JUST BEGIN
Welcome to JUST BEGIN!! This site is making positive life changes, especially with health and fitness. I hope to inspire others to join me!!
I know I have a busy day and not much time, so I checked out one of my programmes of 10 minute workouts.
Sometimes you just have to do work around the time you have and it's a very busy time of year!!
10 minutes done...ready to tackle the day ahead!! 😊😊😊
Today is the start of my new challenge group and we have a lovely community all supporting each other!!
For me it is all about enjoying the delights of the holiday season, but the next few weeks are also a great time to keep an eye on moderation and getting our workouts done as best as we can in the crazy busy run up to Christmas!!
It's great to be part of a group where we can swap ideas and encourage each other as motivation can be just what we need!!!
We are all checking in our first workouts today, but my first challenge was having to adjust to my favourite workout space being taken up by the Christmas tree!!!! 🎄🎄🎄😂😂
Fancy joining our Christmas Sparkle group? Let me know and I will send you details!! 😊😊😊
Before putting up the Christmas tree...I managed to get in this workout ready to start my 3 week countdown to the holiday sparkle group!!
It's a busy time of year, but our group will be full of tips and support about how to keep that sparkle going at this time of year!!
Please comment below or message me direct if you would like to know how to join our community and access our support group!! We start tomorrow and you will be welcome to join us!!
19/11/2017
Mmmmmm!!!! 😍😍😍
Sunday morning chocolate pancakes!!
At first the kids were a bit concerned they were burnt!! 😂😂
No...not burnt, but chocolate dense nutrition powder with loads of health benefits...obviously the kids were most interested in the chocolate!!! 👍😁
17/11/2017
Friday night was pizza night at ours tonight 😍😍
Here is a great quick and easy way to clean up a pizza!!
🍕 Toast a wrap in the oven for 4-5 mins
🍕spread pesto or tomato sauce on the wrap
🍕Add toppings of choice and sprinkle with cheese
🍕cook in oven for approx 10 minutes until topping is cooked and cheese melted
Perfect for kids and adults alike!!!! 😊😊😊
17/11/2017
Keeping on track with my clean week group!
It is so good to have a group to be accountable to...it really helps me to stay focused!!
Salad with roast beetroot and butternut squash, olives, cheese and hummus for lunch....yuummm!! 😍😍
I might have popped to Starbucks for a gingerbread latte this morning 🙈...but it was well worth it for the catch up with a lovely friend and I'm on track for the rest of the day!!! 😊😊😊
16/11/2017
Chicken noodle soup!! 😍😍
This is so easy and tasty...it is one of the dinners in the child friendly recipes and my girls both loved it!!!
Really quick to make as I baked some extra chicken last night when I made tea, so I just shredded it to add to the noodle soup!!
Delicious!!! 😊😊😊
Loving doing the workouts in our group this week...back to basics moves combined with clean eating.
Learning some great new recipes and nutrition information...chicken noodle soup on the menu tonight 😊😊😊
13/11/2017
Yey!!! 🙌🙌🙌
Today was the first day of my clean week challenge group and I kept to plan and we did our first group zoom workout together!!!
This meant that we could workout from our own homes...each doing different workouts, but being able to support and encourage each other at the same time!! It was brill and I hope to set up more zoom workouts like this where we can meet online and workout together.
Day one in the books!!
Group support ✅
Workout done ✅
Nutrition check ✅
I love that being part of a group helps us to keep on track and motivate each other!! Bring on day 2!! 😀😀😀
12/11/2017
So excited to start my clean week group tomorrow 🙌🙌
We will be doing a week of 30 minutes back to fitness (beginner level) workouts with nutrition and recipes!!
I've got my Sunday meal prep done, ready for the week ahead and shared how I do this live in the group, which was a bit scary, but sometimes you have to challenge yourself!! 😳
I know I need to get prepared for the week ahead as I'm out for afternoon tea today, so clean week could not have come at a better time!! 😂😂
We're all ready to get started now and if you would like to join our community this week, there is still time!! Just let me know and I can get you access to the work outs and nutrition information...you will be very welcome!!
Have a lovely Sunday!! 😊😊
10/11/2017
It may no longer be summer, but when the sun shines and you can wrap up..eating outdoors is still the best!
🍃 Cucumber
🍃 Cherry tomatoes
🍃 Radish
🍃 Watercress
🍃 Spinach
🍃 sprinkle of roast seeds
🍃 Balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing
Simple and delicious 💚
Morning everyone!! This is a fab workout...it is always great to do a workout that focuses on the entire body, especially the core....it challenges my balance too!!
