5 Tips for a Healthier Day at Work

Some of the most frequent questions we get at EBW are how to stay on track, keep to clean eating principles and overall, be healthy during the day when at work.

It's something I can completely sympathise with as my work life outside of the gym has always consisted of working in an office in some capacity.

Here are my Top 5 Tips for being healthier at work!

Drink Water - Lots Of It!

 

Depending on the nature of our role, this can be tricky. The easiest way I have found to overcome this, is to keep a bottle on you all day - in the car, to and from meetings, on your desk or in your bag. Make a conscious effort to get through the bottle throughout the day and re fill when needed. Start with a 1 litre bottle and gradually increase up to a 2 litre. In no time, you will have upped your intake! And got some extra leg work in from all the trips to the loo!

 

 

Avoid The Snack Table!

If you have ever worked in an office, you will know what I mean  by this. The desktop or cabinet that is always adorned with little treats, usually biscuits, cakes and crisps. Something that used to be limited to birthdays, but have slowly seemed to have become a bi-weekly thing - certainly seems so in my office anyway! Somehow, this Communal Snacking Ritual seems to eliminate the naughtiness of the treats, and in the past, I have heard ''Free Food, Free Calories, right?!''...... Instead, each day make sure you are prepared with a healthy snack - my favourite are Cashew Nuts - perfect mix of sweet and savoury and easily stored in a bag / desk.

Get Moving!

Now the weather is getting nicer, make the most of it! Get outside on your lunch break - even if it is a walk up and down the road, make the most of time away from the desk or out of the car. May even consider walking or cycling to work if you live close enough - every bit helps! Same goes for when you are inside - take the stairs and not the lift, get up and walk over to speak to a colleague rather than emailing and when it comes to a loo trip, opt for the ones furthest away...  Some of you may be lucky enough to have a gym at work, or at least membership to one close by - get in there and do a mini work out!

Know Your Limits!

 

All of us at some point have fallen victim to this - doing too much and not taking a moment to breath. Whether it's tight deadlines to meet, Targets to hit, Deals to Close, Customers to Visit or Houses to Clean, we have been at a point where we take too much on and some crumble under the pressure. A Happy Mind is a Healthy One - if you are unhappy / miserable / lacking direction at work, this will start to reflect in your outside life, not just at work. I am not ashamed to admit this has happened to me in the past - so I made the changes I needed to and it transformed my attitude!

 

Preparation Is Key!

 

It's all very well reading these points, but you need to put them into practice to succeed.

 

''Failure to Prepare is Preparing to Fail''

 

I don't know how many times I have used this quote in this Blog! But it is an important point to reiterate. Prior to returning after a nice weekend off, make sure you have that water bottle, your tyres are pumped up, alarm is set a bit earlier to make extra food for lunch or plan a lunch time stroll.

 

 

Overall, it's all about willpower - and a good way to train this, is to use it! Start today :) or Monday actually...you know what I mean ;-)

 

 

Franki xx

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Pass me the Malteasers

We have hit that delightful time of the year - given up on our 'New Year Health Kick' goal and haven't entered the gym for a while....and salads for lunch are a distant memory - ah the beloved cycle...

Sometimes though, it is a little more than what some people would call 'laziness' or 'failing'.

Sometime there are reasons we fall off the wagon that we can't, or don't want, to control.

Ever reached for the chocolate when you're feeling down? Or a bag of crisps when you can't get any other food? Or how about treating yourself to a tub of ice cream and a few glasses of wine to reward yourself for a job well done?

A high percentage of readers will have answered yes to at least one of the above, and it really isn't that uncommon.

What the above refers to is Emotional Eating - a very real subject that I am not ashamed to admit, I have fallen victim to.

The capture below gives a brief description of the difference between Emotional and Physical Hunger;

Sound familiar? I have had plenty of clients that can identify with the above - and I too in the not so distant past.

What can you do?

Find distraction techniques to stop you from satisfying an unwarranted craving - does your body really need the sugar rush or do you feel it's the only way to comfort or reward yourself?



So Very True!

So, these distraction techniques..

Ok so they may take more time than reaching for food, but I have found these to work best;

 

Take a minute before the red mist descends - Emotional Eating is usually mindless and automatic and before you know it, the whole share bag of crisps is gone in one sitting. If you consciously decide to stop yourself, your body (and mind) will thank you later.

 

~

 

Rather than eating for stress, take the time to do a little relaxation - I don't mean full on meditation, but take yourself out of the situation, calm down and even use that to your advantage - look up a new recipe to try for dinner. Never feel guilty for taking time for yourself.

