Exciting Times Ahead!!!

Hi everyone, I hope you all had a great week!

I'm feeling really Positive today as I had a Great end to last week....

As some of you may have seen, EBW are opening their own facility! This is such great news for not only James, Ben and Katie who have worked incredibly hard to get to this point, but also for all the clients of theirs who have been waiting for this for a very long time! So a massive Well Done and Congratulations to them and I look forward to settling into the new facility with everyone and watching the business grow even more!!



Obviously we needed to celebrate! So Saturday night meant a lovely Thai Meal and, of course, Bubbles! (Ok, I felt this occasion would warrant a break in ED - but it would have been the reintroduction of alcohol...!)

The subject of Thai ties in nicely with my last blog and an update on how the curry for 20 people went...

Well, I think it went pretty damn well if I do say so myself! I wanted it to be fresh so I cooked it on Sunday morning, having done all the shopping prep on Saturday. I have to say, the morning went without a glitch! I surprised myself at being able to cook food for that many people - although a curry is probably the easiest meal to mass-cook! But considering I made it from scratch, I was glad I managed to adjust timings correctly to allow the dish to be tip top with no mistakes!

De-lish!!!!

3kgs Lamb Curry and 1kg Jasmine Basmati Rice

 

 I had pretty amazing feedback too, which I hadn't expected for just a curry! And silly me thought there would be leftovers...no such luck! I am really glad that people enjoyed it and have asked me for the recipe, so here goes....!

Frankis Massaman Curry, Serves 4

• 600g Diced Lamb
• 500ml of Veg or Lamb stock (just water, salt and pepper if elimination)
• 3 Bay Leaves
  
• 1 thumb sized piece of Ginger, peeled and finely chopped / grated
• 4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 Lemongrass stalks, finely chopped
• 2 Red Chillies, finely chopped (don’t deseed if a spicier curry is preferred)
• 2tsps Fresh Coriander, crushed
• 2tsps Ground Cumin
• 3tsps Turmeric
• 4 Cardamon pods, shelled – use seeds
• 1 Star Anise - optional
• 2tbsps Brown Sugar (leave out if elimination)
• 2 tbsps Fish Sauce (Gluten free)
• 100g Unsalted Cashews (not for elimination)
• Himalayan Pink Salt to taste
• Black Pepper to taste
• 400ml coconut milk or 500ml coconut cream
• 250ml coconut cream (extra and optional – see rice)
• Fresh Corriander Leaves
• 1-2 potatoes, diced. For Elimination, use parsnips (I included green beans to add some extra nutrients)

1. Place the lamb in a large saucepan with the stock and bay leaves
2. On a medium heat, cook for 90 minutes, making sure it is covered. Stir occasionally and bring the heat down if it bubbles too much.
3. Whilst this is cooking, mix the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl, including the coconut milk / cream and the parsnips’ and leave to one side – this gives the ingredients a chance to bind together. Leave a few of the nuts aside and crush
4. Once the lamb has cooked for 90mins, add the sauce ingredients and simmer for a further 30-40 mins depending on the lamb / parsnip tenderness
5. Roast the cashews for 5 mins, or until golden brown.
6. Serve with jasmine basmati rice. For amore indulgent treat, make the rice with coconut cream as well as a bit of water.  Sprinkle the roasted nuts and fresh coriander on the curry
Enjoy J

 So there you go! Give it a go and let me know what you think!

Speaking of ED - how am I doing? Well....

So after 2 weeks, this is my progress picture




Left - November 26th after 16 days on ED
Middle - January 6th, restarting ED
Right -   January 21st Day 16 of ED

Since January 6th, I have lost 2kgs and 1.2% Body Fat - pleased with that!!

I can certainly see a change, albeit not quite the same as last time! I think the first time I did it, I was 'afraid' to eat any carbs (white rice) and I saw my weight fall to the lowest it has been (since I was a teenager anyway!)

