Maxitone products & "Thank you Protein" campaign.

When Maxitone contacted me a few weeks ago to invite me to test some of their products as part of their Thank you Protein campaign I was a little bit apprehensive. I didn't really know too much about protein powder, its benefits and whether it was something I needed to incorporate into my routine. I must admit, my initial thoughts were that protein powders are for bodybuilding men who want bulging muscles and therefore they would be no good for me. My aim with my workouts is to look toned and lean, not like Popeye! It seems I was wrong and a little bit of research soon brought me up to speed.

Apart from the odd blip here and there, my diet and exercise regime are pretty good and have been fairly consistent since I lost my 2 and a half stone (ish). However since I became a vegetarian last year I have wondered if I get enough protein in my diet, and the answer is I probably don't.

I was sent a few Maxitone products to trial as well as a voucher for a spa day to say "thank you" to someone who I would like to treat. I haven't organised the outing yet but I'll certainly let you know when I have. I'd like to treat Jonathan to it as he has done so much for me over the last few months but he's a busy bee so I'm just waiting for a free date.

I'd actually quite like to apply for the Thank you Protein campaign myself as I feel quite proud of my achievements and the prizes are pretty awesome!

I want to add at this point that in no way, shape or form am I an expert in nutrition or what to eat and when, but it's a topic that really interests me and I am always trying hard to make my diet as healthy and varied as possible. This link and this link may be useful if you're interested in protein powders and would like more information on their benefits, but in a nutshell:

When we exercise, taking protein immediately after can help to repair damaged muscle so that we can recover better and as a result suffer less aches and pain. ‘Muscle burns calories’ and so if we look after our muscles we are optimising our metabolism and indirectly we are able to support body toning and weight management goals!

Given the choice between the Definity range (for toning) or the Sculptress range (for weight loss) I went for the Definity option. The website states Definity is perfect for those at their ideal weight wishing to tone and shape up, which fit my requirements at the moment, and I'm not interested in any meal replacements.

My thoughts on the protein powder

The tub says to take two servings a day, one at breakfast and another after exercise, by mixing one 30g scoop with 200ml of cold water.

I haven't been taking two servings a day but I have been having a shake after my workouts, and on days where I feel like I am particularly lacking in protein. Having just embarked on a new workout programme recently my muscles have been really sore so I like the idea of something working to repair my aching muscles. Do I feel like my muscles are less achey?! It's hard to say as I don't know how they would be feeling if I wasn't drinking the shakes, so it's a hard thing to measure.

I received the strawberry flavour which tastes absolutely fine. It's quite nice in fact! No complaints from me.

It looks as though the particular powder I received is discontinued but this one is an alternative.

My thoughts on the crisp bars

The bars are actually quite nice and make an ideal small snack following a workout. They only contain 83 calories so they don't feel too naughty and they obviously contain protein just like the powder does.

I find them incredibly chewy (jaw achingly so!) but this means they take me longer to eat so I suppose it's a good thing.

The bars aim to support toning but shouldn't be used to replace any meals, just to be eaten as a snack in between meals.



Will I purchase Maxitone products in the future? I doubt I will buy the snack bars as I can think of cheaper and tastier alternatives that I would rather eat, but I am definitely interested in keeping a stash of protein powder in the cupboard at home for taking after my workouts. Once I have got through this tub I will consider buying another, most definitely.

I make a lot of smoothies and I like the idea of adding a scoop of protein powder into those for an added boost. According to the Maxitone website this powder can be added to milk as well as water, so that's something I will be trying soon.

Do you make protein pancakes or smoothies, or take protein shakes? Let me know your thoughts!

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Q&A part 1: being a vegetarian/living with a meat eater.

I have received a few questions about diet and exercise recently so I thought it could be helpful to answer each one in a separate blog post where I can go into a bit more detail. First up... 

Why did you go vegetarian? Does Jonathan eat meat?

I decided to become a vegetarian around the middle of last year. I'm very much into the welfare of animals and I often felt hypocritical buying and eating meat from the supermarket when I knew it probably hadn't come from an animal with a happy life. One day, all of a sudden, I just decided I was going to do it.

