This is such a great flat stomach exercise, that can be done in the comfort of your own home.

All you need is a Swiss ball.

Swiss Ball Jacknife

Here’s how to perform the Swiss Ball Jacknife:

> Get into a push up position
> Place your shins on top of your Swiss ball
> Keep your abs tight
> Tuck your knees into your body rolling the ball towards your hands
> Your back will naturally go into a hunch position
> Hold for a count of 2 and return to the start
Repeat for 12 reps

While performing this flat stomach exercise, keep your abs pulled in tight to ensure you’re getting the full effects and using correct form!

Incorporate Swiss ball Jacknifes into your metabolic circuits and you’ll stay strong, lean and healthy.

I’m always looking for simple, quick, healthy, nutritious and tasty meals to eat, and this one is fantabulous so I just had to share it with you!

Give this simple sea bream and kale recipe a try

Serves 2 (double the ingredients for 4)

Ingredients:

2 x Whole sea bream (get your fishmonger to prepare the fish for baking)
3 x Large cloves of garlic (2 peeled and sliced lengthways, 1 finely diced)
1 x Small red chilli (cored, finely sliced lengthways)
1x Small yellow onion (finely diced)
1 x Half fresh lime
Pinch of mixed spices
Pinch of sea/rock salt
Pinch of black pepper
3 x Drizzle of olive oil
4 Cups of Kale
2 Cups of green or French beans (both ends taken off and washed)

Instructions:

Place the fish onto large sheets of cooking foil
Place equal slices of 1 garlic clove inside the fish
Place equal slices of chilli inside the fish
Sprinkle a pinch of mixed spices inside both fish and squeeze some of the fresh lime inside
Place equal slices of garlic on the top of each fish
Sprinkle onto each fish a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper and mixed spices
Gather up each end of the cooking foil and squeeze the tops together to create a parcel
Place both parcels onto a cooking tray
Cook on the top shelf of the oven for 20 minutes at 180C or 350F

Next

Place the kale and green beans into a steamer, steam for 4 minutes (leave to drain)
In a frying pan drizzle a little olive oil on a medium to low heat
Add in the finely diced onion and cook for 2 minutes
Add in the finely diced garlic and stir
Add in the kale and green beans
Sprinkle some black pepper
Stir and serve with the fish

Watch out for bones as there will be some but the meat should just come out really easily and will taste so good.

This simple sea bream and kale recipe is a well-balanced, nutritious meal and is perfect for the whole family.

Have a go at cooking it and leave your comments below.

Bon Appétit

I’ve got a couple of questions for you today and I want you to answer them honestly.

How close are you to getting the body of your dreams?

Are you almost there? Or do you think that it may take longer than you expected to lose belly fat?

When you look in the mirror do you see an energized, healthy, lean woman looking back at you?

Achieving a healthy, lean body isn’t a walk in the park…. it takes effort, commitment and determination.

With the right mind set you can honestly achieve anything you ever want in life.

I have a wonderful trick I want to share with you that I personally use with my own fitness and my business goals, it’s called Visualisation…

Visualisation is an effective way to accelerate your goals by creating a positive outcome which will help you create the reality and help you to lose belly fat.

Go with me on this…

Take a seat…(I know I don’t usually ask you to sit down!)

Now, I want you to get a clear picture in your head of how you want to look once you have lost your weight or got to the fitness level you’re working towards. What does your body look like, perhaps you are in a bikini or a figure hugging dress? Now, imagine how happy and confident you will feel when walking along the street or bumping into someone you haven’t seen for ages and they tell you how great you’re looking. You may picture yourself saying “Thank you; I’m feeling great right now”!

Keep this picture in your mind and the way it makes you feel. The picture will then penetrate into your sub conscious programming your body to move into the direction that you are visualising. This is a powerful way to keep weight loss and health at the top of your priority list.

Which ultimately means eating healthy will become second nature.

You really can use visualisation to lose belly fat and discover your flat stomach.

Now that’s enough sitting, you know I’m all about the movement. Visualize and now go do it.

Try it and let me know how it works for you.

Don’t forget to leave a comment below.

I’ve recently discovered the most wonderful natural source and I wanted to share it with you today.

Bee pollen

I was told about this little wonder a while ago but never tried it until a few weeks ago when I was in my local health food shop stocking up on health foods for the month. I decided to buy some and as they say the rest is history.

So let me share with you the health benefits of bee pollen.

Bee pollen contains over 96 nutrients which help support your bodily system, concentrating heavily on the nervous and reproductive system.

Amazing right?….

Some people even call bee pollen a complete food.

