The Lack of Healthy Food Establishments in our Malls!

I went out with the girls to the mall the other day and we ended up being there around lunch time so I was so glad that Tank Juice Bar was there as they offer a range of great salads,wraps,juices and have recently introduced acai bowls! What's even better is they also cater for kids so you can take the whole family there. >> Tank Juice Menu

I loved my salad but upon looking around Tank seemed to be the one of the few establishments in the food court with proper healthy clean foods - and even then Tank is just out from the main food court and Pita Pit is outside the main food court doors (Westfield Westcity). I mean they also have the Cafe Bergerac which offer a healthier menu, and then Matsu Sushi would be your next best bet. Mozaic offers kebabs which is semi healthy but their pastas and sandwiches and other cooked goods are massive in proportion size. Other than that all there is McDonald's, Burger King, Shamiana - Indian and the other various smorgasbord/buffet style food places. Bet you know where the most queues were - you guessed it McDonald's and Burger King and whats even more of a shame that as I looked around it seemed that was all the children were eating. I don't think I saw one child around me that didn't have an unhealthy meal in front of them.

Its such a shame because the mall is inundated with youths and even more so now that we are coming up to school holidays. The options provided are all geared towards takeaways, combos and processed foods and we as a country are trying to encourage healthier living to help tackle our rising obesity rate - the options available there are not helping! I really think in order for society and our youth to begin making healthier decisions there needs to be more education about the options available. Creating bad habits in our youth now will only lead to problems later - I'm not saying they should never eat it just that they need to be more informed about the decisions they are making. While it may taste great what its doing to your body isn't so great - so if you got littlies start now :)

So my question is what healthy establishments do you have in your local mall? Are there more and where are the most queues?

Chia Seeds + Recipe

Chia seeds have an ancient history and were an important part of the Aztec and Mayan diet back in the day as they prized them for their ability to provide sustainable energy ⚡️ 💜

Chia seeds are amongst the healthiest foods on the planet and are loaded with nutrients that are beneficial for your body and brain 💡

Chia seeds have very few calories, are packed with antioxidants, very low in carbs, are high in quality protein and high in nutrients essential for bone health 💪

Chia seeds can easily be incorporated into your diet as they can be eaten raw, do not need grinding, can be added to puddings, sprinkled on your cereal etc. the options are endless - but here's a quick recipe for you below to get started 💛

Milly's Morning Munch ☀️

Serves: 4

➡️ 1 cup of old fashioned oats 🌾

➡️ 2 tablespoons of chia seeds 

➡️ 1 cup of almond milk

➡️ 1 cup plain Greek yoghurt

➡️ 2 peeled apples - organic is better 🍏

➡️ 1 cup of goji berries - blueberries, strawberries or any kind of berries 🍓

➡️ 2 tablespoons of maple syrup

➡️ 4 tablespoons of slivered almonds 🌰

➡️ 1 teaspoon of lemon juice 🍋

1⃣ Combine oats, chia seeds and almond milk - mix

2⃣ In a separate bowl grate apples, add lemon juice and maple syrup - mix well

3⃣ Add apple mix and Greek yoghurt to the oat mixture. Mix together and refrigerate overnight

4⃣ Remove from fridge and serve. Top with goji berries (or berries of your choice) and slivered almonds.

This makes 4 serves - so you can eat it over the next 4 days or share it. Enjoy 💚

Healthy Snacks - Milly's Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

One of my go to snacks 🔽🔽

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds 🎃

I keep these in a container as my go to snack at work and it saves me from snacking on things I shouldn't be eating ☺️

Milly's Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

➡️ Pumpkin Seeds

➡️ Soy Sauce - Tamari is better

➡️ Oil - Coconut is healthier

➡️ Large Roasting Pan

1. Mix 1/4 cup of oil and 1/4 cup of soy sauce together.

2. Spread pumpkin seeds in large roasting pan

3. Pour mixture over the pumpkin seeds mixing it throughout

4. Place in oven on bake at 180 degrees.

5. Leave for 15 minutes - check and mix to turn the seeds. Keep checking in 10 minute intervals afterwards. Seeds should be a darker green than previous but not burnt. Roughly 30 mins max is how long they should be in there.

Enjoy <3

Transformation Tuesday! YOU CAN DO IT!

Transformation Tuesday

I hope everyone had an amazing long weekend! Did you manage to fit in any fitness? 

