Inspiration

Method
Start by roasting the cashews dry in a pan until browned, then roughly chop them.
Next, peel and slice your oranges, extract seeds from the pomegranate, chop the coriander, slice the tomatoes, wash the rocket and toss all together in a bowl.
Prepare the quinoa by boiling for no more than 20 minutes, then add to the other ingredients.
Heat a griddle pan. With a dash of coconut oil or olive oil, grill your halloumi until crispy and golden brown on the outside. Then add to the other ingredients.
To finish, create a vinaigrette with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Whalllaaa, a fresh and healthy Halloumi salad for your next lunch! If you give it a go, make sure you tag me on Instagram or Facebook, I’d love to see how you go!
If you’re a FHIT member, don’t forget you have access to weekly meal plans, with quick, easy to follow recipes like this as part of the program. There’s also heaps of snack ideas and plenty of nutritional advice for the whole family. Want to get involved? You can find more information on FHIT via the program page here.

Rinse and repeat, we’ve heard it all before. From hair care to fitness – consistency and repetition is key!
But why is repetition so important? That’s for a number of reasons. Take a read of my latest blog and find out how repetition can help you along your FHIT journey.
For your health
The number of times or “reps” that you do a specific exercise is important if you want to improve your heart health. It helps us build fitness and endurance – and that’s so important for a healthy life!
Rep counting is easy with FHIT, count along with me and together, we’ll be living the FHIT life.
Don’t forget that intensity also plays a role in progression, but repetitions are very important too.
Checking In
Not feeling it today? Reps can help us feel out our tiredness or fatigue.
Repeated patterns in training help us realise if we’re tired or under the weather. If you’re not reaching your usual rep count, it could just be “one of those days,” or if you find your reps more of a struggle over a longer period, then your body might need more rest, less stress or better fuel.
Noticing the change in the number of repetitions we’re able to achieve is a great reminder of how to be present in your body and in your workouts.
Building a routine
Doing exercises with a set or target number of repetitions can help us build consistency.
People who rely on repetition learn to accurately interpret their body’s signals and better adapt to maintain training consistency. That’s being present and being consistent – two really big factors in seeing results with fitness.
Building up confidence in your form
We all like to feel confident and familiar with our workouts and that’s because of our body and mind connection! The more we perform an action (repetition), the more engrained that becomes in our brain and muscles.
Our brain and body connection is called the neuromuscular system. When we want to move a muscle, a message is sent from our brain to the muscle to perform the action. The more we perform the action over and over again, the easier or more efficient the messaging system and movement become.
That means, the more we practice our movements and repeat actions, the better we become at them.
Goal building
And finally, repetition is so important for goal building. Like I said earlier, it’s important to establish a routine and track how you’re feeling with it. Set a number of reps with a goal in mind and increase this over time. That’s a really easy measure of your progress, fitness and a great way to celebrate showing up to your workouts!
Join me?
If you’d like to join the FHIT-family, you can subscribe to FHIT by clicking the sign-up button below. If you’re looking for FHIT-natal, you can find it here.

