Getting back into the swing of things!

Well...it really has been a while hasn't it?

I don't know why i suddenly stopped blogging I used to love it so much! I think its time i took it back up again as I've really missed writing to you all. There will however be a few changes that i hope you don't mind. I'll put a poll up for you all to vote on new topics that you'd like to see more of. So here they are...

• Healthy lifestyle
• Getting organised
• Recipes and cooking
• Home living (and general lifestyle)
• Beauty tips, tutorials and reviews
• General life ramblings and rants!

I hope you all like what i have coming up! First will probably be how to clean and organise your bedroom!

Take care guys!

~ Tara xx

Here comes the weekend!

This song puts me in the mood for the weekend so badly! What are you guys up to?

Blog Award!

A HUGE thank you goes out to Ashley for awarding me the Best Blog award! I was so surprised (and at the same time annoyed cos for some reason blogger wont let me leave any comments on here so i couldn't say thank you!) and I'm really honoured that she thinks my blog is so great! So please every one go check out Ashley's blog its one of the best Ive ever some across!

Award Rules:

1) Link back to the person that awarded this to you.

2) Share 7 random things about yourself:

- I'm pretty girly but don't mind getting down and dirty, sometimes its just got to be done!

- None of my friends and family know I'm a beauty blogger

- I'm terrible when it comes to saving money

- I hoard magazines like you would not believe!

- I think I'm actually quite a good cook

- I always have to have my toe nails and fingernails painted the same colour, even if i have socks on!

- I have 2 step brothers and 1 step sister

3) Award to other blogs!

1000 Word Journey - You guys seriously have to check this out!

A Lazy Girls Guide To Beauty - Definitely my kinda blog!

busyxbees - Hers is just plan lovely!

4) Answer the following questions:

Favorite Color: Dusky pink and purple!

Favorite Song: I couldn't possibly choose! But right now the one i have stuck in my head is: Bright Lights, Bigger City by Cee Lo Green

Your favorite dessert: Chocolate fudge cake with ICE cream! And hot chocolate sauce!

What is pissing you off: That i don't have a job!

When you 're upset, you: Cry and let it all out! Then think of a way of solving the problem! Its good to let it all out! 

Your favorite pet: I refuse to choose, My cat Crunchie is 20 (in human years) and shes been with me all my life. I also have a Yorkshire Terrier called lucky who is my little baby!

Black or White: Black

Biggest fear: Death (as morbid as it sounds I'm scared of dying when there are still so many things i want to do in life!)

Best feature: My chest lol, i don't like to boast but i have quite a good bust size and shape

Everyday attitude: Optimistic, anything could happen!

What is perfection: an hour workout followed by a hot shower and then shopping!

Guilty pleasure: Old time movies :P

Again a big thank you for the award and please remember to go check out the other bloggers websites i listed! Much love you guys!

OH!

P.s. For some reason i cant comment on anything related to blogger, it just does not let me! So please remember to leave an e-mail adress on any coments that you want me to reply to!

Just a random one...

OK so it is 1:30 am and i am wide awake. No idea why. Anyways i thought id do some random little post, just going to type whatever pops into my head

Cath Kidson - Been looking at load of her stuff lately, looks really cute. I think when i move out my kitchen may just have to be Cath Kidson style. I'm quite into cooking and baking and that's what comes to mind when i think of her designs.

Apprenticeships - Ive been out of work since January now and its really getting me down, but i was told about an apprenticeship open day on Tuesday in my town so I'm off to see what its all about!

Sports day - Its my little sisters sports day on Thursday morning and i cant wait to see her do her running! She's been showing me hows she runs really fast by running out of the kitchen to the front door and back! Even tho i cant see what she doing, she runs back into the kitchen shouting 'YEEEEEEAAHH!!!'

Tomorrow (well today i suppose) - I really don't know what to do, washing and ironing maybe

True Blood season 4 episode 3 - out in America in a couple of hours time (or could be playing right now) do i sit up and wait for it, or try and get some sleep? (i watch it online because i just cant wait!)

