Workout Wednesday - Bent over row

This week I am taking you over to bodybuilding.com to show you the proper form and technique for the bent over row. 

This exercise can be done with dumbells or a barbell, depending on what is available to you. 

It is the perfect exercise for your back.

Enjoy! 

Bent over row - Dumbell

Bent over row - Barbell

Time for tea!

Lets talk about tea for a second – tea is my favourite kind of drink, tea is relaxing, refreshing, warms you up if its chilly, and basically just an all round good drink.

What it doesn’t do it make you loose weight.

I have been seeing all these weight loss teas advertised lately on a lot of social media, and I will be honest at first it made me curious – could it really help you loose weight? So I tried it, I wont mentioned brands of course, but a friends of mine has been using it and said it worked really well for her friend… so why not, what’s the worst that can happen?

So I bought some tea and began the detox, I will be honest I was terrified of the first night as some one had said it gave them the runs for days!

But I woke up on the Friday, no dodgy tummy or anything phew, so I had my morning tea at work, went about my day again terrified the dreaded ‘runs’ would get me, even more worried as I was going out for dinner that night! But nothing.

In fact let me tell you, and sorry if this is too much information for you, but I had nothing for a few days! Yea nothing, that is NOT fun!

I also noticed my skin was looking awful! So spotty and this is unusual for me, I don’t have perfectly clear skin but I do pride myself on having nice skin most days of the month!

I also felt bloated – probably the side effect from not going to the toilet for a few days, but as far as detox goes I felt gross!

So I stopped drinking the tea – I lasted a week, I couldn’t even bare the taste for the full 14 days, thank goodness I only bought for 14 days worth, and I felt better switching back to my trusty peppermint tea or lemon and ginger.

So in conclusion the only tea I highly recommend is the herbal kind, my personal favourites are peppermint for after meals – this does reduce bloat, it settles my stomach, and is refreshing, lemon and ginger is a great early morning tea, light and refreshing with a slight ting to it, lemon water has become a new favourite of mine great for clearing the toxins out of your system and doing a cleanse.

So do yourself a favour, next time you see a model or celeb holding the tea saying how great it makes them feel you can almost put money on the fact they have been paid to say that and it has never past their lips!

Stick to clean eating, training hard and looking after yourself and the weight will take care of itself!

Protein ice cream

Every day I have heard the ice cream van, I am a lover of ice cream, it doesn't even have to be summer I just love ice cream! 

So a good friend of mine suggested making my own healthy version of ice cream.

So here is the recipe for homemade protein ice cream!

Ingredients:

• Greek yogurt 
• 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder

Prep:

• Use two to three table spoons of greek yogurt into a container
• Add one scoop of protein powder into the container and mix into the yogurt until its smooth
• Put into the freezer until it is frozen and eat! 

It is really easy to make and so delicious to eat!  It takes a while to freeze so mid afternoon prep for an evening treat is advisable. 

To mix it up you can always try a Greek yogurt with falvour such as strawberry or lemon.

If you don't use protein powder on a regular basis then using a flavored yogurt may be for you.

Let me know what flavours you are trying! 

Looking for exercise tips, advice or have your questions answered? 

Email us at sweatstretchlift@gmail.com 

Workout Wednesday - Squats

This week I am focusing on squats, I always include squats in my leg day routine as it is a great exercise that when done correctly it works a large range of muscles:

There are a range of squats that you can do - narrow stance, wide stance, with a bar or with a dumbell or kettlebell.

I opt for narrow stance and wide stand with a bar. I find the weight added challenges me more, and I work more of my body, especially my core muscles to ensure my posture and form is perfect! 

First I start with a warm up set - just the bar with no weights, 12 reps, to make sure my muscles are warm and ready. 

I then go up to 10kg either side, then add another 10kg so far finishing at 60kg, I am building on my weight and steadily improving and going heavier - at the moment I am working on my form and technique whilst working on a weight that I feel comfortable with but still pushes me. 

Advice for squats - start slow! I started with kettlebells and dumbell squats to get my body used to the exercise and the range of motion, I then moved onto the bar and then the weights. 

Slow progress is always good progress! 

Looking for exercise tips, advice or have your questions answered? 

