Changing my 'Fooditude'

I have spent so many years on fad diets and detoxes that just don't last or work. Meaning my weight was constantly yo-yo-ing but with no real weight loss. Medically I'm probably not considered over weight, I'm 5ft 6in and currently sit somewhere between a size 10 to 12. When I started this journey into healthy eating I was definitely looking to loose weight quickly but now I realise it's about maintaining a healthy balanced diet that I can stick to for...well forever! This combined with cutting down alcohol intake and exercising more should mean I can get to a size I am happy with and have more energy as well as improving my mental health.

A friend of mine was embarking on an 8 week challenge to see if clean living and extra exercise was going to change her body. I decided to do this as well but after my first week I realised that I could take the opportunity of these 8 weeks to change my diet into one that I could continue with after they were up.

My downfall is rewarding myself or cheering myself up on bad days with sweet treats. I have a major sweet tooth and could easily finish a big bar of dairy milk and a packet of Haribo Tangfastics by myself on a Friday night in front of the telly. If I was having a bad day I would treat myself to cream cakes or if I had been particularly good with my diet for a few days I would feel it would be ok to eat a whole pizza laden with cheese to myself as a reward. Treats no longer become treats if you are having them every day.

I'm hoping in the next few weeks I can start to manage this by swapping processed foods to home made treats. In my first week I have made everything from scratch including the sauces and dressings for my food. I've swapped to wholemeal pasta and brown rice as they are better for you and I've also cut out dairy and meat. I'm not saying this is for everybody as you can still have a perfectly healthy and balanced diet with those things included but as a personal preference they just aren't for me. I've found that I have less tummy problems when I reduce my gluten and dairy in take and to be honest I don't really miss them. OK...I lied...I miss chocolate...a lot and I'm not going to give it up completely i'm just not going to touch milk chocolate for the first 8 weeks....wish me luck with that.

For the most part this blog post is about sharing with you my first week and how I have managed to make tasty and healthy dinners, lunches and breakfast that are not boring or make me feel like i'm on a diet. I can't take all the credit for the food I've been enjoying a lot of the recipes are inspired or adapted from Deliciously Ella's app or cook books or things I have found online. Once you know the basics though you really can start creating some amazing plant based & Vegan meals and cheaply too!

And finally exercise is probably my biggest downfall as I get bored easily in the gym just running on a treadmill. I used to love going to a weekly Zumba class but since moving I've yet to find the perfect class for me. I will be joining a gym soon so that I can take advantage of their classes as I find this the best and most motivating way for me to partake in exercise.

I have also started changing little things in my day to add exercise in without noticing it. I'm fortunate enough that I can walk home from work, it takes about an hour and there are a few hills involved but it clocks up about 10,000 steps so its worth it. I've also started using the stairs instead of the lifts at work and come rain or shine I always try and get out of the office on my lunch break and take a stroll around the park. There are also YouTube classes online and free apps to help if you don't have access to a gym or park.

It's the little things that are really going to add and over time I will see a difference not only in my physical appearance but on the inside too with a happier and more positive outlook on life.

GRANOLA WITH BANANA, STRAWBERRIES, GREEK YOGURT & CHIA SEEDS

RED KIDNEY BEAN, RAW CACAO POWDER, OATS, HONEY, ALMOND MILK & CHIA SEED BROWNIES WITH GREEK YOUGURT, STRAWBERRIES & MAPLE SYRUP

BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE - BANANA, OATS, HONEY, PEANUT BUTTER, CHIA SEEDS & ALMOND MILK

GREEN GODDESS BOWL WITH HOMEMADE GARLIC & CAYENNE DRESSING

TOMATO & COCONUT VEGETABLE CURRY WITH BROWN RICE

BAKED SWEET POTATO WITH SAUTEED VEGETABLES & TOPPED WITH HALF AN AVOCADO 

WHOLEMEAL PASTA WITH VEGETABLES, KALE & SPINACH & PESTO

I hope this has inspired you to make small changes to a new and healthier you :)

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Why I'm Going Hangover Free

It's hard in this day an age to escape the binge drink culture; I know I am guilty of this on many occasion but as we get further in 2016 I've made a conscious effort to stop with the binges and subsequently the absolute killer hangovers.

