BLOG HAS MOVED!

Hey all

Just to let you know I am no longer updating this blog - all new posts will be at one of the following:

http://www.perfectfitforlife.com/blog
http://www.outdoorfitforlife.com/blog-2/
http://www.kettlebellebody.com/blog

Or you can join the member site FREE:  http://carolineradway.ning.com

Leigh Peele Launching Groundbreaking 'Body By Eats'

HOOOORRRAYYYYYY!

Fat loss LEGEND Leigh Peele, author of the seminal 'Fat Loss Troubleshoot' is soon to launch the eagerly awaited 'Body By Eats'

Leigh is nothing if not original and groundbreaking with her work and she really has delivered on this one. Tons of information about fat loss, food safety, organics, pesticides, and food.

Did I mention the food? The recipes amazing!  She's even including cauliflower cake, so she has taste!

She's also created an audiobook version so you can listen on your Ipod or in the car - unfortunately my Ipod has broken and my van has a rubbish cassette player only so I'm reading all the way, but hopefully you're in a better listening position than I!

If you want to hear a preview of the book you can check it out here, it's not on sale till 23rd October, but this will whet your appetite (click the image):

Gluten Free Nut Free Low Carb & Cal Bread Recipe!

So, the cake has been going down pretty well! Even a few have been tricked into thinking it was 'normal' cake so all good!

The bread recipe is pretty similar:

700 g cauliflower
175g unflavoured protein powder (I used Reflex Instant Whey)
2 eggs,
Tsp baking powder
Spices to taste: Celtic sea salt and ground black pepper plus others as you like - first batch I used garam masala and lots of cumin, another batch I used rosemary. Could also add nuts, dried fruit - whatever! Let me know what you try!


Steam then puree the cauliflower while the oven is heating up to 150 degrees centigrade (whatever that is in crazy F...).
Stir in the egg (ideally let the cauliflower cool a bit so it doesn't scramble on contact!) and the protein powder and spices.
Add the tsp baking powder.

Pour into large, flat flan tins, greased lightly with coconut oil for best results (I tried with cake / loaf tins but ended up a bit too moist for convincing bread).

Place into the oven (150 degrees C) for about 30 mins, or until the colour has changed to golden brown. You can adjust cooking time to come out with a moister or drier bread to suit.

Leave to cool, or eat some straight away with butter and marmite if you have a yearning for such a thing (something from my childhood I miss without bread in my diet, so was the first thing I did, straight out of the oven, yum!)

I cut each large, flatbread into 4 quarters, then keep some in the fridge and freeze the rest individually. Then just toast on low to defrost and re-heat as you want them.

For a pizza base, you would just take the full bread out, add toppings as you like then return to the oven on 'grill'.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:

Whole recipe:

1015 cals, 47.7 carb of which 24.5 fibre, 20.4 fat, 166.4 protein.

If you split into 10 slices, therefore, its 101 cals per slice, with 4.7 carbs, 2.45 fibre, 2 g fat and 16.4 protein - a result!

Lush served with low fat goats cheese and tomato, or mushrooms sauteed in coconut oil (with a poached egg and tomato) or whatever you desire!!!

Finally, a bread alternative that isn't just bread in disguise nutritional-breakdown-wise!

Enjoy and let me know how you go with it!

Gluten and Sugar Free Cake Recipe - also low in calories and fat, and high in fibre!

So, I've been playing with the recipes for my cake (and bread / pizza base) and think I've managed to nail it!

NICE AND SPICEY CHOC PUMPKIN NO-GUILT CAKE:

600g cauliflower
16 oz / 425g tin of pureed pumpkin
2 med / large eggs
200 g chocolate protein powder of choice
1 tsp baking powder
Spices such as cinnamon, ginger, mixed spice to taste.

1. Steam the cauliflower for 5-10 mins till soft enough to puree
2. Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees C and lightly grease 2 - 3 loaf tins with coconut oil
3. Puree the cauliflower till it's smooth
4. Stir in the canned pumpkin and 2 eggs (not the shells of course...)
5. Stir in the protein powder and spices
6. Add a tsp of baking powder and stir thoroughly
7. Divide into 3 loaf tins, you want it to be about 3-4 cm high ideally so it cooks evenly
8. Place in the oven and bake for between 40 and 60 mins, till browned on the top. This does depend on how thick you fill the tins, so you may need to experiment. Also you may prefer a drier cake or a more moist cake, so this is your call!
9. Remove from the oven (be careful, its hot!) and leave to call for a few mins, then turn out onto cooling racks to completely cool.
10. Divide each loaf up as you want to! 10 pieces in total means each piece has 125 cals, 19 g protein, 2.3 g fat, 8.2g carb of which 4g is fibre. Not a bad outcome for chocolate cake, hey?

NUTRITIONAL BREAKDOWN FOR WHOLE RECIPE (using Reflex Instant Whey):

1227 cals
23.4 g fat
81.6g carb of which 40.2 g is FIBRE!
191g protein

You can of course use this as a base and play with it as you like - add nuts, seeds, fruit or whatever!

