Nina Taylor Fitness

08/05/2026

🦵Muscle cramps during or after exercise? 🦵

A cramp is a sudden, involuntary muscle tightening — most often affecting the calves, feet, hamstrings or inner thighs. While minerals and hydration play a role, research now shows cramps are more about how muscles and nerves work together, especially when muscles are fatigued or tight.

Cramps are more common in mid life because:
• Muscles fatigue more easily
• Flexibility reduces
• Hormonal changes (especially during peri and menopause) affect recovery
• Certain medications and circulation changes can contribute

The good news?
Regular strength training, steady progression, proper warm ups, stretching, hydration and recovery all significantly reduce cramp risk.
If cramp strikes : Pause ✅ Stretch gently ✅ Breathe ✅ Add warmth if needed

🚩 Occasional cramps are normal — but frequent or painful cramps should always be checked with your GP.

01/05/2026

🫛🥬Spring Greens Carbonara🥬🫛

This recipe from Good Food is high protein, tasty and packed with vitamins A, C, E and K
Serves 4

Ingredients
2½ tbsp olive oil
200g pancetta cubes or slices, or use bacon lardons
small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
2 small bunches of basil, leaves picked
4 large mint sprigs, leaves picked and roughly chopped
4 egg yolks
50g parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve
350g spaghetti
125g asparagus, woody ends removed, cut into 3-4cm pieces
125g long-stemmed broccoli, trimmed and cut into 5cm pieces
125g fresh or frozen peas, (shelled if fresh)
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling (optional)

Method
1. Boil the kettle. Heat ½ tbsp oil in a large deep frying pan or saucepan over low-medium heat; fry the pancetta until crisp (about 5 mins). Reduce the heat to the lowest setting to keep warm.

2. Blitz the parsley, basil, mint and remaining oil in a small food processor until finely chopped (or finely chop the herbs by hand and leave out the oil). In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and parmesan together.

3. Fill a large saucepan with boiling water from the kettle, season generously with salt and bring back to the boil. Cook the spaghetti for 10 mins until al dente, adding the asparagus and broccoli for the final 3 mins and the peas for the final 30 secs.

4. Using tongs, lift the spaghetti into the pancetta pan, letting a little cooking water come with it each time. Drain the veg, reserving a mug of the cooking water, then add the veg to the pan. Keep the heat very low and leave a small puddle of cooking water in the bottom of the pan to stop it catching and to loosen the sauce.

5. Add the herb mixture and the egg-and-cheese mix to the warm pasta, then toss well with tongs until every strand is coated. Toss for a few minutes until the sauce thickens and clings to the spaghetti (turn the heat up slightly if needed), adding splashes of reserved cooking water if it becomes too thick. The finished pasta should look glossy.

6. Divide between bowls and top with extra parmesan, black pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if you like.

23/04/2026

💪 Strength Training in Mid‑Life: Here’s the Good News
If strength training feels intimidating or like something you’ve “left too late” - this is for you.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has reviewed the latest research, and the message is refreshingly simple:

you don’t need perfect workouts or weeks of training to get results.
👉 You don’t need to be fit already
👉 You don’t need a gym
👉 You don’t need complicated plans

You just need to start where you are.
✨ What really matters:
✅ Doing something is far more powerful than doing nothing
✅ Short, regular sessions beat occasional “perfect” workouts
✅ Strength helps with real life - carrying bags, getting up from the floor, feeling steady and confident
✅ Home workouts, bands, weights or bodyweight all work & you don’t need to exhaust yourself or follow complex routines.
Simple, consistent effort is what makes the difference.

🌟 The takeaway:
Aim to work all your major muscles twice a week, choose something you enjoy, and let confidence grow after you begin.
Strong doesn’t have to be complicated.

17/04/2026

🥑🌶️Avocado Egg Boats🌶️🥑
This recipe from Morrisons Food is absolutely packed with good fats, protein, anti-oxidants and vitamins B,C,D,E and K
25 mins to prepare, so perfect for a tasty weekend breakfast
This recipe serves 2, so think one egg per person (or two if you’re really hungry!)

Ingredients
1 tsp of chilli flakes
sprinkle of sea salt
1 large avocado
2 eggs, small - medium
1 handful of spinach, finely chopped
1 tsps of tagine paste
1/2 tsp of pine nuts, crushed

Method

Step 1
Pre-heat the oven to 220°C.

Step 2
Cut the avocados in half and scoop out a bit of the flesh from the centre, to create room for the egg.

Step 3
Add a thin layer of tagine paste in the hole then crack the egg into the hole. Sprinkle with the spinach, chilli flakes, pine nuts and salt.

Step 4
Add a pinch of salt and let this bake until the egg whites are cooked through. This should take about 5 mins.

Step 5
Once the egg whites are cooked through remove from the oven and serve.

16/04/2026

Knee aching in your 40s, 50s or beyond?
It’s often not your age - it’s loss of strength.

Stronger hips, thighs and glutes =
✅ More knee support
✅ Better movement
✅ Less everyday discomfort

You don’t need intense workouts. Small, controlled strength exercises done consistently can make a big difference.
Strong knees start with strong muscles - and it’s never too late to begin. 💪

10/04/2026

🌶🥬Healthy Chicken Pad Thai🥬🌶
This recipe from Good Food only takes about 30 minutes to prep and cook. Fresh and tasty, it's high in protein, high fibre and packed full of vitamin C and antioxidants.

Serves - 2
Calories per serving - 561

Ingredients
100g brown rice flat noodles
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 skinless chicken thigh fillets, chopped
1 onion (160g), roughly chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into thin slices
1 small carrot, peeled into thick ribbons using a veg peeler
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
100g beansprouts
15g roasted unsalted peanuts
2 tbsp lime juice
plus 1 tsp zest
1 tbsp low-salt soy sauce
15g chopped coriander
handful of chopped basil
Method

step 1
Tip the noodles into a bowl and soak following pack instructions until tender but not soft – you don’t want them to become mushy. Drain.

step 2
Heat the oil in a wok over a medium-high heat and stir-fry the chicken for 5 mins until cooked. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and set aside, keeping the oil in the wok. Stir-fry the onion, pepper and carrot for 5 mins to soften, then add the garlic, chilli and ginger, and cook for a few minutes more until fragrant.

step 3
Add the beansprouts, turn up the heat to high, and stir through the peanuts, lime juice and zest and the soy sauce. Return the chicken to the pan along with the noodles and herbs, and gently toss everything together until heated through. Best served straightaway.

05/04/2026

🐥☀️ Happy Easter Everyone hope your having a great Easter weekend 🐥☀️

05/04/2026

⭐This Week's Classes⭐

05/04/2026