Email us at sweatstretchlift@gmail.com 

Stress - how to deal with it your own way and in your own time

Stress is a killer - alot of people say 'oh I am so stressed' and 'this is SO stressful' but actual stress is consuming, negative and takes alot away from you and you don't even realise what it is doing to you. 

Lately work has got to me, big time. My job is pretty stressful anyway, it is demanding, hard work and sometimes not very appealing - a negative outlook I know, which I am changing! 

Anyway this went really wrong at work about 5 weeks ago and it has been weighing down on me ever since. 

The only thing was I didn't realise how much it had got to me, until last week I got the good news I had been waiting for and it was all over and the nightmare had finished.

I suddenly felt happy again, almost like I could breath and this cloud had gone away from over me. 

I didn't even realise how much it had effect me until it had gone. I will be honest I have slept soundly for the first time this weekend, and for a long time - 12 hrs on Friday night! I never sleep that soundly because something is always bothering me, I always find something to stress about, and after this at work I have found that actually nothing is worth stressing over that much, to make your self sick and have so much anxiety you don't even want to go in! Nothing is worth that. 

It is a running joke in my family that I will always find something to worry about, so I am changing this. 

I am working really hard to be at peace with everything in my life and have a more go with the flow attitude and we will worry about that if it ever happens, rather than saying when it happens, and little my little I have stopped stressing about the little things - my last goal is to fully stop stressing about my body and I am getting there but this is the biggest hurdle! 

So how to stop stressing - over the small and the big things in life. 

1. Exercise - I know, obvious coming from a fitness blog right? But treat exercise like your therapy session, put your head phones in your ear and focus on nothing but achieving the best you can. By taking on this attitude the gym becomes fun, something you look forward to and also you feel amazing afterwards
2. Have a drink and enjoy it. I am not a big drinker, in fact I probably only drink about 5 times a year if that! But I find that sometimes that a nice glass of white wine is the perfect way to relax and unwind, and yes get a little buzzed or even drunk! Sure you wake up the next morning feeling hungover maybe, or a little tired, but did you have fun the night before? Then that is all that matters
3. Treat yourself! Go shopping, pamper yourself, relax! Easter weekend I spent Good Friday having a selfish day - I went to the gym, did some chores than relaxed for the rest of the day, I watched trashy tv, did my nails and dyed my hair, and it was bliss! Sometimes you need days like this to spend with yourself and get in a good frame of mind.
4. Spend time with family and good friends - the positive kind, I love talking things out with my mum, she is my best friend and my go to person for any advice. Once I speak to her I feel 100 times better, equally spending time with my parents, extended family, boyfriend and friends I feel better, sometimes I don't even want to talk about the problem in hand I want to talk about them or anything else, the distraction always works
5. Don't be scared to admit you are not coping or want to change - this was the biggest thing for me. I told my parents I wasn't happy doing what I was doing and that I wanted to change my life for the better - I want to be a business owner and open my own gym with my partner, and once I explained everything to them and the plan I had, I had their full support, I was scared they would be disappointed in me because I hadn't achieved what I wanted to and that I wanted to retrain - then I realised it was me who was disappointed and afraid - once I had embraced this feeling I knew all would be ok and that change is good and scary but if it gets me to where I want to be, then the fear is worth it. 

Believe in yourself and you can achieve anything. 

Follow my personal journey on Instagram - Rhiannonangharad22

Chicken Kebabs

Summer is round the corner, and my appetite is changing, less of the Sunday roasts and winter comfort food and more of the light, fresh foods.

So this weeks recipe is homemade chicken kebabs - really easy and So tasty! 

Ingredients:

• Chicken - ready diced x 2 packs 
• 4 peppers

For the marinade

• Honey
• Garlic salt
• Soy sauce 

Prep time 30 mins

• Mix the honey, soy sauce and garlic salt into a tupperware box, make a good amount of marinade sauce to ensure you cover the chicken
• Put the diced chicken into the marinade, put the lid on the tub and shake well
• Leave for 30 mins in the fridge
• Cut the peppers into chunks 
• Once the chicken has been left in the marinade for 30mins or more take out of the fridge
• Put the chicken and peppers on the skewers
• Place under a grill and turn them over every 10 mins to ensure the kebabs cook through 
• Serve on a plate with coleslaw, potato salad and some fresh veg - we chose cucumber and carrots, along with greek dips

It is the perfect summer evening meal - it can be cooked on the grill or on a BBQ, and it is healthy and clean as well! 

