Apple Oat Muffin Recipe

Weigh in on Sunday and lost 400g.  Mixed emotions about the loss, was hoping for more but then having said that I am actually quite happy with where I am at now so I'm not stressing about the scales too much.  Would like to gradually drop 1 or 2 more kilos, just to get rid of that dreaded baby belly :(
Made my first batch of Apple Oat muffins on the weekend, very easy and quite yummy.  The recipe made about 12 medium size muffins.  I have frozen some to have as quick easy snacks throughout the week.  I start work early nearly every morning and don't usually have breakfast until a couple of hours later so there's a great pre-work or pre-training snack as they have a mix of carbs and protein.

APPLE OAT MUFFINS

1 cup almond meal
1 cup oats (I did soak my oats first, but I don't think I will next time)
1 cup natural/greek yoghurt
2 tabs. cinnamon
2 tabs. natvia (natural sweetener - I didn't have natvia so I used Rapadura)
2 eggs
1 large or 2 small apples - grated

Mix all ingredients together well.  Spoon into muffin trays and bake at 180 degrees for 20-25 mins. 

I personally think they are best served warm, and be sure to limit yourself to only 1 or 2 per day.



My new fav food - Kanga Bangas!

Well it's week 1, day 4 and things are tracking well.  The first week of cleaning up your diet can either be the easiest or the hardest.  Easy because you're excited, motivated and ready to take on the new challenge, or hard because your body goes through a detox stage and as you eliminate the sugars, the alcohol and the processed food your body goes through a possible withdrawal stage of headaches, lethargic, no energy and possibly feeling ill.  Luckily for me as my diet is reasonably clean I don't suffer the withdrawal stage too much and I've been feeling great (tired - but that's the usual sleep deprivation thanks to my darling children).  I've tried out a couple of new high protein 'treat' recipes, 1 of which I will share with you later in the blog.
I started my cleaner eating on Sunday, even knowing that we had been invited to a friends BBQ that night.  I did toss up the idea of waiting to start until Monday but if you wait until you NEVER have a social engagment, family/friend Birthday celebration, Easter, Christmas, Winter, coffee with the playgroup etc - you'll NEVER start!!  So I thought "NO EXCUSES" and this is a great way to show you how I handled a social event and still stayed on track. 
So being a BBQ it was a pretty easy decision for me to decide to take my own Kanga Bangas to cook up, and as I wasn't sure what other food would be there, I just took 1 slice of Soy and Linseed bread along.  If I was a bit more organised I could have also taken my own salad, but as it turned out I struck luck with the salad anyway.  When the boys started the BBQ up, my hubby discreetly handed my Kanga Bangas to the "chef" and then I just grabbed them straight off so no one even knew I was eating something different.  And they had a delicious salad of Spinach, pumpkin, pinenuts and fetta which I enjoyed (and will be stealing their idea and making it myself lol).

And I avoided the drinks by drinking water and wasn't even tempted by the desserts.  A bonus of having children at your social events is you can keep yourself busy looking after them so people don't even notice you've skipped desserts ;)  Unfortunately people are so quick to pass comments these days and be prepared to hear alot of "just one drink/cake/chip won't hurt" or "you don't need to be on a diet" just to name a few.  Don't let these comments get to you, you just smile and tell them you're not eating it because you don't want it.  Oh and tell them it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle ;)  But remember it is ok to treat yourself every now and then too without feeling guilty.  Just choose your treats wisely ;)

So as mentioned above here's the Protein Slice recipe I tried out this weekend.  Very similar to Chocolate protein balls I have made before.
1/3 cup water
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup organic peanut butter
4 scoops Chocolate Protowhey (or protein of choice)
Mix together well, flatten into a tray (I place cooking paper in first) and then freeze to set.  Cut up and store in fridge.  Great for an easy snack, and great for the chocolate/sweet cravings.

Pre-pregnancy weight = DONE!

