My Summer Holiday: France 2015

It’s been a long time since I got to have a holiday abroad. As much as I miss my little pooch, and loved her when she was with her, she did make it difficult to have holidays outside the UK. As this is the first full year without her around, my parents and I decided we were long overdue a holiday in the sun, and off we went for our little adventure into the beautiful France.

The Journey There

My Dad and I don’t like flying, and my Mum doesn’t like boats, which makes travelling anywhere a bit of a challenge. But the good thing about Europe is there’s a third option that none of us mind, the car and the Channel Tunnel.

We set off at 8am on the Friday morning with all our luggage in the back of my Dad’s car. That is the bonus to travelling in the car, although it takes a lot longer, there’s no restrictions on what/how much you can or can’t take.

Our tunnel crossing was booked for 15:30 but we arrived an hour earlier and, after a quick stop at duty free so I could stock up on perfume, we managed to get on an earlier train and made it into France earlier than expected.

Night One

The first night we got into France we spent in a hotel called Armony Hotel, in a little town named Bourg-Achard. It was late when we arrived at the hotel, so we didn’t get a chance to explore the town, but from what we saw through the car windows it seemed like a very pretty market type town.

The Hotel is a budget type hotel, the rooms were similar to what we’d get in the UK. They had a bed (which wasn’t the most comfortable I’ve ever slept in), a TV, a desk, and an en-suite shower room. They were clean and tidy, and well kept, so there was nothing to complain about. But what was lovely was the restaurant.

We had our first French meal of the holidays in that restaurant, and whilst there wasn’t tons of choice what we ate was delicious, and what we saw them bring out for other people looked amazing. After struggling a little with language barriers (the staff didn’t speak much English, and my GCSE French was a little rusty) we all opted for a burger and a drink, followed by some ice cream. It was very tasty.

Breakfast the next morning was what I loved about France. Fresh baked pastries and fresh fruit juice. I had a selection of mini croissants, and pain au chocolats  (all of which were still hot from the oven) with some passion fruit juice to start my day, my Mum opted for croissants and cereal, my Dad went for cereal and toast. It was delicious. I was disappointed that this wasn’t going to be my breakfast every morning.

Week 1

After another five hour drive  (and getting lost in the countryside for a little while) we arrived at our first week long home. A beautiful little gite called Les Iris, just outside of a little village called Tout-y-Faut. Accessible by a very small little country lane, the farm house is set in the rural countryside. With only the pool, and a few other houses nearby, this gite is perfect for anyone wanting a quiet relaxing week away from the hustle and bustle. It was ideal.

The gite itself had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen. It was very rustic in it's decor, but it suited the property and the area. The pool was just a nice size, and we were in it every day. It was lovely just being able to lay around and read, soak up some sun, watch the birds as they decided to dive bomb the pool to cool down!

We did venture out and about on a few occasions, and everywhere we went was beautiful. We spent a day in Royan which is a lovely seaside town, which did the best crepes of the holidays! There was a lovely beach, a fair ground, and a high street of shops to explore.

We spent another day exploring more of the area, and the little villages around where the cottage was. We visited Alunay on market day, Saint-Jean-D'Angley's cathedral and car museum, Green Venice which is so beautiful, and stumbled across this lovely little park and boating lake which had the best electric boats ever on it. They were mini cruse liners/steam boats. They beat the ones you can hire on Lake Windermere by far! I wish I could find a picture of them to show you all....but I think my Dad took them on his camera.

We also ventured to La Rochelle one day, which is a very large historic port town. The weather wasn't wonderful that day so we spent a lot of time in the Aquarium. The majority of the pictures I took on holiday were in that Aquarium. There were so many pretty fish. I loved the jelly fish, and the sting ray that smiled. Here's just a selection of pictures I took in the first week of our holidays:

From Top Left to Bottom Right
Chocolate banana and coconut crepe in Royan, our private pool, strawberry crepe in Royan, smiling sting ray in La Rochelle aquarium, me and my mum in Green Venice, pretty jelly fish in La Rochelle aquarium, our little home for the week, caramelised apple crepe in Royan, Green Venice.

Week 2

My Dad gets bored very easily of being in one place for a long time, which is why we split our holiday and moved across to the coast of France for our second week. We stayed in a lovely bungalow just outside of Pornic. Unlike the previous house, this was much more modern and in a suburban setting. There were restaurants and shops within a few minutes walk, a few minutes walk to the beach and a half hour walk into the centre of Pornic.

Whilst I did miss having the pool on the second week, I loved this house and it's location. It felt a lot more homely and comfortable. I could have lived in this house long term.

We spent a lot of time this week in Pornic. It's a beautiful little port town, no where near as big as what La Rochelle was the previous week, with a lovely little harbour, loads of tasty restaurants and picturesque beaches. We ate in Pornic almost every day and tried out a range of the different restaurants and ice cream shops. Their speciality is mussels, so if you're a fan then this is definitely a good place to go. Everywhere sells them.

