This is what boredom has done

Friday 31 January 2014

One trend I don't like

Ugg Boots.

Image from winterwoolbootsuk.com

Ugh.

Thursday 30 January 2014

Married Life

I'm just reading an article over on Plan Your Perfect Wedding and it's about the good things after saying the big "I Do".

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Image source: Happy Wives Club
1) You will always have someone to share and celebrate your best moments with – whether it's running that marathon or finally getting around to writing that book.
2) You will have someone there to hold you at your worst moments – at some point we all need a strong shoulder to cry on.
3) Pre-date nerves are no more!
4) You have someone who wants to mop you up and make you hot soup when you’re feeling snotty (well someone who is obligated to anyway).
5) He knows who you are and he knows you don’t look like Miranda Kerr (well not all the time…) so you can forget about trying to be perfect and concentrate on just being you.
6) You can say goodbye to standing around in sweaty clubs while some lager-lout touches your shoulder. Nothing gets rid of sleazeballs quicker than a simple “I’m married”.
7) The Big Decisions. Whatever they are there for you, there will always be someone to guide you through them and help you make them.
8) Knock, knock. Who’s there? Someone who will always laugh at your jokes.
9) You get to have sleepovers with your best friend every night!
10) Memories, in-jokes and mutual friends. These are all wonderful things that are built over time.

Am I being stupid, or shouldn't the relationship with your fiancee be like this anyway, before you get married? I know me and Jim are like that already.

Banana & Chocolate Cake

Last weekend my lovely friend Bee came over and made me a scrummy cake to eat with Ben and Jerry's Peanut Butter ice-cream. What a good Saturday night in! I don't know the quantities of all the ingredients, but I thought I'd share what I know.

Flour, eggs and butter is mixed/whisked together in one bowl. Bananas are mashed and then chocolate is added in another bowl.
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All mixed together ready for baking in the oven!
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Piece de resistance!
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And the final scrummy bowl of deliciousness
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Let me know what cakes you like to make!

The Weigh-in Looms...

After some more research on the Paleo diet, I decided not to go that far with changing my eating habits. After all, I love my beans, and you're apparently not allowed to eat them. I read an article here where the woman in question followed the Paleo diet, lost lots of weight and her body stop functioning properly. That doesn't happen for everyone, but I can't even be bothered to find out if it will happen to me! Having a healthy and functioning body is all I want!

Things I have been eating this week
Chocolate and banana cake with Ben & Jerry's ice-cream
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Salmon & vegetable stir fry with brown rice
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Chilli beef stir fry with veg and egg fried rice
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Baked beans, mushrooms and onions on a Warburtons sandwich thin
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Roast chicken, cous cous & salad
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Exercise this week
MONDAY 30 minutes walk
Zumba 20 Minute Express
TUESDAY Zumba 20 Minute Express
1 hour walk
WEDNESDAY
20 minute walk
THURSDAY
45 minute walk

What's been your favourite meal this week?

Wednesday 29 January 2014

January Playlist

I guess I've been in a somewhat chilled mood, as a lot of my music has been pretty mellow. It's nice to listen to in my extra cosy now with fairy lights living room.







And of course, a bit of Beyonce!

Monday 27 January 2014

What I'm mostly focusing on this week

The Paleo way of eating
Just need to get rid of the food I already have first!

Saturday 25 January 2014

Health Kick (up the bum!)

That's it - no more dieting and worrying about every little morsel that goes into my mouth.

After being on Weight Watchers for so long, I am bored. I hate being with my friends and having to refuse a cookie, having to cook every meal so I can monitor how much oil goes into it. Gah! I want to enjoy my food.

I got to goal in March 2011 and managed to maintain my weight apart from one little holiday blip last year. I am only 2.5lbs up from goal, but that doesn't bother me. What bothers me is after my lazy month due to my dad cancelling our joint membership (I'm not bothered, he was wasting money as he was never going), I have stopped doing high impact exercise and all I've done is go for walks. Not so good after Christmas really...

I've gained 3 inches round my waist and hips, my clothes feel tighter, I feel wobbly. It's time to stop growing outwards and get fit and active again.

Stats
Waist: 29 inches
Hips: 36 inches
Arms: 10 inches
Thighs: 20 inches

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Bit self conscious about posting my picture on the internet, but I want to be able to look back and see a difference. I hope it works!

This morning I followed an exercise plan that I printed off- I can't believe how much my legs were shaking with lunges. I used to be good at those! Anyway, it lasted 40 minutes. I'm glad I did it.

WARM UP
8x side steps, 8 heel digs, 8 knee lifts, 8 shoulder rolls, 8 knee bends. Repeat for about 2 minutes.
CARDIO
2 sets of 15 reps for each exercise; rocket jumps, jumping jacks, burpees, squats. I actually did more squats than on the plan as I missed those! Oops, I forgot to do tap backs...oh well!
LEGS BUMS AND TUMS
15 reps, 1-2 sets each; lunges, calf raises, bridges, crunches, oblique crunches, back raises. For my planks and side planks I did 5 seconds on my knees and repeated 10 times - aiming to build them up each time.
ARMS
2x sets of 10 each; Press ups, tricep push ups against the wall, bench dips, tricep kickbacks (bottle of water as a weight).
COOL DOWN Just your standard stretches!

Wednesday 22 January 2014

Just Another Fad Diet?

Last year there were 3 people maximum trying the 5:2 diet- now there 6! I am always with the view each to their own, but I am just finding it so strange. Only 2 people are following the 5:2 diet properly - the rest are just scoffing on their eating days, treating themselves to biscuits & chocolate on their 'fast days' because they worked hard so deserved a treat, or they're just caving.

I thought it was interesting at first, but when I heard someone having a dilemma over wanting an apple but not being able to eat it or they'd go over the 500 calories, I thought it was stupid. I don't want to follow an eating plan where I feel guilty for eating healthy food, or feel weak and miserable due to being hungry. I know I'd just be one of those people who caves anyway.

What happens when you go back to normal eating?

I've almost finished my week of Simple Start and I have actually really enjoyed it. One of the guys attempting 5:2 said to me this morning, "I'm not looking forward to today."

"Why?"

"Oh, it's one of my fast days."

I felt quite happy with my breakfast of porridge, banana, milk & honey. And it was really tasty.

Why starve yourself if you don't enjoy it? So weird.

Monday 6 January 2014

Dayum

This is what I'll be singing everytime I eat something good from now on.



Life

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Wednesday 1 January 2014

Cheerful Fresh Time! or Happy New Year...

This is what I was doing last night.

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