Chocolate protein coconut bites.

I'm working the long shifts this weekend so I have baked myself some little each to make treats to help me cope.

Here's how I made them.

Chocolate protein coconut bites recipe.

Ingredients.

250g of descant coconut

4 eggs

Two scoops of chocolate protein powder

A few handfuls of dried fruit (I went with raisins and cinnamon cranberry's)

Dark chocolate

(You may add sugar or sweetner if you desire)

Recipe.

Combine the eggs, coconut, protein powder, dried fruit and sugar (if you're using it) in a bowl.

Shape into small balls, around 1-2 inches in size and place on baking paper.

Bake in the oven at gas mark 4/180C for around 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let cool.

Melt the dark chocolate and coat the coconut balls however you feel. Drizzle, dunk or spoon it on.

Enjoy.

Set backs.

I have had a few bad days now.
It started with a rough long shift at work that got me comfort eating and then a few days of not finding time to workout and eating whatever I felt like.
I almost forgot how far I had come and how much I didn't want to stop.
Today I am back on track.

I killed my workout today and feel so much better for doing it too.

What a good time to be reminded that, just like an arrow, when we are being pulled backwards it only means we are about to be launched forward. So stay focused keep your eyes on the target.

Todays workout.

Cardio

Exercise bike – 3 miles – 12.06 minutes – Res. 8

Treadmill cross country -0.66 miles – 10 minutes – 4mph

AMT – 0.9 miles -10 minutes – Res. 8

Resistance/Strength

Hamstring curl on exercise ball – 20 reps x 2

Sit ups on exercise ball – 20 reps x 2

Hip roll with exercise ball – 20 reps x 2

Russian twist with medicine ball – 20 reps x 2

Squats with 12.5 kg bar – 15 reps x 3

Lunges with 8 kg weight – 15 reps x 3

Standing tricep extensions – 15 reps x 3

Bicep curls on cable – 40lb – 16 reps x 2

Tricep push down – 60lbs – 16 reps x 2

Lat pull down – 60lb – 15 reps x 2

Assisted pull ups – 60 kg – 10 reps x 2

Power plate squats – 30 sec moving 30 sec continual hold

Power plate lunges – 30 sec each leg.

Todays fitness journal - 29-09-2013

My food intake today was as follows:

Breakfast – Fruit salad (melon, mango, apple, pineapple, pear, plum and strawberry)

Lunch – Chicken breast with lettuce, pepper and avocado

Dinner – 2 scrambled egg, 2 small slices of cheese, lettuce and tomato with 2 slices of wholemeal bread.

Snack – small bowl of fruit salad

My workout for today:

Cardio.

Exercise bike – Resistance 8 – Distance 3 miles – Time 11. 55 minutes

Treadmill - Cross country – Speed 4 mph – Time 15 minutes

Resistance/Strength

Sit ups on exercise ball – 20 x 2 reps

Hip roll with exercise ball – 20 x 2 reps

Hamstring curls on exercise ball – 20 x 2 reps

Russian twists with medicine ball – 20 x 2 reps

Squats with 15 kg weight – 15 x 3 reps

Lunges with 8kg – 10 x 2 reps

Triceps push down on cable – 60lb – 16 x 2 reps

Triceps pull down on cable – 40lb – 16 x 2 reps

Lat pull down – 55lb – 16 x 2 reps

Power plate squats – 30 sec

Power plate lunges – 15 seconds each leg

Todays fitness journey.

I will try, as best as possible, to record what I eat and what exercise I have done for the day.

Todays food intake has been as follows:

Breakfast.

1 cup mixed oats, 2 tsp honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Lunch.

1 skinless chicken breast, ½ cup rice, 2 cups mixed vegetables

Dinner.

Salad with avocado.

Snacks.

2 slices wholemeal toast with peanut butter.

I’d say my food intake for today was pretty good, until I let my cravings get the better of me and I had some toast.

Todays workout routine was as follows:

Cardio.

Exercise bike – Resistance 7 – Distance 3 miles – Time 12.06 minutes.

Treadmill – Cross country – Speed 4mph – Time 10 minutes                                     .

Resistance/Strength.

Sit ups on exercise ball – 20 x 2 reps

Hamstring curls on exercise ball – 20 x 2 reps

Hip roll with exercise ball – 20 x 2 reps

Russian twist with medicine ball – 20 x 2 reps

Squats with 15kg weights – 20 x 2 reps

Lunges with 8kg – 15 x 2 reps on each leg

Leg press – 55kg 15 x 3 reps

My workout was cut short today as I didn't realize the time and I needed to get to work. 

Getting started.

I have decided to write a health and fitness blog to keep a track of my fitness journey. No doubt I will be the only person reading, but I figure it will be good to have in writing the journey I am on and plan to continue on.

For several years I have tried to lose weight and all my motivation has always been short lived. This time I am determined to be different. 

After some big things happened in my life a little while ago I put on weight (I have never been slim) but I saw a photo from a night out I had at the start of the year and was disgusted at myself. From that moment on I have been set on getting my body to its physical peak.

No crash diet can help, if it took 5 years to put on it’s not going to come off over night, so it is all about clean eating and exercise.

I am a 21 year old female at 5’3” and at mid-August 2013 I weighed 14 stone. This gave me a BMI of 34.7 meaning I am clinically obese and putting my life at risk. I should not need anything more than that to turn my life around.

A month and a half later (and with a few slip ups) I have managed to lose a stone. Now weighing 13 stone and giving myself a BMI of 32.2, still clinically obese but I am on the right track.