The first time we ever went to France (over 10 years ago!) we went to a picturesque island called Noirmoutier, as we were back in the same sort of area we went back to visit. Some of the island was like we remembered, including the market square with the watch shop and the slush and ice cream machines in the middle, but a lot had changed, and unfortunately we weren't as impressed as our last visit. The island was the only place in France that we found was very commercialised, which was a shame. A lot of the restaurants were now burger bars, and there was even a Hollywood American diner on one corner. It wasn't the same, but I'm glad we got to go back to somewhere we all had fond memories of.

Whilst we were on holiday, France celebrated Bastille Day. As a national holiday, the majority of places shut, but we got to experience how France celebrated their national day. We got up on the morning and watched the parade of all the armed forces in Paris on the TV, I bet that would have been brilliant to watch live. We then spent the afternoon at the beach before heading into Pornic on the night for their celebrations.

Pornic had a mussels and music festival. They'd blocked off a large area of the port, created a stage which a live band were performing on, and laid out five or six large tables. There were about 10 different stands selling food, from mussels and chips to crepes and burgers. The atmosphere was amazing. Everyone was out with their families to enjoy the music and food, and then at eleven pm the fireworks started.

It was a pretty amazing firework display. They were set off from a walk way just in front of Pornic Chateau and filled the harbour with light, and the Chateau was letting of sparks from it's roof top, and at the end had lights on the side of it that said 'Pornic 2015'. It was a lovely night, and I'm really glad I got to celebrate this day in France.

From Top Left to Bottom Right
Our home for the week, Bastille celebrations in Pornic, Pornic Harbour, Pornic Marina

The Journey Home

Travelling home is definitely the worst part of the holiday, and ours was just as bad. While we split the journey going across two days, we did it in just one coming home. It was a very long day. We set off early (7:40 French time) from our temporary home to drive to Calais. We made it just in time for check in.

After long queues at passport control, there wasn't time to stop for a break or a last trip to duty free so we were straight on the train and back in the UK. It was about 4pm when we got back into the UK. Two hours later and we still weren't off the M25....what a nightmare road that is!

When we eventually got off the M25 and hit the A1 we stopped for some dinner at a service station before commencing our final leg of the journey. Sixteen hours after we first set off, we arrived back to my parents. Home Sweet Home.

Looking Back

It's nearly a month since I came back from France and my little adventure. It feels like forever ago now, but it left me with lots of happy memories. I had an amazing time, and I can't wait to go back again in the future.

Sarah x

Recipe: Thai Squash & Pineapple Curry

I wasn't even particularly looking for new recipes to try when I came across this one, but when I saw it I had to try it!

I've only recently discovered butternut squash, and was looking for a chance to try it in something other than just roasted in the oven (even though that's really nice). This curry has a bit of spice to it, and is extremely filling, but it smells amazing while it's cooking and tastes lovely.

It's not something I'd make on a regular basis, but for something a bit different once in a while it's great!

Credit goes to 30 Day Fitness Challenge for this recipe.

Ingredients

1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Onion
4 tsp Thai Red Curry Paste
500g Butternut Squash
200ml Coconut Milk
200ml Vegetable Stock
1 Can Pineapple Chunks
Bunch Coriander Leave, Chopped
240g Basmati Rice

The 30 Day Fitness Challenge recipe also includes green beans, but I'm not a fan of them so I didn't include them.

Recipe serves 4 and will be approximately 500 calories per portion.

Instructions

1. Cut the squash into chunks

2. Pre-make your stock

3. Put a pan of water on to boil for the rice

3. Heat the oil in a pan, and fry the onion for 5 minutes until soft.

4. Stir in the red curry paste, add the squash, coconut milk and stock

5. Simmer the curry for 15-20 mins. It'll smell amazing while it's simmering away.

6. Once the pan has boiled, at the rice and cook for 12 mins

6. Add the pineapple and coriander, cooking for a few mins just to heat the pineapple through

7. Serve the curry and rice and sprinkle with coriander leaves

Lessons I learnt making this recipe:

Butternut squash is a pain to cut, peel and slice! Be careful when doing so.

I don't own a can opener, but it is possible to use a knife as a can opener!...although to make life easier I should just go and buy one.

If you're going to be adventurous with your cooking, possibly best not to do it on a work night if you're planning on going to the gym also. Sitting down at 9:30pm to eat isn't ideal.

Sarah x

January in Pictures

1. Back to College!

I've now started my sixth CIMA module and have my exam in 22 days. Very scary thought!

2. Late Christmas Presents from Omar

Although he'd already got me a Christmas, Omar decided to surprise me with a lovely pair of silver heart stud earrings. A lovely gift from a lovely boyfriend.

3. Finished Book 1 of my 2015 Reading Challenge

I finished My Side of Life, by Shane Filan. The first book of my 2015 challenge. Check out my review here

4. Used my cute little egg cup and spoon for the first time

Chris bought me these egg cups as a house warming gift ages ago, and I finally got round to making soft boiled eggs. The cups and spoons are so cute.

5. Back to the Gym and Dance

It's time to get fit and healthy. I've gone back to the gym, I'm watching what I eat and so far I've lost just under 5 lbs. Good start to the year.

Sarah x

September Monthly Round Up

Wow! I can't believe how long it is since I did a monthly round up (July was my last) and how lazy I've been since I got back from holiday with no weekly weigh in posts. I'm rubbish. I apologise.