My first picture that I always show was from my 21st birthday and was the trigger for my initial weightloss journey. Looking back at old dancing pics and a few others I realised that I was actually at my biggest before my birthday. 

I was working a 7-6 job, eating whatever and whenever I felt like it, I was still however quite active (dancing, Kempo and workouts etc). My day consisted of eating, working, eating, working, followed by more eating and working then sleeping and then I would repeat. My ability to chose healthier meals and nutritional options turned to the quick and easy options such as BK and McD's and when your working with kids all this food is 'normal'. 

I was feeding my body fat not fuel and in return it was giving me back just that - FAT!

Once I kicked my bad habits to the kerb, I definitely noticed a difference.  The weight started to drop a lot easier, I has a lot more energy, I was getting a full nights sleep , my skin was clearer and on top of all that my PCOS symptoms started to decrease. (It is generally a lot harder for women with PCOS to lose weight. For more information on PCOS please check out the website: - http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycystic_ovary_syndrome)

You have no idea the wealth of knowledge you start to acquire once you've made the conscious commitment to the happier, healthier and fitter lifestyle. For example you become more aware of food in general - but more so in the areas of what is really in our food, is that really 'healthy' or just processed, portion sizes, healthier options and you become a whizz in the kitchen!

My goal is to also encourage others to begin their journey whether it be a weightloss journey or even a fitness journey. Any journey to better yourself and your health is a great journey to begin. Remember for anyone needing a helping hand or someone to talk to I'm here - I know the road to weightloss can be hard and unforgiving sometimes but with the right motivation and enough support you can do it!

Remember happier, healthier, fitter 😄🍏💪

Love,

Milly x

Kale - The Queen of Greens 👑

Kale - the queen of greens 👑🌳

An amazing little superfood packed full of powerful antioxidants. Kale is low in calories, high in iron, has high vitamin K levels and is a great detox food.

Kale has many health benefits and can be incorporated into your daily diet without much change. 

Try out my Kale-fornia Smoothie ☀️

➡️ 2 cups of chopped kale

➡️ 1/2 cup of coconut water

➡️ 1 1/2 cups of chopped pineapple

➡️ 1 ripe chopped banana

➡️ 3 ice cubes

Combine kale, coconut water, pineapple, banana and ice in a blender and purée till smooth. Enjoy <3

Milly's 4 Ingredient, No Bake, Healthy Snack

Here's one for you peanut butter and chocolate lovers!

As promised the recipe is below for my healthy clusters:

> 8 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter - organic, or natural is better.

> 8 Tablespoons of low fat milk

> 1 cup of dark chocolate chips - dark chocolate is much better for you

> 3 cups of old fashioned rolled oats

1. Mix peanut butter, low fat milk and chocolate chips together on a low heat in a saucepan until melted.

2. Add in the oats and mix well - take off the heat

3. Drop 16 clusters into muffin cases or baking paper (I prefer muffin cases as it's less messy later)

4. Place in refrigerator - eat as necessary 💛

Each cluster is roughly 130 calories but still taste great - I even have my flat mates fighting for them 👊

Happier, healthier, fitter

Milly x

5 Tips to Improve your Weightloss Journey - Tip Two: Cut Out Counting Calories

As I look back at my journey now I can see the fundamental points which lead me to my initial weight gain, but then I also saw the small changes I made in my life which made a huge difference on the scales for me. So below I'm going to share with you 5 tips to improve your weightloss journey - and they were all tried and tested by ME - they are probably ones you may have heard before but these are the things that really stood out and worked for me!

I hope these might help you get past your current plateau, begin your own weightloss journey, adapt the journey your on or simply provide a few tips to help you out along the way.

I am going to be releasing tips over the next few days

First Tip: Change your Surroundings - Click Here to read

Tip Two: Cut out Counting Calories

Counting calories can be a long and sometimes depressing side of the fit lifestyle - however it doesn't have to be that bad.

For anyone starting their weightloss journey it is important to understand the nutritional value and calories for food in general - it will also give you an understanding of the work needed to counteract the calories you have consumed. This can actually be quite informative and may surprise you - but that's what were here to do. I found when I viewed the exercise equivalent of the food I was eating it really made me change as I knew I had not done nearly enough exercise if any to cover the bad food choices I had made.

