Scratch that itch....

It starts with an itch...

Something that just doesn't feel right deep down inside of you. 

Kind of niggles at you constantly but you can't quite put your finger on it.

At first you don't know how to scratch that itch so you just ignore it until it goes away.

But it keeps coming back....

And this continues to happen until you realise what that itch really means.

It turns out it's your body and your mind subtly telling you that it's time to change something.

Change something you aren't happy with.

Change something that is holding you back in your life. 

Change something that will make you feel better. Improve your outlook on life. Help you grow. Make you a better you.

But in order to change something you have to do some work. 

Some work that requires you to do something that is not 'normal' to you.

So you ignore the itch again...

And again...

Until the itch becomes so unbearable that you finally decide to do something about it.

Because the only time you'll successfully make a change is when your desire to change outweighs your desire to stay the same.

Now it's time to create a 'new normal'.

But how do we do that?....

Well first you start by creating a vision. 

A vision of what you want your change to look like.

What you want your future to look like.

And that is unique to each and every individual.

Then you must find your 'why'.

'Why' you want to change.

Not why someone else wants you to change, or why you think you have to change.

Why YOU really want to change.

And once you've done that you can now start making inroads into creating your vision.

By building new habits. 

Small habits, one at a time. 

Baby steps you might call it.

This won't feel 'normal' at first, and it will require some work to keep the momentum of change going.

But slowly, over time, these new habits will be formed.

Until you are doing things that once felt difficult or strange without even realising.

You have started to create your 'new normal'.

So now you start to surround yourself with people and things that fall in line with your new normal.

Others who share your vision for a better future. 

People who support your vision and understand what it feels like to make positive change.

People who inspire you and also have a desire and drive to improve and be better every day.

Then a little further down the line you begin to realise how different you feel. 

How far you have come.

How different your new normal is to the life you were living only a short time ago.

Your now comfortable doing the work  you once feared. 

You realise that progress comes one inch at a time. 

By consistently doing the things necessary to make the changes you want to see.

Your on your path now. 

You can see your future. 

You are becoming your vision....

If you have an itch. If you have something in your life that you aren't happy with. If you want to change something.

Then you absolutely can make that change.

You just need to be prepared to do the work necessary.

Get comfortable being uncomfortable for a little while.  

Because nothing worth having ever comes easy.

But when progress happens you realise what once seemed impossible now really is possible.

And your world is suddenly a better place to live in.....

If you have an itch.

Go scratch it!.....

Act like a baby!...

For the past few weeks I've been watching something amazing happen. 

My 10 month old daughter has been teaching herself to walk. And she's been relentless at it! 

Up, down, up, down, just watching her is tiring at times. But no matter how many times she went over she would pop right back up and try and try again. Thank god for nappies or her backside would be black and blue!

But she's now able to balance really well, take unaided steps, and basically roam free with a huge smile on her face as the the world has just become her playground.

Sitting watching all of this play out has got me thinking about the innate human desire to learn, to improve, to grow and get better at things. 

As humans we are born with this. It's an automatic response in our brains to respond to a challenge that is set out in front of us.

As babies, first we learn to brace our little bodies. Then to sit unaided. Then to prop ourselves up, to role, then to shuffle, to crawl, to pull ourselves up, and finally make those momentous first steps that is our first real taste of freedom. 

It's human evolution.

I'll never ever forget the look of joy on Mila's face as she took those first few steps. The feeling of accomplishment was plain to see in her eyes even if she didn't even know what that feeling really meant yet.

When we are growing up we are constantly eager to learn new things. Walking, talking, reading, writing. We persevere almost relentlessly until we achieve what we set out to do. I've never really thought about it that much until watching Mila go through this learning process over the past 10 months.

So now I'm wondering at what point then do we sometimes lose this desire to improve and learn new skills as adults. At what point does our mind just give up on something we've been trying to achieve when it becomes too difficult instead of persevering until we 'get it'

Maybe it's because we become lazy? 

Maybe it's because things are handed to us too easily these days? 

Made too convenient for us?

Maybe we don't even need to learn new skills anymore to survive?

Let's be honest. If we really didn't want to we could quite easily sit on our arses and never leave our own front rooms. The internet, mobile phones, Online shopping, remote working, email, laptop computers, a million different tv channels.  

The sad thing is this is actually happening. And probably a lot more than we actually realise.

People are become hermits!

Even kids these days don't leave the house nearly half as much as in the past due to online gaming, Xbox, blue ray players and the likes. The vast majority aren't anywhere near as active as they should be. But that's a rant for another day. And one things for sure, that shit ain't happening on my watch with Mila!...

So anyway.

In my opinion we need to get back to what we once were. Creatures that want to evolve. Learn new skills. Progress in life. Not give up on shit when the going gets tough. 

