The IFC - My First Fortnight

Feels good to be back guys. I'll be honest, I had really lost my writing mojo for several reasons, but now after a few changes, The Blog will be up on a more regular basis again!

As some of you may be aware, this year I have set myself a very different goal from those that I have worked towards before. No Strongwoman or Weightlifting Comps now - now, I'm going on Stage!

Well, sort of.

I've entered The IFC  http://www.officialifc.com/ - a competition based 50% on How you Look, and 50% Strength. But I'll still be on stage in little Shorts and a Sports Bra....Eeeeek!

Each event is scored based on how many reps you can do in 1 minute. I'll be competing in the 55kg Bodyweight Category which will mean I have to do;

55kg Squat
55kg Deadlift
Bodyweight Chin Ups
44kg Bench Press
33kg Push Press

I have tested the events twice so far, to see what my increases could be - in 3 weeks I added 6 squats, 2 deadlifts, 2 push presses and 1 Chin Up. I feel all the scores so far have been pretty solid, so feeling positive already, which is great!

So what am I having to do differently?

Well I now have 5 compulsory sessions a week, with 2 extra conditioning programmes to slot in when I can. They vary from Heavy Strength, Low Rep programmes for my Bench and Squat, through to Fat Loss, High Rep, Muscle Specific ones to help aid my body composition.

On top of this, I am back to a strict eating plan - no Dairy, Alcohol, Sugar or Wheat as I know these are bad triggers for me - and I need this stomach to lean out!

I can see this becoming pretty challenging over the next few months - we have a lot lined up including birthdays, anniversaries, and a mini break (which all focus around food, lets be honest!) but I am totally 100% committed to this. I need to do this, for me as well as my clients, I want to set an example and inspire them further.

I am so lucky in that my good friend Charlotte competed in this very competition last year - so she knows exactly what I need to do. She has even offered to help  me with posing and training which is such a big help.

I am also using My Fitness Pal to track my calories and macros - currently on 1400 calories a day to bring my weight back down and to help lean me out - currently living on Fish, Veg, Fruit, Lean Meat and Corn Cakes! As well as Peanut Butter for the good fats, obvs!

I entered the comp 15 weeks out, and below are my Before photos.

Note to Self...Get a Tan!
 

Started at 12.1% at 56kg Bodyweight - aiming to be sub 10% come November 8th (comp date)

Obviously, I have a lot to work on, but I am confident that I can do this, and do myself and Team EBW proud on The IFC Stage!

I will keep you updated with progress and snapshots of my programming throughout the next 13 weeks, but for now, I shall leave you with this link - me FINALLY getting a 100kg Back Squat!!

Most of my Daily Updates are over on my Intsagram https://instagram.com/frankinapolitano/ so head over and Follow Me for regular insights into my training (and what I'm eating!)

 

Franki xx

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Twitter: @fnapolitano2
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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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Twitter: @fnapolitano2
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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

Facebook: Franki Napolitano
Twitter: @fnapolitano2
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Short and Sweet!

 

Felt it was about time to update you all on my ventures!

BWL Golden Chance - As you may have seen, this time around, I wasn't selected for the next Phase.

Although it was an amazing experience and I was extremely flattered to be invited to that stage of the process, I have so much going on in good old Basingstoke, I realised I wouldn't want to leave!  I couldn't leave what I have here behind. Every cloud and all that! Always better to focus on the positives of situations than to dwell on the "What If"s or "Why not me?"s


Mia Cucina - I love food / cooking and creating - and providing healthy meals for those that don't have the time is a big passion of mine. I hate admitting defeat and quitting, so this is really hard.

I have so many things going on, something had to give - with 2 jobs, training/competing and my health, I have decided to put Mia Cucina on hold for a while - I will still continue to create dishes and share recipes and hope to revive it once I have more time. I will of course continue to provide for the EBW Day Cures when needed!

Extra EBW Class - Friday at 6pm - This is to start next week and again is a Female Only Weight Training class, mainly being an introduction to weightlifting and building confidence within a gym setting to enable further development - and of course working on those Bikini Bodies! I am really excited to start training a new group of ladies, in blocks of 6 week focused programmes! The class is open for up to 8 ladies, and I think all the spaces have already gone!

Endometriosis UK - This is probably the biggest piece of news I have. Last Year, I had a few interviews with Endometriosis UK and on Friday 6th of January, I attended a training course at their main office in London to become an Official Volunteer Support Group Leader for the Charity.

My task is to set up the first of it's kind in Basingstoke, plan and run at least 6 meets a year for ladies of all ages who suffer - and also a place for partners or fathers to come to for further information on the condition to help support their loved ones.