I have found it surprisingly easy to cut out meat considering how much meat I ate before, and it has made me try new recipes and new types of food. I also feel like my meals are much healthier and feature a wider range of vegetables.

Yes, Jonathan still eats meat but every now and again he will have the same as me which makes things nice and easy, and gives him a meat-free day.

It's pretty straight forward making slightly different meals. It just involves an extra pan here and there. For example, if I have pasta with veg (garlic, onion, mushrooms, peppers, sometimes courgette) and sauce, then Jonathan has the same but chucks meatballs in his. Or if we have fajitas then I cook his chicken separately with all the peppers and other bits, and make mine with just the veg.

(all images found on weheartit.com or Google images)

If Jonathan has a piece of fish with potatoes and veg then I have the same but swap the fish for Linda McCartney sausages or maybe something from the Quorn range. Also Morrisons do a great vegetarian range in the fridge section.

It was a bit tricky at first but now it is second nature and not much hassle at all. I'm lucky that Jonathan is easy going and really supportive. He used to do all of the cooking but at the moment I do most of it through the week so it's easy for me to keep things separate. On a weekend when we cook together we pick a vegetarian recipe using the BBC Food website or my Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall book (I highly recommend this!) which means we can eat the same thing.

The annoying thing for me is having to check packaging all the time as I have slipped up a few times making assumptions that certain yoghurts or certain biscuits would be vegetarian, before getting home and finding they contain gelatine (I'm looking at you Party Rings!)

Eating out is usually fine. It means I try food that I wouldn't normally have as the options tend to be limited but I always enjoy whatever I choose. However when we went on holiday I was pretty much limited to cheese pizza, side salads or vegetable paella which wore thin after a week.

Will I be a vegetarian forever? It's hard to say. For now though, I'm happy and feel healthy and will carry on as I have been doing!

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How I lost weight: part 2 (before & after pics).

I recently updated the weight loss tab above as it was out of date considering I have lost a further half a stone since I originally blogged about my weight loss (here). That blog post was more about my tips and advice and hopefully a bit of motivation for anyone out there looking to lose weight. This blog post will go into a bit more detail about when and why I made changes and where I'm at now (with a few old photos thrown in for good measure).

It was tweeting about the updated tab and receiving a whole host of lovely comments that brought me here, writing this. I don't often think of myself as inspiring but I know before I started to lose weight that I was so unhappy and looked everywhere for inspiration, so I figured I should talk about it more. It is quite difficult to talk about some of these things (and to share old photos) so I hope you'll be kind to me in the comments.

The first half of 2010 was super stressful for me. I was trying to get out of a bad relationship but felt trapped and resigned to a discontented life. I had just started a new job in HR, which was all new to me, and I was trying to balance a difficult personal life with staying upbeat and positive in my new busy career.

My weight had been creeping up for a while and 2010 was my heaviest year. I was eating takeaways for dinner several nights a week, skipping breakfast, eating too much junk food and only exercising very occasionally. I didn't feel healthy or happy and I was desperate to make big changes.

To cut a very long story short, the relationship eventually ended in the summer of 2010 and after several difficult weeks of sharing a house with my ex partner we both moved on. I moved back in with my parents but this time I had two little dogs and a whole load of belongings in tow.

During the break up I lost my appetite. I rarely ate breakfast and would often forget to take lunch to work with me. For dinner I would have packet noodles, beans on toast or (my favourite at the time) fish finger sandwiches. I didn't know how to cook and was a pretty rubbish food shopper.

Once I moved back in with my parents I began to eat much better and felt happier in myself. Proper home cooked meals with veg were always on the cards and I started to feel ready to make some positive changes. Although I had started to lose weight the wrong way, I continued to lose weight once I had got my eating back on track and got into the swing of my new routine. I also started to do a bit of exercise, mainly jogging and the 30 Day Shred.

