From when I was young until 2014 when I did my first Whole30. I was a vegetarian/pescatarian. The only meat I ate was tinned tuna. This slowly faded out after I ride a TIME article explaining how the fish was going to be extinct within the next 50 years. The no-meat-thing stemmed from me being a picky eater rather that a righteous drive. I was opposed to swordfish for over-fishing reasons and veal for animal welfare perspective, but seemed to be in the minority for both.
Typical Whole30 breakfast
When I started eating meat three times a day, it was a big change. I had no idea how to cook it or how to season it. My husband has been flexitarian since we lived in USA so it caused a few problems at meal time when we wanted different things. Although I no longer follow the Whole30, I work with a nutritionist, Shannon who has me eating 100+g protein/day. As much as I love protein shakes and bars, they tend to be expensive when you have multiple servings a day and seem to be full of chemicals and/or sugar. They are handy to satisfy my sweet tooth though because of this.
Sweet tooth, say what?
My husband and I still disagree about how much meat I eat and what kind. Normally I have chicken for lunch, which I season and grill. However, this gets old quickly. I will mix it up with sustainable wild salmon, Heck sausages, and the occasional ground beef or lamb. If we eat out, I will usually get a cheeseburger (with bacon, avocado, and sweet potato fries if possible). In a recent article, the environmental impact of eating meat is highlighted. There are movements for Meat Free Monday and generally eating less meat. I no longer have meat at every meal, but I do need to hit my protein targets.
The one source of protein we agree on is chocolate milk (one of the many reasons I think we knew we were suited for each other).
When I saw a tweet offering a new protein-packed chocolate for review I immediately responded for the following reasons:
I love chocolate
I need more protein
I like to support female entrepreneurs and small businesses
I treated myself to a hot chocolate after being timekeeper at parkrun not too long ago and it was delicious. I added two scoops of the pistols to 160ml of slowly microwaved semi-skimmed milk and stirred for a while to get it to melt (I don’t think the milk was hot enough and I was being too lazy to heat properly on the stove top). I have also tried Apple Pie and Funky Monkey. My usual preference is for dark chocolate and they were all yummy. On average, 100g of dark chocolate offers 4.9 grams protein but, as shared above, 80 Noir Ultra offers more. When you add this to milk (3.6g protein per 100ml), it is a pretty powerful punch.
Simply put, I loved each and every sample I was given of 80 Ultra Noir. I haven’t been able to use it for a proper recovery drink as I have been injured for eight weeks but I will be happy to give it a go as soon as possible.
So it looks like, I need to be supplementing my protein intake with hot chocolate, dark chocolate, and chocolate milk instead of mass produced farm animals. That is one diet I can get on board with!
Thanks to Carole Armitage for the complimentary samples. All opinions are honest and my own.
From when I was young until 2014 when I did my first Whole30. I was a vegetarian/pescatarian. The only meat I ate was tinned tuna. This slowly faded out after I ride a TIME article explaining how the fish was going to be extinct within the next 50 years. The no-meat-thing stemmed from me being a picky eater rather that a righteous drive. I was opposed to swordfish for over-fishing reasons and veal for animal welfare perspective, but seemed to be in the minority for both.
Typical Whole30 breakfast
When I started eating meat three times a day, it was a big change. I had no idea how to cook it or how to season it. My husband has been flexitarian since we lived in USA so it caused a few problems at meal time when we wanted different things. Although I no longer follow the Whole30, I work with a nutritionist, Shannon who has me eating 100+g protein/day. As much as I love protein shakes and bars, they tend to be expensive when you have multiple servings a day and seem to be full of chemicals and/or sugar. They are handy to satisfy my sweet tooth though because of this.
Sweet tooth, say what?
My husband and I still disagree about how much meat I eat and what kind. Normally I have chicken for lunch, which I season and grill. However, this gets old quickly. I will mix it up with sustainable wild salmon, Heck sausages, and the occasional ground beef or lamb. If we eat out, I will usually get a cheeseburger (with bacon, avocado, and sweet potato fries if possible). In a recent article, the environmental impact of eating meat is highlighted. There are movements for Meat Free Monday and generally eating less meat. I no longer have meat at every meal, but I do need to hit my protein targets.
