VITAMIN TALK

Today I’m letting you in on what’s on the shelf in my bathroom cabinet, and talking vitamins and supplements; what I take and why I take them.

As well as eating a pretty balanced diet, and trying to get in as many vitamins and essential micronutrients as I can through food, it can sometimes be a struggle to get in the right levels of what my body needs. I’ve been taking some extra supplements for quite a while now, to help with some specific things in my lifestyle i.e. fatigue and tiredness, to see if these have any effect.

So with that in mind, I’m bringing you a very quick run down of the vitamins I’m currently taking - if I think they’re actually doing anything, if I’ll continue taking them or switch things up.

Perfectil Hair, Skin and Nails

These are like little magical tablets of beauty. I started taking them everyday about a year ago and I’ve noticed such an improvement in everything they claim to help, but particularly my skin. My friend Katie said my skin was looking very healthy and glowy a couple of weeks ago (on what I thought was a bad skin day!) so that was a great boost and nod to the tablets actually doing something. Taking this and eating lots of things like almonds (for that vitamin E fix) have been really helping keeping my hair, skin and nails looking good. A keeper!

Vitamin B12

A relative newbie to my supplement cabinet, I added a separate vitamin B12 tablet into the mix to mainly help with fatigue. I get tired very easily and I’ve noticed a huge improvement from taking these – ain’t so snoozy all the time anymore! And because of this, my overall productivity has been massively up, which is excellent in my books. Two thumbs up.

Cod Liver and Evening Primrose Oil

I’ve taken a combination cod liver/evening primrose oil capsule for years now. For me, it’s a great way to get those omega 3 fatty acids in for bone strength and overall health. Mega winner. However, I might do a month without to see what impact this has or just start taking a pure cod liver oil tablet rather than a mix. Just, y'know, to mix things up. 

Holland and Barrett Radiance Multi Vitamins and Minerals with Iron*

A new addition to the mix are the Holland and Barrett Radiance Multi Vitamins. These little guys pack every vitamin and mineral imaginable, with added iron to help with fatigue etc. I’ve been taking these for around a month now and the improvement in my complexion for one has been pretty damn good – paired with the Perfectil Hair, Skin and Nails tablet, this seems to be a dream combo! I've also felt more sprightly on the whole and had bags of energy. Well done H&B multi vits!

What’s in your vitamin cabinet? Let me know what you take as part of your health and wellbeing plan and anything you would recommend. 

Post-workout balls

It’s been hella quiet around these parts for a while now. With a very full-on new job (which I LOVE), wedding planning and trying to complete my nutrition course, that means something just had to give. And unfortunately it was this here blog.

It’s been really quite crap feeling like I haven’t had the time to write my own stuff, but I think once I get fully into the swing my new job, and once some of the big wedding things are out the way, I’ll be able to dedicate more time over here.

One thing I’ve been really keeping on top of since New Year is my eating habits. I have a goal ‘shape’ (not weight!) in mind for my wedding and honeymoon, so I’ve been keeping really focusing on what I’ve been eating and getting in those HIIT and weights session, along with keeping up my running and cycling, so I'll feel like the best version of myself come July.

One of my favourite post-workout snacks has been these Madeleine Shaw energy balls. I can’t say enough good things about her Get The Glow book and her energy/protein/snack balls are some of my absolute favourites – go buy it you won’t regret it.

My version is a slight adaption of hers, and I’ve worked out the macros (if you’re into that kinda thing) so you don’t have to.

Post-Workout Balls
Yields 8

• 50g Almond Butter
• 100g desiccated coconut
• 100g medjool dates
• 2 tbsp vanilla whey protein
• 2 tsps ground cinnamon

1 serving - 168 calories / 11.5g Fat / 9.9g Carbs / 5.8g Protein

Whizz everything together in a food processor, and then shape into 8 balls. Pop in the freezer for 30 mins before storing in the fridge. These keep for up to 2 weeks.

