Very Merry Christmas...

Family time is the best time:

So Christmas is officially over now and what a year its been... A year of firsts for me. Its been a time for reflection and to look back on what has happened in the last 12 months. When I start thinking, so much has happened, and only in the short space of 6 months. I met a wonderful boyfriend who stood by me and supported me through all my training. I trained to compete in my very first bikini competition and came 2nd in my category at Musclemania Britain in September. I then carried on training for the big fitness and stage competition Miss Galaxy Universe in November. And I won which i can't believe still happened. I also started a blog, in which I could document all the bits and pieces for my training and diet etc. As a result of this, its given me some new goals for 2015 which will be an even bigger year.

But this christmas has definitely opened my eyes to be thankful for everything I have (and not just materialistic things) as so many people in life do not have anything. Family, friends and partners should be the things you treasure most, as they guide you through tough times and bring you out the other side.  So I just want to say a huge thank you to all those who have helped me this year; you know who you are....

It's been a nice, quiet affair this christmas with just my mum and stepdad. So Christmas day wasn't spent rushing around for mum and 13 people like usual. No this year, I was the one cooking Christmas lunch and it was only for 3 people - just to ease me in gently for my first Christmas lunch. It was nice just the 3 of us; there wasn't any pressure to eat that extra chocolate (although i'm afraid to say i did!). I don't think this year I ate as much as last year, however i could be wrong, the scales will be the decider! 

I did get some wonderful presents from my family and friends. Check out these bad boys; I cant wait to wear them in the gym; at least you'll be able to spot me in a crowd.

Keep running, running and running....

I also got this little beauty from my folks, now i have no excuse to say i'm not a morning person!

I've never been a morning person...

I have kept my promise and trained over Christmas, however not as hard as I would usually. So now Christmas is over and it's time to work off all that food that's been consumed over the pst week. A good time go start those new year resolutions early, with a January detox. If you want to change your outlook on healthy eating and shed any unwanted weight gained over Christmas, Emma's detox will do just that.

Interested? Contact Studio ELB for more info

And so to start my New Years resolutions earlier, check out my new Facebook page for top tips, advice and me trying out nutrition recipes on https://www.facebook.com/missfitness88

Happy New Year

Little Miss Fitness;
x

Christmas come early!

You'll never guess what landed on my desk today?? Only the biggest Christmas present I think I've ever seen. Santa Claus decided to stop by and give me an early Christmas gift. I didn't think i'd been that good this year!lol

I went down to reception and picked up this huge box which was labelled from Musclefood. I had absolutely no idea what was in it but as you can see it took up most of my desk. First of all let me say thank you to Musclefood for causing a stir in my office, I dont think any of my colleagues had seen a food parcel that big before!

Dont think Santa had enough wrapping paper...

It felt like Christmas had come early and having to open it with the tinniest scissors made me even more excited to just get into the damn thing. Once I'd opened the box I knew exactly what it was; the prize I'd won through the Diet Kitchen's Facebook competition! I thought this was super fast for everything to get to me, as I only found out last week that I'd won. A huge thank you needs to go to Simon from The Diet Kitchen for sorting all this out. Its amazing; I couldn't believe how much meat was in the box. It was like Mary Poppin's bag. 

Chicken anyone?

Another big thank you to Musclefood for this amazing gift. A great start to the week, which is already planned to be filled with good tasting food and drink. Of which I will probably gain the amount of weight all this meat is put together. I've ordered bits from Musclefood before; Quest protein bars and beef jerky and let me tell you the quality is brilliant.

Its expensive to find good quality meat like this in supermarkets. It costs a small fortune to eat clean but I believe if you want to be healthy and live a healthy lifestyle, this is what it takes. A high protein diet works for me as well; feel fuller for longer and I don't crave all the sweet things I used to. I don't tend to snack as much as I used to and if I do it's on vegetables or nuts. 

So within the box, let me give you a taster of what was in it. 

2 X 2.5kg of chicken breasts

2 turkey breast steaks 

2 Irish rump steaks

6 chicken sausages 

4 British beef hache steaks 

Now thats a lot of meat, but I cant wait to cook with them. (I have a sneaky suspicion my boyfriend will like having the steaks.) I have no idea how I'm going to fit 5kg of chicken breasts into my tiny freezer let alone the rest of the other bits! I think a bit of tactical manoeuvring is required. Freezer bags at the ready! 

Its that time of year where you are prone to put on a little weight - so I thought I'd weigh myself today to see where i stand. Pre-christmas weight = 60.4kg. I will post my post-Christmas weight in the new year. I've got my photo-shoot with Lowell coming up soon and as we know the camera adds 10lbs! I can't be looking heavy in these shots. 

Till next time;

Little Miss Fitness

Xx

How many more sleeps??

Wow what a week this has been already and it's only just the beginning. There's so much more to come. 

About a week ago I entered The Diet Kitchen's competition on Facebook, whereby i had to like the post and tag 3 friends in it. What are the chances out of the hundreds of people who entered it, but I won! I can't believe it - my luck is clearly changing. I never used to win anything - and when I mean never I mean not even raffle prizes on the tombola! I left that lucky streak to my nan who wins EVERY time!