Try it out and let me know how it goes!

First, Cauliflower Pizza, then Cauliflower Chocolate Spice Cake!

OK, so the fact that cauliflower was soooo successful as a pizza base got me thinking.... How about cake??!!

I've been making homemade protein bars with protein powder, nuts and seeds, but these end up being pretty calorific, and even when I eat 100% 'clean' I still need to watch overall cals (as most people do) as its sooo easy to splish a little extra olive oil here and chomp a few extra nuts here, that can easily take us out of calorie deficit!

In fact, since trying to wean myself off Calorie King, my weight had gone up a few lb, and its only going back to careful tracking and keeping my intake under control that I've easily lost those annoying lb and feel so much more in control, as I know where I'm at...

So, the cauliflower thought combined with the fact that I'm away next weekend, climbing Snowdon and staying in a B&B with healthy sounding but of course not remotely healthy 'continental breakfast' and I decided to get baking!

And, to my surprise, it worked!!!

So, check out my own invented recipe: CAULICHOCOSPICE CAKE!

1 head of cauliflower (about 700g)
Splash low carb almond milk (I get this stuff: http://www.bevital.co.uk/acatalog/Milk_Substitutes.html)
1 tin pureed pumpkin (I get Libby's - those in the UK need to order and avoid getting tempted by 'candy' while shopping: CANNED PUMPKIN, or you can just steam pumpkin or butternut squash)
1-2 tsp ground ginger
1-2 tsp mixed spice
3 large eggs
100g chocolate protein powder (I used Reflex Instant Whey for this)
Tsp baking powder (I added this, not sure if it was necessary)
Coconut oil to grease tray

Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees C.
Steam the cauliflower and puree it with a hand blender (add a splash of almond milk if you like)
Mix with pumpkin, spices, eggs, protein.
Grease 2 cake tins with coconut oil.
Split mixture into the cake tins (you may want to use 1 larger one, or could try cookie / muffin trays, up to you!)
Place in the oven and bake for 30 ish minutes (again, you'll need to experiment a bit depending on the thickness of the cake - could have done mine for longer but was nice and moist)

Leave to cool then split into 8 servings...

NUTRITIONAL INFO (based on the protein I used personally so if you use different you'll need to adjust):

Per recipe (1/8th would be a snack at around 120 cals and 15 g protein)

969 cals
25g fat
123g protein
83g carbs, of which 40g fibre.

Wisdom Tooth Extraction Leads to DELICIOUS Ice Cream Discovery!

So, I had an impromptu wisdom tooth removal this morning, which led to a wonderful discovery - a new 'ice cream' recipe!

This would be perfect as dessert after the following 'pizza' (see the forum for these and more: http://carolineradway.ning.com/forum/topics/healthy-recipes). Who needs cheat meals when you have recipes like these, huh?

CAULI-PIZZA-LICIOUS:

1 cup cooked, pureed cauliflower
1 egg
Mixed herbs / celtic sea salt / black pepper to taste...

TOPPING: Up to you: Tomato puree, more herbs, slices of tomato, slices of mushroom, spinach and feta all would be good! A great (excuse the auditory pun, ha ha) topping would be a small amount of parmesan, as a little goes a long way.

As this is just veg I would definitely reccomend either topping with some fish or lean meat or having a small piece along side - there is an egg but you ideally want a bit more protein than that....

HOW TO:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C
Spray a cake tin with non-stick spray or lightly coat with coconut oil.
In a medium bowl, combine cauliflower, egg and herbs. Press evenly on the pan.
Bake for 20-30 minutes (more if you double the recipe).

Remove the pan from the oven. Add toppings.
Place under a grill or back in the oven to heat the toppings.

YUMMMMMMM.........

Follow with the following AWESOME ice cream:

75 g frozen blueberries
10-15g whey protein (choc or vanilla is good, I use Reflex Instant whey or SunWarrior Rice Protein from Mike Mahler)
Tsp mixed spice, tsp ground ginger
50ml low carb almond milk
(Optional, some frozen spinach - ha ha, I did just make it with this and you'd never know!)

Works best in a Magic Bullet in my view, as you can eat it out of the pot you blend it in, but any blender should do the trick.

Place all the ingredients in the blender. Blend as much or as little as you want - hardly blended makes it feel more fruity, just now I did it till the thing was smooth, as was trying to get the frozen spinach blended in...

DE-LISH-US!!!

Oh yeah, and the ratios above make it 75-90 cals, depending on the protein, 10-12 g protein and 8-10g carb... Double winner. And easy to eat when you've just had a tooth out - no excuses for ice cream!

Holiday Workout

I just gave a client a bodyweight workout to do on her imminent vacation and thought that I would share it with all of you, it being holiday season and all!

So, if you need something to do at home in between Outdoor Fit for Life Group Training sessions, or if you want to boost energy and vitality while on holiday (or make up for some over-indulgences!) then give this a go....

