​The thing with invisible illnesses is that generally people that don't have one don't get it.  Those of us with an invisible illness have coping strategies developed over a large number of years, that means we can have some attempt at having a 'normal' life, or at least appearing to do so.  
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Do you know about spoon theory?  If not, go and read it :)  Basically, the idea being that each of us have a number of spoons that we can trade for daily tasks, like getting up, eating and so on.  Those of us with chronic illnesses have less spoons.  We may therefore have to decide between getting up and eating, as we don't have enough spoons.  Many of us are well aware of our average number of spoons and now can make a convincing attempt at having a busy, 'normal' life, we are just good at managing our spoons.

This week, I have run out of spoons.

It's tiring being ill all the time, and frustrating.  I bumped into a client at the hospital who remarked that I was having 'yet another operation'.  People often tell me I don't look well, or comment that I am having 'another' day off ill/injured.  I don't mind that, and I certainly don't want any credit for managing to get on with things (what's the alternative?!).  But I have noticed this week that friends are not asking me to go out.  I know why, it's because I am flaky - I often say no (knowing I have not enough spoons), or worse cancel (unexpectedly lacking spoons).  I understand.  But it can be quite isolating.  If you have friends that are often cancelling on you, are often ill, please keep on asking us to do stuff with you.  We can try and juggle our spoons for you, and we will appreciate it.  

So, it's a new year, which means I traditionally attempt to get Mr Strongman Fitness eating breakfast.  He is very much of the school of thought that a triple expresso and a muffin should 'count' as a 'healthy' breakfast option, but sadly we disagree.  He also won't consider anything that requires any morning time prep, as this would interrupt any bonus sleeping time he may have.  
I have often made overnight oats for those mornings where I know I won't have time (or inclination) to knock up anything decent, and get tempted by muffins and egg baps and so on.  So, this year, I decided it was time to introduce Mr Strongman Fitness to the wonders of Overnight Oats.  We agreed on a seven day trial, and different interesting flavours each day.  So, here are the recipes and our ratings of them (mine from the viewpoint of the person having to make them, his purely as consumer) - make some and see what you think!  

The basic recipe for one portion of overnight oats needs a small ramekin or teacup (approx 40g oats). You need:
Giant rolled oats.
Milk (or 'fake' milk - soya, hemp, coconut milk etc)
Chia seeds.

For each measure of oats, you need double the amount of milk, plus 1tbsp chia seeds.  Just measure these into an appropriate pot, leave overnight in the fridge and you're good to grab and go in the morning.  You can warm them in the microwave, or I prefer them cold.
The chia seeds are optional, but they do make it have a nice gloopy consistency.  You can swap out some of the milk for yoghurt, water, juice, or anything else wet.

It looks like thick porridge, and transports very easily.  Limit the washing up by using a jar or tupperware to mix it up in that you can also then transport in the morning.

Got chatting in the gym last week.  Client : "I'd quite like to make risotto, is it difficult?".  Well, no, not the way I do it.  Sometimes, especially when the nights are drawing in, I just fancy a bit of risotto...  Leftovers can easily be made into arancini (posh sounding rice balls...) or even my tasty balls with spicy broth.
We had ours with roast chicken and baked tomatoes.  But, as always, feel free to pimp your dinner however you fancy.  I happened to make mine vegan, just by chance (simply a lack of parmesan, if the truth be known), and they are wheat and gluten free too (but check your stock cubes to be sure).

Recipe (serves two hungry people):
1 large onion, chopped and fried until soft.
150g risotto rice
About 1 pint "stock" - see later....
75g parmesan, or two tsp nutritional yeast

Simply bung onion, rice and stock into a casserole dish, cover it, and bake at 200 (180 fan) for about 30 mins.  
About 10 mins before the end, add the cheese, or nutritional yeast (note: worth doing as a cheese eater too if you're avoiding dairy/reducing fat).  See below for other tasty additions at this point...
The "stock" is some lovely combo of veggie stock (or chicken if non-veggie), any leftover wine (yes, I know, no such thing as 'leftover' wine), or a slug of vermouth (Pernod is also interesting) if you happen to have such a thing.

Possibilities to add ten mins before the end (it should all cook in time):
A handful of frozen broad beans, and a handful of frozen peas.
Zest and juice of one lemon, couple of handfuls raw prawns.
Blue cheese, asparagus.
Salmon (chopped small, you can leave this raw), plus mint and dill to serve.

