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Hi everyone! Hope you are all having a great weekend so far. I’ve had a lovely relaxed day getting myself ready for the Great North Run tomorrow! My kit bag is all packed, my running gear is all laid out ready, I have safety pins, timing chip, powerade, tissues, a big bag of dried dates, my stop watch and my fully loaded iPod shuffle (I’m not taking my iPhone in case it rains!)

This morning I was up and off to Sainburys for it opening to stock up on fruits and veggies. When I got home I enjoyed a lovely big breakfast of Dorset Cereal Really Nutty Muesli with a chopped apple, some fresh raspberries and soy milk.

This may just be my favourite muesli out of all the Dorset Cereal muesli I’ve been sampling. Its packed with big chunks of almonds, brazil nuts, cashew nuts, hazelnuts and big fat raisins, dates and pieces of dried apricots.

For lunch I toasted a thick slice of my home made soda bread and smothered it with proper butter (got to love buttered toast!) I also had an omelette made with 1 egg, 2 egg whites and filled with two sliced babybel light. I also had some sugar snap peas on the side.

I then made myself a berry smoothie using frozen strawberries, frozen mixed berries, a heaped tablespoon of Greek yoghurt, soy milk and a couple of ice cubes. I topped the smoothie with another big spoonful of yoghurt, some agave syrup and a few fresh raspberries.

Just delicious!

Mid afternoon I had a mug of teapigs chocolate flake tea along with a mystery flavoured Nakd bar!

Oh my this was good! I wish I could tell you what flavour it was but basically its one of my favourite flavour combos and it was everything I was hoping it would be. I can see me bulk buying some of these when they come out, delish!

Dinner was of course, pasta! I made up some wholemeal pasta and added some sautéed courgette, spinach and red pepper along with some chopped basil and tomato, beef mince and mushroom sauce which I’d had stored in the freezer. I also had a salad of cos lettuce and sugar snap peas that I couldn’t finish from lunch.

For desert I made my now ritual pre long distance run favourite of banana softserve made with two frozen bananas, soy milk, 2 ice cubes, some matcha green tea powder and 3 chopped dates all blended up and topped with a further two chopped dates.

Rocket fuel! I’m now pretty stuffed :-)

Thanks for all your well wishes and advice to yesterdays post. I really feel I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. The plan tomorrow is to be up bright and early, breakfast on porridge with banana then make my way to my parents house who will drop us at the metro station so we can make our way to the starting line. My hubby and parents are going to meet me at the finish line and one of my friends is coming to cheer me on – I just hope I spot her! After the race we are all going out to my parents favourite Italian restaurant for a meal. I think the thought of a proper Italian thin crust veggie topped pizza will be more than enough to get me through the race!

I’d forgot to mention this before but if anyone is interested in sponsoring me here is my Just Giving Page. I’m running for Cancer Research UK, a cause very close to my heart as we lost the Hubby’s Mum to cancer 3 years ago (she was only in her Forties). I’ve also lost a good friend to breast cancer. Right now my cousin is fighting Lymphoma – she’s only 29 years old. I’m honoured to be running in memory and in celebration of these people.

Completing the Great North Run is not only achieving one of my ‘life goals’ but its almost the culmination of my healthy living journey so far. I never dreamt I’d be fit enough to run 13.1 miles. I know I’m certainly not the fastest runner, and never will be (lets just say I don’t have a typical runners figure!) but just getting to that finish line will be a huge achievement for me. Like I said yesterday I’m not going out with any target time in mind as I just want to enjoy the day. I’ll save setting my PB for another race…oh my god I just said another race! I think I may be hooked on this running thing ;-)

Good night everyone, wish me luck x

Yesterday I managed to score some free home grown rhubard that my Mam had got from my Uncle's allotment so I thought I would have some with my porridge. I chopped it up and cooked it with a little water and a teaspoon of sugar until it had softened. I then added a little agave syrup for extra sweeteness and added it to a bowl of porridge made with water, hazelnut and almond rice milk and topped it with flaked almonds.

While crossing a few things off my weekend to do list I snacked on an apple and a little bit of dark chocolate I came across while sorting out my cupboards, I just couldn't resist a little nibble.

 I did some tae bo followed by my strength workout and then I felt like doing a little bit of yoga for a good stretch so I popped on Davinas 'Davina Fit' DVD and did the short yoga session.

Lunch was my favourite salad: cos lettuce, spinach, cucumber, red onion, grated carrot, beetroot and some feta cheese.

I just love this salad, I can't get enough of feta cheese. I then had a chocolate cherry green monster in a bowl - spinach, frozen cherries and a scoop of chocolate whey with a little hazelnut and almond rice milk.

