Rest Yo'Self

Frequently when I am reading fitness posts, blogs, etc. rest periods are not mentioned enough!! I'm not referring to a rest day or two, but an actual chunk of time taken as a break from fitness. The break is just as important for your progress towards body positivity as the fitness part.

Some natural times to take one of these extended beaks are holidays like Christmas or Easter. Another time is vacation times to paradise or a family reunion. But these types of breaks only happen a few times a year, and that just isn't often enough! We aren't that of Superman, the muscles, joints, bones and tendons need extended periods of rest. So, how do you know when to take these breaks aside from holidays and vacations?

Listen to your body! It sounds simple, but it isn't for a lot of us. For people who suffer from; anorexia, bulmia, binge eating, E.D.N.O.S, obesity, over exercise, and yo-yo dieting, listening to their natural body signals is really, really hard! I speak from experience. It becomes impossible to tell what is a true body signal, or our minds playing tricks on our bodies. Telling us to not eat when we should, or to workout when we shouldn't. I've learned that I personally struggle with knowing when to take a rest, because my brain will tell me to keep going. So, I've come up with 3 easy to identify signs that suggest your body needs an extended rest (3 or more days).

1. Pain.

In pain, don't train!

Are you in significant pain? I'm not referring to sore muscles from training legs the day before. I mean pain that can't be easily explained such as; headache's, stomachaches, back pain, neck pain, or overall physical pain from illness. Some people might suggest that you work through the pain. But, 95% of us aren't training to be pro-athletes. So, we shouldn't exercise through it. I have learned the hard way that working out with a migraine does nothing. You don't get the most out of your workout, and you get more pain as a result. If in pain, don't train!

2. You have been dreading the gym/workouts
Unless it your first moth of fitness (when your body isn't in the workout routine and your mind is still adjusting to the changes) if you have been dreading your workout for 2-3 days, then that is your minds way of saying 'take a rest!'. Maybe work has been stressful, or life has been throwing extra crap at you one week. Don't make the situation worse by forcing yourself to fitness. Instead, allow  yourself the grace to take an extended time off from exercise. The break won't ruin your journey. Your muscles won't disappear, your weight gain or loss won't evaporate overnight. Instead, take a few days to relax and come back to training refreshed and ready to push yourself.

3. Family/friends are telling you to take a rest

Bed day

As I said previously, those of us who struggle with mental illness like eating disorders or have problems associated with food or our bodies, we can't always trust ourselves to know what is best. But, our friends and families can see things we miss. They might notice us looking run down or trying to exercise through the flue, or overloading ourselves with working out and the daily struggle of life. So, if someone you care about tells you to take a rest, listen to them!! I'll be honest, that this sign is the one I struggle most with. When my partner advises me to rest, my brain makes up lies like 'he wants me to get fat' or 'he doesn't want me to make progress'. Obviously, that isn't true and these are disordered thoughts. Our loved ones only want what is best for us, they would never try to hold us back. Listen when someone close to you says to 'take a break', because they have a good reason for suggesting it.

I'm sure there are many other ways to know when your body requires a break. I am not a fitness or medical professional, all of this is my own opinion. These are my general rules that I try to follow. But, I'm not perfect and I am frequently guilty of pushing myself too hard and not allowing my body to recover properly. I'm a work in progress like everyone else.

Monday Mac Attack

Many things taste like home to me. I love pizza (although that is technically Italian), pancakes, cupcakes, Pop Tarts, pecan pie, ice cream, and Tex-Mex (yes, it is Mexican but with a USA twist). But, it is hard to find these American things in the UK that are authentic. If I do manage to discover a restaurant that serves genuine American food, it usually costs a lot! So, to get a quick hit of Americanness, I resort to an oldie, but a goodie.

Mac & Cheese

I make this 2 ways. The first method is most similar to what I grew up eating as a kid. One of the easiest meals for a busy single mom to make was Kraft mac and cheese. Boil the pasta, throw in some butter and milk, add the packet of powdered cheese, and boom! Instant delicious meal. I would only eat it with cut up hot dogs. Heaven in a box. Kraft is not widely sold in the UK, when it does occasionally pop up in Tesco, it costs a fortune! I paid $7 for a big box once, but I was desperate.

My solution is simple. When I am in America, I buy 10-15 boxes of mac and cheese. (Not always Kraft, sometimes it has to be store brand, but I’m buying in bulk so I have to save $) Next, I open all the boxes and remove the powdered packets. Finally, I give the left over pasta to my mom, and take the powder cheese packs to England. Macaroni tastes the same no matter where you buy it, and this way I save space in my luggage.

The first time my partner had Kraft mac and cheese, they were extremely wary. For two reasons; they had never seen powdered cheese before, and they had never seen pasta turn orange as Kraft mac tends to do. However, after their initial shock, it is now a much beloved quick meal in our house.

The second method I utilize to make mac and cheese is more traditional. When I couldn’t find box mac, I had to improvise for a mini dinner party I was holding (everyone knows pasta is the cheapest way to host meals at university). So, for the first time ever, I had to make mac and cheese from scratch. (The irony of how my first home made mac and cheese occurred in England is not lost on me) Unfortunately, all the recipes I found online were designed to be made in America, with American cheese and ingredients. British cheddar cheese and American cheddar cheese are two very different things. After a lot of attempts, I finally found a combination of cheese and spices that make an accurate dish of comfort American mac and cheese. The recipe is below. This dish is adored by all of my friends, and my partner asks for it on a weekly basis. I make it for any big group gathering, because it is both cheap and easy to make in large quantities. Plus, the UK has nothing that tastes similar to a dish of mac and cheese.