 

~

 

Similar to the above, why not get out of the house / office for a moment; take a walk, go for a swim or even get to the gym

 

~

 

Sleep! Make sure you are sleeping enough - bad / broken sleep or even being deprived of it causes ghrelin levels to increase which stimulates your appetite and also your leptin (responsible for signalling to your brain) levels to decrease which means you don't get that 'full' feeling. See, I can be Science-y.

 

~

 

The last one I have found to be the most effective - Talking. Never underestimate the art of communication. Especially to those close to you. You may also discover that someone is trying to deal with it too - and you can both use this as a way to help each other break the cycle.

 

 

 



No, it's not an easy thing to overcome, even though you can have extreme feelings of guilt or dissatisfaction after consumption. But simply addressing the fact this may be happening to you is the start -  and you will be able to overcome it, be patient and kind to yourself.

Have you fallen victim to this? How do you manage your emotional connection to food? Do you think the pointers above would help you?

On a side note, I am planning another blog focusing on eating and training habits - from men / women, complete newbies to competitive athletes - if you would like to be involved, please contact me!

Franki xx

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Body Beautiful

What is Beauty and how would you define it? Someone's smile? Their bodyshape or hair style? Their confidence, determination, courage?

There is too much pressure on us from society to conform to a norm, this we already know and are well aware of. We all know damaging it can all be.

As I reflect on this year past and what I can expect from this one coming, my mind is drawn back to that wonderful week I spent in the sunshine in Spain. I recall feeling happy with myself and for once, not feeling conscious of how I looked or what others thought of my body in a bikini.

Sitting round the pool for a few days opened my eyes to the way in which women's body confidence can be so vastly different. For instance, the difference just between Spanish and English women was amazing.

I picked up on the behaviours of four women that week and each one with their own story. 2 women of about a UK Size 14 and 2 of a UK Size 8.

The Size 14 English Woman was noticeably shy about her body - despite having an impressive collection of beautiful bikinis, she covered herself up in a sarong each time she got up - even to just adjust the umbrella she lied beneath. When in the water, she kept all of her body below the water and when her kids asked her to join in in water games she refused and would retreat to her sun lounger. You may think she just sounds like she was shy all round - but she would happily chat to others and constantly laughing and smiling.

In stark comparison, was a Spanish mother, of around the same size. She had no noticeable worry about strutting around in a thong bikini, constantly jumping in and out of the water with her little girls and certainly didn't seem to mind her tummy rounding when she sat on the pool edge. I was in awe of her body confidence - it almost felt like SHE felt she was beautiful and almost celebrated her curves - as we should!

On the other end of the scale were the Size 8s - The English woman had a great figure, but would always walk around the pool with her arms crossed over her tummy and prodding it when she laid down. She would also noticeably suck her tummy in when walking past people - which we can all say we have done at some point, but she really didn't have to. She was also constantly looking at other women, again as we all do and clearly what I was doing this particular day.

The Spanish lady's confidence mirrored that of the other Senorita; confident, happy and seemingly un-fazed by her  surroundings. Again, a beautiful figure, and a very small bikini, and didn't seem bothered about the roll of skin over her tummy as she sat down (which most others would hide with a book or something).

My point here is perception - 2 women of the same size, both with different attitudes towards their bodies, which have most likely have been formed from the differing pressures from our societies. I have spoken before about the media bombardment in the UK on ''The Perfect Body'' the gossip columns that belittle someone for going up a dress size and the inundation of quick fixes to slim down. Did you know there is now a powder available to buy that you simply tip down your throat to create a sponge like substance in your stomach to stop you feeling hungry?! Jeez!

I don't feel the pressures are as harsh in the rest of Europe - especially in Mediterranean countries where the fuller female figure is celebrated and heart disease and cholesterol issues are lower.

OK, so what prompted me to write this piece today...

Katie Hopkins - My Fat Story, a two piece documentary on Katie's Mission to get fat and then slim down again to show ''fat people'' that by moving more and eating less, you can lose weight without the need for fad diets and an expensive gym.

Those of you that are familiar with Katie and her controversial rants on This Morning will know there is a divided opinion on her and whether or not her comments cross the line. Well here is my view;

I thought the documentary was very good - it highlighted a lot of issues that most people are ''afraid to talk about'', like asking an overweight person why they are so. Or Being told you look too scrawny and in fact un-healthy. I loved the fact that Katie even went along to, and guest judged, a beauty pageant especially for the curvier woman and developed more of an appreciation for women who celebrated a more feminine / curvy figure.

I think what got lost in translation though was the differentiation in those ''fat'' she was referring to - some I would consider merely overweight, but they were made out to be obese, which wasn't fair I feel. On the flip side, Katie was accused of ''Fat Shaming'' by size acceptance campaigner Kathryn Szrodecki, who actually called the police to report her for a hate crime - after voluntarily taking part in an open discussion about size and the industry view. This seemed totally unwarranted - an no, Katie wasn't reprimanded (not yet anyway...!)

