I'm strong to the finish, cos I eats me...protein...

Last time I went to visit Anna from Readings BADs studio she gave me some protein powder to try.

Now, having been vegan for the last 15 years I know my diet is pretty good as I take care to make sure it is varied. I have bad days just like everyone else where crisps and chocolate are guzzled but on the whole I eat very healthily indeed. I have never needed supplements even while popping out the sproggs and have always been fit and healthy with loads of energy.

So when Anna gave me the protein powder I was a bit blasé about the whole thing, but decided to give it a go.

So once a day I mixed up a scoop of the soya powder with a smoothie. My god it tasted nice! Far too nice to be good for me surely?

I decided to give it a few weeks to see if there was any difference. While I did this I began to think about the demands I have been putting on my body recently.

My classes have built up slowly over the last year. At first I was teaching 2 pole classes a week and a few circuit and Boxercise sessions. The circuits and Boxercise were easy and only demos were needed while I watched and directed.

A year later I am now teaching 15+ classes a week, minimum of 3 pole, 1 or more spin, 2+ aerobics, 3+ toning and 1 2 hour circuit which I actually join in with. That's just my council classes and doesn't include my own pole classes, 1-2-1's, jams and my own training. And when I'm not avtually teaching the classes I'm often found bouncing around making up new routines for that weeks classes.

So really it was no surprise when within a week the protein had a remarkable effect on my strength. Things became far easier and I also noticed I recovered far quicker.

Am now hooked on the stuff and very very grateful to Anna for getting me to try it.

My diet before was great for your average lifestyle but I have to keep reminding myself that it isn't quite so average anymore, even though it feels like it!