ZAR - Recipe - Vegetable Tangine!!

As us Aussies head into winter, I know those of you in the UK have just had a record weekend in terms of temperature. This recipe has used winter vegies but really any can be substituted - eggplant, capsicum, beans etc.

This would be really good to make for lunches to take to work with some couscous. Freezes well but keeps for at least a week in the fridge.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, sliced
1 carrot, cut into cubes
1 large parsnip, cut into cubes
300g sweet potato, cubed
300g butternut pumpkin, cubed
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground saffron
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp turmeric
2 cinnamon quills
Vegetable stock or water to cover
400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
100g dried apricots
8 soft pitted dates
2 tsps honey
2 tbsp chopped coriander or flatleaf parsley
40g toasted flaked almonds

Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the rest of the fresh vegetables with the tomato paste, cayenne, saffron, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon. Add water or stock to cover and bring to a gentle simmer and cook like this for 45 mins.

Stir in chickpeas, dates, apricots and honey and simmer for a further 20 mins. Season to taste.

Scatter almonds and chopped herbs on top and serve with harissa (optional) and couscous.

ROSIE- My Poor Porky Dog....

For those of you who don’t know me I have one MAJOR love in my life (apart from husband and son, of course) and that’s my dog. She’s spoilt rotten but despite this is very well behaved and just gorgeous.

Richard and I noticed the other day that she’s looking a little portly and it got me wondering why? She has a minimum of an hour and a half walk a day and a 30-45 minute run with me three times per week. We don’t let her snack (or try not to, anyway) and don’t overfeed her.

In this very scientific experinment of mine (!) the conclusion I came to was that my poor porky dog has been exceedingly lazy because of… the hot weather! It really has been a hot week and a half here in lovely leafy Oxfordshire. She’s been flopping around like a slug. Morning walks are fine as it’s nice and cool but come the afternoon I literally have to DRAG her for a walk, which is very unusual for her. She lies in the garden all day and literally does not move except to pull herself into the shade when she’s too hot.

I guess you’re wondering what my point is? Well, dogs and humans are more alike than you think when it comes to a healthy body.

I got in a sweat on Sunday lifting my hand to put some sun cream on. I was laaaaaazy, and it was the heat. You guys in Aus or the USA are laughing at me but for us here in Blighty it’s HOT at 30 degrees! I couldn’t be bothered to do anything and this lack of activity CAN pile on the pounds. It’s something we bang on about blog in and blog out here on Bingham Girls. Every muscle you move burns calories. Slobbing on the sofa or standing on an escalator does not cut it. It’s not science; it’s not magic – get moving and keep active to keep your body in shape!

GEORGIE - Looking good summer guide part 2 - make up

I'll keep this short as I am on holiday this week and keen to get back to the party;

Make up in the summer months is simple. WEAR LESS. It is summer. No one likes the 'plastered on' look. Totally Uncool.

Firstly, you should be wearing different shades winter and summer unless you are whiter then white in terms of skin tone. As soon as I start to summer 'fake tan it up' I tend to go a whole shade darker in the foundation department. It's important. Go to your favourite make up company and get two shades for winter and summer

BLEND BLEND BLEND
Why do women forget their ear lobes, necks and hairlines in the summer? It is fine to look like you have colour but please don't forget to rub it in. Make sure your foundation looks plausible at the least... rub it in!! If you have to wear it all the way down to your cleavage line then so be it. I have NO time for women with tangerine faces and white necks. Yuk.

GET THE RIGHT ONE FOR YOU
Shop around. If you can get away with a water-based make up (most of the liquid foundations out there) then find the right shade. If Clinique don't do your shade, either mix two colours or just find something else!! It takes shopping around. If like me, your skin absolutely EATS make up (i.e. you look like you have nothing on after half an hour) then go for an oil based product (I cannot recommend MAC Studio Tech enough for this - can go on thin as you like and lasts for EVER) If you need more coverage then most and have oily or combination skin then try the cover girl mousse make up foundations or the mineral foundations. Remember, store girls want to sell you a product, you don't have to buy - if you aren't convinced, keep looking. If you really want help, email me and I bet I can help you with your specific needs (are you kidding me - 10 years in TV and I have tried EVERY make up product going). Patience until you find something. If you like the way someone looks, ask them where they got their foundation from. Get tips people!

WARM OR COLD?
MAC, the make up GODS developed two tones of colour for their foundations. What they call 'cold' and 'warm' skin tones. Basically, the browner, more beige tones are cold, and the redder, pinker tones are warm. Ever tried a foundation and found it makes you look like a tomato with factor 60 white sunblock on? It's simply too warm a tone for you. Shop around and if you are't sure then go to MAC and get them to find you the correct tone.