Happy that my single ab is back! Just frustrating that I didn't get the flatness of my stomach back - but I think this is down to the Op I had - I have been told to expect a rounded tummy until at least March.... But I will persevere with it as again, I have felt so much better from doing it!

I have to give a special mention to one of my good friends Kat Dacre, a non gym buddy (yes, I do actually have some of those) - She invited me and our other old college friend Lauren over for lunch on Day 13, offering to cook us up a treat.


I told her from the outset about the diet and that I was happy to bring my own lunch to save her the hassle. Bless her, she told me she liked a challenge and told me to explain what I could have. So I did. And I was overwhelmed - she cooked up an amazing Indian Feast, complete with onion free Curried Seabass, Cardamon Carrots, Spiced Okra and Fluffy White Rice! Yes, sat around the table I was questioned about what I was doing to which I explained - and no one thought I was weird / fussy etc, they were genuinely interested in what I was doing and asking questions for information, not to judge. Thanks Ladies (and Dan!) xx



Anyway, I digress...

The Reintroductions

Day 15 - Caffeine
Yay! I had some lovely Monmouth Coffee finally! I already knew I was ok with Caffeine, so I just wanted a fix. I had 2 cups of black coffee and some ginger green tea with no reactions - wonderful!





















Day 16 - Nuts
I deviated from the original plan of Beef and opted for nuts as I wanted to try an adaption of the Fitter Foods Turkey and Chestnut Burgers - I added in some cranberries as they had suggested for their Christmas Scotch Eggs - yummy! Although, I am still trying really hard to like turkey...!






Day 17 - No Reintroduction
Nothing today, just back to completely clean as upon waking, I had a swollen, painful stomach....Hmm, would seem that Nuts may be on my 'off' list.....!

Day 18 - Potatoes
I am always dubious about eating potatoes, I always feel like they will bloat me!! Today I snacked on some baked sweet potato cubes and had homemade bubble and squeak with salmon for lunch (no onion in the B&S)! No reaction but did feel very full up and didn't fancy my dinner... so I will try both types again, on different days to see if it was one type in particular or both (I hope not, I bloody LOVE Sweet Potato!)

Day 19 - Pork, well, Chorizo!
I decided to try Chorizo again as last year Zuz and I had an infatuation with the stuff and had it nearly every day for lunch....which was not ideal at all! I had selflessly given up my homemade chilli to James that morning so it left me heading to the supermarket for lunch. I decided on Chorizo and salad bits. It was ok...I just noticed how incredibly salty it was and it didn't fill me up for very long!

Day 20 and 21 - Dairy and Sugar....and Champagne!
Ok so I may have slightly gone off track! I had some Salted Caramel Ice cream (only 2 teaspoons though!) and some chocolate on Saturday - I was celebrating! and also 2 glasses of Champers at dinner. So not toooo bad...! Sunday saw a breakfast meeting with the EBW team, so that was eggs, sausage and bacon...but no reaction which was a bonus! In the evening, I made my curry for my family, they were visiting us especially....! And I thought it would be rude not to make a dessert - so I made an Upside Down Apple Tart with Coconut Whipped Cream, courtesy of my Christmas present from mum - a Paleo cookbook from http://www.elanaspantry.com/




Think I need to work on my Almond Flour Pastries!


I'll admit that I do not feel great today, waking again with a bloat so I am back to clean Elimination! Until I came to work to have my First Free Graze Box delivered to me...Take a look at what they sent me....

Chocolates!
Brownies!
Fudge!


Uh Oh...... !!What are they doing to me...!? (Secretly, I don't mind too much....!)


Oops, Just realised how long this post is!

But one more thing.....

Training - so what am I doing right now?

Ha, well I have decided to enter another Competition! Eeek! Not Olympic Lifting though. Nope, this time, a Strongwoman Competition....! Don't worry, I will make up my mind soon on what I actually want to do, once my stomach and damn knee heal!