Each session will be varied, where we can share experiences, provide information on how to manage the condition and most of all, create a warm, inviting environment for those who feel they have no support elsewhere.

This is a huge opportunity for me, and luckily I already have a few willing helpers, as well as a local journalist and sufferer Emily Brown who also plans to train up to support the running of the group with me. (She also wrote the lovely article about my Fundraiser last year!)

We plan to launch our first group in April / May, but before then, we are running another fundraiser - and this time it is on a much Bigger scale..

When and Where?!

Saturday March 21st and is being held at the Tea Bar at the Top of Town, from 2pm. The afternoon will be one of socialising and entertaining, including live acts performing on the day and of course a raffle! Prizes have already started coming in; Bombay Sapphire Distillery have donated 2 tickets for a tour, Official NFL Merchandise is up for grabs, as well as a Family Portrait and FHC Vouchers and of course Training vouchers from EBW - and more to be confirmed. If anyone wants to contribute to the prizes, and gain some local promotion free of charge as a result, please let me know!

For more info, here is the link to the event - Free Entry too! And if Tea and Coffee isn't your thing, there's always the bar!!

 https://www.facebook.com/events/385010941659705/392179724276160/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity

We will officially announce the first date for the group meet at the event!

Like I said, Short and Sweet today - I wanted to share all the excitement - as always!

Over the next few weeks I will be posting a few more updates on my training, including how I am faring with 6 training sessions a week plus yoga, when my next competition will be and what my next set of goals are!

Have a great weekend guys!

Franki xx

Facebook: Franki Napolitano
Twitter: @fnapolitano2
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All Systems Go!

Can you quite believe little old me is now running her own business?! Me neither...it was a hectic first weekend, I won't lie - but I loved every minute of it! Sunday night was the best nights' sleep I'd had for along time...and the latest bedtime for a while too!

Chicken Fajitas and Slow Cooked Chilli

All Ready to GO!!!

Thank you so much to those who placed their first orders, and I am happy to report that all the feedback so far as been very positive.....!

"The soup is best I have ever tasted. Not usually a soup man and
think it will never satisfy me. This did and so tasty. Great work.
Next week might be a full 5 day order I think." Matt P

 

~

 

"(Your) Fajitas are Scrummy!" Ciara H

 

~

 

"Just had the soup. AMAZING!!! more please :) Also the roulades are SO good!! top work. I thoroughly recommend to anyone. Cant wait for lunch!" Adam W

 

~

 

"Yea, the chilli was great" James S (can't be seen to be giving too much praise ;-) )

 

 

 

Wow!!! Thanks Guys!

 

Here's to the next one!

Speaking of the next one, be sure to check my Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/FrankiNapolitano2 for this weeks menu, ready for your orders to be placed!


If you're in the gym over the next week or so, keep an eye out for my brand new Business Cards too! Feel free to take a few and hand them out!

So what else is going on?

Training is well underway for The BNSF Britain's Strongest Woman competition on August 10th! (Yes, a week before I go on holiday - just what I need - BRUISES!) 

Morgan Holmes

Glad to say I also have a new training partner, Morgan, who is also competing in this competition having placed 4th in Basingstoke's Strongest Novice last month....So expect a few videos and pictures over the coming weeks!

Sara Smith

A third EBW Strongwoman is also competing - Sara who placed 1st in the aforementioned novice comp - so there will be a great EBW Presence on the day! Can't wait ladies, looks to be a great comp!













The Event list for my weight category in this comp is pretty good too - take a look!

Gutted I missed both practice sessions that were held, so I'm hoping I will be ok on the day! Feeling pretty good about this one, despite only making my final decision to compete last week!

A few weeks ago EBW held one of their Events session which I love! This time I was joined by Polly, another Strongwoman competitor who was also at the qualifier I did in April. Sadly, she didn't manage to qualify this year, but we have big hopes for next year!

This is what I love about Strongman / Strongwoman - everyone is so supportive and friendly - it doesn't matter how you do, everyone respects the time, effort and determination you put into training - being especially supportive on competition days - even cheering on their rivals. How great is that?!



Polly from WHS down for an Events Session

And what's EVEN better is that more and more women are slowly getting into the support which is amazing! The Final I'm competing in in September (England's Strongwoman Championships) looks to be quite a spectacle - The organiser, Aaron, wants us all to be introduced to the crowd one by one - to our own piece of chosen music...and with a commentary on out training and a weird fact about us...plus the local press and sponsors being there - talk about added pressure! But I think that's great - what a way to feel like a celeb hey?!











