Sunday 17 June 2018

LQ Liquid Health Digestive Care


Morning everyone!

If you're a follower of our Instagram (@thecsigirls) then you will have seen one of our recent posts was about the LQ Liquid Health Digestive Care supplements. LQ Liquid Health are a brand we have tried before (the Skin, Hair and Nails formula is much loved by the likes of Michelle Keegan so who were we to argue??)


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Tuesday 20 February 2018

Fun Ways to Stay Motivated on your Fitness Journey


So it's coming to the end of February and if you're anything like me you are probably wondering what on earth you can do to keep your motivation going!

You've made it through January and got passed the part where a lot of people normally give up. So what can you do to make sure you don't lose your focus??

Recently I've been looking into new ways to keep myself on track, so I've been taking part in lots of new activities in Cardiff to make sure I don't get too comfortable on the sofa too often.


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Sunday 31 July 2016

Joe's Chicken Pie


Good morning everyone!

I've been trying to be a bit more adventurous with food recently - by this I mean trying out some more recipes, not suddenly eating locusts etc....

So I have seen many posts about Joe's Chicken Pie from Joe Wick's Lean in 15 recipe book and I couldn't wait any longer to try it out myself.



It really didn't disappoint!

It was pretty simple to make too, leeks, mushrooms and chicken cooked up in a pan before adding a small amount of double cream, cornflour and some chicken stock and simmering for a while.

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Lastly the spinach is added and allowed to wilt into the mixture before adding into a big baking dish and adding the filo pastry sheets to the top. I've never made anything with pastry before and scrunching up the sheets was a new experience for me!

Then you simply drizzle a bit of olive oil on top and put it in the oven for 20 minutes.

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The first time I ate the pie I had some parsnips and peas to use up so had those, but the ingredients make four portions so I have also had some roast veg (carrots, courgettes and peppers) and also one of the frozen bags of veg that you microwave (peas, carrots and green beans).

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I really enjoyed it and I still have one portion left which I am saving for a rainy day when I feel like I need a filling meal that isn't too stodgy. I added this into My Fitness Pal and each portion was around 400 calories before adding veg, so it's easily a 500 calorie meal.

Have you tried Joe's Chicken Pie? Have you tried any other recipes from the Lean in 15 books?

There are so many I want to try but not enough time!!


L xxx



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Friday 12 June 2015

Fitness Friday: Tone It Up 28 Days to Fit, Fierce and Fabulous


Good morning!

Today I have a Fitness Friday post ( a week later than planned...) on the wonderful 28 Days to Fit Fierce and Fabulous from Tone It Up!

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If you haven't heard of Katrina Scott and Karena Dawn, also known as the Tone It Up Girls, then you have been truly living under a rock.
They have an absolutely massive following in America and now worldwide and its easy to see why. They are absolutely beautiful with toned abs and winning smiles - I'd like to find any individual who doesn't want to look like them!
Not only that but they are truly genuinely THAT nice - you just need to add them on snapchat to see how happy and fun they are.

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They have therefore brought out a book, full of recipes, tips, tricks, workout ideas and general life advice. It's a bible of sorts - I have loved reading it from start to finish and can't wait until all of my house moving stuff has finished so I can get on with my 28 day challenge!

I was gutted to weigh myself the other day and find that I have put on 'more than a few pounds' so I'm planning on stepping it up a gear at the gym and reigning in my eating. It is so hard when trying to be sociable but keeping your diet in check, even at work there is a constant supply of cake and 'Friday treats' that I am sometimes force fed!

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With recipes and images that look like this how can you possibly not want to eat and drink healthy things like this?!
I love the recipes and cannot wait to try them all out, what I really liked most was that most days there are suggestions rather than a super strict menu plan that you have to follow - it's great to have that flexibility in your life.

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Each day has a particular food and recipe to try (only if you want to) and also a mantra and fitness challenge. This doesn't only feed your body and challenge your muscles but also addresses any self esteem issues by getting you to build up your confidence.

I always think you should treat the body as a whole package and balance mind body and soul so this book is perfect for that.
There's also a HUGE section at the back with seemingly endless workouts that I cannot wait to try out, they all have pictures and guides for doing it properly so you know you are in safe hands.