This Comp will see me competing in the u63kg category, meaning women who are potentially up to 10 kgs heavier than me..... Events include;

70kg Worlds Strongest Man Squat for reps
35kg Log Press for Reps
50kg Arm over Arm Pull for speed
50kg (each hand) Farmers, 15 meters x 2 for speed
Loading Medley 20kgs-40kgs.

And this is in April. Hmmmm. So for the foreseeable, my PT Sessions will revolve around the above events - I am already quietly confident at my ability for the log and the Squat, I can currently do about 47.5kg farmers in under 15 seconds but for a shorter distance...and the other two will just need to be worked on for technique - but I think I could do well. For me anyway, I very highly doubt I could place, and this is more for me to train towards something and hit some PBs.

But you never know who will be there and how well I will do!

I shall keep you posted on my Comp Prep Progress too...!

Wow, I like to pile on the pressure don't I....Full Time Job, Part Time assistance with EBW, writing a blog, concocting recipes, training for a competition and I have found a new like for Yoga.....phew...! Ah well, I LOVE IT!!!

Hope you are all doing well with your set goals! Has anyone got any recipes they would like to share? Have you decided to try something new to see how it can benefit you?

Ok, really, ONE more important thing....

If you woud like any more information, or are interested in the Services that EBW have to offer, please send an email to info@elite-bodyworks.com or visit their webpage www.elite-bodyworks.com


Franki x  

Feeding The 5,000

Wow! I have surpassed 5,000 views in only 5 months! I am certainly surprised this has reached so many of you lovely lot, thank you so much for continuing to read and share!





 


So as you have probably guessed by now, I quite like food and cooking! Over the last few months, I have found great joy in  researching recipes and adapting them to suit my dietary needs. Even better...other people like my creations too and ask me for recipes! Who knows, I may have just found my new vocation....!






Due to this, I am undertaking my biggest challenge to date; cooking my interpretation of a Lamb Mussaman Curry for 20 hungry mouths on Sunday...!! EBW are holding one of their One Day Cures, and always provide a Paleo Lunch - so I have been tasked with cooking up a lunchtime meal to help further fuel all those training for the afternoon ....Wish me luck! I will post picture proof of this mean feat next time..!

Naturally, I had to have one last practice last night, and as always, made far too much for just two people....but that's the best bit as dishes like curries and chillies can be used for breakfast / lunch or dinner the following day...it's a great time saver!!

The curry recipe has got to be one of my favourites to date, and even better, the substitutions I have made haven't effected the taste at all! Here are just a few of the ingredients I use for the sauce...can you guess any of them?

 

One Recipe I will share with you is my Elimination Diet friendly Chilli....Chilli without tomatoes or onions? Surely not? Well...it's pretty damn close..!

Approx. 4 Servings

Ingredients

800g Lamb Mince - I love the mince from our local farm shop, great quality and flavour!
400ml Water or Vegetable stock if preferred (this isn't ED)
1-2 Red Chillies - use according to taste preferences. Don't de-seed if you prefer the extra kick!
2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
4tsps Smoked Paprika
3tsps Ground Cumin
2tsps Fresh, ground Coriander
2tsps Mild Chilli Powder
1/2 Red Pepper and 1/2 Yellow Pepper, diced
Coconut Oil for cooking

Method:

In a large saucepan, heat a little coconut oil on mid heat whilst you prepare the ingredients for the sauce and add the mince to brown.

Once the mince is mostly browned, add all the above ingredients to the saucepan and mix in well with the mince.

Cover the pan and simmer for 40-50mins, stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn't stick to the pan.

Serve with fluffy white rice, or if avoiding carbs, cauliflower and broccoli rice...YUM :)

*Adjust quantities as needed if making batches of this as the meat can be cooled and frozen (and chilli always tastes nicer after a day...!) *

Do you have any 'go-to' recipes? Anyone else like to experiment with ingredients and produce great dishes?


I have just found three more recipes to try (and will adapt) from the good ol' Fitter Foods guys...That's dinner, breakfast and lunch sorted for me!

