WEIGHT-LIFTING BELT
This was actually a Christmas present from Steve back in 2016 and it's definitely a Big Girl item. Our gym only has three of these for us to use, and sometimes we have to all juggle them around as we lift. So it's just easier to have mine with me when I come to class. It's like a confidence boost when you hit a heavy lift with this on, plus it prevents injuries. I've also worn this if my back is feeling tender in a workout.


LIFTING SHOES
These babies make my life so much easier. Whenever any lifts come up that require squats (back squat, front squat, snatch, clean, over-head squat, clean and jerk) I always need my pink shoes there ready. And when I put them on I know I'm about to have some fun.


WRIST STRAPS
This was one of the first pieces of gear I bought for CrossFit. I realized how weak my wrists were and how useful wrist straps became. The only problem was sharing sweaty straps with the rest of the gym, so obviously I had to get my own. They help a lot with hand stand push-ups, front squats, and bench press.

TOWEL
Especially in the summer heat, you're sweating for half an hour after the workout has completely finished. You never know when you need to wipe the sweat off your face, so having one of these available helps so much.


PULL-UP GRIPS
One thing CrossFitters are famous for is ripped hands, and we display them proudly. They show our hard work and conditioning we do. There are some high-rep pull-up workouts that just rip your hands, especially for someone like me that has shamelessly sweaty hands. Not a great combo, trust me. So I try use these if I know I could end up with bloody palms after.


WATER BOTTLE
Self-explanatory really. Some days I really need it, some days it's just there for sips between lifts or on the car ride home.


TAPE
Another life-saver on lifting days! Snatches and over-head squats are particularly bad for wrecking your thumbs. I noticed a lot of other, more experienced people in class were using tape for these kinds of workouts and it's smart to copy them.


SPARE SHIRT/LEGGINGS
It sounds gross, but there are some workouts that just leave you drenched and carrying a spare shirt to leave in after isn't the worst idea in the world. And keeping leggings with me (if I haven't checked the workout yet) is a strategic move. My usual outfit involves shorts because I normally get so hot. But if there is any kind of hang lift like a snatch or clean, then I always do better in leggings. My thunder thighs cause too much friction with the bar, so I gotta keep them handy just in case. Fashion helps girls!

And that's everything I take to class! 

You could get me to talk about CrossFit all day long (I fit right into that stereotype) but it's fitness so I love it! Some days I'm terrible and forget to bring some of this stuff with me, or it's just been flung through my car. I also have a jump rope that I keep at my box ready to go for double under practice. 

It does pay to be prepared for any kind of exercise, especially if you wanna be lifting some heavy weights. I'm more than happy to chat about any these items and how they help me perform. 

I really want to know what your gym bag must-haves are! Leave me some comments below :)

Steph x. 

Here's What A CrossFit Class REALLY Looks Like

So, you've heard about CrossFit. Seen the Instagram photos, maybe a few memes here and there.  Maybe you even watched Fittest on Earth on Netflix. And it got you wondering if maybe it's the right move for you. The gym isn't enough anymore and you need to try something new. Something challenging, something exciting. 

But change and starting something new is scary. 

That's why I'm here. To show you guys that starting something new can be the best decision ever and it could send you on a path you never expected. I had no idea what would happen the first day I showed up for my trial class. Hell, I hardly knew what the CrossFit craze even was.

A typical affiliate gym (or box to use the CF term) will run classes throughout the day (mornings, midday, and early evenings.) You pick which ones suits you and then aim to show up five minutes before the class starts. Or in my case, frantically run through the door dead on time because I never learn to leave the house early enough.

You will be greeted by coaches and your fellow classmates that you'll see almost everyday. In our box, you'll be welcomed in a Squad and get to know the people you sweat beside. It can take time, but trust me there will be a lot of laughs in the mean time. Sometimes I still stand by myself awkwardly looking at my phone until we all get called onto the floor. That's when we get down to business. Each class is an hour long and it's always maximized for work and safety. 

The coach will call everyone over to the main floor where the workouts take place and you'll get to see the board that shows what's on the agenda for the day. You'll hear words like
WOD (workout of the day)
AMRAP (as many reps as possible)
Metcon (metabolic conditioning/the sweaty stuff)
EMOM (every minute on the minute)

Don't let these strange words intimidate you, it's all knowledge that comes over time and soon you'll be sick of hearing them. Stay familiar with the lingo and it'll become your second language.

After you've been told the workout, the whole groups then moves onto a nice warm-up. It's usually a run, rowing, or even some fun games like musical wall balls. These are never intense and it's just there to get your heart rate going and body warm before you stretch. Which we normally do a lot of, especially if the previous day was a tough one. After a few months you'll notice your flexibility getting better and you almost can't wait for the stretching portion of the class.


