Hey guys!

So, better late than never. I know, I know, my 7 Day Diet ended on Sunday and it's now Tuesday but I'm actually on holiday so I've been out and abouts. However I thought it a little rude not to finish off my updates from my 7 Day Diet so let's take another look through my goals and see if I achieved them.

To be honest, not much has changed since Day 4 & Day 5. I was a bit more naughty towards the end of the week due to the motivation wearing off and going on holiday. However I did try to keep to my goals as best as I could.

Goals:

• Eat a light, healthy breakfast
• Cut out carbs completely (ha let's see how that goes!)
• Drink mostly water
• Exercise most days
• I read somewhere that drinking a cup of coffee an hour before a workout, results in more energy and burns more calories, so let's see if that works shall we?
• Smaller portions- don't over eat
• Only eat healthy snacks
• Get a good night's sleep and wake up at reasonable times
• No alcohol 

On Sunday I did have a heavier breakfast of cereals and toast, but that's because I knew I'd be doing lots of walking on my holiday. However on Day 6 I stuck to just a small bowl of cereal with fruit.
Cutting out carbs as I discussed in my last post has been the hardest part of this diet. And I think unless it is your only goal, it is pretty hard. When combined with all my other goals I think I took on too much, there was too much for me to change for all my goals to stick. I think I've cut out quite a few of my carbs however and have tried to only eat more essential carbs.
I have drank a bit more wine and squash on my holiday, but that's because it's a holiday. But I'm pretty proud to say I stuck to water for the majority of the week!
I think I've had smaller portions but I'd like to carry this goal over and continue to do it.
I've definitely had healthier snacks. I've had more fruit and seeds and just the odd cube of cheese rather than reaching for a chocolate bar or biscuits.
I've had better night's sleep the past few day which I have felt better for.


So how has the diet gone?
Well I think for it to have a better effect it needs to go on for longer. You hear about these week long detoxes but I assume they are much more extreme, whereas what I was doing was just balancing and altering to make a healthier lifestyle.

Is it worth doing?
Yes, but like I said, these goals are good long term so why not try and introduce some of these goals to your normal routine? Take a bottle of water with you to work rather than opting for a vending machine pop. Little changes like that can make a huge difference.

What do I want for the future?
I'm definitely going to continue drinking more water and getting more exercise  and having smaller portions. I believe doing just these three things can make a difference. I also want to snack less, however if I do snack I'm not going to beat myself up over it. I am only human.

Speak soon

Hey guys, so I know I failed to upload Day 4 yesterday, and I don't really have a good enough excuse. To be honest I was busy... busy watching The Devil Wears Prada with my mum... oops!
So today I'll catch you up with day 4 as well as day 5.

It's not been easy. I've found day 4 and 5 the hardest I think because the novelty and motivation has begun to wear off. I didn't get to go for a jog yesterday. I was going to go in the evening but couldn't in the end as was waiting for a call and had some work to do. And today I haven't jogged either as again I've been working. However I did go food shopping with my mum so maybe that counts as exercise. I am again busy tonight, but if I finish not too late then I'll go out for a run... fingers crossed.

So here were my goals:

• Eat a light, healthy breakfast
• Cut out carbs completely (ha let's see how that goes!)
• Drink mostly water
• Exercise most days
• I read somewhere that drinking a cup of coffee an hour before a workout, results in more energy and burns more calories, so let's see if that works shall we?
• Smaller portions- don't over eat
• Only eat healthy snacks
• Get a good night's sleep and wake up at reasonable times
• No alcohol 

How they've gone:

