Hello!

So as some of you may or may not know, over the past year/ year and a half, I've gotten into health and fitness.

I like to have a weekly treat but generally, I'm fairly healthy. After a workout on Saturday, me and my boyfriend decided to visit an asian restaurant in town- Miyagi. I'd heard about it before but never actually been, the food was made with coconut milk and had cleansing juices so I thought it was before for what we were after!

I didn't have a starter or anything since this was just for lunch, I did have a gorgeous juice though (I can't remember the name but it was the one with the strawberry and pineapple in!) and for my main, I got the luska. It was basically noodles, tofu, egg and veggies in a coconut milk sauce, and it was soo nice! I was skeptical at first but I really enjoyed it.

I posted these photos on Instagram too so you can always keep up to date with me by following me on there.

Emma :)

It has been a while since I last blogged!

The transition to the colder months of the year are always so busy though! With starting my final year at Uni- eep, to working, to Halloween, Bonfire night and now, of course.. the preparation for Christmas. However, that is no excuse. So I'm back with a bit of motivation to spread (at least, I hope.)

I have to say that the hardest time of year to be healthy for me, is definitely now. I mean there are Costa Christmas cups, food markets, Christmas catch-ups, crepe stands.. anything and everything is so tempting. But, they said that Summer bodies are built in the Winter, so I'm trying my hardest.

I thought I'd share some of my top tips to stay healthy this Winter. I'm in no way an expert but just find these work for me.

1. Indulge. I figured that starting on a high note would be the way to go. Yes, I mean it. Indulge. Sometimes it's so difficult to stay healthy and can even be upsetting when you're constantly being hard on yourself. The best thing to do is eat well during the week, and have a treat on the weekend. Whether it's at that food market or even at the cinemas, then just allow yourself a treat. It motivates you during the week to be good when you know you're going to have that chocolate brownie and Byron Burger on Saturday night.

2. Work out at the start of the week. I can promise you, it is a million times easier to go the gym at the start of the week. I've been trying to go four times a week, and I much prefer going Monday-Thursday than on the weekend. I feel a lot more energetic and really feel I'm getting somewhere. Besides, no one really has plans on a Monday night compared to a Friday night.

3. Mix it up a little. For a few weeks, I'll do the same work out routine and honestly, it just gets boring. So if you can change it every now and then, then I would recommend it. I find it more enjoyable and challenging when it's fairly new to me.

4. Protein, protein, protein. I'm not saying, have chicken for breakfast, dinner and tea- I'm a veggie anyway so would never really say that. Instead I mean have protein where you can and if you're feeling peckish then have protein snacks, it's much better for you and will help you build muscle. Have protein bars, balls, cakes, pancakes, whatever it is that you fancy.

5. Don't be hard on yourself. You have to be strict a lot of the time but if you're really not feeling up to it then you can give yourself a day off to relax. After all, we're only human.

I've said it before but I'll say it again, I have a really bad sweet tooth. Although I try to live a healthy lifestyle, a treat is simply necessary in order to function! But if you're after a 'healthier' treat, then you should check out chocolatecoveredkatie. It is a blog that shares loads of recipes!

I decided to share one with you as I tried it out and really enjoyed it, so why not! I made the Frosted Peanut Butter Snack Cake. It is dairy free, gluten free, sugar free, low fat and just generally.. not that bad. It's an advantage that it tastes so good too.

It's pretty simple to make, all you need is:

2 cups spelt, white, or Bob’s gf flour (265g)
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar of choice OR xylitol (200g)
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp yogurt (such as So Delicious coconutmilk yogurt) (90g)
1 cup plus 2 tbsp water (270g)
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter, OR allergy-friendly alternative (90g)
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract (15g)

I'll leave the link here, if you want to follow the instructions and make it for yourself. I'd suggest that you do, because it's so soft and is just amazing. It's nice to not feel too guilty too.

I'm hoping to start my own recipes soon so I'll be sure to share them- if they work out well that is..

Emma :)

I love a good smoothie every now and then, so I thought I'd try and make my own. This is simple to make and so tasty! Of course there are no added sugars or sweetners, so is a nice healthy drink you can enjoy guilt free! I made mine dairy free but you can use alternatives.

In order to make two servings, you will need the following ingredients:

- one ripe banana 
- 50g alpro original yoghurt (or Greek yoghurt)
- 100ml aria lactofree semi-skinned milk
- 50g frozen raspberries 
- 50g frozen blueberries
- a cap full of lime juice

You can use normal raspberries and blueberries too but frozen ones make it that little bit colder. I like to add two ice cubes too! It's quite thick so if you like your smoothies more like a juice then feel free to add more milk.

I literally threw all the ingredients together in a blender and served straight away. It's nice and cold so will go down a treat in summer! 

I've posted a 'Healthy Food Haul' video on YouTube, so if you're a bit more interested in the types of foods I'll be using over the next couple of weeks then check it out! You can view my channel if you click here. Please subscribe if you'd like to see more!

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do! 

Emma :) 

Can a fitness app really help you lose weight? Over the past couple of weeks I've been trying to push myself to be that little bit healthier. I'd found my weight loss coming to a standstill, and needed something to push me further. As it's been a big part of my life recently, I thought I'd share it with you.

I'd used my fitness pal before now, but not properly. I've set my goal weight, been planning and scanning food and have even seen some results. The calorie limit helps you realise how big portions are sometimes, and let's you understand your calorie intake. Once you're happy, you can maintain at your current weight with another calorie limit too.

There are a lot of other factors to consider too, staying active is always important. I've also benefited from drinking more water and trying to get as much sleep as possible.

I'm not saying this because I've been told to, but because I've found it has helped me recently. I'm not going to lie and say it's been easy, and I still have a bit to go.. But the honest truth is, I've never felt as confident in my own skin as I do now! So the struggle is worth it in the end. (Although I do crave some chocolate!) 

If you feel like something a bit more sugary, you could try a recipe that I've shared before. I made 52 oat and raisin cookies today out of the mixture and worked out the calories and nutritional values on the app. So you can add your own recipes! I've shared some photographs with you and I hope to post more recipes soon. If you want to try these, then you can find my blog post if you click here. 

Have you ever tried to use it yourself? If not, I recommend it if you're trying to lose weight. But of course, be happy with yourself and don't feel like you have to change. 

Emma :) 

I always feel a million times better when I'm wearing something in the gym that I like. And since health and fitness is important, spending a little more in sports clothing to feel ready to go is definitely a good choice. So today I thought I would share one of my outfits!

As you can see, black is clearly the colour I like to go for. I would rather have bright splashes here and there. Though I'm sure in the Summer, I might have to have more colour if I'm going outside and appreciating the little sun that we get in the UK. 

The Nike top is a nice baggy fit, perfect if you're a little conscious. The USA Pro pants are that legging type, so quite tight-fitted. To be honest, I find these the most comfortable pants and need to invest in some more, they are also oddly flattering! I always find that they fit well too, they don't cling too much and don't go too baggy if you lose a little weight here and there.

The sports bra is moulded and underwired. Panache make this is a number of colours, I also own the plain black but when I saw this 'Geo Print' colour, I thought it was perfect for my little 'splash of colour.' 

I have to admit, the Nike AirMax trainers are my favourite, they are so comfortable and when I first wore them I felt like I was really bouncy! Great for all kinds of sports and I absolutely love the sole of them, so bright. 

If you have felt inspired, you can buy these items or a similar style from either the Nike Store, JD Sports or Sports Direct. An updated version of the trainers can be found here.

Let me know what your favourite outfit for working out is, and if you have any recommendations. 

Emma :)