Thursday 10 September 2015

Whey to Go! - Team Sky Protein Smoothie Review

I want to seriously apologise for my lack of posts! I've been without my laptop for a good couple of weeks which has meant I couldn't post (bar my 3 month overview which I did via my brothers iPad).

However, I now have a laptop that doesn't give me second degree burns and the fan which actually works now - happy days! Back to a somewhat normal service... I have also started a new job, which I'll do a post in regards to settling into and how I've coincided with living healthy and transitioning into my new job.
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Anywho, I thought I'd do a review of the Team Sky Protein Smoothie's which I've been having recently in regards to helping with building muscle and muscle recovery post-workout.


So far I've only tried the Pineapple & Coconut and the Raspberry & Blueberry smoothies.
Pineapple & Coconut
I did struggle more with the Pineapple & Coconut to drink it down quickly (having protein in the first half hour post workout helps with the muscles, according to a few friends who are gym junkies); I don't know if its because of the taste, or it could just be me. But it was drinkable and it actually was okay once you sort of got used to the taste... It was nice that I didn't get the chalkiness of the whey protein in the P&C smoothie, that it one of my hugest pet hates. I could taste the whey protein, but it wasn't the only thing I was tasting. (I'm not a huge fan of whey protein, but I have been told by my ex who is a rugby player and my personal trainer that I do need to use whey protein to help with my muscles now). After drinking the smoothie, I did go online and see some of the reviews and some said it tasted like a non-alcoholic Pina Colada - I wouldn't quite go that far, however it did have a hint of pina colada about it.
Raspberry & Blueberry
I then went on and purchased the raspberry and blueberry smoothie as I wanted to have a bit of variety - I managed to knock this one back pretty quickly which I was surprised with! This one was more chalkier then I expected, however the taste was super scrummy! I couldn't taste the whey protein as much, but as said before it felt more chalky in my mouth. I did enjoy this smoothie and would happily drink it regularly! Some people found this smoothie a hit/miss sort of one, some weren't keen on the taste. I found it a tad sweet, which suited me to the ground as the smoothie was my breakfast anyway!

Ingredients (info obtained via Google)
Pineapple & Coconut - 165 kcals

Water, Whey protein* (Milk), pineapple juice* (16%), Apple Juice* (3%), Coconut Water (0.5%), Stabilsers (Pectin, guar gum), Natural Colouring (Safflower concentrate, Lemon Concentrate), Sweeteners (Sucralose, Acesulfame K), Acidity regulators (Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid), Flavour.
*From concentrate
Raspberry & Blueberry - 142 kcals
Water, Whey Protein* (Milk), Apple Juice* (3%), Raspberry Juice* (3%), Blueberry Juice* (1%), Stabilizers (Pectin, Guar Gum), Natural Colourings (Carrot Concentrate, Hibiscus Concentrate), Sweeteners (Sucralose, Acesulfame K), Acidity Regulators (Lactic Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate), Flavour, 
*From Concentrate

Overall marks out of 10
Pineapple & Coconut - 7/10
Raspberry & Blueberry - 9/10

I'd totally recommend these for people starting out with protein shakes/smoothies like myself. I did try another make and it could of just been a bad bottle but it made me feel a bit quesy. Its always good to remember with these things, it depends on the individual; taste, what workouts your doing etc. Make sure you do plenty of research to see what works for you. 

*This post was not sponsored and the products featured were purchased with my own money. All opinions are my own and are not paid for me to say.

Wednesday 26 August 2015

Weight Loss - Month Three

First of all... Sorry for the lack of posts. My laptop isn't useable at the moment as I'm waiting for it to be repaired (bloody technology) so I'm having to write this on my brothers iPad (I'm struggling if I'm honest writing on this so sorry for typos and grammar mistakes!)

Today I'm posting about my third month of living healthy and my weight loss progress. As said before, not everyone has to be wanting to lose weight to live healthily, it may be that you just decide you want to - however for me I want to lose weight, as I'm not, personally feeling healthy at the weight I started at...

HOW MUCH HAVE YOU LOST?
So far I have now lost a total of 1 stone 6lbs

WHAT HAS HELPED YOU?
I took a 9 day break in the middle of the month - I was feeling very low and just wanted some time off. I didn't go crazy and managed to keep my weight the same by still recording and not going over board. In a way, it helped me to refocus and realise how much I want this, how much I'm dedicated to getting to s healthy weight for me and for my fitness to be paramount. I now have a long term goal in mind which I'm working to which is helping me even more!

WHAT DID YOU CHANGE?
For the last week I set myself a challenge to start using my local outdoor gym which is free... I'm so glad I have as I'm throughly enjoying it! 
ARE YOU HAPPY?
I wasn't for the middle 2 weeks of the month. But for the last week I've been mega happy and pumped up!

WHAT'S BEEN HARDEST?
Oh my god sit ups.... My abdominal area is absolutely killing me!!!!!! I can definitely start to feel the benefits of sit ups, but Jesus no pain no gain really is what is getting me through the muscle repairing stage and adapting stage. 

HOW WAS YOUR WEIGHT LOSS DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE MONTH?
Week One - 3lbs
Week Two - stayed the same
Week Three - stayed the same
Week Four - 1lbs

Week four I had my female issues again and I'd only restarted the thursday before which meant I had 5 days to get back in track. I'm feeling really good after some time off and my body is getting so much stronger and durable... I'm beginning to feel progress in my body!! 