Goal Number 1 - Complete Managerial Level of my CIMA Qualification

Since I completed the operational level in July, this is a new updated goal. Managerial level is level 2 of the qualification and today I've just finished the tuition courses for the two modules I'm sitting in November. I think I've pushed myself a bit far, opting to do two at once but I think it's going well. I have two mock exams to do this week which should give me an indication of how I'm getting on, and then it's just revision revision revision until exam day. Fingers crossed!

Goal Number 2 - Move into my Own Home

I can't wait for this goal to be gone, and hopefully by the end of October it will be. I got a phone call on Thursday to say it was 98% complete and should be 100% complete by the end of next week, so there's no reason I won't be in by the end of October....I'll believe it when I get there though. I have been inside and seen it so I know progress is being made but it's taking far too long for my liking.

Goal Number 3 - Loose a Stone in Weight

I don't even know where I currently stand on this. I haven't been on the scales in a good few weeks. I won't be surprised to see a gain, I've been lazy and I know I have. I can't remember the last time I was at the gym, and my diet has been all over the place. But from this week I'm going back to the gym, I'm going to be good and I'm going to get my dancers body back. I've joined the professional dance class permanently now so if I want the chance of performing in public from it I need to get my fitness up, so no more excuses.

Goal Number 4 - Get my Splits on Both Legs

I'm getting there. Slowly and surely. I've been doing lots of stretching at dance to help, my leg hold is getting better and I'm managing to lift my leg into the hip flexor stretch (picture before for reference), something that I've always struggled with. I can definitely feel the stretch getting deeper and hopefully I will get this by the end of the year. It's on my bucket list so I better.

Goal Number 5 - Learn to Cook

Although my cooking hasn't been tested out much recently, my mind is spinning with food ideas I can't wait to try. I have a long list of recipes ready for when I get into the flat, and I'm getting more adventurous with my food choices so hopefully my food vocabulary will expand. I'm also getting bored of eating the same things all the time, which is very unusual for me so hopefully I'll be motivated to start experimenting as soon as I get my keys.

Plan for October

For many people October is stoptober, a chance to either give up smoking or drinking for an month to improve your health. I don't smoke, and I very rarely drink, so my stoptober is to stop making excuses. I'm notorious for making them. Whether it by why I didn't go to the gym, why I ate that piece of chocolate cake, why I haven't done any revision, I make them a lot. But I'm going to stop. No more excuses. That's the plan.

Sarah x

Birthday Celebrations and Holidays!

Apologies for the quietness for the past few weeks, I've been busy celebrating my 23rd Birthday and enjoying a lovely family holiday in the Lake District. I haven't been the best with diet and exercise whilst I've been MIA from blogging but I don't think I've overindulged too much, and I have done a lot of walking in the past seven days, so I'm hoping there isn't too much damage...but we'll find that out on my next weekly weigh in!

I've had some amazing birthday meals and a great holiday, so thought I'd share what I'd been up to and recommend some great places to go if you're ever in the areas.

P.S. this is going to be a long one...Sorry! I'm making up for my absence.

Birthday Celebration 1 - Las Iguanas, Newcastle upon Tyne with Chris

I forgot I'd signed up to Las Iguana's email offers, so was very surprised the week before my birthday to receive an email offering me a free main meal for my birthday. This was an offer I couldn't let go to waste so I managed to convince Chris to join me for a Mexican birthday meal.

I've been to Las Iguanas in Newcastle a few times and it's always busy, definitely book a table if you plan to go! Thankfully Chris had done so for us, otherwise it was a 45 min wait for a table. It's not the biggest of places and because it's always busy it was quite noisy. But we didn't mind.

The waiters were very friendly and helpful, and when they found out we were celebrating my birthday they brought me a free (non-alcoholic) passionfruit and orange cocktail. It probably wouldn't have been my first choice from the drinks menu, but it was a very nice alternative to diet cokes.

My free drink!

We opted against getting starters and just went straight to the mains. Chris went for The Classic Burger with fries, and I went for Our Famous Fajitas with Chicken Breast Strips and added Cheese.

Chris' Burger

My Chicken 

My Wraps and Extras

I cannot fault my food at all, it was perfect. The chicken was nicely flavoured and spicy, the sauces (salsa & sour cream) were both very smooth and tasty, the veg was fried lovely, and the wraps were really warm. Chris said, and I quote, "It was delish" when I asked about his burger.

We both decided as a birthday treat to get desserts, naughty choice but totally worth it. I had an absolutely huge slice of chocolate orange fudge cake with vanilla ice cream. The cake was beautiful. Very soft and moist, the sauce was hot, very chocolatey and had a strong taste of orange, but not too overpowering. It was probably one of the nicest fudge cakes I've had in a long time. Chris choose just to have ice cream but regretted that choice when he saw my cake. Moral of the story, always go for the chocolate cake if you're being naughty and having dessert anyway.

Overall it was very good birthday celebrations with a very good friend.

Birthday Celebration 2 - Rialtos, Northumberland with Omar and DVDs

As we weren't going to get to spend my birthday together this year as I was away on holiday, Omar took me after work to our favourite little Italian restaurant in his village. We've been a few times before and never really had a bad meal so I was quite happy to go again for my birthday.

