Tuesday's Change Week 38 - Total Body Work out

I've been crazy busy the last few months with working full time, teaching yoga in the evenings, social events and just busy with life in general. My workout regime was the first thing to suffer. I just 'didn't have time to exercise'.

This is probably one of the most common complaints I hear and it is one I can relate to. But fear not I have a solution! I recently came across this work out on youtube. I can honestly say it's one of the best I've seen for overall body work out, strength building and cardio with no equipment needed and only 35 minutes long, including warm up and (too short I feel!) cool down. You don't need masses of space and this work out can be done in your living room, bed room, when you are travelling or even on your lunch break from work!

I did this yesterday and my butt is in agony! I'm dreading tomorrow when the dreaded 2 day DOMS sink in (read more on this in my blog post here). But this is good pain. A sign that I worked my muscles and made myself stronger.

So this week's change I want you to try and do this work out:

4-5 times this week (if you do no other physical activity)
2-3 times this week (if you do other physical activity)

Click above to do the video or click on this link here

So that is only 35 minutes out of your 24 hour day and trust me you'll be feeling on top of the world afterwards. You will be sore for the first day or so but take it at your own pace, using the modifications she provides and always listen to your body.

I hope you all like this as much as I do!

Tuesday's Change. Week 3. Exercise!

I know I know! I bet you were all wondering when I would announce exercise as one of your challenges. Well it's here so get prepared! But trust me if you've felt the benefits so far from being properly hydrated and eating more vegetables then they will both fuel you to feel like a Rockstar after you begin regular exercise!

Fot overall health you should aim to move in some way everyday. I'm sorry but it's true! If fat loss is your goal then you need to step it up even more and do more intense exercise.

 The aim for this challenge is to do at least 20 minutes of exercise, 5 times a week. On the other 2 days a brisk walk or gentle swim will suffice. So get up, get moving and get your blood pumping.

20 minutes of exercise 5 days a week 

You don't have 20 minutes? How long do you spend watching TV, on social media, playing Candy Crush? Set aside the time, make it your priority and it will happen. 

The type of movement is totally up to you. If you have a dog then bring it for a cross country walk, if you like running go run, if you have bike dust it off, if you have kids chase them around the park, if you are broke do an at home work out, if you live near a pool dive in, if you want to revisit your childhood get skipping. There is so much choice out there and such a wide variety. Find something you enjoy and even better pick a buddy who you know will keep you motivated. You're far more likely to go for a run or to a class if you have pre arranged it with a friend. 

Here is a list of activities that I recommend but you find what fits your schedule, budget and capabilities. Exercising in the morning before breakfast is best but if you aren't a morning person do it when it suits you. Anything that gets your heart rate up and makes you break a sweat. 

Power Walking

Running

Swimming

Cycling

Gym

Classes (BodyPump, LBT, Swiss Ball, Spinning etc)

Weights

CrossFit

TRX

Yoga

Pilates

Thai Chi

Martial Arts

At home work outs - some examples below and more here on my Pinterest #TrainDirty page

 

If there is a movement you are not familiar with put it into youtube there are some great, free 'how to videos'. 

If you are used to exercising maybe 2 times a week then try and aim for 5 days a week and 2 days of 'Active Rest' like walking or a gentle swim. If you are going from the couch to 5 days a week then ease yourself in. Start with brisk walks and body weight movements before you go picking up the heavy bars in the gym! Be realistic and build your way up to more intense exercise. We all know that feeling where we give it our all and then can't walk for 3 days and you are totally put off. Never good. So if this is all new to you take the other 2 days to completely rest. Often rest is as beneficial as exercise when you are doing more intense work outs!

You may find as you step up the exercise that you are more hungry but please don't be tempted to scoff back the choccies. Feed yourself well to fuel your performance when exercising.

So that's it Jeanies! Get up, get moving, get the blood pumping and heart beating. We as humans are designed to move. So move!

Carrot and Ginger Soup - Healing Super-food soup!

Carrot and Ginger Soup

This is a fantastic soup for those cold, winter days but it also lovely and refreshing in the summer. It’s cheap to make, can be kept in the fridge for over a week or frozen in portions.

It has lots of healing ingredients and so is perfect if you are feeling under the weather or run down.

All that and it tastes great too! What’s not to like?

Check out the Dietary Information section below to see all the healing properties of this wonder soup.

