Primark Haul

My posts have been very fitness related recently and that's mainly because that's what I've been enjoying the most in my life currently but my other big love is shopping! So considering I'd just been paid I decided to pop into primark to see what Spring treats they had in store. Primark is one of those places where you go in and you want to buy everything or there nothing but tat. This time I was lucky!

Item 1
I got this beautiful Bardot top in a burnt orange colour and it came in at £6. Now these Bardot tops have been all over the high street and I think they are the perfect Spring/Summer top as they are really flattering and show off a little shoulder but the floaty material could hide a bloated bbq belly if necessary 😳 They also had this in white which I'm debating going back to buy. It has cute little bobbles on the sleeves and buttons down the front and I can't wait to wear it!

Item 2
Well it's 3 items but they are all the same just in different colours. They are THE most perfect skinny trousers and this is why I now own four pairs of them (I already had some grey ones). They are a stretchy material so they feel like they are inbetween a trouser and a legging which makes them so comfortable but my favourite part about them is how amazing your booty looks in them 🍑 So I got them in navy, black and the black and white tribal print. The tribal ones I thought would go perfectly with the orange top and a pair of lace up sandals for a laid back summer vibe and they came in at £11.  The black pair are slightly more cropped which I thought would be good for the time of year and all of them are thin material so they aren't too stuffy for when it is hot and they were £4 in the sale (yes even primark have sales 🙊) And finally the navy pair which were £8 and I thought they would look great with my next item.

Item 3
This coral knitted vest top which was only £4. I absolutely love coral in the summer I feel it goes well with a tan and compliments my silver hair. It’s slightly sheer and has a V Neck and as I said previously I would team this with the navy trousers and gold jewellery. As it is plain I feel that it would make a great basic that you could throw on with so many things throughout the summer.

Item 4
This next item I had to buy as I'd seen it on so many primark hauls and the crazy cat lady in me couldn't leave it. It is this grey slightly cropped T-Shirt with cat on the pocket and a logo saying “you've got to be kitten me”. They had so many different fun varieties of colours and logos I will definitely be getting more before they go out of stock. This is something you can just throw on with jeans at the weekend really casual but still has that fun quirky element. This was £6 which is bargain because topshop sell similar ones for around £20.

Item 5
A must have for this summer, a button up denim skirt. I got mine in this bright blue colour but I'm going to go back and get the white too. It fits really well and is a great length which can be difficult for me as I'm only 5 foot 1. This would look cute with pastel colour tops I have a baby pink Ralph Lauren checked shirt that I like to wear mine with. This was only £10 which again is really cheap as these skirts elsewhere are more than double that price.

Overall primark really do have a great Spring/Summer collection but you have to be prepared to search through the rubbish and have a good eye for items that don't look like they would be from primark. So I know this hasn't been fitness related this week in a way it all ties in because we lift weights to make our bodies look good so why not show it off in your brilliant new summer wardrobe I know I feel way more confident in my summer gear this year!

5 Exercises to a Bigger Rounder Booty!

The past few months I've really upped my game in the gym and I've been training legs at least twice a week and I've noticed a huge difference in my quads, hammies and my booty (I now actually have one). I've gained quite a fair bit of muscle in these areas and although I am still miles away from my ultimate goal for the first time ever I am starting to feel proud of my body and the hard work I've put in to get where I am so far.

So this post is going to be focused on my leg routine so if you are after a tighter, rounder booty then try incorporating the below 5 exercises into your gym routine and you will notice results once you start putting in the work work work work work 🎶

Exercise 1 -Walking lunges
Now I usually start my leg day with these and for me I feel they work my quads so much more than standard lunges. First things first select a weight which is suitable for you or if this too much you can start without weights and work your way up to them when you feel ready. Then stand with your legs shoulder width apart, take one step forward and drop your hips so that your rear knee is bent and nearly touches the ground. Remember to keep your back straight,  push through your heel and keep it as controlled as possible. Now slowly raise yourself back up and step forward with the opposite leg to repeat the process. I usually do these up and back down again for 4 sets (so 8 in total). I then superset my walking lunges with barbell squats which leads me on to exercise number 2!

