What's a Beep Test?

If the only type of fitness you have ever done was PE at school, then you may never have had the pleasure of coming across the dreaded beep or Bleep test as it is known.
The test is a way of measuring a person's aerobic fitness - or maximum oxygen uptake (V02 max).
The test is made up of 23 levels with each level lasting approximately one minute. Each level comprises of a series of 20m shuttles with a starting speed of 8.5km/hr. This increases by 0.5km per hour each stage. So, what's the point you may wonder?
With training it is possible to improve your oxygen uptake and the beep test is a simple tool to mark your progress. And in terms of improving your fitness and sports specific goals it is worth being able to improve your V02 max levels.
Why? During most forms of exercise, the body depends on oxygen to help provide the nergy it uses. It is extracted from the air by the lungs and transported via the blood to the working muslces. As intensity increases, there's an increase in the body's demand for oxygen.
But at a certain point, oxygen demand can not satisfy the muscles and the body switches to anaerobic (without oxygen)metabolism. The only disadvantage to this is that the body can only sustain high rates of energy production for a short while. Therefore, improve oxygen uptake and you are more liklely to avoid the high levels of fatigue that come with anerobic methods.

Diet measuring tools

Further to my earlier post, it's always a good idea to check your portion sizes every two to three months as it's easy for them to slowly creep up. and more often than not, portion size is the main cause for why dieters fail to lose weight despite changing what they are eating.

Salter Nutri-Weigh & Go Kitchen Scales, £44.03 (www.dietandfitnessresources.com)
This handy litle device calculates calories, percentage of calories from fat, cholesterol, fibre, protein, as well as GI values for over 1400 foods, ingredients and liquids. It's perfect for those people who are commmitted to weight loss as it helps to educate you about foods.

Adjust-A-Cup 4 in 1 measure, £9.75 (www.decuisine.co.uk)
Forget having to buy four separate measuring cups. This dishwasher safe piece of gadgetry measurs pits, cups, ounces and millilitres. And unlike many other measuring devices on the market, it is suitable for use with dry and wet ingredients.


The Diet Plate, £19.99 plus £3.99 (www.thedietplate.co.uk)
One of the simplest and most ingenious ideas, this correct portion sizes for carbohydrates, protein, and veggies marked out on the plate. Of course, there's always the option to build a potato skyscraper upwards but here's hoping you wouldn't!

cooks Dry Measure, £8.0 (www.mykitchencupboard.co.uk)
This is a favourite of this particular Fitbitch as you can use it to check your dry ingredient portion sizes (over eating of the muesli is a particular weakness) and can be used for cooking too.

Portion Distortion

Nowadays, most people don't even register how big the cakes, muffins and sandwiches are in coffee chains. Over the last five years, portion sizes have got out of control and as our minds get used to what we're served, so our own meal sizes spiral out of control - and our weight.
So, how do you know the right amount you should be eating?

Follow this simple guide to help you in eating the correct portion sizes..

Grain Products
What One Serving Looks Like
1 cup of cereal flakes - The size of a fist
1 pancake - A compact disc
½ cup of cooked rice, pasta, or potato -½ of a baseball
1 slice of bread - A cassette tape
 
Fruits and Veggies
What One Serving Looks Like
1 cup of salad green - A baseball
1 medium fruit -A baseball
½ cup of raisins - A large egg
 
Dairy and Cheese
What One Serving Looks Like
1 ½ oz. cheese - 4 stacked dice
½ cup of ice cream - ½ baseball
1 cup serving of milk, yogurt, - The size of a fist
 
Meats and Alternatives
What One Serving Looks Like
3 oz. meat, fish, and poultry - Deck of cards
3 oz. grilled/baked fish - Chequebook

 
Fats
What One Serving Looks Like
1 teaspoon of oil -The size of your thumb tip

The Science of Weight loss

In yesterday's Observer Sport, Olympic windsurfing medallist, Bryony Shaw was interviewed and talked about how she burns fat by training in the morning before eating.
'I'll do it first thing in the morning before eating so that I know I'm burning off calories from my stores.'
How does this work?
The body holds around two hours worth of energy in the muscles and it's only when this is depleted that energy from fat stores is used. So, it's generally believed that if you exercise on an empty stomach you will get to these fat stores more quickly. If you want to further ensure this, stick to a meal of protein for your supper which will help to deplete glycogen stored in the muscles further. Of course, you have to weigh this up against having the energy to exercise - if you end up so tired you can't exercise for as long or as hard then re-think your strategy.

Delicious days

Most people think that dieting means having to cut things out and deprive yourself. But turn it around by exploring what foods are out there that you've never tried, or experimenting with new recipes. There's no better time than the summer to do it when there's so much fresh produce around.
This weekend with temperatures reaching plus 20C, myself and friends opted for a BBQ, having red mullet stuffed with lemon and capers and gilthead bream with lemon and bay leaves, servied with sliced fennel and radish salad in lemon juice and a red onion and fresh tomato salad. Delicious, high protein, low fat meal.

The New Nike Lunar Glide

Last night I was invited to the unveiling of the new Nike trainer, the Lunar Glide which has been two years in production.
Held at their new pop-up cum- art installation store, 1948 down a small alley in the ultra cool district of Shoreditch in London, we were first treated to a potted history of the Nike trainer.
Hard to believe now but the iconic ticked brand only started in 1968 with the first shoe, the Cortez in 1968. This was follwed by the invention of the infamous 'waffle' shoe created by co-founder, Bill Bowerman who hit upon the idea after pouring rubber into his' wife's waffle machine to create grip.
Since then, Nike has gone through the 'Air' phase but now, they've created a female specific shoe that works for both a over pronator (someone who rolls in when they run) and someone who is neutral. How does it work?
Instead of a hard inner support for overpronators, the shoe has an angled sole so if you are neutral you get soft cushioning. Overpronate and your foot will roll and be supported by a harder structure beneath the cushioning.
it's a sound idea as often you can be a neutral runner until you tire. This can lead to changes in the way you run turning you from a typically neutral runner to someone who overpronates.
The shoe will hit stores in July priced £80.

Meeting with the Lucozade Sport Science Academy Team

Last Friday, I made a last minute decision to go up to Loughborough University to the Fit Pro convention (www.fitpro.com), a meeting of some of the leading international names in sports specific fitness, holistic exercise and nutrition.
It involved an early 5am start and bleary eyed driving but it was well worth the effort.
I met with Nick Morgan who is a sport scientist at The Lucozade Sport Science Acamdemy (http://www.lucozade.com/sport/science/about/LSSATeam.aspx) who talked about the impact optimal nutrition can have on physiological adaption.
In short, the fact that training break down the muscle fibres so if you get the right amount of protein, you will see the best results.
This doesn't have to mean gulping down protein shakes and spending a fortune on bars as you can get all this from food sources. But if you are training hard as triathlete Michelle Bletso (who was at Fitpro), then shakes and supplements can be the only way. Once a Ironman competitor, Michelle has just qualified to race in the European Championshis at Olympic distance.
Her training comprises of: 2 x 6k swims, bike interval/brick sessions, a 3hr bike rid and 3 x runs comprisinga base build and 2 interval sessions.That's a week. Not surprisingly, her calorie intake is high (over 4000) and in order to eat enough, she has to supplement or face having to graze all day. Plus, the first hour straight after training is when you need to get the food in for maximum repair. For this situation protein shakes seem like a sensible choice.
So, if you're going to have protein supplements what should you look out for? It shold contain the eight amino acids, the most signifcantbeing leucine. This acts as a trigger mechanism for protein synthesis although it won't work alone. Of all the protein supplements available, Whey Protein contains the best source at 14%.
Phew, god that was a serious posting!

