February Happiness

When a new year starts and everyone is full of new year promise I just don't feel it. I'm going to say it, January sucks! Everyone is broke...it's cold...it's wet! The month is just crap! But now it's February I feel better and I've got lots of be thankful for:

1. Holiday - Last month a book my birthday break to Bali in March. I've decided that turning 30 won't seem so bad if I'm in another country and not at work. Here's hoping it works...

2. I'm officially signed up to the Crystal Palace Sprint Triathlon. On May 15th 2016 I will be trying to swim, cycle and run myself a new medal. The thought of having a new challenge is really filling me with joy.

3. Birthday Party Fun - I've managed to book a party at Frame in Shoreditch - they offer the most reasonable package and the biggest choice of classes. I'm very excited to see all my dearest girlfriend bust some Beyonce moves!

4. It was light when I left work - well not just when I left but when I arrive at work as well! It's official we are now on the short journey to spring!

5. We've all (hopefully) now been paid! Christmas has been paid off and it's time to sort looking forward to what to spend money on now. But this isn't the case for me, I am now on the big save until we see the mortgage advisor in Summer - I am trying to make every penny count and will be sharing with you my way to save and exercise at the same time.

How to get free classes at Boutique studios

I love a boutique gym but my bank account doesn’t! With saving for a house I can’t justify paying £20 a workout no matter how sculpted my abs are going to be afterwards. But I don’t feel like I’m missing out as I’ve managed to find ways to get free classes at boutique gyms and I'm sharing my secrets with you today...

Swetty Betty Takeovers –Through sweaty betty I have managed to attend Barrecore classes (usually £20 a class) and Frame sessions (£12-15 a class) and 1rebel (£20 a class) They team up with the gyms for special offers so their customers can get free classes. The drawback to this is you need to be quick as the places get taken fast but classes are free. They also offer free weekly workout classes via their website so if you’re looking for varied workout these are one to try.

Nike Training Club- now I’ve not been able to attend the sessions yet but it is on my list to do. I have been offered ticket to a Nike session at Core collective where their classes are £15 a session but had to decline as it conflicted with work. They do regular HIIT and run clubs are their various Nike stores across London if your looking for a free workout they advertise special sessions via social media. I will say that I applied for about 10 classes via their NTC week and was really disappointed to not get any but hopefully you will have more luck.
To have a session you need to be a member of their NTC club and apply for classes via their website or check their instagram and facebook.

Lululemon Classes – I’ve seen on their weekly timetable they are offering more then just yoga now and are including HIIT sessions. But it’s a well known fact that Lululemon offer free weekly yoga classes on a Sunday morning (my tip is to avoid the Covent garden store – Richmond and Westfield are both less crowded) But follow them on social media as they do special one off events – via Lululemon I have managed to do yoga classes in Hyde Park a morning salutation in the Sky garden and went to a yoga rave. If you flexible and happy to bring your own mat to the special events then you can usually get a place but come early to get a good position. My extra tip is to make sure you get the goodies- I got a nachos, happiness card and a tote from the yoga rave.

Gym Openings/Tasters – Now this is more of a ‘hear about it thing’ but I have recently managed to attend some free classes from tribeca studios as part of their opening – I had signed up to be a member (as it’s my local gym) but they were offering free tasters as part of the opening. If you see one of these gyms opening up near you I recommend that you join their mailing list and see what opening offers they have as you might be lucky.

Workout outfit for under £25

My current vice for shopping has to be fitness fashion. With so many high street brands offering their own activewear lines there are so many places to shop. When I fancy some new clothes my first stop is always Primark - they have such a good style, price and selection. I recently (January 2016) picked up this outfit which I feel will be perfect for yoga or for gentle exercise and I feel it can be worn confidently in most gyms.

 I've worn this outfit a few times, the jumper is loose and comfortable and so easy to throw on after a workout. The leggings have a good fit and no awkward moments when you bend over. The bra also has padding which gives a lovely shape and has more support then most bras and was an absolute bargain at £6.00! If your looking for affordable workout wear then run down to Primark to pick up these lovely items.

