HEALTH & FITNESS

Need tips on getting into shape or improving your lifestyle and making it healthier? Physical and Mental Health are just as important as each other so here not only can you find my workout regimes, hacks and recommendations, you can find reviews, personal experiences and comments on how to keep your lifestyle and your emotional wellbeing in as good a shape as your physical fitness

If you've been following my blog over the past couple of months, you'll remember my review of Netflix's latest film to address eating disorders: To The Bone.  Several of my friends had recently watched and were talking about Louis Theroux's latest documentary on BBC Two: "Talking To Anorexia".

As difficult to watch as it may be for me because it's a personal subject, I had to have a look at it to see if it surpassed my expectations at being informative.

Was I right?  ...OK, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but it still only just scraped the surface of the sheer basics of the mental disorder- described as "a pathological fear of eating and gaining weight" (I couldn't help but think this was a bit of a one-dimensional definition of the illness, but we'll go with it).

To those of us who have experience with the disease and know it well, the programme only seemed to cover the typical symptoms everyone hears about: cold hands, blue fingernails, loss of hair and periods and partial loss of sight and hearing  Purging was barely addressed but the damage that calorie-burning activities such as over-exercising can do was emphasised heavily.  Changing your outlook and reasoning for exercise shows that it can be used in a positive way- I can vouch for this.  Even still, watching the programme was a huge wake-up call coming to terms with the extent to which I related to phrases such as: "I'm not allowed..../only allowed..." or "I don't deserve...".  

It sounds more dangerous when someone else says it.  But it did have some valuable points: 

• On the increase in women and men, it has the highest mortality rate of any other mental disorder
• Sufferers don't think they look attractive, but are convinced they should keep losing more weight
• Sufferers seek control and inflict self-punishment through forms of restriction and over-exercising or purging
• (For really oblivious audiences) Victims of eating disorders do get hungry, but use habitual methods of control to avoid or dispose of food

Much of the programme was spent in the Mental Health Unit at St. Ann's Hospital and specialist clinic Vincent Square in London.  These are two of the biggest eating disorder-specialist centres in the UK, run by the NHS Mental Health Trust.  Focusing largely on inpatient treatment, one sufferer described the whole system's regime as "military"- with designated meal and snack times and constant surveillance.  The same patient remembered getting a "thrill" from the feeling of skipping meals, but revealed you would be force-fed if you refused to eat there.  

Most of the treatment took place in the documentary at
St Ann's Hospital (with a renowned mental health unit)

Recovery wasn't presented as a one-time process, the programme did illustrate that relapses are common but I don't think it gave the struggle and hardship it causes enough recognition.  A therapist described the cyclical process as exhausting: patients spend their free time being dictated to by their anorexia as well as friends and family at home, and their inpatient time being dictated  to by their doctors.  This may have been news to some viewers, but I'd hoped they would delve deeper into the reason it occurs in the first place.

It can sometimes be hard for people without disordered thinking to distinguish between what the "right" and "wrong" things to say.  Louis Theroux demonstrated this perfectly by awkwardly dancing around attempted compliments on weight gain and progress throughout the programme, wondering what to say to avoid upsetting or triggering them.  It did highlight the damaging impact it has on home life and the mirrored frustration, anger and depression that family and friends may feel.

It was troubling to hear some of the sufferers' self-punishing thoughts when put into words.  One interviewee revealed they wanted to "physically tear their excess skin off after eating".  Another reported that when weight loss was no longer possible they would rather die than living without being able to continue losing.

One of the first words I think of when you say the word "anorexia" is "DEFIANCE".  Anyone who has any experience with the mental illness will agree that it affects your mood and judgement, feelings of rejection, aggression and frustration are just as (if not more) common than feelings of fragility and vulnerability.  

In the media, anorexics are too commonly portrayed as timid and ashamed, although many of these patients appeared self-conscious, at least two of them were visibly angry or frustrated either with a family member, carer or even Theroux himself.  One woman (who at age 63 had been suffering from anorexia for over 40 years) was considerably self-assured and surprisingly open about her eating disorder and her rules.

She put Louis on the spot when she asked:

"Would you have known I was anorexic if you saw me in the street?  If you didn't think I was then I'd stop eating again until you thought I did."

I didn't like how the programmed was edited appearing to make her seem proud without clarifying that some comments came from part of the cunning, devious nature of the patient's warped disorder.

Overall, I thought the documentary could have used a wider range of patients, all of them were female and apparently couldn't attribute a concrete reason for the development of their disorder.  It loosely attributed biological, psychological and environmental factors as an influence- as well as certain personality traits (such as obsessive and perfectionist behaviours).

Ultimately, it ended without really addressing what many of us know to be the true extent of this mental illness.  Disappointingly, it didn't convey how to recognise, combat, prevent or further understand it either.  Doctors stated that patients had a need to cling to their disorder as a coping mechanism, even when making progress in recovery.  They suggested that they could retain a "safe" part of their eating disorder and still continue to successfully move forward.  It was unclear which part of the illness they deemed "safe".  Recovery in this instance is portrayed as incomplete, making being truly rid of anorexia as impossible.  

