I'm not going to be some high and mighty fitness fanatic and say you can never enjoy these things and you must take 100% clean foods with you to work. I'm not that kind of person and anyone that has followed me for a long time knows I'm realistic so some things I take to work are processed and others a little "cleaner"

• BBQ chicken salad - bbq chicken breast pieces, spiralised beetroot, shredded carrot, mixed leaves, red pepper, sweetcorn and balsamic dressing
• Chicken and sweetcorn soup - nope I totally don't make my own. I get the preprepared pots from Aldi for about £1 which contain pretty nice ingredients which you can even pronounce!
• Three Bean Salad - buy yourself a nice tin of 3 bean salad from Tesco for roughyl 49p, add in some sweetcorn, coriander, red pepper and red wine vinegar. The Waitrose version is obviously a bit more posh. 

• Mediterranean chicken - chicken thighs sprinkled with paprika, sweet potato, red pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes sprinkled with some orange juice and roasted in a large oven tray for about 45 minutes 
• Korma - skinless chicken thighs roasted in a korma sauce (naughty me buying a processed jar!) and separately roasting sliced red onions in a little oil until crispy for 45 minutes then serve with brown rice 
• Satay chicken salad - continuing the chicken theme with cooked chicken thigh, red cabbage, spring onion, red pepper, coriander, lime juice, carrot, sesame seeds and satay sauce.

• Halloumi salad - fried halloumi cheese served with balsamic dressing on a plate of mixed leaves, pine nuts and tomatoes 
• California cous cous - blend or finely chop the head of a cauliflower, add pistachios, raisins, pomegranate, spring onion, coriander, fresh mint and dressing of your choice 

So as of Monday, I will have 6 weeks until my trip to Las Vegas and will be trying my absolute best to eat well and workout consistently before then as I have a whole bikini collection to show off by the pool at Planet Hollywood. I am a big fan of pre-made routines for myself because I just don't have the knowledge and education to plan a reliable regime for myself. That's why I'm going crawling back to the Bikini Body Guide created by Kayla Itsines. 

Kayla is a certified fitness trainer for down under in Australia who has taken the fitness world by storm with her 12 week guides that will work your ass off for weeks 1 to 12 and 12 to 24. These guides can be purchased from Kayla's website and there is also an option to get a free 7 day free workout here to see if the style works for you. Electronic copies of the guides are sent to you directly to keep on your electronic device or print to get a physical copy at hand. 

Kayla also offers a nutrition guide which I think is excellent. It is not a strict meal plan that you should stick to by the gram but it does literally guide you through how to eat better to suit your needs which I think is so refreshing compared to the strict meal plans you find online or in magazines which are not personalised for an individual's needs. It walks you through how to eat more healthily and recognise how to nourish your body properly to support all the extra activity brought about by using the guides. 

The workouts are mix of resistance training, stretching, Low Intensity Steady State (LISS) cardio and HIIT sessions towards the end of the guide. The resistance workouts use minimal equipment so that you can workout using just your bodyweight, or added weights if you wish, for the 28 minute workouts. These include 2 circuits each with the first circuit being performed as many times in 7 minutes, resting, performing the second circuit for 7 minutes, resting, performing the first circuit for the second time, resting and finishing with the second circuit to complete the 28 minutes. You can choose to do the resistance training for 2-3 sessions a week to begin with. They are split up into Legs & Cardio, Arms & Abs and a Full Body workout. These are brilliantly illustrated in the guides so you know exactly what you need to be doing for each move and how your form should be. If you're unsteady in terms of form then don't forget to focus on quality before quantity. It really helps to practise the moves in front of a mirror to see where you need to make adjustments. 

The LISS cardio sessions can simply be walking, slow cycling etc. for 35-45 minutes 2-3 times per week depending upon where in the guide you are up to. The HIIT sessions are 10-15 minutes of interval sprints which are introduced in week 9 onwards in the first guide. The intensity of the workouts increases as you progress into the guide and build up your stamina which adds pressure to your body to respond to the training. How to fit these workouts together into your week and further guidance to consider is all laid out in the start of the guides so that it is very hard to get confused once you have read it through for yourself. 