5 mins dynamic warm up, stretch as necessary.

Bodyweight Squats with hands behind head, prisoner style x 15
Kneeling press ups x 15
Single leg deadlift x 10 each leg
Triceps Dips x 12
Side lunges 15 each side
Dragon lunge walks 10 steps each leg
Dolphin x 12

Perform the circuit 1 - 3 times with minimal rest between exercises and a minute between circuits. You can alteratively super-set the exercises, pairing upper and lower body and repeating that superset 3 times then moving on to the next.

Follow with 10 mins of skipping, 30 s on, 15-30 s off (or try stair running, run up and walk back down). You can also add skipping in between exercises, supersets or circuits to up the cardio intensity throughout the workout.

CORE WORK:

Windmill x 8 each side
Bird Dog x 8 each side (hold 3 s)
Knee drop x 10 each side
Reverse curls x 15
Side plank 15 - 30 s
Plan 30 - 60 s

Then stretch tight muscle groups...

Fat Loss Freebies for You!

Are you feeling like a bit of extra motivation or focus? Are you still struggling with a stubborn few lb of fat that just won't budge?

In that case, you might want to get on over to http://www.freefatlosstips.com/ where there is acccess to free fat loss tips, tricks and techniques from experts around the world - but hurry, as it's this week only!

Daniel Munday, Georgette Pann, Spida Hunter, Mark Raynsford, James Kerrison, Dan Grant, Dave Soucy and myself are all giving away goodies that will see you out of your rut and shedding bodyfat in no time - and it's all ther for the taking! Check out: http://www.freefatlosstips.com/

I'm giving away an exclusive KettleBelleBody fat loss programme: you can get this, along with all the other fat loss freebies at

http://www.freefatlosstips.com/

Make sure you tell your friends about this one as I don't want them to miss out either!

Are You Lazy? Try Meditating...

I've recently been advised to start meditating (yes, I know, its been a long time coming!).

I got the advice from my coach, Mike Mahler, who recommended I try the Holosync Programme. I bought the programme immediately and found that I got immediate benefits in terms of reduced stress, increased energy and an impoved sense of wellbeing. 30 mins listening to the CD feels like a mini vacation!

CDs are a great way to get into meditation, for people (like me) who would struggle to make the time, or spend the full time meditating 'properly'. You also get the benefits that take years to get to with 'traditional' meditation, as the CDs are designed to actually take your brain into an alpha or theta brainwave state, whereas with traditional meditation it can take years of practice to get there.

I have also bought a book on Mindful Meditation (the proper, hard work version!) which I aim to try to practice alongside the CDs. But the CDs are great for making me stay in the meditation for the full 30 or 60 mins, and are also great to listen to while going to sleep at night, to put on if you wake and can't get back to sleep, and also to listen to if you wake 30-60 mins before you actually need to get up (I do that a lot!). The Holosync guys recommend you actually get up an hour earlier if you really can't find (aka make) time in the rest of your day, as the effect of the CD will be even more beneficial than the same amount of sleep!

The best time to listen to the CDs is after your workout - and I love the double endorphin hit this gives you! Not only is it a great way to feel doubly great after your workout, but it is a fantastic boost to your recovery - and its kind of nice not having to go straight into 'real life' after a hard kettlebell workout!

This has an added benefit, though. According to Mike, the typical habit of eating your post workout meal or shake straight after training is flawed logic hormonally, as growth hormone peaks 30 mins after training. Immediately stimulating insulin kills the GH response and we want to make the most of as much GH as we can! Meditation also boosts hormone balance, increasing DHEA and reducing cortisol.

I have the Holosync CDs, these are the ones Mike uses and recommends. My only gripe is that they are big on trying to upsell you to further levels, which is quite annoying! I have already received a few sales letters in the post and the initial level is not cheap, so I don't want to invest any more in it just yet! So long as you can ignore the upsells then they are great though.

I have also just discovered the Immrama Institute which offer similar CDs, these are cheaper and I'm not sure what the difference is, if there is any. I've ordered the Ocean Wave CD, so even if they have the same effect, I can change the sounds each time for a bit of variety (the Holosync is rain water and bell things, blissful to listen to!)

Each programme has a meditation CD as well as other CDs that you can listen to while studying, reading or working out, to get you into a heightened state of concentration, or 'the zone'. I've not actually used any of the other CDs yet, but will start using them - see if my articles and blog posts become better and more consistent to see if they are having a positive effect!

If you want to find out more, check out these links:

HOLOSYNC Programme
IMMRAMA CDs
MIKE MAHLER (loads of articles and resources on hormonal optimisation)

Post a comment below if you have personal experience with either of these, or if you have any questions!

Barefoot Training and Vibram Five Fingers

I used to encase my feet 90% of the time in running trainers, for training, while training clients and for just general walking around, and I can see that many people do the same.