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This book is currently £14.88 for the paperback version that I have above, but it also comes in the kindle version for £9.49


What do you think of the Tone It Up 28 Days to Fit, Fierce and Fabulous book?

Do you love fitness plans like this? Do you need a plan to follow and tips and tricks to guide you?

I definitely need to put some structure back into my fitness regime and come up with some new diet ideas to keep me on the right track. These girls always look happy so it would be rude not to be infected by their happiness and zest for life wouldn't it??/

Hopefully in a few weeks I can get started and I'll come back with a full on review and progress report!


L xxx


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Friday 29 May 2015

Fitness Friday: South Beach Official


Good morning!

There's nothing like some new gym wear, and I've come across a new brand of funky fitness wear that I just had to share with you!

South Beach Official have some super bright pieces that you just have to see.



Neon Aztec Print Panel Capri Leggings £20

These leggings are my favourites - super bright with an amazing funky aztec pattern, and who doesn't love an aztec pattern?!
Looking at the picture it seems they fit on the waist which is ideal for me. I just love the bright colours and the summery Ibiza type feel that they have.


Black Printed Side Panel Capri Leggings £20

They also have a black version, with the neon aztec print just on the sides so if you're after a more subtle version they also have that too. If I'm honest I'd buy both!


Black Neon Aztec Print Contrast Lime Back Panel Fitness Vest £18
There is also a matching fitness vest too - I'm not normally one for matching but the black fitness leggings and this fitness vest would go really well together. Too much neon aztec print would look weird on anyone but I think with the black leggings it would look really good, but I do love the neon!

Kacey Black South Beach Canvas Bag £20

Their bag section is also really cute. This canvas bag would be perfect for storing your kit in on the way to work.
The Kate Holdall bag below would be beautiful for summer, at the beach and shopping trips.


Kate Navy Stripe Canvas Holdall Bag £25

I loved browsing through the website and was really impressed with the prices of everything, £20 for leggings is a great bargain when some can cost upwards of £70.

You can check out their website here, let me know what you pick up as I'll be putting in an order soon!

What's your favourite in this post? Do you like neon prints?


L xxx



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Friday 8 May 2015

Fitness Friday: Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me


I don't know about you, but I love reading lists and tips, especially when the tips are concerning fitness and diet.
I've been coming up with this list of tips recently that I wish I had known before I'd set out on my fitness journey, so I thought I'd share some with you, I may need to add to this in future!

Image from Pinterest

1) Progress is progress, and most progress is slow. Don't get disheartened because progress is always a step in the right direction

2) Regardless of your diet, unless you are eating enough to sustain your body through your exercise and general life you will not be able to function nor progress

3) You also need to stop yourself from going OVER your calorie allowance - it doesn't matter how 'clean' you eat if you are taking in too many calories for your body to burn

4) Don't make a big deal of your gym sessions - there's no need to snapchat, instagram or facebook your every workout. If I did that I would be doing it 4 days a week and lets be honest, nobody wants to see it. I am also firmly of the belief that posting your workouts on social media makes them seem like they're special - you don't post every meal or when you go to sleep, why post your workouts and make them more special than they need to be? Save it for your cheat meals and you know you've earned them!

5) Don't cut out food groups or foods unless you really do have an allergy/intolerance. Cutting something out just makes you feel like you're missing out, a balanced diet is the best lifestyle to live

Image from Pinterest
6) Save your money on the latest 'must have' products - a decent protein and caffeine are probably all that you really need to complement your fitness plan

7) If you're tired or run down, don't force yourself to the gym. Your body is telling you it needs a break - don't make it worse by running it down even further!

8) Put down the slimmer teas, stop drinking your calories in the forms of juices and fizzy drinks. Just stick with water and normal teas such as peppermint (good for bloat) and green tea (good for metabolism and natural caffeine) and you don't need to spend £25 on a few bags of stuff that will give you stomach cramps for a few days.

9) Concentrate on warming up, form, and cooling down. The benefits of these cannot be underestimated, it's no use pumping weights if you're doing it wrong and injure yourself.