Before the workout can even start we go through the movements involved to get our bodies ready for what's to come. It's low reps, working with just a barbell and getting the right muscles nice and warm. But now comes the fun part where you get to work out what weight you're gonna go with for the workout.
 It's always the toss up of going heavy, but risking getting burnt out quick. Or going lighter to get through the workout quick. When you're new, lighter is best until you have the technique down. Now that I'm a year into it I try pushing myself to go heavier than my inner wimp is telling me, and nine times out of ten I never regret it. But if in doubt, always ask a coach.

So, you have your area set up, got your equipment with the right weight and you know what the workout is. Now's the time to get your mindset on what's about to happen. Feed off the adrenaline that's going through your body in the ten second countdown until it starts. This is my favorite part of the whole experience.

3, 2, 1, GO!


Everyone is focused on their own form and how many reps they're gonna do.

One round: that wasn't so bad.

Second round: Okay I'm getting sweaty now, and it's getting really heavy.

Third round: Not giving up. Only a few reps left, I'll break them up if I have to. I wanna finish under eight minutes, so I'm gonna push this last round.

"TIME!"

And the workout is over, you made it through alive, and it probably feels amazing. There's about twenty seconds of silence where everyone catches their breath and lets their mind come back to earth. Then we all high-five each other and you tell certain people "You smashed that!" You wipe the sweat off your face and start putting your equipment away, feeling proud of what you just accomplished.

We all gather around the board to record our results for the workout. That's when the fun chatter begins. We talk about the workout, what was fun, what hurt, what we could have done better. Maybe give some advice to friends who have come for the next class.



In CF, everything is planned for you. You literally just have to show up, see what you're doing, listen to the coach and then go all out. At first you go with the flow of what everyone else is doing and eventually you gain your confidence.
It's an hour out of your day that you can challenge yourself and get fitter at the same time. And the best part? You can scale EVERYTHING. No matter your fitness level or if you have any existing injuries, there's options for everyone. No one has to feel inferior and there's no gym perves to check you out while you squat. It's a sport, a lifestyle, and it makes you feel awesome.


If you ever have any questions or concerns, I am more than happy to help in any way I can.
Hopefully it clears up the whole craze for you!

Have you ever wanted to try CrossFit?
Steph x. 

New Year, New Fitness Goals!

Deepest apologies for the dirty mirror, I just don't often take pictures of myself I like. 

I'm always so in love with that new year feeling. Looking back on what I was able to achieve in 2017 (my first full year of CrossFit) makes me feel pretty proud. I hit some awesome weights, kept my cardio up, made it to the top three in the in-house competition, and it helped me complete a Spartan Race. And that was all with torn knee cartilage.

A fitness journey is exactly that: a journey. There's always bumps in the road and that's okay. If everything went perfectly would we ever learn? So this year I am going to keep trying, keep enjoying the process, and work hard at whatever is put in front of me.

My heavy lifting goals to check off by the end of 2018:

100kg Back Squat

70kg Clean

35kg Snatch

120kg Deadlift

70kg Clean and Jerk

CrossFit can be intense at the best of times and I think the hustle of it all can be hard to keep up with. All through December I struggled to stay motivated, and it's not like me to skip a class. It's also been hard this holiday season too because the class schedule has changed to just one at 9am. I don't get any time off work, so it's impossible to go to a class if I wanted to. But in just another week I can get back into the routine I've grown to love (just not the 5am wake up call.)

There's still so much to learn with CrossFit and so many firsts I still have to achieve. My first muscle up, first toes to bar, strict hand stand push ups, pistol squats, and mastering the hand stand walk. What a badass I will be! 

I think we all need to remind ourselves that fitness should be fun. Make it a challenge but enjoy the process every step of the way. That's gonna be my biggest goal coming into 2018, have fun with my fitness again. 

What are your fitness goals for 2018?

Steph x. 

Seven Months of CrossFit

I honestly can't believe it's only been half a year since I decided to take the leap and try a whole new way of training. I still remember having weeks of internal conversion that goes: "Should I, or shouldn't I?" but thankfully it all worked out the way it's supposed to and I found the best facility for me to be my best.

What surprised me the most about CrossFit was the community that makes it all possible and the people from my box that make you feel welcome every day. From day one I knew I had found my squad (do people still say that?) and our coach cares a lot about our progress. I wouldn't have hit so many PRs or even finished workouts without them. There's people at a similar fitness level to me, as well as some strong AF athletes that inspire me to lift heavier every single day. It's a dream of mine to become as strong as them. A year ago I would have said "No, absolutely not" at the suggestion of doing group classes, but after only one lesson (and a couple weeks of anxiety) I haven't looked back.