Indigo’s American Mac and Cheese (Made in England)

Ingredients:

Macaroni

Milk

Butter

2 tablespoons of flour

Leister Cheese (like American yellow cheddar)

Mozzarella cheese (to give the desired stringy effect)

Sharp Cheddar Cheese (for a kick)

Bacon (optional but highly recommended!)

Onion (optional)

Boil your Macaroni, to enhance the flavor add a pinch of salt to the boiling water. While pasta is boiling, dice and fry your bacon in a pan (the crispier the better in my opinion). Once the bacon is cooked through, put it aside, but save the grease. In a pot, add some butter (I go with 2-3 big spoon full’s), milk (around 1 cup) and the rest of the bacon grease (for flavor). Once that has melted and combined, add your flour to give the sauce thickness. The last step is to add all your grated cheese! I usually start off with the cheddar cheese, then add leister and finally a small amount of mozzarella (to much makes it overly stringy and messy). I have no exact measurement for anything, I guesstimate based on who I am feeding. After all the cheese has melted, add it to your drained macaroni pasta, as well as the crispy bacon. Stir it all together, then pour the mixture into a casserole pan. Sprinkle some grated cheese on top, then put it into the oven at 350 F/180 C for roughly 20 minutes. I leave it in until the cheese on top is brown and crispy.

The Dorm Room Frenzy

My American dorm, there was another
behind mine

Here in the UK, today is the start of ‘Fresher’s Week’. The week when all new freshman are driven to their respective university campus, dropped off with their clothes, taken out for a last meal, and then left by their parents. The rest of the week is packed with learning their course schedule, finding their way around campus, food shopping, and above all, drinking. A lot!

You will find, that there is a major difference between ‘Fresher’s Week’ in America and the UK. Buzzfeed is going into a frenzy over this difference, so I thought I would give an insider’s perspective. In the UK, freshman don’t have to share a room when they live on campus. In fact, most get an en suite with their private bathroom and bedroom. They do however, suffer with sharing a large kitchen, which is cleaned regularly by staff. After one year of this misery living in dorm halls, nearly all students move off campus and live in flats, shared houses etc. But, they still believe that their fresher year in student living was rough.

British dorm kitchen

If only we had it so easy in the US. First, we MUST live on campus for the first two years of university (age 18-20). Secondly, as a freshman students usually share a room that has two sets of bunk beds, four desks, and two large shared wardrobes (that’s four people per room). The bathroom isn’t shared between just these four people, instead it is shared by an entire floor of people. Most universities keep the male and female dorms separate for the first year. There is locked security to keep them separate, and visitors are only allowed to stay in until a certain time at night. Freshman are strictly monitored in America. After completing the year of hell in a freshman dorm, you get slightly more space by sharing a room with just one other person, and sharing a living room and bathroom with four people. That is luxurious compared to freshman living. Most dorms have a floor kitchen, but there is no designated fridge space.

The closet in my room

Why do we have this system? After all, Americans pay large amounts of money to attend university, while British people pay pennies in comparison. Why do they get a better living situation in the UK? Well, I believe it is because from the age of 16, Brits are given more freedom and choice in the UK (people are legally adults at 16 in UK). So, by the time they hit 18 they should be independent enough to live on their own and cook for themselves. In America, at 18, kids are just finishing high school and being thrown into the big world of university. Some have never done a load of laundry before or cooked anything but mac&cheese out of a box. The shared living situation with dorm monitors and rules helps ease the younger university aged students into being away from home. (It also makes parents feel more comfortable writing massive checks to schools if they believe their children are being looked after) Finally, freshman in the US have it so bad because they need to pay their dues. We all did it, we all had a rough freshman year. It’s part of the experience to share a room with strangers, to go to morning classes, eat weird food and study till the early hours of the night. It bonds people together.

British private dorm

What Brits fail to see in the US dorm system is that it is a form of socialization. Most university students travel far and wide to attend school, few of them go to the same place as their high school friends. By having to share a communal space, people are forced to bond and create friendships. I know many freshman roommate friendships that have lasted beyond university for years. Sharing rooms give you a built-in support network, a group to sit with in the dining hall, and someone to help you figure the in’s and outs of new adult life.

Dorm joke

I admit to envying the spacious living of the UK freshman. But, the American way has its merits that most British people fail to see. The most random fun things happen when you share rooms with people at university. I’ve gone out for Krispy Kreme donuts at 2 am just because we were bored and hungry. I’ve woken up to lipstick writing on my mirror that made me think my shower was haunted but was just helpful warning from my roomie. Sharing dorms can be fun. My university experience would have been duller and lonelier without it. So, Brits, don’t knock it till you have tried it.

Here is the Buzzfeed article that caught my attention

https://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanschocket2/british-students-cant-believe-americans-share-dorm-rooms?bffbsoml&utm_term=.ewqBW0Ld9#.ieq3KwVDv

Are You Paying Too Much For Your Phone? If You Live in America, the Answer Might Surprise You

Even cats use phones

. The cellphone is one of the most vital and innovative pieces of technology to ever be invented. It allows people to contact one another across the world, pay for goods, get directions, shop, and do business, all on one small device. For most of us, we have our cellphone’s glue to our hands (people have even developed tools to assist in making the holding of phones less challenging). I got my first real cellphone at sixteen, in China, it was a red flip phone and I loved it to bits. Since that time, I’ve never not owned a cellphone. But unlike many people, I was behind the phone curve.

