A wee Update

Published on August 20, 2010 in Blog. 0 Comments

A lot has happened over the last fortnight, so today’s blog is really a Griffen Fitness update. The weekend Pilates classes, starting on 25th Sept (Saturdays 10am and 12pm for a six week term) are booking well. There’s a maximum of four people per class, so you can be sure of really personal attention from instructor Ina. Email me at getmefit@griffenfitness.com if you’d like a booking form or more information.

Last weekend was the Festival Cup, a polo game that I had been leading the fitness training with. The team (all new to polo) did brilliantly at the riding , and have all benefited by receiving ongoing fitness programmes.

Another highlight of last week was watching Tabu by No Fit State Circus just up the road from the Griffen Fitness studio, in the big tent at Shrubhill on Leith Walk. The most energetic and physical show I’ve seen in a long time, it made me want to run away and join the circus. The flying trapeze is a personal favourite, although I spent half my time watching the counterweight person attached to the other enod of the cable rushing up and down the tent poles to create a ‘flying’ effect for the other performer…

August is traditionally a quiet month on the ol’ Personal Training front (folk on holiday or festivalling it), but this August has been an exception to the rule as a number of new folk have booked in for ‘quick fixes’, an intensive block of PT sessions to get revved up and on the right path to fitness. Do you need a kick up the rear for your fitness? If so, take a peek at www.getfitandenjoyit.com for details on Griffen Fitness Personal Training…

Signing of technology for the weekend and hubby Andy and I spending time down at our allotment. Tomorrow we’re cycling to Port Seaton to watch some coastal boat rowing, and then back to Portobello to take part in an impromptu tea dance on the Promenade (part of the Big Things on the Beach festival, not a spontaneous retro expression of dance).  Where ever you are this weekend, get out and enjoy the sunshine whilst it lasts!

NEW! Realistic Pilates classes starting at Griffen Fitness

Published on August 3, 2010 in Blog. 0 Comments

pilatesWant to do something useful with your weekends?

Try Pilates! From Saturday 25th September Ina Schöttling will be running Realistic Pilates classes for small groups (max 4 people per class) at Griffen Fitness. Realistic Pilates is a deconstructed method of Pilates, where good postural alignment and a flat tummy are encouraged through specific deep abdominal stabilising exercises. It’s suitable for everyone.

The Lowdown
Realistic Pilates classes with Ina Schöttling
Saturdays 10am and 12pm, starting 25th September
Introductory offer: £60 for 6 week term, maximum of 4 people per class
The result? Stand taller and leaner.
Email us at getmefit@griffenfitness.com, or leave a blog reply for a booking form: only 8 places!

Fabulous Flapjacks: my secret snacking weapon.

Published on July 17, 2010 in Blog. 0 Comments

Make a tray of fabulous flapjacks at the beginning of the week and you’ll have snacks for the rest of the week. They’re also excellent for energy on the go instead of those awful energy gels. I usually wrap them up once cooled and hide them so I don’t eat them all at once…

I like to think these are healthier than shop bought snacks, as despite having sugar (brown) and fat (butter) in, they are all natural. And it’s EASY!

Makes 12

50g butter, melted
100g soft brown sugar, I prefer less
1 free range organic egg (as happy hens lay better eggs)
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
150g porridge oats
50g plain flour
100g raisins / dried cranberries / sunflower / pumpkin seeds / mixed nuts
1 dessertspoon of golden syrup (optional)

1. In a bowl, mix butter and soft brown sugar.  Add the egg and mix.
2.Weigh the plain flour straight into the bowl, add baking powder and mixed spice and mix.
3. Now add porridge oats and seeds / dried fruit, (I like sunflower seeds and dried cranberries).  Mix well together.  If you have any golden syrup, a dessertspoon here will ensure they stay soft and chewy, but it’s not vital.
4. They are now ready to cook.  You can use 12 paper cupcake cases, or spoon directly into a lightly greased muffin tray.  Alternatively, you can use a baking tray, but wait until the flapjacks are completely cold before cutting them up.
5. Bake at 150 degrees for around 15 minutes. They are nicer underdone rather than too crunchy.
6. Cool and wrap individually.