I used to spend hours at the gym trying to banish areas of my body that I hated and work them until I was sore and satisfied. I still enjoyed the movements, but it can take it's toll on you emotionally. Jump forward nearly eight months and I'm really bloody proud of my body. It's gotten faster, proved itself capable of things I never thought possible (hand-stand push-ups yo), and I both feel and look strong. CrossFit makes me feel like a superhero, like I've achieved something great. It was the challenge I so badly craved and nothing my old gym could ever give me.


Last weekend, my box hosted an in-house competition. This was the test to see how far I had come this year and to prove to myself that all my hard work would pay off. Of the two halves of CF (strength and metcon) I've always been more confident in the latter. I still love learning weight-lifting and I get better with each class, but it's something that's going to take a while to get confident with. Going into the competition I felt good and ready to take on whatever my coach threw at us. We did sprints, sandbag carries, sit-ups, and heavy clean lifts. I managed to place third out of the ten girls competing (and that was after my judge stuffed up my chances of doing well in the final.)

Despite a few hiccups, I couldn't have been more proud of myself and how I performed on the day. This was a whole new environment for me with doing workouts in front of an audience. But I stayed focused and it really payed off! It's the best feeling knowing that you did your best and I chase that in every class I go to.

Crossfit is a lifestyle. It keeps you inspired, fit, strong, and you can take the confidence you gain into every other aspect of your life. I know people tend to pre-judge CrossFit, but it has become a passion that I have no intention of giving up. We all need hobbies that make us happy and keep us fit, right?

I hope you're enjoying this part of my fitness journey! I would love to talk more about it and share my goals for the future.

Tell me what you've been loving lately!
Steph x.

Dealing With A Fitness Injury

When you're focused on getting fitter, stronger, faster, or just leaner, injuries do happen. Chances are that you'll experience one at some point on your fitness journey. There's always the pulled muscle, or maybe a nice sprain that will put you out of action for a little bit. Being a runner, I'm used to simply jogging through the pain and it all goes away before you know it. But recently I've been dealing with a more serious injury and it's been one of the toughest lessons I have learned so far. It's been a learning curb, but one I think I've had to go through. 

Don't get me wrong, I fricking love the way I train. CrossFit has changed how I look and feel about fitness and I wouldn't give it up for the best gym in the world. But I took the wrong form one day and with the combination of an explosive movement (damn you wall balls!) I tore some cartilage in my right knee. Let me tell you, it's not a fun or easy injury to have. Being someone who considers fitness to be a key part of who they are, I was heartbroken to have taken such a step back. It's not all bad though and the whole point of this post is to share how I'm trying to get through it without losing that part of who I am. 

Obviously I'm no doctor and this post won't have anything to do with medical advice. This is just me sharing my experience of an injury and how I'm learning to deal with it. If you ever do feel that something is wrong, don't hesitate to go see a proffessional about it. 

Don't give up

The thing about fitness injuries is that they can be incredibly frustrating. You want to train hard and run for miles, but you physically can't anymore. At least not without further damage occurring. Everyone around me can see that I'm not happy about being so restricted. It's not about the pain, although getting my leg caught on something can be a nice little wake-up call. It's about being stuck on bench press while everyone else squats, or rowing another 2km for the third time in a week. 

But you know what?

I didn't give up. 

I could have easily told my coach I was going to take it easy and rest. But that's not me at all. I just strapped my knee up and came into class at the same time I do each morning. Luckily I have a brilliant coach who simply modifies the workouts to take the ease off of my knees. And hey, it means my upper body can finally get some focus too! I'm still not able to get back into running (which kills me inside) but I know that if I keep strengthening me knee on the with different exercises, I'll get back to it soon. 

Talk to your coach/trainer
Who better to talk to than someone who lives and breathes fitness? They've probably come across a number of injuries, or even experienced some themselves. My coach has been a great help in keeping the intensity of my workouts. He even helped me identify a few problems (quads too tight, which is pulling my knee the wrong way) and solutions to help me heal better (foam roll them to shreds and invest in a compression band.)
If you're not sure about what a physio or doctor has said to you, this can be a helpful way to get a second opinion. They want what's best for you and to get the most out of your workouts, so they will always be happy to help. They can even point you in the right direction for recommendations specifically for your sport or injury.


Treat your body right
You'd be surprised by how much nutrition can speed up the healing process, especially to help fight inflammation. It's like when you come down with a cold and having orange juice (or anything high in vitamin C) makes you feel better. Now, I'm no expert about this stuff, but I know if I'm eating plenty of fruit and veg, avoiding anything processed, and taking turmeric tablets for inflammation I'm helping my body do it' thing. It's something to look into, even when you just have sore muscles from recent workouts. Your body is in pain, you gotta take care of it.