FINALLY- MAKE UP ALL OVER!!
I discovered bodily make up and it is a god send!! Don't wear it under white for god's sake (you will end up filthy dirty all over) but this covers a variety of sins including split veins on the legs and bumpy upper arms. Just use it sparingly. Soap and glory do a good spray on version, Benefit do a good buff on foundation for body parts and MAC do an entire range for the body. Go look.

I will be covering applying make up in the next summer guide which I will write later this week/early next week.

Remember. If the foundation doesn't look perfect, it isn't. There are enough brands out there in the market for you to find something that REALLY matches your skin type and tone so just keep shopping around. If you genuinely feel exasperated and can't find your match, email me!! binghamgirls@gmail.com and I promise to help you find something right for you.

Lots of love GB
x

ZAR - Eating smart!

The Biggest Loser is one of my favourite TV shows. I know that the way they lose weight is not comparable to dealing with it in terms of everyday life but it is still very inspirational and gives alot of ideas and tips.

The show's first winner here in Australia, Adro, has recently published a book on healthy eating and lifestyle. In it, he talks about 'eating smart'. He recognises the things we all struggle with in everyday life, trying to lose weight or just staying healthy. These are some tips from him for EATING SMART.
Fall out of love with food. Recognise that food is for fuelling ourselves, not to be used to deal with emotions. Enjoy food rather than having a love affair with it.
Eat slowly. It takes 20 minutes for our stomachs to tell our brains that we're full. By then it could be too late. Use a smaller plate, chopsticks or a small fork. Put cutlery down between each mouthful, or chew each mouthful 15 times before swallowing.
Eat small meals often. Think about structuring your day around 3 meals and 3 snacks. This really keeps your metabolism burning and means you don't gorge yourself because you're so hungry when you do eat.
Be organised. If you work out a menu plan or prepare your snacks in advance, you'll be less likely to eat bad choices.
Drink water. 80% of the time that you feel hungry, you're actually thirsty. Aim to drink 2 litres of water every day, so many benefits come with this. Think about stopping drinking soft drinks and cordials and just drink water instead.
Brush your teeth after eating. This really does work. it stops that craving for something sweet....
Stop picking. Try chewing gum or snack on celery while preparing packed lunches etc. Stop the mindless nibbling.
Always question yourself. Really think about everything you put in your mouth. Are you eating because you're bored or sad? Are you spending money on junk food? Are you thirsty rather than hungry?
Change your food focus. Instead of using food as the focus of events, focus on spending time with the people you are there with. Or enjoy the view....
Never reward yourself with food. We get so used to telling ourselves that we deserve this...... NO, we deserve to feel fit and good about ourselves.

ZAR - Mummy Bingham's healthy roast chicken

Everyone knows how to roast a chicken but I always get such great feedback when I roast chicken the way Mum does it. She calls it French roasting. Putting an inch of water in the roasting pan means that the chicken is steamed as well as roasted which makes the flesh so tender and moist.

This really is simplicity at it's best. Buy a corn fed or free range chicken if you can but bog standard will do too.

Quick to prepare, easy to cook, leftovers can be used in salads, risotto, sandwiches or wraps. Save the carcass and make stock to freeze.

1 whole chicken
1 lemon, zested
2 cloves garlic, grated
butter, softened
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Put the chicken in a roasting tin and smear the skin with butter. Squeeze the juice of the lemon over it and then stuff both halves into the breast cavity. Spread the lemon zest and garlic over the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Pour an inch of hot water into the toasting pan. Be really careful putting it into the oven.

Roast in the preheated oven for 20 mins per lb (2.2kgs/lb), resting for 10 mins before carving. When you remove the bird from the oven, stick the tip of a knife or skewer into the thickest part of the breast and then press down. The juices should run out clear. If not, return to the oven for a little while.

POSIE - GET OUTDOORS NOW!! TRAINING GUIDE

Sorry for all you guys who read this down in Aus – but us Brits can’t stop banging on about the fact that summer is on the way, despite the fact I am looking out of the window at the moment and it’s grey, grey, grey! Anyway, HOORAY for the longer days and the occasional bout of sunshine that we get. That’s why today’s blog is focussed on training outdoors.

