Turkey meatloaf

turkey meatloaf

Today I needed a quick and super simple lunch before my next interview. This recipe came out low carb, which only makes it even more great!

For 4 portions you will need:

*400g of minced low fat turkey meat (mine had 3%fat)

* 1 egg

* 1 spoon of psyllium husk

* spices (salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, onion)

* chopped paprika

* bread crumbles (optional)

mix all ingredients together and put them into baking pan on a baking paper

cover meat with thin layer of bread crumbles

Bake in the oven for 50 minutes in 220 degrees. After 40 minutes take the meat from the pan and bake it reversed for the last 10 minutes.

enjoy alone or with new potatoes

macros (2 slices): 120kcal, 2,7g fat, 1g carbs, 33g protein

Exploring London - Soho Gyms Bow Wharf

Main entrance to the club

Another days in London and another gym checked. This time I visited one in out neighbourhood - Soho Gyms Bow Wharf :)

I really enjoyed training not in the underground, the natural light and space around me. 
Gym has better weight equipment than previous gym I have trained in (Fitness First Carnaby Street) and if I have to choose the gym to train, personally I would probably pick Soho. But, on the other hand it is more expensive than Fitness First Carnaby Street.

free weights section

Again, I made whole body training since I am not a regular visitor this time. 

My Thursday's training consisted of:
* flies
* bulgarian lunges
* hanging leg raises
* bent over shoulder raises to side
* seated leg curls
* hyperextensions 

And after training....
 

...oven baked cod for lunch

and I used huge mirror for some selfie ;)

Food heaven - Whole Foods

Yesterday's forenoon I spent at Whole Foods Kensington, the biggest organic shop in London.

organic fruits and vegetables - so many different ones!

It has 3 floors full of funcy food, organic, natural, with no sugar.. and so on. A heaven for somebody like me :)

spiecies and lentils section

special chilled room with different types of cheeses

Whole Foods has also great salad section where you can compose your own dish and eat it upstaris. 

happy me and happy belly with yummy food

I had beef and vegetables for lunch, this beef was really tasty!

my shopping listed above

My basket:
* sprouted wheat bread
* rye and oat soft tortillas
* linnseed (flaxseed)
* pumpkin puree (great for baking, flour replacement)
* pear and apple puree
* no fat natural cottage cheese
* sprouts
* no fat Greek yoghurt
* wheat bran

Awesome training (many pics)!

triceps overhead extensions

To be honest, I never thought that I will have a boyfriend who shares my passion for gym. But my dreams came true and now he will be mu husband! 

Later on, I didn't suppose to have friends wind similar interest and passion, but... it came true too! 

bb stiff deadlifts

Four of us had an amazing training yesterday in West London. Another gym to checked! This time Energy gym at Acton.

ass to the grass - wide squats ;)

We made a circuit training and I trained with lovely Ania :) Guys trained on their own hand. Beside new experience, we had a chance to tray Vapor pre-workout from MuscleTech which is a real strong thing! Do not overdo with recommended scoop intake ;) unless you don't want to have heart problems ;)

my favorite exercise for shoulders: bb close grip upright row

 On yesterday'straining we made:

* kettlebell swing for warming up

* db bent over row 

* close grip bb upright rows

* squats

* deadlifts

* calf raises with bb

* db overhead pullover

* shoulder press

* triceps overhead db extensions

* pull-ups (assisted)

* dips (assisted)

db overhead pullover for chest

And after proper training Ania made us delicous (and spicy!!!;)) dinner. It was a dish from Stoppani's recipe: beef stir fry for brown.

It was really great evening, I hope to have more of those here, in London :) As Ania mentioned, we made 2 training programs together but only yesterday we had a chance to train side by side and it was amazing :)

Did somebody say Quest bars?

I've just got some small delivery from Predator Nutrition (British official re-seller of Quest Nutrition products) with lots of protein Quest bars. 

It was my first experience with Internet shopping in UK and I was a little shock that Predator Nutrition asked me to prove my identity and show my previous invoices I had on my debit card. I was also a little disappointed by the shipping, because all that formal stuff took some time and I didn't get my pack on the other day, but actually after a few one. But at least customer service was nice and politely ;)

What are these treats? 

For first, as I already mentioned, these are treats - even though they contains protein I perceive them more like a candy, something sweet rather than a food from daily diet. However, there are places where I don't have chance to eat my 'real food' or have a sweet tooth and taking a bar like that is convenient. 

Any why Quest bars? 

Because as far as I know these are the healthiest options within protein bars. They contain little carbs, lots of fibre, no strange additives (just to mention: no, I am not sponsored by Quest hehe, but I would really like to be though!) and 20g of protein. And what is more, they have wonderful taste and can be find in very different flavors.

good macros: 170 kcal, 6g fat, 24g carbs (17g fiber), 20g protein

I've got mine Quest bars in flavors:
* cinnamon roll
* chocolate cookie dough
* strawberry cheescake
* apple pie 
* banana muffin
* berry
* almond

I've already tried one - Cinnamon Roll and it tastes like cinnamon cakes I found in Norway, yay! :)

Exploring London - Fitness First Black Label

pic from fitnessfirst.co.uk

As you know, I am new to London. I use this summer time for checking out different fitness clubs and try to find the one proper for me. 

pic from fitnessfirst.co.uk

Last week I had a chance to visit the best Fitness First's club in London - the one on Baker Street (thank you for invitation, Eva!). 
It is a special one because it is the most expensive one and even though you buy a multiclub membership at Fitness First you don't have access to that particular one. You have to member of their club first in order to have a chance to experience all of Black Label's facilities. 
Sounds posh and expensive? Well yes, for sure, but on the other hand the club is amazingly new and fresh!