Bad days – we all have them. Those ones where you wake up late, realise you’re out of dry shampoo after you didn’t wash your hair last night, miss the bus by a hot second, and spill your coffee all over your new white shirt as you arrive late to that Very Important Meeting you were stressed about.
Sound familiar?
Especially now that I’ve become a mother, I’m realising just how quickly my day can turn upside down in a matter of minutes… or should I say seconds! (Any new mums relate?!).
I’m also realising that if I spend the rest of my day dwelling on everything that’s gone wrong, it almost never makes the rest of my day go right. I end up feeling even worse and turning into a not-so-great person to be around.
My solution? I try to combat any bad day by doing at least one positive thing to make me smile. So here are 8 simple things you can do to shift your mindset and turn those bad days around, for good.
1. Take a moment to breathe
If you’re reading this, I want you to stop what you’re doing right now and take a big deep breath! That’s right – 5 seconds in through your nose, hold for 2 seconds, then release through your mouth for another 5 seconds. Focus on the present moment as you do this 3-5 more times. Whenever I feel myself getting overwhelmed, I stop and say to myself “Loz just breathe!”. It’s amazing how quickly this simple trick can make me feel more relaxed so I can tackle whatever challenge lies ahead of me in a more positive and productive way.
2. Get those endorphins pumping
Physical exercise is one of the best ways to boost your mood! It relieves stress, clears your mind and gives you that amazing rush of endorphins. If you’re having a bad day, you might be more inclined to skip your usual exercise – which is all the more reason to pump out a quick 15-minute FHIT workout. You’ll not only notice your mood improve, but you’ll feel super accomplished for getting your body moving when you didn’t want to in the first place!
3. Get outside
Soak up that vitamin D and get outdoors! Taking a moment to breathe in the fresh air or going for a 10-minute walk outside does absolute wonders for your mental health. If I’m ever having a terrible day, I try to take a moment to reset in nature. Being surrounded by trees, birds and sunshine reminds me of how much I have to be grateful for and always helps me put things into perspective.
4. Feel all the feelings
It’s important to remember… you’re allowed to have a bad day! You’re only human. Pretending you’re fine and trying to ignore all your frustrations will only make you feel worse as you hold onto all that negative energy. Instead, I let myself feel whatever I need to feel for five minutes tops – whether that’s venting to a friend, writing in my journal, or even having a good cry. Not only does it give my mind and body permission to release all those negative emotions, but it allows me to clear my mind and start afresh without completely derailing my entire day.
5. Practice self-care
When things are difficult, we often get caught up in negative self-talk. If your mind is saying things to you that you would never say to your best friend, stop and remember to be kind to yourself! You are doing the best you can with what you’ve got. If you’re struggling, give yourself permission to do something just for you. Whether it’s taking a hot bath, watching your favourite Netflix show or indulging in a face-mask – a little pampering can go a long way to lifting your spirits!
6. Spend time with someone you love
There’s nothing like venting to your partner, your mum, your best friend or your favourite colleague when you’re having one of those days! They’ll be able to listen with compassion, validate how you’re feeling and provide you with some solid advice. Whenever I’m feeling down, a good chat and a laugh with someone I care about makes all the difference.
7. Nourish your body
When was the last time you had some water? Or moved your body? Have you eaten something healthy and wholesome today? When we’re feeling stressed, it can have a huge impact on our physical wellbeing. I try to release any tension I’m holding by doing something good for my body – whether that’s a quick stretch or workout, or cooking myself a delicious healthy meal.
8. Remember a bad day only lasts 24 hours
If it’s just been one of those days and nothing you do is helping, that’s totally okay too. The bad days always make us appreciate the good ones even more – and sometimes you just need to feel sad for a little while and try again tomorrow!
Looking for your cheer squad for the good days, bad days and every day in between? The FHIT family keeps each other motivated through our Facebook Community. Sign-up today for an opportunity to join us xx

Sleep
Getting a good amount of sleep will help your body recover and ease your mind. Sleep and mood are closely connected; poor or inadequate sleep can cause irritability and stress, while healthy sleep can enhance well-being. Getting more sleep gives you more energy and motivation to work out – so get some extra ZZZ’s if you can and you’ll be crushing your home exercise before you know it.
Nourish
In the same way that sleep improves our mood, food and water keep our body healthy, aid recovery and keep our muscles growing. Fuel your body well and you’ll be well on the way to becoming the boss of home workouts.
Mind
Have you tried practicing meditation, mindfulness or gratitude? These powerful strategies can help us feel a great sense of contentment and drive us to do more of the things that make us feel great.
Taking 10-15 minutes away from the constant cycles of thought and decision-making can help us relax our minds and often results in a serene and calm feeling – perfect for increasing our overall sense of wellbeing. Try a mindfulness exercise today, we really like this S.T.O.P exercise from the FHIT resident Psychologist, Brian Langsworth.
Mindfulness reminds us to be in the moment! It means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations through a gentle, nurturing lens. Making us focus on acceptance and pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them.
Gratitude is as simple as taking 10 minutes each day to reflect on a few things that you are thankful for. You could even add a gratitude section to your workout journal! Regularly writing brief reflections on moments that we’re thankful for can increase well‑being and satisfaction! Perfect for giving you those positive vibes needed to crush your next home workout.

