365 Days of Fitness

365 Days of Fitness

So this year I am going to do a post for every day of my fitness journey. The past few years my understanding of fitness and life has grown. This year I am giving myself a different goal to motivate myself to keep pushing on! I have always set motivational and fitness targets but nothing public. I want people to see me this year and go “If she can so can I!”. Don’t get me wrong I know I am no fitness goddess but I am going to show you this year the power and determination I have to make me the best version of myself.

Today is day number one, 1st of January 2017. The last place a lot of people want to be after New Year's Eve is in the gym but not me! Best way to start the year is how you wish to go on. Today i woke up to my nieces jumping on the bed wanting breakfast. Before even turning over I started coughing my lungs up. For the past few days I have had a horrendous cough. I have kept working and teaching classes, generally feeling well until I get that dreadful tickle in my throat… Today I was all dressed and ready to hit the gym before my family stopped and asked what I was doing. As much as I wanted to start the new year as I wished to go on I had forgotten one of the main reasons I hit the gym. To keep myself healthy! Not giving my body time to recover by working out was doing the exact opposite of this.

So here I am, at home on the sofa with hot lemon, writing fitness plans and trying to push passed this cough. I need to remember that as much as I want my 365 days of fitness to be a workout every day my body doesn’t work like that. It needs time to heal, grow and recover. Heres hoping I feel better tomorrow and I will be back in work on Tuesday powering it out!

Hope you are with me and making every day this year count!!

Things I love Thursday #15 Foam rollers

Recently with a lot of changes going on my training, planning, free time and well, general life have changed considerably and not for just for the better. I have been stressing so much about Uni and trying to get everything in my life on point that one of the main things has slipped my mind… me. I have been throwing in training when I can, eating healthily but not to macros and missing out that all important chill time. Yeah I have been spending time with the family but I mean chill time for my body. I have lost all of the work I put in when I was at yoga and gone back to a stiff grumpy old lady body.

I took a foam rolling course with Fitness Scotland. Not only was it funny, lighthearted and interesting that one class made me feel like my body was floating on clouds. I now know how to untie these monotonous knots in my body one by one! It was amazing to hear how tension in the neck/upper back could be caused by an ankle injury and how everything in the body is so connected. After the class I got myself a nice pair and tried them out on my own. I am so glad I chose to do the course not only for me but now I can pass on the information to clients, friends and family!

I would greatly suggest trying them out for yourself but keep in mind that for the best results and the safest way to use a roller ask someone who knows what they're doing! Speaking of trained people if you have any questions on how to roll or want to find out more please feel free to contact me here!

Thanks for reading my Things I love Thursday Foam Rollers and keep on stretching!

Thinks I love Thursday #14 Learning

At school I wasn't the most academic. I loved learning about things but often found it very difficult for the information to sink in. I have dyslexia and dyspraxia both making it hard to absorb information in a learning environment such as a school. What I have found is that applying what I am learning in a practical context makes everything so much easier for me. I left school with some highers but with no academic path that I wanted to follow. I got a job that wasn't of much interest to me and got on with life.

Now two years later I have found my goal. I scrimped and saved every penny to pay for my level 2 gym instructor, level 3 PT and kettle bells class certificate. With no prior qualification in biology or physical education I knew I had my work cut out for me. It was like starting school all over again but this time my heart was in it. I have absorbed so much in the past few months it's unreal, my passion for health and fitness has grown more than I knew possible. This is a new side to learning that I didn't know existed. I have found myself in conversation with people who are so intelligent and that I look up to, asking me to stop and explain concepts, words and what I am saying in more detail. I have never had that happen to me before, it felt so amazing.

So, where now? Well I am still working my way through my level 3 PT but I don't want to stop there. I applied to university and college and I am very happy to share that I am going on to study Sport and Excercise BScH at The University of the Highlands and Islands in Perth! I can't believe I got in! More than that I know that little cubby 15 year old me would never believe I would be going on to study fitness at degree level!

I am very glad that I have finally gotten the courage to do something for me. I really hope you have enjoyed this weeks Things I love Thursday! Many more to come! 

Big Fat Sorry!

Dear readers,

I can only apologise for my lack of posts in the past months. As many of you will know life can get tough and busy, and it's easy to let things you enjoy doing slip. As you will have seen if you follow my ameliahealthandlifestyle Instagram or Facebook I have been posting but not as frequently. This slip in habit has not only been in my blog but also in my own health and wellbeing.

Training is my life and something I love dearly as you will be able to tell by my posts. However sometimes the world can get you down and the things you love can seem like a chore. This post is not just to say sorry but to also say it's ok not to be ok. Life can get hard at times but just because you missed a few weeks, months or even years doesn't mean you should give up on the things you love completely. If I can do it we all can.

I will be posting a "Things I love Thursday" this week to let you know what I have been up to these past few months and share some exciting news! Til then stay strong both in mind and body and if you need me click here! 

