Well what a fun week last week was. There was plenty done around the house, I got some blog bits and gaming done and I just generally had a great week. So here is how the week went...

Christmas is somehow fast approaching and to be honest I am glad as it means this year is nearly over. It is a year where most of it has been spent with nothing to do but it is also year where I have absolutely smashed my blogging and fitness goals. When I have been asked this year what I want for Christmas I have been drawing a blank as honestly I can't think of anything. I think that is because I am trying to lose weight and I have decided I don't want random little bits that are going to be cluttering up the house. I want the gifts to be something I need rather than something that is going to be wasted. So here are the items I am will be mentioning when people ask me what I am wanting...

Vans Old Skool

I love the Converse that I got for my birthday but there is just something drawing me into the Vans Old Skool's. They are just a classic that will go with so much of my wardrobe and will be a great addition into my sneaker collection. I would definitely opt for these in the black and white colourway so that they did go with the clothing I have already and are more convenient for me. 

Photo credit : Rmdy Clothing

RMDY 1/4 zip

RMDY is a brand that I have discovered on Instagram thanks to Dom Hadley, since having a look at their profile and their website I have absolutely fallen in love with this 1/4 zip in this image. It looks so good and like it will keep me nice and warm and comfortable. I have heard that the RMDY stuff is good quality too so if I do end up getting it this should last me quite a while. 

Photo credit : Rmdy Clothing

RMDY T-shirt

Similarly to the 1/4 zip I have fallen in love with a few of their t-shirts on the site. I love how you can either get something that is nice and bold or something a little more subtle. My eyes are definitely on the reflective panel t-shirt though as this is definitely a t-shirt I could pair with a lot of my wardrobe and it is a standout for sure. 

North Face Coat

I have had my eyes on a North Face coat for quite a while now but just haven't found the right one yet. I would like a nice waterproof puffer style one as I know that will fit my style the best plus I have wanted one for so long but just have never been able to get one that fit but thanks to this years weight loss this might actually fit me this time around when I find the perfect coat. 

Vans T-shirt

Vans have brought out a brilliant selection of t-shirts recently and JD have some fantastic Vans t-shirts in store so maybe it is time to add a few into my wardrobe. The good thing about JD is that some of these Vans t-shirts are also on 2 for £30 which is great value as I have had Vans clothing in the past that have lasted me years due to the quality of them.

Nike Socks

I don't think you can beat a good pair of white Nike sports socks, in fact they are actually what I wear 90% of the time especially any time I have my Nike Air Force 1's on. They are brilliant as they are so comfortable and if you can keep them white they do last quite a while.

Gymshark Shorts

All my gym shorts are currently far too bit for me which is driving me mad. I have found quite a few pairs I like on Gymshark but I can never find them in my new size which is driving me mad. I don't want to go overboard with the amount of gym wear I am buying as I don't go to the gym anymore, I just work out at home plus I am also still losing weight so there is no point in wasting loads of money when I might need to buy another size down a few months later. 

Peaky Blinders Whisky Glasses

I said at the beginning of this post I was only going to mention practical items and not stuff I don't really need but I love the Peaky Blinders thanks to binge watching it during lockdown. I also love whisky so what better than some Peaky Blinders whisky glasses for those nights I want a nice drink.

Christmas 2020 has definitely come around far too quick and to be honest I will just be happy spending time with my family for it but for those gifts these are the ideas I have come up with and would love to treat myself to too. What's on your Christmas wish list? 

Another week just seems to have flown by in the blink of an eye and we are edging closer to the end of November... how this year has gone so fast I don't know. Last week was a nice mix of things such as work and getting things done at home for a change. So here is how the week went... 

2020 has definitely been the year of the lounge wear and luckily when lockdown begun I was more than prepared for being comfortable whilst been stuck in the house. This is thanks to the amount of lounge wear I have had in the house for a long time, there has been plenty of options for me to reach for whatever the occasion. Whether it has been sitting at my PC blogging all day, binge watching TV or simply playing games I have had outfit choices for any of them. So here are the different piece of lounge wear I think everyone should have to hand... 

