Tasty treats

Frozen banana & Nutella ice-cream

This is such an easy recipe and healthy for those days when your craving a massive slab of Cadburys dairy milk. It's pretty much 3 easy steps and freezing time and then it's ready to eat 

2-3 bananas (make sure they're ripe)

3 tablespoons of Nutella

1 scoop of chocolate flavoured whey protein

Equipment:

1 blender 

Tupperware

Recipe: Simply blend all items together for 30 seconds - 1 minute: until fully combined. 

Pour into a shallow Tupperware; this allows the mixture to freeze quicker. 

Place in the freezer for couple of hours, or overnight is better.

When ready, take out and serve! 

You can make any flavoured ice cream by using raspberries, blueberries or why not try adding some nut butter. 

If you don't want to use banana you can always substitute it with avocado! 

Little Miss Fitness;

Xx

The sweet things in life

The highs and low's of post-competition!

First of all let me apologise that I've been MIIA (missing in action) for the last month or so. I've started a new job, reverse dieted after comp etc the list goes on. The days after standing on stage can be just as hard even harder to come back down to some reality.  

You've achieved your set goal; youve depleted, gotten up on stage and shown off your hard work of training morning and night for months on end. But what's your next move? What's your next goal?  Its hard to figure out what to do after competition season, because there's no real restriction on food anymore. Your first instinct might be to gorge on all the food that passes in front of you but I'll say that may not be such a great move. 

I'll admit i had my cheat meal of KFC post fit factor but then after that I've had to be really careful not to overindulge or my body would balloon! This is when those around you need to help and support you because they'll automatically think you'll be able to go straight back to what you ate prior to training-wrong! It can take as long as your comp prep to reverse diet. 

So for those days I crave sweet sugary things, I keep a couple of healthy alternatives in my kitchen on hand. I've always had a sweet tooth and oh boy when they kick in, it's dangerous better. 

My new favourite breakfast are protein pancakes from Bodybuilding warehouse...they are incredible! Fluffy, soft and packed with 20g+ protein with every panxake! Low carb high protein I'm sold and they in soooo many great flavours. It's a no brainer really. 

So quick to make as well; mix 2 scoops of the powder in a shaker, with 100ml of water. Vigorously shake for about 30 seconds and then fry with 1tsp of coconut oil. 

Or if your a huge chocolate fan; why not try muscle mousse? It tastes just like angel delight but with 30g of protein with every 50g serving. All you've got to do is add 150ml of water to 2 heaped scoops of powder: mix in a shaker and pour into a bowl. Stick in the fridge for 30mins - 1hr and tuck in. Serve with fresh fruit or bit of almond butter for a naughty treat.

So there's just a few tasty alternatives you can get if your lazy like me but have a sweet tooth! 

Little Miss Fitness

Xx

So what's next after Body Power?

So the fever of Fit Factor and Body Power is now over; I cant believe it was over a week ago now that I was on stage with an awesome line up of ladies. The post comp blues have come and gone (somewhat!), but the question is what challenge am I going to set myself next? 

I was lucky to be one of the final 20 girls @ Fit Factor

Well i've had a week of much deserved rest, had a few cheat meals but mainly stuck to reverse dieting and i feel so much better. Ive actually got a lot energy, which being the scatty person that I am may not be the best thing! haha I've also had time to reflect and digest everything that has happened in the last year - oh boy its too long to write down but its a lot. 

I have decided to break from competing for a while and get back to focusing on my new job and putting some fun back into my training regime. That doesn't mean I won't keep pushing my body, all it is is that I want to try different things with my training? In truth I've thought about a few new things I'd like to try; my trainer Emma is from a gymnastics background and an avid backflip specialist, so i'd love to dip my toes into this. 

And then I've had thoughts of something a little more extreme, perhaps learning Muay Thai/ kickboxing or cross fit? Is it greedy for me to do both? Maybe give Muay Thai a go first and then gymnastics. That's one of the great freedoms I have now without the pressure of competing or depleting. I can sculpt my training around what I want. I'm not restricted to training specific body parts of getting that extra bit of HIIT cardio in weeks out of comp. The world is my oyster as the saying goes...