These are seriously tasty. I've been packing them in my gym bag so they're easy to grab when I finish my workout - perfect for making sure I'm hitting that refuel window straight after burning calories.

Have you tried Madeleine's energy ball recipes? Let me know in the comments what your favourite recipes are.

Talking Body Composition and What the Hell are Macros?

We’re a couple of weeks into 2016 now and I’m also a week into trying a new way of eating and tracking my exercise to make sure I can shift this last little pesky bit of body fat that seems to be hanging around. What a drag.

It all started a couple of Saturdays ago when I was weighed for the first time since Christmas. This is a scary enough thing in itself but this particular weigh-in was also a chance for me to see my full body composition broken down in black and white. Fat %, Visceral Fat %, water % - the LOT. Now, post-Christmas cheese-fest, even just getting weighed in the normal sense is frightening, so to see everything broken down was a bit daunting. 

Luckily since the last time I had this done mid-2015, my overall weight was slightly up but this was due to an increase in lean muscle mass (woo!) and my overall body fat % had decreased (excellent). These kind of stats are a great opportunity for you to assess where you’re at now so you can start planning your exercise and meals if you have a particular goal in mind (which I do - HIYA getting married in SIX months) or if you want to just know more about your weight and body in general.

Women’s fat % is always going to be higher which is just a fact of life - mine is probably a little too high at the moment, so I’ve set myself a goal of shedding 3% over the next few months which is totally achievable, there’s just some hard graft involved. Cue those HIIT workouts.

One thing these particular stats already tell you is your BMR (Basel Metabolic Rate).

In very basic terms, BMR is how many calories you’d need a day to maintain your weight if were to do zero exercise.

Now to get totally geeky, BMR is also something super crucial to help work out a macronutrient plan - a tailored nutritional plan comprising of how much protein, fat and carbs you need a day, depending on how active you are, and this kind of nutrition tracking can help you achieve a certain goal.

I am still very much a beginner of learning the way of the macros but if you want to read some more about what they mean and why tracking your macros might be a good way to help you reach a certain weight etc, I've popped some links below to pages that have all the info you need, and which make the whole protein/fat/carbs ratio - which can be frankly, a bit mind-boggling- a total breeze to understand. 

A Beginner’s Guide to Counting Macros

Michael Kory Fitness Guide to Macros (don’t be put off by the word Bodybuilding in the title!)

Is tracking macros something you’ve ever considered or done? If so, what was your experience like - did you find it easy or hard to do depending on your lifestyle?

2016 Goals

2015 has been a strange year - a year of extreme highs and extreme lows. To say SEE YA to a bit of a weird one, I thought I’d end it on something super positive with my fitness and wellbeing goals for 2016.

It was a challenge in itself to even start writing these. I’d usually make a list of about 10 and then fret towards the end of the year that I haven’t achieved them. So for 2016, I’m making 3 goals and 3 goals only (thanks Zanna for the tip!) These are more overarching themes than anything (I do have a couple of sneaky really, definitely specific goals like run a sub 1 hour 55 minute half marathon, but I’m not really classing those as my bigger goals for this year).

Be consistent

This covers a lot of bases. Be consistent with exercise/training and be consistent with the good stuff I’m fuelling my body with. I beat myself up a lot about having to exercise a certain amount and can at times, stress over the food I’m eating too. On the whole, I look after myself well; I’m getting stronger everyday (I might have even seen an AB recently?) and I eat all of the right things that my body needs. I just need to keep this up and feel happy and confident in what I’m doing. 

No bad vibes

No neggy thoughts or vibes will cloud my thoughts this coming year. It’s a year of positivity and a can-do attitude. Short and sweet.

Swim!

Much more specific than the top 2, but this year I really want to get into swimming. I’m pretty much the worst swimmer I know, and want to follow my triathlete Mum’s lead by getting some swimming coaching to boost my confidence (major under water fear) and take it from there. I’m not making any grand plans just yet to do a swimming event or anything like that, just to start and see where it takes me.