Along side this I have also changed my diet to a more plant based one (although I could never fully commit to being Vegan as I love Honey, Cheese and Eggs way too much!) It really isn't easy to change over night, my diet has taken a while to start replacing processed food with more fresh fruit and veg. But I can really feel the difference especially with energy levels and lack of colds (from which I used to suffer a lot).

As for the alcohol side of things this really was a challenge, outings with friends and/or family usually resulted in getting drunk over a couple bottles of wine and a headache in the morning. What I've learnt is that its about making sensible choices...trying to not drink to get drunk and not mixing a multitude of alcohol in one sitting.

I've stopped drinking before I go out and started giving myself limits for the evening. Don't get me wrong I still enjoy evenings out but realised sticking to one type of drink and understanding that it only takes a few drinks to feel tipsy. Its about enjoying that tipsy sensation rather than being so drunk I would end up falling over or have paranoid remorse for days after wondering what I had done or said. This is not great for someone who suffers with anxiety and social awkwardness and the alcohol was just making this worse.

Now that I have started to get my weekends back and by that I mean not starting Saturday or Sunday mornings with feeling sick and tired which meant the day gets wasted. Now my weekend routine is full of healthy breakfasts, fruit smoothies, walks along the beach and actively getting stuff done that I can't fit into my working week. As I do work full time Monday to Friday it's nice to have a weekends where I feel I've actually relaxed and made use of them and not just laid in bed all day (although this can be nice too minus the hangover).

I have started to capture this journey in pictures in the hope it might inspire others to make small changes to live a healthier more happy life. 

Healthy Saturday...

^ Garlic & Paprika mushrooms with cherry tomatoes and spinach on gluten free crumpets..

^ Energy boosting smoothie with avocado, spinach, celery, apple & pineapple.

^ Fresh fruit juices instead of carbonated drinks.

^ Taking in a morning walk along the sea front.

Sunday Funday...

^ Wondering around the shops.

^ Taking in the amazing graffiti Brighton has to offer.

^ Early mornings on the beach are perfect.

^ Morning coffee 'Soya Caramel Latte' on the beach.

^ I love Sunday morning walks along the seafront it really helps to start the day.

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24 St Georges - Brighton

It was my friend's dad's birthday so he took us all out for dinner at this posh restaurant 24 St Georges. The food was minimal on the plate and looked very 'chefy' but it made up for this in the taste factor. 

I started with a Mediterranean vegetable terrine with cucumber sorbet and olive tapenade, beautifully cooked selection of vegetables. The starter was followed by a palette refresher in the form of a Virgin Mojito Sorbet where you could add a shot of rum for an extra 50p...so naturally we did.

My main was probably one of the best pork dishes I've ever tried accompanied with gnocchi and vegetables wrapped in spring roll type pastry. For dessert it was a berry sponge with candied beetroot and chocolate ganache. I can guarantee that it tasted as good as it looked on the plate.

For added sophistication we ended our meal with a selection of cheeses and an Espresso Martini. 

Ok so this isn't the type of place you would go eat every week, especially if you are on a budget but its perfection for a special occasion. The staff were lovely and even helped us out with taking our group photo so we could remember the great meal.

Hippie x

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Christmas Gift Guide - Under £25

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas!....Probably everyones favourite time of year, it's definitely mine. It's the time where you get to wrap up in cosy layers, wear more sparkle and crack out the berry lips even just for the weekly food shop. It's also that time of year where you have the best excuse to go shopping...a lot! I thought I would share with you some of the things that I have seen on the high street that would make perfect little gifts, from stocking fillers to Secret Santa at work.

There are a lot of amazing things out there and all of the things I feature here are £25 and under and most are very purse friendly. I thought these items were perfect for little stocking fillers for loved ones or if your work is doing a Secret Santa and you may end up having to buy for someone you may not know so well.

I hope this helps you to find that perfect gift or even just a little pressie for yourself.

Copper Pineapple £24 Oliver Bonas

Scented Candles £10 each The Body Shop

 

Adult Colouring Books £10 each Joy

Flutter Make Up Brush Gift Set £5 Superdrug

Make Up Revolution Colour Block in Pink (also in Red) £4 Superdrug

Various Socks £1.99 each or 3 for £4 New Look

Cosmetic Organiser £3 Tiger

Dove Gift Set £2.50 (On Offer) Superdrug

Glass Heart Shaped Ring Holder £2 Tiger

Flutter Bath Fizzer £1 Superdrug

I hope you found some inspiration for your own Christmas shopping.