10) Everyone is different, embrace advice and suggestions but know what's working for you - notice someone at the gym doing something you might want to try? Go for it, don't feel like you need to use the same weights or do as many reps




What do you think of my list? See anything on there that might help you?


I'm nowhere near perfect but if I had known some of these things a few months of years ago then maybe I wouldn't have fallen off the wagon so many times in frustration!


L xxx



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Friday 1 May 2015

Fitness Friday: 5 Ways to Swap Fixed Weight Machines for Free Weights


Morning!

I'm really getting back into my routine so I thought I'd share some ways I'm trying to vary some exercises and make my time spent in the gym the most efficient.
Swapping out using your fixed weight machines for free weights is a great way to use more muscles and burn more fat. So here's my top ones to swap out!

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1) Seated Leg Extension. This trains your quads, the huge leg muscle at the front of the thigh.
Now I think we all know that isolating your quads from other leg muscles isn't going to get the results that you want very quickly.
Squats will most definitely help your quads and glutes together, ranging from wide leg squats to one leg pistol squats.............ooh err!


2) Seated Chest Press. This trains your pectoral or chest muscles.
Using your upper body muscles is much better when you use them all at the same time, performing push ups will not only use your chest muscles but your core and shoulders too. Doing them on a box as an incline push up will maximise all of these muscles and help you build up to full push ups when you're strong enough.


3) Seated Leg Press. Another that targets the leg muscles, including quads, glutes and hamstrings.
As mentioned above, squats are the best exercises for these muscles groups. Starting with body weight squats get used to the movement and ensure your form is perfect before progressing to holding weights in each hand or even a barbell.


4) Bicep curl machine. Pretty self explanatory, but I have to admit I really don't get this one!
I'm not sure why you'd use this fixed weight machine when you can pick up a pair of dumbbells and perform a better bicep curl and engage more of your muscles therefore burning more calories and fat.
The same goes for the tricep version, you can do so much more with tricep dips!


5) Any Ab machine such as a Seat rotation or Cruncher. I used to use these all the time and I can honestly say that I never saw any results from using them.
I hate to stick with everyone else but planks are the signle best exercise you can do for your core, you see progress really quickly and just need to persevere. I try to alternate normal planks with side planks, with and without pulsing my hip up and down and curling my arm underneath and back out again. 

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Using bodyweight exercises are so much better than fixed weight machines. Not only do you use more muscles because you engage your core and require more muscles to help balance your body during the exercise, but you can see faster results and that's something I can agree with having experienced it myself!


What's your favourite bodyweight exercise? Do you have any favourite routines?


L xxx


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Friday 24 April 2015

Fitness Friday: Current Workout



Hello there!

Fitness recently has been a topic that I just haven't been able to get my head around.

I absolutely love it and still enjoy going to the gym and trying out new exercises, however with my training in work being seemingly endless and the copious amount of paperwork and appointments involved in buying a house it has definitely taken a back seat in reality and in my head.


The last two weeks though I have been getting back into it with all of the muscle ache to go with it!

Here's my latest program:


5 minute warm up on the cross trainer - a lot of people have a bit of an obsession or a loathing of the cross trainer, I have neither. I think it's useful for my 5 minute warm up as it loosens my legs and arms and gets my heart rate going!

Image from Technogym

After this I've been getting on the Wave Machine - it simulates speed skating which means your legs move on pedals in a similar way to a cross trainer, but instead they go out to the sides. You can stand in 4 different positions, leaning on the hand rail or standing freely for the intensity to be in different muscle groups, but essentially it targets your glutes, hamstrings, quads, lower back and if you manage to balance and stand up for whole time then you'll target abs as well!
I've been building this up as my lower back has a weakness but 10 minute blocks at a high level of 12 is how I've been doing it. The higher the level the wider the pedals move apart, therefore making it more difficult.

Once my 10 minutes on that are up (and I'm dripping in sweat, it really gets me working hard!) I head to the mats.

Image from Lifehack.org
At this point I've been working on my Bulgarian Split Squats. If you don't know what they are you can view this video on youtube of Erin Stern.
I've been varying my weights whilst I get comfortable with the balance and the motion of squatting essentially on one leg, but I definitely need to work harder and squat lower, I am nowhere near Erin's level of almost hitting the ground with my lower knee where I've dropped so low, I need to work harder!