--

I'm looking forward to kicking off 2016 with a bang as well as I start my dream job in athletics in January and it'll be SIX MONTHS until J and I tie the knot (that has come around fast!). Bring in 2016!

How many goals have you set for 2016? Have you gone for the less is more approach? 

Chocolate Coated Nut Butter Stuffed Dates

Just read that blog post title. WHAT a title. When I saw this recipe pop up in my Twitter feed from Laura over at Wholeheartedly Healthy, I was like YEP - that’s for me. No hesitation. Click. Read. Make. Eat. Done. Amazing.

Loaded with nut butter and covered in 85% dark chocolate, these are a perfect sweet treat for over the festive period (or anytime of year in fact). They are a little less virtuous than the raw chocolate recipe I posted last week, but still, more nutritionally dense than a handful of Celebrations or Milk Tray (although these are great at Christmas too).

Laura uses peanut butter in her recipe, however, as the ol’ peanut and my body don’t mix very well (damn allergy kid tendencies), I used MyProtein smooth almond butter instead.

All I can think to describe these as, are like chewy natural caramels with a smooth chocolate shell. Laura’s trick, and one that I followed, was to freeze the dates stuffed with almond butter first before dipping in chocolate. This makes the chocolate extra crunchy, so you get loads of different textures going on. I’ve been storing mine in the freezer so they’re like toffees but having nearly broken a tooth last night on one, into the fridge it is! 

So, fancy giving these a whirl?

Festive Raw Chocolate

As IF it’s December already. I’m feeling pretty damn festive - the tree is up in all its glory and I’ve got an insane amount of Christmas candles on the go. 

I started getting well into Christmas food mode last weekend. Chocolate always features very heavily in anything sweet I make at this time of year, so I got to making a batch of these delicious pure chocolates from Deliciously Ella’s site. Using her basic recipe, I spiked these with orange zest for a true Christmassy flavour and scent.

The best thing about these chocolates are that they aren’t any ordinary chocolate - they're a healthy indulgence and kinda good for you too (excellent). Packed with cacao butter and raw cacao powder (hello antioxidants), they are such a delicious guilt-free treat.

The great thing about this recipe, is that there are so many different things you can do with the basic recipe, so it’s easy to have a play about an add whatever you’re into - cinnamon and nutmeg, vanilla - you could even add in some sugar-free flavour drops for a sweeter hit. 

Basic recipe:

• 1/2 cup raw cacao butter
• 3 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 2-3 tbsp rice malt syrup/maple syrup (rice malt syrup is better for a gooey caramel-like centre FYI)This couldn’t be a simpler method. 

• Melt everything together in a pan over a very low heat (don’t go boiling it though).
• Pour the mixture into moulds (I used some very un-festive heart-shaped moulds but you can buy festive moulds on the high street. Lakeland and Tiger are my best bets.)
• Freeze for 30 mins.

These will then keep in the fridge in an air tight container for ages, but I can guarantee they’ll be gone within about 10 minutes. They're that good.

What are your favourite festive flavour combinations? 

Wellbeing Christmas Gift Ideas

The season is pretty much upon us, and I'm getting that festive feeling already. The tree is going up this weekend (early I know, but it is technically the first Sunday of Advent) and I'm looking forward to seeing those twinkly lights, and getting in Christmas shopping mode.

With most of us getting our last pay before Christmas this week, I know I'm not the only one searching for gifts for my nearest and dearest, ready to hit "order" when I get that dollar hits my bank account, so, I'd thought I'd pull together an edit of top five Christmas gift ideas for the wellbeing aficionado in your life. This list is all based on things I'd love to receive (and will probably end up gifting myself a few...), and there is everything from stocking fillers to something a little bit more substantial.