We need to get back to having some good old fashioned 'grit' and 'determination'

Whatever we want to improve in our lives we need to just get on and do it. Keep at it until we achieve it. 

Get back to feeling a sense of achievement for completing something we set out to do. 

I bet some people can't even remember what that feels like.  

We all have something we keep saying we want to do or learn or get better at. Well there's no time like the present. 

Because once we give up on self improvement and learning new things we just idle along in life. Going nowhere in a sense. Just coasting without a direction. In essence, without progression in our lives we are just preparing for death. 

Yes I know that sounds a bit dramatic and our final day may be many years away but the brain is now being conditioned for it. Down regulating bit by bit. 

What is the point in a life without challenge. Something to aim for. Something to improve at. 

It doesn't have to be a huge thing either.

Maybe something as simple as learning a few new recipes in the kitchen to improve the quality of our food intake.

Taking up a new sport. 

Learning a new language.

Learning to drive.

Reading some books.

Turning off the tv, getting off the sofa, and fucking moving a bit more. 

I am of course a big advocate of all things health, nutrition, and fitness. And I believe everyone could benefit from prioritising their health a bit more.

For a while though I didn't make it a priority and I ended up feeling like shit about myself.

Luckily I got my passion back.

I've reconnected with my baby brain and have the relentless will to improve at things again. To better myself as a person.

So the next time my wife tells me to stop acting like a baby I can tell her that's exactly what I want to be doing!!

Maybe we could all take a leaf out of a baby's book and rekindle our love for learning and self improvement?

Get busy living or get busy dying!...

The choice is yours....

Protein Cheesecake....

Had a lot of love for the protein cheesecake I made at the weekend and it was pretty damn awesome if I do say so myself!

One happy taster said he couldn't believe it wasn't full of sugar and bad for you like normal cheesecake is. 

It just goes to show that eating healthily can still be full of awesome treats and not bland and boring like a lot of people seem to think.

Anyway here's the recipe if you fancy giving it a go. It's so easy to make honestly. I slightly modified a recipe by @Protein_Chef, you should check her twitter account out for loads of top notch protein related cooking ideas.

Ingredients:-

Cake:-

2 scoops white choc Muscle mousse.

2 scoops strawberry Bio Whey protein.

500g plain quark.

300g reduced fat cream cheese.

Handful fresh Blueberries.

Base:-

200g reduced fat digestive biscuits.

1 heaped tablespoon peanut butter.

1 tablespoon coconut oil.

1 egg.

Topping:-

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt.

50g melted 85% dark chocolate.

Handful sliced almonds.

Method:-

Blitz the digestives in a food processor or bash them up in a sandwich bag. Melt the peanut butter and coconut oil in a bowl in the microwave and mix in the digestives. Crack the egg into the mix too and combine all well.

Press this mixture down well into an 8inch loose bottom cake tin to create the base.

In a separate large bowl combine the quark, cream cheese, muscle mousse, and whey protein. Beat it all up really well and then carefully fold in the blueberries.

Pour this mixture over the base and spread to level out.

Bang in preheated oven at 180 degrees (160 fan assisted) for 30 mins. If the top starts browning reduce the heat. (It should still be a bit wobbly when you take it out the oven). Remove from oven and leave to cool to room temperature for an hour or so.

Spread the Greek yogurt over the top of the cake and pour over melted dark Choc. Marble it up with the back of a spoon. Finally sprinkle the almonds over the top and stick in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set. 

The cake actually sets better the longer you leave it in the fridge and I think it tastes even better after a day or two of chilling.

Enjoy a slice guilt free at any time of the day, but I love it as an awesome post workout protein hit!.....

Getting Deep!.....

Going to get a bit deep here, but don't worry, I'll not bore you to tears!

'What is the meaning of life' that age old question that everyone finds themselves asking at one point or another. 

Well I've been thinking about it a lot lately and here's my take on it.

I actually don't think there's a single best answer to this to be honest. Because everyone will have their own opinion on it and rightly so. We've probably all seen or heard different peoples opinions on it but for me we all have to find our own answer to the question.

My personal belief is that the meaning of life is to find happiness. To find our 'bliss' as they say. Sounds simple enough but at times it's far from it.

For some people that may be something as simple as making it through the day in one piece. To be able to find food, water, or shelter.

For others it will be to complete a goal, an objective, or a personal challenge.

For some it may be to find peace in their lives, to feel loved, to find a sole mate.

For some, they may not have found their meaning yet.

But for me, once we have found our 'bliss', then we have found the meaning of life.

I consider myself very lucky. I have a great life. I have my health, my sanity, my wellbeing. 

I have a brilliant wife, an unbreakable relationship with someone I can endure anything with.