I know it's been a while (again) but I'm still trying to find that balance between work, family and trying to get enough sleep lol.  I've just run a 4 week Challenge with my clients which always has me super busy and pretty tired by the end of the 4 weeks (especially when my darling children are tag teaming the midnight, 2am, 3am and 4am wakeup calls).  So with that done and dusted until the next one starts in May it is time to focus on ME (and the blog) again.  I am super excited to say I have hit my pre-pregnancy weight from Brandon - YAY ME!!!  But I still have 2-3kg I would like to drop, but I'm pretty happy with where I am now.  I would love to get back to my pre-pregnancy Bella weight, but I realise that won't be easy as I was at my fittest and best shape EVER as I was teaching between 6-8 classes most weeks and had unlimited time to train.  BUT I'm going to give it my best damn shot and I know it will come down to eating clean and training smart.
There's 4 weeks until Easter so I've decided to set myself a few little goals and hopefully arrive at my fitness and health destination just in time for the Easter Bunny's arrival.  A few of my key focuses with regards to nutrition are:
* no alcohol (yes I do enjoy the glass of wine with dinner a few nights a week)
* limited processed food - this means I need to organise my weekends better and prepare some healthy snacks to get me through the week
* cut back (NOT cut out) the carbs
* drink more green tea (I have not been drinking much over the last few weeks)
* focus on clean eating at dinner time for the whole family - I'll be spending some time researching meals that the whole family can enjoy, including my 3 year old.

I currently teach 3 BodyPumps and 2 BodyCombats a week so my training is pretty good but I do have a couple of focuses to drive my results more and keep my energy levels up:
* 1 Crossfit session each week
* 1 gym floor resistance session each week
* 1 short endurance run each week

I also need to start going to bed earlier.  I fall into the trap of taking my iPhone or iPad to bed and checking facebook, emails and playing games and before I know it, it's 10:30 and I'm wide awake!  My goal most nights is bed at 9, no phones or TV etc and lights out at 9:30. 

So that's a run down of my goals over the next few weeks.  Stay tuned to the blog for more regular updates including clean recipes, training ideas and videos, and I'll also be posting occasional daily food diaries and my measurements and photos (eeeek) at the end.  Also be sure to check out my Be Hot Business facebook page for even more meal/snack ideas as I will be setting up some albums with recipes in the coming weeks https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Be-HotBec-Hayes-Personal-Training/235721899227

MY GOAL SKIRT!!

One of my Pre-pregnancy goals was to fit into a Lululemon skort that I purchased whilst pregnant, and had never worn.  Excited to say it fits finally, but still want to drop a few more cm's around my J-Lo butt and thighs for a better fit. 

Meal plan this week:

Monday - Steamed fish (microwave) and Salad

Tuesday - Steak and Salad

Wednesday - Leftovers (Moroccan Chicken Slow cooker)

Thursday - Kanga Bangas with Sweet potato mash and greens

Friday - Crunchy Chicken Parmesan with Spinach salad

Saturday - Stuffed Chicken breast and veg

Sunday - Homemade Pizzas (Chicken, fetta and pumpkin on wholemeal pocket bread base)

Recipe treats - one for mums and one for the kids

Argh what a week!!!  My little man is 7 and a half months old and I think he has slept through the night about 5 times and I'm slowly going insane - especially when I've had 6 5:30am starts this week.  And sadly I don't think this week is off to a much better start with the little man suffering temps and the little Miss 3 having an off tummy :(  But like true champions us mums are we soldier on!!  So after a bad week last week of little sleep, exhaustion and some poor food choices I decided today I need to PLAN for this week.  So I've done my training schedule up and my meal plan and I spent the morning in the kitchen cooking with my Miss 3.  I've had a request for the recipes so I'll put 2 up today as I didn't get to make my protein slice but will do it through the week and post the recipe then.  We ended up making Protein balls, Kid's Rice Bubble bars and rice cereal and teething rusks for Brandon as I've got him on a diary free diet at the moment. 
So first recipe is the Kids Rice Bubble bars.  Just to point out this is NOT a "clean" recipe but I prefer to make my own cereal bars for Bella instead of buying the store bought ones that are filled with preservatives and additives.  Mind you I make 15 mini bars which works out to be approx. 140 cals, 8g fat, 15g carbs and 1g protein per bar. 