Often, treatment is still proving to not be enough, without any real progressive treatment and prevention methods being explored.  Whilst it is a forward step by addressing this issue and the wider topic of mental health in the media, this one- in my opinion, only briefly touched on it.

What did you think?  

Watch it here online:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09d5nk2

Over the years, I've varied and experimented with my exercise routine and discovered what's most effective, what works and what doesn't work for my body.  I've also completely transformed my relationship with it.  I know how it feels to be a victim to excessive exercise and previously used it to compensate everything I ate down to the last calorie.  Ironically, on a "healthy and fit lifestyle" journey, my lifestyle ended up far less healthy and fit than it ever had been before.  This was unpleasant, long-winded and often at times it seemed impossible to even begin imagining changing my habits, reverting to a healthy relationship with working out and enjoying it again.

As far as fitting exercise into my lifestyle goes, nowadays I try not to be as strict. It's not the end of the world if you take one day off- your body will forgive you.  It took me a while to completely accept this but it's ridiculous now to think that I was convinced for so long I could visibly see the effects of any food I ate if I didn't exercise straight away.  One rest day made me feel SO lazy and convinced me that I was losing muscle tone and gaining fat. 

Sometimes I still struggle with this concept, but what I have learned is that it's so important to listen to your body.

It can be so easy to overestimate what your body is capable of, once you make a habit of exercise it can be hard to break it and acknowledge when your body is telling you it's tired.  Now, I use it in a positive way to wake myself up and dodge that drowsy feeling, as a stress release and (obviously) to stay fit.

A Typical Day

Generally, I start and end the day with stretches and calisthenic exercises (mainly squats, crunches, push-ups, jumping jacks) that boost your metabolism as you're working at high intensity for short periods of time:

• 60 crunches (2 x one set of 30 reps)
• 40 squats (2 x one set of  20 reps)
• 40 push-ups (4 x one set of 10 reps)

I variate this with sets of:

• leg raises
• reverse crunches
• flutter and/or bicycle kicks 
• jackknife sit-ups

Then I complete 40 deep side (lateral) lunges, 40 leg lifts, 20 standing leg raises and 20 side leg extensions to work my inner thighs (demonstrated in the diagrams below).

Diagrams showing fat-burning, muscle-building leg raises, lifts and strengthening exercises

I try to go to the gym every weekday but realistically this doesn't always fit in around work, uni and a social life.  If I'm busy that week, I aim to get most of my gym sessions in at the beginning of the week so I can ease myself into the weekend with less stress!   For me, I find Mondays and Wednesdays work best.  As a student, I make use of my uni's gym so I don't miss out when I'm away from home.  I've also saved a lot of money by freezing my gym membership that I use at home because I can't always be there.

At The Gym

My gym regime primarily consists of cardio at the moment:

I warm up with 15 minutes on the stationary bike.  By default, one session (as set on the touchscreen) on the machines at my gym runs for half an hour- so I half this to warm up and then spend another 10 minutes on either the cross-trainer or the rowing machine.  I use this warm-up to work my legs and  arms, the perpetual motion makes it easier for me to find a rhythm and focus-point.

I use the treadmill for 30 or 45 minutes, with bursts of 2 minute sprints between jogging or steady running.  Normally, I have a goal distance in mind (ie- 4 miles), it's tracked and calculated on the touchscreen as you run.  If you have one at your gym, the stair-treadmill is another great way to increase your activity levels.

Setting distance goals keeps me focused, determined but also makes sure
that I know when to stop

When I finish with the treadmill, if I haven't already I spend another 10 minutes on the cross-trainer, this works your whole body and is also the piece of equipment I have always found the most challenging and tiring.  This way I know I've nearly finished my gym session anyway so I'll be determined to get through those final few minutes!

I normally warm down with another 15 minutes on the stationary bike.  By now, your body temperature is probably not telling you to put a jacket on but it's an important process to keep your muscles warm.  This helps the lactic acid produced by exercise to distribute easily throughout the body.  You're more susceptible to catching a cold (particularly at this time of year) and you'll find the weather outside after your gym session will be cooler than you anticipated.  If you don't allow your muscles to relax gently by keeping them warm, they can freeze up causing stiffness, discomfort and cramping.

To relax my muscles after an intense training session when you get that rigid, tight feeling, I apply an ice pack to the problem area.  A hot water bottle or heat pack works better for aches and heavy or burning sensations in your limbs over the next few days by encouraging them to loosen up so you can move with less pain.

Typically, to wind down or if I haven't gone to the gym I repeat the same calisthenic exercises and leg raises that I did in the morning and stretch.

My focus is best first thing in the morning or at night, the gym is usually quieter or even empty and you have more resources available to you for longer periods of time (shown above at my uni gym as photographed)

Remember, it's perfectly normal (especially if you're new) to feel "wobbly" when you leave the gym.  This is your body's way of coping with higher intensity activity levels than it's used to.

Plus: you're exercising even when you're not consciously aware of it!  Walking often boosts your exercise levels for the day by almost a third, and domestic activities like cleaning, food-shopping and gardening also burn more calories than you would bargain on.




With that in mind, it's time to get back down the gym again!