We both chose to have starters of potato skins with garlic sauce, and then a main each. I had penne arribiata, and Omar had a kiev pizza. My pasta was lovely, very fresh and a good size portion but very spicy. I struggled to finish it because of how spicy it was, and wouldn't have got even close to finishing it without the glass of water and diet coke I drank. It was still very nice and I would most likely have it again. Omar's pizza was a very good size but didn't have as much taste as he's had in some of their other pizzas. It was still very fresh and very good for the price.

Full from our starters and mains we opted not to have dessert and enjoyed the nice walk back in the sunshine to his house for some chocolates and DVDs. I got spoilt with my birthday presents from him and his Mum.

I got a bit forgetful at this point and didn't think to take photos of our lovely food. Next time I'll try doubly hard to remember!

Birthday Celebration 3 - Caffe Riva, Bowness upon Windermere with Mum and Dad

What an amazing meal! After considering a few different places to go for food in Bowness we ended up in Caffe Riva, a little Italian on the main road down from town to the lake which has only been open under the current owners for  2 months.

We arrived without a booking and were greeted by a very nice waitress who went to see if there was a table for us, there wasn't, but she was very friendly and helpful and said there would only be a twenty minute wait for a table. As everywhere else we'd passed seemed just as busy we decided to wait and took a seat near the bar.

The drinks menu wasn't too badly priced, in my opinion, we paid £12 for a bottle of Pinot Grigio and £5 for a pint of Peroni. We thought we would just order at the bar whilst we waited but as my Mum got off her seat another very helpful waiter came over and took our order. We only waited a few minutes before the drinks arrived, along with a small bowl of peanuts. Enough to keep us going until we got our table.

The overall wait for a table wasn't long and the staff were very friendly and apologetic as we waited, regularly asking if there was anything they could get us and talking us through the specials menu. We soon got our table, placed our orders and our food arrived a little while after. And it was unbelievable.

I chose Breaded Chicken Escalope with Linguine Napoli, expecting a small portion of pasta and one piece of reasonable sized chicken I was very surprised when my plate arrived. I had a portion of pasta that I would have expected from any other Italian as a main course on it's own and two massive chicken breast escalopes. I wish I'd taken a picture of it because it was so amazing. Everything on the plate was so fresh that I just had to keep eating, even when I felt full. The food was so nice I couldn't stop eating. I even ignored a lot of the garlic bread pizza we'd got to go with the mains because the food was just so nice, and I never ignore garlic bread!

My Mum had linguini with cream, egg, parmesan and pancetta. Again the portion size was unbelievable, but again she battled through and ate the majority. I didn't try any of hers but she assured me it was just as nice as all of ours, and it did look it.

But I think the best meal of the night was what my dad ordered. Fregole alla Riva. Fregole (which is little pasta balls that look like risotto but taste and cook like pasta) with bacon, roasted red peppers, caramelised onions, spinach, in a light creamy sauce. I had a taste and it was absolutely gorgeous. I'd never had Fregole before but I will definitely be having it again. Such amazing flavours and textures all mixed beautifully together. It was a special on the night and came recommended to us by the manager, and he wasn't lying to us when he said it was good. Again, the portion size was unreal but it was so nice my Dad ate every little bit.

We were too full after mains to consider deserts but I'm sure they would have been just as amazing.

Possibly one of the best things about the restaurant was seeing the Manager's daughter helping out. I'm not good with guessing ages but I'd suspect she was about eight years old, and all night she followed her Mum or Dad around taking orders, handing out bills and making some drinks. It was so nice to see the interaction the whole family had with the restaurant and how welcoming they were to all their customers.

As we left the manager asked how we'd found everything and we openly said it was amazing. He turned to his daughter, put his arm round her and said "See Francesca, I told you we would do well". It was lovely to see how involved the whole family was the restaurant, and how much they all cared about it doing well.

I really like Italian food and I have a list of places that I think does nice Italian food, but this place tops the list. Everyone was so friendly, the food was amazing and I'll definitely be returning.

Holiday Accommodation - Windermere Marina Village

I love the Lakes and have stayed in a few different locations, in a variety of different accommodation types. I love Bowness on Windermere. The lake is gorgeous, the town is small but has a variety of different independent and high-street stores, as well as loads of cafes and restaurants to choose from. Windermere Marina Village is slightly out of the way, a ten to fifteen minute walk, of the hustle and bustle of the town centre, but it's worth the walk.

We stayed in a 2 bed Ghyll Cottage in the Marina Village, able to sleep up to 6 people. The cottage is an up-side-down cottage with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms downstairs, and an open plan kitchen/living area upstairs with a balcony overlooking the marina and the boats. It was gorgeous. Everything was so clean and tidy, the kitchen was really modern, the beds and sofas were comfy, the bathrooms were spotlessly clean and had amazing showers. You couldn't fault the quality of the place.

The village has it's own private beach leading right onto the waterside, with two bbq areas, jetties and picnic tables; a pub and restaurant right in the heart of the marina, and lots of boats to admire. I didn't want to come home at all! It's not the cheapest place to stay but if you want peace and quiet, and amazing views (if you like boats and water anyway) I can't recommend this place any more.

