Free Workout and Four Winter Warming Soup Recipes

Hi All,
Its That time of year again when the snow falls out of the sky and everyone begins to hibernate! If you find yourself becoming surrounded by your four walls constantly and your exercise and diet have gone down hill, stop and turn it around! The average person puts on over 10lbs over the festive period, don't let that be you! Get out for some fantastic winter walks - especially around noon when you might get some sunshine too to help with Vitamin D Uptake.

Even if you are stuck indoors there's no excuse for not being able to do exercise, here is a workout that you can do in the comfort of your own home (be sure to warm up first):



And to keep you warm on the inside here are some fantastic warming winter soup recipes that take no time to make but taste great:

Carrot and Lentil Soup


Rinse 75g (1/2 cup) red lentils, and put in a large saucepan with 1 sliced onion, 450g sliced carrots, 1.2 litres (5 cups) vegetable stock and 5ml (1 tsp) ground coriander. Stir, season and bring to the boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes or until the lentils are cooked. Add 3tbsp chopped parsley and cook for a little longer. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor, return to the pan to reheat, and thin with a little extra water if needed before serving.

Green Soup

This makes a beautiful velvety soup that's not too thick. If you prefer a soup with more substance, add a handful brown rice, but it needs to simmer for 10 minutes.
500g (10 cups) spinach,1 large onion, 2 medium potatoes, 750ml (3 cups) vegetable stock
Get the stock simmering nicely, wash and shred the spinach removing any tough stalks, peel and chop the onion and potatoes, and add all to the stock. Season lightly. Let it simmer for 15 minutes, until the veg are softened. Blend. Serve immediately, or chill.
Variations
• For a creamier, richer soup, cook the vegetables in 500ml (2 cups) stock. This will give you a thick puree, which you can thin down to taste with organic milk.
• You can add any vegetables you have to hand – chopped carrot, squash, sweet potato, leeks, broccoli. The result is always slightly different, and may not be as intensely green, but will still be delicious.
• Add depth and warmth. Peel a 1-inch piece of root ginger and grate it in while the soup is simmering.
• Grate in some fresh nutmeg. Particularly good with spinach.

The above recipes are thanks to http://www.healthy-eating-made-easy.com

Here’s a couple of soups I put together –

Cream of Tomato Soup


put 2 tins of plum tomatoes and about a cup of water in a pan and bring to the boil, then add 1 onion, 2 sweet potatoes and 3 cloves of garlic. Once it boils reduce the heat to a simmer for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Place in a blender and add 1-2 handfuls of cashew nuts (soaked over night) blend and add sea salt as desired.

Butternut Squash and Green Lentil Soup

I made a chicken stock from the roast we had at the weekend so was about 1ltr

add some chopped butternut squash (I’d bought a packet already cut on Sat - used some for our roast and the rest for this) about 4 carrots peeled and chopped and half a can of green lentils (drained and rinsed)

In a frying pan sautée an onion and add to the mix
leave to simmer for about 20 minutes or so (until veg soft) then let cool before blending it all together, add some some sea salt and pepper (and also some other spices to make it a little bit hot but that’s optional) and that's about it, its VERY tasty

Remember though with root vegetables you want to limit to 2-3 x per week but in the winter it's a lovely treat ;o)

Enjoy!

PS I have a 21 day Online Xmas Booty Program just released with more fantastic workouts and nutritional program, if you want to drop a dress size in time for Xmas and feel fantastic while everyone else feels uncomfortable check it out here 21 day Xmas Booty Body Blast Online Program

Your body, Your responsibility

Excuses, excuses! I hear them every day:

‘But it was pouring down and freezing I wasn’t in the mood for training today’
‘My alarm didn’t go off’
‘My workmates bought in cream cakes and I’d be rude if I refused them’
‘I can’t give up bread, pasta and cereal what will I eat!’
‘I’m not fit enough exercise 3 times a week’
‘I was stressed at work, I needed junk food!’

Let’s get one things straight, your body is nobody else’s responsibility but your own – period.

If you’re out of shape because you enjoy a good drink with your mates every weekend and eating crappy food choices then that’s down to no one else but you!

If you’re feeling ill and tired all the time then you should be looking at what you’re fuelling your body with and whether you are getting enough exercise, this could be playing a major role in how you’re feeling.

If you’re feeling fat but can’t give up on your regular treats of alcohol, chocolate and other unhealthy food choices then that’s all down to you.