The prize from the diet kitchen was a protein bundle from www.MyProtein.com and a voucher to spend online at www.MuscleFood.com. What an amazing prize Simon's put together and from 2 great sites for budding nutritionists like me..I'll be making a list of ingredients Im going to need to make some of Simon's amazing recipes. Oooo I can't wait. There's cookies and cream Quest protein bars (which look so easy to make - just one vital ingredient), protein pancakes, chicken satay skewers...oh god the list goes on! It certainly made my Monday that's for sure so thank you Simon. Check out Simon's Facebook page and YouTube channel; you can literally spend hours watching videos and he's got a really cool mince pie receipe that you could try your hand at this Christmas. 

Facebook Competition

It's another busy week as got my works do and hockey do. It's all go go go. Legs and glutes were smashed in the gym yesterday morning; I feel as if I'm getting stronger on my legs, still need a bit of work though, which is the plan for the New Year. To focus on parts of my body that I think need more attention - aka, back and legs.

Just to let you all know that over Christmas I won't be writing any blogs as I've decided that my blog needs revamping - a new year, a new look and feel for little miss fitness. 

I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has supported me by reading my blogs. I hope you find them interesting, inspiring or motivational. I will be carrying on with it in the new year and you'll also be able to witness my healthy cooking skills (which are limited I must admit!ha). So keep your eyes peeled for some more exciting stuff.

Finally I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year. Put your feet up and enjoy spending time with you family and friends at this festive time of the year. 

Till next time; 

Little Miss Fitness

Xx

Ho ho ho...

It's beginning to look and feel a lot like Christmas.. And I'm not just talking about putting Christmas trees and decorations up, I'm also talking about that feeling of tight trousers, sluggish bodies and wanting to hibernate underneath your duvet whilst eating that last mince pie. I'm exactly the same and I'm pretty sure most people who work out, PT's or who professionally compete have the same feeling. We are human after all!

Christmas is the time of wear where we put on a bit of weight. I don't want to do that this year; it's just being clever with the foods you do eat. Dark chocolate vs milk, unsalted nuts vs roasted & salted peanuts and portion control. The feeling of unbuttoning your trousers is an uncomfortable one. 

If your worried about that additional bit of weight over Christmas, the diet kitchen has some great recipes that you can make so easily and that taste great too. All the guilty pleasures without the guilt after scoffing your face! Simons's videos are so easy to watch and he'll give you some helpful tips and points on making good food that still tasts amazing.. And not to mention it's good for you!! Trust me I've tried the man's protein cheesecake, it tastes heavenly and no different from normal cheesecake. I'll be trying his quest protein bar recipe soon - all I need is some IMO vitafiber and I'm good to go.

We had the Galaxy Christmas party last Saturday and it was amazing to see all the girls again. Even though it's been a month, it's felt a lot longer. There was lots of merriment, drinking, plate smashing and belly dancing (and not all in that order!haha). 

Fit factor girls...

Cant touch this....

Making an entrance..

Onto this week and it's a busy one, I'll be chopping and changing gym sessions for morning and nights, just to try and keep body guessing and in shape. Focusing on back and shoulders and then see if I can train glutes/legs twice this week. I've got a photo shoot with Lowell Mason at the end of January and I need to be in tip top condition. I'm so excited to see what theme we are going to shoot.

Few top shoulder and back exercises that I find that really hit the spot.

- bent over rows

- back extensions

- lateral pull downs (whilst kneeling)

- shoulder press (drop setting). 

Drop setting; warm up with a fairly light weight and then on the next sets go heavy enough that you can only get 8-10 reps out. Then straight after get a lighter weight and do the same exercise for 15-20 reps. This will build your endurance. You'll feel the burn but that's a good sign - no pain no gain! If it's a sharp pain though do stop and rest.

Till next time. 

Little miss fitness 

Xx

The perfect pair!

What a find...

So last week I wanted to get myself a little pre-Christmas treat and I cant tell you how excited I was when I found the comfiest pair of gym trousers and from none other than USA Pro. I was shocked when I came across them in the shop; at the quality of fabric but also what a great a price they were. Once i'd left the shop I couldn't wait to get them home and try them on, let alone see what they could do in the gym.

USA Pro Capri Pants

So this week they got their first test drive in the gym. Ive never usually been one to care what I wear in the gym, but since doing Miss Galaxy and Musclemania, i've taken a new perspective that having comfortable gym wear can make you train better. You're not worrying about if your boobs are going to fall out of your sports bra or if your trousers are see-through.

Well hallelujah I can tell you these Capri Pants neither fall down or are they see through. They don't fall down when you attempting box jumps or dead-lifts, the waist band stays firmly in place. No-one wants to be humiliation central, half way through a set of burpees. It has a big waist band so it sits on the hips properly; oh and I have to tell you, it has the funkiest lining ever...bright pink! Proper girly.

The fabric of the pants is quite thick and stretchy (45% Nylon / 43% polyester / 12% elastane), so you won't feel restricted in them and you won't get any of those awkward moments when you bend over to pick up weights. As much as I like fashion and work in it for a day job, I don't really like to see other ladies knickers or (heaven help me) thong whilst concentrating on a set. Sorry for that crude picture but I'm sure I'm not the only one whose had this kind of experience whilst working out!

