TheNorthernGirl

The hoodies I am absolutely loving at the moment

Thursday, 28 April 2022

For as long as I can remember one of my wardrobe staple pieces has been a hoodie. I own far too many of them and to be honest I can't see myself stopping buying them any time soon. Each hoodie I own adds something different to my outfits and I love layering up with them or having them as a focus piece especially in the warmer weather. I am happy to wear hoodies all year round so I own different thickness ones and different colours to suit each season, often my hardest decision whilst getting ready is what hoodie will suit this look the best and does the fit of the hoodie still look acceptable. Recently looking through all the hoodies I own it got me thinking which would make it onto a favourites list due to being worn the most & fit my style the best. So here are the hoodies that made the cut after quite a lot of debating...

First up we have this Champion hoodie that I absolutely love and have done for all the years I have owned it. This was originally a risky purchase as the colour isn't one I would have usually picked however, I am so glad I picked it up as the blue is the perfect for more than half of the other items in my wardrobe. The blue is definitely a bold choice for me and honestly this kicked off me adding more colour into other aspects of my wardrobe too which I am grateful for as the change has been great. This is still going strong a few years down the line and hasn't lost its shape or colour yet which is a big bonus.

Next up we have one of my favourite hoodies from Primark, this grey hoodies is nice and simple whilst also looking great whilst being layered up. Thanks to the small central positioning of the Space Jam logo on this hoodie when it is layered with an open jacket you can still see the detail of the hoodie and nothing is hiding like with some of the other hoodies I own. The very little colour on this hoodie also means it goes with nearly everything in my wardrobe and I can honestly say that this could be one of my most worn throughout spring especially with my denim jackets as I think the combination could end up looking really good.

Now this is definitely in the top 2 favourites from this post as it is Chicago Bulls and cost a fraction of the price of some of the other Bulls hoodies I had previously seen online. I am absolutely in love with this hoodie and the colour of it as the red fits in with a lot more of my wardrobe than I expected and to be honest I just feel like it suits me a bit more than other colours I have experimented with. The print on this is definitely a bold one and again I love the fact it is central as it makes it perfect for layering. The hoodie definitely works well with my street style looks and I think in the summer this is going to be worn a fair bit especially for those more casual and lounging summer days where it is a bit cooler.

Finally we have the hoodie of dreams and one I am so glad I managed to pick up. This WNBA Nike hoodie is absolutely perfect with its over sized fit and central logo but what I love the most is the bright orange colour of it. This hoodies stands out for all the right reasons and I absolutely love how it makes the outfit it is paired with pop. You are going to be seeing a whole lot more of this hoodie in the future because I am finding myself reaching for it a lot, teamed up with some Jordan's or Air Force & cargo pants it just creates a fantastic outfit. This hoodie is a bit thicker than other I own too and it definitely keeps me nice and warm but it wont just be saved for cold weather, it will be used for the warm weather too as it is so good.

I might be losing weight at the moment but these hoodies are ones I am always going to keep hold of as they are my absolute favourites and even over sized they should look pretty good. I really do need to try stop buying hoodies but there are currently 4 new ones that I would like to add to my wardrobe in the near future so I don't think I will be stopping anytime soon. You are definitely going to be seeing a lot more of these hoodies on the blog and social media in the near future though as I don't think I will stop wearing them any time soon.

Which would be your favourite hoodie from in this post?

How Am I Just Realising The Importance Of Self Care?

I don't know why it has taken me so long to start doing this but I have realised this past year just how important self care actually is and why I really need to start practicing it in so many aspects of life. For far too long I wasn't taking care of myself I was constantly 100mph either working, working on the blogs or just doing anything to stay productive I was getting burnt out and ill, something needed to change so as I told Liam just a few weeks ago it is time I start investing in myself.

Now when I told him he looked confused but once I explained it to him he seemed to grasp what I actually meant. This year I am determined to become the best version of me and to do that I need to step aside and put me first more often than I already am. For years now I haven't felt relaxed, got enough sleep and haven't prioritized a lot of areas of my life, even with Liam we don't do things together which we need to change.

Part of investing in myself is going to involve a bit of shopping for better quality items that are treats that will last me a while and help me get my perfect clothing style at long last but the biggest chunk of investing in myself is going to be taking time out to practice self care.

I don't need to be going out shopping every week to stay busy and feel happy there are other things that I can do that are going to be a lot more beneficial in the long run and also help me achieve other goals I have set myself too without stressing me. So here are the little bits of self care I am going to try adding into my daily life to just switch off...

Set a routine

Routine has always been a big thing for me but the pandemic totally through me off so I am now going to try get into an all new routine where I can perform at my best daily and get things done without having to sacrifice sleep or other things. I won't go too into the routine on this post as I will have one in the future when I have nailed the routine but it is going to look a little like this...

