Skipping

I have recently discovered (or I should say re-discovered) skipping. I loved to skip when I was a kid, it was so much fun!

There really is an art to skipping and I have been practising my little heart out! Initially I couldn't skip any more than 5 reps without tripping over my rope or the rope getting tangled, or even simply running out of breath!

Skipping is a great fitness alternative. It's an awesome cardio activity, it can be done anywhere (a skipping rope is the easiest thing to carry around with you, in your handbag, your luggage etc) And it's also cheap!

Plus being able to do many variations of the skip: double skips, jog on the spot, jumping jacks keeps it from getting boring and mundane.

I've incorporated skipping as a Tabata workout. 20 seconds of skipping, 10 seconds rest, 8 rounds which is a total of 4 minutes. I've also been keeping track of how many skips I do each round and try to improve each session.

In fact I enjoy it so much I've all but given up jogging. Skipping takes far less time and you get the benefits in a shorter period than you would with jogging! Plus you don't have to leave the house. Just be sure to skip on a flat surface, floor boards or concrete are great (be careful of your knees though) Carpet is useless!

One thing you must have though is a reliable skipping rope. One that can be adjusted, one that won't tangle, preferably a ROPE rope like we had as kids (I am yet to find one). If anyone knows where I can purchase an actual ROPE, let me know!

Yummy Recipe, Vegetable Frittata

I've been doing a bit more cooking of late. Mainly because I am very lazy and will basically eat anything that's available when I'm hungry, regardless of whether it's healthy or not. So, I've realised that if I want to continue being healthy, I need to spend a bit of time preparing meals in advance.

I am a shift worker and the temptation to eat chips, lollies and chocolate is an ongoing drama. All of my workmates bring junk food into work. It is so hard to say "NO", but I have to keep thinking that I don't want my arse to expand and take up what's left of my seat!

And I have to say that bringing my own healthy snacks to work has made a huge difference. The days that I have succumbed to my own cravings and eaten junk, I found myself feeling like crap and struggling to get through my 12 hour shift! So I've gotten into the habit of bringing snacks such as:

Almonds mixed with some Dried Cranberries
Apples
Cottage Cheese with Rice Cakes
Protein Bar (I have even found a recipe for home-made Protein Bars)

Of course I will have more substantial meals as well. An example is this yummy Vegetable Frittata. It's ao easy to make and reasonably healthy, I think (certainly better than Chips, Burgers, McDonalds etc)

VEGETABLE FRITTATA

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 5 minutes, plus 10 minutes cooling time
Cooking: 30 minutes

Olive Oil Spray
500g Frozen or Fresh Stir Fry Vegetables
(I've used a combination of Broccoli, Mushrooms, Carrots, Tomato's, Red Capsicum and more)
6 Eggs (Or a combination of Eggs and Egg Whites)
1/2 Cup of Milk
Salt & Pepper

Preheat Oven to 180C
Spray a 20cm (Base Measurement) Cake Pan with Oil
Line Base and sides with Baking Paper

Heat a little Olive Oil Spray in a Frying Pan and stir fry vegetables until they are soft. Transfer to the Cake Pan.
Whisk eggs and milk in a bowl until combined. Season with Salt and Pepper if desired. Pour over the vegetables. Bake for 25 -30 minutes until set or a light golden colour. Set aside for 10 minutes to coll slightly.

This is lovely served with some salad greens.

This is one of the easiest things to make and very yummy. You can change it up by varying your vegetables.