Thursday 13 August 2015

M&S Extra High Impact Underwired Sports Bra Review

I thought that I'd do a sports bra review for my most recent splurge that was a complete necessity for me. I went (and finally) bought a proper sports bra. For the past 2 months I had been running without one, and after realising that this was definitely not a phase, and it didn't end after a month I thought it was time to search around.

I felt so absolutely clueless, and the reviews on products didn't help either - I looked at other plus size bloggers who featured sports bra reviews, some said one was great, others said it was rubbish and I became so much more confused - so I forgot all about the blogger reviews; and I'm sort of glad I did, because just because one thing doesn't work for one person, it may work for someone else!

So I tried out good old M&S - I got my first proper bra from M&S, and I've had nearly all my bra fittings and measurements (I get a friend to do my modelling portfolio ones every 4 weeks now) done with M&S. I waltzed into the store where most the ladies who work in the lingerie department seem to recognise me and got remeasured. Bearing in mind since my modelling break which I took back in April I hadn't got my boobs measured in 3 months; taking into consideration I've lost weight and taken up a lot of fitness activities in that time there was bound to be a change. My boobs had gone from a 44C to a 42D/DD.

Photo by M&S
So I browsed the sports bra's; all looked great but none in stock were in my size so I went home and jumped on my laptop and carried on my research - I'd seen a close friend of mine had recently bought the Extra High Impact Underwired Sports Bra in black and she said she couldn't recommend it enough and it was only £25.

So I went to check the reviews and it was really 70/30 - some ladies thought it was amazing, others were left vastly disappointed - I just decided to bite the bullet, and decide for myself. Two days later and this beauty arrived.

I completely refrained from reviewing this right away - as I knew I loved the look of it but really had to completely test it out thoroughly - so I did!!

Before I summarise each little activity I did to test the bra I'm going to show you how it looks on me and the two possible ways you can wear this...
Straps in conventional wear
Above is the most conventional way of wearing the straps - the straps don't dig in on me at all and are super comfortable. I found for me the best way to run with these is to have the straps adjusted fully and as I run the bra straps will adjust to my boobs as I go along. Overall I find this super comfy to wear - I'm not a fully cup bra sort of person but obviously that's bound to change for sports bra's. The material is amazingly soft and comfortable too - as I ran along they didn't rub against my nipples which felt amazing compared to what I was having before I purchased this. 

Straps in the racer back wear
(P.s I know the strap is twisted!)
I'd definitely say that if you feel you aren't getting enough support from wearing the bra conventionally definitely try the racer back. This kept my boobs held down phenomenally and I didn't have too many issues with the bounce factor wearing the straps conventionally. Again, there was no chaffing on my nipples which was definitely an overall highlight for me when purchasing this bra - the comfort is unreal! I did find this incredibly difficult to put on in the racer back style - especially if you don't have someone (like a boyfriend, girlfriend or partner) to help you - my technique was to get the bra on without pulling the straps up, with the back at my front switch the straps round and then wriggle around enough to get it on... It worked but I was definitely super cautious when putting it on just in case!
I also really love the simple detailing on this bra. I chose for the magenta mix but you can also opt for the black bra which has neon green spots on. By the underarms there is a meshing type material to help with sweat and positioning also. The under wire sits below the boobs and cuts off at the side not going right up to the end of the cup. For me personally this works well and means there's no risk of the wire digging in when running or cycling. The bra is also non-padded and has added stretch for comfort.

For the past 2 weeks I've been running, cycling, doing jumping squats, sprinting - anything you can imagine that involves boob bounce. 

Activites Review
  • Running/Sprinting - So I mainly use the bra for running, I run several times a week so this was the main purpose of my purchase. For the all of my activities I tend to opt to wear the straps conventionally unless I have a bad back where I'll opt for the extra support of the racer. I had a whole lot of bounce before hand but since wearing this my boobs are pretty much supported and the bounce has completely reduced; I was sceptical at first, I was never expecting miracles to eradicate boob bounce but definitely wanted to reduce it to a bearable amount - before I was wearing 2 very old sports bras and one normal bra and had about 95% bounce it was uncomfortable and really really hurt my boobs and back after running. I'd say I only get about 20% boob bounce now, and that's generally when I'm running exceptionally fast down a hill or sprinting. 
  • Cycling - I did a trial cycle with my normal bra and I didn't realise how much boob shift I had when bobbing up and down a bumpy track. Thankfully when wearing this sports bra, the shift in my boobs was near on eradicated, it was comfortable and didn't feel like my boobs were sagging. More importantly for me, the underwire wasn't digging in under my rib cage like a normal bra. I often got marks and sores due to my bra digging in, especially when cycling but thankfully due to the lining and material thickness around the underwire it was comfortable.
  • Circuit Training - So I recently also took circuit training up (post will be up soon for some of my quick little circuits). I think the main two activities that tested my bra was doing the sprint mountain climbers and jumping squats. I did get a fair bit of bounce in my boobs, however, once my boobs had reached their highest bounce point the bra did help in supporting them down easier and they didn't 'crash' down and leave me in pain on my under bust. 
OVERALL OUT OF 10
8.5/10 - I'd definitely recommend this bra for anyone who is a beginner at doing high intensity and high impact activities. I'd say if you were a long distance runner then maybe see what else may work for you (hard for me to comment as I only run a maximum of 3.5km). This definitely reduces a vast amount of my boob bounce and is a perfect comfortable fit for me when training. My only small downfalls are the difficulty of the racer back which can't really be improved as that will be an issue with any bra. For my 42D boobs this bra is attractive, comfortable and does the job perfectly for me!