When I began to train with kettlebells I realised that running trainers were not the way forward - the soft, cushioned nature of the sole, creates unwanted instability and transmits forces to places you don't want them, increasing the risk of injury.

The general advice is, therefore, to train wearing flat soled shoes, such as Pumas - yes, the ones you buy for a fraction of the cost of running shoes, from the 'fashion' sports outlets! I used to think that anyone wearing those in the gym hadn't got a clue (which is often the case in fact) but now I realise the error of my ways!

I actually usually train completely barefoot when I can, as you are allowing the feet to do the work they were created to do! Rather than allowing over-supportive trainers to reduce our feet's need to work, we can strengthen them by training barefoot.

There are loads of nerve endings in the feet - by over-cushioning we desentise these important proprioceptors, so we are missing out of a really important aspect of training.

If you pronate (as in the arch of the foot rolls inwards), then barefoot training should encourage your glutes to work harder, which should reduce the pronation. If you need extra work to fire the glutes properly, then you need to make glute activation part of your warm up routine - most people should be doing this really. Wearing shoes that support you in this position do nothing for helping you to improve the situation - they accomodate the dysfunction, which can lead to further problems down the road, or up the kinetic chain...

To find out how you can test your own glutes and the steps you can take to rectify the situation, check out this article: http://figureathlete.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/most_recent/how_strong_are_your_glutes_really

Of course, when you are training outside or in a gym, barefoot training is not usually advised or allowed. Which is why I decided to invest in a pair of Vibram Five Fingers (see the pic!). They look kinda wierd and I was sure I'd only wear them in the relative privacy of the gym or my garden, but they are so comfortable I want to wear them all the time!

The toe 'fingers' that I thought would feel really wierd, are actually brilliant as they encourage your toes to spread, in the way you may have done at the beginning of a yoga class, but that regular shoes simply do not allow you to do. I can feel each toe becoming independent and controlled and working as they are meant to!

Try to isolate each toe (like drumming your fingers) and most people will really struggle. Some yoga teachers can do it, but most people just won't have the control. In fact, the first few times I put the VFFs on it took me ages to actually get my toes in the 'fingers' and I do go barefoot quite a lot already, as well as windsurfing / surfing barefoot. Today I managed to slide my feet in no probs - was quite exciting!

You can read all about them on their site: http://www.vibramfivefingers.com and they have a Facebook fan page too.

Plenty of runners are using the VFFs too, not just us kettlebellers and resistance training folks. Of course, you can't run as far or as fast to start with, and running in the VFFs will show you where your weaknesses are, as opposed to hiding them, but in the long run your body will be stronger, and surely that is the point of training?

For more on running and Vibram Five Fingers: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/07/barefoot/

A recent article (I'll hunt it out and post the links in another post) likened it to jumping onto a big, soft, mattress as opposed to hard ground. Although you would think you land with more cushioning on the mattress, the body can experience more shock as the mattress is supposed to absorb it, so the body doesn't. If you jump onto hard floor, the body is forced to absorb the shock effectively itself, by flexing the relevant joints for a softer landing.

Pavel refers to it as the 'extensor reflex' that is turned off by adding cushioning to the soles of the foot (check out his blog post: here)

Would appreciate your comments - have you tried the Vibram Five Fingers? Are you still put off by the freakyness of them? Have I persuaded you to give them a go??

Operation Motivation

A bit of a quiz for you - give it a go, there is a purpose, if you find that motivation can be hard to come by or elusive. If you want to get leaner and develop a body that looks good in shorts, turns heads on the beach and makes you feel totally confident - even out of clothes - then this is one quiz you'll want to take right now:

1. Do you have a diet or eating plan that you enjoy, and it's getting results for you, but you just can't seem to stay on it consistently?

for example:

* You're good all day long, then you cave in to night time munchies

* you're good all week, but on the weekends, it all falls apart (especially at restaurants or parties)

* You have a weakness to one (or more) certain comfort foods and you just can't seem to say no?

* When you travel, it just seems impossible to stay on it

2. Have you ever gotten in awesome shape - maybe even lost a LOT of fat and you felt great - but then you either binged all at once the minute the program was over, or your motivation slowly disappeared, and the weight slowly creptd back on?

3. Have you ever had a problem with skipping workouts or working out inconsistently?

4. Are you out of shape, overweight or just dissatisfied with your body and you just can't even seem to get started on any diet or workout program in the first place?

If you answered "yes" to ANY one of these questions, then you'll want to take a very close look at the information in this email... it applies especially to YOU.

If you said yes to 2 or more of these questions, then what you are about to read is nothing short of the answer to your prayers.

That answer is something called "OPERATION MOTIVATION", a simple system that provides a proven, practical and scientifically verified solution to every type of motivation problem and "Stick-to-it-ness" problem.

This isn't about a new training program or a specific type of diet plan, it's more universal than that, because it helps you follow ANY workout or nutrition plan better - and that's what counts, isn't it? ...

