15 minute holiday workout that you can do pretty much anywhere
30 seconds for each of the 5 exercises and then rest for 30 seconds.
You'll repeat this circuit 5 times, so it's 15 mins of your day
Press ups (box or full)
Squat (add weight to challenge yourself)
Mountain climber (do some cross body ones too)
Forward lunge (add weight to challenge yourself)
Jump squats (if tiring, go into squat hold toward the end)
If abroad in a hot place on holiday and not near a gym, you can buy a large watermelon from the local shop and a couple of large bottles of water (or whatever is about right for you) and use those as temporary weights. Improvise. 

​If you struggle to keep your iron levels where they need to be...you may be eating lots of iron but your body may be having a tough job absorbing it.. if so, you need to think about increasing your Vitamin C intake when you're eating iron rich foods.
Both animal and plant foods contain iron, and absorption depends on the specific form of iron. The body absorbs heme iron, found in animal products, much more easily and efficiently. Absorbing nonheme iron from plant sources is a tougher call for your body - so it's better absorbed when paired with vitamin C rich foods.
Most fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C, so pairing your sources of plant based iron with vegetables like red peppers and broccoli (among the richest sources of ascorbic acid) will help you to absorb that iron.
There are substances in the foods that you eat that enhance iron absorption and equally there are those that inhibit it.
It's a little game of tug of war in your body to get that iron out of your nutrition, so help yourself get onto the winning side and when eating it, pair it up with some Vit C rich food.

Alongside it's high nutritional value, the humble avocado offers us many benefits...
A great source of potassium (actually higher levels than the often touted banana), supporting healthy blood pressure levels.
Avocados are high in monounsaturated oleic acid, a “heart healthy” fatty acid that is believed to be one of the main reasons for the health benefits of olive oil.
Putting avocado into a salad can increase the amount of nutrients that you are able to absorb from the other ingredients. Some nutrients are fat soluble so need a fat source alongside them for maximum absorption - avocado fulfils that role.
Many people would be surprised that a food high in fat and calories like avocado would be recommended for weight loss. However, research has shown that avocado’s monounsaturated fatty acids are much more likely to be used as slow burning energy than stored as body fat.
This steady slow burn energy and the feeling of satiety that you get from eating an avocado is one of the reasons they are so good at reducing hunger.
Alongside the nutritional bonuses that foods like avocado bring, Including more foods in your diet that are high in healthy fats and less with processed carbohydrates makes a significant difference when you want to lose weight.

​Portuguese weather and Yorkshire resilience at 'HiiT like a girl' this week. Respect to all who turned up and worked hard anyway.

Cashews - I use a controlled portion of them in many of my juices as they are nutrient dense and provide a number of health benefits...here's only one..
Cashews are helpful in controlling blood sugar, according to a number of studies. Results of studies show that the anacardic acid (found in the shell) improves the ability of sugar to enter cells, which decreases the amount of sugar circulating in the bloodstream.
Cashews also may promote the metabolism of sugar into energy(glycolysis).
Controlling blood-sugar levels reduces the risk of developing diabetes - step forward the small, unassuming but nutritionally smart cashew nut.

Simply, use the red flesh of half a watermelon and cut into chucks. Blend it with a handful of strawberries, some ice (if you've got a strong enough blender) and a couple of sprigs of mint.
Why?
Nutritionally, watermelon is a powerful source of lycopene.
Lycopene (another great source is tomatoes) is allegedly a more effective antioxidant than others in its carotenoid family, which includes beta-carotene. Its powerful antioxidant actions are effective in maintaining the strength, thickness and fluidity of cell membranes. Cell membranes are responsible for screening what goes in and out of our cells. They allow good nutrients in and remove cellular junk and very importantly, they prevent toxins from entering the cells.
We all need strong healthy cell membranes as they are vital in the prevention of many diseases.
Research continues into links between lycopene and a lower risk of some cancers, particularly prostate cancer in men, along with positive effects on cardiovascular disease and also asthma.
Watermelon - a refreshing summer winner for juice and a great source of something useful for our bodies.