The one source of protein we agree on is chocolate milk (one of the many reasons I think we knew we were suited for each other).
When I saw a tweet offering a new protein-packed chocolate for review I immediately responded for the following reasons:
I love chocolate
I need more protein
I like to support female entrepreneurs and small businesses
I treated myself to a hot chocolate after being timekeeper at parkrun not too long ago and it was delicious. I added two scoops of the pistols to 160ml of slowly microwaved semi-skimmed milk and stirred for a while to get it to melt (I don’t think the milk was hot enough and I was being too lazy to heat properly on the stove top). I have also tried Apple Pie and Funky Monkey. My usual preference is for dark chocolate and they were all yummy. On average, 100g of dark chocolate offers 4.9 grams protein but, as shared above, 80 Noir Ultra offers more. When you add this to milk (3.6g protein per 100ml), it is a pretty powerful punch.
Simply put, I loved each and every sample I was given of 80 Ultra Noir. I haven’t been able to use it for a proper recovery drink as I have been injured for eight weeks but I will be happy to give it a go as soon as possible.
So it looks like, I need to be supplementing my protein intake with hot chocolate, dark chocolate, and chocolate milk instead of mass produced farm animals. That is one diet I can get on board with!
Thanks to Carole Armitage for the complimentary samples. All opinions are honest and my own.
How can you tell if your hours in the gym are making a difference? Do you track your race finishing times in a spreadsheet? Do you keep a record of your weight sessions to monitor your progress? It may be easy for you to keep track of your physical fitness progress without lots of fancy equipment or even a personal trainer.
In the USA, every year in physical education class we had to take part in the Presidential physical fitness test. We would have to run a mile, do pull ups and sit ups, run shuttles, and sit and reach (for flexibility). Each year, we could see how we did compared to the last year or against our classmates. Unfortunately, I was never very good at the tests and even failed it in 3rd grade (I wish I could go back and re-take them now!).
Even though we aren’t still in school, there are ways you can keep track of your fitness too. If you do circuit training, you might already keep track of your weights and reps with each workout. Similarly, with a simple notebook, here are examples of other fitness tests you can do at home:
Take inspiration from the Presidential fitness test and every few months measure how many press ups and proper sit ups (not crunches) you can do in one minute. Time yourself when you run a mile outside or on the treadmill. Ok take it a step farther and work on how long you can hold a plank or wall sit.
You can also regularly check your percent body fat and Body Mass Index (BMI) (this is not part of the Presidential fitness test). As BMI isn’t the best measure (it simply creates a relationship between your weight and height, without taking into account your body shape or muscle mass), I recommend investing in a sewing tape measure. Body circumference measurements of your biceps, waist, hips, and thighs can be more telling if you are losing body fat or gaining muscle. Of course, calipers are the best methodology (in terms of accuracy) for assessing body fat and this can be done by a certified personal trainer.
Monitor your explosive power by practicing a long or a vertical jump. Go for speed and endurance by counting how many times you can skip rope without missing a step. Too easy? Go for burpees in a set amount of time. Still too easy? Add in box jumps at the top and press ups at the bottom, like these guys.
Open up Excel and create your own fitness test log. On the first of each month, set aside 15 min to see how fast you can run a 5K, how many press ups you can do in a set time frame, and how your waist circumference measures up. Make it a mini-competition with friends and create a small trophy to win which will keep it interesting. Use this info to adapt your training regime to maximise your potential. If you need any tips, feel free to send me an email (mollie@ptmollie.com).
We are quite lucky living in London that there are hundreds of gym and fitness studios to choose from. It is always a bit tricky though, deciding which one to commit to. Class Pass gives people with a fear of monogamy a chance to try out lots of different studios and classes, but I think it also limits how often you can visit some studios (please correct me if I am wrong. I have never tried it). There are also a few apps out there of a similar nature, and the Move GB membership. But for me, I don’t have time to travel all over London and book a different class each day.