Everything about these trousers makes you feel really secure and a little bonus, theres a little zipped pocket at the back of the pants. Its not big enough to hold an Iphone but Ipod yes, or use it to keep your gym keys safe.  They have mesh side vents so that if you swear profusely (which I have to admit I do) then it allows your body to breath.

So my next and final tip is; if don't have a pair of these already, why not put it on your Christmas wish list to Santa? If you've been good this year, you may be surprised on Christmas Day!

Till next time;

Little Miss Fitness

Xx

Lets get back to it!

Legs to end the week:

I've been back only 8 days and it already feels like I never went away! Funny how that happens. The gym's been good this week though although I feel as if I've hardly been. It feels good to get back into doing abs, and some circuit work..tonight is legs and glutes; my least favourite part to work on. Oh the pain I will be in tomorrow.

Exercises I found quite tough this week were;  

- Battle ropes

- Box jumps 

- Press ups 

- Hip thrusts (with sandbag on the hips)

Jump on YouTube and type these in to see how you can do them in the gym or at home.

It's amazing how quickly your body loses strength when you don't train them for a long time. But once you pick it up again, muscle memory snaps you right back.

So whose getting into the Christmas spirit? It's Black Friday so I can imagine that the shops will be rammed - better do my Christmas shopping online. I bought a few bits this week; one being my favourite sweet snack - BSN's syntha 6 protein powder (cookies and cream flavour). Oh my god it tastes like the best milkshake ever! Then as if that wasn't enough, I went onto Muscle Food.com and bought some beef jerky and chocolate brownie protein bars. I look forward to trying them once they been delivered. I've never tried beef jerky before so I'll let you know how that goes. 

My not so secret love affair..

Something amazing happen this week; I had a call from a journalist at the Watford Observer, a local newspaper. They asked me a few questions about miss galaxy and asked for a couple of pictures. They said they are going to run the story of me winning; I couldn't believe it. A couple of the other GG's (galaxy girls) have had coverage of their joinery to the show, which have been so inspirational to read. I can't wait to see how it turns out

Tomorrow is miss burrows Christmas party at studio ELB. I'm so excited, I haven't seen any of the guys since I've been back from holiday so I'll have to bring the party dresses out, as I have no idea what to wear! Oh the drama's of being a girl.

Till next time;

Little Miss Fitness 

Xx

Back to reality

Well it definitely feels weird (and bloody cold might I add) being back after 2 weeks in sunny Barbados. I'm sorry for those of you who had to suffer looking at my pictures of beaches whilst being in the u.k! You can continue to hate me but I recommend a holiday there if you've never been. 

Yes i took this picture myself...

In other ways I'm glad to be back; it's time to get back to training and training hard before Christmas, as well know its the season of festivity and over eating!! I've missed lifting and weight training whilst being off, but I know that my body needed it after miss galaxy. I've missed having a goal andy first session is tomorrow morning (yes my alarm will go off before 6am), I've put a little circuit together to see how it goes. Stay tuned - if I can film it, I'll post it.

So my holiday gave me a chance to get over my little mental hiccups: my body changing after the competition (yes as silly as it sounds - most girls get downers afterwards), I know it's not natural to look that lean all the time. I'm not restricted in my diet anymore, which im quite relieved about but I will endeavour to make healthy choices. Ive never been an unhealthy eater but its nice to be able to munch on the odd bag of M&M's sometimes! 

They are so good...but do you share?

You don't have to give up chips; but perhaps sweet potatoes as an alternative than normal potatoes? Cut them up the same way you would potato wedges, sprinkle a bit of oil and chilli flakes over them and oven bake them for 20 mins. They are (in my opinion) tastier and are less stodgy. I am a firm believer in that no food is bad for you - just learn moderation and portion control. Those are the 2 things I've learnt (with tears during the process), its better to give your body what it craves (if you can eat it) rather than cutting it out, because your mind will psychologically say that you want it more if you don't. 

I'm glad to be writing on my blog after my holiday. I've decided that id like to keep posting to you all (whoever is reading my blog). Im going to continue to train hard and eat healthy, and hopefully show you that its not about yo-yo dieting and fad one-hit wonder diets, but about healthy choices and not restricting yourself with food. Its not just about eating salads and crash dieting in order to get a good body. It's a combination of exercise and eating habits. Oh and those pictures you see in magazines neews flash - they are photoshopped. Models don't look like that all the time. same with bikini models or fitness models, they will prepp for a photoshoot - just like how I will do for my photoshoot at the end of January. 

I've also got a couple of busy weekends coming up - lots of Christmas parties. So the LBD's will becoming out. The first being Emma's at studio ELB on Saturday this weekend. I'll be dusting my party dresses off ready for it. Lewis, mum and Emma miles are my plus 1's..well +3 I guess! Ill make sure i take lots of pictures for you all.

Till next time; 

Little miss fitness 

Xx

Jet ski's..gets the heart pumping

What a day..

We've done pretty much everything water related this morning; Jet skiing, with the turtles. It's amazing - I reached out and touched a huge turtle a couple of times. It was awesome and id love to do it again. I haven't been water skiing in so long either, so I thought I wouldn't remember how to get up out of the water! Falling on your front and getting a mouthful of sea water isn't fun. Ha 

Nice calm sea before Water Skiing.