Once the summer months creep in, most people go into panic mode about looking as good as possible with minimal clothes on - stripping body fat, fighting the bloat and pumping up their arms...I'm just trying to keep from getting injured and keeping my strength up - hoping this will carry over into my bikini body look too! Which reminds me...I need to bikini shop!

Franki the PT...!

As you may have seen from my FB Page, two of my clients have recently been through a bit of a ''detox' - basically two weeks of meat and green veg, no booze, sugar, dairy or caffeine in a bid to reduce body fat and really accelerate their results. Glad to report that both ladies managed to hit their short term target before their holiday / break away - one even losing an incredible 7cms from her waist and hips in a few weeks! Very proud of all my clients, well done to you all!

Lastly.....

On a Wednesday morning at 7am, you'll find me in the gym with an incredible group of ladies being put through their paces in my Elite Female class. Over the last 4 months, I have had amazing feedback on the class and I really enjoy leading these women on their quest for a healthier, leaner body. It has proven rather popular with people asking if I will run another....

Well I am pleased to announce, that from August, I Will Be! We are in the process of turning the first floor of our new premises into our Body Composition area and so from August, Monday Evenings at 8pm will belong to me and a second group of ELITE FEMALES! The class already has 5 of 8 spaces filled from ladies on a waiting list - so if you would like to snap up one of the remaining 3 spaces, contact me to arrange!

Safe to say it's All Systems Go with me right now - I love to be busy - gives me a sense of purpose and drive...lets hope it keeps up!

I hope you are all well and on track with your goals and focuses for this year!


Until Next Time!

Franki xx

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Twitter: @fnapolitano2
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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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Twitter: @fnapolitano2
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We're All Fat

Yep, today we are going to talk about FAT. In both terms of the word - Fat as in something we consume and are made of, and Fat as in what some of our nation are becoming.

*Please note, that this is not meant to cause any offence, it is simply a musing of articles I have read and assumptions based upon them.*

What does the word Fat mean to you? A cruel jibe? Is it Controversial? Rude? An essential part of our regular diet? Something that can actually aid weight loss?

I read a very interesting 33 page spread in a recent issue of Women's Health Mag and thought I would highlight some of the topics they discussed, and results of a survey they held with Men's Health Mag...so here goes, of those surveyed;

72% of women think they are fat each time they look in the mirror and.....

62% of those women know they aren't fat, but tell themselves they are anyway...

 

65% of men think they are fat..... and 68% have avoided going out because they felt it.....

 

43% of women and 28% of men think about their weight EVERY HOUR....

 

46% of women and 57% of men would rather date someone short, rather than fat....

 

 

These statistics alone are shocking - is it me, or do they highlight what an incredibly shallow and judgemental society we live in?! No one can say they are perfect, but when someone refuses to consider a possible relationship with someone because they don't live up to some idealistic, (usually) unattainable standard, then I am sorry, that person should take a long, hard look in the mirror themselves.

 

Don't get me wrong, I am not going to go all Feminist on you here, this refers to men and their body confidence as much as it does women. I know of several friends of both sexes who have used an excuse like the one above to avoid dating someone who doesn't have a rippling six pack...

 

Given the clip at the start of this blog, wouldn't you agree, we are all fat? We are made of the stuff aren't we? That fleshy stuff around our bones has an essential fat layer within it...

 

But what is responsible for our fatness? The fat we eat? The sugar? The Carbs?! Is fat in our food really that bad, or is it something we should embrace in moderation?

 

Here are just a few quotes from various celebs as part of the article, discussing the different aspects of the word "Fat"

 

" Fat is neither good nor bad, but a compound essential for human life....I don't believe in one single definition of human desirability."  Victoria Pendleton, 33, retired athlete

 

"Fat is not a good thing.....I think there is less pressure for people to be slim...we have got used to people being bigger" Rosemary Conley, 67, Dietician

 

"Fat is essential...I try to embrace it....I won't touch anything Fat Free, it's usually replaced by chemicals and fillers" Robyn Lawley, 24, plus sized supermodel

"Fat is delicious!...You may not realise it, but men feel the same pressure as women about their bodies" Jason Atherton, 42, Michelin-starred Chef

"Fat is the most loaded word in the English Language!...Fat has the onomatopoeic quality of being slapped!" Adam Richman, 39, TV personality - Man Vs. Food

"Fat is one of my biggest fears...eating it or being it....I'm often accused of Fat-Shaming, it seems you can't use the F word if you're skinny" Emma Woolf, Journalist

I have used the above examples as I feel they highlight quite a vast difference in opinions when it comes to the word 'fat' - again, remember, we are talking both fat in out diet and being considered overweight...