Stuffed roasted mushrooms

Want a quick, healthy dinner or lunch? In between training personal training clients, writing a feature and making sure I have eaten something sustaining but low fat before swim training I made these delicious mushrooms in ten mins.

two Portabella mushrooms
two cloves of garlic
1/2 lemon
2tbs low fat cottage cheese
5 cherry tomatoes

Squeeze the lemon juice over the mushroom 'gills'. Crush the garlic and then add the cottage cheese and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and put in the oven for 10-15 mins. Serve with a salad of green leaves, raw beetroot and carrot.

A recipe to inspire...

Most people think going on a diet means deprivation and misery. But turn it on it's head and think of it as a way of exploring foods and recipes that you've never tried before - these two are delicious!

Thai Slaw
Thai Coleslaw Salad
A variation of a recipe from the Daily Raw Cafe
Serves 4

Dressing

1 tbsp agave nectar
Zest and juice of one lime
1 tsp minced ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Slaw
4 cups Napa cabbage, finely shredded
2 cups red cabbage, finely shredded
1 cup carrot, finely shredded
1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced

Combine all dressing ingredients in a small food processor. Process until well combined. In a large bowl, combine all slaw ingredients. Pour dressing over slaw ingredients and toss well. Allow to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving, although overnight is best. Enjoy!!

Another delicious recipe!
http://kalofagas.blogspot.com/2007/11/poached-john-dory-fillet.html


Blogs of note
http://www.khiewchanta.com

Get in shape in a flash

If you're a Brighton & Hove resident, you may be interested in hearing about a new concept in women's only fitness camps, the Fitbitch Boot Camp. Visit www.fitbitchbootcamp.blogspot.com for more details.

All the fun at the fair - The Vitality Show

Last Friday, I was a press guest at London's Vitality Show which was heaving with women . Forget the fitness classes and diet stalls - most women were too busy elbowing each other the way to the freebies on the food stalls. Not that I did of course.
But fitness classes that seemed particularly popular were the Iamsuperchick.com, a boot camp aimed at London women, Wii Fit and Beaucamp Pilateshttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif ().
This last I had a go of and let me tell you, it was very good.
This is super charged Pilates on Reformers. Forget the slow breathing and movements of a traditional class. Instead, this works the body in such a way that you get the benefits of old school Pilates - lengthening and toning of muscles - as well as the fatburn. Genius.

Get running girls!

I'm all for anything that helps motivate women to exericise and Nike have hit on a great idea. They've launched the Men vs Women challenge.

Log on to www.nikeplus.com and you can join an official online running challenge using their Nike+ system (This is a small device that fits in your shoe that logs how far you run,£19.99 although you need to plug it into an IPod Nano).

Starting on 13 March and ending 20 April, the world’s largest running club, www.nikeplus.com, will tally the kilometers of men and women who join an official Men vs. Women online running challenge using the Nike+ system, £19.99.

This is a small device that fits into specially adapted Nike+ running shoes and transmits data wirelessly to an iPod nano, an iPod touch or Nike+ SportBand. Information on time, distance, pace and calories burned during a run can then be stored on www.nikeplus.com.

The men vs women's challenge though will seek to see who are the stronger sex by seeing whehter it's women or men who log the most kilometres. Plus, there will be individual champions for the following three categories: total kilometers, average kilometers per runner and the most kilometers run by an individual in a 24-hour period.

“The inspiration for the campaign actually came directly from a consumer who posted the Men vs. Women challenge nearly two years ago,” said Enrico Balleri, Director of Brand Connections, Nike EMEA. “In 2008, it was one of the most popular challenges on Nikeplus.com, with runners contributing nearly 2.5 million kilometers. Nike+ has always been about communicating directly with runners, we are excited that the Men vs. Women concept is born from the nikeplus.com community.”

I've been asked to be part of the challenge in their media corp so I'll let you know how I get on! In the meantime, check out their ad featuring Eva Longoria, Paula Radcliffe and a whole host of names!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLyFlDAikac

The Vitality Show - Kensington Olympia

Fitbitch will be off to The Vitality Show this Friday, although if you fancy a bit of pampering or want the chance to try out some new exercise classes, it runs until Sunday.

AT the Zest Fitness Class, you can try out a dance class or workout, or check in for a massage or reflexology at The Vitality Day Spa.

Tickets cost £14.50 in advance or £17.50 on the door. For all the latest news and information on the show, visit www.thevitalityshow.co.uk or call 0871 230 5569 to book your tickets.


For those who can't make it, I'll be blogging about the show next week.

