I’ve left this ‘Christmas gift list’ post very late in the day, but not by accident; December will have been a seasonally indulgent month for many of us, and the last thing you want think about whilst you’re toasting with a flute of delicious bubbly is a ‘healthy reboot’. However, now is the time to snap up those last-minute healthy gifts, ready to help loved ones re-focus on the New Year reforms – and there are still 3 very productive shopping days left to do it! Click MORE to check out the 14 essential goodies on my FitnessOnToast wish list from my wander around London’s iconic Harrods 🙂
Posts tagged 'photo of the day'
MINCE PIES OUT; EXOTIC FRUIT SALAD IN !!!
Time to come clean; I’m a typical ‘December human-being’, and whilst I’ve stuck to my healthy eating as well as maintained my training, the portion sizes have been way too big and there have been a few too many Christmas treats; “I’m craving sugar right now, far more than I did before Christmas“. If that sounds familiar, here’s an exotic fruit salad to help ween you (and some friends – its pretty, so why not entertain with it!) off the festive sugar. Banished are the leftover mince pies, and taking their place is something altogether more natural and nourishing. Whilst a large amount of the 200 calories (per quarter of a portion of fruit this salad) are from sugar, they’re natural, fibrous, hydrating and packed with minerals and vitamins. “Which”, you say? (more…)
A TOAST TO FITNESS !!!
I’ve been writing Fitness On Toast for a year now – it’s been huge fun, the response has surprised me enormously, and has taken me on some fabulous adventures! A big thank you to everyone who has supported the blog, for reading, for browsing aimlessly, for your lovely emails and heartening comments… I’d like to propose a toast to fitness; let’s make 2014 the healthiest year yet! Now I don’t want to sound like a spoil sport, and a bit of a tipple is called for around this time of year, but to help you along, I’m reposting this “Alcohol vs Fitness” article I wrote at the start of 2013, as it’s totally relevant for this evening :D! HAPPY NEW YEAR xx (more…)
SPORT RELIEF ON TOAST: OPTIMISING FOR THE SWIMATHON!!!
I’m still splashing away in the pool, learning to swim the front crawl for the fabulous cause that is Sainsbury’s Sport Relief, kicking off on March the 23rd 2014 at the epic Olympic pool. Anyone can take part and if swimming isn’t your cup of tea there’s also the cycle / marathon . You’ll be getting fit for 2014 (the classic resolution) whilst raising money for some of the poorest in the world. Why not sign up?! Check it out HERE!
You might notice that whilst I’m rattling on about swimming, I’m not in a pool in these pictures (shot outside the newly re-opened Kenwood House, just at the top of London’s Bishops Avenue, aka Billionaires Row). Yes, it’s hard to swim through air, but this post is actually about training the small stabiliser muscles that comprise the shoulder; it’s usually these smaller ones that are susceptible to strains in the pool, and are often neglected when you train in the gym. To build them up and prevent injury, there are a few simple exercises you can do with just a trusty resistance band…
FEELING SPORTY, LOOKING SLOUCHY !!!
So the 25th has come and gone, but the Christmas break isn’t quite over yet! I’m still enjoying the festive holidays, lounging around with friends and family, so I like to wear something comfortable for the occasion. The way I feel right now has inspired (more…)
MY HEALTHY CHRISTMAS DINNER !!!
Christmas is infamous for overeating indulgent sugary, fattening foods. This post is my attempt at a healthier alternative – it’s a tour-de-force of the same foods but with a bit of a lighter twist. Perhaps you can just pick and choose a few ideas from it, and as you can see from the picture above, ‘healthier’ needn’t look any less inviting and ‘Christmassy’ 🙂 ! Click MORE to see lovely pictures of the rest of my meal & get the ‘how to’ 🙂 Faya
GRUELLING WORKOUT WITH UNDER ARMOUR !!!
This week, I was invited to train with the US sportswear brand Under Armour in one of their ‘Urban Gym’ sessions; I was warned to expect a host of brutal, gritty training stations to tackle whilst using some innovative training kit. The event took place underneath Southbank’s iconic Golden Jubilee Bridge in the heart of London – an amazing location! So this post breaks down into 3 neat sections; 1 – ‘the workout’, 2 – ‘the gear’ and 3 – ‘the philosophy bit!!!’. click MORE to get the lowdown… (more…)
WHEN SANTA HITS THE GYM! (MY XMAS ‘FITNESS GIFT’ WISHLIST)
Dear Santa, I’ve been really healthy (almost) all year and I intend to be next year as well; after a festive wander through Harrods, here are my 18 top fitness gift ideas that’ll certainly help keep me on track through 2014; including some clothes, trainers, workout equipment, healthy food & drink and other gym knick-knacks. The sort of thing any fitness freak like me would love to open in just a fortnight’s time! 😉 Faya x (more…)
FESTIVE GRILLED SALMON, LENTILS, QUINOA AND AVOCADO !!!
OK, so it’s hardly festive-themed food, but in my calendar, we’re not quite there yet. In the meantime, I’m staying on the straight and narrow with this immensely nutritious ‘Grilled Salmon, Quinoa, Lentils Avocado and Almond’ dish. Weighing in at a reasonable 480 calories with just 20 minutes of low-intensity preparation time, it ticks so many healthy boxes and leaves me feeling totally contented… though obviously a Selfridges mini mince pie (my personal kryptonite) complements it beautifully for dessert 🙂 ! Read more here… (more…)
‘SPORT RELIEF’ ON TOAST – ALL GOING SWIMMINGLY !!!
As per my previous post here, the Sport Relief Swimathon March 2014 is just around the corner and I’m burning off my early dose of mince pies in the pool – whilst raising cash for an awesome cause! ‘HOW ARE YOU GETTING ON WITH THAT, FAYA?’ I hear you ask? Well, one minor setback is that I can’t swim… the front crawl (which is the mandatory stroke)! Thankfully, Charlie to the rescue! She’s a fantastic and painfully-tough swimming coach who also happens to be a sports therapist working with Watford Football Club, & will be coaching me all the way into the Queen Elizabeth Olympic pool.
This post contains a ‘Progress Report’ from week 1, as well as the BENEFITS OF SWIMMING, as I see it. As the months go on, I’ll be blogging about my aquatic experiences & fitness tips/tricks along the way, as well as running through the stretching routines, land training, injury-prevention exercises, nutrition, etc. (more…)