Have you had a sports injury experience? Let me know how you got through it.
Steph x.

My Fitness Wish-List!

One of the things I love most about the world of health and fitness is that it's constantly coming out with new and exciting products to try. I get so excited when a brand I've been loving comes out with new designs, or I find an entire new brand to obsess over. With my CrossFit training, I've been writing down a list of all the gear that will help me in class (because you really don't want to share sweaty wrist straps, trust me.) I've been collecting things slowly and it's a been a lot of fun trying new gear that all the big kids have.

I've had a little page in my notebook for me to write down all of the amazing fitness products that I'm hoping to treat myself to one day. Since I know quite a few of you are on a fitness journey too, I thought I would share some of the things on my wish-list and see what you think of them!

Reebok All-Terrain Spartan Race Shoes

I got wondering the other day about whether Reebok make shoes specifically for the Spartan events. And they do! There's quite a few awesome designs to choose from and they all have features that will help in the race, including drain ports to help get rid of water after wading in a river. The American design would be awesome to commemorate the race in Hawaii!

RepCord Bracelet

 My awesome CrossFit coach managed to get a bunch of these shipped in from the US for us to use during the daily workouts. You essentially wear it and move a bead along as you get through each round or every 10 reps etc. I know I'm not the only one who gets half-way through the routine and forgets how many rounds they're on, and no one wants to do that extra set of burpees. This band is a lifesaver!

Protein World "Salted Caramel" 

I came across this brand on Instagram a while ago and when I discovered that they stocked my favorite flavor of all time, it was a fit-girl's dream come true! I would add this stuff to everything: pancakes, waffles, iced coffee, cupcakes, donuts. It's a little pricey for 30 serves, but maybe for a once-off treat it could be fun to try. 

Strong, by Zanna Van Dijk 

I've been following the lovely Zanna on both YouTube and Instagram for a while now, so I was very happy when I heard she was writing a book. Her blog has always been full of amazing advice and her success drives me to stick to fitness/healthy lifestyle blogging. I know this book is going to be full of delicious recipes (like her version of protein waffles!) and advice on setting goals. I know I'll be ordering this one very soon.

BuffBunny Collection, Selene Racerback 

There are so many gorgeous designs to choose from, but this one might be my favorite. It's light-weight and breathable, so it would make for a perfect CrossFit tank. I absolutely adore Heidi, she's such a bad-ass and has worked so hard to get to where she is today. Her YouTube channel has saved me on many gym days and helped inspire me on my fitness journey. I'll wear this tank proudly!

Nike Metcon 3

When I first got into CrossFit, I never realized what a market there was for specialized products. Since it's basically a sport and combines so many training movements, Reebok, New Balance, and Nike all bring out shoes designed especially for it. These babies are the latest release and aren't they beautiful! There's been a lot of hype at my gym for them and they're finally hitting New Zealand shelves. 

Lorna Jane Inspiring Day Socks Kit 

How cute are these?! I can just imagine myself getting out of bed, grabbing a pair of these and smiling to myself when I read the cute saying. When it's 6am, you need all the motivation you can get!

Snickers Protein Bars

These are just the dream. Snickers are one of my favorite candy bars, but they're obviously high in sugar. Thank the gods for the genius who came up with these! They're only 200 calories per bar, have 18grams of protein, and tastes just like the real thing. The sugars are still a little high, but no more than every other protein bar on the market. Now I just have to figure out a way to get these in from the States. 

What do you think? I'd love to know what would be on your wish-list for fit gear. Let me know in the comments!

Steph x.


Don't forget to follow my fitness Instagram account :)

Finding Fitspiration To Keep You Motivated

Surrounding yourself with positive influences can make all the difference when you're trying to stay on the right path. This time of year when we still have our New Year goals in mind, staying inspired everyday can help us achieve even more than we thought possible. 

As someone who is obsessed with the health and fitness world, I'm always looking for inspiration to work harder, eat better, and try new things. It keeps me going on days I don't feel like training, or my craving for donuts gets too much. Fitspiration can be found on pretty much every social platform, so here's how I make the most of it everyday:

Instagram 

I love spending part of my evening scrolling through posts from some of my favorite fit-girls, seeing what they ate and what workouts they've been loving. Seeing them keep up their hard work makes me feel motivated for the next day. I love getting updates on their progress and see them slowly get stronger. I wrote a post in November about my favorite Instagrammers to follow, so make sure you check out these lovely ladies!

