Jelly Oat Cake - High Volume Oats

Alright! This shit is going to knock your socks off if you love eating large amounts of food, and not to mention for great macros and amazing taste and texture.

Here is what you'll need.

1 Large ceramic/baking dish
80g Rolled oats (Can be more if you're not on shit macros)
1 teaspoon Psyllium husk - not critical but does help with the texture
250ml almond milk/coconut milk
300ml water
60-100ml egg whites
200g Fat free Greek yogurt
1 Packet sugar free jelly - whatever flavor you want
15g Cocoa powder
Liquid stevia
Vanilla essence + flavor drops or anything you want to add to give it a kick

Let's do this!

Step 1: Add oats and psyllium husk to the dish and add the milk and water and stir well, add in the stevia and vanilla essence and give it another stir and let sit for a few minutes.

Step 2: Chuck it in the microwave for up to 10minutes on  a moderate power (if you can adjust it, then say around 70-80%, if not then just keep an eye on it) that's why the large dish is important, in a normal bowl this will boil over leaving a bloody mess.

Step 3: Take it out and give it a mix and add the egg whites and stir in thoroughly, add some more water (up to 100ml) if required and chuck back in microwave for another 10min, keeping an eye on it.

Step 4: Take out of microwave and set to the side until it has cooled down quite a bit and firmed up, once happy with that chuck in 100g of Greek yogurt and mix it all around and flatten it out again, put in fridge to totally cool.

Step 5: Mix the packet of jelly as per normal and then add the cocoa and remaining 100g of Greek yogurt, here I use a stick blender and use that to blitz the shit out of it and also to add some air to the mixture. Once happy it is all combined take oats out of fridge and pour the jelly on top and back in the fridge it goes to set completely overnight!

Step 6: Fight the urge to eat it before it sets!!!!

Step 7: Whack whatever toppings and sauces on top and enjoy. The consistency should be thick and as you can see I could even cut the bloody thing with a nice and call it a cake, since I'm all about that #Cakeaday lifestyle!!

Hope you enjoy this as much as I do guys! Once you nail it, play around with it and reduce the oats and add some tapioca pearls (sago) and create new exciting ways to make it! I have tried it that way and it adds a whole different texture and sweetness to the dish!

Macros for the whole damn tray are - 645cals 15F/73C/48P

The Journey so far!!

If  I had to sum up the last 2 weeks in one word........HARD!

But I'm totally OK with that :)

It's only once you get out of your comfort zone and keep pushing through that you know you are developing yourself, not only in the the physical side of things, but definitely mentally as well. With huge changes in my diet being the first major hurdle. 4 weeks out from comp my trainer sent me my diet plan and even with its 9 meals and 3 shakes a day, most days are border line on 2000 calories, and being at around 84.5kg those numbers were low to maintain the lean muscle I have. Now 2 weeks on I am sitting at 82.2kg and approx 5-6% bodyfat. And with no change in sight for my diet I just have to keep pressing on as hard as I can at the gym everyday to stay lean and keep as much mass as possible.

Next struggle was the actual training, trying to maintain certain weights on various exercises for 4 sets and varying reps is becoming more of a struggle every session, and fatigue soon sets in. This is where the strongest part of you kicks in, your mind!! It's easy to say i'm struggling I'll call it a day and leave. But to stay and push through knowing that it's the right thing to do is what will make all the difference when it comes to getting up on stage, and being able to tell yourself that no matter where you place that you gave it your best and you walk off there without a doubt in your mind you gave it your all!

The next thing that has taken a bit of a toll on me without much initial consideration is the weather, going from being conditioned to sunny, humid Townsville then arriving in Victoria where everyday is at and above 40 degrees has really made everything a lot harder to do, from training and even sleeping at night when it is still around 30 degrees and all I have is a 12" pedestal fan to attempt to cool myself.

