Happy Sunday

Good morning everyone,

OK, so yesterday I attended a Success Day; this is a special day that the company I work with organises for everyone to enjoy and learn, leaving feeling inspired and positive - it's awesome, BUT what I found super-amazing was a speaker that I had the honour of listening to - Molly Harvey. A Waterford woman who is truly inspiring, so I wanted to share some of the tips she suggested and I highly recommend you finding her and attend some of her seminars or read some of her books :)


Three things that I took on board :)

1. No Excuses

Who is guilty of saying "I'll start eating healthy tomorrow" or "I promise I'll go to the gym on Monday.."??

Now, we all know that excuses get us NOWHERE! We have to ditch the excuses! So I thought that this was a fantastic idea - an excuse box!

Catch yourself making an excuse and jot it down. Do this for 21 days. After 21 days, open the box and you'll see very quickly where you make the most excuses in your life! Now is that not a fantastic idea?

2. STOMP STOMP

Although everyone goes through challenges throughout their lives, everyone one of us have many things to be grateful for :)

So, first thing in the morning, when you awake, swing your legs out of the bed and stomp one foot onto the floor at a time and say "Thank You".

Say two to three things every morning that you are grateful for.

3. Get a grateful buddy!

Pick a person to be your grateful buddy - every morning when you wake up text your grateful buddy the two to three things that you are truly grateful for, then your buddy texts you theirs back.

Do this for 66 days.

Your outlook on life will change and I truly believe that.

The power of positivity is unbelievable. I used to be a negative person, always putting myself down. I actually used to assume the worst would happen in situations and if it didn't that would be a great bonus - how negative!

I am not like that anymore. When you re-train your thinking to become positive, your life will change.

You need to look up - Molly Harvey (she is truly awesome)
Please bare in mind there were LOADS of other fantastic tips and life lessons but these were the top three that I think everyone should know!)

Think positive. Be positive. Let your life change. 

Erica xx

PS. If you want to be a part of these positive success days, please email me on facebook/skinnymini and I can show you how to build your own business with no overheads, generate more income, develop personally and attend these fantastic trainings and seminars and work with me - yipee :)

Test your fitness

I often come across people in the gym who ask "does this ever get any easier?". They are still wrecked from their workout and they've been training months.

The truth is, your training regimes shouldn't get any easier... They will, so you need to make your programs harder and harder when they become easier, so that you're being challenged each workout. It's called progression. Your program should be periodised, so it gets more challenging. When you start something new, the first time you do it is always the hardest. If you were to do it again a few weeks later, you would find it much easier. However people rarely test that. So today, i'm going to show you how to test it.

Lets take some examples and in these examples, you need to push yourself to the absolute max, no dossing!

Here is a basic fitness test, now remember you have to do it AFTER you have completed a full workout:

Week One: After you finish training, you do as many burpies as you can in 60 seconds.
Result: You've achieved 24 burpies.
Conclusion: You're in bits!

Week Four: After you finish training, you do as many burpies as you can in 60 seconds.
Result: You've achieved 35 burpies.
Conclusion: You're in bits!

It was the exact same test, you pushed yourself to the max each time and after you did them you were wrecked! So why was it not easier?? Because you pushed yourself hard and your upgraded fitness level brought you through each rep faster!

Here is a hard fitness test, now remember you have to do it AFTER you have completed a full workout:

Week One: After you finish training, you;
1. Sprint on the rower for 500 meters - as fast as you can!!
2. 15 Squat Jumps - proper technique please.
Result: It took you 3 minutes.
Conclusion: You're in bits!

Week Four: After you finish training, you;
1. Sprint on the rower for 500 meters - as fast as you can!!
2. 15 Squat Jumps - proper technique please.
Result: It took you 2.50 minutes.
Conclusion: You're in bits!

However wahey, you shed ten seconds off!! You're fitter and faster!!

Here is an even harder fitness test, now remember you have to do it AFTER you have completed a full workout:

Week One: After you finish training, you;
1. Sprint on the rower for 500 meters - as fast as you can!!
2. 20 Push Ups - proper technique please - girls can go on knee's
3. 15 Military Burpies - 10kg - proper technique please
Result: It took you 4.50 minutes.
Conclusion: You're in bits!

Week One: After you finish training, you;
1. Sprint on the rower for 500 meters - as fast as you can!!
2. 20 Push Ups - proper technique please - girls can go on knee's
3. 15 Military Burpies - 10kg - proper technique please
Result: It took you 3.30 minutes.
Conclusion: You're in bits!

Excellent, you shed 80 seconds off your time! So our hard and harder tests are based on TIME and our basic test is based on REPS.


You may look at these three little fitness tests and think "gosh, they look easy" and you may do them and think that "they were easy". Well then you're going too slow. This is a challenge, you have to to want to vomit after you finish, thats how fast you're going!!

