How to Stay on Track with Your New Year Health and Fitness Goals

Did you know that most people break their New Year's Resolutions within a month? It's January, the weather is freezing and miserable, it always seems to be dark and foggy, everyone's trying to save money, most of us haven't booked our holidays yet so there's just not much to look forward to!

But don't resort to binge watching your favourite show with a load of creme eggs just yet (yes the shops are stocking them now!) hold on, if you stick to your health and fitness goals through the winter months there's a very good chance you'll carry on throughout the summer months! And it's true what they say, summer bodies are made in the winter. I've so far this month done well at sticking to my health goals (there's a first for everything!) and I've thought about what has helped me in particular and here is what I've come up with: 

1. Meal Prep

Now I'm not the best at meal prepping, but the one thing I do is make sure I prep my lunches for work on Sundays. This prevents me from buying food on my break, or rushing round in the morning and just grabbing whatever I can find! Try and get into the habit of meal prepping, even if its just a case of making double what you have for dinner and having it for lunch the next day too. It's also a good idea to get some snacks prepared, putting some nuts into containers etc, so you have something to grab if you're hungry!

2. Snack

If you're hungry, you're doing it wrong. If you're hungry you're also more likely to binge, so keep those sugar levels steady by snacking regularly on healthy foods, I like to have a banana between lunch and dinner to keep me going! Also eating healthy should be a lifestyle change (not a diet), I know its necessary to control how many calories you eat in order to lose weight, but this should be a part of a balanced diet, and you should never be cutting calories so much that you're hungry, as you'll just lose weight in the short term. If you don't eat enough you'll just end up binge eating so just make sure you're eating enough of the right foods and you'll be fine.

3. Schedule Cheat Days

Honestly this has kept me sane! Last week I went for a curry with work, so I scheduled it in as a cheat meal two weeks previously so that I didn't have to struggle choosing the healthy option etc and could really enjoy the night! Whenever I was craving I just kept reminding myself that cheat night was soon! Valentine's Day will also definitely be a cheat day! I try to limit cheat meals to once a week, but if its a full cheat day then probably once every two weeks.

4. Find an exercise routine that you love

If you hate your exercise routine, bin it. Find something else! For most of us it is a chore getting to the gym, but its usually enjoyable once there. If you're struggling to enjoy the gym or running, I really advice finding a good quality exercise class. I go to two HIIT classes a week, which are separate from my gym and ran by someone local, they're great because I genuinely love the classes but they are also so tough! I've been going religiously for over a year now and it really helps that I know a lot of the people there now, so I feel incredibly guilty if I don't go!

5. Download an app that tracks your macros

I like to use MyFitnessPal for this, I log everything I eat and it helps me keep track of my calories and macros. It also works out how many calories you should be eating which is helpful. What I like about it is it really makes you conscious how much sugar is in certain foods etc, and its really helpful in helping you eat the right amount of food too; sometimes you can be overeating and not even realise.

6. Think of healthy foods in terms of their nutritional benefit not how low fat they are.

This is really a pet peeve of mine, when people eat foods because 'they are low fat' but have 0 nutritional benefit to their body. Really try to eat foods that benefit your body, and remind yourself how good they are for you when you eat them, for example spinach is high in vitamin A and iron. Cameron Diaz's Body Book is great for tips on nutrition, she goes into exactly how all these vitamins benefit your body, and what will happen if you are deficient in them.

7. Remind yourself why you're doing it

Are you sick of being tired all the time? Always wanted to be able to run for more than 5 minutes? Whatever the reason is, keep that goal in mind and keep reminding yourself why it's worth it! I'm doing it to feel good inside and out, and hopefully it will help me in living a healthy life longterm.

8. Finally, ditch those excuses, you can do anything if you want it bad enough!

Being Grateful

Sometimes I think it's really important just to be grateful that we are alive and have our health. We spend so much time worrying and coveting things we don't need when we are really just so lucky to be alive and well, and have people that care about us. So I thought I'd make a little cheesy list, of five things that I'm grateful for.