Read on for the details, or jump ahead to Tom Venuto's website where he explains this motivation solution, that he's offering as a gift.

Tom is the author of the pioneering ebook, Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle - that was the first ever ebook I bought, and in fact I recently discussed some of the concepts with one of my bootcampers who also has a copy: http://carolineradway.ning. com/forum/topics/your-one- burning-question. I actually have a different stance to him in several areas, which I discuss in the post, but it does not change the fact that his approach gets incredible results.

Tom also has a book on Amazon, The Bodyfat Solution, where he delves further into the mental side of fat loss - and really this is where his genius lies. So the release of Operation Motivation is well worth checking out.

Operation Motivation is a set of short lessons in ebook and special report format, that explains all the psychological skills that you need to learn in order to make permanent changes to your behaviour and your lifestyle.

Originally, this was a very exclusive 2 hour audio interview that Tom Venuto only offered to his top tier clients in his "Inner Circle"

A few days ago, that audio seminar was converted for the first time into a brief (about 50 pages) ebook, called "The Science of Goal Achievement: 10 Secrets of Subconscious mind power and 7 secrets of scientific goal setting."

This just-released, brand-new ebook is the flagship part of the programme because it teaches the most important skill necessary for motivating yourself and making lifestyle changes.

It's different than any book ever written on the subject because it approaches motivation and goal-achiving from a scientific perspective and even explains how neuroscientists have proven that these principles work (this aint psycho babble!)

Also in the OPERATION MOTIVATION package are the following supporting ebooks and special reports (7 courses in all):

* MOTIVATIONAL PROPULSION SYSTEMS: How to program your mind to automatically and habitually exercise your body (If this doesn't light a FIRE under your butt, nothing will)

* THE NEW VISUALIZATION BREAKTHROUGH: Take advantage of the mind-
body connection with the techniques sports psychologists have been teaching for decades, along with 1 new twist.

* SUCCESS SEMANTICS: The psychological explanation for how words
can enhance or destroy your health and how to turn failure talk into success talk

* THE GOAL ACHIEVER'S SECRET WEAPON: How a cheap little "tool" can install positive success programming into your mind

* END EMOTIONAL EATING: Eating to cope with stress, depression or other feelings, or eating for the wrong reasons can totally undermine the best nutrition plan. Learn the 5-step formula to stop it once and for all

* SELF IMAGE SECRETS: How the hidden image you hold of yourself in your mind is the prime reason for diet sabotage (and the same reason that 90% of lottery winners blow their winnings).

Maybe you're an emotional eater, maybe you have trouble getting started on a workout programme, maybe you've started a dozen diets before and could never stick with any of them.

Regardless of your personal challenges, there's something in this package for everyone, as each person struggles with unique issues in his or her journey to get in shape and make the lifestyle changes last.

Here's the deal:

From now until Midnight (PST), July 17th, you can get a copy of the OPERATION MOTIVATION package (in PDF instant download format) absolutely f-r--ee when you purchase the Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle e-book from this web page: OPERATION MOTIVATION

Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle is the "bible of fat loss" for tens of thousands of men and women in over 143 countries worldwide and if you don't have a copy yet, then this is a better opportunity than ever because you now get the MOTIVATION packages a bonus along with the Burn The Fat program.

You probably see a lot of promotions come along in your email for all sorts of fitness and fat loss products, but this is not only different, it's one of the best bonus values you will see in a long time, especially if you said YES to any of the "Motivation quiz" questions.

Not to mention... Tom doesn't do this type of thing very often. He hasn't advertised anything similar to this in over a year and a half.

You should especially take a look at this because of who it's coming from - Tom is one of the most respected professionals in the fat loss field; the field of fat loss science and motivational psychology science, that is, not fat loss infomercials!

This offer expires on Friday, July 17th at midnight PST and it will not be available again so I highly recommend you visit Tom's Burn The Fat website, read about the Burn The Fat program, and jump on this "OPERATION MOTIVATION" bonus offer while you still can.

Here's the link again: OPERATION MOTIVATION

I'm a bit gutted as I already have the original ebook, but tempted to buy it again just to get access to Operation Motivation... I do think he should really give it away free to all who already have the programme (I give all new bonuses and updates to my KettleBelleBody owners!) but hey...

So remember - the extra ebooks and special reports come along with the Burn The fat program as bonus GIFTS, but only until Friday, July 17th at midnight, so you do need to respond quickly. After the deadline, the only way to get these new ebooks and reports will be to purchase them separately, or become a member of Tom's private Burn The Fat Inner Circle website.

So, let me know if you get it and what were the best parts of it for you.

Have a great rest of week and weekend!

Weekday Bodyweight Workout For You!

A bootcamp inspired workout for you all - do it the next chance you can! Great if you are travelling for work, or if you can't get to the gym - no excuses...

Dynamic warm up: Daily Dozen

Leg Complex:

Reverse lunge with knee drive x 10 each leg
Side / lateral lunges x 10 each side
Squats x 10
Skipping / jumping jacks 60 s

Repeat 3 times, 30 - 60 s rest between each circuit.