People have used it for many thousands of years in herbal medicines and now we realise just how good it is to use in our everyday life.

The protein that is found in bee pollen is very easy to digest by the body, which is great as it’s readily accessible for use in your body. It also contains powerful antioxidants which help to reduce the threat of free-radical damage that is found in everyday toxins that you come into contact with on a daily basis.

Bee pollen is also great for helping lower cholesterol, it brings triglycerides and cholesterol levels back to normal within your body. Your good cholesterol is increased while your bad cholesterol is decreased.

If you take bee pollen on a daily basis it can help reduce the risk of a heart attack and stroke.

Definitely a win win situation.

It contains rutin which is found in certain plants; it strengthens your capillaries within your body and can help improve your cardiovascular endurance and energy. Perfect to help you get you through your workouts.

Bee pollen has been known to boost your metabolism which in turn can help with your weight loss. It contains lecithin which can help eliminate the body fat that you are storing. If you find that you get hungry between your meals then take one teaspoon of bee pollen which will help with any hunger pangs that you are experiencing.

I started taking one teaspoon of bee pollen every morning, sprinkled over my breakfast because I didn’t like the taste. Now I take one teaspoon every morning directly from the spoon. I also sprinkle it into my smoothies.

I highly recommend that you start taking bee pollen on a daily basis yourself, you’ll be amazed at the benefits of bee pollen and especially how it will make you feel after a few weeks.

Let me know if you already take it and what benefits you have experienced, leave a comment below.

You know that you should eat your greens but sometimes are you guilty of saying no to them, especially if you’re at a restaurant or at a friend’s house for dinner?

To stay healthy and I mean healthy then there should be absolutely no excuses, you should be including them in your everyday diet whether that be at lunch, dinner or a green drink first thing in the morning.

They not only taste good but they’re also packed full of nutrients that your body needs and will thank you for. You’ll also find magnesium in the green stuff which is an important mineral for energy production; it also reduces PMS and helps to regulate your body’s pH balance. They are packed full of vitamins B, C, E, and K.

Vitamin K helps regulate blood clotting in your body and protects against osteoporosis.

They are also packed full of fiber and are extremely easy to digest.

What more can you ask for….

Here are a few of my favorites that I hope you enjoy as much as I do.

Kale

Kale is part of the cabbage family and comes in green or dark purple, depending on the variety. It’s packed full of nutrients including Vitamins A, C and K as well as calcium and potassium. Kale is also one of the healthiest vegetables out there. I especially like kale stir-fried for a minute or two with garlic and Wild Alaskan salmon. You can also steam kale and if you prefer you can eat it raw.

Swiss Chard

Swiss chard has red stems and veins on its leaves. It has a similar taste to beets and is ranked high in the list of healthiest vegetables. Swiss chard also contains vitamins A, C and K. Unlike a lot of vegetables I recommend that you boil Swiss chard for 3 minutes to help reduce its concentration of oxalic acid which has been shown to bind with calcium, magnesium, iron, sodium and potassium in the intestine, which interferes with their absorption. It has also been linked with the formation of kidney stones. Don’t let that put you off, avoid eating it raw and boil it instead.

Spinach

Spinach is packed full of vitamins A, C, E and K. It also contains magnesium and iron. You can have spinach in many different ways. I like it on the side of my scrambled eggs; you can also throw some in a stir-fry, salad and also in a smoothie. You can’t taste it in a smoothie if you add fruit as the power of the fruit takes away the bitterness of the spinach but you do get a lovely green color. A power packed green drink that’s great for the morning is spinach, cucumber, celery, spirulina and an apple; it sets you up for the day.

Romaine Lettuce

Romaine lettuce which is a head forming lettuce has deep green, long leaves with a crisp texture and deep taste, it’s also known as cos lettuce. It’s packed full of vitamins A, C and K and dietary fiber. Use Romaine lettuce instead of bread when you next make a sandwich. Take 4-6 leaves and fill them full of albacore tuna, cucumber and green onions or a sliced free range organic turkey breast, cucumber and green onions.

The next two greens are fantastic for you and I highly recommend them in the form of supplements which you can buy in your local health food store.

Spirulina

Spirulina is an aquatic plant has been consumed by humans since prehistoric times. It was first discovered growing on lakes in Mexico and Central Africa. It’s packed full of protein, vitamins B12 and A. It’s also full of essential fatty acids and antioxidants. Spirulina is great for protecting your immune system. I buy Spirulina in powder form which I add to my green drink in the morning.

Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass helps with digestion, blood flow and is great as a detox. It’s known as a super-food as it provides you with energy and helps in times of increased stress or illness. Wheatgrass comes in powder form or you can go to your local juice bar and have a shot of it, it definitely doesn’t taste great but the health benefits far out way the taste.

