Weekly Weigh in and Food diary - Week 3

Another week where I feel like I haven't done very well. I can't get my head in the game lately and everything I eat seems to bloat me. Also, after the gym I always come out really bloated - does anyone else get this?! It's annoying and makes me feel like it's not worth it. Anyway onto the food...

Wednesday

B - Weetabix muffins with nutella, an apple and a skinny latte from Starbucks.
L - Sweet potato curry and rice and veg. The curry sauce was blended mushy peas, chopped tomatoes and curry powder and some chilli (it tastes good trust me!).
D - I had "fake kfc" basically chicken thighs rubbed in spices and breadcrumbs with home cooked chips and salad.
S -  I snacked on a banana and some buttercream whilst making a cake haha.
E - Gym today, I did a 45 minute walk/run on the treadmill, Leg press 10 reps x 4 sets 75lbs, Hip Adduction 10 reps x 4 sets 55lb. 

Thursday

B - Raisin Bran and semi skimmed milk with an apple.
L -  A cheese scone and flora.
D - Dad's birthday tea! We had prawn cocktail for starters, then chicken chasseur, then banana split for tea.
S -  It was someone's birthday at work again so I had some cake.. oops! And my dad's birthday so more cake. Oh dear. 
E - Just general walking about at work and on my lunch.

Friday

B - Chewy bar.
L -  Out for lunch with my boyfriend today. I had a delicious spicy bean burger, sweet potato fries, vegan mayo and homemade lemonade. It was lovely. I think I should re-name Friday's to sweet potato fry-days.
D - I have been too full for dinner today so I just had late night cheese and ham on toast.
S -  Some chocolate! Yum.
E - Walked around for a bit at lunch.

Saturday

B -For breakfast I had a banana. I didn't take a photo though!
L - My lunch was provided today and I had a BLT sandwich, crisps, a fruit cake, chocolate and an apple.
D - For dinner I had quorn spaghetti bolognaise made by my boyfriend's mum and it was yum!
S -  A few ferrero rochers!
E - Did a long shift walking about for most of the day so I am pretty tired, I think I did about 7 miles!

Sunday

B - Bacon (no fat) and scrambled eggs on toast made by my boyfriend. He knows when I'm hungry I'm grumpy so did well to keep me fed!
L -  Again, my boyfriend made lunch and we had pasta with spring onions, tomatoes, cheese and a bit of mayo.
D - Veggie burger and lots of salad.
S -  I didn't really snack today as I was fed and watered on time haha.
E - Did some shopping and walked about but nothing strenuous.

Monday

B - Banana before the gym and a chewy bar, a nak'd bar, an apple and a coffee afterwards.
L - Mushy Pea sweet potato curry and rice - yum!
D - Burger in a bowl with home cooked wedges. Basically mince, onions, salad and burger sauce.
S -  A couple of rice crispie chocolate bites.
E - Gym Session. I did 45 minutes walk/run on the treadmill, Chest Press 30lb x 3 sets of 10, Lat Pull 40lb x 4 sets of 10. Walking around on my lunch break.

Tuesday

B - Marmite on toast in the car, I was in a rush!
L - Stir fry veg with noodles and an oyster sauce. I've batch cooked this so expect to see it a lot next week!
D - Jacket potato with cheese and 'pizza topped chicken'.
S -  An apple, some dark chocolate buttons and some walnuts.. and Starburst.
E - Walked around at lunch.

Total weight loss this week: +1lb.
But I'm still posting this!

Book Review: I was here - Gayle Forman.*

I was recently given the opportunity to read ‘I was here’ from award-winning, bestselling author, Gayle Forman. and from reading the blurb I thought this sounded like the sort of book I would like to read.

This book comes under the Young Adult category but can be enjoyed at any age, and I especially enjoyed reading this book aged 24. I find young adult fiction is so easy to read and to get into and also relate to. I found this incredibly easy to put down and pick back up again without feeling like I needed to re-read the last few pages to get back on track.

The cover of this book is modern and reminds me of an Instagram collage. I think the cover is very pleasing to the eye and something I would personally pick up and look at. This is reminiscent of Forman's other titles.

The plot centres around Cody coming to terms with the suicide of her best friend Meg. Cody thought she knew everything about Meg so to discover this has happened only intensifies her grief and leaves her with many unanswered questions. Cody then uncovers deleted emails and encrypted files on Meg’s computer and sets out to determine the truth behind her friend’s suicide and decision to die whilst also finding out about a whole other life Meg has been living.

Suicide is a very sensitive topic and I believe Forman has written about this very well and what affect this has on the people left behind. The plot covers heartbreak, romance and the changing and growing of many relationships and some really good character development which I could completely relate to. The book is what I can only describe as real. The way Forman has executed her writing makes this book really believable and I even found myself mourning Meg’s death by the end of it. 

