Little floral dress

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?

xXx

 

 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 
 

Whey hey!!

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

Preparation Time: 10 Mins

Cooking Time: 25 Mins

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.

 

Spectacular Sunderland

Sunderland is a city which lies at the heart of the City of Sunderland metropolitan borough, a part of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. It is situated at the mouth of the River Wear.

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 :)

 

xXx

 

 

 

 

 

 

Durham Dreams.......

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:

Whatever the weather.....

For some reason this lunchtime I started thinking about the weather.

From a fleeting thought I was distracted by this for a further 15 minutes. I was thinking about all of the different types of weather we experience as humans, and the effects it can have on us environmentally, physically and mentally. I finally drew the conclusion that weather is a truly awesome thing!

Tea and Cake

I don't know about you but I think tea and cake is one of the nicest things in the world.

I would struggle to name my favourite cake, I have so many..... what's your favourite?
It really amazes me how many different types of cake there are, and types of tea come to mention it, one of my favourite teas of all time is Rington's green tea with citrus.

There's something about having a great wedge of cake with a hot cup of tea that feels truly indulgent.

xXx