My preference is to streamline my efforts and spend my time efficiently. Until I was training for the Ultra X Co Jordan Ultra, I didn’t have a need to join a gym. If I was teaching group exercise classes, I would get a free workout. Plus, most gyms I worked at would allow me to use the facilities for free.
But now I need to focus on my strength training, especially if I want to maintain some fitness while being injured. Here are a few of the things I considered when I was choosing a gym to join.
Location and hours– Julie Creffield, blogger and owner of Fat Girls’ Guide to Running, goes to a local Crossfit Gym because it is literally across the road from her flat. She can also bring her daughter, who will sit and read or color, which makes it a win-win for Creffield. I knew location would be important to me too as I am always pressed for time. If the gym wasn’t somewhere between work and home, I wasn’t going to be able to get there.
Price– This will probably be the most important factor for many people. I know it was for me, but mostly because I have been lucky so far in London and not had this as a regular expense. Be mindful that you will get what you pay for. In my experience, large budget chains are not very tidy, have staff that are not engaged, and equipment that needs repair. On the flip side, boutique studios tend to give you more 1-2-1 attention, have lush toiletries and little perks, such as free towels. For example, 360 Athletic (near Victoria station in London) offers tailored personal training for their members by incorporating physiotherapy into training plans. If you train for a specific sport or have strength imbalance, this will help you train more effectively.
Amenities– Do you want a pool, a variety of group exercise classes, or access to a personal trainer? Ask to look at class timetables before you sign on the dotted line in case you were planning on going to yoga class and later find out that the classes are at 6am (which is when you are normally sleeping). I didn’t check the fitness schedule too closely before joining my gym and am not able to attend many classes.
Equipment– Does the equipment look new and taken care of? Or is it laying about and rusty? Do they have the free weights you want or the right kind of indoor rower? This aspect will be more important if you are training for something specific, such as a mountainous trail ultra or Trans-Atlantic rowing expedition.
Staff– When you ask a member of staff a question, what is the response that you get? Are they friendly? Helpful? Dismissive? Do they go the extra mile? Or is there no staff in the middle of the night because it is a 24 hour facility? You will need to decide how important the presence of staff and their attitude is to you. Being American, I like prompt and effective customer service and struggle to find it in the UK.
The one other thing you may want o consider before you join a gym is if any of your friends or co-workers are members too. The accountability of meeting someone will help ensure you turn up at the gym when you agree on it. If the gym still seems expensive, ask if they have an introductory deal. Many gyms and studios (such as 360 Athletic and Fierce Grace Yoga’s City Studio) will offer a 30 day trial at a reduced rate.
How did you choose your gym? Did I miss anything important in my criteria? Leave a comment below and let me know.
We are quite lucky living in London that there are hundreds of gym and fitness studios to choose from. It is always a bit tricky though, deciding which one to commit to. Class Pass gives people with a fear of monogamy a chance to try out lots of different studios and classes, but I think it also limits how often you can visit some studios (please correct me if I am wrong. I have never tried it). There are also a few apps out there of a similar nature, and the Move GB membership. But for me, I don’t have time to travel all over London and book a different class each day.
My preference is to streamline my efforts and spend my time efficiently. Until I was training for the Ultra X Co Jordan Ultra, I didn’t have a need to join a gym. If I was teaching group exercise classes, I would get a free workout. Plus, most gyms I worked at would allow me to use the facilities for free.
But now I need to focus on my strength training, especially if I want to maintain some fitness while being injured. Here are a few of the things I considered when I was choosing a gym to join.
Location and hours– Julie Creffield, blogger and owner of Fat Girls’ Guide to Running, goes to a local Crossfit Gym because it is literally across the road from her flat. She can also bring her daughter, who will sit and read or color, which makes it a win-win for Creffield. I knew location would be important to me too as I am always pressed for time. If the gym wasn’t somewhere between work and home, I wasn’t going to be able to get there.