We all want to feel great about ourselves but it’s only the truly committed people that will actually do something about it. The overall outlook you have about your body is all down to you, you can either make excuses about your shape or you can do something about it.

If you’re unhealthy and out of shape then the only way to reverse that is to do something about it, make a start, that’s the main thing then you must be consistent with it, the more you do the more your body will adapt, so the more you can challenge it, you will see the changes happening and start to feel more body confident and in turn start to feel happier.

Change the way you see yourself, if you think of yourself as fat and unhappy then that is what you’re most likely to be-come, its law of attraction! If you look in the mirror and see a fit and healthy body and are prepared to carry out the work to get that way then you will get there.

Stop making excuses about why you are out of shape and unhappy and start to work on becoming healthy and happy, if a healthy and fit body is your goal then you will get to a healthy size and feel much more confident at what you see in the mirror.
Just because you’re family/friends/partner are eating or drinking crap and doing their own thing doesn’t mean that you have to, perhaps learning to tell the odd white lie might help, telling your friends and family you can’t really drink milk/eat wheat anymore because you’ve found out you’re intolerant might help. Enjoy a night out for sure, but how about not drinking and tell your friends you’re on medication so can’t drink at the minute.

The body you want is achievable with hard work and dedication, it just depends whether you’re prepared to take responsibility and start taking the necessary action to get there....

Are you ready to take responsibility? Here are a few tips how:
Make yourself accountable and set yourself a goal, whether it be to drop a dress size by 20th Dec so I feel fantastic this Christmas or to be able to run around with your kids without getting tired, whatever it may be, write it down and remind yourself daily of your goal. Why not send it to me at Debbie@fatblastbootcamp.co.uk and I will chase you up on it!

Plan your meals ahead, if you know what you’re going to have to eat for the week ahead you’re less likely to feel lost with your nutrition.
Carry snacks with you – take fruit and nuts with you to work, that way when the snack monster attacks you’re ready and prepared ;o)

Eat healthy and wholesome foods, lots of fruit and vegetable, be sure to eat your greens (broccoli, kale, sprouts etc) it’s not some old wives tail they are packed with vitamins and minerals to help you fight off infection and stay healthy.
Exercise regularly!

Eat to exercise not exercise to eat – so many people do it, have a few cream cakes then thrash themselves in the gym to work it off, that’s not the mindset you should have, you should eat a well balanced diet that will support your fitness program not the other way around.

There are many more I could add but perhaps you have your own, why not share below? How do you take responsibility for your health? What actions are you taking to get the best from your body?

Fitness for Busy Women

Sorry its been a while since I have written a post on here but I've been developing my 4 week rapid results fitness for busy women program, this is a four week program that's aimed at busy women that want to get in shape in as little as time as possible!

I've put in a series of short but effective workouts that work the whole of your body,

here is an example of a rapid fat loss workout to do at home in your spare time

20 x squats
20 x press ups
20 x lunges
20 x high knee sprints
20 x Alternate squat thrusts (each leg)

repeat 3-5 times (dependent on fitness levels)

Some of the exercises can be found on this video

Just a quick post but I hope this helps you on your quest to a better body

Debbie x

Not all fitness Boot Camps are Army Style!

After reading an article today I felt compelled to write about it. (ARTICLE can be viewed here)

The article has singled out a well known company called BMF (British Military Fitness) and made reference that there are more and more Army style fitness programmes popping up – i.e. Boot Camps, after reading the article it would be very easy to see why people would get confused and assume that all out door Boot Camp’s are the same as what is described in the article.

The article pointed out the negatives of Military style Fitness training and used British Military Fitness (BMF) as an example, it pointed out about injuries caused through lots of sit ups and running which is what members of the Army do, then made references to ex soldiers’ injuries rather than anyone that has attended the BMF sessions. These outdoor fitness classes may be run by Ex Forces members but why compare a military style fitness class to (ex) military personnel’s injuries.

In the military, on top of carrying out several Physical Training (PT) sessions in the form or circuit training, they also have Battle PT (using logs and carrying stretchers etc) and also CFT Training (combat fitness tests – weighted marches over distances of 8 miles in military uniform and boots),
and drill (for regimental parades) plus training exercises where carrying more than 35lbs is common, given all of these other stresses Forces Personnel have to endure on their body I think it was irrelevant to compare military personnel’s injuries to those that may occur on an outdoor Army style fitness class that may run 3-5 times per week for an hour max!

