Has anybody been watching The Aprentice lately? Last week their task was to invent and market a new fitness programme. One woman wanted to do something which combined speed dating with exercise, but her collegues quickly rejected the idea, saying they would HATE to have to flirt with someone when they're covered in sweat and out of breath!
In actual fact, it may not be such a mad idea after all! Reasearch has found many things which support this idea.
The first is that the pheremones we release through sweat when exercising can be very attractive to the opposite sex! This attraction of scent is an age long method of finding a mate! So if you are looking for love at the gym, think twice before applying so much after shave!!
Exercise also increases blood flow around the body, getting your juices flowing and your sex drive rocketing! Whilst lifting weights releases testosterone and cardio adrenaline, both important hormones to get you in the mood. ;-)
On a slightly less scientific note: (ok, much less scientific!) Don't pretent that when you see those girls in their lycra, bouncing up and down on a spinning bike, your mind doesn't wonder!!! Coz when we are working out - skin glowing, gasping for breath, chest rising, biting out lips and gritting our teath to push through, thats the same picture we see when we are getting hot and steamy under the covers! And if it's not, well you're just not working hard enough are you!!
This having been said, I still don't think the idea of a speed dating fitness class is one which would particularly take of, but I may suggest it to my manager! lol!
Saturday 21 April 2012
Thursday 19 April 2012
Chicken and chocolate....listening to you're body
When I returned home last night, fourteen hours after leaving for work in the morning, I knew exactly wat I needed to have for dinner. Despite only recently starting to eat meat, after a long day of classes, I needed protein. I also needed chocolate!! So chicken and hot chocolate it was!
When we're pregnant and experience unuseual cravings, we surcome to them without a seccond thought. "I must listen to my body and give it what it needs". Why should this only be the case during pregnancy? If you're craving chocolate but think "no i'll be good and just have a cracker", chances are that craving is not going to go away, and you will keep eating anything else to avoid the chocolate, ending up eating more anyway! Learning to listen to out bodies may be the best way to maintain a diet which works for us invividually. This not only goes for what we need to eat, but also what we don't need, or have eaten enough. By satisfying our cravings, we are also able to continue with the days work, without being distracted thinking about food!
This is how I live my life, and it really works for me. My life isn't controlled by what I eat, but enriched by it.
So next time you fancie a biscuit (or two), why not enjoy it, and see what happens to the rest of your day :-) Stop denying yourself the things you need!
When we're pregnant and experience unuseual cravings, we surcome to them without a seccond thought. "I must listen to my body and give it what it needs". Why should this only be the case during pregnancy? If you're craving chocolate but think "no i'll be good and just have a cracker", chances are that craving is not going to go away, and you will keep eating anything else to avoid the chocolate, ending up eating more anyway! Learning to listen to out bodies may be the best way to maintain a diet which works for us invividually. This not only goes for what we need to eat, but also what we don't need, or have eaten enough. By satisfying our cravings, we are also able to continue with the days work, without being distracted thinking about food!
This is how I live my life, and it really works for me. My life isn't controlled by what I eat, but enriched by it.
So next time you fancie a biscuit (or two), why not enjoy it, and see what happens to the rest of your day :-) Stop denying yourself the things you need!
Tuesday 17 April 2012
Hello.....
Hello, I'm not really sure what I'm doing here. My housemate suggested I start a blog to document my hectic lifeslyle and share with my experiences with others. So here we go, my first post!
I have three great loves: Fitness, Food and Love! And in my relitively short life, I have flirted with all three. Which is how I found my title: Flirtations with Fitness and Food.
I'll begin with food....Like all relationships, my relationship with food has been far from easy. When I was twelve years old, I was diagnosed with Annorexia Nervosa. Tragically around 1-2% of women will be affected by this at some point in their lives, but very few as yound as twelve. With several years of therapy and support I was finally discharged just in time to take my GCSE exams! However, anyone who has experience of this type of illness, will know that it never truly leaves you. I wanted to keep controll of my diet, so for about 2 years I maintained Veganism as an excuse for tiny portions. Two weeks ago I had my first taste of meat in almost ten years! (When love is on your mind and a gorgeous man cooks you bacon for breakfast, YOU EAT IT!!!) And you know what, it wasn't that bad! Now I am expanding and have tried some fresh fish and a little bit of chicken.
What I have already realised is that in a desparation to stay slim, I have been depriving my body, not just of nutrients, but of pleasure and enjoyment too. I vow now to "relish every bite"! I no longer see food as an enemy to my figure, but appreciate each meal for nourishing me and giving me the energy and strength to go on.
This brings me on to talk about my second love: fitness. I like things which get my heart racing! I think I was running before I could walk! But my fitness to a huge knock a few years ago when I was studying dance at Bird College of Performing Arts and was struck down by Glandular fever. Six hours of dancing a day?...I couldn't even get out of bed!!! Every time we are knocked down, we get back up stronger. It's cliche I know, but trust me it's true! So true! I am now working as a freelance fitness instructor and have never felt better!
My blog will be about finding the balance, understanding that we have to put the right stuff in to get the best out! Seeing food and fitness as the best of friends, to eachother and to ourselves. And never forgetting to have FUN! In the kitchen, in the gym, in the bedroom... Flirt with something new, you might be supprised how good you feel after. :-)
I have three great loves: Fitness, Food and Love! And in my relitively short life, I have flirted with all three. Which is how I found my title: Flirtations with Fitness and Food.
I'll begin with food....Like all relationships, my relationship with food has been far from easy. When I was twelve years old, I was diagnosed with Annorexia Nervosa. Tragically around 1-2% of women will be affected by this at some point in their lives, but very few as yound as twelve. With several years of therapy and support I was finally discharged just in time to take my GCSE exams! However, anyone who has experience of this type of illness, will know that it never truly leaves you. I wanted to keep controll of my diet, so for about 2 years I maintained Veganism as an excuse for tiny portions. Two weeks ago I had my first taste of meat in almost ten years! (When love is on your mind and a gorgeous man cooks you bacon for breakfast, YOU EAT IT!!!) And you know what, it wasn't that bad! Now I am expanding and have tried some fresh fish and a little bit of chicken.
What I have already realised is that in a desparation to stay slim, I have been depriving my body, not just of nutrients, but of pleasure and enjoyment too. I vow now to "relish every bite"! I no longer see food as an enemy to my figure, but appreciate each meal for nourishing me and giving me the energy and strength to go on.
This brings me on to talk about my second love: fitness. I like things which get my heart racing! I think I was running before I could walk! But my fitness to a huge knock a few years ago when I was studying dance at Bird College of Performing Arts and was struck down by Glandular fever. Six hours of dancing a day?...I couldn't even get out of bed!!! Every time we are knocked down, we get back up stronger. It's cliche I know, but trust me it's true! So true! I am now working as a freelance fitness instructor and have never felt better!
My blog will be about finding the balance, understanding that we have to put the right stuff in to get the best out! Seeing food and fitness as the best of friends, to eachother and to ourselves. And never forgetting to have FUN! In the kitchen, in the gym, in the bedroom... Flirt with something new, you might be supprised how good you feel after. :-)
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