OK well that's all folks, OH i dyed my hair like a chocolaty brown colour. what do you think?

DIY Nails!

I thought i'd have a go at being a nail technician for the day, this is how my nails turned out!

They're false nails (french mani) and i put the nail art on myself, it was so EASY! Must have taken me 30 mins at the most and thats only because i was really taking my time, drinking a cup of tea and watching tv at the same time. If you want a tutorial then let me know,

Summer Fashion Trend: Festival!

Before i start...

I know as well as any other curvy girl out there, clothing can be hard to find when things are made for smaller women. It always used to be a struggle for me to even think about shopping let alone do it! I'd get so stressed out because things would either not fit me or look horrific! Luckily i found the will to not give up. The best piece of advice a friend of my ever gave me was to go through all of my magazines (and being the magazine hoarder that i am i had a fair few to get through) and pick out every single thing i liked the look of, then cut it out and stick it into a big A4 sized note book. This was i had all my ideas together and I'd look at them every time i found something new, so the style i was aiming for stuck in my head!

You have to remember to emphasize your best bits! For example i have quite a good bust, but not so good arms. So in the summer i wear fitted vests with scoop necks to emphasize my bust, but put a light cardigan on top take the focus away from my arms. Its as simple as that!

Anyways back onto the subject!

One of the many key trends this summer the the Festival trend! Its indie, hippy and summery all thrown into one and there are so many fab things to mix and match. I've picked out a festival inspired outfit to give you guys a little example of what its all about! Enjoy!

Satchel bags are the perfect bag for this summer! Big enough to fit your sunnies, a bottle of water and your purse, and if your lucky enough a cardigan should fit too! On top of all that it fits comfortably across you body so you don't really have to carry a thing!

Satchel bag: £24.99 River Island

Another stylish yet practical accessory that is essential to this trend. A simple trilby hat with ribbon detailing looks stylish and really puts the look together, plus it keeps your head cool and protects your roots from the UVA rays! 

Trilby hat: £12.00 By Jasper Conran at Debenhams

This turquoise feather necklace is another band on trend essential accessory for the festival trend, especially if it include suede ribbon and beads!

Necklace: £7.99 River Island

These pumps are new to this season, they are so comfortable and stylish all in one! Who said shoes were for fashion and not for comfort! These are both!

Shoes: £6.99 H&M

These shorts are a light denim and have the 'worn away' look at the bottom to give them a boho chic feel! Wear shorts for this look daisy duke style, knee length or in between! Its not the length its definitely the style in this case!

Shorts: £17.99 H&M

And finally this top, it has a real native American feel to it! The turquoise colour is going to be seen a lot this summer! The Hanky style hem is very flattering for those of us who have a little more tummy than we would like.

Top: £16.99 River Island

This is just one example of the festival style for summer 2011. But you can mix it up any way you like, by adding a sparkly head band, a pair of sandals and glaming up you make-up with a deep smokey brown eye you can easily take it to a night time look! Just remember to have fun with it! Hope this has helped you guys!

Much love xx

My Self Improvement Plan!: Lets do it together!

I'm sure everyone has things they dont particularly like about themselfs and want to change. From loosing weight to giving up smoking, these things can be hard to do but with the support of others it makes it so much easier.

Personally...

Ive been feeling quite depressed lately, i dont know if its down to being ill, but its made me realise there are parts of my life that i really do want to change, mostly for health and self confidence reasons. I know i can do this! The things i want to change i have to admit, are mostly my apearance so here comes the list!

• Loosing weight - Im going to be completely honest with you guys, i currently weigh roughly 16 and a half stone. I am not sure how much weight exactly i would like to loose, but i would like to fit comefortoubly into a size 12 pair of jeans (im currently in an 18-20). For those of you who dont know i am starting up a youtube channel not just for myself but to help others in the same situation as i am. After being taken into hospital a couple of days ago, the DR said one of the main things that will help my condition is weightloss. This will also be made easier with my next aim.