Neom x Sweaty Betty Gift Set
Packed with 100% natural ingredients to help boost energy and aid muscle recovery, this is a perfect introductory set to Neom products (side note: their candles are also divine). Featuring four mini sizes of their products, these are ideal for travelling. For a starter kit, it is a bit pricey at £30 but I am guessing you won't need much of a product at a time, so it works out pretty good value.

Make your own wellbeing subscription box
Subscription boxes are a brilliant idea for a Christmas gift,  and I've had a few different beauty and lifestyle versions in the past, but I think making your own is where its at this year. You can get so many substantial sizes of health supplements and super-foods online, and at insanely good prices, that it works out better curating your own wellbeing box. That way, it can be enjoyed longer than about two seconds. As an example, I've picked out things like chia seeds, nut butter sachets and raw brownies, but you could put loads of other things in there - coconut sugar, goji berries, etc, The list goes on.

Therapie Himalayan Detox Salts
I've been pining over these for probably about the last two years and finally hoping that this is the Christmas they make their way into my life. These Himalayan salts are a bit too pricey to justify buying for yourself, therefore, the ideal thing to put on your wishlist to Santa. I'm obsessed with their product description on Cult Beauty - like a natural version of Valium -  meaning you know they're going to be the shit when it comes to de-stressing. Get 'em in your basket now.

Oxo Good Grips Spiraliser
As much as I bloody love my Hemsley Hemsley spiraliser, it's an absolute beast that takes up a ridiculous amount of cupboard space and is a PAIN to clean. I was browsing the Lakeland site the other day, and came across this absolute gem of a kitchen product. Finally! A good quality handheld and very compact spiraliser. This is a perfect stocking filler (only £15) and a must for those courgetti-loving people in your life.

BKR Water Bottle
Because everyone needs a damn chic BPA-free water bottle in their lives. And what better colour than a festive red. Merry Christmas!

What's on your wishlist for Christmas? Are there any wellbeing and healthy lifestyle products that you're coveting? 

5 ways to stay healthy this winter

Image via Pinterest

No one likes the bloat. And that's generally how we all feel come the end of December after overindulging on Christmas pudding and all that chocolate, vowing to go on a crash detoxes and juice-only plans once New Year's Day comes around. Now, I hate to it break it to you, but these quick-fix schemes never work and it's easy to fall off the wagon (come on, you knew this already).

With this in mind, I've pulled together a list of five ways to help you stay healthy this winter, which will leave you feeling pretty damn fantastic, so they'll be no need for any of those unrealistic crash diets in the new year.

Up that H20
I know what it's like. December equals warm drinks in those red cups - hot chocolate with cream, gingerbread lattes (YUM). But don't forget about your old pal water. I really can't stress enough how important it is to stay hydrated all year round, but especially when those chilly months creep in. If the thought of drinking water leaves you cold, then try simple ways of increasing your hydration like plain hot water instead of tea or coffee (sounds seriously dull but is actually not that bad), or to make it a bit more interesting, throw some orange and lemon in there. Heck, maybe even a cinnamon stick if you're feeling wild. Christmas in a mug.

Keep moving
Even though it's cold outside, and you want to stay cosy under the covers, getting out there and keeping active will help you feel virtuous (those endorphins though). The best winter workouts I've done in the past, and things I'll be doing this festive season to make sure I'm continuing to burn fat, are to head to things like bootcamp sessions, gym classes like spinning or Metafit, or parkrun. Group workouts are hugely motivational and will keep you on track. I'm always more likely to give up easily if I'm out say on a long run on a chilly day alone, so get signed up for some group training to kick winter's arse.

Pick high quality indulgences
Instead of reaching for the Dairy Milk or the tub of Quality Street, try better quality chocolate such as Booja Booja or Ombar to satisfy your sweet tooth. Their higher cacao content will mean you don't need as much to get that sweet fix and won't be mindlessly consuming calories. Also, when you do want something a bit naughtier make sure it's things which are homemade (Christmas Cake, anyone?) and therefore, less processed.