M o n d a y s 🙂🙃

A post shared by H A R R I E T | B O N D 👸 (@harrietbond_) on May 1, 2017 at 12:23pm PDT

As part of my New Year's Resolution posts I've decided to compile a list of ten of my favourite foods and super snacks that were hardest to refuse last year!  To mark a good start to 2017, I've provided nutritional info plus ideas on how to enjoy these foodie faves without the guilt!

You've just overcome Christmas' regular abundant feasts of vol-au-vents, blinis, pork pies, samozas, chicken bites and souffles.  It's time to forget about those mince pies, Christmas cakes and puddings, turkey trimmings, pig-in-blankets and festive cocktails for another year (it's so hard to, I know!)

Kaspas

If you've never had a Kaspas then you clearly haven't lived.  I come here habitually as a treat when I'm back in my hometown and have still failed to exhaust their excessive menu!  Their sumptuous variety of sundaes, waffles, crepes, cakes and puddings are all incredibly appetising, but non-the-less a heart attack on a plate!  Regardless, my favourite of their desserts hands down is the Banana and Nutella Waffle which unfortunately does NOT count as one of your five-a-day...

Take me back there... NOW!

Whilst the chefs aren't shy to confirm there is nothing of nutritional value on the menu, it's good to know what similar delightful desserts you can stir up in the meantime to satisfy those crepe cravings...

The Good: Banana is a great waffle garnish when it's not been fried or grilled in fat.  Packed with potassium and fibre, they leave you feeling full for longer.  Waffle desserts are generally low in saturated fats (yes, even the Kaspas ones) which is good as this type of fat is responsible for hoarding unused calories on the body as additional weight for longer.  

The Bad: It's the salt and sugar content that lets this dessert down.  The chocolate spread makes up 400 of the dessert's calories- that's more than the waffle itself!  Waffles typically contain around 300 calories, but restaurants prepare them with added flavourings that keep you craving more.  The mere fact that they've piled on the banana slices just won't cut it.  If you want to enjoy this dessert to the fullest, resist your cravings and treat yourself every couple of months.  Plan a specific date and count down the days if you're wanting it that badly!  This reminder will encourage you to not cheat in the meantime, trust me- it's worth it!

The Answer: Who says waffles have to be unhealthy?  Homemade ones still have the potential to be bad for you but being able to control portion size and spread quantity gives you a massive one-up on restaurant-prepared ones.  Make Whole-Wheat ones with Gluten-Free flour, coconut sugar, almond milk and light margarine for your low in sat-fat and sugar base.

You can incorporate healthier, savoury ingredient fillings: quinoa, chicken, grilled cheese, poached egg and mushroom make a refreshing change from hefty sauces.  If you've still got a sweet tooth though, lightly decorate your waffle with Pumpkin spice or blueberry or chocolate chips.  Aim to not slather your waffle with fatty, sugary toppings, using a spread of around 2-3 tbsp only.  If this doesn't take your fancy you can top with fat-free yoghurt or a fruit salad for a light, quick fix- perfect for breakfast or a snack!

Calories: 794 (based on "Banana and Nutella Waffle" Kaspas' dessert)

Alternative Choice Calories: 213 (based on homemade Banana and Chocolate Chip Whole-Wheat Waffles)

Shakeaway

I'll always have time for a Shakeaway- I've tried Ferrero Rocher, Chocolate Fudge Cake, Peanut Butter with Banana and Chocolate, Bakewell Tart and Strawberry Shortcake so far!  It still only has a few store locations in the UK, so I was buzzing when I found out that there was one in Worcester (where I was based at the time).  I've always been a self-confessed shake lover and a tough critic with the taste and texture of just about every milkshake I've been able to get my mouth around!  My personal favourite is Dave (bluntly named, I know), a dreamy Ferrero Rocher and Kinder Bueno sophisticated praline blend sprinkled with chocolate flake.

The Good: A shake is always going to lend you some calcium, but a key benefit of the mouthwatering milkshake is the carbohydrates and vitamin elements- and low sodium levels give you that satisfied, full feeling after drinking it.  Milk is also a great source of protein as much as fat so I always opt for Soya Light or Low-Fat Almond Milk.

The Bad: I'm not going to kid you, of course you'll never find a shake worth writing home about that isn't loaded with calories and additives.  Notoriously high sugar and cholesterol levels come from the ice cream and saturated fat levels range from 25-30g per 500ml milkshake.  Sprinkles, cream and extra toppings add even more, this is why it's important to prompt the bistro to prepare your drink with blended low-fat yoghurt or soy milk.

The Answer: A full-fat freak shake is a great indulgent treat, but not all dessert drinks have to be as stodgy.  Nowadays, when drinking out I always request soya milk in my hot chocolates, coffees, teas and shakes which cuts out around 30 calories.  Cutting out additional marshmallow, sprinkles and cream toppings could kill off 1/4 of the shake's whole calories.  