After I'd tackled my cleaning I had a mid afternoon snack of greek yoghurt with more of my rhubard with a little drizzle of agave syrup.


This tasted so good, I should really eat rhubard more often when its in season, I'll have to try and get some more of the free home grown stuff!

For dinner I made me and the hubby some turkey in gravy with steamed brocolli and savoy cabbage and sweet potato for me and normal potato for the hubby. I just quickly fried off some turkey steak cut into strips then cooked it in some hot water with gravy granules until it thickened and the turkey was cooked. Cooking it this way seems to keep the turkey nice and tender.



Well I'm very happy as I seem to be making good progress with my weekend to do list!

• See friends and family (hopefully including bbqs!) If the weather is nice my parents are going to have a bbq tomorrow, I've got my fingers crossed!
• Run x 2 - 1 down 1 to go!
• Strength workout
• Training plan for May
• Natural Balance foods review and GIVEAWAY! post
• Make some fuel bars Will post the recipe for these tomorrow!
• Grocery shop
• Clean flat and do laundry
• Sort out boxes under kitchen bench and get paint and brushes out ready to paint window sills - I don't think I'm going to get this one done :-(
• Sort out old magazines and make inspiration board / file - I've started to go through the huge pile!
• Chill out! - Hopefully tomorrow :-)

Hope you are all having a great weekend, be sure to come back tomorrow for my little giveaway. I have three lovely little prizes for you my wonderful blog friends! Well I'm going to head off now and try and do that last thing on my to do list for the rest of the night ;-) see ya!

Happy weekend bloggers! I was very happy this morning for several reasons - 1) I got to have a lie in! 2) I had my weigh in and it was good news! 3) It was my rest day so no pressure to fit in a workout! Although I love a good workout I do really enjoy my rest day.

I was chuffed with my weigh in as I have lost the 3lbs I put on a couple of weeks ago. This puts me back at 10st 2lbs. I have been good with the snackies this week and have been avoiding too many carbs so it looks like things have finally evened out. I have to admit, that put me in a good mood for the rest of the day.

Breakfast was porridge made with vanilla rice milk topped with grape nuts, raisins and whole almonds.

After I'd had breakie I went off to do my big food shop. I got a load of lovely stuff to keep me going (for a few days at least!) - loads of fruit and veg, healthy dairy, store cupboard stuff and some lean chicken, beef and salmon, plus a couple of things I haven't tried before such as Pom Juice and beetroot.


I also picked up a couple of vests, a pair of joggy bottoms and a hoody that were on my wishlist. They were all good bargins, £3 for each vest and the joggies and £5 for the hoody. Not bad!

For a mid morning snack I had a lovely crunchy apple.


Lunch was a bowl of chilli bean soup and some red grapes.


I spent the rest of the day just chilling out, watching TV and reading old magazines. It was just what I needed after this tiring week! Mid afternoon I had an orange topped with greek yoghurt.


For dinner I decided to make me and J some homemade beef burgers made with lean mince, chopped onion, an egg and some spelt flour. I skipped on the bread bun and had two of the burgers with some sweet potato fries and roasted brocolli plus some onion fried in the pan after the burgers were done, topped with some tomato ketchup. It was delicious! The burgers tasted lovely and juicy, much better than the frozen crap you can get.


For desert I made some banana softserve by blending two frozen bananas in my food processor till soft and topping with some chocolate sauce made with agave syrup mixed with cocoa powder. Wow! This was amazing. I've blended bananas up then froze them with protein powder and other fruit before, but this was just so simple and so delicious. I can't wait to have it again!


Drinks - water, green tea, decaf tea, regular tea

I'm so glad the weekends here! I plan to visit friends and family, get a few good workouts in, do some cooking, have a look around town and hopefully find some time to chill! What plans do you have this weekend? Hope you have all had a good week! xxx

I was up with the larks this morning for my regular Saturday distance run. I fueled up with a 9 Bar Nutty and a cup of green tea.


I love 9 Bars but have only tried the original variety. This nutty one was lovely as well. It made perfect pre workout fuel.

Then I set off for my run. There was a really strong wind blowing and I found the first mile really tough. I did set off on the run with the idea of following Laura's plan which is a warm up mile, then fast, then one at pace, then a slow etc, but after the first mile I just wanted to do the distance as best I could. I actually ended up doing my best run yet! The wind was still really strong but my times turned out very good (for me): I did 10.06 miles in 1hr 35
So this is the first time I've ran into double figures! I felt wonderful when I got home, can't believe that only a couple of months ago the most I could do was 3 miles! I made myself a recovery smoothie inspired by a recipe I'd seen on JAG's blog in the comments for her magic bullet giveaway. I blended some skimmed milk with a scoop of vanilla whey, a teaspoon of instant decaf coffee and four ice cubes to make a frappuccino style drink.


