Fitness Update … YAY

So finally the second Fitness video went up on youtube the other day… this is a tad long as I had so much to say! It includes 5 health tip, my workout routine, a general fitness update, how to make my green juice that I post on instagram a lot and how to make chocolate protein pancakes to soothe those cravings I constantly get!

I have been visiting the gym 3 times a week because I had a few things to sort out and was a tad busy! I have some time off over the next few weeks so it will be my second home! Working out has become a second nature to me, I feel guilty if I don’t go and afterward I actually feel like a superstar! You know that feeling when you are on the treadmill and you can no longer be bothered…. imagine that body you have always wanted and keep running! Sometimes I might actually sound insane but push yourself to a limit you can handle and you will notice the rewards.

Remember that its 70% eating and 30% exercise… I eat pretty well and have a few naughty things every once and a while but will work out extra hard if i do. Thing is you might be at that point where you feel like you are not loosing weight or toning but are eating all the right things…. have you ever thought of the times that you are eating or the portion sizes? I have noticed that it’s best to eat little and often and the more you exercise the hungrier you will get! Keep your blood sugar levels at bay by eating good carsb (brown pasta, brown rice etc)… don’t touch refine carbs if you can ( white bread… white pasta etc)…. this will cause a massive spike in your blood sugar levels and will surface your hunger for a while and you will then get hungry straight after! For snacks have apples with organic peanut butter and drinks lots and lots of water!

Remember your body is your temple, this is the first time in my life where I am training hard, I haven’t pushed myself to it’s limits yet but over the next few weeks I want to see the results if I do that! … (LJ the bests told me to suck it in and tense to see my muscles….. ha ha)

Muscle weights more than Fat

If you have started working out it’s better to take measurements instead of weighing yourself because we forget that muscle weights more than fat. Since I have been eating better…. (I actually eat slower as well…. CHEW THAT FOOD GURL).. I am no longer bloated. I eat till I am full and don’t over feed myself! I don’t restrict myself from all treats but will run and work out a bit more! My stomach is slightly flatter but I still have a long way to go to what I want to achieve!

 

(image from tumblr)

I find working out my core so hard and doing sit ups is something that kills me…. I went to the gym the other day with my bestie and she has been a gym bunny for the past year! We realised that I need to increase my reps on my crunches to feel and show anything! I have now decided to attempt 100 crunches a day and 100 squats a day even if I don’t go to the gym! Eeek I will be starting this today and regretting it pretty much straight after ha ha ! No pain no game… (right?)

Check out how to make my green juice in the new fitness video … it’s super yummy and I always add extra ginger to give it that zing to wake me up in the morning. I make this juice 2-3 times a week!

A great snack before or after the gym.. my trainer told me the best time to eat is after the gym. He also mentioned that if I warm up for 10 mins on the cross trainer of treadmill and then do my weights etc… and then end my workout with running I will burn more calories! Defiantly start using weights when doing squats and lunges! What else would you ladies like to know? I will be posting up more fitness videos…. would you like to see workout routines? Let me know!

Have an amazing day beauts… and keep going! Forget everyones else’s negativity or what they think of you… it’s your world… your writing the story and your shaping it! Add a dash of mascara and some fierce red lipstick and keep going! Subscribe to youtube and make my day! There will be my first giveaway when I get to 5k followers!

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xoxo

XOXO

Get Involved With My Health Plan

So I have been focusing on this health plan and over the past three weeks I have been to the gym 3-4 times a week! I measured myself before I started this and have managed to loose 5 lbs, half an inch off my arms, waist, hips and inner thigh! I am really happy but it’s about toning and being healthy. I am conscious of what I am putting in my body and trying to tone my stomach!

#iwantyourstylehealth

Over the weekend I had a ‘cheat’ day or two! My sister in law treated me to some yummy pizza, I indulged in some chocolate cake and a few other nibbles but I worked out extra long yesterday because I want to keep things balanced.

I have switched to Rye bread because it’s healthier and top it with scrambled eggs for breakfast with a portion of greek yogurt fruit and nuts! Remember that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it kick starts your metabolism so if you think skipping breakfast is good for you…. don’t be so silly and get that morning grub down you!

I am a real woman, I could never cut out carbs completely but remember that a majority of weight loss is 80% diet the rest exercise. Remember portion size, you can be eating healthy food but easily can over eat, eat slowly and chew your food ( I sound so patronising but you will learn to enjoy it so much more!)