A Whole allotment of Love

Published on July 12, 2010 in Blog. 0 Comments

Here’s my July 2010 Leither article…

It’s been a long time but it’s worth it. After a six-year wait we have a patch of dirt. Well, it was more a rectangle of nettles with a tumble down shed than a clearly defined piece of earth. Yes, an allotment is what we were waiting for and a lot of nettles are what we got. Thankfully my lanky green fingered man’s expertise at pulling weeds from previously clearing our communal garden on Albert Street, combined with the fitness levels attained from my vocation as a Personal Trainer meant we cleared old Tam’s patch quick smart. Actually it took us nine days of weeding and litter picking to discover good quality vegetable growing dirt underneath. It reminded me that hardcore weeding is a good workout for both hamstrings and upper back. One thing that inspired us to work so quickly (other than the fact that it was the prime growing month of June) was the history of the plot and the fact we wanted it to be back to it’s former glory as quickly as possible.

In fact, for the first time in years, we forsook Leith Gala day in favour of our new allotment. A quick nibble from Suruchi Too whilst being vibrated by the heart thump beat of Messenger Sound System convinced us to seek quieter climes. Nipping across the Links and unlocking the padlock to our own personal oasis of calm we could still hear frantic Polish techno blending with aforementioned percussive dub in the background as we scrabbled about the dirt. Aaaah, bliss. Where once upon a time lying on the grass with a bunch of friends at Gala day would have been my ideal summer’s day. Nowadays I prefer the gentle thwack of leather on willow as I listen to the Leith Franklin cricket club do their thang right outside our allotment.

There’s something very peaceful about watching cricket (the ‘noble game’) whilst pottering about. For this reason, Leith Links allotments are perfect for us. Did you know that cricket has been played on the Links for over 150 years? Check out www.leithcricketclub.co.uk for more information and the fixtures listing. The occasional ‘howzat’ to be heard reminds me of my antipodean roots. In fact, it was only last week I learnt that antipodean is not in fact exclusively referring to Australasian heritage but according to www.dictionary.com means “placed diametrically opposite each other on the globe”. Therefore, Scottish folk should be antipodean as well (to Aussies anyway). To verify this theory I checked the word in my Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary (which my pommy hubby refuses to believe is a valid reference book) that highlights the fact that antipodean only refers one way, so my theory is in tatters.

Whilst it’s obvious that the weather is very different here from my homeland, what may not be obvious is that gardening is a completely different undertaking here in bonnie Scotland. There are seasons here. Leaf burn and drought is not a huge issue, whilst I’ve heard that the regular flooding of Leith Links allotments is. So I bowed to my hubby’s superior garden knowledge for what we should put in the earth. And so what have we planted? In alphabetical order we are having a bash at growing: aubergine, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cos lettuce, herbs, kohlrabi, land cress, leeks, peas, peppers, potatoes, radishes, rhubarb and rocket. Hopefully most of it will grow… There’s something rather satisfying about preparing food that you have grown and it’s fabulous that we can do this whilst living in the heart of Leith.

Our next undertaking is to patch up old Tam’s shed. The front of the shed appears to be covered in grass, however half of the wall is missing. One of the first lessons we’ve learnt is that we need to make it secure to prevent the disappearance of garden tools. Thankfully our tools were from the very fine establishment Poundland, so we weren’t that out of pocket when they went walkabout (£4 to be precise). It has to be said that Poundland is the best place to buy gardening stuff, and we’re both very excited about the opening of a huge Poundland at Kirkgate where Woolies used to be. We’ll be able to buy garden stuff en route to our plot, although hopefully with a good sturdy (secure) shed we’ll not need to replace our tools again.

As part of my client’s fitness programme, I quite often time them doing a lap of both sides of the Links (about a mile). This is a great way to see how someone’s cardiovascular fitness is coming along, and a scenic route at that. Perhaps I should start stopping en route and offering fresh lettuce leaves to aforementioned peeps. Surely more appropriate than finishing a run with the odour of deep frying from the Seven Seas chippy next to Griffen Fitness on Balfour Street.