PRODUCT DETAILS
My Size - 42D
Size Range - 34B - 42F (covers sizes B-G Cup sizes)
Machine Washable and Tumble Dry safe
Made from; 83% polyester, 11% elastane & 6% polyamide


*this post was not sponsored by Marks and Spencers and all products bought were purchased with my own money. I was not asked by the company to review this product.

Thursday 30 July 2015

Weight Loss - Month Two

August - why are you here so soon?! It also means I'm on month two of my diet...

Today I'm posting about my second month of living healthy and my weight loss progress. As said before, not everyone has to be wanting to lose weight to live healthily, it may be that you just decide you want to - however for me I want to lose weight, as I'm not, personally feeling healthy at the weight I started at...

HOW MUCH HAVE YOU LOST?
So far I have now lost a total of 1 stone 2lbs

WHAT HAS HELPED YOU?
Running and exercise, I've already noticed improvements (despite my calf injury). I've also been chatting to my dad, he's run several marathons, in regards to running style, what's correct and comfortable for me.

WHAT DID YOU CHANGE?
This month was a little different, I've had a few higher calorie dinners (about 700 kcals +) which means I took the hit the rest of the day, which I can't say was easy. I've been experimenting more with foods and definitely finding my definite go to foods when I'm hungry. I also had my first real cheat day... I ate chocolate!

ARE YOU HAPPY?
I'm happy, I wouldn't say out of this world happy - but I'm happy I've reached a stone. I'm unhappy that I have picked up an injury. But I am looking forward to the challenges of the next month.

WHAT'S BEEN HARDEST?
I've gotten over having the different meals problem, I'm enjoying the meals I'm cooking for me and I definitely have a few favourites! The hardest thing has been my exercise, my calf has been really temperamental which has meant I can't push my distances as much and I'm really struggling with seeing any changes in my body in the mirror - other people are noticing them but not me. I'm struggling with this purely because I look as though I have had no changes to me.

HOW WAS YOUR WEIGHT LOSS DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE MONTH?
Week One - 3lbs
Week Two - Stayed the Same
Week Three - 2lbs
Week Four - 2lbs

Week four I had my female issues and I normally always gain normally when not on a diet, so I'm really happy with a 2lb loss and I managed to stay the same over my birthday which was week two. This month I'm really excited for my new sports bra to turn up and do some running in - I can actually get some decent boobie support!!!!! 

Thursday 23 July 2015

Coping with 1300 Kcal's a Day

So I've had a lot of people ask me about how I'm dealing with my cut of calories from god knows kcals a day to 1800 kcals to now at the 1300 kcals a day.

It's quite difficult at first - I'll be frankly honest with you, it was the toughest first transition week into the 1300 kcals a day, it meant I actually had to look properly at what I was eating. I spoke to a friend who is a trainer and also goes by a healthy eating regime; he's helping me to keep focused and look more wisely at food options.

First of all - you really have to cut the crap out, in my experience so far is that crap is more calories :(

So, I looked at crisps, I still want at least some freedom of foods and to satisfy my naughtiness - so instead of going for my usual Walkers Crisps which are 130 kcals a packet - I now eat Quavers which are 88 kcals a packet (I also forgot how good Quavers taste!).

The longer I stuck at it, ignored everyone pushing me to just 'treat' myself (I know me waaaaay too well to know I'd slip if I just have a 'treat') the more easier it became, yes I still have my days where I struggle so badly, to the point I want to just pack it in, raise my calories and eat a chocolate bar. But I push myself to stay focused and concentrate on what I'm doing because I'm only letting myself down if I don't succeed at this!

I'll be doing some more food diaries based on my 1300 kcals a day soon so you guys can see what I consume and how wisely I try to use my calories.

Don't forget you can follow me on MyFitnessPal to see my daily food and exercise diary - my username is EmmaVictoriaaa

You can also ask me about anything you are interested in or any questions over on twitter - EmmaVictoriaaa

Thursday 16 July 2015

Day 4 Food Diary - My 20th Birthday!

So last Sunday was my 20th Birthday (I'll be honest, its in the contender for one of the birthday's I've been most let down and disappointed - whole other story though).

But I thought I'd do a food post as some people were interested in my food consumption whilst being on a diet..

No I didn't break my diet, I just raised my calorie intake to a sufficient amount. I'll be doing a post in a few weeks time on transitioning from 1800 kcals a day to 1300 kcals - but for my birthday I raised to my usual 1830 kcals.

I planned all my food for my birthday several days prior, and made sure there was no temptations round me.. I also fought off my parents trying to convince me to have an alcoholic drink and take a day off my diet. The thing with me is, if I take one day off completely, I will lose my determination and become lazy; its fact. I wasn't completely stringent and disciplined as you'll see below, I didn't necessarily go for a healthy option lunch.. but it was my birthday and it was a treat - not a regular occurrence!
Breakfast - 194 kcal
2 Kallo Organic Rice Cakes - 58 kcal
Sainsburys Dry Cured/Air Dried Bacon Rashers - 126 kcal
1/2 tbsp Heinx Tomato Ketchup - 10 kcal
Lunch - 706 kcal
Iceland Ham and Pineapple Pizza
Snacks - 128 kcal
Robinsons Fruit Juice 500ml then diluted - 40 Kcal
Quavers - 88 Kcal 
Dinner - 794 kcal
Homemade Pad Thai Dish 
So as you can see, I did enjoy my day and still had some food which I fancied - but as I keep banging on about (I know I'm sorry but it helps!) its all about control. Control is what is keeping me on track and keeping focused on this diet! I'll own up to taking 2 prawn crackers which my family had with the Pad Thai dish.. which was naughty, but I wouldn't normally do it.