Health & Fitness Bloggers 

Read through the #fitnessbloggers and #fitbunnieschat tags on Twitter and follow some of the amazing girls who post there. They will be more than happy to support you and offer advice. The #FitBunniesChat runs every Sunday at 6pm (UK time) and they're always a lot of fun. Great for getting and discussing ideas on a healthy lifestyle.

Pinterest

 I find it really helpful to keep a board just for fitness inspiration that I can add to each day. I look for anything from motivational quotes to funny gym memes that make me giggle. You can also use it for workout ideas to help change your gym routine, or stretches to do at home. Use it for whatever inspires you and keep it updated regularly. You can see what I'm posting on my board here!

Find a fitness buddy 

I know this is easier said than done, but it can do wonders for your motivation. Try looking for someone who feels the same way you do about exercise and encourage each other on your journeys. Set a routine together, or even start up a challenge that can motivate both of you to work hard. You can even be like me and The Blossom Twins and send updates to each other no matter where you live! Having a fellow fitness blogger that is as passionate as I am has really helped keep me motivated on those hard training days. And I love seeing them succeed!


YouTube 

If you are like me and have a mild addiction to YT, this one might suit you well. One of the best things about most fitness YouTubers is that they are usually relatable and funny people.You don't feel intimidated by them or their videos, because they intend for them to be beginner-friendly. And the best part is being able to do an awesome workout in the comfort of your own home! I've gotten a lot of great advice about meal prep and supplements from various sources too. Here are some of my favorites:

Heidi Somers
The Lean Machines
Scola Dando
The Blossom Twins
Lucy Wyndham-Read


Try a new class

If you're feeling bored in your fitness routine, perhaps you'll find some inspiration in a new environment and new people. It doesn't mean you have to jump on a spin bike for an hour. You can try dancing, boxing, gymnastics, or yoga on the beach. When I joined CrossFit, I felt excited by trying something different from my usual training and I met some bad-ass people. It keeps me motivated and I keep finding reasons to work harder. Fitspiration at it's best. 

Let me know in the comments where you get your fitness inspiration from and what works to keep you motivated.
Any suggestions of people to follow would be awesome!

Steph x.

CrossFit: My New Fitness Obession

As a few of you will know, next year I will be completing my first ever Spartan Race! If you're not familiar, it's an intense obstacle race run by Reebok that is held all around the world. I will be running 16kms and facing almost 30 obstacles that will include jumping over walls, hauling sand bags, and climbing up ropes. Sounds fun, right? That's not sarcasm, I'm legitimately excited!

Over these past few months, I have been thinking a lot about my training and what will be the best way to go. They say the most efficient way to train for this race is to take up CrossFit, which combines the best of strength and endurance. After debating it in my mind for a while and not knowing which gym to pick, fate gave me a slap in the face. I was driving home from the gym (literally 200m away) when I spotted a sign for a new CrossFit gym that had opened up. Literally right down the road! I went home, did a little research, rung up and booked my free trial class. As soon as I walked in and saw the rope and wall to climb, I knew I'd found the perfect place. I was hooked after only an hour and I've been going five days a week ever since. It felt meant to be, and looking back now, I know that it definitely was.

I didn't fully understand CrossFit when I started, and I think it's a little hard to grasp until you've tried it for yourself. It's essentially a high-intensity workout that combines weight-lifting, rowing, gymnastics, running, calisthenics and more! I found this video on crossfit.com that perfectly sums up why it's such a great lifestyle:

I wanted to share with you guys why I've come to love this method of training. It's definitely not for everyone, but I still believe everyone should be aware of this part of the fitness world.

Pushing through that barrier

One morning in class, we were doing a workout of two exercises, three rounds, as fast as we could. I was feeling my body starting to want to give up after round one, but then My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em' Up) by Fall Out Boy came on and my mind just took over and pushed me harder than ever. I felt so awesome for completing it in the time that I did. In CrossFit, it's not just your body that grows stronger, but your mind as well. It challenges you to push harder and to achieve more than you thought possible. It's an incredibly rewarding way to train because you prove your doubts wrong every single day.

#SquadGoals

The first thing I noticed about my new gym was how friendly and encouraging everyone is. I've had more high-fives in the past week than all of last year! I think when everyone puts themselves through the same hellish workout, we all know what it takes to get through it. Being a team makes the whole experience easier and more rewarding. I used to get sick of seeing people working out at the gym with no effort behind it, but now I'm surrounding by hard-working, bad-ass people and it keeps me going. Nobody wants to let each other down, and even if you're the last one finished you have everyone cheering you on until the very last rep. There's no competing and no egos to worry about, just a team that has your back. I've finally found my squad!