And lastly the mental strain of being on a mentally demanding course. I have not yet found it to difficult yet mixed with the low calories and intense training, but i'm sure as the final days draw closer I will start to have trouble concentrating and hopefully won't get to far off track. But so far so good, i'm keeping it all together and the finish line is in sight and I can't wait to stuff my face once it is all done! :P

If you set yourself a goal stick to it, nothing compares to the personal reward of knowing you challenged yourself and won, to often we hear peoples stories of 'I nearly did this' and stories full of if's and but's! Don't be that person!! Do it for yourself!

Progress update pic - Rear Back shot of Back double bicep! Slowly but surely getting there :)

Time to step up!!

So this last week has been quite busy with training, meal prep, rest and getting ready to go back to work, and I head off for 2 months to commence a work related course. It's still over a week away before I go but I have found myself already starting to pack and see how I can arrange my suitcase so I can fit most of my supplements, food and gym/training related items rather then things I should be worrying about taking :)

Not to mention now I am part of Team FlexR6 and am going to be stepping on stage to compete in my first novice comp in only 5 weeks time. So there are so many added stresses right now and starting next week a huge change to my training and nutrition program once my great trainer sends me the final product on Friday!

This has been a huge ambition for me and to see it all start taking place is a huge realization that you can do anything you put your mind to, at this stage I am only going to be competing in fitness and physique categories as there is not enough time to prep for the actual body building division, and with the added pressure of me on my military psychology course it would be to much to take on all at once.

I never thought I would see the day I would be on stage wanting to show my body off. I'll take a few steps back and talk about when I was younger, all my teenage years I was a big kid, the heaviest I tipped the scales at was 120+kg, but now to be able to comfortably sit at 84kg for me was an amazing achievement.

It all comes down to you and the dedication you put in to achieve the goals you have, I couldn't be happier that I took this lifestyle on all those years ago, nothing now feels like a chore, it's all just second nature. There is nothing wrong with wanting to see yourself succeed and better yourself not only physically but mentally! There is nothing tougher then pushing through some of those unbearable gym sessions, or sprinting up hills to get that burn and feel your heart trying to burst out your chest. But every time you finish something you set out to achieve or do something you NEVER thought you could do, you leave a little it prouder and stronger and from there you can only keep going up!

I'll keep you all posted with how my comp preparation is going and chuck in some photos along the way, remember to push yourself a little further each time and never give up, because one day you may find yourself doing something you never thought you would do in a million years!!

It's all about the pump!!! :) 

HIIT it Hard!! Benefits of Interval training!

This is just to give a bit of insight into HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) regime and how it may benefit you!

HIIT is for everyone, someone doing a cutting phase for a comp, during a bulking phase to minimize gaining to much body fat and people looking to gain aerobic and anaerobic endurance.

Firstly you might what to know what HIIT actually is. HIIT is a training program in which moderate levels of intensity and alternated with high intensity intervals. It can be applied across a broad range of areas from running exercises through to weight and body weight related exercises. It is considered to be more effective then steady state cardio as the higher intensity intervals increase both the aerobic and anaerobic systems in turn burning more fat the usual!

During a structured HIIT period you will notice two thing, accelerated fat loss and increased aerobic endurance, HIIT will deliver noticeable results in a shorter period of time, hence why is has gained huge popularity in the fitness and bodybuilding community since it was introduced. Just like with any exercise and nutrition program you can't guarantee results as it comes down to the individual, but after only an 8 week HIIT cycle those around you will notice a significant change in you if you stick to your guns. And you will be performing to a higher standard to those around you.

When you do a cardio session at the same pace the whole time your body operates in what we call a steady state, all this means is your body adjusts itself to the speed or workload you are operating at and tries to conserve as much energy (calories) as possible. You avoid this by doing interval training as the body can then not adapt and conserve any energy.

This is what an effective HIIT 8-week program would consist of, and incorporates a weight training program as well. This level of intensity would decrease levels of body fat significantly which a structured nutrition plan.

