The Transformative Years

I toyed with the idea of this post for a while. I'm not a showy type of person, and having my photo taken is something that has always caused me the utmost anguish. But I was curious as to how my body shape has changed photographically throughout the years (or should I say the last two years). Obviously, I see my body on a daily basis so it's difficult for myself to notice any sort of physical change. All I know is that I've lost roughly 30lb since the end of Summer 2011 (which translates to 13.6kg), and I've gone down two dress sizes (from a 10 to a 6). Pretty drastic, huh?



The photo montage sort of speaks for itself, really. I don't want to go into too much detail for fear of sounding overly self-centred and egotistic; however, you can evidently notice the difference in muscle tone and body fat %. These photos were taken in the summer of each year. Goes to show how much a difference you can make if you persevere with a clean diet and regular exercise!

And for those wanting a little more background info...the first photo is taken just prior to my second year at university. I wasn't exercising much, I ate whatever I wanted, and was fairly happy in my body - though I knew there was room for improvement. I upped the exercise routine following this summer, and started to pay a little more attention to my diet choices.

By the time the middle photo was taken, I was a member of the gym, had finished university and had changed my diet slightly, eating less carbs (but still indulging from time to time). I think this is around the time when people (aka friends and family) started to notice a change in my shape.

Moving onto the final photo (taken just over a month ago), I'm quite a lot slimmer and have sort of 'leaned out' significantly. My muscles are more pronounced in my arms and legs, and my face is a lot less, er... round. I exercise on average 4 times a week, incorporating running, cycling (static) and strength training. I follow a semi-flexible gluten free diet (in other words, I eat gluten with caution), have cut out all types of refined food (i.e. sugar and fast-food, also known as evil energy-drainers), and rarely drink alcohol or soda drinks.

I don't see this as being an extreme measure at all - ultimately, my body runs better when fuelled with natural sources of energy/food, and whenever I do stray from the clean-eating path, my body lets me know. It's only when you've cut out the junk - and then attempt to eat it again on some random occasion - that you realise how it really affects your body for the worse. I feel like I know my body so much more now - I've finally recognised my food intolerances, and what formulae to follow in order to keep my body looking and feeling its very best.

Does anyone else have any body transformation pics to share? Any other opinions? Do let me know, I love hearing from you :).

Exercise Benefits Cancer Patients

This is a guest post written by Melanie Bowen of the Cancer Alliance blog, Mesothelioma. Melanie is dedicated to the cause of alleviating the suffering of Cancer patients through the combined efforts of a healthy diet and regular exercise - something that can often be overlooked when faced with a dominating health scare like cancer.



When people are diagnosed with cancer, one of the last things on their minds is fitness. However, many doctors consider exercise to be an important part of cancer treatment. Furthermore, research has shown that if people exercise during cancer treatments, they will allow their heart and lungs to be fully functional, and exercise will speed up their recovery process.

Benefits of exercise during cancer treatment

There are many benefits to exercising during cancer treatment. During cancer treatments, patients will experience a lot of fatigue; therefore, they may feel that they do not have the energy to engage in any type of physical activity. However, even light exercises will be very beneficial for patients. By engaging in light exercises, the patients will increase their energy level, and this will allow them to approach their remaining treatment sessions with enthusiasm. In addition, for those who can do moderate exercises, those could prove to be even more beneficial for patients. When patients engage in moderate exercises, they will have more energy, be more positive and experience less fatigue.

Mesothelioma and other cancers cause the body to lose muscle strength. By engaging in strength training exercises, the patients will prevent their bodies from becoming weaker. Finally, exercising will improve the mood of the patients. Cancer treatment can cause the patients to become sad, depressed, or angry; however, when they begin to exercise, their bodies will release endorphins. These endorphins will help to prevent these negative feelings.

Benefits of exercise after cancer treatment

Although exercise is great during the cancer treatment, patients will also benefit from exercising after their treatment is complete. After the treatment process is complete, the patients will have an increased risk of developing heart issues, and they will have an increased risk of bone fractures. Some cancer treatments may cause the patients to experience a lot of pain however, by exercising; patients can actually reduce pain and reduce the chances of the cancer returning.

Cancer can be devastating, but with a daily routine of exercise, people can continue to maintain a high quality of life. Furthermore, exercising can possibly give them the opportunity to enjoy the same activities that they enjoyed before they were diagnosed with cancer.

