Fight club – May 15

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Movement every day

Movement is an integral part of my day. Keeping active is how I manage my physical and mental health while navigating this busy world we live in.  

Any post I share is about my experience and activity; I am not here to tell you what to do. If you are interested in doing this kind or any type of training or movement programme, I highly recommend that you seek advice and support from a professional.

Monday 

Warm-up 

3 rounds 

30 seconds activity 

10 seconds rest 

  • Plank jacks 
  • Lunges 
  • Guard sit-ups
  • Squats 
  • Skaters 
  • Reclined row 
  • Side lunge 
  • Jumping squats 
  • Boxers sit-ups 
  • Shoulder taps 

Cool down and stretch 

Tuesday 

Warm-up 

3 rounds 

40 seconds activity 

10 seconds rest 

Jumping squats 

  • Dying bugs 
  • Push-ups with a cross over 
  • Skaters 
  • Boxers sit-ups 
  • Walking lunges 
  • Reclined row 

Cool down and stretch 

Wednesday 

Warm-up 

6 rounds 

  • Split jumps 10 Reps
  • Donkey kicks 6 Reps
  • Burpees 3 Reps

Cool down and stretch 

Thursday 

Warm-up 

5 rounds 

20 seconds activity 

10 seconds rest 

  • Squats 
  • Bow and arrow 
  • Side lunge with a toe touch 
  • Walk down Push-ups 
  • Plank 
  • Cannonball sit-ups 

Cool down and stretch 

Friday

Warm-up 

25 second hold 

3 cycles 

  • Mountain pose 
  • Forward bend 
  • Triangle 
  • Bent leg triangle 
  • Downward dog 
  • Triangle 
  • Bent leg triangle 
  • Downward dog 
  • Warrior 
  • Chair pose 
  • Forward bend 
  • Mountain pose 

Cool down and stretch 

Workout disclaimer   

I share my workouts to show what I do, not to tell you what to do.  

I post my workouts with a percentage of my max rather than stating what weights or speeds I use. Everyone is different and has different levels of fitness and capability. Your body is yours alone if you want to start working out, I recommend spending some time with a personal trainer who can put you on the right path.  

When working out with weights, remember your one-rep max is yours alone, finding the weights that are right for you is important. If you decide to try out a workout, find out what weights you should be using first. 

Fight club – May 2

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Movement every day

Movement is an integral part of my day. Keeping active is how I manage my physical and mental health while navigating this busy world we live in.  

Any post I share is about my experience and activity; I am not here to tell you what to do. If you are interested in doing this kind or any type of training or movement programme, I highly recommend that you seek advice and support from a professional.

Monday 

Warm-up 

5 rounds 

30 seconds activity 

10 seconds rest 

  • Lunges 
  • Guard sit-ups
  • Lunges 
  • Reclined rows 
  • Plank 
  • Cannonball sit-ups 
  • Squats 
  • Superman 

Cool down and stretch 

Tuesday 

Warm-up 

3 rounds 

  • Walking lunges 40 Reps
  • Push-ups 15 Reps
  • Mountain climbers 20 Reps

Cool down and stretch 

Wednesday 

Warm-up 

4 rounds 

  • Walking lunges 20 Reps
  • Push-ups 15 Reps
  • Mountain climbers 10 Reps

Cool down and stretch 

Thursday 

Warm-up 

4 rounds 

30 seconds activity 

10 seconds rest 

  • Ankle taps 
  • Superman 
  • Bow and arrow 
  • Boxers sit-ups 
  • Cannonball sit-ups 
  • Dying bugs 
  • Guard sit-ups 
  • Leg raises 

Cool down and stretch 

Friday

Warm-up 

25 second hold 

3 cycles 

  • Child’s pose 
  • Cat pose 
  • Cow pose 
  • Downward dog 
  • Chair pose 
  • Mountain pose 
  • Forward bend 
  • Halfway hold
  • Plank 
  • Cobra 
  • Downward dog 
  • Chair pose 
  • Forward bend 
  • Mountain pose 

Cool down and stretch

Workout disclaimer   

I share my workouts to show what I do, not to tell you what to do.  

