Fueling your Workout

As a busy mum, nutrition is important to me, especially before, during and after workouts. If I eat the wrong things or do not stay hydrated, I can end up with stomach cramps, lack of energy and even the dreaded runners' belly. Most of my exercising happens early in the morning. I find it hard to workout on an empty stomach, but I do need to eat an hour in advance or I do not feel my best with my stomach sloshing around while I am moving. 

If I am going for a run, I start with protein. My two favourite go-to breakfasts before a workout are a Power Shake or a Banana Omelette. 

Power Shake:

200mL coconut milk

1 scoop protein powder (like one of these)

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach

1 small banana

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

1 tablespoon ground chia seeds

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Blend together and drink. 

Banana Omelette
1 banana

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Saute the banana in the coconut oil until well cooked, then pour over the egg and cook until set. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve.

During my runs, I tend to listen to the same playlist as my Housework Songs as these are upbeat tempos. When I do at home HIIT workouts, I have set music that times me for my reps and gives me rest periods, and I find this extremely helpful in keeping me motivated, and it also means I can get some movement in without leaving my house. I mix the HIIT workouts with my running to mix things up a bit, and also walk for an hour 5 days a week.

After a workout, I find it helpful to have a fluid replacement and supplement in one- these travel packs are convenient and easy to mix up anywhere I run. A handful of nuts is also great if you don't have any fluid on hand, although it is important that you do rehydrate after exercise.

If you are looking for a clean, high quality pre-workout supplement, I suggest checking out ETBFit. I love the philosophy behind their name, which stands for "Eat The Bear". As they say, “Some days you eat the bear, and some days the bear eats you.” I love that these products contain no banned substances and disclose all of the ingredients on the label, and ETBFit also provide free nutritional and training guidance.

I believe that eating nutritious, healthy food and supplementing when needed will set me up to get the most from my workout, and I feel better in myself when I am putting the right fuel into my body. I hope you will try some of my recipes pre-workout and let me know what you think!

Linking up with Fitness Friday.

Boohoo Fit- Fashionable Fitness

I always find it easier to exercise if I am inspired by my workout clothes, and so when I saw the new Boohoo Fit range I was very excited to see what they had to offer.

Mystery Case is also hosting the Fit Fashion Finds challenge, so this was a perfect opportunity to take part in her challenge and try out some new exercise gear at the same time!

My main needs for workout fashion are coverage, stretch and compatiblity with all types of weather. I quite often run outdoors, so layering pieces in fabrics that will keep me warm or cool are a must.

I decided to try out the Vicky Zip Through Bomber (on sale now!) and matching Loren Sports Legging.

The best time for me to test these out was during a run and stretch at a nearby park. I am just getting back into exercise after surgery, and so I need to take it easy.

These leggings are perfect for light workouts. They keep my lower half cool and do not constrict my movements. The panel adds enough interest without being boring or too over the top, and the shades of blue look great and go with my existing workout gear.



This jacket goes well with the Loren Boohoo Fit leggings, but also works well with jeans or black pants as an extra layer to wear in the cooler weather. The sleeves and body of the jacket are the perfect length for me, and it keeps me warm without being too heavy. It wears well, and I can put it in my bag to pull out after a workout without worrying about it wrinkling.



Isn't this print fun?



It is pretty hard to get a good photo of me running, but these leggings were perfect for the slightly overcast day. The move with my body and do not give me a muffin top or cause me to wriggle around every five minutes trying to get comfortable.



After a run, it is back on with the Vicky Jacket. I love matchy matchy items, so this is my happy place!



The wide waistband on the Loren Print Leggings means that I get a comfortable fit, and it keeps my tummy at bay!



These items are so comfortable that I could stay in them all day. They fit my body so well, and when I do take them off they wash beautifully. I have washed these leggings three times since I got them and they have had no colour fade at all.

