these boots were made for hiking

Personally I've never been keen on "going on a walk" I just don't really see the point. However, on our recent cornish holiday I rediscovered a childhood activity of hiking. 

Hiking is very different to walking in my eyes (although probably not really that different!) It involves a tough trail, going of the path, always at least one huge hill and achey muscles the day after. 

There's are huge health benefits in hiking giving you a good cardio session over hours and working our nearly every muscle in your body, particularly those calves! Its also a great upper body work out, you really have to move those arms to get up the huge hills! In addition its great for stability and core, making it a great all rounder, and great for runners!

Our first hike of the trip was a 4/5 miler around Trellisick Gardens National Trust. We did there Woodland Walk with quite a few hills and beautiful scenery and views of the River Fal. Utterly stunning.

The following day we headed to the coast to the well known Perranporth Beach. This is a 4 mile stretch of gorgeous sandy beach with tough sand dunes along side for a more challenging hike!

We started off barefooted (much better workout for the legs) along the gorgeous sandy beach for 4 miles

 then turned up a huge hill and hiked back to town up and down the dunes. I think it was 7 - 8 miles by the time we got back and 2 hours.

On the way home we headed along the Dorset coast to the famous Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door. The last time

I came here was a geography field trip at school!

Its a short but beautiful hike along the coast, with an infamous huge hill at the start. 

We parked up a the lulworth cove car park and stocked up on fudge for the hike, by the time we got to the top of the huge hill were absolutely knackered! 

The path diverts inland due to a recent cliff collapse into the sea! We then headed back down the othe side of the hill with this gorgeous view to greet us at the end!

You can then scrabble down the side of the cliff to the beach and crystal clear water to see durdle door itself.

There's so many great places in the uk for a good hike! And the best thing is its a great fitness activity to do that's free!

Any recommendations? 

Cornish fun

At last, some much needed time of and a little holiday in the delightful cornwall. Having not been to cornwall since I was a kid, and not really expecting much more than a good catch up with friends, I simply fell in love with the cornish coast - fabulous food and tons and tons of outdoor adventures to pursue!


There were the world's most amazing fish and chips in Falmouth from Harbour Lights fish and chip shop in the harbour (according to the locals this is even better than the Rick Stein's fish shop in Falmouth. (Fish and chips are my favourite post event treat, I think these are the best I've ever had!)

We wandered around the quaint sea side towns of Falmouth and Truro 

And Visited the Eden Project

We enjoyed fresh fish (caught by the boy) for lunch

And enjoyed fresh hen's eggs from the chicken's on the farm we stayed at. 

Divine. We also enjoyed tons of a new activity I haven't done for years.... Hiking! Post to follow. 

What active holidays have you been on? where would you recommend?

Post operative fitness

Hey guys, sorry for my radio silence. With a combination of new job, new town and an unexpected operation meaning I couldn't exercise for 6 weeks I've been feeling a little uninspired on both the trainers and the treats front.

It's been more a time of fighting fire. Working late, and eating pretty poorly. 

However on Friday I got the thumbs up from the docs to start exercising again (two days before run to the beat, needless to say I had to drop out) and I'm finally getting to grips with the new job and am beginning to be able to leave somewhere a little closer to on time meaning my evenings are free for exercise and cooking healthy meals!

I have some new golden rules for health at fitness thanks to the extensive reading I've been doing over the last few weeks....

I've also been getting some great tips from some fantastic blogs I've discovered such as Naturally Leah and The Londoner (which has some amazing recipes on such as guilt free egg fried rice (without the rice))

I've also been finding lots of yummy recipes and been trying out a few new cookbooks (posts to follow)...

So here are my new golden rules (for those of you that are interested...)

• Monday to Friday lunch time is healthy and fitness time - for me, having a structure to being healthy and keeping fit works. If I have strict boundaries on my healthy eating and exercising I tend to stick to it better, knowing I'll have treats at the weekend.
• Weekends I eat healthy 50% of the time. Don't get me wrong. Weekends are for treats. But I've found if I eat crap all weekend I never lose weight and put all my hard word to shame. So I've decided every other weekend meal I can choose unhealthy options if I so wish (kinda fits into the 80% 20% overall rule)
• Just because I'm eating out doesn't mean I have to eat unhealthily. This idea came from a book I recently read called the Manhattan Diet, a book about New York women and how they stay so slim despite the huge number of fabulous restaurants in NYC. Its a great read to help pick healthier dishes in restaurants rather than just going for it like I usually do....
• Variety. In Everything. I am the kind of person who gets bored unbelievably easily. So I've discovered I eat better and exercise better if I have tons of variety. I've found this easier to do with eating -  I have so many cookery books its insane, but have realised its time to spice up the old exercise side of things. I had got to a point where all I was doing was running, but now I've joined Pure Gym (15.99 a month and open 24 hours) for classes like spinning, yoga, circuits and joined a miltary fitness group with a running club for some ourdoor fitness fun! Not to mention found my local pool does free swims on a thursday (many london pools have the same on a friday)
• Organising leisure activities that involve exercise. Meeting a friend for a run or cycle, going for a long walk with parents, going on a pedalo in a London Park or booking an afternoon horseriding. Every friend I've asked has said yes!
• Book lots of events. My last new rule is something I've found hugely useful. If I book events then I'm motivated to train and motivated to push myself harder to get a new PB. Simples

So what this space, there are tons of new posts coming your way!'

First run back

I begrudging joined a gym last week are years of being an outdoor fitness class goer and an outdoor runner, but having struggled to find new running routes when I first moved, and finding a 24 hour gym with tons of classes included for £15 a month, I was sold.

My first trip did fill me will the old dread I used to have about gyms, it's full or super fit people and trainers that will just laugh at me. 

And, my age old fear, the dread mill. 

Before starting running at the start of the year, I hated gyms and most of all hated running of a treadmill. 

However, I convinced myself I'd come a long way since my last gym trip and jus had an operation, I needed to give myself a break. 

So a slow and tough 5km later, with a new playlist and remembering how good it feels to go for a run,I was starting to get over my fear. So much so, I went back and did the same the next day! Hopefully I'll start to get my speed and fitness back in a few weeks!