Eat your greens or drink your greens whatever you prefer but make sure that you include them in your daily diet. Your body will thank you by rewarding you with a healthy body and a flat stomach.

When the weather starts to brighten up, the last thing you want to do is spend ages preparing a meal. The best meal you can prepare is a fresh, vibrant and healthy salad.

Try this healthy organic salmon salad recipe

This sunshine salad recipe serves 1. Just increase the ingredients for more people.

Ingredients:

1 tsp. Ground nut oil
3 to 4 oz. Organic salmon fillet
½ Cup yellow pepper
1 Cup arugula (Rocket)
1 tsp. fresh coriander
¼ Cup onion
½ Cup zucchini (courgette)
1 tbsp. Pumpkin seeds
¼ Slice lemon

Instructions:

Place the oil in the griddle
Cook the salmon on griddle pan – 5/6 minutes each side
Slice pepper & courgette into strips
Finely dice onion
Chop coriander
Place pepper, courgette, onion, arugula and coriander in bowl
Mix together and turn out onto plate
Place salmon fillet on top and sprinkle pumpkin seeds

Squeeze the lemon over the salmon and enjoy.

This plate of sunshine is the perfect balance of raw foods mixed with high protein.

You can find healthy recipes like this in my 50 page recipe book. Packed with drinks, snacks, breakfasts, lunches, dinners and a whole host of tips and advice for eating a healthy diet.

Yay, spring is here and the dark nights and dark mornings are slowly disappearing.

What do you do when the weather gets warmer?

Start wearing lighter clothing and revealing a little more flesh.

before you do this have you thought about working your large muscles to burn more body fat?

The problem you often face coming out of the winter months is you’ve covered everything up and may be eaten a few more calories than you should have done, so perhaps your body isn’t looking as good as you want it to.

The best way to turn this around is to do a workout focusing on your large muscles in your lower body as this is the best way to elevate your heart rate and burn more calories and burn body fat a lot faster.

Your lower body muscles include your Glutes (butt), Quads (front of legs) and Hamstrings (back of legs).

When I workout and train clients, I always use compound exercises which train more than one muscle at a time.

Your sure fire solution to getting lean and burn body fat fast is to make compound exercises an integral part of your routine.

Not sure what Compound Exercises are? Here are a couple of examples of lower body versions.

The ‘Squat’ – there are so many variations of squats including bodyweight squat, weighted squat, sumo squat, split squat, the list is endless. This exercise works your glutes, quads and hamstrings.

The ‘Deadlift’ – again there are a number of variations including Romanian deadlift and 1 leg deadlift. This works your lower back, butt, quads and hamstrings.

Compound exercises are superior because you are targeting more muscle fibers at one time, which is great for faster results and time deprived ladies.

So enough of the talking, it’s time to get moving!

I have put together a full body workout which includes resistance based circuit of 6 exercises.

Targeting all of the main muscles in one workout gets you looking lean and feeling alive in a shorter space of time so you’re going to love this.

Equipment needed = Dumbbells & You!

Perform a lower body exercise followed by an upper body exercise each for 30 seconds and continue until you’ve done the full 6 exercises. Rest for 1 minute and repeat the circuit 3 more times.

10 minute “Burn Body Fat” workout

Get started on working your large muscles to burn more body fat, just in time for the hotter months ahead.

Over the years I’ve learnt how to control my appetite and not to automatically reach for a donut or a packet of chips when the hunger pangs hit.

These days I tend to go more for a piece of fruit with some raw nuts, which keeps me satisfied until my next meal…

How about you? When do your hunger pangs usually kick in, mid morning or mid afternoon?

So why do we get these feelings of hunger and how do you control your appetite?

These hunger pangs happen because of the hormone ghrelin, taken from the word ‘ghre’ in the Pro-Indo-European language, meaning to grow.

Ghrelin is released when the stomach is empty. You need to keep ghrelin’s level low during the day to keep your hunger pangs under control. Apart from an empty stomach, eating too few calories for your body’s needs and drinking alcohol can also raise your ghrelin levels.

Here are my 5 tips to help you control your appetite:

1. Eat breakfast – Aim for a bowl of slow burning complex carbs such as oatmeal with blueberries & scrambled eggs.

2. Stick to your meals times – Stay on a schedule when it comes to your 5 small meals a day. Always be prepared, meaning if you are out and about carry a bag of trail mix with you with some fruit, this way it will stop you from going into the nearest shop and picking up an unhealthy treat.

