Current Fitness Goals + Energy Boosting

Fitness talk is widespread at this time of year so I thought I'd delve into the subject area myself for a change. Don't worry, this post won't be full of motivational speeches, "go get 'em kid" quotes and throwaway advice, rather just a simple breakdown of my current routine and how I plan to achieve my goals.

I've been a member of the local gym for a good five years now but took to taking it more seriously only about eight months ago. I used to pay-per-session but a price hike meant it would be substaintially cheaper to pay monthly, so I went for it. My Jewish roots urge me to make sure I'm getting the best value for money at all times, hence I'm now trying to hit the gym four times per-week to make it worth it! I also can't pretend decent looking fitness gear doesn't make me more motivated, superficially maybe but if I makes you work harder then it's doing its job.

Walking + cycling daily has generally kept my weight down since I was in my late teens, which ultimately has been my downfall. For years felt I was inferior by looking/feeling too skinny, and basically not manly enough for a guy in his mid-to-late 20s. Thanks #menswear world! To put things into perspective, since I was in my late-teens I've weight around 10.5 stone. This leads me nicely to my goals over the past year:

- Gain 1-stone in healthy weight

- Build upper-body strength + muscle

- Increase flexibility/relieve stress with yoga

- Improve cardio with running + cycling

- Eat healthier + more varied foods/drinks

Wearing - Marmot Jacket c/o Blacks, Topman Hoody, H+M T-Shirt, Shorts + Leggings, adidas Energy Boost c/o JD,

 ASOS Wooly Hat, Timex Watch.

With all goals it's a work-in-progress, but the main target I've nailed is the weight gain. The day I wrote this (Monday) the scales read 12.8 stone, which is clearly a huge leap up! The gain is a combination muscle (most noticeably around chest, shoulders + arms) but also because I've been eating more a lot has gone on my stomach! This is the work in progress, cos I'm not giving up beer for nothing! One of the biggest factors in my weight gain has been from buying a decent blender. I blend the mother out of bananas, blueberries + oats on a daily basis, combining them with protein powders, milk (chocolate + full fat), natural honey and a bunch of other fruits + seeds.

I've not had the best luck with protein powders, it's expensive business so I've been sticking to the affordable Pulsin products for the past few months. They're not ideal for muscle/weight gain but it gives me a decent enough hit each day. I'd love to try out some other brands, so if you guys any protein powder recommendations then please do let me know! Rosie's recipe on protein pancakes is also an inventive way of increasing your daily intake.

I'm still getting to grips with yoga, I don't dedicate as much time to it as I'd like to, Hollie in Texas has been giving me advice along every now-and-again. My cardio has improved but I'm still not at the stage where I'm actually enjoying running (cycling is a winner), but I'm determined to stick at it. For the past few weeks I've been running in the new adidas Energy Boost, which are making the experience much more bearable! They're suitable for all types of running and give you supportive and cushioned ride. I keep reminding myself, there's no cutting corners if you want to achieve your goals. I said I wouldn't give any "motivation" advice but this is a good rule to stick by.

So there we have it. I've achieved most of my goals from the past year. I just need to work harder on a few areas and mix up my routine more regularly - Adding more/harder cardio sessions in, work on my core strength and vary the muscle groups I'm hitting. Let's call this P1 of a Fitness Goals series, I'll report back in a few months on my progress! I'd love to find out some of your current fitness goals, any recommendations and how you plan to stick to them over the next few months?

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