So stay tuned for the next wacky idea that I challenge my body with! It could be interesting. However one challenge will always remain through all my workout regimes - to keep my abs! I've worked hard to get them and they are not about to wander anywhere!!

Little Miss Fitness 

Xx

Have you got the Fit Factor?

Oh wow what a weekend-I don't know where to begin! 

First let me apologise for the lack of communication over the last week or so, it's been rather hectic, what with trying to fit training in, nearly getting lost in Amsterdam, water loading.. To name a few things! Put it this way I was in desperate need of sleep and driving when your tired is not something I condone at all.

But it all came together last week on Friday-everyone in the gym, friends and work wished me good luck and I was off to prep. Friday morning was up early for last bit of cardio with Shaun T-boy it was insane, then I headed to Elise for my gorgeous fake bake spray tan. I can't thank her enough for fitting me in early and for all the competition tans she's done for me. 

Tunes blaring and 2 tanned girlies...

Then onto the motorway to head up to Birmingham with my girlie Amy Stephens. We had the tunes blaring out and the sun was shining. Once we got to the NEC it was straight to registering for fit factor and meet the rest of the guys competing. The Hotel we stayed in was lush and just what we needed, large space to practise posing and soft beds...ah heaven. It wasn't too far from the NEC either so it was an added bonus- The St.Johns Hotel.

So Saturday came and it was up early again to do hair and make-up for the day. Breakfast was an interesting mix of chicken and almonds, weird you might think but actually filling, as it's a high source of protein which keeps you fuller for longer. Try it out if your brave enough! 

Once we'd got to the NEC (again!) with a bit of commotion in traffic, we had a brief competitor meeting and told what time we were going to start. After that we were free to wander about which I was sooo excited about. This is what id been waiting for, to go round and see all the stands, buy a few things, meet some stars. Oh I was in my element. I did manage to bump into Phil Heath on Sunday which was incredible. Don't think he had too much time to chat though, he was on his way to make a speech.

GymShark - and i'm afraid of sharks!

So then the time came for me and Amy to go back stage, get glazed up and ready in our sportswear for the 1st round. We did a few pre-exercises to get the blood pumped to the muscles so things like press-ups, lateral raises, squats just free-weight bits. 

I was so nervous before going on stage, I was running through everything in my head at a million miles an hour, over and over again. I kept thinking to myself what my coach would say "don't look down" and "smash it". Again my legs went like jelly as soon as I got on stage,but I loved doing my t-walk. But I didn't predict how many more people there'd be in the audience. 

Current & former Miss Galaxies strutting - oh yeh!!

After the swimwear round 3 girlswere brought forward to the judges so they could get feedback. I was shocked that I got called and my feedback was that I came across a little shy on stage in comparison to the other girls. I took this on board and appreciated the feedback. 

Then it came to the end of the day to announce the guys and girls who'd made it through to the final on Sunday. I was shocked and sad to hear Joshua and Amy didn't make it, they'd worked so hard and looked amazing. I was even more shocked to hear my number (101) called out! I couldn't believe id made it through to the final out of the competition. 

So it came to Sunday and there were 2 rounds again. 1 being swimwear and the 2nd round was a photoshoot where we had 3 chances to get the perfect cover magazine pose. Unfortunately this doesn't come naturally to me and with only 16 seconds inbetween shots I struggled, although I felt my wall was alot more confident than Saturdays performance. 

the gorgeous Amy Stephens & me..

So these 2 rounds came and went, a lot quicker than the Saturday, understandably. I got to walk around the exhibition a bit more and see more of the stands; and my BFF Danielle came up to the NEC as well which made everything that extra bit special. The results were announced at 3pm and unfortunately I didn't make the top 5 girls. But the girls who did were incredible and the winner of fit factor couldn't have gone to a better girl - Paloma. I wasn't too disappointed as my goal was to make it thought to Sunday which I did, anything else was a bonus. I knew the competition would be tough so I prepared for what may happen. I'm pleased with how I looked and my t-walk which for me was what mattered. 

Backstage with the girlies...

So at the end of if all, I had an great weekend, met some more amazing people and learnt a lot more about the fitness industry. Now it's time to give the body a break from competing and trying new gym routines and fitness ventures. Oh and for anyone who wants to know, my first cheat meal afterwards was a KFC! Followed by chocolate and it all tasted so good. 