I took these photos the other morning, I was up at 6am for work on the Bank Holiday, but this sunrise made it worth it!

 1. Being able to see. 

I'm so grateful for my sight, I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't see all the beautiful things in the world.

2. My family. 

I never take my family for granted, and I understand how much they have done for me over the years.

3. Being literate. 

I'm so happy that I can read and write!

4. Living in a safe country. 

So many people complain about our government, but at least we have one that is fair and safe.

5. Good friends. 

They're always there.

What are you grateful for? If you make your own list, send me a link, I'd love to read them :)

Confessions Of A Scatty Girl

Over the last few years, no matter how much I've tried to convince myself otherwise, tried to be exceptionally organised and punctual, I'm scatty. And I think it's about time I admitted it! So here's another list... 

1. No matter how much time I have to get ready, whether it's 20 minutes or 3 hours, I'm always running round like a headless chicken the last five minutes, and I'm usually late. 

2. Even though my job is essentially putting away clothes, when it comes to putting away my own washing I just can't seem to do it! It sits in a neat pile in the corner of my room for a week usually..

3. Because I'm always in a rush, my room always ends up a mess because I'm chucking things around in a panic!

4. I'll write myself To Do lists, and I'll never get everything done, then I'll feel like a terrible human being.

5. If I didn't write to do lists, my life would just dissolve into chaos..

6. But I write them on my phone, because I'm useless at keeping notebooks..

7. I always forget to make my lunch for work the next day until I'm just about to go to bed!

8. I always forget to reply to texts/messages/tweets etc. Don't take it personally!

9. I forget to take photos for posts, or I take photos and forget I've taken them..

10. It only took me a year and a half to get a solid routine for posts on my blog!

11. When I was at uni I would always start the year vowing to write notes and have them all organised neatly by module. This always ended up with me having one notebook, stuffed with notes from different modules allover the place, and everything would fall out every time I opened it!

12. Whenever I cook, it looks like a bomb went off in the kitchen. 

13. I get distracted so easily.. What was I saying?

14. For a woman I'm pretty useless at multitasking too! 

Please tell me I'm not the only one whose like this, are any of you just as bad as I am?! Give me some tips to cure my scatty ways!

How to Overcome Shyness

I've been thinking of writing a post about shyness for a while now, because I realised that a few years ago I was painfully shy, but somewhere along the line I seemed to have grown out of it.. I'm not saying I'm perfect, I'm still completely socially awkward! But the point is I don't let that stop me, and I still talk to people even if I end up looking stupid, make any sense?!

So I've been thinking about what helped me overcome being shy, and I've put together to help some of you if any of you need it. I often read that bloggers are either shy or socially awkward, so blogging is obviously our way of expressing ourselves!

1. Do things that scare you.

If you do things that scare you, they won't scare you anymore and as a result you receive a huge boost of confidence by conquering something you were afraid of! I have always been a home bird and was terrified of moving away to university, but I forced myself to do it because I knew I would gain a lot of independence and much needed life skills. I also made myself do Camp America even though it made me feel sick every time I thought about it, because I knew I would regret it forever if I didn't.

2. Talk to people.

Wether this be at school, your new job or just on the bus, make an effort to speak to people. No one will think you're weird if you speak to them, even if you just ask them how they are or talk about the weather, they'll be happy that you made the effort and it will soon become so much easier for you and you'll make new friends! Plus again that added confidence boost of doing something that scares you.

3. Fake it.

Even if you don't feel confident, and you feel like digging a hole for yourself and hiding in it, just hold your head up and walk tall. Smile at people and make eye contact. There you are, you're faking it! People will think you're confident, and you won't feel as shy because of it. Never walk with your head down, you're worthy of the world and you should see and enjoy it.

4. Don't be afraid to speak up.

I know if you're shy, putting your hand up in a lesson or at a meeting can be the worse thing ever. And confronting someone if they've done something out of order is just unthinkable! But if you have something to say, say it (within reason). It will make you feel better, because in that class or meeting someone else will just get the credit if you don't speak up first, and not confronting people can lead to awkwardness and you don't want to be pushed over. People will respect you if you speak up occasionally.