Have a lovely day!! 😊😊😊
When you have a desk job and know you will be sitting down all day...its great to start the day with some active movement.
This is an upper body workout, but in reality it is working the whole body and that is what is important.
It doesn't have to be super difficult, for me it was finding something that has enough variety that I don't get bored with and that I can do from home so it fits around my lifestyle.
Do I skip workouts?!! Yes!!
Do I eat junk food?!! Yes!!
BUT I've always said I don't aim for perfection...life is for living and enjoying too, I like to aim for 80/20 guidelines. Then I try and keep in mind to get back on track when I can.
Today I'm starting the day off in the best possible way as I know I get the benefits from starting the day off this way!!
06/11/2017
Love this snack....apple slices and peanut or almond butter...simple and delicious!! 😍
05/11/2017
Who says salads are boring?!
Making use of the last of the garden veg...I love the colour of the swiss chard...so pretty in a mason jar salad!! Getting meal prepped ready for the week ahead!!
05/11/2017
If you have been curious about workouts that I do, and wondered how it all works, now is the perfect opportunity!!
Starting on Monday 13th November, I will be running an online group called ‘Clean Week’ along with the fantastic Canadian Coach and my friend, Alexandra Fioriello. Clean Week is one of the programmes on my home workout system and it is a great way of starting some beginner level workouts, with support and encouragement...and they are free to try at the moment!! 🙌🙌
The Clean Week workouts are an incredibly supportive and encouraging system for anyone who is looking to get a bit fitter, lose weight or feel better and more energetic in themselves. It has worked for me and I would love to help you find something that works to for you too, and be there to support you!!
Being part of a group is a wonderful and supportive way of starting into fitness and there will be so much encouragement and support. It’s exciting that Alexandra and I can bring the two continents together to create a community! And of course there will be plenty of recipe inspiration too!!
Please do let me know if you would like to join us for Clean Week on Monday 13th or if you would like any more information / have any questions!! 😊😊
04/11/2017
Crystal lemon cucumbers!!
I was a bit late planting these, so I only got two cucumbers before the weather got too cold, but better than nothing!!
Seems a bit strange as they are such a different shape and colour to normal cucumbers, but they definitely taste like a cucumber and you can eat them like an apple!!
01/11/2017
Quorn Spaghetti Bolognaise 😍
I love this recipe as it is quick and easy for a week day meal or can be prepared the night before and just heated up. I like serving this with spirilised carrot, but the girls prefer spaghetti...I'm just grateful that is is a meal that everyone will eat !!! 😊
Ingredients:
300g Quorn Mince
2tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion
2 Cloves Garlic
200g Mushrooms, diced
2tbsp Red Pesto
400f Tomato Passata (I used 4 large blended tomatoes)
1 Vegetable Stock Cube, dissolved in 150ml hot water
1 tbsp tomato puree
1tsp Dried Oregano
Salt and Pepper
Method:
1. Pre heat the oil over a medium to high heat, add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring often. Add the garlic and mushrooms, cover and cook over a medium/high heat stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes
2. Increase the heat, add the Quorn Mince, pesto, passata, vegetable stock, tomato puree and oregano. Stir well, cover and cook for 8-10 minutes
3. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti or make some courgetti / carrot spaghetti to serve with.
4. Season to taste and top with the grated cheese
Enjoy!!!
31/10/2017
Jack-o’-Lantern Protein Balls 🎃
So easy and fun to make!! I didn't have any vanilla shakeology, so I used h**p protein powder, which turned them green!!!! 😂😂😂
Still they are cute...and I'm sure they will all get eaten!!
Ingredients
¾ cup all-natural smooth peanut butter
¼ cup pure pumpkin puree
¼ cup raw honey
¾ cup dry old-fashioned rolled oats
3 scoops Protein Powder (or vanilla shakeology)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. mini chocolate chips
12 small pretzel sticks, each broken into 2 pieces
Instructions:
1) Combine peanut butter, pumpkin, honey, oats, protein powder, and cinnamon in a bowl
2) Shape mixture into twenty four walnut size balls.
3) Arrange chocolate chips in protein balls to resemble jack-o'-lantern faces. Stick a pretzel piece into the top of each protein ball to make a stem.
4) Place in airtight container; refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Enjoy!!!!
29/10/2017
With Halloween coming up….sweets and treats are aplenty!!
I aim for a 80/20 healthy eating approach as life needs to have a little balance right?!