How to transform your running

Experts who analyse the way the way that your feet and ankles move while running are now a familiar sight in sports shops, with Nike Town and Asics both launching services in their London flagship stores recently. But increasing numbers of sports performance and rehabilitation experts are now offering cutting edge video gait analysis that looks at the entire body.
'It's only when you study the entire kinetic chain, from the feet right up to the top of the head, that you get a true picture of what's going on,' explains sports performance analyst, Mitchell Phillips of StrideUK who works with athletes, every day runners and those undergoing rehabilitation. 'This enables us to provide a complete biomechanical profile, which can pinpoint potential weaknesses and prescribe corrective exercise and shoe wear to transform sports performance and prevent injuries from occurring.'
This all sounds interesting, but is it really any more useful than popping into your local running shop for free advice?
I was interested in finding out as in the last six months alone, I have been recommended three different types of trainers based on advice from running shops. This has ranged from a neutral shoe to motion control trainers. I'd opted for motion control but the niggling knee pain I'd hoped the shoes might help solve persisted.
To start the analysis, I was first marked with small stickers on 26 different places on my body including neck, lower back, hips, knees and ankles. This helps to pinpoint more accurately how the legs, hips and knees track while running.
to help pinpoint more accurately how the body tracks
Then, I was asked to run on a specialised Sprintex treadmill, both barefoot and in my trainers.
Compared to traditional gym treadmills, with a single belt which propels the body forward unnaturally, the Sprintex model has separate slats which recreate the natural motion of running. And because it can work in reverse, you can be filmed running both from the front and back, as well as from the side.
'It's vital to get this three dimensional view to see what is happening to the body, ' explains Mitchell. 'For instance, if you only view someone running from the back you can't see the way their knees track, which is a great way to identify poor hip and core function; if it tracks inwards, it's often the gluete that are the problem.'
After both static and dynamic tests were completed, Mitchell and co-partner Elle Phillips, then took me through the video analysis, as they do with all clients.
'Giving our clients a visual playback of their running technique provides them with a much better understanding of whats going on,' explains Elle. 'And they're more likely to follow the exercises we prescribe as they can see the issues.'
The video analysis involves slowing down the film and being able to see the entire body in action, including the feet and legs on a split screen with and without trainers. This helps you to see whether the type of trainer you are wearing are doing the job of helping to control any unwanted motion.
Thankfully, my running shoes – Asic GT 2130, controlled my pronation at mid foot, as Elle showed by a line digitally drawn on the video from the inside of my heel to ankle.
What was not so good was seeing how my knees almost touched as I ran, particularly on my right side, indicating weak glute muscles. These were failing to control the inward tracking of my knee, helping to explain my pain. And from sa ide view, my heels were failing to kick up high enough – the ideal should be that they from a right angle – which highlighted weak hamstrings.
'Many runners focus on strenghtening their quads – the muscles in the front of the thigh, thinking it is these muscles that propel you forward while running,' explains Mitchell. 'But these are primarily engaged with controlling the downforce of the running motion, and it's the hamstrings which work to accelerate forward movement.'
At the end of the asssessment, I was given an in-depth report, including a series of exercises to help strengthen my muscles and increase flexibility. The report also included a list of recommended running shoes specific to my unique biomechanical blueprint.
Although prices for this kind of service vary around the country, most start at around £100. It may sound steep but if you're serious about your running, or you want to safeguard against injuries that could set back your training or cause serious problems in the future, this service is invaluable.
'Poor running technique is single biggest cause of back and knee injuries, and this analysis can help prevent these injuries developing,' says Mitchell Phillips. 'Plus, if you want to improve your tennis playing or swimming you book a lesson. Why not do the same with your running  as it could help transform your performance.'

for more information about StrikeUK visit www.strideuk.com. Prices start at £75.
Matt Roberts also offers Biomechanical Service, starting at £100. Visit www.mattroberts.co.uk.

Super stair climbing

This morning, 600 runners took part in Britain's first organised race up a London sky scraper. The winner was Rolf Majcen, 42, who travelled from Austria who summited at 4minutes and 57 seconds.
While taking on a high rise building might seem out of your fitness league, running up stairs is an excellent way of challenging your fitness and helping to strengthen - and tone - the legs and bottom.
Start off slowly by trying to run up a flight of stairs a maximum of three times, and work your way up until you can do it ten times without stopping, Try and pump your arms and move your feet as quickly as possible and vary it; go up one at a time the first time, alternated with two steps at a time the next.
Bringing this into your normal training will help challenge your body and it makes it less boring than always going on the same old, long runs. Give it a try.

Could Nordic diet be the secret?

Forget the Mediteranean diet, the latest diet to be touted as the most healthy both nutritionally and for weight loss is the Scandanavian diet.
their native fruits include blueberries, cowberries and cowberries (the names themselves make you want to eat them - like some kind of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory type fruits) which are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. And the high percentage of lean meat and fish, such as elk, reindeer andn herring are high in protein which have been shown to keep you fuller for longer. Might be worth a try if can handle a herring roll mop. What do you think?

Fitbitch Boutique Boot Camps

If you want to get the fittest you've ever been and ensure you have a fabulous beach body by the summer, book in for a Fitbitch Boutique Boot Camp, coming soon to residents of Brighton & Hove.
Unlike other fitness boot camps around, this will be exclusively for women and numbers will be kept to a maximum of 16 to ensure personal attention and a unique, supportive environment.
The camps will run for four weeks, four days a week and will include an optional diet plan, 24/7 text support and and a shared web forum. And by the end of it, you can expect to have lost weight, dropped inches and feel fantastic.
If you're interested in trying out a class before committing and being part of a unique fitness initiative, you can book in for one trial out class on Sunday 5th April, Monday 6th or Tuesday 7th.
Email Rachael at info@bodybalancefitness.co.uk or leave a comment here.

Download your fitness

In an ideal world, we'd all be able to afford a personal trainer to take us through our paces. Sadly, unless you're a Hollywood star that will remain as much of a dream as winning the London Marathon. But now there's a whole range of fitness applications that you can download to your IPhone or Ipod touch, which means you can get the next best thing - a fitness expert at the touch of a finger.

YogaTrainerLite, free
Always wondered how you do a downward dog? Got some spare time in the morning or before bed to do yoga but not quite sure how? This application has a huge variety of postures which are illustrated with pictures, along with written and voice guided instructions.
You can customise your practise by building your own sequence of postures, follow a pre-built sequence or just do a few postures, whatever suits. With sequences for both the beginner to the advanced, this is perfect for someone who doesn't have the time or money to go to a yoga studio regularly but needs guidance.

Ifitness, £1.19

Experts recommend that if you train regularly, you should change your exercise programme every four to six weeks. If you don't, you won't see any improvement in shape or fitness because your body will get used to the stimulus. The best way to do this is to book in with a personal trainer but this application is a great second best. It has a database of over 150 exercises, and it's even divided into muscles that it targets so you can focus on just your bottom or your core if you choose. Alternatively, opt for one of their pre-programmed routines, ranging from strength building to weight loss. You can even track your progress by logging your workout results which is sent automatically to your email.

Ipump Workout, free
To build strength, muscular endurance or simply to lose weight, this application can help. It includes two total body workouts so if you're unsure about how to put an exercise programme together, it's perfect. It includes images and videos of each exercise, as well as audio counting of each repetition. just like a personal trainer so there's no skipping out of doing the correct amount of repetitions. So, much like having a personal trainer on hand, there's no pretending you've forgotten how many you've done. You can also keep a log of the number of sets, repetitions and resistance that you perform which is a perfect way of ensuring that you progress and continue to challenge yourself.

RunKeeper Pro, £5.99
Whether you're new to running or you have started entering races, this is a brilliant application although it's only designed for the 3G Iphone. It uses the phone's inbuilt Global Positioning System so that runners, cyclists and even hikers can track the duration of their workout, pace, distance and even speed. This means, no more having to log on to mapmyrun before you go out for a run to check distance. Simply take your phone and it will do it for you. You can also download it onto your phone's dashboard and share the results with friends – if you dare!

BlueSpark Heart Monitor, £2.39
You can spend anything from £25 to over £200 on a heart rate monitor but now you don't need to with this nifty application. To use this you must have Apple headphones with a microphone or an Iphone 3G with inbuilt microphone. It's this which tracks the sound of your heart beat, either through a wrist or neck pulse, helping to provide your beats per minute as you exercise. Why is this important? If you know your heart rate, you can ensure that you're pushing yourself hard enough, and training in the right heart rate zone for your purpose. Ok, the motivation to push still comes from you but you're far more likely to do it if you can see the results for yourself. The downside is that you need to be somewhere quiet for the microphone to pick up your heartbeat and reviews vary on how accurate it is as you exercise.