Want a free fitness newsletter to your Inbox every month? Sign up at www.getfitandenjoyit.com …

Be a Happy Camper

Published on June 18, 2010 in Blog. 0 Comments

Camping is a bit like Marmite. Love it or hate it, most people who’ve had rotten camping experiences have either bad luck with the weather or bad preparation. Be like a scout and be prepared to make the most of living with very little.  Check the Met office forecast a few days in advance and pack your car in advance of a sunny weekend for a great city escape.

I like camping beside Loch Tay or Loch Tummel (both close-ish to Pitlochry, which also has very good public loos for getting cleaned up in). It’s just over a one hour car journey from auld reekie and they are both great camping – country but not rugged. There’s something very physical about staying in the middle of nowhere and getting back to nature. Careful preparation makes the whole experience more comfortable, as does investing in some good sleeping mats.

Basics include plenty of drinking water, loo roll (dispose of thoughtfully), old blankets to wrap yourself in, BBQ food, bin bags, a first aid kit and hiking gear. As seasoned campers, we also include oats (campfire porridge is the best fuel for hill walking), a stovetop mocka coffee maker, camp stove, frozen water bottles for the cool bag, a variety of torches, books, music (an acoustic guitar for authenticity, providing someone can actually play the thing) and gaffa tape. Gaffa is useful if you’re camping up the windy west coast and suffer a splintered tent pole.

Lovely food to go on the BBQ includes proper marinated meat, sweetcorn cobs, feta wrapped in alfoil with lemon slices and herbs, veggie burgers and big batons of red pepper and courgettes. Prepare your own food at home to take along rather than an indiscrimately supermarket sweep on your way. Also pack healthy snacks. If you’re planning some hill walking, be sure to prepare healthy snack to take with you – I like combining brazil nuts, almonds, sunflower and pumpkin seeds and some dried apricots in a zip lock bag to give me energy as I walk. So get out there and enjoy all Scottish summer has to offer… and remember the midge repellent!

It’s a lovely day for a picnic

Published on June 11, 2010 in Blog. 0 Comments

It’s summer in Edinburgh and what better way to celebrate with a picnic? It’s great to get outdoors, socialise with friends and perhaps even do a bit of exercise.

Get a big beach bag and pop in a picnic rug, old cushions (optional extra), a water bottle, sun block, sunglasses, wet wipes, a rubbish bag, plastic cups, plates and cutlery. Include a frisbee / cricket bat / balls / badminton and other active games you may enjoy. I also like to take some reading material to while away the summer hours. As the weather is so changeable, it’s good to keep your non perishable picnic gear all ready by the front door to grab for an impromptu afternoon in the sun.

Sometimes it’s nice to pack a disposable BBQ for convenience. If you do use one, be sure to use the wire legs properly to ensure you don’t burn the surrounding environment. Also pack extra water so you can completely put out the BBQ before disposing of it. You can toss pretty much anything on a BBQ, and as a vegetarian I like to pack veggie sausages, feta parcel (wrap a block of feta cheese with fresh herbs, ground black pepper and thick slices of lemon in some foil and toss on the BBQ for 30 minutes before unwrapping. Yum). Another quick and easy healthy BBQ option is to cut courgette, red pepper, mushrooms, corn on the cob into large chunks.  Pop them in a ziplock bag with a splash of olive oil, and presto! They are easy to transport and ready for BBQ-ing. Home made salads in water-tight reusable plastic containers make the perfect accompaniment. If you’re packing dips, make your own as supermarket bought dips can be very high in fat. Also include frozen bottles of water in your cool bag to keep everything fresh… And don’t forget the strawberries!