Leggings £9.00 bra £6.00 jumper £6.00 Whole outfit £21.00

Hey! It's okay....January detox

In the month of January where everyone gets fit and healthy it can be hard to keep your focus, so give yourself some credit and have a break – if your guilty of any below tell yourself it’s okay…

… to not start the January health kick until you’ve eaten all the Christmas chocolate,  the baileys and mince pies…

…to not want to go to the gym because you know how busy it will be with all the new members and ya’know their awesome health kick

…to make a green juice and put so much fruit in it that actually its 95% strawberries and banana – it has some spinach so it’s still healthy right?

…to have to buy all the new trainers and kit in the January sales – motivation 100% comes from looking good in the gym.

…to dream of all the Carbs!!! And to be surprised at all the food that has a higher carb content then you would have.

…to not have any idea of your macronutrients are or why they are important but still crave having a nightly ‘flexbowl’ as the people on Instagram still have abs

How to make successful new year plans...

I find my most successful new year resolutions are ones with clear steps & goals. For 2016 my goal is try my first triathlon. This is going to be difficult for me as I'm not currently a confident swimmer & I don't currently own a bike. But these are the challenges that are going to work towards and give me the satisfaction I've been missing from my work outs. I'm putting my goals up here & to give example of how to plan a new year resolution but also to make myself accountable. 

Time specific: set a date and a target. I've looked at sprint distances and there is the crystal palace pool based triathlon in May. This gives me enough time to build up my swimming & buy a bike. Also being a pool based tri I don't have to buy a wetsuit just yet. Setting a time for a goal means that you have to have a deadline to work towards. 

Break it down into smaller stages- although I want to do an Olympic distance a sprint distance is a smaller goal to build up to. I'm also including lots of new classes into my exercise routine 

-spin classes & strength training. Variety to my routine to keep myself interested. Don't throw yourself into something that isn't realistic for your body to cope with or something you don't have the time to do. 

Be realistic- I'm not going to be able train for a new challenge as well as lower my body fat and save for a mortgage. I only do one important new year resolution to focus on and concentrate on the one main goal. Be realistic about what you can achieve, what the most important goal is for you?

So my January goals are:

Run at least 2 times a week. 

Attend 3 spin classes in the month. 

Swim 2 times this month. 

Save £100 towards a bike. 

What are your new year resolutions? Any tips for training for our first triathlon? 

Christmas Races 2015

It's that time of the year - where the tinsel and mulled wine comes out, everyone is drinking more and everything has a 'festive' feel. I'm so happy that races this time of year also have a festive feel - choosing race comfortable fancy dress and a well deserved mulled wine and mince pie at the end. Here is my chooses of festive races available across London:

Saturday 5^th December – Christmas pudding race

This race is a fancy dress which raises money for the Cancer Research and is located in Covent Garden which is a pretty great central location find out more info here.

Tuesday 8th December – Santa Dash London

This race is a 5K round the streets of London in compulsory Santa uniform. You will be asked to raise money for children with additional needs but in the price of the ticket it includes a costume, medal and Christmas cocktail! More info here.

Saturday 13th December - Osterley park 10K

I’m actually doing this race as well as it’s a local race for me and set in the beautiful National Trust grounds. I haven’t sorted out a fancy dress yet but hope to put something together. If the atmosphere or organisation is anything like the Ealing Half then it should be a good race: Find out more here

Saturday 20^th December – Greenwich Park 5K/10K

I have done a run through half before and it had a really good turn out. These races are a decide on the day and decide on the distance race. Friends have done the Christmas race last year said the fancy dress was great and even rumours of a mince pie at the finish line afterwards: Follow the run through site here

Christmas Day / New Year Day Parkruns

Christmas can be an expensive time with all the extra costs of socialising and the other Christmas plan me and me partner have is to complete the parkrun local to my parent’s house on Christmas Day. With most of my family having a Christmas hangover and us having a later Christmas breakfast we are hoping to get up and walk to the ground for a festive run in the community. To find out if your local parkrun is running on Christmas day please check here.

