Tradition and eating habits worldwide

I've always be curious of the nutrition and health habits in different countries. This may be from recognising them when going away on holiday, but from this i'd like to identify these habits and traditions, looking at the effects they have on the population.

Let's start with France...

One thing that the french are known for is drinking wine. Red wine is actually healthy for the heart and although shouldn't be consumed in high quantities, it does help prevent heart disease as it increases levels of the good cholesterol. So, the fact that they enjoy a few glasses of wine with their lunch most days is a habit which is surprisingly going to fall in their favour.

Compared to us in Britain, the french take time out of their day to sit down and enjoy a sociable, long and more nutritious lunch. Even shopkeepers will close up for a few hours to do this. French women are stereotypically seen as being skinny and healthy, and this is probably due to the fact that snacking is less likely to occur because of the time taken out to enjoy a meal- which is different to Britain where we often have lunch on the go which may only result in a small sandwich.

And then there's Spain...

The Spanish take siesta's in the afternoon which involve a few hours of sleep and rest mid-day. This usually occurs when the sun is at it's hottest. The spanish tend to eat dinner rather late- around 9.30pm - which would be the most comfortable time to eat as it is cooler then. However, research has shown that eating too late is not good because the stomach is still working to digest lots of food which can cause a sleepless and uncomfortable night.

The spanish have a Mediterranean diet which consists of lots of vegetables, lentils and fresh herbs. As well as eating lots of fish and lean meats which is more nutritious than heavier red meats.

The Japanese...

In Japan, the diet consists of a low amount of saturated fats and high amounts of fibre and vitamins. Examples include sushi which consists of seaweed and tofu being high in iodine and protein, and the rice which is filling.

Compared to other countries, Japanese people consume less dairy, milk and butter which is potentially one of the reasons behind the extremely low obesity rate. They drink lots of green tea which is full of nutrients and antioxidants, so improves brain function and helps with fat loss.





I personally like the idea of the French's long and sociable lunches as well as their consumption of red wine as a casual matter. I love sleep - especially naps during the day - so the Spanish tradition of taking a siesta would be enjoyed immensely. How about you? What tradition or variety of food from different countries would you enjoy?

1 month to goooo!!!

In around a month time, we will be flying out on our adventure across the world... and I'm very excited to say the least. I cannot believe it has come around this quickly and that we have managed to save the money needed to have as much fun as possible. Although saving has been extremely difficult, I'd like to give a few tips that have made saving money this summer a little easier...

— Book flights in advanced as well as keeping an eye on them so that you can get the cheapest option.

— When it comes to shopping (particularly girls), only try to buy items which may be in use when you go away and think will they be used when you come back.

— Cancel any memberships such as leisure centre ones if they are not being used to there fullest.

— Reduce nights out...or try to pre drink lots and only take a limited amount of cash with you.

— Don't constantly eat out or buy lunch when at work, instead make some from home..this definitely saves you money in the long run.

— And finally... work bloody hard to earn as much as possible, because it is all worth it in the end when you are lying on a beach in Bali :)

Stand up paddle boarding: fitness benefits

The first time I tried stand-up paddle boarding was at a college fun watersports competition. I was entered for the stand up paddle race, even though I had never set foot on one before. However, it sounded like something I would definitely be up for as I have enjoyed surfing from a young age. I did quite well and wanted to keep doing it. Last year, my mum got the memo and I was very lucky to be given a stand up paddle board (SUP) for my birthday. This watersport has become quite popular, particularly within the summer season. This is probably because of how fun it can be as well as it becoming a fitness craze.

It is possible to use a SUP board to surf as well as paddling longer distances and going on little adventures along coastlines. I enjoy long paddles and since discovering that it has lots of positive effects on fitness whilst being super fun, I seem to replace a run for a paddle in the sun quite often. These are some fitness benefits which stand up paddle boarding has on your body:

◆ Gives a full body workout due to the fact that the legs and core muscles are being used for balance whilst the upper body is using strength and endurance to paddle the board and create movement. 

◆ Helps improve balance as this sport consists you standing upright whilst moving through water — if you have lack of balance then you may find yourself in the water a lot, however get back up and keep trying!

◆ Improves cardiovascular endurance if carried out a lot and for a long period of time. This is because it does increase heart rate if you push yourself to go further and faster.

◆ Tones core muscles such as the abdominals and glutes from the tensing motion, which is carried out for balance and movement of the board — so girls, if you are looking for a fun activity, which will also gain you that awesome toned butt and abs then this is the sport for you.

◆ It reduces any stress which has been built up because of the endorphins being released like in all physical activities, but as well as the fact that you are somewhat gliding through water with no other worries at that present time. 

July: Favourite fitness session of the month

So I have decided to share with you my favourite fitness session of the month, every month. I hope it will give you ideas of sessions to carry out in your own back garden and with the minimal equipment necessary. 

This month's fitness session is a circuit of different exercises using dumbbells, kettlebells, skipping rope and your own body weight. Here it is…

Burpees with dumbbell row / Holding dumbbells in your hands, carry out a burpee (shown below). Then when getting to standing position carry out a dumbbell row. To do this, bend your knees slightly, push your bottom out, reach down to your knees with the dumbells and pull them up to your hips. Once carried out five rows, go back to do a burpee again.