The Private Beach

View over the lake from the Private Beach

The views as you walk around the lake into town

Views on the walk

Panoramic View from our Balcony

View from the Balcony as I enjoyed my Kindle

Day Out - South Lakes Safari Park

I loved the safari park. I've been to zoos before and they've been amazing but this was something else. The safari park is split in two areas, one is very much like a zoo with animals kept separate in their own areas not really mixing with other animals but with plenty of space to roam around, the other had everything running everywhere. You were walking along pavements with lima's jumping over your head. It was unreal.

You don't get to touch the animals but you are so close you could if you wanted. They just run around. Obviously it's not the ones that could kill you, the lions and tigers etc were in the more pen type side of the zoo, but all the emus, ostriches, donkeys, goats, ducks, birds, deer, limas, some monkeys etc were just running around.

There's loads of talks on the animals with the different feeders and you can get the chance to feed some of them. I missed the chance to feed the penguins which I'd have loved but the kids who did get to do it looked really pleased to have the penguins waddle around so close to them!

We also got to see how like us the monkeys are when one of them managed to steal a shoe that had dropped off the foot from a little girl in her push chair and ran off deep into it's enclosure with it. They were like children playing with a new toy, throwing it around, chasing after it and trying to eat it. I wouldn't have been impressed if it was my shoe but it was amusing to watch. They're very clever creatures.

It's not very big but they have plans to expand and I'll definitely be returning when they do. I'd recommend if you go to take a picnic as the food was alright but not wonderful. Just make sure you eat it before you go into the run free side of the park as you can't take food in there.

We went on a school day so the safari park was fairly quiet, I could imagine this being a nightmare place to get parked and around if it was busy. But I definitely think it's worth a visit whether you have kids or not. Here's just a few pictures of the animals we saw:

Emu

Snuggling Lima's

Bird!

Turtle

Donkey and Goat (The Donkey took a liking to my Mum and tried to follow us)

Lima!

Kangaroo

Prairie Dog 

Tiger

Penguin (These are so cute)

Rhino

Monkey waiting for Banana from it's feeder

I did have lots of other days out but the safari park is something I thought I should share with everyone. It is definitely a place to go if you're in the area, it's such a nice experience and seeing animals walking free is so nice.

Sorry for the long rambling post, but here's just a recap of the last two weeks of my life. I'm really disappointed to be back home as I enjoyed the holiday so much but I can't wait to see all my friends and Omar again.

Sarah x

July Monthly Round Up

I can't believe it's already August! July seems to have passed by in seconds. I doesn't seem five minutes since I finished June with my dance show. This year is flying past so quickly, Christmas will soon be sneaking up on us. But before I even consider beginning to think about Christmas it's time to recap on July and plan for August (probably the best month of the year).

Goal Number 1 - Complete the Operational Level of my CIMA Qualification - Achieved 11/7/14

I passed! I'm so pleased this level is over with and I can move onto the next one. I've set myself a high standard now though, having achieved a 74% mark, but I'm determined to do just as well in my next two.

Goal Number 2 - Move into my own Home

I'm starting to hate this goal now as it's taking forever. I'm still waiting for my flat to be ready. I've been told there'll be "no more delays" but I've been told a lot of things that have not been true. So we shall see if this happens anytime soon.

Goal Number 3 - Loose a stone in weight

I continued with my idea of just maintaining until I got into my flat, and apart from a few bad weeks, this worked well. But going forward I'm back to pushing to loose. I've re-actived my calorie counting app, changed gyms, and will be going back to doing my daily ab and stretching exercises. My food may not be wonderful whilst I'm at home, but if I cut out all the rubbish then I should be ok.

Goal Number 4 - Get my Splits on Both Legs

My leg hold is getting better, a lot better, and my splits are progressing. I'm getting closer, but my legs just don't want to go straight which is why I don't seem to be getting much further forward. I need to find a way to work on that and hopefully I should be there soon.

Goal Number 5 - Learn to Cook

At work we have a scheme to promote healthy living, as part of this our resident chef gave us a cooking demonstration and made a delicious butterfly chicken dish with tomato sauce and roasted vegetables. It was absolutely gorgeous! Sauce is something I would never really think of making myself from scratch but after seeing how easily he did it, I will definitely be trying it out when I get a copy of the recipe. The chicken was very yummy too and I tried butternut squash for the first time, which I now love! I'm getting adventurous with my food and can't wait to get into my own kitchen to try it out. I've also thought up some good meal ideas to try and cook, and a new post series for my blog to do with food. If only my flat would hurry up and I could put these plans into action.

Plan for August

Now that I've changed gyms I'm a lot more motivated to go to the gym, and with my professional dance class pushing me I know I need to do more. So August's plan is to be very very good. At least 3 exercise sessions a week, and good food. Cut back on the fizzy drinks, get back on the water, and look better for my birthday on the 30th. I'm back at college too this month so I'm timing my healthy kick to start with college and hopefully I'll keep motivated on both at the same time.

Weigh in - 1st July & June Monthly Round Up

Happy 1st July everyone!

I seem to have gotten into the habit of being so unmotivated by Monday mornings that I forget to get on the scales, and it's normally when I get to work that I realise I've missed my weigh in. So here's to another weigh in Tuesday, and another maintaining week.