Again, some of it revealed deeper issues to weight gain and the difficulty some find when it comes to shedding the pounds - for example, upon visiting a 55 stone American woman Nicky, Katie was asked to leave the property when she told  Nicky she didn't believe her when she said she was ''happy with her size and wanted a bigger butt'' and that there must be something that triggered the start to her eating - and with this, I agree. Overeating is just as much a deep routed, psychological issue as other eating disorders.

In all, I praise Katie for the documentary - although I didn't agree with everything, she did prove the point she set out to make. I would highly recommend giving it a watch - I would be interested in hearing your views!

Funnily enough, going back to the poolside in Alicante, it was reading Katie's column in The Sun Newspaper which triggered my idea to blog about the Big Bodyshape debate - and now she has bought it back to me.


So, I'll ask again. What Makes Someone Beautiful? I know what my answer is, and I'd love to hear yours!

Franki xx

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What Will This Year Bring?

Firstly, Happy New Year to you all! I know this post is well overdue, I feel I have somewhat neglected my writing of late and this certainly frustrates me! I am back into the swing of things now and ready for a new, exciting year!







Although, it hasn't got off to the best of starts....

So as you know, last year I shared with you my secret. My ''Lady Problem'' .... Yes, the Endometriosis Thing...

Well I was scheduled to have another operation today - the one that would hopefully give me some more answers and *fingers crossed* help stop the pain.

But they cancelled it. YESTERDAY. Thanks for the notice guys!

Understandably, I'm annoyed. My pain was incredibly bad over Christmas - I also had a particularly scary moment in the car due to a sudden spasm. I was really looking forward to almost putting a stop to all this.

Even more annoyingly, (and this may sound incredibly sad but hey) I had pretty much planned out my training year in my head, as this is equally as important to me! Knowing I'd be in hospital and off work for the first week of January meant that I would rule out any competitions in January and February and focus on competing from March / April - Competitions already decided and nearly entered....

Now, I have to ''wait by the phone for a call with a date" (exactly!) to know when I will be in again - which is looking to be a few months time. Incredibly frustrating but one of those things that just can't be helped...they say anyway.

Anyway, the point in telling you this is illustrate the point of Change, Acceptance and Moving On (god, it sounds like I'm talking about a break up!)

Too many people get freaked out when things don't go to plan, or they don't loose the weight they had hoped for, or put on more weight over festive periods than they had intended.

But hey, guess what. It happens - it is how you choose to deal with it that is most important.

The goals I had set myself for these first three months have had to change - and I have made my adjustments within a day because if I had taken too long, I fear I would have just let them go and forgotten about them.

Best thing, is to set small goals with realistic timescales. Better to tell yourself that you will aim to walk at least a mile a week than to climb Everest next month...!

So my short term goals (unless I get that call!) are;

*Each Week for the next 8 weeks- learn a new Yoga Pose, courtesy of The Yoga Bible I received for Christmas. Whilst doing so, I will also asses my flexibility increase*

*Increase my water intake back up to at least 3 Litres ( I have been seriously slacking on this as of late!)*

 

*Hit a 100kg Back Squat by March 25th - My Birthday*

 

 

As and where, if I see fit, I can adjust these goals and even increase them if need be!



My New Addiction!

 

 

Are you feeling a little lost on your journey to a healthier you? Are you lacking in motivation and confidence to get back into things, or to even start your journey? Makes the small changes now so the bigger ones don't seem so daunting

 

Have you got any goals set for 2015? Even non gym related ones? I have a few more that included learning to speak some actual Italian! Yes I know, it's a shame I can't already.... ;-)

 

 

Make 2015 your year! What's that photo swirling around on Instagram at the Moment....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stay tuned for my Body Beautiful Post that will be up on Friday!

 

Much Love for 2015

 

Franki xx

 

 

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My First Fundraiser

Think I have found my new calling...!



I absolutely loved every stressful moment of Saturday. From the planning and preparation, the networking and sponsorship hunting, the whole experience was Fantastic!

I feel very proud and privileged to know so many thoughtful, generous and helpful people who all attributed to the success of the fundraiser.

I had over 20 prizes to give away on the raffle which sold over 500 tickets! I was very lucky to have so many great prizes donated from Local Businesses and owe a lot to those that contributed.







My biggest gratitude goes to those that helped me run things on the day;

My Beautiful Greeters

Georgie and Zuz for Meeting and Greeting,

 

No one can say no when kids are selling raffle tickets!