Instead of opting for a takeaway I chose to have a homemade Thai dish.. mainly because it tasted a million times better then a greasy takeaway and because I could control the amount that went into the dish - I also chose to cook the meal myself, purely not for the control aspect but for another reason entirely just to take my mind off things.

I think I had about 8 calories left at the end of the day on my MyFitnessPal - so with the 2 prawn crackers added, lets say I probably just went over?

However, on Monday I jumped back into my 1300 kcals and finally got in a good run after suffering my bad calf injury which has been nothing but a hindrance to my keeping fit schedule!

Thursday 9 July 2015

Running Progress & Don't Let Them Laugh

So I went for my first run! Not my first run ever in my life - this was my first run of my diet and first run of 2015.

I'm not much of a running person; due to a few factors. I have big boobs and it absolutely kills me to run if I'm not wearing at least 2 sports bra's and a compression top; I also can't run more then a couple of times a week due to my back - I had a fall back in 2012 and have a problem with 2 discs in my lumbar which can be very painful.

Running is one of the cheapest exercises you can take part in, so long as you have a good pair of trainers and the right clothing for the job!

But I'm still making the most of what running I can do...

TOTAL RUNNING - 2.46km
TOTAL WALKING - 1.14km
So I had my first issue when out running the other week. It was my first proper run in a long time, and it was the furthest I'd ever run in my life! I felt so happy afterwards but there was something that was still bugging me from what happened earlier on in the run..

So I was running through my village, baring in mind my village was on a hill, and I'd already run 1.3km already.... I was hot, not sweaty yet, but definitely more then rosy faced. I stopped to catch my breathe for a second & to cross the road as cars were turning. And two men who were sat outside the pub, baring in mind with 2 pints of beer - choose to stare and laugh at me. This made me feel so shit. I really wanted to just cry and punch them. It made me so angry that they thought they could judge me for running, just because I'm a fat girl.

I got home and phoned my friend who is a rugby player with what happened; and he made me feel so much better about it all.

He told me this;
"They can't judge you for getting fit and healthy. You are making the good choice. If they want to laugh, then let them. They aren't worth your time or attention; Your body is worth the time and attention - to get it to the way you are happy with". 

It did help me to think - I do not need to let them hurt me, or judge me. I'm the one running and exercising to help get my body fit and healthy; and if that's bad, and something to laugh at - then the joke really is on you.

Just remember, people on the streets don't know who you are, and don't know your medical history or your diet. If they laugh, keep running or walking - you are helping you, and they have no impact in your life.

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After my first week of running I felt so happy and proud of myself for even running in the first place. So for my first run of week two, I wanted to see how far I could push myself (like my first run of my first week!) and I managed 3km (in 24 degree Celsius heat as well!) which I was incredibly happy with! After one week to increase my distance by 0.5km is huge for me! 
However, I have picked up a small injury (not from the running thankfully!) in my right calf, so I'm taking the rest of the week quite easy, still running but only to the amount I can tolerate. This week also (when you read this it will be last week!) is incredibly hot, with Wednesday hitting a possible high of 35 degrees celsius - mega hot! And with someone who doesn't cope well with heat and suffers with hayfever - I will be resting and not risking it for a run! 

Thursday 2 July 2015

Weight Loss - Month One

Its now July! I swear 2015 is flying by us so super quickly!

Today I'm posting about my first month of living healthy and my weight loss progress. As said before, not everyone has to be wanting to lose weight to live healthily, it may be that you just decide you want to - however for me I want to lose weight, as I'm not, personally feeling healthy at the weight I'm currently at.

HOW MUCH HAVE YOU LOST?
In my first 4 weeks of living healthy and increased exercise I've lost 7lbs/half a stone. 

WHAT HAS HELPED YOU?
Using my MyFitnessPal and MapMyRun Apps - they help to keep me focused and make sure I don't lose track or focus. I also have a few friends on these apps who track my progress, who help to motivate me even more to carry on.

WHAT DID YOU CHANGE?
Well for the first month I obviously changed a lot - I'm now choosing lower calorie options which are healthier. I'm trying to avoid eating processed foods other then Quorn products also.

ARE YOU HAPPY?
I'm very happy with my progress so far - I've started running (I have a post with all the details coming up next week!) and I've obviously lost half a stone which is nothing to be upset about for me.

WHAT'S BEEN HARDEST?
Not having the same meals as my family. For instance, my whole family were talking about having a takeaway as a treat - I obviously said no, for obvious reasons. I suppose for me the real is struggle is having support from my family. My mum is on a Weight Watchers diet, but I find she has a tendency to not weigh everything out, she's more of a "chuck it in the pan and it looks about right" amount sort of person; which is frustrating for me when I'm trying to be so careful and not go over my allotted calories.

HOW WAS YOUR WEIGHT LOSS DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE MONTH?
Week One - 3lbs
Week Two - Stayed the Same
Week Three - 2lbs
Week Four 2lbs
And we are now officially in month two of my plan - honestly, I think this month may be a bit more of a struggle - I think I'm over the 'honeymoon' period of the diet and this is when its tough and a lot of people give up; which I'm determined not to do due to my success so far.