I have a gorgeous daughter, who I love so much more than I have the vocabulary to explain in written words.

I have my own home, a job, a loving family and brilliant friends.

I have found my true passion in life. Health, fitness, nutrition. Things I strive to improve on a daily basis.

For me, I have very nearly found my bliss, and I am extremely greatful for it. 

I say nearly because there are still things I want to change in my life. Things I am working hard on, every day, to get to exactly where I want to be.

I have an insatiable appetite to get better. To improve. To grow. Only the people closest to me understand how I'm feeling and see what I'm doing and I'm greatful to them for understanding. I'm on a path and I will get to my destination. I'm well on my way.  

For years I was lost but now I can say I'm happy.

I also realise that not everyone is as lucky as myself. That's why I never take my life for granted. Even when I'm having a bad day I'm still greatful for what I have. And we all have bad days from time to time. I just trust in the saying 'one storm doesn't ruin a summer'.

But I also think that a lot of people are luckier than they realise. I once read a great quote which is 'in general people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be'.

People who live their life with a positive mindset are so much closer to finding their 'bliss' than someone who has a negative frame of mind and are always seeing life as a chore. 

Learning to have a positive mindset even when life gets a little tough can make so much of a difference.

I'll leave you with some ideas that I hope can help you on your road to find your own meaning of life if you feel a little lost.

Of course these are only my opinions but I certainly felt lost only a matter of a few years ago and if I can help just one person with this post then it will be worth it.

** Find a passion. Absolutely everyone should have something in their life that they are passionate about. It doesn't matter what it is just find it.

** Look after your health. It is the single most important thing we have control over. Eat well, exercise frequently, be active. 

** Be positive. A positive mindset makes life so much easier. In all sorts of ways. 

** Surround yourself with like minded positive people. Negative people are like a cancer to your wellbeing. There is a lot of mileage in the saying 'you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with'.

** Be open minded. Never close your mind to new or different ideals or ideas. Even if at first you aren't convinced. Learn new things often and realise not everyone is the same as you are.

** Let go of the past, embrace the future. There is absolutely nothing you can do about what has already been and gone. You absolutely do have the power to influence your present and future.

In your quest to find your own meaning of life I wish you nothing but success!

Enjoy the journey.....

Things I've learned... So far....

So lately I've been helping more and more people out with their nutrition, and giving out solid training advice to people who want to make improvements and gains in the gym.

And I have to say that I love it.

It's something I'll hopefully be doing a lot more of in the near future, but I'm keeping the finer details of that under wraps for now! 

I take great pride in being able to help close friends and family improve their diets and lifestyles, and I'm immensely grateful that they trust me enough to listen and take on board my advice.

I feel an enormous amount of pride when I receive a text saying something I suggested is having a positive effect on someone. Or a picture of a meal someone has prepared using my advice.

It really is a satisfying yet humbling experience but most of all it feels good to know that I'm on the right path to where I want to be in my life.

Helping others to join me on a path to total human optimization!

With that in mind I thought I'd write down a few pointers for people, highlighting some of the main things that I've learned, that work, on my journey in health, fitness, and nutrition so far.

Tips that have helped me lose fat, gain lean muscle, become stronger and faster in the gym. Not only that though, but tips that have lead me to become a more positive, more energetic, more happy person.

Things that have without a shadow of a doubt helped completely change and improve both myself and my families lives for the better.

To steal a phrase from a guy whose work I follow and respect immensely, Mr Ben Coomber, here are some of my 'Knowledge Bombs'!

...................................................

'Find your why'. What is the underlying personal reason you want to make a change to your body, your health, your life, or whatever else it is you want to change. Not why someone else wants you to change. Not what you think you should be changing something for. I'm talking about the 'why' that is lurking deep inside of you. The true reason that you want to change something. Until you 'find your why' you will never truly commit to making a long term change.

The number one way to achieving improvements in health, body composition, performance, and life in general, is hands down, Consistency. 

With nutrition live by the 90/10 rule. You can't be a saint all the time. But do the 90% good side 100% of the time!

And don't let the 10% be an excuse to binge and ruin your progress. A good week can easily be ruined by a weekend of over indulging.

The odd treat or extravagance can be a good thing if done sensibly. But earn it, don't expect it!

Be consistent, be accountable, be disciplined, but most of all, be patient.

Progress WILL come if you stick with the process. Your body has no choice but to reward hard work and commitment.

Find an eating system you can stick to. The best diet is the one you can consistently follow. And that's for the rest of your life, not just a couple of months. As I always say 'it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle'.

Build habits. Make a small change every couple of weeks, and make every effort to concentrate only on this change until it becomes just a normal every day habit. Then make another.