Mia and Ellie for expertly selling raffle tickets and encouraging people to bid on the Amazing Pants Cake,

Charlotte and Katie for busily selling all the brilliantly made cakes by several of my friends and family, Who managed to dodge any photo opportunity!!

My Family

 

 

My Mum and Dan for making sure everyone had their free teas and coffees! -
And for running to Sainsbury's at 12:50pm when I realised there was no milk for the hot drinks!!





Marie from Bombshell Hair and Beauty doing Vinylux nails for Charlotte

I also had Becki and Marie on site, promoting the new Fake Bake Beauty Products and Offering Small Pampering treatments respectively. Marie kindly spent the afternoon doing nails and massage for donations and I know plently of my girls who took full advantage of this!!

Fake Bake Beauty with Becki

Well Done to Adam Wilson who won the Pants Cake made by Robyn - and what a good sport he was, he split it with Ben of EBW - means us coaches have some to tuck into this week too :) I mean...just look at and not eat at all....

 

Just in case you haven't yet seen this Masterpiece!

My last thank you goes to Ethan, my brilliant little raffle ticket picker! He did a great job, quite the confident little lad!


Ethan Drawing the raffle tickets!

Lastly, my Fundraising total has just gone over £500, double what I expected to raise. I cannot express how grateful I am of everyone's generosity. I can't seem to stop saying Thank You. But that's it, that was my last one!

Anyway, everyone loves a photo, so here are just a few more from the day - so, oops, one more Thank You needed!! I'm lucky enough to have a very talented photographer as a friend, so Thank You To Maddie for taking such beautiful photos and capturing the fun of the afternoon!

And I thought I would run out of Cake..!

Ethan's beautiful Mummy and my Dear Friend Rachel

 

 

Waiting for the Raffle!

Two Elite Females, Zoe and Zuz,
 




Very popular Chocolate and Cream cake made by EBW Client Ros





My oldest friends, the girls from school & college , love that they came to support
 



Cupcakes courtesy of Georgie, Ali and Dru

My Favourite photo - Ethan finding out the cake looked like girly knickers, because that's what they were!
 

Looking forward to running more events in the future, it was great fun! Now to bank it all and get it over to Endometriosis UK!!

 

 

 

Franki  xx

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Elite Females

As you know, I run 2 Female only Body Composition classes a week - and the ladies have worked so hard, I felt they deserved a post all to themselves

So, who are we talking about here; Kat, Rachel, Georgie, Katrina, Zuz, Kerry, Ngoni, Robyn, Jo, Jenny, Zoe and Marie all but a couple were completely new to weight training and some hadn't even been in a gym before.

My ladies all range in age, circumstance, background and fitness levels, yet they all had one thing in common - and that was the want to train in an accommodating and friendly environment, preferably with others of the same mind set.

Over the last 12 weeks, they have seen some new faces and drop ins, hit some PBs and encouraged one another to do things they hadn't previously thought they could - things like flipping a tyre, doing an assisted chin up, and even being able to get through a finisher without needing to pause ;-)

So I just wanted to show a little gratitude to each lady, highlight an achievement of theirs and hopefully the encourage her to carry on, on her journey;

Kat - Completely new to this environment and style. On her 2nd session after 1 assisted attempt, she managed to flip a tyre unassisted twice - and the elation she felt was clear to see - proved so even more by the texts I received the following day!

Rachel - Had a little previous weight training experience and is a keen runner. Already a while into her journey and just looking at her transformation photos will show you how committed she is. Last week she managed several banded chin ups despite previously claiming she wouldn't be strong enough...! :)

Georgie - Never set foot in a gym until she started with me and initially lacked confidence due to this, fearing the other ladies would all be ''machines''. This quickly changed when she witnessed the strength she actually had and that I wasn't just being mean when I told her to up the weights. She has just signed up for the EBW 6 week Christmas Package, she's caught the bug!

Katrina - Previous experience from our PT sessions and hit a great Bench Press PB just before she went on holiday to New York, feeling fabulous I must add ;-) she is also an active member on the WOW Facebook group I admin and never short of motivation!

Zuz - Has trained with EBW for nearly two years and is one of my most experienced EFs. This doesn't mean she is ahead of the others, but what it creates is a second pair of eyes and ears to the session - she is never shy about correcting form (or upping her partners weights!) or sharing her training knowledge if I am helping one of the others.

Kerry - relatively new to weight training and PTs with Katie. Always extremely focussed and works very hard. We went through the Bar Routine workout a few weeks back and over 5 rounds she managed to slash her working time by over 1 minute! Extremely impressed by this!