Week days : Wake up early, workout, shower, work. Then on an evening it will be 2-3 nights a week working on the blogs, 2 a week will be fitness classes then one will be simply doing nothing. Followed by minimum of 1 hour relaxing time before bed.

Weekends : Wake up early, workout, shower, football (if it is on that week), 2 hours on blog if needed, housework, switch off time.

Sundays will also include a bit of a reset which will be a case of planning for the week ahead and getting outfits/workout clothes sorted for the week ahead so I aren't messing around.

I am hoping a routine like this that I can easily stick to will help clear up time and just help me feel a bit more relaxed as I will know exactly what I am doing and when rather than panicking and leaving things until the last minute.

1 hour a day phone free

This is going to be a big one as it is something I haven't done before but know I could benefit from massively. I want to go a minimum of 1 hour per day without my phone, it is certainly a big distraction and I spend a lot of time scrolling endlessly through social media which I could easily cut out. This hour phone free will be either getting lost in a video game or getting lost in a book. Although I do want to have 30 mins to 1 hour pre bedtime to read anyway as I think it will help me sleep much better.

Get outdoors more

We did this during the pandemic and I felt great so I am adding this into my self care routine. Whether it is a walk, a run, an outdoor workout or even a camping trip I just want to embrace the outdoors a lot more than I already do as that fresh air does me the world of good. We are already planning on weekly walks and running a few times a week but I am sure now the weather is improving we can increase that even more.

Workout daily

Working out makes me feel so good and surprisingly if I workout in a morning I feel much more energized during the day. When I am working out that is all I am focusing on at that moment and I have noticed my mental health massively improving when I work out too so I am adding daily workouts to the schedule, even if I can only do 30 minutes some days it is better than nothing and there is currently nothing better than moving my body. I will be sticking to my training plan but I might add in a few bonus workouts too with some stretching etc as that is something I will certainly benefit from.

Monthly date night

As I said earlier me and Liam don't do much just the two of us so I want to make sure at least once a month we have a night just us two to watch a film, go to the cinema, play a game anything really just so we have no phones and just enjoy each others company. We used to be really good at this then life got busy, we moved in together and just started doing our own things but fingers crossed we can change that.

Monthly / Bi-Monthly Massage

This is a bit of a bonus one but I think this will just be a nice treat where again I can just switch of whilst my body is getting looked after. With the amount of working out I plan on doing and the types of working out I will be doing I think this will be good for me in the long run and ensure that my body isn't aching too much. Plus I have wanted a sports massage for so long but keep putting it off for various reasons, maybe adding it into my routine monthly or even every few months will be a good thing.

It is funny how looking at this now I am realising that by doing these things other areas of my life are going to benefit so much and I can't believe I am only just going to start doing these things. By doing these things I should make good progress towards my goals for the year but I should also end up feeling much more relaxed and calm compared to how I am currently and who knows it could also help me become more productive in the long run. I am looking forward to seeing how this plays out for me and keep checking my social media as I will be posting more about this on there.

What sort of self care do you add into your life?

The jobs I want to get done in the house this year and in the near future...

Friday, 22 April 2022

It is safe to say there is a big reason we are planning on saving a whole lot of money this year... we want to get as much work done in and around the house as we can so that we can finally get towards a stage where we are happy with each room just like we have been with the games room since we got that done. As I have said in the past when we first moved in we rushed to get things done so the house was more to our taste but time changes and as we have been in the house for 4 years now I think it is time to make a start on going round all the rooms in the house and tidying up the outside. It definitely isn't going to be an easy task but here is what we would love to get done this year...

Indoors

Since getting the games room done we have fallen totally in love with the room so it would be great to fall in love with all the other rooms in the house just like we have with the games room. We have said we are going to be starting at the top and working our way down so first up I would love to get our bedroom plastered and painted along with sorting out some new furniture for the room and getting our build in wardrobe looking a lot nicer and so we can store our clothing much better than it currently is. Getting the wardrobe done will probably be the most expensive part of this room but it will be worth it in the end.

Once the bedroom is done our attention will be on the spare room which acts as a dressing room & office for me. Again this will be getting plastered and painted, probably to match the games room and I can't wait for this space to be done. I think it will literally just be getting plastered and painted and tidied up as everything in this room works well so this will probably be the cheapest room for us to do.

Finally for the upstairs it would be great if we could get the hallway done as this has been on the list for a while as other work has damaged it a bit. We already know this is going to be a costly job as it involves upstairs, the staircase and the downstairs are plus we want to add some shelving and cupboards to the area so this is definitely going to be a job we really have to save for. This is also going to require new flooring so fingers crossed we can save enough to get this done even if it is towards the middle or end of the year as I think this is going to totally transform the space and entrance to the house.

