Fitness

Kayla Itsines Round 2 – Week 7

November 9, 2014
Kayla Itsines Round 2 - Week 7

Kayla Itsines Round 2 – Week 7

I am once again in Salt Lake City (November is a good month) to see my lovely boyfriend and have been surprised at how well I have managed to stick to healthy eating this week. We discovered a lovely bakery that was walking distance from my boyfriend’s apartment called Emulsions & Fillings, and had to have a few cheeky macarons. My cheat meal 🙂 For any macaron lovers, I really recommend this bakery; the shell was perfectly textured and the filling was delicious. There were two different fillings – a cream filling and a fresh fruit filling, yum! Tonight we are planning on going to an Indian restaurant called Copper Bowl which was recommended to my boyfriend by a friend, so hopefully I can control myself haha. I LOVE indian food; the naan bread, creamy curries and sweet mango lassi … drool. Gets me every time. It’s the British in me 😛

Earlier on this week, I tried out a local and healthy spot in San Francisco called Blue Barn Gourmet on Polk Street. We both got salads and the portions were huge! My salad was absolutely delicious (if a bit expensive) and consisted of spring mix, smoked salmon, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted artichokes, roasted mushrooms, pomegranate seeds, and roasted chickpeas. Hands down best salad ever. I then went next door to Project Juice and I picked up some of their new products 🙂 My favorite of the new batch is definitely the vegan cacao protein shake. So delicious and incredibly filling.
Who else has tried Blue Barn or Project Juice before?

Kayla Itsines Round 2 - Week 7

Kayla Itsines Round 2 - Week 7

Unfortunately I seemed to have developed a mild case of peroneal tendonitis. I was very lucky in that I seemed to get it after my Kayla Itsines legs and cardio workout this week! I was able to do my arms and abs, and abs and cardio workout although I was a little nervous about doing the abs and cardio workout since it involved jump rope and burpees which are a little harsh on the foot. Didn’t seem to cause any problems though thank goodness. I am still deciding whether I should take next week off and do some less high impact workouts to let my foot recover more and then do week 8 the following week.
Thoughts? Have any of you ever had tendonitis before? I would love your input and recommendations for a speedy recovery 🙂

Kayla Itsines Round 2 - Week 7

 Legs and cardio workout – The day before my crazy tendonitis flared up 

 That’s all from me! Flying back out to San Francisco bright and early tomorrow morning which always results in an early night for me. Hope you all had a wonderful week and let me know what you got up to in the comments below.

Honestly yours,
Alice

Health, Products I love

Harmless Harvest Coconut Water + Giveaway!

November 7, 2014

Let’s talk coconut water

Harmless Harvest is the best commercially sold coconut water I have tasted. Bold statement, isn’t it? And for those of you who have been long-time followers of Honestly Fitness, you know my philosophy is to let you make your own decision based on the facts that I provide for you. But being someone who is a bit of a coconut water snob (come on, I grew up in Thailand after all!), I can happily say that Harmless Harvest is one of the best coconut waters on the market that I have tasted so far. Most commercial coconut waters have a weird and unflavorful taste which just makes me sad. I hate to think that people will get a negative image over coconut water from trying some of the unpleasant coconut waters that are on the market. 

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I wanted to hold this giveaway so that I could let two lucky people experience for themselves why this is the best coconut water on the market [details at the end of the post].

Who are Harmless Harvest?

Not only do they make the best tasting (raw and organic) coconut water out there, but Harmless Harvest have an ecosystem based business model. What does this mean? This means that Harmless Harvest “respects each person and community contributing to the creation and purchase of a product”. They are committed to sustainable farming, environmental conservation, supporting research and development for better foods and sourcing,  and the community at large. They are a unique company and one that I fully support for their ethical efforts and their incredible coconut water.

You can read more about them by visiting their website: http://www.harmlessharvest.com

What makes the coconut water so great?

Most coconut waters are from concentrate, whereas Harmless Harvest coconut waters are raw and undergo high pressure processing. Harmless Harvest coconut waters undergo high pressure processing to protect the flavor and extend their shelf life. A really quirky aspect of their coconut waters which made me a little hesitant at first was the fact that some are pink! Yeah, you heard right. My first pink coconut water was met with a “Uhh, I’ve never cracked open a coconut to see pink water before …”. But never fear; Harmless Harvest explain that some coconut waters are pink because “some bottles turn pink with time due to varying levels of antioxidants, or phenols, interacting with light”. Does that make sense? Coconut waters in a coconut cannot go pink because they are never exposed to the sun. These coconut waters are stored in a clear bottle which can expose them to sunlight. They are still completely safe to drink and actually rather pretty!