ED Progress

As I pledged, I have been following ED since January 6th and have done well! My weight is down 1.5kgs and my body fat is 1% down...and that was on the morning of day 7...so I am hoping for equally good results on day 14...!


Day 15 I think I will reintroduce coffee as I am dying to try the new Monmouth Coffee we have...!

Day 16, Beef...a nice big steak!

No Tomatoes and Onions as I know from previous experience they don't agree with me anyway!!

I will continue to reintroduce food groups over those following 14 days and see how I get on. I already know from these first two weeks that swede doesn't do my bloating any favours...so that is out!

Is anyone else trying a new diet this new year? How are you all doing with New Years resolutions? The gym I go to seems mega busy at the minute...I haven't seen that many people in a 7am class for a long time! Hopefully they all keep it up!

Franki x

Christmas at the Smith / Nop House!

 

Welcome Back All, and a very Happy New Year!

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and New Year Break, I know I did! Lots of Food, Family and Festivities!

So, 'fess up, who over-indulged?! I did, and I am not ashamed to admit it - I enjoyed all the food and wine I treated myself too over my 2 week break from work! (Although admittedly, I am paying for it now, but who cares right?!)

"2014  -  New Year, New Me!!"

How many times have you heard or read this recently?! Yes, it is rather Cliche, and for this reason, I chose not to use this expression, but instead change it slightly to make it relevant to me...

"2014  -  New Year, Improved Me!"

I don't want to change who I am or what I do to better impress anyone else or conform to other peoples ideas of "good" or "hard working", I am proud of what I achieved last year, and all I want to do is to further improve my Progress, Health and Well Being! And that should be everyones' outlook, shouldn't it? In all honesty, self-improvement is much more about your own feeling than those of others, so make your Health and Fitness Goals about YOU and what YOU want, not what you think they should be based on other people's opinions!

Ooooh...bit much for the first post of the year? Maybe, but just wanted to set my point :)

Anyway...moving on to something more chirpy...!

"So, how will You and James spend Christmas?"
A question asked by several different people - be it from the gym, our separate social circles and family alike, almost with the preconception that we were planning a completely clean Christmas...avoiding the wine (no way, we love wine!) and "dreaded carbs"

Well, Christmas Day, we had a VERY large Roast, all the trimmings of course, followed by Dessert. Then the evening came and we ate lots of cheese and crackers... YUM YUM YUM!


Then came our turn to Host on Boxing Day. As I shared in December, I had already started prepping a few lovely dishes, but here are some foodie pics (gotta love em!) of the culinary delights we tucked into....
Fitter Foods' Xmas Scotch Eggs, 1.5kgs of Thick Farmshop Ham (plus roasted Duck and Beef!) Salad, AMAZING Veggie crisps courtesy of Costco, Fitter Foods' Yule Log, a homemade Banoffie Pie (thanks to James' mum) and homemade Almond Butter Chocolate Cups....amongst other things you can see on my lunch plate!!

I won't take all the credit, hats off to James for preparing a yummy, succulent duck, teamed with extra crispy fat and a wonderful joint of Beef, cooked to perfection!



 

 

So, this was our Christmas Feast, with a few bottles of red over the few days too!

As much as I enjoyed the food and being relaxed, I have to admit, I am itching to get back to clean eating and the gym!!!

I had planned a few sessions over my time off, but my back has been so bad, just doing the food shopping was painful enough! I managed 2 of my planned 5 sessions - better than nothing though, right?

So...keen to get back on it and feel good again, I will publish the below photo - the left is me, November 26th, after 15 days on the Elimination Diet -  the right is me on the 3rd January after the Festive Break....Ooops!

But I am not going to stress about it, it happens! I managed to get to the picture on the left easily (!) enough, so I know I can get back there! Ergh, now I have seen the difference, I'm not best pleased I must say...!

Monday 6th January sees me getting back on the ED and getting rid of this bloat!

Watch This Space!!

How are you feeling after the food hype has now been and gone? What goals are you setting yourself?

I have already seen plenty of people publicising their goals, and I will be interested to watch their progress!!