Outdoors

For me especially one of the main priorities outdoors is getting the garage sorted out as it is just an eye sore at the moment with a door hanging off and filled with junk. I am hoping we can get this cleared out and converted into a home gym to help me with my fitness journey. This is definitely not going to be cheap but once it is done it will be worth every penny. This is definitely going to be a fun project to watch take shape and I really can't wait for the change to happen.

The front garden is a job for me and Liam which really shouldn't take up too much time or money and it should keep us occupied on cooler days rather than going shopping. The front garden is an overgrown mess at the moment so I would love to just tidy it up a bit and put a border in so we can add a bit of colour to the front of the house. Alongside the front garden it would be great if we could get the side tidied up too and cleared out so it can be a space for us to play with our nephew and for me to do some outdoor workouts, again this should be a very cheap job that we are more than capable of doing ourselves.

So that is what we are hoping to do this year so fingers crossed we can get a big chunk of those jobs done and out of the way so that the future can be spent sorting out those bigger jobs and other areas rather than us having a big chunk of things to do that look overwhelming. In the future we would love to get a new kitchen and redecorate all downstairs so that isn't going to be cheap so if we can get the upstairs done this year then we can focus on the downstairs possibly in 2023. Plus we also want to get all the side of the house and driveway done which is going to be far too much money so maybe whilst doing other bits we can be saving and learning how to possibly do things ourselves to lower the costs of the jobs outdoors. I would also love to get new gates or get the current ones fixed up and painted and the stupid bushes replaced as I think it will just make the front of house look so much nicer but again why are jobs like this just so expensive? I knew owning our home was never going to be cheap but I didn't expect some jobs to cost so much.

Trying to get more wear out of my watches

I have loved wearing watches for so long and after clearing out the watches I owned a few years back I have been left with 8 great watches plus my Apple Watch. A watch is something I wear daily and I have tried to do this for the past few years however, thanks to my currently being on my fitness journey I have stuck to wearing my Apple watch rather than any of my smarter looking watches even if I go out I seem to stick to wearing my Apple Watch, just so I keep an eye on my steps for the day and other aspects that can help my fitness journey.

I am determined though that in 2022 I am going to change this and finally get back to wearing some of the other watches I own rather than them just been sat in my jewellery box like they have been lately. I can't believe I have neglected these watches for so long as prior to getting my Apple Watch I was constantly switching between them and now they are just sat there needing new batteries which when I think about it is just a waste of money especially with my Michael Kors watch which I once would never take off.

The amount of money I have personal spent on watches in the past has never been high but I have always considered my style and outfits when purchasing them so they never looked out of place as I really do believe that a watch or even a good accessory can really make an outfit that bit better however, if it doesn't fit the tone it can look awful at times. The more I look at all my watches on display the more I am tempted to add some more expensive pieces to the collection and ones that fit the style I am going for more these days. Yes the Apple watch is great and very convenient as I don't have to pull my phone out of my pocket every two minutes but at the same time sometimes I just want to wear something that doesn't look so sporty and makes my outfit a bit smarter. Although I am planning on getting a few new bands for the Apple watch to try make it look that little bit smarter and just to change up what I have on my wrist rather than the same boring black band daily.

I think if I do get wearing these watches a bit more it is finally going to be time to get saving for my dream watch whilst picking up a few new ones in between to suit all occasions. I just need to get into the habit of wearing these rather than the smart watch all the time.

Do you wear a smart watch or a regular watch?

How improving my fitness & working out is helping me with my mental health

I will be completely honest here when people used to say that they worked out and it helped them with their mental health I never used to believe it, I just couldn't understand how the two would even work together but then again I wasn't working out so I couldn't see for myself. The last thing I could think of was dragging myself out of bed when my head was screaming at me just to go lift weights or run for an hour however, now I am working out for myself I am realising just how much sense those people were actually talking.

When I get up and work out first thing in the morning my mood is instantly lifted and I feel so much more energized throughout the day. Before I was working out I would literally roll out of bed, get ready for work and head out the door but now when I get up I work out and everything just feels better through the day and those days are a lot more productive than others. Even on a night if I work out I sleep better and feel more refreshed and calmer than if I didn't. I have realised that different workouts have different effects on my mental health and whilst they are all good benefits it is definitely interesting to see how the effects are different based on what I do. So here are the workouts I do and the effects they have for me personally ...

Boxing

Funnily enough this is the newest form of workout with me only doing this for around a year but I think it is one that has given me the most benefits so far. Each session pushes me to my limits and I feel so good for it once the session is done and I count down the days to my next session. I come out of these sessions soaked in sweat as I push myself to limits I didn't even know I had and alongside learning punch combos I am also doing the fitness side of things with half an hour of the session basically being HIIT training with various workouts that really get the heart rate going. I think hitting the pads and punch bag definitely helps when it comes to the mental health side of things too as when I have had a hard or bad day I have noticed my punches increase in power, it is a good way of getting frustration out and I am loving it that much I have a punch bag at home now too.