It is undeniable that cellphones are now an indispensable part of modern life. We can capture every special moment because our phones have camera’s. Entrepreneurs can run a business entirely from their phone. People have made fortunes off of just developing phones apps. Most households in the UK and USA don’t even possess a landline. We just depend on our phones.

Why then, are cellphones and phone plans still so expensive? The technology is all over the globe to support texting, phone calls and data service, it no longer needs to be an exclusive club. But nonetheless, it can still be unaffordable for a lot of people. Some might own the physical phone, but can’t afford to connect it to any sort of phone plan, and are forced to rely on wifi which can be spotty at best. The new version of the IPhone or Samsung Galaxy can cost $1000/£900. The cheapest smart phone (new) is around $100/£90. My Samsung S4 mini (two years ago) cost me $160/£150 (and it was outdated even then). While cellphone’s might be a modern necessity, they are not economical.

How do people cope with the high cost? They get phone plans with a big company, where they pay for the cost of the phone every month, as well as the cost of the use of the phone. A typical phone contract lasts from 1-2 years, and it costs a fortune to end the contract early in America (we are talking hundreds of dollars). It can take people 2 years to pay off the cost of their phone, and at the end of 2 years most phone companies suggest you get a new version, and the cycle starts again.

I choose to always buy my phone outright, and then only pay a month to month usage fee to O2 (a big phone provider in the UK). My phone cost my $160/£140 outright, and I now pay $20/£18 a month for 10 GB of data and unlimited calls+texts. The most I have heard of someone paying in the UK for a phone+ phone use plan per month is roughly $50/£45. The cheapest I’ve seen is around $6. The physical cost of a smartphone in the UK is still high, but operating it is very affordable. In fact, this year legislation passed that required all UK phone companies to stop charging customers for texts or phone calls made in the EU. How awesome is that?! The UK has made having a mobile phone (their words, not mine) not a luxury, but an affordable, inexpensive necessity.

In America, I would $30/£25 a month, for a basic pay as you go plan that had a minuscule amount of data. A friend of mine told me he pays around $60/£55 a month for his plan. I’ve heard of people paying upwards of $150/£145 for an individual plan. The costs can go even higher if you have a data limit that you exceed. Why is America so different from the UK in cellphone costs? One possibility is the sheer size of the USA requires that operating phone’s costs more to cover the whole country. Another reason could be that in the UK there is more competitors on the marketplace, so they try and price one another down. In America, there is about 3 major phone companies that everyone must sign with in order to get decent coverage.

America has gotten many things right. I believe that my homeland has better food, friendlier people, better roads, but we do not have a better cellphone system. The fact is, owning and using an IPhone is cheaper in England. One solution that could be taken is for the US government to intervene and make regulations for cellphone companies that stop them constantly raising rates. The UK government is much more active in their citizens lives (that is partially due to the EU) and it benefits the people more. But, that is a subject for another post. For now, all my American readers, know that you are being robbed by your phone company. Next time they offer you an upgrade, refuse and say that in the UK it’s way cheaper to have unlimited data and calling!

How To Become Homeless With Cash In Your Pocket

Several weeks ago, I wrote about the new housing crisis in the UK. Too many people, not enough houses. I discussed my struggles to find a suitable home, as well as the extortionate fee's estate agents were forcing renter's to pay just to get into a house.

Well, things have since gotten worse. I have been told that I must pay between £250-£300 (around $400) reservation fee just to be allowed to submit an application for an apartment. That fee would be non-refundable. I have been told I cannot live somewhere because I am married. I've been rejected because I'm working and because someone deemed that I don't work enough. I've been rejected because I'm not a student.

After multiple phone calls to multiple different agents, I stopped even getting the opportunity to view houses (the only reason I could assume was because they could hear my American accent and they thought a foreigner was a dangerous renter). So, I had my partner start making the calls. We were able to get 3 viewings, but none of them panned out. I have been able to physically see 5 properties, but I would estimate we have likely called at least 10 different agencies, and been told no by every single one.

Why? As I mentioned, some agents only wanted to rent to students or working professionals, but not both. (I work, my partner just submitted a PhD) Some wouldn't allow 6 month leases. But most, decided that we didn't have enough money, without viewing our financials. Agents heard: part-time work + student and assumed that we couldn't afford anything.

How insulting is that? I might only work part-time, but my job at a top university daycare/nursery is extremely well paid. Furthermore, we have a large amount of savings. We have enough cash in pocket to pay for a six month lease up front if we needed to! However, because our money doesn't come in they typical month to month way, agents presumed that meant we had nothing.

image from pixabay.com

All of this means that I have more than enough money to pay for a multi-bedroom house or flat in cash, but no one will rent to me. I've been searching and trying for over a month and I have had every door slammed in my face. My lease on my current room, in a shared house, was up on September 1st. It is now September 10th. My landlord was generous enough to allow us to stay a few extra days. But in layman's terms....

I am homeless. 

The one and only reason I am homeless is because of the British housing market. The estate agents have unlimited, unchecked power, that they choose to abuse by denying homes to people that can afford them, and overcharging fee's to people who can't. Honestly, the British housing system makes me feel physically sick. I can truly say that if I had the $$ in America, I would be able to rent a house despite my work situation. If the cash is present, that's enough for landlord's to go on. After all, who says no to money? Brits do, apparently.

It doesn't surprise me that many people in the UK are forced to rely on social housing. They can't afford the fee's, or their income doesn't meet the over inflated agent requirements, so the only way they get a roof over their head is if the government assists them. Obviously, I can't use social housing in the UK because I'm a foreigner.

