Friday Fitness - Wii Fit

Afternoon all, hope your well. I've had no time this week to do any blogging so this is the first post where I have some energy to do it!


This week I wanted to look at the role of home entertainment as a means of weight loss. I'm focusing in on the Wii Fit as this is one of the things that I have at home!

For people who don't know, the Wii Fit is a game which has been developed by nintendo to encourage people to get regular exercise through fun activities, perfect if you hate the gym or the thought of exercising in public. Through small, differentiated challenges you are encouraged to move just a bit more ad are rewarded with new levels opening. It also comes with a built in personal trainer who talks you through some of the more toning exercises. Using the Wii Fit board, your weight and BMI can be worked out and tracked each week, and its quite fun to work out your Wii Fit age and try and reduce it! 


Personally, I don't think this helps me to burn calories and lose weight, but then I exercise quite a lot, however if you are returning to exercise then this would break you in gently. Its quite nice to use it to track weight loss, and it is an incentive to burn more when you see the little graph go down! 


Over all this is an expensive method, however if you already have one but have forgotten about it until now then why not get it back out. Its fun and everyone can be involved!


Until next time, thanks for reading xx

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Friday Fitness - Graze Boxes

Evening all, hope your well, thankfully it's Friday which means another fitness post!


This week I wanted to write about food. As some one who is over weight, food is a big deal with me, I have a love hate relationship with it, especially snack foods.


I first read about Graze in a magazine and thought it would be a waste of money and I wouldn't like anything. However on a forum there was a discussion about it, and loads of people were posting codes for free boxes and raving about it! So I decided to do a bit more research, and visited the website and the principle of it was great:
4 perfectly balanced snacks designed to regulate blood sugar abs fill you up! So for a free box, I signed up!


That was 6 months ago and I'm still loving them. I get one box a week, and these are my snacks for school, I need them to get me through the end of the day until tea part of the day! 


This was my box this week:

Its a real mix of chocolate, berries, nuts and crackers! My favourite it the Jaffa Cake box, I actually had that today! 


For £3.49 per box, you can really go wrong! The box comes with a lovely leaflet with all the nutritional information I need for my weight watchers. It also gives me an update of what other things I could get. I also get an e-mail to let me know, and to ask me to rate what I get.


The website allows me to rate what I like and don't like, as well as letting me say what I love! 


If you want to know more then go to the website here. If you want to receive your own box, and fancy a free box and then a half price box then use my code: Y584TMM.


So here it is, another week closer to half term, and another fitness post. I hope your all well, and thanks for reading xx

FOTD - 22-09-11

Evening all. I know its really late but I have been trying to write this all day on my phone and have only got half way through each time! 


This is my make up look for work today! 

I used Maybelline Superstay 24hr Foundation, Benefit Benetint and Make Up Academy Professional Palette in Starry Night. Mascara was Boots 17 Falsifeye and black gel liner by No 7


I'm trying to get into the habit of wearing different colours on my eyes without looking too made up at work! It doesn't look like too much thankfully.


I've refreshed my hair again with another semi-permanent hair dye. Would you want a post on my hair colour or not? 


So here is a little Face of the Day, I'm getting better at these! What do you think, I really appreciate all the comments you leave!


Thanks for reading xx

NOTD: China Glaze Traffic Jam

Evening everyone, hope you had a lovely weekend, and Monday wasn't too much of a bad day!


Today I bring you another China Glaze polish from the Metro Collection, this time it's Traffic Jam.

With Flash

Without Flash Low Light

Day Light, No Flash

This polish has been so hard to photograph! Depending on the light it looks totally different! In Bright light and under a flash it comes out bright pink, under low light it is a blue based pink, almost magenta in colour, and finally in daylight it looks like a pink based purple!


So it's a real traffic stopper, not quite knowing what colour it truly is but |I really like it! This is not one of my favourite from the collection, but I think that is because it is more pink then I would like! 


What do you think? Too pink or not?


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NOTD: China Glaze Urban Night

Afternoon all, hope your well. If your reading this then it means my post worked, and I am currently on a family day in London with my Mum, Brother, Sister and the Boyfriend!


Today's nail is from the China Glaze Metro collection which is their Autumn '11 collection inspired by the streets of New York.


Urban Night is a gorgeous red toned purple, which is ideal for the Vampy look.

With Flash

In natural light it is a real dark purple, kinda reminding me of OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark, but not as deep. With the flash on you can really see the red/pink in the colour, a truly great colour!