I am wearing a generic workout top in these shoots, as when I first looked at the Boohoo Fit range they only had crop tops or racerback tops, both of which are not my cup of tea when working out. However, I see that they now have a Breathable Sports T-Shirt, so I know what my next purchase is!

If you love Fit Fashion Finds, be sure to check out the Boohoo Fit range as they are affordable, fashionable and functional.

Love My Body Programme

I recently discovered the lovely Rebecca through our local community newsletter. She offered a Love My Body programme-  an individualised, email based, lifestyle programme that helps achieve your body goals sustainably through weekly feedback and advice.

I was immediately drawn to this as it was email based, meaning that I didn't have to go anywhere for the appointments, and I also got support through youtube videos and messages.

There are a few different package options to choose from. I chose the six week package as I just needed some motivation and encouragement before the 10k race on the first of June. I knew I was eating too many biscuits, and it was good to be held accountable.

Rebecca was great at touching base every week to see how I was getting on, as well as providing exercise ideas, recipes and working on my own goals and dreams.

I actually have noticed a change after these six weeks- I guess I can tell myself that something is bad for me, whether it be too much sugar or a negative mindset, but when someone else shows you how to change things it can be quite liberating. I also discovered how much of a workout yoga can be!

I also found it great to take time out every week to focus on me and my goals. I never felt like I was struggling, and I have come away with some new meal and snack ideas that the whole family love as well. No shakes, pills, expensive workout equipment- this is a programme that is designed to fit in with your lifestyle.

So- on to the results. My main focus for this six week package was not about weight loss, but more about figuring out the best nutrition for my body. However, I will still pleasantly surprised at some of the results! I did not take before and after photos, but we did keep track of measurements.

	Initial	Now	Improvement
Weight	50kg	49.2kg	0.8kg
Fat free mass	35.1kg	36.5kg	1.4kg
Fat loss			2.2kg
Body fat Percentage	30%	26%	4%
Resting metabolic rate	1129kcal	1164kcal	35kcal
Total measurement	380cm	353cm	27cm

Usually I only focus on the scale- so to see how much my body changed without having too much difference in weight has made me realise something.

I know it sounds cheesy but it is true! So often I have let the number on the scale dictate my mood for the day. Now I have to remember:

If you want to try out the Love My Body programme, you can check out the Facebook page or website.

No excuses- my Journey to a 10k

If you had told me a year ago that I would run the Christchurch Marathon 10 kilometre race (6.2 miles) yesterday, I would have laughed. I HATED running- the only times I tried it I ended up giving up after three minutes. However, as my readers will know, in January this year I joined a running club after my Dad brought me a long to a track session, and I also did the 5k Color Run in February. When I heard that my brother and Dad were doing the 10k and Half Marathon events for the Christchurch Marathon this year, I started to wonder how far I could push myself. My longest run had been 8 kilometres, and all of a sudden I started to think I could do more than that.

A little bit of back story is probably needed- I was born with a hip condition and it was thought that I would never walk. I used my hip as an excuse to get out of exercising, and finally I knew I needed to stop making excuses and start doing something about my weight. I lost 30 kilograms (done over 5 years and fluctuating a bit due to two pregnancies) and have maintained my weight for over a year now.



Running was the next step in keeping myself active- once I had lost the weight I needed a new challenge and something that I enjoyed. Running has filled that gap. I had been to gyms, done Zumba, and also buggy group fitness sessions, and I was ready to up my game a bit.

I entered the 10k event, but it didn't sink in until I went to pick up my race pack that the enormity of this event was larger than I had expected. The nerves started to kick in, and putting my race number on was almost surreal. I tried to take my mind off things by putting my Running Girl nails on and reading lots of books.



I was up at 5:45am to eat some breakfast and get ready to go.



So- there I was at the start yesterday, waiting with my Dad and brother.