Making Chocolate healthy... finally

A great alternative shake brand perfect for protein and low calorie meal replacements is Slimfast.  I've only just started drinking their Chunky Chocolate slimming shakes but was impressed to find it's rich-tasting, nutritious qualities left me surprisingly full.  I'm equally a massive fan of making my own fruit smoothies (my latest recipe: Bananaberry Blend will be up on the site in a couple of days) and you can mix it up with sweet and savoury ingredients.  Small amounts of milk to thicken the consistency and natural sugars or hints of vanilla extract keep your sweet tooth satisfied.  Experiment and have fun!

Don't forget- Shakeaway's does have a Fit & Healthy menu, consisting of frozen yoghurt and crushed ice blends with detox flavours of kiwi, mango, spinach and melon.  They also do protein shakes, ice slushies and fresh fruit smoothies which also work for me and are delicious.

If you do decide to treat yourself, remember to plan ahead: are you going to be eating as well?  If so, a smaller shake or indulging in one instead of eating could be the answer to keep you feeling positive about yourself.  It's all about being treat-wise- there are no black-and-white rules!  But for me, if you're taking a detour to Shakeaway's after all those months of resisting you should treat yourself...just this once.

Calories: 634 (based on "Dave" Shakeaway's milkshake)

Alternative Choice Calories: 252 (based on a 265g Homemade Raspberry, Blueberry and Banana Smoothie Milkshake)

Rhubarb Crumble

A familiar classic at a big family dinner, a home-baked slice of this with custard sits well after the Sunday Roast.  It's one of the only desserts that deem it acceptable to stick a vegetable in a pastry! The syrupy, tangy rhubarbs encased in a crunchy crumble casing drenched in piping hot custard make for a "marmite" reaction- and we definitely love it at home!

The Good: It's homemade!  So I know exactly what and how much is going into it.  Plus, tinned or fresh rhubarb (it's best to aim for fresh, though) is high in minerals and fibre.

The Bad: We've all fallen victim to the mindset that if something is home-baked it must be healthier than the shelved product.  This isn't always the case.  This Crumble is the carb catastrophe from hell!  You can't avoid the amount of flour and different sugars you have to use to construct the crumble itself.  Ordinarily I use Pure Cane, Golden Brown and caster sugar for the breadcrumb mixture.  The pudding quickly becomes high in fat when you add 50-75g of butter, with an additional 8g of sugar coming from tinned rhubarb juices.  Whenever you can, use fresh rhubarb as you'll be using enough sugar as it is and don't need the extra sweetener.

The Answer: When baking, use less sugar for breadcrumbs and serve home-cooked fresh rhubarb or tinned rhubarb that comes without syrup juices.  This keeps the divine dessert lower in not just sugars, but saturated fats and salt.  Serve with low-fat custard or cream to reduce unnecessary extra cals.

Ridiculously rhubarb...

Make an Oatmeal Crumble topping with blended oats, oatmeal and unsalted butter with a hint of brown sugar.  Fresh rhubarb can be doused in natural sweeteners such as freshly squeezed orange or apple juice for half the calories.

Calories: 222 (based on my original home-baked 130g serving with tinned rhubarb in syrup and brown and cane sugars, without additional custard or cream)

Alternative Choice Calories: 145 (based on 130g serving of homemade fresh rhubarb sat in a naturally sweetened oatmeal crumble, without additional custard or cream)

Moussaka

This classic Greek dish is one of my all-time favourites and never fails to disappoint!  For those of you who aren't familiar with it, it contains multiple layers of aubergine, tomato and minced beef.  I've gladly sampled it on my tour of the Greek Islands on holidays in Rhodes, Kefalonia and Cyprus to name a few.  Whilst it's cooked in it's native land slightly differently at every restaurant, I've noticed that portion sizes and large toppings of cheese are consistently generous!  Sure, this makes it all the more delicious, but despite the ample helping of salad piled alongside it it's not the most nutritional choice on the menu.

So how can that be helped?  I recently discovered the vegetarian option, replacing minced lamb or beef with more cheese sauce and vegetable layers.  It's still delicious but also still high in sodium, fat and calorific content (it's just not fair!) so definitely makes for a treat to be savoured in the moment!

The Good: Fibre is sourced particularly well in this dish, keeping you full.  I can safely say I've never eaten a Moussaka and still felt hungry afterwards, which is just as well!

The Bad: Beef and aubergine in cooking oil amounts to around 30% of a daily 2000 calorie diet, with its 40g of fat totalling 550 cals.  Potato is added to generously dish out the carbs and almost fulfill your daily cholesterol limit- meaning perhaps you shouldn't be dining out on this dinner every day.  Half of the suggested daily sodium serving is contained in a portion, increasing the risk of heart disease if eaten routinely.

The Answer: Refreshing vegetarian Moussaka can cure all your cravings with thinly-sliced aubergine and added chick peas, soy beans and pulses to mix up the texture.  Low-fat olive oil, tomato and spinach still work well amongst these new flavours whilst keeping calorie levels under control.  When making the white sauce, use fat-free Greek Style yoghurt and low-fat cottage cheese with margarine and only a dash of salt and pepper before sprinkling a thin layer of grated mature cheddar on the very top.  Keep in mind that cheese is already a key ingredient so you don't want to upset the balance of flavours or let yourself down with fat or calories.  If that's not your cup of tea, base your meat version on a lean minced lamb with low-fat oils, flour and milk.