I like to use this site as an all round guide to understand the exercise equivalent to a specific food or item: http://www.athleteinme.com/caloriecounter.aspx

Its is quite helpful as it has a drop down box with the menu's of most fast food joints so you can pick from the menu. I do this as a fun experiment sometimes to show family and friends.

Did you know? That to work off eating only ONE McDonald's cheeseburger you would either need to cycle for 44 mins, jog for 27.9 mins, swim for 38.7 mins or walk for 69.1 mins. That means you would need to walk for more than an hour to work of just ONE cheeseburger.

When I first began my weightloss journey I became obsessed with counting calories and making sure I met my requirement for the day but it became more of a job than a lifestyle change so I stopped counting the calories of every single little thing I ate but became aware of the foods I was eating and the affect it would have on me.

Also by downloading the MyFitnessPal app it took all the hardwork out of counting the calories for me as it completely takes into account everything including exercise, water intake etc. At the beginning you add in your weight, height etc and how much weight you would like to lose - this then sets your daily calorie limit. Once food and exercise is added in the calorie counter on the side will increase and decrease depending on what you ate or the exercise you have added. I found this app really helpful as it charted out my weightloss and gave me a rough indication of how much I could lose each week if I stuck close to my calorie intake for each day. It is also great because you can add friends on MyFitnessPal and see the progress they're making - and lets be honest your more likely to complete your diary for each day if your motivated by others on a similar journey.

I'm not telling you to forget about calories all together and just go for it - but make it less of a job and stop focusing on the calories. At the beginning of your journey it is essential that you understand the calories and have a rough idea of the exercise equivalent as it does help you to make better choices. However as you are progressing through your journey you will find it becomes less about counting the calories and more about the progress you are making.

Plus remember everyone is allowed a treat every now and then but it doesn't mean to make it a treat week, turned treat month, turned treat year - A treat is a one off, every now and then. Maybe to reward yourself for something you have achieved - but all things in moderation.

Hope these tips are helping you all to achieve your goals!

Milly x

Thank You For Your Support!

To thank everyone for their support and getting my Facebook Page to 100 likes - I am doing a giveaway! For now it is only open to NZ residents as I love to give back to my locals so I have teamed up with a local NZ business called Smoove who provides natural coffee body scrubs to giveaway 2 packs for FREE!

I would really love everyone to have a chance at winning this as these scrubs are amazing - they help to diminish stretch marks, psoriasis, eczema, cellulite and acne!

To get in the draw jump on over here:

 GIVEAWAY - CLICK HERE

Keep an eye out for my next tip which will be coming to you within the next few days! I'm really looking forward to sharing this one with you as it worked wonders for me! To check out my Facebook page the link is below - also Smoove's page is there for anyone wanting more info about their body scrubs <3

Milly's Journey to Muscles Facebook Page - Click Here

Smoove Body Scrub Facebook Page - Click Here

5 Tips to Improve your Weightloss Journey - Tip One: Change your Surroundings

As I look back at my journey now I can see the fundamental points which lead me to my initial weight gain, but then I also saw the small changes I made in my life which made a huge difference on the scales for me. So below I'm going to share with you 5 tips to improve your weightloss journey - and they were all tried and tested by ME - they are probably ones you may have heard before but these are the things that really stood out and worked for me!

I hope these might help you get past your current plateau, begin your own weightloss journey, adapt the journey your on or simply provide a few tips to help you out along the way.

I am going to be releasing tips over the next few days - So first up is

Change your Surroundings

You may be thinking 'change my surroundings'?? How can I do that and why? 

I used to work in childcare; I was working 7am - 6pm, Monday - Friday and although very rewarding I started to pack on the pounds without even noticing and slowly became the size I once was. It was fine though - well that's what I told myself - No one else noticed, or said anything and everyone else I worked with was the same so for me this was normal.

Fast track down the road a bit to where I changed jobs to working in Real Estate (complete change of careers - I know). I'm working 8:30am - 5pm, Monday - Friday and this is where I lost all my weight and slowly became the size I am now. 

Now how did this change of surroundings affect me and help me to lose the weight I've lost?

Well it was very simple; working in childcare is difficult, you eat when you can, generally eat what the kids are eating and when they are eating (which is all the time) and by home time all you can think about is finding the easiest fastest meal you can shoving it down your gob and then sleeping. And that was literally my routine - for roughly 4 years.