1. I have eaten a light breakfast each day. I've tried to have something different each day so I don't get bored. Sometimes I've eaten fruit other days egg and yesterday I had a small bowl of cereal with berries on top.
2. Look, this was never going to be easy. Quitting carbs cold turkey is honestly so much harder than it sounds. And have I achieved it? Well, no. I've cut out a lot though. I don't eat crisps, or biscuits. I've had the odd slither of cake, and the odd piece of bread, but that has always been accompanied by veg or salad. As much as we assume carbs are the unhealthy part of our diet, we don't realise that for a balanced diet we need carbs. Carbs are just as important as other foods and cutting them out completely probably isn't natural. I have felt less bloated when I've not eaten carbs which is a great benefit, however cutting out carbs is so much harder when you live at home as you can't always dictate what food is cooked etc. I feel as though I've done really well with this goal though to be honest, because it is really hard and I've made a lot of alternative choices for carbs in meals.
3. I think I've done really well. I have only drunk water for the whole week, except for one cider at the pub and one teeny glass of red wine. Other than that, I've stuck to water. 
4. I tried the cup of coffee one hour before a workout thing, but personally I didn't think it made much difference. I think just sticking to a protein breakfast and water will do just as good.
5. I have made sure to have smaller portions for dinner and I have never over eaten, and I am yet to feel too full after a meal this week. That for me is one of my biggest issues. I always graze, snack and eat too much which causes bloating, nausea and most of all it's just greedy. It's calories that I don't need.
6. Healthy snacks? I think I've done this really well during the day. In fact I haven't really snacked or had much urge to. I have however had the odd piece of chocolate in the evening. Naughty I know, but... well I have no excuses other than, I wanted some chocolate.
7. I think getting a good night's sleep is not something you can always control. I've been going to bed at an alright time and I haven't been having huge lie ins, nor have I been waking up super early. Due to the heat it has been difficult to get a good nights sleep consistently, so whether this has had an effect on my diet I am unsure.
8. No alcohol? Well as I've said, I have had 2 drinks this week. I think that is good considering I usually have about 2 glasses of wine a night. So that's 2 drinks instead of 10. When you say it like that it sounds great. Think of what those extra 8 glasses does to your body. My body is 8 glasses of wine healthier this week!!

Okay so there have been good points and bad points. I was semi on this diet last week as well ( I just chose to write about it for this week) and in the two weeks I have just about lost 4 pounds. Of course this alters during the day due to water weight and food etc. But I have managed to shed 4 pounds- just from living a healthier more balanced diet and lifestyle! Result!!

Speak soon

Okay, so today I am guilty of slacking slightly on my diet. Not necessarily intentionally but sometimes it's hard to completely monitor what you eat when you aren't the only person who is eating. Because I live at home currently, my mum buys food that everyone will be eating and so I can't exactly always dictate the meals!

So, I had a high in protein breakfast of scrambled eggs with spinach. This was really easy to make and super yummy. It gave me more energy for my run than the previous days.

I then went for a short run because time was ticking and I didn't want to be out for too long as I had things to do.

For lunch I did have some orange juice as a treat as I have stuck to water for ages so I thought a glass of juice wouldn't hurt. I then had my typical lunch of a garden salad with chicken, cheese and ryvita. I then had yogurt, granola and mixed berries for dessert and a small slice of Jamaican Ginger Cake. The cake was of course carbs but according to my Fitness Pal app, it was only about 94 calories.

I've also been on my feet a lot today as I went for a run as discussed, and have walked my dog twice and been out and about doing errands.

I've kept at drinking more water than usual as well which I really feel is benefiting me.

For dinner, I was rather naughty as we had some pizza bases to eat up and so we made some pizzas for dinner, which of course is a high carb however we had some peppers on top and a side salad. I then had no dessert.

However I did then go to the pub where I had a light cider- again naughty! However it's not every day that I get to see my friends and so it was a treat. I have now had a few cubes of chocolate as well, oops.

Okay so today overall hasn't been as healthy as my previous two days, however when I look at it, it still has been relatively healthy. I've had plenty of vitamin C and salads and so the carbs and sugars I have consumed I feel can be justified.

I have noticed that today I have felt a lot more energised and not exhausted, so perhaps that is due to the protein breakfast, or the carbs I had. All things to take on board.

Tune in tomorrow for day 4!

Speak soon

Back again with today's update on how my 7 day diet is going.

This morning I started off with a white coffee with no sugar. I then had a bowl of cut up mango and banana. This was so sweet, perhaps a bit too sweet for breakfast, but was definitely refreshing and helped wake me up. For more energy I think I need to have more protein in my breakfast. So tomorrow I think I may make myself some eggs with spinach.

I then went on a 6.1km run where I ran solidly for about 2km and then mixed jogging with power walking for the rest. This was one of my longest routes I've done so far around my area, so I felt really good about it afterwards.

For lunch, I had a healthy garden salad topped with cold chicken and a couple of Ryvitas to help fill me up. During the afternoon I did, once again, feel rather exhausted. I believe this could be from lack of sugar, perhaps not a lack but because I've lessened my sugar and carb intake so my body is probably having slight withdrawals.

