Keep calm and swim on!!

Another Monday, another week!

It's cooled down a little today, but still very warm!!  Made me look forward even more to my swim this afternoon.

Got a bit of a headache this evening though so don't think this is going to be a long blog ... but then I also said that yesterday!!!

~BREAKFAST~

Kick started the day with my Peanut butter, marmite and banana toast.  Forgot to prepare my protein shake last night so didn't have that this morning, I prefer it if I prepare it the night before and leave it in the fridge overnight, goes a lot thicker, like a proper shake.  Made one up before I left for work though so it was ready for after my gym.

I know I mentioned the protein shake I use, Maximuscle Lean Definition Promax Diet Chocolate the other day, this is what the tub looks like incase you wanted to know!  I get mine in Tesco.

~MID-MORNING SNACK~

Back with my Little Pot of Loveliness today, again with added chia seeds and fresh raspberries, don't think I will ever get fed up of this, it is really scrummy!

~LUNCH~

I prepared today's lunch last night, in another attempt to try and be organised in the morning, (still didn't work), however, I forgot to take a pic again ... sorry!!

Today it was quinoa, with spinach, red peppers and cucumber and chicken pieces marinated in mango chutney, lime pickle and 0% Total Greek Yogurt.

I used to buy these from Waitrose in ready made kebabs for the bbq, and when I read the ingrediants decided it easy, and cheaper, to make my own.  I use either boneless thigh meat or breast, chop them into pieces then make the marinade mixing literally some 0% yogurt, mango chutney and lime pickle, coat the chicken in the marinade and leave for at least a couple of hours.  The yogurt tenderises the chicken and makes it more 'silky'.  This can then either be threaded onto skewers as kebabs and done on the bbq or under the grill, or just cooked on a griddle pan.  I just chuck mine into the actifry for 20 minutes and let it do its thing, makes them all caramelised and lovely.

I then made a little dressing from more yogurt and a tsp of mango chutney, mixed together.

I love Total 0% Greek Yogurt, am a huge fan.

I use it in so many things, savoury and sweet, it's brilliant!  I even make cakes with it in as a replacement for fat, will give recipes for some at a later date.

~AFTERNOON SNACK~

I haven't made any Magical Energy Bars yet this week, as lovely as they are I thought I would give them a little break before I got fed up of them, but will probably knock up a batch before the end of the week.

I fancied something light and fresh when I got back from swimming, so I had half an avocado with a fresh lime squeezed over and some prawns, and a sprinkle of smoked paprika!  Hit the spot!  Plus my protein shake.

~DINNER~

So tonight we had the Quorn Bolognese we were meant to have yesterday, with wholewheat pasta.  It was sooooo tasty, Matt loved it too.  I am a huge fan of quorn.

• Quorn mince
• Veg (I used courgette, peppers, onions, asparagus and mushrooms)
• Oxo spag bol cube
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Tomatoes
• Sacla sundried tomato paste
• Roasted red peppers in brine, drained

First of all I dry fry the onions, peppers and courgettes till softened, then add the mushrooms and asparagus.  Then the mince, I use it from frozen, chuck it in and then break it up a little in the pan.  I would normally add tinned tomatoes but I didn't have any so I used fresh tomatoes, just chopped up and a jar of red peppers, again chopped up.  Add these to the pan, along with the oxo cube and a good splash of balsamic vinegar and a splash of water and let it simmer a little.  Then add a couple of teaspoons of the tomato paste, stir, and leave to simmer again.

I serve it with wholewheat pasta  and a sprinkle of reduced fat grated cheese.

Incase you didn't know, Quorn is a good source of protein, not just for vegetarians.  Its great  as a meat alternative if you are watching your weight or cholesterol levels.  Its naturally low in fat, low in calories and rich in fibre.

It is made of mycoprotein - a nutricious member of the fungi family, like mushrooms. 

I now use it to replace beef mince in things such as spag bol, chilli, cottage pie etc.  I love its light texture, none of the greasiness you get from meat, and it takes on whatever flavour you add, it's brilliant!

~EXERCISE~

Today was a swimming day, ideal in this heat, but also after a pretty chilled out weekend it is a
great way to kick start my exercise week.

I did 80 lengths today, in just under an hour.  I found the last few lengths challenging, which is good, it made me push myself more.

Swimming offers something no other aerobic exercise does: the ability to work your body without harsh impact to your skeletal system. When the human body is submerged in water, it automatically becomes lighter. When immersed to the waist, your body bears just 50 percent of its weight; dunk yourself to the chest and that number reduces to around 25 to 35 percent; with water all the way to the neck, you only have to bear 10 percent of your own weight. The other 90 percent is handled by the pool.

Swimming is also a great way to increase muscular strength and muscle tone, especially compared to several other aerobic exercises.  Take running, for example. When a jogger takes few laps around the track, they are only moving their body through air. A swimmer, on the other hand, is propelling themself through water, a substance about twelve times as dense as air.  That means that every kick and every arm stroke becomes a resistance exercise, the best way to build muscle tone and strength.  Swimming has also been shown to improve bone strength, especially in post-menopausal women.

Unlike exercise machines in a gym that tend to isolate one body part at a time (like a bicep curl machine, for example), swimming puts the body through a broad range of motion that helps joints and ligaments stay loose and flexible. The arms move in wide arcs, the hips are engaged as the legs scissor through the water, and the head and spine twist from side to side. Plus, with every stroke, as you reach forward, you're lengthening the body, which not only makes it more efficient in the water, it also helps give you a good stretch from head to toe.  However, you still want to perform a few stretches when you have finished your swim.

In addition to toning visible muscles like pectorals, triceps and quads, swimming also helps improve the most important muscle in our bodies: the heart.  Because swimming is an aerobic exercise, it serves to strengthen the heart, not only helping it to become larger, but making it more efficient in pumping, which leads to better blood flow throughout your body. Research also shows that aerobic exercise can combat the body's inflammatory response as well.

Some people think that because water is generally cooler than our body temperatures, it would be difficult to lose weight with a water workout. Swimming is now recognized as one of the biggest calorie burners around, and it's great for keeping weight under control.  The exact number of calories you burn, depends on your own physiology and the intensity with which you exercise, but as a general rule, for every 10 minutes of swimming: the breast stroke will burn 60 calories; the backstroke torches 80; the freestyle lights up 100; and the butterfly stroke incinerates an impressive 150. 

I like to do my swiming sessions in intervals of 10, increasing and decreasing my intensity every 10 to give my heart a good workout and boost my energy burning, stopping my body from falling into a routine swim. I stop at every 10 lengths for a quick drink, it is important to stay hydrated, even though you are in water, you are still sweating and losing fluids without realising it.

I also just love being in or near water, it is my favourite element and always instantly makes me feel relaxed.  So for me, and many others, it is a fabulous stress release, an instant relaxer of the mind, body and soul.  Quite simply ..............................

Thanks again for reading
Jo
xx