No more school – summer holiday madness begins

Posted on 27 July, 2010 by Nicki

Going to spend the next couple of days working out places to go and things to do for FREE!!  Well, for the price of some petrol and a picnic.  Certainly the beach will feature, will try to get to Barmouth but was thinking of going over to Hoylake on the Wirral.  West Kirkby is always good and the marina has a walk way through it so it looks like your walking on water!!  I remember being a kid, getting the train to West Kirkby and paddling in the marina, it was full of sharp stones so always came home with cuts tot he soles of my feet - happy days eh??

Posted in Skinny's Thoughts | Leave a comment

Marks and Spencer to sell ‘plus size’ clothes to three-year-olds

Posted on 24 July, 2010 by (author unknown)
Marks and Spencer has begun selling "plus-size" clothing for children as young as three in an attempt to dress a new generation with bulging waistlines.
Posted in Skinny's Thoughts | Comments Off

Pizza margherita

Posted on 23 July, 2010 by Nicki

300g strong bread flour
1 tsp instant yeast (from a sachet or a tub)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil , plus extra for drizzling

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE

100ml passata
handful fresh basil or 1 tsp dried
1 garlic clove , crushed

FOR THE TOPPING

125g ball mozzarella , sliced
handful grated or shaved Parmesan
handful cherry tomatoes , halved

  1. Make the base: Put the flour into a large bowl, then stir in the yeast and salt. Make a well, pour in 200ml warm water and the olive oil and bring together with a wooden spoon until you have a soft, fairly wet dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 mins until smooth. Cover with a tea towel and set aside. You can leave the dough to rise if you like, but it's not essential for a thin crust.
  2. Make the sauce: Mix the passata, basil and crushed garlic together, then season to taste. Leave to stand at room temperature while you get on with shaping the base.
  3. Roll out the dough: If you've let the dough rise, give it a quick knead, then split into two balls. On a floured surface, roll out the dough into large rounds, about 25cm across, using a rolling pin. The dough needs to be very thin as it will rise in the oven. Lift the rounds onto two floured baking sheets.
  4. Top and bake: Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C /gas 8. Put another baking sheet or an upturned baking tray in the oven on the top shelf. Smooth sauce over bases with the back of a spoon. Scatter with cheese and tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and season. Put one pizza, still on its baking sheet, on top of the preheated sheet or tray. Bake for 8-10 mins until crisp. Serve with a little more olive oil, and basil leaves if using. Repeat step for remaining pizza.

Add more veggie toppings or some spicy meat but be careful you don't over load with fatty stuff and go steady on the cheese!!  And don't forget to get the kids involved in making the pizza!!  Even itf its the tidying up of the kitchen....

Posted in Skinny's Recipes | Leave a comment

Got to grips with my drawers the other day.

Posted on 23 July, 2010 by Nicki

Needed a lie down afterwards! Oh how cluttered they where - not now though - I'm talking about cupboard drawers, not knickers by the way.

I only sorted through 5 but my god, the rubbish that was in them!  Now I have 2 empty drawers that where mainly full of birthday cards, foreign coins that can't be used any more and table clothes that are too small for my dining table (eh?) - all have been recycled.  Its very cathartic, need to do the same in the kitchen and our bedroom which should me enough warm up practice for doing the boys.  Will probably need a flame thrower for that job though.

When they've been coming in from school, after they've sorted their bags and had a snack, we've been asking them to put 5 thing away and 5 pieces of rubbish in the bin  from their bedrooms.  Can almost see the bedroom floors now!!

Posted in Skinny's Thoughts | Leave a comment

New High Intensity Interval Training Research

Posted on 21 July, 2010 by fitness guy
This explains Interval training much better than I can - however - it doesn't mean running to the point of exhaustion!!  I tend to go at it for 1 minute at 8.8mph then walk at 4mph for 1 minute and repeat this ten times during a 35 - 40 minute run having warmed up at race pace for 5 to 1o minutes first. High intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, has become immensely popular in the last decade. HIIT involves alternating brief bursts of very high intensity exercise (work intervals) with brief segments of lower intensity exercise (recovery intervals). One problem with some types of HIIT is that they call for such high intensity bursts – literally [...] Post from: Fitness Tips For Life New High Intensity Interval Training Research
Posted in Skinny's Hints & Tips | Comments Off

Is obsession part of the scale of commitment?

Posted on 20 July, 2010 by Nicki

Very deep I know, but you can be committed to something without being obsessed. However, if you're obsessed about something, does that mean you are over committed (or should be committed!)

SS said she wanted a piece of what I have, as in my commitment to get up and do each day - I got to wondering if I'm obsessed. I train, I tell everyone and I broadcast my races cos to me, if every one else knows then I am involving them in my conscience and therefore can't let them down!!  Backhanded motivation or what??

So, if I don't sign up for a race, I have no goal, if I have a goal and nobody but me knows, I'm only letting me down if I don't train or complete that goal.

However, if I tell you (and this is another reason why I blog - the blog gets 9,000 hits a month) that's a lot of people to let down. A cheat I know but as I'm running, biking or walking - that thought stays with me.  I'm using you to keep me going but the outcome is best for me - new health, weight loss and feeling happier with me than I have done in years.

Posted in Skinny's Thoughts | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Did lots of walking yesterday

Posted on 20 July, 2010 by Nicki

Went out for 2 miles with BF in the morning, 6 miles with SS in the evening then DS1 and I did a further 3 after that!!