Where I worked we would buy lunch because it was easier than making lunch and I never really had time. My options that surrounded my work were McDonalds, KFC, Burger King and the Food Court (Mall) - So not exactly the healthiest options, but were all options I was choosing because hey it was fast, cheap, tasted like food and gave me enough time to grab it, eat it and get back to work. My work colleagues were the same, did the same, and funnily enough were around the same size as I was back then.


Whereas working in Real Estate although it can be very full on at times; I eat at specific break times (morning, lunch, afternoon), eat healthier options, and actually eat a meal for dinner with my flatmates every night.

I still buy lunch most days but the options I have around me are much healthier than the options I had at my previous job. Here I am surrounded by Subway, sushi, the supermarket, cafes and a bakery (probably the unhealthiest option). Yet it is still relatively priced, tastes amazing and still gives me a decent lunch break. Again my work colleagues are the same, do the same and are all around the same size as me.

Now I'm not telling you to up and leave your job because there is a McDonald's around the corner from your work - but more so be aware of your surroundings and what they have to offer. I was simply making the wrong decisions, surrounded by the wrong options and it took a career/job change for me to notice.

So when you head to work tomorrow have a look at what surroundings you might change? It may be as simple as scoping out other places to eat, sitting with a different group of colleagues at lunch or pre preparing lunch and taking it instead of buying. 

What surroundings of yours are you thinking of changing?

Remember happier, healthier and fitter!

Lots of love,

Milly x

Transformation Tuesday - Throwback!

The size difference still amazes me! 

Every time I look back at my before pictures I can't help but feel embarrassed that I ever looked like that - but at the same time those pictures serve as my motivation.

The left hand side was July 2012, right hand side August 2014. 2 years, 32 kgs weightloss!

I'm so glad I begun my journey to weightloss and am now beginning my new journey to muscles  it's never easy, and it will never be handed to you on a silver platter - you have to get up and have the willpower to say "I can do this" and do it every day!

You may not notice changes in the beginning but slowly you will start to see your life change for the better.  

Remember it's a lifestyle not a diet 🍏

Happier, healthier & fitter

Love,

Milly x

VOGEL'S Cafe-Style Light Almond & Ancient Grains - Review

I really really enjoyed this cereal, not only is it healthy and light but it tastes great. Your not compromising taste for healthier options here. I would have no hesitation at all in recommending this for your breakfast cereal. I'm not a huge cereal eater myself but this one I could eat in the morning, maybe not every morning but a few days a week.

The taste of the grains and the seeds is really pleasant and mixes together well. I was a little hesitant to try it at the start because it didn't look like it would taste the greatest - but don't let it fool you, it tastes amazing and I felt really good after eating it. No bloating, or feeling hungry plus it got me through the whole morning until lunch.

I'll give credit to Vogel's as they have a great 'Compare Products' page which allows for you to compare the nutritional value of all the Vogel's Cereal Range (great for those wanting to compare the sugar, fat, protein values etc)

I've done a review on the Vogel's Peanut Butter Clusters which you can read - Click Here

If you haven't already don't forget to jump over to my Facebook Page and give it a like - I reached over 100 last week so keep an eye out for a giveaway!

Happier, healthier & fitter

Love,

Milly x

VOGEL’s Crunchy Peanut Butter Clusters - Review

So I had the privilege of winning a Vogel's Cereal Pack from In Rhi's Pantry and it arrived on Friday!

Needless to say the girls and I were excited to try out the flavours - naturally I couldn't resist picking up the Vogel's Crunchy Peanut Butter Clusters <3

I am in love and anyone who loves peanut butter will love this cereal too. I'm not a huge cereal fan - but this one takes the cake for being nutritional as well as tasting great! This isn't something I would eat every morning for breakfast but once or twice a week - again perfect for that peanut butter lover! 

I'll give credit to Vogel's as they have a great 'Compare Products' page which allows for you to compare the nutritional value of all the Vogel's Cereal Range (great for those wanting to compare the sugar, fat, protein values etc)

I also tried out the Cranberry, Cashew & Pistachio Luxury Blend Cereal - you can read the review for that cereal on my blog also.

If you haven't already don't forget to jump over to my Facebook Page and give it a like - I reached over 100 last week so keep an eye out for a giveaway!

Happier, healthier & fitter

Love,

Milly x

Goal Setting - For Weightloss!