Price– This will probably be the most important factor for many people. I know it was for me, but mostly because I have been lucky so far in London and not had this as a regular expense. Be mindful that you will get what you pay for. In my experience, large budget chains are not very tidy, have staff that are not engaged, and equipment that needs repair. On the flip side, boutique studios tend to give you more 1-2-1 attention, have lush toiletries and little perks, such as free towels. For example, 360 Athletic (near Victoria station in London) offers tailored personal training for their members by incorporating physiotherapy into training plans. If you train for a specific sport or have strength imbalance, this will help you train more effectively.
Amenities– Do you want a pool, a variety of group exercise classes, or access to a personal trainer? Ask to look at class timetables before you sign on the dotted line in case you were planning on going to yoga class and later find out that the classes are at 6am (which is when you are normally sleeping). I didn’t check the fitness schedule too closely before joining my gym and am not able to attend many classes.
Equipment– Does the equipment look new and taken care of? Or is it laying about and rusty? Do they have the free weights you want or the right kind of indoor rower? This aspect will be more important if you are training for something specific, such as a mountainous trail ultra or Trans-Atlantic rowing expedition.
Staff– When you ask a member of staff a question, what is the response that you get? Are they friendly? Helpful? Dismissive? Do they go the extra mile? Or is there no staff in the middle of the night because it is a 24 hour facility? You will need to decide how important the presence of staff and their attitude is to you. Being American, I like prompt and effective customer service and struggle to find it in the UK.
The one other thing you may want o consider before you join a gym is if any of your friends or co-workers are members too. The accountability of meeting someone will help ensure you turn up at the gym when you agree on it. If the gym still seems expensive, ask if they have an introductory deal. Many gyms and studios (such as 360 Athletic and Fierce Grace Yoga’s City Studio) will offer a 30 day trial at a reduced rate.
How did you choose your gym? Did I miss anything important in my criteria? Leave a comment below and let me know.
My last run was on 8th March on a roof top track in Central London with Advent Running. That day I went to Function360 (gifted) and saw my osteopath, Emma. She hadn’t examined my Achilles before and was concerned at how swollen and tender they both were (particularly my left). She gave me orders to rest for a week and ice every day until I saw her again the following week. Unfortunately, the following week brought even worse news. No high impact activities for at least four more weeks, and continue with the daily icing. I was able to continue teaching indoor cycling, which was a Godsend. Without an endorphin release, I started to go a little bit crazy by week 3.
You may be wondering why I didn’t try swimming or some other form of no impact exercise? I started to get a cold about the same time. I stayed home one day to try to recover from it, yet it still lingers on. Along with the running nose, sinus pain, and now phlemy cough, I feel tired. The silver lining is that my injury and cold are aligned. At least my body is efficient!
Every week, I see Emma and she examines my Achilles and decides if I need soft tissue therapy, acupuncture, and/or taping. When I saw her last week, she said this week we can talk about starting to run again. Then she gave the caveat of one minute on, one minute off to start with. But I will take it!
Even though I am not allowed to run, I still need to do my strengthening and stretching exercises. I have been doing my full physiotherapy program two to three times a week. On my tea breaks, I pop over to the gym and do my eccentric calf raises and isometric holds. I hope by sticking to my program that when I am able to run again, I will not have lost too much speed. My cardiovascular system will need to catch up with my legs but I am hoping once my cold is gone, I can get into a pool (if only my hair wouldn’t get wet).
Since I am injured, I have been volunteering at parkrun. Today, I learned there is a Boston marathon in Lincolnshire that is the same weekend as THE Boston Marathon. As the ever optimist, I am going to put it on my list for next year (even though it will be not too long after Tokyo Marathon).
I have also joined a virtual run club, as I haven’t been running with my Advent Running crew as of late. If you are looking to meet other runners from around the world, why not check out the Run Things Virtual Running Club (scroll down this page for all the info)? These are the people behind Run Up to Christmas for Mind Charity, which tons of people in the UK do every year. For a one-time payment of £25, you get a t-shirt and online support in a Facebook group and Strava club. They offer additional virtual races throughout the year, so if you are motivated by race bling, definitely check them out.