Without Flash

It gives a high shine finish without a topcoat, and lasted for nearly a week without needing to be touched up!




I really didn't want to take this polish off, but I had to :(


The colours from the Metro Collection are great for this Season, China Glaze produce some lovely polishes!


What do you think of this colour, would you wear it? I will be bringing you more colours shortly but I'm just not ready to rock the glitters just yet!


Thanks for reading xx




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Friday Fitness: Les Mills Body Pump

Afternoon all, hope this post finds you well, I'm very thankful to be at the end of the week, only 5 weeks until half term!

Today I thought I would bring you one of my favourite gym classes, Les Mills Body Pump.

Les Mills is a range of fitness classes which most fitness centres will run. They combine music with a range of routines, both cardio and resistance based. I have tried most of the classes, and I do many of them during the week. I have reviewed the Body Jam class here, and it is the class I most look forward to.


Of the other classes, Body Pump is a class that many people are put off by, because it is a weights based class which sounds scary if you have never tried weights before.


Body Pump consists of multiple routines, each one targeting a different muscle group. The music is often current chart music, and I often have to stop myself singing out loud.


On your first session, the instructor will check you have all your equipment, advising you on weight choices, as well as checking for any injuries.


You start with a light weight on the bar for the warm up which covers the whole body, and from there move onto the individual muscle groups. Through out the session the instructor is modelling what to do, and often moves about to check you have the correct position so as you dot injure yourself.


With each new track comes a new weight selection, the bigger the muscle group, the heavier the weights need to be. There is also the use of the step and the floor for some routines.


Pump is a class for everyone, young, old, male, female, infact the class I attend is mostly women!


At the end of the class, the cool down is very much deserved, and I defy anyone not to ache the next day, walking up and down stairs really hurts! As the weeks go on, you can add more weights to your bar for each routine, but be warned this does increase the pain the next day!


Body Pump offers a medium intensity work out that will burn calories during the class, an will rev up the metabolism and muscles to carry on burning calories after the class. Shaping up muscles, losing the layer of fat and adding definition is also a given from this class, but don't expect instant washboard stomach!


I really enjoy this class, and would encourage you to try it really! What do you think, are there any other classes you want to know about?!


Thanks for reading xx

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NOTD Models Own Top Turquoise

Afternoon all, hope your well and enjoying your day.


Today I bring you something to brighten your day.

Without Flash

Models Own Top Turquoise, is a bright bluey green which would look great on all skin tones.


It applied really well, and has lasted all week with only minor tip wear.

With Flash

Models Own really do produce great polishes, I've only ever met one polish I didn't like from their range. For the great price of £5, you can't really go wrong.


This is a polish that I think I will reach for more during the summer, but still something for winter, just to add a pop of colour .


What do you think? I have so many Models Own, what colours do you want to see?


Thanks for reading x

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing...

Evening all, its Monday, the start of another week so I hope its a good week for everyone!


This week I'm very busy with school, the children are starting to get settled back in, and the stress is starting to pile on. This leaves very little time to relax so my relaxation is through some virtual window shopping!

River Island

This week as the weather turns colder, I'm starting to crave cuddly clothing, and this Aztec print cape from River Island is something I adore! For £40.00, this is really good as it seems that Aztec and Tribal prints are in fashion again. Whether you wear it thrown over jeans for a casual look, or with a black bodycon dress to add interest, this is something that is great!

River Island

More snuggly clothing, but I've been looking for something to wear with jeans and boots, and this jumper is just it! It's a chunky knit with the Tribal pattern, and although it looks peachy in this picture, its actually pink in real life! Priced at £38.00, it is slightly more expensive for a jumper, but I think it would get a lot of wear over the next season, and I really want it! 

River Island

Finally we have this bodycon dress in an Aztec print ( I can see a pattern forming here!) A beautiful print in great colours for Autumn! At only £20.00,its a bargin!!!!


So these are my Sitting, Waiting, Wishing for this week, I hope to make these wardrobe staples soon!


Thanks for reading xx

FOTD - 11/09/11

Afternoon all, hope your out enjoying this brief spell of sunshine we have recieved today! I'm stuck indoors as the boyfriend has to watch the F1 and I pretend that Im not interested but I actually love it as well! 


So we had to pop into town this morning so I just chucked on a bit of make up so as to not scare any small children! 