Dressing Gown

You can't beat a dressing gown when the weather drops colder but you don't want to put the heating on. I have worn mine so many times these past few months to stay warm whilst blogging away. The best thing is you can get thick or thin dressing gowns so you can get them for all seasons. I literally wear mine for anything it is even great for when I am sat gaming as it is comfortable but keeps me warm without restricting my movements whilst playing or typing.

Hoodies 

Hoodies are great for all times of the year whether you are wearing them outside or not. For those full days indoors I love just throwing on an old hoodie and staying nice and warm throughout the day. I tend to wear the hoodies with a pair of shorts all year round on those days in as the outfit is just so easy to throw together and it doesn't matter if the outfit looks put together or not as at the end of the day who is going to see it other than me and Liam? 

Slippers / Slides

I have a pair of slippers that I tend to wear around the house especially when I am at my desk as it keeps my feet that little bit warmer. But if I need to run outside or I am just sat around downstairs I will throw on my slides as they are just as good as the slippers but a lot more practical for heading out in for a quick run out to out something in the bin or check something in the gardens. 

Sweatshirt 

I never thought I would bother with sweatshirts as I would rather pick up a hoodie however, 2020 is the year that has changed for me. I actually enjoy sitting around with a sweatshirt on rather than a hoodie all the time as the sweatshirt is often less heavy and it feels nice not having a hood hanging around my neck all the time. The best part though is that sweatshirts are a really reasonable price so you can get stopped up without having to break the bank. My current favourite is actually one I picked up for around £3 in the Sainsbury's sale of all places. 

Sweatpants

Sweatpants have also been something I have reached for a lot more often lately as they just add a bit of extra warmth as opposed to the shorts I usually wear.  Just like with the sweatshirts there are plenty of reasonably priced options and there are all sorts of fits too, my personal favourites are a pair of slim fit ones I picked up from Primark for £9.

Jersey shorts

As I said earlier I always tend to throw on a pair of shorts and a hoodie on those days I have indoors and there is nothing better than a good pair of jersey shorts. My favourite shorts are some jersey ones I pick up from Primark every year. They are so comfortable and are nice and thick too so even on the cold days they keep you a little warm. Again though there are plenty of different types of shorts out there and something to suit everyone, I think my next pair maybe Nike as they look great. 

Lightweight T-Shirts

On those warmer days or when we have the heating on it is all about t-shirts in this house but if I am lounging around I stick to my lightweight t-shirts, I try to avoid my heavy ones as I want to be nice and comfortable which for some reason with t-shirts I much prefer something lightweight against when I pick up a hoodie. My favourites are just plain black t-shirts from the likes of H&M or Marks & Spencer's which again are very reasonably priced. 

Pyjamas

You can't beat a good pair of pyjamas when you are lounging around especially on the cosy winter nights when you are curled up watching films with the fire lit. There is nothing better in my opinion than a long pair of pyjamas on whilst wrapped under a blanket with a hot chocolate watching a film, if the pyjamas are nice and comfortable too that is even better as you could easily end up falling asleep you are that comfortable. A pair of short pyjamas are great for the warmer weather too as they can be thrown on as soon as you get in from whatever that day is held and just get nice and comfortable and relax from the day you have just had.

So there you have it those are my perfect items for lounging around in. But what do you prefer? Can you recommend any good brands for me to try when it comes to restocking some lounge wear bits?  

Back at the beginning of August I decided to try tackle a 90 day challenge to try improve my fitness and help my weight loss journey. I set out with great intentions of really making a difference and continue the progress I had made since the start of the year however, I have to say I haven't seen as much progress as I would have hoped and I know exactly why. I really started to fall off track from more or less the beginning of the challenge as lockdown restrictions started to lift and I started to go out and about more often which involved a lot of eating out. I actually disappointed myself by doing this and just never really fully got back on track as my final stats show but I did make progress in some areas which I guess is better than nothing. 