Look after your body and it will look after you. Sounds cliche? Yeah well it is, but it's also 100% true!

Learn to give up the innate human demand for instant gratification and immediate satisfaction.

Delayed gratification is an awesome mindset to have. The reward when small improvements become apparent is life changing. 

In this sense there is great truth in the phrase 'good things come to those who wait'.

But there is equal truth in the phrase 'good things come to those who work their arse off!'

'Consistency, Accountability, Patients'.... In that order!

Instead of focussing too much on what you WANT to achieve. Look at what you have ALREADY achieved.

Progress is progress. Weight loss, no matter how little. Strength increases, no matter how small. Feeling more energetic. Better sleep. Clearer skin.

Think about progress 'outside the box'. It's not always about the end goal. Concentrate on the present, and success so far on your journey.

Surround yourself with positivity. With people who inspire you, make you feel good, make you want to be better. And this doesn't have to always be people in the flesh so to speak. Follow people you admire on twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram. Connect with these people, even if you know you may never meet them.

On the flip side, avoid negative people at all costs. They are the greatest destroyers of self confidence and self-esteem.

Immerse yourself in the culture you want to be part of. Read some self improvement books. Listen to some inspirational podcasts. Do whatever it takes to focus your mind on the task in hand. Always seek ways to help yourself improve on every level. 

Never be closed off to learning new things. Have an open mind. Don't believe everything you read or hear but always be willing to accept changes in your opinions on things.

Accept that things will need to change in your life. You can't expect things to change doing the things you've always done. Some people fear change. Don't. Change is necessary and change is good. Trust me on this one.

In the gym choose a goal and work towards it. Fat loss, muscle gain, getting stronger, getting faster, improving flexibility, improving cardio. Choose a specific goal and find a program that is geared towards reaching that goal. 

Don't go onto the gym floor without a plan. You will just end up pissing about and getting no where fast. If you don't know how to work towards or how to achieve a certain goal, ask someone who does know how to get there. Or research it first. Then when you do have a plan and a program, the most important part is to stick to it. Give it time. Trust the process. Don't jump from training plan to training plan without finishing what you've started.

Most of all enjoy the process of changing your life for the better. No it's not easy, no it's not going to happen over night. But things WILL change. Stick to your plan. Remember your why. Acknowledge your successes so far. Surround yourself with like minded people. Think positive!

I realise this list is pretty exhaustive, and believe me I could go on, but at the risk of sounding like a broken record I'll leave it here for now.

Not everything here will apply to you. These are things that I've learned and taken from my own personal journey so far. And I'm far from done on that journey. 

I do hope though, that some of these things might be able to help you out, wherever you are on your own quest for a better life.

Please check out my other blog posts where I've gone a bit more in depth on some of these individual points.

And if I can help out in any way at all then please just ask.....

Have a great weekend people!

Peace out......

Life lessons from Mario....

Met an old Italian guy today. Mario. Bit of a crazy old fucker but he gave me some of the best advice I've ever had.

I'm starting to write this blog post on my anniversary. I'll probably not end up finishing it for a few days as I always write stuff, come back to it, write some more, edit it a little, then post it when I'm happy with it. 

Anyway. 3 years ago today I got married. I'm a lucky guy. I have a great wife who has given me a beautiful daughter, and I have a great life. But that's not what this post is about.

For our anniversary we decided to go for a family day out in town, me, my wife, and my daughter, to do some shopping and get some nice food.

As we walked into the restaurant I clocked this old guy sitting in a booth on his own eating his lunch. He stood out a mile, dressed in a sharp tailored suit, snazzy tie, tanned, and drinking some red wine. As nailed on an old Italian mafia man as you can imagine. He was a cross between the godfather and a gentle old grandad.

After my meal I bumped into him in the toilets and we exchanged a few social words, not that I really understood much of what he was saying. He had about as broad an Italian accent as mine is Geordie so I kind of smiled and made off before I ended up offending him. And the last thing you want to do is offend 'the godfather'!.

Back at the table I was just telling my wife about him when he came waddling over to our booth.

Now imagine this being said in a broad Italian godfather type accent. "Can I give you some advice".... Well yeah go on but even if I say no I'm pretty sure your gonna give me it anyway so carry on!

"You are a good boy and you have a beautiful family. Limit, limit, limit. You need to limit everything. Money, food, drink, everything. You must limit these things if you want to be happy and live to be an old man like me. Not too much of everything, you must limit. I am 81 years old and I have lived in this city since 1956. I have 4 children, 8 grandchildren and I am very lucky. I worked hard everyday in my life. Hard work is very important, it is good for you. I see people now who don't know how to work hard. They have no idea. If you work hard you will be happy and your family will be happy because you will look after them"

He went on. Some things were lost in translation but I kind of got what he was saying.