Learning Olympic Lifts 

I've heard a few lifting phrases being thrown around here and there, but now I can both learn what they are and get to try them for myself. Even seeing the more advanced classes doing these killer lifts made me say to myself "I need to learn how to do that!" It's going to take time to learn the definition of each move and get the form right. What I've done so far has been really fun and I live for the sessions that see me putting more weight on my barbell.


Become a more bad-ass version of yourself

CrossFit isn't your average gym workout. Every time I come in and see the workout of the day, there's a part of me that thinks "Oh god, how am I going to get through this one?" But I'm learning to ignore those doubts and just get on with it. CrossFit gives you a new attitude towards fitness that you can take into your everyday life. It teaches you that you can complain all you want about being sore or that the workout is tough, but giving up is NOT an option. And your awesome squad isn't going to let you give up either.


It covers all the areas on training I need

When I show up to class at 6.25am, I have no clue about what we're going to be doing that morning. It could be any combination of pull-ups, rowing, 200m run, hang cleans, squats, kettle bell swings, hand stands etc (for the love of god, please no burpees!) One day we kill our legs, then the next we do crazy shoulder work. Not only do I love not having to plan every workout on my own (because I get hella bored, hella quickly) but each day is completely different. I get to improve my strength while also working on endurance and gymnastic techniques within the same hour.

If you're looking for a new way to train, new challenges, or just to mix up your gym workouts, then I highly recommend you give CrossFit a go. You don't have to be super-fit to join, I've seen people of all ages and abilities push themselves through tough days. It can be a very good thing to leave your comfort zone and see where it takes you.
In all my gym-junkie days, I've never felt so satisfied or so proud of how I'm doing. Don't get me wrong, I still love the gym and would never say no to a workout. But I was ready for the next step and CrossFit came into my life at the right time. It's tough, but nothing beats the feeling of proving to yourself that you're capable of more.


What do you think of the CrossFit craze?
Steph x.

November Fitness Update: A New Chapter

What a month it's been! A lot of changes have been made to my routine and how I'm training this November. It hasn't just been about challenging myself, or even the Spartan Race. I've had to make changes this month purely on my own happiness and finding the best environment to thrive in. It's taught me that your fitness journey needs to change and grow as you do. The moment you become bored or unhappy, things need to change. Do what's right for you and find the path that makes you the happiest on your journey to getting fit.

Leaving my gym 

This was a pretty hard decision to make, but I know that it was for the best. I had been going there for a year and a half, and it was the perfect gym for my start in fitness. But over the past few months I had grown unhappy with the lack of guidance, boredom with being in a small area, and over old men staring at me while I work out. It wasn't my happy place anymore and I knew something had to change. I took some time off to see if distance helped, but I still didn't want to go back. Sometimes you simply outgrow your gym, but I'm thankful for everything they taught me and getting me in such great shape.

Joining Crossfit

Carrying on from my last point, I booked in for a free trial class at Crossfit gym early in the month and never looked back. I was still at my gym by this point, and trying these classes was a big factor in my decision to leave. I'll be going into more details in another post, but this has been the challenge and inspiring environment that I have craved for so long. I have been pushing myself through some pretty tough workouts and learning all new skills. The best part is the friendly and truly bad-ass people I have met. Crossfit has such a great community and they keep you going when you want to give up. Can't recommend it enough for anyone looking to take their training to the next level. I had been wanting to try it for a while and I'm so glad I did!


Spartan Race Training 

Entries for the 2017 race on Oahu are officially open now (I'm officially registered, woohoo!) and it's getting real! I've decided to do the SUPER course, which is the middle of race difficulty (16km, 24-29 obstacles.) This month I have increased my running to five times a week doing 8-10kms, and on the weekends we have started running uphill courses. Crossfit is the most recommended way to train for the race because of the endurance and strength combo, so that's all go now and I'm really happy with it. I'm learning to push through that mental barrier that holds you back, which I'm going to need to do a lot on the course.


Setting Up A Home Gym 

After leaving mine, I had toyed with the idea of finding a new gym in my city. To be honest, most of them seem pretty generic and boring. It would also be nice to save money on a gym membership with Christmas and birthdays coming up. Recently my brother has been getting back into his fitness and set up a mini gym in the garage. We have a treadmill, bench press, a few weights, and some bands that I occasionally use. At times I would usually go to the gym, I've been going outside and practicing my jump rope, then heading in to work on my lifts with the barbell. It doesn't sound like much but it covers everything I need at the moment and I love working out on my own.


Running 10km In An Hour!