Ingredients:

Makes about 6 portions

4 large Organic Carrots

3 Organic Spring Onions

2 cloves of Organic Garlic

2 roots of peeled Organic Ginger (about 2 inches each)

1 teaspoon of Cumin Powder

1 teaspoon of Turmeric Powder

2 heaped tablespoons of Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil

Veg Stock cube (Organic and Gluten Free preferable or make your own!)

Water/Yogurt/Coconut Milk or Cream as desired

Method

Melt the coconut oil in a large pot until liquid. Add in roughly chopped onions, garlic and ginger and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add in roughly chopped carrots and stock cube and cover with water.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrots are slightly soft.

Transfer the mixture (including water) to your blender and blitz thoroughly. You can also use a hand blender directly in the pot.

Add in cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper to taste.

This makes a robust, thick soup. If you don’t mind the added fat/calories and want to make it creamier then add in yogurt or coconut milk/cream as desired.

Prep + Cook Time

Prep time: 5-10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Equipment needed

Large Pot, Blender

Dietary Information

Gluten Free

Wheat Free

Paleo

Vegetarian and Vegan

Sugar Free

Contains good fats

Two of your 5 a day

Garlic is antibacterial and antiviral – good for colds/flus and infections

Ginger is good for digestion issues, nausea, natural anti-inflammatory and boosts the immune system. 

Coconut Oil has many healing properties. It contains good fats and helps you burn fat better. It also helps your brain function more effectively.

Turmeric is a wonder spice it lowers cholesterol, it is cancer fighting and has anti-inflammatory properties among many others. It has recently been proven more effective than 14 Pharmaceutical drugs! More info here

Carrots are full of Vitamin A and beta-carotene (anti-oxidant that repairs cell damage), they improve your eyesight, cleanses the skin and slows down ageing! 

Cumin boosts your immunity, great for asthma or respiratory issues and is good for skin issues.

Storage Instructions:

Keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for over a week. I usually make a large batch, portion it up and freeze. It can be defrosted, heated and ready to eat in less than 10 minutes!

Serving suggestions

Best served fresh with a few curls of freshly grated ginger on a dollop of organic yogurt or coconut cream.

Spinach Pesto

Spinach Pesto

I love Pesto and let’s be honest there aren't many dishes that don’t taste better with a little (or a lot) of Pesto. It is typically made with basil leaves and basil is a brilliant antibacterial agent but to help increase my intake of Spinach I substituted the basil for spinach instead. This recipe can be made with Spinach, Kale or Basil or a combination of all 3. It is made in 5 minutes and keeps in the fridge for 3-4 weeks (sometimes longer) so I usually make a batch and store it. It’s so handy to have it prepared and ready in the fridge for those days you are in a rush and want some instant falvour.

Ingredients:

2 – 3 cups of Organic Spinach (packed) – can use Kale or Basil or combination of all 3

1/2 cup of Cheese (parmesan works best but you can use what’s in the fridge!)

1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Olive oil (I used the one I brought back from Italy – Delicious!)

1/3 cup of Pine nuts

3 large Organic Garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

Using a blender/nutribullet/mixer blitz the spinach and pine nuts until they form a paste. Add the garlic and chunks of cheese and blend. As the mixer is on slowly add the olive oil ensuring it is evenly added. Using a spoon (or your finger!) taste the mixture and add Salt and Pepper until it is seasoned to your liking. Enjoy!

Prep Time

3-5 minutes

Equipment needed

Blender/Mixer/Nutribullet

Dietary Information

This recipe is:

Gluten Free

Wheat Free

Paleo

Vegetarian (Can be made Vegan if you leave out the cheese)

Sugar Free

Contains good fats

One of your 5 a day

Garlic is antibacterial and antiviral – good for colds/flus and infections

Spinach is high in fibre, chlorophylls, Calcium and antioxidants

Pine Nuts are high in good fats and protein

Storage Instructions:

Keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 weeks. Can keep longer depending on the quality of your oil.

Serving suggestions

I use this pesto with pretty much everything! Here I used it as a topping for some Salmon darns. Just baste it on top and bake in the oven!

It can be used on pasta, rice noodles, to coat or stuff in chicken, as a topping on soups, on garlic bread, as a dip for carrot or celery sticks, in salads and on canapés with sun-dried tomatoes (drool!) and anything else you typically use pesto for.

Send me in any suggestions or pics of how you used it. I’d love to hear from you!

Tuesday's Change Week 2 - Eat your '5 a day'

So how did everyone get on for week one? Do you feel better? Sleep better? Look better? Let me know any benefits you felt. I'd love to hear from you. Week one's post here. Now try and keep it up while tackling Week 2.