• Quit Smoking - Yes i am one of those silly people who started smoking when i was just 14. I dont know why, i just did, but now im sick of it and do it purely out of habbit. It costs me a lot of money and thinking of the other things i could spend this money on make me want to quit even more.

Those are my two main goals for now. Of course i have other mini goals - getting a spray tan and highlights for example - that i will give myself as a treat for acomplishing certain things. Using the money i would have spent of ciggeretts. So there we go! A new me begins! Tell me if you're doing you're own little self improvement plan and what it is you'd like to change about yourself!

Much love xx

ANOTHER update! So sorry guys!

Hey guys, im so sorry to be doing another update but i needed to let you know some stuff.

 

In my previous update i said how i'd been ill and that i though that i was better, but i woke up friday morning and i wont go into details but i was VERY ill and, the ambulance had to come get me and take me into hospital where they ran a load of tests on me and kept me in over night to monitor me etc. They have figured out whats wrong at got me on medication and ive gotta have a few bits and bobs done over the next few weeks. So for those of you who know about my upcoming youtube channel, filming has had to be delayed because ive been told i need to sit and rest for a few days and i just want to get back to my usual self. Anyways enough of my babbling, i hope you are all well and i may do a few posts over the next day or so.

Much love xx

Update

Hi everyone! So many things have been going on lately and i dont want to be like, making excuses but i haven't posted anything since sunday and i feel so bad about it! Anyways, i thought i'd give you a little update as to whats been going on with me and let you know about a few upcoming posts that i think you will really like!

As you can see from my last blog, on saturday we had this big going away party for my friend because she was leaving for Hong Kong (she went on Wednesday) and we went out clubbing afterwards and long story short somehow we ended up getting free Champagne and Vodka shots and Jagerbombs so on sunday i got a well deserved hangover (do not drink unless you are prepared for the aftermath).

Sunday was spent at boyfriends place and we cooked a roast dinner so my whole day was spent on the sofa recovering, with his Duvet drinking tea and watching movies together.

Monday was spent doing housework, washing, ironing, working out and visiting my nan.

Tuesday was spent having a bit of 'me-time' which is something i like to do once a week, i have long lay in, make breakfast, go for a run and do my workout, take my dog to the park, visit my nan and aunt, and then have a bubble bath full of lush junk

Wednesday was spent shopping! I went to a big shopping centre with my boyfriend, bought some more stuff from LUSH, my dads fathers day present's and then we ate chinese food and went to the cinema to watch the new X-men Movie which by the way was INCREDIBLE and then we went to play snooker until pretty late.

On top of all this ive been a little ill but im not going to get into that, so here is a list of upcoming blogs for you guys! As always i will take requests so if you have managed to get this far without falling asleep then please please leave me any requests you have in the comments!

• Summer wardrobe essentials
• Collective haul
• At home spa day tutorial - im a little unsure as to do detailed tutorials on individual treatments or one big blog post including all of them.
• Various summer beauty/health/make-up tutorials.

Like i said i'll take any requests so get commenting guys! I also want to say a big thank you to all my followers and ive been collecting prizes for my 25 followers giveaway/competition!

Much love! xxx

OOTD: Natalies BBQ/Leaving party

Hey everyone this is my outfit of the day from saturday! We had a BBQ at my friends place as she is leaving for Hong Kong on wednesday for 6 months!!! And we all went clubbin afterwards! Enjoy the pics!

My hair was just left to dry naturally and i put the curling tong through the odd bits that went wavy instead of curly.  I popped the little flower in for a summery look!

Top: Tescos

Cardigan: Matalan

Jeans: Peacocks

Boots: Not sure where they are from! My friend gave them to me :p

And here are some pics from the rest of the night!!

TAG: 20 questions!

I love doing these post and seeing your responses, its such a great way to get to know someone!

