See what makes you smile!

Mindset makes a difference. This is true. 

Scenario: You wake up, the sun is shining, the dogs didn't pee in the kitchen & the countertop is clean from last nights dinner - yippee - it's going to be a great day! You go up & get dressed, check yourself out in the mirror, you're looking good!

The the next thing, your boss rings & that's never a good sign... You put down the phone & you're annoyed now!

You go back to brush your teeth & you now "look like s**t".
(If this has never happened to - you're a lucky duck!)

The ONLY thing that has happened is that your good mood turned bad... BECAUSE YOU LET IT! You feeling upset/bad/annoyed whatever the circumstance may be, makes no difference to the existing problem, it only makes a difference to you!

You look EXACTLY the same as you did ten minutes earlier, you just FEEL different. However, the only difference was your mindset! So find a solution to stop this happening.

Soooo pick something you like, something that you love (I love flowers) and when you see it - feel grateful & happy. I keep flowers in my kitchen, in the garden, when I drive, there in other people's gardens, they're outside shops, they're everywhere - they're my constant reminder of everything I have to be grateful for.

Choose whatever you love and let it be a trigger to remind you of all the things in life that your love!

This is a long topic which ill tap in & out of over time!

Have a happy evening girls :)

CLEAN 9

Ok, so as I mentioned last week, I've started the Clean 9 detox....(feel free to scroll to the end to see my results! In between is my food diary for the week!)

Day 1 & Day 2

120 ml aloe gel (2 shots) x 4 times per day
2 Garcina Supplements x 3 times per day
2 Bee Pollen Supplements x 2 times per day
1 Aminotein Protein Shake

Day 3 to Day 9


120 ml aloe gel (2 shots) x 4 times per day
2 Garcina Supplements x 3 times per day (before your meals)
2 Bee Pollen Supplements x 2 times per day
2 Aminotein Protein Shakes (breaki & lunch)
1 600kcal meal

Clean 9 Diary

Day 1 = Friday: OK, on a mission, I can do this!!!! 

Woke up and feeling in good form!
9.00am : Had my aloe, garcina and bee pollen (also my other supps that i take: freedom, probiotics and vitamin a & c).
10.30am : Pilates class
1.00pm : Had my aloe, garcina & bee pollen
(still in work)
6.00pm : Had my aloe, garcina, bee pollen and shake (made with almond milk)

Drank 2 litres of water throughout the day!


Day 2 = Saturday: Kinda hungry, but feeling motivated

Missing my eggs, but i've gotten over it!
8.00am : Had my aloe, garcina and bee pollen (also my other supps that i take: freedom, probiotics and vitamin a & c).
1.00pm : Had my aloe, garcina & bee pollen
(at a course all day)
6.00pm : Had my aloe, garcina, bee pollen and shake (made with almond milk)
- Saturday night was hard, not going to lie, but I stuck it out!
Drank 2 litres of water throughout the day!


Day 3 = Sunday: Very excited to eat my meal today!

Feeling energetic, no junk in the slightest in my system for whole 2 days
10.00am : Weight training hard sessions
11.30am : Had my aloe, garcina and bee pollen (also my other supps that i take: freedom, probiotics and vitamin a & c) AND my shake (almond milk)
4.00pm : Had my aloe, garcina & bee pollen & meal = 3 prawns, cod and carrots & slither of sponge cake (now, obviously I wouldn't recommend cake, but I was at a very important communion :) )
8.00pm : Had my aloe, garcina, bee pollen and shake (made with almond milk)
Drank 2 litres of water throughout the day!

Day 4 = Monday: Home sailing!

9.30am : Had my aloe, garcina and bee pollen (also my other supps that i take: freedom, probiotics and vitamin a & c and shake (made with almond milk)
1.00pm : Had my aloe, garcina & bee pollen and shake (made with almond milk)
5.00pm : 1 yoghurt rice cake
7.30pm : Had my aloe, garcina, bee pollen, had salmon 3 egg omelette with mushrooms and onion
8.00pm : Sliced fresh mango
Drank 2 litres of water throughout the day!


