8 Ways to Lift Your Spirits!

Hey guys,
I'm feeling a little down today. I never like to let a bad mood last too long, as I am a strong believer in creating situations with thoughts. Negative thoughts create negative energy and that is not something I want in my life! It's surprisingly easy to cheer yourself up sometimes, and it's always worth a try. Here are the 8 things I like to do to help me lift my spirits when I'm feeling low- you can do them all in one day and go to bed feeling amazing!

Physical...

When you're feeling grumpy it's tempting to just stay in bed all day and wallow. Rest up for sure, but don't spend too long lying in one place over thinking whatever it is that has upset you.

Says it all.

Do something productive

I've chosen to write up a blog post. You could do that too, or apply for jobs, internships, placements etc. Pick something you've been neglecting on your to-do-list and get it done! Distract your mind from whatever has got you down by keeping busy doing something you've needed to do. It makes you feel better because you've done something productive, even though you initially didn't feel like doing anything. It's a small accomplishment and something to feel good about!

Tidy Up

It actually really helps me to do a bit of cleaning or to tidy my room, or any room where you will spending the most time. A clear space will bring clearer thoughts. Plus, cleaning is another way to distract your mind and keep busy. Blast your favourite tunes in the background and sing along. It honestly makes it feel so much less like a chore and kind of  fun...or is that just me?!

Take a short walk if you don't feel up to a workout!

Workout

One of the hardest things to get motivated to do, especially when you are in a bad mood. But once you get going, you'll probably find yourself working harder than normal as you channel all that bad energy you were feeling into toning and shaping your body. You'll feel great once the endorphins start kicking in, and by the end of the workout you will feel that sense of achievement again, knowing that you chose to do something really good for yourself rather than lie around feeling crap. 

(Invest in a workout DVD like Sixty Second Promise, where you can do fifteen minute interval training workouts- no equipment needed. It's perfect for gloomy days when you just need a quick (but challenging) burst, not a long, gruelling session.)

Pamper yourself!

Make yourself look amazing and the feeling will follow! One of my rules of life is you can't feel bad if you look good! Wash your hair, paint your nails, take a long bath or shower, use an amazing body cream, take your time choosing the perfect outfit... really make an effort. As you watch yourself blossom in the mirror as you get ready, you'll be sending your brain more and more positive messages about yourself and by the time you are done, whatever you were in a bad mood about will be a much smaller, less dominant thought. You'll be too busy thinking about where you should go and show yourself off now that you look so good! 

Meet up with your funniest friend

Go out for a meal or to watch a film with a good, positive, happy friend who always makes you laugh.  Hit a club if you want, whatever makes you feel good, but getting out for a little while always helps as there are so many things to distract you from your thoughts. 

Mental...

Some bad moods can be worse than others and it will often take more than just physical things you can do to cheer up. You have to literally rewire your brain and make yourself feel better by thinking better things. 

Allow yourself to feel how you feel

All it takes!

It's natural to feel frustrated, sad, angry, irritated and just generally gloomy sometimes. Without negative feeling you wouldn't know how good it feels to be positive. Don't lie to yourself and tell yourself that everything is sunshine and rainbows when it isn't. False positivity won't last and you'll end up feeling worse than before. Feel what you feel, and accept that you feel that way. Feel it for a few minutes, then let it go and start trying to feel better. In other words, feel, but don't dwell. 

Reverse thoughts

Remind yourself that you don't want to build up too much negative energy around your life. Then, start taking whatever negative thoughts you are feeling and squashing them with true, positive thoughts about your life. For example, the thought "I hate not having any money," may pop into your head. Squash it with "but I do have a roof over my head, food on the table every night and close to wear." Find a positive for every negative thought until you feel better. It does work, if you allow it to!

Write a gratitude list

There will be something in your life that you're grateful for. Write it down. Write down every good thing you have going for you in your life, every great person that you know. Make a list of five or ten things, and refer back to it when you feel negative thoughts creeping up on you. Add to it whenever good things happen and keep it handy for down days. 

I actually feel a lot better after writing this post. Even thinking back to what initially annoyed me isn't bothering me as much any more. And I haven't even done my workout yet!  

Stay happy guys xxx

My ombre experiment

Anyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with my hair. I love experimenting with styles and legnths but when it comes to colour I am not so brave- I stick to subtle, barely there tints, jet black or my natural brown. I went red a few years ago, and experimented with ombre back in 2013 when the trend blew up and took my hair colour just one shade of brown lighter (snoooooozeballs.....)