Upper Body Complex:

Press ups x 10
Dolphin x 10
Band row x 10 (or stick up if you don't have bands)
Skipping / jumping jacks 60 s

Repeat 3 times, 30 - 60 s rest between each circuit.

Core Complex:

Cycle crunches x 20 each side.
Windscreen wipers x 10 each side.
Reverse curls x 10

Repeat circuit 3 times, 30 - 60 s rest between each circuit.

Full body stretch afterwards, focus on tight muscle groups.

If you want a double whammy of endorphins and some extra cortisol lowering and a whole host of other benefits, then follow up with 30 minutes of meditation - I use Holosync and it is accelerating my results and wellbeing no end! I am too wired usually to even consider meditating - I struggle through 5 mins of post-yoga shavasana usually, but this is great as you put on some headphones and just listen and chill, it takes the hard work out of it!

You should also wait an hour before eating, contrary to popular belief, in order to maximise the growth hormone response. So have a shower, meditate, whatever, then have a post-workout shake.

Comments below or in the forum - let me know how you find it and if you have any workout requests then let me know!

Supplements?

A Fat Burning Bodyweight Workout to Boost Your Metabolism All Day Long!

OK, a fat burning, EPOC inducing (that means it's gonna raise your metabolism all day long!) and heart pumping bodyweight workout for you:

Warm Up: See Joint Mobility exercises: HERE

A1. 15 Bodyweight Squats - arms by your sides, or raise arms in front as you lower, or hold hands to head, prisoner style.

A2. 15 Push Ups - if you can't do full press ups then do kneeling or even better, elevated - using a bench (or a table if you need it a bit easier) for your hands. Make sure the chest, not the head, comes between the hands so you are engaging the chest muscles properly.

A3. Skipping / Jump Rope 60 seconds.

Repeat the above 3 exercises 3 times, 15-30 s rest (as little as possible) between the exercises and 30 - 60 s between rounds.

B1. Single leg deadlift x 10 each side (see this video of Lauren doing the KB version - do the same just with no KB - touch the floor in front instead)

B2. Dolphin x 12 (clip here - but I would suggest you drop the hips lower at the bottom than she does in this clip)

B3. 10 burpees (my Southampton bootcamp trainees' fave exercise!)




Repeat the above circuit 3 times as for the first circuit!

Finish off with a plank - hold for 30 - 90 s.

Then stretch, shower and hit the rest of your day, basking in your elevated metabolism, knowing you're burning fat all day - yay!

And for more top tips and advice direct from me, post in the forum of my community site: http://carolineradway.ning.com

On the Subject of Being Hot - Here's How Best to Warm Up!

Sometimes new arrivals to my bootcamps wonder why we are gyrating around before training and not just jogging around the park. Many people don't really know what constitutes a proper warm up, thinking a quick 5 mins jogging or on the cross trainer will do the job, or perhaps a couple of light sets on the weights, or a few stretches - or perhaps nothing at all!

But, there is a better way!

This kind of warm up will not only get the temperature of the body up, but will improve mobility, work through every joint and every plane of motion, reducing injury both in the long and short term, getting you fully prepared for the training to come and also improving your mobility in the long term by consistent practice.

This way of warming up also serves as a 'rehearsal' for the training to follow - so you are ensuring you get maximum bang for your buck when it comes to the training you are about to do, which means you get a more effective and more efficient workout. Gotta be worth doing, surely?

It's referred to as a 'dynamic warm up' or 'joint mobility' and there are many variations of movements you can use to achieve the desired effect.

My KettleBelleBody book has an entire section devoted to a dynamic warm up sequence (as well as a Yoga Sun Salutation sequence that can also be used as part of your warm up, but if you don't have access to that then I can highly reccommend Steve Maxwell's 'Daily Dozen'.

This is a series of, you guessed it, 14 movements (ha, got ya there did I? There are 12 'core' movements and 2 optional ones!!) that should be performed daily - before training on training days and ideally in the morning on recovery days.

You can check out Steve's Daily Dozen here: JOINT MOBILITY WARM UP

It is also worth noting, that if you have any especially tight muscles that restrict movement (usually calves, hamstrings and traps) then it is worth stretching these statically before you train. Static stretching is otherwise NOT recommended as part of your warm up, as it actually switches off the muscles you want to work! So remember - only stretch the muscles that are over-active and preventing correct movement.

You may also want to 'fire up' inactive muscles - in most people this will be the core and glutes. Bridging movements are great for getting the glutes going - 1 leg variations if possible (if your glutes are operating as they should a 1 leg bridge / hip extension should not be a problem). A great option for firing up core and glutes is also the bird-dog.

If you have any joint mobility ideas or favourites the please list them in the comments - I like to keep my dynamic warm ups varied so always on the lookout for new inspiration!

Or head over to my new community site and chat to me on the forum there!

Are You Boiling or Just Hot?