Little miss fitness 

Xx

Out if this universe...

What a weekend - and it all started with a birthday..

My birthday was an interesting one to say the least; what can you do when your depleting and cutting for a competition??Not much!! However I was spoilt rotten with cards and presents. I got flowers, money and shopping vouchers which was so lovely of everyone. It really did make the start of what was going to be a long weekend!! 

It was the Miss Galaxy Universe competition this weekend down in Crawley. So Friday started with a trip to my trusted tanner Elise @ The Tanning Station. I can't rave enough about how good her tanning is. I love them. Then after drying, it was driving down South to the K2 track where the Galaxy Games were taking place. It was gorgeous weather when I got there but it didn't bloody stay like that. The heavens soon opened and the drizzle stayed to watch. 

Once I got there, those timing the events  were given our t-shirts and a stopwatch. It was fun to spur the other girls on doing the 800/200 and 100m, they looked like fun. This year there were even strong woman events like pulling a smart car and sandbag carrying. I think it was a really nice idea to incorporate events like this. It gave the Games a different twist instead of just track events. It was just a shame that the weather couldn't of held off, as some of the girls tans were ruined, which was so sad to see. Don't worry they were redone by Jolene the resident Galaxy tanner.

Let the Games begin...

Then Saturday, after the Games, it was the time for the stage show. This is the exciting bit, being back stage with the girls and getting ready. There is such a family atmosphere and the girls all helping each, running up and down the corridor. 

Time to rock the stage with the girls...

I did my own hair and make-up and then made my appearance as the current Supreme Champion by walking on stage, once all the girls had gone on stage. Then it was onto the bikini rounds for each category, and my mates Amy Stephens and Nicola Ashcroft were amazing. Amy was in bikini diva and Nicola in beach bunny. They rocked that stage and showed off all their hard work and dedication: I was so proud of them. And to have the cherry on top, Amy placed 3rd in her category.

Me and my girlies - love them...

A big Congratulations goes out to Victoria Strelciunaite for being crowned Supreme Champion. She thoroughly deserved it and she looked amazing on stage. Enjoy the crown-it's a gorgeous tiara, I was even tempted to swap mine for it! Only kidding,.

It was a great weekend catching up with old faces and making new friends. There were quite a lot of new faces this time at the show which was nice to see. 

So now 1 week to go and body power is here-depletion and water loading begins. Upping the cardio this week for that final push..oh and practising my t-walk. Not much to do at all. 

Little Miss Fitness 

Xx

2 weeks to go

Yep you read that correctly, this time in 2 weeks time it will all be over. 

All the prep and the mini-meltdowns in Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys (well pretty much every supermarket) will be no more. I think I've had more tantrums this time around than when i trained for Miss Galaxy. Either that or the tantrums haven't increased, they've just got worse - erm not sure which! I may need to phone a friend! Even my boyfriend has lost count I think! It's not something i'm proud to admit but anyone who has competed knows that mood swings and food tantrums are part and parcel of dieting. My boyfriend deserves a lot of beers for the tantrums and snappiness from me, as i think him and my mum have suffered and seen the worst of them. And even he can get a bit mardy when he's hungry - so you can imagine the combo of him and my tantrums. Our supermarket visits are always pretty much like supermarket sweep!  

I know the next 2 weeks are going to be hard, perhaps the hardest - water loading, carb depletion, additional cardio to burn that access fat. Yes there isn't any beauty aspect in the run up to a competition. And to make it that little bit harder, this coming weekend I am going to be on stage performing at Miss Galaxy. How have these weekends come round so quick?

It is sad to think that whilst the girls who've competed in Miss Galaxy are stuffing their faces with chips and wine after the show, I will only be able to chow down on chicken and veg..mmmmm yummy!! AS my trainer would say though, its only 1 week and then ill be able to have my cheat meal too.  Oh my god I cant wait. Its got to the point now, whereby im sniffing cookie jar tins for that sweet smell of chocolate (AKA: SUGAR!!!!)

My saving grace when cravings hit!

This week is going to be a bit manic - Ive got to finish blinging up my bikini, practise my t-walk for Galaxy, water load, train..oh yeh and do a full-time job. I think birthday celebrations will have to wait until after BodyPower!