This is the first Gayle Forman book I have read and I am left wanting to pick up other titles. I was kept on the edge of my seat and I am still left wanting to read even more.

I Was Here by Gayle Forman is out today and you can purchase this on amazon here. 

 *I was sent this book for free for the purposes of a review. All opinions are my own. See my disclaimer for more information.

Photography by Jimmyscribble.

January 2015 Glossybox

It's that time again! I received my Glossybox just over a week ago now so I've had time to trial all of the products and let you know what I think. Please let me know what you got in your boxes, I love reading other people's Glossybox reviews!

Naked Lips - Organic Lip Balm Superfruits - Full Size €5

This lip balm is 100% natural and is really fruity. The 'flavour' I received was Blueberry, acai, goji, baobab and pomegranate. This really does leave my lips feeling nourished and gives them a light glossy sheen. I have millions of lip balms and usually just use Vaseline but I think I will switch to this one because I love how it tastes, it reminds me of summer and cocktails!

Nicka K New York - Colorluxe Powder Blush - Full Sized €8.95

I received this blush in the colour Romantic which is a really soft pink colour. The idea of this packaging is to stop powder explosions at the bottom of your handbag. When I opened this it went everywhere, the puff kind of exploded. That's when I realised that you're only supposed to take off the gold lid, not the whole thing..oops! I really like the colour of this and it applied really well and really makes your eyes pop. This is great value for the amount of product you get too.

Jelly Pong Pong - All Over Glow - Full  Size £10 (15g)

I really like the packaging on this product, the design is eye catching. When I first tried this product I put way too much on, you really do only need the tiniest of blobs. The colour of this is extremely shimmery and I wouldn't necessarily recommend this for day to day use but for a night out this is going to be perfect. It especially looks nice when the light hits it, great for cheekbones and even on the body on your collarbones I think this would work well. Oh, and this stays put for AGES.

MeMeMe Eye Line Pencil in Clay - Full Size £4

This pencil is actually really nice to use despite it not being a colour I would usually pick up. It smudges really nicely and seems to stay put on the waterline for quite some time. It makes a nice change from a black eyeliner and I find myself using this and creating a brown smoky eye day to day.

Kueshi Natural and Pleasant Cosmetics - Revitalizing Face Toner - Full Size €10.70

I've never really used a toner before so I was looking forward to trying this out. The colour intrigued me, it looks like it's going to smell a bit chemically but it's made with natural ingredients. I can't describe what this smells like but it is quite strong and I usually prefer to use unscented products on my face. I can't say I noticed much of a difference in my skin but I really like how refreshing it is and it wakes me up in the morning so I will continue to use this until it has ran out.

Great box Glossybox, I think I'll use all of these items.

To sign up to Glossybox, click here.

Weekly Weigh in and Food diary - Week 2

I've had a crazy busy week this week with 3 meals out! I am pretty sure I picked the wrong month to start a diet haha. I expect next week will be slightly better as I am a lot less busy on the social front. For those interested, here is a breakdown of my weekly food! Enjoy.

Wednesday

B - I had bran flakes with semi-skimmed milk and an apple for a snack.
L - Leftover Tuna Pasta Bake.
D - I had sausages, egg, beans, mushrooms, home cooked wedges and bacon with the fat removed.
S -  I snacked on a banana and some chocolate.
E - I walked around at lunch, I was due to go to the gym but I changed my days about.

Thursday

B - Porridge Oats, semi-skimmed milk, an apple, and a pinch of chia seeds.
L -  We went out for lunch at work today and I went for Sausage and Mash with gravy and peas.
D - Chicken Fajitas without the wraps with home cooked wedges, rice, kidney beans, peppers and a salad.
S -  I had some starburst and a few biscuits as it was someone's birthday at work and I would hate to deprive myself!
E - Walking around at work.

Friday

B - Chewy bar, an apple and a coffee. Also a banana before the gym.
L -  Out for lunch again today! what a busy week. We went to Ed's Diner and lets be honest who wants to go to an American themed diner and have just a salad? Not me! I went for a skinny burger (no bread) which was topped with cheese, salsa and sour cream with a side salad and some sweet potato fries.
D - We got a Chinese takeaway tonight, I decided to go for boiled rice and Chicken in Oyster sauce and chips, I've eaten a bit too much today I think!
S -  No room for snacks!
E - Gym! 20 minutes walk/run on the treadmill, 20 minutes cross trainer, Leg press 10 reps x 4 sets 75lbs, Hip Adduction and Abduction 10 reps x 8 sets 55lb. 20 minute walk at lunch.

