Is Kayla Itsines BBG a SCAM?

YES AND  NO

The program and my experience

For those of you who don't know Kayla Itsines Bikini Body Guide is a 12 week program. The first 4 weeks is 3 sessions of each resistance training and low intensity cardio, weeks 5-8 are 3 session of resistance training and 5 sessions of cardio. The last 4 weeks are 4 sessions of resistance training, 3 sessions of low intensity cardio and 2 high intensity cardio.
I am concluding week 4 of the program at the moment and have seen a slight difference in my body but quite a drastic difference in the overall strength of my body which is more so one of my goals. Being some one who runs frequently the cardio days have been more of a rest for me as they are only 35-45 minutes trying to reach a distance of just over 4 kilometers. That had been quite easy but I've been sticking to the recommendations to avoid over exercising.
The resistance training is 28 minutes of 4 x 7 minutes circuits. I really enjoy these workouts as they are quite challenging but not to challenging that i feel as though they are impossible. Everyone knows their own limits and you always have the option to stop and catch your breath.

The Food Guide

COMPLETE DISASTER!
DO NOT FOLLOW THE DIET GUIDE.
It recommends 1600 calories a day. This is the recommended intake for a 9 year old girl! For me doing that amount of exercise it is recommenced that i consumes 2297 calories a day even though in reality i eat closer to 300 calories because i am eating a low fat high carb plant based diet I have to consume a lot more to give me energy throughout the day and to help me with those intense exercises. The food is also not nutritious, she suggests protein based meals. Protein is important for the body but if you are consuming mostly protein your body will have to use that as energy towards the exercise when i should be using the carbohydrates. Carbs should not be feared! Especially complex carbs like sweet potatoes and brown rice which should make up the majority of your diet.

The Price

You can buy the guides online or subscribe to the Sweat app. Both the books are $70 or sold as a bundle for $120. The Sweat app is $4.61 a week or $55 for 3 months. I would recommend trying the sweat app for the one week free trial to see if the exercises and what you like to do because if you're not enjoying them you won't be committed. The programs are very useful but i think you can find very similar ones for free or much cheaper prices. You can even come up with some loosely based on hers once you've been doing them for a few weeks. It all depends how much spare cash you have. I do admit her exercise program is well tested and a productive use of time and energy. But her diet guide is a scam you will only put the weight back on and be at risk of  malnutrition.  

Be careful and look out for your body. You already have a beautiful body and health always comes before appearance. Take pride in the care you take for yourself

Em xx

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake

Ingredients:

3 tbsp plain flour

1-2 tbsp cocoa powder

2 tbsp sugar, or agave syrup (whatever sweeter you prefer)

2 tbsp small dark chocolate chips or vegan chocolate finely chopped

1/4 tsp baking powder

3 tbsp water (you can use almond milk or coconut milk)

1 tbsp oil

1-2 tsp peanut butter or almond butter (almond and chia seed butter is really good)

Method:

1. Combine dry ingredients in the a large mug. 

2. Add water and oil, whisk to combine.

3. Place peanut butter on top.

4. Microwave for 1 minute, check consistency, and depending on how cooked it is microwave for another 30 seconds. You may even have to do another 20 seconds, all microwave are different. For me 1 min 20 secs is best.

It's so delicious and so easy. 

If you want to make it a bit healthier, leave out the sugar and half the chocolate chips. It will still taste very good. Remember it's a treat so don't have this every night but every now and then is good. 

Em xx

Rocket and Tomato Vegan Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

A bowl full of pasta

approx 2-3 tbsp of sundried tomatoes or roasted capsicums, chopped

approx 2 tbsp of kalamata olives, chopped

approx 8 cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 - 1 cup of snow peas, chopped.

approx 1 1/2 cups of rocket, or spinach

1/2 an avocado, chopped

2 tbsp fresh basil, sliced

1 tbsp fresh parsley, sliced

1/2 lemon juiced

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well, top with freshly cracked pepper

2. Yum

Perfect for lunch on the go.

You can make this up in advance and then add in the tomatoes, rocket and snow peas. 

Hope you like it.

(sorry there are no pictures, may upload some when i make this again.)

Em xx

Sweet Potato Mash and Tofu

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato

2 tbsp currants

2 tbsp coconut milk

2 tsp nutritional yeast

2 servings of tofu

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 basil leaves, sliced

Method:

1. Cook the sweet potato in the oven on 180 degrees for an hour, without oil.

2. Peel off the skin and place flesh in a medium bowl.

3. Mash and stir with a fork until slightly fluffy.

4. Add coconut milk, currants and nutritional yeast, and mix.

5. Place in the serving bowl.

6. Heat the tofu, however you prefer. I lightly fry it in some oil. Then place on top of sweet potato.

7. Top with soy sauce and basil.

(sorry there are no pictures of the final food, it was too good.)

Em xx

Vegan Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

1 Onion
2 carrots or 30 grams mushrooms
4 cabbage leaves
30 grams soy sprouts or 30 grams firm tofu
1 capsicum or 4 snow peas
2 tablespoons soy sauce
8 sheets spring roll pastry - you can use wonton wrappers if that is all you have, they're just smaller
Sweet and sour sauce

Method:

1. Julienne vegetables and tofu, use whatever combination of these ingredients you like     depending on what you have (cabbage is a must). 
2. Cook vegetables and tofu (except for the snow peas) with the oil and soy sauce on medium heat for 5 minutes. 
3.Make the spring rolls, following this picture, using water. 
    use a tablespoon of the mixture in each.

4. Heat enough oil in a pan, and deep fry each side for approximately a minute, or until it bubbles. 
5. Dry off on paper towel
6. Eat hot served with sweet and sour sauce. 

Em xx

10 Minute Abb Workout

I normal do this every morning, and  think that it's really helpful, and wakes me up well in the morning as well.

40  Basic crunches
40  Right oblique crunches
40  Left oblique crunches
40  Bicycle crunches
30  Reverse crunches
20  Long arm crunches
30  Crossover crunches
20  Half curls
20  Vertical leg crunches
30  seconds of plank

Alternatively you could do each of these exercises for about 40 seconds with a 5 second break in between exercises, 

Give it a go, and let me know how it goes. 

Em xx

TV Shows To Watch

Here's a list of some tv shows that I watch and have watched a few episodes of, in case you're bored and want to check some out. Really good for teenage girls :)

1. Arrow
2. 2 broke girls
3. New girl
3. Nikita
4. Awkward
5. Faking it
6. Burn notice
7. Young and hungry
8. Modern family
9. The office
10. Orange is the new black
11. Chuck
12. Archer
13. It's always sunny in Philadelphia
14. Don't trust the b in apartment 23
15. Finding Carter
16. Friends
17. How I met your mother
18. Game of thrones
19. Happyland
20. Parks and recreation
21. Revenge
22. Suburgatory
23. The Carrie diaries
24. Shameless
25. Love
26. Freaks and geeks
27. Weeds
28. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
29. Daredevil
30. Prison break
31. Jessica jones

Yes, that was a lot. I do watch a lot of tv and often get bored after watching them for a while watch another show. Hope this helps a few people and if you have any suggestions for me please let me know. 

Em xx