I'm actually really surprised I didn't put on this week. My diet hasn't been very good over the last week and with quarter end close at work meaning I had to work till 7pm every night, I didn't manage to get to the gym. The only saviour I had was my dance class and then dance show on Sunday.

My show went really well. We were second on stage so there wasn't much time for nerves, and I didn't mess anything up. It was such a great feeling to be back on stage, I didn't realise how much I'd missed performing until I did it again. I want to try and get back into performing more regularly again, maybe join a dance group for parties/conferences etc? Need to completely sort myself out though to be able to do that so once I get into the flat I need to have a big reorganisation of everything and sort myself out so I could maybe try and do more.

Goal Number 1 - Complete the Operational Level of my CIMA Qualification

Only 9 more days and I will finally know the answer to whether I have achieved this or not. I'll be over the moon if I have, and absolutely devastated if I hadn't. Fingers crossed!

Goal Number 2 - Move into my own Home

After the momentary excitement of a possible June move in date, I'm now back to waiting and waiting and waiting. The plan is July to move in but I'm yet to get that in writing. The novelty of buying a flat sure runs out after 7 months of waiting.

Goal Number 3 - Loose a stone in weight

Still ongoing, but as I'm not putting weight on I'll say we're making good progress. As I've said before, as soon as I get into the flat and I can control all my food, do more outdoor running and get to the gym more.

Goal Number 4 - Get my Splits on Both Legs

So I haven't got my splits, but I have managed to get my leg hold! I'm really proud that I've managed this, and I'm getting closer and closer to my splits. I just need to work on getting my legs straighter and hopefully both my splits and leg hold will be so much better.

Goal Number 5 - Learn to Cook

I've made my own tea a few times this month as my parents have been out with other people. My most exciting dinner was piri piri chicken kebabs with potato salad which was lovely, although the potatoes were slightly under cooked. I made enough to get me through lunch at work the next day too.

Plan for July

Plan for July is to get into my house, pass my exam, and sort myself out. Look into changing gyms, plan my meals and exercise routine, and get back to a normal sleeping pattern. I miss setting my alarm for 7am. 5:50am is farr too early to be getting up for work.

Weigh In - 24th June & 100 Happy Days...Day 100

I managed this week to remember to weigh myself on Monday morning, intense last minute dance rehearsals after a busy day of work ruined my blog posting however. I may have to re-think my schedule when I move.

Anyway, sticking with my maintaining regime for now I had another on track week. I was really good with my diet until the weekend came and I was treated to amazing home made brownies from Omar's mum and then a few glasses of wine on Saturday night for my friend's birthday.

With no real rush to get home last week I extended my interval training a bit longer and managed a good 45min workout overall. It was nice not feeling like I had to get home at a reasonable time for everyone else to have food, so I'm looking forward to being in my own place and back in control of everything.

100 Happy Days - Day 100

Reaching day 100. I was hoping something completely out of the ordinary would happen in time for my final happy day. Unfortunately it hasn't. So my 100 happy day is happy because I completed my challenge.

I thought I'd have got bored of this a long time ago, and yes I did take some breaks where I didn't have much to say, but I've completed it! Thinking about what makes you happy does make you take a different view on your life and what thinks actually do matter to you.

I tend to be the type of person who sees the bad in things more than the good, and if I had a 100 day complaint challenge I'm sure I'd have no trouble completing it, but this has definitely made me more positive towards things.

I'm proud of myself for finally completing this challenge, and look forward to the next challenge I do.

May Monthly Round Up, 3rd May Weigh In & 100 Happy Days...Day 91

I can't believe how quick this year is going, it's already June! Doesn't time fly when you're having fun?

I'll apologies now that this is going to be a bit of a long one, I missed my weigh in yesterday and I'm a little late on the round up so thought it'd be better to combine them together. So, here goes...

Goal Number 1 - Complete the Operational Level of my CIMA Qualification

I finished my exam! Yey! I can now have a normal life back. I just have the long wait until result day. So for now, I'm not marking this off as complete until it's passed, but fingers crossed that will be soon.

Goal Number 2 - Move into my own Home

The wait for my flat is now starting to get boring. I understand how pregnant woman feel when they're fed up and just want it to be the day you've spent so long waiting for. I still don't have a roof on my flat, the move in date has been pushed back to July (no exact date as of yet), and I'm getting a bit tired of constantly being asked questions about it. Plus, fridge/freezer shopping is not a fun shopping trip. I'm hoping not much longer now.

Goal Number 3 - Loose a stone in weight

Ok so here goes my weigh in. I gained a little this week, but as I've proved the last few I can loose it again. I'm back at dancing and the gym, when I stop being an idiot and forgetting things I need to go, like my sports bra or my trainers. I need to be better organised and pack my back the night before not on a morning when I'm rushing around crazy. After not being to the gym in a while I was surprised that I hadn't lost my running ability as much as I had previously. This slow build up I've been doing must be working.

I've been doing ab exercises maybe once a week around revision and although my ab appearance probably doesn't look as it did after my challenge, I've still got quite a lot of the strength. I'm just going to keep going, up the amount of exercises I'm doing each week and hopefully get back into a weight loss streak.