Ngoni - New to EBW and only really ever used a DVD to work out from. Initially apprehensive about a group environment for the same reason as Georgie, but after training for just a few weeks, upped her training to 3 times a week and recently did a 52.5kg Trap Bar for reps without knowing the weight - she was thrilled!

Robyn - Also new to EBW and already pretty strong! Always works hard and isn't afraid to ask questions about technique and 'why' - which is a good thing - Keeps me on my toes too ;-) she knows how to challenge herself in a session and will always opt to push a bit more - amazing work ethic!

Jo - Has trained with us for a few years and also runs and plays hockey amongst other things! Despite a longstanding injury, she does not let this effect any of her disciplines and instead correctly adapts any session to her needs - even so, I still get the blame when she cant walk after a session ;-)

Jenny - One of our superstars! At only 17, Jenny was picked to train for the UK Skeleton Team, getting through to the penultimate stage of trials. Despite juggling college hours and work, a part time job and of course, race practice and competitions, she still manages to join us bright and early on Wednesdays.

Zoe - Our resident Deadlift Queen! She has trained with us for a few years and currently - and probably will forever - holds our Female U60kg Deadlift Record with a Huge 140kgs!! Again, not afraid to share her training knowledge with others and always works to capacity. Does swear a bit though ;)

Marie - Joined us in March and adapted to the training very quickly. Wandered into the world of competitive Strongwoman, but recently decided to refocus. Currently PTing with me and trying to instil her new found training wisdom on her other half! Very encouraging and not afraid to help others in a session.

The reason I have done this is because I feel they all deserve some recognition for their hard work respectively.

Training with us isn't just about how quickly you drop the pounds, how fast you can run or how much you can lift, it is about making the right choice for you and bettering yourself. Yes of course most of our goals are to look a certain way or to reach a certain weight, but where you start is just as important.

Equally, above I referenced the ladies' strength - and I mean this in both a physical and psychological sense. We aren't looking to recruit a gym full of Strongwomen, just to help you on your journey - and hey, if you do want to compete, who better to talk to?! ;-)

Back L-R: Kerry, Ngoni, Georgie, Rachel. Front L-R: Zuz, Kat Robyn. Katrina was in NYC!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But while I'm on the Elite Female subject, lets just give a little more recognition to a one other lovely lady.... 

 

 

Charlotte

 

She recently competed in her first figure-esque show, the International Fitness Championships at The Health and Fitness Expo in Manchester. This working mum of one is certainly an inspiration when it comes to overcoming everyday obstacles that get in the way of training and I wish her all the luck in the world for November 8th when she will be competing in her First Bikini Show! What's her secret you ask? She gets up early! ;-)

 

 

 



 

I hope you enjoyed todays post and the love I have shared for the ladies above! This post isn't at all subjective either, it is simply to highlight the achievements of those that train with me and the rest of the EBW Team and to hopefully dispel a few myths surrounding our training and ''requirements'' of our clients.

 

Franki  xx

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Doing My Bit For Charity

A few months back, I told you I was planning on doing a Charity Fundraiser....and I still plan to!

In fact, I have booked a date for it;  on November 22nd 2014, I will be holding Franki's Mad Pants Tea Party!

Who For? Endometriosis UK http://endometriosis-uk.org/

Why? I have suffered with this disease for over 4 years.

Endometriosis UK is a Charity that works with sufferers on the management of the disease, offering support and guidance, as well as campaigning for sufferers to receive better treatment and care - and hopefully, as with all causes like this, find a cure.

It is something that effects roughly 1.5 million Women in the UK alone and can be truly awful. There have been days were it has been a struggle for me to walk.

Or the pain comes on so suddenly it stops me in my tracks (can you imagine this happening to you whilst you're driving?! Scary to say the least!)

For some, it can be so debilitating, getting off the sofa is about as much movement as you'll get in a day.

It can even lead to Female Infertility due to the slow process in which diagnosis can take place. I was told several times my symptoms were ''Irritable Bowel Syndrome'' ''A Pulled Muscle'' and even, insultingly, ''It's All In Your Head'' ..... all the while, I was suffering with what turned out to be ''A Pretty Severe Case'' - a diagnosis I eventually got after seeking a third opinion from a walk in clinic who immediately referred me for scans....and so my Endo Journey began....

Unfortunately, like several other diseases, there is no known cure, only quick fixes which usually result in a trip to the hospital for surgery - and this has happened three times to me.

Luckily for me, although the pain I suffer can be at times unbearable, I am able to still carry on day to day life, and even train - I think I have only not trained a handful of times due to it... I don't let anything stop me...! ;-)

You already know how passionate I am about Health and Wellbeing, and I feel it is so important to support this from all angles. Raising awareness about Women's Health, for me, is as equally important as it is to raise awareness for Eating Disorders - Two areas that don't get enough recognition for the serious diseases it encompasses. When it does, it's usually a negative story - this should change. This is why I want to raise awareness and money for a cause that closely effects me.