Setting goals for yourself can be hard and lets be honest we don't always reach our goals. But when I was looking at my pictures from a few years ago I remembered that goal setting was what I did as encouragement for myself to go further and to achieve what I had set out to do - become fitter, healthier and happier and ultimately lose weight.

Instead of setting myself goal weights that I needed to get down to or be I instead opted for a few different goals and set these up along my journey to ensure I kept on top of the weight loss. Below are a few different goals that I set for myself along my weight loss journey and how they can help you with yours. Having set goal weights in my opinion can be some what daunting - especially when you keep stepping onto the scales and not seeing a difference (baring in mind that scales lie - you may be losing fat and gaining muscle but still seeing no difference on the scales)

If you haven't already - don't forget to head over to my Facebook Page so you can follow me. Plus I'll be doing a giveaway at '100' likes! 

Like Milly's Journey to Muscles

My Goal Outfit
I have this amazing ball dress that I wore to my Year 13 ball, it is also a size 10. After my year 13 ball was when I began putting on weight (became size 14) and upon trying on my dress only 6 months later and finding I couldn't fit it was rather disappointing - however I made this one of my goals. My goal was to fit back into my ball dress. It made my goal a little less daunting and more of a fun challenge. I suggest that everyone who is on a weightloss challenge - especially a large one finds that one outfit/dress/bikini whatever it is that you want to shine in and make that your goal outfit. 

This was something I was able to achieve 4 months ago - this was a very happy moment for me because it represented all the hard work I had put into losing the weight. Not to mention that when I finally tried it on it zipped up perfect with even a little bit of room - BONUS! :)

My Goal Exercises
It's no secret in my family that I could not do a 'man push up' or 'pull up' to save myself. Yes if you are wondering I am one of those people who sporadically thrashed around trying to pull myself up on the bar - and it never happens, it just doesn't. Well not until recently that is, one of my overall goals was to become fitter so I set a few personal goals for myself in regards to doing a push up and pull up - something I knew I could not do yet wanted to achieve. I set an exercise goal of being able to do at least 20 man push ups and 20 pull ups - I would definitely like to progress from there but so far I can only pump out one or two of each - but for me this is a big achievement and for my family a little less entertainment as I no longer thrash around trying to pull myself up the bar or tremble as I tried to finish a push up. The weak me is no more and the fitter me is taking over - I love it!

My Goal Look
Looking at all the stars and celebs and seeing how slim they are is seriously unfair - but how about taking what they have and using it as motivation. Do you have a specific look you are going for or a look that you like? When I first began my journey to weightloss I found a picture of Jessica Alba - there is no denying that she is a babe - I used this picture to then become my motivation. I printed off the picture and stuck it up around home in places I knew I would see it (i.e. the bathroom mirror, bedroom mirror, front of the fridge, on the door of your snacks cupboard etc) By sticking it up it is a constant reminder of what you are striving to achieve. The one thing I did do was crop her lovely head off the body as I knew that if I kept seeing Jessica staring at me the idea of working towards her body would of been a bit scary. Here are the pics I used below (this is the look I was heading for - but by no means does that mean it has to be yours. Feel free to pick whoever you want, it may not even be a celeb. The choice is totally yours)

I admit seeing the numbers on the scale dropping is an amazing feeling - but don't forget those scales can lie and at times make you feel worse about the progress you've made than better. I still check my weight every so often to monitor where I am at - but I believe real progress can be felt, seen and even heard (from others - its a great feeling to have other people compliment you on your weightloss or how amazing you are looking) Don't forget to take these compliments, you deserve them!

These are just a few of the different methods that I used while on my weight loss journey and I still use them now - I also have a few others that I used so keep an eye out for those in my upcoming blog posts. So what are you goal outfits, exercises, looks? Do you have any different methods other than jumping on the scale? Would love to hear from you guys.

Healthier, happier and fitter

Lots of love,

Milly x

Kayla Itsines - BBG + Workout Clothes

So this kind of happened.! I printed and bound these babies so I can have a hard copy and have it with me to work from.

I'm so excited to begin using the Kayla Itsines BBG. Even better since it's just under 12 weeks till summer, I'll be bikini ready in now time but more importantly fitter, healthier and happier. I've also got the help guide with some awesome meal plans and promotes healthy eating and has a great lifestyle plan to promote overall health. 

The healthy eating shouldn't be so much of a problem for me as I've already made the change to being a cleaner eater and although I'm not worried about the exercises they do look like I'm going to feel the burn, but a good kind of burn.