Saturday

B -For breakfast I had baked beans, egg, tomatoes and lean bacon.
L - My breakfast was actually at 12pm so I didn't have a lunch! The joys of waking up late.
D - For dinner I made home-made burgers with a babybel in the middle. They were LOVELY. I made these with home cooked chips and salad!
S -  A few ferrero rochers!
E - None...!

Sunday

B - Beans and cheese on toast with scrambled egg, bacon (no fat) and rocket.
L -  Again, I had a late breakfast so I didn't have a specified lunch.
D - Roast chicken dinner.
S -  Sweets! Sweet Sunday?! Haha.
E - Went to the allotment today and did a bit of gardening.

Monday

B - Banana before the gym and some Weetabix Muffins with Nutella and an apple.
L - Mushy Pea chicken curry and rice. It tastes better than it sounds.. honest!
D - Mince meatballs with pasta and a sauce made from onions mushrooms and tomatoes.
S -  A couple of rice crispie chocolate bites.
E - Gym Session. I did 20 minutes walk/run on the treadmill, 10 minutes cross trainer, 20 minutes spinning (10km) Chest Press 30lb x 3 sets of 10, Lat Pull 40lb x 3 sets of 10 and Ab Crunches 45lbs x 3 sets of 10. Walking around on my lunch break.

Tuesday

B - A Cheese roll (not pictured), a cup of coffee, an apple and a gingerbread nak'd bar.
L -  Mushy pea chicken curry again. I love this. 
D - Quorn Sausages, Mash and vegetables.
S -  Some chocolate bites.
E - None. 

Total weight loss this week: +0.5lbs

Again, I know I eat a lot but I like to have a small treat every day. I never deprive myself if I fancy something, and I don't usually go out for 3 meals in one week so I've had a bit of a crazy week so didn't expect to lose anything!

Here's to a better week :).

Chicken, bacon, quinoa and bulgar wheat bake - recipe.

My mum recently bought a bag of Bulgar Wheat and Quinoa Mix and I've been wondering what to do with it for ages. I scoured Pinterest and BBC Food for recipe ideas but nothing took my fancy. I made up this 'bake' recipe using different recipies put together so it's a bit random and I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out but it's lovely!

 

Ingredients

200g Chicken

Peppers

Tomatoes

Bacon

40g Light Cheddar

Garlic Salt

Chicken Seasoning

Sweetcorn

Quinoa and Bulgar Wheat Mix - 1 cup

(makes approximately 4 small lunch portions)

First I cooked my bulgar wheat and quinoa as per the instructions on the back of the packet. I poured 1 cup of the mix into the pan and added 2 cups of water and boiled for around 15 minutes.

In the meantime I chopped my chicken and put this in a separate pan to cook. When this was cooking I chopped my peppers, tomatoes and bacon which I removed the fat from. I then added this to the chicken and simmered it all down whilst the bulgar wheat/quinoa cooked.

 

When the bulgar wheat and quinoa was cooked, I drained this off and added it to the cooked chicken and bacon mix. I then popped this into 2 glass dishes.

  

I then topped the dishes with the cheddar - which is of course optional! Then baked in the oven for 15 minutes until the cheese had melted. This tasted really creamy and delicious and was really filling.

Please let me know if you have any other ideas on what to cook with this quinoa and bulgar wheat mix.

Weekly Weigh in and Food diary - Week 1

Hello guys, I've decided to trial a new type of blog post and thought I would share with you my exercise and eating regime and share my progress with you as I try and shift the Christmas bulge I appear to have gained. 

SEE WEEK 2 HERE

I've been trying to officially eat 'healthily' for the past week now after the massive Christmas binge. I actually got to the point where I was bored of eating as crazy as that sounds. I still have a lot of Christmas food left but I am trying to spread it out so I only have one small treat a day but I never deprive myself of anything.

After Christmas I only gained half a pound but I had a number of gains beforehand putting me about a stone away from my target weight and would love to get there in time for the summer.

I originally weighed 14 stone (196lbs) and I already started my weight loss journey a couple of years ago, so I know what works well for me and by no means am I an expert! Here is a before and during picture for reference. This is me 7lbs away from my target, I know I can get there again!

Wednesday

B - I had a banana before the gym then after I had some Porridge Oats and Raspberry's with Chia Seeds.
L - Quorn mince with chopped tomatoes, peppers, onions, spinach, kidney beans and pasta.
D - Pulled Pork, frylight cooked chips, salad and onions.
S -  I snacked on an apple in the afternoon and after dinner I had 5 sweets from my pic'n'mix tub.
E - I went to the gym this morning and did 45 minutes of interval training on the treadmill. I also did 3 sets of 10 reps 70lb leg presses, 3 sets of 10 reps 55lb Hip Abduction and 4 sets of 10 reps 55lb Hip Adduction. 