Mmmmoussaka

Calories: 511 (based on shop-bought 350g serving of "Tesco Finest Beef, Aubergine and Tomato Moussaka")

Alternative Choice Calories: 360 (based on homemade Vegetarian Aubergine, Courgette and Tomato Moussaka)

Lasagne

Similar to the last dish, Lasagne has always been a favourite of mine as a lover of Italian food (as you already know).  I actually prefer the veggie option but love the variety of meat and veg together, or when inspiration from other courses is integrated- you name it, it's in there!  Caramelised onion, soft cheese, cooked breakfast, roast beef and potatoes and chocolate and peanut butter are some of the many varieties I've come across!  These flavours are great to change it up from time to time and if you get bored of the traditional Lasagne format you can construct the layers of the dish in a crepe, souffle, soup or muffin design.  I even have it in a sandwich on cheat days!

Lasagnelicious!

The Good: Most Lasagnes provide a good amount of nutrients stemming from the vegetables, noodles and cheese.  Carbs from the pasta and protein and vitamins from the meat and tomato and white sauces are found in the traditional dish.  If you're tucking into a tasty Beef Lasagne your meat choice will have served you well with sufficient iron.

The Bad: Too much of this dish can easily be dangerous for your health.  Make sure you aren't tempted as often by microwave ready meals packed with fats and salt.  White noodles and pasta spike blood sugar levels and are commonly found in these pre-prepared dishes.

The Answer: I use low-fat cheese and sauces (Lighter Mozzarella or low-fat Ricotta Cheese always works for me) to keep the dish lighter.  I swap red meat for courgettes and tomatoes as you can never have too many vegetables in a Lasagne!  Add variation by pureeing the vegetables together for an alternative, smoother texture and use cauliflower, broccoli, red peppers and vegetable stock if needed.

If you're going for the non-veggie option, use lean ground beef or rinse the meat beforehand to wash excess fat off.  Whole-wheat pasta and whole-grain noodles help keep blood sugar levels balanced.  Nowadays, I only have Vegetable Lasagne, and that's as a treat every few months at a restaurant.  I still ditch the garlic bread that commonly comes with it for an undressed side salad.  This compliments the soft creamy layered texture with an added crunch.

Calories: 456 (based on a shop-bought 300g serving of "Tesco Finest Traditional Beef Lasagne") 

Alternative Choice Calories: 206 (based on a 300g serving of homemade Vegetable Lasagne, without a side salad)

The Sunday Roast

I have my mum to thank for this one: everybody has that "perfect roast dinner"- whether it's from their favourite carvery or made by that family member who cooks it just right.  In my family, it's still a Sunday tradition that's been lived up to as often as is possible!  It's a great way of getting everybody together at the end of an enduring week and of course to have an indulgent feast!  I don't feel guilty about it as I don't eat a lot for the other six days of the week- pork is my vice but leaner meats like chicken, turkey and gammon are equally enjoyable. 

Gym day is always going to be Monday even though I've been brought up replicating Mum's own roast dinners in the healthiest way possible, but more can still be done to lower the calorie count of your favourite Sunday feast...

Last week's Roast: Mixed vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli and peas), Brussels sprouts, parsnips, roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings accompanying Beef drizzled in Beef stock gravy with Mustard and Horseradish sauce.

The Good: In our traditional Beef dinner, we include trimmings like parsnips, cauliflower and Yorkshires to replace stuffing, pig-in-blankets and sausage rings.  This gives the meal a generally healthier edge with the mix of carrots, peas, broccoli and sprouts.  The generous veg portions (as seen above) provide Vitamin C, boosting the immune system.  It's recommended that your plate should be made up of at least 1/3 of greens- this keeps your plate rich in flavour and colour whilst providing vitamins.  But that's not all.  Beef, as with any meat- is a great source of protein and Vitamin B (important for your hair, skin and nails ladies)- and as we always cook a sirloin joint there's no skin meaning fewer calories!

I always cook my Beef in a roasting tin so it's not sat in its own fat while it roasts.  I've avoided using goose fat and swapped it for olive or sunflower oil, meaning your roasties won't absorb as many saturates.  I pour on a sensible amount of gravy and make my own just for reassurance- this cuts out all the salt and sugars you get in pre-prepared sachets.  I use Beef stock cubes, thickening cornflour when needed and vegetable stock from the greens I've already cooked.   

The Bad: We should only have the likes of Beef and Pork once a week as they're high in saturated fats and this is common in red meats.  It's a struggle to find any totally free-range beef joint in supermarkets, most animals are fattened up by farmers to make them bulkier and therefore more calorific on consumption.  Removing the skin on your roast potatoes encourages them to absorb more fat- but admittedly they taste so good though!

The Answer: When preparing your potatoes, don't be fooled into thinking halving or quartering them will mean they'll count for less calories.  In fact, the larger you leave them the less oil and fat they will absorb, similarly to keeping the skins on (which also ensures they keep all their nutrients).  What are you going to roast your potatoes in?  Avoid goose fat despite tradition, unflavoured coconut oil works a treat and delivers the same desirable, crispy consistency to the finished product for less cals.