Training in a different environment is a GREAT way to boost the fitness. Chances are if you slog it out in a gym regularly, you rarely look at ways to challenge your fitness outside. It keeps you fresh, motivated and is guaranteed to get that heart rate up! The training ideas below are based on you having a convenient park nearby – but if you’re not lucky enough for that, you can still do it. If you live in the wilderness, think stiles, tree stumps, uneven surfaces. If you have a beach nearby (we hear you, Zar!) I think the hardest I have ever trained was when I was in Australia – running on the beach – need I say more? Think outside the box and you can usually apply any of the below techniques to your environment, even your back garden, as long as you have a couple of chairs and a handkerchief sized patch of grass like I do. Pick any or all of these below; you will need SOME equipment but don’t rush out and buy it all at once. Try a couple of things, if you’re enthused then you can pick bits up as you go along. As I’ve said before equipment doesn’t have to be expensive, beg, borrow (but don’t steal) if you have to!

The amount of time you do these for depends on your fitness; start for say 30 secs each, increase to 1 or 2 mins as you get fitter.

Bench jumps
On a reasonably high (say knee high) long bench (it needs to be quite narrow), grab on either side of your bench so your feet are both one side and you’re bending over the bench. Jump both feet (landing at the same time) over the bench. Repeat as fast as you can.

Step ups/ jump ups
Find some solid object which is just above knee height and step! Obviously the higher the better, if it’s not high enough, you can jump two footed on to it, (be careful). Or you can start with one foot either side of it and jump up so both feet are on it.

Rope jumps
You can draw an imaginary line on the grass/beach/whatever if you don’t have a rope handy… jump both feet side to side so you’re zigzagging from one end of the rope to the other.

Skipping
Probably the last time you skipped was at primary school. You can do the singing too if you like – or if you have the puff. Try both feet together, alternate feet is TOO EASY!

Boxing
Great if you’ve got the kit, just muller it for as long as you can. As well as straight jabs, think punching up in the air and from side to side with a wide stance.

Jump lunges
Starting with your feet in a lunge position, right foot forward. Spring yourself up in the air (use your arms) and land with your feet again in the lunge position, but with the left forward. The key is to jump as high as you can and stay in vaguely the same spot.

Burpees
Ooh… these strike terror in my heart. Start in a plank position. Complete a press up, then bring both feet to your chest, jump up high in the air with your arms above your head then get down to the start position again. One word: killer.

Bounding
The aim of this is not to look stupid, although you may well do! Think big strides; you’re going to be running really big steps, swinging your arms as high as you can to get as far as you can. Set out cones, or stones, or whatever you have as targets for each step. Do say 30 metres, jog back to the start and repeat.

Sprinting
I know the word strikes horror in the heart of many (I’m really NOT a sprinter) but it’s so good for fitness. We’re not talking Usain Bolt, just as fast as YOU can run. Sprint for 20 metres, jog back to the start and repeat. Keep your abs in, arms tight to your body and get those legs moving as fast as you can. You’ll be amazed how quickly you get faster.

Have a 10 minute jog after these to get your body back to normal (even if you feel knackered!) Although most of these seem to be geared to the legs, you’ll really find they give you an all over work out as they use the arms and core a lot. Of course you can always incorporate some sit ups, crunches, planks, tricep dips, push ups: whatever you want – if you have the energy for them! Don’t panic if you find them hard; they’re meant to be. If you find them a walk in the park, check you’re doing them right. If not – MAKE THEM HARDER! Enjoy!

GEORGIE - Summer guide to looking good part 1 - FAKE TAN

One thing that has happened through the 10 years I have worked in TV is that I've been fortunate enough to learn a lot about looking good. Don't get me wrong, TV is mostly about smoke and mirrors, (or should I say make up and lighting) but there are a few fundamentals that really help with keeping us all looking our best. With summer on its way (in the UK) I thought I would take the bend the Bingham Girls health and exercise spec to include beauty for a few blogs just to impart a little wisdom I have learnt from make up artists and other, much more beautiful presenters I have met along the way. For this blog I thought I would focus on just one thing....

Fake tan.
A potential nightmare but done right this summer, a godsend. I am very pale and pretty much fake tan my face all year round or I Iook ghastly. The secret is to cleanse then lightly moisturise your skin before you apply. Get a goodish 5 pence piece (10 cent piece) sized dollop and smother your entire face in it. If that is really easily absorbed, add another 5p size blob. Gently use circular motions on your face until it is ALL absorbed. Next grab a tissue and scrub around your hairline. Not too much scrubbing on the skin, concentrate more on the hair roots themselves to remove any tanner that is too near your hairline. This includes your earlobes and where your sideburns are. Take another tissue and wipe clean your upper lip and dry scrub your eyebrows. Basically anywhere there is hair, scrub it with a dry tissue but be careful not to scrub too much skin around it or you will end up with a white patch! Finally WASH your hands thoroughly and do this all at least an hour before you go to bed in case you lie on your face and it absorbs unevenly.