Emma's been kayaking in the sea just outside the house. She's capsized a few times, one of them being she lost her glasses and a very nice gentleman from the house next door came to the rescue with his snorkel!! Next thing we know we're spending about 10 minutes looking through clear blue sea water to find Emma's sunglasses. The kind gentleman found them eventually for her, which was a relief.

I have managed to stay active this holiday and do some morning workouts. Not every day but at the same time  I'm on holiday so it wouldn't be much fun if I did it every day. I've mainly some body weight exercises and some tabata exercises. There's something about doing a morning workout; Ive never been a morning person (as many people will tell you) but I did a little mini session on glutes yesterday. It was made rather more difficult than usual as the Swiss ball mum had stored away was slightly deflated. And I couldn't be bothered to find the pump to pump it up. Oh well I guess it made me work that bit harder! Then imagine split squats on a sun lounger, and tabata twists whilst looking out towards the beach.. Do you hate me yet?lol 

I have eaten so much fish out here, fresh fish! Oh my god I Love it.. Flying fish blackened with quinoa and feta with spinach leaves. I've eaten quite a few sweet potatoes and then fruit or porridge for breakfast. It's lovely out here... I have missed my weight training though, so I'm looking forward to getting back into it when I get home. Pilates and yoga has stretched me out now I would like to go back to lifting! 

So we are off home this afternoon - back to the cold and wind and rain.. Definitely not my favourite thing. I fear holiday blues will set in once I step off the plane at gatwick. 

Till next time, when I will be firmly back in the UK.

Little Miss Fitness;

Xx

Pilates in the sun...

Ah there's nothing better than stretching and twisting with the sound of a waterfall in the background and the birds tweeting. What would make it even better is for the view to be of the sea stretching out to what seems like the end of the world!

For the next 10 days the only exercise I will be doing is Yoga and Pilates. I find these 2 disciplines so relaxing; for my mind and for finding and stretching deeper muscles that you don't usually work when lifting weights or doing high intensity training. Its such a nice feeling to give your body time to reflect on days past.

The day after we arrived, I was up early (yes I'm crazy - I'm on holiday!) as the sun was streaming through my window. Then I headed off to yoga at the coral reef club. It lasted about an hour and a bit and this class was all about thinking about that special someone and focusing on them when holding a difficult position. So when I was bending backwards and pointing my arm to the ceiling (sorry my yoga lingo isn't 100%) I thought back to all those hard times when I was training for miss galaxy and thought of my boyfriend; his pep talks and supportive words to help me refocus on my objective. For that I am so grateful, but doubt whether he'd like to be in this position???haha 

Then yesterday it was off to Pilates with Leanne (aka: the torturer) at Apes Hill. Tough class but well worth it; my abs were certainly burning afterwards. It was funny though as I took my BFF Emma Miles to the class, which was probably her first ever class. At points during the class all I could hear was Miles groaning behind me; clearly stretching certain muscles was a bit painful! The other girlies had fun as well, but don't think they'll be subjecting themselves to it on Friday. Where as crazy old me loves a bit of Pilates and will be there (with pom poms....errr maybe not!) 

I would recommend Pilates or Yoga for anyone who doesn't really like heavy or intense training. It still gets your muscles working, but without the feeling that your heart is going to burst into a million pieces! You can do it even if your a beginner or if you lift weights; it keeps flexibility in the joints and muscles. So go on give it a go.. its getting to that time before Xmas when layers are our best friend and comfort food calls us! 

Till next time from sunny Barbados;

Little Miss Fitness

Xx

Passport: check!

So I'm ready, packed and sitting in the holiday inn at gatwick (yes for the 2'd time in 2 weeks)....I am flying out of this country tomorrow morning for 2 weeks to the wonderful, sunny island of Barbados. I intend to do nothing but sit on my tired butt, get some rays of sunshine and walk on the beach...Aww bliss!

I can't believe how much this week has been a blur. Not only have I been up to Manchester for meetings then on Thursday I had the luck of going to the Emirates stadium for a digital conference. Unfortunately I didn't get to see any of the players and Marie-Anna and I couldn't seem to find the changing rooms! I joke..

Training in the week was strange too as the competition was over I didn't have anything to work towards. I managed to do my first abs and glutes session since the show and it felt weird. Good weird to be back in the gym, but I didn't have to push as hard as before the comp. Not restricting my food has also been a bit tricky this week. I've tried to eat healthy and clean still but the sugar cravings have been rampaging. Chocolate and crisps are everywhere I look, so I have been naughty and had a few..oh well i think I've earnt a little reprive. I decided to take a week off of prepping food and just go with the flow.

Emotionally it been a little difficult last week adjusting to not looking stage ready. I guess it's something I will have to adapt to and learn quickly. You can't maintain that physique for long term, and I need to enjoy food again. The prep before competition is intense so it's nice to relax now. My body is changing and I just have to stop thinking about gaining weight and not looking lean. I lost a lot of weight and I need to gradual put it back on but after months of seeing changes it's sometimes hard to accept that your body will soften.

Anyway time for bed, and then tomorrow I am going to spread my wings and plonk my butt on a Virgin Atlantic flight. I wonder what duty free I will find?!

Till next time on the sunny beach of Barbados probably. 

Little Miss Fitness 

Xx

And the winner is....