To mix it up a bit you can add on prawns, chorizo or onions for some variety!

Looking for exercise tips, advice or have your questions answered? 

Email us at sweatstretchlift@gmail.com 

Workout Wednesday - Running

Indoor v Outdoor running, when talking to people it is actually quite a debate - casual runners say they prefer the treadmill, serious runners say they prefer the outdoors - when in fact we all know that when it is raining, cold and in the depths of winter we all prefer the treadmill! 

But now spring has arrived in the UK, the sun is out and so are the runners! I was in London last week and couldn't move for runners everywhere running along the river bank - I was so tempted to join them! 

I live near a beach so again runners everywhere, but rewind a couple of months and there was far less to be seen. 

So what do I prefer? I always think it is treadmill, its softer, you know how far you have run, you can switch off if your not feeling it... I know, bad right! But then when I step out side and start running I remember why I like it so much! 

The fresh air for one is the huge benefit, I love the feeling of fresh air in my lungs and on my face.

The sunshine - when it is sunny I am happy, when I exercise I am happy so its a win all round! 

I push myself further and I run faster - who knew but my timings are far better outside and because once I start I can't just stop and get off my performance is better. 

Of course it is all down to what you prefer - if you prefer the treadmill and have no races pending then go for it! 

However if you are training for a race it is recommended you train outside, in the conditions you will be racing in, this will be far more beneficial for you when it comes to race day!

Running outside will also allow you to learn how to pace and maintain on race day. 

Reasons I use the treadmill - HIIT - sprinting up hill and adjusting the speed 30 seconds on 30 seconds off - its a killer but having control of the incline and speed really help you push and monitor your performance.

Injury - I have dodgy knees, sometimes they are great and sometimes they have their off days. On the off days I prefer running on the treadmill as it is softer on the knees and the surface is even. 

Where ever you decide to run, it doesn't really matter at the end of the day, your running and keeping fit and healthy! 

My favorite saying is "I may be slow, but I am lapping everyone on the couch" 

Monday Mantra

Summer is approching and I feel alive.
I love autumn and winter but when it gets past Christmas, I am over it! I miss the sunshine, the lighter mornings and evenings, the smell of hot air and fresh cut grass (minus the hayfever) and of course the BBQ season!

I feel positive, like there is light at the end of the wintery tunnel, there is nothing more relaxing than laying in the garden or on the beach feeling the sun on your face and basially just feeling healthy.

I have been feeling alot more positive lately - March was a bad month - but I am moving past it and looking forward to the future.

So if you do one thing today, step outside, even if it is slightly dull, overcast or even freezing! Step outside, step away from the stress and enjoy your life, it's a good one, even if you have to look very hard to find it!

The most important relationship you will have.

Self love is something I have struggled with for years. 

I don't ever remember a time I was fully comfortable in my own skin and happy with my weight, body or shape. 

It is only recently that I have fully learnt to accept and love who I am. My strengths, my weakness, my perfections and my flaws - funnily enough when I wrote that sentence the first time I started that sentence with the negative not the positive.

Really what it comes down to it positive thinking and focusing on the small things that make you beautiful, individual and you.

I looked for love and acceptance in the wrong places - from friends, boys and family - they could never give it to me because I would never let them.

Not matter how many times my parents would tell me I am beautiful I would dismiss it thinking they had to say it. 

Boys were never the answer, letting myself being defined by if they fancied me, bought me drinks on a night out and if they would text after a first date. 

I read somewhere that until you love yourself no one else can love you.

I was sceptical when I read this at first because my mind set was people should love me then I will accept myself - sounds awful because I have an amazing family and friends, but I still couldn't get there.

I lost weight for myself, thinking just one more pound and I would be happy and guess what when I hit the magic number I still wasn't there.

Everything changed when I met my boyfriend - my best friend and one of my biggest supporters outside my family. 

At first I thought it was him who changed me and taught me to love myself because when I was with him I was at my best, but after time I realised he had only taught me to think differently about the way I approach things - my confidence grew, my workouts changed, my eating habits also changed and because of this and him I found myself becoming happier. 

When we were apart I felt a little lost and like I was falling backwards, and I didn't want to become the needy, desperate girlfriend that couldn't be away from her boyfriend, so instead I channelled what he had taught me and changed my mind set on my own. 

