TRAVEL: My Holiday Series - Day 1

The first day of a holiday is always exciting yet tiring. You're excited to be in a different country and explore, but you are so tired from all the travelling; no matter how far away you go.

My journey was only an hour but I was awake from 4am to get ready for the airport. When we arrived at the airport we checked in and went through security; then we went to find food! Being lactose intolerant I am limited to what I can eat from food outlets as most places have food items that contain dairy. However, my saving grace comes in the form of Pret a Manger. My boyfriend found a bacon and egg baguette that didn't have any milk or butter in! 

The flight itself was interesting. We had to switch planes because the original plane had problems with the brakes - eek! I was glad to switch but it meant that we had an hour delay already! Our landing wasn't very smooth either and as we hit the runway many passengers let out a little scream.

When we arrived at my Grandad's house we had something to eat and a little chat before heading to the supermarket to stock up on food for the week. We decided that although we were on holiday we would still try and eat healthy and we would prepare all our meals from scratch.

Being in France we had to celebrate our arrival by opening a bottle of champagne and having an aperitif. This was lovely because we could relax and have a chitchat altogether before sitting down for dinner.

Day 1 was more of a relaxing day than an exploration one. But we did have time to plan the rest of the days which was great because then we knew what we could and couldn't fit in.

I hope you enjoy the next few days of the Holiday Series!

Until next time, xo.

BEAUTY: Teeth Whitening Routine

Aesthetics are becoming so much more important and society is putting more pressure on the public to do everything to ensure they look 'perfect'.

Teeth whitening can be done in various ways. You can oil pull, bleach or whiten the non-abrasive way.
I like to try new things and recently I have been whitening my teeth at home.

I am currently using the Coco White coconut oil pulling sachets. It is weird at first as it isn't something I was used to having in my mouth. You can either warm up and melt the oil in a glass of warm/hot water; or simply empty the sachet into your mouth and warm it up that way.
You are supposed to swish the oil around your mouth for between 5 - 20 minutes. As it can feel weird at the beginning you can start off with 5 minutes and gradually work your way up to 20 minutes.

Once I have finished oil pulling, I place the oil from my mouth into some tissue and flush it down the toilet.
I then brush my teeth to remove any excess oil. I then use the Rapid White express 5 minute teeth whitening strips. There is an accelerator that you need to dab on your teeth first. Don't shut your mouth otherwise you will need to dab again. Once dabbed you need to place one of the strips on your top teeth. Do the same for the bottom teeth and then wait 5 minutes for the strips to dissolve.

The taste isn't great but the results are good!! I try not to open my mouth or swallow any saliva whilst the strips are on. However, once 5 minutes has passed, you can rinse your mouth with water. I do this several times to try and get the taste out my mouth. You shouldn't eat or drink anything for 15 minutes afterwards.

This is the most natural way to whiten your teeth, without the chemicals in the bleach. There are immediate results but you should do this process every day over the course of 1 - 2 weeks.

I hope this has given you some ideas about how you want to whiten your teeth and how to do it!

A girl's best accessory is her smile! 

Until next time, xo.


** This post is not sponsored. All products were bought with my own money.**

FITNESS: Running for Beginners

I have never been a runner and if I was being chased I would probably surrender as I wouldn't get very far at all.
However, most recently I have decided that although I am not interested in running a marathon, I do want to start running to keep fit and healthy.

I did my second EVER run on a Friday evening along the seafront. As I don't feel very confident about running or having people look at me, I wanted to do it at a time when it's getting dark but not so dark that I can't see where I am going. The choice of location was on purpose. Not only is there a nice breeze to keep you cool, but it looks amazingly pretty when the sun has set and the skies are all colourful. It kept me going and motivated me!

I ran 2.5 miles which was an exceptional achievement considering I haven't run since 2008. Even back then it was a one off 'fun run'.
I only ran a distance I knew I could achieve and was realistic about my goal. I didn't want to push myself over the edge and wear myself out and put myself off from running. It made me so happy to complete that distance and actually enjoy running.

The 3 main points that kept me focussed and motivated were:
1) Having a running buddy. This is so important when you first start and don't feel 100% confident. You can motivate each other and you are both doing it so you don't feel alone!
2) Breathing properly. You need to ensure your breathing is controlled otherwise you will feel tired a lot quicker and you won't be able to pace yourself to go the distance that you want.
3) Thinking of your long term fitness goal. Mine is to tone up my body and lose a little weight. Just thinking about what my body may look like keeps me going and willing to put in all the effort.

What you wear on your feet is also equally important. You need a trainer that is going to support your feet and allow you to run comfortably. Running in your converse or dolly shoes isn't going to help; it may cause injuries and you won't be able to run very well.

I hope this helps all of you who want to try running!!

Until next time, xo.

FITNESS: Getting back to it!

When I worked in London I was leaving the house at 6:30am and didn't get home until 7pm. This meant that I found it difficult to include a fitness regime into my schedule. All I wanted to do after coming home from work was eat dinner and go straight to bed!
The only real form of exercise I was doing was walking 2 miles to work every morning which took me about 40 minutes.

So, when I left that job, I made sure to re-join my gym and start using my membership more effectively.
I starting going to group exercise classes because I felt more comfortable in a room full of women following an instructor, rather than in the gym, feeling alone, feeling like I didn't know what I was doing.
Attending my weekly classes on a regular basis gave me more confidence about doing exercise and not worrying about what others thought about me. I then started to use the gym more often, focusing solely on what I was doing. Each time I made it to the gym for a workout I felt proud of myself!

Now that I am used to attending my group exercise classes and the gym on a regular basis, I have decided to branch out and exercise away from my local gym. I recently rode my bike 16.5 miles, after 3 years of not riding a bike AT ALL!! This was such an achievement for me as it was tough and the terrain wasn't completely smooth.

Yes, most people want to go to the gym to get their 'summer body'; but, I believe that you should exercise all year round for a body that you want all year round and not just for bikini season!!
I still sometimes find it challenging to exercise but I always remember that no matter what exercise I am doing, I am ALWAYS lapping the person that decided to stay on their couch!

Until next time, xo.