A couple of months later I met Jonathan and he was to become the driving force of motivation for me. Although he has a fast metabolism and can eat whatever he likes, he chooses to eat healthy food, rarely has takeaways and plays sport twice a week as well as visiting the gym most weekdays on his lunch break. Although I had dabbled in exercise before I met him it was only after we started dating that I really got into it.

By this point I had moved out into my own place and most evenings I would go jogging or do a workout DVD and Jonathan taught me how to cook and do my food shopping on a budget to make healthy dinners.

After 6 months of living on my own, my rent lease came to an end and I moved to Rotherham into Jonathan's house (poor Lily and Lola were sick of moving by this point, as was I). I continued with my evening workouts and on a weekend we would play squash together.

In 2010 I weighed around 11 stone 3lbs at my heaviest. Today I weigh 8 stone 12lbs. I'd like to get to 8 stone 10lbs and stay there, and that's my goal for 2013 (my height is 5'5).

I suppose the summary of my story is that whilst I was trapped in an unhappy place I didn't have the inclination to eat well or exercise. I couldn't cook and takeaways were the norm as opposed to being a treat once in a while. Once I got myself to a better place and surrounded myself with better people I had the desire to look after myself, exercise and eat well. I couldn't have lost the weight and kept it off without making some big changes and incorporating them into my everyday life.

I have managed to maintain the same weight for a while now which I'm really pleased with. I do have days and weeks where I overindulge and don't do much exercise so, if that happens, I try to work twice as hard to burn off those extra calories. I do worry about my weight creeping back up to what it was but I know that my lifestyle is so much different now and I am much more motivated.

It was (and is) hard work exercising several times a week and having treats in moderation. Working out is hard. It's sweaty and horrible and most of the time I'd rather not do it, but once I get going I really enjoy it and always feel better afterwards.

Picking up the biscuit tin and only having a couple of biscuits is a test of my willpower and still something I struggle with, often falling off the wagon and eating every sweet thing in sight (yes Christmas, I'm looking at you!)

I hope this has been helpful to some of you (if you made it this far!) and I'll definitely be back soon with more posts about food and exercise. If you have any suggestions or requests then please let me know in the comments section. I'd happily answer any emails too. I do like a good chinwag! :)

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Race for Life 2012 & my new trainers.

It's that time of year again when Race for Life announce their dates for 5k and 10k runs around the UK and I find myself signing up for the 3rd year in a row! I'll be taking part in the Clumber Park (Sheffield) race this year along with my friend Katy.

Thinking that there's no time like the present to get started on our training we headed out for our first jog together on Monday evening after work while our boyfriends headed out to play badminton. We surprised ourselves and did nearly 30 minutes of 2 mins jogging/1 min walking. It flew by and confirmed that jogging in pairs is so much better than going out alone. Not only did we feel safer but it was great having the company and I didn't get bored which tends to happen when I jog alone. So we went out again last night and did a full 30 minutes of 2 mins jogging/1 min walking (except when I lost track of the timer and some may have been 3 mins.. oops!)

If we can keep this up, gradually increase the jogging and decrease the walking, until the Summer we will be all set!

Nicely timed with signing up to Race for Life came the arrival of some new trainers from Sarenza. I recently ordered some new ones as my current trainers are looking a bit sad and sorry for themselves, and I haven't quite felt the same about them since I stood in dog poo (not Lily or Lola's I hasten to add!)

I spotted the Response cushion 20 w trainers by Adidas and thought they were actually quite pretty as far as trainers go. The addition of the lilac colour make them just the right amount of girly, and after a couple of jogs in them I am very happy with my choice. The fit is just right, they're really springy and comfortable, they don't rub at all, and they allow my feet to breathe. I can feel my toes getting blasts of fresh air as I'm running along. It's great!

Adidas trainers c/o Sarenza

I was apprehensive about ordering trainers online as my feet seem to be either a size 6 or a size 7 depending on the brand and I wasn't sure which size to go for. The returns process on Sarenza is very good though so I knew I would have no problems returning them for a different size if needs be. However, I didn't need to as I ordered a size 6.5 which was the right choice.