That leaves me without a house. Today, all of my belongings were packed into a car by my partner's parents, and taken away to their storage barn. I have 1 suitcase of clothing, my toiletries and nothing else. I don't even have a bed to sleep on. 

All of this is 100% caused by  immoral estate agents who judge without knowing. Estate agents who steal money by charging fee's and demanding cash just to allow people to submit applications for homes.

image from pixabay.com

***Since writing this post I have discovered this article that proves my above theory about racism in the British housing market. UK law requires that landlords/estate agents file extra paperwork to verify that a tenant is in the country legally. As most people don't want to bother with the additional work, they automatically refuse foreigners in favour of Brits to avoid the hassle. I find this practice disgusting and it supports racism.

The #doitcheap way of Seeing Sights You've Never Seen

Pics from my free adventure

You can live your entire life in one place, and there will still be things and places you haven’t seen. That is part of the magic of our earth and its people. People are always building new stores, developing new restaurants, designing new pieces of artwork, creating new parks. It is due to this constant innovation that we can still be surprised in our hometowns.

This is my #doitcheap Freebie Friday advice. If you Google your city, you should find a website run by the council/government of the town. On there you can find all sorts of ideas for things to do. It will list the public parks, all of them, and you probably haven’t visited them all. Or, it will list free concerts that are going on in the parks during the summer (this is extremely common). During the holidays, most cities and town host events that are free to the public. City museums often have free day’s for citizens to visit. Some cities have scavenger hunts or weekend historical tours.

For example, in Birmingham UK they do an art installation every year. Last year it was life size colorfully painted owls scattered across the city. This year it is bear like creatures. I’ve seen many families with maps and on their phones, tracking down every single sculpture and taking pictures with it. It’s a fun day out and you can learn a lot about the city from the walk.

If you are strapped for cash, then going to your local town website will always have ideas for free things to do. This is most true if you live in a big city like London, New York, or Chicago. If you live in a smaller area than you can look for a bigger town or city near you and go to their website. You don’t have to be a citizen of the town to enjoy most of the free activities. I visited a town in Missouri that has free Santa visits for all kids, and free horse drawn carriage rides.

You can always find a free way to entertain yourself. It just requires a bit of effort and some research. Go forth and explore you hometown! Find new things you haven’t seen, and tell me about it!

Some free stuff going on

London, England: The Singing Elevator at Royal Festival Hall

http://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/budget-london/101-free-things-to-do-in-london

Paris, France: Open Air Cinema at The Gardens of Villette

https://en.parisinfo.com/discovering-paris/themed-guides/paris-for-free/calendar-of-free-events-in-paris/Calendar-of-free-events-in-Paris

St. Louis, Missouri: A Century of Japanese Prints

https://www.riverfronttimes.com/stlouis/EventSearch

Free 5 Day Fitness Challenge: It's So Good, I Did It Twice

I'm feeling pretty damn good!

The main benefit I can see from joining an online or gym fitness program, is having different routines every day that are designed to help you lose weight or build muscle. The fitness instructors design the workouts to maximize results, time and alternate the muscle groups you work. However, this benefit isn’t great enough to convince me to part with my hard-earned money to get access to the fitness plan. Luckily there is a solution. Many Youtube fitness profiles have short challenges that demonstrate the benefits of joining their program. I’ve done a 21-day challenge with Popsugarfitness and two separate 5 day challenges with Fitness Blender. Today, I’ll be giving you a review of one of these challenges and the results I got.

Youtube Profile: Fitness Blender

Video’s: Fitness Blender 5 Day Challenge to Get Strong and Lean

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn8Elmw16ZU

Day 1: Oh my God this was by far the hardest day for me! I’ve done many of the longer Fitness Blender workouts before, but they never cease to amaze me with how much hard work they can fit into such a short period of time. All 5 days start off with a light warm up, and finish with a cool down stretch. This routine began with 15 minutes of HIIT (high intensity interval training, and they mean it when they say high intensity). It was so hard, I wanted to be done with my work out after just the first 15 minutes! But, I wasn’t, because after that came the strength training portion that focused on lower body. To be prepared, try and have various amounts of weights on hand. When you start off with a move, you can start with the heaviest weight, and as you do more reps, drop down to lighter and lighter weights.

Favorite Move: Y’all know I love me some squats. So, my favorite move was the ten second drop squat. To do this, hold your weights and slowly, ever so slowly, lower yourself down into a full squat (over ten seconds just to get to the bottom of the squat). Then, take another ten seconds to get back up to standing. Sounds easy, but it isn’t.

Hardest Move: By far the hardest move for me was the single leg dead lift. It could be because it was the first move of the strength training portion and my mind wasn’t ready to lift yet. But, I think it is because I wanted to lift a high weight to really work my hamstrings, but I couldn’t lift the heavy weight and balance totally on one foot. Instead, I choose to have my not lifting leg resting just barely on the ground, so I could stay with the heavy weight.

Day 2: I was so sore after Day 1! Which is why it was great that Fitness Blender took this into consideration and did an easier upper body strength and cardio routine. Overall, I found Day 2 the easiest, despite my tired muscles. The cardio was only 1 move per round, and that meant I could really focus on burning myself out during those moves. I enjoyed that it was entirely upper body focused as well, it meant my sore muscles didn’t get any worse. But don’t be fooled, because after all the weighted moves, there is a cardio & upper body burnout round that will leave you exhausted in a heap on the floor. I didn’t know how challenging the burnout would be, so I didn’t save enough energy from the earlier section of the routine to give my all to this part. 