This year, after investing in some beautiful high quality Cambodian hair extensions from Lovehaironline which I heard from many reviews can be dyed multiple times without damage, I decided to try ombre again- but this time I wanted a vibrant, noticeable change in colour. 

After scouring the internet for reviews and watching countless Youtube tutorials, I decided to get the  Loreal Preference Wild Ombre kit as it seemed easy enough for a hair dye novice like me to use. And it was- I dip dyed my hair and was left with a professional, effortless looking ombre effect on my hair that was STILL TOO DARK!!! arghhhh... It was my fault really. I was such a wimp that I was too scared to leave the dye on for more than 10 minutes as I didn't want it toooo light on the bottom- so I washed it out a little too early and although the kit lightened my hair a bit- after close inspection and some encouragement from my girls, a week later I decided to ombre over my ombre and purchased another kit. I looked everywhere on Google for info on using the kit twice and 're-ombre-ing' and found nothing! Maybe I was overthinking but I was nervous about sooo many things- do I start the dye off higher this time and if I do will it look three tone? As the hair is lighter brown now how long do I leave it on for this time? I decided to just bite the bullet and go for it in the end and here's how it went! 

This is the kit I used both times- 001 for dark brown to light brown hair. 

This was taken just before I dyed my hair for the second time. If you look closely you can see the results of my first attempt- nice but tooo subtle for 2015! Note- after first attempt hair is still strong and shiny- no damage at all! 

Super easy and comes with instructions- mix all the contents together in this bottle, shake it all up- then cover the brush provided with the mixture.  The smell is quite strong and unpleasant but not unbearable- just focus on the excitement of your new hair! 

 

Clip the top section of your hair up and out the way and start to apply the dye to the bottom section of your hair. 

Make sure you saturate the hair in the dye- use the whole bottle! (First attempt I didn't use the whole bottle, this time I did) 

Why does your nose always itch at the worst times?!?! 

Keep brushing the dye through the bottom sections- once they are completely covered you'll notice the hair starting to lighten- taking this into account I started my ombre of the bottom sections higher up than the first time- it has more time to take effect whilst you dye the rest of your hair. 

Crunch time! Unclip the top sections of your hair and brush the dye through! Reapply the dye to the brush for each new section of hair you take. 

Can you see? The hair already looks lighter under the dye. I left the dye in this time for about 20 minutes but timed the wait from when the bottom section of my hair started to lighten- I still was super scared that my end result would be too light. 

I then washed the dye out and used half a bottle of the conditioner provided- smells OK and left my hair feeling soft and smooth! Dried my hair and .....

Finished! A much more vibrant, coppery brown. 

Very happy with the result!! Second time around my hair is still in great condition. It did feel just a little bit drier than after the first time, but after my next hair wash it was back to feeling silky and smooth. Overall, two very easy and fun experiences using this kit. It does exactly what it says on the box. 

It might be DIY and easy but it packs a strong punch- I wouldn't recommend leaving the dye on for any longer than 45 minutes in the hope of achieving a more vibrant colour- the dye starts to take effect almost immediately and both times I washed out before the suggested time frame and still ended up with a rich colour. 

Only negative I would say is that I wasn't blown away by the smell of the conditioner and felt like I could faintly smell the dye in my hair for a day or two after. Apart from that, so glad I did this! It's the perfect change for girls like me who want to experiment without being too drastic or for anyone who just wants a sexy new look! 

J x

My Diet Tips

Hey loves,
I'm planning on dropping a stone and toning up for Summer! If you want to do the same I hope these tips and tricks can motivate you. I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

I'm using MAXITONE SCULPTRESS meal replacement diet shakes- I've blogged some info on where you can get it, what it tastes like, links to their website etc in this post so check it out if you want to know more! I'm using one of these to replace breakfast (as I never eat it anyway) and another to go with a small lunch, and then having healthy dinners! Thankfully salmon and chicken are two of my favourite foods, grill and eat with brown rice for a super healthy, filling and delicious dinner. Between shakes, fruits make a good snack. Drinking plenty of water is a must, so be prepared to start taking a lot more toilet breaks! But remember, it's good! You want to get rid of all the excess water so you wont feel bloated and you can actually see your flat tummy starting to form!