Free Fitness Classes in London

Are you interested in attending the hottest gyms but don't have the money to pay £10+ for a class? No neither do I! But I got an email in my inbox this week that I thought you guys might be interested in....

The lovely people at Be:Fit (FYI the most amazing fitness expo that comes to London) are offering 2,000 free classes to people when they register with nimble booking. To book a class all you have to do is register at the nimble website here and search for 'Be:Fit' in London and it offers you a selection of classes to book across London next week.

I managed to book myself onto Bounce - Dancefit class at the YMCA studios on Friday and 'Fight club/Urban Raw/ Cycle + Metafit' at Edge cycle on Sunday (it sounds very scary to me too!) There are plenty to choose from so sign up and let me know what your trying out.

Why you need a slow cooker in your life

When I moved in with my boyfriend one of the first things that he purchased was a slow cooker. At the time I thought it was a bit strange but I let him get on with it. Since we have been living together it has completely changed my cooking an now I'm here to tell you why you need to have a slow cooker to make cooking healthy food quicker and to save on the washing up!

Easy to make Stock or Bone Broth
I don't digest gluten well and the majority of store brought stocks have gluten, loads of salt and other nasties in them. The hassle of making my own stock hasn't interested me before now as leaving bones boiling on the hob all night feel like a real waste of energy and e pensive for my bills. Now I throw bones in the slow cooker with onions, garlic some other herbs and it makes beautifully tasty stock without the hassle. The energy used costs less then a lightbulb which makes its a far more cost effective way. 

Quick Meal Prep
On a sunday I can throw in some veggies and stock, leave them all day to stew, come evening time I have soup for the week with no hassle from me. I easily throw together some meat and vegetables go off to work and then I have a enough food to feed a small army or two hungry adults and a couple of portions for a freezer. With a slow cooker you don't need to spend your sunday meal prepping as spices and herbs stew to make tasty meals. 

Cook Cheaper Cuts of Meat without it Getting Tough
I would love to buy organic grass fed meat but my budget doesn't always allow it. Sometimes I buy cheaper cuts of beef because its getting dangerously close to payday my. Often they're so tough I really wonder why I bothered wasting my money but now with the meat slow cooked in liquid the meat doesn't end up being tough and I'm happy eating a tasty meal without my bank balance suffering.

Add Flavour and Tenderness without Extra Calories
Cooking food with herbs and spices allow the flavours to really develop over the day, I then get tender and flavoured meat without having to use cream or butter. Also roast chicken cooked in the slow cooker is the juiciest roast chicken I have ever eaten, I actually can't go back to oven roasted chicken as its just not juicy enough.

Do you have a slow cooker? What do you use it for?

Royal Parks Half: The race that wasn't!

The problem with setting goals is not reaching them. Worst then not reaching them is realising half way through a race that you never gave yourself a chance to achieve the goal. I love running, I love racing but I will never be the fastest. I run because I love the space to think. I race because I enjoy the atmosphere and achieving a goal (the medal and eating afterwards also help)

The reason it's taken me so long to post this race report is because I'm disappointed in my time. But I would be dishonest if I didn't talk about the good as well as the bad. If for no other reason then to make sure that I don't make the same mistakes again.

I love the Royal Parks Half Marathon-it was my first half two years ago and the reason I started to run when I signed up on a whim for a charity place. This year I signed up for the ballot (and will continue to do so in the future) because it means a lot to me and the views around the parks are beautiful. It is also a massive race-something I should have remembered because I didn't allow enough time for the toilet queue and got myself into a tizz as I ran off to join my starting pen. But I had 2 minutes before the race started to find the pacers, but I stood in the blue area (the one I had signed myself up to) looking at the pacers for 1:50-2:10 - I knew I had put myself in the wrong time and was in trouble. It was too late to change pens so I just ran and did what I can and tried not to be too speedy. The problem with being in a faster pen is that EVERYONE overtakes you, you hold them up and you can feel their frustration. I also didn't have my Garmin so I didn't know what pace I was running so it all went wrong from the beginning.