It’s great to get outdoors and celebrate summer, which is why Griffen Fitness is organising an unofficial games evening on Balfour Street at 6pm Friday June 11 to celebrate summer. There will be discounted skipping ropes (£4) on sale and we’ll be attempting mass skipping on the end of Balfour Street at 6pm. Fresh Mex Los Cardos are supplying some Mexican nibbles, and Victoria bar may be involved. We’re also having a limbo competition, hula hooping lessons and hopscotch – good ol’ fashioned fun…

Healthy Eating shopping list

Published on May 28, 2010 in Blog. 0 Comments

Last night my hubby Andy and I were at the relaunch of the Out of the Blue arts space on Dalmeny Street. It was Andy’s first exhibition of jewellery that he has made (he takes lessons at the precious metals workshop there when I work late on Monday evenings). You can see details of the Resident Artists exhibition at http://2outoftheblue.org.uk/page11.htm

Anyway, I bumped into my old Business Coach Mark Lister, whose wife makes lovely handbags from her studio at Out of the Blue. He was they guy who convinced me I should start a blog. So I proudly told him I had. To which he enquired when I had last blogged! I aim to blog every Friday, however some Fridays are more hectic than others. So I promised Mark that I would blog more often. I like to blog fitness matter of interest, so this Friday I include my ‘Healthy Shopping List’ that I devised for one of my clients. It’s work in progress and I will continue to add to it, so feel free to comment. Here goes:

HEALTHY EATING SHOPPING LIST

Cottage cheese

Feta or Goats cheese – keeps well wrapped tightly in cling film if you only use a bit of the block

Crowdie (a Highland soft cheese, available from Scottish grocers or Scotmid)

Quark / low fat cheese spread

Free range eggs

Tofu, tempeh (available from Real Foods)

Low fat natural yoghurt, can be flavoured with chopped fresh fruit

Peanut butter or other nut / seed butters, to be eaten in moderation

Low Fat hommus (or make your own)

Marmite, in moderation as high in salt

Olives, to flavour food – eat in moderation, high in salt

Sundried tomatoes

Balsamic vinegar

Mustard

Olive oil, sunflower oil

Rye or pumpernickel bread or wholemeal pita bread (lovely toasted with a filling)

Ryvitas (nice with cottage cheese or hommous)

Oatcakes

Porridge oats (jumbo is best), Dorset cereals muesli

Cous cous, millet, quinoa, brown rice, wholemeal pasta (brown spaghetti is lovely with a flavoursome tomato sauce), bulghur wheat

Fig rolls or Soreen malt loaf (unbuttered) as healthier option for sweet biscuits

Rocket or other green leaves

Herbs (parsley, basil, coriander etc) to flavour dishes

Fresh sprouts (or grow your own)

Courgette, Spring onions, onions, cucumber, carrots, brocolli, cabbage, mushrooms

Red peppers, raw or can be roasted

Avocado

Tomatoes – keep out of the fridge to ripen

Lemons, limes, for flavouring dishes and glasses of water

Apples, Bananas

Seasonal fruit – freeze berries in summer to make smoothies in winter.

Garlic / ginger

Coconut milk, tinned tomatoes, corn

Tinned kidney beans, chick peas, butter beans etc – or prepare pulses from scratch

Soup mix, red lentils

Dried apricots / apples eat sparingly

Dried cranberries, try on porridge

Raw almonds, cashews, brazil nuts, walnuts, pinenuts

Sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds

Semi-skimmed milk, oatmilk or rice dream

Vegetable stock, look for Marigold Boullion powder in healthy aisle and use half amount recommended

Light soy sauce, sesame oil

Olive oil

Butter, unsalted (healthier than margarine)

Herbal teas including green tea, peppermint tea

Agave nectar (low GI sweetener) or local honey

Frozen soy beans, peas, chopped vegetables

Fish or meat in unprocessed form (i.e. salmon, steak etc), tinned tuna

Lauriston Castle rocks!