So apologies now if you don't hear much from me in the next 2 weeks; my mind may be elsewhere and ill probably be spending more time preening and getting spray tanned than actually working!

Little Miss Fitness
Xx

Lights, camera, smoke? and action

Turning up to Belt Craft studios yesterday was an experience; querky and minimalistic is the best way to describe it. The studio was tucked away off the main road, which was a bit unnerving, but once I saw Lowell and his team it was fine. The studio was big and simple, with lots of different types of furniture in it. Once Lowell and the guys had set the room up, with the boxing punch bag and bench, it felt more like an old school boxing room - kind of like the one you'd see Sylvester Stallone training in; no i'm not comparing myself to Sly, that would be hitting below the belt! How many more boxing puns do you think i could get in there!? Haha

The before picture

The photo-shoot was one of the prizes i was given for winning Miss Galaxy, and to be honest I didn't know what to expect from it. I did the shoot with Rebecca Andrews back in march, which feels like a lifetime ago. The shoot there was a mixture of fashion & fitness and I got some gorgeous shots from that shoot. For this photo-shoot Lowell had gone for a boxing theme which I thought was different, seeing as i haven't done any boxing in a long time. Its not something I've ever done properly, but putting the gloves on and giving the punch bag a good old smack felt really good.

To try and give the photos a bit more of a natural workout feel, I did the shoot in bare feet with the punch bag hanging from the ceiling. To warm up Lowell got me to hit the punch bag a couple of times, much like a workout and then started clicking away! I think i soon got a bit carried away and then went to kicking the bag! Now that felt really good....

An extra bonus i really liked was that I could see all the shots that Lowell had taken on his computer, so I could then adjust my body to get a better shot and make sure my eyes weren't closed! Some shots were left to be desired but others I was really surprised with. The lighting and props that were used really enhanced certain shots.. 

So now its time to wait until the proofs get sent through. Im really looking forward to seeing what they look like; then cherry pick my favourite ones. 

BodyPower Expo countdown = 2 weeks!! now i'm getting nervous and excited! I saw Fit Factor organiser Renee yesterday whilst at the shoot and she put any unnecessary nerves to bed. She was really sweet and understanding. I just hope I'm going to get chance to look around the exhibition as well during the weekend. 

Europe's largest fitness & nutrition exhibition

Little Miss Fitness 

Xx

3 weeks to go

Wow so there's only 3 weeks to go till BodyPower! 

Where are these weeks going? So quick recap on what I've been up to... I can't believe it's been 3 weeks since I started my new job; then next week (Saturday 9th May) I will be on stage at Miss Galaxy Universe and then the week after that is BodyPower (Saturday 16th - Sunday 17th may). 

Fit Factor Poster

I don't think it's sunk in yet how hectic these next few weeks are going to be. And if your thinking am I competing again at Miss Galaxy, no I'm not. I am only walking on stage once all the other girls have walked on and strutted their stuff. It's going to be exciting seeing the girls I made friends with last November competing again. I'll be cheering them on and I'm looking forward to watching the show as a spectator! 

So yes unfortunately the oompalompa look is coming back! And it will be making an appearance for a solid 3 weeks. I have warned work already; so I'm preparing myself for the jokes that may WILL follow. But hopefully the body scrubs we sell will exfoliate my skin back to normal. My tanning sessions have been booked with the trusted Elise at The Tanning station, in Enfield. She is amazing at doing my competition fake bake tans, so why go anywhere else. She's only down the road too so that's the cherry on top! 

And then oh boy, this coming weekend I've got my photoshoot with Lowell Mason; he is the photographer from Galaxy. 

Lowell Mason's Miss Galaxy shots...

We are shooting in North London on Saturday; but I can't tell you too much on the theme of the shoot that you'll have to wait and see what's in store. 

So stay tuned on my Facebook and Instagram pages; 

Little Miss Fitness 

Xx

New start; new challenge

"If it doesn't challenge you, it wont change you"

I found this quote on Pinterest this morning and thought it was quite apt for today. We shouldn't be afraid of challenges or to take them on. Each time we do, go into them with a fresh mind; start from scratch as if you don't know anything. You never know what you'll learn from those who've done it, been there, got the T-shirt. 