Exercise 2 – Barbell Squat
A superset is when you go straight onto a different exercise in between sets without a rest. I usually have about 10kg weight on the barbell but set this to whatever is comfortable for you as much as it is important to push yourself you need to make sure you still have good form otherwise you won't target the muscles you want to and will end up injured. I have been gradually working my weights up little by little each week. Firstly stand with your legs  hip width apart and your feet turned outwards then lift the barbell over your head and place it across your shoulders like the picture below. Then squat downwards as if you were about to sit on a chair again keeping your back as straight as possible and driving through your heel. I do a set of 20 of these after each set of walking lunges and then 3 sets of 20 reps once I've finished my lunges (so 6 sets in total). I also like to do 20 reps of pulsing squats after my last set so just stand in the squat position, do little pulses up and down and feel the burn🔥

Exercise 3 – Hip Thrust
Next up hip thrusts! Now these can look a little a bit awkward in the gym but you just have to get over it for love the booty🍑 So firstly lie on the floor flat on your back with your knees bent and bring your heels in towards your bum. Slowly raise your hips up as far as you can whilst tensing your glute muscles the whole time and then slowly bring your self back down again. I tend to do 3 sets of 15 reps and I use a 10kg weight which I hold onto my hips as I raise up. For my last rep on each set  I hold my stance for 20 seconds or until I want to cry. A good variation of this exercise that I recently started doing is doing the hip thrusts on the leg extension machine as it allows you to go much heavier for instance I've been doing 40kg when doing them this was as apposed to 10kg. So to do this just rest your elbows on the seat and have the pad resting on your hips and raise your hips as far as you can and again try to hold it as long as you can to feel the burn 🔥


Exercise 4 – Split Squat
These next 2 exercises I do on my second leg session of the week. For this you will need a bench and a set of suitable dumb bells. Take one step forward and place your rear foot on the bench. Hold your dumb bells in each hand and let them hand either side and then bend your knee and hips downwards and repeat for each side. Try to do 3 sets of these with 15 reps on each side. This exercise targets your glutes more than a standard squat.


Exercise 5 – Sumo Squat
These are an absolute killer on your inner thighs and glutes and I must be crazy because I love them. I use a 15kg kettlebell with these squats but as all of these exercises they can be done without weights but you will really see maximum results if you do try to use weights. Stand with your legs much wider than shoulder width apart as wide as you can with your feet pointed outwards and then lower into a squat and try to get the kettlebell as low as possible the lower the better but keeping good straight posture throughout. I do 3 sets of 20 reps of these and then 20 pulses after my last rep like I do with the barbell squats.


So there you have it 5 exercises to get that peachy bottom! As I said before I am still a long way off
from being where I want to eventually be but the above exercises has given me more definition than anything else ever has and I can't wait to continue sharing the next steps on my fitness journey with you as I am always trying out new stuff I've found on Instagram and YouTube.

5 Tips for Cutting Carbs

For nearly a year now I have been trying to reduce the amount of carbs in my diet and make better choices when it comes to food. Obviously we all have bad days or even weeks sometimes but don't get discouraged just get back on it the next day or week after and that will ensure that you don't fall back into bad habits. Here are my top 5 tips for cutting down on carbs.

Tip 1
Get on the spiralizer bandwagon! Trust me once you try ‘courgetti’ you will not miss pasta at all. There is so much that you can do with it in terms of recipes and there is even ready spiralized versions at supermarkets now so it is really quick to make literally just 5 minutes in a pan. Tesco sell courgetti along with the butternut squash and carrot versions. By using these in place of pasta you will save your self so many calories yet still have a really filling meal.

Tip 2
Swap your potatoes for the sweet variety. Sweet potatoes are still a carb but they have less carbs than a standard potato and for me they tend to leave me feeling less bloated. I like to bake mine in the oven like a jacket potato and serve with a big salad. They are also great if you have a sweet tooth because they can take the edge of if you have cravings for the sweet stuff.

Tip 3
If your family or partner is having a meal with rice, pasta or potato instead caving in and just having the same because it's easy (which is what I used to do a lot) use the main protein portion of the meal to serve to everyone but have yours with vegetables instead. This might sound boring but what I tend to do is say for example we are having chilli instead of rice I will bake a bell pepper in the oven and put the chilli in there with a salad on the side or with bolognese I will stuff the bolognese into baked portobello flat mushrooms. It's just about getting creative so you still feel like you are having what you enjoy but without the extras that you don't need.

Tip 4
Eat little but very often. If you just eat 3 small meals a day and lower your carbs you will end up starving all the time which is no good for your body at all especially if you are lifting heavy weights in the gym as well. So to avoid this you will need to increase your meal frequency. So I tend to have 4 small meals a day and 2 snacks so I will have my breakfast around 8:30 then around 11 I will have a small meal consisting of protein and veg then another of the same meal around 1:30, a snack mid afternoon, my evening meal and then another snack after dinner. By doing this you don't get chance to feel hungry which can lead to you overeating when you do eat. This also keep your metabolism faster which means you will burn more calories throughout the day.

