Weightloss - How I lost 30lb in 5 months

Okay so you guys may have noticed I have been completely AWOL on the blog over the past few months and honestly it's not even because I have lost passion for blogging or anything. I have just been using other social media outlets to document what I've been up to and been so busy learning new things. I feel over the past 6 months I have really grown as a person and made both a mental and psychical transformation - which leads me into the topic of this blog post! 

So since the end of July last year I've lost 30lbs. Lots of people have been asking me 'what's your secret' and everything but I don't have any secrets, I will just tell you how I did it! Before I get into it though I'd like to point out I still am on a weightloss journey and have found such a passion for fitness in the past year so I would really like to start posting more of this content with of course a mix of the stuff I've always posted on here. 

Find something/someone to keep you accountable

1.The first thing I did was sign up to an event called 'survival of the fittest' which is a 10km obstacle course by a company called rat race. After that I thought right okay, how am I going to achieve this goal, like I didn't want it to get to race day and me not be prepared, so I knew I had to put a lot of hard work in or I would just be embarrassed on the day! So I would seriously recommend either signing up to something to train for or to put a date on something you'd like to achieve a goal by - that way it makes it real and you can begin to put the hard work in! 

2. I hired a Personal Trainer who I train with twice a week and still do to this day. Now I know not everyone can afford a personal trainer but don't let money restrict too much. You could always find a few friends who enjoy the gym and do a group PT session to spread the costs and still get a banging work out in! The other option is to go to gym classes, I find these to be a great way to meet like-minded people and also to keep you motivated.  I know PT's are expensive but I honestly find I get every pennies worth. The way my trainer puts me through my paces is amazing! I always like to think I do push myself when I train on my own, but not to the extent that my trainer does. Every time I train we do something different as well! 

What is your diet? 

This is a common question people have asked me, and rightly so because when I see other weightloss transformations, I am always keen to learn how others have achieved such amazing results. For me, I didn't calorie count at all! I just tried to eat the best I could and fuel my body in the right way. I'm a vegetarian and also try to eat plant based where possible as I don't think my body works well with dairy - it gives me spots etc! I will be totally honest and say the old phrase of 'everything in moderation' mantra is true. Believe me when I say I've had sooo many cheat days where I've had dominoes, Chinese, the odd Krispy Kreme etc. Do not deprive yourself! The diet part is actually the bit where I struggle most but I am working so hard to get better every day and you can do the same. Remember the mind gives up before the body! 

What exercise do you do? 

So over the last 6 months I have definitely upped my exercise regime and I am completely loving it. I enjoy a variety of exercise disciplines - classes I currently do include body pump and functional rig class. I also enjoy running and my favourite day at the gym is leg day. Spinning is something I dabble in and go through phases with! Like everyone there are days where I seriously can't be bothered but I have fallen in love with the feeling after a workout, and I love to work up a sweat! The only workout you regret is the one you didn't have!

Let me know if you guys enjoyed reading this, I feel I have a lot of content that I can potentially start posting about fitness and food that I think you will all find really useful and plus I love to have an excuse to keep on track too! 

What Lara Did #2: Running

Good morning guys!

So I posted my first installment to this pretty inconsistent series a while back now - all about Juicing! (Read here). I thought it was about time I did another. You may or may not know, but a while back my dad and I signed up to a 5km race. Now I'm sure some of you fitness fanatics are thinking that's nothing but to me it's a pretty big deal. I'll input some context to the situation; I'm no stranger to running. I used to do athletics all throughout my childhood and was most interested in middle distance running so it is something I have my fair share of experience in. I used to also participate in the school cross countries, I even got through to the English School finals once but never ended up attending (something I really regret now).

Anyways, I did Athletics until  I was about 15 and then  I stopped due to a persistent injury in my knee. Still now I don't entirely know whats up with my knee and I've given up going to physio. However, running is something I always used to enjoy and it's only since I've stopped being good at it it seemed sort of a chore. My dad also was quite the athlete back in the day and so we thought it would make sense to take up a hobby together and hopefully get fitter along the way. We've been doing a mixture of training on our own and together. The 5KM run is on 19th April in Liverpool. As I mentioned, the run is mainly for fitness and hobby purposes however we are raising money for those who lost their lives at the Hillsborough 96 as well, so if anyone would like to donate it would be very very much appreciated and it is for a great cause. You can donate HERE.

I'll be sure to update you of how my run goes, my training has been going well so hopefully it will be a success. After this we're looking at signing up to The Color Run which looks so fun!

Have you signed yourself up to any races this year?

The Green Monster Smoothie

Morning guys!

So seen as a lot of you guys (my self included) are embarking upon a lifestyle change or weight-loss journey in 2015 I thought I would kick-start my first recipe of 2015 with something super tasty, pretty healthy and very green! As they say at The Breakfast Club - "Green is good" and well, it is.

Don't let the fact that this smoothie is green put you off, seriously. I was just as skeptical back in the day and I'm still afraid of full vegetable juices - (a bottle of Carrot Juice in Sweden was almost enough to put me off Juicing for life!). Yes the Spinach makes the Smoothie Green but I kid you not, you won't even be able to taste the Spinach - it will just pack in tonnes of nutrients without compromising on flavour.

This Smoothie requires a mere 2 minutes of preparation and you're set for the day ahead. Oh and it's Vegan!