So the whole point of this is  that I want to know what you guys are eating… if you have instagram follow me on @iwantyourstyle and use my new hashtag that I created today #iwantyourstylehealth 

Lets get fit and healthy together… share meal plans and yummy ideas! NOM NOM NOM!

Keep your eyes peeled on my youtube as I will have my of my fitness plan and journey over the next few weeks!

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xoxo

 

Lets Get Lean

I have become a gym freak over the past few weeks and I have decided to share my journey with you. I am not overweight in any shape or form but I am on a fitness plan to get trim and lean for LA. I have changed my diet but I hate the word diet so I am calling it a lifestyle change. I am eating healthier and feeling so much better and lighter. I use to eat whatever I want and constantly felt bloated and horrible at the end of the day. I have cut out refined carbohydrates and the majority of lunch and dinner are protein on a bed of spinach or kale. I actually love spinach and I have been juicing mainly vegetable juices and adding lemon and ginger to give it a zingy taste! NOM NOM NOM … Check out the first introduction to my health regime on youtube.

 

 

So I have been running and training at the gym and my standard trainers were just not cutting it and my knees started to hurt wah wah wah …. so I went to Nike Town in London and got kitted up. People have been banging on about Nike Free Runs so I tried on the 3.0 and the 5.0. The black trainers are 3.0 and pink are 5.0, the pink ones had more structure and apparently are better for the gym. The black ones were so comfy and soft but I need support when running, so I bounced around nike and bought the pink ones.

My workout routine consists at the moment of running high (speed 11) and low intensity (speed 6 with 7% incline) on the treadmill for 20 minutes and I have managed to shift a few pounds and I am really enjoying it. I feel if I have a stressful day I burn all of the negative energy at the gym.

Tried and tested out my new trainers today and back to the gym tomorrow, lets get lean and fit peeps! How is your workout plan going? What do you guys want to know? Have you set yourself a goal weight and a time span? Have an amazing day and keep going! Don’t forget to keep up to date and subscribe to follow my journey!

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xoxo

The Fitness Bug

Soooooo as you all know my brother recently got married, I came back from NYC a few weeks ago and ate copious amounts of food (lots of burgers with the boy…. nom nom nom.) Two week ago I had a look at myself and thought lets stop talking about getting fit and just do it. I joined my local gym, I normally eat quite healthy but I decided to set myself a challenge.

I will be off to LA mid October and I want to see how fit I can get if I actually exercise regularly and control what I eat. It’s not about being skinny it’s about being healthy and strong. At school I was in a majority of the sports teams but working full time and attempting to be a blogger and have a social life as well as exercising is sometimes unrealistic…. however I have managed to balance all of this. I want to bring you guys on my journey and let’s do this together. I will be releasing my first introduction fitness video next week including a few meal plans and healthy snacks. Now let me ask you … what do you want to see? I am training at the gym 3-4 times a week and I find it very therapeutic, if I get stressed I take it out on the treadmill. I run like there is no tomorrow and let all my worries flow away. I am going to focus on the following aspects, diet, fitness regime and motivation…. if you have any requests please let me know?

We are here to help each other, I am a normal girl…. I love a burger (or two) with the boy and I have a soft spot for chocolate cake and donuts. I am real and I am pretty soft around the middle at the moment. I am 24 and technically my body should be the best it can be so I am training hard to see results. I have a training session with a person trainer next week so will keep you updated with everything!

Eating well– We are what we eat, we would only give our babies the best food possible so why don’t we care this much about ourselves? If you can’t pronouce the ingrediants then it’s better to not have them. Lets keep it fresh, have at least 5 fruit and veg a day and try and turn this into a pulse or juice if you find this difficult. My main trick is high protein low carbs, fresh grilled fish such as salmon and tuna with a bed of yummy salad….. remember we are on this journey together so lets do this! Don’t forget to include and comment with your own fitness and healthy recipe ideas…. the more the merrier!

Juicing– I juice 3-4 times a week if I have time and it’s better to juice green vegetables as they have less sugar and contain more nutirents. My super food at the moment is spinach, I juice a bag of spinach every two days, you can get a big bag for a £1 at the local super markets. I like to steam kale and have some grilled lean turkey. I will also be eating normal food but reducing refined carboyhydrates.