Katie says: As Melanie has stated, the benefits of fitness and eating healthy are indisputable during and after a diagnosis of any kind of cancer. While each different cancer has its limitations, if one can keep a healthy body, they have a much better chance to overcome this awful disease. It's definitely a message that needs to be spread, especially given how common cancer is becoming among our generation today. If you or any of your close friends/family are in the process of overcoming cancer, take a look over on the Mesothelioma blog to find out more. Thanks, Melanie :).

What Not To Eat Pre-Workout

High-fibre fruit such as these can actually impede your work-out session. Be warned!

Recently I posted about how my runs are often ruined by my ever-frequent stomach aches, something that really works against my overall running performance - the probable cause of which I've put down to my pre-exercise food intake.

While I've had an inkling of the source of this problem, my downfall lies within my incapabilities to control my diet prior to exercising/running (and the fact I never tend to plan a work-out session in the first place - it's more of a spontaneous decision, if anything). I tend to eat what I want, when I want - a sure fire way to destroy any decent work-out session!

Something that I had previously wondered about was the effect of fibre on exercise, because I'm often grazing on fibrous foods (grapes and fruit especially). Turns out that fibre can actually massively impede your workout efforts due to their resulting gas and/or bloating effects.

Stella Metsovas, a clinical nutritionist and diet expert in LA, suggests limited the amount of fibre you consume 2 hours before and after exercising. She also says, "Stay away from fiber supplements, bran, and high-fiber breads and opt for a mixture of protein and carbohydrates instead right before your workout."

For the same reason, beans are also a no-go area. And when you think about it, it does make a lot of sense; fibre is an indigestible substance that can lie heavily in the digestive tract when eaten in large amounts. Protein-loaded food including eggs and cottage cheese (and meat, of course) needs to be avoided as well for the same reason - their protein content stays in the stomach and takes a lot longer than 2 hours to digest. Similarly, high-fat choices including buttery baked goods are not a great choice pre-workout.

Your sugar and salt intake is also an effector when it comes to exercising. Whilst sugar does indeed work in providing that necessary spike in energy, it's best to stay away from artificial sweeteners (sugary 'energy' drinks included) and to choose natural sugars instead, as found in carb-based foods. Salt, meanwhile, can cause havoc with the delicate fluid-balance within the human body, so it's definitely equally in your benefit to stay away from salty crisps or nuts before a work-out session.

In summary, to make sure your workout isn't deterred by bad food choices, I'd recommend steering yourself away from all of those foods loaded with excessive amounts of sugar, salt, fibre, protein, and fat, and instead stick to a simple carb:protein ratio of 1:1. I'll definitely be passing on the grapes when it comes to my next running session - let's hope the outcome is worth it!

1000 Workout: A Review

Note: Watch the vid here for exercise demonstrations (just don't lose heart whilst trying to compete with Cassey - you probs won't win. She's some kind of miniature hulk, I swear).

If, like me, you enter this workout encouraged by thoughts that go along the lines of, 'oh, 10 exercises for 100 reps? Yeah, sure, no problem" - then be ready to swallow your words in a matter of minutes, for this workout is most definitely a recipe for pop-eye muscles if I ever did see one. I'd go as far as stating that it's the simplest workout of all workouts - and by simple, I mean easy to follow (not so easy to actually complete without breaking down physically and emotionally a few times).

In fact, I only managed to reach exercise number 8 before feeling slightly too nauseous and light-headed to continue (potentially a factor that wasn't aided by the fact I was exercising in my cramped and stuffy bedroom, scented with the heady aroma of l'eau du nuit (in English terminology, overnight sweat). However, the excuse I'll use to disguise my failings is that I had to get ready for work (that's true, honest).

Anyway, on to the beauty of this workout, and why it works your muscles so bloody well. It all lies down to the wondrous method of HIIT - that being High Intensive Interval Training - something that professional athletes go crazy for, and it's no surprise - if you want to see fast results, then this is certainly the way to go.

There's a lot of theory behind it, but to summarise - this kind of short, intense session works all three types of muscle fibres (slow, fast and superfast), positioning it in the 'anaerobic' mode of exercise, where you're basically working out to the max (a good indicator is the inability to breathe or talk, replaced by teenage-like huffing and puffing).

This kind of wild exercise can only be done for around 25 minutes TOPS, 3-4 times a week, as it's designed to burn the body's glycogen stores before moving its way to target body fat - and this can last from 24-36 hours, meaning that a few rest days are absolutely necessary throughout the week to avoid heightened stress and unruly cortisol levels (which can play havoc with your metabolism and general health).