Published on May 17, 2010 in Blog. 0 Comments

bikeLast weekend was my first weekend in Edinburgh for a few weeks and it was great to have the time to jump on my bike and go for a leisurely cycle. There’s so many places that are an easy ride from Leith: Portobello Beach, Union Canal to Balerno or Ratho, Arthurs Seat amongst others. However I’ve never cycled to Lauriston Castle and it made for a lovely afternoon. From Leith we got on the Goldenacre cycle path, then along Ferry Road cycle path to Crewe Toll. A fun downhill down a ramp from Crewe Toll to Granton, and discovered a new park (!!!) by turning left at the big Morrisons supermarket near the gas tower. Silverknolwes Esplanade is always ‘fun’ on a windy day as the wind predominantly comes from the west, so cycling to Cramond can be a battle against the wind. If you’re not gripping onto your handlebars battling the breeze, wave to roller blading instructor Don Morton who holds lessons on the Esplanade on Saturday afternoons.

I digress, to get to the Castle from Silverknowles Esplanade, turn left at the dilipidated kiosk up to the roundabout, then take the road going away from the coast. Follow it to the top (practically the only bit of onroad cycling) and take a right at the big roundabout. That road will come to an end, and you simply turn right and you’re there! It’s about 10km from Leith, and took us 47 minutes to cycle. It’s free to wander around the grounds, but be sure to lock your bike in the carpark (there are bike racks) as there’s no cycling in the gardens.

Actually most of our afternoon involved sitting in the sun in the beautiful Kyoto friendship garden in the grounds of the castle. The gardens are an oasis of tranquility with a lovely view over the forth. Highly recommended, especially if you’re a fan of Japanese gardens. Check out http://www.edinburghspotlight.com/2010/05/review-edinburgh-kyoto-friendship-garden-2/ for photos…

You too can discover the cycle routes in Edinburgh by investing £5 in a Spokes cycling map. Contact me by email to purchase yours today…

Buns of Steel – the exercise!

Published on May 6, 2010 in Blog. 0 Comments

One of the fun things about being a Personal Trainer is making up silly names for exercises. ‘Buns of Steel’ is one of my favourite, erm, buns exercises, and it’s named after a cult classic workout from the 80’s. Check out the website for the original funky workout from the Alaskan pole vaulter (seriously) Greg Smithey, ‘Professor of Bunology’. You can also see a snippet of the workout on You Tube.

The exercise I call Buns of Steel is simple enough, and can be done anywhere anytime. Try it when you’re boiling the kettle…

Buns of Steel exercise start

Buns of Steel start position

1. Start standing on one leg, with the other bent behind you with foot flexed.

2. The supporting leg is also slightly bent (i.e. knee not locked).

3. With a small movement, move your elevated leg back, squeezing the rear end. To quote the Professor of Bunology ‘really SQUEEZE those buns’. It’s a pulsing move back as if you’re trying to kick something behind you.

4. Keep the bend in the knee frozen, it is only your hip doing the movement, not your knee.

Try two sets of twenty reps each, keeping your tummy tucked in and back long. You back should never arch, so keep those abs engaged.  You should feel this exercise working along the ‘big knicker line’. Enjoy!

Buns of Steel exercise

Buns of Steel finish (pulsing) position

Edinburgh Council leader Jenny Dawe talks bikes

Published on April 25, 2010 in Blog. 0 Comments

The Guardian newspaper recently asked readers for their questions for Council Leader Jenny Dawe. I was curious about what Edinburgh council is doing for cyclists, and was lucky enough to have my question put to her. Click on the following link and go to the fifth soundbite down to hear what she has to say:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/edinburgh/2010/apr/21/edinburgh-council-leader-jenny-dawe-readers-questions-trams-airport

You may have also noticed that the studio of Griffen Fitness on Balfour Street has been given a lick of bright blue paint.

Griffen Fitness shopfront

Husband / painter Andy in front of newly painted Griffen Fitness shopfront

If you’re in the nieghborhood, do pop by!

Other news this week is that I’ve started fitness training the Pro-Am team members for the Festival Cup. This polo competition is to be held at Gleneagles on August 14th and my job is to get the team fighting fit. Watch this space for updates…

The Griffen Fitness monthly newsletter is due out later this week, you can subscribe and also read last months at http://www.tracygriffen.com/news/index.html

So it’s farewell for another week from me until next time…