Fitness Thursday #4 Diva Derriére

If only we had South American ancestors...

For those who aren't loving the French inspired post, Derriére is another word for your buttocks, gluteals, bum etc etc I am currently nursing just below my hip bone as I have pulled mine badly, so badly I needed ibuprofen gel this morning. Nevertheless, you don't get a bikini bum without a fee pulled or sore muscles along the way - pain is gain! (but don't over do it please! I just went a bit mad on weights)

Ok, so I am not a big fan of squatting, I was in Summer and I tried that 30 day squat challenge and it gave me stretch marks!! Squatting only targets one area of your glutes so you need to mix it up a bit. Here are my favourite exercises to get an incredible derriére - the sooner the start the less you will need to do in your panic workouts two weeks before you go on holiday!

Top Tip - hover over the pictures to save to Pinterest to take with you to the gym!

6-8 Reps 3 Sets

WIDE LEG DEAD LIFT

Wide Leg Dead lift
 Select a weight suitable to your strength
(in hamstrings and glutes, somewhere between 4kg and 9kg)

With legs wide, bend at the hips only, not knees,
stand up using just hips
You should feel this in your bum and back of your legs.

CROSS BACK LUNGE

Cross Back Lunge - Select a 3kg-7kg medicine ball
 (can do exercise with out weights)

Step back with one leg, push weight through front heel, bend both knees

JUMP WOOD CHOPS

Complete for 1 minute (30-50) - 3 sets 

Stand with legs together, weight above head (4kg ish)
Jump into a sumo squat whilst taking weight between legs
Jump back up to legs together with weight above head 

OPPOSITE ARM LEG SUPERMAN

Great for back, abs and bum

Lie on your front and lift opposite arm to leg into the air, hold for 5 seconds,
 release and repeat on the other leg for 10 times on each side

If you don't have weights, do more reps and sets - till you can feel the burn basically! 

Do this routine for 15 minutes after 20 minutes of cardio for best results. Please stretch before and afterwards (we don't want Boots to run out of ibuprofen gel as I need it all) 

Happy toning!

RHS x

Lush 'Soft Coeur'

I think I became hooked with his product because it had a French word in it. That is a great reason to buy a product and would throw market researchers off course in a matter of seconds. I'm not a great lover of Lush, seeing as everyone I know (myself included) has some skin disorder ranging from mild dry patches so out of control eczema and Lush wouldn't be the place we could find steroid cream. However, for the odd things I can't help myself.

This is a massage bar, which I bought about three weeks ago and have only used twice. I thought it was more like a muscle rub but apparently, according to their website, it is a "Sweetly romantic massage bar with a soft cocoa and honey centre" - and they suggest putting a towel down before use as it can get "messy" - I was simply hoping to use it after an over-extrenuous gym session. Which is what I have used it for, so I'm throwing their instructions out of the window. 

For some reason I managed to pull my hamstrings and glutes in the gym yesterday, which I haven't done in ages and they hurt so much that I couldn't manage a run today in fear I'd need muscle replacement or something. So I reached for "Soft Coeur" when I got out the shower and it literally melts as soon as it enters your hands. Having a huge candle lit and the heating on didn't help its messiness, nevertheless the smell is incredible. It feels like a thick cream that melts into your skin and leaves you silky soft. I got the inner physio in me out with the old thumbs in the muscle technique, which was surprisingly a lot easier without the smell of deep heat or ibuprofen gel. 

So I am feeling a little less sore in the muscle department and very relaxed thanks to honey, cocoa and shea butter ahh. Now just to sleep off these pulled muscles... 

RHS x 

Kalinka

I don't know why I'm writing this post. I think I might get rather told off if I don't write it (it isn't very much in my favour). This post is about last night, for the first time I went to Kalinka in Middlesbrough on a Saturday - the usual time to go is every 4th Thursday with uni, but I didn't go then either - My first impression was quite good - I learnt that anyone who lives south of Leeds is classed as "posh" - As my wrist was strangled with the wrist band he was putting on - but when I said I was from "Derbyshire" he imitated me in a very Chelsea-esque way and said anything with "shire" on the end is posh - there we go. Learn something new everyday. 

But I'm skipping about two hours here. None of my flat went out (Sarah was ill and snuggled up on the sofa watching X Factor with M&S chocolate rolls - I had one when I got back, thanks Sarah. Natalie was somewhere up North (further up North) watching someone at the Sage... Kodaline? - I felt like I was there after receiving about two minutes of their concert) so it was just myself, Rachel, Andy, Mark, Hazel (where did she go?) and Tom. I got to Rachel's to find I had forgotten my watch (I basically could have been naked - it was weird) but I wasn't harassed crossing the high street - maybe for the fact that there were Police everywhere - but still, quite a good crossing there. I had bought a bottle of wine (only half due to Tuesday's antics) and arrived to find Rachel FaceTiming (is this an official verb?) several people and already fairly squiffy, I needed to catch up. So much to say that I did and ended up taking several too many snapchats of Rachel dancing to her "commercial house" music and Tom trying to get his JD into his Coke can - this requires an immense amount of concentration. 

Moving on... We arrived at Kalinka and had the already stated "posh-banter" (panter? maybe not...) with the bouncers and headed to the bar - so it was £2.50 for a double vodka and mixer but £3.05 if you wanted it with cranberry juice! - what a rip off... It was a cocktail for £3 so I swiftly moved onto those for the rest of the night - I believe I was having a Strawberry Woo Woo, of which my second came in a glass tankard. Lad. The music was amazing, if you've been to Bijoux in Newcastle on a Tuesday night it was like that with songs mashed together, changing after a minute or so, that keeps the night going. Of course it was time for a Miley tune in which I had "TWERK"shouted at me... now, I know it is in my distant heritage to be able to but I really really cannot (sorry to disappoint) so I just said that I'd perform a "gym-esque" squat - which was accepted then I was accused of my squat being "more than a squat" - I was just performing my gym exercises - so embarrassing. I then initiated a tete-a-tete with my Kit Kat Chit Chat partners (I had to swap sessions so basically I am a traitor to Charlie and Tom was claiming he's a better KKCC partner - I didn't and will not disclose my opinion but it was funny to watch them) 

The night began to draw to a close when the boys decided they wanted a takeaway - we walked outside - I hobbled at this point, I haven't worn heels like those since the summer so my feet were broken and completely abused. I was on the verge of tears - far too much dancing is a great reason for your feet to hurt - so I did the unthinkable and the unforgettable and the unforgivable and took my shoes off - I thought this would be easier then it turned out to be, but it felt amazing to take them off. There is one thing that was worse than me taking my shoes off outside - Mark being sick in Middlesbrough Train Station - classy... especially when Tom screamed "did you hear that! haha he's just been sick!" it wasn't a pleasant sound. 

I was virtually carried to the takeaway (due to my feet hurting, not intoxication) where I put my shoes back on - I am a trooper - and sat whilst everyone else ate their takeaway - I was laughed at when I said I was going home to have porridge as my end of night "treat" - don't judge.

We got into the taxi and I realised that I had been tweeted saying that I hadn't ever been seen so tipsy or "drunk" as Tom put it and Andy saying that I had "twerked the life" out of myself - which I didn't, I was just giving my quads a good work out, which, last time I checked, isn't twerking. If you want Twerking, you need Tom Perkins - he puts Miley to shame. I explained my workout routine if I were to have a takeaway - It would last about 4 days and comprise of a 20km run - yes, really. Tom informed me that he ran home to begin to burn off his burger and said that I was an inspiration - I'm flattered that I reach so many people (just Tom) with my fitness beliefs. 

It was a great night. And no, I wasn't drunk or anything like that but in second year I haven't gone out very much so when I do I always make sure its a good night. Which it so was!

I am surprisingly awake, alive and un harmed considering the alcohol consumption #winning 

Time to finish that seminar work... 

RHS x 

Fitness Freak

Ok, before you freak out at the amount of protein bars I have (this is half of what I bought) I always eat a protein bar after a workout and oh my I can see why boys have protein shakes. I would only advise you taking them if you want to build muscle, not if you're trying to lose weight (even the diet ones) because after working out for 4 days a week and having a protein bar before and after each workout I put on about 5 lbs. 

An average chicken breast is around 21g of protein, I've had protein bars with 35g of protein in them before - admitted it was like chewing grainy nougat and the flavours are never amazing (lets face it whey protein isn't that nice to eat, only to drink) but that much protein after a two hour workout is going to bulk up your muscle - you have to do some weight training (after your cardio!!) obviously it doesn't build muscle from fat - that would be incredible. 

So I raided Holland and Barrett (THE most expensive place to buy protein-  but these were all on offer so its all fine). They didn't have my favourite bar (PhD Women recover and tone) but these will work just as good and surprisingly the "diet" Protopure have the highest protein in them at 20g. Ruth's advice = take with water and eat before 30 minutes after your training. 

So onto the other little things in the picture. My Debenhams shop. Oh dear, they are going to hit record profits today after I just bought two items. This sports bra was £38 but it is so worth it. 10 years of running does no girls any good (speaking from no experience - none. Maybe some) but the more support = the better. It was only this much because its Shock Absorber and its the high intensity running one (sprinting/ long duration). Trust me they last forever and there is no bounce (I jumped up and down a bit in the changing room - lavely). 

The capris (I hate that word), the 3/4 running lycra from X:PG By Jenni Falconer, I have a pair of Adidas capris (3/4s) so I decided to try on the Adidas lycra they had in Debenhams - from no bounce in the sports bra to everything wobbles and jiggles in the lycra. I was shocked at how unsupportive the Adidas ones were (considering how good my other pair are) and when you're running you don't know who is going to be behind you! so I tried these one and they fit like a glove, are so thick they give extra support and they are breathable. So now someone can be on the bikes behind me in the gym won't think a 60 year old saggy lady is running in front of them - delightful! 

Stay trimmed, tight and toned 

RHS x 

p.s. eat protein - lots of it

p.s.s. sorry to the boys for my explicit descriptions. 

The Week Edit #1

Its safe to say that this week has been busy (even with two days off - not including the weekend... I need to make sure I don't get used to that). It was my first week of lectures and lots of firsts for that matter! Each week on a Sunday (after several hours of reading confusing, not always boring, long textbooks, after all "you read for a degree", alright then) I'll put together a collage, a visual delight to show my week in pictures... 

1. Creeps It was my first night out with Natalie this academic year, we went to Creeps in Middlesborough, last year we had a 9am lecture the morning after whereas this year we have a 12pm and a 1pm start! which means we can have two sambucas (and several cocktails)

2. Postgraduate dinner I played the piano on Friday night for 120 postgraduates from John Snow and Stephenson College, which was followed by a comedy night and far too much Domino's. 

3. Purdey's Rejuvenate This week I found a drink thats caffeine free and full of B vitamins to slowly release energy from your food so you get a little lift which is definitely required when "reading for your degree" 

4. Stockton Vintage Market Ah how I love my new tea set from the vintage market, it was £6.50 for a bone china cup, saucer, side plate, tea spoon, apple and cinnamon tea bag and 6 shortbread fingers! High Tea round mine! 

5. KitKat ChitChat I wear a yellow t-shirt and give people kitkats with other members of the rep team, my partner is Charlie and bless him it was his birthday and he had to leave football training early - but we had a great time chatting to the new freshers from Mezzino - please excuse this awful photo of me. 

6. Business Law This was the first textbook to arrive from Amazon at a very cheap £40 (not the most expensive!) and I thought it was going well till I realised we had to read to chapter 3 before tomorrow, chapter 3 beginning on page 63, I am very happy to say I have finished it! #teacherspet so much so I began reading it on Tuesday night... when everyone else went to KU, awkward. 

7. Gym! I went for my first run last week for the first time in 3 months and I am so glad I was able to complete it. The Injury is still there but getting so much better, and what better way to finish a workout than with a protein bar?! 

8. The First House Party was held last week and everyone was very sober (as shown by Mike in this dashing photo), we played a few tiny pranks involving rubber ducks and I promised a blog post which is now my 8th most read post! Yay! 

Have a good week!

RHS x

Chronicles of the Gym #1

My usual Saturday morning consists of awaking rather early having porridge and getting ready for the gym. 

Nothing unusual about that. 

I arrive at the gym and its surprisingly busy - I'm guessing everyone (like me) has returned from their holidays and has piled on the pounds. 

Anyway - usually on a saturday morning the weights section is dominated by the bulkier boys of the gym - today was no different. I'm talking vest that would hide more if they weren't worn, tracksuit bottoms to show the Calvin's and trainers that probably cost £3,000 but are awful for the gym, Great. Not really great... they stare at themselves in the mirror so much they wouldn't notice Mila Kunis walk in naked. 

I had finished my 40 minutes of cross-training and headed to the weights section - dripping with exercise juices (its the nicest way) - I clearly have put the pounds on because I never normally get that hot - the fat was melting (haha)

So I found myself a mat and started an NTC 15 minute ab workout - they clearly thought I couldn't hear as I potentially looked "in the zone" as I sang a few lines of "Pon De Replay" (if anyone needs entertainment whilst in the gym - hire me - I'm hilarious) - They started talking about girls - "This is interesting I thought..." (its not eavesdropping if they're talking is louder than Rihanna)

"Girls are most attractive when they're sweaty in the gym" 

"No mate, who wants a sweaty girl"

"So true mate, what if you end up going home with them"

"They'd be all nasty"

- sorry... finding a girl in the gym and taking them home at 10am - what? 

"At least you know they'd be good in bed"

- at this point I turned up my music and went into the weight machine section. 

But I couldn't stop thinking about what I'd heard - If a girl doesn't sweat in the gym they're attractive but awful in bed... 

I am not commenting at all... 

Hopefully next saturday they will be in the gym for me to hear how they got on "girl catching" in the gym. 

happy sweating 

RHS x

Fitness Thursday #1 Fat burn and Abs

Here we are, the 1st of August. 

Pinch, punch... 

Now, if you're like me and still are yet to get away from the homeland of England you're still trying to get "summer body" 

- Whatever that is nowadays. 

Anyway, as a very VERY (too) keen fitness fanatic (I did warn you) I have put together some of my favourite exercises to tone every area of the body (I know, I'm amazing, thank me later)

These really aren't quick fixes though, although after a week or so you will find that after each session you will notice a difference because your muscles are tense, however this does wear off after an hour or so...

So if you know you're hitting the beach - fit a few planks in before you head down! 

The best way to burn fat 

Interval training. Thats it. Its quick and its really easy for beginner to advanced levels; I always do interval training as part of my cardio routine. 

the red band is Athletic Conditioning (152-190 bpm), Orange is Endurance Training (130-152) - the AC band is what you want to aim for for Fat Burn, endurance will also burn fat but not as quickly

(PLEASE NOTE: YOUR MAXIMUM HEART RATE IS 220 - YOUR AGE. THEN YOU WANT TO AIM TO WORK BETWEEN 60-80% OF THIS - DO NOT OVER DO YOUR HEART!) 

The other day I was on the bike and the above picture shows my heart rate as I changed levels and speeds. 

You can see how when I worked hard my heart rate dropped a lot and quickly (this depends how fit you are), then I started hard and fast again. 

An example bike exercise:

• 5 minute warm up (effort level 3-5) 
• 1 minute either at a very high level so you cycle slow or a low level put really push your reps high (Effort level 7-9)
• 1 minute - 1.5 minutes rest (this doesn't mean stop - slow down, let your heart rate fall - effort level 4-5)
• 45 seconds hard/fast
• 1 minute rest 
• 30 seconds hard/fast
• 1 minute rest
• 45 seconds hard/fast 
• 1 minute rest
• 1 minute hard/fast
• cool down/rest and repeat 

I did a similar routine to this, when I measured my heart rate and burned nearly 200 calories in 20 minutes! 

This is also very good for the Treadmill too, as long as you increase your effort levels (run) and rest (walk) several times fat will melt - training on the treadmill will burn more calories than the bike. 

MEDIEVAL ABS 

- this is what Davina McCall calls it on one of her abs - its because the first time you do them its flipping hard! but bare with it and you'll be baring your abs. ahhh haha. 

plank - keep hips low, elbows under shoulders

1. PLANK - better than crunches because this targets your inner and outer abdominals 

This is Jeanette Jenkins from The Hollywood Trainer (From Nike Training Club App) 

Hold for at least 30 seconds - 1 minute (or as long as you can)

make sure lower back stays in contact with the mat

2. ALTERNATING LONG LEGS WITH ROTATION

A bit like bicycles - this will really tackle lower tummy, 

Lie on your back with your legs extended in the air, 

Lower one leg at a time and twist the opposite elbow to meet the knee, 

Inhale and bring everything back to centre and swap sides - 1 minute 

keep back straight to avoid strain 

3. RUSSIAN TWISTS (not vodka, unfortunately) 

Again, these are very good for lower abs - you don't need a medicine ball just ensure the correct position 

Steady yourself in a seated position with your feet off the mat, twist side to side - moving whole shoulder gurdle - 1 minute

4. TOE TOUCHES 

curl shoulder blades off the mat

These are great for upper abs (for wearing those summer crop tops!) 

Lie on the mat with legs extended up in the air, bring medicine ball (or dumbbells  or 2 tins of soup) to meet toes - contract with abs.

Release shoulders back to floor - repeat. Always keep legs straight up in the air - 1 minute 

- Repeat the circuit as many times as you can - aim for 3 - abs recover very quickly! 

Please do not overdo your workout, always warm up well before cardio and stretch before and afterwards - 

Listen to your body! Trust me - it will tell you when its had enough!

Later I'll be posting about toning legs and bums, making the best power smoothies and finding the perfect playlists.

Happy workouts!

RHS x

5:2

5:2? 

5:2? 

5 cookies for every 2 doughnuts?

Butternut squash risotto = 240 calories! 

5 pairs of shoes for every 2 new dresses?
5 nights out for every 2 nights staying in and drinking anyway?

er, not quite, its the 5:2 diet! yes, diet. (when friends read this I will probably get told off - sorry!)

Its this new craze thats everywhere! (apparently) and basically you starve yourself for 2 days of only 500 calories (ahh, 5:2 I hear you say)

Created by Dr. Micheal Mosely (of course, a man - http://thefastdiet.co.uk) the idea is that fasting helps you burn more fat by giving your body time to get rid of the rubbish it doesn't need. yeah. whatever. 

Now, for a runner this sounded a bit mental, seeing as when I train (good joke, Ruth), when I attempt to train (by looking like I know what I'm doing in the gym) I consume around 2300 calories a day. 

So, like the mad head I am, I gave it ago. Well. I have never felt so sh1t, if you will excuse my terrible Russian. 

I decided to do 1 day a week (5:1, far more sensible). I was working the night before and finished work at 3am, and from 12am I made sure I stopped eating, so I went to bed without my usual 2 biscuits after work and woke up at 11am. 

I had porridge with soya milk for breakfast = 144 calories, ok. 

I didn't have lunch, as I was up so late. I was at work at 6pm that evening so I thought between 11am and 6pm I could easily only have 500 calories, 



Around 4pm I had chicken satay skewers with spinach = 290 calories
  (recipe: http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/dieting/recipes/52-bikini-panic-diet-recipes-1967236)

Then I had an Activia yogurt = 68 calories 

Total = 502, oops. 

As you can see, its hard! 

So I got to work and by 10pm I felt like a hairy Neanderthal, who had woken up with severe period pain - nice. I felt awful and got home at 12:30am and weighed myself. 

My friend, tucking into a late night takeaway! -
why not!

I HAD LOST A POUND. not joking, I wouldn't lie to you. 

the idea is that you eat 500 calories for 2 days a week and "normally" for the remaining 5 (i.e. 2000 calories a day) and that you workout for 30 minutes for 3 of the 5 days. 

Its worth it, apparently you lose up to 2lbs a week in the first week then a lb a week after that.

Is starving ourselves the way forward to looking good or losing weight? 
That sounds like a bad case of "Im Dior, I need size -6 models not 0, Chanel has them!" 

know what I mean?

stay healthy and happy!

RHS x