"Treat everyone nice. Treat your family well. You need them". He said pointing at my 8 month old daughter.

"You must treat them well and take care of them well now because someday you will need them to take care of you well also".

"Save some money. Work hard and save a little bit because someday you will need it. Work hard and enjoy yourself and enjoy your family and your life".

With that he told us to have a lovely afternoon and he was gone, waving at the waitress, the chef, and the barman as he left. 

Now It would be easy to just laugh at Mario and call him a crazy old man. Which I did of course. Then forget about him straight away afterwards. 

But I took notice of what he said. He spoke some wise old shit to me there and I would be a fool to ignore him.

In fact once he left I kind of wished he'd stayed a bit longer and gave me some more old Italian mafia wisdom.

I imagined him to have tales of dealing with people who "disrespected the family" and having to get rid of one or two old rival "wise guys"

Or maybe my imagination was just running away with itself!

Anyway. As I get older and hopefully wiser I'd like to think I can take some of Mario's advice and use it well.

And hopefully I can pass advice on to others about things I've seen and learned as I go through my life. I'm only 35 mind you, just a boy, as Mario said. And I basically know sod all about a lot of things in life. 

But I'm learning all the time and these days I'm constantly on a personal quest for self improvement.

That's the main reason I started this blog. To get better at something i quite like doing. Writing. And of course to help others with their health, fitness, and nutrition. Something I do know a bit about. I'll help anyone if they just ask.

You can always learn something from someone. It doesn't matter how small it is. That's what I reckon anyway.

These days I walk around with my eyes and ears open constantly. I try and take as much from every situation and encounter as I can. I'm always looking to learn and get better. I guess I just appreciate life more these days and recognise we are only here for a limited time so we need to make the most of it.

I don't want to live my life to just simply exist. I want my life to have purpose and to have meaning. 

I don't want to be average. Fuck average!

I want to feel alive every day. I want to live my life with passion and to inspire others to find their passion.

I want to inspire my kids to live their lives with a desire and a purpose. To not simply live life for the sake of living.

So today I thank Mario for this wisdom.

Love your family, treat them well. Work hard, be happy. Enjoy yourself, but limit the excess. Treat people nice, and they will be nice back.

From me I share this wisdom.

Take care of your health. Take care of your nutrition. What you put in your gob is the single most important thing that affects your well being. 

Trust me. 

It affects everything. 

Your mood, your attitude, your outlook on life. Your state of mind, your energy, your fucking sanity!

And If you don't believe me ask Mario. And you don't want to disrespect him!

You might just wake up with a horses head in your bed or something!......

Have a great weekend people....

Peace, out.

The Diet Miracle Myth....

The human psyche never ceases to amaze me.

How peoples minds work when it comes to dieting and weight loss is just plain crazy at times.

I totally get that people are constantly on the look out for new ways or methods to help them lose a few pounds. The hope of finally finding that elusive miracle diet that works for them. 

At times though it just borders on stupidity the things that people get suckered into.

All that ends up happening is people lose a few pounds from their bank account and not their waistline!

Actually that's not quite true. People do normally lose a bit of weight at first whilst starving themselves, but the weight quickly returns when they finish their 'diet'. Unfortunately their money never returns!

I can't help but wonder why these people can't just get their heads around the idea that these fad 'diets' don't work!

That's right, DIETS DON'T FUCKING WORK!!!

People have been dieting for decades. And it's a known fact that 95% of people who do lose some weight on a 'diet' quickly put it back on when their 'diet' comes to an end. 95%!! And that's not me making some number up, it's a fact.

And that's where the problem lies in my opinion. The 'coming to an end' part.  Any diet that has an expiry date is a failure waiting to happen.

You see people follow these diet plans religiously but don't really understand what they are doing to their bodies. All they care about is the number on the scales going in the direction they want. 

So when the 'diet' is over and/or they reach their target weight (if they ever get that far). What happens next?

Well sooner or later they go back to eating how they used to pre-diet.

And sooner or later that number on the scales starts moving back in the wrong direction.

Most of the time though people don't even complete their 'diets'. They get bored of following the ridiculous restrictions their new plan puts on them. Or they get sick of the cravings or the hunger pains.

And bang goes the 'diet'. Back to their old eating habits that got them into the mess in the first place.

The sooner people accept the simple fact that diets don't work then the quicker they can learn what actually will work for long term sustainable fat loss.

And as disappointing as it may sound, the only way of achieving this goal, is through the gradual process of learning and introducing new lifestyle and eating habits.