Good luck to everyone running the 123rd Boston Marathon today and congrats to everyone who ran Brighton yesterday. I hope I can stand in a starting pen for Boston in 2021 as my last WMM. If all goes well, I will be running Tokyo in 2020.
If you are struggling with an injury, niggle, or need a sports massage (and live or work in London), give Function360 a call. Their team can handle it all and give you continuity of care. You can get 15% off your first appointment with code #F360MM15.
Big things are happening over at PT Mollie HQ this year. I started off with publishing a book, now I am launching a new online program, and I am working on obtaining sponsorship for my next challenge (more on that later). Being injured has allowed me to focus time I would have normally spent training on developing something that everyone can benefit from. I would love for you to join me.
My new program is called ’30 Days To Happy’ and will be held over email and Facebook from 29 April – 28 May 2019. Over four weeks, we will touch upon attributes of fitness, food, fun and fortitude, learning healthy ways to incorporate each into our daily lives. You’ll get a introductory webinar to learn more about the program and meet others in the group; a weekly challenge video and worksheet to complete via email; and community support in a private Facebook group. You can also join me on Sunday nights for #happyhour over on Twitter.
Everyone deserves to be happy. As a personal trainer and health coach, I have the tools to guide you through small changes that can add up to make a big difference. I will be there to hold your hand, cheer you on, and guide you through some of your roadblocks.
Are you in? As this is a pilot program, I am offering 30 days of my coaching for only £30. That is only £1/day to learn skills that will last a lifetime.
The price will go up for the next round, so why not give it a try? Registration closes 24 April 2019. Sign up via the button below. Limited to 30 people so don’t wait. 🙂
Big things are happening over at PT Mollie HQ this year. I started off with publishing a book, now I am launching a new online program, and I am working on obtaining sponsorship for my next challenge (more on that later). Being injured has allowed me to focus time I would have normally spent training on developing something that everyone can benefit from. I would love for you to join me.
My new program is called ’30 Days To Happy’ and will be held over email and Facebook from 29 April – 28 May 2019. Over four weeks, we will touch upon attributes of fitness, food, fun and fortitude, learning healthy ways to incorporate each into our daily lives. You’ll get a introductory webinar to learn more about the program and meet others in the group; a weekly challenge video and worksheet to complete via email; and community support in a private Facebook group. You can also join me on Sunday nights for #happyhour over on Twitter.
Everyone deserves to be happy. As a personal trainer and health coach, I have the tools to guide you through small changes that can add up to make a big difference. I will be there to hold your hand, cheer you on, and guide you through some of your roadblocks.
Are you in? As this is a pilot program, I am offering 30 days of my coaching for only £30. That is only £1/day to learn skills that will last a lifetime.
The price will go up for the next round, so why not give it a try? Registration closes 24 April 2019. Sign up via the button below. Limited to 30 people so don’t wait. 🙂
Did you know that one in eight women in the UK will be diagnosed with breast cancer? It is something that touches the lives of so many people, I felt it was important to write a blog post about my experience with the screening process. You can also perform breast self-exams on a monthly basis to become familiar with your breast tissue. That way, if anything changes you will recognize the difference (Follow me on Twitter to see my monthly reminders to preform your self-exam on the first of every month.).
This year I turned 40. In the USA, this is the age where you can start receiving annual mamograms (I would imagine this depends on your private health insurance policy). However, in the UK, the procedure is not provided until you reach the age of 50 (every three years and up to age of 71) if treatment is provided on the NHS (they are looking to extending this from 47-73). If you have a family history of breast cancer, screening may be provided earlier.
Warnings on the door where I had my mamogram
One of my best friend’s from university was born four days after me. Her mom is a breast cancer survivor. Because of this, I decided to get a mamogram this year. It is available on private health insurance for £122 (and my friend’s mom even offered to pay for it). So I contacted Simplyhealth UK to see if the mamogram would qualify under the diagnostic scans benefit, for which I am allowed a maximum of £500 on my plan. And yes it is! I spoke to my mom about what to expect during the procedure (of course) and she said there can be some discomfort during the process. A mamogram is an x-ray of the breast tissue, which means that the breast is squeezed between two plates. My breasts are not huge but they did get a really good squeeze for about 15 seconds while the nurse set up the proper angle and moved behind the lead screen and take the x-ray. The receptionist I booked with appointment with said it would take 15 minutes but mine took about eight.
