A northern girl who is a 5th Dan in the Korean martial art of Taekwondo.
A gym bunny who loves all aspects of health and fitness.
An animal lover who co-drives in rallies.
A lover of life, my family and friends who can't resist a bargain.
Fiancée of Phil.
You will find my blog filled with a wide variety of posts relating to the things I love, am passionate about and that make me happy :)
Thanks for stopping by xXx
Sorry for the delay in getting this post up, this time of year is crazy as usual!!
I recently made my friend a protein hot chocolate, she wasn't aware protein hot choc existed, so it made how many other people are in the dark about this fabulous treat!
I have tried a few different brands and to date my favourite is this one from MyProtein.
Each serving of Protein Hot Chocolate has over 15g of protein sourced from a unique combination of Milk Protein Concentrate, PeptoPro® (Casein Hydrolysate) and Micellar Casein.
Each serving provides less than half a gram of fat and only 4g of sugar.
I am sure you don't need instructions to make hot chocolate, however, at this time of year I like to make my hot chocolate a little naughty, here's my recipe for protein Irish cream hot chocolate :)
I have added links to the ingredients I use.
Directions:
Gently heat your milk in a saucepan and add the protein powder
Stir until smooth
Pour in your Irish Cream (up to you how much you add!)
Give it a good stir
Pour into your cup
If desired add whipped cream, marshmallows and a crumbled flake on top :)
The great thing about this is you can add as little or as much as you like, so you can choose how naughty you are!!
MYPROTEIN also offer a Hot Mocha and a Hot Latte which are both delicious too :)
So, for the first time ever I am going to an official, organised New Year party.
The party has quite a snazzy theme so I decided a new dress was in order, in my usual Google trawl I came across the ericdress website, and was thoroughly impressed with what I saw.
It's not very often I go somewhere that warrants a full on evening gown so I plan to make the most of it. On the ericdress website there are sections for weddings, special occasions, general fashion, shoes and accessories. There are so many fabulous items on there it took me around 2 hours to feel I had viewed everything. I am still a little undecided on which dress to go for so I have forced myself to narrow it down to three options and hope you can help me decide?
This is the Beaded Ruched Short Cocktail Dress I like the understated designed of this dress which is set off by the beading to make it stand out. Perfect for the party season!!
All of these dresses are available in many different colours so you can pick and choose according to your theme or destination. The dresses can also be altered in some cases too. They are currently gearing up to their black Friday sale so now is the time to visit the website :)
The ericdress website receives excellent reviews, once I have decided on which dress to buy I will post again about the delivery experience and the actual dress when I receive it.
As I will be looking to buy some bridesmaid dresses in the near future, I may well be stopping of here in my search.
I look forward to hearing which dress you think I should go for :) Comments below please!!
These little treats are perfect after a late gym session when you need your protein intake but don't want to eat anything too heavy:
Stuff you'll need:
1 ½ cups Rice Krispie cereal
1-2 tbsp. honey depending on how sweet you like things
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
2 scoops of your favourite protein powder.(PhD Diet whey is my favourite!)
½ cup oatmeal
½ tsp. vanilla extract
How to Make:
Preheat oven to 160 degress
Lightly coat your baking tray with 1 cal. spray.
Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, then place into the baking tray.
Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the mixture is crisp.
Once you take them out you can drizzle them with some good quality dark chocolate should you wish (or any other topping that may take your fancy!) You can add nuts, chocolate chips or raisins to the mix when you fancy a change.
I am still obsessed with eBay, I am not sure this will ever end.........
I was at a hen do last weekend and really fancied something new to wear but didn't really have the cash for a shopping spree. Quite by accident I spotted this dress on eBay and had to have it! It was brand new without tags and I snagged it for 99p!! I know can you believe it!
Of course, once I had the dress I had to find some shoes to match!! And guess what, I got these beauties for 99p too. So that's a full outfit postage included for £6.78!!! I could hardly believe it.
I painted my nails to match (Barry M Gelly of course!), popped on some gold dangly earrings and I was ready to go! I received so many nice comment about my outfit, it just shows you don't need to spend a fortune to feel good. I like a splurge as much as the next girl but I love a bargain more!
The finished result :)
I think with all the pressure these days to look amazing and spend a fortune to get there it's nice to look and feel good having been thrifty :)
You may have read my previous post with a recipe for protein muffins and I promised I would share some more of my protein packed recipes soon.
This is a great breakfast recipe but is also good for an any-time snack too.