After we surprised ourselves with a great time for 11km last month, my Mum and me set a goal to complete 10km in an hour. We entered the Summer Starter Fun Run and trained just that bit harder every day. On the day of the run, we faced a little challenge with the wind, my sore foot, and pain in my Mum's hip, but we did it! Our time was 01.13min and we are pretty proud of ourselves. We have a couple of 15km runs next year, so I'm sure we will be setting goals for them too.



Overall, November was quite a big month for my fitness and I'm really confident going into December. Crossfit is helping me progress at such a great rate and I can't wait to see where it takes me. Here's to finishing off 2016 fitter and stronger than ever!

How do you change up your fitness routine?
Steph x.

Recipe: Peanut Butter Protein Bars

I am constantly on the hunt for new snack ideas and other ways of beating hunger with good nutrition. Peanut butter has become a must-have in my cupboard, and something of an addiction too (anyone else?) 

It's a great staple to have if you need a little extra protein in your diet and it's full of good fats as well. I started searching for any kind of PB recipes on Pinterest, and after reading a few different blogs I put together my ideal combination for a healthy and delicious snack bar! There's very few ingredients needed and you could whip up a batch of these in ten minutes. Easy to make, and oh so delicious.

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients: 

1 cup of Peanut Butter (a runny consistency)

1 cup Oats

1 scoop (35g) Vanilla Protein Powder
1/3 cup Maple Syrup 

Pinch of Salt

Shredded Coconut (optional)

Some recipes use honey as a sweetener, so go with your personal preference. If you do choose maple syrup, make sure that it's the real deal and not the "maple flavored" imposter.

Place all of the ingredients into a food processor. If you don't have one, you can easily mix everything together in a large bowl with a spoon. 

Blend until you have the consistency of cookie dough and the mixture holds together. 

Spread the mixture into a baking tray and flatten with a spoon or spatula. As an added option, you can sprinkle some coconut on top for texture. 

 Place in your freezer for thirty minutes to firm up. Cut into snack-sized pieces with a sharp knife and keep them in an air tight container in your fridge. Now they're ready for you to grab whenever you need them!

It's as simple as that. Super-quick and easy to put together. You could easily take a few of these to work with you as a snack, or use it as a post-workout treat after the gym. All of the ingredients are good for you and will help fuel your day. Just try not to eat them all in one go!

What's your favorite way to eat peanut butter?

Steph x. 

Wonder Woman Doesn't Worry About Body Perfection, So Why Should I?

Flashback to a few weeks ago:

I was have a great morning listening to new Little Mix songs, reading inspiring blog posts from my long-distance gym buddy Lucy, and generally feeling the self-love. These mornings are bliss. 

I took a brave risk and decided to wear my Nike Pro shorts to the gym, despite feeling insecure about my chubby thighs. A few bicep curls later and I was back to feeling awesome. 

I had a thought come to me when I was about to hop in the shower after I'd finished working out and it was along the lines of: 

"I don't need my body to be perfect. I'm so proud of what it can do and how strong it is. That's all I need to focus on, the rest will come later."  

And it's true! I've been working hard at the gym for over a year now and even though I'm still a fair distance away from my dream bod, how my body's abilities have changed, still amazes me. It's so easy to get caught up in our flaws that we don't stop to appreciate how kick-ass our bodies are. No, I don't have a flat stomach or perfectly toned arms. But can I do a few pull-ups and lift insane weights with just my hips and legs? Hell yeah I can! And it feels amazing. 

Does Wonder Woman punish herself for not having skinny legs? Not at all, she needs them to be strong so she can kick some butt and save the world. If that's good enough for her, that's good enough for me too.





A few weeks have passed since I began this new way of thinking and it's made me a lot happier. Sometimes we rob ourselves of the chance to be proud of ourselves because of the perfect image in our heads. I've found that the best way to be, is to love ourselves they way be are right now. We should be enjoying every step of the journey to a fitter, healthier version of ourselves. My chubby thighs have carried me through miles and miles of running these past few years, and they make squatting heavier weights a lot easier. They make me feel strong, so how could I possibly hate them?

From now on, I will look at my training as a way of making my body stronger, faster, and my mind along with it. If I treat my body right, it will reward me in time. I will get that killer booty and biceps to intimidate boys, but only through years of hard work. And I know it will be worth the wait.

Putting unrealistic pressure on ourselves to be perfect in a short few months won't work. I don't want my training to be about body image any more, that never brought me any joy. Now I'll train for those moments I can lift heavier, go for longer, and keep up with the best. That's my favorite reward for being persistent and never giving up.