Just before I sign off, I must mention 2 of my favourite Christmas Gifts... Personalised Nike iD Trainers from James, and this cute FireDaughter Racerback Tee from Zuz. Thankyou to you both for such apt gifts :) xxx

Franki xx

 

It's Christmas Time!

Hi ladies and gents, hope everyone is all ready for Christmas!

Just a quick message to thank you all for your following over the last few months, and that you continue to enjoy my blogs well into 2014 :)

I have been in the kitchen all day preparing treats for the family, including chocolate cups, both coconut and almond nut butter, a paleo Yule log which I cannot wait to try! And Christmas scotch eggs, all courtesy of the Fitter Foods Christmas E Book!

So although I planned to get some sessions in, I've had to rest after waking up with awful back pain, so resting up and will be back with a vengeance in 2014! Although I did get my chin up PB today of 13..!!!! 

Wishing you all the best, hope you all eat drink and be merry! Don't feel bad for indulging!

Franki xx

Last Christmas, I Gave It A Go.....

Hi all, I hope you had a lovely weekend and that the Festive Feeling is starting to creep upon you!



Our Lovely Little Christmas Tree!

I certainly embraced the Festive Spirit; our tree has gone up, the Baileys has been opened and a mince pie (or two) has been consumed...!

I've hit the nail on the head with that one haven't I?!

Christmas = Food and Booze!! Too Much Temptation...Can't Be Good...Ah, I'll start again in the New Year...


No, No, No! Please don't enter the Jolly Season with a Negative outlook to food and training - you will probably only end up feeling worse when it is all over!

Christmas Dos....Dinners Out...Reunions.... Christmas Day...Boxing Day...New Year's Eve!

Most of us work up a fuss in the run up to Christmas - desperate to get into a nice dress or last years trousers, and work hard to achieve that goal, so we have quite rightly earned a few indulgent meals and bottles of wine :)

What I mean to say is, try to remain focused on your goals, but don't let it consume you, make you feel unsociable because you feel you need to skip on the 'Christmas Catch up Drinks' for fear of undoing 'all your hard work' - You won't do that in a few evenings, don't worry!

Instead, how about during this weeks' run up to the big day, amidst last minute Christmas Shopping, think about a few small tasks to set yourself to help keep you on track and see you into the New Year.

I don't mean ''I will avoid a scrummy Christmas Lunch or a Warming Mulled Wine'', as this is what Christmas is about :)

Maybe something along the lines of the amount of sleep you will get (as this is such an important factor when it comes to overall health), or that you will keep up with the amount of water you normally drink in a day, even if you happen to be lucky enough to be off work!

Also, in this last full working week, make sure you are prepared, I cannot stress enough how important this is for helping you stay on track - if you have prepared yourself a yummy home cooked lunch, hopefully that is enough to stop you being tempted by a quick lunch down the pub 'because it's Christmas'! (Think of the pennies you'll save too!)

This week, my favourite prep was the below.....Veal Burger purchased from our local Farm Shop, roast Sweet Potato in coconut oil, Orange Pepper and Blueberries and a Banana to snack on

Lastly, if you can, set yourself days where you will get some exercise in? I finish work for the year on the 19th, but I already have at least 5 training sessions pencilled for when I know the gym will be open (crazy/sad...whatever you want to call it!) and can, as discussed before, do something at home.



Not quite what I'll be wearing in the gym....but you get my drift!

My Christmas Prep.....

 In my last post, I mentioned I am preparing to host my first Boxing Day, a day full of food and family! I want to keep with the traditional dishes and trimmings, but with a paleo twist!

Luckily for me, the guys at Fitter Foods have just released a Christmas E-Book....It is just what I needed! I have picked a few of the dishes I would like to serve already, so obviously I have started to trial them...and lucky James gets to be my taste tester!

First on my list was the Sweet Potato Gratin which I will serve as part of the buffet


They were a little hot for my liking (I added too much chilli...!) but James loved them! I will just need to tone that down for BD!