I gave up trying to get that PB around mile 7 and tried to enjoy the run but to be honest not having the right pace had made me lose my steam. I had also been to my first ever barre class the day before and I hadn't realised that it would be so hard on my thighs (foolishly I'd read low impact and thought I would have been okay!) But I tried to just run and enjoy the race but I could escape the niggle I had in my head that was telling me that I hadn't even given myself a chance and need to work much harder if I'm going to get my half PB.

I finished the race and am well enough to run again, and attempt to get a PB again, but if I want to give myself a chance then I need to make sure I don't make these mistakes again!

There is also a distinct lack of photos in this post-the amount of runners meant that my photographer (boyfriend) completely missed me running round and I was fed up enough that I couldn't even muster a selfie.

Is social media bad your health?

 As an active social media user I've followed the posts with interest and do sometimes wonder if social media is a good or bad influence on my life.

I use social media on a daily basis to learn new information, to find out about events and products and to keep up with friends. (I look at millions of baby photos) My boyfriend has no interest in any kind of social media, he doesn't understand why I spend so long glued to my phone but he respects that I enjoy it. If I go on holiday I am happy to go days without checking my newsfeed and I am far from addicted. If I'm busy at work social media is the last thing from my mind, its just something I choose to check in my spare time.

But with recent famous instagrammers talking about the 'fakeness' of what is online. I'm not naive, I know people get paid to post pictures and wear products. At 29 I'm balanced enough to know people only post positive pictures online. No one shows them chilling out in their pjs on a Saturday night-but I'm not the impressional young girls maketing teams are trying to get through too. I can't justify spending £40 on a sports bra and I doubt many females my age have that disposable funds. 

Recently I've been having doubts about myself and the world of instagram. While going through my digestive issues I got really down about the state of my stomach. I made myself worst by looking through instagram and seeing lots of people eating burgers and having abs. I'm not one to comment if people are photoshopping instagram photos or if people are being truthful online but I couldn't look at those feeds. I went through my instagram and I deleted any account that I felt didn't show a balanced healthy lifestyle. I also deleted any accounts that just put up body shots and didn't educate me, inspire me or make me think. I also added more balanced accounts such as some inspriring yoga and mindfullness accounts so my feed is no longer full of abs & people eating green juices thankfully. 

I love social media and I will continue to use is everyday. But if it doesn't add to my life or make me happy then I will delete it, there is more to life outside a phone. Also I strongly believe every workout completeyl counts even if you don't publish it on social media.

Ealing Half 2015 - The Hangover Race

I've lived and worked in Ealing for over 6 months now and I've become very fond of this little Borough. When the local half marathon was advertised it wasn't perfect timing for my Royal Parks plans but I didn't want to miss the opportunity of running a local race.

But after a weekend of drinking and lots of beer I didn't feel like I was going to make it round the course, let alone be able to run. I regretted the (very tasty) beer, I regretted the (also tasty) burger and I hated my stomach for what it was going to go through for that morning.

But I did enjoy the relative snooze, not having to wake up until 7am to stroll down to the start line. I was very shocked about the amount of people who were running. I wasn't expecting the large crowd-it was double the amount of people who had run the Hackney half. So understandably waiting for the start was very slow. I put my self at the back towards the end of the 2:30 marker as I was aiming for 2:45 to save my legs for my next half in 2 weeks.

My plan had always been to take it slow and walk the hills. As I'd forgotten my Garmin I didn't really have a choice but to go with what felt natural and see how my body holds up. As I started to run I felt good, my stomach was a bit tricky in bits but the fresh air and exercise surely sorted it out. I was towards the back of the crowds (as you can see in my un-busy pictures) and got very happy in my own pace. I have no idea of my pace or my splits which is completely new to me for a race and I really enjoyed not having the pressure to either slow down or speed up. Somewhere after the 10 miles I knew I could finish and looked forward to the eating afterwards. I crossed the finish line with a finish time of 2:34 and I was mighty proud-I did walk the hills and run comfortably and got 10 minutes faster then my desired time.