Day 5 = Tuesday: Easy Peasy

8.00am : Had my aloe, garcina and bee pollen (also my other supps that i take: freedom, probiotics and vitamin a & c) & shake.
12.00pm: Pilates Class & 30 minute alter G run
1.00pm : Had my aloe, garcina & bee pollen & shake
(at a course all day)
6.00pm : Had my aloe, garcina, bee pollen and 3 egg omelette with organic chicken, mushrooms & onion.
Drank 2 litres of water throughout the day!


Day 6 = Wednesday: N for Normal

8.30am : Had my aloe, garcina and bee pollen (also my other supps... you know them at this stage)
3.00pm : Had my aloe, garcina & bee pollen (bit too long of a stretch) & shake
5.30pm: Had a handful of almonds and a green tea
7.30pm : Had my aloe & garcina, bee pollen, organic salmon fillet with mushrooms and yummy broccoli (nice and crunchy)
Drank 2 litres of water throughout the day!

Day 7 = Thursday: Long Day

8.30am : Had my aloe, garcina and bee pollen (also my other supps)
3.00pm : Had my aloe, garcina & bee pollen (bit too long of a stretch)
5.00pm: Had my aloe Fab (amazing boost drink - had a busy product night ahead in Carlow)
7.30pm : Had my aloe & garcina, bee pollen
10.30pm: 4 chicken pieces with 1 slice of cheese (very late getting in, was starving, made the best out of a bad situation)
Drank 2 litres of water throughout the day!


Day 8 = Thank God it's Friday9
8.30am : Had my aloe, garcina and bee pollen (also my other supps) & shake
1.00pm : Had my aloe, garcina & bee pollen & shake
4.30pm: Had my aloe Fab then did 60 minute weight training
6.30pm : Sparkling water and some nuts
9.00pm: Aloe & Garcina, bee pollen, then, 2 beef burgers with slice of cheese and green beans
Drank 2 litres of water throughout the day!

Day 9 = No comment - VERY BAD EATING DAY
8.30am : Had my aloe, garcina and bee pollen (also my other supps) 2 eggs & 2 pieces of bacon.
3.00pm : Had my aloe, garcina & bee pollen & shake
6.30pm : Aloe & Garcina, bee pollen Sparkling water, thai green curry and 1 piece of chocolate biscuit cake and a couple of strawberry jellies!!!!
9.00pm: Green tea
Not nearly enough water!


Ok, so my final day was not great!! And this week if you may have noticed, my training regime wasn't as good as usual... However, I have lost 4 kg in the 9 days! For me, thats a lot!!! I'm actually the lightest i have been in 4 years at this exact moment!

What I adore about the clean 9 detox is that you often continue to lose after you finish, so i'll update you during the week :)

If you're interested in trying the Clean 9, PLEASE message me on facebook so I can chat to you about it :)

Happy Saturday!

Have a fantastic weekend (go on, get a workout in... you'll feel better!)


PS: I'm on DAY NINE of our detox - The Clean 9!!

Tomorrow's blog is my nine day journal and pictures :)

Snacking Smartly

Snacks are incredibly hard to find. Sorry... I said that wrong... HEALTHY snacks are incredibly hard to find!

Snacking on healthy nibbles are important if you're trying to keep your metabolism nice and fast (so you're burning calories & hanging on to your lean mass).

Some of the snacks I like are;

- The Nakd Bars (the orange & choc one's are the nicest)
- Nuts (obviously unsalted), Almonds are my fav.
- Nut butters (in glass jars and organic is best - yes, just eat them with a spoon)
- Bunalun rice cakes (now, these are high carbs, but one or two are alright, the yogurt/orange ones are yummy)
- Quest protein bars are good too :)
- Homemade protein cakes (those recipes are coming soon)

**** IF I AM CRAVING SUGAR... I drink aloe... NO JOKE, it really helps!***

(If i'm craving something really bold... I give myself 20 minutes and if I haven't convinced myself not to eat it by then, then i deserve it... 9/10 I have stopped myself)

Another little trick is, I never keep any junk food in the house, so if i really want something, I actually have to drive to the shop to get it! (I've already swigged my aloe and waited 20 minutes, so its rare that I make it to the shops!)