July will be a tough month for me as I have my 20th Birthday upcoming on the 12th - so we will have to see how we go!

Thursday 25 June 2015

Having a Few Days Off...

So let's be brutally honest, I haven't, personally, met anyone who hasn't been a little bit naughty on a diet or had a few days off from being super strict - and I'm absolutely no exception.

The week before last, I was having a very stressful time, I had to get a report pulled together for the council for an education panel meeting - I had from the Thursday Evening to the next Sunday to get it all done, read through and sent off. You may think that was enough time, I assure you it really wasn't and it meant that my diet sort of went to the side because I had to prioritise my brother and his well-being over mine - I'll be honest, my brother is more important then I am when it comes to things like this, so for me the diet wasn't the top of my mind.

So what did I find helpful to at least stay somewhat on track?

Don't go stir crazy over food
What I mean is, just because you are craving a bit of chocolate, does not mean you have to eat the whole bar. Still moderate what you eating - even if you aren't logging it into a diary.

Be Sensible
Just look at the sensible options - yes you are allowed to have a treat, you don't have to be all Miss Battle Axe on yourself the whole time on your diet, but its just about you being sensible.

Cravings
During this week I also had the double whammy of my lady visitor being due (sorry boys, TMI I know). I had the odd craving -  I was totally craving a big bowl of ice cream.. So I had the ice cream, just not in a big bowl - and it still satisfied my craving. Sometimes, well for me anyway, you don't need to have a great big portion of something to please your cravings - just enough to satisfy. Again, its all about your moderation of what goes into your body.

Don't be a psycho-weigher
Just because you aren't particularly watching everything you consume as you usually do, does not mean you have to weigh yourself every day. Your bodies weight fluctuates every day, and you are pound to gain or lose a pound within a day - stick to your usual weigh in day and time. 

Don't Worry
The key is to not worry or completely freak out. When it came to my weigh day, I stayed the exact same weight from the week before (I lost 3lbs that week) - considering I normally always gain a lb or two during that time of the month as well due to bloating etc, I was extremley happy to stay the same. And even if you gain, when you are back on track, don't beat yourself up about it - clear your head and focus on the week ahead, next week you may lose 2lbs - keep positive!

Thursday 18 June 2015

A Filling Salad & Facts about LIGHT Mayonnaise

I'm going to be brutally honest with you guys - I'm not a salad lover; I don't hate salad's I just find it hard to find salad's enjoyable!

So my challenge for this diet has really been focusing around salad's - I'm talking about salad's as the actual meal, not as a garnish.

Yesterday I needed a salad that was filling, healthy and I had a few calories to play about with as I didn't have breakfast that morning (side note - please have breakfast, it helps several things. I was just a naughty girl and had a lay in till 9am and by the time I woke up, because I can't eat right away, I just chose to wait till lunch) I opted for a big salad.

35g Salad Leaves
200g Farm White Potato(s)
25 sprays of 1 Kcal Spray
100g Mushrooms
2 Quorn Sausages
15g Hellmans Mayonnaise 
(NOT THE LIGHT MAYO!)
Paprika 1/2 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp

Total Calories - 554 Kcal

Method

It's pretty simple but here is what I did with all the ingredients.

1. Pre-heat your oven to 190°c/180°c for a fan oven.
2. I chopped up my potato, you can do yours as thick or as thin as you wish. I preferred a thinner chip just for the satisfaction of having that lovely crunch. 

3. I then par-boiled the potato's for 10 minutes - you don't want them mushy, just cooked enough to then go in the oven.

4. In a bowl put the par-boiled chips, then add the paprika and salt and 15 sprays of the 1kcal Spray. Toss and coat evenly and then put on a baking tray and into the oven for 15 minutes.

5. After the first 15 minutes, take out the chips, and bump up your oven to 220°c/210°c for a fan oven then put your chips and Quorn Sausages in for another 15 minutes (depending on how thick your chips are some may take 10 minutes to crisp up, some may take 20 minutes - just keep checking them to get them how you like them!)

6. While the sausages and chips are cooking - chop up your mushrooms, get a frying pan and use 10 sprays for the mushrooms. Cook to your liking!

7. Once the mushrooms were done, I added them into the bowl with the salad leaves. Once cooked, I then added the chips, chopped up the Quorn Sausages and added 15g of Mayonnaise. (Below I'll explain why I don't use the Light-Mayonnaise). Mixed them all together and et voila! 


Why don't you use light mayonnaise?
- I've found out from several sources, as well as looking at the back of packaging of mayonnaise products that REAL Mayonnaise is better then light. Light mayonnaise has added extra's in it - yes it 'may have less fat' but that doesn't mean its a healthier option. For example

On the Hellmans website below are the ingredients for Real Mayonnaise vs Light Mayonnaise

REAL MAYONNAISE INGREIDENTS 
SOYBEAN OIL, WATER, WHOLE EGGS AND EGG YOLKS, VINEGAR, SALT, SUGAR, LEMON JUICE, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (USED TO PROTECT QUALITY), NATURAL FLAVORS. GLUTEN-FREE.

LIGHT MAYONNAISE 
WATER, SOYBEAN OIL, MODIFIED STARCH (CORN, POTATO)**, EGGS, SUGAR, SALT, VINEGAR, LEMON JUICE, SORBIC ACID** AND CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (USED TO PROTECT QUALITY), NATURAL FLAVORS, VITAMIN E. **INGREDIENTS NOT FOUND IN REGULAR MAYONNAISE. GLUTEN-FREE.