I've also been twinning this into a superset with tricep dips, and using the bench for those putting my feet as far out in front of me as I can. My shoulders are starting to look better for it but I can't say my triceps look any smaller! The arms always take such a long time to get smaller and show muscle.

Image from Women's Health Mag
After doing two sets of each of the squats and tricep dips I've been using 2 4kg dumbells and doing another super set of 15 x lateral raises followed by 15 x shoulder press. My shoulders need so much work and they burn after doing almost anything, I need to vastly improve on this area too!


Once I've completed this I get back on the Wave machine for another 10 minutes, as long as I've got some decent music plugged in this second set can go faster that the first set!

Needless to say I come off it a bit of a sweaty mess, last night it actually almost ran off my nose, then you know that you're working hard!



Then I get back to the mats. I've been loving doing some glute bridges recently as they were something I'd never tried before, here is a video for you to see. I've been trying to do them with a 5kg or 8kg weight to make it a bit more difficult, but you can feel the burn in these and the bonus is its a lying down exercise too!

Recently I've been getting as much ab and core exercises in as possible, planks are always the best but I can't say I'm good at them.
I actually prefer side planks with dips so I do a couple of them too,

My lower stomach area is definitely my worst feature, so I've been working double hard on doing leg drops but have to be careful with my lower back. I either hold a weight and alternate left leg, right leg and then both together, or I go crazy and do a many together as I can and I'm definitely improving.
I've been trying to push my hips up at the last minute to do a reverse crunch too and it's a killer ab combo!


So this is what I've been doing recently, trying to rev up my metabolism again and get back into fitness with some completely new exercises.

What have you been trying out recently? Have you mastered Bulgarian split squats? Do you have any tips?

Are you a fan of the Wave machine for burning calories and getting you sweaty?

I'm aiming to lose some pounds that I've gained recently, hoping to lose half a stone over the next few weeks by getting back into exercise and reigning in my diet.

What are you fitness goals?


L xxx


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Friday 3 April 2015

Fitness Friday: Instagram Inspiration


Hey everyone!

I've been lacking in time, energy and motivation recently but this week I've dropped myself back into my routines and I'm exhausted in every possible way!
Not only have I been cramming 5 days of work into 4 and then getting back into my gym routines I've also been cramming in all sorts of appointments for my new house - solicitors, mortgages and estate agents!

So this week I thought I'd go through my favourite instagram accounts. There are sooooooooo many that I follow to give me motivation or inspiration so I'll be doing a few of these posts to share some of my favourite accounts.


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Hazel Wallace has already featured in a few posts (girl crush anyone??) and it is not hard to see why. I've been following for a good while and its amazing to see her reach so many followers, 33.5k is absolutely amazing!
Not only is she absolutely beautiful as well as having a body I can only dream of having, she's super clever being a med student and also makes drool worthy food. Her recent Nandos style wrap has made it onto my meals list for when I move out and am cooking for myself again, every body loves chicken and sweet potato!

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Carly Rowena is another absolutely beautiful woman, she is the absolute definition of beautiful abs.
Recently she said on instagram that she gets a lot of negative attention because of her abs being 'too bulky' but I would love to have that kind of definition! It's crazy what people will say to you, I think she'd beautiful and fully admire her dedication to her body. She also has IBS and regularly talks about the pain of bloating and general discomfort, healthy eating and exercise is hard work at the best of times!

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Two Bad Bodies is a super fun and inspirational account I found randomly about 2/3 months ago. Two friends who met at uni and found themselves on the track together and have been working out together ever since.
They post regular workouts via their accounts and I can't even describe to you how perfectly synchronised their routines are, you have to watch them to believe it!
It's like watching one person with a mirror down the middle - so impressive and it makes you want to grab your friend and try the routines yourself.
Not only that but they also have a video from the one and only Michelle Obama on their account, these girls are instagram fitness royalty!