With this particular routine lasting 30 minutes, it's a bit longer than your average HIIT workout, but it incorporates cardio moves between exercises that require the strength of specific muscle in order to keep the heart rate UP!, despite deceiving your body into thinking it's in rest mode. It certainly is not, and will not be until the following day or so (I'm still feeling soreness 2 days later - HELLO HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE!).

And that's an entire new matter in itself. HGH to be discussed soon. Miss it = miss out. <3

Monday Motivation

Browsing through the many Fitspo blogs on Tumblr, I came across this little Core Challenge workout and decided to head to the carpet and give it a good old go!

And it lived up to its name; by incorporating various core exercises, it challenges your abs almost to breaking point! However, I'm not a big fan of crunches as I think there are plenty of other better exercises that work the core muscles even harder. I swapped the last set of crunches for jack knives (being my all-time favourite core exercise).

This routine lasts around 16 minutes and is a good kick-starter for a quickie morning workout. It can be followed up nicely by its leggy counterpart - Cassey's Call Me Maybe squat challenge, perhaps? (being one of my favourite videos for a short'n'sweet workout quick-fix).

I think these simple image-based workouts are really inspiring and motivating. I particularly like the board game element to this one (as ridiculous as that may well sound)! The GIFs that put me off are those that are too complicated to follow, with tiny pictures of the exercises, making the routine impossible to follow. Simplicity is the key to Fitspo GIFs!

If you have any favourite exercise GIFs, feel free to share! I'm quite liking the idea of making my own at some point in the near future. Yay or nay?

6-Pack in the Making!

As a huge fan and follower of Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred exercise DVD, and a massive believer in the power of her 3-2-1 theory (she splits each of the 3 sections into 3 mins strength, 2 mins cardio, and 1 min abs for the ultimate workout), I decided to invest in another of her workout DVDs.

This morning I welcomed the arrival of 6 Week Six-Pack on my doorstep. I was pretty much sold by the title alone, but along with the endless amount of positive reviews on Amazon, I knew that Jillian was again worthy of my equivilent to one hour's work! (Give or take a few pence)

Ab-specific exercises are probably the toughest for the body, particularly to start with, as the abs are often considered the weakest muscle of the body. Even more so for us women - we need to work hard to get results, because genetically we are meant to have that niggly protective layer of fat on our belly. It's also easier for us to gain weight in this area - typical, huh?! For this reason, it takes sheer determination to achieve that all-important 6-pack!

And boy does Jillian work you hard! This workout combines strength, resistance and cardio exercises that are consistently targeting your ab muscles. It's a complete mash-up of exercises, meaning that it's constantly engaging and in no way monotonous or repetitive (although the same routine is performed twice, at different speeds).

As with the 30 Day Shred, Jillian is accompanied by two women who are performing the exercises at varied difficulty levels. For this reason, it can be followed by beginners, intermediates and professionals.

I was sweating almost profusely by the end of the 35 minutes; however, I like to feel as if I've reached my absolute MAX point after an ab workout - as in, the feeling when your stomach muscles are dying! Basically, I didn't feel that way after this DVD. I hope level 2 is a bit more of a challenge for that reason (and I'm pretty sure it will be, knowing Michaels!).

Even so, another great workout DVD. Jillian has a real positive energy about her, which leaves you feeling like you've really achieved something brilliant by the end of the workout. This will ultimately make you WANT to play the DVD over and over again, to achieve that ripped look that Jillian is pushing you towards.

Overall, I'd reccomend any of Jillian's DVDs for anyone who likes to work out (practically) for free, in the comfort of their own homes (like myself!). I may well consider another purchase in the near future - Killer Buns and Thighs is on the hit list, for one! Why not check out the whole collection?

Simple as Pie (without the pie)

A lot of people seem to think that there's a massive secret in achieving weight loss and a well-sculpted bod. If a person has lost a significant amount of weight, a lot of people will naturally speculate into the why's and how's of such magnificent results.