The first few days involved a camping trip where I just ate and drank which did no good for me at all as it took me a long time to get back on track. By the time I did get back on track though it was my birthday and I certainly made the most of the celebrations then too. After that things were just going down hill and to be honest I was started to give up again. It wasn't until the final week of the challenge I really started to put that effort in again which shouldn't have been the case as I was more than capable of making more progress than I did. So here is what happened on the scales...

start weight : 15 st 9 & 1/2 lb

end weight 15st 11 & 1/2 lbs 

This disappointed me the most as I know if I had just tried harder to get back on track after falling off I know I could have made so much more of a difference, I could have really been pushing for that 1 stone loss in the 90 days but instead my weight was up and down throughout and by the end I gained weight. 

But here is how my measurements went...

Hips start :116 cm end : 113cm

Waist start :112 cm end : 106cm

Left leg start : 63cm end : 63cm

Right leg start : 63cm end : 63cm

Left arm start : 32cm end : 33cm

Right arm start : 32cm end : 33cm 

I am quite pleased with these results as I saw a different in the 2 main areas, my wast & hips. For me as long as they are going down I am heading in the right direction. It does make me wonder how much I could lose if I really put my mind to it and stayed on track for a full 90 days.

To be honest I really do feel like I started this challenge at the wrong time with a camping trip, a weeks holiday and my birthday all being in that time frame along with other events happening within the family & lockdown restrictions being eased. Heading back to the office also proved a test as I went from being able to cook any meal at any time to having a set lunch time with me having to take food with me or buying from the local supermarket. 

I am going to give this challenge a try again but try to stick to it more and if I do fall off track make sure I pick myself straight back up and make progress instead of moping around. I am going to do this by creating a chart with my plan for the 90 days on along with a chart for my weight loss, my main chart will focus on the plan for each day such as workouts, if it is weigh day etc and my other chart will literally just be one I can mark off per 1lb lost this way I can see big milestones approaching and hopefully it will motivate me a little bit more. On those big milestones I plan to put little incentives so for example when I lose 1 stone I can get a football shirt or game and so on, hopefully seeing that if I achieve the goals I can pick up something I really want will give me that extra push.  

MyFitnessPal is also going to be my best friend as I am going to track all my meals so I know just what I am putting in my body and keep an eye on those weeks that have worked and those that haven't. I also plan to eat a lot better by planning meals using my new meal planner and prepping meals for work so I aren't going out and buying junk. If I am out for the day elsewhere I will try take a meal with me instead of just eating whatever too, so say I am at my sisters I will take a meal instead of just having a sandwich or a load of snacking items. I also want to incorporate more fruit and veg into my diet too as I am really lacking in that area. 

I will also be using my Instagram to post my meals and the workouts I do to help me be accountable too as I know a few people on there will help me stay motivated and on track and also call me out if I am slipping into old habits. My workouts are also going to be increased and I will be adding a variety of workouts into my routine to keep me going and so I don't get bored of my routine and am putting my body through different challenges. One day I might be doing a hiit workout, a walk or weights but I will be mixing it up every now and again just to keep me on my toes.  

That mindset that I was in at the start of the year needs to come back as I really was making progress and going in the right direction whilst really improving both my physical and mental health. That is why I am going to jump straight back in and try this 90 day challenge again. I will be starting the challenge on Wednesday the 18th November and ending it on the 16th of February so lets hope it goes better the second time around and I see changes in both my measurement & on the scales. Lets end 2020 on a high note and start 2021 heading in the right direction.

We are edging closer and closer to Christmas but most importantly for me I am finally getting closer to receiving my PS5 which is basically Christmas come early for me. I had another great week last week and here is how it went... 