Oh my god I've done it I've actually done it! Hearing my number (17) being called out for supreme champion of Miss Galaxy November 2014 is something I've been playing in my head over and over again. It doesnt seem real - at any moment now, my mum is going to shake me awake and tell me to get my butt out of bed and to stop being lazy! It certainly feels like a dream right now...it hasnt fully sunken in yet. Emma said it will do after the 1000th person says congratulations.

Once I had been called to the front as the winner, Mum rushed down to the bottom of the stage when my name was called out and I could see Lewis and my dad also jumping up and down. I've never won anything before in my life so I don't quite know how to react or take it in. I think I took forever and an age to get to the front of the stage as I wasn't sure if they were kidding or not. Lowell mason (the fabulous galaxy photographer) did an imitation of my face and walk after everyone had gone. It seemed spot on. Most people who know me, know I've usually got something to say and at this point I was speechless..a rarity.

Still in shock..

I also cant believe that Renee Watters, from Fit Body Promotions has chosen me and 5 other girls to appear in Fit Factor at Body Power Expo next May. This is a huge exhibition, held at the Birmingham NEC where hundreds of renowned people from the fitness industry all come together for a full 3 day weekend.

Whats even more surreal is that I came 2nd in the fitness tests. The amount of talented girls that showed up to the track on Friday afternoon, was amazing. I was so worried about it all and put a lot of pressure on myself to do well but all the girls were so nice that I thought i should just go out there and enjoy myself. I have trained hard for the last 4 months so now Ive just got to go out there and do my best. Which is what I did and I had a great time doing the fitness tests - once these were out of the way I felt more relaxed and at ease to take to the stage on saturday. Now the whole weekend seems a bit of a blur. So much happened last week and then to be up on stage with the rest of the girls, to show off the hard work that we had all put in for just a couple of minutes was momentous. Every single girl that competed on Friday and Saturday should be proud of what they achieved. It takes a lot of guts to get up on stage in a bikini and pose, so my hat goes off to them..

Granted my legs were shaking like leaves and my bottom lip was trembling, but the blood sweat and tears are slightly put to the back of the mind when up on stage and meeting lots of new friends behind the scenes.

Ah got my finger caught!! 

There were so many gorgeous girls up on stage and I was lucky to make lots of new friends 2 in particular. I met Louise who was crowned most adorable and is also a fellow fit factor beauty. Then there's Amy Stephens, another fit factor buddy whose skills of fake tan and patching up green armpits; I will forever be in her debt!lol These girls were amazing and we kept each other calm whilst backstage on Saturday. Louise had the chocolate...I had the alcohol. No change there then!

Snickers.. get some nuts!

After having some pictures taken after the show had ended etc, then it was off to celebrate in style.. The first stop was Macdonalds for the long awaited Big Mac that I had been planning for weeks as my cheat meal. It was a romantic meal, as my boyfriend and I went through the drive through and then ate our food in the car park. Talk about candlelight dinner for two!!haha I think he was semi-impressed with how quickly I wolfed mine down though. After all the weeks of dieting, you wouldn't stop a Galaxy girl from eating a Big Mac... thats just dangerous! 

Ah there's so much to tell you about the show and what happened. There was also a post show party back at the hotel and some of the fitness models went out out!! A few of the other girls, including me, Louise and Amy Stephens stayed at the hotel and drank. 

So what now you say? Well I still feel high on adrenaline, but I've got a holiday coming up next week, so whilst I'm lying on a beach somewhere with the sun beaming down on me (sorry if I'm making you jealous), it will be time to take everything in and just relax. When I come back then its back to reality!

Till next time 

Little Miss Fitness 

Xx

Running the track..

Oh my goodness the day is finally here; fitness test day and the start of the Miss Galaxy Universe. Arghhh the nerves are setting in big style now and i don't know what to do with myself! I am sort of flying around like a headless chicken not really know what to do. Chill and calm down should be my first option but mum and I have just got to get going and drive down to Crawley now and I DO NOT want to be late. Its like your first day of school and your so eager to be on time, or you'll get told off! lol

Last night was a bit of a whirlwind as well as I had my final run through with Emma at Studio ELB; a full dress rehearsal and then i went off and got myself tangoed (once again) at the Tanning Station with Elise. It was déjà vu all over again!! This time i made sure i had the right clothing; didnt want any white lines on my legs whilst driving afterwards.

Pre fake-bake! Just polishing off my geisha skills

I spent the night with my mum and stepdad as it seemed more logical for the early start the next day. I had steak, brown rice and vegetables waiting for this little oompaloompa when I got there. The steak, oh my god was my first bit of red meat in months, so when i ate it I made sure i savoured every last little bit of it.

We arrived at the Travelodge in Crawley right next to GAtwick North Terminal and i had to wait for registration to open. I met a couple of lovely girls, who put my mind at ease a little with the fitness tests and what was to be expected. The support from the show is incredible already and we haven't even got anywhere. It was also nice to be around lots of other ladies who were tangoed and preened just as much as i was. It's surreal but a nice feeling. 

Once we'd registered etc and got our competition numbers, there was a fair bit of waiting around before we needed to go to the track. Granted mum and I got there ridiculously early! oopsie. So mum and I just chilled in the room; then my friend Becks came up and chilled with us too. Becks has been training so hard for a lot longer than I have, and her transformation is incredible. So proud of her and was going to be cheering her from the sidelines in her fitness tests.