Ipump Pilates, £2.99
If you take a Pilates mat class, likelihood is the teacher will gear the class to the weakest member in the group which is frustrating if you feel ready for more. The alternative used to be an expensive studio based class but now this affords another option. It has 63 images, videos and audio coaching and you can play music while you do it. For something so exacting as Pilates where you're trying to overcome years of poor posture or muscular imbalance, this is not the same as having someone watch you but it's a good start for helping you build your core strength.

** For all applications, read the limitations before downloading as some require extra system requirements in order to view videos.


Image by Free-StockPhotos.com

Core exercise four

In gyms and fitness shops up and down the country, Swiss Balls loom. But don't be tempted to even use one until you can do core exercises on the floor. So many times people get on these and do crunches with their feet moving, the ball bouncing up and down all signs that you're exericising incorrectly and using your back or muscles in your hips.
First of all, get the right Swiss ball for your height.
If you sit on the ball, your legs should form a perfecct right angle with the floor - if not, you've got the wrong size.
Now, roll slowly back so that the ball is in the small of your back.
Place your hands behind your head, but don't grasp them together and keep the elbows wide so they're just in the periphery of your vision.
Your feet should be flat on the floor hip width apart - if too difficult, widen them to give yourself a broader space of support.
Now,imagine that there is an apple between your chin and your chest and keep this in your mind as you slowly crunch up, breathing out as you do so and pulling up on your pelvic floor. HOld for a beat, and then return to the start position.
Do three sets of 20 ensuring you do not rock the body up or bounce on the ball.

The Celebrity Cycling Club

http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
When the rich and famous aren't working out with their personal trainers, many of them still make sure they lead an active lifestyle and burn the calories even while getting from A-B. Elle MacPherson, Madonna, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Pamela Anderson are just a few of the A-List who use their pedal power.
It's a brilliant way of getting your heart rate up, particularly if you find running difficult but make sure you work at it. Try finding a hill and cycling up it ten times, or cycle 1 minute at a difficulty rating of 6/10 with two minutes at 8/10.
Interval training like this will mean that you're burning calories even once you've stopped working out.
Try Evan's for a bike www.evanscycles.com (ask about their off season bikes for cheaper deals) or if you're after a cruiser like Pamela and Jennifer's, log on to www.nirve.com for a Paul Frank Cruiser. For the ultimate bling bike (not one that you'd ever be able to lock up outside your local supermarket) a Danish company has just created the Aurumania gold Bike Crystal Edition, a 24carat gold bike decorated with 600 Swarovski crystals for £71,987. Useful.

Express lunch

If you've been dieting for ages and never seem to lose any weight, the culprit could be your lunch.
Most people on a diet are good at starting the day on the right footing, and even manage to get the evening meal right.It's lunch times that most people fall down as they don't think they have the time to prepare anything and so grab something from a supermarket or sandwich shop. Little do you realise quite how many calories are lurking in what you pick up, even the so called healthy options.

Do you always manage to start off your day well with oats or cereal and then it all ends in failure come lunchtime? Most of the time it's because you end up starving and you have no choice but to grab something from a sandwich store or supermarket.

Pret Chicken Jalopeno Wrap contains 433 calories - add a coffee and you're looking at over 600.

EAT Ham and Mustard Salad is 363 calories

Starbucks Prawn Mayo sandwich, a shocking 496 calories

I could go on but you get my drift. Have one of these and then the additional hot drink, packet of crisps or even the odd bit of chocolate and you're looking at a vast part of your calorie intake.

Instead, try planning out some lunches during the day. Most people say 'Oh, but I don't have the time.' Truth is, it can take five minutes to make yourself a scrummy salad, or even throw a Convent Garden fresh soup in a pan.

Try this Salmon Salad with Chickpeas and Asparagus

Ingredients
Mixed salad leaves
Tin of pink salmon
50g chickpeas
Few tomatoes
1 spear of cooked asparagus
1/4 avocado (don't go overboard, they're high in fat)
Lemon juice to dress

Basically, bung together, squeeze with lemon juice and you're done. Delicious


Basically, all you nee

Core exercise three - Oblique plank

For the third exercise of the series, place your elbow below your shoulder and ensure your head, neck, hips, knees and ankles are all in line. Then engaging your core, raise up on to your elbow so that your body is in a straight line without dipping from ankles to head. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat three times and change sides.
As a beginner, start on your knees rather than coming up on your feet. To make it harder, come up on to your hand rather than elbow.
If you're pregnant or suffering from lower back pain avoid all of these exercises and see advice from a GP.

Core exericise two - The Plank

This is an exercise that my clients seem equally to love and loathe because it's a killer but it works. Only move on to this exercise once you have mastered the ability to roll down without falling down for ten repetitions.
Try the half plank first, once you can hold this for 3 x 1 minute, go on to the full plank. If your lower back hurts at any point, stop. This is sign that you're not using your core muscles properly and they need to be strengthened.

The Half Plank
Come on to your knees and lean forward, placing your elbows under your shoulders and your forearms flat on the floor. Your neck and hips should be in a diagonal line straight down to your knees without any dip in your lower back. if you're not feeling it anywhere, more your torso further forward and you will fill it in your core. Build up to holding for one minute. Repeat three times.

The Full Plank
Once you have mastered the above, come up on to your toes keeping your body in line as if you are a plank of wood. Keep engaging those core muscles, and keep your neck in line with your body, face down imagining there is a string coming from the crown or your head keeping your neck lengthened.

Pilates core exericise one

One of the most important group of muscles that are often neglected - or completly forgotten about are the core muscles. These are the deep muscles that effectively form a corset around the stomach, helping to flatten the abdomen, strengthen the back and improve your strength in every day life.
Whether you're starting to get fit just to feel a bit healthier, or you're training for a sport or a race, the core is vital. All limbs lead from this power house and if you get it strong, it will transform your life.
Most people find it difficult to activate the core muscles though, mainly because greedy muscles such as those in the bottom, hips and the six pack like to take over. So it's vital to start off slowly and learn to re-activate the connection between your mind and musculature.
Start with this exercise and once you can perform it well, go on to any of the next series that I will be posting.
Pilates Roll down
Sitting up right, feet on the floor about a hand's distance apart, bring both arms up in front of you parallell to the floor. Take a deep, slow inhalation. Now, as you exhale out of your mouth as if blowing slowly through a straw, curl down through the body aiming to curl the pelvis and lower back to the floor and the rest of the spine, one veterbrae at a time.
If you can only go half way without falling backwards or your feet coming off the floor, don't worry, keep practising. Your neck and head should come last as you exhale arms over your head.
Now, take a deep inhalation, roll your arms back over your head paralell with the floor and curl up, one veterbrae at a time from the head, neck all the way through the spine until you are sitting upright. Throughout it, focus on holding the muscles that you clench to stop yourself going to the toilet. The pelvic floor is part of the core muscles so activate this, and the rest will come into play.
Repeat 10 times.
It's vital that you don't progress with the core exercises until you have mastered this. If you're confused, let me know and I will explain more.
Follow this link for a video demonstration of a half roll http://www.videojug.com/film/pilates-half-roll-down

