Where Have I Been?!? | Wising Up & Body Update

So I feel like I have dropped off the face of the blogger-sphere! It's not that I don't love doing this - I definitely do - but the last 2 months have just gone in a blink. And with all the good intentions in the world, an early night just seemed the most appealing thing & probably the thing I needed the most.

Veggie Meal Preps | My 6 Favourite Recipes

To follow on from my last post - 5 Benefits to Ditching the Meat - I wanted to share with you some of my favourite meat free recipes. I know how daunting it felt to me when I began on this journey to eating far less meat, so I want to show you that you can still enjoy some of your favourite meals, just by substituting some of the ingredients! All can be meal prepped, all high protein & all healthy & nutritious! All recipes are for 1 portion, so if you're meal prepping, times it by the amount of days you'd like to prep for!

Meatless Weekdays | 5 Benifits to Ditching the Meat Midweek

Reducing my meat intake has been a long term goal of mine for about a year now - I've never felt good about eating too much meat, but find it very hard when it comes to a drastic change of diet. So, instead of diving straight in, I have slowly been reducing my intake - check out "A Beginners Guide to a Plant Based Diet" to see where I started. Well I'm happy to say, that for about 3 months now, I have been going meatless during the weekdays. And you know what - I haven't noticed much of a difference! So if you're thinking about reducing your meat intake, here's why it is definitely a good idea to give it a go...

Hitting A Wall | 7 Ways to Knock it Down!

We all hit a wall at some point in our lives - be it with fitness, writers block, motivation... it's nothing to be ashamed off. Sometimes a little break from the norm can be just what is needed! But what is important is how you move past it. For me currently, I am tired. I mean exhausted! Long days, squeezing in everything I can & a lot of responsibility. I was in need of a little 'me time' to get me back on track. I've needed a couple of weeks to chill at weekends, have (very) early nights & just take care of myself to refresh. Before that, my enthusiasm for after work workouts was minimal & my head has just been too fuzzy to think - hence no blog posts. But just giving myself a little time - something that is so important for us all - I feel ready to dive back in with enthusiasm & energy!!!

Ditching the Scales | How I Track Progress

So I have not weighed myself in 7 months now!!! Why? Because I hate how a small piece of metal can have such power over how I feel within my body! Yes it's exciting to see progress - like muscle gain - but our bodies fluctuate so much & we can't always expect to have a positive reading. You can't always be dropping a pound a weak! So I decided to reclaim my happiness.

6 Lazy Meal Preps | With 6 ingredients or less

As some of you might have read, I've been trying to cut down on meat & have been slowly doing so for about a year now! I can now happily say I have eaten no meat Monday-Friday for 3 weeks now! Which is a massive leap from where I was before. So in celebration of this, the recipes bellow show both the veggie option & the regular, as well as their macros. So go on, give a veggie dish a go! 

The Ultimate Healthy BBQ | 5 Meals & their Macros

 'Tis the season for BBQ's! And wouldn't you love endless BBQ's, guilt free, that didn't mess with your diet? Well ditch the white buns & processed meat! Here's a couple of meal ideas - all healthy, some more complex than others - to allow you to BBQ all summer along, whilst aiding your goals...

Check In | Where I've Been & Where I'm Going

Ahh I feel like the worst blogger in the world of late! Do you ever get so tired that all you want to do is veg out?! I completely lost all my creative juices over the last month! But rest assured, it was all for a very good reason... we only went & brought a house!!! Massive tick off the New Years resolutions list. Still working on the 'be more like Kimmy Schmidt' one... must be more positive!

Ditch the Carb Cut | Learn How to Swap

Is anyone else getting sick & tired of being told what they can't eat?!? It's one thing to say don't each too many sugars, or a pizza every night, but another to completely dirty a whole food group. About 15 years ago it was fat that got dragged through the mud, causing a rise in low fat diets & low fat foods. Now it seems to be carbs! And although the nutritionists have the right idea, I feel their research & knowledge is watered down so much, that it leaves the general public trying to avoid such food groups completely.

The Summer Shred | The Difference Between Cutting & Cutting Out

Woah it's been a few weeks, right!?! Blink and that's almost a month gone. But I've been working on something very exciting... Working on one of those New Year resolutions. More to come soon. But in the meantime, let's talk cutting...