With that in mind...there are some really cool fun healthy options too!!...I absolutely love some of these ideas...especially the snake...quick and easy to do!!
https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/blog/13-healthy-halloween-treats
I would love to hear any other Halloween themed ideas you have (naughty or nice)!! 😊😊😊
13 Healthy Halloween Treats | The Beachbody Blog Get into the holiday spirit with these easy, healthy Halloween snacks that kids (and grown-up kids) will love.
My thoughts for this workout were...oh no!...my biggest challenge...arms day 🙈😬
But actually with a few switches to lighter weights at times and modifying some moves...I'm feeling pretty happy that I'm learning better now how to manage and make progress at the same time!
It's funny how our minds can make us believe that we are 'bad' at something...I always say to the girls...it's not about being 'bad' at something...you just need to take some time to learn and practice. Perhaps that's a good lesson for me too 😊😊😊
Rise and shine! I love that the moves in this are simple and I can modify them too where needed...when jumps are involved I often modify and do one as a jump then one without a jump.
This is a wonderful 10 minute yoga routine called 'blissful power flow' 🙏
I can rise early in the morning, before the girls are up and it is a wonderfully peaceful start to the day. Equally, it is lovely to stretch out the stresses of the day last thing in the evening.
When I first started yoga, it took some practice to get my balance and hold the moves, but over time it starts to feel more comfortable and natural and then you can really relax into the moves and get the benefits. It is wonderful at improving flexibility too...I have really noticed a difference, although there is always room for improvement too...you might spot a few wobbles!!
Normally I workout from home, but we were away in a hotel this weekend and I discovered this room in the leisure facilities!! It was a great location as the gym was busy, yet I had this room all to myself and could just play the yoga flow using the hotel wifi! 👍😊😊
15/10/2017
Most of the kale and broccoli I planted this year got eaten, except one Tuscan kale plant, which is doing really well!!
However, I found some sprouting broccoli plants 🌱 in the garden centre yesterday so have cheated and bought them as ready grown small plants...hoping they will now grow so we will have some broccoli in spring 😊😊😊
Totally hit the snooze button this morning 😆😆
So quick change of plan and switched to a 15 minute workout instead...may be quicker but still plenty of challenge in 15 minutes!! 😊😊
Pumpkin pie overnight oats is a recipe we have shared in our group recently and was very easy to make!!
Ingredients
-1/2 cup/115ml almond milk
-1/2 t-spoon vanilla essence
-1/4 cup/35g oats
-1/4/cup /60ml pumpkin puree
-2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (I just used cinnamon)
-1/2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
Directions:
In a mason jar (or bowl) combine all ingredients and mix well.
Let sit overnight and mix again in the morning. Garnish with pumpkin pie spice and enjoy!
Loving these autumn recipes!! 🎃🍂
11/10/2017
It is so much easier to eat healthily and on track if you are a bit prepared in advance.
So this is breakfast and lunch ready for the next couple of days!! 🙌🙌
This week in our group, we have been discovering loads of new awesome Autumn themed recipes 🎃🍂✨
So, I made some pumpkin pie over night oats and salad lunches for the next few days...with some roast pumpkin cubes of course!! 😂😂
It didn't take long at all to prepare this, but I know it will make things so much easier for the rest of the week now!!
We have so many recipes still to come in our group and you are not too late to join!! Don't delay though..we only have a few days left this week and there have been some great Autumn tips already!! Just let me know or leave me a 🎃 below if you would like to join the fun!! 😊😊😊
Jeni Hann
11/10/2017
Love tofu!! Such a quick easy tea!!
You can throw anything into this...I used:
Tofu
Kale
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Onion
Tomato
There are also some cubes of pumpkin which add some seasonal flavour! 🎃
You know when you really don’t want to workout??!! Especially mid-week??!!
I often get asked how I can get up early to workout and I can see how it might seem a bit of a strange thing to do!! I would have thought that myself not so long ago!!
It’s true that it is not easy getting up earlier and I definitely don’t always want to!! But I know once I am up and about and get started...it all suddenly becomes easier and it’s a great start to the day!! I find it makes me feel more energised, but also calmer throughout the rest of day and these are all really positive things I have discovered since making time for this in my life 😍
10/10/2017
Awww how cute is this little mini pumpkin from Aldi ??!! 🎃
I find these so tricky to cut raw into chunks as they have such tough skins!! Then I discovered you can roast them whole and cut them much more easily when they are softer!
This little one is going to make pumpkin purée for pumpkin overnight oats...one of the lovely Autumn recipes from our Rock-tober group 🍂😍
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