Speaking of being overweight, has anyone ever had their BMI taken and told they were on the 'wrong side of healthy' or actually 'obese' when you look anything but?

Well this might be because the good old BMI Test was created around 180 years ago...so you might argue that this method is somewhat outdated. Even a leading specialist, Dr Francisco Lopez Jimenez, a professor of medicine, has ''lost faith in BMI as it does not identify those correctly at risk...Change is needed"

Most damaging is when the BMI refers to children and athletes. A news article a few years ago stated that the parents of a 4 year old boy had been informed of his 'clinical obesity' for being 3lb over the recommended weight range - he was just pretty tall for his age!

 

 

Plenty of female boxers and strength athletes has also fallen victim to the cruel labels BMI gives out, simply for being a bit shorter than average but with more muscle than most - can you see the point that BMI really isn't a good indication of what is healthy? And they wonder why there is a growing epidemic of Eating Disorders within the female athlete world....

Out for dinner last night with a few old work colleagues sparked our ritual conversation about food and exercise, pretty standard! One of them shared a story about her eight year old daughter who's friends at school had already been called "fat" by the other kids, and her daughter couldn't understand why this was. How awful is it that eight year olds are already using the F word to describe their peers? Even more so if they child clearly isn't overweight? It's so sad to hear stories like this.



I feel even more strongly about educating our younger generation on the importance of a healthy diet, body image and lifestyle, and I am not even a parent yet! I recently looked into the Active Kids Scheme that Sainsburys run (Beckham being one of the ambassadors no less!) to see which schools in my area collect these vouchers and I was pleased to see even a couple of preschools are part of the scheme...so encouraging to hear! So I will be donating vouchers to a couple of my local schools, doing my bit for the kids :) But Becks, if you need an ambassador for the Basingstoke area, let me know ;-)







What do you think about "Fat"? How do you think we can help reduce the statistics I have quoted above? We're you shocked by these, or think they are pretty accurate for todays' society?

Anyway, to round off on a lighter note, the article included an A-Z of fat and fat loss, so here is a quick acrostic to give you some of them;

F - Fifty Billion. The amount of fat cells in your body...see, I told you we are all fat! ;-)

R - Reduced Fat. This means there is typically 1/3 less fat in the product, but this is made up for in sugar...and we know what sugar does...

A - Average. The average lifespan of a fat cell is 8.5 years. And it is replaced as soon as it dies...

N - Normal. It is common for our body compositions to fluctuate throughout the month through water retention, muscle mass gain or loss and general eating habits

K - Ketones. Compounds produced when your body converts fat into energy - commonly found in raw coconut oil - get using it in your cooking!!

I - Intervals. In which ever form of exercise you take, be it cardio or strength training, try to incorporate some sort of interval training within it. It's easier than it sounds!


Again, I would like to stress, I did not set out to offend or "fat shame" (?!) , so I do hope this doesn't come across negatively! Hopefully you can take something from this blog that will help you; whether it be to regain lost focus, given you an idea of changes to make, or encouraged you to help support your local school in a quest to make your kids healthier!

Till next time...

Franki x
 

Facebook: Franki Napolitano
Twitter: @fnapolitano2
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So Much Room for Activities!

Hey! So much to fill you all in on....Yep, you guessed it, it's been another manic few weeks....here's a quick run-down of what's been going on...!

Fitter Food Health, Fat Loss and Performance Seminar - April 26th



Road Trip with Zuz and Howard!

So this saw a three hour (!) journey to Lowestoft, Suffolk for an intimate seminar with Matt and Keris of Fitter Food. The afternoon was packed full of useful info, from tips and tricks on how to speed up fat loss, to how to make the most of your rest days between training, to the ways in which different societies view what is healthy or not 

(did you know, that there is actually such thing as the potato diet?! Yep, you only eat boiled, white potatoes...hmmmmm....nutrition at it's best!)

Three take away points from the Seminar would include:
+ Adding Cinnamon to my Post Workout Shake - It helps with Fat Loss!

+ Medicines taken in our younger years can have a huge effect on our hormones and body composition in later life - something I am keen to do more research into as I have used a vast array of medicine throughout the years!

+ The Importance of understanding your genetics and what this means for body composition and training methods.

I was already familiar with a lot of the topics covered, but it was great to learn some new and interesting facts surrounding diet and how opinions like ''fat / carbs are bad for you'' greatly differ across the world. If you are interested, research The Masai Tribe Diet or The Kitavin Tribe Diet to see how attitudes and tolerances of dairy, carbs and fat differ!

Matt and Keris are very knowlegdeable and it was a great afternoon - Thanks for having us!