Nothing fancy, nothing sexy, nothing low carb, low fat, low calorie days, high calorie days, 2 shakes a day plus 1 'proper' meal, plus only juice for a week, plus starving yourself silly before doing a 24hr fast, then taking this miracle supplement before standing on your head to eat which may in turn regulate your blood sugar so you only burn fat instead of muscle.

None of that bullshit!

Just plain old learning to eat healthy, nutritious, whole ingredient foods again. In the right quantities, at the right times, without all the added crap.

I realise it's hard to fancy that up and sell it as a miracle 'diet' plan, I mean it's not exactly exciting is it.

But it's the truth. It works. End of.

Stop eating shit that you know is no good for you. Stop starving yourself on these fad diets. Ridiculous restricted calorie plans that drain your body of your last drops of energy.

Start eating stuff that nourishes your body, makes you feel good, gives you energy, regulates your appetite, and your metabolism, and most of all tastes delicious.

Fall in love with cooking again. Or just learn to cook full stop. It's such a great skill to have. And that's what it is in my opinion, a skill, something that has to be practiced in order to get better at. But the learning process is the fun part! 

Learn some new recipes. Buy some cook books. Actually chop some fresh ingredients up, put them in a pan, add some herbs and spices, and enjoy what you've created!

Stop ordering off a takeaway menu, pressing the start button on a microwave, boiling something in a bag. 

I'm sorry but it's just plain laziness to do this. And it's not that you don't have time to cook a proper meal, I'm not buying into that crap. It's about prioritising your time a bit better. It doesn't take a long time to prepare and cook a decent meal for your family once you know how. It's just putting the effort in to learn.

Prepare ingredients in advance, when you do have 5 spare minutes. Cook meals in bulk, refrigerate or freeze the leftovers which can be used the next day or week for lunch at work.

To put it simply. COOK REAL FOOD!

I'm sorry to burst their bubble but the people waiting for the miracle fat loss solution to come along are going to be waiting forever. That miracle diet plan is never going appear. 

But be in no doubt. The fat cat corporate companies will still try (and succeed) to trick millions of people into thinking that they have the answers to their diet problems.

Don't be one of the millions to fall for it!

Don't line their pockets with your hard earned money!

Use that money to buy some of those cook books and some fresh ingredients instead.

Personally I think it would be great to see the end of these fad diets once and for all.

Now that would be a miracle!...... 

Have an awesome weekend people....

Ultimate Protein Pancakes!!

So I've made a few versions of protein pancakes before but these suckers are the dogs!!

Maybe it was because I woke up hungry as hell after nightshift but they were honestly just awesome! 

Give them a go, play round with the toppings, enjoy them guilt free, you will not regret it!

Ingredients:-

1 scoop (25g) chocolate & banana impact whey protein (myprotein).

1 scoop (40g) chocolate smooth instant oats (myprotein).

1/2 scoop (12g) snickers flavour muscle moose.

1/2 a banana.

1 whole egg + 2 egg whites.

1/4 cup (100ml) unsweetened almond milk.

1/2 tsp baking powder.

Lucybee coconut oil for frying.

Method:-

Blend up all ingredients together and fry in small(ish) batches in Lucybee organic coconut oil.

Layer up with toppings of choice.

I used Fage 0% fat Greek yogurt, strawberries, blueberries, and a drizzle of honey.

Macros for entire stack (including coconut oil & toppings)

P/C/F :- 50/55/27 

680kcals

(Note: this portion was pretty big! Could easily have been split between two).

(But I'm a hungry boy!)

Enjoy!!......,,

Priorities....

Ask yourself this.

What are your priorities in life??

Your family?

Your partner?

Your kids?

Your house?

Your job?

Money?

Your health?

All of the above??

There's a reason I ask this question, and it's a question I've been thinking about a lot lately.

My number one priority in life at this very moment in time is the upbringing of my daughter.

To be an awesome dad.

If you don't have kids then your priority will be something totally different.

In fact most people will have a different answer to the next person because everyone's lives and priorities are different in so many ways.

The thing is for me to be an awesome dad I need to make sure I'm around long enough to help guide my daughter through the trials of life.

I mean she's only 8 months old at the moment so obviously she pretty much depends on my wife and I for everything.

But I'm not just talking about now, I'm talking about the long term.

The first time she needs help tying her shoe lace.

The first time she needs reassured when she's left at the school gates on her own.

The first time she needs a lift to a friends house for tea.

The first time she has a broken heart.

The time, when it comes, that she needs me to walk her down the isle.....

But back to priorities.

For me to be around to do all these things then maybe I should make my health my number one priority.

Maybe we all should make our health and wellbeing our number one priorities so that we can all do all the other things that we all prioritise before our health!??

Let me look at it a different way.

If someone decides they want to make some alterations to their house. Maybe an extension, a new bathroom, a new kitchen, a lick of paint. In general just some modifications to make the place look a bit better.