Best Diet Dinner

When it comes to losing weight, the most effective approach is to combine more exercise with a healthier diet. Forget the Atkins Diet, the F Plan, the Maple Syrup and all of those things. Ultimately, you need to eat less calories - around 500 per day to lose 1lb a week.
Talking to most people though, the thing they struggle with most is what to eat at dinner. It's a time when you're tired, your hungry and you end up overeating, either by nibbling when you're cooking or even eating a mini-meal before you've even got to the dinner table.
The best way of avoiding this is to follow these simple rules:
1) Try and plan what you're going to eat the morning before and have the ingredients ready at home so you're not tempted to grab something unhealthy on the way home.
2) Plan to make something simple that will only take 20mins.
3) Most importantly, eat something that don't make you feel like you're on a diet. Instead of thinking that you're depriving yourself by cutting out food, change the way you cook and add spices and herbs. That way, you're adding food not taking away.

I always tend to opt for fish dishes as they're full of protein, which makes you feel fuller for longer and best of all, fish is so incredibly low in calories. Tonight, I made Seabass with clams and mussels in a spicy tomato broth - and that one fillet of fish only contains around 200 calories. It's delicious..


Sea bass with Clams and Mussel Stew

Ingredients

Sea bass fillet
Salt and pepper to season
1/2 lemon, squeezed

Wrap fish in tin foil with squeeze of lemon and place in oven at 200 degrees.It should take around 15mins but you'll know when it's ready once it loses it's translucence and you can see the fish can fall away in big juicy flakes.

The Broth
Garlic
Chilli
Plum tomatoes
1tsp olive oil
Lemon juice
Seafood

Saute the tomatoes, garlic and chilli in the oil and lemon and then turn down on a low heat. keep adding a bit of water as needed until the tomatoes break down into a rich sauce. Add seasoning if needed and plenty more lemon juice. Add mussels and cockles (cleaned and debearded) and put lid on pan. Leave for 2-5mins until the shells open. Discard any that haven't opened and serve the rest.

Watch out next week as I will be posting a new core exercise to do every day.

Hey, sugar

I've blogged before about the hidden sugars that lurk in unsuspecting foods, but even I was shocked and caught unawares today.
While at the supermarket the other day, I grabbed a packet of the Food Doctor's new Spicy Stir Fry Seed Mix, mainly to throw on salads and give it a bit of a crunch and some added protein.
When I came to try it though, it tasted suspiciously sweet and when I checked the nutritional content, sure enough, it contained sugar. Why a brand that's tried to set itself up as a natural food source that's good for you feels the need to add sugar to something that blatantly doesn't need it I'll never know.
it got me to thinking of which other so called 'health' brands contain hidden nasties. I'll be on the lookout for any shocking hidden nasties that you wouldn't expect but if anyone else comes across any too, let me know.

Kate Hudson's bikini body plan

When it comes to celebrities, it's easy to imagine that they are naturally slim, and toned, as if they're produced on some factory line like some kind of Stepford Wife.
But the reality is, just like the rest of us mere mortals, they have to watch what they eat, as well as exercise to stay looking fantastic.
In this issue's US Weekly, trainer to the stars, Ashley Conrad has revealed a typical week's diet that her client, Kate Hudson follows.
One look at the plan shows the importance of sticking to a slow releasing energy breakfast like porridge, and an evening meal consisting primarily of proteins which helps prevent bloating. And rather than snacking on carbohydrates, Kate supplements her diet intake with protein snacks produced by Conrad.
Protein snacks are great as the body takes longer to digest this source of food, so it satisfies you for longer. But there's no need to shell out on expensive protein bars and shakes. Try a handful of almonds, a natural yoghurt or even some cottage cheese.
As celebrity diets go, this seems pretty well balanced and you certainly won't starve but it's good to see, purely to show that everyone has to work at keeping in shape.

DAY 1

BREAKFAST
One-half cup oatmeal in water
4 egg whites with 1 cup steamed spinach
One-half cup mixed berries
1 Clutch supplement pack

SNACK
1 Clutch Snak-Pak

LUNCH
6 oz mahi-mahi filet (never farm raised)
mixed greens salad (garbanzo beans, one-half avocado, tomatoes)
-1 tbsp. vinigarette dressing
One-half cup steamed brown rice
1 Clutch supplement pack

SNACK
Clutch Protein Shake

DINNER
6 oz organic chicken
Three-fourths cup quinoa
2 cups grilled vegetables your choice (no carrots or corn)
1 Clutch supplement pack

continue reading more for all 7 days worth of the menu

DAY 2

BREAKFAST
1 cup Go Lean Crunch cereal
1 cup unsweetened almond breeze milk
topped with one-half cup of mixed berries
Clutch Protein Shake
Clutch Supplement Pack

SNACK
Apple with 1 tbsp all natural almond butter

LUNCH
4 oz. grilled salmon
2 cups of mixed vegetables
One-half cup baked sweet potato
Clutch Supplement pack

SNACK
Clutch Snak-Pak

DINNER
6 oz baked halibut
Three-fourths cup barley
2 cups steamed spinach and brussel sprouts with garlic
1 Clutch Supplement Pack

DAY 3

BREAKFAST
Clutch protein shake with one-half of a banana, one-half cup pineapple, one-half cup mixed berries
Clutch Supplement Pack

SNACK
Clutch Snak-pak

LUNCH
6 oz. black Cod
2 cups steamed vegetables
1 cup brown rice
1 tbsp. low sugar low sodium teriyaki sauce
1 pack clutch supplement pack

SNACK
1 medium grapefruit

DINNER
4 oz. organic chicken
One-half cup wild rice
mixed greens salad with vinigarette dressing
1 pack clutch supplement pack

DAY 4

BREAKFAST
One-half cup oatmeal cooked in water with 1 tbsp agave nectar sweetener
4 egg whites with 1 cup grilled vegetables
Clutch Supplement Pack

SNACK
Clutch Protein Shake

LUNCH
Salad
3 cups mixed green salad leaves
6 oz organic chicken
One-half avocado
1 cup vegetables of your choice (not corn or carrots)
1 pack clutch supplement pack

SNACK
Clutch Snak-Pak

DINNER
4 oz fish of your choice (grilled, baked, or steamed)
2 cups steamed kale and broccoli with garlic
One-half cup wild rice
1 Clutch Supplement pack

DAY 5

BREAKFAST
One-half cup Nature’s Path Flax Plus Cereal
1 cup unsweetened almond breeze milk
4 egg whites with 1 cup broccoli, onion, and one-half avocado
1 pack Clutch Supplements