    
Face:
Maybelline Superstay 24hr Foundation in Nude Beige
Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in Medium Plus
Benefit Coralista 


Eyes:
Make Up Academy Heaven and Earth Palette
Maybelline Mascara Volume Express Colossal Black Waterproof


Lips


Sleek Pout Paint in Minx
Vaseline


So just a quick post as I need to get back to pretending that I'm bored of the F1!


Thanks for reading xx

NOTD - China Glaze Concreate Catwalk

Evening all, hope you well. I feel like I have so much to do and so little time, especially now I'm back at work again :(


Being back at school means that we are on the count down to our next half term, and it also means it's going to get harder to make an effort in school as it gets colder and darker. But I do live this term as Christmas is at the end, and I can start wearing my Autumn collections.


One such collection is the China Glaze metro collection. A blend of urban colours and muted glitters, it's a great autumn collection.


From this I've been wearing Concrete Catwalk which is a bluey grey colour, which reminds me of Tarmac.

With Flash

In Natural Light, No Flash

As with all of the China Glaze polishes I have tried, this one applies like a dream, and was opaque in two coats with no need for a top coat. It wore really well and only started to chip after a week!


I have a few more colours from this collection to show you, including some glitter!!


Thank you for reading xxx

Friday Fitness -Exercise vs Diet

Afternoon all, hope your well, it's nearly the weekend!

Today I was having a discussion with a friend at work about our weight loss goals for the next 6 months. She's a mum of two who works full time, and I'm a full time teacher with free time and and an addiction to crisps.

We were talking about diet and exercises plans. We're both on Weight Watchers, however have different attitudes towards exercise.

Weightloss is a result of a calorie deficiency within the body, and the body turns to it's fat stores to find stored fat which it can use
to provide energy for basic needs. A deficit can be created in two ways, be reducing calorie input or burning more calories, but you knew that.

The benefits of diet a lone is that you force the body into a steady adaption, as it has to find energy from the bodies energy stores. This gives you a chance to mentally adapt to the change aswell. A down side to this is you often feel you are on a diet, and mental resolve will fade, or you will plateau at some point.

Exercise is a more rapid adaption as you increase the amount of calories you need to perform those actions. People often see this as an instant method and it takes time for the body to adapt, with weight loss coming from the top of the body down. It's also easy to push your body into survival mode, if you are not eating well enough to support the exercise, and you will simply store more fat!

A combination of both is ideal. By making smart food choices, combined with a range of exercises, both cardio and resistance, weightless will become a regular thing, in smaller, steady quantities. And in the long run you will be fitter both physically and mentally!

So we are doing an experiment. We have the same amount of points each week, and both track on line, but I also exercise, and she doesn't and we will see who loses the most weight and inches!

Thanks for reading

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Friday Fitness - The Gym

The gym, the two words that inspire such a wide range of emotions. The faces people pull at you that tells you that they are non gym going folk, and they feel sorry for you. 'I can imagine nothing worse...' is something I hear so much when people ask what I'm doing that evening.

The gym doesn't have to be a place if torture, where men go to get fit and women go so they can eat.

As someone who is fairly self conscious of how I look, and how others see me, the idea of spending an hour in the torture chamber, looking like a bright pink hippo is something that really puts me off. I always seem to get to the gym at the same time as the good looking people, those who exercise for fun and enjoyment.

Once you get past the door it really isn't that bad. There are 3 types of gym goer. The 'gym bunny' the 'class addict' and the 'would rather be anywhere else in the world than here.' I used to think I fell into the last category, I hated the gym, but if I wanted to have pudding then I had to serve my time.

In the gym, the resistance machines scared me, the cardio machines gave me visions of flying off backwards and the free weights were a no go area.

That was until I had a proper gym induction. Yes the finding out my true weight was awful, especially as the instructor was a good looking man! However once he showed me how to create a work out program for myself and how to use the machines, I was well away!

I've now been attending regularly for nearly 6months and feel so much better walking into the gym!

It's really important to get a good quality induction, it helps you to feel better about being in the gym as well as keeping you safe. A good induction should include a discussion of your goals, a walk around the gym and help with creating a routine, especially when using machines you are unsure of ( resistance machines :S)





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Lee Stafford - I Hate My hair the day it's Washed

Afternoon all, hope your well. Now I'm back at work, I'm trying to get into a routine of blogging again as I have less time but lots of things to blog about!


I hate my hair the day it's washed, it's frizzy and full of static that will straighten for all of 20mins but as soon as I leave the house, I can feel the frizz starting again and I might as well have not bothered!


In desperation to find something that would allow me to do what I wanted with my hair the day I was it I went hunting around Boots. I was actually going to buy something else but saw this and picked it up and thought I would give it a try!