The equipment required is absolutely minimal. You will need some dumbbells (I sometimes just use my kettle bell), a foam roller for post-workout/stretching sessions, a surface to step up onto and a bosu ball if you have the funds to buy one. This post I wrote on how to start leading a healthier lifestyle has some links to where you can find cheap but reliable fitness wear and equipment. 

Every Sunday night, as of the 6th of September, I will now be posting a weekly catch up of the workouts I have done that week so I can have some accountability to make sure I try my best! I am by no means a serious athlete or some superwoman so I would be classed somewhere around beginner because my workouts have always been basic and things like Insanity scare the life out of me. Hopefully this will act as a long term review of the guides and may help you decide if you want to spend your money on them

XOXO

Apps and technology make fitness so much more easier for me because it allows me to have a support network and a way to actually track my progress so I can physically see how far I have come and what I'm capable of. For me, at the start of my weight loss, it really helped me in terms of support because I was too scared to publish a lot of stuff on my Tumblr or discuss it with my friends so, whether you're a beginner or an expert, apps are useful for anybody.

 1. My Fitness Pal 

Originally I started using myfitnesspal just on my desktop and then discovered the app which made everything easier. It allows you to manually set your personal goals and enter in your daily food intake. You can do this by simply searching for the food by name or scanning the barcode using the camera on your phone. The database is absolutely huge so anybody would be hard pressed to find a food that it isn't have. MFP allows you to enter in meals which you can save and enter into your diary at a later date which is a great time saver. MFP is wonderful for tracking progress too; you can enter your weight and measurements which are then collated into a graph which you can set the scale for depending on how long you want to see your results across. The one side of the app I don't use is the exercise tracking aspect because I don't find the burns to be accurate so I used my own Polar FT4 watch to track my calorie burns. MFP is like the Facebook of the fitness app world as you can add friends, uploaded statuses, add photographs and contribute to online discussions. It is 100% free to sign up but I do have one word of caution. The math used by MFP to obtain daily intake goals appears to be skewed dependent on what information a user inputs. It has told me, and numerous others, to have a daily calorie intake of 1200 which is obviously far too low. To get round this, I used the IIFYM calculator at www.iifym.com and manually input the result from that calculator into MFP. 

2. Nike+ Running 

This is definitely my favourite run tracking app to choose from the multitude that you can find on any app store. Nike's design is sleek and easy to navigate with excellent mid-run prompts to let you know what distance you have covered and your times. If you have a new enough version of most phones or ipods, you can just put your running shoes on and go because the app is free. It can either use cellular data to track you to output a map of your route or simply create a diagnostic output of your run to indicate speed and distance. The big bonus to this app is the rewards and the ability to challenge your previous times or distances, which are all synced together for comparison, with the ability to add your friends too. The badges and trophies helped me challenge myself on a personal level because I really dislike running with others. Although it feels super weird the first time you finish a run and an athlete like Serena Williams is unexpectedly speaking into your headphones!   

3. NTC 

Continuing the Nike theme, Nike Training Club is perfect for anyone who doesn't want to fork out for a PT and who isn't confident enough to design their own workout routines. The NTC app is yet another well designed piece from Nike which can be personalised to meet your own needs i.e. building general strength, losing body fat etc. The workouts are laid out step by step with the app prompting you of when you need to change move or rest etc. The workouts vary in lengths and intensity from basic stretching and yoga across to high intensity circuit workouts. I think the best part about the NTC is that you can shift around the design of the workouts to incorporate less strenuous moves if you're just starting out or have a repetitive injury. Typically of Nike, the app can be used to create long term workout regimes that include a running schedule and the completed runs sync from the Nike+ Running app straight to NTC. The accountability you could create between these two apps would be a push for anyone struggling with maintaining their schedule. 