Hope these tricks help you :)

WHY RUN ON THE ALTER G?

I first ran on the Alter G last February in a gym over on the south-side. I got into the Alter G machine and started running! 10 minutes later, I was still running. I hadn't stopped. I wasn't out of breath! And eh... I was still talking to the trainer in charge. 

Right, so running... I hadn't ran in about four years! I injured myself from road running as I used to run every night as a teenager. Two discs in my lower back wedged together and that brought pain around into both of my hips AND down two both of my knees! (It's a bit of a pain!) Because of that, I don't do any high impact training. I loved running, but it just injures me!

I loved the Alter G so much, I just HAD to get it into our gym! I think everyone should know about this amazing machine! I mean, NASA invented it, hello... NASA! So I just felt this exclusive machine HAS to be available to everyone around me! 

Yes, it is very good for many things and it is a medical machine (that Leinster, Ireland, The LA Lakers, Manchester United and many others teams use! Ronaldo even has one in his house!), BUT it is also amazing for weight loss!! I have girls running on it three times per week for 30 minutes (that's all, nothing else) and dropping jean sizes! One girl in particular has gone from a size 14 to a 10 in 2 months! I mean, that's amazing!!!

So running on the Alter G, I personally take 40% of my body weight off when on the machine (you're lifted in the machine, by air) and I run! 

You can do:

- Intervals

- Sprints

- Reverse walking/running (very good for shin splints)

- Incline running 

(you can do lots of rehab work, but these are just what I do)

*** It's just an amazing workout ***

I also love the fact that I can just blast my music, run and close my eyes (you can't close your eyes when you're on the road... needlessly to say). Oh and eh, you can run in the Winter with no risk of falling!

So basically, you pop on these shorts over your clothes (shorts or leggings are the best under) and you're zipped in, the machine fills up with air and you decide what amount of your weight hits the floor!

I run on the Alter G 2 or 3 times per week and weight train 3 times per week and do one spin class! I only run for thirty minutes, but obviously you can run more or less. 

Today, I ran for 33 minutes and ran 4.9 miles, which was 402 calories :) 

Why don't you try it?!! www.thefitnessagency.ie & book in and try it for yourself! (We are THE ONLY commercial gym on the north-side of Dublin with this amazing machine!) 

Book 12 sessions and you'll notice a very fast difference in your weight and body size :) 

TRAINING IN PROPER GYM GEAR :)

I understand that when you start a new form of training, you don't want to be going out and buying a whole new wardrobe until you decide if you like this new activity or not! 

But it makes MASSIVE difference to your confidence & performance when training. Obviously plenty of days I throw on old trackies & lounge around & then decide to train. In general, those days, my workouts suck! It's like going to a party & everyone is in jeans & converse & your in stilettos & a cocktail dress!

When you have proper gym gear & comfy runners on, you feel overall MUCH better! Your body can breath when you exercise, your tops don't ride up when you're doing mountain climbers & your bottoms don't go see through when you squat!

Obviously there are lots of different types of gym gear - tee's, wife beaters, shorts, leggings, loose wide bottoms, three quarter lengths (remember when they were called peddle-pushers...?) The choice is yours!

Now, Penny's has some great gym gear (great prices too) - but some of my favourite brands are Sweaty Betty or Lululemon or the Stella McCartney Adidas gym gear range!
For runners I love the Stella McCartney runners or Saucony.com :) These brands are über comfy!

Why pick FOREVER'S Aloe?