I loved the race, I didn't think I would but it was great and I loved the atmosphere and running. If this was a test to see if I can run on too much booze then I can! As long as I get the training runs in and build up the strength in my legs.

For anyone wanting a Autumn race I would recommend Ealing-the hills aren't as bad as reviews make it out to be and has been voted best UK half marathon for the last two years at the UK running awards so they are clearly doing something right. It happens every year in the last Sunday in September.

Review: INNER ME 28 day Gut Cleanse

So after having stomach problems for such a long time with little improvement I started researching what I can do, after coming across the inner me page I decided that the gut cleanse would be worthwhile for me trying. If you want more information is this is the right step for you click here

The cleanse consists of 4 weeks of cutting out and reintroducing food that are problematic such as gluten and dairy. There are also limits on different foods such as one portion of brown rice of quinoa a day and only one portion of greek yoghurt. Oddly there is also limits of fruits and you can only have berries and citrus fruits, but that didn't feel limited to me. You also take a digestive enzymes and probiotic with breakfast a fish oil supplement with lunch and a vitamin D supplement with dinner. Although I forgot a lot of the vitamin D supplements, I didn't struggle going from none to that many supplements. I also didn't find the meals too restrictive but I did have to include snacks as well as if I don't eat reguarly I am a massive grump. The other part of the detox which was really easy to include was having a peppermint tea within 30 minutes of a meal, this was great for whenever I eat out and really helps settle my stomach after a meal.

But there have been marked improvement in some areas from doing the detox which I want to go into more detail about:

Skin

Here is a benefit that I completely didn't expect, my skin massively improved. Apart from a few hormonal stress spots to my face I have a big improvement to the usual spots that I get on my chest and across my back. I'm not sure if its down to a reduction of dairy products or cutting down on sugar by no longer having processed food. I am going to try and continue with both and see if I can work out which is causing the spots because I will happily avoid if it gives me the confidence I have from having clearer skin.

Bloat

I've included this photo about how my stomach has shrunk, although I clearly do still have my beloved belly. The first photo was a morning shot and the second at the end was taken at the end of the day. Before I tried this detox I was spending my afternoon unbuttoning my top button of trousers and generally feeling uncomfortable around my stomach. I don't feel uncomfortable anymore and I can wear the same pair of jeans all day long without having to unbutton trousers. I also haven't had any stomach cramps after eating which have been plaguing me for months.


I paid for this cleanse out of my own money and would happily do so again if I needed it. I would encourage everyone to visit a doctor and make sure your digestion troubles are not linked to a more serious medical condition.

High End Workout Buys

High end workout buys by susie-miller featuring a green cami

Well as my budget workout was so popular that I thought I would do a bit more imaginary workout shopping. Trying to save for the future makes my desire to blow all my money on an really awesome workout wardrobe!

How amazing are these trainers? I absolutely love the Mary Katrantzou/Adidas line and I love these turquoise palm and tropical print.
I'm also loving this vintage style nike jumper-perfect to throw on over my gym kit on my way home from a workout-although not technically high end this jumper is still currently out of my budget.
The leopard print rucksack is another adidas delight-this time design by Stella McCartney. I think the monochrome would work well with most outfits.
The sports bra is from Lorna Jane- I've been told that their sports bras are supportive and give ladies a nice little bit of padding to give a more feminine figure.
Below I've selected this yoga top from Sweaty Betty-I love their quality of sportswear and this colour is lovely.
Finally these Lucas Hugh tights have the most amazing print-at £270 they are most definitely high end and only in my wardrobe if I win the lottery but really a girl can dream.

What would be in your dream wardrobe? Do you prefer high end of budget to update your outfits?

I think I found my mojo...for the time being!

Hello, fortnightly updates were not working for me so I've decided to update you weekly on my training. As usual my blog post is later then intended, but one day soon I will improve my scheduling.

Well, I think I found my mojo-by that I mean I had 2 runs this week where I didn't feel like a failure and that was great for me! So here's how I got on this week...

Tuesday-upper body kettlebell workout. As I enjoy my kettlebells so much I've decided to be more structured and split my workout into upper & lower body. This 30 minute session included plank pull ups, floor to shoulder pulls and a kettlebell hold. Sweaty but satisfying. 