If you can't tell, it was extremely cold! I had on so many layers, and even a beanie was required. There was a frost, and parts of the half marathon track were extremely icy. However, off we went and eventually I warmed up at about the 4 kilometre mark, where I saw some family members cheering me and my brother on. For part of the course I was running with my Dad and brother, the three of us in a row, and I remember thinking how awesome it was that the three of us were doing it together.

The course was nice and flat, and we even got to run alongside the runway of the airport on a maintenance track. I started to struggle as we turned onto this part, but I knew that the finish line was coming up and my family was waiting for me.



I was getting too hot by this stage, so off came my beanie but it wouldn't tuck into my pants so I had to carry it with me.

I kept up the pace with my brother right until the end, when he had enough energy left over for a sprint!



I was so pleased to see that finish line, and the rush I got afterwards was amazing. I saw my sons and husband after the race, and also stayed around to watch my Dad finish the half marathon.

It took all day to warm up after the race, so plenty of coffee and sunshine was required.



My dream goal was to do the 10 kilometre course in 55 minutes. During training, my times for a ten kilometre run had gone from 1:03 to 58 minutes and then to just over 56 minutes. When I saw this time I was so proud of myself. I am also extremely pleased with my placing in my age group.



I am not sure yet what my next running goal will be, as I am not sure if I want to go up to half marathons. I feel like I would be better off working on my pacing for ten kilometres, as I am concerned that anything over that might aggravate my hip or I may injure myself. In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy my Saturday runs.

Photos thanks to Bevan and my husband!

My Running Crew

ExtraMile Runners is a Christchurch based team that provides group running programmes for all different levels of runners from the absolute to beginner who wants to get into the habit of regular exercise to those more experienced runners wanting to beat a PB in a 10km or half marathon. The programmes are between 8-10 weeks long and include 3 group training sessions a week with some of Christchurch's top coaches. The programmes are based on building community, having fun and growing people, we believe that these are the keys to being successful at exercise, we truly believe that we have the best team around!

I joined Extra Mile Runners at the beginning of the year and have gone from no running to running a 10 kilometre course within the three months I have been running with just the Saturday Runners group. The support, friendships and motivation are what keep me going every week- that and the fact that my Dad runs with the group too so he is my wake up call- can you tell he runs a lot harder than me! Everyone pushes me to do my best and there is always coffee at the end of each run.

This running group also helped me to tick a goal off my 30 before 30 list, and I completed my 5k Color Run at the end of February. I am now aiming to do the 10k course at the Christchurch Marathon in June. 

If you live in the Christchurch area and are keen to meet new people, improve your fitness or run a 5k or 10k race, I really recommend Extra Mile Runners. Each coach has a smile on their face, the camaraderie is amazing, and you even get your own personal cheer team at the end of each run. For more information, check out their website or Facebook page.

Next Groups: 

Stepping Up: 21 April, 15 June
Get up to Five (0-5km programme): 23 March, 18 May, 13 July 

Club10k (10km programme): 23 March, 18 May, 13 July
RaceTeam (Half Marathon programme): 23 March, 29 June & 14 September

Saturday Runners: Regular Saturday morning running group - all year round. 

Fitness- Wheelie Fit Mums

Today I had my first session of the year with Wheelie Fit Mums. For those of you who don't know what Wheelie Fit Mums is all about, it is an exercise programme based in Christchurch's Hagley Park. A group of us do cardio and strength exercises with our buggies, free weights and tubing. It is a great way for mums to get in shape and spend some time with their babies as well, as I know how difficult it is to fit in exercise when you have a baby or toddler.

I really love doing this type of work out as I push myself more in a group environment and it means I am not giving up as I do not want to look like the weakest link! Each 50 minute session definitely makes me puff and sweat, but I always feel so much better afterwards. The group of ladies is lovely, and we all encourage each other.

There are free trials available so if you are in Christchurch, have a baby or toddler (as long as they can fit in a buggy) and want to be part of a fun group exercise session, then you can check out Wheelie Fit Mums on http://www.wheeliefitmums.co.nz/