fitness files - june

 This is my first ever 'fitness files' blog post. Hoorah! I'm aware that I'm certainly not at my 'fittest' at this particular moment in my life, but I am, I think, more interested in health and fitness than I have been in the past. I'd certainly like to make it more of a priority - hense, the 'fitness files'. My plan for these blog posts will be to share at the end of each month how I've been doing with my health and fitness, highlighting the areas of exercise and nutrition/diet I've been focusing on. Hopefully it will encourage me to get on with it! So, what have I been doing health and fitness-wise in June? Firstly I've tried to adapt my diet slightly to make sure I'm getting enough fruit and veg. I've been starting most days with a breakfast smoothie. Here's the recipe for one I've been enjoying. S T R A W B E R R Y  A N D  B A N A N A  S M O O T H I E :1 cup strawberries1 banana1 tsp chia seeds1/2 cup coconut waterBlend, poor into a glass and enjoy. I like to garnish with a mint leaf. I've also been carrying with me a little stash of whole almonds for those moments when you feel like something to nibble on. Since opening CAFE SMUG on the lower ground floor of the shop it's been rather tempting to dig into the baked goods when the 3pm sugar low comes, so these almonds are a bit of a life saver. I can't say I make it through every Saturday without one of Manolya's sweet treats but I'm trying to keep it as a weekend reward. Something I've tried for the very first time this June is reading Women's Health magazine. I was pleasantly surprised by what a good read it is and most importantly, how much fashion and food is packed in as well as suggestions for excercise routines and nutritional info. It actually does make you feel like going for a run which is a winner. June was a good month for me exercise-wise. I've enjoyed running in the past but had fallen out of the habit. I signed up a few months ago with a group of friends (see image in slideshow - I'm the one too lazy to jump) for the Nike Womens 10K around Victoria Park and absolutely loved taking part in the race. I've not been running much for the last year or so but June was the month to change that and I tried to run 3 times a week in preparation. Obviously I took the opportunity to treat myself to a new pair of running shoes - Nike Flyknit Lunar 3. The week before the race I managed to run 8K for the first time and I felt (and was advised) that if I could do 8K I could do 10, so after that rested my limbs. Having never run distance before I didn't fully understand how what you eat before you run could make such a big difference. My friend Ben Clark, who has three marathons under his belt now, suggested I have pasta for dinner the night before and a small portion of porridge 2 or 3 hours before the race the following morning and it worked a treat. Thanks Ben! I'm not a fast runner (yet) but I ran happily and continuously for the whole thing and did it under 1 hr 10 mins. Next year I'll aim for under and hour! My plan for July is to take up Yoga and maybe a bit of swimming so I'll let you know how that goes. Wish me luck!