I post my workouts with a percentage of my max rather than stating what weights or speeds I use. Everyone is different and has different levels of fitness and capability. Your body is yours alone if you want to start working out, I recommend spending some time with a personal trainer who can put you on the right path.  

When working out with weights, remember your one-rep max is yours alone, finding the weights that are right for you is important. If you decide to try out a workout, find out what weights you should be using first. 

Fight club – April 11

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Movement every day

Movement is an integral part of my day. Keeping active is how I manage my physical and mental health while navigating this busy world we live in.  

Any post I share is about my experience and activity; I am not here to tell you what to do. If you are interested in doing this kind or any type of training or movement programme, I highly recommend that you seek advice and support from a professional.

Monday

5 rounds of 5 reps

No rest between exercises

  • Deadlift
  • Biceps curl
  • Squat
  • Lunge
  • Good mornings

Tuesday

Hot Yoga

Wednesday

5 rounds of 5 reps

No rest between exercises

  • Straight leg deadlift
  • Bent over row
  • Hang clean
  • Thruster
  • Overhead squat

Thursday

Anything can happen Thursday

Friday

5 rounds of 5 reps

No rest between exercises

  • Front squat
  • Strict press
  • Arm curls
  • Good mornings
  • Lunges

Saturday

Rest day

Sunday

Kettlebell workout

Warm-up 

  • Kettlebell deadlifts 50 Reps
  • Kettlebell swings 40 Reps
  • Kettlebell goblet squats 30 Reps
  • Kettlebell overhead press 20 Reps

Cardio 

Cool down and stretch 

Workout disclaimer   

I share my workouts to show what I do, not to tell you what to do.  

I post my workouts with a percentage of my max rather than stating what weights or speeds I use. Everyone is different and has different levels of fitness and capability. Your body is yours alone if you want to start working out, I recommend spending some time with a personal trainer who can put you on the right path.  

When working out with weights, remember your one-rep max is yours alone, finding the weights that are right for you is important. If you decide to try out a workout, find out what weights you should be using first. 

Can you live without a slow cooker?

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Seriously can you live without a slow cooker?

I can honestly say my answer is no. My slow cooker is one of the key pieces of gear that I rely on and use every week without fail. I think that a slow cooker is a must-have item for anyone wanting to make real food a part of their life, here are my reasons why;

  • It saves you time
  • You do not need to keep watch while it cooks
  • It is versatile

These reasons may seem basic, and honestly, they are but let me explain my reasons why you need one.

Slow cooker

Too busy for this

Cards on the table, I hate coming home from a busy day and knowing I have to walk into the kitchen at 7 pm, cook a full meal, and then clean up. Don’t get me wrong, I love cooking, it gives me the joy to create a beautiful meal for my family. This is not the case when I have had an 8-hour day at work, an hour commute to the gym, and then a heavy workout. At this point I am usually borderline hangry, I want to get home, I want my food as fast as possible. 

This is where having a slow cooker comes into its own; I know that I can walk in and find a meal that is cooked, hot, and ready to serve. That means food is served as soon as we are willing to sit down, not 30 minutes later.

Life and time saver

With a little planning and preparation, you can put your meal in the slow cooker before you head out the door in the morning, time-saving and hangriness preventing.
Unlike other ways of cooking, you do not need to stand over the cooker and make sure that it does not burn/stick to the bottom/cooking evenly. You set the temperature, fill the pot, and put the on the lid. You do not need to stir, check that everything is covered with enough liquid, baste meat, or turn anything over. Worry-free cooking.

Get a big beast

I recently upgraded our slow cooker so now I have a little bit of a fancy one, it doubles as a sous vide cooker, which means my slow cooker can do two things. What you may not realise is a standard slow cooker is just as versatile, don’t believe me? Here are some of the things that I used our old slow cooker to make;

  • Soups
  • Stews
  • Curry
  • Slow roast pork
  • Roast lamb
  • Roast chicken
  • Meatballs
  • Roasted vegetables (sweet potatoes, peppers, etc.)
  • Bread
  • Sauces
  • Stocks

I do not really think there is an end to the things you can do with your slow cooker; you just have to give it a go.