That's the face done, what about the body? Well if you need to tan your legs and arms, do it gradually. Don't leave it until 24 hours before you go to a wedding or function and slap it on. Moderation and timing are the key. I generally tend to have a routine with fake tan that goes hot bath, baby oil on the skin when wet, then I dab myself dry. I then use a little bit of body moisturiser to ensure I'm pretty much greased up all over!! Focus first on the big bits. The shins, the calves, the thighs. On these areas, use it relatively generously but evenly and give it a really good rub in. If the skin feels a little dry then add moisturiser to your fake tan. Use it incredibly sparingly on any joints. Every girl who's had a fake tan disaster knows generally it happens on your knees, ankles or elbows. These areas need about 1/4 the amount of tanning lotion, and rubbed in really well. You should start tanning youself with lotion 5 days before an event then you stand a better chance of getting it even. I tend to fake tan about 2 hours before I go to bed. Again, after tanning remember to wash your hands!! Nothing worse then someone with orange mitts!!

Tanning Brands
I have tried the lot!! Like make up - self tanners come in a variety of shades and potency. What works for me might not work for Rosie or Zar, gosh you only have to look at how different us three are in terms of skin tone and you know how hard it must be to get it right!!
Clarins is a really great brand, you need hardly any and it lasts forever!! I don't like their tanning gels but I highly recommend their cream - although I found the tan they designed for the body actually works better on my face.
The brand I can't recommend enough though is called LAVERA. I discovered it in America and it's the only tanner that doesn't smell that nasty plastic smell. It smells like currants and raisons!! Its organic, all natural and is really mild. It is really hard to have a disaster with Lavera which is great, but because it isn't very strong you need to give it a few days to build up some serious colour.
Frankly, if you are terrible with tanning then that is why someone invented 'Summer Skin'! Johnsons and Dove both do GREAT versions of these - moisturisers with a hint of tan that isn't strong enough to cause a disaster. You simply can't go wrong!! Use a little after every shower for a great summer glow!

I will discuss self tan enhancers in my next blog when I do make up... Hope this helps girlies - and remember - if you have a disaster - lemon juice!! It helps take the orange out!!

ZAR - Its in the colours!!!

Not being the brightest bear, I love it when I read something that gives me info in an easy to understand way. I read this and thought I'd share it with you. Thanks to the Cleo website for a really good article. It's not a magazine I read but I'll definately be putting their website in my favourites and checking out their health pages from now on.

Antioxidants is another buzzword in the health world - do we really know what it means? Well, antioxidants fight free radicals; these are toxins in our bodies caused by everyday life - stress, sunlight, alcohol, pollution etc.

Brightly coloured foods all contain antioxidants which is why it's important to eat a brightly coloured and varied diet. Have you watched those TV shows which give people's diets an overhaul? I LOVE them!! (tragic) You really notice when they lay out, on a table, all the currently consumed foods of the participants, that it's mostly variations of brown. Their "new" diet is a rainbow of colours.

Orange foods contains caretenoids which helps with cell function.

Green vegies are full of the phytochemicals lutein and folate that heal damaged cells.

Red foods give us a boost of lycopene to protects our white blood cells which fight infection.

Yellow foods contain potassium. This has anti-inflammatory properties to help our joints. Garlic contains allicin which cleans up the junk we put into ourselves.

Purple foods are bursting with lutein and zeaxanthin relax your blood vessels to help your heart to have an easier time pumping. Also help to prevent macular degeneration of the eye.

I know there are some impossible scientific words there so I'll make it easy for you. All you really need to know is to mix it up in the fresh produce section and you will be taking a step towards brighter eyes and skin and better health generally.

ROSIE - Race Preparation

I’ve done my fair share of races; marathons, half marathons and 10kms and it’s taken me that many to get my race preparation down pat. It’s a fine art and I think it’s really trial and error to find out what suits YOU. The below is mainly geared towards running but really it can be applied to anything; running, cycling and triathlons and for any real distance. Remember, these are MY tried and tested ways to ensuring you’re all prepared for your race, they may not work for you! But at least you will get some ideas…

- Footwear
This is key for ANY race and is probably the most important aspect. You MUST wear in your running shoes. Don’t get a brand new pair of shoes just for your race; you don’t want to get half way and have to pull out because of blisters! Make sure they have had lots of mileage and are comfortable. Check the laces aren’t frayed the day before the race and make sure they’re dry when you start… wet trainers are a sure fire way to get blisters!

- Music
If you run with music, then make sure you have your play list ready. Something pumping, music you like to run to. Make sure your ipod or whatever you run with is all charged up, there’s nothing more annoying than the battery running out just as you start.