3. Stay away from processed foods – Fast foods and anything that isn’t wholesome, natural and fresh. The last thing that you need is to eat foods that contain chemicals, they will not only effect your waistline but they will also effect your hair, skin and your general mood.

4. Eat protein – This helps you feel fuller for longer. Always have protein with every meal whether that be with your snacks, breakfast or dinner. Organic chicken, turkey, salmon, mackerel or legumes.

5. Get your 7 – 8 hours of sleep each night - When you haven’t had enough zzzz’s, your food cravings will shoot through the roof and the desire for calorie dense high foods will increase. Make sure that you turn-off your cell phone so there are no distractions when you are trying to get to sleep.

Keep those ghrelin levels low by following my 5 tips to control your appetite. Not only will they keep the hunger pangs at bay but they will also stop you from putting on any excess weight.

Steph

I’ve just returned home after a wonderful relaxing holiday with my family.

I definitely allowed myself a couple of treats but I didn’t allow my workouts to slide. It’s important to keep moving even if you’re on your holiday.

The last thing that you want is to get home and find that you’ve gained weight and bodyfat.

Not good!

My special bodyweight workout was the perfect holiday workout that I could do either in the middle of the forest or in the lodge that I was staying in.

This is an ideal workout for all levels of fitness. If you’re a beginner then try it out for 2 circuits and if you’re advanced give 4 circuits a go and move it up as you wish.

If you want a quick, and easy to perform bodyweight workout then this is the one for you.

Perform 4 exercises each one for 30 seconds back to back in 1 circuit. After you have completed one circuit rest for 30 seconds and do the whole circuit again.

For each exercise ensure you keep your abs tight, just imagine someone is pulling your belly button through to your spine, this will help you keep the correct form and prevent injury.

Warm up with knee highs or jogging on the spot! Warm the muscles further with some air punching and loosen your body ready for the workout.

BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT

1. Bodyweight squats – 30 seconds
Feet hip width apart, then bend your knees as if you’re sitting back into a chair, then rise back to the start and repeat. Keep the movement controlled and really feel the muscles working.

2. Push Up (Full or Kneeling) – 30 seconds
Get down into a plank position with your hands shoulder width apart, keep your body in a straight line and slowly lower yourself to the floor and push back up to the start position. If kneeling then repeat above move but on your knee’s.

3. Forward Lunge – 30 seconds
Stand with feet hip width apart, with your right leg take a wide step forward being careful to not let your knee go way over your toe. Then without bouncing bring your right leg back to the start and do the same with your left leg. Keep each movement controlled and engage all your muscles.

4. Mountain Climbers – 30 seconds
Get into a push up position, keep your body raised off the floor but in a straight line at all times with your abs tight. Bring your right knee in towards your right side of the chest, take it back to the start and then bring your left in and back to the start.

Rest for 30 seconds and repeat the circuit once more as a beginner or 3 more if advanced.
Now take time to stretch.

I have used these simple and quick bodyweight exercises for years whenever I’m away from home. I’ve done them in hotels rooms, friend’s apartments, the park and an office!

Now it’s your turn, let me know how you get on.

My healthy French toast recipe is not only incredibly tasty but also one of my favourite things to have for breakfast on a weekend.

That’s exactly what I did on Saturday morning, and enjoyed it with a cup full of blueberries and strawberries on top.

It’s so delicious that I wanted to share it with you.

Healthy French Toast Recipe

Ingredients:

2 egg whites
2 slices 100% wholegrain bread
1 Tsp. cinnamon
½ cup almond milk
1Tsp. coconut oil

Instructions:

Mix the egg whites, almond milk and cinnamon in a jug, then pour them into a dish
Place slices of bread into dish and allow them to absorb the mixture

Next, add coconut oil to a large frying and heat
Add the bread and cook for 2 minutes on one side or until golden brown
Flip bread until both sides are golden brown

Place on a plate and scatter the mixed berries on top.

Enjoy

Try the recipe for yourself and let me know how much you liked my healthy french toast recipe by leaving a comment. What’s your favourite healthy breakfast?

Keeping yourself fit and healthy certainly doesn’t have to break the bank, in fact I shared a blog with you last week that showed you how to eat healthy on a budget and the response I got was fantastic, so thank you every one; although it would be great if more of you guys could leave a comment on the blog instead of sending me a private email as then everyone can benefit from your great advice.

Working out on a budget is totally achievable and in a lot of cases FREE!

You certainly don’t need to belong to some fancy schmancy gym, that’s more often than not packed full of people who are using the exact same equipment that you have been waiting for the past 15 minutes to use.