110g butter
100g raw sugar
2 tabs honey
1 teas Vanilla essence
4 cups Rice Bubbles
50g coconut

Melt butter, sugar and honey together in a saucepan (I use my thermomix - 6mins at 100degrees on speed 6). 
Just near the end of the cooking time add the vanilla essence and mix well.
Add the Rice Bubbles and coconut and gently mix well (thermomix - 10-15secs on Reverse + speed 3/4).
Press into paper lined baking tray and refrigerate until firm.  We put a few choc chips on top, but that is optional.
Cut into slices to serve.

Chocolate Protein Balls
This is a treat that you can make and keep in the freezer for when you are craving something chocolatey -
2 scoops Chocolate Protein Powder (I use ProtoWhey)
1/3 cup oats
2 tabs Natural Peanut Butter (look in the health food aisle at your grocery store)
1 tsp L-glutamine (optional)
1/4 cup shredded coconut (plus extra to roll the balls in)
1/3 cup water
Mix all together and roll into balls.  Roll in the extra coconut and freeze for a few hours minimum. 
Mine were a bit wet and the hot weather didn't help when trying to roll them :S  I'd add the water bit by bit next time.

So I feel much better today and more prepared for the week.  My training schedule is planned and my meal plan is done. 

I will make a protein slice this week and post a photo and recipe once I've done it.  Hope you all have a fantastic week and that you all get more sleep than me!

I'm Back!!

No I haven't fallen off the face of the earth (although in the last week there were a few days I wished I had).  I returned to work 2 weeks ago and the last week has been the week from hell!  I've had a baby boy that has decided he wants to wake up every hour and I've also had a little Miss 3 who has had temps and has also interrupted mummy's much needed sleep because the birds have been too noisy!!!  Needless to say this week has been a very loooong week and has certainly tested my patience and my positivity.  BUT no more woe is me and feeling sorry for myself - I know there are mummy's that are in a lot worse situations than me (hello my sister has 5 kids under the age of 6 - crazy?  I think so haha).   But on the positive I have FINALLY to work through my plateau and seen the scales drop again.  I had been at the same weight for nearly 2 months I think (I honestly am not as strict with weighing myself anymore) but since returning to work I've cleaned up my diet just that little bit more and I've managed to lose +1kg in that time.  I was probably eating clean about 70% of the time, but I've tweaked a few things and dug deep to find a bit more determination and I'm eating clean 80-90% of the time now.  Yes, I am human and I will admit to a glass of wine and a row of Cadbury chocolate this week but I've gotta say - I didn't really enjoy either as much as I used to!!!  Eating clean just feels so much better but until the little lightbulb goes off in your head, it ain't gonna happen. 
So over my next few blog entries I will share some of my new found 'Clean Eating Recipes' as one of my 2012 goals is to be more adventurous with food.  I've got to say though after trying a batch of Protein Pancakes this morning my husband really isn't sharing my enthusiasm lol.
So my first 'Clean Eating Recipe' for 2012 is a stuffed chicken breast.  Nothing too fancy, but considering I'm not really a big cook this was quite a big deal for me and I must say - I LOVED IT!!!  So here's my simple to follow recipe:

Mix together in a small bowl a tablespoon (or 2 if serving 2) of cottage cheese, a bit of grated carrot, diced onion, diced capsicum, spinach, garlic and salt and pepper if desired. 