4. Coach to 5K Apps 

Yet another app for which there are a ton to choose from! The basis for these apps is to train an individual from a beginner runner up to being able to run 5k much more easily. The apps work by prompting the runner via their headphones as to when to run and when to talk with the aim of reducing the amount of time walked gradually over time so that you can eventually run at a steady pace for a 5k. I was dubious at first because I am genuinely a very bad runner but the time splits used are generally quite easy to get through because you're aware that you can take a break soon. I used my coaching app at the same time as my Nike+ running app by turning it on and running it in the background but make sure to keep the coaching app as the main open one. The app I used, and the majority of others I assume, use prompts through the headphone to indicate when to start/stop and what distance that you have covered. I would suggest anyone that is struggling with running to try this even just for a couple of runs because I saw a difference after only 3 uses. There are free versions of these apps and also those which are paid for so it is worth having a look through the reviews and picking whichever sounds best to you! 

5. Fitbit 

I am a sucker for fitness gadgets and especially Fitbits. I had the Fitbit Ultra a few years back and recently purchased the Fitbit flex so I could track my daily activity again. There are much cheaper options out there but the Fitbit has always stuck out to me in terms of compatibility, comfort and tracking capabilities. I think that the Ultra and Flex are the best two models if you don't want to spend too much money. The Ultra tracks everything that the Charge tracks but it costs about £50 more to be able to wear it on your wrist. The Flex doesn't track stairs like the Charge does but, once again, it is £30 cheaper. I sync my Fitbit daily to my phone and you can also add friends on the app/website to complete daily or weekly challenges in terms of your activity. If you don't have the money to spend on something like this then there are numerous pedometer apps for phones or you can purchase a cheap pedometer which works just as well. I have been asked quite a number of times if I would suggest using a Fitbit to track workouts but I am more inclined to say that you're better off spending your money on an accurate heart rate monitor (like a Garmin or Polar) instead of the Fitbit Charge HR which doesn't give out the most accurate readings because it lacks a chest strap. 

So those were my 5 top personal favourite fitness apps. There are a few more that I use but I find those to be the ones that I depend on the most. I hope it guides people towards something that they may find useful for their fitness! 

- Lunches

• wholemeal bread sandwich with English mustard, smoked cheese, sliced pickles and thinly sliced ham 
• cream of chicken soup with sweetcorn
• tinned tuna in sunflower oil with mayo, sweetcorn, mayonnaise, black pepper and brown pasta 
• chicken pieces with mayonnaise, red pepper, wholegrain mustard, sweetcorn and brown pasta 
• tinned tuna in a salad of mixed leaves, green beans, new potatoes and vinaigrette dressing
• mixed leave salad, sliced ham, red peppers, cherry tomatoes and salad cream 
• chicken Vietnamese spring rolls made with noodles, red peppers, carrots, cucumber and spring onion with satay dipping sauce  

- Dinners

• spiced roasted chicken thighs with sweet potato, red onions, red peppers and cherry tomato with a little red or green pesto 
• chicken thighs or breasts roasted in lime, coriander and garlic served with rice and asparagus 
• chicken fajitas on wholemeal raps with guacamole, salsa, lettuce, re-fried beans and red peppers
• quorn chilli made with a basic store bought chilli sauce, sweetcorn, garlic, kidney beans, a bit of BBQ sauce, red peppers and red onions served with rice 
• quorn spaghetti bolognaise made with a basic store bought sauce and then red peppers, red onions, mushrooms, red wine, garlic, squirt of lemon juice and served with brown pasta 
• diced chicken on skewers with red peppers and red onions roasted in the oven in a satay sauce (store bought) 
• roasted chicken, lambs lettuce (or similar), shredded carrot, teryaki sauce and mixed with rice 
• aubergine fried in olive oil, coriander and garlic served with salad 
• steak (as a treat because it is pricey) with sweet potato mash and asparagus 
• chicken kiev (store bought) served with sweet potato mash or fries and roasted red onion
• chicken sweet and sour with a basic sauce, red peppers, pineapple, water chestnuts, red onions and rice 
• fish goujons with peas, sweetcorn and mash potatoes 

- Snacks 

• Aldi delight bites
• nakd bar - cocoa, apple pie and cashew cookie
• rice cakes - savory or rice covered 
• Alrpo Soya puddings - dark chocolate or vanilla 
• fruit - oranges, apples and satsumas 
• popcorn 
• babybel 
• smoothies - made with frozen fruit, dates, spinach and water 

XOXO

I am so sorry I haven't been posting for so long! I'm kind of getting into the swing of things at my new job and I'm also trying to finalise my Master's Degree thesis which is a killer. 