Working out should be fun and certainly not expensive, especially in these economic times when everyone is looking to cut back and save some money. Your physical fitness doesn’t have to be one of the cut backs!

Here are my 4 Tips on working out on a budget.

1. Head for the Great Outdoors

The weather is starting to warm up, so get yourself outside to work out, either go to your local park or if you have some outside space then make use of it. Interval training is a great way for you to work out; you can either do flat running or hill running, cycling; plyometric exercises, including jump squats, jump lunges and bench jumps.

2. Bodyweight Workout in your home

No equipment is required with this bodyweight workout, just you. Decide on an area in your home that has enough space for you to comfortably work out in and put together a bodyweight work out, if you’ve been following me for some time you know there are some fantastic (free) work outs on here that you can use. Click here and it will take you to the page where I’ve put some body weight workouts together that you can start using today.

3. Steph’s Metabolic Circuit Training Workouts

With these work outs they can be done in the great outdoors or in your home, it’s up to you. You can just use your body weight or you can purchase some cheap dumbbells. These work outs are fast and fun and even if you’re a beginner or an advanced exerciser they are great for you.

4. The Flat Stomach Solution – Lose 20 Ibs in 12 weeks

I’m slightly biased towards this product as I wrote it. This book is fantastic for working out on a budget. It covers 12 weeks of work outs from beginner to advanced and the great thing about these workouts they can all be done in the comfort of your own home.

If you’re looking to lose over 20 Ibs or 5 Ibs in 12 weeks this book is for you, the workouts are adapted for whatever your exercise level. All you will need are a couple of pieces of equipment. Click here and it will take you over to the page where you can purchase The Flat Stomach Solution.

As you can see working out really doesn’t have to be expensive, there are plenty of ways that working out on a budget can be part of your life.

This is a question that comes up a lot and I am a big advocate for how to eat healthy on a budget because I know from personal experience that it can be done. Now I don’t have any children (unless you count furry ones with paws and whiskers!) but a lot of the meals I make are for 4 and I just freeze the other portions so I know that they can feed a whole ‘family’.

Plan Your Meals
The number one tip is to plan your meals every week. Every single week I write a menu so that I know what I’m going to eat before I even step one foot into that week. This gives me control over what I eat and how much I spend on it. I’m now at a point where I can glance at my shopping list and pretty much know how much it’s all going to cost me.

Combine Fresh with Frozen
Fruit and vegetables are ideally eaten when fresh and in season but sometimes the foods you want to eat are out of season or more expensive when fresh so the compromise here is frozen. I LOVE berries of every kind but here in the UK they are very seasonal so I always make sure I have a batch of frozen berries in my freezer at all times. Avoid cooked then frozen foods, just go for fresh frozen like peas, corn, spinach etc.

Shop Locally
Go to your local green grocers or find your nearest farmers market (inner city or out of town) and shop locally because you will find most of the foods so much cheaper. I go to my local farmers market every month and get a fresh cauliflower that’s twice the size I get at the store and for half the price! I usually get 3 different meals out of that one cauliflower.

Make a Batch
I don’t usually suggest that people make extra large portions of meals but when you’re trying to eat healthy on a budget then this is the smart thing to do. So, if you’re making something like my Vegetable and Lentil Dhal recipe then make a big batch and either freeze portions of it for the following week or portion up a lunch size and enjoy a bowl the next day.

Stock Up on Staples
Packets of dried pulses, cans of corn (kernels), tomatoes and lentils; vegetable stock, herbs, spices, quinoa, brown rice and rice noodles are all very healthy and excellent foods to keep in your store cupboards.

Take Away in a Good Way
Whenever I go anywhere I always want to make sure I’m prepared to eat healthy, which in turn means that I always eat frugally too. Who needs to spend £5.95 or $7.50 on a lunch when you can take one with you, know exactly what’s gone into it and have it cost you all of about £1.20/$2!

Drink Free Liquid
Water comes in bottles but guess what, it also comes out of your tap (faucet) too. You can get water filter jugs for as little as £5 these days and the stores are always doing deals on the filter cartridges too, so there’s no excuse not to drink this (virtually) free liquid source that keeps your body ticking over nicely.

These are just a few simple ways to eat healthy on a budget; there’s never any need to miss out on wholesome foods, you just have to tweak how you go about buying and using them.

You don’t have to belong to a gym to keep fit and healthy either but more on that next week…

It’s so important to eat healthy foods that are packed full of vitamins and minerals; they provide energy for everyday tasks and also contribute towards your weight loss.

I’ve chosen 5 of my favorite superfoods that will boost your health and make you look and feel wonderful.