Stuffing mix

Then cut your chicken down the middle and spoon mixture in.  Roll chicken in Almond meal (I used my super whiz Thermomix machine to mill my own almonds).  I then seared them on both sides in a hot fry pan and then baked in a moderate oven.  The chicken breasts I used were quite large so it took about 50 mins.  We had half a breast each and then had the leftovers today for lunch.  My husband didn't wasn't so keen on the whole cottage cheese and carrot combo so I stuffed his with a store bought pesto and a couple of thin slices of brie cheese - not quite as healthy but it was easy to do to keep us both happy.

The end result - served with a salad (or vegies)

I was quite surprised with how good it tasted.  The almond on the outside definately gave it that un-bland taste.  These will certainly be included in my regular meal planning.  And they're also something that I can prepare earlier in the day and leave in the fridge to just pop in the oven on a night I work. 

Well that's my first recipe and I will have more to come - including my Protein pancakes (will have to test a few different variations on that one though).  I would love to hear of any of your Clean Eating Recipes that are a favourite in your household.  Please feel free to post in the comments or you can email them to me at bh@behotpersonaltraining.com.au and I can share them on the blog for everyone to try (including myself). 

Make the commitment to make the change.

Happy New Year!!  I hope everyone had a happy and safe New Year.  I saw in the New Year kid-free (well until 4am lol) and it was great to have a night with hubby and a group of my most loved adults.  So the first blog for 2012 is the perfect time to run through some hints and tips on how to set your goals AND more importantly how to work towards them to make them happen.  If I lost 100g every time I had heard/read the new years resolution "I'm going to lose my baby weight", I would be one very skinny girl lol.  So this blog is aimed for all those mums who have set this as their new years resolution. 

I absolutely dislike the term "new years resolution".  I believe "goal setting" is a much more realistic and achievable approach to staying committed and motivated.  So I am going to run through the process of aiming for and achieving the goal of "losing my baby weight".  I'm going to use myself as an example as I still have 5kg to lose to get back to my pre-babyweight. 
When setting goals you need to be S.M.A.R.T about it.  I have covered this briefly before in previous blogs. 
S - Specific - make it specific, such as a number eg 65kg or to fit back into your fav pair of Pre-pregnancy jeans or to return to your pre-pregnancy weight (remember this WILL take time as your body and hormones have been through alot of stress and changes).
M - Measurable - using a number on the scales or a favourite article of clothing makes your goal measurable.
A - Achievable - DON'T SET YOURSELF UP FOR FAILURE!!  Make your goal achievable to keep you committed and motivated.  If you put on 20kg during your pregnancy and set the goal of being back to pre-pregnancy weight within 3 months, you're setting yourself up for potential failure.  Sure, some mums do drop their weight in weeks.  Others (like me) take months, and months, and months of bloody hard slog to lose it.  Remember also that if your goal is to lose your baby weight, there is one HUGE priority that needs to be considered.  That is your precious little bundle of joy, who on some days I can guarantee will test your commitment to your goal with lack of sleep, lack of time and lack of energy.  As a new mum you must take things slow and not put too much pressure on yourself as bub's priorities and your own health and well being needs to come first. 
R - Realistic - This comes under the same principles of achievable.  If you set the goal of being 50kg, but you haven't been 50kg since grade 10 and your pre-pregnancy weight was 60kg, you are not being realistic. 
T - Time frame - always select a time frame to achieve your goal by ie 4 weeks. 

First of all I'm going to break it down into short term and long term goals.  Short term is usually between 4 - 12 weeks and long term between 6 - 12 months (time frames can differ, this is just as a guide). 
SHORT TERM GOAL - Lose 2kg by my birthday (mid February).
LONG TERM GOAL - Lose 5kg by end of June (6 months) OR Fit into my "skinny skirt".  As I do a bit of weight training I know it will be hard for me to drop the numbers on the scales, and to be honest I don't care about the numbers.  But I know I will hit my goal when I can get back into my last pile of pre-pregnancy clothes.  And I'm being more realistic by having a goal of "clothing" as opposed to "scales" as I have not lost any weight on the scales for weeks now, but I know I have definately lost size and I'm happy with that. 

