Things that make me mad

ok so i know i have been on and off the radar for a while now but im still fighting the good fight.

To Summarise, Ive had a few issues with health which has now finally seemed to have come down to a very deficient me in Vitamin D (levels which are barely detectable). This has meant Ive been battling to maintain my fitness due to some of the side affects of low vit D which include muscle and bone pain and tiredness, not to mention the affect on the immune system which has meant it seems like Ive just had one bug after another over the last year. However all that aside im battling on and despite a weight gain over the year of 1 stone im am not to concerned as theres light at the end of the tunnel....... at least i now know im not going mad and there has been a cause to the various symptoms which i just couldnt conect the dots on.

anyway... now that i have filled you in on whats been happening with me on to my main topic which is Things that make me Mad!!!

Now obviously i blog about fitness and health but always try to remain objective and encourage a healthy balance but sometimes you hear people doing or saying things that just make you want to scream:

1. Fad Diets
2. LOW CARB!!!!!
3. Being a slim healthy size yet still saying you need to loose weight!!
4. as long as I count my calories its fine
5. I want to build tone but loose weight

ok so these are just a few of the things which make me mad but they are all very common themes i hear day in day out being discussed by people in the gym

Fad Diets - as I've said and will always say moderate what you consume but do not cut out/replace or overly restrict. if a diet is telling you to cut out one of the main food groups steer clear. we are omnivores for a reason and need every (Natural) food group to help sustain healthy bodies and minds. the worst in my mind is the NO CARB diet..... Carbs are our most important and basic form of energy resource they are not bad as long as you stick to natural unprocessed forms (remember if its white its more than likely processed... nothing but coconut in nature is naturally white)

OK now im all for being aware of what calorie intake you have had in a day..... its obviously a simple equation energy in - energy used = energy stored. But i am not keen on diets which allow you to eat anything as long as you count it..... for example its ok if i have a mcdonalds today as long as i eat nothing else!!! NOOOOO a mcdonalds as a treat if you really want it (and ask yourself if you really do) is fine but please learn not only to be aware of calories but also which foods are healthy choices, and which should be avoided such as highly processed meals/snacks or treats.

Now on to those you here in the gym discussing the fact they cant understand why they arent loosing weight (you look and see a slim toned normal person and wonder what the heck have they got to loose? a butt cheek?)....... ok now when you are carrying excess weight you can slim and tone up at the same time.... however if you have reached the normal to lower levels of your weight range and you are doing a significant amount of muscle building/toning excercises.... well im sorry you are unlikely to loose much weight its known muscle is heavier than fat and you may even put a few pounds on (good pounds) but you will find your shape changes........ GUYS PLEASE STOP OBSESSING ON WEIGHT AND CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK TO LOOKING AT HOW YOU LOOK OR FEEL....... DO YOUR CLOTHES FEEL LOOSER? YES? THEN GREAT!!!!!! WHO CARES IF THE SCALES SAY YOUVE LOST NOTHING.

At the end of the day people we all make mistakes we all have bits of us we dont like, but please start to be happy with who you are, dont follow trends or new celeb diets or take those models in the magazines to be ideal examples.... just learn to make healthy choices, live energised lives and treat yourself every now and again....... after all we are all meant to be different... imagine how boring life would be if we all looked the same.

Rant over

loving autumn running

ok so maybe its not most peoples idea of fun, and ive gotta admit often I have a full on argument in my head with myself to get that motivation to go out in the cold and run, but once I'm there its really quite peacefull and it feels great to be reclaiming my own time and along with it my own body.

You will all be pleased to know i kept to my word and despite only taking the tiniest 4.5 kilo rucksack with me on holiday to portugal i managed to get in there my trainers and running gear........ oh yeah now your impressed lol... well thats the dedication im putting into myself im determined to shift this bit of weight ive put on this year and get back on track.

Im beginning to slowly but surely get my feel for running back, ive recently downloaded a personal running trainer ap which has a 16 week marathon program on it. so i started it this week (i know winter .... hummm maybe not the best timing.... looks like ill be running in the snow) and although i think 16 weeks may be a bit optamistic im going to follow the program and if one week feels a little tough i will just repeat it then move on ....... but you never know i may surprise myself and do it in the 16 weeks.

So roll on a winter of running, of wooly hats and foggy mornings, of crispen air and frosty footprints.... whatever the season may bring im ready.

ooops.................

Ok so as you all know i have battled for many years with my weight but finally triumphed in loosing over 8 stone and becoming a Personal trainer and fitness instructor.

Well now to the oops................

 early this year i was working in my full time job as a venue manager fo nottingham Trent as well as working between 10-20 hrs as a PT and fitness instructor this meant a total average working week of 60-70 hours. This was fine but training myself was getting tough to fit in but i was just about managing..... but then.............

I fell in love i met my current partner in early january and suddenly i needed to fit someone else in to my life.
As with all relationships early on came the dating.... the eating out, the drinking.... the lets have a takeaway night in etc etc................

initially work stayed the same, so what lost out you may ask? well my training schedule did and as a result so did i.