1 Coffee or Tea? Tea! I'm not technically classed as 'Living' unless Ive had a cuppa in the morning! Milk two sugars please!
2 Are you an animal lover? Definitely
3 Have you ever dyed your hair? Every couple of months
4 Chocolate or sweets? I love both, but if i had to choose it would be sweets, the chewy jelly kind
5 You have won loads of cash, what do you do with it? Go on HOLIDAY! It would be so nice to get away for a while
6 Do you wear sunglasses in summer? Aviators baby ;)
7 Attached to your IPod? Attached is an understatement
8 Are you a high heels person? OH YES! But i love flats just as much!
9 Movie in or late night movie in the cinema? Movie in, microwave popcorn, Doritos with cheese melted over them and cuddles on the sofa =]
10 Pop, R&B or Rock? I like whatever sounds good! So i don't think i could choose, it goes from Usher to JLS, Katy perry and Taylor swift!
11 Hair down or up? I like to have my hair different every day, today its up in a side pony tail all scrunched up and wavy
12 Blonde or Brunette? Blond
13 Full face of make up or just lippy and eyeshadow? It depends on the day, and where I'm going. If its out with friends a little mascara will do fine, if I'm out somewhere special a full face or if I'm just as home or at my boyfriends flat then its no make-up at all! Or if we go for breakfast the morning after a night of drinking...its no make-up and some very big, very large celeb style shades!
14 Blair or Elle? Well i can relate more to Elle cos i have blond hair and dry skin, but Blair just makes me laugh so much! I couldn't possibly choose between the two of them
15 Like spicy food? No...I LOVE IT!
16 Scary movies? No way!!! I'm a total wimp, the scariest thing ever though is  Jurassic Park! I'm terrified of dinosaurs!
17 Cats or dogs? I have one of each, my cat crunchie is 20 in human years!! Had her since i was just a few months old and we've grown up together. But my dog lucky is also my baby, i wouldn't be without either of them
18 Do you like sushi? Its incredible! 
19 Sephora or Mac? Ive never had make-up from either of them!
20 Favourite Colour? i love neutrals, but i like to mix them up with dusky pinks and purples!


And that looks like it! Please post your responses in the comments section i tag all of you!

Its time for May Favourites!!

Hey everyone! Its that time of the months again....Time for May Favourites!!

There have been so many things Ive been loving this month but i managed to pick out my top 5! So here we go! My first ever favourites blog!

1) Clean and Clears Exfoliating daily wash by Johnson and Johnson - Like this product, i am going to get straight to the point It lathers up into a foamy wash light enough for oily skin, the tiny micro beads scrub lightly but deep enough to get into your pores, clean away all impurity's and buff off dry flaky skin away without stripping it of any natural oils! My very sensitive skin did not react to this which i was so surprised about. I've been using it twice a day for a month and not even used up 1/4 of the bottle! Oh and it smells great too!

2) Barry M's Nail varnish in 313 Dusky Mauve - This is my all time favourite nail varnish but i have especially been loving it this month, I wear quite a lot of neutral coloured clothing so having this on my nails is a fantastic contrast. I couldn't really find a picture that does it justice, Its a very dark charcoal gray with a purple iridescent tint to it, like one of the two-tone colours. Absolutely fab!

3) Play suit from H&M - I couldn't find the exact picture of my play suit on the website, it is identical to this one but with buttons down the front (Look for it in my OOTD post soon). Ive never worn a play suit before i got this one and at first i thought it was a top. I tried it on in the fitting room and was like (Why the hell is there a huge hole in the side of this top have the sewn it wrong?! So i took it off, looked at it and just went 'Ooooohh!!' DUH!' So when i finally put it on properly it looked twice as good and i could not resist getting it! £14.99 what a bargain!