Another thing I invested in to help me with this diet is a herbal tea I found in Holland & Barrett - it's called Dr Stuart's Slim Plus tea. It's caffeine free and contains a combo of appetite suppressing herbs including fennel, and I must say so far I am finding it works! You just don't really feel hungry for a while after drinking this. Taste wise, it's OK- really not bad to be honest. It literally just tastes like hot water with herbs. Of course, you can't put sugar in it! So it's best to just enjoy the soothing warmth of it and think of the benefits of drinking it rather than the taste. One box has 15 tea bags, I got two to last me the month as they were on sale at £1.75. Normally they cost £2.19- not a bad price at all! I'm drinking one cup a day, normally in the evening around 7pm when I don't want to eat anything else for the night.

A great way to keep track of your progress is the My Fitness Pal app, listed as a calorie counter app but SO much more than that. It is an excellent way to keep track of not just how many calories you are eating, but how much protein, saturated fat, carbs etc you are consuming as well. It takes into account how much water you drink and how much exercise you do, and it can give you daily and weekly stats on the food you've eaten! During set up, you tell the app how much weight you want to lose and in what amount of time. At the end of every day that you complete your food diary, it tells you how close or far you are away from your target weight, so there's extra motivation as well! I love this app as it really does help me make healthier decisions- I can see the calorie content of a food and how it will affect my progress before I eat it.

 

Screenshots from the app, which has a massive database of food, brands and their calorie content

Hope this helps! I'll keep you posted! J x

Maxitone Basics

 I've been trying to diet for a while but I am RUBBISH- I love my food and hate to deprive myself of the things I love to eat! My thing is eating out- it's a great excuse to spend time with friends and not cook! Unfortunately, it's not the healthiest way of eating and they say you consume 200 more calories eating out than you would at home. (sigh.) I would really love to shed a few pounds and slim down- because of the things I eat, I worry that although I'm totally normal sized and not overweight- one day it will all catch up on me and I'll wake up the size of an elephant! Irrational and totally silly, I know, but better to be safe than sorry! :) This irrational fear paired with my love of eating out leads to- you guessed it- yo yo dieting! I'll be strict for a few days or weeks but before I can get into a good routine temptation strikes and it's back to square one. I know I'm not the only one!!! But as 2015 hit I decided to revamp my whole attitude to weight loss and dieting- and I think I've finally found a plan that suits me- if you're in the same position as me hopefully this will work for you too!

I came across an interesting article the other day which you can read here - apparently different types of diets are better suited for different types of 'eating personalities' which are divided into three categories- feasters, cravers and emotional eaters. If you're anything like me, you're a craver and you know it, which is why when I decided to invest money into my weight loss I opted for something that would keep cravings for unhealthy food at bay. What I found was a meal replacement protein shake for women called MAXITONE SCULPTRESS.

It instantly sounded like something I wanted to try. Packed with 21 vitamins and minerals including green tea extract- an excellent weight loss aid- and coming in three yummy sounding flavours, this shake is designed to be drank once or twice a day in place of a meal- it's filling enough to stop you craving in between meals and the protein content means you can recover quicker from your workouts which you should do alongside dieting with this shake. I scoured the Internet for reviews before purchasing, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that a majority of them were excellent- women saying they had actually managed to lose lots of weight in a matter of weeks using the shake. I'd heard enough. I purchased the shake powder and I'm on my third day of my diet and I have to say the shake really does keep you feeling full between meals and stops cravings- I don't feel the need to snack at all! I'll keep you posted on my progress and will post some pics but so far so good! Not so bloated, much more energy while working out and feeling great! Here are some other things you should know if you're thinking of trying this out-

• The shake retails at £24.99 for 700g on the Maxitone website but you can get the same size tub for about £16.00 on Amazon or eBay. They also do a cute shaker bottle with a hot pink lid (I couldn't resist!) I got it for a fiver on eBay. A lot of the reviews said it leaks, but I've have no problems with it, just make sure you take extra effort to screw the lid on properly and test it before you take the bottle out with you!
• Going by the reviews, Strawberry Sundae is the best tasting flavour. Banana reviews were quite mixed, but I think I saw more negative than positive. The Chocolate Delight flavour got pretty good reviews, and this is the flavour that I opted for.  I must say it's actually not bad at all. You mix it with water, but once it's shaken up it has quite a thick, milkshakey consistency. It's quite sweet, and it does taste like chocolate with just a slight powdery aftertaste. Definitely drinkable! A few reviews said that it tastes better if you make it and then leave it set in the fridge for a while. I tried that and personally think it tastes better and more milkshakey if you drink it straight away. Try both and see what you prefer. 
• The tub says your shake should consist of 2 25g scoops of powder. The scoop they provide in the tub reads '55ml'. This totally baffled me as I didn't know how much powder the scoop held in grams and how many scoops I should use. So on one day, thinking that I've been using too much, I half filled the scoops and my shake was watery and a bit gross. I weighed a full scoop of powder on my scales and it turns out that this indeed is 25g. So two whole scoops of powder, and I mean powder filled right to the top of the scooper, is the amount you should be using.