Lifting Weights

Up until this year I didn't really lift any weights, I didn't see why I needed to if I wanted to lose weight. However, since working with my online coach Emma I have been using weights a whole lot more and I now really look forward to doing the weight sessions on my plan. Just like with the boxing I especially like these sessions after a long hard day as I don't know but lifting weights just makes me feel so much better plus after these sessions my sleep is much better. I have found that if I do these sessions in a morning though I am fired up and ready to hit the ground running for the day. I am so glad that I have found a love for lifting weights as it is just so beneficial all round.

Football

I have really missed playing football but getting back to playing 5 a side has been so beneficial for me even though I haven't managed to go as many times as I would have liked yet. I have always felt free and at my best with a football at my feet so being able to do this after spending so long injured and unable to play is fantastic. It is definitely doing me the world of good being back playing and I can't wait to start increasing the number of sessions I go to. I am even planning on getting the side garden sorted out at long last so I can have my own football training area in the garden as kicking that ball just feels amazing.

Walking

For so long I used to tell people the worst word they could say to me beginning with W was walk, I absolutely hated it and would do anything to get out of walking even the shortest of distances it was that bad. However, during the pandemic me and Liam started going on quite a few longer local walks then I started going with my mum and surprisingly I started to enjoy walking. Now I walk to and from work as often as possible as I find putting my earphones in and just walking to be brilliant. We also try to get out once a week for a nice long walk that we are hopefully going to be increasing the frequency of as the weather gets better. Just being out in the fresh air is brilliant and refreshing and I can't believe it has taken me so long to get out and enjoy this. My favourite walks are definitely on family trips to the seaside though as being by the sea or any water is one of my favourite places surprisingly as it just helps me clear my mind and relax.

I am really enjoying not only the physical effects I am getting from working out but all the mental effects too as this is helping so much in my life day to day and I know these benefits are going to last a life time if I keep up on the working out. I never realised how much seeing myself change physically would also effect my mental health as my confidence is growing daily these days which is a very nice touch and I am slowly drowning out those negative thoughts I get when I look in the mirror, yes they are still there but one day they might be gone thanks to working out. I try to do some form of workout each day and I am definitely benefiting from this, long may it continue, even on those days I don't fancy working out once I have done it I feel so much better.

Have you noticed that working out helps your mental health?

The Fragrance's I would love to pick up soon

Thursday, 14 April 2022

I currently have a very nice collection of fragrance on the go and it is all looking great on display in the spare room however, it just feels like something is missing. For so long I have been without one of my signature scents and it is driving me mad although at the same time I am absolutely loving my bargain Primark fragrances. I have definitely thinking about upgrading my collection lately though and here are some of the fragrances I would love to add...

I had the Tom Ford Black Orchid a few years ago and it became a favourite of mine very quickly due to how strong the scent was. This is definitely on the expensive side of things which is why I haven't picked up another bottle just yet but fingers crossed this year I can pick up another bottle so I can enjoy my favourite scent once more.

I have had my eye on the Moschino Toy Boy for a while and after actually smelling the fragrance I want it even more. Originally I only wanted this fragrance due to the bottle but now I can honestly say the smell of it actually comes into play. How good would this look out on display though?

Of course with me wanting Toy I also came across Toy 2 which is in this pink bottle and thought if I am going to get the black bottle I might as well get the pink one to go alongside it. This bubblegum one looks fantastic but again it also smells fantastic. Plus it will look great on display at the side of the Toy one if I pick them both up.

The CK One fragrance is my current go to and thanks to me using it daily I am very slowly running low on this one and I will definitely miss it if I run out. This is one of the fragrances at the most reasonable price but it does the job as it smells really nice and is great for daily wear.

Finally on the list we have the Tom Ford Madarino Di Amalfi Acqua signature scent, now this will only be purchased as a very special treat as it is on the very expensive side of things compared to all the other fragrances on this list. Again it was the bottle that sold me on this however, next time I see it I want to have a smell of it as it does sound like one that I would really enjoy wearing.

So there you go those are the fragrances I would love to purchase in the very near future and I know that the CK One fragrance will definitely be bought in the next month or so as I can't be without this one currently. I do need to get through some of my cheaper fragrances that I currently own but sometimes you just can't beat a new fragrance.