‘Health drinks’ are a fast growing phenomenon in the fitness industry today. However, it is important to make sure that you know what you are really drinking. Plenty of these drinks have lots of goodness, yes. They can also be packed with sweeteners and chemicals however. You should always check the label to be sure.

I have tried plenty of health drinks in my time, but for me one stands above the rest. Everyone has heard of Aloe Vera. It is famous for it’s beneficial qualities, and its nickname is the ‘healing plant’. I genuinely believe that it deserves that name.Imagine slicing open an Aloe Vera leaf and drinking the gel directly. ‘Forever Living’ Aloe Vera is the closest thing that you can get to that. 

This Aloe Vera gel is 97% Aloe Vera. it is organically grown, hand harvested and is taken from the inner leaf and bottled within 4 hours. Loads of companies sell Aloe Vera, but you should keep an eye on the percentage of aloe per bottle. Before I discovered the ‘Forever Living’ Aloe Vera, I went into a lot of health stores to check out what they had on offer. Lots of them had as little as 8% of Aloe Vera in the bottle. Also, plenty of the leading brands say ‘not to be given to children under the age of 15’. That is because the Aloe Vera external leaf can be harmful to growing bodies. ‘Forever Living’ only takes the inner leaf which can be given to a new-born baby (and can be very helpful with colic).

10 top reasons to drink Aloe Vera

1.) It’s a wonderful drink for good health. This Aloe Vera contains 19 out of our 20 amino acids needed by the human body and 7 of the 8 essential ones that cannot be produced by the body. This means that your body can function 100%, which results in feeling great.

2.) The fantastic affect it has on gut flora. Aloe is a natural ‘balancer’ so inside the gut it regulates all our bacteria and yeasts that inhabit in our intestines.

3.) It is a super source of vitamins. Aloe contains a large range of vitamins, even trace elements of vitamin B12 (which is rarely found in plants). Apart from Vitamin A, it contains B-group vitamins, vitamin C, E and folic acid.

4.) It is a super source of minerals. Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, Iron Chromium, Magnesium, Manganese, Copper and Zinc are all found in Forever’s Aloe.

5.) Its affect on the skin. Skin cells are rather large and very much alive when they are first produced in the deep epidermis,  but by the time they reach the surface, they are a shadow of their former selves. Aloe Vera Gel provides the essential nutrition to feed the basal cells. As a result, the skin remains healthy and is able to perform its’ vital functions more efficiently – as well as looking much better!

6.) Its affects on the musculoskeletal system. Certain substances in the Aloe Gel (Salicylic Acid and Plant Sterols) are able to soothe muscles and maintain healthy joints, mobility and flexibility.

7.) It balances the immune system. There is a long chain of sugar (polysaccharide) in Aloe Gel that is known to have an affect on the cytokine system – the chemical messengers of the immune system. Therefore it can act in a way that balances the system and thus it can be considered as an immunomodulator.

8.) It assists in healthy digestion. A healthy digestive tract ensures that nutrients from the food we eat are absorbed into our bloodstreams. There is clear evidence that by drinking Aloe Vera Gel the bowel is able to absorb these nutrients more efficiently, especially Protein.

9.) It increases the activity of fibroblasts. Fibroblasts are specialised cells found in the skin. Their job is to produce Fibre such as Collagen and Elastin. These Fibres give the skin it’s structure and of course, make it look plump and elastic. The more you have, the younger your skin looks.

10.) Its affects on the gut. Aloe Vera has a wonderfully beneficial action on bowel function, which results in smooth and efficient transit of contents resulting in a softer, bulkier stool, making it easier to pass.

If you don’t believe me – try ‘Forever Living’ Aloe Vera Gel yourself. Please CLICK HERE & be delivered to you anywhere in the world.

10 Healthy Breaki Options!

It’s true what they say. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. It literally “breaks the fast” after sleeping, kickstarts the metabolism and prepares you for the day. So it is important to make it healthy and filling! Here is my list of top 10 healthy breakfasts that are quick, easy and delicious to eat!

