friday tune

it's about time i mentioned my B-E-A-utiful and talented friend Charlotte OC 

she's a crazy girl, with a big voice and whether you're looking for something to keep you going through your workout or relax to when you're done, this thought provoking song allows you to lose yourself 

like it? available here on itunes & here on vinyl (limited supply) 

sugar vs fat - which is worse? 

there has been much debate recently around which is worse - fat or sugar.... 

bbc horizons just aired a documentary to help you decide. watch here and share your views 

master the art plyometrics 

this type of exercise involves quick explosive movements designed to increase your speed and power.... and can really pep up your physique 

do 3 sets of 12 reps with 1 minute rest in between sets and exercises 

squat jumps
standing with your feet shoulder width apart, squat down and jump up as high as possible. when you land, squat and immediately jump up again 

skipping 
basically just skipping (like you used to do in the playground, yes boys, you) but with a little more oomph! just jump and lift your knees as high as you can 

push up
in a normal push-up position, lower yourself to the floor, then with an explosive force push off the floor so that your hands leave the floor. repeat. 

for beginners take it slow and focus on performing the movements in a controlled way. warm up and leave rest days in between

snack attack

i find one of the hardest challenges of healthy eating is finding snacks you can have on the go, stopping you having naughty convenience food - which is usually full of rubbish!

fear not - as itsu grocery have paved the way for light, healthy, asian inspired food on the go. the bitesize range is perfect for healthy snacking, the seaweed thins are sooo moreish and contain only 22 calories per pack....

see the different ranges here and good news! flex readers are entitled to a 15% discount on the thins & miso soups - just enter SEAWEED or MISO15 at the checkout :) 

control yourself!!

one thing i have learnt with nutrition and analysing clients diets is a lot of people aren't aware of portion control.... if you really stick to this you can save masses of fat and calories!

use small plates (makes you feel you are eating more) and each element should be around the size of your fist (so carbs, protein, veg etc) go back to basics and use the eatwell plate, simples

don't waist time

the quickest way to asses your health is by measuring your waist to hip ratio....

waist - measure the smallest part, usually where your belly button is
hips - measure the largest part, usually around your bum
divide the waist number by the hip number 

in men, a ratio of 1 or more - and in women 0.85, shows you are carrying too much weight around your middle. this means you are at an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer. 

healthy eating and regular exercise is a must in this situation! 

milk it

with many dairy free alternatives to cows milk it's difficult to decide which to go for....

personally i LOVE oat milk. it's really nutritious, very low in fat and lactose free! 

it's sweet in taste, but the taste doesn't interfere with the taste of your breakfast, hot drink or smoothie, like a coconut or almond milk may

try the oatly range, which includes a chocolate drink - yum yum