This week's change is another one that sounds simple, we all have heard of it but how many of us actually do it? Eat your 5 a day! It's a common slogan bandied around in the media and you often see it on food labels. I'll discuss this in a bit but first let me outline the challenge.

See if you can eat 5 portions of Vegetables everyday for 7 days. 

Notice I have said veg and not fruit. Feel free to eat portions of fruit on top of your 5 Vegetable portions. Just ensure you are getting 5 portions of vegetable as well!

Here is some more information on the specifics:

1) A portion is roughly 1 hand full. 

2) Try as much as possible to eat organic vegetables only.

3) Raw is preferable to cooked but if you are cooking make sure not to over cook. Steaming or baking is good! Keeping the skin on where possible is also added benefit!

3) At least 2 or 3 of your 5 portions should be of green, leafy vegetables like Spinach, Kale,  Brocolli, Rocket, Salad greens, Pok Choi, Cabbage etc. The rest should be a variety of brightly coloured options e.g. Red Cabbage, red and yellow Peppers, Beetroot etc.

3) You can eat them raw or cooked but never from a packet (i.e. you can not include processed or tinned fruit and veg) and try and cook the veg yourself if having it cooked.

4) If a label on a packet says "this is one of your 5 a day portions" ignore this. If something is in a packet (besides whole fruits and vegetables that come in trays or packaged for the supermarket) then it has been processed and so lots of the benefits and nutrients are lost on processing. You are more than likely just getting the sugars left over. And we all have enough of those in our diet.

5) Plan your day in advance the night before. Where am I going to be? Will I have access to fresh food? Do I need to bring food with me? And plan accordingly so you are prepared.

Ok now you have all the information here are some tips on how you can easily add in the portions to your everyday diet.

1) Add vegetables to your breakfast. This way you start the day right and have half your portions done before you leave the house! Make an omelette with some spinach, peppers and onions. Recipe here.

2) Make a smoothie for breakfast! Adding vegetables to a smoothie is a great way of having a portion of vegetables without realising. Making a berry smoothie with some natural yoghurt, blueberries, cinnamon and honey tastes great. Adding a handful of spinach and blending will not alter the flavour too much and tastes just as good! This is a nice sweet treat on a Saturday morning!

3) Eating a large salad for lunch or dinner and get your 5 portions into you in one go! I like to use mixed salad greens with spinach rocket and baby lamb's leaf then add some spring onion, peppers, grated carrot and courgette. You can add some left over meat from the night before or cook some fresh and you have an entire meal. If you want to bulk it up a bit cook some sweet potato wedges as a side. Drizzle the with extra virgin olive oil if you find it too dry.

4) Snack on celery, cucumber and carrot sticks between meals if you are hungry. Have them chopped and ready in the fridge, sealed in a container to keep them fresh. Reach for these instead of biscuits or bread when you are famished and waiting for your dinner to cook.

5) Hide vegetables in food! Take what you might consider a regular dinner. Shepard's pie, Pasta Sauce etc. Try chopping vegetables into the sauce or if you have very picky eaters in the house you can even blend the vegetables into the sauce to thicken it. They won't even know!

6) If you are finding the vegetables bland then season them. Freshly grated black pepper is delicious on salads or cooked veg, try a small sprinkling of organic rock salt (link here), Simplee do an amazing range of salt free seasoning like paprika and lemon or chilli. Mix it up and try new spices! Link here.

7) Cook your least favourite veg with your favourite food! Brussels Sprouts taste amazing when stir fried in a small bit of bacon! A green, leafy salad is delicious when sprinkled with some olive oil and parmean cheese! All in moderation of course!

So here is a comprehensive list of veggies you should aim for that are available in most large supermarkets. Alternatively places like Quay Co-Op in Cork, Ballincollig and Carrigaline for the Cork followers (link http://www.quaycoop.com/) or organic vegetable shops will have a great range!

Spinach
Kale
Cabbage
Rocket
Lettuce
Pok Choi
Brocolli
Asparagus
Celery
Beetroot
Peppers
Red Cabbage
Carrots
Courgette/Zucchini
Onions

P.S. 'Vegetables' that are good for you but don't count as 5 a day and are more connected to the carbohydrate family are:

Potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Parsnips
Peas

FYI: Lentils, beans and peanuts are not vegetables. They are legumes!

Vegetables to avoid: 

Sweetcorn. This is not a vegetable it is a grain and a GMO one at that! More on this is a future post.

So that is it Jeanies! Do you think you are up for the challenge? I have no doubt. Planning is key and let me know if you need any more information on anything!