Sure the encouragement came from him, but in the end it was all down to me to make it happen. 

I found as I worked on this our relationship became stronger, but also the relationship with myself became stronger - so I guess it is true, well sort of I found love and in turn found love in myself. 

Now every morning I look at myself in the mirror and choose a nice, positive thing about myself - my shoulders, my eyes, my lips for example. 

A small feature, but it makes a big impact on my day. Like any girl I like to feel pretty, I also like to feel in shape, lean, muscular, so I look for these things every day, making sure I find at least one positive thing to focus on. 

Sometimes I don't pick a body feature, other days it will be going up a weight on lifting or running a distance faster. 

My point is less negative more positive - smile more often and pass it on, happiness is infectious and I like feeling positive and happy. 

There are so many dark things in the world, your self worth should not be defined by numbers on a scale, what a boy says to you or what others think. 

There is nothing more amazing than a woman who loves herself and thinks the best of herself! 

But why??

Ah the famous why question I have noticed it alot over the past year - why do you lift weights, why would you want muscles, why, why,why!!

Never was that question asked when I ran on the treadmill or worked on my core, but hang out in the weight section and suddenly everyone is asking!

The questions are genuine as well, they aren't said with judgement or anything, they are genuine questions as to why a girl is lifting weights.

Never have I heard someone go up to my boyfriend and ask him why are you weight training - but this week alone I have been asked why I am weight training and what get from it. 

So what do I get from training weights? 

Well the first is a sense of achievement - when I move up a weight, squeeze out one more rep and really push my self to work harder it feels amazing - don't get me wrong I get the same satisfaction from running long distance or the extra sprint, but with weight training I feel it on a different level. 

I also like feeling 'pumped' afterwards, seeing the muscle definition is such a great feeling, one days the abs will surface! 

Some people don't understand why a girl would like to feel muscular, but it is what I am working towards to yes I love to feel it, the same way some one who is loosing weight feels when they fit into a smaller dress size for example, it shows your working hard and achieving your goals. 

I never thought I would see the day when I was happy that my sleeves were getting tighter. 

It has also improved my confidence, for the first time ever I actually like the way my body is going, I feel leaner and tighter and love the way I look and feel, some days i have are off, but the off days are becoming less and less, and loving myself is becoming so much easier. 

So then I was asked what is my goal and had I ever considered body building or competing, in all honesty I had once, but then thought there is no way I could do this and just dismissed it. But now I am seriously looking into it and thinking this is something I want to do. 

Everyone is different and some women want to be muscular and some women don't. Don't think you will be butch from lifting or become a huge body builder from training - that is a whole other level of training - what you will get is a lean, sexy, muscular body, so I would recommend it 100%, try it... you may even like it!

Follow me on Instagram at rhiannonangharad22

Workout Wednesday - Shake it up!

The Taylor Swift song is in my head and inspired this post - shake up that workout!! 

Routine is fun, but sometimes it becomes just that - routine. It is recommended that you change your workout every 8 weeks or so to keep your body from getting used to it and also so you don't get bored.

But what if you like your routine and don't want to change it? Then change up the days you do the routine! 

My routine since January was going like this:

Sunday - Legs

Monday - Upper body

Tuesday - Spin class

Wednesday - Upper body 

Thursday - HIIT 

Friday - Cardio 

Saturday - Cardio 

All with a stretch and abs included. It was ok but I'm not going to lie it was getting a bit boring and I wasnt really seeing results.

Now I have switched up the routine to more weights and less cardio and am seeing results but some days I still get a bit 'over' the routine feel.

So I have kept the exercises I like and just changed the days, and it makes it far more interesting and also I am not a slave to my routine, and enjoy my workouts far more! 

Though training legs on a weekday proves tricking to walk at work by the end of the day, but sacrifices must be made!

Now due to joining a new gym that opens earlier I do have a bit more time to add in more weight training, and add in some HIIT cardio at the end. 

As I am training for a 10 miles run I have my long distance cardio, so sprint are always on the menu, which to be honest I far prefer to endurance again far more interesting!! 

Sometimes you have to go by feeling - how much energy you have, if you prefer to train something else that isn't planned for that day, so then you are doing something you enjoy, rather than feeling like you have to! 

So if you feeling a bit bored of the gym then shake up what your doing on the daily routine and see how that works for you!