Make exercise fun!

As much as we all say we like to get fit, do we really enjoy the process? Even I find it hard to motivate myself sometimes… I mean how many other crazy girls do you know who gets up to do Yoga at 6.30am each morning before work! So I have come up with a great theory, based on one we use all the time in other parts of our life!

Make exercise fun…

When you equate the gym as a torture house, you will find it very difficult to see it as a place of wellness or for exercise as something to be enjoyed. Again this all relates to the power of your mind and how you use it. What some people don’t understand is how powerful the mind is! So if you find active things you enjoy then relate them with positive connotations of exercise.

Some people enjoy music… take a dance class

Some people enjoy relaxing… try yoga

Some people enjoy a good sweat… go running

Some people love to clean… do the housework at a quick pace

Some people enjoy nature… go for a walk

These examples present how you can take an element of fun and turn it into exercise rather than take a tedious exercise routine and suck the fun out of it.

How to make the perfect loaf...

I love to eat healthy bread... I cant say I am particularly fond of white bread as it tends to lay more heavy once eaten.

So I wanted to have a little play taking the basics of bread making and creating something scummy! So I did... and not only did it go great with the homemade soup I made but also made a fantastic dessert.

I was first inspired about making bread from my dad... now there is the perception that men can't cook, however with all the famous chefs such as Jamie Oliver and Ramsey showing us girls how its done I dont believe this to be true!.. Anyway after tasting my dads homemade bread I was hooked (mind you its a shame he only ever made it once!)

I always find you make bread in two stages, there is the preparation and the cooking...


RECIPE:

A deliciously light, wholemeal loaf, speckled with pumpkin seeds, thinly flaked almonds and healthy sunflower seeds... melts in your mouth warm and a real crunch cool.

You will need:

• 1oz 4 of wholemeal flour
• 2 tspns salt
• 1 tsp of light brown sugar
• 1 packet of Yeast
• 25g of pumpkin seeds
• 25g almond flakes
• 25g of sunflower seeds
• 400ml warm water
  
  STAGE ONE
  

1. First of all mix the flour salt and sugar in a bowl and add the Yeast powder to the dry ingredients.

2. Then add the seeds and nuts

3. Make a well in the middle and stir together with a wooden spoon




















4. When a slight dough is formed finish off with your hands and kneed the dough until smooth

5.Take the dough and stretch it on a flat surface and fold in the corners

6. Put in a pre-greased loaf tin and make a rounded top pushing down the corners at the side of the tin

7. Then apply a damp tea cloth on top of the tin and leave in a warm place for the bread to rise, this usually take 30 - 40 minutes

STAGE TWO

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees and once the bread has risen bake in the oven for a further 30-40 minutes

2. Once cooked turn the tin upside down (the bread should make a hollow sound) and let rest for ten minutes

I served my bread with some homemade soup and after a few hours had a couple of slices with some Nutella and a coffee. The seeds complimented the flavors a treat!

You can also freeze this recipe and double the quantity if you are making two loafs!

Duckeys Health Scones...

Scones are a traditional favourite! So I have adapted a health version of these, often scones are served as an afternoon treat with a pot of tea... something I consider to be truly English!

RECIPE:

Deep warm Scones... filled with plump currents, mixed with a hint of cinnamon served with freshly whipped cream and raspberry jam.

You will need:

100g wholemeal flour
50g caster sugar
25g currents
2 Eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon



















1. In a bowl mix together the flour and sugar

2. Add the eggs and mix into a thick dough

3. Kneed the dough until you form a soft non sticky texture


















4. Add the currents

5. Add a hint of cinnamon


















6. Form into reasonably thick balls and lay on a papered tin

7. Bake in the oven for around 15-20 minutes


















8. Serve warm with fresh whipped cream and jam

These are perfect when you have afternoon company!

Abdominal crunch!

In order to maximize stimulation of the abs, the bicycle crunch is the most effective exercise. What makes it the best is that is that it is the only ab exercise capable of stimulating four different sections of the abs.

They key to making it work is perfect form. Here are the steps for perfect form on this ab exercise:

1.) Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. For this exercise, you will need to put your hands beside your head. Be careful however to not strain with the neck as you perform it. Now lift your shoulders into the crunch position.

2.) Bring knees up to where they are perpendicular to the floor, with your lower legs parallel to the floor. This will be your starting position.

3.) Now simultaneously, slowly go through a cycle pedal motion kicking forward with the right leg and bringing in the knee of the left leg. Bring your right elbow close to your left knee by crunching to the side, as you breathe out.

4.) Go back to the initial position as you breathe in.

5.) Crunch to the opposite side as you cycle your legs and bring closer your left elbow to your right knee and exhale.

6.) Continue alternating in this manner until all of the recommended repetitions for each side have been completed.

To view more exercise tips I found this video with more exercises

Daily healthy bites!

If we had a choice of foods to eat everyday which ones would benefit us the most?

I have produced some research into these areas and recommend the following:

1. Spinach - sexual enhancement, muscle growth, heart healthy, bone builder, and enhances eye sight - include in your main evening meal.

2. Yogurt - cancer fighter, bone builder, boosts immunity, eat at breakfast or for dessert or in a smoothie!

3. Tomotoes - cancer fighter, heart healthy, boosts immunity, eat at lunch or during a main meal.

4. Carrots - cancer fighter, boosts immunity, enhances eye sight, eat at lunch or during a main
meal.

5. Blueberries - brain stimulant, fights cancer, heart healthy, boosts immunity, eat for breakfast as a snack during the day or for dessert.

6. Black Beans - muscle growth, brain stimulant, heart healthy, eat at lunch or during a main meal.

7. Walnuts - muscle growth, heart healthy, fights cancer, brain stimulant, boosts immunity, great as a snack.

8. Oats - musle growth, hearth healthy, brain stimulant, perfect in porridge.

So consider these within your five a day!

Go fish... go Salmon!

Not many people know why Salmon is so good for us but we talk about it all the time! Below you will find the best benefits eating Salmon can bring to your diet…

1. Salmon is loaded with protein and muscle-building amino acids so great if you are training.

2. Salmon is high in Omega-3 fatty acids, which help your body make anti-inflammatory compounds that soothe body aches and pains, as well as support fat-loss.

3. Omega-3's also help skin recover from skin damage from UV rays.

4. Salmon is high in Vitamin D, which supports strong bones and can help ward off colon caner.

5. Salmon is high in Selenium, which can help lower your risk of prostate cancer.

Live life... Drink green Tea...

Green Tea has so many positive health benefits… it is my favourite type of tea and comes in so many varieties now a days. Becoming more popular it is now linked to burning fat, raising the metabolism, lowering cholesterol as well as preventing dieses and cancer.

They say that drinking 5 cups of green tea a day helps the body burn an extra 70-80 calories per day and comes as either de-cafe or contains about a quarter of the caffeine content in coffee at worst.

It contains the antioxidant EGCG, this not only inhibits the growth of cancer cells, and it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue, evening containing more antioxidants than fruit and vegetables.

Green tea can be served with lemon for more flavour or as the Koreans do – add honey while drinking it.

You can buy it loose or in tea bags. I always carry green tea bags around with me in my handbag just in case you go out and hit a café that doesn’t sell green tea. I recommend Clipper as you can get an assortment of your choice to reflect your tea drinking mood.