#EatClean

Keeping Hydrated Top Tips! Tuesday's Change Week 1

So it's 6 days into Tuesday's Change Week 1 - Drinking more water and I hope you are all feeling the benefits! Here is the link if anyone missed it.

I have put together some top tips to help you keep going with the challenge. The plan is to stick to it for the 7 days and then it should become a habit and part of your daily routine.

1) Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. Put it out beside the bed the night before.

2) Drink a glass just before you go to sleep (after you go to the toilet!)

3) Drink a glass before each meal

4) Drink while driving - the only time you are allowed drink drive! Keep a bottle in your car and sip every time you are in traffic or cruising along the motorway.

5) Sip while watching TV. Chug at every add break!

I always like to know why I'm doing something. So here are some great reasons to drink more water!:

It aids digestion which aids fat loss

It boosts your metabolism

It is good for your skin

Helps you think better

Helps you work out better

Prevents headaches

Helps aid detox

Helps all your internal organs and systems function better

Helps you sleep better

Now surely you don't need any more reasons than that?

I'd love to hear from you so send me on your top tips or things that you feel work well. Sharing knowledge is what it's all about!

Keep a look out for Week 2's change announced this evening!

#EatClean #Train Dirty #LiveEasy

Week 1. Tuesday's Change. Drink more water!

It's the first week of my 'Tuesday's Change' series and for most people this week will be based around returning to normality, routine and work. For that reason I have kept this week's change simple!

All you have to do this week is drink more water. That's it! Sound easy? Well it's all about detox this week and helping the body slowly get back into ridding all the toxins and bad food consumed over the last few weeks. 

Check out my post here entitled 'Are you taking the Piss?' where I outline the benefits of proper hydration for not only detoxifying the body but also to allow proper daily function of all your systems. 

We all need different amounts of water depending on how our body operates, what physical activity we do, how well our body is functioning and how good old genetics have decided to make us. So I can not sit here and tell you the exact amount you should drink everyday. 

The guideline of 8 glasses a day is a good one but like I always say we are all different so there is no one rule for us all.

A good marker to check your hydration is your urine. Yes it's true, you have got to start looking at your pee!

So here are 4 easy steps to help you drink more water!

Step 1: Monday - measure how much water you ordinarily consume naturally in a day. You can do this by filling a water bottle of known volume and seeing how much you drink. Note down the volume. Do not include teas or coffees or milk and juices. Just water!

Step 2: Tuesday - Make the change! Decide to slowly increase your consumption of water. Make it an extra 500ml a day (or more) to begin with until by Friday/Saturday you should be up to at least 3 litres or as much as you need so your urine is comparable to levels 1-3 on the above chart! You'll eventually begin to get really thirsty as the body starts to realise it is now being adequately hydrated and it will begin to look for more. Yes, you will have to go to the toilet more but eventually your bladder will adapt. And remember every time you go to the toilet you are ridding the body of more waste! Winning!

Step 3: Begin carrying  a reusable water bottle with you. Everywhere I go I bring one. This is a handy way to ensure you can always have water and you aren't wasting money or damaging the environment with bottled water. I got my bottle here and it was worth every penny. Try and get BPA free plastic or a glass bottle if you are concerned about chemicals leeching into the water.

Step 4: If you are finding it hard to drink just plain water then feel free to add fruit slices or herbs to the water. Just nothing with sugar! My favourite (and best for detox, health and flat belly - winning!) is pictured bellow. Make it up the night before and bring it with you for the day.

Super Valu have trays of fresh ginger at the moment for 89c. You can't get cheaper than that!

So that's it guys. More water. Simple. Stick it out for the week and I promise you'll be feeling amazing in no time. 

Running a body dehydrated is like trying to run a car with low oil. Yes it works but things start to break, creak and just don't work as well. 

I know with the current water charges in Ireland this might be the last thing you wanted me to say but remember it's your health and body. Look after it. It's worth every penny!

Keep drinking and keep looking at your pee pee!

Tuesday's Change. 7 days to enhance your life.

No one likes Mondays right? So I always try and start new things on a Tuesday. As my good friend John says 

"Tuesday is the day we choose"

So I will be running a series of posts each Tuesday with one suggestion to try that week. The challenge is to implement that change into your every day life for the next 7 days. With the aim being if you can do it for 7 days it will hopefully become part of your routine and you won't even have to think about it any more!

They will all be small and easy changes ranging from trying new foods to exercises to positive thinking and lifestyle changes. Just think one change a week, every week for the year you can transform yourself and the world!