Getting ready to pump the arms in the fitness tests.

Once we got to the track, we all had to wait a little while whilst things got set up and then Chris and Sarah ran us through the set up, bonus stations and where we needed to be etc. The weather was amazingly warm for Halloween, so the crop top and shorts weren't a bad idea. Little did we know that the temperature would drop and turn into the Arctic by 8pm!!  

So the way the fitness tests were set up was really good. There were 8 groups of 8 girls (as there are 8 lanes!!) and each group would do their discipline first followed by the next group. The whole thing was organised to perfection and it all ran incredible smoothly; thanks to Sarah Donohue and her A-team.

First off was the 800m followed by the long jump. Bearing in mind most of the girls in the fitness tests hadnt stepped out on a track since high school - it was an amazing achievement. My butt was shaking ready to get started, so to calm myself I was breathing heavily. Donna Kissei beat me in the first race - just on the last bit of home straight - I could see a shadow but then she appeared!

All the GG's getting ready to pound the track hard!!

Next test, after everyone had completed their long jumps and 800m was the 400m followed by however many press ups you could do in a minute. That was tough, but my timer was excellent and made sure that I was doing the fitness tests properly each rep. 2nd to last discipline was the 200m then how many squat thrusts in a minute. By this time the temperature had started to drop and turned slightly chilly. This was where the crop top and shorts was a bad idea.  This test was the hardest - after all we had done already, to then do squat thrusts, which are by far my least favourite exercise! But there was no complaining as we had to suck it up and just crack on with it. No woosies in this fitness test!

Final test was the dreaded 100m then however many sit ups in a minute. This was hard after all of the other races we had done but it had the the longest wait and by then it was really cold. But i managed to run the 100m 15.03 seconds. This is the best result I've ever done on 100m, not even in high school did I achieve that.. I am simply over the moon with that. 

My mum did a bit of cheeky filming of the tests, so once i've edited the shots and seen it in full - I'll upload them on here  and on Youtube.

After the tests had finished it was back to the Travelodge for food, a little tipple, tanning and then to bed. We needed to make sure we were rested, ready for the big show today at the Hawth Theatre.  With regards to my tanning however, this is where my mum had to step in.. but in hindsight i don't think it thought it through. There are things mothers should never do for their children and tanning your entire body is not one of them! Oh dear, i'm sure you can imagine the stories my children will endure one day! haha 

I was really looking forward to the show on saturday, spending some quality time with the Galaxy girls backstage. I needed to practise my routine...so I made sure that practise makes perfect!

Till next time;

Little miss fitness 

Xx

D Day Tomorrow!

So it's the day before tomorrow; I have packed my suitcase and think I'm nearly ready to go. The only thing I've left to do is prep my food for the weekend, which ill do when I get home after work and then packing the car up ready for my little adventure. No I can't even eat hotel food, not even if I'm doing the fitness tests, it's only for 2 days which is nothing in the grand scheme of things and then what next? Rest....

I'll admit Ive been getting ridiculously nervous over the last few days, and even doubting myself a little as I know the show is real now. I want to do well - I've trained hard for 4 months and want something to show for it. That may sound selfish but unfortunately that's what these competitions do. They make you selfish - you have to constantly think about your food, your training and your body. You have to be disciplined because no one else is going to do it for you. Your BFF isnt going to get up at 6am to go to the gym to train upper body or legs for you. Which is why I guess I'm going in and out of mind sets. No one else can do these fitness tests for me and I'm the one whose eaten salads and vegetables like a rabbit for the last 4 months (much to my boyfriend and family's confused looks!lol)...chocolate cake what is that again?lol 

So sweet of work to give me this before tomorrow

So I've got a final run through with Emma later; my final ever session. I don't know what I'm going to do now without my weekly trips to Studio ELB to be annilated? No one shouting in my ear "push Amy push" or "there's no change without pain". I will miss your motivational lines Em.haha It's been a blast working with her and she has sculpted my body in a way I would never have got on my own. And thank you for all the nutritional advice from Simon, this and reading more on it has taught me a lot about eating clean and being organised when it comes to food. Anyone can eat healthy as long as you put your mind to it; I'm a girl who loves her food and can be quite lazy sometimes when cooking - aka can't be assed! Lol but I've now learnt that it's not that big of a ball ache to stick salmon in the oven and do some roasted vegetables with it. It doesn't take long and is delicious. It's too easy for us now to just give in and say let's get a takeaway or not even bother eating! Don't do it!! Prove yourself wrong and you'll feel better.

Then after Emma's it's off to see Elis at the Tanning station for my base layer of fake bake. Yes I will be an oompalompa once again - don't think my parents are quite ready for that yet! So the uncomfortable night of lying like a zombie is almost here and then tomorrow it's up earlyish to get down to gatwick for registration and the dreaded fitness tests. Sick bucket at the ready. Then another early night to get ready for stage on Saturday. I don't think mum knows what she's let herself in for with helping me with my tan...oops, she'll soon find out! 

Next time you hear from me I'll have done it! So I'll give you all the juicy details and pictures then. Stay tuned this weekend... Miss Galaxy here i come!