1. Quinoa is a grain that is packed full of protein, one cup contains 9 grams; it also contains 8 of the essential amino acids that your body needs. It’s extremely rich in fiber and helps with digestion which can stop you feeling bloated. Quinoa’s vitamin B content can help keep your mind sharp, maintain brain volume and stabilize your mood. You can enjoy quinoa in a savoury meal or a sweet meal.

2. Black Garlic – this superfood isn’t as strong as white garlic and it’s slightly sweeter. It follows a strict process where it goes through a month-long fermentation under strictly controlled heat and humidity. Black garlic can help lower cholesterol and decrease the risk of cancer. It’s extremely high in antioxidants and has twice the amount more than white garlic. Antioxidants protect your cells from disease and can slow down the aging process. What more can you ask for.

3. Seaweed has so many health benefits, it’s packed full of calcium, magnesium and iron. Seaweed feeds the ducts and the shafts of the scalp, which will leave you with beautiful healthy hair. As it’s packed full of vitamins and minerals it will nourish your skin leaving you with a healthy radiant glow. It can be used raw in salads or dried and sprinkled over the top of them.

4. Black beans, are very high in fiber, protein, and antioxidants. They are also packed full of vitamins and minerals. They are full of soluble fiber which helps lower blood cholesterol levels. They can be used both in savoury meals and sweet meals. In fact I recently made some chocolate brownies using black beans; you would be surprised at how delicious they were. Please let me know if you would like the recipe.

5. Celery has a huge amount of vitamin C which is essential for a healthy immune system. Celery has a diuretic effect on the body which can help flush out excess fluid. It also has amazing anti-inflammatory properties and is great for people who suffer with conditions attributed to inflammation, such as fibromyalgia and arthritis.

All of these superfoods are very tasty and extremely easy to buy, you can find them almost anywhere. Try to include them in your diet every day to boost your health.

If you’ve set yourself some goals or New Year’s resolutions for 2012 then how are you doing so far?

Whether your goals were set in your mind or you put pen to paper, your goals are there to make improvements to whichever aspect of your life you feel needs enhancing, developing or changing.

You’re human so if you’ve found yourself sliding away from your desired outcome then don’t worry, don’t beat yourself up and don’t give up.

Sit back, reassess and begin again. Do not let the bumps in the road discourage you to the point of giving up!

Working your way through the rough patches will actually make you stronger and help get you back on the right track.

You may want to think about the goals you’ve set yourself, are they realistic?

Are they truly achievable or have you made them so big that you’ve set yourself up for failure? It happens; it’s your subconscious fear holding you back from actually succeeding in moving beyond your comfort zone.

There’s no point in having a list of goals where only half are achievable, don’t set yourself up for failure at such an early stage and certainly don’t give up. Set yourself little goals that are totally achievable, give yourself regular pats on the back and then set yourself slightly more challenging goals, push harder to achieve those and then go for the big ones!

96% of people, who say they want to lose weight in their new year’s resolutions, unfortunately don’t end up achieving their goal.

This is because they haven’t planned exactly how they are going to lose weight, how much they want to lose and by when.

Planning for success is vital, relaying on lady luck rarely gets you anywhere at all.

It’s all about you, your passion, your determination and your desire.

Sometimes it can seem easier for you to give up on your goals rather than realising that they are a work in progress. If you want to change anything in your life it takes time and effort and the true test is, stamina, how much do you want it and how much are you willing to give.

An important thing for you to remember is that life is not measured by how many times you fall down, but by the way you pick yourself back up and carry on.

Every negative experience will help you grow as a person and no negative experience should ever stop you from going out and living your life to the absolute fullest.

Never give up on your goals and dreams, whether they are be big or small, even when life is tough. Life goes too quickly to sit around too long allowing your excuses to hold you back.

2012 is about achieving your dreams, so don’t give up. Go out there and grab the life that you want with both hands and don’t let go!

E! Channel at the ready!

The Golden Globes awards are back with the 69th annual celebration to be held on Sunday 19th January.

It seems only yesterday that Natalie Portman won a Golden Globe for her role in the Black Swan, which was such an amazing (and slightly disturbing) film.

This year we have another beautiful actress that has been nominated for her role in Young Adults.

I’ve just watched the trailer and it looks so funny, definitely looking forward to it coming over here to the UK and fingers crossed for Charlize when she attends the Golden Globe Awards that she walks away with one. I especially love this actress because she’s a spokesperson for PETA and does so much work for charities around the world.