General Warm-up/Flexibility Routine

• Touch Toes - 15 Reps (Touch toes quickly, come right back up and repeat)
• Lunges - 10 reps/leg
• Side Lunges - 10 reps each direction
• Butt Kicks - 25 yards
• High Knees - 25 yards
• Arm Circles - 20 reps
• Trunk Twists - 20 reps
• Side Bends - 20 reps

WEEKS 1-2

• Monday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Tuesday - PM HIIT Workout
  30 Seconds Brisk Walk, 30 Seconds Sprint, Repeat 7 More Times (8 Minutes Total)
• Wednesday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Thursday - PM HIIT Workout
  30 Seconds Brisk Walk, 30 Seconds Sprint, Repeat 7 More Times (8 Minutes Total)
• Friday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Saturday and Sunday - Rest

WEEKS 3-4

• Monday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Tuesday - PM HIIT Workout
  30 Seconds Brisk Walk, 30 Seconds Sprint, Repeat 9 More Times (10 Minutes Total)
• Wednesday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Thursday - PM HIIT Workout
  30 Seconds Brisk Walk, 30 Seconds Sprint, Repeat 9 More Times (10 Minutes Total)
• Friday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Saturday and Sunday - Rest

WEEKS 5-6

• Monday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Tuesday - PM HIIT Workout
  30 Seconds Jog, 30 Seconds Sprint, Repeat 11 More Times (12 Minutes Total)
• Wednesday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Thursday - PM HIIT Workout
  30 Seconds Jog, 30 Seconds Sprint, Repeat 11 More Times (12 Minutes Total)
• Friday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Saturday and Sunday - Rest

WEEKS 7-8

• Monday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Tuesday - PM HIIT Workout
  30 Seconds Jog, 30 Seconds Sprint, Repeat 14 More Times (15 Minutes Total)
• Wednesday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Thursday - PM HIIT Workout
  30 Seconds Jog, 30 Seconds Sprint, Repeat 14 More Times (15 Minutes Total)
• Friday - AM Full Body Weight Training
• Saturday and Sunday - Rest
• Notes: Brisk walk and jog are at 65-75% of your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR)
  Sprint is at 90-95% of your MHR

Hope you take something away from this and know that cardio doesn't have to be the boring chore that a lot of people see it as, if you can think of fun ways to mix it up then you will want to keep doing it and get the results you are after!!! Enjoy!!

And remember.............It's all about the PUMP!!!

Workout by - TUnit @bodyspace

It's all about new beginnings :)

With that being said, we welcome in 2014 on this hot, humid day in my town of Townsville, Australia.

I will get the introductions over and done with and tell you a bit about myself, and i'm sure over time you will learn more about me and in turn, I hope to get to know my future readers :)
I am 28 years old, Born in Australia and am currently serving in the Australian Army. I am a small business owner where my partner and I operate out of our home creating and selling our own gym apparel as we live and enjoy a very active, healthy lifestyle.

This year is going to be big in many ways, my main focuses are those work and personal based, with my work goals kicking off in February as I start my new career in Psychology in the Army as I want to help the soldiers returning from operations deal with the issues they face when they come back into country and face the problems of being back in a civilized community.

My next goal is to compete in my first natural bodybuilding competition which I plan to do in June pending on the new location I may get posted my with my new job. Along with that, this is what I want my blog to entail, the amazing healthy and fit lifestyle, which so many want to live and achieve but either lack the knowledge, discipline or motivation to get it done. And that is what I want to be, the link between the wanting and give the knowledge and motivation to pursue the goals and become the person you want to be.

I will keep it short and sweet and wrap it up there, and will continue tomorrow after I have my first session (leg day) of the new year, and I also pick up my new supplements tomorrow which I look forward to trying and reviewing as well!

and remember, it's all about the pump :)

Justin
www.liftitgymwear.com
Lift it gym wear