'Tis the season to be merry 
Everyone enjoys a celebration and having a few festive beverages is high on many a list at this time of year, so opt for drinks like vodka and soda with fresh lime, or a glass of really good quality red wine, to make sure you're not drinking your calories and having too much sugar.

Meal prep
I always seem to forget about meal prepping at this time of year with all of the festivities going on, so one thing I'm going to make sure I do, especially in December, is to meal prep on the run up to Christmas and get that freezer stocked up too. Meals like lovely warming soups and stews with good sources of protein and loads of green veg will help to keep your immune system in check, and try adding in spices such a ginger and turmeric to boost the flavour and keep any bugs at bay.

Were any of these tips helpful for you? How will you be staying healthy this Christmas? Hit me up in the comments below.

3 Instagram Food Heroes #2

It's that time again to shine the spotlight on three food-based Instagram accounts I've been drooling over recently. Check them out and see more of this deliciousness in all its glory.

Top With Cinnamon

Izy Hossack's beautifully curated feed features (amongst others) more oat-based goodies than you can shake a stick at and me-oh-my, I want to at all of it. Now. Warming baked oatmeals, granola bars and tasty cake, this is a place for proper, considered food with a clean slant, from a food science and nutrition perspective. Check out Izy's equally beautiful website for a shed loads of recipes - her Flourless Browned Butter Brownies are top of my to make list at the moment. Yum. (Also need that avo t-shirt immediately #avo4lyf)

Local Milk

This is well photographed food porn at its finest. Stylist and photographer Beth Kirby's feed is damn good-looking. You won't just find well shot and filtered photos here, you'll find a whole host of lifestyle stuff that is a visual treat. She makes the simplest of foods look exciting and I guarantee you'll get lost in the beauty of images (I definitely lost a good couple of hours trawling through her images the first time round). Enjoy.


Medicinal Kitchen

Where to start with my love for this feed. It started with stumbling across Emma's Genetic Supplements based recipes, as I'm a huge fan of the brand. I delved a bit deeper and found Emma's story, and what a story it is. Coming from a background of ill health, Emma has become a specialist in nutrition and health, and all of her recipes are all multi-allergy friendly (from an allergy kid POV, this is frickin' awesome). She's also recently overcome breast cancer too and is championing being body positive post-op (those fitness competition shots though - I can't helped but feel overwhelmed with admiration and respect). Seriously, go and check out her feed (and her site) - you'll not only feel truly inspired by her journey but come away with a bank of recipes to improve your health to boot.

Who have you been loving on Instagram recently? Who should I be checking out? 

How to make protein zoats

The hugely knowledgeable (and always lovely) Laura at Wholeheartedly Healthy got me into this supercharged porridge/overnight oats recipe years ago, and when I was doing my Saturday morning cruise through the socials this morning, I saw a video from fitness babe Zanna Van Dijk showing the very simple method for this and why they're so good for you. I hadn't made them for absolutely bloody ages and thought, "Y'know what? That's what on the breakfast menu this morning."

That's right, I'm talking protein zoats. To you and me, that's protein porridge with added courgette. Yes, courgette. Definitely sounds a little bit mental, but do not fear; you can't even taste the courgette once it's cooked down, and this is a brilliantly simple way of getting a healthy dose of greens in with your breakfast. It also packs a volume punch, so keeps you full for ages. It's ideal for your post-workout meal or as different option for breakfast.


What you'll need:

• Small courgette (or half a large), grated finely 
• 40g oats (gluten free where possible)
• Unsweetened Almond Milk/Water
• 1x scoop protein powder 
• Toppings of choice

Method:
1. Combine your grated courgette with your dried oats in a pan and cover with almond milk/water - you want enough liquid so that the courgette and oats have soaked up quite a bit, but with some liquid to spare (do this by eye).
2. Cook in a pan over a low heat (or in the microwave) and when everything is starting to cook down, with just a tiny bit of extra liquid, add in a scoop of your favourite protein powder (I used a classic vanilla flavour)
3. Add in any extra flavourings you might like (zero syrups, maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg etc) and cook until this forms a thick creamy consistency.
4. Serve with whatever take your fancy - I topped mine with frozen blueberries, raspberries and chia seeds.