Real Talk | Cheat Meals, Giving Up & Weight Gain

More often than not, fitness is portrayed in this glossy light - the perfect diet, the perfect workout & most importantly no slip ups! And yet to me the most inspiring stories are how people overcome things or the naughty treats they have. The most inspiring fitness influencers are the ones that share the whole picture & are honest. So before I hear one more person telling me what they're giving up ahead of summer, I want to share my weak points to inspire everyone to be a little kinder on themselves, in the build up to summer.

Lean Prep | My 3 Quick, Go To Meals

Whether you're joined me on my 'Lean for Lent' challenge or not, I wanted to share with you a few of my favourite recipes, as I know summer is on it's way... Even if you wouldn't think it by the current weather! All are quick, delicious & you can make on a budget! You'll be surprised just how easy it is to make a meal from scratch!!!

40 DAYS OF CLEAN EATING | MY LEAN FOR LENT RESULTS

As you may recall, last year I gave up cheat meals, ate clean & stuck within my macros for lent. And as I got so much from it, I decided to do it again! This year was a little different however. As I'd been bulking over the winter & consuming on average 300 calories more per day, I used this lent to help slowly reduce my calories back down to their maintain level, whilst eating clean & avoiding all cheats. And I'm proud to say I stayed strong for another 40 days!

Women Who Lift | 6 Seriously Badass Celebs

So this blog isn't really one for celebrity news, but normally more organic posts - posts inspired by what I've learnt in my own journey & want to share. However, after reading more & more about the dedication & strong will of some of these starlets, I thought it would be only right to share. Especially since it was International Womens' Day yesterday! After all, they have some inspiring stats & stories when it comes to lifting! So here's a little run down...

My First Ever Bulk | What I've Learned & What I've Gained

The first thing I noticed when doing this bulk was how lovely it was to have a few extra calories for the winter months! I started my bulk in October & lasted for 4. But why did I chose to bulk? It was partially because I wanted to gain strength & muscle, but mostly because I enjoy a challenge. I wanted to explore the unknown & experience for myself what I have seen so many other people do. I also wanted to test the correlation between my food & my training & learn a lot more along the way. All of which I have now experienced.

Lean for Lent 40 Day Challenge | Coming to the End of My Bulk

What day is it today? Pancake day! But it is also a very exciting day for another reason - it's lent tomorrow, which marks the end of my very first bulk & the start of me slowly cutting. And I want you to join me with my Lean for Lent Challenge - 40 days to a healthier, fitter you.

Been Sick? | Getting Back on Track After Time Away

Who's been ill over the winter months? Not just me then! Sometimes it comes from nowhere & knocks you for six. Well a week ago I suddenly came down with something - headache, fever, exhaustion, chesty cough & a cold all within a day. Who knows what it was - but it knocked me for six! Obviously I didn't feel like the gym, for a whole 7 days! The only food I could stomach was complete junk. And my enthusiasm for Meal Prep.... well let's just say there was none, I haven't even checked how much protein I'm eating this week, let alone any other macros - not like me.

All or Nothing | Restrictive Eating & the Importance of a Treat!

How many diets have you sampled in the past? There are so many out there claiming to do wonders, but are they actually healthy for you?!? Low carbs, fasting, low fat, no sugar... all these types of diets have 1 thing in common, they're restricting you. And a healthy, balanced diet is not about restriction, but about moderation, of all food groups; our bodies need them all. Instead they act as a short term solution to loose weight, rather than teaching us good habits to take forward into the future.

The Trick to Finally Getting Fit | Make it Work for You!!!

How many times have you given up on a fitness regime? Me? Definitely a few. Detoxes - done a couple of times, hated it, never again. Cardio only - did for several months, hated it, found it very hard to pluck up the enthusiasm for the workouts. Diets - got overly strict with them, hated it & reverted back to normal.

Looking Forward | Creating New Goals & Coping With Stress in 2018

What a year 2017 was!!! Personally, I think it has been the year I have grown the most & progressed - new jobs, new passions & growing up ever more! However, it didn't come easy. You might have noticed a lack of me in the last couple of weeks & that's because the last fortnight of 2017 has been rather tough for me. I've had family in & out of hospital, needing more care & attention from the ones around them, my cat went missing & I've been pretty ill - which I think was down to stress. So something, my blog, had to give a little!