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Lastly I'm sure we've all heard of Results with Lucy - the fitness business from TOWIE's Lucy Mecklenburgh.
She has changed her own body from being generally skinny to toned and with a core that most of us would be envious of. She also posts regular video clips on instagram of workout ideas and new things to try but it's also fun to follow her for pictures like the pug one below - she's very much a fan of living as well as fitness. Had a bad weekend? Eaten and drunk too much? That's ok, just get back on it this week and enjoy life!

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Do you have some favourite instagram accounts for fitness and health? Do you have your own girl crush when it comes to instagram fitness gurus?

I will be writing another of these posts with some food and recipe based instagram accounts, do you enjoy scrolling through instagram for inspiration and motivation?

I'm really determined to get back into a routine and get back into some progression.


L xxx



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Friday 13 March 2015

Fitness Friday: Running Away From Bad Habits


Sometimes you can run but you don't get yourself very far.  Constantly running also won't get you far enough from those bad habits that will come back and bite you on the bum harder than ever before. 

I'm sure you've all heard the sayings, 'You can't out-train a bad diet' and 'Abs are made in the kitchen' but I've been reading a lot of magazines with interviews and they're not the only things that are going to help.

Image from Dr Kehres.com

Kick the following habits and you'll make everything much easier for yourself in the short and long term. Try changing your bad habits one at a time and see how it helps!

1) All or nothing - Stop making everything harder for yourself by stopping and starting, the yoyo diets and the running for 5 miles a day only for a few weeks before stopping again. These will not only lead to potential injuries pushing you further back than you were in the first place but also causing you to gain more weight when you yoyo diet. Get yourself in a steady routine and build on it, make it a habit and make the whole thing much easier. Consistency is key.


2) Leaving before stretching - this one really bugs me! Sometimes I understand leaving one class early to get to another as many people do when trying to squeeze in workouts after work. But its really important that you cool down after a class or gym workout to prevent delayed onset muscle soreness - that big ache you get the day or two after the gym.
I've started to attend a balance class recently to help with my stretching and flexibility and have found that it has really helped. If a separate class has helped then the 5 minutes at the end of each class is certainly going to help in the short and long term....don't skip it!


3) Starving not snacking - whatever you do, steer clear of starving yourself. Not only is this not good mentally as you will know you are depriving yourself but also it causes your body to store whatever you eat next, and guaranteed if you're anything like me when you haven't eaten in a while you end up overcompensating and stuffing your face the next time you do! Keep your sugar levels steady and your metabolism at its optimum rate by eating little and often.


4) Working out on an empty stomach - Morning cardio is something that a lot of people rave about, but this kind of thing is more beneficial if its a 40 minute brisk walk as opposed to skipping your afternoon snack before doing a workout. Having a snack before a workout will stop your sugar levels from crashing, and also provide you with fuel to complete your workout, if you're doing the right sort of workout your body will be burning calories long past the snack that you've eaten.


5) Bingeing after a workout - Everyone is a culprit of this at times, especially when we know a huge meal out is on the cards. But on your average day the worst thing is believing that you've burned off enough to allow yourself a 1000 calorie meal. You need to feed your body with protein and carbs after a workout so it can recover but anything more than a normal balanced meal will mean your workout was pointless.


6) Getting stuck in a rut - Always change up what you do, different classes, different weights, even a different order of a routine you do normally will make your body work harder and longer. Try a new class, go for a run somewhere more challenging or just with a change of scenery.

7) Not having a plan - Don't ever go to the gym without a plan. So many times I have wasted time when I haven't really had a routine or a body area that I was going to work on. You end up wandering around using whatever is available or closest to hand and then leave having done an average workout when you could have maximised your time and really worked hard.


8) Not getting enough sleep - This has to be one of my favourites, make sure you get the amount of sleep you need. I liked getting up and working out before work when I had the time, but this should never come at the cost of sleep. Sleep gives your body the chance to relax and repair and with the busy lifestyles that we all lead nowadays it's so important to get your 8 hours



These are just a few tips and tricks that I've been learning from experience and reading.

Which of these bad habits do you do most often? What are your tips for progress?


I'd have to say that mine would mostly be getting stuck in a rut as it's easy to keep doing the same things, and also binge eating after a workout. I rarely eat bad food, I don't binge eat ice cream or anything, I just get so 'hungry' that I can't stop eating so I end up eating more than I need!