If lilac isn't your thing this style come in different colours. Sizing goes up to a UK8.

Do you plan to sign up to a 5k or 10k this year?

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Back in the swing.

If you've read my blog for a while you will know that I talk about a variety of different things, and one thing I used to talk about quite regularly was fitness/healthy eating. I'm still into those things but I guess a lack of time for blogging means some topics have fallen by the wayside. New Years Resolution = make more time for blogging!

In February of 2011 I did this blog post about my weight loss journey. It amazes me that since that blog post I've gone on to lose a further 5 - 6 lbs without doing anything special or different to my normal routine. A combination of regular exercise, eating a balanced diet (e.g. aiming for 5 portions of fruit/veg a day, not denying myself any treats, plenty of fish/protein, etc) and being happy has meant that the weight has just... well, dropped off I suppose.

Source

I'm happy at my current weight and continue to work to maintain it, but after a Christmas of eating everything in sight I am getting back into the swing of things. You will be seeing a lot more of these types of posts on Lily loves Lola this year. I have had a few emails and tweets from people saying that I have inspired them to lose weight/get fit from reading my blog and that is fantastic. So I endeavour to continue.

I have been using a few different sources to keep focused and they may be of use to you:

BeckyBlog - a great blog and one that introduced me to working out via You Tube, so thank you! I wish I could run as well as Becky can but she certainly inspires me to keep signing up for Race for Life and do my best running a 5k.

Celery and Cupcakes - I really like Jemma's blog. She makes healthy food seem so colourful and exciting which makes me crave those kinds of food. If you like smoothies then Jemma always has one on the go and shares the recipe! After a catch up on Celery and Cupcakes this afternoon I have been craving a Green Monster like mad!

Blogilates on You Tube - I love Cassey. Talk about enthusiastic and a cracking body! Some of the workouts are rather difficult for me as I'm completely inflexible but I still have a good go anyway. There are videos for beginners and some that explain the correct posture/breathing techniques so if you were thinking of doing a pilates class this could be a good starting point for you. I warn you though, you will be sore the day after your first try!

Race for Life - If you want an excuse to get fit/get out of the house/lose some weight/raise money for charity then sign up for a Race for Life event and use it as a goal to aim towards. I ran my first Race for Life rather slow and red faced but that made me want to do better the following year, and that I did! About 10 minutes faster to be precise even in scorching heat and with a crippling stitch at the end! Go me :) The 2012 dates and locations haven't been released yet but keep your eyes peeled, I believe they're coming soon.

Me - post Race for Life 2011

Jillian Michaels - Sorry but I had to sneak Jillian in here. I love her, her DVDs are awesome, her workouts give me quick results and her one liners are brilliant!

And if all of the above fails to get you going then here is my personal favourite motivational picture!

Source

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My first Graze box.

I first heard about Graze boxes a while ago but I didn't hop on the bandwagon. I didn't have the spare income, and treats like this were few and far between. Fast forward a few months and I decided to give Graze boxes a try as I think they're a great idea, especially as I used a code from Fiona to get my first box free. Plus when I entered the code it turns out I get my 5th box free too (psst, use my code HDTKYQF to bag yourself some freebies!)

I think the website is brilliant. The way you can 'bin' foods you don't like to avoid ever receiving them (bye-bye olives) and give a thumbs up to the foods you do like the look of is brilliant and saves any disappointment further down the line. I also like the surprise element of not knowing what will arrive. The fact the box fits perfectly through the letterbox is also a great plus, as was my first box arriving dead on the day it was supposed to (always a plus when the post service works!)

My first box contained:

Copacabana: brazil nuts, dark chocolate buttons and milk chocolate buttons. My verdict = yum! I love brazil nuts as they're quite meaty as nuts go, and quite filling. Giant milk chocolate buttons can only ever be a good thing and I don't often have dark chocolate so it made a nice change. These were eaten within 10 minutes of receiving my box through the door *oops*

The Beach: banana coins, mango and pineapple pieces. I found these so-so. I would eat them again if I received them but I could live without.