I buggy walked with BF, well she pushed the buggy and we talked the in the evening, SS and I did a power walk and tore the road up, did 6 miles in just over an hour.  Then, in the evening, DS1 who is trying to raise money to go on an expedition to Cambodia, went around 2 towns posting flyer's (aka begging letters) to all the shops and offices.

I was meant to be doing a run and bike workout but I couldn't move when I got back home.  I was pleasantly pooped!!  Saw some Nordic Walkers doing a warm down in one of the town parks - so wanted to go and join them but I had the flyers to deliver - still, I got my fitness fix in about 3 hours seperated through out the day.

Posted in Skinny's Thoughts | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Weigh in day – good news!

Posted on 19 July, 2010 by Nicki

After 4 months of not losing weight - I have had my second loss in a row.  Silly isn't it, I now feel I can conquer the world, good news on the scales has set my mood for the day!  What I need to do is set the positive self talk and feelings into motion regardless as to what the scales say.

Yesterday, I, a former lardy-arse, ran 6.16 miles on the hilly, uppy, downy lanes by me in 1 hour and 8 minutes.  Not only that but I've been adding it up and over the last few weeks I've ran 22 miles, biked 17 and done 2160 reps or resistance training WEEKLY.  I run a business, a family, spend one day a week with my dad and, and still manage to fit the occasional early night and chick flick or book in.  So why I still have to pick holes in myself, I don't know!!

I guess its human nature to focus on the negative, the "what I couldve' done betters" the "I shouldn't haves"  Well, today I'm going to focus on my achievements.

I remember talking to a mum on the playground a few months ago, she's a runner and I really envied her stamina.  She told me that one day I'd be running for an hour at a time, no stopping and that I'd love it.  I remember think a) clearly she's mad and got me confused with some one fit, or b) how could I ever be as fit as her?  Well I don't know if I am or not but I do know I can run for an hour.

Posted in Skinny's Thoughts | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Could your weight affect your memory?

Posted on 17 July, 2010 by (author unknown)
Shared by Nicki I think weight does effect my memory - as i can never remember if its 2 or 3 ginger nuts I've eaten!!
Could carrying some extra pounds affect your memory? Yes, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

What do we know already?

Being overweight affects your health in lots of ways. Some are well known, such as the increased chance of getting heart problems, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. Others are less obvious, such as research showing that obesity is linked to a higher risk of cancer. Researchers have now looked at whether being overweight could affect people's memory.

What does the new study say?

Researchers looked at 8,745 women aged between 65 and 79. They all took a memory test called the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination. They answered questionnaires about their health, lifestyle, and background. They also had their height, weight, and blood pressure measured. The researchers calculated that every extra point of body mass index (BMI – your weight in kilograms divided by the square of your height in metres) led to a 1-point drop in the memory test. The effect was more pronounced for women who carried extra weight around their hips (the so-called 'pear shape'), compared with women who carried it around their waists (the 'apple shape'). Heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes were also linked to a lower score in the memory test.

How reliable is the research?

The researchers say they found a link between being overweight and having a poorer memory, but we don't know why. One possibility is that being overweight influences hormone levels in a way that affects the brain. It's also possible that the negative affects obesity has on your heart and circulation have knock-on affects in the brain. However, it's quite possible that there is no causal relationship, and a third factor affects both weight and memory.

Where does the study come from?

The researchers were based at several US universities, including Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, and the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The study appeared in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, published by the American Geriatrics Society.

What does this mean for me?

While the researchers found a link between being overweight and having a poorer memory, none of the women scored outside the 'normal' range for the test. So it's not clear if the effect is big enough to make a noticeable difference in everyday life. The study only looked at white women, so we don't know if the results would apply to other ethnic groups.

What should I do now?

In general, if you're overweight, losing weight is a positive step as far as your health is concerned. However, it's worth talking to your doctor to make sure you're on the right track. Previous research has suggested that being slightly overweight may not be particularly harmful for older people, like many of the women in this study. Some doctors think that the best advice for older people is to keep active, eat sensibly, and maintain your current weight.

From:

Kerwin DR, Zhang Y, Kotchen JM, et al. The cross-sectional relationship between body mass index, waist–hip ratio, and cognitive performance in postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.02969.x To read more, see our information on obesity. © BMJ Publishing Group Limited ("BMJ Group") 2010  
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Posted in Skinny's Hints & Tips | Comments Off

Just been for a mooch in Jems Dress Agency Oswestry

Posted on 16 July, 2010 by Nicki

Its a fantastic place - soon as you go in you are greeted with a riot of colours, texture and friendliness.  I've been plucking up the courage to pop in for a while.  I went in last year looking for something to wear to a posh do.  they had such lovely stuff but none of it would fit.  Well now it does - YAY

I spoke with Julie, one of the co owners and she remembered me from last time!  After discussing my weight loss she and Emma, the other owner, said they will give me some advice on what I can wear now.  I've been hiding behind baggy clothes, long sleeves and bulky coats for so long I haven't a clue what I can wear now or about shapes, pear, apple... Hows that for service and motivation??

Visit their website here- or better still go in and have a coffee and a chat.  I'm off to do some speed work and hand weights so I can drop another size before I go shopping with Julie and Emma.

Posted in Skinny's Hints & Tips, Skinny's Thoughts | Tagged | Leave a comment