Wednesday- I did my first ever 'runch' as in running in my lunch time. As I only have 30minutes I was worried for time but I came in early to give me longer and managed a good run round my local park. 

Thursday lower body kettlebell session-this included goblet squats, weighted lunges and wall sits. I felt this the next day  when going to the toilet. 

Saturday- I ran 9 miles! No tears, no complaints! I had an audiobook and my water pack, got it done and felt proud. My double marathon at the end of September is seeming more achievable after a successful long run, but we will wait and see

How is your training going? Are you training for an autum race or just working out?

Budget Workout Wardrobe Update

Have you heard the well used phrase of to find your motivation you should treat yourself to new workout gear? Well I think this is constantly on my mind as I am constantly looking at workout clothes and as I am trying to be better with money I thought I would show you my picks of the best budget clothes. With fitness being so fashionable the high street has some amazing pieces around. Here what I would choose if my wardrobe wasn't bursting: (L-R)

1. This misguided vest looks so cute. I love the detailing on the back and think it would look amazing through a heavy weight session. I love the fit and the colour-a great top I think.

2. I love this purple new look top, it reminds me of a dupe for the lovely Lorna Jane vests that I see all over instagram. Who doesn't want motivation on their chest in the gym?

3. I think this H&M bag would be the perfect size to fit all my gym essentials and has a nice neutral shade to go with all the bright workout outfit I have.

4. I have these leggings in two different prints and they are simply the best fit, no elastic needed but a nice snug fit so I can run in. I can also vouch that after quite a few washes they still pass the squat test which is crucial for leggings.

5. Another well used part of my workout wardrobe. I adore this bra-I generally use it for HIIT workouts where I need a lot of support and like how comfortable and well supported my chest is in this bra.

Budget Workout Wardrobe Update by susie-miller featuring a Missguided activewear

Missguided activewear
£13 - missguidedus.com

H&M Sports bag
hm.com

Purple Believe Achieve Sports Vest
newlook.com




What are you workout recommendations? Are you a budget or high end clothes shopper?

Getting back on the horse! Training update

Okay confession time- I stayed lazy and continued to not run last week when I probably should have done. I could have forced myself but my heart is not in running at the moment. I enjoy running when I do it...but getting out of the door seems to be very difficult.

• Last weeks exercise consisted of 1 x 20 minute HIIT kettlebell session - I'm having the right motivation to do HIIT at the moment- maybe dreams of bikini bodies.
• Unfortunately no running until the weekend- Saturday morning I managed to attend Lululemon's Hyde Park outdoor yoga. It was lovely and warm and although I struggled with the downward facing dog I enjoyed the class and having a good stretch. I then went to an amazing talk about nutrition with a complimentary green juice and goody bag. This was my first special Lululemon's events and it won't be my last-its amazing.
• Then in the afternoon I ran a very slow 7 miles along the canal path-it seemed a lot of hard work. 

This week much of the same story-my diet has been generally good, better then it has been in weeks and my skin is a lot clearer (but more on that in another post) On the Saturday night i feel over and drunkenly hurt my wrist which meant no kettlebells and push ups (boo hiss)

• On Wednesday my boyfriend got enough of me feeling sorry for myself and forced me to run. Running 3.5 miles to his pace gave me a 10.52 minute per mile average pace. Yey! Go someone else's pace
• On Saturday I tried to run 8 miles. It was hot & my stomach was playing up. I couldn't find my running mojo and cut the run short at 5 miles. 

How has your training been? Any advice to kick me out of the front door and actually to run?

Training update!

Hello there! Sorry long time no catch up! But I've sat down to inform you how I getting on with my training (hint not very well) and a general exercise etc. The picture above is the table settings to my brother's wedding (which is a lot of the excuse why I haven't worked out) 

On Tuesday last week I did my usual interval run and packed up to go home ready for the wedding prep. I found time on the Thursday morning to run a very speedy 4 miles before it all got crazy. 2 days of cooking food, decorating my parents garden and setting up the reception meant I didn't have anytime to work out and after the wedding I was too tired to push myself for my long run. 