At the beginning of lockdown I started to listen to a few more podcasts when I was blogging as I was finishing my YouTube subscription box far too easily. Listening to podcasts though just offered something a little different as I could just put on my headphones and listen to topics I love whilst working away on my latest blog posts or playing some video games. Podcasts just mean I aren't sat staring at a video on my screen and getting distracted from what I am writing about as in most cases I can watch a video version or just listen to the audio only version minimising those distractions. 

I am definitely more productive when listen to a podcast as I only have to listen however, not only am I productive but I am also more inspired and motivated due to the topics some of the podcasts I listen to cover. They have helped me work on my blogs and make some great progress with them too as they inspire me to do better, show me what I need to improve on and just give me more confidence. So here are some of my favourite podcasts at the moment...

Same Brain

This podcast is by sisters Justine & Jenna Ezarik, if you enjoy tech YouTube you will probably know Justine as iJustine. Same Brain is mainly a tech & video game podcast however, they do sometimes cover other topics too. I am a bit of a tech geek so I love this podcast as both the sisters know exactly what they are talking about and it gives you a bit more of an in-depth look at topics. 

Feature 

Feature is a podcast from YouTuber Justin TSE and covers tech & lifestyle. It is a fantastic podcast and it has given me so much inspiration and motivation to work on not only my blogs & the ideas I have had for the future but also inspiration for working on myself. Justin talks a lot of sense and talks a lot about how he has developed over the years which really helps give you inspiration and motivation for the future. 

Whats Good Games

This is the first ever podcast I listened to years ago and have continued to listen to. Britney, Andrea, Steimer really know their stuff when it comes to video games and the podcast echos that. This podcast is what keeps me up to date with what is going on in the video game world and hearing the opinions on games from the hosts has actually helped me find some games I have enjoyed that I never thought I would try. 

Glow and Grow Show

I absolutely love the Glow and Grow show and I end up sitting and making so many note when I listen to this podcast as it is really one of the things that is helping me grow my blogs and social media channels. Granted I have a long way to go with building my blogs and channels and I still have a lot of things I need to put into practice but it has given me some notes to start. This is a podcast I just go through over and over again to see if I can pick up any different pointers on each listen. I would definitely recommend this if you have a blog or social media you are trying to grow. 

If anyone can recommend any other good podcasts for me to listen to in the self help, technology or fashion genre please do let me know. Especially if they are fashion related as I am really wanting to listen to some of those but can't find any that grab my attention. 

Well October has been a great month personally but my weight loss journey has taken a bit of a hit. The month started with a week away where I just ate anything insight and had a few too many drinks. Then I returned to work for more days a week so I fell out of my new found routine. I was definitely struggling with trying to balance everything so I did do pretty well though to say how off track I went. The lack of a routine was really starting to get to me so towards the end of the month I tried to create a new routine which clearly worked well for me as I had two loses instead of gains for the final 2 weeks of the month. 

The new routine focused on what I ate and how much I was eating. It meant less takeaways and eating out and tracking what I ate on MyFitnessPal, which I will certainly be using plenty of from now on. I am hoping that by continuing this routine I will really see a difference over the next few months. 

 So here is what the physical changes went like:

Waist start : 110cm end : 106 cm

Hips start : 112 cm  end : 113cm

Right thigh start : 64cm end : 63cm

Right calf start : 42cm end : 43cm

To be honest I actually aren't too bothered with the results of the measurements as the waist has gone down which is one of my priorities at the moment plus there was only a 1cm difference with my hips. Fingers crossed though next month will be a decrease in all areas.

I may have gained this month but my measurements are on the right track so I aren't too upset about the gain. Fingers crossed I will get the weight back down in November though as I am really trying to get back on track now and I am determined to get as close to 1 stone lost before December 31st. 

Anyone got any tips for staying on track?

Another week closer to Christmas which I am certainly getting excited for and am actually prepared for this year. We are also another week closer the release of the PS5 which we have on preorder and I can't wait for. The week also saw the start of another lockdown which is hopefully going to fly by but over all it was a pretty good week and here is how it went...