Mindset is the difference between success and disillusionment, and nowhere more so than in fitness.

We set off with all the best intentions, on an exercise or diet plan, but unless we have taken the essential first steps of figuring out WHY we want to be doing it and WHAT we want to achieve, then we often find that we flag a little, and end up veering off course, without really knowing what went wrong...

Make sure you review your goals TODAY! And if you don't have any clear goals, then spend a few minutes right now jotting down your first thoughts. What do you want to achieve? Why do you want to achieve it? We often give ourselves vague goals, but be specific! Give it a timeline - it doesn't matter if you don't quite hit that time, so long as you are heading in the right direction, so don't be afraid to set a really challenging timeframe - if you don't quite get there you will have got a lot further than if you set a less challenging goal, so 'fail forward fast'!

Think of it as a mental / emotional 'warm up', and make sure you review your goals on a daily basis. 'Warming up' in this way will ensure you are reminded of why you are choosing the healthy breakfast, why you are drinking lots of water and why you are excited about your training session. Without focus on these goals, and paying attention to them regularly, it is easy to forget why we're doing it all.

If you do forget, you may start making less good choices and finding that your great habits slip back to not-so-great habits. While it might seem that a little bit here or there won't hurt, it is the accumulation of all the little things that make the difference, and can result in great success or the complete opposite.

Those little things really do matter - watch this video to remind yourself just how much that little extra degree of effort can result in incredible results:



For more inspiring videos, check out Rocky, Randy Pausch, Aimee Mullins and more in my community site (you'll need to enter a few details to log in):
http://carolineradway.ning.com/video

And once you're in there, check out the 'One Burning Question' topic in the forum: http://carolineradway.ning.com/forum/topics/your-one-burning-question where I am answering any questions you may have on fitnes, nutrition, wellbeing, whatever! Windsurfing, surfing, snowboarding, yoga, kettlebells too...

And have a browse - there are loads of resources: nutrition guides, healthy recipes, a foam roller manual and more!

Come Join Me and Ask Your One Burning Question!

In case you didn't know, I have recently consolidated all my member sites into one giant information 'hub' at http://carolineradway.ning.com.

I would love you all to join and get into the forum, where you can post me your 'One Burning Question' (feel free to post more than one!)

The aim is to keep all my 'teams' under one roof - there's loads of nutrition advice, recipes, motivation and mindset info, but there are also private groups you can join, if you are a Personal Training client, and Outdoor Fit for Life 'bootcamper', a KettleBelleBody trainee and there are more groups to come!

So do head on over and join in the fun, and ask me anything you like!

Also, you really must check out this video, truly one of the most inspiring things I have seen in a long time. Turning a percieved 'disabiliy' into something schoolkids were actually envious of is pretty incredible in my view: http://carolineradway.ning.com/video/the-ideal-woman

A Weekend Bodyweight Workout and Spot Reduction!

Well, I must firstly apologise for having been absent from this blog for a while! I have been learning about Biosignature / Hormonal Profiling and assessing all my clients, so any spare moment when I haven't been training people has been spent completing detailed reports for them about why they store stubborn fat in the places they do, and helping them come up with a strategy to get rid of it!

Yes, spot reduction IS possible, but not in the way you have always thought!

Exercising your bingo wings (or bat wings) will not 'tone them up' as you cannot actually burn fat selectively by exercising that area. And usually the exercises you do to burn fat from areas like your upper arms are pretty low on the overall calorie burn, and it is the overall calorie burn that counts when burning body fat...

...So, ironically, you need to do big, full body moves, such as deadlifts, lunges, squats, presses and pulls to burn bodyfat from your upper arms (and everywhere else!).

So, how then can I be telling you spot reduction is possible?

Well, it is actually down to manipulating the hormones that cause you to store fat in certain areas.

That means correct and appropriate nutriton and training, as well as sometimes targetted supplements and addressing issues such as sleep quantity / quality and stress.

I will explain about all this in more detail in future posts and emails, so keep an eye out, but for now, I have a bodyweight workout that is designed with most hormonal types in mind:

Warm up for 5 mins - dynamic stretches, general pulse raiser and joint mobility.

A1. Prisoner Squats x 12 (squat with your hands behind your head - keep the chest lifted)
A2. Press Ups x 12
A3. Burpees x 12

Repeat the above superset / mini-circuit 3 times with minimal rest.

B1. Split squat (lunges but stay in place for the 10 reps on each side then swap sides, rather than alternating each time) or Bulgarian split squat with back foot on a step. 10 each side.
B2. Dolphin: on your forearms and toes, half way between a plank and downward dog, with your hips higher than your shoulders. Drop the hips towards the floor, bringing your shoulders forward and down, then return to start & repeat. x 10.
B3. Skip / Jump Rope for 1 minute (jumping jacks if you have no rope)

Repeat the above superset / circuit 3 times with minmal rest.