There are added extra's in the light mayonnaise, which just don't me feel comfortable - for example Sorbic Acid?! If you aren't a scientist or nurtionist maybe, much like me - I have no idea what sorbic acid is, let alone what it does, or anything about it. Any time, like any other person, if I see 'acid' unless its something like citric acid (eg lemons, limes etc.) it does make me worry a bit.

Me personally? I'd rather just have the extra intake of a few extra calories then put something into my body that I don't even know what it is. Sometimes it's about choosing the healthy option, and taking that time to look into the product and what you'd be consuming; not just opting for something that looks good or healthy.

Sunday 14 June 2015

Calorie Banking - Good or Bad idea?

So last week I thought I'd try a technique I've heard about before, and have heard quite a few people trying it. Calorie Banking.

So what is Calorie Banking?
Calorie banking is when over a couple of days you reduce your calorie intake to bank calories for an upcoming event, i.e a BBQ - for example; you'd save up calories over a few days before the event to then use without feeling "guilty" of blowing your diet.

How did I find doing this?
I didn't like it if I'm honest. It left me feeling absolutely starving even after eating a meal and drinking a tonne of water (I even drank Pepsi, due to the fizzyness to try and fill me up). I got stomach cramps from being that hungry. For me personally, I found myself being extra stringent on the Calorie's for my meals - I ended up eating off of a tea plate and felt like I was eating the portion of a 5 year old which definitely did not satisfy me enough after a 2 hour long walk & rhythm boxing as well as completing 13,000 steps. I also ended up skipping breakfast to reduce my intake further.

How did you work out how much to bank per day?
I first of all worked out my daily calorie intake (with a huge thanks to my MyFitnessPal app) mine was 1,870 kcal per day (without exercise added calories) I'd then say I'd want to save 400 Kcal's so I'd simply take that off my daily total and reduce it to 1,470 Kcal's. I also made things worse for myself by saying I wouldn't use my exercise calories which I normally allow myself to use half of once exercise has been completed, only if I feel hungry or need to use them.This made the challenge 100x worse for myself (damn me for being cocky if I'm honest).

I had to become inventive with my Salad's
When banking my calories and skipping breakfasts, my 2 meals of the day were Salad's - they were delicious and filling (thank god)... for about an hour and a half, and then I was hungry so reverted back to drinking a tonne of water to see my through till 7am the next morning.

Could it work for the right person?
Maybe. I wouldn't say an right out yes, but if you have more willpower (and not a huge lust for food) unlike myself then you might be able to pull it off.

Would you recommend this method?
Absolutely not. For me personally, I'd rather spend 4 hours running, walking, boxing, swimming and anything else to burn off the meal then try this method again. Its not the best way to lose weight and to me personally in my opinion, I find its where you are more likely to slip up and make mistakes on a diet, especially if done regularly.

The hunger can cause you to want to blow your diet and your strictness on yourself, because your stomach is shouting for you to re-fuel but your head says no - I felt like I was having a mind vs stomach battle! I nearly crept for the biscuit tin and larder for the crisps in the middle of night but thankfully I fought it out and didn't.

I also found that when it came to the event for the calories I saved - I actually didn't enjoy it at all. I felt bad for nearly starving myself for days just to enjoy one meal? It sort of didn't make sense to me - I'd rather have 3 satisfying meals, and control my intake at an event then to calorie bank ever again.

Friday 12 June 2015

Day 3 Food Diary - I went to McDonalds!!!!

Thursdays are an awkward day for me, and other then Saturday's sometimes can be the toughest day of the diet for me. Due to a very short amount of time to get dinner my mum and me have to go to Mcdonalds, as its quick and it gives us enough time to pick up my brother from Scouts.

Now I know you're thinking "you can make a packed lunch", I totally would but... I'd have to prepare it nearly 24 hours before hand, so it wouldn't be fresh and tasty and if I choose a salad which I'm likely to go for in the summer - it will all be soggy by the time I eat it at 8pm (bleh). So, I planned ahead. I knew I was going to Mcdonald's so I planned my whole days meals & snacks a few days prior and made a packed lunch for lunch time - I even planned what I was going to have at Mcdonalds!
I also tried a technique this week called Calorie Banking - although I wouldn't recommend this for regular usage, I will be doing a post about it over the next week or so.

Breakfast - 276 Kcal
30g Ready Brek
150ml Semi Skimmed Milk
10 Raspberries
Sprinkling of chocolate
200ml Fresh Orange Juice
Lunch - 514 Kcal
Mixed Salad Leaves 30g
Mixed Peppers (From Frozen) 40g
Garden Peas 50g
2 Slices Smoked Farmhouse Bacon
Smoky Bacon Crisps (Walkers 25g Bag)
Plus homemade barbecue sauce (recipe will be up in a few days)

Dinner - 1,521 Kcal
Big Mac - 490 Kcal
Large Fries - 444 Kcal
Ketchup
Fanta Orange Large - 210 Kcal
Dairy Milk Mcflurry - 340 Kcal
The reason I put the Kcal for the individual items for Mcdonalds is so that people realise how many calories you'd consume from a basic meal there. This was a treat and I don't want people to think its okay to have foods like Mcdonalds on a regular basis. The nutrition value's aren't really that great, high salt intake and generally not great BUT I went for the best most filling option. Baring in mind I ate my salad at 12pm, and ate this at 8pm I was starving - I'd been sat in Seminar's, sat in the car, walking and standing around for 4 and a half hours too, so I did earn the extra calories to balance out the extra intake and also did extra exercise the day after too just to cover myself.