I'm going to a Christening in July and plan on wearing something I already own to save money. I have a few things in mind for what I'd like to wear, but I'm not sure they'll be a good fit. I'll try them on at the weekend and make a decision, they might motivate me a bit more to make sure I look good in them.

Goal Number 4 - Get my Splits on Both Legs

I'm still working on this and found some new stretch advice to follow. This was a Pinterest post I found that has been a great help.

I also found this which I'm quite enjoying too. These stretches feel really good.

Goal Number 5 - Learn to Cook

I've not made anything really fancy this month. My most adventurous cooking attempt was to take some chicken breasts and coat them in a Maggie's So Juicy Mixed Herbs spices (rather than cooking them in the bag in the oven) to be cooked on the barbecue. They were very tasty.

Plan for June

June's plan is to get back into a gym routine. I've been very lazy the last month and that's not good. I'm going to go for 2 gym workouts a week and then dancing as extra. The only downfall I see is it being quarter end at work and that cutting into gym time for the last week of the month. I'll just have to be extra good when I can't get to the gym.

My dance show is soon so if I can improve my core strength and flexibility a bit by then that would be great too.

And to round us off, a bit of 100 Happy Days - Day 91

Pinterest posts making you smile. So I just set up my Pinterest account, go check it out if you get time, and this post popped up on my feed today and it made me smile. A Lhasa Apso as an Ewok. It reminded me so much of my Gemma that I had to smile. How cute.

Weigh In - 20th May

I was a bit useless yesterday and got distracted by revision and rice krispies, and forgot to weigh myself. So I'm a day later than normal but I come with good news, another good maintenance week with a little 0.4lb loss.

I'm right where I hoped to be with my exam being over tomorrow and my plan of getting back to the gym next week. I did an hour and a half (ish) dance session and was relatively good with my food until the weekend, so I'm very pleased with the little loss.

Sorry, that these posts haven't been very insightful these last few weeks, I promise from next week they'll get more helpful and exercise/fitness related.

100 Happy Days...Day 81

Day 81 - Jaffa Cakes

I know they're naughty but they're one of my favourite ever snacks (I got a giant one for my 21st birthday cake and it was one of the best cakes I've ever had). I love them so much my flat mate commented, not long after I started seeing my boyfriend, that I must really like Omar because I was willing to share my jaffa cakes with him. My flat mate and my friends weren't every allowed them.

I've motivated myself through my revision by saying I can have a mini jaffa every time I'd done a section of questions...I quickly got through those questions so I could have the cakes. I was good and stopped after only one mini-pod (eating that is).

100 Happy Days...Day 79

Day 79 - Dippy Eggs and Soldiers

I love dippy eggs and soldiers, they were one of my favourite child hood foods. I haven't had them in ages so today it was nice to treat myself to such a simple classic food. Must remember to buy some nice egg cups for my flat.

100 Happy Days...Day 73

Day 73 - Filling Tasty Dinners

I bought my Mum a new cookbook for mothers day, it's by her favourite cooking show and the best thing about it is the portion sizes are actually good portion sizes and not the little portions you see on some of the TV shows. We've tired out a few different recipes but we've found her new speciality. A chicken and chorizo bake which is so tasty and filling.

It's pretty simple to make, seal some chicken and chorizo, add some herbs and spices then cook in the oven and serve with potatos and veg. It's now one of my new favourite meals, and so filling you don't need to eat much.

100 Happy Days...Day 72

Day 72 - Chocolate

Now I know chocolate isn't good for you, but I just can't resist it. Treating myself two a few nice pieces after work definitely makes me happy.

100 Happy Days...Day 54

Day 54 - Farm Shop Visits

The best thing about living in the country side is the availability of freshly produced meat and veg. I'm lucky to have a farm shop, supplied by a local farm, only a 5 minute drive from my house. The place has a huge selection of meats to buy, some just as your basic cuts (steaks, chops, chicken breasts etc) but they also go that little bit further and make spicy meatballs for you to buy, stir-frys, lasagnes, chicken paprikas, all sorts. I love going just to find something new to bring home and try. It's going to be one of the things I really miss when I move to my flat as it's not going to be somewhere I can pop to on my way home....I suppose it just means I have to come visit my parents a bit more often and get stock up on meat on the way. Today's purchase consisted of some hot and spicy chicken kebabs, ideal for barbecues, but we'll be cooking on the grill tomorrow night. Can't wait to give them a go.

Study Tips

It’s that time of year again where a lot of people end up locked in a room, forcing themselves to study. I’m one of those people. But after being in this position for over 9 years now, I’ve learnt a few tips and want to help those out there who may be struggling.

Work out a timetable

If you know the dates of your exams use this as a starting point to work out how many days/weeks/months you’ve got to revise. Then budget this time out to cover all the topics in the exam. Try not to leave everything till the last minute, cram revision doesn’t suit everyone and may make you panic more than prepare you.

Just remember not to push yourself too hard and budget for breaks, exercise, making food, seeing friends etc. Yes you may have to cut back on fun time for a little while to make sure you pass, but don’t cut all the fun out of your diary. 