- Clothes to dump
If you do a race in any time other than the summer (even then you can’t guarantee it’s going to be warm), I think it’s really important to wear a couple of extra layers you don’t mind losing. Every race means hanging around at the start and you don’t want to get cold before you start; it makes the first few miles hell on earth as you warm up. An old pair of trakkies and old jumper you can ditch just before the gun goes makes all the difference, just dispose of them sensibly (i.e. don’t just leave them on the road).

- Running clothing
Again, don’t buy fancy new clothes for your race. There’s going to be hundreds of other people and no-one’s going to pick you out of the crowd if you’re not wearing the latest gear! Wear things you know are comfy and that you regularly run in, things that aren’t going to chafe and rub. Also wear layers you can shed; even a cold day can turn warm when the sun comes out and you don’t want one thick layer that you can’t take off. Things you can roll up and tie round your waist are ideal.

- Safety pins
For your running number! Many races won’t let you start without your number being visible; something simple like this could scupper your race!

- Timing
If you’re really focussed on your time, remember that the official race clock starts when the gun goes. However, unless you’re an elite athlete, you’re unlikely to be at the front of the pack. Start your watch when you go over the line (which could be 10 minutes or more after the gun goes if it’s a big race) and when you cross the finish line, that way you get your “proper” time rather than your “official” time. Even if you have a chip on your shoe, it’s nice to know your time as soon as you finish, rather than when the results come out.

- Breakfast
Breakfast is always a tricky one on race day. Chances are you’re a bundle of nerves and don’t really feel like eating at all. Treat it like a normal day with a long run. Have the breakfast you would normally eat and have a light snack about half an hour before you start (a banana or something). Don’t change your breakfast for race day (it may not agree with you) and certainly don’t go for a full English!

- Eating on the run
Anything over 90 minutes and you will find your glycogen (fuel) levels in your muscles will start to deplete. You don’t need to take a shopping bag round your race with you but a couple of snacks may help. I find jelly-beans are fab for a quick sugar release. Again, DON’T try anything new whilst you’re running. There are loads of energy bars and gels you can buy; fantastic if you like them and use them regularly but I find they make my mouth taste gross and I don’t like them.

- Toilet stops
If you’re anything like me, you need to go to the loo at least 5 times before the race starts. Don’t let your bladder fool you; it’s pure nerves. To save your sanity, go only once, that’s all you’ll probably need. Sorry to be crude but if you can get a number two out, so much the better. If you find you a desperate for a wee or more during the race, simply stop. There’s nothing worse than running with a full bladder or bowels and if it’s a marathon you won’t be able to hang on until the end. If you’re shy then of course queue for the loos but be prepared that it will add on time to your race time. Take a tissue and slum it in the bushes!

- Drinking
You don’t need to drink gallons of water on your race. If it’s an hour you won’t need any additional rehydration. Anything more than 90 minutes and you may need more. Again, I find energy drinks like Lucozade really dry out my mouth and I hate the taste of them; in fact they make me thirstier. The best thing to do is grab a bottle of water that they hand out, take a sip and use the rest to rinse your mouth out. Oh, and be careful of where you chuck your bottle, watch the runner behind you!

- Getting there
Big races mean big queues; not only before the race but you can spend hours getting out of the car park at the end. If you can take public transport, great, if you can’t then try and get a lift. Just avoid the big car parks that they put aside for races, when you’ve finished all you want to do is get home, have a bath and a whopping great sausage sarnie, not queue in a car park for 2 hours.

- Enough time?
Don’t be fooled into getting to the race too early. Granted, you don’t want to miss the start, but don’t get there hours earlier than you need to. That will make you even more nervous, cold and tired from all the standing around! Time it so that you can get there feeling relaxed, find your start position and have no more than 10 minutes before you need to start.

- Finishing
If you don’t want to carry round your mobile phone, fix up with whoever’s watching you run a good place to meet afterwards; there’s not only hundreds or even thousands of runners, but they are all trying to meet at least one, if not two people each! You should know vaguely how long it’s going to take you so should be able to make an approximate time to meet.

Bear these in mind for your next race, as I said, they’re MY tried and tested ways and hopefully may be useful for you in the future!

ROSIE - Half Marathon training schedule

I may have missed the boat by a couple of months (doesn’t time fly!) but have had requests from a few quarters to put in a training schedule, and there’s always autumn races! Are you guys lucky – my clients usually pay for these! But to thank you for your support with our blog, below is a free – yes FREE! – programme which should tailor you to achieving that target! Bear with me as it’s quite long but feel free to print it out and read when you have time. If running is not your thing then apologies… you’ll have to skip this one.

Half marathons are a fantastic goal – many people don’t have the time to train for marathons – long runs on a Sunday taking 3+ hours and the hours in the week simply mean that many don’t have time or, once you’ve done one, like me you think that you’ve “been there, done that and got the T-shirt”. However, ½ marathons can be achieved in under 2 hours and the training is obviously nowhere near as much!