They pay good money to do that.

If someone decides they are bored of the 3 year old car sitting on their driveway, they pay 1000's to get a new, upgraded, better looking model.

If someone has a big social event coming up they suddenly decide they have nothing to wear, so go out and spend 100's on new clothes and shoes so they think they look better.

People think nothing of forking out good money for these things.

So why then when it comes to our health and wellbeing do most people turn their noses up at spending a little time and money on things that will undoubtably make them look and feel better.

People don't want to spend money on a gym membership which might just increase their fitness levels to the point they start feeling a little less lethargic and run down all the time.

People don't want to fork out a little extra for some organic vegetables and free range meat which might just do their bodies a little more good than the usual processed ready meals and takeaways they usually eat.

People aren't interested in spending a little time researching and learning new recipes, learning how their bodies function properly, how the body deals with different stresses you put on it. Learning how a healthy diet might just help reconfigure their body composition to the point they feel confident in themselves once more.

Or is it just the fact that people don't want to put a little effort into these types of things.

Their priorities are elsewhere?

Since prioritising my health, fitness, and nutrition a few years ago I have spent some good money on training courses, books, seminars, gym fees, and lots and lots of good high quality produce.

It's money and time I could easily have spent on more pointless material goods that maybe would have made me feel good for a short while then I would have got bored of or forgotten about.

But I like to think I've invested in my future. My health, my wellbeing. More importantly my family's future health and wellbeing.

I feel and look the best I have ever felt and looked. I perform better in and out of the gym. I have a brighter outlook on life in general. It's no exaggeration to say that I feel like a new person and I can honestly say that I look forward to what the future brings for myself and my family.

I've still got a hell of a lot to learn and a hell of a lot to do so I'm going to keep on prioritising my time and money on these things that I feel are so important.

Yeah so I'm a bit of a geek when it comes to this sort of stuff now but I'm proud of that. I have found my passion.

Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to force my passion and my opinions on to others. And I'm certainly not trying to brag. You don't need to take it to the levels that I have.

All you need to do is maybe prioritise your health, diet, fitness, and general wellbeing a little bit more than you might already do.

Next time you go to spend some of your hard earned money on some pointless shiny thing you don't really need or want, or £20 on a dominos pizza takeaway, maybe think about investing that money in something that might do you some good in the long run.

It might just be the best decision you ever make....

Peanut butter protein balls!....

Rest day today, and with the weather being poor, I've been playing in the kitchen.

These little suckers are an awesome 'clean' treat and the macros are pretty decent too. Low carb, high in healthy fats and protein, they are ideal for a rest and recovery day.

Get your hands in, get messy, and give them a go, they are dead easy and quick to make.

Ingredients:-

2 scoops (50g) Myprotein chocolate & banana whey protein powder.

70g ground almonds.

150g whole earth organic peanut butter.

25g honey.

15g lucybee coconut oil.

Whatever topping you like. (Chopped nuts, dessicatted coconut, cocoa powder, dried chopped fruit.)

Method:-

Add protein powder and ground almonds to a large bowl.

In a separate small bowl add peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil. 

Place this bowl in the microwave for 1 min to melt.

Give it a quick stir and add to the protein powder bowl.

Give everything a good mix with your hands and form one large ball.

Divide this large ball into your desired size smaller balls. (I made 7 which are about the size of a golf ball but you may like smaller).

Roll these smaller balls in whatever toppings you like. I used chopped almonds, dessicatted coconut, and cocoa powder.

Chill in the fridge for an hour or so then dive in!

Macros (per ball):-

273kcals

14g protein

7g carbs

20g fat

Enjoy!...

Homemade burgers...

Sometimes you just can't beat a good old beef burger!!

Try these bad boys next time you need a red meat fix without the worry that you'll be ingesting god knows what part of the cow from a dodgy fast food burger!

The grass fed Irish mince from musclefood is by far the nicest I have tried and is second to none for nutritional content. Check out their website for a full macro breakdown and use this link for some freebies if you place an order.  http://www.musclefood.com/MM11586

These homemade burgers are quick to make, low in fat, packed full of protein, and most of all taste awesome!

It's like a cheat meal without cheating!

What's not to love!

Ingredients:-

400g Irish grass fed mince

2 cloves garlic finely diced

1tsp Crushed dried chillis 

1tsp Dried mixed herbs

1tsp Smoked paprika

1tsp Himalayan rock salt

1tsp Pepper

Method:-

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and gently mix through using your hands.

Form into one giant meat ball then chop into 4 equal quarters. 

Gently shape each quarter into a pattie. The gentler you are with the pattie the tender the burger will be! I finish each pattie off with another light dusting of paprika.