Ingredients:
2 scoops PhD Diet Whey vanilla protein powder
2 scoops almond meal
4 egg whites
1/2 cup of water
3 tsp Sugar or Stevia if you are being good
1/4 cup of choc-chips (any kind you like)
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together until batter is formed, it will be quite thick!!
Pour batter onto heated nonstick pan to form pancakes (I spray with 1cal fry light first)
Flip pancakes after the bottom bubbles, and remove promptly when each side is cooked.
I find pancakes work better if the pan isn't too hot that the burn practically right away, you may need to do a couple of test ones with varying temperatures to begin with :)
This will makes around 6 pancakes
If you try them, let me know what you think?
I will share some more protein powder recipe's soon :)
We had a bookcase in the house that we've had for a number of years now and after decorating it didn't match anymore. I really didn't want to throw it away so I decided to give it a make over.
The rest of the room has a grey/lilac theme so it really looks 'part of the furniture' now!!
It took some time and patience to achieve the finished result, I took the shelves out of the casing and painted them separately, this finished result was achieved by using 2 coats of grey and 3 coats of white. I recommend using a smaller roller to apply the paint, you can get these in Poundland with 4 rollers. I used a wallpaper cutting tool to ensure a smooth edge.
I absolutely love the Rust-oleum range of chalk furniture paints, The paint can be used directly onto wood (bare or painted), brick, stone, plaster or any suitably primed rigid surface (metal, plastic etc).
You can also create a distressed look by applying two coats in contrasting colours then sanding or scouring when dry.
I have recently discovered that this paint is available in Boyes for £12 making it much cheaper than any other stores.
This is the current range of fab colours:
If you need any tips please just ask :) I'd love to see your similar project too! xXx
I have a wedding coming up at the end of the month, it's a while since I've been to a wedding so I really want to look and feel my best.
As I mentioned in a previous post I snapped up this fab Miss Selfridge dress for just £8, it's a little different to my usual style so I looking forward to wearing it!
Arms, legs and back will be on show so I will be sure not to slack in my training.
(I intend to do a separate post about my training regime in the near future)
I am currently in full on training mode so hopefully by the end of November I'll be ready to rock this little number!
So now I just need to decide what is going to go with it.......
I am still a bit obsessed with Barry M Gelly nail polish and think this shade which I bought a little while ago will go perfectly:
My black River Island blazer will be the perfect cover up, along with these amazing New Look Heels which I have just ordered online!!
Now I've just go to decide on make up and jewellery, have you any recommendations?
I am a big fan of protein shakes after my workout to re-fuel without filling up too much.
I have tried many varieties over the years but I think I have now found a firm favourite from a company called PhD.
This is the PhD 'premium promise': PhD Nutrition deliver innovative and inspirational sports nutrition products that not only taste great, but deliver serious results. Whether you are a world class athlete, or just beginning in the gym, PhD believe that your requirements are just as important as each others. Internationally recognized for absolute quality and innovation, PhD Nutrition work with a number of selected brand ambassadors and sports teams, chosen for their ideals, ethics and ambition to promote quality PhD sports nutrition.
The product I have fallen in love with is called Diet Whey
I chose the strawberry delight flavour to start with and have stuck with this as it is so delicious, I do plan to try the other flavours in future.
I tend to use this shake after a workout and I mix one scoop with 1% fat milk as I prefer this to water. Having said that this is one of the few shakes I've had with water that is drinkable. I often add a banana, some strawberries or some frozen fruit to the mix too.
I have noticed a huge difference since I started using this product, especially in my arms, shoulders, back and abs. I find that a once scoop shake keeps me feeling full for a good few hours.
I use a stick blender when making my shake to make sure I achieve the best consistency possible.
This product contains 34g of protein per 50g which is the highest I have found in a diet whey. Is also the lowest calorie formula I have come across too.
PhD suggest that Diet Whey is ideal for
Men and women following a weight management nutritional plan.
Slimmers and gym goers looking to lose body fat and control calorie intake.
Anyone seeking a high protein dietary supplement.
Anyone looking to replace a meal with a high protein, low sugar shake.
So, what's in there??
Whey Protein:
Derived from milk and high in amino acids such as Cysteine and Glutamine, Whey
Protein Concentrate is typically comprised of various protein fractions (such
as Beta Lactoglobulin) that are being regularly researched and studied for
their potential benefits to Health and well being.