5. Confidence comes with age.

Don't worry about being shy forever, you might be terrified of talking to the opposite sex now, or the thought of having to sit through a job interview just seems impossible, but really as you grow as a person these things will just come natural to you. They won't scare you anymore one day and this just naturally happens as you grow up, your confidence grows too! 

I hope these tips have helped, I think overcoming shyness is just about consistently pushing yourself out of your comfort zone in order to gain confidence. It's that simple! Be proud of yourself and your abilities and feel worthy of other people's attention, because you are.

What tricks do you use when you're feeling shy?

My Favourite Bloggers

Image from Tumblr

I always love reading people's lists of favourite bloggers, as it leeds me onto new great blogs! So I thought I would share my favourites. These are by no means all of the blogs I read, but these are the ones I seem to read the most.
You'll notice that I've missed out some of the most popular bloggers such as Tanya Burr, but that's just because I tend to watch their YouTube videos rather than read their blogs. So maybe I'll write a favourite YouTubers list next!

So without further ado...

♥ Dana Wonder Forest -

Dana's blog is always so helpful! She shares so many blogging tips about design and gets deep into the technical stuff, but she does it in a way that even I can follow! Wonder Forest is great for tutorials and she even has her own blog templates shop. Dana is such an honest and endearing person, she shares some very personal lifestyle posts, you can't help but feel connected to her through her blog.

♥ Suzie Hello October -

I love Suzie's writing style, she always sounds so friendly but she really knows how to convey products well in her review's too. Her reviews are usually spot on too, so I take what she says seriously! I love her lifestyle posts, and her gorgeous little pup! I'm always checking her Instagram for cute photos!

♥ Victoria Inthefrow 

Victoria is a stunning human being! And she has a beautiful personality to match. Her photography is always flawless, I'm so jealous! I don't think there is one outfit she couldn't pull off.. Again her Instagram is one I like to stalk regularly! I admire her for her daily postings too, there never seems to be any that have been rushed! And I have no idea how she kept all this up when she was lecturing and studying too. Amazing!

♥ Jenny Jennypurr 

Jennypurr is where I go for any blogging help I might need! She has advice nailed. From technicalities, to simply lacking inspiration. Her creative posts are easy to read and follow and I think that all new bloggers should give her blog a read before you hit publish on that first post! You won't regret it.

♥ Marianna Mariannan 

I can't actually remember how I stumbled across Marianna and her blog. She's a beautiful girl from Finland and her posts are always flawless. Forget the writing, post a few pretty pictures and I'm hooked! Marianna posts fashion mixed with reviews and lifestyle, my favourite kind of blog.

♥ Niomi Niomi Smart 

I absolutely love Niomi's blog, she posts so many inspirational healthy food posts! If I'm lacking healthy inspiration, Niomi's blog is the first place I visit! She also posts some lovely lifestyle posts, which I'm very envious of! Her dress sense is always impeccable too! Niomi's lifestyle is very inspirational and great to read about.

♥ Jessica Our Baby Blog 

I've thrown Our Baby Blog into the mix as a bit of a different blog from the norm. But I have a secret, I actually love reading parenting blogs! Seems a bit mental I know as I'm not planning on having kids anytime soon, but I'd love to think I'm prepared when the time comes! I've actually followed Jess since the Bebo days! She's a lovely girl and a great photographer. It's been amazing to see her journey over the years, from a Bebo template designer, I used to follow her Photoshop tutorials religiously and now she's a mother to beautiful little Abbie! I love reading Jessica's blog and her photos really are stunning.

♥ Vivianna Vivianna Does Makeup 

Who doesn't love Vivianna?! I don't really know how to explain her posts, but it's like she knows me, make sense?! She's so chatty, but her blog is also so reliable as she knows everything there is to know about beauty products! Anything new on the block and she's there, review done! Her blog is the blog I'll head to if I'm thinking about getting a new moisturiser but not sure what to get; she'll have a few reviewed that will help me decide! I just love her writing style in general.