Tying BoohooMan Active Wear

I managed to win a £100 BoohooMan gift card back in 2020 and I had bought a few bits with it as soon as I received it however, for ages I couldn't think of anything to spend the remainder of the money on so it just sat unused and as it edged closer to the gift cards expiry date I knew I needed to find something to buy rather than wasting the money. It then clicked that I could do with some new workout clothing as what I currently owned was getting on the baggier side plus I had seen people saying how good their active range was. Now if you know me you will know I only stick to specific brands for working out in such as Under Armour, Nike, Gymshark and MyProtein however, after what I received from BoohooMan I think it is safe to say there is another favourite being added to that list. To say I got everything for under £50 I am amazed by the quality and the fit of the items although thanks to me sizing down the joggers and shorts don't fit just yet but that is something for me to aim for. The t-shirts and jackets I got are definitely firm favourites in my workout wardrobe now and I find myself reaching for them rather than some of my more expensive pieces. So here is what I ended up picking up...

I ended up getting this grey t-shirt that is made for running due to its reflective strips on the shoulders but honestly it can be worn for anything. I wear it from boxing and it is brilliant as it is made from a breathable material and fits nicely, it doesn't cling to me at all making movement much easier as there are no restrictions. The simple grey design with the black stripe down the side works really well with other workout clothing I own, especially my Under Armour sneakers and honestly you don't even realise the reflective strips are on this t-shirt.

I am a little bit obsessed with 1/4 zip tops these days and it is definitely starting to show in my purchases. I ended up getting this grey and black 1/4 zip as I thought it would work well with a lot of my other clothing such as the grey t-shirt we have just spoken about. I was a bit worried with this one as I often struggle with arms length of 1.4 zip tops but this was perfect and it even works well with my boxing gloves on which is a bonus as this is when it would be worn the most. it is nice and simple with the two colours and minimal branding and it fits me surprisingly well even in the body length. This has slowly become my most worn 1/4 zip top as it is just so comfortable.

I knew I wanted another t-shirt to add to the growing collection but I fancied something a bit different. I don't own many navy pieces for workouts so as soon as I came across this t-shirt I knew I needed to add it to my basket and I am so glad I did. Not only is it a nice colour but it is also really comfortable and is nice and plain. The only branding is the silver ManActive on the sleeve and this navy patch on the back which I though would annoy me but honestly you don't even know it is there. This t-shirt s longer in the body than some of my others and I appreciate that as when doing exercises it doesn't ride up and show off my skin. The arms are a nice comfortable fit too and aren't too tight or short meaning they stay in place and don't restrict any exercises I am doing.

Finally we have another 1/4 zip top and I had to get this as it matches the t-shirt we just spoke about. I honestly only got this top as it matched the t-shirt we just spoke about, it has the same silver details on the end of the sleeves and the patch on the back so it works well together and the outfit still flows if I remove the 1/4 zip top. The best part about this one though is the thumb holes which are always an added bonus and come in great for a bit of extra warmth. I don't wear this for boxing due to the thumb holes but it great for other workouts I do and who knows if I get running I think this will be perfect whilst the weather is still on the cold side.

BoohooMan has definitely put itself on my radar for workout clothing in the future and I think as my size is constantly changing this could be the place I turn to the most for quick restocks as it is super affordable so even if they only fit for a few months I wont be feeling like I have wasted a fortune. I think another order maybe being placed soon as you can never have too many 1/4 zip tops.

Can you recommend any other brands for me to try for workout clothes?

How Instagram Has Helped Fitness Journey...

Tuesday, 12 April 2022

Back in 2020 when the first lockdown took place I really took my fitness journey a lot more seriously as I had a lot more time to work on it and the benefits were great. I started sharing some bits on my Instagram page but to be honest it didn't fit the theme I was going for and the people following me weren't really interested, so after talking to a few people who were enjoying seeing my journey I ended up creating a separate account just for my weight loss and fitness journey, somewhere I could post anything fitness related and find people with similar goals to me and people who could help motivate me to make even more progress. I have to say 2 years down the line creating that account is one of the best things I have done in recent years for a variety of reasons, I honestly wish I had created the account sooner as I can only imagine the position I would be in now if I did. So here is how my weight loss & fitness Instagram has helped me along with my journey so far...

Made friends with similar goals

A lot of people are on the same journey as me for very similar reasons and thanks to this account I have been able to connect with them and have made some friends along the way. They check in on how I am doing and are always just a message away, they celebrate the victories and honestly it is great just to be able to chat to people doing the same sort of things as they understand what you are aiming for and why you are on the journey in the first place.