I cut out white bread years ago and only eat granary or something super seeded. Always go for the wholegrain option and try and eat fresh foods. Today I had a few biscuits but ran an extra 10 minutes to feel the burn. My main area to work on is core strength, over the last two weeks I have been interval training on the treadmill and the cross trainer and doing some leg work and squats just to build up my strength, with juicing and reducing bad food I have managed to loose 3lbs.

For me it’s not about reaching a goal weight it’s about toning and feeling comfortable. Since I have reduced my wheat intake I feel so much better, in fact lighter! I haven’t cut out sweets and chocolate but I watch exactly what I eat… I will be uploading a few healthy meal plans.

Please remember that if you are overweight and you are looking to change your diet, please consult your doctor first. I am trying to get fit over the next 8 weeks, I will not be going on any faddy diet but eating healthier, exercising and trying to get stronger. I am doing this for myself to see the changes, please come and join me on my journey.

Have an amazing day and keep posted… don’t forget to check me out on Instagram @iwantyourstyle and youtube! 

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XOXO

Foods to Boost Your Mood!

 

Hello Beauties….. How are you feeling today? Want something to boost your mood? Make you feel fab and gorgeous…..

Certain foods can really affect your mood, I have been researching for the past few days to find some foods that can boost your moods and also foods that you should avoid.

Bananas 

One of my favourite foods to eat, with a high level of potassium they will make you more alert. They are high in calming B vitamins and full of iron! Most importantly they contain tryptophan which is converted in serotonin, they calm, relax, improve your mood and make you happier. …. Go eat one now …. NOM NOM NOM

 

 

Dark Chocolate 

It has a required taste but full of antioxidants and slows the signs of ageing. Dark chocolate contains a low glycemic index which won’t have a spike in your blood sugar and cause you a sugar low. It’s full of vitamins such as potassium, iron, magnesium and copper! It contain several compounds which has a positive effect on your mood, it also contain phenylethylamine which makes your brain feel like your falling in love. So overall dark chocolate will make you feel happier….. assume in moderation obviously but use this as an alternative to milk chocolate.

Chicken and Turkey 

Try and buy non processed chicken and turkey as you will see the benefits, full of the amino acid tryptophan as I previously said this produces serotonin. It also contains another amino acid tyrosine, this is used to make the hormone adrenaline, low levels of adrenaline can  cause depression.

Spinach

One of my favourite salad leads it’s full of iron and dark green leafy vegetables are more nutritional than lighter coloured greens. Contains a variety of B vitamins such as  folate, vitamins B3, B6 and B12. Low levels of B vitamin has links to depression… also eating broccoli has the same affect! YUM YUM YUM

Natural Greek Yogurt 

Greek yogurt has more calcium than milk, full of vitamin d and calcium. Lack of vitamin D has been linked to depression and calcium reduces level of stress and anxiety. Add chopped banana, blueberries and natural honey for a yummy slight snack.

 

Yummy…. next time you go shopping add a few of these into your basket! Don’t forget to drink lots of water and try unprocessed foods…. be careful when buying fruit or meat in packaging..the chemicals that are used to preserve the food… eat clean and be happy!

Have an amazing day… don’t forget to subscribe on youtube, follow on tumblr and love us on facebook! 

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XO XO XO

Protect Your Skin

I have been in Florida and on the first day I got sunburnt, I have never been sunburnt but this time I have really taken a step back to understand the severity of the situation. Soon it will be the summer and we will be wearing shorts and attempting to tan, if you are from London you know we try and squeeze every bit of sunlight from the London Summer….. the most important thing you need to invest in this season is a great SPF. I have an olive skin tone and show off with the fact that I hardly burn and always tan, this holiday was far from that. The weather in Florida was about 23’c and being use to the Middle Eastern heat I only ever burnt or felt uncomfortable over 35’c heat, at 23’c I joked to my cousins …. ‘will I even tan?’

I sat in the sun and got in and out of the pool without hardly any SPF on and I have been a red lobster since, I have been in excruciating pain and my whole face has peeled. It looks like I have had some sort of chemical peel and my skin won’t even take to foundation. I can’t explain the severity of this especially when I tan easily and go a golden brown without peeling so this is news to me. If you normally do burn quite easily then I am sure you have been through these changes but today I am here to increase your awareness of using a SPF on a daily basis. A majority of foundations contain SPF and its best to use a SPF of 15 and upwards, it doesn’t need to be sunny for the rays to affect your skin.