I can't stress how simple this is to make and a brilliant way of getting those extra nutrient-packed greens into breakfast. And trust me, you can't taste the courgette.

Have you tried courgette oats/protein zoats before? Let me know if you give these a whirl.

A Guide to Healthier Skin

Image source: Pinterest

It’s fair to say my body’s been through the mill a bit and I’ve had my fair share of weird health ups and downs. One of my best pals always used to call me the Allergy Kid in our teens, and for good reason. I was always run-down, had skin woes and pretty bad asthma. 

One of the biggest issues I’ve had though, has been with eczema, a painful skin condition which stopped me from doing a loads of things as a kid. I had a couple of particularly bad episodes when I was around 11/12 (thanks body for giving me this awesome look when becoming a teen, really thank you), when eczema all over my legs became infected after a summer holiday; I shudder thinking about it now. It was not pleasant.

Even though my skin on the whole calmed down into my late teens/early twenties, it then pretty much thought “What can I do next to piss Alice off?” and prickly heat then ensued after every tiny bit of sunshine I came into contact with, leaving me with giant itchy red patches in my elbows creases and behind my knees. I badly wanted to cover them up so that I didn’t look like a ‘freak’ (<<<this? ridiculous) but it just made it worse. 

Over the past 5 years, since my love for wellbeing, cleaner eating and fitness has grown, I can’t even begin to tell you the difference this kind of lifestyle this made to my skin, confidence and general life. So, here I thought I’d share with you some of the best things that have helped calm my skin issues and how they could help you too if like me, you’ve suffered and/or are suffering with a skin complaint. (Disclaimer: I’m in no way a skin expert. These are things that from my own personal experience have helped my skin get healthy). 

November Goals

I've really struggled with my goals the past few months. I don't know if I'm trying to do way too much or making goals unrealistic, but whatever it is, I've found the whole thing very throw-away and pretty demotivating.

One of the biggest things I haven't got to grips with at all is my nutrition course. Basically, I just haven't felt motivated to do it and have been using the 'I haven't got time' excuse at every opportunity. possible, which for someone proactive and usually very motivated, has been a bit of a weird one. Yes this nutrition course is a bit out of my comfort zone in terms of the biology aspect, but I need to remember this is the whole reason I wanted to do it - to challenge myself and to throw myself into something I have such a passion for and want to explore further.

After a chat with my life coach and the oracle that is my Mum (how is it that Mums always have the answers? Go Mamas), I've decided I need to simplify to get ahead. Set myself smaller goals. Have weekly check-ins. So, here we go; a different approach to my monthly goals.

Riley's Fish Shack

This post is overdue. Like about 3 years overdue. So, when Travelodge* got in touch to set me the challenge of writing about what I think are the best kept secrets in and around, Newcastle, I knew this was the time to write about one of my favourite food haunts (especially now that it's had some major developments), that you all need to get yourselves down to and discover.

October Favourites

Quite simply, here's a round-up of my favourite things from October, from the worlds of nutrition, fitness and beauty.

How to workout in Winter

Oh god. They’re here. And by ‘they’ I mean those dog sh*te dark mornings when you just want to stay wrapped up in your heavier tog duvet (yes, we’ve already upped the tog in prep for full-blown winter).

But, you know what they say - summer bodies are made in winter, so I’ve been thinking about how to make sure I stay motivated to train when it’s dark and cold outside and I’d far rather be eating crumble and custard than running.

So, with this in mind, I've pulled together a few tips to help make winter workouts a walk in the park.