Favorite Move: The side pullover. I’ve probably done hundreds of different exercise routines, and this was the first time I have come across this move. Laying on your right side, with your left arm holding a weight you lower your arm over your head, then pull it back to a vertical position. I liked this move because I got to lie down (lazy I know) and because it took effort to hold the form correctly. If I got sloppy, I could feel my shoulder blade want to pop out awkwardly. The side pullover is still new to me, so I had to use the lightest weights I owned to complete it.

Hardest Move: The traditional overhead press. I used a heavier weight for this, because they recommend using a weight that is heavy enough to almost make you can drop it by the last few reps. This move isn’t hard mentally, but by using a heavy weight I was really grunting to push the dumbbells over my head.

Day 3: This is the second hardest day! The video is called a Brutal HIIT Cardio and Abs workout for a reason. It really will use up all your energy just to complete. I was tired after only the first round of HIIT, and the video just kept going. I honestly thought it would never end. The last part of the routine is a Pilates burnout, which will just destroy whatever energy you have left if you concentrate on each move. IF you don’t focus, then the moves get sloppy and don’t use your muscles enough to tire you out.

Favorite Move: I loved all the abs moves because I like to work that part of my body a lot. The best one was the double leg pull scissor kick. To do this, you lay on your back and scissor your legs. Sounds simple, but as you pull one leg towards your chest, you grab it and stretch it towards you twice. It is kind of like a leg pulse, that really burned out my lower abs. I loved it.

Hardest Move: Um…if I am being totally honest, all the HIIT moves were hard for me. I think it was because this was Day 3, I was still worn out from Day 1&2. If I had to pick a move that I just really struggled with, it would probably be the back bows. Back bow moves are either hit or miss for me. Some day’s I can do them really well, other day’s I am completely useless at them.

Day 4: I think this was supposed to be a bit of an easier day after Day 3, but it wasn’t. Day 4 was another upper body strength training cardio routine. But instead of 1 cardio move per group, it was two moves, done twice through. I both loved and hated it. I was panting the entire time, despite having arm moves as a mini rest between the cardio. There is also a yoga burnout after the cardio/strength portion. However, unlike the other burnout rounds, this one was more calm and relaxing. I didn’t feel like Fitness Blender was trying to demolish my muscles at the end. 

Favorite Move: When it comes to upper body moves, I love anything to do with triceps. Unfortunately, I’m struggling between dumbbell weight levels right now, so I either have to do 3 reps with super heavy weights then drop to really light weights, or use the light weights but not burn my triceps out. My favorite tricep move was the lying down triceps pullover. Not only because it was lying down (and I love to lay during a workout) but because I stretch my arms overhead with a weight and I can feel a stretch in my tricep as I lower the weight to the ground. The stretch tells me I am working the muscle.

Hardest Move: If you are a frequent reader of my fitness reviews, you know that I loathe lunges. They are hard on my knees, and I always struggle to balance my weight between both legs. So, I really disliked the 3-2-1 lunge. You start off in the top of a lunge postion, then drop in three levels down to a full lunge. It doesn’t stop there, you then (to do the hardest version) have to jump and switch legs to the other side to repeat. It was the jump between lunges that I found most difficult. Jumping from the bottom of a full lunge is no easy feat.

Day 5: I started this day thinking, YAY!!!! I am almost done. However, just because it is the last day doesn’t mean Fitness Blender went easy on me. Far from it. They decided to throw in one last round of HIIT, and most of the moves were extremely challenging. Then, we went on to do a strength training round that focused on the butt and thighs, yet again!! My legs started off sore after Day 1 and will end sore after Day 5. That being said, it is very satisfying to complete the full 5 days. There isn’t a burnout round on Day 5, so I devoted all my energy into the HIIT and strength potions.

Favorite Move: I enjoy a good dead lift. It is the move that I can feel my hamstrings and butt working the most, which is why I like to do it. This routine had 4 (that is right, 4!) variations on the deadlift. There was; single leg, toes pointed in, toes pointed out, and finally a traditional dead lift just to really finish the hamstrings off. I loved every rep of it!

Hardest Move: Surprise, surprise, the hardest move for me was a lunge. This time it was a reverse lunge (holding weights) and doing a knee as you pull up from the lunge. Lifting the knee wasn’t hard, but pushing myself up, using mostly one leg sure was. I felt my quads shaking as I finished the last round of these lunges.

Overall, I loved this 5-day routine. In fact, I enjoyed doing it so much that I did it in a two-week period! Everyday provided me with something different and there was almost always a move I hadn’t done before. I also liked that because there were two trainers, they demonstrated an easy and hard version of each move. That meant on the days I was super tired, I could downgrade in difficulty but still get a workout. I swear I could feel a physical difference in how my clothes fit after I did the first round of this 5-day challenge. My leggings were looser, and my boots were looser on my calves. In round two, I could feel that for the cardio/HIIT portions, I had more endurance. Cardio has always been a problem area for me, because I hate feeling out of breath. But, with Fitness Blender I have really made improvements! If you have the time to devote roughly an hour a day to working out, and you are looking for a challenge, try this routine! Was it better than just picking random free routines off Youtube, did you hate that there was so much structure? Let me know!!

The Middle Class Revenge: Stealing from the Poor and Robbing from the Rich

I am in the midst of moving out of my current home. It's a shared house with 8 roommates, 2 bathrooms and no working oven! I want to move into a more reasonable 1-2 bed flat/house that I will only be sharing it with my partner. Now, we have all experienced the renting struggle before. It is like play the lottery, trying to find the right size home, in a good area, for the right price. You might get one winning number on your ticket, but you can rarely get them all right.