All of these bloggers inspire me in one way or another, whether it's their photos, fashion sense or writing style. But I always consider how they present their posts when I am writing my own. Thank you for being so great ladies.

Who are your favourite bloggers?

10 Tips To Make Your Makeup Last Longer

One of the things that annoyed me most in my teenage years was my makeup coming off throughout the day. I actually hated it so much that when I was at college and working in retail in the evenings, I would actually take it all off when I finished college and reapply everything, which looking back seems bonkers just for work! But I was just so paranoid that it looked terrible.

But over the years I've picked up a few tips and tricks, so I thought I'd share them with you!

1. Moisturise. Moisturising is a primer in itself. However don't go straight in with your makeup! Wait a few minutes, go brush your teeth, or do your hair, I used to like to eat my breakfast. If you apply foundation straight away, it will basically slide off!

2. Primers. I don't really use a primer (but only because I haven't found one I like yet!) but I do use Urban Decay's setting spray (review here) which you can spray on before and after your makeup to help it last longer. This works for me.

3. Foundation. Use a good foundation, and if you have oily skin or really want your makeup to last all day, I'd go for a matte formula rather than dewy. Dewy formulas just seem to slide off my skin (although I do have oily skin) but my favourite Revlon Colorstay foundation which has a matte finish does not budge unless I wash my face properly.

4. Powder. If you want your foundation to stay put, powder is the way forward. I know some people hate powder as it does leave a matte finish, but you could try a translucent one and just pat on a tiny bit to set your foundation and it shouldn't really affect your dewy glow.

5. Lipliner. It stops your lipstick from bleeding and helps the colour last.

6. Lip salve. The thing I can't live without! Applying a thin layer before lipstick (especially if your lips are dry or your using a matte lipstick) will prevent the lipstick drying them out.

7. Eyeshadow. Quality eyeshadows like MAC and Urban Decay really do last all day. I have used Urban Decay eyeshadows for years now and never have I experience any creasing or colour fading throughout the day. They stay put! And an eye primer helps them stay put even better.

8. Liquid Eyeliner. When lining your upper lash line, unless you are going for a smudged look on purpose, I would use a liquid eyeliner, as they stay put much longer than a pencil or gel and don't smudge or end up under your eyes! My current favourite is the Loreal Super Liner in waterproof which does not budge!. I think everywhere must have sold out, but you can buy the regular one here.

9. Eyelash glue. If you like wearing false eyelashes, I would say the quality of the glue is more important than the quality of the eyelashes when it comes to staying power. Scrap the little one that comes with the set of eyelashes like you would an eyeshadow palette brush. I use DUO Eyelash Adhesive (review here) which is amazing and I've literally had it three years, one tube goes really far!

10. Touching. Don't touch or rub your face! That's how your makeup will come off. Don't pick at your eyelashes or rub your eyelashes either. Just refrain from going near the face area, you'll look so ladylike too! ;)

Calling for desperate measures?! Hairspray your face. I'm not saying this is good for your skin or will not make you break out (but it hasn't me yet) and I don't do this on a daily basis.. . But if I'm going out clubbing and know that I'll be getting sweaty, there is nothing else that will keep my makeup from budging but this trick! This worked quite a trick when I went to Ibiza. Humidity and makeup aren't a good mix! 

The only makeup products I tend to carry around with me are my lip salve, powder and lipstick. I just tend to blot any oil away throughout the day with my powder, and just top up my lip salve/stick. So if you've applied your makeup right, you shouldn't need to keep topping it up!

Do you have any makeup lasting tips that I missed out?

P.S. My eye makeup in these photos was done with the new(ish) Urban Decay Vice 3 Palette, which I may have filmed a tutorial for! I just need to edit it...

Things That Annoy Me at the Gym

I've been going to the gym a lot more recently and I've kinda noticed that there's a few things that really get on my wick.. So as you know I love writing a good old list, so I though I'd get them all of my chest!