Focus on loving your body for it's strength, it's endurance, and it's ability to improve in ways that make you feel unstoppable. Loving your body doesn't just have to be about it's appearance in the mirror. Love it for what it can do and the rest will come. I may only be in my third year of my fitness journey, but so far I've ran two half-marathons, actually managed to do pull-ups, and with my boxing I could produce a knock-out in the ring. And this is just the beginning. Hardly relevant, but you never know when the Avengers need a new member on the team (call me, Cap!) 

I would love to know your thoughts on body perfection and what it means to your fitness. I'd also love to know what exercises make you feel your strongest (for me, it's dead lifts all the way!)

Steph x.


Don't forget to keep up with me on Bloglovin'!

 

Daily Blog: Earthquake & Squat PR!

Good morning, everyone.

I let myself have a mini sleep-in this morning because last night at about 12.02am, central New Zealand was hit with a magnitude 7.5 earthquake. I just woke up to my bed shaking and the whole house seemed to roll like it was on water for over a minute, which felt like forever. I could hear the rumbling below me, but thank goodness is never amounted to something bigger like it usually does. Quakes are nothing new to us here, especially after some scary experiences in the past few years. But whenever they happen at night they can be terrifying. It was felt throughout the country because it was so strong.

I've been on Twitter this morning and watching some news sites to try and get an idea of what kind of damaged occurred. There's a few cut off towns and broken roads filled with cracks, and massive rock slips on hill sides. People on the other side of my city were evacuated to higher ground because of a tsunami warning (sirens went off and everything.) The CBD in our capital has been shut down and a couple of ferries are stuck in the water until they fix the docks. I got an alert on my phone to check-in as safe on Facebook, so that my friends would know I'm okay. Never knew that was a thing, but I found it reassuring!

This little guy's breathing is quite shallow, I think the earthquake freaked him out a bit. I'm going to keep an eye on him and make sure he's okay.

To get my mind away from last night and to stop my anxiety from running away with me, I'm going outside for a bit to practice my double unders for crossfit. It's where the rope goes underneath you twice, but you only jump once. They come up in class a bit, so I need to be able to do them soon.

It's harder than you think! I had to come back inside and watch a couple of tutorials on YouTube to figure out the technique. But I'm determined to get these, so I will keep practicing until I get them right. 

Time for some food! I made this brown rice/quinoa and quorn stir-fry yesterday and I'm so excited to eat it. I'm also adding a boiled egg on top for extra protein. I've got Crossfit in an hour, so I need my strength.

Time for my workout! There's only two of us here today (everyone cancelled because of the quakes.) and both of us are named Stephanie. But it should still be fun.

Done and dusted! That was awesome, we did an AMRAP that lasted 11 minutes. It was box jumps and pull ups (I had to do jumping ones because I've pulled something in my abdominal area and it hurts so bad!) We had to do 12 reps of each, then 9, then 6, and repeat as many times as we could in the 11 minutes. I managed 3 sets, which was the goal and I was so proud! I couldn't breathe at the end, but that's exactly how I like to feel in Crossfit.

Then we went on to the strength section of the workout, which was back squats today (my fav!)
I did 5 sets of 5 reps and ended up doing a personal best! I squatted with 75kgs and was so proud of myself. My trainer has been helping me a lot with my form and it was probably good to be only one of two people there so that he could coach me well.

Check out the new motivation board they have! There's some rules in there too. I absolutely love the atmosphere of this gym and they have the right attitude to back it up.

Home again and I'm just hydrating myself and having a protein bar before I get into the shower.

I felt like just wearing my sports gear today, so I put on my Under Armor tights with just a plain tshirt and hoodie. It's been a weird day, so I need a little comfort!

Coffee time! I also felt like some fruit and decided to cut up an apple. And since I can't resist the opportunity for it, I added a nice spoonful of peanut butter on the side for dipping. One of the best snacks ever!

Been doing lots of work and built up an appetite again. This is slightly cheeky, but it's so good! I just toasted an English muffin and cooked two vegetarian sausages. All slathered in tomato sauce, yum! This is great protein, so I won't be hungry for a while.

Having yet another strange dinner tonight. Lots of roasted vegetables, polenta chips, baby spinach, a black bean vegetarian pattie, and a little pesto. It was actually a great combination and full of goodness!

I felt like a little dessert, so I'm having a paleo banana muffin with natural yogurt and strawberries. I made the muffins yesterday using a Lola Berry book. It's all made with almond meal, coconut flour, quinoa flour, mashed bananas, eggs, raisins, and a little coconut sugar. This recipe works so well every time. They're delicious!


That was a very long and weird day! I really hope that everyone further up north are doing okay with all of the aftershocks and damage. And that everyone gets a bit more sleep tonight.

What's your go-to afternoon snack? I'd love some ideas. 

Steph x.