For dinner, I had a chicken and leak pie. I know that is carbs however it was complemented by some lovely fresh vegetables and new potatoes and I had yogurt, fruit and a tiny bit of granola for dessert. So even though the pie might not have been as healthy, I think it gave me the energy I needed and that I was lacking during the day.

I have also had a few cubes of chocolate (which was a present) which is very naughty but I'm only having a couple of squares to help my sugar levels.

I have also, once again stuck to water, besides the two small coffees I have drunk today. I feel brighter and more cleansed due to having more water.

I also weighed myself this morning and had lost about 2 pounds since the last time I'd weighed myself which is a bonus.

Check out the blog tomorrow for my next update.

Speak soon

Hey folks,

So as promised (we all know I'm rubbish when it comes to keeping blog promises) I am back to update you and report back on my first day of dieting. As outlined in my previous post, I have set myself several goals.

I want to be clear that this is a diet to become a healthier me with an outcome of a happier mental health and happier physical health. I am not doing this purely for weight purposes but truly to become a better version of myself.

Okay, now we've got over the disclaimer part, I can get cracking with telling you all how my first day has gone.

Well, it started off good and bad. I did have a morning coffee (see my goals and explanations here)and an hour later I did a good workout which included: cardio, abs and yoga. I also walked my dog. However I didn't have breakfast. That wasn't because I was trying to skip it, as I never really skip breakfast, but I woke up feeling rather full of air and as a result I didn't feel hungry and then before I knew it it was around 11 O'clock and only an hour until lunchtime.

In hindsight I know I should have had breakfast because as a result I believe I've lost a fair bit of energy.

For lunch I had a healthy salad with some cold chicken from last night's roast, and some ham and cheese on top too. I finished off my lunch with a fruit salad. I did also have a homemade gluten free fairycake, which goes against my 'no carbs' rule, however I baked them yesterday and they needed to be eaten up!

All day I've only drunk water and I am starting to feel better for it. I can't quite explain how, I just feel fresher and more awake I suppose. I also avoided the temptation of having a glass of wine with dinner, and stuck to water.

For dinner I had a smaller portion than I usually would, but still enough to satisfy me. I had salmon with new potatoes, cauliflower and carrots; a healthy and nutritional meal that filled me up. I also had some granola with natural yogurt and mixed berries for dessert. I suppose granola is classed as a carb as well, but it's full of fibre which is important in a diet and so I can excuse things like oats and granola etc.

Right now I feel really tired. I am unsure why this is. Perhaps it's due to the disturbed sleep I had last night due to the heat or whether my different diet has started to effect me. Either way, I will be sure to try and get a good rest tonight. And of course my diet is still balanced and good for me.

So that is today's update. Unfortunately my scales are a bit weird so I haven't been able to weigh myself today, however there would hardly be any point considering it's only day one. Overall I feel confident that I can complete my 7 day diet! Tune in tomorrow to see how day 2 has gone!

Speak soon

Okay guys, so as you can see from the title, this post is about dieting. Basically I am putting myself on a diet. I've put on a few pounds in the last few months and my jeans are starting to notice...

So this week I thought I'd blog about what I do each day, and report back with the end result after 7 days. Of course my diet will continue after 7 days, but let's just see where I can get to in just 7 days, following these steps:

Goals:

• Eat a light, healthy breakfast
• Cut out carbs completely (ha let's see how that goes!)
• Drink mostly water
• Exercise most days
• I read somewhere that drinking a cup of coffee an hour before a workout, results in more energy and burns more calories, so let's see if that works shall we?
• Smaller portions- don't over eat
• Only eat healthy snacks
• Get a good night's sleep and wake up at reasonable times
• No alcohol

Okay, so they are my goals for this week. I want to find out if this is a good way of dieting whilst still being healthy, and if it works whether I feel happier and healthier with my lifestyle.

Follow me this week as I report back to you what I've been eating and what exercise I've been doing and the struggles/benefits I encounter. I start tomorrow!

Okay, so those of you who were here maybe last week (or was it the week before?) will know that I started a diet. I want to make it clear why I am dieting (so that I don't get comments about it). I am in no way overweight, but I don't have the healthiest lifestyle as it's hard at uni. Therefore, I want to introduce a healthier diet, and lose a couple of pounds where they are unwanted!

So it went okay for the first few days. I didn't get a Domino's on Tuesday which I had originally promised myself. I did however buy cake... And then on Thursday I did get a Dom's but only because me and my boyfriend realised we hadn't eaten dinner at midnight and so we needed something quick (and it was our last night together before Christmas). So there were ups and downs.