Hippie x

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Brighton Mini Adventure

One of my favourite places to visit in England is the lovely sea side destination Brighton. I'm lucky enough to have a ton of friends who live there and never have to spend out money on hotels...so thank you friends :) ... I realised that it had been forever since I'd actually made it down to the sea front and the pier so I made a special effort to take in the sights like a proper tourist. My first stop was for a lovely brunch at beach front cafe Lucky Beach the menu wasn't loaded but they had a enough tasty options to pick from. I opted for the Light & Posh, an organic egg with the best tasting bacon ever all on top of toasted bread. To go with my breakfast I tried the Maple Syrup infused Iced Latte and it was amazing. (Check out the foodie section for more in depth look at my meals in Brighton).

Next came a walk along the pier, I'd actually forgotten how long the pier is and there's so much to do from arcades, food, bars and quite a decent little fun fair at the end. For anyone from families to couples this is a great little weekend getaway that wont cost you an arm and a leg.

After meeting up with a few of my friends we went for a lovely lunch to celebrate one of my bestie's dad's birthday. The restaurant was called 24 St Georges situated at the top of Kemp Town. Offering a range of amazing dishes and great wine. As it was a celebration we naturally started with some pink champagne, after our meal I opted for cheese and crackers and the most divine espresso Martini. (foodie)

We walked to the beach to watch the sunset before heading back to get ready for a few evening drinks at The Cow bar on Dyke Street. A great bar for us to all catch up and relax. My only regret of the weekend is not getting myself an ice cream and some doughnuts on the pier but there's always next time.

Brighton is the best place to visit if you have one day or a whole weekend. There's definitely lots to see and do. I managed to get my hands on one of the Kelloggs 'An Adult Goes Free' voucher for the Merlin attractions. We used ours at Brighton Sealife, the UK's oldest aquarium. Apart from it being stupidly hot inside but I guess that is for the fish, it is a lovely little place to wonder around and the tunnel was amazing. They had sharks, large sea turtles, an octopus and lots of other exciting things to visit. They also stamp your hand and allow you to come back and fourth all day, which is ace because its so close to the pier and the lanes for shopping.

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Duty Free Haul - Naxos Bound

Duty Free, its got to be one of the highlights of waiting in the airport for your flight, that and being ably to have that cheeky alcoholic drink at silly o'clock if you have an early take off. The one thing I always go for in Duty Free is perfume, I once read that you should find your perfect scent by the age of 30 and stick to it, at the age of 31 I have found said scent in Chloe's Signature.

Wondering the isles looking for my beloved Chloe I came across a set of miniatures, it was cheaper than the 50ml so I decided to take the risk and buy the set giving me a chance to sample Chloe's other scents without having to commit. Having saved money only spending £39 instead £60 I naturally had to treat myself to a new lipstick and Mac's Jubilee called out to me...how could anyone resist?

Chloe Miniatures

The cute little bottles only contain 5ml each which for the money probably isn't a lot but I did find I only needed a few dabs to get the desired level of scent but I think in the future I will just go for the full size of Chloe's Signature or Chloe's Love Story. All of the scents have light floral and feminine notes but aren't too sweet which is great for me as I prefer a more masculine touch to my perfumes. The only one I found to be slightly less light was L'eau De Chloe.

Mac - Jubilee (Lustre)

Always on the look out for the perfect nude, it was my first port of call when perusing the Mac lipsticks. As soon as I saw Jubilee I fell in love, its a great nude shade not too dark or light, a 'your lip colour' but better.

If you are a lover of make up I don't need to tell you how great Mac lipsticks are. Jubilee is a Lustre and its creamy texture glides on to the lips with ease, the colour is quite pigmented so you only need to apply one coat to get the desired affect. This also means it lasts longer so..yay! The other thing I love about this lipstick is its smell, almost like candy, I must admit if a lipstick doesn't smell good I do think twice about buying it. The bonus to buying Mac in Duty Free is you only pay £12.90 instead of £15.50 on the high street #winning.

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