Reasons to get a slow cooker

If you are not convinced already here are a few more reasons that slow cookers are great;

  • Most slow cookers are large enough that you can cook food for six people, if you are not feeding that many people at once you are in the perfect zone of ‘cook once, eat twice’ and have leftovers for the freezer.
  • Cheaper cuts of meat are usually a little tougher; these meats are perfect for the slow cooker, so they are good for your budget
    They make for an easy clean up; you have one pot to wash up which is always a bonus in my book.
  • You will never get a dry roast again; the slow cooker keeps in all the moisture when it is on, so you do not have to worry about your meat drying out.

If you are looking to buy a slow cooker here are a few that may interest you

Here are some options

Slow cooker meal

Budget range

  • Kensington TWKSL150R
  • Sheffield PL390

A little bit fancy range

  • Sunbeam HP8555
  • Sunbeam MU4000

Very nice range

  • Cuisinart 3 in 1 Multi Slow Cooker 6 Litre

If you want to find out more about some essential kitchen tools check out my post Kitchen items to invest in

Crème Brûlée

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Updating as we go

Earlier in 2021, I made the move to relocate and update my website; I’ve been making changes and improving all of the things as I go. This recipe is one of the many things I’ve tried to make better. 

Something for a special occasion

This is the height of opulence in my book, and as such, I tend to crack out crème brûlée for special occasions. I first made this recipe for Jaime and my third anniversary, and it was amazing; even more impressive is that we celebrated our 11th anniversary in late 2021. Time fly’s when you are having all of the fun.

Not as tricky as you think

I always thought that crème brûlée was challenging to make, but the truth is they are straightforward to make. The bonus of making them is they make a big impact on those you put them in front of. This is one of the few recipes on this website that you will find normal white sugar. I tried for a long time and had many failed (burned tasting) attempts at this recipe before I realised I had to use white sugar. It is a minimal amount of sugar on the top of the custard.

Crème Brûlée recipe

Ingredients

  • 500ml double cream
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla powder or 1 vanilla pod
  • 100g coconut sugar
  • 6 egg yolks 
  • 3 tbsp. white sugar

Instructions

In a saucepan, mix together cream and vanilla.

Bring them to the boil.

When the cream comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Watch this very closely; the cream can boil over very quickly.

In a separate bowl, beat together egg yolks and sugar together until they are pale and fluffy.

After 5 minutes, bring the cream back to a boil.

Pour a small amount of the cream over the eggs and whisk vigorously.

When the cream has been beaten into the eggs, start to add more.

Slowly pour in the rest of the cream over the eggs, continuously whisking.

Strain the mixture, then pour it into ramekins.

Place the ramekins in a bain-marie.

Bake at 150 degrees C/300 degrees F for 30-35 minutes.

The custard is set but still wobbly in the middle.

Remove bain-marie from the oven and chill the ramekins until needed.

Sprinkle a small amount of sugar over the top of each custard.

Caramelise the sugar before serving.

You can do that would a kitchen blowtorch or under a hot grill. 

Crème Brûlée

  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

“



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 500ml double cream
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla powder or 1 vanilla pod
  • 100g coconut sugar
  • 6 egg yolks 
  • 3 tbsp. white sugar

Directions

  1. In a saucepan, mix together cream and vanilla.
  2. Bring them to the boil.
  3. When the cream comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
  4. Watch this very closely; the cream can boil over very quickly.
  5. In a separate bowl, beat together egg yolks and sugar together until they are pale and fluffy.
  6. After 5 minutes, bring the cream back to a boil.
  7. Pour a small amount of the cream over the eggs and whisk vigorously.
  8. When the cream has been beaten into the eggs, start to add more.
  9. Slowly pour in the rest of the cream over the eggs, continuously whisking.
  10. Strain the mixture, then pour it into ramekins.
  11. Place the ramekins in a bain-marie.
  12. Bake at 150 degrees C/300 degrees F for 30-35 minutes.
  13. The custard is set but still wobbly in the middle.
  14. Remove bain-marie from the oven and chill the ramekins until needed.
  15. Sprinkle a small amount of sugar over the top of each custard.
  16. Caramelise the sugar before serving.
  17. You can do that would a kitchen blowtorch or under a hot grill. 