The Spicery Curry Night

For Christmas, James and I were given a 3 month subscription to http://www.thespicery.com/ and we finally started using it last week!

Our first pack arrived with all the spices and herbs to create a Laal Maas with Vegetable Sabji, Chana Masala, Lemon and Herb Raita and Masala Pooris. If you love to cook and eat good food and don't mind a culinary challenge, I would highly recommend placing an order with these guys! Here is my plate of food, made from scratch by me, with a glass of red to accompany this delicious lamb dish! Looking forward to the next dish already!

 

 

 

Newlyns Cookery School

 

In keeping with the food topic (this just highlights how much my life revolves around food!) a birthday gift from James was a cookery evening at our local farm shop http://www.newlyns-farmshop.co.uk/ 

 

The evening included recipes and full demonstrations (and tasters!) of three gastro dishes cooked by their resident chef. We then had the opportunity to cook the starter and main course ourselves and take all our food home to eat - we even received a huge sirloin steak each to cook to our liking in the comfort of our own kitchen. The chosen dishes were;

 

+Warm Ham Hock and Asparagus with Sauce Gribiche

 

+ Sirloin Steak with Herbed Butter and Creamed Spinach

 

+ Chocolate Soufflé - demo only

 

 

I learnt that I like asparagus cold in a salad! -  And that you should cook it for no longer than 50-60 seconds to get the right amount of crunch - I can't abide soggy / limp veg!!



Also, to cook meat to it's best, you should leave it out of the fridge for at least 2 hours before placing in a hot pan - that way, you won't end up with a burnt outside and still rare in the middle. I did know meat had to be room temp, but not that it takes more than two hours to achieve! And I don't mind rare steak...but you know what I mean!

 

 

I certainly would love to do another of their evenings, they offer different themes so I will be keeping my eye out for a Thai one next I think!

 

 

ESWC Final has been announced! 

Eeeek! Yes, The date and events have been announced and looks to be a great Comp! So, the final will be on the 20th September and luckily, it will be held in Southampton, so not far for me to travel at all! It also means I get a chance to finally meet all the other Strongwomen from across the UK who have also qualified. I'm really looking forward to this! Glad it's off in the distance at the minute, it will give me lots of time to prepare for a car deadlift and anvil carry...!

In the meantime, I am contemplating entering the BNSF Strongwoman Comp on August 10th - again, looks to be a good one, but tough!

British Senior Championships 2014 May 10th

On Saturday, a few of us travelled to Coventry to watch EBW Coach Ben compete on the national stage at the Senior Championships in Olympic Weightlifting. This was a qualifying event for the Commonwealth Games so there were some extremely impressive lifts going on!

Ben representing EBW at the Senior Championships!

It was a great atmosphere and the largest audience Ben has competed in front of to date. He did very well but didn't quite make it to qualifying standard this time around. Although he was obviously less than happy with his performance on the day, Ben was ever the optimist at our post comp Mexican dinner, now taking a rest for the summer and preparing for three back to back comps in October, November and December this year - aiming to qualify for the big comps next year.!

We are all extremely proud of him and his achievement so far!! Competing at a National Level is incredible - we look forward to following his continuing journey!

My 28 Day Challenge

On May 1st I decided it was time to detox again - starting to feel a bit sluggish and bloated after the food I'd eaten before and after the comp - having a lot of carbs, trying to put a little bit of weight on etc - and this mainly came in the form of sweet potatoes and ice cream ;-). My body really wasn't liking me!

So back to mint teas, no sugar or dairy and carbs post workout -  a format that has previously worked for me. And 12 days in, I'm not feeling all that much better for it! But that is so unfair! Why is this?! Going back to a seminar point, I think it is down to the medication I take - so a review is needed I feel! (when I can get an appointment with my own doctor that is!!)

Aside from this, I decided to take up something new - The Fitter Foods 28 Day Challenge.

You are provided with a 28 day meal and exercise plan which focusses on clean eating and varied exercise. I have tried two of the sessions so far and wow - I am certainly made for lifting heavy objects a few times rather than fairly light weights for 12 reps...! ;-)

You also get a brand new E-Book with yet more recipes for me to annihilate my kitchen with, as well as a brand new copy of their book - which I am kindly donating to Georgie even though my copy has seen better days!

Not only this, but we have access to a private Facebook Page for members to share experiences, before and after photos and ask Matt and Keris any questions they have - as well as keeping each other motivated. There are already a great bunch of people on the page, all with different goals and reasons as to why they are starting this journey, and I look forward to developing some e-friendships over the course of this challenge!