(This photo was taken pre burn…. my skin was probably burning at this point)

Sunburn Facts

Sunburn is a reaction from UV radiation, if you are sunburnt your skin releases a releases a chemical which causes your blood vessels to expand and leak fluid which causes swelling, redness and pain.

Without SPF this allows the UV rays to penetrate deep inside your the layers of your skin affecting the cell and potentially causing skin cancer. Peeling is a way of the body getting rid of the damaged skin cells which could potentially cause cancer.

(If you look closely you can see my uber red neck and chest…sad times … I have been burnt so badly I have found it hard to get changed and wear bras!)

You should be wearing a daily SPF… wether you are a man or woman it’s so important to protect your skin. Once your skin cells are damaged you will age quicker, your skin will be thicker and have a ‘leather’ like affect and you could potentially be at a higher risk of skin cancer.

If you have recently been sunburnt like myself please use a good moisturiser and aftersun care to help heal the skin. Try using Aloe Vera or a soothing cream. Currently my face is soaked in a night cream and a mix of aftersun while my face is 3 different shades.. the original shade…. the burnt skin and the new skin……

I never really looked into the affect of sun damage until I actually got burnt, please be aware that this can happen to any skin type! Be smart and invest in a good SPF, remember it doesn’t need to be hot to be affected by the UV rays.

I really under estimated how strong the actual sun can be… be smart and slap that cream on! Don’t forget to read the ingredients and invest in a suncream with a high SPF and protects you from both UVA and UVB rays, for more information on skin protection check it out here! 

Don’t forget to prevent sunburn, wear SPF daily, wear protective clothing, avoid going on UV tanning beds and moisturise every 2-3 hours while in the sunshine.

Have an amazing day and don’t forget to love us on facebook, tumblr and youtube! 

XOXO

Beauty Review: Tresemme Deep Smoothing Masque

I have long hair…. I have dyed it a variety of different colours….. I bleached part of my hair pink and purple which eventually turned blonde and green (don’t ask….. I kind of liked it!)

I curl my hair with my straighteners and it would be silly if I try to say that my hair is ‘healthy’. I use moroccan hair oil, dry shampoo and a variety of other concoctions and potions to style my hair …. the sad truth is that my locks are sometimes pretty damaged and dry and if they had a voice they would most probably scream every time I straighten them!

(my natural hair)

I condition my hair every time I wash it …. I assume the majority of you do too but sometimes you need a little bit of OOMP and the OOMP is a decent hair masque or as I would like to say some ‘hair food.’

I rummaged through my beauty draw today and found this little packet hiding…. I just washed my hair and used the deep smoothing masque and have to say that my hair does feel softer and more luscious!

It says to leave it in for 5 minutes but I left it in for 10, I am not actually sure if that had any affect but it made me feel better! While my hair was wet I decided to use the tangle teeser in the shower to get rid of all the knots!

I would personally recommend using a hair masque once or twice a week if you can, they are always doing some sort of offer at Boots and Superdrug so next time you go in grab yourself a pack. I always use Tresemme shampoo and that’s normally because my mum buys it in bulk….

My hair is naturally curly…. but it needs a little bit of help so I have to put moose in my hair for the curls to stay! If I let me hair dry naturally it will end up like some sort of bush. After using the masque my hair is a lot silker, softer and easier to brush through!

Benefits

A deep smoothing masque specially formulated with vitamin H & almond oil to calm frizz & tame unruly hair.

• Intensely moisturizing to calm frizz and tame unruly hair
• Leaves hair touchably soft and salon-smooth & silky

 

Sometimes you read the label and you think… really? Is this actually going to work or do they just have a great marketing team… however on this product I really like the outcome. It was a quick treatment, my hair feels a lot softer, it isn’t as frizzy and looks more luscious.

I applied the majority of the mask on the mid-ends of my hair as I feel this is the area that needs the most hydration and de-frizzing -The rule of thumb when putting on condition is the eyes down,  so you can apply condition to your hair below your eyes.

The masque has also left my hair smelling fresh like I have just come from the salon, I think this is defiantly a bargain and a product worth while trying as its only £1.09 from Superdrug.