So what's a Mad Pants Tea Party?!

Well, it's pretty much just that -  a Tea Party, except you wear a token - a pair of Pink Pants :-)

Venue is still to be confirmed, hoping to get this sorted next week - in the meantime, if anyone can recommend one, it would be most appreciated!

The theme for the Tea Party will be Pink Pants, but as long as something you wear is Pink, you'll fit right in :)

I plan on running a few little competitions such as;

 ''Guess the Weight of the Cake'' - Winner gets the cake,

A Cake ''Auction'' - a special Pink Pants Cake that will be sold to the highest bidder

Along with a Lucky Dip, Good Old Cake Sale and of course a Raffle with some great prizes to be won!

A £2 Entry fee will also be asked for, and you will get a free cup of Tea or Coffee on entry :)

I hope to raise a bit of cash for a great cause and would be most grateful if anyone else is willing to get involved, either by volunteering to bake some yummy cupcakes to sell, can donate any prizes for the raffle or to simply help me set up and tidy away on the day. Ooh and take plenty of photos!

I will be doing promotions for this through the Gym, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, so you have no excuses to forget the date ;-)

Oh, and the Event won't be exclusive to just the ladies, guys are most welcome too! But you HAVE TO wear pink pants ;-)


I hope that you are able to support me in this venture! Over the next year I am hoping to do a few more fundraisers for them....their next one is Tough Mudder - https://toughmudder.co.uk/   but I don't think I am quite up to it yet...!

Do you do any fundraising? If so, what inspired you to do so?

Franki xx


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I'm Back!

 

 

Wow, the Blog has been up for 1 whole year now, and is doing so much better than I ever thought it would be! Thanks to all those that continuously follow and support..it means a lot! xx

Back to business though, the holiday has been and gone. I had a beautiful week in Torrevieja, Alicante with James - Sun, Downtime, Great Food and More Sun :-)

Throughout the week, I wasn't too far away from work however. Not only did I bear the EBW colours almost everyday through some Bikini Variation, but we also found a great little gym to train at (obviously, I didn't think we could go a whole week without some sort of training!) and I kept a daily log of food / observations and even a newspaper clipping that I wanted to share with you all.

You went to a Commercial Gym?!

We did indeed! for 6 Euros a session, we couldn't pass it up. Although the cardio section dominated most of the space, the free weights had their own separate room, and it was pretty well equipped! It even included the typical ''you missed leg day'' guy who, both times we went, was there doing some sort of shoulder and arm workout in front of the mirror grunting ;-)

Although I was the only Female, it didn't feel half as intimidating as other Commercial Gyms I have trained in. That was until I did a 100kg Strapless Deadlift and weighted Chin Ups....that caused a few looks...! I was chuffed though - despite the heat and the sweat, that was the heaviest I have managed to lift without straps!

How did you eat? Were you 'good'?

A few people have asked me this question, and did so before I went, hence the reason I kept track.

In essence, yes we did eat well, but we weren't short of a few indulgences. This may sound odd, but we just didn't want to scoff unnecessary food and gorge on treats because we didn't need them.

Not to say there weren't Ice Creams, Desserts, Chips, Bread, even Pizza - and of course Cider, Amoretto and Whiskey, but all in moderation (or once in some cases!) and this was due to how I felt after consumption. Yes, I was on holiday, but didn't want to spend my week in pain or uncomfortable because of the food I had eaten - I have worked hard enough to get to where I am, why would I spoil it and nearly ruin my chill time?!

We Love Red Wine...!

On the first day we visited a supermarket to buy some supplies for the week -  our intention was to cook our own breakfasts each day and then eat out for the other meals. We purchased lots of fresh meat and veg, eggs, water, cheese and nuts - and this lasted us the week. We had Pork Chops fried with Almonds, Courgettes and Aubergines one morning, Salmon and Eggs another and a Spicy Chorizo and Aubergine omelette - so we did pretty well on the breakfast front- until the last day - we went out for Gourmet Ice Cream and Coffee..!

We ate at some amazing restaurants too, some of which were recommended by Sanjay and Ruby, who we rented our Villa from, (Thank You both so much!) some just by exploring and recommendations by locals.

CHE Argentinian Grill

One of our favourite places - an Argentinian Buffet Grill with a difference. Rather than queuing up, plate in hand, everything is brought round to your table - every few minutes, a server will come round with a variety of cooked meats, vegetables and side dishes, you simply say yes or no to what is being offered! Everything from Beef Steak to Herbed White Fish, Sizzling Chorizo Sausages and the Best Black Pudding I have ever had (Yes, Really!) and grilled Veg. Both times we went for dinner, we were both too full to even contemplate dessert! In fact I only had a dessert on the last day...