Tip 5
Up your protein! This will keep you fuller for longer but without the horrible bloated feeling and insulin spikes. So I try to eat 50% protein, 30% carbs and 20% fats but everyone is different because we are all different shapes and sizes so this works for me but to find out what your ideal is just google macro calculator and it will work it out based on your height, weight, exercise levels and most importantly your goals. A good way to keep track of whether you are eating enough protein is on myfitnesspal. If you keep track of what you are eating you can then see where you need to tweek your diet if you are not getting all the nutrients your body needs. To up your protein try to base each meal largely on a protein and then a side of vegetables so breakfast try eggs, chicken for lunches and lean mince for dinner then having protein rich vegetables such as broccoli, spinach and asparagus.


The above tips have helped me achieve a flat stomach which is something I had always strived for but never quite got there and I do feel that was because I was eating too many carbs. Us Brits do tend to have very beige diets in general so get more colourful in the kitchen and it will help you achieve that lean body you've been striving for. I will definitely be following this guide this week as last week wasn't the best food wise but I am ready to jump back to it to smash my goals and the above tips really help me believe I can get to where I want to be.

Top 5 Super Cute Gym Leggings

I am a big believer in if you look and feel your best you will work harder to reach your highest potential. For me making sure I have cute outfits for the gym makes me feel good and in turn I feel like I can complete a killer workout. Today I have my top 5 favourite gym leggings that are on the market at the moment to show you and I have tried to include different price ranges and trends that I currently love.

1. These are the nike legend 2.0 spot leggings.I have quite a few pairs of Nike leggings already so I know that they are amazing quality and they fit perfectly. I am only 5 foot 1 and their leggings are just the right length for me because with any trousers/leggings when you are short sometimes you have loads of material bunched up at the bottom but these are always absolutely perfect! I love the polka dot print because it's quite kitsch so they are quite unique and would definitely make you stand out in the gym. They are a dark grey mottled background and have a high waisted fit so they would go perfectly with a crisp white cropped vest or sports bra. I have actually purchased these myself as I loved them that much when I came across them for this post. I got mine from urban outfitters for £25 they were on sale and was meant to be £45.

2. Next up are a pair from the brand gymshark. They seem to be a relatively new brand but they have some really cool leggings for women and majority are fairly cheap because most popular brands tend to be £45+ for leggings and gymshark are coming in at between £20-£30. The pair I've selected from their range are grey with a pink waistband. I love grey leggings for one big reason they make your booty look amazing! These also have darker patches on the calves and under your bum which I think would accentuate your hard earned curves. The pink waist band adds that pop of colour to the leggings and they would look great with a matching pink muscle vest. Perfect colour for spring.

3. These next pair I had to include as they've been such a big trend over the past couple of months. They are the black mesh panel leggings. These ones in particular are from MyProtein but literally everywhere has them to name a few I've seen them on missguided, boohoo, asos and even primark. This particular pair are my favourite as they don't have too much on show I mean you don't want to have it all hanging out when your at the gym you know you are there to work hard and I think some pairs on the market would draw the wrong kind of attention. But these are very subtle with two neat mesh panels just above the knee they are much more classy. They would go with literally anything so they would definitely be a staple piece. They are coming in at £20 which again is on the cheaper side and myprotein tend to have quite a lot of deals on so look out for voucher codes on their website.

4. So I wanted to throw in a Capri pair of leggings especially with the warmer weather coming up I think this pair would get a lot of wear. They are from the website www.doyoueven.com they are a bright pink to make the boys wink 😉! They are very girly but they are also stocked in blue if pink isn't your thing. The geometric print gives them a bit of an edge and I like that they have a high waisted black waistband as this breaks up the print and creates the perfect silhouette. They are slightly more expensive at £40.40 but this might be because they are a very popular brand at the moment. You can also buy the matching sports bra for £27.20 to complete a super cute gym outfit 💁

5. This next pair aren't in the slightest bit summery and I don't even care if they aren't on trend because I loved them so much as soon as I saw them and I think they will be my next pair for my collection for sure. They are another pair from MyProtein and they are colour block leggings. I feel like these would be another staple piece because they have the sleek black top section but then the lower half is a really cool mix of purple and the space print. But because these are in block sections they aren't overpowering at all so these would be good for someone who usually sticks to plain leggings and wants to try something different but not all out jazzy! They are £24.99 so really affordable I am actually really impressed with the variety of clothing on MyProtein as I didn't realise they did clothes until recently so they are definitely worth checking out.

