive.


I've always quite liked my legs, but you know that being called "chicken legs" was never really much of a compliment, so began my determination to swap my "chicken legs" for legs not so much chicken-like, but defined and sculpted (I don't like the word toned)


I never ever thought that I could lift much weight, but over the year I've been training, I have found increased lifting power and strength that I never knew I possessed!


My training for my legs normally consists of (in order with four sets of around eight reps):


- squats with dumbbells/ barbell
- leg press
- single leg squats with dumbbell (or for balance than anything else) or walking lunges with dumbbells
- bunny hops (for a tiny bit of cardio)
- calf raises with dumbbell in each hand


My routine has pretty much stayed consistent but I have tweaked it every so often, because even the most determined weight lifters suffer from the inevitable boredom that occurs doing the same leg routine every week for three months, for example.


I actually remember when I first attempted to do a single- leg squat, oh my, I could just about manage one rep on each leg, but I am proud to say that this has now increased to double figures and it's probably my favourite leg exercise!


Every couple of weeks, the pin moves further down on the leg press machine, I am picking up heavier dumbbells and I am doing more reps on other exercises and I'm secretly happy. After all, it's proof that I am making progress and for a small woman, I can lift heavier than I ever thought.


I hope this post encourages and helps you a little bit if you're trying to train your legs. Leave any comments or questions below and I'll get back to you soon.


Next blog post will probably be about HIIT or debunking the myth about women and the bulk up!

Love & Loathe Issue 1

I wanted to start a new regular feature on my blog, so I've decided to start a current love and loathe post.

Love
- worked out hard with kettle bells this morning

- one week off from work

- new series Touch starts this week

- season two of Game of Thrones starting soon. I wasn't that keen on the first season, but it is definitely growing on me, especially after the last few episodes, I'm intrigued to see how the story lines evolve.

- finally discovered the name of the song playing on the LoveFilm advert, it's called "A Real Hero" by College. It was driving me nuts and then I realised that I've heard it before in the film Drive.

- watched back-to-back Come Dine With Me, which always inspires me, and I've already noted down two recipes to make (courgette roulades and key lime pie, if you're interested)

Loathe
- not eating as clean and healthy as I know I should be over the last few days (currently blogging with a half-eaten bag of M&S sweets next to me...)

- no access to work gym or local gym whilst I'm off work, so no strength
 training but I'm hoping to do some home workouts a la Bodyrock

That's it! Hope you're enjoying your weekend. I will hopefully post my leg training post on Monday, so keep an eye out for that.

Benefits of green tea

I’m sure you’ve heard countless times that you should drink more water and reduce your caffeine intake. However, studies have shown that tea and coffee (in moderation) actually do have health benefits, and they do count towards your recommended daily water intake.

I am not really a hot drink fan, I much prefer to drink cranberry juice or water (boring I know) but when it does come to hot drinks, nothing beats a good old hot chocolate. However, I have been getting more and more into drinking green tea. My love for it began whilst out having sushi, I ordered a cold green tea, and quite liked it. Since then, I’ve switched to the hot variety.

It’s no secret that green tea has a plethora of health benefits; it increases metabolism, which is great if you are trying to lose weight, it can also prevent bone loss, and is also rich in antioxidants, which help protect the body from free radicals - naturally occurring particles in the body associated with accelerated ageing and an increased risk of major diseases. Exposure to pollution, smoking and excess sunlight increases the number of free radicals in the blood.

According to the Harvard Health Publications green tea is the best source of a group called catechins. In test tubes, catechins are more powerful than vitamins C and E in halting oxidative damage to cells and appear to have other disease-fighting properties. Studies have found an association between consuming green tea and a reduced risk for several cancers, including skin, lung, colon and bladder.

My personal preference is Tick Tock Green Rooibos Tea, because it is caffeine free. Green tea actually contains less caffeine than coffee, but if you like caffeine, you can get caffeinated green tea varieties.

Whilst we’re on the subject of tea, BBC1 aired a documentary recently about Britain’s Favourite Supermarket Foods, which included a tea test and showed that a cup of tea, brewed for seven minutes, provided the best health benefits. And although they used good old fashioned English tea, I think you can brew green tea for five to seven minutes to achieve the maximum health benefits and flavour (any longer and it will taste bitter).

I know quite a few green tea fans and hopefully, after reading this post, you’ve been persuaded to try it if you don’t drink it already. And if you already do drink it, keep going, your skin and health will thank you for it.

Kettlebells and You

Kettlebells have been around for a while now. But sadly, I haven't had a chance to use them until recently.


I've been going to the gym at work for over two years and I'm also a member of my local gym, and eerily they have both started to stock kettlebells within weeks of each other, which is amazing news for me!


I attend a kettlebell class every Saturday and let's just say that I'm not much of a class person. In fact, I prefer to work out solo or with a training partner, but there is something about this class that keeps me going back!

When using a kettlebell, you can execute the same exercises you can do with dumbbells, plus many more that involve swinging, pushing, and balancing the bell. The difference between dumbbells and kettlebells, is that with kettlebells, you work out fast, whereas with weight-training the movements are slow and steady. Kettlebells give you an all-over body workout. You won't really build muscle but they are a great cardio workout, which is great for me, as the only cardio I do is shopping.