Use a roasting tin for your meat, cook your potatoes separately so they don't absorb extra fat from it.  Lamb and Duck are always the fattiest options (if you are choosing Lamb the leg is the lowest calorie choice with the least fat) so it's more practical to cook leaner white meats like Turkey or Chicken.  When making your own gravy, be resourceful with your potato and veg stock- cutting down on processed ingredients.  Avoid added sauces and extras to excess- allow yourself one Yorkshire pudding, some cauliflower cheese or stuffing as one yummy side per dinner.  You deserve it after all the cooking!

Calories: 430 (based on my own home-cooked Beef, Yorkshire puddings, cauliflower, frozen vegetables, parsnips, roast potatoes, beef stock gravy, with mustard and horseradish sauce.)

Alternative Choice Calories: 376 (based on Roast Beef, green beans, carrots, peas, one Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes in beef stock gravy.)

Cauliflower Cheese

Plenty of cheese is a given rule if you aren't watching your weight- and this dish will certainly satisfy this need...but for those of us who are it's reassuring to learn that this meal can be enjoyed in any quantity if prepared with thought.  For me, it's an easy, quick dish that delivers just as much flavour as one that took me twice as long to prepare.  When I've withheld my cheesy cravings for a couple of months this is the perfect medicine!

Crazy about cauliflower💛

The Good: Obviously, with cauliflower as one of the two main ingredients it's a dish rich in protein and high in calcium through the cheese.  Cauliflower aids digestion and contains anti-inflammatory qualities as it's a vegetable high in sulfur.  

The Bad: It's shamed for its fat content stemming from everyone's favourite part- the thick, gooey cheese sauce!  Ugh, why is it always the way?  You can expect high toppings of grated Parmesan cheese and thick drizzled sauce in high amounts in the ready-to-eat dishes.  My guilty pleasure is adding way more salt than I need when tucking into this cheesy course.

The Answer: Prepare it yourself.  You can modify the quantity of the cheese sauce, especially recommended if eating as a side dish alongside a main meal.  I enjoy it best as a main so I can savour the flavour without polluting it with potatoes, steak or tangy gravy.  Make your own white sauce with almond, soy or coconut milk and mix in extra veg, ground almonds, white beans and cashew nuts- all the goodness for less calories!  The nuts and beans do a great job of adding texture before you pour it over the cauliflower base layer.

Calories: 418 (based on "Tesco Finest Large Cauliflower Cheese Side Dish")

Alternative Choice Calories: 251 (based on a homemade side dish Cauliflower Cheese with a Nut Topping, Buttermilk and no added salt

Cheesecake

Cheese isn't bad in a cake either!  Probably my favourite dessert, flavours range from Carrot Cake to Cookie Dough, Chocolate and Peanut Butter to Red Velvet and Berries.  You can never get bored!  Just when you think you've tried all the possible cheesecake flavours in the world another mind-blowingly delicious delight pops up!

My personal favourite though?  Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch.  I adore the nutty texture lightly dusting the chocolate treat to finish it off.  For me, the enjoyment definitely comes from the fresh cream cheese texture contrasting against the biscuity base.  This makes sure that there's never a dull or dry moment.  

Come on, don't tell me you're not tempted...

The Good: I was shocked that this cheesecake was low in cholesterol and salt.  Sure, I never kidded myself that it was good for me, but with nutrients and energy from key ingredients such as milk, sugar, eggs and cheese it was beginning to look pretty promising!  The dairy provides Vitamin A through high calcium, magnesium and iron levels- meaning your bones, teeth and vision (not to mention your stomach) could benefit from eating this dessert once in a while!  Nutritional value from the cream cheese contains crucial vitamins for healthy growth and development- so you can even allow your child the small indulgence for their own good on special occasions!  But make sure you save the "adult" sized portions for those of you who can finish it up easily... (I don't think you'll need to be told twice)

The Bad: Seriously though, you'd think a small portion size would do you no harm.  Unfortunately you'd be wrong.  Half the contents of the cake contribute fats and- as with all the foods that taste the best- it's primarily sourced from the cream cheese and the two main ingredients- nuts and chocolate.  Damn!

The Answer: Cheesecake is made to be indulged in, but why not make it as healthy as you can?  The hazelnut recipe is much harder to modify with nuts being a raw ingredient- so I often opt for chocolate chip in its place.  I use artificial sweetener, cinnamon and vanilla extract in place of sugar at no extra cost.  Fat-free yoghurt and low-fat cottage and cream cheeses when making the batter is a great switch, in the mix it turns out tasting exactly as it would when using full-fat ingredients.  Use Weight Watchers Milk Chocolate Biscuits (I get mine from Tesco) for the base or alternatively gluten-free crust or reduced-fat chocolate wafer crumbs.  As for the cream cheese, you can scrap it completely!  It tastes just as yummy with yoghurt or condensed almond milk for the filling.

But I'll always have time once every few months for that Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch sensation...as long as I keep up those crunches afterwards...