The main thing though is BE PATIENT! We are all our own worst enemy (myself included!) in this; however patience will set you apart from others that aren't and go for quick results instead. 

You control your destiny

I know all of this sounds very thoughtful and deep for a monday morning but hear me out. Today is my first day in a new job and I admit I am really nervous. There are so many thoughts going through my head; what if the people in the office don't like me, what if i cant do the job? 

I know these may sounds silly but I guess it's natural to be anxious with any new challenge you face. I've just got to rise to it and have the confidence and patience to achieve what I want. As my mum would say "Baby steps Amy" and "Rome wasn't built in a day" as my boyfriend would say. Don't you just hate it when your loved ones are right?!! 

A little welcome pack full of goodies...

I guess these nerves were similar when I started training for competitions; I questioned myself then "can I train hard enough", "can I stick to the diet"? This is where mental strength will prevail - not to mention having a support network around you. Even with 5 weeks to go till Fit Factor, I'm still battling with some of these questions and challenges now. But thats part of the excitement and the fun with doing something new and challenging - you don't know what the outcome will be until you get to the end. 

So lets see if I can make it to the end of this challenge and feel confident that when I'm up on stage on 16th May in Birmingham, I know I've done everything I could to push myself and challenge my body.

#5weeksToBodyPower

Little Miss Fitness 

Xx

Train together; stay together...

Oh boy I cant tell you how excited I was for what lay in store with my BFF Dani on Friday. She texted me earlier in the week and asked if we could go to the gym on Friday, at which I almost jumped down my phone to say "Yes, Yes, Yes" and to top it off she wanted to do legs!! I couldn't wait; it was going to be a girlie day done in style - I just prayed we could walk afterwards.

Time to bust these bad boys out...

So I got to Dani's and we hit the gym straight away, no messing around; we'd both had coffee and breakfast so we were good to go. I love working out with Dani, she works hard and wants to push herself; there's no whining or complaining "I can't do it". We get in, do what we need to do and leave - no time for chit chat. It was #girlsonamission

So to make the most of our session, I put a little plan together - 

Doggy Style Leg Lifts ( x10 each leg)
NOTE: if your glutes aren't burning after this, you're not doing it right!
Glute Leg Lifts (with small dumbbell. Hold in the back of the knee)

Then it was to the weights room; oh yes my friends the above was just a warm up for the glutes.
Dead-lifts (x10 with weight bar)
Curtseys (x12 on each leg) - dumbbells in each hand
Split lunges (x12 each leg) - with weight bar
Farmers lunges (x10 strides with dumbbells in each hand)
Leg press machine (x8-10 with heavy weight)
Leg Extension burnouts (x10 each foot position)

Dead ringer in the gym - check out that form!

Its official... I cant walk

We did all of these 3 times and boy were we cream crackered after. We pushed each other through the workout; and afterwards our butts were definitely perkier and on fire.

Soooo sad its over...

I find that having someone with motivation to train hard, makes you go that extra mile and pushes your body even more. The same goes when I train with my boyfriend - he pushes my body and my mind. He is the encouragement I need and the sergeant major to tell me off when I'm not working hard enough. My thought of the week is I truly believe that those couples and friends that train together, stay together.

What do you think? Share this with your training BFF if you agree.

This week is back on the cardio and weight training...#6weekstillBodyPowerExpo and got a training session with Emma on saturday. Better prepare for the pain now! 

Little Miss Fitness
Xx

6 weeks till showtime!

I cant believe how quickly time is flying by, only 6 weeks to go and if i'm honest this week I don't feel I've made any gains in shredding any additional body fat. I know I shouldn't compare but I keep looking at pictures from previous Fit Factors and I don't feel my body is nowhere near there yet!

This week I've found difficult to fit hardcore sessions in as I've been here there and everywhere, not really in my usual routine. I've been at training days for my job, day off which I spent with my mum as well as preparing to start my new job in a week's time. I have managed to fit in a couple of cardio sessions and my leg sessions but why do I feel thats not enough? 

Fuel for Leg Day...mmmm Chocolatey

Chow time...Sweet potato/ Salmon/ Vegetables

One of my highlights this week was spending time with mum and training together! She is one of the main reasons why I got into sports, exercise, healthy eating etc and generally not being able to sit down for more than 5 minutes!

