Christmas shopping

new cool pants :)

This year's first Christmas shopping I started with buying something... for me ;)

 I saw that Wr.Up Freddie's pants were very popular in Norway.I am one leg there and one leg here, in UK. Yes, still. After months after moving out from land of fiords ;)

Freddy's flagship shop in Covent Garden, London

Luckily, we do have flagship Freddie's shop in London, so I could check it myself what is this Wr.Up about. 

I have to admit that I found booty-flattering and the most comfortable pants! Perfect for each fitness girl :)

If you need some gift inspiration for your partner, think about that awesome piece of clothes :)

booty shaping effect

Keep focus in December

Time flies and we already have December! 

When shops are getting busier, gyms seems to be more and more quiet with each day.

People tent to concentrate on Christmas preparations, buying gifts and splurging with food and warm winter drinks. It is natural, I think, but I still believe that keeping yourself on track during December will results in better energy and attitude when exact Christmas time will come. 

I plan ahead my cheat meals

Don't postpone your fitness training til January:

* you will have more energy on your trainings from some additional calories from Christmas treats

* you will feel better with yourself of eyou know that you won't binge every day in December 

* you won't have so much work to do in January because you won't gain so many kg's in December 

My strategy for December is to plan my cheat days in advance, keep on my training going and do some circuit training instead of cardio between resistance training days. 

Weekend

I rarely drink alcohol these days, but if I drink, I go for champagne ;)

This weekend I spent like never before! First of all, with new job I rarely have Saturday and Sundays off. Second of all, I travel to city centre not so often, even thought it is not so far away from place where I live.

with my lovely Mom

My mother's visit was the best excuse to change that! We celebrate her birthday (happy birthday Mom! :*), went on a musical, drank champagne during our shopping and eat lots of good food. 

Thriller musical at Lyric Theatre

wonderfully decorated Carnaby Street

After such intensive two days I am so happy and pleased. That was a really great break from (sometimes harsh) reality..

another glass of amazing champagne

our brunch at Grind Coffee Shop (Westfield Stratford) and healthy pouched egg sandwich

Hello squash!

If it comes to food choices, go for seasonal vegetables and fruits. Late autumn is perfect time for wonderful squashes and tasty brussels sprouts.

my little squash collection ;)

For recent weeks I try different types of winter squashes. Rich in beta caroten, vitamins and minerals, squashes are perfect way to add some variation for your diet. 

My personal favourite is kabocha squash which I chop and boil. The great thing about kabocha is that you can eat it with the skin, so it means less work for you. 35kcal per 100g and  8.2g carbs makes kabocha a perfect source of carbohydrates :)
Another favourite is butternut squash, but its preparation takes a little more time.
I can wait to check out spaghetti squash!

an inside of spaghetti squash

Thursday's squats

t-shirt with superpowers included ;)

Hello!

How is your Thursday? Oslo is a real ice scatting playground these days. Little balance work which I had today wasn't really planned ;)

After work I took good and heavy leg&arms workout.


 
Today's training contained of:

* squat with barbell 10x32kg, 12x27kg, 12x27kg
* lunges 12x15kg, 12x15kg, 12x15kg
* leg curl 12x20,5 12x25, 12x25kg
* leg press 10x110kg, 10x110kg, 10x110kg
* leg press calf muscles 20x110kg, 20x110kg, max repx110kg
* biceps curls 4x12kg, 15x6kg, 15x6kg
* triceps press down 12x10kg, 12x12kg, 12x12kg
* dips 12x15kg, 12x15kg, 12x15kg






And this is how I probably will be walking tomorrow ;)

Winter desserts: sun-bringing tart with fresh berries

nothing better than strawberries, blueberries immersed in vanilla quark!

If you also miss sun and summer, you can try to bring it, at least to your kitchen.

For preparing this particular tart, I used package tart dough, but you can use one which you made yourself from biscuits. For filling I used three types of quark: light, regular and vanilla taste.

Kesam will be perfect here, but you can try to use any other homogenize cheese

Start with dough and pre-baking it in oven. Then I took care of filling: I used gelatin in plates, dissolved it in warm water and mix with three types of quark mentioned before. 

gelatin: you can use powdered gelatin, just follow instructions on a package about preparing it

I also used vanilla powder and Stevia English Toffee drops for better, sweeter taste.  

you can use any other sweetener or just simple sugar instead of Stevia drops

Let the filling coagulate first before putting it on a dough (if not, your dough might absorb the filling). I just simply took the filling out on the balcony for 5 minutes ;) (we have -15 degrees here in Norway, but you can also use freezer;).

decoration is the most enjoyable process ;)

Distribute filling on a dough and again freeze it a little. But remember about decoration with fruits first! When you are ready with you strawberries and berries, let tart stay in a cold place for about 2 hours. 

depends on your dough of choose, it can be really diet and healthy dessert :)

Icy cold Monday

a picture from december photosession with Monika Hoffman

Winter is no joke, here in Norway. Days are getting icy cold, today is about -20 degrees.. 
There is not much sun too (only from about 9-10 til 15) , so there is very hard to stay optimistic and not fall into depression ;) 
But, on the other hand, this weather is pretty good for doing some good training indoors. 

I made mine today - whole body training followed by stretching session.

* squats with 12x27kg, 12x27kg, 12x31kg
* push ups - 2x12, 1x15
* dips (Easy Power Station) - 12x15kg, 12x15kg, 12x15kg
* crunch up - 3x12
* hip thrust - 3x12 25kg (superset)
* shoulder press - 3x12 reps with 6 kg weight
* upper back machine exercise (machine) 3x12 reps 15kg
* total glutes machine 2x12 reps 16kg 1x12 reps 21 kg
* flies (machine) 3x12 12kg
* plank 60 s

Winter desserts: Guilt-free rolled heaven

spelt tortillas rolls with pomegranate flavour Skyr and chocolate souse

It is still winter, so it is not a failure to splurge yourself with some guilt-free desserts.