I don’t think my home wish list is unreasonable, it needs to be within 10-15 minutes (by bike) from my work, for less than a £1000/$1,250 a month in a decent area. My standards aren’t too high, right now I live in a mold infested student house, so pretty much anything is a step up. I’ve come across several homes or apartments that I like, and are in my price range. So, I’ll get excited until I google search the estate agency.

An estate agency in the UK is similar to a real estate agent in the USA. They manage the houses for the owners, deal with contracts, references, collecting rent, and fixing any broken things within the property. However, a UK estate agent and a USA real estate agent differ in one major way. In America, when it comes to renting, you need to be able to afford to pay 1 month’s rent + 1 month’s rent as a deposit up front. That amount by itself can be a lot of money, especially if you live paycheck to paycheck the way I tend to.  I liked a maisonette (it is basically an apartment but there are only two floors) that cost £470/$500 per month. If I was in America, I would have to pay the £470/$500 as a deposit and an additional £470/$500 at the same time to cover the first month’s rent. That is £940/$990. More than one of my monthly paychecks. That cost alone is high, but that is the amount I would pay if I were renting in the USA. In the UK, estate agents operate differently.

In the UK, estate agency’s are robbing renters and landlords blind. They are getting away with charging extra fee’s to the renter as well as charging the landlord a percentage of their rent income and various fees for managing the property. It is insane (and immoral if you ask me). The same maisonette I mentioned before, it could cost me £940/$990 in the USA. After I viewed the property, the UK estate agent gave me a break down of all the money I would have to pay.

image from pixabay.com

£470 first month rent+ £470 deposit + £250 reservation fee (that would contribute towards my deposit if I was actually approved to live there) + £350 referencing fee for myself and my partner+ £100 contract fee (just to sign a piece of paper)= £1300 to move into a poorly cared for maisonette.

 Most of that money would be going not to the owner of the property, but the estate agent! The cherry on top of all these fee’s is that, to be allowed to move out of the property, I would have to pay the estate agent an additional £120 (even if I left the place clean and with no damage)!

In theory, I can afford these fee’s using a substantial amount of my partners savings and one entire month’s paycheck. But, why should I? These agencies are literally stealing money from people who probably cannot afford it. There is a reason that so many people are on a waiting list to council housing (it is like section 8 but more widely available). Who can afford to pay £1300 just to move into a place? That specific maisonette was not furnished, and had no refrigerator or washer. To live there anyone would probably have to add an additional £500 in furniture and moving expenses. Very few people can pay that amount up front. (It is crucial that I point out that the £470 per month maisonette is one of the cheapest options I have seen on the market) Most people barely save anything month to month, so how could they ever afford to save enough to move.

Where does that leave people? Either they must take a loan out just to move into a new property (that will cost them in interest later on), borrow money from family (embarrassing), apply to live in a council house (that is paid for by the state but has a long waiting list), suffer in an inadequate home, literally become homeless, or risk it with a private landlord.

image taken from pixabay.com

 Private renting is common in the USA. My parents rent out two of our properties, both privately. Their renters have never been concerned about being cheated by their landlord, in the USA the landlord is more concerned about being cheated by the tenant. In the UK however, private renting is much rarer and therefore riskier. I’m open to the idea because I am American and because I can’t in good conscious pay the fees to estate agents who do nothing but paperwork. But it comes with the chance of having my deposit stolen, or getting a contract that is less secure for me.

Overall, the renting situation in the UK is horrific. Sadly, because there is a housing shortage, most people will never be able to escape the renting cycle because they can’t afford a home, or there are none available to purchase. Therefore, estate agents get away with basically stealing from people, they understand that a majority of the population have no choice but to find a way to pay their incredible fees. And a majority of landlords don’t have the skills to personally manage their properties, so they have to pay the estate agent as well.

I usually think that the way the UK system is designed is better than America (for example healthcare and unemployment support). However, the way that renting is operated in the UK is immoral and evil. It allows the middle-class estate agents to feed off the lower class/poor renters and the upper-class landlords. This is one exception to my belief that Britain operates better. When it comes to the housing market and renting, the USA beats UK completely. 

#doitcheap Fitness Review: Cheap but Big Booty Builder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bThr0uD0b9s&t=1s

Host: Vicky Justiz

Video: Exercises For a Rounder Butt!

Exercise Type: Booty, Booty, Booty!!! I thought it was about time I reviewed some of my go-to booty videos. My butt is probably the part of my body that I have worked hardest for. One day I just decided I wanted a big ol’ booty to match the big boobs I was born with, and it literally grew from there. In this video these exercises are all designed to build up your side butt, the muscles that we tend to forget about most.

Review: I am always coming back to this routine! It only takes 5 minutes but if you focus in on your body and really put in the effort, your ass will be sore by the end, I promise! I will usually do it at the end of my workout, after I’ve done like some abs, or a HIIT round, just to really burn out the glute muscle. Personally, I don’t find the moves as demonstrated quite hard enough. If you are just starting out on your bigger butt journey, than stick to the moves as they are done in the video. However, if you squat a lot (like me!) and you have stronger muscles already, then I suggest you take it up a notch! I like to add a clingy band to most of these moves, because they increase the resistance and therefore work my butt more. You could also add weights to your ankles to up the ante, or hold weights in your hands for the side to side squat step to work it more. I don’t have much to say about this trainer. She doesn’t get on my nerves, but she isn’t very inspiring. However, it is only a 5 minute video so you shouldn’t need a lot of encouragement to push through.