It comes in Lee Staffords signature punk bottles and also contains the signature scent which I totally love! Your advised to spray this onto damp hair, brush it through and then blow dry. Straight away I noticed that my hair was less static as I was drying it, and even started to fall as I wanted. When I straightened it, there was no need for me to go back over it a thousand times and it just looked and felt more manageable!


Now it's not going to keep your hair dead straight if like me you have a natural curl, but it does give you a more lived in look! Drying and styling time is reduced and if you do curl your hair, it does help hold the curls for longer!


For the price of £6.19 you get 200ml which is quite good but I go through it quite quickly so I try to use less then is needed. As with most Lee Stafford products, I really like this, and think it's the only product I have found of it's kinds that really does help! Currently Boots have it on offer for 3 products for £12, instore and online! 


What do you think, do you hate your hair the day it's washed?


Thanks for reading xx










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Blog Sale - Nail Polish and Bits

Hi all, so I'm in the process of cleaning out my collection and getting rid, but I don't want to just throw these away!

This is UK only.

1) If you want an item, say which item along with your Paypal email address in the comments box. I will then send you an invoice/payment request.

2) Paypal is the only method of payment accepted
3) Please ensure you pay for the item immediately upon receiving the Money Request from Paypal - or at least within 24 hours; otherwise the item will be re- posted and will not be reserved for you.
4) Postage is £1 for the first item and then 40p per each extra item.

5) These will be posted First class within 48 hours.

Nail polish

Barry M Emerald Green - 50p
Barry M 044 - 50p
Models Own Evergreen £1.50
Models Own 25 Carat Gold £1.50

Boots 17 Mint Choc Chip - £1.00
Boots 17 Parma Violet - £1.00
China Glaze Channelesque (HTF) - £5.00
Boots 17 Cupcake - £1.00

APN Funky Town - 50p
APN Pink 4 Baby - 50p

Mini Bourjois Gloss Effect 3D Brun Poetic - 50p

Rimmel Natural Bronzer - £1.00




Please comment below if there is anything you would like, along with your paypal e-mail address.
Any questions, let me know!


Thanks

NOTD - Miss Guided Nailpolish in Orange

Afternoon all, with the summer rapidly fading into autumn, I thought I needed to try and inject some colour into my life.


This polish is from Miss Guided and was free with Cosmopolitan magazine a couple of months ago, but when first bought it, I didn't really fancy wearing it as I'm not naturally drawn to bold colours.

It's a gorgeous orange that reminds me of the colour of Orange Soda from the show Kenan and Kel (if anyone remembers that!) It's defiantly a reddy orange which isn't too bright so it's a good colour for autumn if you fancy a pop of brightness!


It applied really well with no mess or fuss. It dried quickly and was super shiny after two coats without a top coat. It wore really well for nearly a week with no base or topcoat (I rushed!) and there was only minor tip wear when it did start to go.


You can buy this from the Miss Guided website for the grand sum of £5 which I think is good value really.


What do you think, do you normally go for bright colours of not?

Friday Fitness - An Introduction

Hey all, hope your ok and looking forward to the weekend.


Today marks the start of a new school year for me, now my second year of teaching. September is always about new school uniform, new shoes, new pencils and pens and other stationary. It's 4 months (scary I know) until the start of 2012, a time when many of us vow to make changes in our lives and try to stick to them for all of a week (from personal experience) So, instead of making a New Years resolution, I'm going to make a New School Year resolution.


This is something that Rosalyn from over at Primpsandpreens  and I discussed when we met up this summer, that September has always felt like a new year, especially to us teachers.


Getting to the point, my new school year resolution is to improve my current fitness levels and lose weight whilst at school. And this is where this series comes in. Everyweek on a Friday I will put up a post about something fitness, diet or health related as a sort of review. I will also post my lunches of the week to give people inspiration as well as any recipes and things I make that might interest people.


I'm not a fitness or nutrition expert, it's just something I have an interest in and am learning about to make myself fitter and healthier.


One thing I do need is comments from my small but valued group of readers, what do you want to read? Exercise class reviews, fitness DVDs, Exercise Games, fitness clothing, please help!


I will do my best to post every Friday, and posts will vary from week to week!


I'm really excited about this as it's something I really enjoy doing and I hope it will motive me and you guys, especially in the run up to Christmas.


If you would like to let me know your September resolutions then please do, or any thing else please do comment below!




Thank you for reading xx


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