Update

Returned from holiday today, but away on business for the next three days. Will be doing the ultimate bodyweight workout as at side.

Workout of the day

Rest day

Workout of the day

Three rounds for time of:

• Walking lunge, 50 meters
• Standing broad-jump, 100 meters
• Run 200 meters

Workout of the day

20 x 25 swim

25 push ups
25 squats
25 pull ups
25 crunches

Workout of the day

5 mile run

Workout of the day

Complete rest day! (well except for the day job)

Workout of the day

Here's a real killer:

max rounds in 20 min:

• 400m sprint
• 10 burpees

Workout of the day

for time:

• 20 pull-ups
• 40 push-ups
• 40 squats

Workout of the day

Rest day - gone for a 5 mile walk

Workout of the day

Pushups x 30


Pull-ups x 10

Dips x 10

Hindu Squats x 30

Lunges x 30

Repeat x 3

Workout of the day

run 5 miles

Corned beef spaghetti

Store cupboard dinner tonight!

Ingredients:

• 300g spaghetti
• Large onion
• 2 tblsp of medium curry paste
• 1 can corned beef
• 3 tbsp of tomato puree
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 pint of water

Method:

• Put on the spaghetti
• Fry off the onion, add the curry paste, and then the chopped up corned beef
• Add the tomato puree and the mixed spice.
• Add the water slowly until the beef melts down and you get a nice sauce
• Add to spaghetti and serve.

Lemon Mint Cooler

Ingredients:

• 2 bottles fresh squeezed lemonade
• 2 cups vodka
• 4 cups ice cubes
• 2 lemons, halved
• 8 sprigs fresh mint, garnish

Method:

 

In a blender combine lemonade and vodka. Fill blender with ice. Blend until ice is crushed. Pour into 4 glasses. Dip each lemon half in sugar, then attach to the rim of each glass. Garnish with 2 mint sprigs.

Workout of the day

25m x 20 swim

25 push ups
25 squats
25 pull ups
25 crunches

1 min plank

basic sun salutation 3 mins

New years resolutions 2010

In January I wrote my New Years Resolutions as being:

This is in no particular order:

• Continue to grow my hair out (hair grows 6 inches a year, so with trims, I reckon I can get 4 inches of growth)
• Get my body fat into single figures (currently 12%)
• Drink 2 ltrs of water per day
• Exercise 5 times per week (I normally do this now)
• Make my own lunch each day rather than buying out

As at to day I have achieved the following:

• Grew my hair until April when I started my new role at the day job and had an excuse to get it cut. My hair is wavy when it grows which is a pain in the arse as its neither this nor that!
• Body fat currently 14%!!! Too many cakes and donuts from the day job!
• Done!
• Sort of done. Been at bit patchy March/April/May, but then my health had not been great at times this year both physically (back trouble and arm pain) and mentally (2 lows and 1 high and counting)
• Abject failure!!!! Even when I have made it, I have forgotten I made it... but then I have a heavily subsidised staff canteen that serves day job's products and is just so convenient.

Garlic Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Method:

• Mix together the garlic powder, pepper, salt, paprika, bread crumbs and flour. In a separate dish, whisk together the milk and egg.
• Heat some oil
• Dip the chicken into the egg and milk, then the dry ingredients until evenly coated.
• Fry chicken in the hot oil for about 5 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from the oil and serve.

Workout of the day

Run 3 miles

French Toast

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• butter
• 4 slices white bread
• icing sugar

Method:

• Combine the eggs and milk.
• On medium, heat frying pan and melt a little butter.
• Dip bread into egg mixture on both sides
• Transfer bread to the pan turning over when browned. 
• Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.

Workout of the day

400m row (on concept 2)
200m run

Repeat x 5

25 push ups
25 squats
25 chin ups
25 crunches

Butternut squash penne

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2.5 cm cubes
• 1 onion, cut into eighths
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 300g dried penne
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 1/3 cup creme fraiche
• 1 tbsp chopped sage
• Parmesan for serving

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C
• Toss the squash, onion, oil, and balsamic vinegar in a roasting pan and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until tender. During the last few minutes, stir in the garlic.
• Cook the pasta in accordance with the packet instructions. 
• Add the roasted vegetables, cheese, creme fraiche, sage and stir. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve 

Workout of the day

Rest day

Workout of the day

20 mins Yoga (see side)

Broccoli, Lemon and Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

• Basic Pesto (see here)
• 300g Penne
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 chicken Breasts
• broccoli 
• basil
• Parmesan

Method:

• Stir pesto into cooked penne, along with the juice of 1 lemon, 2 chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces, and some lightly steamed broccoli.
• Season and mix well. Stir in some shredded basil and garnish with a little parmasan.

Salmon Pesto Quiche

Ingredients:

• 200g Shortcrust Pastry (or prebaked pastry base in my case from the day job)
• 2 x 200g tins Salmon, drained
• 250g Mascarpone Cheese
• 2 Eggs
• 2 tbsp Pesto
• 25g/1oz Grated Cheese
• Salt and Black pepper

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C 
• Mix together the salmon, pesto, mascarpone and eggs in a mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper then pour into the flan case and bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the grated cheese and continue to bake for a further 10 minutes until golden and set.

Workout of the day

4 mile run
20 x 25m swim

Okay, another endurance day today, trying to build up my base fitness for Oct triathlon in Tatton Park. Running is progressing rapidly, which I would expect from both previous experience and my history of running. This was the first "serious" swim I have done in a while and I found my timing difficult, swallowing a fair bit of water as the swim went on.

Am still going to concentrate on running for the next week with a short swim on Wednesday (timing allowing) but will introduce more swimming next week as this is my weakest event.

Have noticed my appetite increasing - especially craving complex carbs (I NEED BOILED RICE NOW was all I could think about for and hour or so last night) - which is a sure sign to me of a kick start to my metabolism and the start of some weight loss.

Workout of the day

Deadlifts 3,3,3,3,3 going 60kg - 80kg

Chicken & mushroom risotto

Ingredients:

• 850ml chicken stock
• 2 stocks of celery
• 1 onion
• 300g arborio risotto rice
• 3 garlic cloves , peeled and grated or chopped
• 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 200g cooked chicken, cut into small chunks
• 75g grated parmesan
• 50g butter
• 1 glass of white wine

Method:

• Chop onion and celery, crush garlic. Saute in olive oil until soft (don't color)
• Add chicken and mushrooms, seal chicken.
• Turn up heat, add rice and stir until rice becomes translucent.
• Add wine and stir until absorbed.
• Turn heat down, add stock by the ladle. Add a little more as each laddlefull is absorbed. Keep stirring.
• When all stock has been absorbed, add the cheese and butter, stir, take off the heat, cover and rest for 5 min. Serve.

Workout of the day

5 miles, 46.22

Hummus

Ingredients:

• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Method:

• Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can.
• Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor.
• Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas.
• Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.
• Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.
• Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well.
• Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread.

Workout of the day

Rest day

Classic vanilla mikeshake

Ingredients:

• 5 scoops vanilla ice cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method:

• In blender, combine ice cream, milk, and vanilla, and blend until mixture is smooth.

Workout of the day

3 miles run, aiming for 24 mins

Sunshine Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vanilla soy milk
• 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
• 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
• 2 ice cubes

Method:

• In blender, combine soy milk, orange juice concentrate, marmalade, and ice and blend until mixture is smooth.

Workout of the day

• Push-ups, 3×20
• Bulgarian Split Squats, 3×10 each leg
• Pull-ups, 3×8
• Walk Walkouts, 2x 1 min