The x-ray machine which takes the mamogram.
My mom told me that she has dense breast tissue and needs to have an ultrasound after her mamogram as part of her annual appointment. I was worried this would be the case for me but the nurse who performed my mamogram didn’t think this would be the case based on my images. My friend who’s mom had breast cancer informed me that in the US, patients are often called back for another mamogram after their initial one as there is no baseline to compare the x-ray to. I haven’t heard of this happening in the UK though.
The only picture of my boobs on the internet to date.
My nurse told me my results would be sent via the post within two weeks. One week later, I received a letter saying my results were considered to be normal. I didn’t expect to have a scare, but it was still a relief to read that letter.
I received my reimbursement from Simpyhealth UK within 24 hours of submitting my claim. I will continue to invest in my health by continuing a yearly private mamogram until the NHS will provide me year. It might be surprising that I am worried about breast cancer at the age of 40 and without a family history of the disease. Touch wood, I have been blessed not to have devastating cancer diagnoses within my immediate family. And I would like to keep it that way. Preventative medicine is something I 100% believe in.
Have you ever had a mamogram? What was your experience?
Did you know that one in eight women in the UK will be diagnosed with breast cancer? It is something that touches the lives of so many people, I felt it was important to write a blog post about my experience with the screening process. You can also perform breast self-exams on a monthly basis to become familiar with your breast tissue. That way, if anything changes you will recognize the difference (Follow me on Twitter to see my monthly reminders to preform your self-exam on the first of every month.).
This year I turned 40. In the USA, this is the age where you can start receiving annual mamograms (I would imagine this depends on your private health insurance policy). However, in the UK, the procedure is not provided until you reach the age of 50 (every three years and up to age of 71) if treatment is provided on the NHS (they are looking to extending this from 47-73). If you have a family history of breast cancer, screening may be provided earlier.
Warnings on the door where I had my mamogram
One of my best friend’s from university was born four days after me. Her mom is a breast cancer survivor. Because of this, I decided to get a mamogram this year. It is available on private health insurance for £122 (and my friend’s mom even offered to pay for it). So I contacted Simplyhealth UK to see if the mamogram would qualify under the diagnostic scans benefit, for which I am allowed a maximum of £500 on my plan. And yes it is! I spoke to my mom about what to expect during the procedure (of course) and she said there can be some discomfort during the process. A mamogram is an x-ray of the breast tissue, which means that the breast is squeezed between two plates. My breasts are not huge but they did get a really good squeeze for about 15 seconds while the nurse set up the proper angle and moved behind the lead screen and take the x-ray. The receptionist I booked with appointment with said it would take 15 minutes but mine took about eight.
The x-ray machine which takes the mamogram.
My mom told me that she has dense breast tissue and needs to have an ultrasound after her mamogram as part of her annual appointment. I was worried this would be the case for me but the nurse who performed my mamogram didn’t think this would be the case based on my images. My friend who’s mom had breast cancer informed me that in the US, patients are often called back for another mamogram after their initial one as there is no baseline to compare the x-ray to. I haven’t heard of this happening in the UK though.
The only picture of my boobs on the internet to date.
My nurse told me my results would be sent via the post within two weeks. One week later, I received a letter saying my results were considered to be normal. I didn’t expect to have a scare, but it was still a relief to read that letter.
I received my reimbursement from Simpyhealth UK within 24 hours of submitting my claim. I will continue to invest in my health by continuing a yearly private mamogram until the NHS will provide me year. It might be surprising that I am worried about breast cancer at the age of 40 and without a family history of the disease. Touch wood, I have been blessed not to have devastating cancer diagnoses within my immediate family. And I would like to keep it that way. Preventative medicine is something I 100% believe in.
Have you ever had a mamogram? What was your experience?
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