Orange and ginger flapjack: As flapjacks go this was quite tasty. I'm not a huge ginger fan so I'd be interested in trying a different variety of flapjack, however Jonathan (not normally a flapjack fan at all) enjoyed his piece *yes I shared!* very much so and raved about it.

Oven roasted cashews: I could have eaten these all day had I had a bigger box of them. Completely moreish and very yummy!

I am definitely going to continue with my Graze membership to try a few more boxes. Snacks like this are ideal to keep in the cupboard or in your drawer at work. I am not sure if receiving the boxes will be a novelty and eventually wear off, but I'll certainly give a few more a go, if only to try the delicious looking grub I have spotted on the website! Give a box a try for free if you like the sound of it. Just enter my code - HDTKYQF 

Happy munching!

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Review: Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism (Jillian Michaels).

You all know I love a bit of Jillian Michaels and I'm into keeping fit at home. No gym membership over here! I thought it may be of use to some of you fitness newbies and experts alike to review the dvds that I own and use regularly, to give you some ideas for your own workouts.

The first dvd I'll share with you is Banish Fat Boost Metabolism. First of all it's £5.99 with free delivery on Amazon so it's not exactly going to break the bank. Secondly, it is brilliant!

Banish Fat Boost Metabolism is my all time favourite workout dvd and at the moment I try to do this one 3 times a week. But boy is it tough. Even after several months of using it a few times a week I still find it a challenge, but this is a good thing! I like the challenge and being able to work up to doing it all the way through without pressing 'pause'. I did manage this once, just the once!

It is very energetic and includes a mixture of cardio moves (for example star jumps, knee ups, burpies) along with squats, kick boxing and ab moves. The variety and fast paced nature of the workout keeps it interesting and moving along nicely. 

I find some of the moves really good fun, and others slightly challenging (I don't think I'll ever master doing burpies at the same speed as this!) but all in all there's nothing massively impossible here. Plus the dvd is broken up into sections so if you want to skip a section that you particularly dislike then you can.

The workout itself is about 40/45 minutes plus a warm up of 5 minutes or so, so it's not a quick blast like the 30 Day Shred, but if you want to feel and look better in a short space of time then this is the workout for you.

It sounds odd but I like a workout to leave me knackered and feeling like I have actually done something. This is 'that' all over. 

Do let me know if you have this one or if you get it based on my recommendation keep me posted :)

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Race for Life 2011.

As you will know, and if you saw my tweets this morning, I took part in the Sheffield Race for Life this morning and it was brilliant. I signed up a couple of months ago and got cracking with my jogging training  straight away but it soon fizzled out to the bare minimum as I favoured my other workouts such as my Zumba and Jillian dvds. Jogging isn't my favourite form of exercise by any means. I get bored easily (short attention span) and end up heading home at the first opportunity!

I set myself a target of completing the 5k in 35 minutes, or perhaps a little bit longer as the sun was well and truly el-scorchio at 9.30am this morning. 

 Morning face.

The first 1k was slow and steady - it was difficult to get past walkers and people with pushchairs, etc. But then I got into my stride and didn't take a break until I approached the 3k mark where I took a very short break just to get my puff back on a hill. Then I sprinted off realising that I would beat my target if I got a wiggle on. I reached the 4k mark and the WORST stitch of my life set in and it felt like I would surely be sick. But it felt better to keep running as opposed to walking (even though the finish was up a hill!) and I managed to keep going, thanks to the crowds cheering us on and the finish line in sight - plus knowing Jonathan was there waiting for me :)

I finished in 32 minutes 55 seconds which I'm so pleased with. Just think, without the stitch and the steady start I could have been even quicker! I really surprised myself and it's clear to see my fitness levels have increased massively since this time last year.

I can't recommend taking part in a Race for Life event enough. Such great atmosphere and what a great way to raise money for Cancer Research and get fit. I took part on my own this year and although I felt a little panicky in the overwhelming crowds at first, as soon as I got going I was fine and thoroughly enjoyed it.

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