I like to cook mine for 2 mins per side on a red hot cast iron skillet but they taste just as awesome grilled or even better done on the BBQ.

Top with mozzarella, avocado, and spinach and serve in a Dr Zak's protein bun. 

Delicious!

 

F**k Average...

I have a new motto....

"Fuck average!" 

The people who know me best know I'm fond of the odd four letter word or two so I'm quite happy with my new mantra.

I'll tell you where it comes from.

I've just come off working a long weekend of nightshifts. I've been sleeping pretty crap through the day lately, probably the humid weather, so I'm pretty run down and tired.

Before you get the violins out, I'm not looking for sympathy, I know a lot of people have it far tougher than me. I'm just lucky to have a job in this current climate.

Anyway.

I couldn't really be bothered to hit the gym this afternoon after 4hrs sleep but I went anyway. As soon as I got there I turned the volume up on the headphones, knuckled down, and blasted through a surprisingly good workout. 

The gym was pretty busy and looking round I noticed a few people just plodding through their workouts with little intensity and little effort.

Being 'average'.

What's the fucking point in that! 

You get out what you put into your time in the gym so be the hardest worker in there, even when you can't be arsed, and reap the rewards later.

I realise this is just my own opinion but the same goes for most things in life.

People who have no passion, who have no desire to better themselves, who have no get up and go. They just plod through life being 'average'.

Don't get me wrong if people are happy with that then that's their prerogative. It's just not for me.

It's the same with people's diets and sedentary lifestyles.

If people just stopped being average, eating the same boring foods they've always eaten, sitting on their arses watching the same old boring tv programmes they've always watched every night, and learned how to cook some fresh nutritious meals and moved around a bit more, then maybe they wouldn't find themselves overweight, feeling like shit, and lacking motivation to do anything about it.

Stop being average!

Again, if people are happy with that, then fair enough. 

I'm not trying to be a dick here, and I'm not saying everyone should be in the gym every day and bouncing around like they are on happy pills all the time. It's just it seems to me that a lot of the people who are happy being 'average' are the same ones who walk around with a chip on their shoulders feeling life owes them something.

Life owes you fuck all. And life can be a piece of shit sometimes. But when you decide you've had enough of the 'average' life and decide to make a change and lead an awesome life then things can quickly seem a whole lot better.

Just find something that is awesome to you, it doesn't matter what, and don't worry about what other people will think of it, and put all your energy into it. And don't do it like the 'average' person would.

Find something that makes you feel awesome and go for it. Grab it by the balls and give it your all.

Because.

Fuck average!....

Sorry for the rant I'm just 'tired' Haha!

Chocolate banana protein cake!...

Awesome 'clean' treat, and so easy to make.

Love a slice (or 2!) of this with a cup of freshly brewed coffee as a mid morning or afternoon snack. 

Infact it's pretty damn good at anytime of day!

Ingredients:-

2 bananas (mashed)

1 banana (whole)

2 scoops chocolate whey protein powder

170g wholemeal flour

3 egg whites

10g Splenda

2 tsp baking powder

Pinch salt

125ml water

Handful flaked almonds

Method:-

Pre heat oven to 170 degrees.

Mash 2 ripe bananas in a mixing bowl. Mix in egg whites & water.

Sieve flour, protein powder, baking powder, pinch salt, and Splenda into mixture.

Combine well.

Pour mixture into a greased loaf tin.

Push whole banana into the mixture and submerge.

Sprinkle with flaked almonds and bake in oven for 35-40 mins.

Leave to cool on a wire rack for 20-30 mins before slicing. (Hardest part!)

Enjoy!....

100 days of happy....

http://100happydays.com

100 Days of being happy. 

Bit different from my usual training and nutrition based stuff but this caught my eye.

Stumbled upon this campaign somehow and it grabbed my attention. 

Not something I'd normally be into to be honest, but in the spirit of always trying to get better as a person and trying out new things/challenges I thought I'd give it a shot. 

Basically it involves posting a picture of something that has made you happy every day for 100 consecutive days. (Check the website I've linked at the top for a full rundown of the challenge)

I agree this won't be for everyone, some people will think its a load of shite (I would normally), but it's something you do for yourself, and not about anything else. I think for me it's going to be about expressing gratitude for the things in my life, however big or small they are. 

I consider myself pretty lucky in life. Things could certainly be a whole lot worse when you see what goes on in the world on a daily basis! Yeah we all have shit days now and then, and at some point in the next 100days I'm sure I'll have a bad one here and there but by still finding a happy moment on those days it may just turn a shit day into a good one!

Anyhow, apparently 71% of people who start the challenge don't finish it, and that's a good enough challenge for me in itself to be one of the other 29%.

Let's see how it goes!....