Things I love Thursday #13 Spin

Cardio is the bane of most peoples lives.  Some people love going for a run in the sun or on a bike ride but I am not one of these people.  I can get bored quite easily if I am not pushing myself and switching things up.  This is why I love a good spin class.  Music blaring, sprinting, going heavy, pushing yourself to your max, its brilliant.  Having people around you also doing what you are doing can sometimes put people off but believe me, when doing something as intense as spin for cardio no one is focusing on anyone else.  Its all about pushing yourself. 

When I first went to a spin class I couldn't understand why so many people wanted to be there.  I couldn't sprint and struggled to keep up.  After going a few times I got it.  Its like an addiction, you are constantly developing and pushing yourself.  I set myself goals when I attend classes.  My first goal was to be able to sprint.  It was amazing to see that after only two classes I was able to push myself to go at 140 spins per minute (spm) when before I couldn't hit 100spm.  I can now do around 190spm!  Currently I am working on ensuring my spm is what has been instructed by the teacher.  My hope is to be fit enough that I could take a spin class.  Talk, spin and most importantly, not look like I am dying. 


Too many people see cardio as a task that they can easily skip.  This is because they see it as a chore.  Set yourself a goal and make it a challenge.  It could be as simple as having a 15 minute walk every day and pushing yourself to travel a little bit further or seeing how long it takes you to run a 5k.  Put together a playlist of songs that you love and give you energy.  It doesn't just have to be music, I know people that watch football while on the stair machine and others that listen to podcasts or books while running.  Take something you love and hate and create a balance, before you know it cardio will just be part of you week!


What is your favourite way to get cardio done?  Do you have a "Cardio Playlist" or a group of podcasts you love?  Let me know here!

Things I love Thursday #12 That feeling

I have come so far in the past 8 months.  I have pushed myself, trained my mind and body and become someone I never believed I could be.  I am not only a lot stronger physically but also mentally.  I spent the first months really focusing on technique, making sure to get everything right so I would not hurt myself and get the most benefits possible.  Then once I had mastered the technique I started focusing on slowly increasing the weight.  It has been quite simple so far but the past few weeks I have noticed something.  When I go to start a dead lift, pick up dumbbells for a chest press or do any other kind of free weight exercise I stop and hold the metal bar before the lift.  This is something I have seen many guys doing in the gym but never really understood myself.  I was psyching myself up for the lift.


In the past I knew that what I was lifting wasn't that much but now what used to be my focus weight is now my warm up.  On Monday I was sitting on a bench with two 14kg in my hands, gripping tight and just looking at them.  It was such a rush but it was fear as well as excitement.  This was only the second time I had used 14s and I had to sit looking at them for a few seconds before actually smashing out the set.  It's the same feeling you get when you take a big jump, take a risk, do something that in the back of your head you know you shouldn't. 

I have always loved weight lifting but now I have more drive, more focus and that feeling that pushes me to keep going.  Its a passion and something I find great pleasure in.  When you find that feeling, no matter what it is you are doing, never let it go.  In life you get the opportunity to push yourself to fifill your dreams.  That feeling is what holds the dream up, don't let that go.  Its the passion that makes ideas a reality. 


Believe in your dreams and they can come true.  Hope you enjoyed this weeks "Things I love Thursday"!  Any questions or comments feel free to email me here or leave a message below!

Things I love Thursday #11 Aloe Gel

Today I am going to talk about something more health related rather than fitness.  The beautiful Aloe Gel by Forever Living.  I am amazed how much this has helped me and by how natural it is.  Forever Living is a company that helps people to start up their own business and helps them to create the lifestyle they have always wanted.  It retails products that are natural, kind to the planet, animal friendly, not tested on animals and benefit your health and wellbeing.  The Aloe Gel is the inner juicy part of the aloe plant and one of their best loved products.  It helps with four areas; your skin, bronchi, stomach and bowel.  I have seen a massive change in myself. I used to get stomach cramps and would “go” only once or twice a week.  I would pick up coughs all the time and it was horrible.  Now I feel normal!  My body isn’t constantly in pain, I get up in the morning and have energy, I just feel alive!  It has helped curb my cravings and cleansed my body.

 

This is defiantly a love and something I plan on taking forever!  These benefits are what I have experienced but Aloe Gel has helped my family and friends as well.  It has helped my friend who has fibromyalgia.  At one point her fibromyalgia was so bad that she had to use a wheelchair.  Now after physiotherapy and hard work she can walk again but her pain was still excruciating.  She started taking Forever Freedom that is specifically designed to help with painful joints and support fitness lovers.  Her pain is now minimal and she gets less flare ups. 

 

Forever Aloe is not a cure but it might make the difference that you need.  I believe that if something is safe and natural you should always give it a shot and see.  You never know it may be the best decision you ever made.  I know it was for me!  If you want to find out more information about Forever Living or Aloe Gel please feel free to drop me an email here or check out my online store here!

 

Hope you guys enjoyed this weeks Things I love Thursday!