I've also done this "risotto milanese" styley - in which case add a pinch of saffron to the stock.


It's not as good as a lovingly stirred risotto.  But it's not far off, and involves 20 mins less tedious stirring....

And, here is the clincher, Mr Strongman Fitness made this for me while I was out jumping around (=working) last week.  And if he can do it minus supervision, then it's got to be a goody....

Veg:
​2 Carrots
One red pepper.
About 6 inches worth of cucumber.
Pack of sugarsnaps and baby corn.

Slice all the veg thinly (I have a julienne peeler for the carrots, which makes life easier) and put in a bowl.

Dressing:
1 tblsp Fish sauce (unless vegan, obviously...)
1 tblsp Soy sauce or Tamari.
Juice of one lime.
One red chilli, finely chopped.
One clove of garlic, finely chopped.
1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger.
1 tsp black sesame seeds, 1 tsp white ones (or just white if you can't be arsed with black ones - they look pretty though!)

Add all the dressing ingredients to the bowl and stir up.

At this point, it would make great spring rolls....

If you're eating it now, then add some coriander too, and tuck in.  If you're planning on it being lunch, I'd leave the coriander out, as it wilts a bit and gets a bit slimy (ew).

We added noodles to this for a bit of carbs, we use fine rice noodles, as they're really good at soaking up sauce.  Prepare according to pack instructions, then stir it all together.  We added some seaweed to ours too, which was very tasty - Tesco now sells sea spaghetti, or we have a pack of dried wakame (ooh, posh) that we re-hydrate with a bit of boiling water.  You could also add some chopped peanuts if you felt the urge.

Lots of veggies, not fiddled about with too much.  Add some prawn crackers on the side if you like?  It's all about choices, and you making your own decisions how 'filthy' your food is.  Enjoy, and do let me know what you think?

Ok, so Chinese style balls and broth isn't a particularly tempting title, but it is what it is.  Plus, it amuses me to look at the search terms and see that people have got this page when looking for a whole different sort of 'tasty balls'.
​People have been bothering me for semi-healthy free-from Chinese-style bits and pieces for a while, and I've been perfecting vegan, gluten free options.  Here's what I've come up with.  You can, of course, add extras and leave out anything you don't like.  This takes approx 30 mins max to make, is dead easy, very satisfying tasty and possibly vaguely good for you.  I've got a vegan/non-vegan alternative for you on the balls, but the broth is much the same either way.  Let me know what you think?
I've deliberately sourced a lot of it from supermarket ready packed veg (as it's easy that way...), but you can add any sort of veg you like.  Beansprouts would be particularly good I think (I didn't have any...).

Tasty balls

50g rice (uncooked weight), cooked.
150g cooked chicken or tofu.

Add both ingredients to a food processor and pulse to blend.  Shape into small balls and shallow fry these for approx 5 mins, to cook and firm up.  
(I added a spoon of gram flour to the tofu ones to keep them together, but I'm not convinced it's needed.)

Set aside, and start on the broth....

Broth

1 pack of 'asian mushrooms' (Tesco do good ones).
1 pack pak choi, rounghly chopped.
1 pack mange tout and sweetcorn, roughly chopped.
1 tsp chinese five spice
1 portion of rice noodles
Spring onions
3 cloves garlic, chopped.
1 bunch coriander.
To taste:
Chilli
Soy sauce/tamari
Chinese rice wine
Fish sauce (for the non-vegan version, obviously!)

Stir fry the veg quickly, then add approx 2 pints of veg stock, the garlic and five spice.  You can add a sachet of miso soup here if you have any (awful stuff, in my opinion!).  Add the chilli and sauces to taste, then bring to the boil. Add the balls and noodles and simmer for 5-10 mins until everything is cooked and heated through.

Serve in large bowls with coriander and extra chilli sprinkled over the top.  There is likely to be slurping and spattering as the noodles flick around the place, so perhaps not a first date meal.....

Mr Strongman Fitness gave me a 9.5/10 for this.  He meant 10/10 of course, but likes to keep me grounded ;)

Do I have new stuff in 2016?  Well yes, yes I do.
Can I tell you about it?  Nope, as the new timetables haven't been released by all my centres yet.

But, I have new STEP, AEROBICS and PILATES classes on the cards, in addition to more RUNNING options too - both for beginners and improvers.  All alongside the existing stuff too.  Should be a great timetable for the new year, looking forward to it :)

Check back here in the next few weeks and I'll update my class list for you :)

Mr Strongman Fitness doesn't like that fried chicken.  You know, the stuff from the famous place.  Too greasy apparently.  So he was quite pleased last week when I took it upon myself to create a tasty healthier version.  