L xxx




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Friday 6 March 2015

Fitness Friday: Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars


Hi there!

I've been a bit more adventurous with food recently - not that I've been eating weird things but just trying to vary it a bit more than usual.
I've been doing well making eggs with veggies for breakfast and replacing usual carbs with quinoa and cauliflower rice, but snacking is something i need to work on.

I found this recipe on The Daily Hiit blog (link here) and after reading it i knew that I had to try it.

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I'm by no means a baker - I am so much better at cooking meals and proper food, when it comes to cakes I am (luckily!) rubbish so don't generally bother.
This recipe however involves no baking whatsoever, its a freezer only type bake - winning.

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Here's the main ingredients - almond milk, protein powder, almond meal, coconut oil and peanut butter.
For the topping you need coconut oil and chocolate chips - as well as some kind of chopped or flaked nuts for sprinkling on top.
(For amounts you can read the original recipe, i won't bore you with that!)

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Melting the ingredients in a microwave took about 1.5 minutes with regular stirring. I'm always wary of using the microwave to melt things but this didn't seem to cause any issues.

Adding in the dried powders and mixing thoroughly gave a batter type mixture that easily filled the square tin. So far so good, no issues and nothing that i can do wrong:

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Next you just have to melt the coconut oil and chocolate chips together to create a super glossy mixture that you just want to dunk marshmallows in!

Pour this on top and you might get something that looks like this:

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The instructions then suggest 20 minutes in the freezer.....I would say mine needed more like 2 hours. Not sure why this was but at 20 minutes it was still very gooey like the image below, and after 2 hours it was much more like the bottom image and had set:

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Small setting issues aside, these are 100% amazing - if I say so myself.

After I made them on a Sunday around 11am I ended up eating about 4 throughout the day....oops!

I wouldn't recommend it as I felt extremely sick afterwards but OMG you need to make these!!!

I think maybe I'd add a little more almond meal to the mixture next time and it would set better, but these taste so good I don't care that I'll have to eat them out of the fridge.

Do you make your own snacks and bars like these? Do you have any other similar recipes?

I really want to make some more snacks like these - cleaner than shop bought and even more tasty!


L xxx


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Friday 27 February 2015

Fitness Friday: Balance and Stretch


Good morning!

After a few setbacks recently due to work requiring me to go away I have been making a massive effort to make up for my week off exercise. My first day back was hard, really really tough but I pulled through it and 'got back on the horse' so to speak. 

One thing I've really been enjoying recently is my Body Balance class. It was one of my fitness resolutions for the year, to try out a yoga/pilates type class and Body Balance is a combination of yoga based moves mixed with elements of Tai Chi and Pilates so fits this perfectly.

Les Mills Body Balance 56 Poster

Stretching after a workout is one of my favourite things - after a really tough workout there's nothing better than stretching into those muscles and feeling the burn. Not only that but it's also great to have 5/10 minutes to yourself at the end of a workout to just think about everything and nothing, holding some stretches requires minimal brain effort and you can just relax into them and allow any residual stress to float away.

I always stretch at the end of a class (it makes me really angry when people walk out before the stretching!) and sometimes when I'm working hard in the gym I look enviously at the people lying out and stretching on the mats having completed their own workouts.

I don't know why I didn't try a balance type class before but I've wholly embraced it, even though my flexibility is something that needs major work and my muscles shake throughout the whole class!


Aside from the Les Mill's Body Balance class that I now do every other week there are also many other classes dedicated to stretching. Yoga, pilates, tai chi, even combination classes such as yogalates.

Cassey Ho - Founder of Blogilates
YouTube is also great for finding videos when you can't make it to a class and channels from people such as Blogilates and Tone it Up are great for this.
The above image shows Cassey Ho the founder of Blogilates and she is beautiful! I can definitely see the benefits of having a strong core in everyday life but for fitness and exercising it's a must and I really need to work on mine!

Have you tried a Body Balance type class? Do you have any other classes similar that you would recommend?

I'm so glad I've finally tried it out and hopefully over time I'll see improvements in my flexibility and core strength, though maybe I'll need to start going more regularly!


L xxx



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