Calories: 610 (based on 114g serving of "Finest Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch Cheesecake Slice")

Alternative Choice Calories: 250 (based on 114g serving of homemade Low-Fat Chocolate Chip Cheesecake without cream cheese)

Frankfurters

Whenever my cupboard is empty, or when I'm at a festival, bonfire or fayre the hotdogs always come out... Frankfurters are the juiciest, thickest, tastiest of all the sausages out there (but wouldn't you know it's typical they're just not that nutritious!).

What I wouldn't do for one of these right now...

The Good: You get a generous source of required fat, sodium and protein from your classic Frankfurter "Dog", even if it is the unhealthiest of all the sausages.  When seasoned, I dust my hotdog with paprika, onion and garlic as a garnish to satisfy my taste buds without packing more and more calories.

The Bad: Notoriously processed, they average around 200 calories a serving with 3/4 of the content coming from the saturated fat and high levels of sodium.  Additional additives from extra bacon, sauteed onions and mushrooms certainly keep this "dog" delicious but sure to pile on the pounds.  If purchasing, buns are often filled with sugars and full fats to emphasise taste.

The Answer: I'm not prepared to completely sacrifice my beloved Frankfurters so I just make sure that I restrict how often I have them and how much I have.  Once every two months I enjoy including them with simple flavours like mayonnaise, melted cheese, bacon and chips.  Changing the bread or bun you use can be crucial for your sat-fat snack.  I use Weight Watcher's Malted Danish Bread at 55 calories a slice, or seeded or brown bread before considering what I'm filling it with.  Add lettuce, tomato or spinach and use lighter BBQ, mustard, mayonnaise and tomato sauce toppings.  This ensures that you can afford to treat yourself until you feel full without having to substitute the faithful Frankfurter for vegetarian ones.  However, this is not without need of a workout afterwards, so make it worth it!

Calories: 304 (based on a Berlinki Frankfurter with fried onions, butter, mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard in a white bread roll)

Alternative Choice Calories: 194 (based on Berlinki Frankfurter in a seeded brown roll, with boiled spinach, tomato and lightly fried onion with Hellmann's Lighter Mayonnaise)

Mince Pies

As the year comes to a close after 11 hellish months of being good, we see mince pies annually appear on our shelves- and whilst I still allow for one or two high street mince pies average in at 290 calories!  I only recently started enjoying them over the last few years and for me there's no going back now.  It's the one food I find really hard to resist over Christmas, especially when they're piping hot!  Last Christmas I cut it right down to just four when I felt awful after having two in one serving!

Are they really worth it though?  Despite always reminding myself of all the calories in such a small pie I still say: absolutely!  Just not as often as we'd like...

The Good: Whenever we indulge in this high-fat fave we're likely to feel better about eating one or two after 11 whole months of resistance!  It's high in energy, low in salt and has an average measure of fat.  Making your own unfortunately isn't likely to decrease fat or calorie content even if the pies are smaller (believe me, I've tried) but you are in control of types and amounts of filling and pastry. From experience, small pies make it feel more acceptable to binge until you've probably ended up consuming more calories than eating a large one.  

In moderation, one mince pie is definitely worth that festive, blissful feeling to boost your mood and forget about all the stress the year has brought.  Just be prepared to get burning those calories the following day so you can manage more!

The Bad: The sugar in the sweet mince makes up for nearly half the weight of the average 57g pie.  The pastry accounts for additional high sat-fat and sugar content, quickly transforming it into one of the unhealthiest snacks I could think of.

The Answer: Healthier festive foods with sweet mince are common if you don't want to risk nibbling away at the most painfully small mince pie!  Christmas Cake and Pudding base their main ingredient on the tasty sweet mince without such a stodgy, sugary, buttered pastry casing topped with fat.  Just keep in mind, your marzipan icing will tot up calories if you're making a Christmas Cake.  Personally, Christmas Pudding sits much better with me as an adequate alternative.  I'd opt for a healthy portion (around 50g gives you 182 calories).  This is still nothing on the calories of a mince pie even when topped with custard or Brandy cream!

Christmas couldn't come quicker already!

If opting to make your own pie, aim to use as little pastry as you can- using Filo Pastry when you do.  You can get creative with this using festive star or Christmas tree pastry cutters!  Invert the lids so more of the contents are visible and less pastry is used.  If you're making a large batch, leave the lid off completely on some and cover them with Tesco Lighter Real Dairy Spray Cream instead.  A favourite ingredient of mine, coconut oil greases the tray to a healthy extent for cooking in.  Use small amounts of sugar, bearing in mind that you already have a sweet-tasting filling, pastry and dusted icing topping.  I make my sweet mince from vanilla extract, apples, sultanas, cranberry, extracts of cinnamon and ginger and freshly squeezed orange juice.  In homemade pies, I average 2 tsps of mince per pie filling and dust with only a little icing sugar on the finished product.

Their absence from supermarket shelves until the end of the year's resurgence makes them easier to resist...until December arrives again and we all remember how much we love them!