Favorite Move: It is so hard for me to choose a favorite! I love the first half of the moves, and only like the second half. If I have to pick just one, I would say the side-to-side squat step is the best. To do this move you squat down as low as you can, then step one foot out and bring the other one to follow, then repeat on the opposite side. It’s ok if you can’t get too low at first, because it requires a lot of quad strength to hold the squat and do the step at the same time. I do add a resistance band to this one, and I swear you can physically see the muscle strain.

Hardest Move: I wouldn’t say any of these moves are super hard, it is all about what you make of them. If you use a band or add weights or even just move slowly to control your muscle’s, then the hardest move would be the squat with a side leg raise. This move requires balance and focus to make sure you don’t just swing your leg around like a piece of rope. If you do that it won’t benefit your side butt. You want to make sure to squeeze your butt as you pull your leg to the side. Like I have said before, the more you focus into your butt muscles the more you will feel this routine.

Rating: 10/10. There is nothing wrong with this video. The moves are straight forward, and not too complicated. The trainer doesn’t talk too much, and I didn’t swear at all! The best aspect of this video is that the difficultly level is really left up to you. If you are just beginning than you can follow the trainer exactly. If you want to make it harder than there are options for that. I think that you could even do this video as a circuit and repeat it twice through to get an edid you see the joke I made there, it was puntastic) 

ven better workout. If you only have 5 minutes between getting home, and making dinner, then you can do this workout! You don’t need to be in fitness gear, this could be done in jeans, and that might even make it harder. Seriously, I swear this video has helped me get my butt and that is probably one of my most noticeable assets. (

Friday Freebie: Can You Hunt Your Way to Free Entertainment and Fitness?

Remember going on scavenger hunts as a kid? I always found them one of the best, most challenging games. For those of you who don't know, a scavenger hunt is a game where you find clues, and each clue leads you to a location with another clue. This continues on until you reach your final destination. At the end of the hunt, after the last clue, children usually find a present or some sort of reward.

Well Geocaching is like a scavenger hunt for adults (but kids can play too, and they love it!). In order to participate in geocaching all you need is GPS (which most of us have on our phones). I've listed geocaching websites below. You find a geocache in your area, then find it! The geocache location is written in a latitude longitude form, and you use your GPS to find your way to the precise spot. Once you have found the spot, you can log it in your geocache journal or list, and you will usually find a box or container at the spot. Inside are small trinkets left by other geocachers. You can bring your own and swap them out! Or some locations have books where you can sign and leave a message like a guest log at a wedding.

Geocaching was really popular in the mid-2000's, but you don't hear about it much anymore. There are geocache locations all over the world and its a great way to explore new and old places. Once you get the hang of finding geocache's, you can even make your own! All you have to do is log it, and leave a box or something to mark the spot. You can find geocache's in most US and UK national parks/trusts.

Geocaching is a great way to make going to the park new and exciting. It can seem boring to kids to just get in the car and drive to some woods to walk around, but if you give them a goal, and a purpose they are much more likely to enjoy it. Children's groups like Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts do geocaching to work on outdoor skills and team bonding.

 An added bonus to geocaching is it is great exercise! If you are like me, going on the same boring walk every Saturday gets dull. But doing a geocache to all the parks in your area makes you weekend exercise fun and free! Scientists recently said that doing aerobic exercises like walking are the most beneficial for losing weight and promoting good heart health.




Links to Geocache Websites

http://geocaching.co.uk/

https://www.geocaching.com/play

https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getoutside/guides/beginners-guide-to-geocaching/

Challenging Stereotypes: The Million Pound Smile

Image from pixabay.com

Every country, every region, and every type of person has stereotypes. We all know that, and most of us try to ignore the stereotypes we hear, and just view people for who they are. That being said, I have heard several stereotypes about Americans and Brits. The most common one in the USA is, that all British people have terrible teeth.

Now, I don't know how this stereotype got started. Maybe it was just a jealous American thing viewing Britain as this well-to-do monarchy. Maybe it started because some rude American's happened to meet several Brits who happened to all have bad teeth. I don't know how it started, and it we probably never will know. But, nonetheless, it exists. All of my English friends were shocked when I told them that this, their bad teeth, was the most prevalent stereotype of the UK that we have in America. 

My teeth aren't perfect but I still smile

It isn't true. British people don't universally all have bad teeth. There is are many differences between British and American dentistry however. For example, the NHS (National Health Service) subsidises dentistry so it is very affordable for citizens to have their teeth regularly checked, and any procedures done. But, there is actually a very large private sector of dentists (this is the biggest sector of private medicine that I have seen in the UK). 

Overall, NHS and private dentists in the UK don't suggest dental treatments unless they are absolutely necessary. So, less teenagers get braces than in the US. That might be one cause of the stereotype, there are more British with slightly crooked teeth. I don't view that as a bad thing, I think in the US dentists are far to willing to subject people to braces who don't absolutely need them (because it makes them a ton of money). Furthermore, I think American's might be slightly more vain about their smiles, so they are more willing to have work done. Where as in the UK, people accept that teeth are teeth, and they don't have to be flawless to make you a worthwhile person. 

Image from pixabay.com

Another difference is that in the UK, they don't remove wisdom teeth. I was very shocked by this because I deliberately had my wisdom teeth removed before I came to England, so I wouldn't have to deal with the hassle of them while abroad. I also had them taken out because my jaw had no space for more teeth. But, among my acquaintances, I am the only one who had them removed. Most dentists in the UK view it as an unnecessary removal, because they don't really cause any damage or pain. My partner still has his because he had several teeth taken out as a child, so his jaw has room for them to grow in.

Teeth don't matter as long as you smile

Stereotype: In the UK all people have bad, ugly teeth.