Today marks the 12th day of detox and first day of my challenge, so here are my before photos;

yep, back to brunette, I get bored too easily!

I'll keep you updated with my results! I have a pre-planned girls weekend away in Newcastle at the end of this challenge, so hoping to feel and look my best! It does help that I have an awesome dress I want to wear - added motivation! And maybe a tan...jeez!

Just wanted to catch up guys, I promise my next blog will contain more depth! I have a topic of discussion that I think a few would find interesting...keep an eye out, I'll post it this week!

OOOOOHHHH YEA.....I'm nearly at 10,000 views people! Help me reach it with this post alone and I would be eternally grateful!!

Franki x

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Let's Talk About Stress, Baby....

''I'm so Stressed!'' ..... ''I have so much to do'' ....... ''So many things on my mind!''

Just some of the few sentences that have been on repeat in my head this week! And I know I am not the only one who hears these mantras on a frequent basis..!




The last few weeks have been particularly stressful....You know when you feel you just don't have enough hours in the day to get everything done, or forget things because your mind has been pre-occupied? Yep, that is how it has been for me...!

The reason I am sharing this is because I wanted to talk a bit about the effects stress has on your body, your routine and your eating habits....




Stress rears it's ugly head in many forms; from being physically and/or mentally exhausted from work or running your home, to being run down and weak from poor nutrition or too much exercise (yes, there is such a thing as too much exercise!)

Warning signs your body will give you are the obvious ones...short/bad temper, loss of appetite and
general focus, poor quality sleep, your skin, hair and nails start to suffer and you are more likely to put ON weight than lose it.

To be honest, I have suffered with most of the above recently! Not great when I have a Competition coming up! But hey - I identified what the problem was and where I needed to refocus - the main one being my food....

Our Emotional Connection to Food



I cannot stress enough how important it is to not neglect what you put in your body - as women (although this is not limited to just women), we tend to reach for the cake, chocolate and ice cream in times of sadness / stress / emotional despair, and lets face it, no one can say that they don't have a week / month where they feel a little off kilter and reach for the above for ''comfort''....






Stress = Bad Night's Sleep = Neglected Breakfast

You know when you wake up for work and snooze the alarm more times than you should and tell yourself you'll grab some breakfast on the way out of the door.... Yea, probably the worst thing you could do!

Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, especially if you are training. I'm not saying you need to have a Full English, but starting your day with, at the very least, some eggs or another form of protein with nuts will have much more of a positive effect on your mood and well being for the day than a shot of espresso and a Banana and then a chocolate or breakfast bar around 10am- the amount of times I have been told the latter has formed someones breakfast is crazy - how can you expect to focus and function properly on so little?!

Need some quick ideas? Why not try;

Not-so-boring Scrambled Eggs

• 2 eggs
• 50g-80g of Sausage Meat / Chorizo / Chicken (last nights leftovers maybe)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 tsps of salsa

1) Heat some butter in a pan and add the meat to heat through. 
2) Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl and add to the cooking meat and scramble.
3) Simple as that - be imaginative with the ingredients you add to the egg to create lots of quick recipes!

Breakfast Burger

• 1 Burger 
• 1 tomato
• 1/2 an Avocado

1) Pop the burger in the oven to cook whilst you are getting yourself / kids ready in the morning 

2) Slice the tomato and avocado into circles and use them to place the burger in (like a bun) 

3) Serve with a handful of nuts - the great thing about this recipe is that you can put it all in a box and eat it on the go if you are running late - just cut it all up into chunks, grab a fork and go!

At Your Desk Porridge

If all else fails, grab a pot of yummy porridge and mix with hot water - but not too often! And only post work out... I discovered this one a while back and loved it! 

Again, check out the Fitter Foods book for lots more ideas on breakfast ideas...! I love their Breakfast Calzone....try it!!!

You really can be so much more productive each day having eaten a ''proper'' breakfast in the morning - even if it does mean getting up a little earlier. Just means going to bed a little earlier each night. Win Win right?! Getting more rest and then feeling more prepared for each day?!

Anyway, I am highlighting this as, as said above, this is where I started to neglect my routine - feeling like the world was on top of me led me to have a complete appetite loss - not meaning I wasn't eating (I love food too much, so no worry about that happening!) but I wasn't eating enough - but still training as much as I normally do. This led to me being extremely tired and lacking motivation as the weeks training started to feel like a chore, not my usual favourite pass time.

The worst thing for me, and this might sound selfish, was the effect the added stress was having on my appearance. My skin was noticeably bad, hair was even thinner than usual and I developed a ''nice'' paunch around my tummy - I was not happy at all! My biosig results shot up and it only highlighted how much stress my body was under - I knew I had to do something about it!

