This morning, I got up at 5.30am after not having slept very well (probably because I slept for 11 hours the night before – lucky me!) and I felt pretty tired and really needed my morning coffee. Morning coffee consumed and I immediately felt more awake. I also walked to work so the morning cool air could wake me up even more. Perfect!

I usually have a second coffee mid morning as I find that 2 coffees per day is the right amount for me. Any more and I go a bit ‘loopy’ and any less and I don’t feel as alert and some may say a bit grumpy too!

Anyway, I was out and about in town so I thought I would treat myself to a Costa latte – a large one! By the time I had finished, the caffeine has well and truly hit me – a bit too much! So much so, it had the opposite of the desired effect… I couldn’t concentrate, I couldn’t sit still, I needed the loo every 5 minutes and I just didn’t feel very good at all.

So, that’s why I wanted to write about how much caffeine is too much, because it’s something that I often get asked about and you’ll probably read about it in the news too as more and more studies are published.

Generally speaking, 300-400mg seems to be a safe amount for adults per day. That equals 4 cups of coffee / 10 cans of cola / 2 energy drinks – perhaps best not consumed all in one go! A large latte will have approximately 280mg (3 shots) of caffeine, so combined with my first cup of coffee I was within the RDA.

So why did I feel like I did? Well, the symptoms I experienced are all normal because caffeine is a stimulant and a diuretic but perhaps it was just too much for my body all in one go. I am pretty small after all! Also, I’m probably not that used to drinking large coffees – I usually opt for the medium size. So it’s a lesson learned. I just hope I can sleep tonight!

Last week I was suffering with a cold & sore throat (mostly from late nights and too much singing on the Maccabees tour!) And in hindsight, it wasn’t great planning for me to be recording my new DVD a few days after the end of the tour, but at least I was recovered in time! I can’t quite believe I was recovered but I know exactly why I was and I want to share that with you in this week’s blog.

Usually I reckon it would take me at least a week to overcome a cold, but this time it was only 3 days… So what did I do differently?

Well, I did 2 things differently.

1. I drank LOTS of water – even more than usual. I would say I drank at least 3-4 litres each day
2. I took 6000mg of vitamin C each day. 6x 1000mg tablets from Holland & Barrett –> buy here

Now, I’m not promising those two things will work for everyone but it’s worth a try right?! I think the combination of the water & vitamin C is essential and not just one or the other. I also think 6000mg may be a bit over the top but I was just taking extra as a precaution – knowing any excess wouldn’t harm me and my body would dispose of it accordingly.

I also think the mind plays an important part in the recovery process. I WANTED to recover and refused to accept that I was ‘ill’ or wouldn’t be able to record my DVD so I believe my my positive mindset helped me to recover. Sounds a bit woo woo I know, but it makes sense that the brain would be the starting point in the recovery process as it controls all bodily functions.

I also think that my usual healthy & active lifestyle will play a part in how quickly I recover from illnesses, but as I said, it usually takes a week for me to recover.

Anyway, I just wanted to share my new found advice with you so you can give it a go if/when you next get a cold. But remember I’m not a doctor so you should check with your GP before taking any supplements.

Today I am filming my new Bounce DVD workout (it will be available to buy on Amazon very soon!) so I thought I would write a blog about why mini trampoline exercise is one of the BEST exercises for weight loss, fitness & health benefits.

Mini trampoline exercise is great for all ages (from 8 – 80 years!!) because it is low impact on the joints, you can control how hard/easy you work and great it’s fun too!

You’ll burn hundreds of calories per workout so it’s great for weight loss (when combined with a calorie controlled diet) and you’ll also get a total body workout every time so you’ll tone muscles you didn’t even know you had!

It’s also great for improving your physical health – working the lymphatic drainage system that removes toxins from the body and mental health by releasing feel good hormones called endorphins that help you to feel happier.

I like working out on a mini trampoline because it’s simple and can be done anywhere and at any time. It’s great if you hate the gym or if you’re short of time and need to add in 10-minute bursts of activity before or after work.

Mini trampoline exercise is safe to do every day (my recommendation would be 3x 20-30 minutes a week for beginners) and with my DVD workouts you’ll get lots of variety so you won’t get bored. You can also make up your own routines or simply jog for 20-30 minutes as a low-impact alternative to outdoor running.

Here’s a simple workout to try at home:

Easy bounce/jog for 2 minutes warm up

• 10 squats
• Bounce/sprint 20 seconds
• 10 lunges each leg
• Bounce/sprint 20 seconds
• 10 press ups
• Bounce/sprint 20 seconds
• 10 sit ups
• Bounce/sprint 20 seconds
• 20-30 seconds static plank
• Bounce/sprint 20 seconds

Repeat 3-4 times

Stretches cool down

If you don’t own a mini trampoline but you fancy giving it a try you can find several on Amazon, Argos or Tesco online and my Bounce for Beginners DVD workout is available on Amazon here.

Watch this space for the new Bounce for Fitness DVD workout!