If you have kettlebells in your gym, try them out! I recommend starting off with a light weight first so you can learn correct technique and posture (my instructor always reminds us to use our hips!)


Kettlebells take a little bit of practice and getting used to, but you'll soon get into the swing of it!


[image source]

Small Boots Haul

Like I need an excuse to go skincare shopping, but Boots are currently running one of their 3 for 2 offer on skincare at the moment, which I believe will run for at least two more weeks, so check it out, it really is worth stocking up on your favourite products, or like I have, a cheaper way to try out new ones!

I brought:


Aveeno positively radiant daily skin-brightening moisturiser (with SPF15)-- £9.99


I've seen the brand Aveeno stocked in my local Boots, but never tried it. I was really after a new moisturiser since binning my paraben-laden Olay one that I had used for years and years. I'm still lusting after the gorgeous Origins vitazing moisturiser, but cannot part with the eye-watering £26. This Aveeno one was a lot cheaper at £9.99.


Link here to the Boots website.


Aveeno positively radiant daily exfoliating cleanser -- £5.99


I brought this because I really wanted a foamy cleanser to use with my Clarisonic Mia. The Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish works fine for me at the moment, but it is quite creamy. I'll post my thoughts on this cleanser after using it for a month.


Link here to the Boots website.


Oilatum natural repair face cream -- £7.65


I had been using my Liz Earle Superskin Concentrate, and as much as I loved it, I wanted something a bit more rich and moisturising to use at night. As the name suggests, it contains natural ingredients and is free from fragrances, preservatives and emulsifiers. I'll post my thoughts on this face cream after using it for a month.


After I brought this, I heard that Sam and Nic from Pixiwoo recommend it, and you know something's good when they use it!


Link here to Boots website.


Have you tried any of these products? Let me know your thoughts below!

Are you getting enough sleep?

When I was younger, I could wake up at four or five am for uni or work no problem. But as I’ve got older, every single minute of sleep is precious. The majority of people need at least six hours sleep a night to properly function. I am not one of those people. I need at least eight hours, ten is ideal though.

Some people are of the belief that you can get by with minimal sleep during the weekdays and make up for lack of sleep by having a lie-in on weekends. However, this is not the case. Sleep deprivation not only affects the brain's ability to function, but also the body's ability to recover. Eating clean and training hard will only get you so far. Your body recovers from a hard workout during rest and this is also when the process of muscle repair and growth occurs.

If that doesn't persuade you to go to bed early, research shows  that individuals who are sleep deprived eat more overall and consume more fat, notably saturated fat. 

Therefore, you should aim to maintain a consistent sleep habit.

Charles Poliquin recently wrote an article titled Get more sleep and make it a habit for optimal body composition (link here)

From the article, I’ve listed five things you can do to ensure you get adequate sleep:

1. Go to bed at the same time every night.

2. Do things in the hour or half-hour before your set bedtime to help you relax.

3. Turn off all screens during the hour or half-hour before bedtime.

4. Have a very small snack with carbs about an hour before bedtime.

5. Ensure you are taking adequate magnesium.

To read Poliquin’s article in full, click here.

Current skincare routine

To be honest with you, up until a few months ago, my skincare routine had stayed the same for about eight years. But then I learnt about chemical nasties and parabens in products, so I switched up my skincare routine pretty sharpish. The only two original products that I still use are the Elemis fruit active rejuvenating mask and St Ives invigorating facial scrub. Everything else is new and has been tried and tested since January.


My skin has taken quite well to this new arrangement, and apart from the inevitable crazy purging stage of five simultaneous pimples (thanks to my Clarisonic Mia!) my skin is now soft, smooth and clear, I'm happy to say.

My skin type has always been dry and a bit dehydrated. But the majority of products I use are suitable for all skin types.

First row Products:
1. Origins Ginzing eye cream
2. Liz Earle Superskin Concentrate (night-time)
3. La Roche-Posay Rosaliac UV Legere anti-redness moisturizer (morning)
4. Elemis Fruit Active Rejuvanating Mask (once a week)


Second row products:
5. Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish

6. Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic

7. Bioderma Crealine H20 Cleansing Solution 

8. St Ives Invigorating facial scrub (once a week)

Review: OPI Nail Envy

I've never worn false/ acrylic nails and I don't wear nail polish that often, and whenever I'm sporting it, you can bet that it's either the nude nail or a French manicure.  So, it's suffice to say that my nails aren't in that bad shape. 


However, my nails are a bit dry and lacklustre, and whilst a cuticle oil is currently winging its way to me, I wanted to try the OPI Nail Envy, which seems to be a much loved product in the beauty world. It is a nail treatment which claims to help a multitude of nail ailments such as nails peeling, cracking and splitting, but also claims to help nails grow harder, longer and stronger. Wow, that's some great expectations to live up to!

You're supposed to apply two coats the first time, then one coat everyday for a week, before removing it all and starting again. I used it for two weeks straight and I can honestly say that my nails certainly feel a lot stronger than before.


Aside from using it as a nail treatment, I also use it as a base coat before applying a nude shade, which protects your natural nails.


OPI Nail Envy retails for a whooping £18, but I got it from eBay for around £12 (including P&P) but you can also get it from Amazon for as little as £8.00.