Everyone says with love comes a belly........ :-) initially mine didnt the high work load and running about kept the weight off, but soon i became run down i did not have enough time for everything. not only this but my already hard hit training schedule was dealt more blows and i was just too run down to train as i always have.

what happened you may ask? well i was happy and initially my muscle mass kept my metabolism high so i didnt see too many adverse effects, however with the low training i soon lost muscle mass and with that came the belly....

i am ashamed to say i have put on just over a stone ooooops

so what do i do? well i soon decided my health and happiness were more important than my work or bank balance and even my clients (what kind of role model am i if i put on weight) so This has meant i have now come to the decision to stop Personal training (for the moment) and just teach my tri club and spin classes with effect from the end of this month.

this means i have now regained some me time, yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

i am happy as larry, very much in love but also very ready to banish this belly back to where it came from!!!!

so i appologise everyone for falling of the blogging wagon, but i hope you can see why, and i also hope this shows all of us fall a little now and again but as long as it is recognised and a plan put in motion to stop it in its tracks then we will win

Fat mairi will not get her claws back into me!!!!

watch this space for updates on my progress...

P.S im even taking my running shoes on holiday with me next week :-)

To Eat or not to eat......

OK so i was talking to one of my PT clients the other day and we got to talking about food. Now i am as you know a believer in everything in moderation.... never make yourself feel guilty for having that weekend chocolate, or the sunday fry up... it is these simple pleasures that make food a joy and we should not spend our lives chastising ourselves for having the odd treat.
However there is always a balance... unfortunatly like many of us including me at one stage the need to loose weight and feel good about yourself often sees you making some of the worst mistakes you can in nutrition:

- skipping breakfast
- reducing you calories to such an extent it wouldnt keep a toddler going
- cutting carbs
- eating only protein
- eating only veg
- eating nothing all day (so no one sees you eat) and then binging in the evening
- feeling guilty about having a treat
- taking diet pills
- taking laxetives (i for one have never done this but its crazy what people will try)

now all of these are bad enough on their own, but if you combine them with the fact you are attempting to train... oh my lordy your body will not be thanking you and this is why....

Breakfast.... as my mother always said is the most important meal of the day.... it kick starts your metabolism and gives you the energy to begin your day in a positive way. if you skip this you will ultimatly feel sluggish and more hungry and crave highly processed foods..... (why? because your body knows it can break them down easily and get energy - all beit poor energy- fast)... this is your fast track to reaching for that nasty pasty, or bag of crisps at 11am.

Breakfast should be a good sized portion with foods that have slow energy release like whole grains (porridge/muslea etc) and a portion of fruit either juice or fresh to get you on your way to a minimum of 5 a day.

ok people lets stop obsessing about calories!!!! eat when your hungry, stop when you are full and make good food choices. If you restrict your calories to such an extent that its below 1500 a day and you are also training your body goes into preservation mode and will actually store more calories because it is worried you will starve. instead of using your proper energy pathways and burning fat reserves and sugars you will start breaking down muscle for energy (the weight loss you see is an unhealthy one which could lead to severe health consequences)

As for cutting carbs lets all stop being so ridiculous.... if you completely cut carbs you would be cutting out fruit and veg too... yes they are carbs. im all for reducing bad carbs like white bread and pasta, but carbohydrates are your bodies main energy source and it will struggle without them. yes limit them a little in the evening but they are still part of a healthy balanced diet!!!

eating only protein.... seriously people would you believe anything you see/ hear we are omnivoures for a reason we are not meant to just eat protein we are not carnivourous... and its very dangerous to health... our kidneys help with the breakdown of protein but diets like the atkins can cause excess ketones which not only means bad breath, bad skin and a whole host of other unpleasant things but worst of all you can end up with severe liver and kidney issues SO DONT DO IT!!!!!

As for treats if you want something nice have it.... plan it into your week for example on a saturday let yourself have that favourite treat, or head out to a restaurant with friends for a guilt free evening.... wouldnt life be boring if we couldnt enjoy the odd something naughty... easter wouldnt be the same without chocolate eggs, or birthdays without a cake.

as for diet pills.... where do you start - BUT REALLY IF THERE WAS A PILL THAT WORKED DO YOU REALLY THINK WE WOULD STILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OBESITY?

Laxatives just dont go there do you really want all the issues that come with malnutrition... or spending hours on the loo!!!

so here are my rules for eating healthily:

- EAT BREAKFAST!!!

- Eat 4-5 small meals a day

- downsize your meals as the day goes on

- stop eating when you are full

- drink plenty of water
- If it glows in the dark, we don’t eat it.
- if you cant understand the ingrediants on the packet......leave well alone
- if you go to buy chicken pie and the word chicken isnt on the packet its not going near my body!

- dont chastise yourself for having the odd treat just plan it into your week

- Eat more whole foods, You don’t have to think about high fat when you are eating whole foods. You don’t have to think about toxic waste when you are eating whole, real food. You don’t have to think about preserved, pasteurized, and pummeled when you eat whole foods, which makes your new life a whole lot easier.