I think the next items I will attempt are their Chocolate Mint Cups and their Yule Log....watch this space!

Who will be doing the cooking in your household this year? What are your favourite dishes and tipple?

And what little tasks will you set yourself this week?


Don't wait for the New Year to ''get back on it''

Till next week...!

Franki x



Inspire the Mind

Ok, so in my last blog, I asked you to think about who or what inspires you...

Now, this didn't have to be in a health and fitness sense, I just wanted you to think about what it was about that person or event that inspires / inspired you. How it made you feel, did you see that person differently, did it encourage you to pursue something of your own?

I can certainly relate to this; I have several people in my life that constantly inspire me, people who keep me going, people who I in turn motivate and help achieve their goals.

The most obvious here would be the incredible ladies I have the pleasure to train with. All of us have different stories, different goals, some can deadlift 100kg+, others can run for miles. That's why I love training and socialising with motivated people - we may not all have the same end goal, but we all work just as hard as each other to get what we want!!!

Training with a range of people with different skills, I believe, is a valuable tool to utilise - when you see one of your peers achieving, let's say, their max rep chins ups, when your goal is to get your first one, don't you think it gives you that drive and want to get it, even stronger?! I know it does to me! Ok, this could just be me being competitive, but hey, there is nothing wrong competing with yourself, is there?!

Anyway, a few weeks ago we decided that we needed a 'Ladies Night Off' - a chance for us to get together, for once not in gym gear, have a drink and a good old dance! Although not everyone could make it, here are just some of the ladies I have taken some aspect of inspiration from...



Tash, Zuz, Tanya, Fiona, Nikki, Bev, Ronnie, Zoe, Rachel W, Me and Rachel P enjoying a well-deserved night off!

 

Oh, and spending as much time as I have done in the gym, it hasn't ruined my social life at all - I have made an incredible set of Inspiring Friends!

         Elite-
  Bodyworks





   (L) Katie Winning her First Comp! (R) Me doing the same!

                           



Then we have the ever so knowledgeable EBW Coaches I have worked with, James, Ben and Katie.

As well as running a successful business, they also train to compete too - James having competed and placed in U90kg Strongman Competitions, Ben also competing and placing in Olympic Lifting Comps. Katie won 'Britians Strongest Woman U75kg' in 2012 - this was the first competition I went to - and where my quest for success came from! I think it is equally important to have coaches that inspire you too. Nothing worse than a trainer who doesn't really know what they are talking about, or don't practice what they preach. All three EBW coaches are inspiring with their achievements, as well as their passion for the industry - I owe a lot to all three of them!!


Outside of the gym, I would have to say that my *Mother and Sister* are also big inspirations of mine.

Both (obviously) being mothers and contending with life's interventions, ups and downs, new babies, new homes, they both remain 2 of the strongest women I know - they give me my emotional strength when I need it most. Watching my sister become a mother and witnessing how she raises my nephew is awesome - and I can only hope that I will be the same when it's my turn! My mum gave up a steady career to start a new venture and be a carer for children with physical disabilities - a huge leap that took a lot of courage and bravery, something that reminds me that if you want something, you need to make it happen....otherwise you can become stuck in a rut.....why are parents always right?!

Last but not least, a colleague of mine, Caroline.

Over the last few years, she and her friends have collectively raised over £20,000 for Macmillan Cancer. She has walked the Great Wall of China and trekked through Jordan, as well as hosting amazing fundraisers which include Curry Nights, Barn Dances and a Mini Festival, (complete with a Pimms tent!) All while working , setting up her own life coaching business and being a mother to 3 boys. Phew! Despite all this, she still has the time to frequently attend events and workshops for more learning and development. It is safe to say that Caroline has inspired me to want to do a Charity event and has also encouraged me to pursue my personal development goals.

 

I would like to say a special thanks to those I have mentioned in this post, without you, I wouldn't have the motivation and drive to continue on my quest to motivate and inspire others - and hit a few Personal Bests at the same time!