This is, of course, an inevitable result of modern day culture. We are constantly exposed to magazines - like More and Heat - highlighting every celebrity under the sun in their bikinis, tagged on the front covers with the all-important caption: 'Diet secrets of [insert name]', or something along those ubiquitous lines. There must be a secret! Afterall, why can't we all have a body like Rosie Huntington Whiteley? It's a complete mystery... [Ahem]

Enough of the dumb talk! Celebrities don't hone their bod's by sitting on the sofa eating McDonalds; they work hard and achieve the results they want to see, because they are presented on a judgemental pedestal to the general public. Okay, so they're likely to have personal trainers and nutritionists so as to not stray from their regimented diet and exercise plans, and we don't necessarily have access to such VIP attention. That's a given.

But let's be honest here: it's not hard to eat right and exercise regularly. However, it is hard to change your habits if your body is already used to an inactive lifestyle combined with the added demons of the edible variety (processed food, sugar, fat etc).

Life is hectic; we deal with it by feeding ourselves with the convenience of fast-food or a little sugary perk-me-up. And there's nothing wrong with the odd little consolence that may come in the form of chips, chocolate, cookies, or whatever other treat wets your bespoke palette.

But the fact of the matter at hand can be explained and broken down to the following: this kind of food may well be fast, but it's not exactly food. Why? Because it is devoid of nutrients, fibre and vitamins - which is basically what food is supposed to provide us with. It's stuffed full with fat, simple carbohydrates and calories, meaning that it will fill you up for an hour or so - but not for much longer.

Lack of nutrients basically equates to hunger, which is why it is a lot harder for us to overeat/binge on 'real' or 'clean' food because it is packed full of nutrients and all the good stuff that your body needs to survive, and which send those all-important 'I AM FULL! [horrah]' signals to the brain.

Portion size is another biggie in the dieting game. Perhaps in compensation for eating healthy food, some of us may allow ourselves to eat more of it - it's healthy, afterall! So why not, I here you cry?! Give me a break!

Our bodies need fuel, and food is our fuel of choice. Our bodies run better when fed little and often. This not only speeds up the metabolism (faster metabolism = faster calorie/fat burning), but it means that we don't feel sluggish as a result of eating (and then regretting) a large portion. Overall, it is absolutely the best method of achieving stable energy levels - all day, every day.

Equally as important as choosing the right diet is to remember to drink water. I say remember because I know how easy it is to simply forget to drink water. If my day is particularly non-stop, it's only when my body sends thirst signals to my brain that I realise that I haven't had a drink all day. It is my number 1 downfall.

We apparently spend most of our lives chronically dehydrated, which firstly makes you hungry when you’re actually thirsty. Not good. Secondly, it causes your body to retain water, thus making you heavier and often bloated (more so after eating, sans-l'eau). Not good at all. So, paradoxically, you must drink water to stop retaining water.

The concluding message? Stop believing that weight loss is a big secret that only celebrities are filled in on. Start eating clean. Train yourself into really enjoying the taste of nutrient-filled food, and naturally you'll steer away from all of the junk you used to crave (give it a fortnight and you won't even want to touch the stuff - trust me!).

Start exercising well. Learn to love the burning sensation and feel your muscles really working like never before; don't be afraid to challenge your body. Don't stop when you're tired, stop when you're done! (a la Cassey Ho!)

Embrace an amazing lifestyle change. Enjoy the energy, strength and vibrancy it will bring. See changes, keep pushing forward; see even more changes.

Road cycling ahoy!

Gold Olympic medal holder Kristin Armstrong (Women's Time Trial)

Today I made the impromptu decision to cycle to my Grandparents' house, after what is likely to be an entire year's abstinance from any vehicle with less than four wheels. My boyfriend kindly gifted me his road bike because quite frankly, the poor old thing wouldn't stand a chance under the strain of his almost-100kg mass.

Having only ever ridden my childhood bicycle, this provided quite a different cycling experience. As with a standard road bike, the handles are lower down, the gears are not by the handles (I actually cycled in first gear the entire way to my Grandparents' house for sheer fear of handling the metal levers that resembled gears - and quite rightly were, as my Dad informed me upon my arrival), and the general positioning makes for quite an uncomfortable ride - for a woman, at least. Perhaps I needed more adequate seat padding.

Even so, I enjoyed reexperiencing the whipping of this late summer's air around my face (minus the odd and inevitable fly-in-mouth/eye situation). It lifted my mood immensely, and made a great change to my usual stuck-in-a-rut exercise routine. I think it's a great idea to mix up your exercise routine every so often; I know I'm a 'repetitive exerciser' as I choose to partake in the same cardio activities and ab exercises, but it's invigorating to mix things up a bit and challenge different muscle groups more intensely. My quads are definitely feeling the mix up!