Shake it up baby!

So im sure many of you out there are now well into your post christmas detox, maybe its your first attempt taking on the war against the flab (if so go you :-) !!!), or maybe your a regular excerciser just trying to shed the christmas excess (weve all done it). which ever you are we all know the january blitz comes with its own challenges, from that inability to convince your body to get up on the dark dismal mornings, to getting back into a gym routine when all you want to do is snuggle up inside with a coffee and whats left of the christmas chocolates.

Many of us are now back at work and for some that will bring its own challenges, long hours, relentless sales, battling with budgets etc etc.
Some of the best advice i can give is to have a routine set in your head, know what you will be doing each day of the week and make sure you do it. Believe me the endorphins released from excersise will more than make up for those winter blues.

My main problem is finding time to eat, now i always have a healthy breakfast, this is a must and i never miss it, however lunch and dinner can be very late due to long hours. I pack all sorts of healthy things for my lunch and snacks at work. but when i get home either after working late or a late gym session (basically every day its one of those) i get home and im starving, the cold weather makes me reach for the carbs, and all beit there are only good carbs in my cuboards large amounts of them at 9/10pm are not good.

so as much as i hate to say it, im experimenting wth the world of protein and recovery shakes. My general rule of thumb is to get all the nutrients you need from fresh food, not packages or prossesed gunk, however as a previously seriously obese woman, my health comes first. if a couple of well placed protein shakes can stave off hunger and prevent fat mairi rearing her head and leading me into having a late night carb binge then im up for giving it a go.

My first challenge is finding a shake that works for me, the information out there is overwhelming, sites filled with "BUILD MUSCLE FAST/ LOSE WEIGHT/ TONE UP/ LEAN AND TONED/LOW CARB/ISOLUTE/GLUTAMINE/WHEY,SOY OR EGG/MICROFILTERED/CROSSINFUSED" blah blah blah

 but as a simple guide im looking for pure cold pressed natural protein, low in sugar fats and carbs that can be mixed just with water and tastes ok. As a women i also don't want the proteinper serving to be too high (im not looking to be arnie, or one of those women built like a brick .... well you get the idea).
currently im using NRG pure whey protein powder (purely as a friend gave me it for free to try) but i will be looking for a more tailored one for me later.
all i will say is dont focus on brand names as that is all you will be paying for, have a look around, check out the labels for the ingrediants and well give it a whirl.... or a shake as the case may be.

I have been using the shakes for a week now, just 1 or two a day either as a post excercise fuel, a early evening snack (when working late) or a late night meal replacer. and so far its working :-). im craving less, shedding a couple of those winter pounds and generally feeling a bit better about getting the fuel i need without compromising my health.

but hey protein shakes arent for everyone, and i wouldnt suggest them as a total meal replacer, or for those who do not excercise regularily. Good fresh food will always be better than a powder but i guess sometimes they do have their place.

Mairis army

Well it's been one heck of a week. I have taken part in more aerobics classes then I ever would have thought humanely possible in a week!

I have side stepped,grapevined and leg curled my way to a very sweaty victory.

Now I have never been the most comfortable aerobics participant often feeling more like a baby elephant on ice than anything else. But through sheer determination, sweat and tears not to mention a few hours in London fields park prancing around like a looney..... I have made it through.

Today was assessment day and along with a banana a few of what looked like the cast from frame, and myself dressed as an army sergeant we pranced our way through aerobic hell and came out the other side qualified!

Oh yeah me and my barmy army can dance and no we will bring forth our aerobic prowess to the world 

working hard... snacking well

we all know that when your having a hard day at work a quick sugar fix from a sweet hot drink or biscuit or even a muffin can be hard to resist. and i for one have many a time relented and given in to the temptation. I often work long unsociable hours unexpectedly which means i fnd myself still at my desk past tea time with a mars bar calling my name.

 Now dont get me wrong, i have learnt my lessons from the past and i certainly dont chow down on chocolate or cakes every day (albeit fat mairi happily would). infact i more often reach for the fruit bowel that sits on my desk, and ofcourse its fine to have a treat now and again.... its all about the balance!

But i have found the soulution... or at least something to help me make a better choice. Its called graze.com... an amazing company who produce healthy snack boxes for a very low price which you can have delivered through your door or even to our office. its full of great things like nuts, seeds, dried and fresh fruit and even a bit of chocolate... yes you heard me right chocolate but in small healthy amounts........ i love it. they are pre portioned and in perfect snacking portions with the rght balance of yum versus healthy.

 i get one a week and put the four treats by my desk for those munchy moments... my latest favourite being cherry infused raisins they are gorgeous!

not only that but these graze boxes help you graze healthily avoiding those sugar highs and lows which lead to unhealthy choices.

check out the web link at the side of my page to get yourself a free box with no commitment but a great step forward to making healthy yet convienient and yummy choices!

so go on treat yourself to something a bit healthy but nice :-)