On a positive note however, the article did raise some valid points, not all Army style fitness workouts are carried out by fully qualified instructors nor is the clients safety taken into consideration, and the fact that the issue has been brought to the attention of the public might make people do their homework on certain fitness programmes.

All fitness should be progressive and In the Army it is, you are not expected to carry out an 8 mile march carrying 35lbs on your first day, nor are you expected to run 5 miles continuously, you are trained progressively to get to that level, yes the training is extremely hard but in the military the training objective is to get you fit for combat and have lots of strength and endurance for combat situations.

Personally I have no experience with BMF so I cannot comment, though I have spoken to a few of their instructors that are very quick to defend BMF and what they stand for. If people have had a poor experience and have gained injuries which have been ignored and made worse then all I can say is that perhaps – like a lot of companies, there is the odd bad apple that gives the company a poor name; maybe some valuable lessons to be learned from a very successful company such as BMF?

With regard to Army Style Fitness, providing that the instructors are aware of each member’s physical capabilities and injuries then a mild Army Style fitness class may be fun, the name British Military Fitness should give people a bit of a clue what type of training to expect so perhaps it’s not the best programme to start if you’re a complete novice to exercise or are severely overweight, BMF are serving a niche and those people that enjoy that type of training will no doubt continue to train with them.

Now to break the comparison of outdoor fitness and fat loss boot camps to those described in the article.

Perhaps years ago a boot camp would be classed as the military training where you as a person would be broken down through military style ‘beastings’, command tasks to improve team work and all of it would also help to banish poor behaviour, improve mental ability as well as physical fitness – all to make you a better person overall.

Today however the words boot camp is used freely, perhaps we have the X Factor to blame for that...? As a personal trainer I chose to use the word boot camp because that’s what a lot of people are searching for to help them get into shape. My camp is a Fat Blast Boot Camp so my aim is to educate people about the safest and most effective way to lose fat and get into great shape.

Being Ex-Army there is no doubt that a lot of the exercises I use on my camps are the same as what I did in my Army PT circuit sessions so I can see where the comparison to Army style fitness can come from. The difference with my boot camp is that our members have training before joining the camp sessions to teach them about the exercises we use, they will also start the boot camp at a level that suits them and build their progression, physical injuries are also taken into consideration, though members are advised that its best to be free of injury when joining the camps, the camps are also a four weekly block which progress each week. Yes, of course we will push members that bit to get more from them, that’s because people can achieve much more than they realise when exercising – it just takes someone to give them that little push, client safety is not compromised however. Our camps also have an extremely effective nutrition guide to follow to help them drop fat fast and achieve overall health and well being.

Whatever exercise programme you choose to follow, when exercising you should know your own capabilities and if there is any sign of injury when performing an exercise you should always stop and if in a group/personal training environment always inform your instructor, if they have invested a lot of time and money on their education they may be able to offer you advice on how to prevent further injury and refer you where needed, if they are a little less experienced they should refer you to a professional for further investigation.

When choosing a fitness programme, find the right one to suit you, if it gets you the results that you desire in a safe, effective way then stick with it, if not find another.

Train Smart, Stay Healthy, Get Results!

Debbie x

PS, if you would like to try an exercise programme with proven results then contact Debbie@fatblastbootcamp.co.uk and quote ‘boot camp taster week’ to be in with a chance to grab one of five taster weeks on our next boot camp http://fatblastbootcamp.co.uk

(image courtesy of http://www.army.mod.uk)

Out of shape? Do something about it!

Overweight, miserable, no self esteem....

Does this remind you of yourself? Do you wake up on a daily basis, look in the mirror and wish you were slimmer?

If you answered yes to this question you wouldn’t be the only one!
If you’re feeling overweight, low and depressed then STOP complaining and DO something about it!

Harsh but true, I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people getting upset about their body, I’d be lying if I didn’t have my share of ‘fat days’ but when I start to complain about it myself I always have that inner voice that just says ‘well do something about it then!’

It’s at times like this when its easy to blame others but at the end of the day, are they the ones shovelling the food or sugary drinks down our neck? No they are not it all boils down to us.

How many of you have uttered those words ‘oh my god I’ve put on so much weight, right that’s it diet starts Monday!’ So you over indulge on sweets, chocolate, fast food the lot; because we know that the diet is starting Monday! Then Monday comes and goes and though you may have started off with the best intentions, lived off salads and fruit because you aren’t totally sure how to go about getting into shape and by day 3 you just can’t take it anymore so over indulge on loads of sugary treats.... Sound familiar? The failure is probably down to your body craving the crap you’ve loaded it with just days before! Why wait until Monday to start, the minute you utter those words make a choice to start your quest there and then! You may need to do some planning but there really is no need to ‘overload’ on all the unhealthy food you can.