If you've been keeping up with my "not-quite-so-filthy" recipes, you'll know that it's minimal ingredients and faffing, for maximum tastiness.  You choose how filthy you make stuff, so you can deep fry this if you should feel the urge - you make the decisions about what you shove in your gob, after all.

Anyway, two chicken bits is plenty per person.  The other half prefers drumsticks, I like a thigh myself, works with other bits too, but adjust cooking time accordingly.  
In addition to the chicken, for two people:
1 tblspn paprika
1 tblspn turmeric
2 tblspn gram flour (wheat free, but also makes it taste nice).
Stick the dry stuff on a plate and mix well.
1 egg, beaten in a decent sized bowl.


I skinned the chicken, but you don't need to, then dip in the egg to cover, then the dry stuff.  You can repeat this if you like to get a thicker crust (there's plenty of dry stuff with this recipe, so you can do).
Then roast in the oven for approx 15-20 mins until the chicken is cooked through.


We has this with the coleslaw I made here and (with a fruity pudding) that was plenty.  This would BBQ very well I suspect....  I tend not to season before cooking, and this needs a bit of pepper and salt (or sumac) and appreciated a quick squeeze of lemon too.


Finger licking good, apparently :)

I was chatting to a running club member yesterday and trying to convince her to enter a race.  'Oh, no I'm not someone that does races'.  Of course, those seasoned racers out there will know that this is only because she's not done one yet.  
I was volunteering at the Ickworth Hoohaah at the weekend.  As you do.  It's a great chance to see who's out and about and remember why we do this stuff.  

I'll never be a racing snake.  Various injuries have sorted that for me, sadly.  So why do I bother?  I can't chase PBs any more (49:49 for 10k, I'll have you know...), and I'm tending to get slower rather than faster.   In fact, usually I'm somewhere up the back having a chatter with some poor unsuspecting person-that-I-don't-yet-know (my apologies if this has ever been you...).    

It's good being at the back, as people that have already finished give you a bit of a cheer and a clap when you cross the line (not that I've ever been at the front, but I imagine it's a much quieter affair).  Now that I no longer have any chance of a PB I don't even look at the clock, just have a nice little trot and look at the scenery (and chat, as previously mentioned).  And sometimes you're raising money for stuff, which is all well and good - that's worth racing for isn't it?

The other thing about being towards the back, is that we make the faster people look good.  If it wasn't for us, the people in the middle would be last, after all...  That cliche your mum used to roll out at sports day is spot on. It is all about the taking part, and making the races into the place to be.  Giving people someone to beat.  I am happily embracing my role, it's a public service :)

And, until you've driven miles with a hangover, fought through a crowd of fast-looking racing-snake types in expensive-looking compression clothing to get your number, forgotten (again) how to put the chip thingy on your shoe, pinned your race number wonky (without writing anything useful on the back), and worked out where the last minute loo stop is, you'll never quite appreciate what racing is.  It's not about times, not really.  It's about family.  The running family that know exactly what I'm on about with the chip thingy and the loo stop (and probably the hangover).  Those familiar faces that pop up over and over again at events, cheerful and chatty and happy to just be there.  The ones that bring cake for after and sympathise about chafing and the hills on route.  And that wait for the very last person across the line and clap and cheer more for that one than any other.  
That's what racing is.

It's that time of year again.  It's cold, it's dark, at the moment it's also pretty darn wet.  So any motivation you might have had to get out there and go running may well have evaporated.  Add to that the over-consumption of the Christmas period and the general malaise that's about this time of year, and I'm amazed anyone gets off the sofa at all.

Anyway, reaching the point (I usually get there in the end...), I have something to motivate you.  Actually, I have four things to motivate you, and those things are Tom, Luke, me and Dotty the running dog.

Our next beginners 0-5k running programme starts on Monday 12th January at 6:30 at Prime Time Fitness, which is between Girton and Oakington.  

We meet three times per week (also Weds and Fri) for eight weeks, and have a unique technique to get you moving - Tom is just the most encouraging person in the whole world, Luke is only there so he can drink beer later, Dotty is the cutest black lab you'll ever meet, and I just chatter you into submission all the way round.  There is not another programme like this.  It works.  It's fun.  It's unique.  You've got to try this.  Oh, and it's safer running in a group on those dark stormy nights too, isn't it?  And you might meet some new friends, and new potential running buddies, and you get to find out all about my cats and my plans to take over the world (that last bit is optional, just run with Luke instead and chat about beer if you like...).