Find the right time/surroundings to revise

Some people revise better first thing in the morning, some last thing at night. Some prefer silence, whereas some people prefer some background noise. No two people are alike so find what suits you. If you’re uncomfortable or there are too many distractions you would work as hard as you may need to.

I can’t revise unless I’m fully awake, feel clean (I have to shower and wash my hair to be comfortable), have the TV/radio on in the background, and have put my phone on silent and removed it from the area I’m in. If I’m doing paper revision I remove my laptop too so I don’t get distracted. When I was at uni and was struggling to keep myself concentrated on my assignments I ended up blocking all non-educational sites from my website.

Make notes

Start by making notes of the key facts/points/formulas you need to remember. Spider diagrams are a great way to do this. Don’t worry if on your first attempt at looking at a topic you write down hundreds of key points. Writing things down is more likely to make things stick in your mind than just reading it. Over time test yourself to see how many of the key points you can remember, re-write the ones you can’t remember and repeat the process. They should all be memorable after a few attempts.

Highlighters are a great way of adding more depth to your notes, colour coding related points or topics and making extra important stuff easy to spot.

Practice with past papers

Many exam boards provide past papers and there answers for students to look out. If you can get access to some use these to familiarise yourself with how questions are written and what the exam answers are you’ll be more relaxed and confident on the day. You may even be lucky and find some of the exam questions you’ve practiced come up again.

I’ve found with some of my accountancy exams that the questions given to me in the college textbooks are completely different in the way they’re structured and what they ask for to what the exam board questions are. For one of my last exams I didn’t look at any past exams, only used college books and was panicking because I thought they were really hard and I was convinced I was going to fail. On the day, the exam questions were much more comfortable to work from and I ended up passing.

Food and drink 

Like anything, it’s important to keep your body energised and hydrated whilst you’re studying. Avoid eating a big meal and studying at the same time. Use your lunch/dinner times as a break time, but keep by you a bowl of fruit, or sweets that you can munch on as and when you feel the need. Make sure you remember to keep drinking water too. 

Ask for help

If you don’t understand something, don’t suffer in silence. Ask for help. It doesn’t have to be your teacher, ask your friends or family if they can help. Check out forums online to see if there’s anyone else having similar problems. If you’re really struggling see if you can find a personal tutor to explain things.

I’ve found that some of my accountancy exams didn’t make sense when I tried to work it out myself, or when my college teacher explained it. My boss sat me down one day and taught me the theory, applied it to something I was doing it in my job and all of a sudden I understood it completely. Sometimes a new voice telling you something is all you need. 

Relax

I must admit, I’m the worst person for doing this, but it’s important not to panic. The more you panic the more stressed you’ll become. Take a few deep breaths whenever you feel yourself getting worked up, walk away from what you’re doing if you have to, and just remember it’s pointless getting stressed.

From my experience, being stressed tends to make you less likely to remember things and preoccupies your mind in the exam making it harder to find the information you need. It can also lead to a very negative outlook before you’ve even sat the exam, which doesn’t help.

It can be hard to remain positive and relaxed if you’re a natural born worrier, like I am. But just remind yourself why you’re doing this and how good you’ll feel when it’s all over.

Good luck all, I hope it does well.

100 Happy Days...Day 33

Day 33 - Home cooked bread

My parents bought a bread maker a few months ago and it has definitely been an amazing buy. Nothing can make the house smell nicer than bread baking in the kitchen. The thought of fresh, warm cheese and onion bread crumbling in your hand as you try and eat it is making me hungry just thinking about it. Can't wait for dinner.

100 Happy Days...Day 19

Day 19 - Spending time with family and friends

To continue my Mum's birthday celebrations tonight we're off out to a dinner party with my Dad, boyfriend and some of our family friends. A night off the diet meant that I treated myself to nibbles in the form of crisps & dips, a bottle of wine and some very nice lasagne, meatballs and italian chicken (it was an Italian themed dinner party). A thoroughly good evening enjoyed in the company of good friends.

100 Happy Days...Day 18

Day 18 - Meals out

I don't mind making meals, but I much prefer someone else doing it for me and them being stuck with the mess to clear up. Since being on my fitness drive, it's been hard to find good places to go for meals which give me a healthier option on choice. However, this hasn't always stopped me and I very rarely turn down an opportunity to go out.

Today was my Mum's birthday and as a treat I took her out for lunch. We went to this nice little pub called The Church Mouse which is only about 7 miles from my house. It's the first time in about 10 years since I've been to this place but as the pub is part of the Vintage Inn chain, and I've been to another of their places, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. And I wasn't disappointed.

The pub was decorated like a traditional old country pub, which it is really, had a lovely atmosphere, very relaxed and quiet...even though it was fairly busy. The staff were very friendly and the food was lovely. We both choose food from their sandwich menu, my mum picking a Chicken and Bacon Sandwich with gourmet chips, whilst I had a Chicken, Stuffing and Cranberry sandwich (without the cranberry) and gourmet chips. The food was all very fresh, and nicely cooked. And in total we only paid £19.40 for the two sandwiches, the upgrade to gourmet chips for us both, one diet coke (for me...designated driver) and a small glass of red wine.

This is definitely another place on my recommendation list, and I'm definitely impressed with the Vintage Inn chain.

Happy birthday mum!