Why not try some of the above and in four weeks time, do them again! I'll post up some more over the next few weeks on twitter: @skinnymini_blog or instagram: @ericabrennanblog

The same focus applies to all your workouts, if you've completed a program that has the correct weights applied for you and you stroll out of the gym, thinking "not a bother"; either you took way too many rest periods, you were doing your reps too fast, weights too light, your technique was all over the place or you didn't sprint on your cardio exercises.

That was you.

What I'm trying to say is working out is all about you. If you put 10% in, you'll get that out. So you need to be putting 100% in. Each rep is perfect; each push up, you hit the floor, each prowler sprint, you're going as fast as you physically can!!

Then you'll start to see results properly! Time is precious so don't waste the hour by not giving your workouts 100%! Give the gym 1 hour, do it properly, train hard and it will be time well spent.

On that note... I'm off to the gym...

Cheerio :)

Erica xx

Ps. Just to put it out there, I am an average person, who also hates saying no to Pizza and sometimes would rather eat some jellies than to go to the gym... 

Flapjackkie Thingie

Hello :)

OK, here's another good recipe one that I invented during the week - inspired by my training buddy @sfitz1 on Instagram (give her a follow, her cooking is unreal!!)

This is a healthy, sugar free flapjackkie thingie :)

The ingredients look long, but you can basically put whatever nutty - seedy stuff that is in your house in. These are what I used yesterday :)

Dry Ingredients
Whole Chia sees (2tbs)
Flaxseed mix (2tbs)
Shelled hemp (2tbs)
Linseed crunch (2tbs)
Milled linseed with blueberries & raspberries (2tbs)
Sesame seeds (2tbs)
Chopped walnuts (2tbs)
Chopped almonds (2tbs)
Mixed seeds (2tbs)
Flaked almonds (2tbs)
Dried raisins (4tbs)
Coconut segments (4tbs)
Vanilla Ultra Lite Protein Shake (2scoops = 50g)
Organic Porridge Oats (4 scoops = 100g)


Wet Ingredients
Organic coconut oil (2tbs)
Almond nut butter (2tbs)
2 Bananas
Almond milk (200ml)

Method:
1. Preheat the oven, Gas 6
2. Mix all the dry ingredients together with an electric mixer (low speed).
3. Put all the wet ingredients together in a bowl.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient mixture and mix on high speed for about 1-2 minutes.
6. Put the mix into a greaseproof papered tin.
7. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes


   

Result:

Please not: Coconut Oil =

Protein Pancakes

Good Morning Y'all,

OK, so it's not pancake Tuesday yet, but everyday can be pancake day.... Protein Pancake Day :) So my fantastic work colleague Tom, came in with this last Tuesday with this delicious looking breakfast!

Tom's Pancakes:

Now, I have tried many protein pancake recipes, but never would they stick properly on the pan... but these ones do!!! So Tom gave me permission to share he's awesome recipe with you all :)


Ingredients:

Teaspoon of coconut oil
30g Porridge Oats (organic if possible please)
30g Aminotein Vanilla Protein (as it is gluten free)
2x Eggs
1x Mashed Banana
Dash of almond milk
Almond Butter for serving (again, organic, glass jar if possible)


Method:
1. Put your oats, protein shake, eggs and banana in a bowl and mix together.

2. Add in enough milk to get the "pancake" consistency.
3. Heat the pan and melt the coconut oil.

4. Pour in the your pancake batter and make pancakes

5. Serve with delicious almond butter and green tea and BOOM healthy fun breakfast!

Happy Pancaking :)

Erica xx

Order your gluten free protein here http://bit.ly/MobKti

#healthieselfie

Hi,

So I spotted this idea on Instagram from Sweaty Betty (a fantastic company with a brilliant gym gear collection) and I thought it was pretty awesome!

#healthieselfie
So as you know "selfies" are everywhere (if you don't know, a "selfie" is a picture of you taking a photo of yourself) BUT I think that #healthieselfie is a much better idea!!

Here are some of mine (obviously if you're doing something revolved with fitness, you may need to get someone else to take your picture):

Why not Instagram me your #healthieselfie @ericabrennanblog

Chat soon,
Erica xx

Pretty Pilates

What is Pilates?

Pilates is a pretty much full on abs session. Pilates is a mat based class that focuses on your core muscles - your abdominals.

3 Factors for Pilates Success

There are three REALLY important factors to Pilates;
1. Breathing
2. Core Contraction
3. Neutral Spine

1. Breathing is vital... thats a general statement. But it is vital for training Pilates properly. You need to slow your breathing down and visualise your breathing cycle.

Breath in (through your mouth) - 4 counts in
Breath out (through your mouth) - 4 counts out

Try this:
Slow your breathing down and start breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Four counts in, four counts out. Now imagine when you breath in that all the oxygen goes in through your nose, travels right down into the base of your lungs and your inhalation allows your rib cage to expand. When you exhale, slowly, allow all of the carbon dioxide to leave your body through your mouth, allowing your rib cage to knit back together. The technical term for this is:  breathing lateral thoracic.