FAQs:
What if I can't come along three times per week?  : No problem, you can do some of the sessions in your own time if you prefer.  But generally, people find it loads easier to run with the group, so do try and come along as much as possible.

Will I be too slow/too fat/too unfit? : Nope. It's genuinely open to all, and for complete beginners.  You'll find a real mix of ages, sizes and experience.  People that have been on previous programmes tell us that it's nowhere near as scary as you expect it to be :)  And, the answer to my most asked question, no, no-one ever gets left behind.

Do I need any special kit? : If you've got something visible to wear that would be great, and lights if you have them would be good too.  As you get towards the middle of the programme we'd encourage you to be properly fitted for some trainers to prevent injury - there will be an option to do this at the group, so don't worry.  And ladies, please make sure you have a good, supportive bra!!

When are the sessions? : We meet every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6:30pm in the gym reception.

How much does it cost? : Nothing.  Yes, that's right, it's completely FREE.  No catch :)


Facebook signup event is here, any questions do get in touch?

See you on Monday.  Go on, you won't regret it :)

We've started our next beginners programme, and as usual, most of the people that turn up say that they can't run.  They've tried before with this programme or that programme, with this club or with that trainer.  And they can't run. Clearly, I chip in now and will say 'of course you can'.  And they can.  Really.  I'm not just saying that, I know.  I've seen it before.  And seen so many people conquer it.
Want to know what the problems are?  Read on...

Going too fast.
My beginners generally have a very different idea of 'running' to mine.  They see Mo Farah trotting out his 60 minute half, and think that running is all about going as fast as you can.  Here's a little secret (shh, don't tell...) : no-one starts running and goes at it like Mo.  Except maybe Mo, he probably was always speedy.  For the rest of us mere mortals, that don't have a natural aptitude for running, we do something different.  We do that thing that some people disparagingly refer to as 'jogging' (tsk). We take it steady.  When you start out, the most important thing is to build a base of endurance that you can then develop.  So take it really slow.  Once you can run far, it's easy to get faster.  Really.  But you need to train your heart, lungs and legs to get that base level of endurance.  So stop going at it like Mo.  Nice steady little trot is all that's needed.  Trust me, this happens at every single group, we spend the first three weeks slowing people down, and the last two weeks speeding them back up.  To quote one of our fabby run leaders, Luke: 'it's not about doing it fast, it's about getting it done'.

Not doing it enough.
'Do I really need to do it three times per week'.  Pretty much, yes.  You can get away with less in the first few weeks, but then this tends to sneak up and bite you in the bum when you realise you've not built up the base level of fitness to increase from.  Do it often.  Have rest days between.  But keep on doing it.  Miss one or two and it's not a disaster, but get complacent and you'll not keep up once the rest of the group start doing decent mileage.  You need to commit.  

Giving up too soon.
Running is not supposed to feel nice.  You're supposed to feel like you can't breathe and your lungs want to explode out of your ribs.  Not too much (see 'Going too fast').  You're supposed to feel a bit nauseous.  It's normal to get unpleasant chafing.  It's normal to go bright red.  It's normal to sweat like that.  If you always enjoy running, then you're probably doing it wrong.  Don't give up.  Come out with the group and we'll get you round.  Even if I have to chatter you into submission for distraction (want to hear about my cats and recent culinary experimentation?  Fab).  If you stick with the programme, you will succeed.  I promise.

Not believing.
Always, around week 5, I get someone phoning me in tears.  They 'know' that they can't do the longer run that week so they're going to give up.  Usually the longer run is the Friday session.  So I persuade them to come along just one more time while we're still doing the shorter ones to say goodbye to everyone.  And then sneakily do the long one without them noticing.  Your head is your biggest enemy to completing the programme.  Your head doesn't want to do this running stuff.  It tells you that your legs can't do any more.  That your lungs will explode.  It's usually wrong (I've not had any exploding lungs yet, anyways).  It's the most frustrating reason for people dropping out, as it's something that we really struggle to overcome.  
You need to believe.  You need to believe that you can do it.  
Or, if you prefer, you need to believe that we can get you to do it. Because we can.
You need to believe that you're a running ninja.  Because you are.