4) Bare Minerals foundation in 'Light' - This stuff is absolutely INCREDIBLE! My skin is quite red and rosy most of the time and for a powder (that feels like a cream when you rub it in between your fingers) i was so surprised at the full coverage it gave, it melts into my skin making it look so completely flawless! Its made with all natural minerals so my skin doesn't react to it! Its a kinda pricey at £23.50 but a little goes a long way and its lasts forever! If your a first time buyer i would recommend the 'Getting started' kit as it sets your up with all your brushes and is a super saver package. Just go to your bare minerals counter and get them to use the products on you to test it out first!

5) Leather bracelet from H&M - Its so simple and summery, i got mine in the tan colour but there were loads to choose from. It was only £1.99 and Ive been wearing it nearly every day since i got it.

Ands that's about it for this months favourites! One more thing though, i have a little someone who has been obsessed with me this month and decided he should make an appearance. Usually he's running around the garden and doesn't take much notice of me, but the past few weeks he's been wanting constant cuddles and trying to sit on my lap any chance he gets! Anyway! Here he is!

Take care guys! xx

Thank you Give Away!!

As a big thank you to all of you who follow me once i hit 25 followers i will be doing a give away! It will most likely be a beauty products of some kind so keep tuned and i will let you all know! Thanks again for following guys! xx

25 Questions!

So here is the 25 questions tag posted by Elle Fowler of www.elleandblair.com
I tag all who read it! Especially my followers, it would be great if you could link me in the comments section!#

1. Do you have any pets? Yes i have a Yorkshire Terrier called 'Lucky' and a white cat with black and ginger splodges called 'Crunchie'
2. Name 3 things that are physically close to you. My laptop, Nail varnish (Rimmel 60 seconds in 825 Sky High) and my phone.
3. What's the weather like right now? Cloudy :(
4. Do you drive? If so have you crashed? I don't drive so I've never crashed!
5. What time did you wake up this morning? Well i stayed at my moms last night and my sister gets up ridiculously early so 4:40am! But i went up to her room, stole her bed and got back up at 8:45!
6. When was the last time you showered? yesterday
7. What was the last movie you saw? The bounty hunter
8. What does your last text message say? Haha i cant tell you that!
9. What's your ring tone? ''POTATO!'' Keith lemon style
10. Have you ever been to a different country? Yes France and Spain (Since i live in England does Scotland and wales count too? I spent every other weekend in wales until about 10 months ago)
11. Do you like sushi? OH MY GOSH YES! I love sushi!
12. Where do you buy your groceries? Morrison's and the market in my town
13. Have you ever taken medication to help you fall asleep faster? I have! And then once i stopped taking it i was sleeping great, all up until about 2 weeks ago where i just cant get to sleep until like 4am! That's when i got started on this blog!
14. How many siblings do you have? 3, Two step brothers (14 and 12) and one step sister (9)
15. Do you have a desktop computer or a laptop? Both, but i only use the desktop to play the Sims 2
16. How old will you be turning on your next birthday? I'll be 21!! I know i know...party time!!
17. Do you wear contacts or glasses? Glasses for reading and being on the computer
18. Do you color your hair? I used to but I've dyed it back to my natural colour now
19. Tell me something you are planning to do today. Well the day is nearly over, but i plan on having an indulgent bubble bath full of lush goodies before bed.
20. When was the last time you cried? When i saw the 'funeral' episode of glee, my little sister has downs syndrome so for them to be addressing that in the first place got me all teary eyed.
21. What is your perfect pizza topping? Chicken and sweetcorn with BBQ sauce and red peppers
22. Which do you prefer-hamburgers or cheeseburgers? Cheese burgers! I love cheese
23. Have you ever had an all-nighter? I have!
24. What is your eye color? Very pale blue with dark blue circled around the outside
25. Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? Yes, and i have to say i prefer full fat coke but diet Pepsi!

DIY: Deep Conditioning Treatment.

For those of us addicted to hair dye, blow drying, straighteners and curling tongs, we know all too well the effects those things can have on our hair. So its time to fight the frizz and give your hair a little treat by indulging in a deep conditioning treatment.