Met a lot of supportive people

Honestly when I first set the account up I thought it would be full of judgmental people due to my size however, to be honest it has been totally the opposite and everyone so far seems to be supportive. From those on the same journey, those who have been on the journey and those that just want to help it has been great. Sometimes when I get messages I dread to open them thinking oh no its another personal trainer/online coach trying to get me to sign up when in fact they are really just dropping in with some tips, words of encouragement and even just seeing how it is going. I have had some great chats with coaches who have helped without me paying for their service and their content has actually been really helpful to me just by scrolling down my feed. One of these people is Zack Jones, he has been a great support since I started following him and the chats we have had have been really useful. Millie has also been a great support and source of encouragement & motivation since I started following her and seeing her content definitely helps me out a lot.

Lots of tips on form & nutrition

Going into my journey I had never lifted weights before so I knew I would need some tips on how to use them and carry out the correct for and I will be honest before all this my idea of a workout was simply just using a treadmill or exercise bike that is why I wasn't seeing many results. Thanks to this account though I started learning new exercises and how to perform them which was great. My nutrition has always been terrible too but thanks to this account I am learning new recipes and trying to manage my calorie intake which I never did before. It is honestly amazing how much you can learn from some accounts on the app.

Provides motivation

I am honestly my worst nightmare when it comes to motivation, I can have a few absolutely fantastic weeks but then I can just switch and thanks to my mental health I can just spend weeks moping around and neglecting everything however, I have noticed that when I am feeling like I am slipping lately if I have a quick scroll through Instagram I see others smashing their goals and it helps my motivation levels pick right back up.Thanks to the accounts I am following I have noticed I have had more days where I have been ready to smash it rather than the down days.

Keeps me accountable

This sounded funny when I typed it as how could one account on an app keep you accountable but honestly it really has made the world of difference. I started sharing my weigh ins on here and honestly it makes sure I have as good of a week as possible so that I aren't posting a gain week after week, I want to make sure I am showing people how capable I am. It also helps me see the good day and the bad days and shows me what needs to be done better.

Helps me track my progress

There are plenty of ways that I could track my progress and no doubt they would be better than an Instagram account (I do track in other ways too just tend to look at Instagram more) however, I have found that this account is a great way to track my progress. I can click onto my profile and see images of goals I have smashed, comparisons of my weight and even steps I do and it just shows me the journey I am on and the progress I am making all in one place. It is definitely great looking back at old pictures and seeing the difference in my body.

Introduced me to Emma

Emma is my online coach and has been since before Christmas and I am so glad I found her through my account as the difference since working together has been fantastic already. She is really helping me along in my journey both physically and mentally and I am already seeing the benefits. I wasn't going to bother with an online coach but I am so glad I made this decision as I think over the course of this year it is going to change me so much. Emma provides excellent support, shares little wins with me and helps encourage me on those days where I don't want to do anything honestly I couldn't ask for a better coach.

So there you go that is how creating a fitness & weight loss journey Instagram has really helped me out and I can't wait to see the progress I make this year towards my goals with the help from those I follow. Making the account is seriously one of the best things I have done and now I just need to start using it more consistently to really showcase this journey.

Let me know your usernames if you have a fitness/weight loss account as I am always looking for new people to follow

These Pumas get neglected far too often, it is time to change that...

Monday, 11 April 2022

Don't get me wrong I love these Puma's I picked up in the sale a while back now but one thing I didn't really consider when buying them was if they would go with the rest of my wardrobe. Thanks to them not been as easy to style due to the pink on the sneaker I have struggled to style them and therefore I haven't managed to wear them as often as I would like which is a bit of a plus as they have stayed in fantastic condition.

This year though I wanted to make it my aim to wear them a whole lot more and I have started to think of these sneakers when it has come to picking out new items of clothing. Like when I first saw this hoodie I initially thought nah I will pass on that as it wont go with anything I own but then these Puma's came to mind and I purchased it straight away.

The sneakers are white with black and a fair bit of pink on them so I knew all along I wanted a pink top to style these with and the Louis Tomlinson merchandise hoodie ticks all the boxes. It is a bit of a lighter pink than is on the sneakers but it still works really well and just adds to the overall style I am going for especially when teamed up with some black skinny jeans or even my cargo pants.

I was a bit cautious on how this hoodie was actually going to fit me however, as soon as I put it on I was in love with the fit as it is over sized but not too over sized like some products can be. In terms on body length it sits perfectly, the hood buries me but then again I have this issue with every hoodie I own so that doesn't matter too much. The sleeve length is where I usually struggle the most thanks to my stupidly short arms however, I am actually really impressed with how this fits in the sleeves as they stop at the wrist rather than continuing way down past my hand. I guess it isn't too bad saying I only paid £3 for it.

I love how this hoodie looks plain and simple on the front with a small print central on the chest and then just has a small X on the sleeve, it is the back that does all the talking on this as it is has a bold smily face with its tongue stuck out taking up the majority of the back of the hoodie. I will be honest this is what initially sold me on the hoodie as I think it looks brilliant however, in the end the hoodie as a whole has just continued to be a winner and I know it is soon going to be one of my most worn items.