If you have decided that now is the time to do something about it then you have to be willing to pay the price and put in the work,

As a Personal Trainer and Boot Camp owner I receive several emails from happy clients who not only have lost weight but are now oozing with confidence, feeling ecstatic with the way they look and have loads of energy, each and everyone has worked hard and followed a plan to get there.
Would you rather feel tired and miserable with your body or ooze confidence and feel fantastic – I know which one I prefer.

Here are 10 of my tips to follow if you want to be successful in your quest to the perfect body:

1) Have a goal – Know exactly what you want to achieve, if you decide you want to get to a size 10 but a 12-14 would be more realistic then that not the goal. Why not set the 12-14 as one of your milestones but the size 10 as your overall goal? Just think how fantastic you will feel when you get there! Keep reminding yourself of your goal on a regular basis

2) Stop believing in Fad diets – they don’t work, they are there to make money from you and to ensure that you go back to them when you fail, because believe it or not they set you up for failure by allowing you to eat some of the food choices they do!

3) Have a fantastic support network – it’s hard to do these things alone so if you have someone else who is in the same boat as you then why not use one and other to push yourselves towards your goals, it helps to have someone else accountable to other than your health and fitness coach. If your friends and family are supportive of your quest they will do what they can to help you get there.

4) Get up an hour early to do some exercise – it has been proven that exercising increases energy, reduces stress, boosts metabolism and improved mood, so what better way to look good and feel great – oh yes and the sort under the covers with your partner is also great exercise and makes you feel great ;o)

5) Eat a healthy diet – it’s not rocket science but some people do believe that you can exercise and eat what you want and still get an amazing body. You cannot out train a poor diet (trust me I’ve tried in the past!) so you really need to be including healthy foods in your diet, green leafy vegetables, fresh fruit, lean protein, nuts and seeds should all be included in there

6) Hire a professional – if you wanted to learn to drive you would hire an instructor, if you wanted to learn to dance you would attend a course/hire an instructor.
There’s so much poor information out there to cause major confusion over health and nutrition so it’s essential that you hire a health and fitness professional to help you along the way.

7) Follow the advice given by your professional - if your coach has told you to cut out certain foods such as dairy, wheat, alcohol and sugar for 30 days then do it, if they have instructed you to follow a hard training plan then do it, they have put it together for a reason, because it is tried and tested and generally achieves great results.

8) Don’t always listen to your friends! – So your friends are telling you that ‘Mary followed the slim fast diet and dropped 10lbs in 1 week’ and asking why you’ve chosen to do things the way you have instead of the quick fix. Sometimes your friends might not understand fully what you’re doing so may not show the encouragement you desire, they might even get upset at the fact they haven’t got you to go out drinking and eating junk food with them anymore, but don’t despair, when they see how amazing your looking in a few weeks time of hard work they’ll want to follow the same advice as you!

9) Have belief in yourself – It’s too easy to take an I Can’t attitude, or ‘I’ve always been big I just can’t lose weight’ this kind of talk is defeatist talk, the minute you mutter those words you have set yourself up for failure – Have an ‘I Can’ attitude and anything is within your grasp when you set your mind to it.

10) Stop wishing, start doing – stop wishing you had a ‘booty like Beyonce’ and start to work with what you’ve got, don’t compare yourself to others, you are a unique individual with your own body so work with it, treat it with the respect it needs which means eating healthy and exercising regularly, get it into the best shape you can and reward yourself when you get there, trust me you WILL feel fantastic for it!

Next time you start to complain about the body you have, STOP and DO something about it!

Boot Camp Latest Results

Hey Everyone,

Just wanted to share with you our latest video and the results we've had on the Boot Camp!



If you live in the North Yorkshire area near Richmond and Catterick and want to achieve great fitness and fat loss results, why not come along and try for yourself www.fatblastbootcamp.co.uk

Its Friday - Time for a giggle

So I've just shared this with my Boot Campers and Personal Training clients, because although I have them on a strict nutrition plan and exercise regime I just wanted to remind them that they must also be in the here and now.

Enjoy life, laugh as much as possible and spend time doing the things that you love, its amazing how much cleaning up your nutrition and exercise will do for your mood and well being but sometimes just watching something that makes you laugh is great too!!






ENJOY - I hope it makes you smile as much as it did me,

Have a great weekend x x