Tresemme have a variety of different hair masques, check them out here for more information. 

I would rate this product 6.5/10 stars, I think its a great mask and the price is one of the best assets. I still feel that my hair could do with something more intense… I will keep trying and testing and blogging the latest hair care recovery products I can find… might even try a moroccan hair care pack…

 

What hair treatments have you used? 

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XOXO

 

 

Beauty Regime- Tea Tree

Welcome to my first actual beauty review, I have blogged quite a few make up videos on my youtube page but we all want to know what is really worth buying and what isn’t in terms of beauty products. I have tried and tested the expensive products to the own brand products on the high street and would never judge a product by its packaging…. seriously the ones that look all jazzy normally end up being pretty rubbish ….. lets get crack-a-lacking so I can bang on about how much I love tea tree….

On a serious note I have been using this cleanser for about 3 years, I normally get it on offer from Superdrug for 3 for the price of 2 or some random offer but I go through bottles of this stuff.

I have the foam cleaner and the toner and use this on a daily basis. It’s delicate on the skin and takes off all my make up. The fascial cleanser is a foam, I would recommend taking off your eye make up before hand maybe with face wipes as this could potentially irritate the eye. (I will do another review on my eye make up remover…..this is also a high street buy and it works wonders)

I love the smell and after rubbing the foam all over the face and washing it with warm water all the traces of make up & dirt are gone. 

It’s only £2.99 and after using this I use the toner, this helps take of any excess dirt and tones the face. I use a simple moisturiser aferwards.

Superdrugs Tea Tree and Peppermint cleaner 

Benefits of Tea Tree Oil

• Can be use as an antiseptic which prevent bacteria from spreading (this will reduce the spread of spots)
• Keeps the clear of excess oil and prevents the spread of bacteria
• Germecidial properties (kills germs)  YAY
• Helps soothes and

There are many tea tree products on the market in Boots and Superdrugs, I would recommend trailing this as it doesn’t break the budget. The Body Shop also do a range of tea tree so if you can defiantly check it out, they do face wash, toners and spot treatments which specifically target the redness and the bacteria! Superdrug do a whole range of tea tree, check it out here! 

Why not try pure tea tree oil, you will need a drop or two and as this is a pure oil it doesn’t come with any of the chemicals. Add one or two drops a day and you wil see the benefits, this takes a bit longer to react as it’s a natural oil. You can use this on specific areas such as acne or blemishes but this depends on the skin type. Your skin must be clear of dirt and make up.  I have used this but I personally prefer using the fascial cleaner, it is easier to use and I like the foamy texture.

I have tried and tested so many different beauty products but one product I have always come back is my Tea Tree fascial cleanser from Superdrug! 

It is so important to look after your skin, I travel to London 5 times a week on the tube, the amount of dirt in the air and the bacteria that could be touching my hands or face is pretty gross! Look after your skin and if you don’t like tea Tree I would recommend a face wash for you, sometimes some standard soaps can be pretty  tough and drying on the skin! This works for me and I hope it works for you, remember the three steps ladies…. cleanse….. tone and most importantly moisturise!

If you have any questions please let me know xxx

I have a Lush natural face pack on….. I will be doing my next review on some of their products!

XOXO

What Size are you ……….

So the girls and I were having a discussion the other day and we are all becoming a bit obessesed with looking a certain way…… So we are a bit peed off with the media for making us think that ‘thin’ is the only way to be beautiful. How many adverts have you seen when the woman is slightly curvier …. the largest women i’ve seen on the TV is the special K lady… ( shes about a size 10).

The average women in Britain is about a size 14…. i know not everyone wants to be ‘average’ but forget the media and the crazy diets… be happy with who you are.

Think back to your child hood….. it has been drummed into you that being thin is the way forward… not always about being healthy. We have to accept not all of us are going to be an american size 0…. We always wants what we don’t have……

What do you think when you see this image?

beautiful? or pretty skinny?

……….

……

……….

they make me feel hungry

Anyway the point i’m trying to make is dont be obsessed with the skinny celebrities who i must say have a personal trainer, nutrionist, stylist, etc…..

Love your curves and be happy….. its not about being a skinny mini anymore its all about the jlo or the kim k bum! People are getting bum implants!!! Talking about one extreme to the other!!

B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L