I am really looking forward to wearing these sneakers a lot more this year and I think that with a few nicer lighter coloured t-shirts and some nice shorts I could really get my wear out of them in the summer months but for now I am just looking forward to styling them for spring and getting plenty of wear out of this hoodie too as I love it.

How would you style these sneakers?

How I Currently Like To Style The Nike Air 200's

Thursday, 7 April 2022

Remember when I picked up these Nike Air 200's for a bargain price for a while back... well I still absolutely love them and they are still super comfortable I just don't wear them half as much as I should do thanks to me opting daily for my trusty Air Force 1's. I am really trying my best though to rotate my sneakers and this is one pair I am really looking forward to wearing a whole lot more as my wardrobe and style starts to resemble exactly what I have envisioned for a while now. These sneakers due to the colours and silhouette are going to work really well with a lot of new items I have brought in or am planning on bringing in but honestly they go with a lot of items I have already so I don't understand why I haven't worn them a lot more than I have, I guess I just don't want to get them ruined. I have played around with them a bit recently though and here are the outfits I have managed to piece together than I actually really like...

I have mentioned this t-shirt a fair few times on here now and I am sorry but I just can't get enough of it. The quality of the t-shirt is perfect and the overall fit is exactly what I was looking for thanks to it being over sized. The sleeves are also on the bigger side too so they don't create any restrictions when it comes to moving my arms around. This t-shirt is going to be great for all seasons and even with the bold print I still think it works really well with the Nike 200's. I teamed the t-shirt and sneakers up with a pair of ripped skinny jeans and I have the perfect look that I am aiming for. These jeans are ripped across the knee and to this day are still one of my favourite pairs of jeans.

The second outfit is very similar with the Nike 200's and the ripped at the knee black jeans however, this time we have this No Fear x H&M t-shirt. Who else remembers No Fear? I used to wear their clothing all the time growing up and had a few No Fear skateboards too so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that this collaboration was a real thing, I stuck to just the two pieces from the collection though. I feel in love with how simple this t-shirt looked from the front with just the logo on and the No Fear writing then I turned it around and saw the quote on the back and loved it even more. I am so glad I got this as I think the colours work really well with the sneakers and again it fits really well even with it being 2 sizes down from my usual and the quality is fantastic as it is a bit thicker than the other t-shirts I own.

I am definitely going to start wearing these sneakers a whole lot more this year and I will be honest I think I am going to end up wearing them a lot more as the weather starts to warm up as I think they will go great with some shorts and nice t-shirts so you might end up seeing another styling post based on these but who knows. I am so glad I picked these sneakers up and I am really looking forward to getting more wear out of them.

How would you style these sneakers?

March 2022 Fitness Update

Wednesday, 6 April 2022

Well to say March was a mixed busy month would be the understatement of the century. There was so much going on through the month I don't know how I kept up, throw in my surgery to the mix and honestly I am glad to be heading into April with a fresh slate. March had birthdays, events and surgery but in terms of the fitness and weight loss journey I still made it a good one. So here is how March's goals went...

Workout 4 times a week up until my surgery

Unfortunately due to a variety of reasons this didn't exactly go to plan however, I did get a fair few workouts in before the surgery and I think that really helped with the results I got for the month.

Have active recovery time after surgery (not lounging on sofa for a week)

This one did not happen and to be honest I think I was a bit hopeful when it came to setting this goal. Instead I had a week in bed as I had 0 energy and was in a lot of pain.

No takeaways (only planned meals out which can't be helped)

A mix of laziness, lack of planning and being ill led to us having far too many takeaways which has annoyed me if I am honest but it is time to get back on track and eat much better.

Take lunches to work everyday

I manged to do this quite a bit although I didn't manage everyday as I had hoped. It was nice saving a fair bit of month though and having meals I genuinely enjoyed rather than the same meal deal everyday.

Complete my daily challenge every day

This is another goal that didn't go to plan thanks to a lack of time and preparation however, I think I am going to aim to do this goal in May when I get the all clear from the hospital.

Drink minimum 2ltrs of water a day

I did this for the majority of the month and I felt so much better for it, I am going to be keeping up with this habit for a long time as I am certainly feeling the benefits of it.

Lose 3lb

As you will see I very narrowly missed out on this but I know I am more than capable of achieving this target and I can't wait to see what April has in store for me as I think I might finally manage this one.

So here is how March looked on the scales...

Beginning of March weight: 15 stone 11 lb

End of March weight : 15 stone 9 lb

Total loss for the month : - 2 lb

So here are the goals I am making for myself to hopefully smash in April ...