Despite having the McDonalds and planning my other meals to be nutritious and filling I did manage to keep my fat percentage to a good clean 33%. Although my protein was shockingly low that day which I was least impressed with, but did not want to overeat, even with fruit just to boost that up.

Even after adding the exercise calories to my daily allowance (which my MyFitnessPal manually works out for me currently at 1,870 kcal a day) I still managed to be 72 kcal's under goal even with an added 524 kcal's from exercise from the day.


Clearly, and highly expected my main calorie distribution from the day was focused on dinner and my other meals and snacks for the day had to evolve around that. I personally chose no snacks and waited an 8 hour period for my next meal. I can't begin to tell you the regrets I had - especially sat in traffic on the M25 near Thorpe, moving slowly and my tummy rumbling knowing it still had ages to wait for some food!

I managed to have a good lunch and breakfast, which for me really was my goal of the day and as well to get a little bit of exercise in despite being super busy that day.

My key tip would be to try and plan your day and food with each other, try not to leave an 8 hour gap like myself, despite me not having an option and it being a rare occasion which I don't do often.

A good idea may be to plan your snacks in the morning so that you can graze on them all day reducing your hunger ever so slightly and without feeling guilty because its all weighed out to what you're allowed. Fruit, nuts and seeds are nutritionally good and can be really lovely snacks.

Wednesday 10 June 2015

Every Bit Helps! - Exercise!

So this is the first sort of exercise related post I've written on here! Its about confidence, and that even if it feels like you haven't done that much - every little bit helps!

I, myself at the moment am currently unable to do a full proper workout - I'm currently waiting to get the all clear in regards to my chest (I'm prone to chest infections, due to having borderline pneumonia a few years back!) and my shoulder injury which I sustained back in April after a workout went a little wrong!

Until then I can't do a full intense workout so I'm doing other little activites till I can get back to boxing, running and everything else! Below is a little list of things I do...

Burning Calories Exercises
Go for a Long or Inclined Walk
Deep Clean the House
Walk/Run up the stairs for 10-15 Minutes
Vacuuming for 15 Minutes
Dance like a loonatic in your house or bedroom 
(Don't worry at least no one can see you!)
Exercise DVD
Wii Fit - I personally love the rhythm boxing Advanced Level it means at the moment due to my shoulder I can still get a good amount of movement in my shoulder without applying force or pressure to the injured area
Strength Exercises 
(To help strengthen muscles, not necessarily burn calories)
Yoga
10 Squat Reps
2x 1 minute Planks
Stomach Crunches
Squats into Overhead Press 
(Go into Squat, then with dumbbells or tin cans when you stand up from the squat then pressing weights over your head like you are reaching up!)
Single Leg Dumbbell Row
(You can hold onto a chair or stool if you don't feel balanced enough to stand on one leg)
Step-Up with Bicep Curl
(Using dumbbells or tin cans again get a step and climb up and off it at a steady rhythm - as you climb up then bend your arms with the dumbbels for the bicep curl)
Curtsy Lunge
  
(I love this one - elegant yet good for that bum!)
SupermanAnother totally fun little stretch!
Don't worry I will do a full follow up post of me doing some of these for you guys! Until then if you are unsure - the internet is your friend! There are tonnes of YouTube channels and websites that show you exactly how to do the strength exercises above!

Just remember, it doesn't matter if you do as little or as much as you like, every little bit helps your body at the end of the day! 

Saturday 6 June 2015

Homemade Fries Recipe!



Calories
With Rapeseed Oil - 413 Kcal
With 1Kcal Spray - 305 Kcal

My fries are my absolute favourite food to make! They are definitely my go to food for lunch, easy and simple to make and you know exactly what is in them!

The recipe below is for the main component of a meal, if you want the fries as a side to a burger then just reduce the amount of potatoes you use.

Recipe
380g of  Potatoes (I prefer Maris Piper Potatoes personally)
1 teaspoon of salt (2 if you like salty chips)
1/2 teaspoon of Paprika (not smoked)
1 tablespoon of Rapeseed Oil OR 8 Sprays of 1Kcal Oil

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180°C/ 170°C for a fan oven.
2. Cut up your chips, however thinly or thickly you like.
3. Put the chips into a bowl, add salt, paprika and Rapeseed oil and mix thoroughly with your hands till all the chips are evenly coated.
4. Put the chips in the oven for 15-20 minutes, this depends and varies on how thick you cut your chips.
5. Once the chips are reasonably cooked and starting to brown, give them a toss on the tray, and bump up the oven to 220°C / 210°C for a fan oven. Cook for a further 10-15 minutes until cooked and crispy.
6. Take out the oven, pop on a plate and enjoy!


TIP - The 1Kcal spray fries may take a little longer then you'd expect. Cook them on a lower heat for longer or until nearly cooked, then bump temperature up to crisp them up. 

Thursday 4 June 2015

Day 2 Food Diary - Carb Day!