With Winter in full swing in the northern hemisphere and Summer starting to wind down here in Australia, I’ve prepared some tips to keep you motivated when the cold feet start to set in!
1. Keep it simple!
If the chill has got you feeling a bit daunted about working out, keep your routine simple. I recommend picking three exercises (I like squats, lunges and push ups) and whenever you’re feeling sluggish do 10 of each exercise to get your energy levels up and endorphins pumping!
2. Be prepared
The dark can be just as unmotivating as the cold, so prepare yourself ahead of time.  Get your workout clothes and any equipment ready the night before to battle the early morning blues. If you can squeeze in a lunch time session of FHIT, even better!
3. Be accountable
If you’ve been with FHIT for a while, you’ll know about the benefits of having a workout buddy. This can be especially helpful when you feel less motivated, that friendly competition and support will drive you to workout and keep you accountable. You’ll both be responsible for turning on a FHIT workout each day and keeping each other on track. A workout partner will also keep you motivated and encourage you through the toughest exercises.
4. Change up your location
FHIT is available online at any time, making it the perfect choice for Winter weather! So, if you’re someone who likes to workout outside maybe workout at home during Winter, keeping you extra warm and cosy during that workout session. That means you get the added bonus of not having to go anywhere too!
If you’re already an avid home workout user, then change up your location within the house instead! A change of perspective could really help you push through some of those tough sessions.
5. Remember your why
Why not keep a workout journal to remind yourself how great exercise makes you feel and how much of a positive impact it has on your day?! Write down how you feel before a workout, which workout you did and how you felt after. Whenever you don’t feel like working out, read your workout journal and remind yourself of your WHY. Hopefully, the thought of happy hormones and extra endorphins gives you that extra motivation to push play on your next FHIT workout.

We’d love to hear about your tips for staying motivated! You can email us your tips and we’ll share our favourites with the rest of the FHIT family.

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you’ll know that over the past nine months, I’ve been busy (not just growing my beautiful baby boy) but working on something super exciting, FHIT-natal!
I know pregnancy is different for everyone, which is why I developed FHIT-natal with all kinds of mummas-to-be in mind. With short, at home workouts specifically tailored for each trimester, FHIT-natal is designed to keep you moving while your body is growing and you’re glowing.
I recently did a Q&A on my Instagram so I thought I would put together the most common question and answers for you to read over with your morning coffee, on your lunch break or before bed.
Who is FHIT-natal aimed at and what level of fitness do you need?
FHIT-natal is for anyone on their pregnancy journey, no matter what your fitness level is! Whether you’re trying to conceive or you’re counting down the final weeks of bubba in your belly, these workouts are for you.
The one membership is split into five sections:

1. Pre Pregnancy
2. Trimester One
3. Trimester Two
4. Trimester Three
5. Postnatal

FHIT-natal is there to help you stay active throughout your pregnancy but it’s not a strict program so there’s no added pressure. Just do what feels comfortable for you and always make sure you speak to your Doctor before starting a new exercise regime. The workouts are all are easy to follow along and I do each and every exercise with you in real time, so you’ll always have someone to cheer you on.
In time will you make a postnatal FHIT program? 
I most definitely will be creating postnatal workouts for FHIT-natal! Now that Asher is here, I’m just waiting for the a-okay from my doctor before I jump back into my workouts. I want to make sure all of the workouts are appropriate for our postnatal bodies and the best way to do that is to trial them myself.
If you’re already raring to go and looking for something right now, the FHIT Foundations program is perfect for new mummas ready to get back into fitness with 15 minutes at home workouts for you to follow. Read more about Foundations here.
Is it hard to do while you’re pregnant?
Not at all! These workouts have been specifically designed for each trimester, so the intensity and the exercises change with you and your body. It is however, extremely important that you talk to a health professional before you start the workouts to ensure exercise is something you can do in your pregnancy.
Is it a set program?
No, it isn’t. I know from my own pregnancy experience there can be days when the last thing you want to do is workout, but I also know that every day is different. Some days I had lots of energy and could smash out a big workout, other days I would lay in bed all day eating salt and vinegar chips. It’s about listening to your changing body, recognising your limits and doing the best you can with the energy you have on any given day.
When I was creating FHIT-natal I didn’t want to add any extra pressure on you mummas-to-be by making it a prescriptive program that you might feel like you have to follow. Instead, you can pick and choose from the exercises for each trimester and find what works for you.
Is it just workout videos?
There are a few different parts to FHIT-natal.
There’s the video library where you’ll find the workouts tailored for each stage of your pregnancy journey including pre-pregnancy, each trimester and eventually postnatal. Then there’s the bump check in. This is where you can document your pregnancy journey and keep track of your cravings, how your body is changing and how you’re feeling. And of course, it’s where you can upload photos of your growing bump!
You’ll also find a range of pregnancy resources and my own personal pregnancy diary as part of the FHIT-natal blog and you’ll get exclusive access to the FHIT-natal community on Facebook, where you can share your journey with other women.
Will there be modifications?
Yes! I understand that everyone who does my workout videos (be that as part of FHIT or FHIT-natal) has a different level of fitness so I’ll always talk you through the different modifications for every exercise. You’ll also see my sister-in-law pop up in some videos demonstrating the whole modified version so you can follow along visually.
Can I download and keep the workouts?
FHIT-natal is a website platform, so you can access it from your mobile or desktop anywhere, anytime but you can’t download and keep the workout videos.
When are you releasing it? I’m keen to get started.
We’re currently working through the finishing touches, so will be releasing very soon! Make sure you don’t miss the announcement and get early access by signing up to this list. You’ll be the first to hear about the launch date and much, much more!
I created FHIT-natal as a way to help you exercise regularly throughout your pregnancy, from the comfort of your own home and at a time that works for you and your changing body. Having just gone through my own pregnancy journey, I know that each day is different, that you need to be gentle with yourself, listen to your body and only do what you can manage on any given day. It’s such a beautiful time and when you keep active and make healthy choices you really feel like you are making the right decisions for you and your growing baby.
If you have any questions about FHIT-natal, you can send me a DM on Instagram or Facebook or you can email Team FHIT at teamfhit@laurenhannaford.com.au.

The important part about reflection is figuring out what worked for you, what didn’t work, where there were gaps and how you can do something better. For example, last year I wrote down that I wanted to travel more of the world. We all know that didn’t happen, but I know that it had nothing to do with me and everything to do with a global pandemic, which was totally out of my hands! If any of your goals weren’t achieved because of COVID-19, please don’t be hard on yourself and remember that it was something you never thought would happen and something you have no control over!
Secondly, visualise your WHY. Veteran FHIT members and all of you that read my blogs would know by now that I love to speak about your WHY. If you don’t know WHY you’re working towards a goal, it becomes void! I speak about this with my FHIT members all the time, who have given me many different answers to their WHY. Some want to be better partners, some want to be a good role model for their children and others want to increase their fitness for their work. Connecting to your WHY is a powerful tool that will help you stay motivated and moving in the direction of those goals!
Now, don’t get me wrong – I’m a dreamer and I love to set extravagant goals that realistically I probably won’t be able to reach and sometimes that leaves me feeling a bit deflated. So, my last tip is to be realistic about your goals. If you’re new to goal setting, start with smaller achievable goals, and slowly make them bigger and bigger as you achieve them.
Make sure you tag me in your goal setting pictures on Instagram or send me a DM if you have more tips and tricks!