Thursday

B - I had a banana and 2 slices of small wholemeal toast with ham and raw spinach.
L - Cajun Chicken with rice and salad.
D - Chicken topped with tomato puree, extra light cheese, and a jacket potato.
S -  I snacked on strawberries, an apple and a biscuit.
E - I didn't go to the gym today, but I did have a shift where I walked around for about 5 hours so that's something. 

Friday

B - I had the same as yesterday - 2 slices of small wholemeal toast with ham and raw spinach.
L - Cajun Chicken with rice and salad again. I'm so imaginative.
D - Pizza!
S -  I snacked on starburst. It's a Friday, calories don't count!
E - I did very little exercise today, Friday's are usually my lazy days!

Saturday

B - Bran Flakes, Semi-Skimmed Milk and an Apple.
L - Me and my boyfriend went to spudulike and I had the chilli con carne potato with cheese. It came with free garlic bread - shame!
D - Fake KFC and home cooked wedges with beans.
S - I bought some Montezuma chocolate so treated myself to a few squares of that. 
E - I went shopping in the city so spent a lot of time walking around, my legs and arms ached like crazy!

Sunday

B - I woke up later than usual so just had a snack of a chewy bar and a cup of tea.
L - Chicken, Bacon and veg Quinoa and Bulgar Wheat bake with cheese.. phew! I'll post a recipe for this soon!
D - A Lovely roast!
S - A few squares of galazy and a small slice of Christmas cake.
E - I did very little exercise today! I barely left my bedroom. #LazySundays

Monday

B - I had a chewy bar, some pastryless quiche and chicken. I also had a banana before the gym.
L - The same quinoa bake as yesterday - I batch cooked a few portions.
D - Quorn Shepherds Pie, roasted parsnips and beans.
S -  An apple and a custard cream.. Oh and some chocolate and millions (I blame the boyfriend for those)!
E - I did some interval training on the treadmill (45 minutes) Leg Press 75lb x 10 reps x 3. Chest Press 30lb x 10 reps x 3, Lat Pull 35lb x 10 reps x 1 and 40lb x 10 reps x 3, Ab Crunch 40lb x 10 reps x 3.

Tuesday

B - Bacon and Spinach on 2 slices of mini wholemeal toast and a banana.
L - Lunch was the same again, the last portion from my batch cooked stuff.
D - Tuna pasta bake with chopped tomatoes, peppers, sweetcorn. It was lovely.
S -  An apple and some chocolate of course.
E - I walked around on my lunch break but that was the extent of my exercise.

Total weight loss this week: 2.5lbs

I know there is a lot of room for improvement in my diet, I have way too many treats haha! But one step at a time now! I am fairly happy with how my week went, a few extras slipped in but at least that gives me something to improve on next week.

Thanks for reading this, and if you're interested in these posts I will do them weekly!

GressenHall

A few weeks ago, Norfolk had some Heritage Open days meaning certain places which usually charged admission were open for free. There was loads of places I would have liked to have visited but I just didn’t have the time off. One of the places involved in the open days was Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse. Gressenhall is a 50 acre site with a museum, historic workhouse, farm and a great day out. The main buildings were built in 1777 and you can learn a lot about how things used to be here.

There are some lovely gardens here, they also have a little cottage set up to look how it would have been back in the day.

One of my favourite places here at Gressenhall is the set-up shop. I just love looking at the really old packaging, and find it really interesting. They also had a post office too!

I also love the 1950’s room, filled with retro and vintage items from the 50’s including recipe books, and even a photo album filled with old photos and memories.

Of course, I had to try on one of the hats!

We then looked around the upper part of the museum and saw some really cool and interesting things from different eras.

This doll really creeped me out! I can’t imagine having one of these when I was younger.

I was drawn to this picture as it looks a bit like my sister when she was younger. Spooky!

This story was a bit strange, I’m not sure what to think of it, but the alleyway this sign was down was pretty eerie.

We then took a walk outside through the orchard which interestingly used to be a burial ground.

After that we went for a snack. The café was located in what used to be the itch ward, which was a bit odd. I didn’t get itchy thankfully! I had a coconut flapjack which was really good.

After lunch we popped over to the farm which is across the road from the main museum. There’s a really nice walk here with lots of animals to see. You can also have a ride on horse and carriage and a tractor, but we opted to walk.

Overall, I think Gressenhall is a great day out for people of all ages and really interesting. You can check out their website here. I’d love to hear your recommendations for other places to go on days out!