SNACK
Clutch protein shake

LUNCH
6 oz mahi mahi (not farm raised)
3 cups mixed greens salad with cucumbers, garbanzo beans, tomato
1 cup steamed brown rice
1 pack clutch supplement pack

SNACK
Clutch Snak-Pak

DINNER
4 oz organic chicken
1 cup grilled brussel sprouts
1 cup steamed kale
One-half cup mixed berries
1 pack clutch supplement pack

DAY 6

BREAKFAST
1 medium grapefruit
4 egg whites with steamed spinach
One-half cup oatmeal cooked in water with 1 packet of stevia sweetener
1 Clutch Supplement Pack

SNACK
Raw bell peppers spears
Clutch snack pack

LUNCH
3 cups mixed green salad leaves
6 oz organic chicken
One-half avocado
1 cup vegetables of your choice (not corn or carrots)
One-half cup quinoa
1 Clutch Supplement Pack

SNACK
Three-fourths cup mixed berries
One-fourths cup almonds

DINNER
6 oz baked halibut
Three-fourths cup barley
2 cups steamed spinach and brussel sprouts with garlic
1 Clutch Supplement Pack

Day 7

BREAKFAST
One-half cup oatmeal with 1 tablespoon agave sweetener
Protein shake (1 scoop whey protein powder, 8 oz unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze Milk,
One-half cup mixed berries, 1/2 banana, 1 cup ice)

SNACK
Handful of almonds

LUNCH
1 cup steamed brown rice
6 ounces black cod
2 cups steamed veggies

SNACK
Protein shake

DINNER
One-fourth cup quinoa
6 oz organic chicken
2 cups steamed kale with garlic

www.clutchbodyshop.com

Post race supper

I meant to blog about what you should eat following a half marathon. But by the time I'd made it and eaten it, I could barely get to bed let alone get out my laptop. So, here it is for anyone who is interested in knowing what to eat after a long race of 13 miles or more.
Sea Bream with lemon and caper sauce with assorted rainbow salad

Fillet of sea bream with skin on, salt and pepper to season
Place the sea bream in a frying pan, skin side down with 1tsp of olive oil.Place a pan on top to prevent it from curling up. Remove this after a couple of minutes and squeeze in liberal amounts of lemon juice and add 1tsp of capers. Keep on a low heat, and continue to spoon the sauce over the fillet until cooked. Takes about ten minutes.
You can grill the skin to make it crispy, which is delicious.

1st salad - Pea and cottage cheese
1tbsp of cottage cheese
1tbsp of cooked garden peas
1/4 diced avocado
1/2 roasted red pepper
Lemon juice
mixed together and dress with lemon juice.

2nd salad Spinach and raw beetroot salad
Shavings of raw beetroot
Fresh uncooked spinach
10g chick peas
Lemon juice, Dijon and vinegar to dress
If you've never had raw beetroot, try it - you will never go back. It's amazing! Combine all the ingredients, dress and use your hands to toss.
Serve.


This meal has an excellent mix of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Many people fall into the mistake of thinking that after a run like a half marathon - or sometimes even shorter - they need to carb up with huge platefuls of pasta and potatoes. Unless you're a athlete training every day, all this is going to do is make you put on weight.
yes, you burn through a lot of calories in a half marathon - 1800-2000 - but don't go overboard when you think of treating yourself after.
I've had many people ask me why they keep putting on weight, even though they're fitter and running more often. it's always due to diet, and the assumption that if you exercise you can get away with whatever you want to eat.
By all means, if you're aim is to get fitter and you don't care about your weight, exercising enables you to have a little bit more of what you fancy and you'll maintain your weight (or add to it depending how much you eat!). But if your aim is weight loss, don't forget that to lose just 1lb a week, you need to cut back 500 calories a day or 3500. That's the stark reality but a good thing to bear in mind.
A brilliant way to keep track of your calorie intake with zero effort is at www.weightlossresources.co.uk. it costs but it's so simple, it is a godsend if you're serious about wanting to shed the pounds whether your reason is to get bikini body fit, or because you're training.

Learning a lesson

Sorry for the lack of posts recently but my other job as a features journalist took me to Vegas covering the mad and the sad of the wedding world!
Anyway, I'm back and over the next month I'll be starting new posts including a killer exercise move of the week, celebrity workouts as well as a plan on how to get in bikini body shape by spring.
Today, I have to confess that I learned a lesson that I thought was worth sharing for anyone who is training for an endurance race.
After procrastinating for days about whether to take my place in the Sussex Beacon Half Marathon today,(www.sussexbeacon.org.uk/halfmarathon/) I decided to go for it. I've spent the last three weeks flying across two separate time zones, and have hardly done any running training, but I usually train so much I was confident that I'd be find.
But I didn't hydrate properly. I got up early enough to have porridge and fruit, a slow releasing carbohydrate that would get me through the 13 miles. What I didn't do was drink water.
It was all going so well, and I was on track for a personal best of just under 1hr 40mins. Then I hit the wall at 12 miles. it's never happened to me before, and it was not pleasant.
I had blurred vision and my legs felt like they weren't my own. Although I secretly wanted to duck out of the race so no one would see me shamefully crawling in over the finish line, I persevered and still got over the line in under 2hrs. But it was not a pretty sight.
So, just how much should you drink before a race of this distance? The advice I always give my clients (and totally ignored myself) is to drink at least 1 litre up to an hour before the race. Then, sip on a half a litre in the 30mins leading up to it. Of course, if you know you tend to want to run to the toilet after you've had a drink, change the pre-30min drinking accordingly.
Everyone talks about carb loading before a half or full marathon, but all too often hydration is missed. And this is just as vital - if not more so than nutrition.

Brazilian Bodies

One thing I never expected of Salvador is just how seriously they take their fitness - and their partying. I managed to get out and run most mornings in the 34 degree heat, and almost everyone I passed wore heart rate monitors. And then there's the supermarkets...forget packs of chewing gum and chocolate at the supermarket tills. Here, it was huge vats of Whey Protein.
You've got to wonder how they stay so lean as it's not that they don't enjoy themselves. By 11am most mornings, everyone was on the beach sipping on a beer and their food is not exactly low in the calorie stakes.
Moquecca, a big stew like dish is made with vast quantities of palm oil and coconut. And it's accompanied with rice, beans and a huge vat of polenta type meal. I didn't take to it.
Street food, acjarje was a little harder to resist but no less lethal for your thighs. Bought by West African slaves to Braziil, it's made out of a bean paste that's deep fried in palm oil. This is then split and is loaded with vatapa and caruru, pastes made from shrimps, peanuts and palm oil, as well as shrimps and hot chilli pepper sauce.
But it is easy to eat healthily wherever you are in the world - I'm off to Vegas next week to interview wedding couples marrying on Valentines. From there, I'll be blogging about the latest US fitness crazes and the food!