It was a wakeup call,  and so I made sure this didn't last too long! I have got back on track, but it really highlighted for me the effect small changes can make to your wellbeing - for better or worse..!!

The point in me telling you this is to highlight that regardless of how strict you are, how many times you train a week, how much of your life revolves around training and nutrition, you still have to (try to) remember to maintain as much control over everything else in your life - a big ask for those who have several plates spinning, I know! But also remember there is nothing wrong with taking some me time to regain perspective and have some much deserved rest!

A few things to bear in mind...

How aware are you about the stress caused to your body? How do you feel when you fall out of routine?

Hopefully the talk of stress and it's effects can resonate with some of you. How do you manage your stress? I found yoga to be a big help, as well as spending more time with those close to me!

So... A Few Updates!

It (was) My Birthday

Yes, my birthday has come and gone! I got a lot of beautiful, thoughtful and useful gifts! Here a just a few....

A cookery Course, Massage Vouchers and Gym gear amongst others!

Lots of yummy food was consumed of course, rounded off nicely with a lovely meal with all my girlfriends! Thank you again to all of those that joined me for food, wine and cake...!!

I am also pleased to say that my dad listened to my plea and I got my homemade Red Velvet Birthday cake! Thanks Dad!

Saturday saw a visit down to Winning Health Solutions gym in Southampton for some competition prep after the details of the events were released!

Really pleased to say that I had a squat session with Gina Collins, the current Britain's Strongest Women U63kg (who I will be competing against!) and managed to match her weight for weight, rep for rep - pretty chuffed with that acheievment I must say!

I also managed a new Log PB and some practice with the kegs and loading platforms. Feeling a lot more confident now....2 weeks until the comp!

England's Strongest Women Southern Qualifier will be held at Winning Health Solutions on April 20th, events starting at 11am - if anyone would like to come along to show some support, it would be very much appreciated!!!! Let me know if you would like to come along.

Speaking of achievements, the week before saw me put a massive 12.5kg on my deadlift - I managed 112.5kg for one rep! I then went on to lift 90kg 14 times in one minute....!! Here is a photo of me, Grace and Zoe from the Events session...

Me With 110kg, Grace with 120kg and Zoe with a huge 140kg!!

Charity Event - Mercy Ships

So a few weeks ago I mentioned that I will be running a charity event for a friend of mine running the London Marathon - this is still going ahead, we may just have to change the date as EBW will actually starting their expansion (already!) that weekend - so the date confirmation is to follow this week! Again if you are interested in helping us complete 26 miles on a range of strongman equipment, in a great atmosphere and all for a good cause, please contact me!!


Again guys, sorry for the delay... I really do promise this time that I will be more frequent!

Have a good week all! Remember, Be Happy. Be Healthy.

Franki x

Read All About It!

Time really does fly when you're having fun hey! A lot has happened the last two weeks, so here is a quick update on what's been going on...!


My First EliteFemales Class




My First Session

This seems ages ago now! This is the first time I designed and ran a class for other ladies at the new EBW facility and I am pleased to say, it went really well!

I had a lot of positive feedback from the lovely ladies who came along, and pleased to say they even came back for more on my second session!

I must admit, I was really nervous about starting this, as there is a certain amount of expectation put on you, especially from a coaching perspective!

Luckily for me, James assisted with the session, being on hand to make sure I was coaching correctly and keeping the ladies motivated. This was a great help to me as after the session, he praised me for doing well, as well as suggesting some modifications I could make and how to be even more involved with the clients. I took this on board and came back the following Wednesday, feeling more confident and in control than the previous week. I will still work under guidance for a while, being a newbie, but its the best way to keep improving!

The intro PT Session for Natasha!

In keeping with my development, I did a mini PT session with James' sister Natasha too - she had never been in a gym and was quite curious as to what a session would entail, so I was tasked with showing her a few basic exercises and coaching her round a 30 minute 1 on 1 session, and she did so much better than she thought she would - even giving the battle ropes a go. I was very pleased with how well she did for her first session, and feedback tells me she enjoyed it too....!






I found a new Training Partner!
I know a few of my gym buddies will be annoyed at this, but I have to be honest. Last Saturday saw me partake in my first MST session for ages and I had the pleasure of training with Mia, the daughter of my good friend Charlotte.

Now, you may think training with a 10 year old as a novelty, but I can assure you, Mia was very much a competitive partner! The session comprised of competing against other pairs to complete a set of exercises as many times as possible - and Mia held no prisoners - there was no way we were going to lose!