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Furthermore, coconut water is extremely healthy for you. They contain many vitamins and minerals including high levels of potassium which is crucial for the proper function of your cells, tissues and organs. It is also low in calories and naturally fat and cholesterol free. I love having coconut water as a sweet and healthy alternative to drinks high in sugar such as soda.

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How do I win some Harmless Harvest coconut water?

Oh, it is so easy! Follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter box below to see how to gain entries. It is mandatory to leave a blog post comment, and then there are lots of other options to help you gain more entries such as following Harmless Harvest on their Twitter and Instagram, and liking them on Facebook.

There will be two winners. Each winner will receive 3 coupons which will allow them to buy Harmless Harvest coconut waters 🙂

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck to you all. I can’t wait for you to try this delicious coconut water!

Honestly yours,
Alice

Disclaimer: I did not receive compensation to write this post. I was given coupons to review Harmless Harvest. Reviews always remain my own and unbiased opinions. I made my own opinions on Harmless Harvest months before I was given the coupons to review.

Fitness

Interview with Natalie: Kayla Itsines Transformation

November 5, 2014
Natalie Butterfield is a familiar face for those of you who are fans of the Kayla Itsines bikini body guide workout program. She has been featured many a time because of her incredible body transformation from Kayla Itsines bikini body guides (get the guides here)! I wanted to share Natalie’s story with you all to inspire you and to provide a motivational boost for anyone who might be struggling in their journey for health and fitness.

Natalie: Kayla Itsines Transformation

 
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HF: Hi Natalie! Most of us know you from Instagram, where you have shared your journey using Kayla Itsines’ workout and H.E.L.P. guide. Tell us a little bit about yourself 🙂
N: I’m a qualified dance/preschool teacher but currently nanny. I am soon to be leaving Sydney for the beautiful country side with my amazing fiancé. It will be very different to my coasty lifestyle but I’m always up for an exciting new adventure!! I love the outdoors, love love love the beach and leading a healthy lifestyle.
 
HF: What made you decide to use Kayla Itsines guides?
N: I’ve always been into fitness classes and structured programs, but  usually failed because of the unrealistic guidelines I had to follow. I’d been following Kayla’s Instagram page for a while and we all know the results she posts are phenomenal! I was ready for a change and one day just thought I’m going to try this out! 
 
HF: How does the new BBG 2.0 (bikini body guide 2.0) compare to BBG 1.0 in your opinion?
N: They are both very different; at first I wasn’t to sure about it and it took me a little while to adjust but as it progressed I realised just how much harder it was – I still can’t lift my arms and it’s been 3 days since arm day. It’s as hard as you make it with increasing weights etc. I love it and I’ll be repeating it again. 
 
HF: What would you say was the hardest aspect about your transformation?
N: Probably the mentality change you undergo on a fitness journey! Working out what’s right for you and your body, your emotional state, and understanding that carbs are in fact your friend and that less is more! (HF: I totally agree!)
 
HF: What does a typical day of food look like in the life of Natalie?
N: This one’s a little hard. I follow Kayla’s food guidelines, but as I’m maintaining my weight, I eat more than suggested. I tend to eat 6 meals a day and 3 litres of water. I get a healthy balance of all the food groups!! 
 
HF: There’s a lot of confusion surrounding health and fitness. What tip would you give to those trying to start a healthier lifestyle?
N: Don’t be so harsh on yourself! Be patient and trust the process, you are your own biggest critic.D on’t feel bad for eating “cheat meals” or just eating a biscuit or ice cream here and there as it’s meant to be a lifestyle change and not a diet. If you deprive yourself it’s just not sustainable!! And most of all, love your body while you work for the body you want – as long as you feel healthy and happy within yourself then nothing else matters.
 
HF: What song always motivates you and gets you pumped to workout?
N: Nervo – Reason is my jam at the moment. 
 
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HF: If you could pick anywhere to go on holiday, where would it be?
N: Back to the Greek Islands. I absolutely love it there it, is one of the most amazing places on earth. 
 
HF: What can we expect from you in the future?
N: I’m currently studying sports nutrition so hopefully that leads me down an amazing career path! I want to travel, will be marrying the man of my dreams, and have plenty of new and exciting adventures with lots of laughter along the way!! 
 
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Thank you so much to Natalie for her time and for sharing her story with us all! I think she is a fantastic health and fitness role model, with a great and balanced attitude to match.
 
Do you have any questions for Natalie? Let her know in the comments below.
 
Honestly yours,
Alice