thrill me friday

Hi everyone!! Couldn't resist showing you this new top I have for yoga, which Tom got me from his work - he works for a theatre production company and one of their shows a few years ago was Rocky Horror:

I love it! Goes so well with my new Sweaty Betty capris - these are seriously the best exercise pants I've ever had. For the price, they'd want to be!

Bit of a random post for you all today - starting with some link love, as I've been reading heaps this week....

I've recently discovered the Sydney Morning Herald lifestyle blog, written by Paula Goodyer, which has some fabulous articles on healthy living, including:

• How to have a social life and still stay healthy
• Hits and misses at the health food store
• First aid for food cravings
• Desperate dinners: food from the pantry
• Fruit bars vs real fruit

I also really enjoyed the debate from a few months ago about The Biggest Loser!

Kate from Go Faster Food brought my attention to this fabulous resource - 100 Essential Health and Nutrition Tips for Avid Runners.

Kate also put me on to the Up and Running Bristol site - heaps of fab tips for runners on there!

Of course, no Skinny Latte link love would be complete without a list of recipes that sound to die for! The following are some I've found on my virtual travels that I want to try soon:

• Semi dried tomato and basil focaccia
• Quorn cottage pie
  
• Daniel's chicken and vegetable curry (obviously will be made with Quorn!)
• Ma Po Tofu
• Carrot, yoghurt and millet soup
• Pasta with pangritata
• Wine poached pear and blue cheese risotto (I think I will swap the blue for goat cheese though)
• Zucchini soup with corn and cheese dumplings
  

Of course, I've been trying to eat to plan, thinking about upcoming half marathons and races I want to do - but I'm now under orders from my dear friend (who is also a GP) to rest for a week. I mentioned to her that I had got a slight twinge in my right knee when doing a 5 miler on Tuesday night, and she said the best thing to do would be to have a rest for a whole week (I have only done two big runs since the half, nearly two weeks ago - so not much in my opinion!) and during the rest I should take some anti-inflammatories, ice the knee if need be, and do lots of stretching.

"What?! Stop running for a whole week?!" I cried, with the same tone of a kid who's had her favourite toy taken away. "I can't do that! I love it!"

I don't like the idea if I'm honest! I'm in my routine and I like it!! Running lifts my mood big time, and I rely on it to help me when I've had a bad day.

"It's only for a week," my friend the GP smiled.

Meh.

But I guess by taking a little rest I am reducing the risk of being injured and that is what I want to avoid at all costs!!!

Right, so the routine for the next week is:

• Walking every day, to and from work
• Swimming once or twice
• Yoga as often as possible

I'm also doing ballet, boxercise and core strength at Sweaty Betty this month - something different every week! Great for keeping motivated, and a great way to meet people too! I'm really excited about it.

Anyway, must dash - I've just walked in to the most beautiful bunch of flowers I've ever seen! It's our anniversary weekend. I'm a lucky girl ♥

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!