I want you to look at this challenge as a positive step. You are not limiting yourself, going on a diet or restricting yourself from having things. Instead you are choosing to introduce better food into your day, doing more exercise and being more relaxed and positive. If you are constantly thinking of all the things you can't have you will go insane! 

I will host regular question and answer sessions live online each week where you can comment and ask questions, get support and tips from other people taking part and myself. A little community of people all doing the challenge. It's only 7 days right?!

Tuesday's Change. 7 days to enhance your life!

To take part all you have to do is share this post and tag a friend or friends who you think would also benefit from this challenge. It is statistically proven that friends who partake in a challenge together, whether it is diet, exercise or lifestyle changes, will be more successful as they have that support network!  When one is weak the other will be strong.

Make 2015 a year for you. A year to enhance the amazing person you already are!

Canarian Food. Sampling the local cuisine.

When I travel I always try and sample as much of the local cuisine as possible. Not only is it fun and tasty it usually is locally sourced and fresh. Often you find it is cheaper as well as it doesn't have to be imported or stored for long periods of time. My great friend Adam Frost inspired me by going into a restaurant in India one day and just asking the waiters 'Please make me what you like to eat yourself', it was the best food we had all week! And finally local food is usually suitable for the environment whether it's cold or hot, humid or dry. Allow your body to adapt by helping it with local food. Check out where the local people eat and try and eat there!

My father, Papa Lifestyle Jeanie to you boys and girls, lives in Lanzarote and so we jumped at the chance to see him for a week and get some winter sun before the Christmas madness begins.

The good thing about having a resident to show you around is they know all the best places to eat!

As we were staying in his apartment it was also great to have somewhere to cook and prepare our own food. Helpfully he also lives above a massive supermarket, a fantastic fruit and veg shop and an AMAZING traditional tapas restaurant! (yes there is such a thing as Roquefort Chips and they were as amazing as they sound!).

Paella and fresh sea food is always a good shout here in Spanish countries by the sea. As in Iberian Ham or Serrano Ham. Especially when it is served with fresh melon. So refreshing after a thirsty day in the sun getting some Vitamin D and swimming in the sea.

Canarian Potatoes are a favourite with the locals on the Canary Islands and last night I cooked at home for my husband and father. I got some fresh Salmon which I baked with some lemon, salt and pepper and served it with chopped salad and the Potatoes. Here is the recipe:

You’ll need:

• 1kg small new potatoes
• 250g salt (Organic Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan Crystal Salt)
• Sprigs of fresh Thyme

You’ll also need:

• A medium-sized saucepan to accommodate the potatoes

The Steps:

• Scrub the potatoes and leave them unpeeled.
• Add about 1.5l water to your saucepan. Add the salt and stir to dissolve. Add the potatoes and set over a medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes can be easily pierced with knife, about 15-20 minutes, depending on size. You’ll see the skins of the potatoes start to wrinkle a bit towards the end of cooking.
• Drain almost all of the water off the potatoes, leaving just barely enough to cover the base of the saucepan. Return the saucepan with the potatoes to the heat for a couple of minutes to dry off, shaking the pan periodically. You should see a white coating form on the potatoes as the salt recrystallizes.
• Sprinkle with the fresh Thyme and serve. They don't need any more seasoning and are perfect with any meal.

As we have both had a hectic year and past couple of weeks our routine has been fairly low key here the last week. Rise early with some morning exercise. Either yoga on the roof for me and a run for Dan down by the marina. Or this morning I jogged to the beach, did some yoga in then sand and went for a swim then jogged back to dry off. There is also an outdoor gym here in Playa Blanca near the beach that is free and open to the public. There are many of these in areas around Cork and Ireland too so keep an eye out and use what you have in your local area. You never have an excuse not to exercise! All you need is your body, desire to work out and a small space. There are lots of online work outs you can do if your unsure where to start. 20 minutes a day is all you need and it will set you up for the day. #TrainDirty


After our various workouts I love having a long and lazy breakfast. That's what holidays are all about right!

This morning we had some Papaya and Mango with some natural, plain yoghurt to start.  Then as a treat some chocolate muesli and then a 3 egg omelette each with spinach, peppers and local goat's cheese. Delicious. Sunshine and books help of course! #EatClean


And finally it would be rude not to sample the local Cava. Bubbly is one of my favourite drinks. Prosecco is my favourite or a dry Cava if I have to! Best served by the sea with good company and a better view with nothing on your schedule but to relax. #LiveEasy