Lots of shouts of encouragement and counting of reps from the little Strongwoman, her enthusiasm was so refreshing, and she really pushed me! (this due to me being scared to lose!)

But luckily (for me!) we did win! Yay for us! Thank you Mia, I look forward to our next session!

Winners!!!

Mia and Charlotte x

 

Strong Not Skinny!

Friday evenings see another Female only session at EBW, this time specifically focusing on strength training.

I paired up with Ali for a Back and Front Squat session - aiming for 5 rep max on back squat and 6 reps on the front squat. I helped Ali with technique (as well as upping the weight each time!) and she was soon doing squats comfortably, with higher weights than she had thought!

Massive well done to her for surpassing last weeks achievements in this weeks session - Keep it up Ali!

I managed a PB this session too - all in aid of comp prep...!

England's Strongest Man Southern Qualifier

Sunday March 16th saw James compete in his first Strongman competition of the year. A great day had by all, despite just missing out on qualifying, but the comp saw some great talent and competitors, so well done to all! James did manage some PBs, including a huge 170kg back squat for 4 reps! Video here of this mean feat!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQrmgP4olkg







And follow this link to a James' write up of the comp......

http://elitebodyworks.wordpress.com/2014/03/17/southern-qualifiers-for-esm-u90kg-14/

He is currently working towards two more comps in June, a week apart! then I think some rest until next year when he will qualify for ESM....!



Speaking of Competitions.....

If you follow any of us on Facebook, you will have seen that EBW will be holding Basingstoke's Strongest Novice on June 22nd!

This is the first comp of it's kind to be held and only having been announced this week, already has about 20 competitors signed up!

This is open to anyone, male or female, as long as they haven't had a podium position in any other Strength Comps.....I'm signed up!

It's great to see a few of the other EBW Ladies are too participating! Should be a great day, I am really looking forward to it! (that's if I don't place in April's comp!)

See this link for more info - if you are interested, get involved! You don't have to be an EBW Client to participate!!!  https://www.facebook.com/events/244609475722966/



My competition prep is going well, from this week I will be working through a more specific comp
focused programme having only a few weeks left until the day - which happens to be Easter Weekend, which is a great way of keeping me off the chocolate!!

Although I am slightly nervous at competing against the Current Britain's Strongest Women U63kg, Gina Collins! I have trained with her a few times at EBW and she is truly inspiring - so the thought of this is something to keep me pushing myself on the day, right...?!

Personal Affairs...

Well, amongst the craziness on the gym front in the last fortnight, work and rest time hasn't been any better! It has presented quite a few challenges and obstacles, making focus difficult and somewhat clouded....from previous experience, when this starts to happen, you need to address and change it before it snowballs into something you feel you can no longer control, or stop caring about.

I have spent a lot of time recently thinking, deciding, thinking again and settling on what it is I want and where I want to go with life, and I finally feel like I have found it!


I won't reveal the full details of my mastermind plan for my impending world domination, but it does include a lot more focus and involvement with my writing - and I have you lovely readers to thank for that! I started this in August, not thinking it would have the impact and response it has done. This is a huge compliment to me, to know that something I am passionate about is actually something other people enjoy too! So watch this space!




Birthday Girl...


Oh yes...It is my Birthday tomorrow!!! I am very much looking forward to a day off with James (to be spoilt rotten like I deserve ;-) ) an evening with some of the family, and then Afternoon Tea and dinner and drinks with all my lovely girlfriends on Friday!

Will I be indulging? Of course! As I said last time, my aim was to be really hot on my eating and training until my birthday, and, bar a bit of Peanut Parfait and Birthday Cake (it was Georgie's birthday and the cake looked too good to turn down!), I have been sooooo good! And managed to drop the weight I gained and shifted the bloat I had gained from stress....All in all, I'm feeling good again and so It's my Birthday, I'll eat Cake....Ice Cream.....if I want to!


Just to End...

On an end note, you may remember my previous blog, You are Beautiful, No Matter What They Say, an insight into Eating Disorders....to date, this has been my most viewed and praised write up, and I know this connected with several people on a personal level. I am glad I could air the views of those who felt they couldn't do it themselves xxx

Off the back of this, I purchased the below book by Emma Woolf, and have asked for her previous publication, An Apple a Day, as a birthday gift.

 The Ministry of Thin is a very good read -  looking at the pressure put on women and the effect it has on us all. I would highly recommend this book to anyone - male, female, with or without an eating disorder. It highlights a lot of issues and really makes you think about the way women are portrayed.

So now that I have regained focus, blogs will again be more regular! Thanks for the continued support guys, it's very well received!


Have a great week, and see some of you over my week of Birthday Celebrations!!

Franki xx