So that's pretty much the basics on the Maxitone weight loss shake and what to expect from it. My next post will have tips on how to use it with your diet and what works well with it. Wish me luck!

J x

2015!

HAPPY NEW YEAR LOVES!

I am so excited for 2015! I have lots of plans for this year and I really do believe that the key to a successful and enjoyable year is to go into it with plenty of goals, motivation and positivity! Not everyone believes in New Year's Resolutions but I think they are a great way to give up old habits and challenge and push yourself so you can experience growth in the new year. If you haven't made any and you aren't feeling too excited about 2015, why not sit down and write a little list of things you can do to make 2015 the best year ever?

They don't all have to be serious, huge life changes. You could decide that you're going to have a pamper day at the end of every month so you can go into the next month feeling your best (oooh...I'm going to steal that one!). Or you could open a savings account and decide you're going to save for a holiday, listen to different types of music, spend more time with your Mum, do/try something new every other weekend...anything that will make this year different from the last in a positive way!

One of my resolutions is definitely to blog more.  If my other resolutions go well I will have lots to tell you about- another is to lose weight and tone up in time for summer and I will tell you all about what methods I am using and track my progress in another blog post. I also have decided I'm going to be brave and dye my hair- I'm hopefully going to film the whole process and show you how it goes! That's another one of my resolutions- to start vlogging- and that's the scariest one for me yet. It's totally unknown territory and I think I'd be sooo self-conscious and embarrassed- but I'm going to push myself to get over that and put myself out there.

Let's make this an amazing year guys! Looking forward to sharing all my new experiences with you!

J x

Rimmel London Colour Rush Balm

Hey Guys!

I have been searching for a long lasting, non-drying and beautifully coloured lipstick I can wear everyday for a while now. I like to buy my everyday lipsticks on the high street as I go through them so quickly, so this mythical perfect lipstick has to be budget friendly as well. With no success as of yet, I have turned to Rimmel Colour Rush Balm- technically not classed as a lipstick but making me just as happy!

 I was apprehensive at first because I normally go for matte lipsticks- I am not a fan of lip glosses or anything too shiny on the lips. I'll be honest with you, the big kid in me saw a massive, brightly coloured crayon and couldn't resist.  I purchased not one, but three different shades to try out (I'm an impulsive, all or nothing kind of make-up buyer) and luckily, I have not looked back...or touched another lip product in my make-up bag since.

My weakness is a dramatic, show-stopping shade of red- think MAC Ruby Woo- so naturally my first choice of shade in the colour balm range was The Redder The Better. The next shade I went for was Boom Chic A Boom, a vibrant pink with a slight purple tint,  and finally I picked the last essential- you know, for those days when you just can't decide between pink and red. The somewhere in the middle All You Need Is Pink. (Honestly speaking now, I bought this shade by accident, mistaking it for a red- rookie mistake!)

So, here is why these are the new favorite things in my make-up bag.

As I applied this balm for the first time I noticed that it looks shiny at first but it does not have that sticky lip gloss texture- it is SO smooth and glides across your lips leaving an even coat of rich color. The first coat is pretty bright- though for a really eye-catching look the packaging recommends two coats as the more you apply, the more the colour builds up. 

Personally, I apply three to four coats with the pinks as I find the colour is less intense than the red shade in which I only need two coats. No matter how many coats you choose to apply, this balm is light, so light you could easily forget you are wearing it. And once it dries it does not budge for hours- the best thing about it! 

Boom Chic A Boom!

After a few hours the balm does lose its luster- but as the colour stains your lips it looks like a matte lipstick. After about four or five hours I find that it may need a slight top up and one quick sweep of this over your the top and it literally looks as good as new. There is no build up of gooey residue, and once it dries fully there is no smudging, no coming off on glasses or people's cheeks and all the other annoying things us lipstick addicts suffer. It really is moisturising- it's not in the Vaseline or Chapstick league but at the end of a long day your lips will still feel smooth and soft. The balm also has a beautiful scent, like a sweet, soft vanilla type smell (but tastes of nothing so don't even bother LOL). In future reviews you can expect to see negative as well as positive points...but I really don't have a bad word to say about this product. It does exactly what it says on the tin. 

http://uk.rimmellondon.com/products/lips/lasting-finish-colour-rush-balm

Wearing Boom Chic A Boom

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!
JJ xxx