So we did a bit of mother/daughter training; I showed her a few tricks and she showed me what she could do. I wish I had taken a picture; my mum didn't even think she could do 1 full body press up - and yet on Wednesday she did 2!! Now that's amazing, something I tried to keep telling her. Listening to your head when it says no, can stop you going beyond your comfort zone. The body is a powerful machine that can surprise you in the strangest way. With Miss Galaxy training I told myself I would never be able to do full chin-up and yet as it got closer to competition day I was bashing out 5-6 chin-ups in 1 go. I shocked myself and learnt that pushing boundaries is not a bad thing. 

Over the course of my training I have learnt a few things, one being don't say you can't do something unless you've tried it first. And with everything achieving what you thought was impossible, takes time and patience. A hard lesson I had to learn and am still learning. 

Hold on!! Pot calling the kettle black, I think I've just solved my own mental downer this week. I need to re-focus on my goal and don't let my head tell me I cant do it! I think I need to take my own advice! haha.. Today I am training with my BFF Dani and its legs!! I hope she's ready and then Saturday is shoulders/ back and core. 

Thank you guys for listening and reading (if you still are?!). 

Little Miss Fitness 

Xx

Stage session 101...

Oh boy it was time to crack on my shoe boxes again and dust off my stage shoes, ready for a session with Emma. One thing I do need to do is find a way to clean them; there are remnants of last years shows still round the plastic - disgusting I know. If anybody knows of a good way to clean stage shoes, message me please.

Anyway it was my first stage lesson back in a while and I was super excited to see what routine we would come up with. After a bit of stretching and a small warm up, it was time for me and Emma to create a new routine that I will performing at the next Miss Galaxy show on 9th May, at the Hawth Theatre.

Student and Teacher selfie.... 

I've been asked by the show to come on stage after all the other Galaxy girls have come on stage. I'm nervous about doing this, but on the other hand, this time I get to watch the show from the auditorium rather than from back stage, behind the curtains. 

Anyway I digress, i do have a fair bit of practise to do with my routine, so I best get cracking - only 6 weeks away now. I've forgotten how awkward and unnatural it feels to twist and arch my back into poses but as Em would say "If it hurts it works" - if it feels uncomfortable then your doing it right. 

Then, after what felt like a workout in itself, it was time to crack on with a abs/core workout. It was the first time I've worked out in studio ELB without Em showing me exercises so it was interesting to say the least.

Abs'olutely smashed....

So 6 weeks to Miss Galaxy appearance and 7 weeks from Fit Factor @ the Body Power Expo - time to get this mean machine lean. Going to hard too fast will be detrimental so I have to be careful not to over do it as i could look worse on comp day. Patience, will power and determination is the key! Hotel is now booked so everything is slowly falling into place, although I still need to buy my bikini - best get my butt into gear with that one. Yikes! 

Till next time; 

Little Miss Fitness

Xx

Rest and relaxation

So here I am at Champneys in henlow. This is the wonderful prize that Was donated at Miss Galaxy. Already the staff have made me feel so welcome and it's just so chilled. I've been given a gorgeous room that overlooks the canal and for an added bonus, I'm only a short walk to the pool, steam and sauna room. Result - will definitely be trying that out soon.

Champney's Henlow - Entrance

Time to relax and unwind.

What an amazing dinner - gorgeous. I've had crayfish cocktail to start and for main  hake fillet on a bed of nicoise vegetables & potatoes. Unfortunately I couldn't take any photos as I've been able to take my phone anywhere with me, so sorry about that. I'll say goodnight now and I'll catch up with you all tomorrow morning.

------------- Day 2 --------------

Breakfast this morning was an egg white omelette with spinach and a bowl of fruit. I'm so pleased that I can still eat clean whilst enjoying a relaxing break. It's so tempting to over indulge but not long now so got to keep the will power. After breakfast I bashed out a full body workout and some ab/core work. The gym's a little small so I had to improvise with a few things.

I was really lucky to have a session in the thalassotherapy pool; which pumps pressured water all over your body, with lots of different minerals in to rejuvenate the skin. It was lovely. So now it's onto lunch and then home to spend some quality time with Mother short. 

Time for a quick dip before lunch....