This was delicious and perfect for post workout! I stretched and had a hot and cold shower then headed to the shops for my groceries. I usually go on a Sunday but as the hubby is off tomorrow I thought I'd get it out of the way today.

Once I got home I did a bit of half arsed cleaning and tidying up before making a huge bowl of slow cooked porridge. I used some jumbo oats, quinoa flakes and regular oats and slow cooked on the hob (I never cooked my porridge on the hob, I usually do my porridge in the microwave so this is another first) in water until it was thick and creamy. I added a chopped apple, cinnamon and maca powder plus a big spoonful of hazelnut nut butter.


Just what I needed to re fuel after my epic run! I also had a mug of tea pigs mao feng green tea.

I spend the rest of the day being very self indulgent lying on the sofa reading the Saturday papers and some magazines - total relaxation. I even treated myself to a bath in the middle of the day, it was great!

Later in the afternoon I had a bowl of Lentil and Spinach Soup followed by two oranges.


My best friend Charlie called round in the late afternoon with her little girl Hannah and we had a good chat over a nice cuppa.

For dinner I decided to make a veggie filled omelette with 1 egg and 2 egg whites, half a courgette, half a red pepper, half a red onion and a few mushrooms plus some edam cheese. I fried off the veggies in some oil with a little garlic then added the eggs and topped with the grated edam. I served it with some steamed asparagus dressed in a little garlic olive oil.


I also have this bowl of heaven sitting in the freezer waiting to be devoured later tonight: softserve made with a blended frozen banana, frozen strawberries, fresh strawberries, vanilla rice milk and cocoa powder.


Yum!

Drinks - water, green tea, decaf tea

Congratulations to the winners of my first ever GIVEAWAY, TOTkat, Moo and Michelle. Well I'm going to shoot off, that softserve is calling my name and we have loads of TV on the Sky Player to catch up on. I hope you've all had a great day! x

Well today has been the best day so far this week - a good weigh in and gym session, interesting work meeting and its now offically the weekend (thank god).

I had my usual Friday weigh in and I've lost 2lbs so I'm back down to 9st 12lbs (138lbs). Thats 5 lbs of my 6lb holiday weight gain lost! I'm looking forward to putting those pounds back on when I'm in Brighton!

I hit the gym nice and early for 20 minutes of intervals on the cross trainer and step machine then did my upper body free weights routine. I'm really noticing some muscles now!

Breakfast was really, really good this morning (I know I say that about breakfast pretty much everyday, but I do love my breakfasts). I made some Toffee Apple Porridge. I made up some porridge with scottish oats, chia seeds and water with half a chopped apple added during cooking. When cooked I added a splash of skim milk, a sample sachet of Toffee Fudge Whey and topped it with the rest of the apple and some chopped dates.


Totally amazing! Lunch was a Tuna Salad with spinach, mixed leaves, cucumber and red onion plus some balsamic dressing followed by a nectarine.


Mid afternoon I snacked on a pink grapefruit topped with quark and agave syrup.


When I got in from work I went into cooking mode and made some Brocolli, Pea and Mint Soup (as well as some other tasty treats - more on that tomorrow!) to stock the freezer with and there was a little bit left in the pan after portioning it out so I had a little yummy bowlful.


Dinner was some Thai Red Tofu and Veggie Curry with sugar snap peas and steamed spring greens with soy sauce and ginger.


Desert was this little bowl of tropical flavoured heaven - Mango, Banana, Coconut Softserve (frozen mango, frozen banana, kara coconut milk blended and topped with desicated coconut)


I was happy to come home to a couple of deliveries today. Yes, I have been on the scrounge for some freebies (all in the name of my Big Budget Challenge, every little helps right?) and the lovely people at Tea Pigs and Wear are Bear have sent me some goodies to review.


All be reviewing these over the next few weeks. Some of these goodies will also be finding their way into a blog giveaway goodie bag!

So whats everyone got planned for the weekend? I've got my 5 mile run planned for in the morning, then cleaning and tidying the flat and heading out to visit my friend. Sunday will be grocery shopping, visting my Sis - in - Law and then chilling out for the sports fest on TV (British Grand Prix and World Cup Final).

Tonight and over the weekend I think I'm going to spend some time doing a re design of the blog. I've been inspired by some of the blogs I've been reading and I want mine to look a bit more 'me'. I'm also thinking about changing up how I post, I might not post all my eats everyday, but we'll see how that goes. I think I might include more fashion, beauty and home posts. I hope everyone will stick with me until I figure it out ;-) One things for certain, I'll always be posting my most delicious eats!