I've seen so many amazing transformations so I'm hoping by doing this and my added extra fitness that my journey to muscles won't be too far away. I'm also hoping that it will encourage a healthier lifestyle at my house, I live with 6 friends and id really love to incorporate the healthy eating/lifestyle into our menu at home.

I also picked me up a whole outfit from Kmart they have a really awesome range and it's really affordable this outfit below cost me $20. The cute galaxy shorts were $12 and they have under shorts so when your are working out no one can see up - kind of a necessity in my opinion. The sports crop was $8 and is quite comfy. They also had a seamless version but I'm a matching kind of girl and had to get the right colour. 

Excuse my paleness I've always been a bit of a Casper - I look hilarious my legs are so much darker than everywhere else.! Tan needed here - 12 weeks and it'll be summer so bring on that tan and bring on that bod.!

Has anyone else done the Kayla Itsines 12 week BBG? Are there any tips or things I should know that might help? 

I'm super excited and will be giving you updates along the way.! If your doing the Kayla Itsines 12 week BBG too I'd really like to follow your journey so feel free to leave your blog in the comments below or if you have a journey on Instagram follow me @millysjourneytomuscles and I'll follow you back :)

Happier, healthier and fitter! 

Lots of love,

Milly x

Living with PCOS - Awareness Month!

So you may or may not be aware that this month is PCOS awareness month. Your probably looking at your screen right now wondering what PCOS is - Poly Cystic Ovaries Syndrome or more commonly known as PCOS is a condition that affects 1 in 10 women around the world. Because symptoms can vary from woman to woman it can sometimes be hard to pick up and is most often missed. PCOS can cause women to be overweight, infertile, hirsutism, increased acne etc. It's not easy living with PCOS and there are many women who are still left undiagnosed. 

For those of you who would like to read more on PCOS or find out what its all about you can click below:  

To read more about PCOS - Click Here

I'm writing this post because PCOS is something that affects myself and my family (it can be carried through genetics). It hasn't been easy the tests, weight issues, bad skin, mood swings etc it all adds up over time.

I was placed on the pill to 'regulate' myself and found it still didn't work or wasn't making much of a difference, so I came off the pill and have been doing a lot better since (I have been pill free for a year now). I have got myself into a good routine of healthy eating and exercise and I can say that I believe the cleaner eating and fitter me finds it has been easier tackling the issues I once had with PCOS than it was previously. The weight started to drop off me once I came off my pill, began eating cleaner, exercised more and became more positive.

I stopped looking at PCOS like it was a chore and started making it work more for me, I definitely am not over the moon about having PCOS. But figured I have it, its not going anywhere so I need to start finding a way to fit it into my life without it becoming a burden. 

Below is my picture showing how I lost 30 kilos - I did it with PCOS, without a gym and over a time period as I realised if I tried to fast track it, it could end up causing my PCOS to play up rather than control it.

For any ladies dealing with PCOS who would like to talk - I'm here and so are a bunch of amazing women just like you! See below for a few Facebook Pages for PCOS, they are all lovely ladies, super helpful and all the information on the pages is great for new women being diagnosed with PCOS. We really need to pump the awareness for PCOS because what we do now is what will set the platform the next generation of young girls to come through and lets make sure they get the help and support that they need and that many of us were without. 

Please feel free to spread the awareness around!

Facebook Pages/Groups for PCOS:

PCOS Group

PCOS Group Help

The PCOS Foundation NZ

PCOS - Auckland (For any ladies living in Auckland, NZ)

I have found an amazing group of ladies in each of these groups who are kind, helpful, caring, have tons of information, there for a boost of confidence - you name it these ladies are all amazing and are all PCOS sufferers or supporters

I know this is not like my normal posts, however PCOS affected my inital weight gain and still affects me now as I am working towards muscles. I hope you enjoyed the read.

Lots of Love,

Milly x

PROGRESS Update!!

Progress Update!!! 

I thought I would do a progress update with pictures so you can see the transformation so far this year.

Don't forget if you haven't read my first post about my 30 kilo weight loss journey then you can read it here: http://millysjourneytomuscles.blogspot.co.nz/2014/07/my-two-year-journey-lost-30-kilos.html

Here is my picture from February 2014

and this is my picture from August 2014

I can see a change so far and am happy with the progress I have made, but with the 1st of September going past I'm on a 12 week countdown till Summer and need to step up my game a bit if I want to be ready for then.