Till next time;

Little Miss Fitness 

Xx

Must good things come to an end??

5 days and counting till I get up on stage at the miss galaxy universe competition. That means there's only 4 days till I take the fitness tests. Oh my god I hadn't really thought about it till now. I still can't believe that it's all come round so quickly.  I'm checking the weather forecast every 5 minutes to see if it's going to rain on Friday evening (please pray that it doesn't). 

Now we've found out who the judges will be for Miss Galaxy. There are the likes of Julia Hubbard, Dan Parker and none other than Alex Reid! There are a few other well known Miss Galaxy faces, so it's time to impress them all. Ive got to get all the practise and posing in that I can.. 

Run Forest Run!

Last weeks training was good, I managed 2 glutes sessions, abs, fitness tests and upper body. My glutes felt tired after the 2nd session, but i wont get a bubble butt if i don't train hard! Tonight is my final stint at the track so I've got to make it count. Then it's just about making sure I rest my tank as much as possible. Friday is going to be tough! Sick bucket at the ready lol... I've got to fuel the body as much as possible too so chicken, fish and oats are going to be happily consumed this week. Even the steak on Thursday night is going to be a taste of heaven...

I did my final abs session yesterday at mums, which felt weird. I haven't trained at my mums since the beginning (remember me doing wheelbarrows in the garden?) and looking at where I started and where I am now is up lifting. It seems strange now but i have the body i've always wanted and its given a new found respect in how i've had to get it. Don't get me wrong though I am still shitting a brick for the tests but it's all in gods hands now and for me to put 150% into everything on Friday. I was so scared last week when I saw the final list of tests; so much so I phoned my boyfriend and blubbered down the phone to him. He calmed me down, as did my mum when I told her the same. I've got to make sure my routine is spot on too, so extra rehearsals this week as well to fine tune it. It's just one week left that's all I've got to think about.

This week is a mixture of training and final competition prep. I'll be getting fake baked on thursday at the Tanning Station, after I've had a full run through with Emma. Then Friday morning its off to the hotel with mum in tow. Hair and make up is being done by yours truly as is the final layer of my tan. I don't really think mum knows what's she's let herself in for! I don't think I do either though..Oops. Well as they say it will be alright on the night.

Just before I go (as i need to get my beauty sleep), I'm not sure if any of you are bored of these posts by now but I hope you've enjoyed reading and coming along this journey. I'm sure work, my boyfriend and my family will be pleased once this is over, as all my conversations wont need to start with "training is hard" or "no I can't eat that"! AHH i cant wait for that cheat meal on Saturday night. I can assure you there will be no lady like etiquette when eating that meal! Lol 

Till next time (which may be at the track);

Little Miss Fitness

Xx

You can smell the stage

Well it's getting close to the end of the week and then we can safely say it's countdown in single digits. I can almost smell the stage (odd to say but it's true). This so surreal to say it as the last time I was doing a countdown in single digits it was Musclemania which seems a lifetime ago. Time really does fly when your a) busy and b) training your butt off.

This weeks training has been good, glutes on Monday was good. I could certainly feel them fired up. The hardest part of that session is doing frog jumps and then straight into rotating side squats. After doing sumo squats and then curtseys, the glutes are burning! Fitness tests were smashed on Tuesday, which was surprising - again some pb's were improved on, some tests however remained unchanged. At this point of the training these will not change drastically. We shall see how my last track session goes on Saturday down at lee valley.

Lift the legs up and pick your bum off the bench slightly

Then slowly lower the legs down, but don't touch the floor

The next question I have is another glute session or yoga tomorrow night? Think I need to work on the bubble butt a bit more...so glutes it is.

Just on a side note, I haven't weighed myself in a while, due the fact that it's not about how much I weigh, and also I don't want to scare myself. I'll admit I started this competition at 65.5kg and now I am dot on 60kg. For those who don't work in kg, there's 2.2lbs in a kg so I've lost a stone. That's over a 4 months, but the transformation of my body has been incredible (if I'm able to say that?). I've got the abs I've always dreamed of (I've got a 4pack showing now) however my shoulders have become a lot bonier than id like. This is where genetically I lose weight first though and with all the upper strength I've developed over these 4 months it's inevitable to be honest.

I had a great session with Emma last night, running through my evening wear routine. I can't wait to show her the full routine with my newly altered dress next week. It's exciting stuff - and Christine, my friend from work is going to come and watch my dress rehearsal! Yikes..

It's where the magic happens...

Next week however has to be stress free so it's all about making checklists, double checking I've got everything to take to the hotel and final things to do before Fridays fitness tests. Think I might start putting bits and bobs into my suitcase this weekend - better to be safe than sorry. It's going to feel such a short week at work, as I've got half day on Thursday, it's tanning time (back to the Tanning Station I go) and my final run through with Emma. I only hope I can make all the people that have supported me through this gruelling 4 months proud with the progress I've made and show them the final result...

Till next time

Little Miss Fitness

Xx

It's becoming real now..

Nerves are setting in...

Well last week was a bit manic and the next few weeks are going to be no different. It's getting closer and closer now and errr the nerves are slightly starting to set in! 