Coming back to work and my normal routine I was very run down & full of cold so I have been nourishing my body and resting. Although there is a lack of exercise guilt I'm trying to listen to my body more these days and rest & nourish rather then pushing and running myself down more then I already am. 

This weekend I'm still full of cold but had a gentle 14km walk yesterday and will restart my training next week. But I'm proud of myself, I am usually someone who throws out healthy eating when I'm ill but this weekend I've eaten salads and smoothies and feel better for it. 

How's everyone's exercise going? Are you sticking to your plans?

Yoga to help IBS

So at the moment my stomach has started to play up and is getting quite painful in the evening again. I was recommended yoga and meditation to try so when my tummy hurts I can take sometime for me. I've enjoyed it and although it's not helping yet, I hope in time it will be better.

Here are some of the videos that I have been using to give me time to relax and giving me some time to myself when my stomach is feeling crappy.

They are both simplistic in stances which is great for me as I am a complete beginner. Please let me know how you get on or if there is something that you find that helps.

Starting training again...

How's everyone's weekend going? This beautiful shot was taken on my long run yesterday as I officially started my next half marathon training-it's actually for the royal parks half on October 11th but I have the Ealing half marathon I'm doing as well in September. 

As I love to hear how people's training is going I thought I would do Sunday updates to keep me accountable and to keep enjoying running. Do people prefer weekly or fortnightly updates? Comment below and let me know. But here is how I got on with training this week:

Monday- 20 kettle bell HIIT- in an effort to loose weight I'm doing 2x HIIT sessions a week. On Monday it included lots of kettle bell swings and goblet squats

Tuesday- 3 mile interval run. This was 2 miles steady pace followed by 30 seconds sprint and 2 minutes steady repeated 5 times

Wednesday- rest

Thursday- 2.5 miles steady run followed by 15 minutes kettle bells-it was meant to be longer but I was knackered. 

Friday- rest

Saturday- 10k along the canal path in the sunshine & heat. 

Sunday- 20 minute body weight HIIT 

So that's my week but as its only the first one I'm full of enthusiasm let's hope I can continue with this for the whole 12 weeks. 

Why I quit the low FODMAP diet

So after having some tests done and then coming back as 'normal.' The GP suggested I try a low FODMAP diet. She printed me off some information for the Internet and sent me home to investigate further. 

For those of you who don't know...

I read so much contradictory information on the internet I ended more confused then I had started. Though I started on a Monday morning going for the more restrictive option just to be safe. I pack up a low FODMAP salad & had berries & carrot sticks for snacks-as I'm a girl who likes to snack. I had high hopes from reading the reviews that this might be what would finally make me feel better. 

What followed was 7 days of bad mood, bad skin and a lack of concentration and energy. I have never felt so low of energy in my life and that even following any long runs. I felt tired, super tired and all I wanted to do was lie in bed and not talk to anyone. I searched the Internet for evidence of anyone of similar and it was suggested that it might be down to a lack of food/sugar. 

What you see above are low FODMAP almond cookies. I baked these to sort my problems but then read I could only have 2 a day because of the use of almonds. They were tasty and I certainly didn't feel I was depriving myself of everything but they didn't solve the problem. 

What made the diet harder was that my stomach problems didn't improve. I was still getting dizzy and feeling naseous. I was still having painful stomach cramps after eating and I still felt like crap. After 7 days I stopped the diet because I was in pain and my mood swings were making me feel like I wasn't a very nice human being any more. 

I haven't written this post because I'm anti-low FODMAP. Quite the opposite I think a diet that means many people can now live pain free is an amazing thing. I however couldn't maintain my normal lifestyle while following it and really any diet that effects your day to day life isn't worth doing. I'm also writing this as when I googled I only found positive comments about how amazing it was. I wanted to put a balanced view and say that if the restrictiveness doesn't work for you then try something else. I can't say what else to try but life is to short to stay on a diet that makes you unhappy.