Nutrition

Per Serving:455 calories; 38 g fat; 26 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Whisk 
  • Mixing bowl
  • Sieve
  • Ramekins
  • Baking dish
  • Blowtorch

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Fight club – March 13

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Movement every day

Movement is an integral part of my day. Keeping active is how I manage my physical and mental health while navigating this busy world we live in.  

Any post I share is about my experience and activity; I am not here to tell you what to do. If you are interested in doing this kind or any type of training or movement programme, I highly recommend that you seek advice and support from a professional.

Monday 

Warm-up 

As many rounds as you can 

12 minutes 

  • Squats 5 reps 
  • Side lunge with a toe touch 6 reps 
  • Shoulder taps 6 reps 
  • Guard sit-ups 5 reps 

Cool down and stretch 

Tuesday 

Warm-up 

6 rounds 

30 seconds activity 10 seconds rest 

  • Jumping squats 
  • Lunges 
  • Side lunge with a toe touch 
  • Squat jacks 

Cool down and stretch 

Wednesday 

Warm-up 

5 rounds 

30 seconds activity 10 seconds rest 

  • Jumping squats 
  • Skaters 
  • Plank 
  • Dying bugs 
  • Boxers sit-ups 
  • Lunges 

Cool down and stretch 

Thursday 

Warm-up 

6 rounds 

  • Split jumps 10 reps 
  • Donkey kicks 6 reps 
  • Burpees 3 reps 

Cool down and stretch 

Friday 

Warm-up 

25 second hold 

3 cycles 

  • Mountain pose 
  • Forward bend 
  • Triangle 
  • Bent leg triangle 
  • Downward dog 
  • Triangle 
  • Bent leg triangle 
  • Downward dog 
  • Warrior 
  • Chair pose 
  • Forward bend 
  • Mountain pose 

Cool down and stretch 

Workout disclaimer   

I share my workouts to show what I do, not to tell you what to do.  

I post my workouts with a percentage of my max rather than stating what weights or speeds I use. Everyone is different and has different levels of fitness and capability. Your body is yours alone if you want to start working out, I recommend spending some time with a personal trainer who can put you on the right path.  

When working out with weights, remember your one-rep max is yours alone, finding the weights that are right for you is important. If you decide to try out a workout, find out what weights you should be using first. 

Keep Moving Fitness Deadlift

Fight club – Feburary 14

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Movement every day

Movement is an integral part of my day. Keeping active is how I manage my physical and mental health while navigating this busy world we live in.  

Any post I share is about my experience and activity; I am not here to tell you what to do. If you are interested in doing this kind or any type of training or movement programme, I highly recommend that you seek advice and support from a professional.

Monday

Warm-up

As many rounds as you can

10 minutes 

  • Squats 5 Reps
  • Side lunge with a toe touch 6 Reps
  • Shoulder taps 6 Reps
  • Guard sit-ups 5 Reps

Cool down and stretch 

Tuesday 

Warm-up

3 rounds

30 seconds activity 

10 seconds rest

  • Push-ups
  • Handstand hold
  • Hollow rocks

Cool down and stretch 

Wednesday 

Warm-up

4 rounds

40 seconds activity 

15 seconds rest

  • Plank 
  • Bow and arrow 
  • Push-ups

Cool down and stretch 

Thursday

Warm-up

3 rounds

20 seconds activity 

10 seconds rest

  • Walking lunges
  • Push-ups
  • Mountain climbers 

Cool down and stretch 

Friday

Warm-up

3 rounds

30 seconds activity 

10 seconds rest

  • Ankle taps 
  • Superman 
  • Bow and arrow 
  • Boxers sit-ups 
  • Cannonball sit-ups 
  • Dying bugs 
  • Guard sit-ups 
  • Leg raises

Cool down and stretch 

Keep Moving Fitness Deadlift
Keep Moving Fitness Deadlift

Workout disclaimer   

I share my workouts to show what I do, not to tell you what to do.  