1. When people talk on the phone. If you can talk that easily, you're not working hard enough.

2. When guys literally throw their weights on the floor, and I jump so hard I about fall of the treadmill.

3. When people scream/grunt/shout; you're not giving birth!

4. When you really want to use that piece of equipment, but there's someone just sat on it texting!

5. People that post on social media about going to the gym, when they're sat doing nothing.

6. Getting static shocks off the treadmill, like it's not scary enough as it is!

7. Having to hunt around the whole room for a weight because somebody didn't put it back.

8. When you put your hair up and it just keeps falling out. Bun? nope. Ponytail? nope. Three bobbles?! Nope.

9. Girls that talk constantly and aren't really working out (hence why I prefer going to the gym alone!).

10. When there's no where to put your iPod so resort to putting it down your bra..

11. Those naked women in the changing room that seem to manage to put everything else on first before their knickers. I just don't know where to look!

12. When it's so busy and you can't get on anything :(

What annoys you most at the gym!?

The Pros and Cons of Being Single

Seeing as Valentine's Day is fast approaching, I thought I'd write a good old list post about how I feel being single is treating me! I have to say it's a bit of a love/hate relationship; I can't really decide if I want a relationship or not!

What I hate about being single:

♥I don't have anyone to take my OOTD posts!
♥I miss cuddles.
♥I'd like someone who shares the same interests as me.
♥I'm the only one of my girlfriends left without a boyfriend.

♥I would like someone to plan my future with.

♥If you say you don't like being treated to nice things, you're lying.
♥I want someone to go on dates with.
♥I want someone to cook and chill out with.
♥I miss sex!

♥Sometimes I just want to moan to someone about life!
♥Having someone to text constantly or just being able to tell those stupid little you notice things to.
♥Someone to be able to go on holiday or travel with.

But on the other hand, here's what I love about being single!:

♥There's no one to hold me back.
♥I don't have someone that's telling me what and what not to do, or generally being needy.

♥I don't have to plan everything around someone else, I have my time to myself.
♥I can not shave my legs for as long as I like!
♥When a guy flirts with me, I can flirt back.
♥When people moan about their boyfriends, I smile inside.
♥Don't have to worry about getting pregnant!
♥If I want to look like crap all day, that's fine.
♥I don't have to worry about anyone cheating on me or letting me down.
♥I love my own company.

♥I get up at 5am every day, work all day and am in bed by 10pm, I don't think many guys would put up with that!
♥I never really liked Valentines Day Anyway.

♥No drama.
♥I'm freeeeee!

Even though I'm single, I'll still be treating myself this Valentine's Day, I'm going to spend the first part of my day at the gym, then I intend to undo all my hard work by eating chocolate and watching Disney films, perfect!

How will you guys be spending your Valentine's Day? Whether single or in a relationship!

Long Hair Problems List!

A bit of a short, random post today! I've been really busy, so although I have a lot of ideas and posts on the go, it's just getting around to finishing them that's the issue at the moment.

Although there are perks to having long hair, it's not all as good as it seems. Sometimes it gets so annoying that I'm tempted to chop it off in favour of a long bob! So here's my list of long hair problems:

1. It gets caught in everything. Car doors, watches, under handbag straps..

2. You have to tie it up when you eat unless you want to be finding food in your hair for the rest of the day.

3. You also have to tie it up during any "romantic fun time," your man being smothered by your hair is not sexy!

4. Although it keeps me warm in the winter, in the summer it is so hot. It's like wearing scarf.

5. Curling it is impossible! They stay in for a minute, then gravity takes hold.

6. Wind!! Be prepared to gag on your hair.

7. When it gets stuck in lipgloss/lipstick. Ew.

8. Hair, just everywhere. Everyone moans at you because it's all over the place, and every time you wash it you have to hoover up!

9. It gets so knotty, brushing it when it's wet takes forever, and so does drying it!

Although having long hair is a pain in the arse sometimes, part of me does love it, and I like how it's swishy! 

What are your hair problems?

21 Thoughts Every 21 Year Old Has

Here's my attempt at a light-hearted, funny Friday post for you all. I'm 21 and these are thoughts that actually go through my head. Enjoy!