So, this weeks achievements are that I managed to do 4 full range body weight dips yesterday - that was a proud moment! Big well done to Zuz for getting her first ever solo dips too - two consecutive, having previously not being able to do one! This morning, I managed to beat my max reps chin ups, taking this to 12 full range body weight chins...!

I have also decided to try a different eating style for the next couple of weeks - the aim is to find what foods you react to, to help identify the food you, personally, should avoid. Details and result will follow in the next few weeks!

I will leave you with this question...please feel free to leave your answers below.... :)

 

 

Franki x







Galaxy Quest..?!

Sorry guys, had a hectic couple of weeks and haven't been able to blog for a while!

As well as all the other things that get in the way of my free time, I'm really trying to step up my training and be even better with food, because I have been majorly inspired by a show Zuz and I went to recently.... *Miss Galaxy Universe*

                         http://www.missgalaxyuniverse.com/#&panel1-2

It is aimed for women who would like experience in competing in figure / fitness shows, but the best thing about it was that it was for 'real women'. This meant that as well as the super fit and lean ladies, there were also ladies with fuller and softer figures strutting their stuff on stage - in bikinis, which for most women is a daunting thought!

I also liked that the show started with a fit test, which really showed how hard the ladies have to work. Most of the exercises were bootcamp style bodyweight ones, which consisted of the following;

Standing Long Jump - 3 attempts
Step Up (5 raisers)
Tricep Dips (6 raisers and feet elevated)           
Sit Ups
Press Ups
Squat Thrusts
Box Jump
Shuttle Run (5 Metres)

All done on a 1 minute on, 1 minute off (rest) basis.

They also then had to all do a 1/2 bodyweight bench press for as many reps as possible, followed by an optional Supinated Chin Up Challenge.

I have to admit, I was surprised at the level of strength of some of these ladies - and the courage it took to be able to do all of that on stage with 200 pairs of eyes watching...especially the chin ups as these were done facing the audience, with plenty of shouts of encouragement from us spectators!!

The Bikini Round showed some amazing physiques, truly inspiring, especially as a lot of the women in great shape were also mums...one even being 52 years young, with the body of a 20 something - Amazing!! This is where my inspiration came from. I want a body to be proud of when I'm in my 50's! So lets start now....

I'm not saying that at this moment in time I want to compete, or get on stage in nothing but heels and a two piece, but something about the sense of empowerment and achievement made me hungry for it. For now, I am just going to work extra hard, eat as clean as I can and see what I can achieve. I have given myself the task of dropping at least another 1.4% bodyfat by December 20th, hey, I don't have a holiday to work towards, so I have to set some kind of goal, right?!


Anyway, after coming away from the show, Zuz and I decided to give the GG Fit Test routine a go....here are our results...(we didn't do the long jump or shuttle run as at the time, there was no way to measure the distances!)

It would be great to compare our results to those of the competitors, but sadly I don't think they will be published!

*If you fancy it, why don't you give it a go and post your scores in the comment box below?*






Also, have a think about what has inspired you recently. It doesn't have to involve training or eating, it could be a story you have heard on the news, an award that has been won, a charity event or, in my case, wise words from a mentor who is equally focused on achieving goals as I am.

No matter what your aim is, be it seeking better health, a new sense of direction or even a new challenge, I believe that praise and encouragement play a big part in our determination to succeed. If you are lucky enough to have such a figure in your life to support you, it makes the journey a lot easier. In saying that, I hope to be that figure for someone one day :)

Anyway, enough of the gooey stuff and back to the topic! I really admire the hardwork and dedication of the Galaxy Girls, I have certainly come away wanting to work harder and try new things.


Speaking of new things, the latest challenge I set myself was to be able to do a free standing Headstand....and now I can do both variations, albeit a little wonky! But hey, not bad for a newbie :)

For more Information on the Galaxy Girls and to view pictures of the winners of the different categories, visit their Facebook Page, Miss Galaxy Universe - I'm now constantly checking the page for more motivational photos!


Franki x