Panache

A short walk from where we staying, we went here on our first night. James opted for an Escargot starter - not that bad actually, just like garlic-y, chewy mussels! We then both shared a giant, fresh Seafood Paella - it was beautiful! You could taste the freshness of the King Prawns, Mussels and other Shellfish included - Amazing!



Mmmm....Snails!



 

Huge!!

















Chapter 1

Probably our Favourite of all the places we ate. Simply amazing food! This was a small Fine Dining establishment that James was told about on one of his Golf Days, and I'm glad we checked this place out!

First, we went for dinner, Opting to share starters of Baby Squid stuffed with Feta and Chorizo and White Chocolate and Scallop Arrencini, accompanied by Irish Soda Bread and Garlic Alioli. This was followed by the largest and most filling Fish dish I have ever had - Teriyaki Cod on Peanut and Coconut Rice - Heavenly!

Again, too full for a Dessert, but we said we would go back on our last day as they did Roast Dinner ;-)

Wow! The Best Roast Dinner from a restaurant EVER!! The Food was just so fresh and flavoursome, we were so impressed - the portions were generous and they had the creamiest, smoothest Mash! Delightful!

Even though I was full to burst, I had to have a dessert - I went for a Blueberry Cheesecake - Winner!!

Gorgeous Fish Dish

Cheesecake makes me Happy :)



 

 

 

 

 

So I mentioned James went to Golf? There are some truly beautiful courses across Spain, so I could hardly deny him an opportunity to play at one of the Top 100 Courses in Europe - Las Colinas. The Landscape and Views were incredible and he even got to play with a Pro....Meanwhile, I caught some much needed Sun :)

 

 

Beautiful Course

Pool to myself!

 

 

 

I just wanted to share some insights into our time away, reiterate the fact that we all need rest and time away from everyday stresses and that just because you are away from routine, it doesn't have to mean all your hard work and discipline should go to waste :)

 

 

 I had a lot of time to myself to reflect and observe everything around me. One of the biggest things I noticed was Body Confidence. This I will cover in a separate post next week as I have quite a lot to say about it...including an interesting article I read in a newspaper whilst away.

I hope everyone has had a lovely summer and still striving for better and well on your way to reaching your goals!

 







Franki xx

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It's Nearly Time!

The wait is nearly over!

After a hectic few weeks of name changing, branding design, picking the packaging and finalising my menu, I'm glad to say that I will be taking my first orders this week!

 

 

Mia Cucina is open for Business!

I wanted a simple, yet memorable name for this - and what better than My Kitchen in Italian!

So....Remind me how this will work again?!

After my last post I received many questions on how the food will be available and in what capacity...

Each Thursday Morning, I will put up a menu for the following week which will consist of;

*Two Main Meals
*1 Side / Snack
*1 Soup

I will take orders until Friday at 3pm, and then the food will be ready for collection on Monday morning.

The Collection Point will be Elite-Bodyworks* and your dishes will be labelled with your name for easy pick up.

There will be 3 Collection Slots Available throughout Monday;

7:30am - 9am

12pm - 1pm

8pm - 9pm

As I may not always be there when you do collect, there will be an 'I Contain' list to accompany each dish - just so you have sight of what's in your food!

*Apologies, at this point in time, I am unable to do deliveries - watch this space though! For their address, visit their website http://www.elite-bodyworks.com/

The idea being that you can purchase as many of the four options as you like, knowing you have something to fall back on should you not get to do the food shopping on time - or just fancy someone else to do the hard work for you  ;-)

The dishes will be suitable for home refrigeration and freezing where stated, so you can buy as you go, or stock up!

Dishes will be provided in foil containers and the mains will come in two sizes to suit different appetites. These will be suitable for home cooking (either in the oven or the pan) and cooking instructions will be provided.

The soups will be one size and provided in an Eco Friendly pot - although I would still recommend heating through on the hob ;-)

I may have not been totally 100% clear on my first announcement, But to start with, I won't be able to provide 'days' worth of food' - although this is the long term goal - this is a little venture I am setting out on in line with everything else going on, but I am hoping this will grow into the flourishing business I want it to!

Anyway, thought I would keep this short and sweet as I will probably be bombarding you over the next week with posts! But I hope this has made things a bit clearer and I hope to receive an order from you soon! Keep an eye out on Thursday for my first menu and details on how to order!

*Oh yes, of course...Thank you to everyone who has supported me during this quest, be it with Name Suggestions, Meal Ideas, Marketing Advice and Good Old Encouragement.