I prepare this actual one with only three ingredients and NO effort or time.

I used spelt lomper (soft norwegian tortillas), put a Skyr inside (it is a naturally low fat and rich in protein yoghurt but with little more thigh consistence) and decorate it with Walden's chocolate souse. 

Walden's souse has only 5 kcal is low in carbs and fat. I bought it in polish shops with supplements, you can order it on net too. To find a replacement for Skyr, if you don't live in Scandinacia, you can use homogenise cheese (like Danio for instance). If you will look for some tortillas, try whole-wheat ones. 

This particular dessert is low in fat, rich in protein (Skyr) and a course of complex carbs (spelt tortillas).

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Let the new year be better and healthier than previous one! :)

Christmas training (video)

How are you spending your Christmas/holidays? :) 

I hope you relax as I do and splurge as I do ;)

There is not so much time during Christmas due to all family meetings, meals and tv and couch activities ;) However, 10 minutes is not so much, isn't it?

I made morning training inspired by Silje Mariela's video:

It is a simple consequence of lunges and squats. 30 seconds of lunges, 30 seconds of squats repeated for 6 times. Only 6 minutes! (add 2 more minutes for some warm up)

Additionaly I did 60 classic push-ups and 40 russian twists with 5kg dumbell.

I made this training in approximately 12 minutes. Only 12 minutes! Very sweaty start of the day! Have a nice one :)

Best gifts ever!

Jupiii! I had to be very good girl this year because Santa brought me awesomeee gifts!

My beloved presented me the best thing ever - compression thights 2XU!!! 

I am unbelievable happy becouse of this gift!

Why this thights are so special? 

They provide optimal flexibility and movement during workouts, they are designed to supports hamstrings, quads, abductors, glutes, and calves. 

What is more, they regulates body temperature to keep you cool on warm days and warm on cool day.

Together with cool training clothes I 've got the best book about strenght training - strenght training anathomy, the same I advice here.  

So happy! :)

How to survive Christmas?

Ok, so it is official - there are Christmas. Family, lots of food and presents. Great films in the TV and million body-traps ;)
How to survive them and not to harm your efforts in getting best shape of your life?

* remember that it is all about enjoying the time with your family, not only eating!
* try everything you want, but cut portions (take a half)
* watch over alcohol consumption, it is easier to splurge too much when you drink too much; and alcohol contain many calories itself already
* splurge but do not let yourself go to deep - you will fell bad and will be pissed of on yourself at the end 

God jul!

* start the day with 50 squats, 20 push ups and 20 situps - make a first thing in the day something which will give you energy and motivstion fot whole day; you already start the day and didn't do this exercises? do them now! they will take only 3 minutes from you day, come on - you can find 3 little  minutes

* take a walk with your family, but try to get little higher tempo - do powerwalk with 130/140 bpm

* and remember! it is more important what you eat from New Year till Christmas than from Christmas till New Year!

have a relaxing time with your family, charge your batteries and smile a lot :)

Last minutes gifts

Hello! 
I come with some gift-tips and first effect of my Wednesday's collaboration with Piotr Michniewicz :)

 
If you still don't have gifts for Christmas Eve, I will share some great suggestions of heathy presents :)

raps oil for frying and linseed oil for serving cold

Made some healthy omega-3 full gift! Good quality olive oil or linseed oil is full of healthy fats and will make body stronger. 
These products already have great package itself and bu buying this you get fit, healthy and nutritious present :)

charming gift - home made pickled zuchini :)

Another proposition is of giving away something you made yourself - whether these are cookies, gingerbread or home made preserves. 
For example, yesterday I got pickled zuchinii from the author of blog Matylda - such a great present! Thank You Matylda! :)

Dear Santa..

I was very good girl this year and my wish are to get those :D :

2XU Thermal Compression Tights

Or with smaller financial outlays, you get get me this:

Delavier's Strenght Training Anathomy

Training logs and christmas shopping

side plank exercise

Christmas and our tour to Poland are coming closer and closer!

Beside working duties and all the Christmas-busyness, I tried to find some time for training.
Yesterday I did circuit training in the gym, today intervals on treadmill with some core and abs work in the end.

ready to hit the gym

Circuit training 3 (Tuesday)

* thighs bulgarian lunge 12x6kg 12x6kg 12x6kg
* back bent over row with dumbell 12x6kg 12x6kg 12x6kg
* back seated rowing 12x35kg 12x30kg 12x30kg
* lower back, glutes deadlift 10x40kg 10x40kg 10kgx40kg
* abs kneeling crunch 12x22,5kg 12x22,5kg 12x22,5kg
* chest bench press 10x10 kg 12x14,50kg 10x10kg
* legs, butt leg press 45 degrees 12x110kg 12x100kg 12x100kg
* shoulders lateral raise with dumbell 12x6kg 12x6kg 12x6kg
* calves calve muscles leg press 20x100kg 20x100kg 20x100kg
* core side plank 2x45s

classic plank exercise

Interval training (Wednesday)

*10 minutes warm up
* 8 sets of intervals (60s high, 60s low)
* 5 minutes cool down
* classic plank 2x60s
* side plank 2x.45s 

* russian twist 2x20 4kg
* situps with dumbell 40x4kg
* low back machine 2x20 20kg

I love buying and giving gifts!

Christmas shopping

And after workout I found some time to do little gift shopping in Sofienberg (part of Oslo) - Sunkost and tea-shop were my primary places :) I can't reveal what is in the bags - I don't want to ruin the surprise to the people I bought them though ;)