I post my workouts with a percentage of my max rather than stating what weights or speeds I use. Everyone is different and has different levels of fitness and capability. Your body is yours alone if you want to start working out, I recommend spending some time with a personal trainer who can put you on the right path.  

When working out with weights, remember your one-rep max is yours alone, finding the weights that are right for you is important. If you decide to try out a workout, find out what weights you should be using first. 

Easy mayo

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Years ago, mayo was a high-use item; I think at one point we were using 500g a week. The problem was that the mayo we used contained a considerable amount of sugar, which is not ideal. The solution is to make your own without the sugar.

Make your own

If you are like me and you try to avoid mass-produced processed foods, the best option is to make your own. When you make your own, you control which ingredients you use and how much or how sweet you want it to be. Once you’ve tried making your own and seen how easy it is, you will never go back to store-bought again.

Making it for ourselves

Easy mayo in a jar
Easy mayo

I came across a mayo recipe in a book and decided to give it a go, we all liked it but it’s me so I couldn’t help experimenting and seeing what if would be like using different kinds of mustard.

The winner for me was whole-grain Dijon. It added a nice flavour and a little texture that I liked. What I appreciate most is knowing exactly what went into it. It takes just a few minutes to make, and the taste is fantastic. Once you try it, you’ll likely never go back to store-bought mayo.

Easy mayo

Easy mayo ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/4 cup extra light olive oil

Instructions

Put one cup of oil into something that makes it easy to pour.

Put everything else into the blender or food processor.

Take a blender
Take a blender
Add the egg
Add the egg
Add the vinegar and 1/4 cup of oil
Add the vinegar and 1/4 cup of oil
Add the mustard and let everything hang out
Add the mustard and let everything hang out

Let them come to room temperature together, 30 minutes.

Mix everything together thoroughly so it is well blended.

Give everything a blend together so it is well mixed
Give everything a blend together so it is well mixed
Everything is well blended
Everything is well blended

Now, for the most challenging part, incorporating the remaining 1 cup of oil into the mixture.

Now for the hardest part
Now for the hardest part
incorporating the remaining 1 cup oil into the mixture
Incorporating the remaining 1 cup oil into the mixture slowly

This is the hardest part because it needs to be done slowly, I mean, the slightest drizzle you can manage.

Adding the oil should take 3 minutes
Adding the oil should take 3 minutes

Adding the oil should take 3 minutes; if you do it quicker, it may not work.

The sound of your blender or processor make will change as the closer you get to your mayo being done
The sound of your blender or processor make will change as the closer you get to your mayo being done
The sound of your blender or processor make will change as the closer you get to your mayo being done
Scrape down the sides of the blender

The sound of your blender or processor will change as you get closer to your mayo being ready.

You will end up with a silky and shiny mayo
You will end up with a silky and shiny mayo 

You will end up with a silky, shiny mayo ready to be put in a jar and kept in the fridge.

Ready to be put in a jar and kept in the fridge.
Ready to be put in a jar and kept in the fridge.

Easy mayo

  • Servings: 30
  • Rating: ★★★★★
  • Print

Easy to make, this mayo uses the whole egg and has no extra sugar or nasties.



Credit: Cath @ easycleaneats

Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/4 cup extra light olive oil

Directions

  1. Put one cup of oil into something that makes it easy to pour.
  2. Put everything else into the blender or food processor.
  3. Let them come to room temperature together, 30 minutes.
  4. Give everything a blend together so it is well mixed.
  5. Now for the hardest part, incorporating the remaining 1/4 cup oil into the mixture.
  6. This is the hardest part because it needs to be done slowly, the smallest drizzle you can manage.
  7. Adding the oil should take 3 minutes; if you do it quicker if may not work.
  8. The sound of your blender or processor make will change as the closer you get to your mayo being done.
  9. You will end up with a silky, shiny mayo ready to be put in a jar and kept in the fridge.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 83 calories; 9.2 g fat; 0.4 g carbohydrates; 0.2 g protein

Equipment

  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Measuring jug
  • Spatula
  • Blender 

Nutritional disclaimer

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients used and available in my area (New Zealand). The nutritional information is here to help you understand the recipe; I use MyFitnessPal to generate my estimates. For more accurate nutritional information, please use a nutritional calculator with the ingredients in your area.