1.)  2 Poached eggs & 3 slices of smoked salmon.

2.) Turkey, tomato & low fat cheese omelette.

3.) 2 boiled eggs & small tin of beans.

4.) 2 Poached eggs & spinach.

5.) Handful of mixed nuts, berries & 2 tbs of natural yoghurt.

6.) Smoothie – Any combination of fresh fruit/veg is good. Try berries, apple juice, banana, low fat yoghurt, seeds & handful of almonds.

7.) Handful of almonds, diced with blueberries & yoghurt.

8.) 3 turkey rashers & 2 scrambled eggs.

9.) Scrambled eggs with chives.

10.) Porridge with mixed berries & seeds.

Drop it like a SQUAT!

Today is training day! Truthfully I am dreading training today, as I am so sore from yesterdays training session (DOMS - delayed inset of muscular strain i.e so sore you can't move!) However...

Today's program: 

A1. Front squat x 8reps
A2. Flat fly x 15repsA3. Lunge & reach x20reps
A4. TRX chins x12 reps
A5. Burpies x15 reps 
6 Sets (as in, repeat 6 times, with a 45 second rest after each)

The problem with squats is that they leave you sore... However if you do them enough you won't be nearly as bad! Today I'm doing front squats - these are different to common/regular squats or back squats. You hold the bar in front of you for front squats & rest it on your back for back squats. Front squats SLIGHTLY target quads a little more & they require more flexibility than back squats.

I find Front squats harder because the position of the bar keeps your technique in line as in you can't fall forward when resuming to standing position. This means that throughout the entire exercise your core gets a great working in trying to stabilise the weight and keep you upright! They are also a very good rehab for my dodgy knees so I persist with them! (They're good for low back pain rehab)

Hope you try my program today for your workout girls :)

Don't forget, if it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you!

Ps. Today I have also just started my Clean 9 detox!! I'll update you on that tomorrow, bring it on!

What foods suit you!

Hope this helps you!!!

Knowing what you should and shouldn’t eat is not always as easy as some health books and websites make it out to be. Everybody is different, so naturally diets can affect people in different ways.

The main do’s and don’ts of healthy eating are obvious – don’t eat pizza and takeaways and do eat fruit and veg. The finer details however take a bit of experimenting.

A major issue is people who are intolerant to foods and don’t even know it. A good way of ensuring that you are putting the best stuff in your body is getting a food plan tailored to your needs. You can also make one yourself. The first step in discovering what foods are right for you is keeping a food diary. Try carrying a little notebook with you wherever you go. In it make three columns; Time, Food and Reaction. This will make it easy to document the time and details of all your meals. Under  the ”reactions” column, write down how you feel 30 minutes after you have eaten a meal.  For example; tired, cranky, emotional, bloated, heartburn, tummy pains, diarrhoea, constipation etc. If you have any of the above symptoms, I would highly recommend that you avoid that food. Cut it out for 40 days.

If after a meal you are feeling energetic and on top of the world, then that food is obviously no problem to you! Diagnosing what foods are right for you is the first step in achieving your goals, whether it be weight loss or lean muscle gain.

Top foods to try cut out first are gluten based products such as bread, pasta, pizza, wraps and panini’s etc. Then try dairy based foods such as milk, cheese, yoghurt and cream

To do this properly, make sure that you read the labels on all the foods that you’re eating.

Good luck :)

I LOVE ALOE

Why I drink the peach aloe!!

1. Because it's deeee-licious!!
2. I don't get that bloating or over-full grumpy feeling
3. My gut is healthier which means i absorb nutrients better from my food
4. My skin is clearer, because your skin is a reflection of your gut
5. I have all my vitamins and minerals consumed for the day (and i haven't eaten anything yet)
6. I have my b12 fix which is VERY important for women 
7. It clears any IBS symptoms!

(there are lots of more reasons, but these are just my top reasons )

ps. Good morning all, Elton says hi 

Purchase your aloe peach CLICK HERE & ENTER STORE