These comparison pics help to show the exact change below: 

For those of you wondering I followed a 80% Cleaner Eating, 20% More Exercise regime. I looked at my eating and cut out the crap (the takeaway, munchies, cravings etc) and moved more towards wholefoods to help sustain the energy I was eating. When I was eating takeaways and fast food I would eat the meal and feel full for all of 20 minutes only to be hungry again. When I changed my diet I found I could eat a lot less but still retain the energy I needed to get through the day. Most women complain about not being able to exercise due to time constraints however I believe that the changes I made in my diet contributed to over 70% of my success, the latter 20/30% was exercise and nothing drastic. I really would like to help any girls who are wanting to begin their own journey so feel free to pop me a comment or send me a message at my Facebook Page which can be found here:

Milly's Journey to Muscles Facebook Page

Is anyone else here on their own journey and have their own blog/page I should follow? What have you got in store to get your body fit and ready for summer? I would love to see your stories and pics too. Comment below :)

Lots of love,

Milly x

12 Week Countdown - Hello Spring!

Hello Spring! That's right it's the 1st of September so officially its spring! (For those of you not currently living in little ol' New Zealand you will find it indeed is not spring in which case its whichever season it should be in your country).

Which also means 12 more weeks till summer and I can't wait! 12 weeks can fly by super fast so make sure you have a plan in place if your wanting that bikini bod by summer 

You may not want that bikini body, or the box gap thighs for summer - maybe your looking at losing some weight so you feel more confident. Or maybe you've fallen off the bandwagon a few to many times and need that extra boost of confidence to keep going and take the bull by the horns and finally make the commitment to stick to your training.

Imagine the amazing benefits you could gain in the mean time - A) A banging body (any body is banging - not just a 'skinny' one) B) It takes 4 weeks for you to begin noticing a change, 8 weeks for your friends and family and 12 weeks for the rest of the world - this 12 week countdown could be your challenge as well as your reward. C) Your eating habits/training habits will change over the next 12 weeks getting you into a flow where training and eating doesn't have to be hard and can be more of a project rather than a chore - not to mention Christmas isn't too far away after this 12 week countdown. D) If Christmas is only approximately 3 weeks after this 12 week countdown your body will already be in 'beast' mode and be able to jump back into training after your Christmas/New Years temptations - saying that it will also be easier to say 'no' to the naughty foods you once said 'yes' to.

Does anyone have a 12 week plan to get them ready for summer? If so what is it? And what are you doing to keep yourself motivated for the next 12 weeks?

Happier, healthier & fitter

Lots of love

Milly x

Time for some Smoothie Making!

Finally went and picked up my brand new blender from Noel Leeming and I cannot wait to get started on some smoothies and juices. Just so you know I bought this with my Fly Buys points so it literally cost me nothing - so make sure you check your points balance, you never know what you might be able to get.

Went fruit and vege shopping and grabbed all the essentials I wanted to make a large batch. I have bought in bulk so I can make a large batch to last me the week.

After all the chopping, peeling and shaking all about I ended up with this yummo bag of mixed fruit and veg ready for me to make smoothies. (Note: I have made this in bulk for a weeks worth of smoothies in a large snaplock bag however you may want to split up your week and therefore I would recommend splitting the mix amongst smaller sandwich snaplock bags) Its great for me to grab out in the morning as it is nice and cold and gives you a nice wake up call. Check out my recipe below for this amazing mix :)

In this lovely bag of fruit and veg amazingness is:

1 bunch of Kale

1/2 bunch of Celery

2 large Mangoes

6-8 medium sized Kiwifruit

6-8 medium sized Apples

6-8 medium sized Mandarin/Orange

I chopped and diced and peeled and chucked it all in this bag now to make my smoothie please see below:

Milly's Mix Up

1 & 1/2 cups of the fruit & veg from the bag

1 & 1/2 cups of coconut water (or another juice/water)

1 serving of the Clean, Lean, Protein Powder by Nuzest

1/2 cup of ice (optional)

Blend the crap out of this baby and then serve <3

I found this super yummy and it has all the goodness I need to get me through the day.

I'm thinking of trying a berry one tonight and I can't wait, I'm a huge berry fan! What are some of your fav smoothie mixes?

Lots of love,

Happier, Healthier & Fitter 

Milly x