Now back at home and I weighed myself and I am 8 stone 10. Which is pretty good, however because I have short legs and all the extra pounds go there, I'd like to lose a couple of pounds to make my thighs more slender. I'd like to point out that I am only 5 ft 3 by the way.

I actually bought some new dresses which I was really excited about and one was too baggy and the other was too tight which is always frustrating!! But the aim is to try and fit into the tighter dress eventually.

But then, gerund breaking news: I finally got my blood test results back. And I may be Gluten intolerant!! So the doctor has now advised me to go Gluten free for 6 months, which will be hard considering carbs are my favourite! However I am looking forward to trying new foods and hopefully it'll promote a healthier lifestyle whereby I watch what I eat more and feel better, both physically and mentally! So fingers crossed. I have decided over Christmas that I will try out a few gluten free products to get used to them, however I will go completely gluten free after Christmas!

So what's new with all of you? How are you staying healthy over Christmas?

Speak soon

Hello, so I thought I'd let you know how my first day of dieting went. Somehow I feel like blogging it will help, but who knows. Well it wasn't a complete failure, but it wasn't exactly a win.

The day started off well. I had a good sleep and had a dream about finding loads of dinosaur eggs which hatched to reveal slimy baby dinosaurs which were mint green. I had to get the eggs to the 'lab' asap but when I showed them to my lecturer (for some reason) he kept throwing up, which was a weird reaction I thought, but then again it was but a dream.

I had two clementines for breakfast and then I headed out to the gym. I probably burnt around 300 calories I reckon which isn't half bad I suppose (better than nothing!). I then walked around town for a little bit so shall we add 50 more calories to that? I'm going to!

Despite really craving pizza, I resisted and made myself some potato and leek soup for lunch. I'm afraid it was out of a can rather than homemade, but come on guys, I'm a student! I then had another clementine for pudding (I think!) and a cup of tea.

Not going to lie this is when it all went wrong. I made the mistake of picking up my box of Wonka sweets and of course this led to me having a few. And if you've had Wonka sweets you'll know how good they are, and you can't have just a few, you have to have lots. And, well, I finished the box off, but there wasn't THAT many in there. Look at me, trying to justify it!

I then continued to crave pizza but was good and resisted as much as I could. After staring at the Domino's webpage for about twenty minutes I closed my laptop and went downstairs to cook myself a curry. Not the healthiest of meals but the rice is a good source of energy (is it? Am I just making stuff up now?) and the chicken is good protein, and the sauce is just yummy! Although of course not all of this was fully prepared by me, and of course how could it be... I can't grow a chicken! But I do honestly feel like the best way to diet is to take your time and prepare all your meals yourself. that way you know exactly what you're putting into your body! Whilst cooking I munched on some frozen grapes, which by the way are amazing!!

After my curry I went further down hill and had four little cookies with a cuppa. And then another cuppa, and some of my chocolate Santa... and some more Wonka sweets. I'll brush my teeth well I promise!!!

So what can I say, it's only day one, and besides my sweet tooth, I think I did okay. I'm glad I got a little workout in and didn't cave too much.

I'm hoping it'll get easier but I fear the worst. Tomorrow's post (if I get round to one) could be about how I've given in. But let's try and be optimistic and pray that tomorrow brings good things!

Speak soon!

So I've taken it upon myself to do the 30 Day Abs Challenge. I spent months last summer being healthy and getting fit, and I lost a bit of weight, and then I went and put it all back on again at University! I don't purposely eat badly, but sometimes its cheaper and being a student means you take what you can get sometimes. I also did do exercise- I walked daily and went jogging every now and again, not to mention having to walk up 5 flights of stairs every time the lift broke. But I saw this 30 Day Abs Challenge online and decided to give it ago. I'll try to fill you in as to how I'm getting on as I progress. I also wanted to start being healthier and cut back on snacks.


So last night I did my first day of the 30 Day Abs Challenge. It was pretty easy but I know it'll get a lot harder. I didn't feel too much of a burn after the first day, but the exercises were simple, simply because you have to warm up and get use to it first! I never realised how unfit I was until I started exercising!

Day 2 was a little harder, but not too much of a burn. I suppose the good thing about this challenge is how gradual it is!

Let me know how you all get on!! I'll try and show photos when I start to notice a difference!


http://30dayfitnesschallenges.com/30-day-abs-challenge/