Calories: 290 (based on a singular high street 57g average-sized Mince Pie)

Alternative Choice Calories: 235 (based on a homemade Mince Pie with Filo Pastry and Inverted Lids with Real Dairy Spray Cream)

So this post has been slightly delayed, due to a very busy start to the year that 2017 has thrown at me! But it's never too late if you haven't already started slimming into shape to get that all-important bikini body for Summer!  

So we're nearly a month in, still rehearsing that "new year, new you" routine and telling ourselves that this year will be the one.  We'll definitely turn over a new leaf this time.  Reaching for that self-proclaimed last glass of wine and digging into that last slice of cake, we later excuse ourselves to go outside and smoke our last couple of cigarettes of the pack.  It WILL be the last one.

Whether it's been 30 days or 30 minutes, if you've set yourself
New Year's goals and targets you're one step ahead already!

...Won't it?

But the reality is that only 46% of people will make it half way through the year in keeping with their New Year's resolutions- with people in their twenties nearly three times as likely to stick to them than the over-50s.  So, what goals are we all setting for ourselves?

• Give up smoking
• Travel
• Live a healthier lifestyle
• Find love
• Be less judgemental
• Learn a new skill
• Join a new class or find a new hobby
• GET FIT

The list is endless.

You might even be trying to adhere to all of these, this can be overwhelming and make it hard to find the motivation to stick to any of them- especially if many of these goals are fitness/weight related.  It's been proven that on average girls put on up to 5lbs over the festive holiday.  Naturally, after hearing this I promptly took to the scales...

I was horrified.  I'd gained 7lbs...7!

Over the remaining Christmas period I tried my hardest to be more sensible with Christmas treats and snacks.  And I hadn't been bad, especially with my cut-back on alcohol- it was just a drastic difference to my normal eating habits.  With friends and family around you constantly eating and offering you Christmas nibbles it was hard to stay motivated (even after continuing with regular exercise).

For me it's frustrating when people brush off any weight gain or out-of-shape comments you make, as if they know your body better than you.  I often find myself being told that I wouldn't put on any weight if I tried by the person whose mince pie offering I politely declined.  The fact is it's possible for anyone to put on any amount of weight- and whilst I never looked in the mirror after the holidays and thought I was overweight, it was personally a disappointing downhill slide.  It's all about your perspective as an individual, another reason why post-Christmas personal goals and aims are so important.  Society is a confusing blend of appearing to indulge, but not to a "shameful" extent- and for many it's so hard to find this socially acceptable balance.  

So to me, post-Christmas is the perfect time to detox the body after indulging in all those festive foods.  After munching on mince pies, dining out on delicious dinners and snacking on the sharebox, I was left feeling deflated, disgusting and depressed.  I'd caught the Christmas blues. And I was done with it.

Harriet's holiday is over💪🏼🏃🏻‍♀️

I was on a quest.

As soon as New Year's Day was done with I set about beginning to undo the damage Christmas had done as part of my resolution.  I was out for early-morning runs with my favourite tracking app Nike + Run Club- which you can download from the app store to your device and start tracking your progress here. I'm back at the gym after a month off and I've dug out some of my favourite sports attire (as seen here on my Instagram) and you can find out where I got it from over at What Harriet Wears.

It all started at the end of November last year with an app called MyNet Diary which works like a dream for me.  I always find myself in a stressful schedule juggling work, travel and university so it's hard to keep track of everything.  This app tracks not only your logged exercise and steps per day- but allows you to log food and drink consumption and set yourself a personal weight loss goal.  This was good for me as I'd been worried that I had fallen into snacking to substitute for meals which I rarely had time for some days.  This helps me shed pounds but at my most stressed it also left me hungry, moody and fatigued.

I used to think that eating less would be the answer- and whilst I insist it still partly is, maintaining a healthy diet whilst still indulging on your guilty pleasures on "cheat days" is the balanced way to go about it.  Here you can find my Top Ten Tempting Treats alongside slimming substitutes!  Besides, there are plenty of exciting health bandwagons to jump on as of 2017: coconut flour, teff, seaweed chips and jackfruit are set to be huge trends this year!

Work-out ready

So far this month I've branched out into a completely new health and fitness plan that I'll be guiding you through with meal tips, exercise regimes and healthy alternatives to your lifestyle throughout the year.  My routine has always involved trying to fit in as much cardio as possible, with the added bonus of these generic exercises not taking up much of your busy January schedule yet still guaranteed to pay off.

Start easy:

• 40 Jumping Jacks
• 30 Crunches
• 20 Squats
• 10 Push-Ups
• 15 minutes of Supine Bicycle
• 15 minutes of Rotary Upper Body Windmill Exercise

This is just a basic template to start off with, aim to up the amount of reps you do by at least 10 every two weeks.  When the time is right for you, begin including a variety of diverse moves that work different muscles in your body.  When I'm out of inspiration for new exercises I use SWork It as it's never short of tons of toning techniques for you hardcore gym fanatics.  To cool down I use the apps Yoga (download from iTunes here) and Calm (download now) which really helps me de-stress.

Ready for a run: Let's get going!

This year has already been productive, effective and fun!  Setting about tackling my dilemma with an extra efficient health regime I'm kissing those Christmas pounds goodbye already!  I'm looking forward to making this year a positive one.

Bring on 2017!