Don't forget to follow me on MyFitnessPal app - you can see all of this as I post it on there too and you can also keep track of my weight loss - emmavictoriaaa
Breakfast - 371 Kcal
30g Ready Brek with 150ml Semi-Skimmed Milk
1 medium Banana chopped up
200ml of Fresh Orange Juice
Lunch - 476 Kcal
Whole tin of Heinz Tomato Soup
75g (uncooked) Penne Pasta

Dinner - 453 Kcal
Yellowfin Tuna Steak (Small)
1 1/2 Medium Egg Noodle Nests
Mixed Peppers
Kale
Onions
Soy Sauce
Worcester Saue
Salt
Pepper
Honey
Chinese Five Spice
Chilli Flakes
Rapeseed Oil
Today was a carb day for me I woke up feeling starving, and kept feeling hungry throughout the day so I opted for a filling carb day instead of a light veggie day. I chose to have pasta to bulk up my soup, although if you want something lighter you can always bulk up with extra veg if you want to.
After Monday's rather unsuccesful glup of porridge oats (it was from Weight Watchers which my mum has never used so I thought I'd try) I thought I would switch to Ready Brek - surprisingly I did get more then what I did with the WW Porridge Oats so I'll probably stick with this for a while and get creative with my options.

I also treated myself to a single little Twix bar - I find the multipack singular ones super helpful mainly because I don't feel tempted to have a second just because of the sake that it is in the packet and opened... So the little single ones fit perfectly for me. I must admit I can be a picker, I'm not much of a 'meal' person - I envy the people who can just eat three meals and be fine! I tend to not eat big meals but prefer to graze throughout the day. I'm thinking of possibly setting myself a nut and seed allowance for the day which I can just pick on when I feel peckish without feeling guilty with what I'm eating.




Today's calorie breakdown was pretty reasonable again. The main 3 meals had a good percentage on each, and all stayed pretty much to what I was aiming... not bad for a novice! I definitely did start to struggle in the afternoon leading to dinner. I decided that it was more of a 'mental' problem that was telling me I was hungry, purely because I was bored and doing paperwork - so I chose to take my dogs for a 65 minute brisk walk up the Forest instead of a snack! The rain definitely detracted my mind from food - distraction techniques do work sometimes!







As said above, today was a carb day for me due to feeling absolutely starving. Although I was pretty happy with the MFP targets set, I wasn't too far off my goals, I do look to improve these as time goes along and I get into better habits but for now I'm pretty happy with these!

My first goal would probably to just keep the fat percentage managed as well as I have. I won't be doing food diaries for every day of the week, maybe one or two a week which have different varieties of eating but for the first two I'm pretty happy with the fat management!

Tuesday 2 June 2015

Day 1 Food Diary

So, I've finally decided to properly focus on my weight and fitness again. I've slacked off for a while, not to the point where I've eaten crap constantly, but I've not been able to go to the gym as much due to health issues and a shoulder injury (you'd see all the tape images on my Instagram if you follow me!) and I've slacked off on the calorie counting too...

But I'm back and as focused as ever to become a better more toned version of myself. I've received a little bit of backlash obviously due to being a model and I'm known for my current size/stature; but I'm a person 100% not a model, I'm a model when I'm on set or location, when I'm actually deciding to be a model. Its not that I'm not confident in myself, I am, but I don't feel like I'm at my best - and I'm the only person who can make myself feel happier, healthier and fitter!



So I'm starting to image record my meals! It will help me focus on what I'm eating and make myself more aware. Less junk, more home-made and more planning ahead. I'll probably stick to just doing the majority of these on my instagram so follow me there if you want to keep updated but I may do the odd meal day on here!

So here is the first day of meals of my diet from Monday 1st June - all Nutrition Statistics & Information via MyFitnessPal App.


Day 1
Calories - 218 Kcal
32g Porridge Oats with Water.
1 Kiwi Fruit
200ml Orange Juice
Calories - 535 Kcal
Tomato Ketchup, 30g
30g Pimento Stuffed Olives
2 Slices Ham
Homemade Fries
(380g Maris Piper Potatoes, 1 tsp Paprika, 1 tsp Salt, 1 tbsp Rapeseed Oil)
Pork Pasta Bake Calories - 549 Kcal
Penne Pasta
Mixed Peppers
Carrots
Salt
Pepper
Onions
Tinned Tomatoes
Cheddar Cheese
Semi Skimmed Milk
Plus a Banana for a snack - 105 Kcal

TOTAL CALORIES - 1,407 Kcal 

On the left is a statistic pie chart that shoes my calorie distribution throughout the day.
I was quite happy being able to have nearly even calories for dinner and lunch, despite feeling a little hungry I know that this is just a mental barrier and the first 21 days are the hardest








On the right is another pie chart of how many Carbohydrates, Fat and Protein I had throughout the day. I pretty much nailed my targets if I'm honest for a day 1 of my diet which I was quite impressed with personally! 

I didn't do technically much exercise this day due to still having a few health issues which means I can't work out properly, but I did do squats, crunches, star jumps etc as well as doing the cleaning and doing the washing and folding laundry so I was still active. 


As you can see, I'm trying to make sure that I can still have things like fries and pasta, but they have to be had in moderation and not excessively as well as a healthier option!

#LiveHealthy - Welcome to my Journey!

Welcome to mine and your Healthy Living and Fitness Journey!

Lets start with a quick introduction - I'm Emma, I'm a professional plus size model, I'm also a blogger over on Anchors Away Beauty. I'm currently on my journey to make myself a healthier and more toned version of myself.

Why did I start #LiveHealthy?
- To not only support and help my own progress, but to help with other people's progress who may struggle, and may not have a strong support system round them.

I'm in no way a professional, I'm a complete beginner and amateur and I'm still learning! So lets learn together, lets learn whats best for us and our bodies!

I hope you enjoy the journey - the key is for you to be happy and positive with your body.

Your Body is a Temple.