1. I'll never look forward to a birthday ever again.

2. I need a career.

3. What do I wanna be? A Policewoman? Dancer? Lawyer? Journalist? I couldn't decide when I was 5 and I still can't decide now.

4. I best start saving for a house, oh and for retirement cause that's looming over me too now.

5. Should probably pay off my overdraft soon.

6. But I still haven't travelled! That's more money.

7. Is that a wrinkle?!

8. I need to buy anti-ageing creams. They're so expensive!!

9. What have I actually done with my life?!

10. That person on Facebook has done like ten times the amount that I've done with my life so far.

11. I love being single!! I can do what I want, when I want!!

12. I don't have a boyfriend, all the good ones are taken, I'm gonna die alone.

13. I best go and buy a cat, or three.

14. Maybe I should join Match.com?

15. Tinder will do.

16. My Facebook feed is full of baby scans.

17. I actually need to eat healthy and workout now in order to stay slim. When did that happen?

18. But chocolate is soo good!

19. I haven't done enough for charity. I'm going to train for a marathon.

20. Nope, I can't run more than a mile.

21. I met a cute guy today, then I found out he was 18. I'm old.

Tag: 10 Beauty Mistakes I Used to Make

Hello Lovelies! Bit of a random post today, but I fancied doing something light hearted and amusing as I'm rather stressed with my work load at the moment, but doing this made me giggle! Anyway, this is the 10 Beauty Mistakes Tag. I was tagged by no one in particular, but fancied doing it myself! I've learnt a lot over the years from trial and error, as do we all.. But here are my top 10 beauty fails! Wish I could go back and tell myself: "NO!"

♥1. Wearing foundation... and nothing else

Foundation was one of the first things I started wearing. I went through phases of wearing bright orange ones and white ones, one thing was for sure, none of them matched my skin tone! I eventually realised I was going wrong when I saw a close up picture of my face, which was just a white, patchy, shiny mess.

♥2. Wearing too much eyeliner... and just foundation

This was the next stage after my "foundation only" stage. I then entered a sort of gothic phase and loaded on the black eyeliner. With no mascara..

♥3. Dying the underneath of my hair black

Yep I was well ahead of the dip dying craze! Not sure what possessed me to do this, maybe my gothic phase?! Just picture this with the pale foundation - panda eye look. And I wondered why I didn't have a boyfriend..

♥4. Straightening my hair every day

Aghh I was so guilty of this! Once I got my hands on a pair of GHDs I literally straightened my hair every single day from the age of 12-17! Bad Becca! I swear my hair has only just recovered.

♥5. Washing my hair every day

Another thing I now realise was really bad for my hair! Only stopped doing this after going to uni (and becoming much more lazy with my hair) but my hair has thanked me for it!

♥6. Not plucking my eyebrows

Oh dear, man brows anyone?

♥7. Over-plucking my eyebrows

Discovered tweezers aged 13, consequently had about 6 hairs left per eyebrow.

♥8. Pink eyeshadow

Again I'm probably not the first to make this error, but one of the first eyeshadows I bought was a No.7 one I believe, which was a set of 3 pinks, and had a guide of how to use them. Baby pink all over your eyes, right up to the eyebrow, slightly darker pink over the main lid, and really bright shimmery pink in the crease. Why do this No.7?! Gullible, 13 year old me looked like a clown.

♥9. Going way OTT with hairspray

When I decided to kill my hair via curling it instead of straightening it, I then proceeded to spray it so much that it actually went rock solid and there was no way a brush was going through it. Stiff, sticky curls: lush.

♥10. Dodgy fake tan

Ahh I think we've all been there with this one. At least my pale phase was over! Whilst on the search for the perfect fake tan I tried many that looked absolutely awful! I'm talking orange streaky legs, awful smelling skin, orange hands, scaly brown elbows and wrists, just lovely... God knows what our teachers thought during P.E!

I tag you all! Would love to read more of these so leave me a link to yours in the comments!

Becca x