My "skinny skirt" which I have hanging up in a spot I see it numerous times a day

Setting the goal and time frame is the easy part.  You then need to set some plans in place to help achieve this.  If you don't PLAN, PLAN, PLAN you are setting yourself up for failure.  You need to plan training sessions, you need to plan meals, you need to plan recovery times etc.  I'll run through my plans to help me achieve my short term goal:

*  Complete  a weekly Training Schedule every Sunday night. 

*  Complete the i365 Workout of the day (iPhone application) every day (if I miss a workout I have to make it up).  I will be printing up a table so I can record the workout and my time and keep track of the ones I've missed and need to make up.

http://workout-of-the-day.com/2009/01/17/i365-workout-of-the-day-iphone-app/

*  Monitor and track my calories for the first week to make sure I am staying in line with where I should be.

*  Complete a weekly meal plan (for night dinners) every Sunday night.  I do this on a Sunday night as I usually do my grocery shop on a Monday.  As I plan my meals, I also write my shopping list. 

Example of a training schedule

I'm not going to set too many points, as I need to keep it achievable and realistic, as I will be returning to work next week too so I know life is going to be a whole lot more chaotic!!!

I really hope this helps some of you to achieve your goal this year.  I set up this blog to help inspire others, who like me, have always had to work hard to lose the beloved baby weight.  Please feel free to email me if you want any more advice bh@behotpersonaltraining.com.au I'm only too happy to help :)

Until next time, get those goals set and start working towards them!!  Just think in a months time how awesome it will feel.

Bec

Back to basics.

Well the man in the red suit has been and certainly spoilt the little people (and the big people) in our house.  I hope he was generous to you all :)
I'm enjoying my last couple of weeks at home as a mummy before my return to work on the 9th January and the chaos of working split shifts, sleepless nights and organising 3 children (2 littlies and the hubby) hits!  Definitely feeling mixed emotions about it all as I've really enjoyed my time at home, but I do miss my clients and having some regular "adult" time.
So I've decided for the last couple of weeks of "mummy" time I'm forgetting about schedules, scales and all things technical (heart rate monitor etc) when it comes to training.  I highly recommend EVERYONE forget about the scales for the next week or so until you feel like your training and eating is back on track.  Once you're back on track give yourself a week and then weigh and measure to start off the new year. 

I'm still teaching a couple of classes throughout the week but other than that, I'm training for fun.  Bella and I made the most of our Chrissy pressie the other day and had a great dance around to the Wii Just Dance and Just Dance Kids games.  It is seriously such a good workout, but so fun that you don't even realise how hard you are working.  Brandon was loving it too as he sat in his bouncer and laughed at mummy dancing lol. 
So even though I'm not doing alot of structured exercise I'm increasing my incidental exercise where I can.  Yesterday I caught up with a good friend who I don't get to see very often, and instead of meeting for coffee we went for a walk.  Mind you it was more a leisurely stroll and a gossip but it was still the better alternative. 
However, most of you are hopefully using this time of year, with the extra public holidays and days off, to train harder so I want to leave you all with a couple of short training sessions. 

Workout 1:
     10 rounds of: 100m sprints and 10 pushups

Workout 2:
     As many rounds as possible in 10 minutes of: 
     10 box jumps and 5 pullups (alternative - burpees)

The last thing I want to leave you with for 2011, is forget about setting New Years resolutions.  New Years resolutions are destined to fail.  Instead find a spare 10minutes and sit down and seriously think about your GOALS for 2012.  Set a few long term goals (to aim for over the year) and then break them down to set some short term goals (anywhere from 4-12 weeks).  Goals need to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable and Realistic.  And always give yourself a set Time to achieve them by.  Think S.M.A.R.T when setting your goals. 
My next blog (the first in 2012) I will share with you my achievements (and downfalls) from 2011, and my goals for 2012.  Bur for now have a fantastic New Years Eve, stay safe and healthy and I look forward to sharing more of my "Be Hot After Baby" adventures with you in the new year :)