Kettlebell swings / Hold the kettlebell with two hands and get into the starting position for a regular squat. Squating down, swing the weight through your legs and then extending your legs swing it up in front of you. Make sure to keep your arms straight but not locked. Repeat this action using your legs to drive the movement of the weight. 

Halo with kettle bell / Holding the kettlebell with two hands, raise it above your head making sure your body is balanced and upright. Rotate the weight around your head so that it goes across your face and then behind the back of your head — in a halo like motion.

One legged pec fly / Start by standing on one leg with the other reached out behind, leaning your body forward. Then using dumbbells, carry out a pec fly which involves bringing the weights together in front of your body (with a slight bend in elbows) and then separate them taking the weights out to your side, still keeping the elbows slightly bent. Make sure to keep your balance and swap legs regularly.

Skipping / This involves increasing your heart rate by carrying out quick skips. Keep posture good by staying upright with shoulders back and abs tensed.

Kettlebell sit up twists / Sit down with knees bent and hold the kettlebell with both hands. Move the weight from side to side so that it is nearly touching the floor on either side of your body. To make this exercise harder, why not try lifting your feet of the floor and leaning back.

These exercises can be performed for 1 minute each and then moving onto the next one straight away. Repeat this circuit 3-4 times, depending on time limit and personal fitness, having a rest in between circuits. Make sure to stretch properly afterwards to reduce the aching pain the next day. 

Want to increase the intensity of this session?

• increase weight of kettlebells and dumbbells
• increase time of each exercise
• add in a run between circuits
• reduce rest time between each circuit
• simply increase own work pace such as quicker burpees and faster skips

Heschel rucksack / This rucksack is perfect for summer trips out. It has a laptop sleeve as well as comfortable air mesh straps. It is a perfect fit, not too big and not too heavy. 

Rip curl 2mm shortie wetsuit / This summer wetsuit is bright and fun for those sunny days surfing, stand up paddle boarding or just playing in the sea. It is also ideal for warmer countries to surf in as it will provide you with sun protection and keep you from being too hot.  

Ray-ban wayfarers folding classic / I have had this pair for four years now and love the design and functionality. They fold away into a tiny square case, which is around the same size as one lens. Perfect to keep handy even in a small bag.

Green people organic sunscreen / Mainstream sunscreen often contain some nasty substances, alcohol, colorants and artificial perfumes, which is why I picked this organic lotion as a healthier option for your skin.

Breville blend-active family pack / This blender is a great idea for people who are always on the move and love fresh smoothies and juices. Having four bottles in this pack saves you from constantly washing up the bottles. On a perfect summers day, a fresh and cold smoothie is a healthy and refreshing drink to have. 

Roxy sunhat / If sunscreen is becoming tedious to apply constantly, then a sun hat in the high summer is essential to keep the sun out of your face and prevent any nasty sunburns. 

I'd love to hear what you think about my summer essentials and what some of yours are. Here's a little photo of me with my new Rip Curl shortie on before a surf...Enjoy summer everyone!

Back Pain in Surfing

As part of my research investigation subject in college, I have had to work on a project of my choice which relates to sport. So I thought that I would pick something I would enjoy researching. With the help of my Dad who suffers from back pain, I came up with this research question.

Is back pain common in surfers and what is the reason behind it? 

The project started with finding any current research on the subject and surprisingly there was quite a bit out there. It is widely believed that back pain is caused by the prone paddling position, and some believe that it is due to the lack of efficient stretching before and after surfing.

Through creating a questionnaire and getting 30 male surfers to fill it out, I was able to statistically analyse the data to see if there was any relationship between surfing and back pain. I also looked at how many of these surfers stretched before and after surfing and the percentage of these who suffered from back pain. Surfing experience was another factor which jumped out at me and so I decided to make up a graph for this as well.

So what did I discover 8,000 words later...

My final discovery was that the prone paddling position (lying down with shoulders, chest, neck and head arched up) does have an impact on back pain. This conclusion was made rather clear because of the percentage of surfers who paddle in this position who suffer from back pain. Another discovery was that all the surfers who suffer from back pain have been surfing for three years or more, which is probably because of their body being put in this position for a very long time.

I would love to continue research on this question because there are some unanswered queries such as whether stretching helps reduce back pain in surfers. It would also be interesting to carry out the same research project but on 30 female surfers instead and see whether there are any changes in the data collected.

Thanks to everyone who took part in this research and I'd love to hear of anyone else's issues with back pain in surfing or any other sports.

My dad suffers from back pain and at 54 he is still awesome! 

Summer 2015! It's already here and although the weather hasn't quite figured that out yet, I am definitely ready for an awesome one this year come rain or shine. This summer is going to be a busy one for me, I'll be working as much as possible to save for the big trip away in November. But I also plan on having as much fun as I can with my friends and family, making the most out of the summer holidays in Cornwall.

In my head, I have an idea of the different things I want to get up to this summer in my spare time, so I would love to share a few of them with you and hear of your plans for the summer ahead. Click on the links above to discover my bucket-list.