I like their gym and swimming pool. Club has also great space for circuit training with lots of kettlebells, sand bags as so on.  Aerobic room was for little in my opinion and air conditioning there could be better. However, we had a very nice and creative Zumba class and it reminded me how much I like to teach classes! :) Instructor was very energetic and even though Zumba is not on the top of most intensive sport activities, I sweat out almost 500 kcal! Not bad! ;)

If you are a swimmer who like to train in modern club, this one might be perfect for you. Location is also great, near Hyde Park so you can always have a lunch outside after your training, as we did :)

Exploring London - Fitness First Carnaby Street

I was a frequent gueast at Fitness First Carnaby Street recently, not only for training reasons  But, I did have a chance to train there as well on Sunday. I got a free day pass to check the club and its facilities. It was so nice to lift some heavy weights! I really look forward to have my own club where I could train daily, like I used to in Norway.

Free weights room, pic from fitnessfirst.co.uk

Location of Fitness First Carnaby Street street is just wonderful - little streets, full of shops and coffee bars in the hearth of London.

Carnaby Street

The club itself is way more smaller than the clubs I was training in Norway. 
It has one room with free weights and one big room/space for cardio machines (lots of treadmills, bikes and rowing machines) with some additional training machines. 

Beside that there are also dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells and other circuit training equipment available. 

pic from fitnessfirst.co.uk

You have everything which you need to make a proper training, but personally I prefer bigger clubs with more space for your own training and with all the popular machines doubled (like squat rack, benches and so on). 
The staff is very friendly and the have also good choice of protein/carb shakes to choose from. 

crayfish and avocado salad with skinny cappuccino

The beauty of location made it so comfortable to have a coffee in that great location after training - perfect! :)

Breakfast cookies

breakfast cookie for those who are in constant morning run

After one week in London I had a chance to check all assortment in local shops and check English preferences. Ready to eat and fast foods are definitely on the top of English favorites list ;) No surprise. 

But breakfast oat cookies are also very popular these days. That is why I decided to make my own!

I used traditional Scottish porridge oats

I used:
* 4 measure of traditional oats
* 1 measure of raisins
* 2 table spoons of Sukrin Gold (or black sugar)
* 1 table spoon of vanilla sugar
* handful of nuts (can be salted)
* half package of buttwer
* 2 eggs
* pinch of salt
* 1 table spoon of baking powder

Sukrin Gold - my treasure brought from Norway

Preparation:
Mix first all dry ingredients. Melt butter and add it together with 2 eggs. Adding water wasn't necessary due to dough was already good to form. 

Form dough in cookies shape and bake it in the oven for 30 minutes in 200 degrees.

Enjoy cookie for your breakfast :) This is not an low carb tread, but still way more healthier than the one you can find in shops. 

Exploring London - London Fields Fitness Club

I had a great training yesterday - first in a fitness club.

I went in Hackney area to London Fields Fitness Club. It might be a nice start of cooperation between me and them. I found our meeting with owners of the gym very interesting and promising :)

pic from lovelondonfitness.com

London Fields Fitness Club is a different type of gym I am used to it. More urban style, very popular these days. No heavy weights, just floor, kettlebells, simple equipment  They also use park next to them and use it for outdoor training. 

pic from lovelondonfitness.com

To start with, I went for one of their classes - Warriors training. 90 minutes training, very intensive, with boxing, jumping, strength training, agility and cardio. One of the hardest training/class for those who are dedicated as much as to train on Friday evening ;) Classes was held by Sapan, co-owner of the studio and personal trainer.

It was sweaty! Lots of repetition, jumping jacks, jumping squats, push ups and so on. 
The best thing was atmosphere - there were people with a different training experience and age, but workout was suitable for everyone who want to move, burn calories and work on their condition.
In 70 minutes I've burned 470 kcal :)

pic from lovelondonfitness.com

London's reality

LIt is my third full day in London. No gym yet, no new routine as well.

After seeing how bad English people are eating, I become even more obsessed with the foods I am consuming. 

new findings in local shop: philadelphia cheese 3% fat, greek yoghurt 0%, fat reduced houmous

Nice surprise was definitely variety of food in local shops and full of lighter options of regular products. Prices are also way more cheaper than in Norway!

My no-gym training last three days consisted of:
* jog/intervals on Monday
* at home weight training on Wednesday

Running/intervals:
10 minutes jog, mixed gigh and low intervals outside (approx. 45x45sec), 20 minutes jog plus some push ups. dips and lunges in a park

At home strneght training:

* lunges

* goblin squats

* hanging leg raises

* bent over row

* overhead triceps extensions 

* lateral side raises 

* plank