Fight club – January 10

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Movement every day

Movement is an integral part of my day. Keeping active is how I manage my physical and mental health while navigating this busy world we live in.  

Any post I share is about my experience and activity; I am not here to tell you what to do. If you are interested in doing this kind or any type of training or movement programme, I highly recommend that you seek advice and support from a professional.

Monday

Warm-up

6 rounds

  • Squats 5 Reps
  • Push-ups 5 Reps
  • Sit-ups 5 Reps

Cool down and stretch 

Tuesday

Warm-up

5 rounds

  • Split jumps 10 Reps
  • Donkey kicks 6 Reps
  • Burpees 3 Reps

Cool down and stretch 

Wednesday 

Warm-up

20 seconds activity 

10 seconds rest

5 rounds

  • Plank 
  • Bow and arrow 
  • Push-ups

Cool down and stretch 

Thursday

Warm-up

30 seconds activity 

10 seconds rest

4 rounds

  • Walk down Push-ups 
  • Push-ups with a cross over 
  • Boxers sit-ups 
  • Leg raises
  • Squats 

Cool down and stretch 

Friday

Warm-up

3 rounds

20 seconds activity 

10 seconds rest

  • Superman
  • Bow and arrow 
  • Boxers sit-ups 
  • Cannonball sit-ups 
  • Dying bugs 
  • Guard sit-ups 
  • Leg raises
  • Russian twist 
  • Scissor legs 
  • Sit-ups 

Cool down and stretch

Workout disclaimer   

I share my workouts to show what I do, not to tell you what to do.  

I post my workouts with a percentage of my max rather than stating what weights or speeds I use. Everyone is different and has different levels of fitness and capability. Your body is yours alone if you want to start working out, I recommend spending some time with a personal trainer who can put you on the right path.  

When working out with weights, remember your one-rep max is yours alone, finding the weights that are right for you is important. If you decide to try out a workout, find out what weights you should be using first. 

2016 goals

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Happy New Year!!!!

Hopefully, you all had a great break and enjoyed time with friends and family.
I am not one for making New Year’s resolutions. I prefer to set myself goals for the year, have something to work towards and start a new year by setting my goals.

2015 the year that was

Last year, I set myself many goals; I achieved all of the important ones but never accomplished the physical goals I set thanks to injuring my Achilles in August. I spent a total of two months rocking around with a cast and then had a moon boot on. Sadly that means that all of my hard work from the year that would have seen me reach my goals was mostly undone, and I spent the remainder of the year focusing on physiotherapy and regaining my strength and flexibility.
I’m still not fully recovered from my Achilles adventure (apparently, it’s a long road to recovery), so with that long layoff still fresh in my mind, I’m setting my goals and making sure I’m kinder to my body in the process.

2016 goals

Over the next 12 months, I want to:

  • Stay injury-free for the year, continue to recover from my injury and avoid surgery.
  • Improve my back squat aim to squat 80kg
  • Attend one yoga class a week to improve flexibility
  • Reduce my resting heart rate to 60bpm
  • Reduce my body fat to 20%
  • Work out at least once a day.

To make these goals achievable, I am going to break them down and give myself some milestones through the year to keep myself on track. Any goals that I reach before the end of the year will be ticked off, and I will set a new goal for myself. I want to make myself accountable for my progress, so I’ll check in each month and share my progress.

Starting point

Here are the January starting points

  • Starting weight on back squat 20kg
  • Starting resting heart rate 74bpm
  • Starting body fat percentage 29%

My first update will be February 5th 2016