A special Thanks goes to James for giving me the initial push into this and to my friend and colleague Rich Kearsey, Creative Director of New Media Group who has designed my logos and created my branding!* http://www.new-media-group.co.uk/

Just to end, I promised my Facebook Followers I would provide the recipe for the Coconut Chicken and Aubergine Tapenade .... so here it is;

Crunchy Coconut Chicken

2 Chicken Legs
1 Tbsp of Mild Curry Powder
Sprinkle of Salt
2 Tsps of Smoked Paprika
Sprinkle of Coconut Flakes
2 Tbsps of Coconut Oil

Preheat Oven to 180'

Scour the Chicken skin and drizzle some oil over the top. Then rub the Paprika, Salt, Curry Powder and Coconut Flakes into the skin, ensuring both legs are covered and drizzle a little more oil over the top.

Place in the oven and roast for 40 minutes. Meanwhile....

Chunky Aubergine and Mixed Pepper Tapenade
Well...Kind of!

250g of Mixed Olives
1 Aubergine
1 Green Pepper
1 Yellow Pepper
2 Tbsps of Tomato Puree
2 Garlic Cloves
2 Tsps of Paprika
2 Tsps of Mixed Herbs
Pinch of Salt
Coconut Oil
Juice of half a Lime

Dice the Olives, Peppers and Aubergine into small chunks and finely chop the Garlic Cloves and add them to a mixing bowl. Drizzle in oil and stir to coat the veg.

Then Add the Puree, Paprika and Mixed Herbs and stir again - ensuring all the veg is covered. Then add to a saucepan on a medium heat.

Cook for 10 minutes until the veg starts to soften, and then add the lime juice.

Continue to cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Delicious served hot or cold!

Think this may be my last recipe for a while....I won't have anything to serve soon... ;-)

Franki x

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Onwards and Upwards

So for a while now, I have been debating where I want to go with this whole Health and Fitness thing... Do I want to run more Body Composition Classes...Do I want to be a PT...Do I want to be a Health Ambassador for Kids and/or Women...Do I want to be a Writer or Chef...Maybe even write my own recipe book...?!

Well over the last month I have taken a step forward on one of these routes and making some changes....

All of the above are things I care greatly about;

I Love my Elite Female Ladies and the Positivity and Energy they bring and I would like to see more of this...!

I'm Flattered that in less than a week I picked up 2 new PT Clients - without even advertising the service!

You know how passionate I am about creating a healthier image for our future generations, as well as all the wonderful women that follow my page and blog - I would love nothing more than to do this on an even bigger scale!!

And lastly, I think the blog speaks for itself when it comes to my love of writing and food!!

In all areas metioned, I have put some plans in place to take these passions further, but today, I will only reveal the first on my list!

Some careful Planning and Guidence, lots of Revision, an Exam and and Inspecton this week has most certainly paid off....

I am now a Registered Home Caterer!

 

My Home Catering Registration Certificate is to follow!
Along with my Level 5 Hygiene Rating Card :)  

 

 

 

This means that starting soon, I will be offering Fresh, Home Cooked Meals that customers will be able to purchase for convenience.

I mentioned on my page yesterday how great it would be if some of your meals in a week could be prepared for you - and this is exactly the service I will be offereing!

All the meals will be my own recipes, made from scratch in my own kitchen. You can be rest assured that the food I will provide will be of great quality (as much as I can will be made from Fresh, Farm Shop Ingredients) and won't contain any nasties - as I like my cooking to be as fresh and good for me as possible!

How will it work?

Firstly, this will depend on demand , but in theory....

On a weekly basis, I will have 2 Dishes to choose from, plus a snack or a Soup.

You'll place your order with me by Friday, and be able to collect your meal (or meals) on Monday.

The food will be provided in portioned containers and will be suitable for home refridgeration or freezing. Then you know you will at least have a dish on hand should your preperaton fall short that week.

How does that sound? (Like a Ready Meal...) Yes, But a good quality, no added rubbish, one!

Over the next week or so, I will be releasing my Initial Menu and Price List. I will also include Vegetarian Dishes too as I have had some requests for these.

If you are interested in trying some of my dishes when I reveal them, do let me know! Any initial feedback would be greatly appreciated!

This will be up and running for the first weekend of July, so I will be taking orders from July 3rd!

I'm pretty excited to see how this takes off! Who knows, one day it could mean I no longer need to work in an Office..!!!!

This is why I have been pretty quite recently - I have had a lot on my plate.... ouch. That was a bad pun....

Anyway... Looking Forward to Sharing the Food Love!!

I guess this apron is now more apt than ever....!!

Franki xx

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