Salvador, Sun and Samba

After six days, several (hundred) Caipirinha, I finally got back from Salvador on Wednesday having had a fantastic trip.
I was out there with the charity, Bottletop, who raise funds for sexual health education in Brazil and Uganda, as well as funding ground roots initiatives to help local people. It may sound worthy, but the way the guys Cameron Saul and Oliver Wayman run the charity is an inspiration, as they use music and fashion as an avenue to generate interest.
During my stay, I interviewed many of the women from a local favela on the outskirts of Brazil who make amazing, intricate bags from discarded ring pulls which are sold in Fenchurch in Covent Garden. Amazing to think how another person's rubbish can prove to be a goldmine for these women whose lives have been changed since their involvement with the charity.
It wasn't all work though while I was there. I managed to fit in several nights of dancing at clubs that seemed miles out of the city. You'd buy a ticket through a tiny hole in the wall, be searched for guns on the way in, and then the hall would open up into a huge, pulsating mass of heaving bodies. And god, can the Brazilians dance. I felt like a granny at a wedding in comparison.

Brazilian oddessy

I'm off to Salvador, Brazil tomorrow morning where I will be working on a feature for a well known glossy magazine. It will be interesting and great fun - but as it's carnival too when I'm there, tricky to keep up my training for the Brighton Half Marathon in February 22nd.
But run I will have to do. I can't very well tell my personal training clients that they need to set aside time to do their exercise not to follow my own advice. And actually, as long as I don't overindulge on Caipirinha I should be OK.
There's usually nothing better than getting up early in a hot, humid country and taking to the streets just as everyone is getting ready for the day. It's like sightseeing and fitness all in one go.
So, I'll keep on trying to blog while I'm away, bringing you some new exercise suggestions that you can do anywhere, without the need for gym equipment as well as new healthy diet choices. cheers!

Spinach&feta parcel with garlic yoghurt

Strictly speaking - well, as in not in any way - is this a low carbohydrate meal. But it's a healthy, well balanced meal that will re-fuel you after a strenuous work out.
but this is where you have to be careful.
with the number of fitness snacks and isotonic drinks available on the market nowadays, many people mistakenly believe that this means, whenever you exercise you need to refuel your body. The truth is, you really only need to eat more if you're exercising to at a high level. Going down to the gym for an hour's work out or a 20minute jog, doesn't cover it. It's why so many people wonder why they put on weight - or why they don't lose any - when they start exercising.
Basically, be honest with yourself and really think about what your goals are, which falls into three broad areas;those that exercise so that they can eat and will maintain their weight, those who are exericising to lose weight and should be watching their diet too, and those who are training for an event and putting in a lot of hours doing so and need nutrition to fuel their workouts. I come somewhere between the last two.

Anyway, here's today's meal based on the fact that I did 20mins run, 20mins bike, 10mins run, 10min bike, and 40min strength training.

Ingredients
clove of garlic
1 red onion
1/2 fresh red chilli, sliced
2 large flat mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tin of tomatoes
1tbsp of tomato puree
1/2 tin of chick peas
handful of fresh spinach
Lebanese flat bread

2tbsp natural yoghurt
juice of 1/2 lemon
clove of garlic

Saute onion, garlic, chilli and mushrooms in 1tsp of olive oil and a little water. Add chick peas and tomatoes and puree and saute for five mins. Add spinach and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Place a large spoonful of the mixture into the middle of half a piece of flat bread. combine in an envelope shape, place in an oven proof dish.
Meanwhile combine the ingredients for the yoghurt dressing, place on top of the flat bread and place under a hot grill for five minutes. Serve with salad.

; if you're exercising so that you can eat and maintain your weight, fine. today, I undertook a strenuous interval training session. That's involving brick session run, bike, run, bike, followed by 35minutes of core and resistance work.
This is still a healthy meal that will

Salmon and seaweed wraps

This was a bit of a last minute, got nothing in the fridge kind of meal. I know, so perhaps most people don't tend to have Nori seaweed sheets in their cupboard, but that's just me.

Ingredients
cooked fillet of salmon, broken into pieces
Edamame beans
Quinoa (or brown rice if you prefer)
1/2 avocado, cut into pieces
Large tomatoe, diced
Fresh coriander, fresh

dressing
Fresh chilli chopped
2tbsp fish sauce
1tbsp rice wine vinegar
juice of one lime
Clove of garlic

Combine all the ingredients and dress. Wrap in seaweed sheet. And there you go.

Chilli and Lime Crab Cakes

I have to admit that being a pescatarian, it can be hard to come up with low carbohydrate based meals without resorting to cheese the whole time. And, I have been aware for some time (and someone else has pointed it out too) that I use quinoa a lot.
But I'm pulling out all the stops to be more imaginative for the last week of this month on this eating plan.
My aim was to lose half a stone - I haven't been on the scales yet but hmm, not sure I've done it. There's been a few cocktails in Soho House, a cake at Sanctuary Cafe in Brighton, the gorgeous fresh piece of foccacia from the new Italian on Wardour Street...er, I won't go on, you get the drift.
Still, if you're on a diet and you feel like you've fallen off the diet wagon, don't just give up. Sticking to it even 70% of the time is better than not at all.

Ingredients
1 tin of white crab meat
1/3 hot red chilli
1 tbsp low fat greek yoghurt
1 tsp horseradish
1/4 fresh lime juice
Handful of fresh chopped coriander
Beaten egg
cup of cooked quinoa (I know, it's reared it's head again - if you're not on a low carb diet though, you can use breadcrumbs, couscous or even millet).

Combine the crab, chilli, yoghurt, horseradish, lime and coriander in a bowl. Using your hands, make into small patties and leave to chill in a fridge (they can be quite soggy but should hold well in the pan). Dip in the beaten egg, roll in the quinoa and then shallow fry in a small bit of olive oil. Turn until browned and serve. This is also delicious with a few slices of apple - honestly!

Spicy mussel and quinoa broth

This morning, I started a new conditioning and strength programme as I train for my first sprint triathlon. Hence, I've been starving all day. Seriously, if you want to really, really relish your food, do some weight training. It makes you more hungry than cardio exercise.
So, this delicious protein meal that is very low in fat and carbohydrates is the perfect meal to help refuel your muscles (geddit, eh?)

Ingredients
Handful of fresh mussels, beards removed and scrubbed (it's easy, just tear the hairy bits out, scrub clean...if the mussels are open and don't close with a tap to the shell, don't use)
1/2 fresh red chilli
Juice of one lime
Crushed garlic clove
Slug of rice wine vinegar
Slug of Tamari
Slug fish sauce
handful of fresh tomatoes


Saute the chilli and garlic in a little olive oil. add the tamari, fish sauce, rice wine vinegar and lime. Taste for liking and then add the mussels, turn heat to simmer and put on lid. Within about two minutes the shells will have opened. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve on the quinoa.