I literally love buying new workout clothes because it gives me more motivation to go to the gym in my new outfit and gym leggings are literally the comfiest clothes I own I do wish they were appropriate for the office because I would live in them 🙈! Hopefully this has given you some inspiration of what sportswear is currently out there so we can all get our sass on while we are lifting in the gym.

5 Steps to Carrie Bradshaw Curls

I don't about you but every time I watch sex and the city I've always longed after carrie’s spiral curls but that's probably because my hair is poker straight and us women always want we don't have. However, through the medium of beauty we can usually create the illusion and change ourselves to suit any looks we crave. Enter lee Staffords chopstick curler! This creates the most amazing natural spiral curls you could ever wish for. Today I am going to show you step by step how I use the wand and the effect it creates.

Step 1
Thoroughly brush through your hair making sure it's completely detangled and then proceed to section off the top section of your hair and secure it with a clip or bobble if you can't find like a clip like me!

Step 2
Take an inch section of hair and wrap it around the wand tightly and then just work your way around your head curling an inch section at a time.

 

Step 3
Drop the top section of your hair and again use the same process but this time take slightly bigger sections because if you have layers you don't want the curls to shoot up as you'll end up looking like an 80’s throwback. Continue to work your way around your head taking 2inch sections until your hair
is completely curled.

Step 4
Now this is really important for the longevity of this hairstyle you must let your curls cool down first for maybe 10-15 minutes and this will allow them to set in place but don't worry this isn't the finished hairstyle I am aware it looks absolutely crap at this point but don't you worry because next comes the sass 💁

Step 5
For that sass you need get these curls looking as naturally wild as possible! So first things first tip your head upside and while doing this run your fingers through the curls. Then you will need a wide toothed comb to gently brush the curls out and fluff them up. To create more volume I like to lift the top section and just lightly backcomb the roots and repeat this on both sides and then with a spritz of hairspray there you have it your very own Carrie Bradshaw spiral curls.

Another thing to note would be that it’s best to do this hairstyle on 1 or 2 days old hair as the curl holds much better and it will be easier to do as it won't be so slippy. My curls tend to last me at least 2 or 3 days the curls literally don't drop out until you wash them out. If you want to buy the lee stafford chopstick curler I got mine from argos for £17.99 so it is pretty cheap! I can't rave about the chopstick curler enough it is literally my go to curling wand everytime I'm off out on the town it never fails to take my hair from flat and sad to big and bouncy.

My 5 Tips to Beating Insecurities

As women we all have those days where you feel the size of an elephant, your hair won't sit right or you wake up with a new friend on your face in the form of an angry zit. Although you may always have these odd days here and there I have 5 top tips for pulling you out of that insecure funk you've fell into when those dreaded days do come around.

Tip Number 1

Go workout! Now this may seem like the last thing you want to do but trust me it will make you feel a hundred times better once you've smashed a mega gym session. It is also proven that the endorphins that are released after exercise actually improve your mood and can prevent depression setting in. If you are feeling low about your body only you can change that and without being too blunt sitting on your bum moaning isn't going to get you anywhere. I love fitness now but I wasn't always this way I used to hate sports at school so it was surprising to me how working out can make you feel so good but it really does and my point is just try something new even if your not sure you will like it because once you find that one sport you do enjoy you will want to keep it up and constantly cash in those endorphins!

Tip Number 2

Dress up. I don't mean like get your fancy dress box out but dress up in whatever makes you feel amazing whether it is 6 inch heels or Dr martins just wear something that makes you feel a million dollars. For me doing a full face of make up and wearing my favourite Levis puts the spring back in my step I know if I sit in my bed looking like crap I'm going to feel like it too. But it is important to find what makes you feel like the best version of you and rock it like no one else can which leads me onto my next tip..