Result: False. The UK does treat dentistry differently than in America, but that doesn't result in an abnormal amount of unfortunate mouth situations.

Donald Trumped The Troops

image taken from pixabay.com

Trump really put his foot into it this week, in more ways than one. But, it ceases to surprise me all the different ways he manages to make an embarrassment of himself and my country. In this week’s news and tweets (because for Trump, tweets are the best way to let the country know where things stand, not via a verified well drafted press release) Trump has announced that he plans to ban trans-gendered/transsexual people from the military. This brings up several very important questions.

Can he do this?

No. People assume that the Presidents word is law when it comes to the military, because he is technically the Commander in Chief. But it isn’t! The President can declare war, and send troops to a location, but only for a limited amount of time before the decision has to be approved by Congress. Most other military decisions require more than just the President’s say so. Therefore, what Trump says has no bearing on what will actually happen. It only causes uproar.

Why would Trump want to do this?

I don’t have an answer to this question. I wish I did, but I rarely can understand the logic behind Trump’s political decisions. It appears to me that he follows the shock and scare tactic of media management. Meaning he likes uses shocking statements and policies to surprise his citizens, and maybe even scare some of them into obeying. I truly believe that in Trumps mind, the only way for him to remain President is to continuously Tweet scandalous, ludicrous things to keep attention on him. Without social media, Trump would be nothing.

What will the military do?

image taken from pixabay.com

A quick look at the American military. It allows men and women to fight in active combat. It allows openly gay people to fight. It allows 18 year old’s, fresh out of high school to fight. Basically, the US military will take anyone willing to participate. The American military is what made the USA a super power in the world. It helped win WW2, and has been involved in conflicts on almost every major landmass on earth. Ask any foreigner, America and military might are synonymous with each other. (Although a lot of foreigners don’t view that in a good way, many think that Americans are too violent) 

The American military won’t be able to stay as strong as it currently is if Trump’s decision to oust trans-gendered/transsexuals from the ranks is actually put into law. It won’t only remove that specific group of people, but liberals within the military might leave out of protest. New recruits probably will think twice before signing up to join an group that will remove it’s own members as soon as an overly tan, under qualified Trump says so. To follow Trumps lead on this issue would cost the military dearly. And I don't think the military has the cash or credit to pay that bill. 

Bottom Line

 Like with many of the ridiculous tweets and things Trump says, this to will result in nothing. The scandal this would cause the military isn't worth saving a few penny's on the medical treatment for its trans-gendered/transsexual personnel. Trump is like the mean girl in high school, he needs  headlines and gossip to keep him relevant. 

Friday Freebie: Don't Be Afraid To Get Mean To #doitcheap

I’m sure we are all familiar with the phrase “Nice people finish last”. Now, I don’t think that’s always true, as I made clear in last post. You can get free stuff by being kind and helpful. But sometimes, to get things for free or at a discount, you have to get mean.

image from pixabay.com

Have you ever ordered a meal at a restaurant, and they got things wrong? Your food was undercooked, overcooked, or you got the complete wrong thing? You could just accept that, and eat it anyway. But, if it is at a chain restaurant (like Frankie & Benny’s, Chili’s, etc.), you can probably get something for free out of it. You can have your meal completely paid for, or get the drinks for the table covered. It doesn’t have to be limited to your food being messed up either. I once went to a restaurant, and it took 30 minutes to bring us drinks, and over an hour to take our food order. Needless to say, we  got some stuff for free that night. The biggest issue I believe people (especially Brits) have, is that they are afraid to ask. Don’t be afraid to ask, or even demand, that a restaurant gives you a discount or free stuff if they messed up. Trust me, they would rather give you a free burger and have you come back again, than lose you forever as a customer. Besides, what’s the worst that can happen? They say no if you ask for it to be comped?

Other times, it isn’t as easy as saying, you messed up my salad, can you give me a free soda. Sometimes, you should get really angry. This works best when you are dealing with online booking situations. If you book a rental car, and you turn up and they give you a smaller car than you ordered, you can demand a discount. They might try to say no at first, but they will eventually give in. (This rental car situation has happened to me, instead of a discount, I got a free upgrade to an even bigger car!). You can also do this with hotels as well. If your room isn't cleaned, or you got a smoking room when you requested non-smoking, then ask for money back!You just have to stand your ground.

image from pixabay.com

If your flight is late, and you miss a connection, then that is definitely grounds to get something out of the airlines. My plane was late into Las Vegas, and I missed the last flight out to Seattle. I had to spend the night in the Vegas airport. So, the airline gave me free first-class seats, and food vouchers to places in the airport. (In a similar situation, an airline put me up for free in a hotel). Another time, an airline charged me twice for a ticket. After calling them, demanding to speak to a manager, then lodging a formal complaint, I got $150 in gift cards to the airline. Airlines and airports are an ideal place to get seat upgrades, free food, free hotels, and some extra air miles.

The key in all those situations, was not taking no for an answer. Companies will always try to just apologize and then brush you to the side if they mess up. Some people will accept that and just complain quietly to their friends. But, I never accept it. I know that companies have budgets set aside to manage screw ups, and employees have a certain amount of leeway to give upgrades, discounts etc. So, if a company messes up, I make them give me things. If they say no at first, I ask to speak to their boss. If they say no, I threaten to write a bad review for them online. (A bad review can mean a lot of lost business for a company, especially if there is a good human-interest story attached to it). Usually, after I refuse to back down, I get stuff for free. And I never feel guilty or like a bully. The companies messed up, they need to correct their error. Plus, I’m poor so I never feel bad about getting something for free.