I’ve made a few assumptions whilst planning this schedule; that you are fit and healthy, can run 10 minute miles and can happily run for 30-40 minutes continuously. If you CANNOT do the above, then keep doing what you’re doing until you can. It doesn’t rule you out, you just need a little longer than 12 weeks to get to your ½ marathon. The plan runs for 12 weeks… all ready for those autumn half marathons!

You also need to spend a little time planning your run routes. The occasional treadmill run is fine but if you’re planning on an outdoor half marathon than the treadmill just doesn’t cut it. You need to do the majority of your runs outside. And, if the word sprint strikes terror in your heart, please just humour me and as the popular slogan goes: JUST DO IT. Sprints are vital and you will be surprised at how much quicker you get over the weeks. You don’t have to do the sessions on the days I’ve specified but just make sure you don’t cluster them all on consecutive days in the week: recovery is as important as training.

This is not really geared to a specific time. Just do the runs as well as you can and as fast as you can. Try and keep track of how long each mile takes and you can estimate from your long runs approximately how long it will take. Once you get your first half marathon under your belt then you can try and beat your time on the next one!

The effort rate is relative to the distance. Of course a 90% effort over 6 miles will not be at the same speed as a 90% effort over 1 mile; just do the best you can for the appropriate distance.

A FINAL note before I begin (I will get there, I promise!): your weekly 50% recovery session should comprise: 20-30 minutes only (and no more!) of easy cardio (but not running); either swimming, gym, gentle cycling or equivalent with 10 minutes of resistance work: squats, lunges, core or upper body.

WEEK 1
Monday 50% recovery session (see note)
Tuesday 3 miles, 80% effort
Wednesday --
Thursday 3 x 100m sprints 100% effort then 10 min easy jog
Friday --
Saturday 2 x 1 mile, 90% effort
Sunday 4 miles, 60% effort

WEEK 2
Monday --
Tuesday 50% recovery session (see note)
Wednesday 4 miles, 80% effort
Thursday --
Friday 3 miles, 90% effort
Saturday --
Sunday 5 miles, 60% effort.

WEEK 3
Monday 50% recovery session (see note)
Tuesday 2 x 200m sprints, 100% effort then 10 mins easy jog
Wednesday --
Thursday 3 miles, 60% effort.
Friday 2 x 1 miles, 90% effort
Saturday --
Sunday 6 miles, 70% effort

WEEK 4
Monday --
Tuesday 50% recovery session (see note)
Wednesday 3 x 1 miles, 90% effort
Thursday --
Friday 4 miles, 60% effort
Saturday --
Sunday 6 miles, 80% effort (i.e. slightly faster than last week)

WEEK 5
Monday 50% recovery session (see note)
Tuesday 3 x 100 metre sprints, 100% effort then 10 min easy jog
Wednesday --
Thursday 2 x 3 miles, 80% effort
Friday --
Saturday 3 miles, 60% effort
Sunday 7 miles, 70% effort

WEEK 6
Monday --
Tuesday 50% recovery session (see note)
Wednesday 4 miles, 80% effort
Thursday --
Friday 2 x 2 miles, 90% effort
Saturday --
Sunday 8 miles, 80% effort

WEEK 7
Monday 50% recovery session (see note)
Tuesday 5 x 100 metre sprints, 100% effort, then 5 min easy jog.
Wednesday --
Thursday 5 miles, 60% effort
Friday --
Saturday 9 miles, 70% effort
Sunday --

WEEK 8
Monday 50% recovery session (see note)
Tuesday 4 miles, 80% effort
Wednesday --
Thursday 2 x 2 miles, 90% effort
Friday 4 miles, 60% effort
Saturday --
Sunday 10 miles, 80% effort

WEEK 9
Monday --
Tuesday 50% recovery session (see note)
Wednesday 5 x 100 metre sprints, 100% effort, then 5 minute recovery jog
Thursday 6 miles, 80% effort
Friday --
Saturday --
Sunday 12 miles, 70% effort

WEEK 10
Monday 50% recovery session (see note)
Tuesday 2 x 3 miles, 90% effort
Wednesday --
Thursday 4 miles, 80% effort
Friday --
Saturday 3 miles, 50% effort
Sunday 10 miles, 80% effort

WEEK 11
Monday 50% recovery session (see note)
Tuesday 3 x 200 metre sprints, 100% effort then 5 min recovery jog
Wednesday --
Thursday 3 miles, 90% effort
Friday --
Saturday 8 miles, 70% effort
Sunday --

WEEK 12
Monday 6 miles, 70% effort
Tuesday --
Wednesday 2 x 2 miles, 80% effort
Thursday 50% recovery session, see note
Friday --
Saturday 3 miles, 60% effort
Sunday RACE DAY!