Soya Protein:
Isolated from the Soy Bean, Soya Protein Isolate is extremely high in protein
when in raw format (up to 90%), low fat, low carbohydrate and becoming a staple
and better understood form of high quality protein for health and weight
control. Soybeans also contain biologically active or metabolic proteins, such
as enzymes, trypsin inhibitors, hemagglutinins, and cysteine proteases very
similar to papain.
Milk Protein:
Typically high in the important Branched Chain Amino Acids
Diet Whey also contains other added ingredients
such as:
CLA (Conjugated
linoleic acid): CLA is a Linoleic fatty acid found traditionally in dairy and
fish and has long been used in weight management formulas as an addition, or
stand-alone ingredient.
L-Carnitine:
In living cells, Carnitine is required for the transport of fatty acids from
the cytosol into the mitochondria during the breakdown of lipids (fats) for the
generation of metabolic energy.
Green Tea Extract:
Green tea extract is a herbal derivative from green tea leaves. Green tea
extract contains Catechins or Green Tea Catechins, which have been used by
health conscious individuals for many years for it’s potential antioxidant
effect.
Flaxseed: Flax
seeds contain high levels of dietary fibre as well as lignans, an abundance of
micronutrients and omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have shown that flax seeds may
lower cholesterol levels.
I really can't recommend this product enough, having tried pretty much every diet shake on the market I can safely say this is the best yet. PhD offer sample sizes too which is great as it means you don't end up stuck with 2kg of something you won't use. Try it, you wont regret it!
Another great thing about this product is you can cook with it and it adds an amazing flavour!
Strawberry and choc chip oatmeal protein muffins
Serving Size: 6
Ingredients:
1 cup oats
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp all spice
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
6-8 fresh strawberries
2 scoops strawberry delight PhD Diet Whey
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
Directions:
Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl
Blend strawberries into the yogurt and add to the dry ingredients
Mix well
Spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and add mixture
Add a slice of strawberry for decoration
Bake for 25-30 mins at 200 degrees
Enjoy!!
Jo
xXx
*I am buying Diet Whey myself and this post is not sponsored in any way.
When I was growing up, my parents took me to the Sunderland Illuminations every year, the illuminations stopped in the 1990's much to many a small child's dismay (me included!)
The illuminations made a comeback in 2013 but unfortunately I didn't get to visit, so when I heard they were back for 2014 with an Alice in Wonderland theme, I couldn't wait to go.
My best friend and I visited last Saturday and had a wonderful time.
You can find more information on the illuminations here
Before our visit to the illuminations (we had to wait until it was dark) we decided to have a look around Sunderland as neither of us had been for some time. We started with a bit of shopping in The Bridges shopping centre which has improved dramatically since the last time I was there and has a really good range of shops now including the following:
There is also a large Debenhams to where I managed to snap up this fabulous dress reduced from £39.00 to £8.00 in the Miss Selfridge concession. Perfect for the wedding I will be attending soon.
As well as the above there are many independent and speciality shops, cafes, bars, the Empire theatre, the Sunderland museum and winter gardens and a cinema complex in Sunderland, all within easy walking distance of the centre of town.
The Empire Theatre, Sunderland
Inside the Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens
We had dinner in a fabulous restaurant called Louie Louie which is an all you can eat buffet. We had never heard of it before but had a 2 for 1 voucher from the local paper and decided to give it a whirl, and boy were we glad we did!
I believe this place has recently been re-branded from Mr. Hau's to Louie Louie, and it had received some critical reviews in the past. We were welcomed in quickly and seated in a quiet spot, the restaurant itself is very spacious and the décor is good. The selection of foods was excellent, predominantly Chinese but also Indian, Japanese and English. There is also an are where you are able to chose from fresh ingredients and watch the chefs cook something for you. All of the food I tried was tasty, I am a vegetarian and managed to find more than enough choice. Some of the food has been out perhaps a little longer than is desirable e.g. the naan breads but we did eat at 5pm which is the change over time between lunch and dinner. The desert section was excellent with fresh fruit, cakes, Eaton mess, an ice cream bar and a chocolate fountain. With regards to drinks we were very surprised to find out that soft drinks were included in the price as were tea and coffee which is very unusual. I would certainly visit again.
You can find out more about Sunderland here. If you are planning a visit to Sunderland or the North East, I am more than happy to advise you :)
County Durham is my home town, and I love it here. Have you ever been? If not why not?
Arrange a visit pronto! Durham has something for everyone. Here are some of the best bits in pictures:
Inside the Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens
