Ibiza Pt. 2

Saturday was absolutely crazy. It was change over day and the amount of rushing around we did was ridiculous. The last group left and within 3 hours the villa had been transformed from a messy and dirty house to a clean and tranquil haven. By the time the new set of guests arrived Vicki and I were showered and dressed, helping the chef cook a delicious lunch.

Rainbow Salad

Spelt Bread

After a late and lazy lunch the guests retired to their rooms for siestas or to unpack before an hour of yoga at 7pm.

Yesterday we had an early morning hike across the hills which was absolutely breathtaking. We didn't come across anyone else, all you could hear was birdsong and to top things off, the instructor had a dog and we all know how much I love dogs.

The photos say it all really. Now I've done my social media for the morning so I'm off to lie by the pool as I have the villa to myself in order to top up my tan. As if I'm being paid for this eh?!

day 1 / 12

I am currently sat on a terrace, overlooking the beautiful town of Sant Carles in the North East of Ibiza. I'm here on a retreat, assisting Vicki Edgson with all things healthy! 

I arrived yesterday afternoon with no troubles at all; I had a Wagamamas once I'd checked in, I wasn't sat next to a screaming baby on the plane and the flight flew by (ha ha). I arrived to a very tanned and uber relaxed Vicki and was whisked away to the hills to meet the guests. 

The retreat is a week long. I'm seeing the end of the first week and the whole of the second week, as well as staying on a few days extra after both retreats are over. The first week consists of 5 women, who are all here for the same reasons; to lose weight, to have fun and most of all, to learn. Being healthy consists of much more than just your physical state. It involves your mind, your wellbeing and your vitality, all of which are incapsulated in a week away with Vicki. 

Today is my first day, but the guests of week 1's last day, so we started our Friday by wandering around Ibiza Old Town and doing a spot of shopping - very healthy I know!!

This is my 11th time in Ibiza and yet I am still so moved when I walk around the Old Town. It's so beautiful with lots of old Spanish folk meandering up and down the cobbled streets, nattering away. It's still really unspoilt, with very little "tourist-y" parts. 

Something Ibiza is known for, besides the clubbing, is white linen. Every street you turn down there is a linen shop that sells the most gorgeous lace, crochet and hand crafted linen clothes. Naturally I had to buy an over sized linen and lace shirt, a steal at 23 euros!

After a tiring morning in sweltering heat we were definitely ready for a big lunch. For the retreat Vicki hires a chef and person friend called Ema. When I say he cooked up a storm, oh my god, is the only phrase that describes it. 

If you're after any of the recipes or you're intrigued further, please contact me on my ask box and I'll answer any questions when I get access to my computer again. But for now, it's time for dinner after some yoga, and tomorrow we say goodbye to this group and say hello to a new group. 

Running: Cutteslowe Park

As you've probably read in one of my previous posts I really struggle with running. I mean, who doesn't? But I've recently got back into it and I'm going to share with you my progress. It's embarrassing, because I know that I'm running such short distances with really long times, but I'm proud that I'm finally doing it.

My running progress; I will get there!

If you don't already have the "Nike Running" app, then I urge you to download it. It tracks your running progress, you earn Nike Fuel Points, you can challenge your friends and best of all, it's free. I honestly think this app is the reason I enjoy running a little more than I did before. I like the fact it asks you how you found your run once you've finished and you're able to write notes about the run so you remember next time where you went. And as annoying as it is, it does show you how slow / fast you ran on the map.

So anyway, I've been running around Cutteslowe Park in Oxford, because it's always empty and no one can see how silly I look when I run (yes I kick my heel up weirdly). It's also absolutely beautiful on a sunny day. 

When I pause during my run I find it really helpful to do some "mat work" such as lunges and squats, it limbers up your muscles and you don't feel like you're "cheating" whilst on a run. If you're a new starter to running I suggest you download the app and stop every time the personal trainer on the app tells you you've hit your next km. That way you know you've got a break, so you're likely to keep a steady pace in each km. In between each km, aim to do 3 sets of 25 reps of a certain exercise, for example, sit ups, push ups, mountain climbers etc. My favourite is tricep dips on a park bench. 

Running outside has made me realise how unfit I am. At the gym I'm a keen believer in less cardio, more weight training, which I still stand by. However, when I went on my first run this time last week I realised how out of breath I was within the first 1km. I think this goes to show that running on the treadmill (which I can do for a long period of time) and running outside are two very different things.

When I get back from running (sweaty, red and so out of breath I feel like I might be having an asthma attack) I like to do 10 minutes of skipping to warm down. I'm lucky because in my garden we have windows everywhere, so I'm able to see my leg muscles working whilst exercising - I'm so vain it's actually a crime. 

I thought that I wouldn't be able to comfortably run again due to back pain, but running has actually eased so many aches and pains, as well as keeping me in shape. I am determined that I will be able to easily run 15km within 2 months time. I'll let you know how I get on!

I hope this post has opened your eyes to running and you might consider it going forward, now that it's coming up to summer it's a great way to get into shape AND get a tan! Let me know if you have any tips or favourite places to run. 

Burger Night

My favourite past time is watching Adam Richman slaying massive plates of greasy American munch, on Man vs Food. Yesterday I was watching him attempt to eat a spicy burger (which food won by the way) and realised how long it had been since I had a decent burger. I don't eat that much red meat as it is; my mum has given it up and as I live at home I eat by her rules still! But today my dad and I decided we could all have a "cheat day". Naturally we added all the trimmings and my burger wasn't short of anything unhealthy, yes it had ketchup in it, yes it had burger sauce in it, yes it had cheese in it, if you're going to go all out, you go all out. And my god it was gorgeous! 

And on that note, I'd just like to say I'm finally seeing some progress in my body! Massively vain yes I know, but I think it's so important to take photos of yourself so you can see your progress. I'm now just waiting to lose that pocket of fat at the bottom of my belly. It's one of the hardest areas to shift weight, but I am determined. It's less than a month before I go to Ibiza, so I've got a tough job on my hands!

Hope you all have a good Bank Hol, once that's over I'm off to Portsmouth for a few days and I can't wait. I might go for a few runs along the sea front as well, however I'm going to stay in a house full of boys so it's unlikely I'll be eating salads every night...

Working towards a flat tummy

My one and only dream has always been to have a wash board tummy and if there are cheese grater abs thrown into the mix I wouldn't complain. It's only recently that I've been looking into "how to get abs" and I realise I had it all wrong before. I used to think it was just loads of cardio which would enable me to lose body fat and show my abs. However I've come to realise that the saying "abs are made in the kitchen" is actually quite true. Having cut out a large proportion of sugar and heavy carbs I've lost some body fat around my tummy which has allowed my once non-existent abs to poke through. Alongside this I am a massive believer that weight and resistance training makes you lose those extra, stubborn lbs.

When I do an ab workout at the gym I change it every time just so my body doesn't become acclimatised to what I'm training. Please note that my chosen workout has worked for me and might not work for you.

Briefly, my sets are 20 reps each, I do 3 sets of each machine. I use weights / resistance in every exercise I do. The exercises I do:

Cable machine pull downs
Hanging leg raises
Plank and side plank
Bicycles
Floor leg raises
Medicine ball side twists

This is a simplified example of a workout that I have been doing. I do high intensity interval alongside the exercises as well as skipping. I hope this has helped a little bit, or at least given you an insight into my workout. Any questions feel free to go to my ask box which is in the description on the right hand side. Don't forget to follow me on instagram for more updates!

Running: Blenheim Palace

As many of my readers may know, I had back surgery to correct my wonky spine in October 2012. I was told that I was unlikely to be able to return to the gym for a year and running was out of the question until my spine had fully fused and healed. Having not done any sport since leaving school, I fully relied on the gym to keep me in shape both physically and mentally, so hearing this news wasn't really what I wanted to hear.

However, much to everyone's surprise I made a very quick recovery and was back in the gym in the new year of 2013. Something that's taken time though, is running. Having been going to the gym for weeks from January 2013 onwards I thought it was about time to try running on the treadmill to see how it felt. I lasted about 3 minutes before tears were leaking out the corners of my eyes. Every time my foot impacted the treadmill belt a shock was sent down my spine and it felt like each vertebrae was compounding the next.

So after that terrible affair I decided to leave the running out of my workout (for the next year...) which was convenient, because who even likes running! It was only until about 3 months ago when I needed to let off some steam that I decided to go for a run, outdoors, in the pouring rain. There's something quite empowering running through a downpour, mud splashing up your legs, face being whipped with water and wind, call me crazy but I quite enjoyed it. I lasted about 30minutes before my back was in pain but I was happy with the progress.

Yesterday I decided to go for another run as it was such a beautiful day. If you ever find yourself in Oxford you must visit Blenheim Palace. Besides it being horrifically expensive to get in, it's the most picturesque, beautiful place I've been. I went there with my boyfriend for one of our first dates to frolic around in the sun and since then I love the place.

In all its glory

I ventured down with my mum and brother and whilst they walked I set off a faster pace, hoping to lap them on the way round the park. The terrain is up and down, with grass, gravel and tarmac meaning it's never boring. There are monuments and lakes to look at whilst you're sweating away and many, many tourists. Overall I managed a pathetic 5km but at least I did it and with no painful repercussions. Next I will attempt 10k!

Just having a little frolic in front of the palace

Hope you're all enjoying your Easter weekend!

Instagram - Twitter

All the gear but no idea

Yesterday I received a Facebook message from an old school friend who I haven't seen in ages. Surprised, I opened it expecting a "wna go for a drink?" type message. Oh no, that's not what followed. In typical Oxford High School fashion she invited me, and four others to an "outdoor fitness bootcamp"... I immediately agreed, thinking it'd be a great chance to catch up over a few squats. How wrong was I.

It was held at the Oxford University sports centre and only cost a grand total of £4. I turned up, a little nervous, feeling a bit sick, but ready to start. Until I walked out onto the track. There were about 20 other people, all dressed in lycra, showing off their perfectly toned legs (and bums) looking so perky and raring to go. By just looking at the statutesque figures around me I just knew I was going to struggle.

It was essentially High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), which is where you do high intensity such as sprinting for 60 seconds, followed by low intensity such as walking for 30 seconds (or resting). It's been highly praised for burning fat and appeals to those who have a busy schedule as you only need to be exercising for a short period of time in order to see results. Anyway, there was a circuit including kettle bells, weights, tyres, weighted ropes etc which we completed in reps in groups of three. Following each 'station' we did cardio where the personal trainer took full advantage of the running track. We did sprints, full 400m, wheelbarrow runs and crawling to name a few. We even carried our partners and squatted them half way through the run. It was genuinely horrific to say the least. However, as much you don't want to admit it at the time, you know it's doing a bloody good job on sorting out your summer body.

After an hour we were done and my god was I happy it was over. Immediately everything hurt. My legs ache, my bum twinges, I can't feel my arms and god knows how bad I'll be tomorrow (those good old DOMS...) but as much as I hated it, I think I might be back next week...

L-R: Poppy (who's insanely fit), Faye, Charlotte, Loz, me

Top Ten Tips

1. Follow fitness
Ensure that 60% of your Instagram homepage is people like becwilcock, bitesizedfitness, sixpackguide, lydiaemillen, dannibelle, ashleymfreeman and of course, the famous jenselter.

I don't know what could be more motivating. I know that I scroll aimlessly down my Instagram when I wake up in the morning and when I'm eating my breakfast. Seeing photos posted by the above people literally make me crave the gym, and by the time I've finished my breakfast I'm already mentally choosing which gym clothes to wear. Not only do they make you want to go to the gym, but they make you feel really guilty if you don't as 90% of what they post is their sculpted bodies!

dannibelle                                                 ashleymfreeman                                             jenselter

It's also nice to see someone else's progress and how far they've come, because that's motivation in itself. I like to know that you don't have to be a weight lifter, or a cardio fiend to have a body like theirs. Often there are videos posted which show you exercises you can do in the gym to train certain parts of your body, which I've found really helpful as I hate getting bored of the same workout.

2. Track your progress
It's daunting knowing that in order to reach your goal, whether that's losing weight or toning up etc, you have to go through that initial stage where it's really bloody hard work. Something that I wish I had done is taken a photo right from when I first started going to the gym last year, and compared it every 3 months up until the present day because I know I'd be able to see a difference. By taking a photo every week, or every month you can see how far you've come. We all know that we look at ourselves in the mirror a lot during an average day and because of this we're unlikely to notice any differences in our body, especially if their small. However, I guarantee that if you were to bump into an old friend they'd notice the difference straight away. This is why it's so important to take photos of your journey, so it's not just old friends that notice, but you too!

3. Find a plan that works for you
There's no point in deciding that you're going to the gym 6 days a week, with Sunday as your rest day and you're cutting out carbs, and drinking only green tea etc etc etc, when you're body is used to none of the above. Your body needs to acclimatise, it needs time to react. By radically changing your lifestyle you're likely to injure yourself, lack energy and fail which inevitably will demotivate you. Bodies like slow change. So start off by changing the small things, like swapping full fat milk to semi skimmed milk. Cut out that biscuit you normally have after lunch and replace it with a banana and a lump of peanut butter. Then create a gym plan. I work in retail, and my shifts change every week so it's hard to have continuity. As soon as I receive my rota for the next week I write into my calendar when I'm going to the gym and what I'm going to do at each gym session. This is largely down to trial and error, but you need to find a routine which best suits you. I know I benefit more from a workout in the morning rather than the evening, so I go before work on the days when I start at 12pm. Planning is an important factor in how to stay motivated.

4. Fitness friends
Find a friend who you know wants to achieve the same as you. I go to the gym with my brother when he's back from boarding school. He's been really helpful in motivating me to achieve my goals and has stood over me as I've done ab curls, making me do 5 more reps. It's annoying at the time, in fact I just want to punch him, but those extra reps really add up at the end of the workout. There are also a lot of exercises where you can work together, such as Leg Throws.

5. Persevere
It takes time, it really does.

6. Prepare
I do a huge amount of food preparation to ensure I don't skip meals or end up eating a kebab from my local down the road! I work very close to Pret, which is great, but lethal at the same time. I'm always tempted by their starchy, carby sandwiches. To ensure I don't have that midday craving I take prepared food to work. This normally consists of a bottle of water with lemons / limes / cucumber, a snack supplement shake, a banana and a scoop of peanut butter and finally my main meal, chicken with vegetables. On my days off I prepare the food for the next couple of days. This also relates to my previous post about overnight oats.

7. Invest
Obviously don't do this if you are trying to save up to move out of home... But definitely buy the correct gym kit. There is nothing better than feeling the part, as embarrassing as that is. I often treat myself to a new sports bra or capris from Reebok in Oxford, because if you like what you're wearing, then you're likely to look good too. If you don't want to invest in some new shorts or shoes, how about you buy something like a skipping rope. My gym doesn't have equipment like that which you can use so I bought a very inexpensive Nike skipping rope which I take to the gym every time I go. I can't fault a skipping rope; but that's for another post.

8. Training days
Train different parts of your body on different days. Your body is clever, it will plateau at a certain level if you continually train one part of your body. As a girl I only really want to train my bum and abs, as well as a bit of cardio. If I go to the gym 5 times a week I'm likely to do two days on abs, one day on bum, one day on cardio and one day on a full circuit in order to incorporate a bit of arms too. The exercises I do each day change week by week to ensure I'm always testing my body, and pushing it in different ways.

9. Oldest trick in the book
Drink more water. Absolute pain in the bum as water doesn't taste of anything and is a pretty bland choice of drink. However, the benefits of water are so huge I can't even explain. Water raises your metabolism, removes by products of fat, increases energy levels, clears your skin, flushes out toxins, and aids digestion. Just a few benefits, I could go on. I definitely recommend adding fruit or veg into your water bottle; makes the world of difference!

10. Cut out sugar ASAP
I'm not going to go into too much detail because I will do another post on this but you need to cut your sugar intake! Recently the World Health Organisation advised people to cut their sugar intake by halve. Why? Not only is high sugar intake related to problems such as fatty liver disease, diabetes and rotten teeth, but it's highly addictive. Easy - swap your sugary cereal for porridge and agave syrup and you're nearly there! Think about substitutes which have less sugar content and have that instead. Stay away from "low fat" foods as well - they have a HUGE amount of sugar in them.