Cheat day- where for art thou?

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Without sounding over dramatic JANUARY HAS BEEN THE LONGEST MONTH EVER! Cheat day- where for art thou? I’m going to openly admit now that I haven’t fully immersed myself into a diet/ fitness routine yet. However, I have been dragging myself to the gym 3-4 times a week and eating healthy (ish)- mainly trying to cut down my carbs intake. This is making me desperate for a cheat day though; which according to Joe Wicks can happen everyday in moderation. I have learnt that the key to losing weight effectively requires planning, so February marks the start of planning and preparation!

The Body Coach is my new idol and the results he produces are incredible. Yes, I’ve jumped on the #Leanin15 bandwagon! But it was hard not to. If you don’t already have his food bible… I highly suggest you get it. Not only does it bless you with easy and delicious recipes, but provides high intensity workout programmes that help you burn calories for up to 18 hours after! Amazing, right? The book delivers fabulous meals that you can eat guilt free after a workout. So I plan to cut carbs completely out of my Breakfast and Lunch meals, then make a super tasty #Leanin15 meal for Dinner post work-out. I’m counting January as my taster month: try the recipes I like the sound of and from there make a weekly diet plan.

So I depart with a few that I’ve already tried:

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Creamy, Wild Mushroom and Tarragon Chicken

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Chicken Stir-Fry with Baby Corn and Mangetout

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Plain Cod Fillets with Sweet Potato Salt and Pepper Chips

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Tomato and Roast Pepper Chicken with Cauliflower Rice

By Natalie

Happy New Year

Since my last post a lot of things have changed: Justin Bieber has taken over the world, Bruce Jenner became Caitlyn and I am a third year student. Even though I haven’t posted since February, it feels like it’s all somehow happened overnight. If university life has taught me anything it’s that: time is precious. Now the first semester is over, I can’t help but feel incredibly nostalgic. When people tell you ‘University is over in a flash’ ‘Those 3 years at University fly by’, you never actually believe them until you reach the point at which I’m finding myself in- I’m pleased the semester is over but I’m more aware than ever that after the Christmas break, my time as a student is nearly over. It’s kind of bittersweet, I guess.

2015 in a nutshell was pretty disappointing. But hey, you win some you lose some! This new year is already shaping up to look like one that I will never forget and I’m looking forward to sharing everything with you. I’m back on the health kick train, so prepare for countless food posts and moody outbursts from sheer hunger. Feel free to offer advice and tips or sympathy (thank you in advance), it would be greatly appreciated. The mission to get my summer body back begins when I move back to University in less than a week- purely because it is impossible to eat healthily at home when I’m surrounded by my parents cooking and all the left over Christmas chocolate. Someone has to eat it and that someone is me. Hopefully, I’ll sicken myself with it then never want it again… like ever. Is that wishful thinking?

I apologise for the brief post after my leave of absence but my ‘to do’ list is crazy right now: Assignments, exam revision and demolishing a box of ferrero rochers. The next post will be more interesting, I promise. But isn’t everything more interesting when it involves food?

By Natalie

I’m baaaaaack!

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As I had transformed into a ‘blogging mute’  for a while, I thought that the least I owed you was some kind of explanation of my whereabouts. So many aspects of my lifestyle and outlook have changed over the past month/s and not without reason or encounters that have put things into perspective. As my Dad always reminds me ‘every thing happens for a reason’ and I am starting to become a firm believer of this cliche.

‘Weak eyebrows = Weak presentation. It’s like having a bad handshake, but worse because it’s on your face.’  Lena Dunham. 

As I’ve said before, reading is something that I love to do when I get the opportunity. After an over-indulgent, world wind Christmas and New Year, I was in the mood for something not too serious and light-hearted but something I could really invest in- that’s where Lena Dunham’s book ‘Not that kind of girl’ came to my attention. As an English student, it’s difficult to read a piece of literature and not analyse it’s every chapter, paragraph, sentence or word. However, Lena’s confident and candid expression captivated me to the point where I felt like we were connected in some way. Humour and wit come naturally to her (the eyebrow quote is a personal favourite), exemplifying her unsurprising rise to fame. Lena embraces her eccentric personality with sincerity, avoiding taking herself too seriously which is touching in the admirable sense. Lena’s autobiography was the exact thing that made me surface from my ‘writers block’ and reminded me that every piece of writing doesn’t have to be perfectly written, punctuated, or presented- personality is the key to the blogging kingdom of success. Lena finds the perfect balance between professionalism and inappropriateness, to reach girls and women of any age: an envious attribute I truly aspire to possess.

Who knew Vogue provided life counselling?

Speaking of aspiration, Jourdan Dunn graced the cover of the infamous Vogue magazine this month looking as flawless as ever. After reading her interview, it is clear that Jourdan isn’t what you would expect from a young model. The intertwinement of her strong character and maternal spirit extenuate her humbleness. She is no stranger to rejection and hardship, which is encouraging to someone like me who is aware of the impending post graduate life. Being in the second year of university, questions about life after graduation are prominent and I can’t help but feel like time is running out. The pressure to ‘know what you want to do in life’ can be daunting, but I’ve came to the conclusion that I need to focus on what is important now: exams, assignments, deadlines etc. It takes some of the pressure off and allows me to stand back and see the bigger picture. Sometimes we need a reality check, to make it clear which direction we should be heading in.

The #FatForWinter excuse is no longer valid.

A blog post of mine would be nothing without a mention of food. Over the Christmas period I would be lying profusely if I told you I stuck diligently to healthy eating. I found my self saying (regrettably a little too often) ‘Oh its Christmas, it’s fine!’ *she says as she scoffs her tenth mince pie*. But all good things come to an end right? So, back to strict dieting and exercise it is. Summer is once again in sight- holidays and festivals booked, it’s time to continue my mission to get fit.

By Natalie

New Year: New Look

It’s safe to say that my blog has suffered severe neglection over the past few months. So, first and foremost- I apologize. As we enter a new year, I thought it was more than fitting to undergo a makeover; it’s surprising what a new look can do (Hope you all like it)!

What you’ve missed: After a world wind summer and Christmas, I am devoting my time to university, healthy living (as always) and most importantly you! Writing for a blog is kind of therapeutic and I forgot how much I loved it.

By Natalie

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Oh wow, Olivia!

Oh wow, Olivia!

Olivia Palermo looked stunning in her understated wedding two piece. Some may have been disappointed with the look, but I genuinely admire her desire to be different. Olivia is undoubtedly one of the most iconic fashionista’s of the 21st century, her look is simple yet high fashion- she is utterly flawless! Her wedding day was no exception to this high standard.