Good luck, stick to it and you’ll be so chuffed when you finish the race that all the effort will be worth it… and I’d love to hear if anyone follows this programme and how they get on in the race!

Coming up TOMORROW - my not to be missed piece on race preparation, believe me, I’ve learnt by my mistakes and these are MY hot tips on getting it right.

GEORGIE - Restaurant feast or famine....

Eating out is hard. When I lived in the USA we ate out 4 times a week on average and I got so used to restaurant dining I also got very good at portion control. I never ate two courses unless it was two starters back to back, no desserts, wine at weekends only and sticking to little plates etc. But now I am back in the UK (and while I was on unemployed persons budget) eating out has become something more of a treat then it was stateside. That brings up a problem - well, for the piggy in me anyway - as I want to eat THE WHOLE MENU. Things that were a complete NO NO for me in the US - bread basket, chips, onion rings etc are such a treat that I feel like I can just bend the rules as I haven't eaten out for ages. Add to that eating pudding, 3/4/5 glasses of wine and (in the case of twice last week) 3 COURSES (3 courses!) I am in danger of sliding into restaurant gut hell!!

I ate out three times last week. It was great! We were celebrating and I really felt like I deserved the treat. What my body didn't deserve was the stuffing it got... I really over did it. And while it's fine to pig out once in a while, its not ok for me to do it regularly. I have lost my restraint when there's a menu in my hand and I need to retrain myself to get that discipline back. I intend to get back on that wagon pronto.

So the answer? Well I go back to my Superbowl experience. (It's a good read if you want to look back through our February blogs) Fun is fine, but it must be a one off. So, back to the old rules. No excess drinking. No bread basket. No chips. Protein and vegetables to ensure I am not eating all my calories for the day in one sitting.

All I am saying peeps, is enjoy it, but when you wake up a week later 5 pounds heavier (like I did) then I guess, I deserve that. Oh well. Back to the gym we go.

ZAR - little resolutions

(With apologies for a lack of blog yesterday - you can blame GB who was out bouncing around some social event and forgot to post)

I never used to make New Years resolutions, rather I'd resolve to be better every year. I did make a couple of resolutions this year but I usually set goals - 5 years, 1 year, monthly.....whatever it might be. I had an interesting conversation with a customer the other day who had a good idea to make mid year resolutions.

I want to add just a little to Pose's wonderful blog on goalsetting. She talked about making goals specific, achievable, measurable, realistic and putting a time frame on them. Unless you do this it will be very easy to lose sight of your goals. Weeks slip by, become months and suddenly you're not the same person who was so fired up.

I think it's really important to keep goals and resolutions at the forefront of your mind. As we hurtle towards winter here, I like to promise myself that I won't put on any weight through the winter. I've got a new exercise regime that I'm really excited about, have my eating under control(ish), monthly weigh-ins as a WeightWatchers lifetime member. I'm determined to come out the otherside; fit, slim and feeling great and not have to hit the gym to make my body bikini ready.

If you have made resolutions, set goals or promised yourself to get fit or eat healthy, remind yourself of them, write them down. There's nothing like achieving a goal to give yourself a boost. Life is busy; don't let another 6 months slip by and suddenly you realise that promise you made to yourself was just words.

ZAR - Something for the weekend - Spanish Chicken Stew!

This takes about an hour to cook but doesn't involve too much fiddling around or standing over. Easy and delicious; great to freeze too.

Serves 4

4 boneless chicken thighs, skin off, cut in half
2 chicken breasts, skin off, cut in half
150g slices pancetta, cut into 1cm pieces
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely sliced
120ml white wine
1 tin diced tomatoes
25g pine nuts
4 bay leaves
1 red capsicum, grilled and skinned
handful chopped flatleaf parsley

Pre-heat oven to 150 degrees.

Heat an ovenproof, heavy bottomed dish on a medium heat on the stovetop with 1 tbsp olive oil. Brown the chicken in batches and set aside on a plate. Put the pancetta in the pan and cook to brown for about 5-10 mins. Add the onion and sauté for another 5-10 mins. Add the garlic and cook for another 5 mins until softened.

Pour in the white wine to deglaze the plan and reduce by about half. Return the chicken to the pan with the tomatoes, bay leaves, 3/4 of the pinenuts and season. Put into the oven for half an hour.

Blitz the capsicum flesh and remaining pine nuts in a food processor. Stir this mixture into the stew and sprinkle on chopped parsley to serve.

GEORGIE - Doing your 'daily bit' - try the 100's!!