Thank you to Miss Galaxg for organising  the prize and a bug thank you to champneys henlow for having me for the night. It's been such a lovely experience and I definitely needed the rest. Thank you for donating such an amazing prize.

Next time I will have coerce my boyfriend to come with me-think he'd like it! 

Till next time;

Little Miss Fitness

8 weeks and counting....

So I've had my last blow out weekend, and I can say it was well worth it! Indian on Friday night to celebrate my boyfriends birthday (which was really good), Saturday it was my all time favourite, spaghetti bolognese for dinner.... and then Mothering Sunday was pub lunch (although I did stick to grilled chicken and vegetables - so i don't think thats too bad). 

However now it's time to knuckle down and get serious. There's only 8 weeks till Fit Factor at Body Power and I need to shift this body fat; it's not going to shift itself. So back to clean eating now and training dirty!

I'm upping high intensity cardio during the week and I'm also going to make some appearances at vivi's metabolic meltdown classes at studio ELB. Vivi's not called the terminator for nothing! Hopefully with this effort and the strict clean eating again, my body will snap back into shape, similar or better than what it was for Miss Galaxy. I feel I've made gains on my abs and shoulders over the last few months now it's time to up the anti and get the dream bubble butt! 

A few cheeky little handstands to start my workout...

there's the smile - after much concentration!!

I've also got to start practise my T walks and poses. Fit Factor isn't just judged on our figures; 50% of is based on physique and then the rest is on personality, presence and if i'm seen to be marketable. I have to admit though Im just as excited about seeing all the different fitness and nutrition brands that will be there as much as the stage competition. Its going to be a long weekend but hopefully worth it. 

Fit Factor Bikini - kind of colour I'm thinking of for my bikini... 

So here comes the pain of dieting; sorry in advance that I have to put you guys through this pain again! Although I'm learning a lot more this time around, with the help from people in the business. But I've also learnt to listen to my body and rest;, with thanks to the amazing support I've got around me, you know who you are....


So the countdown begins to May 16th & 17th... If you fancy coming along for either the Saturday (16th) or Sunday (17th May) you can book tickets here. There are going to be so many big names from the fitness industry you'd be crazy to miss it! 

Little Miss Fitness

Xx

Lights, camera, action

Wow what a day! I cant believe it, it came round so quickly. Yesterday I was getting spray tanned at The Tanning Station and now my photo-shoot is all over, finished. This was my first professional photo-shoot and I can safely say I have had an amazing time. Rebecca Andrews is a fabulous photographer and made me feel instantly at ease.  I was a little nervous the week before and in the last few days; I guess I was just hoping that my body would look good enough. But now its done, we will have to wait and see.

The night before.. all tanned up and ready to go...

I got to the studio fairly early today, just to have a nose about and get a feel for things, although I ended up spending most of the afternoon in rollers. Now thats a sight that many don't see and wont see again for some time! Emma did my hair and make up; we went for smoky eyes with make up as I feel this highlights certain areas of my face a bit more.

Sexy lady? Erm....me thinks not.

Which outfit do I pick first?

Rebecca had put together a mood board for each of us at the studio today, which was great to get a visual idea of what she was trying to do with each shot. My mood board had a mixture of fashion and fitness images on it, which is kind of what I wanted. We started off with fashion and then finished off with my fitness shots, that way i didn't get all sweaty in my tailored jacket.

Tadaaa - the finished article

I think Rebecca got some great shots for both fashion and fitness. We pushed the boundaries a little on the fashion front but I thought the opportunity may not come around again so why not go for. Emma and Rebecca made me feel relaxed about it though so it was all good. The fitness shots I have yet to see but I got to do a few bits on cable ropes, on a bench with lateral raises and some dumbbells. I have to say though it's hard trying to hold a pose with weights and make it look like your working out. Phew - it was a workout in itself!

Me and the fabulous Rebecca Andrews

Anyway it was a wonderful experience that I hope i get to do again some day. Now I can't wait to see how the rest of the shots come out. I wonder how much re-touching Rebecca will have to do?

Little Miss Fitness 

Xx

ELB & Gyms Kitchen Bootcamp

Wow what a great day at studio elb with the first gyms kitchen and elb bootcamp. A nutrition specialist from Insight nutrition was also there; they took body measurements, height, weight, bmi, body fat% and a few other bits.