Pre-treatment
I can not stress enough how important it is to protect your hair from heat, it takes 10 seconds to spray some heat protecting spray through your hair before stying it. I use TRESemme Heat Defense Styling Spray at £4.99 it's a big bottle and a little goes a long way so its definitely worth it.


The Products
There are so many products when it comes to deep conditioning and it can all be a little overwhelming. If you are unsure on what products to use then you can always use your normal conditioner. Here are a few products specifically for deep conditioning that i have used and know works well.

1) Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Re constructor £4.69 from boots
2) Tigi high-def curls shampoo and conditioner (for my curly girlie's) £9.49 from feelunique.com
3) L'Oreal Elvive Nutri-Gloss Conditioner £3.75 from boots


For a more natural approach you can mash up 2 Bananas and mix with a tiny bit of milk or organic natural Greek yogurt until you get a conditioner like consistency (yes it does actually work)


The Treatment


Step 1 - Wash your hair with your usual shampoo, rinse and repeat. Towel dry but do not rub you hair! This will damage you hair and encourage split ends. Instead hang your head upside down and wrap your towel around it patting it dry.


Step 2 - Once your hair is about 70% dry put in your conditioner, the amount will vary depending on how damaged your hair is. Make sure to concentrate on smoothing your product through the ends of your hair.


Step 3 - Run a wide toothed comb (not a brush!) through your hair, this will get rid of any knots and tangles and help smooth out your hair and spread the conditioner evenly.


Step 4 - This may sound a little silly but wrap your hair up in cling film and then wrap in a towel. This keeps you hair warm and lets the conditioner soak in properly. In salons most of the time the stylist will put you under a heater while you wait but this will give you the same effect.


Step 5 - Relax and wait! The length of time you wait will depend on the condition of you hair, mine is pretty bad so i like to wait for around an hour but you can adjust it to what ever time you like.


Step 6 - Unwrap your hair and rinse, get the products out with warm water but give your hair a quick blast with cold water afterwards, this will help close the cuticles and add lots of shine to your luscious locks! When rinsing rub your scalp vigorously with your fingertips, this creates friction on your scalp so it produces more natural oils to keep your hair looking great.


Step 7 - Towel dry your hair the same as in step 1 and once it is about 70% dry leave the rest to air dry naturally, style however you wish (remember to use a protective spray if you're styling with heat) and enjoy your new, smooth, silky, shiny locks! 


I hope this has helped you guys out, it works so well for me i simply couldn't not share it! You can don't have to follow my exact routine so feel free to adapt it to anyway you wish. Oh! And don't forget to comment and let me know how you get on!


Take care guys! xx

Product Review: LUSH Oatifix FreshFaceMask

Ladies... for years i have searched for a face mask that
1) My uber sensitive skin doesn't react badly to (we're talking red splodges and soreness)
2) Exfoliates away dry patches of skin
and
3) Nourishes my skin and makes it feel silky smooth

And just as i was about to give up the search i found this baby! It is absolutely, undoubtedly the most incredible face mask i have ever tried! Here's my view!

First off it looks (and smells) like you could eat it! When you put it on your skin it doesn't dry out and crack like clay based masks. Its made with Oats and almonds to calm your skin and exfoliate away dryness, and Bananas and Illipe butter (that's a type of nut found in Southeast Asia if you were wondering) so soothe and reduce redness. It also contains vanilla making the smell even more incredibly sweet but not too overpowering.

The best thing about it is that IT WORKS! Tried and tested by yours truly, it is simple to apply and wash off, when you do wash it off you don't loose the moisturised feeling it gives your skin.

At £5.25 its reasonably priced but unfortunately does have an expiry date (usually within 3 weeks of purchase) as all the ingredients used are fresh. It should also be kept refrigerated in order for it to stay fresh. I would use it once every 3 days and most definitely at night as the smell is so sweet and dreamy. But depending on your skin you may choose to use it more frequently or less often. LUSH also dont test any of their ingrediants or products on animals!