Note: This advice is suitable for beginner level upwards, but please consult your GP or physiotherapist if you are unsure about any potential contraindications.

onesixeight: fitness provides Personal Training in Loughborough and online for men & women who want to get fit, tone up & feel more confident. Use the contact page to get in touch 🙂

Summer is finally here and, as much as I love the sunshine, I do struggle in the heat! I did a 10K race at the weekend and it was so hard!! I was 2-3 minutes slower than I should’ve been and just couldn’t hydrate quick enough after which meant that I had a headache all day until I went to bed. Not good!!

So this week, I want you to learn from my mistake and keep hydrated ALL DAY, EVERY DAY!

Whether you are exercising or not, you’ll still be sweating so you need to replace that fluid lost by drinking water. Aim for 2 litres of tap or bottled water with no added sugar or sweeteners if possible.

Remember that other drinks such as coffee, fruit juice and alcohol do not count and in fact you’ll need to drink more water if you drink coffee and alcohol to counter-balance it. Sugar-free squash is ok in moderation but best case scenario is plain water or add some fresh fruit or veg for a bit of flavour.

Note: This advice is suitable for beginner level upwards, but please consult your GP or physiotherapist if you are unsure about any potential contraindications.

onesixeight: fitness provides Personal Training in Loughborough and online for men & women who want to get fit, tone up & feel more confident. Use the contact page to get in touch 🙂

This week, continuing with the running for beginners advice, I give you some important advice on what to do if your training isn’t going quite to plan or you have a setback of some kind (mindset, injury or otherwise).

It happens to us all – beginners & advanced runners – and it all starts with DON’T PANIC!

Watch the video above to find out what else you can do to help you get back on track.

Note: This advice is suitable for beginner level upwards, but please consult your GP or physiotherapist if you are unsure about any potential contraindications.

onesixeight: fitness provides Personal Training in Loughborough and online for men & women who want to get fit, tone up & feel more confident. Use the contact page to get in touch 🙂

Continuing from last week, I am talking about how to start running from absolute zero level of fitness/experience and in particular what to do next after your very first run.

Click on the video above to find out how to continue your progress (or watch last week’s video blog about how to get started here first if you haven’t already)

Note: This advice is suitable for beginner level upwards, but please consult your GP or physiotherapist if you are unsure about any potential contraindications.

onesixeight: fitness provides Personal Training in Loughborough and online for men & women who want to get fit, tone up & feel more confident. Use the contact page to get in touch 🙂

This week, I am talking about my favourite hobby – RUNNING! In particular, how to start running from absolute zero and what to do before, during and after your very first run.

Click on the video above to find out how to get started!

Note: This advice is suitable for beginner level upwards, but please consult your GP or physiotherapist if you are unsure about any potential contraindications.

onesixeight: fitness provides Personal Training in Loughborough and online for men & women who want to get fit, tone up & feel more confident. Use the contact page to get in touch 🙂

This week, I want you to think about phase 2 of your health, fitness and/or weight loss journey and in particular I want you to ask yourself “what is my next goal?”

Your next goal may be a continuation from your previous summer goal i.e. “I want to be able to run 5K” and you may have progressed to run 3K currently so your next goal is to complete the 5K distance.

Or it may be a progression i.e. “I want to lose half a stone” and you have achieved that goal so now you may want to focus losing the next half a stone OR simply maintain the weight you are now.

Or it may be something completely different because you found out that you didn’t get on with the original goal e.g. “I want to run a marathon” may become “I want to be able to cycle 26 miles”. I would, however, discourage from ‘giving up’ on a goal just because it is hard work… It is supposed to be a challenge remember!!

Your goal could stay the same and just change your deadline (earlier or later than previously planned) but don’t let yourself off the hook!

Watch the video above to find out why it is REALLY important to constantly be setting, evaluating and re-setting goals and have a think this week how you are going to move forward with your summer health, fitness & weight loss goals.

Note: This advice is suitable for beginner level upwards, but please consult your GP or physiotherapist if you are unsure about any potential contraindications.

onesixeight: fitness provides Personal Training in Loughborough and online for men & women who want to get fit, tone up & feel more confident. Use the contact page to get in touch 🙂

This week, I want you to look back at what you’ve achieved over the past few weeks since you started working on your summer goals…

For example; have you lost weight? Can you run for longer now? Are you faster now? Can you lift heavier weights? Do your clothes fit better? Do you feel more confident, more energised and generally happier?

These are all good progress markers. I want you to make a list of as many successes as possible and then give yourself a reward (ideally not food) – perhaps book a manicure or treat yourself to some new trainers or clothes – something to incentivise you to carry on with the hard work to achieve even more success.

Then click on the video above to find out what to do next!

Note: This advice is suitable for beginner level upwards, but please consult your GP or physiotherapist if you are unsure about any potential contraindications.

onesixeight: fitness provides Personal Training in Loughborough and online for men & women who want to get fit, tone up & feel more confident. Use the contact page to get in touch 🙂

In this week’s video blog, I am talking about the most important step when working towards your summer health, fitness & weight loss goals.

Click on the video above to find out what it is and why it is so important and start taking action today!

Note: This advice is suitable for beginner level upwards, but please consult your GP or physiotherapist if you are unsure about any potential contraindications.

onesixeight: fitness provides Personal Training in Loughborough and online for men & women who want to get fit, tone up & feel more confident. Use the contact page to get in touch 🙂