2. To an onlooker, pilates can look really really easy, but if you're practicing it properly, then it can be quite challenging. There are two steps to engaging your core fully.
          Step One:
          Pull your belly button into your spine.
       
          Step Two:
          Pull your pelvic floor up an inch, so that you can hold onto it.

The result should be a tight feeling in your abs. If you're breathing properly you should be perfectly able to engage you core, perform the movements and breath all at once.

3. Finding you Neutral Spine is the final piece of the pie for Pilates. Neutral Spine is where you have a tiny gap under your lower back (where you could fit your finger tips under your lower back). It is vital to be performing exercises with proper posture, so being aware of your N Spine is very important.

Try this:
Lie on your back, bend your knees and place your feet on the floor, shoulder width apart. Check your head is on the floor, chin is into your chest, shoulders are shrugged back and flat on the floor, your abs are engaged and you're breathing properly.

     Breath in = prepare
     Breath out = push your lower back flat on the floor
     Breath in = release, arching your lower back  
     Breath out = push your lower back flat on the floor
     Repeat

N Spine is half way in between those points, where you could fit your finger tips under, it's as if you're standing tall with good posture.

These three factors are a great way to train yourself to exercise properly. I think that everyone should do Pilates, it teaches you the basics of how to create posture, breathing and core contraction to improve whatever training regime you like.


Whats the difference between yoga & pilates?

We love Yoga too :)

Ps: Home Workouts Coming Soon...

Protein Shakes

Hi Girls,

Hope all your fitness regimes are going well and you're sticking as best as you can to your plan! Now, protein shakes have become unbelievably popular among women as part of our diet for weight loss and recovery from training.

Why drink protein? 
Here are a few reasons why women drink protein shakes...

1. If you are watching your diet and struggle with a certain meal time you can have a protein shake instead of that meal. It's calorie controlled and you know exactly what is in it.

2. You do not get enough protein in your diet (main proteins: meat, chicken, eggs, fish) and protein is VITAL in your diet for many reasons but you will not be able to shed body fat unless you have enough protein in your diet.

3. You train a lot and you need to give your body a helping hand and recovery. So women would drink their protein shake for this reason POST workout

4. Shakes are handy and you look cool drinking them!!

Are all protein drinks the same?
NO! Like hell no!! It's like any product on the market, there are millions of versions of the same thing, so you cannot just jump onto a website, pick the protein that has pink writing and weight loss written on it and buy it and hope it's going to do the job right.

MOST protein shakes have so much sugar in them you may as well be flying through a pack of jellies every day.  You also need to look out for the carbohydrate contents, there is no point drinking a drink that is high in carbs, low in protein, full of sugar, but tastes delicious... Yeah, that's really not the point of supplementing protein.

 My favourite protein supplement:

I have researched a lot of protein brands and shakes and to be honest, it's very disappointing as I discovered the facts that a lot of proteins look great, but really they're going to do nothing for you. Now, you need to remember I'm talking about women and fat loss. Protein for men is a whole different story.








I drink: Forever Ultra Lite Aminotein Protein Shake

Why? 
1. It is considered the "Gold Standard" of protein for serious athletes of all types. 

2. It is high quality plant based protein (it is equivalent quality to dairy & eggs).

3. Low in saturated fat, and contains no lactose. Lactose is the sugar in milk. So this is DAIRY FREE!

4. It is soy isolate which is NOT the same as soya. Soy Isolate is much more bio available (your body can recognise it) than whey (whats the point in taking a supplement your body won't recognise and will just excrete?).

5. Soy protein helps to stabilise blood sugar levels, this in turn reduces hunger by lowering insulin levels making it easier for the body to burn fat.

6. Ultra's nutrients provide good support for the immune system & help maintain strong muscle strength.

7. The Ultra Lite contains Aminoteins (a unique blend of enzymes specially designed to break down protein and to ensure proper digestion and optimal absorption of amino acids). Forever Ultra is THE ONLY protein shake on the market that contains aminotein. Aminotein is bio available and is absorbed into your bloodstream within 30 minutes.

8. Optimum time to take your protein shake is roughly 30mins after your workout according to Dr.Eric Serrano. That guy is a genius so I am going to listen to his advice!

How?
I take one scoop as a meal replacement i.e. for breakfast mainly if i'm rushing or if i've ran out of eggs. I blend it in a kenwood smoothie maker with almond milk and a dash of water

Result?
It tastes amazing and I'm nice and full.

(The reason I don't take it immediately post workout is because I drink amino's (Argi+) which refuel your body post training. Aminos are amazing, but that is for another day)


"Keeping your blood sugar even is just about the most critical balancing act of your body. It not only determines your weight, it's also key for energy, stable mood, concentration and longevity" - Patrick Holford, Founder of the Institute of Optimum Nutrition