The best part is that once you have used it all up wash out your pot and keep it safe! Once you have 5 black pots (not just from face mask but from other products too) you can take them back to LUSH and get a free face mask as a thank you for recycling your pots!

I give this product 5/5 because for me there is just no faulting it! 

If you have used this or any of the other LUSH face masks then comment below and let me know what you think! And if you are still unsure on weather to buy it or not, the lovely ladies at lush will usually give you a little sample pot free if you ask them very nicely!

Take care guys! xx 

Healthy breakfast options

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! If you skip breakfast you're more likely to go off track and pick at things, the calories soon mount up!

So here are a list of healthy break fast options, tried and tested by myself. They definitely keep me full until lunch time!

Option 1 - Porridge

It sounds simple, but it works! And it definitely doesn't have to be boring! I make mine with semi skimmed milk and then mix in a low calorie sugar substitute and a table spoon of low sugar jam but you don't have to stop there! Chop up as much fruit as you like - raisins, sultanas, a banana or apple and at seeds or nuts if you like a bit of a crunch to it! - to bulk it up and add extra flavor.

Options 2 - Poached egg on toast with creamy mushrooms

Using brown or granary bread - two slices - (i love the kind with the seeds on top) to make the toast and a low fat spread is the healthier option and keeps you full for longer. The poached eggs (2) provide you with a good amount of protein. And the creamy mushrooms count as one of your 5 a day and provides you with calcium (the recipe for creamy mushrooms on toast will be posted soon).

Option 3 - mixed cereals, fruit and nuts.

It sounds boring but it doesn't have to be! Mix a hand full of muesli (i like the low sugar type with extra fruit in it) and a hand full of of bran flakes, both of these help your body release energy slowly and i find a handful is useful when cutting down portion sizes. Pour over skimmed or semi skimmed milk (full fat is not a good idea) and top with a few nuts (i like walnuts or cashews) and any fruit you fancy like a banana or apple.

Option 4 - boiled egg and fruit salad

Boil one egg for 3 - 5 minutes depending on if u want it soft or hard. Have with one slice of granary toast with low fat spread. That's your protein and fiber sorted! Next have mixed fruit (as much as you like) like apple, grapes, orange segments, grapefruit pieces and kiwi and pour on some organic low fat Greek yogurt and you're ready for round two! I recon that counts as at least 3 portions of fruit!

These are just a few things i have found both yummy and really filling! So enjoy. You can vary them in any way you like, you definitely don't have to do exactly what I've written! Don't be afraid to put your own twist on things. Just remember, make sensible healthy choices!

Take care guys xx

A Healthy Lifestyle

We all know that there are things we can to improve our overall health. From changing what we eat and even when we eat it, to the activities we do and the way we think.

I'm on a mission, a full on lifestyle change is in order for me and i thought it would be a good idea to put all my thoughts and ideas on here to motivate not only myself but others too! Doing it with someone always helps keep you on track, and if you do go off track then there is always someone there to pull you back up when you fall.

So I'll begin with the basics that i have found useful!

• Small changes - It's important to make small changes to begin with, after all its a lifestyle change, not a diet.
• Set goals - But don't be hard on yourself if you don't reach them in time! Its not the end of the world after all!
• Don't deprive yourself - Life is for living! If you go out for a meal and you want desert afterwards, then go for it! Its not like you're eating chocolate cake every night of the week. Be smart about the choices you make.
• Variety - Eating the same thing every day/week is going to get boring, and if you get bored your going to get off track because you will crave other things.

Remembering these basic steps has helped me to keep on track over the past couple of weeks. I went of track for one night of poker with friends where lots of beer and pizza was involved...but when i woke up the next day, after recovering from a well deserved hangover, i got back on it!

So if your are interested in reading more keep an eye out for more ''healthy lifestyle'' blogs that are going to include things like recipe's and exercise routines as well as hints and tips. And don't forget to leave comments!I'm no professional but i will do my best answer any questions you guys have.

Take care guys xx