I got the idea for this post when I was going for one of my treat meals at the weekend. We went for our usual Chinese takeaway (who can't say no to beef in Cantonese sauce??) and whilst I was waiting I picked up one of those trashy magazines that they have lying around.

I don't think I can really say which one it was but they're all pretty generic when we think of their target market and they're packed with celebrity stories. This one had the done to death story about the Geordie Shore girls "battling" to see who could lose the most weight. I flipped right through without really properly reading it but on the final page was an eating plan which caught my attention. It was apparently the eating plan of a British TV personality and it laid out her diet for the day. 

It was packed with the generic brown rice and salmon, nuts for snacks etc. that makes you question why you're sat in the Chinese takeaway wanting your food to hurry up. The basic calorie count for each meal was next to each of them so I added it up and found that it was just under 1200 calories. Cue the alarm bells already! 

The vital statistics of the celebrity in question gave her BMR to be around 1400. Worse still the whole bloody thing was endorsed by a sports nutritionist who said that her daily intake was "fantastic" and it was a "great way" to lead a healthy lifestyle. I know I always say to not completely trust an amateur but now this just reaffirms that we're not supposed to trust the media and maybe we should always question the word of "professionals". 

It is disheartening to think that a young person could pick up that magazine and think what has been portrayed in it is the ideal for them. I hope that we can learn and teach more readily that these magazines just want to sell copies and don't have your best interests at heart. I don't care which celebrity has lost weight or had a nip-slip but I certainly do care if they have taken a total disregard for their readers to make a couple of quid.

By all means take some recipe or workout ideas but always be cautious if you want to follow a meal plan which is not designed specifically for your needs. If you like the meals in it then make the portions bigger or add more snacks to get the energy intake up to a healthy level. I didn't even follow the meal plans that came with the Ripped In 30 video because it wasn't made for me. This is why I'm always skeptical of people on Tumblr selling meal plans because how do you know if they're fully qualified? I do not believe in unqualified people thinking that they can be paid to give any sort of plans just because they've lost some weight on their own.

The media portrays that we have to eat less to be healthier but in reality we should be eating better quality foods! 

In the midst of all my job applications and the Christmas rush, I'm trying to keep my blog as active as I can because of all the positive things people have said about it. Hello if you're a prospective employer having a snoop after seeing this on my resume! I promise you'll love employing me! 

This week is about the 5 things that helped me achieve healthy and sustainable weight loss which I feel might help other people overcome what may possibly be hindering their hard work. I'm not going to ever give out meal plans or workout routines because I don't hold the relevant qualifications so I think it would be morally wrong but I'm more than happy to share generic guidance.

1. Planning

I know for me I just laze around if I don't have some kind of schedule or regime planned for myself and I think lots of people can benefit from planning their time effectively. I'm not saying you need to be super strict and allocate your time down to the last minute but a rough idea of what you need to do each day might help and lessen the likelihood of excuses being made. 

You can find really nice and inexpensive planners that stick to your wall or a diary you can keep in your room so there's no need to spend a lot on a planner specifically designed for fitness. Even a quick Google search here brings up lots of printables you can have for free or buy. There is a wealth of workout routines online already planned out whether it be Blogilates or from Body Building but please be mindful of whether the routine you have found is suitable for you and is made by someone that knows what they're talking about. 

Planning out your meals can take away some of the effort when it comes to thinking what to eat that evening and reaching for junk food as well as saving you money. It saves you money because you might buy less food on the go or not waste food in your refrigerator that you may have forgotten about. Meal planning is handy if you struggle to eat the correct amount and need a bit more guidance so you can divide your daily requirements up into extra snacks to keep you feel, larger or smaller portion sizes etc. This meal plan can then be turned into a shopping list and so you'll always have everything you need as well as letting you work in cheat meals or cheat days so you know that you're having them in moderation. 