Ullswater | Go Pro Video

So, we took a trip to the wonderful Lake District in September and took our Go Pro Hero4 along with us for the ride.

Here's a look at some of the best bits.

SEPTEMBER FAVOURITES

Simple; a round-up of the great and good from the last month including skincare and audio visual delights.

This Works Light Time Cleanse and Glow*
A new little saviour in my morning routine, this light and fresh cleanser from This Works is jam-packed full of vitamin C and other skin brightening loveliness which work a treat to banish that sleepy look first thing in the morning. I've been using this every other day over the past couple of weeks and have already seen a difference in my complexion. It also smells bloody great too, so makes having to get up on these darker autumnal mornings that bit more OK.

Slimming Solution Teatox - Evening Blend*
I'm really not one to jump on the detox tea bandwagon - I'm not utterly convinced by their whole ethos to be honest, as there are no quick fix solutions to weight loss or slimming. I do however, believe in a healthy eating plan and everything in moderation whatever your body goals are, which is more realistic in the long run IMHO. So even though and I'm bit anti-teatox, and I am very much pro-tea and have been enjoying this blend as part of my current way of eating and trying it out in the evening. It's packed with stomach-settling peppermint and liquorice root, and has a really calming overall scent so a perfect one to have just before bed. 

Broadly
I'm mad for YouTube and there are some incredible vloggers out there creating genuinely brilliant original content. However, Broadly a new women's only channel from Vice, is pretty much the only channel that's had my full attention over the last month or so. Each video is beautifully shot in a documentary style and the content covers a whole host of subjects and issues specifically targeted to women. Go and check it out to see for yourself - you won't be disappointed.

Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask

One product that's been on my beauty wishlist for a long time is this face mask from Antipodes, so when I saw that Fenwick had started stocking it, I picked one up to give it a whirl. And I have to say, it hasn't disappointed and has been another skin superhero recently, so big up to you, Antipodes. If you haven't heard of the NZ-based brand before, they produce natural skincare and make-up, with fully recyclable (and very well-designed) packaging to boot. The change in weather and mixture of heating/air-conditioning has made my skin incredibly dry and lathering this on a couple of times a week has been helping with that Autumnal hydration drought and given me back some much needed softness to my skin too.

Have you tried anything from Antipodes? What have been your favourite things from past month?

October Goals

Hello October, you gorgeous autumnal month you.

As always, the start of the month acts as a reboot for me and a chance to focus on things I want to achieve over the next four/five weeks.

With the festive season fast approaching, I’m wanting to really focus on my healthy eating and exercise, so overindulging towards the end of the year won’t feel so naughty if I do the right kind of prep now.

Without further a-do, here's what I've got planned this month.

Two New Healthy Cookbooks

Payday week brings a whole host of treat yo'self moments.

In my case, these moments have included raiding Holland and Barrett, stocking up on goodies from MyProtein (come at me, kilo of almond butter) and buying some new healthy living cookbooks to add to my already crammed kitchen shelf (I don't know what it is about September, but I just want to curl up with good cookbook and plan how I'm going to eat my way through Autumn and Winter. #girlgains indeed).

My Hemsley Hemsley, Madeleine Shaw, Deliciously Ella and Amelia Freer books are looking well-thumbed and heavily bookmarked from being referred to for pretty much every meal over the last year or so, and although I love them to bits, sometimes you've got to switch things up.
So, the other day, I ordered a couple of new tomes which I'm sure will become firm food favourites.

Wednesday Wishlist #2 | Portable Wellbeing

These days I find myself out the house for nearly 12 hours a day, so making sure I can keep my general wellbeing shipshape, can get a bit challenging. 

With this in mind, I’ve entered a whole new world of portable wellbeing products - stuff that’s easy and lightweight to carry around that will keep me on track with my healthy lifestyle when I’m out and about.

Here's what's on the wishlist, and what will be filling my online shopping basket this payday.