- Lose 3lb
- Increase my daily steps
- Use the punch bag or exercise bike daily
- Only 2 takeaways throughout the month
- Long walk every weekend
- Go on 4 runs throughout the month

I am really looking forward to seeing how things progress in April as I think if everything goes to plan I could see some brilliant results by the end of the month. I have also restarted the Gymshark 66 so this will help me achieve some good results too if all goes to plan. March was a good month but lets make April even better.

Total loss for 2022 : - 4 lb

Total loss since start of journey : - 7 lb

Alcoholic Spirit Collection

Tuesday, 5 April 2022

It is actually quite rare that I drink anything other than wine, whisky, rum or even craft beer these days but I like to have a stock of different spirits & random drinks just in case I do fancy something a little bit different. Granted these bottles don't get touched half as much as they should do but there are some fantastic drinks in this very random selection. Quite a few of these choices have been thanks to family recommendations too which is great. So here are the spirits and random alcoholic drinks we have in our collection at the moment...

It was actually my grandad who got me drinking Disaronno and after my first few Disaronno & cokes I was hooked. I really love the taste of this and it is just a really nice alternative to the whisky or rum and I tend to drink a lot more of this during the winter months, especially if I fancy drinking it neat. Thanks to this bottle being absolutely huge it doesn't seem to be going down either.

This purchase was purely from the influence of my auntie, up until 2020 I had never even tried an Aperol Spritz but now I love them. To be honest I didn't think they would be for me however, it turns out this is the perfect summer drink for me and no doubt I am going to end up needing another bottle of this soon. I was surprised with how cheap it actually was too as I thought it would be more expensive than it actually is.

This Russian Standard vodka is actually Liam's and was the only sort of vodka we owned for quite a while. If I remember right we ended up with this as it was the cheapest available when we wanted a bottle and to be honest it isn't a bad vodka at all. It is a pretty large bottle too so we don't need to restock it too often.

For Christmas last year work actually got me a bottle of Grey Goose vodka. Now this is probably my favourite type of vodka and if I see it when I am out and fancy a vodka based drink this is the one I would get so I am glad I finally have a decent sized bottle at home as it means I can have a good tasting vodka based drink any time I like. I am not quite sure why I like this so much but I will definitely be restocking this over and over again.

I honestly don't even remember getting these bottles of Jager so I am pretty sure they must have been gifts at some point. These are definitely handy to have though for shots at gatherings and for those Jagerbombs that go down far too easily. Now I just need to find some friends to have gatherings with so I can get through these bottles.

Finally we have the bottle that I only have around for winter/Christmas time. It was at a Christmas market a few years back I actually tried my first Baileys hot chocolate and it was gorgeous. Since then I have always made sure to have a bottle on hand as the colder weather rolls around and Christmas time approaches. You just can't beat a nice Baileys hot chocolate whilst having an evening gaming session or watching a film. I think my first of the season will be happening very soon.

There you have it we have a fair few drink options for if we didn't fancy a rum or whisky. I am really looking forward to tucking into the Baileys though and who knows them bottles of vodka might start going down soon as we try to have different drinks rather than sticking to our favourites.

March 2022 Favourites

Friday, 1 April 2022

March has been a bit of a crazy month, it started off pretty slow then really picked up pace in the middle of the month but luckily slowed down at the end thanks to me having my surgery. To be honest I am pretty grateful that it slowed down as the rest was definitely needed even if I did end up bored stupid for most of the time I was recovering. So with it being a busy month there were plenty of new favourites and rediscoveries so here is what made the cut for my overall favourites of the month...

Fashion

Finding My Style

I feel like March was a bit of a month of discovery for me and I finally feel like I am starting to find my style. I played around with plenty of different items of clothing I own and made plenty of new purchases that fit with the overall style I am going for. The fact that I am slowly finding my style is giving me a big confidence boost and is really helping me discover what I really want to dress like on a daily basis.

Lifestyle

New project

March has been a month of getting things organised for mine and Liam's new project and although we started it in January I feel like we have made the most progress with it through March. We have got new equipment to help us out and have set the ball rolling with a few more ideas we have. Fingers crossed April is a good month for the project too.

Home

New Set Up

I finally transformed the spare room in March and WOW I am so glad I did as the new space has been great for filming reels so far. I can't wait to use this space so much more for other things I am currently working on as I think that it is going to increase productivity a whole lot more. I just have to get a few bits and the full set up will be complete.

Health & fitness

Seeing Progress

At long last I seem to be noticing the progress I am making on my journey at the moment. For so long I felt I was getting nowhere but then in March I thought I looked better when looking in the mirror, clothes were fitting me better too which is also a bonus. However the thing that impressed me the most was the fact I could feel myself getting stronger, I felt able to lift heavier weights and I just felt so much better working out than previously.

So there you have it those are my favourites from March. What are your favourites from March 2022?