A little thought for you on making a daily pledge. If you're not able to get to the gym daily, or exercise as regularly as you like, I got an idea from a friend of mine - she does what she calls her 'little bit' every day. A little bit of resistance training that needs no gym, no mat and no special clothing. She has made a little pledge on the days she doesn't get a chance to go down to the gym to just do what she calls 'something'. So I thought about what she said and decided that I might find myself a little big of something to do on the days I don't gym (or on the days when I cycle to work and feel like I could do with a little extra for a full body work out).

My old trainer used to set me task called the "100's". It's basically doing 5 different exercises 100 times. You can break these up into four circuits of 25 and they take about 10 minutes of your time which is nothing at all! You can even do your four different circuits of 25 each at different times of the day providing they add up to 100.

So - try this one. 25 sit-ups, 25 full squats (proper bum down - no cheating!) 25 press ups and 25 lunges. Repeated 4 times. You can vary the exercises that you do but I like this combination as it works the tum, the bum, the hamstrings and your arms and chest. Managing 100 lunges is quite a feat too! You can make it as easy or hard as you like by varying the type of sit up, using weights for squats and/or lunges and by working towards doing full press ups (never going to happen with me but hey, aim high). I've done it for a few days now and it's great!! I find it easiest to do while I am waiting for my bath to run in the evening but anytime will do. It's important to choose exercises that aren't too aerobic so don't make you sweat too much or the thought of doing your 100 might be too dreaded to bear.

Good luck and try this one out - let us know how you got on!!!

ROSIE - Injuries... grrr!

This is a seemingly obvious piece... and has come from speaking to Zar over the past couple of weeks You may have noticed from her blogs (!) that she has an injury at present and my heart goes out to her on that! So, let's ask the basic question - what do you do if you have an injury? Simple; rest it. Yes, very simple, unless it happens to be YOU that's carrying that injury. It's only when exercise becomes an important part of your life that having an injury becomes an issue. If going to the gym is a struggle rather than a part of your day, an injury is a great excuse not to have that workout!

On the other side of the coin, I know how desperate it feels to have a great exercise regime that you simply cannot live without when injury strikes. You feel like your whole world has shifted and life as you know it is not the same. It sounds crazy and over the top but it's true. Over and over I've had clients who are injured and still push themselves to the limit. I spend two sessions per week with them trying to give them exercises to recuperate and strengthen an injured area and BAM, the next week they're even worse because they've pushed themselves too hard in between our sessions.

So... my advice? Take a step back. Don't make your injury worse. It's hideous and frustrating and you want to scream but look at the maths. It's better to take 2, 3, even 6 weeks doing exercise at a lower intensity than pushing your injury too far. If you do, you could be back in business and better than ever. If you DO push your injury then you will, WITHOUT DOUBT, make it worse and have longer off exercise and could cause permanent damage. Try and think outside the box and don't panic. Take up swimming, pilates, just something different and lower intensity that won't damage you even further. 2-3 weeks won't make a big difference. Your fitness may drop a little, hell, you may even put on 4 or 5 lbs. But you can pick up your fitness and lose those pounds.

On this note, if you do exercise regularly it's probably very rare that you take a "week off". We exercise to feel good and why should we take a week off feeling good? But it's so SO important for your body to have a break. If you go on holiday, leave your trainers behind. Don't panic if you have a busy week at work and can't make it to the gym. Don't worry if you oversleep on Sunday morning and don't have time for your workout. If you feel guilty about missing exercise then it's often a sign that it's controlling you. Hard as it is, give yourself a week off. You can get back to it after a week feeling rested, refreshed with your energy stores replenished and feeling better than ever!

ZAR - Considering GI

I read a small article in the paper the other day regarding GI foods. The GI (glycemic index) is something that has really came to the fore in the last 5-10 years. The GI rating of a food is calculated by monitoring an individual's release of blood sugar immediately after consumption of that food. Low GI foods are digested more slowly and leave you feeling fuller for longer. Typically, unprocessed, brown grains and certain fruits and veg. High GI foods give us a rush of blood sugar and not much more.

The article spoke of a study which had been conducted into the diets of 15,000 men and 32,000 women. It really focused on the danger of refined carbohydrates which generally have a high GI. It found that diets which were higher GI had an increased risk of developing heart disease.

This is another reason to cook from raw and avoid too much processed food. I don't want you to immediately adopt a strict low GI diet, just be aware of what you put into your body. This is not just better for you in the short term but consider the future of your health - doing something now is so much better than wishing you'd done something now, in the future.

More info on adopting these ideas as a programme or to find out about GI foods - www.glycemicindex.com is the official website and makes some interesting reading. Certainly worth a look!