Charlize Theron has starred in many great films from Monster in 2003 to North Country. Her transformation for Monster was incredible, with this movie she portrayed notorious Florida prostitute/serial killer Aileen Wuornos, executed for seven murders in 2002 , she had to gain a large amount of weight, not because her character was overweight but so it would make her look strong and powerful. Although when you see her on the big screen you would think that her character was tall but amazingly enough she was only 5ft 3 and Charlize is 5ft 10.

I have to admit that one of my favourite adverts at the moment here in the UK is the j’adore advert, take a look below if you haven’t already seen it.

Well, back to the Golden Globe Awards and Charlize’s workouts that keep her looking sexy and hot.

This South African stunner says she enjoys working out and is a trained ballet dancer. Skating, yoga and cycling can also be added to her list of activities that she enjoys.

It’s great to hear that she uses weights to workout. To get the Charlize Theron body you too should be mixing up your workouts, include not only Metabolic Circuit Training and interval training but throw in some yoga, hiking and cycling.

Getting ready for the Golden Globe Awards should definitely include Metabolic Circuit Training as it’s the most amazing complete form of exercising it combines the benefits of resistance training and cardio training in one complete package. Alternating between upper body and lower body exercises challenges your body from all angles.

Studies have shown that after you finish working out your ‘metabolism’ can remain elevated for up to 36 hours. Metabolic Circuit Training is so time efficient that you can complete a total body workout in 30 minutes.

As we can see just by looking at Charlize she has a huge amount of lean muscle that makes her look incredible and that’s what my Metabolic Circuit Training does for you.

Metabolic Circuit training can be used if you are a beginner or an advanced exerciser.

Here’s a taster of my special Golden Globe Awards Metabolic Circuit Training workout that I would have Charlize perform.

Warm up

Rest for 1 minute and repeat the entire Metabolic Circuit 3 more times

After she had finished this she would know that she’d worked her entire body.

Don’t just leave this workout for Charlize Theron, try it for yourself.

There’s only one thing left to say, good luck to Charlize at the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday.

I shared my lunch with my facebook followers last week and it got lots of attention so I thought I’d share it here with you because this is a fantastic salad recipe to get you on the right health track this new year.

This salad recipe ingredients will cost you next to nothing to buy, they’ll take about 5 minutes to make and will give you an excellent nutritional balance of carbohydrate and protein.

Ingredients:

1. Romaine lettuce (cut the bottom off, wash and drain)
2. Protein – Mackerel, salmon, turkey or mixed pulses
3. Red onion, bell pepper, tomatoes (de-seeded and diced)
Sprinkle of ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Lay each of the leaves out on a plate
2. Spoon equal amounts of the salsa mix onto each leaf
3. Now place on your protein of choice

Serve with a glass of cold filtered lemon water and enjoy this clean eating, raw food meal.

For more new year salad recipes in 2012 try these;

Healthy Caesar Salad Recipe

Healthy Weight loss Lunches

Yummy Fat Burning Lunch

Quinoa & Raw Veg Salad

Simple Tuna and Spinach Salad Recipe

Purchase a copy of the Recipe Book for more great recipes to keep you healthy, fit and glowing in 2012.

Here we are again at the start of a brand New Year, Happy 2012

As you go into the New Year, will you achieve your goals?

Have you written a list of New Year resolutions that you can look back over the year and mark off as you accomplish each one?

I know I have, in fact I have 8 goals that I want to achieve by the end of 2012.

Here’s how to achieve your goals in 2012

For me as I’ve got older, my goals are SMART goals.

What I mean is:

S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Achievable
R – Realistic
T – Timely

That’s absolutely no point in writing down that I want to fly to the moon by the end of 2012, because you know what, it isn’t going to happen.

SMART goals are achievable goals that you can set yourself over the whole of 2012.

So, if you want to run a marathon this coming summer than you need to plan each individual step, how often you need to train each week, how you progress to eventually being able to run that marathon, how you need to eat, how often you should eat, what you should eat and how you will need to up your calorie intake to cope with the amount of training that you will be doing.

The same applies if you want to lose 20 pounds, how are you going to get there? Don’t just say that I want to lose 20 pounds this year, set yourself weekly, monthly goals and an exact time frame of when you want to achieve your weight loss by. How many times each week are you going to workout, what program are you going to use, obviously your now shouting The Flat Stomach Solution, in that case you would definitely have hit your weight loss goal within 12 weeks….

Can you see what I’m saying here, planning and setting yourself SMART goals is the way that you are going to achieve your goals.

My suggestion to you now is choose 5-10 New Year’s resolutions that are achievable and start planning how you’re going to achieve them. Take it individual one and write a detailed plan of action.
Using the SMART system to achieve your goals can work in every area of your life.