There were about 14 of us and as soon as got there we went straight into a good old ELB circuit class, although this time with a twist! We paired off and did superset workouts. It was an amazing full body fat blast and we did it twice - we must be mad! Some exercises included traditional burpees, planks and farmers lunges; targeting big muscle groups but we also targeted smaller muscle groups.

After dying slowly on the floor, we had the well deserved lunch made by the amazing gyms kitchen. I chose the chicken salad, with avocado, red cabbage..oh and then for dessert chocolate and banan protein pancakes. I've been dying to try those bad boys for ages and oh my goodness they did not disappoint. So much so that there were left over and it will be my breakfast for the next few days. Naughty but nice and good for you.

Bootcamp team ready to get to work...

Whilst lunch was on, I went and got my measurements done with insight nutrition. So current stats for me

Height - 5ft 7! (I'm shorter than I thought)

Weight - 62kg

Body fat carried - 9kg 

I was also shocked  to learn my body fat %! I couldnt believe it.  

A really enjoyable day, and well worth doing on the 1st Sunday of every month. If you want more information, drop Emma an email at infoelb@studioelb.co.uk. And you get to meet loads of new people.

So now it's 1 week till my photo-shoot and I'm getting excited. This week I have to drink lots and lots of water daily so that I drain any excess out of body. So déjà vu again as I'll be waking up in the middle of night to pee, oh yep and I've got to have a spray tan the day before , although this time I wont be as dark as I am for stage competitions. I'm going to try and get a few behind the scenes shots so keep your eyes peeled.  

Little Miss Fitness

Xx

I cant keep it quiet any longer...

Wow it's the start of another week again; time just seems to be flying by; I cant keep up sometimes. Another good training session last week and on Saturday I did a killer legs/glutes workout. One thing I love about training is learning new exercises that target certain body parts. On Saturday, one of the PT's at Fitness First showed me a new exercises that target the outer part of your glutes - it felt odd to start with but trust me this one is a killer!!

Outer Leg Exercise: (12-15 reps each leg on lightweight)

• Sit sideways on a leg press machine. 
• Adjust the machine to a light weight (believe me its not about going heavy on this exercise). 
• Your top leg should be placed half way up on the foot board, the lower leg should then just dangle beside the machine.
• When your in a comfortable(ish) position, adjust the seat forward so that your knee comes to a right angle, in line with the ankle that is on the foot board. 
• Release the seat so that it slides into the lowest slot. 
• Place your hands on the side of the seat next to your shoulder. 
• From your starting position, you are going to push up, through until your top leg is straight (you should feel the outer part of your bum working when doing so.)
• Then slowly lower yourself back to the starting position and then drive up again to straighten the top leg.

As I said this exercise isn't about heavy weight; it gets your body focusing on a specific area of your glutes.

I have some very exciting news that I just cant hold it in any longer. In less than 2 weeks now I am going to be doing a photo-shoot with the fabulous Rebecca Andrews at Studio ELB; alongside some other amazing athletes who put their heart and soul into their training. Oh my goodness I can't tell you how excited I am. I haven't decided on outfits yet, so I guess I should get my butt into gear and sort some bits out. I've never done a shoot like this before, so am just training and dieting as if it was for stage. I'm starting to get nervous now; Emma will point me in the right direction, but biting my nails is not an option right now!! 

Just some Rebecca's amazing shots from Studio ELB already

Another exciting thing that happened last week, I was approached by The Athletic Colony to do an interview about winning Miss Galaxy win. I was stunned that someone was asking me to answer a couple of questions for an interview, but it was so cool. I had to try and jog my memory a bit, but it was an amazing opportunity to be asked by Oli. You can read the full interview here. There are success stories on their website from other fitness competitors, so go check it out. 

Snippet from my interview with The Athletic Colony

Countdown to Fit Factor: we are at 81 days now and now I'm trying to up my cardio to 2 sessions a week, plus all my weight training. Blasting body fat isn't easy and I'm starting to feel a little tired but I've got to power through.

Right i'm off to the land of nod my gorgeous people. Rest and recovery are key...and boy do I love my bed!

Little Miss Fitness

Xx