C1. Inchworm - bend forward at the hips, walk hands out to plank position, hold briefly then walk hands back to the feet and stand up. Repeat 10 times.
C2. Windmill x 10 each side
C2. Mountain Climbers x 20 each leg

Repeat the above 3 times.

Revel in the fact you have just boosted your metabolism ready for a great weekend!

Let me know how the workout goes!

P.S. Most people think they will burn more fat by doing more 'cardio' such as running, cross trainer etc. etc....

... I hope you know now that they are wrong, and workouts like the one above, along with a solid, nutritious healthy eating plan are the answer!

If you disagree, or have any questions, fire away!

Socks!

Well, yesterday I ended up getting a blister on my foot, and popping a blister on my hand (as I'm on a daily mission to do 250 swings: my hands lasted to about 230 but I had to finish!)

And this reminded me about the fab anti-blister sports socks I discovered a few months ago, when a friend of mine, James Davis, sent me a pair of training and a pair of snowboarding socks that would have stopped my feet getting blisters (I wasn't wearing socks at all yesterday - d'oh)

James is an online retail entrepreneur and owns an online shop selling technical sports socks, his shop is www.buyXsocks.com. Back at the early part of this year James offered me the chance to test out some X-Socks and knowing that I would be almost the perfect person with the
amount of training and workouts I do he knew the socks would be thoroughly tested.

James kindly sent me some womens's X-Socks , these were the X-Socks
Speed One Lady Socks and the X-Socks Ski Lady Comfort Socks I had not tried X-Socks before, and although I am used to spending a lot on snowboarding socks (I was highly dedicated to my previous brand, safe to say I am now converted!) but as for training, I usually wear very basic cheap socks from Tesco, so I was quite skeptical as to the benefits of these socks - would they be worth the cost?

The x-socks arrived in lightning speed, neatly packaged and, I was immediately impressed at the presentation as the packaging tells you all about the the technical design. I was going training later that day so popped on the socks and my feet felt extremely comfortable straight away, but I thought to myself, "Good so far, but let's see what they're like when I'm training hard".

During my training my feet felt cool, comfortable and cared for and where I usually got hotspots or blisters I had nothing of the sort. What I am interested in is how these socks can improve performance: there's lots of technical stuff on the packaging but essentially it boils down to this...

...X-Socks reduce blisters, reduce overheating and reduce muscle cramps and I am sure that if you haven't got to worry about your feet you're sure going to be concentrating more on your training and after all that's what it's all about.

As a reward for all of you lucky readers, you can get a 5% discount if you check out my page on James' web site and use a voucher code - this gives you 5% off all your orders through his online shop. Yep, that means that you can order a pair now and get 5% then using the same voucher code again as many times as you like and you'll always get 5% off your orders. You'd best
check it out:

My Page at James' shop is here: http://www.buyxsocks.com/page/carolineradway

Voucher code to get 5% off is: CarolineRadway

Here's to comfy feet and no more blisters!

My only request - can you do some for hands so I can complete my 250 a day swing challenge with some skin intact please?!

Caroline.

The Best Diet Plan Ever?

Come Join Me in the Magic Hundred - Starts in 10 Days!

Those of you who were reading this blog last summer may have seen my posts about the Magic Hundred.

Well, time has come again to repeat the exercise (in fact I should have done it again since I completed the last one in November...)

The Magic Hundred really is the ultimate goal getting programme. If you want to make the next 3 months the most successful and fun of your life then you MUST join me and my bootcampers, and the thousands who are all starting the progamme together in 10 days, on April 27th.

I did this last year, in which time I learnt to kitesurf, created an ebook and launched it, read loads more than ever (usually don't get time for fiction), learnt to fish (and even fed ourselves with fresh fish) amongst other things - and I lost a bit of focus half way through so could have done a lot more! This time my goals include having the best bootcamps in the country, getting a brand new VW van and an airstream campervan, learning to forward loop, winning the KB comp that's being held in July - and I haven't really thought about the rest yet...

What would you like to achieve? You can think big and small, some things you may not get, but better to not quite achieve some goals then never set any and never achieve anything, eh?

Check it out now, and get signed up to join us in 10 days! THE MAGIC HUNDRED

Outdoor Fit For Life: Group Training in Southampton!

Outdoor Fit for Life Group Training sessions - dates launched for March!



Starting 23rd March:

Monday 12.30pm
Tuesday 6.30am & 6pm
Thursday 6.30am & 6.45pm
Friday 12.30 pm


For more info and for your free session voucher visit: www.outdoorfitforlife.com

Get Fit, Burn Fat, Feel Great in Southampton in 2009

More info to come, or check out the website: OUTDOOR FIT FOR LIFE SOUTHAMPTON

Make sure you sign up to the mailing list to get notified of timings (mornings and evening taster sessions at the end of Feb and running properly from the end of March if you can't make lunchtimes).

Your first session is FREE (you still need to book as places are limited) so you have absolutely nothing to lose - apart from lots of fat and that post-Christmas lethargy of course!!

Caroline