2. Maintaining Motivation

Basically everyone that has tried to lose weight feels that huge rush of motivation, you do all your workouts, eat great for a few days but then it starts to fade away and your bed is much more appealing than a workout but nobody is going to workout and eat well for you. 

There aren't any magic words for motivation but finding out what drives you can help. I gave myself a reward system for every 5 lbs I lost where I would buy something like a new DVD, nail varnish, clothes etc. You could also put money in a pot and then use it to buy new clothes when you get towards your target weight. 

On my bedroom wall, I had a piece of paper with numbers counting down from my start weight to my goal weight and I would cross them off every time I lost a pound. Next to this was my workout schedule and both acted as a form of accountability so I was reminded of what I was trying to achieve every single day. 

Creating a social media profile such as blogspot, tumblr or instagram means you can document your journey and progress whilst talking to other people who have either achieved what you want or are at the same stage as you. Having my tumblr helped me immensely not only in terms of accountability but making friends who supported me along the way and being able to look back at my old photos to see how I had changed. 

3. Be Realistic

On numerous occasions I've spoken to people that give up losing weight because they aren't losing it fast enough or the exercise they do is hard. Lots of people feel that way about things when they don't get results quickly but we have to remember that it doesn't take a day to gain weight and it won't take a day to lose it. 

Sustainable weight loss is 1-2 lbs a week, depending on your current body fat percentage, and unfortunately we see lots of magazines with huge titles saying "lose 15 lbs in 15 days" etc. that make us think we're supposed to lose weight fast.

I'm also a strong believer in not adding time goals to weight loss. By all means think 2 years down the line but don't say "i'm going to lose 5 lbs this week" or "lose 15 lbs this month" because you're only rushing yourself and you will get disheartened when you don't hit those targets. Weight loss is more of a marathon than a race and you probably won't lose weight at a steady rate anyway so give yourself time. 

4. Measure Yourself

I've spoken about natural weight fluctuation before but I think it is so important to know how much the numbers on the scales can change without you gaining any actual weight. The only real way to better understand what your body is doing is to periodically take your  key measurements or have your body fat percentage measured. 

I measured my upper arms, under my bust, waist, tummy, thighs and calves every few weeks or so. My weight would sometimes stay the same or even go up due to natural fluctuations but my measurements would show that I was in fact physically smaller. Your weight can go up or remain the same when you gain muscle but because it is much denser than fat it will take up less small on your body but your body fat percentage has decreased. 

There are online calculators for measuring your body fat percentage but I wouldn't be one to quote on their reliability because they work of different equations. Some gyms and doctors will be able to measure it for you using a caliper or an electronic device but I'm assuming they're not suitable for people like me with heart implants! 

If you don't want to measure or weigh yourself, you can also take comparison photos to compare after a few months. I know that I didn't see any changes when I looked in the mirror every day because I was used to what I saw but I was shocked when I compared myself in photos. Seriously! Go take some now if you haven't! I wish that I had taken mine sooner so I could better see how my body has changed. Nobody is going to see them and you don't have to show them to anybody if you don't want to but I just think they're the best way to motivate yourself and see progress. 

5. Stay Hydrated

It's totally normal to confuse hunger with thirst, it happens to lots of people, and the way to combat this is to learn the difference and stay hydrated. Our bodies require water for so many basic bodily functions to work properly and if you're going to workout then you will need to drink more water to counter what you lose through sweat.

Drinking adequate amounts of water can help clear up your skin, regulate your digestive system and help you lose water weight/bloating which may make you appear slimmer. The general recommended amount of water varies but from what I have seen it is about 1.5 to 2 litres a day but it is worth giving this webMD page a read to decide for yourself. 

Apps can help you track your water intake, these include Myfitnesspal or iDrated. I think iDrated is more useful because it works based upon your vita statistics and can be set to tell you when you need to have another drink. If you don't have access to these, figuring out your needs then dividing it up into glasses throughout the day, such as with every meal or certain times, and tracking your daily intake in your fitness planner/diary can help you stay on track. 

Once again thank you for reading and for your suggestions! I would still love some more! 

xoxo