Salmon, Celeriac and Soy bean salad with spicy sesame dressing

I've been a bit lax the last few days with posting recipes but I spent Friday having a bio mechanical assessment done with one of celebrity trainer, Matt Roberts staff (look out for my posting on this in the next few days). Then yesterday, I spent training a friend and going through her diet.
Like many clients, she has put on weight and can't seem to shift it - any diet fails because she feels like she's depriving herself and can't think of what new to cook. Even more reason for this month long food blog! But talking to her also raised another problem that so many people fall into when they diet - the feeling that they're having to cut back, or eliminate foods. The trick is to add things - spices and herbs can transform almost everything you make and instead of feeling like you're eating something boring, it opens up a whole new world. So, here's a spicy salad packed with fresh herbs.

Ingredients
Salmon fillet
2inches cucumber, grated
Chunk of raw celeriac, grated
1/5 of small red cabbage, chopped
1/4 avocado, chopped
handful of steamed soy (edamame beans)
handful of chopped basil, mint and coriander (each)
1 boiled egg

Dressing
2tbsps rice wine vinegar
1/4 fresh red chilli, chopped
1 garlic, crushed
1tbsp fish sauce
1 fresh lime
2tsps toasted sesame seeds
1tsp pumpkin seeds toasted


Roast the salmon in the oven. Meanwhile, combine all the raw ingredients in a bowl and use your hands to combine. to make the dressing, add all the ingredients together, mix well, taste and pour over the salad. Use your hands again to combine well, chop the egg and serve.

Ruby Grapefruit, Halloumi and Pine Nut Salad

So, yesterday's attempt to stick to a low carb/high protein diet was a disaster. Looking after my godchildren and cooking them dinner, suddenly I found myself inhaling their toasted cheese pitta and baked beans. One minute, it was on the plate, the next it had disappeared.
Anyway, today I'm back on the case with this fresh, citrus salad.

Ingredients
1tsp pine nuts
4 thin slices of halloumi cheese
2 chopped tomatoes
1/4 avocado
Fresh salad leaves
1/2 ruby red grapefruit
Fresh mint leaves
Lemon Juice to dress

Toast the pine nuts in a heated, non-stick pan until browned. Remove and then add the halloumi, turning once browned. Add to a bowl of fresh salad leaves, chopped avocado, tomatoes, grapefruit and mint. Dress with lemon juice. Yum!

Be aware though that if you have a lot of weight to lose, you might be better off replacing the cheese with a pancetta or lean smoky ham.

Salmon, nut and tahini salad

Unfortunately, I fell off the diet wagon yesterday after going out to see Slumdog Millionaire. I had good intentions - we were going out for sushi - but when that was closed we had Thai. With rice crackers and coconut curries.
Anyway, back on it today and today's lunch recipe which can easily be adapted for dinner is this delicious salad, even if I do say so myself.

Tin of salmon
2tbsp cooked quinoa
5 mixed nuts, chopped finely
tomatoes
2inches finely chopped raw leek
Dressing - 2tsp of tahini with 2 tsp of rice wine vinegar.

Combine all the ingredients and then dress.

The No Diet diet? God, when will it end?

With much fanfare, The Daily Mail today announced the launch of yet another celebrity diet guru. Today, it's the turn of US dietician, Esther Blum, to be in the spotlight with her book, Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous.
Esther's philosophy (no, hold your breath, you won't have heard of this before) is that self denial is bad and that we should eat chocolate, butter and even sip the occasional cocktail for while we've been told this is naughty food, it is infact the opposite.
Dark chocolate for instance contains ingredients that make the body release feel good chemicals (no kidding, Einstein!) as well as theobromine and anandamide which boost circulation. Butter, meanwhile enhances the immune system.
This is all well and good, but the very fact that her diet is endorsed by celebrities Sarah Jessica Parker, Sharon Stone and Teri Hatcher says it all. These celebrities are pretzel-thin - and look about as brittle. They NEED to eat some of these foods.
But there's a difference between nutritionally healthy food (I have no truck with the nutritional claims that Esther makes) and food that's 'good' for you when you're trying to lose a stone or more in weight. And I should know.
I've lost count of the times my personal training clients have said to me, 'But I eat really healthily - I have organic cheese, olive oil, dark chocolate and raw nuts but I'm not losing any weight.'
To most people with a real weight issue, setting up the idea that dark chocolate is nutritionally good is like giving someone the green light to eat it.
In contrast, Esther recommends eating 1oz of dark chocolate a day. Now, for the Teri Hatchers of this world, whose self control is strengthened by the job and the circles she moves in, that's all fine and good. For the rest of us...well, I know what I'm like if there's a bar of Green & Black's in my fridge...and I'm a personal trainer!

Spinach, mushroom and chick pea stew

Once a week, I'm allowing myself more relaxed carbohydrate rules and this is the day! On Saturday, I ran 13 miles in preparation for the Sussex Beacon Half Marathon on 22nd February, followed by three hours of beach volleyball (except, it was so cold the sand was like concrete). What with that and the fact that I've been in the gym for three hours devising Pilates style workouts for clients, along with swim specific training, my body is in serious need of some refueling!
This is adapted from a recipe in yesterday's Guardian Weekend magazine by Yotam Ottolenghi as I didn't have all the ingredients he used.

Tin of plum tomatoes
1 tsp tomato puree
4 tbsp tamarind (available from most good ethnic stores)- soak in boiling water, remove seeds
Tin of chickpeas
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 fresh red chilli, sliced
2 large handfuls of fresh spinach
Handful of chesnut mushrooms, sliced
2 1/2 tsps toasted coriander seeds, crushed
1 tsp of black mustard seeds
Low fat greek yoghurt to serve

To start, place the coriander seeds under a grill for a minute, remove and pound to a powder in a pestle and mortar. Meanwhile, saute the onion, mushrooms and chilli in a little olive oil for a five mins. Add the puree and mustard seeds. Cook for a few minutes, and then add the tomatoes, chickpeas, tamarind and coriander. Bring to the boil, add some water if needed, turn down and simmer with lid on. Keep your eye on it in case it gets a little dry but when it looks like a thick stew, add the spinach leaves, stir in. Serve on it's own with a dollop of low fat greek yoghurt, or add brown rice or quinoa.

Asian Salmon with seasame and chilli dressing

This is perfect for a quick meal or dinnner party.

For the fish
Clove of garlic sliced
Inch of fresh ginger, sliced
Spring onions, sliced
2inches fresh hot chilli, sliced
1/2 fresh lime
fillet of salmon

Shallow fry the garlic,k ginger, chilli and spring onion until the garlic is crisp and golden, but not burnt. Remove and drain on kitchen roll.
Place salmon in silver foil parcel, squeeze over the lemon and place the shallow fried veg on top. Place in an oven 200 degrees. Bake until cooked. Meanwhile make the dressing.

Dressing
Splash of rice wine vinegar
Spalsh of Fish sauce
Dash of soy sauce
1 clove of crushed garlic
Fresh chilli to taste
Lime juice
Pinch of seasame seeds
Mix well together and use to dress the fish and salad. I've served this with a fresh leaf and quinoa salad but you could have wholegrain rice or steamed greens.