Last weeks training went a lot better than the previous week..no more breakdowns last week! I did Abs on Friday night so yes I took my routine trip to the bar!lol A couple of people in the gym saw what I was doing and thought it would be sportsman like to make me do extra sets and extra reps..for that I am grateful! My abs however are not! Lol 

Emma's session on Thursday also went really well. We did upper body and shoulders; which I found really good, my upper body strength has come a long way since I started training. Anyway she got me swinging from the monkey bars to start, followed by endurance shoulder presses...then to top it all off I was pulling a 20kg weight with rope. That exercise was fun, as sad as it sounds I felt like someone out of strong man!! Haha (hardly) It let out a lot of frustration though. Pull ups weren't missed off the list either; these made an appearance. Damn it! 

Feeling strong after lugging this thing around.

Oh my god ive completely forgotten hockey training on Wednesday! How could I forget; I got absolutely soaked. There should be a law for sportsmen and women, allowing them to sack off training when the weather is that bad. I couldn't see anything and the rain was literally dripping off my face. All my clothes were soaked through. You can't grip the stick properly, so as you can imagine there were a few sticks flying across the pitch that night!lol It was nice to go back to practising the basics though; it's good to refresh and go back to every now and then.

Unfortunately I didnt get chance to get to the track on saturday as lee valley had the outdoor and indoor track fully booked with hundreds of scouts. Aww they all looked so cute in their uniform and looked so excited to be doing some athletics. That's so nice to see young kids getting involved, I don't think we do enough as a country or as people to encourage children to take up sport or keep fit. It's al too easy to just sit on our asses and become lazy..anyway before I go into a full on rant, I'll move on.

On a side note, I've got to get one of my evening dresses taken in for miss galaxy, so I made a trip to crouch end, to gold needle tailor to get it altered ready for next week. I couldn't believe how much material they took at the back - about 3 inches!! Now this dress fitted me like a glove at university for the law ball. It just confirmed how much weight I've lost and how much my body has changed during this journey.

So I've started the week off on a high and this week is all about posing posing posing, I need to crack my routine for the show and then I'm seeing Emma on Thursday to go through my evening wear routine. Oh so many little things to do still..will I get them done in time? Hope so...

Time is running out... best get my skates on

2 weeks to go and it's all becoming so real now. I'm getting excited, and I am looking forward to getting up on stage and showing how much hard work I've put in. This isn't just for me though, it's also for the support I've had around me. I started on this journey trying to take each day as it came and it has certainly made me grow and become a more patient person..and a hell of a lot more organised (how long that will last is debatable!lol).

Happy Monday everyone. I hope your day is full of happiness and joy

Till next time

Little Miss Fitness 

Xx

Up up and away

Run Forrest Run!

Wow what a weekend! I had sprints with Emma on Saturday at Lee Valley Fitness centre, which nearly killed me.. oh and she also got me running round the track. I hadn't been round an athletics track since high school so it was a little daunting at first but i got into it eventually. I think it helped having other people there on the sidelines and on the track. Somehow it helped me focus. I had had a mentally tough week before seeing Emma, which was more than likely due to me being tired and my diet. So Saturday I had to conquer a few mental walls. I even had a go at parachute sprints, which I have to admit was really fun. I was a little nervous at first thinking I wouldn't be able to do them but they certainly woke my muscles up and i thought i was going to fly away.

Will i blow away with this on???

So as i was running on the track on Saturday I couldn't play hockey for Tring, which Im always gutted about. On to Sunday and I have to say i decided to go on a little adventure. The alarm went off early(ish) as i made sure i went to bed early the night before. I haven't been giving myself much recovery which i know is bad as the body needs to rest in order to progress. So this is what my Saturday night consisted off, sleep and more sleep. Then Sunday I decided to go on a little adventure and ventured to the fitness first in harrow. After driving round the shopping centre about 20 times I finally realised that I needed to drive into the multi-storey car park! Duh blonde springs to mind..

The fitness first was nice and it was busy when I got there at 9am. Yes some of you may think I'm mad but it had to be done. But now I know I can go to that gym at weekends if I need to, so theres a silver lining to some things.. I smashed an abs workout and then came home quickly to have breakfast before my boyfriend came over to see me. Since Musclemania he's been even more patient with me (which i didnt know was possible) and the training ive had to do and the diet. I think he's looking forward to a break just as much as i am! lol 

Just before take off!!

So onto this week; Ive made a decision that i work best when i train after work so Im going to try and do that more this week, hopefully I wont feel so tired. Training twice today; this bubble butt is going to be worked hard then Wednesday is hockey training. Its supposed to rain but i'm praying that it misses us by then. Theres nothing worse than training in the rain. Also I can't keep missing training so i've got to incorporate it into my current training regime, as I soooo want to stay in the 1's this season. Then Saturday is match against west Herts, Watford. I'm up for that game so we shall how that goes - gum shield at the ready. It was a little bit of dirty game at the end of last season so lets hope its not going to be a deja vu moment on saturday...

Its' time to really lean up now for comp, so Emma has changed my diet slightly again. There's still lots to do for my costume and organising stuff for the day but I'm feeling on top of it all, which is shocking. I thought id be stressing right now.. However if you dont hear much from me over the next 2 weeks, this will be why, I'll be getting in my last few bits of training, posing practise and sorting stuff for the big day! Wish me luck.

Till next time;

Little Miss Fitness