Don’t wait for life to happen, chase it!

Here’s to an amazing new year, may it be filled with happiness, success and love.

Christmas is definitely a time of year where you should let your hair down and enjoy some extra time with your family and friends.

People ‘on average’ tend to put on an extra 5 pounds over the festive season, due to excess food and drink and letting their workouts fall by the way side….

I can give you the tools to ensure that does’t happen to you.

Sure, enjoy a little extra festive food and drink (I know I will) but don’t (and I mean don’t) give up on your workouts to ensure you burn off any additional calories you consume.

Staying healthy & fit during the festive season is so important as you enter 2012…

Especially for you I am going to share with you the workout that I will personally be doing over the festive break.

Try my specialChristmas workout that you can do 3-4 times each week and it will only take you 15 minutes.

Perform as many reps as you can in 60 seconds, rest 60 seconds and repeat 3 x more.

If you are a beginner perform as many reps as you can in 30 seconds, rest 60 seconds and repeat 3 x more.

Push-ups
Jump Jacks
Burpees
Fast Squats

This is a simple but very effective workout, so let’s keep you staying healthy and fit during the festive season.

Don’t spend the next 3 months trying to get your fitness levels back up and your fat levels down for the sake of 5 days over indulgence and lack of movement!

Keep the scales of indulgence & activeness evenly blanced and go into 2012 looking and feeling AWESOME!

The festive period is all about taking time out to spend with family
and friends, but you don’t want to undo any hard work you put in
over the year and gain a Santa belly instead of tight flat stomach!

You don’t have to spend loads of time pounding out the cardio
or schlepping back and forth to the gym. You can keep burning
the belly fat every day of the break, right on your own doorstep.

Try these 4 workout tips to keep a flat stomach this festive season

1. Take the whole family for a walk before or after a meal or go for a family cycle. If it’s been snowing then sledging is a great workout for the whole family too, just wrap up, get out there and have some fun.

2. Interval training is a fast way to burn maximum calories in minimum time. Warm up, run fast for 20 seconds, walk for 40 seconds of recovery, do this 15 times and you’ll be burning the body fat while you’re eating your Christmas pudding!

3. Throw in a bodyweight workout that you can do at home before anyone even wakes up.

4. While you’re in the kitchen preparing the food, in the dining room setting the table, placing the presents under the tree, at the office finishing up last minute work, in the bathroom getting all dolled up…DANCE! Throw on some tunes and shake what your mamma gave ya, it’s also infectious so who ever you’re near will no doubt join in and burn some unwanted belly fat too.

Exercise comes in many forms; you don’t need fancy workout equipment, bulky cardio equipment or even belong to a gym to get an effective workout done. You can do fast, fun and effective workouts anytime/anywhere!

=> Lose The Holiday Stomach Fat At Home

Can you believe it, we only have 19 days until Christmas day! Wow, where has the year gone?

It’s very exciting though; definitely my favourite time of year.

Have you done all of your Christmas shopping yet?

I’ve only bought one present so far for my mum, quite a few more to go. It’s lucky that I love Christmas shopping….

Just in case you’re in the same position as me, here are a few Top Christmas Gift Ideas that you can buy for your friends, family or yourself for a healthy 2012.

1. The Flat Stomach Recipe Book

Take control of your diet with the Recipe Book and enjoy recipes that are suitable for all types of diet, there’s something for everyone in here!

Every aspect of your new lifestyle nutrition plan is taken care of with drinks, snacks, breakfasts, lunches, dinners and a whole host of tips and advice that you don’t get from any other recipe book.

The flat stomach solution recipe book is also packed with tips on how to stock your kitchen, ‘delicious recipes’ that guarantee your diet will be packed full of foods that nourish your body, this will be the most worthwhile recipe book you ever purchase!

2. iPad / Kindle / eBook Reader

The perfect partners to your e-book collection and ideal for storing and using your copy of The Flat Stomach Solution Recipe Book.

3. Steamer

A steamer is an essential in any kitchen, it cooks foods in a way that maintains most of the nutrients. These nutrients are often lost through other cooking methods such as boiling and frying.

4. The 10 Minute Bodyweight Workout

No excuses now, a totally (equipment free) bodyweight workout that you can literally do ANYWHERE & ANYTIME. This powerful 10 minute bodyweight workout will leave you feeling like you’ve just been in the gym for an hour.

5. Sports Shop Voucher

This is a fantastic gift, your friends or family will love it, in fact I got one of these last year. Any woman loves buying clothes and fitness clothes are just as exciting. With so much stylish gear out there at the moment, this will go down a treat.

Happy Christmas shopping!