Tip number 3

Do not compare yourself you anyone else. I know I know it's easier said than done with there being beautiful women all over Instagram but there is only one you and that's what makes you unique and that is what each and every one of your friends, family or partner loves about you. This is something I have struggled with my whole life as I am quite short I always longed to be taller and have legs up to my waist but now although I can appreciate a lovely set of legs but I am also very happy with my own petite, muscular frame (I'm currently working on the booty building 🍑). You will always want what you don't have but sometimes you've got to sit back and appreciate what you do have because I will bet you another woman somewhere wants what you have and that's how the vicious circle continues. So be happy being you and if you see someone with amazing abs that you'd love why not just compliment them you never know they might be having one of those days too. As women we know how it feels to be insecure so we should support each other to grow stronger together after all we do run the world 👑🐝

Tip number 4

Surround yourself with happy, positive and like minded people. As I've got older I noticed my friendship groups have gotten smaller and at first I wondered if there was something wrong with me or if I was not a fun person to be around but then over the years (and many tears)  I realised that I was not the issue. I had grown into an adult who had and still does have big dreams and aspirations for my future and I wanted to do everything I could to achieve them and unfortunately that meant that with some people you naturally grow apart as they aren't growing at the same speed you are which is also fine but I've found that it usually means you no longer have anything in common. But then you have those little gems that stick around for the long run and you grow together and that might be someone you met 10 years ago or 10 days ago if they have a positive outcome on your life then surround yourself with these people as you will feel much more content when you accept that it's better to have a handful of close ride or die friends than a hundreds of people dragging down your spirit.


Tip number 5

Set yourself goals whether it be in the gym, work or at home. If you have something your working towards it gives you the get up and go attitude. Remind yourself daily of the goals you want to achieve and try do one thing to work towards reaching it whether it be small or not it is still a step further forward than you were yesterday. I feel that having a goal in life makes me want to always try that little bit harder and when you achieve something towards that goal it makes you feel good about yourself. So when you are feeling down maybe look back at where you started and how far you have come and this can really uplift your mood again and get you back on track to where you want to be.

So that's my 5 tips to feeling better on one of those hormonal, insecure days. I hope this helps as I've seen my confidence grow from being a shy little girl to becoming a confident young woman it hasn't been easy but the above tips have really helped me along the way to adulthood as I think deep down we all secretly want to be Peter Pan but there comes a time when you have to just stand up and accept your responsibilities and welcome a new way of living and in the long run you will be a better person for it and you'll never feel so sure of yourself.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Liquid Lipsticks

The perfect matte lip. It’s what pretty much every girl has been on the hunt to find ever since Kylie Jenner popped up on the beauty scene. To me the perfect matte lip is highly pigmented, doesn't dry out your lips and has the ultimate staying power.

If you are looking for all of the above you need to try the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet lipstick. So first of all these lipsticks come in so many different colours to suit every skin tone there's the pillar box Reds, sultry nudes and perky peaches ;) But most  importantly every colour is so highly pigmented I couldn't even believe it was a drug store lippy as the quality of colour is definitely that of a high end brand.  

My favourite colours of the range are Nude-ist, So Hap Pink, Pink pong and Grand cru. I have to say these shades really suit my skin tone as I am rather pale but there is so much choice with the colours there is something for every girl on there.

Now for some swatches!

Nude-ist is that Kylie Jenner dusty pink/brown colour that has been so popular I would say it would definitely be a dupe for Mac soar. This is my go to everyday colour as it's very much my natural  lip colour but better.

So Hap Pink is a  girly nude pink. I know I am going to get so much wear out of this now spring has finally sprung.

Pink pong is a cerise pink and gives a real statement look. I like to wear this with a flawless face and just liquid liner on my eyes  to really make the lipstick standout even more.

Grand cru  is a deep pillar box red with blue undertones. This gives a very classic vintage inspired lip and would be great with a smokey eye for a night out.

The texture of these are very lightweight and that means they don't  dry out your lips like most most matte lipsticks do. They are so comfortable to wear I don't even realise I have mine on and this is mainly because they do not smudge at all so you don't have to be careful when eating and drinking. They really do have the best staying power of any liquid lipstick I've tried but this does mean a lot of scrubbing at the end of the day!

Now to apply the lipstick it has wand and this makes it a lot easier to get the perfect pout. I like to apply a little bit of lip balm first when I'm using the nudes ones but I wouldn't recommend this when using any of the vibrant colours as it will make them more difficult to get any precision. The lipstick goes on wet but within 30 seconds it sets and turns matte and then there is no going back that sucker is on there for the long run.

Rather than using the applicator you can dab the product on your lips for a lighter wash of colour if you are looking for a more natural look, however, I haven't tried this as I am an all or nothing kinda girl. But it is definitely a build able lipstick so you can create a really intense statement pout with the more layers you apply and it will still feel really natural on your lips.

I love this product and I have been using it for the past 18 months and will continue to do so as I think for £8.99 you really cannot go wrong. They are stocked in most boots stores and they also stock them in the lacquer glossy version as well as the more natural wash of colour version (but you know how I feel about that). Now I'm off to post a pouty pic on Instagram.