What you'll need:
1 slice frozen Banana
1 big handful of Spinach
1 TBSP Meridian Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup of Alpro Plain or Vanilla Yogurt
1 Cup Water or Almond Milk
1 TSP Agave Syrup

Simply throw it all in a Blender and serve up. I think this tastes better through a straw as well!

I have one of these Smoothies nearly every day and they taste so good but still keep your sweet cravings at bay.

What is your favourite Smoothie Recipe?

Health & Fitness: Ways To Stay Motivated

Morning guys! So it's still January and hopefully a lot of you have still got that motivation to get fit and create a healthier lifestyle in 2015.

It can be very difficult to stay motivated and at moments of weakness it can be hard to resist temptations. I sometimes cave in and grab a bar of chocolate or a bowl of sugary cereal because I have the worst sweet tooth but the majority of the time I have been trying really hard to stay on track and along the way discover some healthier alternatives to my sweet treats. Just like showering and getting clean doesn't last - neither does motivation and it's recommended that you do it daily!

Ways in which I try to get my self fired up for the week is by checking out Food blogs and Pinterest to give me an idea of the sort of Food I want to be cooking up in the kitchen for that week. I then create a little list of what I'll need and off to do the supermarket dash I go! Blogs that I love reading to give me some food inspo are Oh She Glows & Minimalist Baker - these have tonnes of ideas to get your mouth watering and they're all pretty much healthy vegan or vegetarian! I also like to have a good old peep at the Honestly Healthy & Fashercise websites as well for tips and some tasty recipes.

I'm a very visual person so I need to feed my self with visual images and videos to keep me motivated. I would totally recommend Fully Raw Kristina on Youtube for tips and recipes on leading an active lifestyle - Kristina leads a fully raw Vegan lifestyle but even if you don't you can still use her Videos for some inspiration. I would also recommend the Instagram page ChloesFitness - a fairly recent discovery but Chloe is Vegan and post's some great Food ideas and just has an all round fantastic Instagram page!

I also love to keep up with Vivianna Does Make Up - Anna has started posting a lot more Food & Fitness post's as of late and it is great to get tips from like-minded people. I also love to see other people's progress. Last year Anna took up running and has been entering herself into all sorts of races including a half marathon. This makes me feel very bitter that all the while I have been watching Anna's progress I could have been getting on with getting fitter my self! It just shows how much progress you can make in a short period of time if you put your mind to it and I think it's great to update people with your progress.

Another thing  I would suggest doing if your 1000% dedicated to a lifestyle change is setting up an Instagram page specifically to track your progress - almost like a food diary and fitness progress page. I recently did this and feel it's great because you've got so many other people to hold your accountable for your actions and well if your photographing everything that you scoff then you're less likely to eat junk! It's also a great way to get motivation by scrolling through other people's posts and daily quotes.

What do you do to keep yourself motivated?

Life Lately #2

Lunch at Deli & Dine

Hey lovelies, so excuse me for my lack of posts this past week but I do have a valid excuse (sort of) ...I finally joined the gym! Yep there it is in black and white, I did it! As you guys know I've already been trying to change my eating habits by bringing a lot more fruit and veg into my diet, along with cutting out as much dairy as possible and replacing it with Plant Power aka Alpro! As you can see in the pictures below I got involved in the #AlproTops Campaign which I already blogged about here.

Anyway back to the point - I've been smashing the gym the past week or so and getting into the swing of things so I've found it difficult to juggle blogging, exercise and a full time job but with a little bit more organisation things will totally be fine.

Sooo this is what life has been all about lately...

Focusing on - becoming the best I can be in every aspect of life - work, fitness, lifestyle etc.
Trying - My sister and I went to Wagamamas for the very first time last week and it was incredible. I definitely see what all the hype is about now
Obsessed with - I'm soooo obsessed with breakfast foods at the moment. I truly believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day to get you going for the day and I absolutely love mixing it up and trying new fruits, cereals, smoothies etc so expect a blog post covering this topic very soon!
Been to - I haven't travelled anywhere as such recently. I've mainly been visiting parks and forests when going on dog walks!
Craving - Well its almost 11am and I'm already craving my lunch. First and foremost however a craving I currently keep on having is for Peanut Butter. If any of you know me, you will know I'm a huge Peanut Butter freak and use any opportunity to add it to my meals.

Looking Forward to - In my previous Life Lately post I said I was looking forward to going on holiday and it would hopefully to Venice. WELL, Kyle and I changed our mind last minute and we are now going to Stockholm - the capital of Scandinavia on the 30th June for 3 nights. So yes, you could say that is something I am totally looking forward to. 

Dreaming About - the day when  I will have the perfect little office in my bedroom (which hopefully wont be too long away until this becomes a reality)

Reflecting On - How the past few months my life has become better in so many aspects - financially, socially, lifestyle and blogging, its all going good for me at the moment (fingers crossed)

Currently Wanting to - Go and get my Peanut Butter Bounce Ball from the fridge - there will be a post about this recipe soon also. 

Reading - I'm obsessed with Pulse News Feed on LinkedIn and Buzzfeed. I religiously read their articles every day. I've been a bit slack on the actual book side of things lately admittedly...

Addicted to - Orange Is The New Black. Since I finished Breaking Bad and I became depressed about life, I thought it would be a good idea to find another TV show to get addicted to, rather than dwelling on how rubbish my life is since Walter White & Jesse Pinkman are no longer around. 

My First Ever Wagamamas 

New Gym Gear

Naughty Desserts at Wagamamas

Homemade Soup in my new Cath Kidston tubs

Soya Tea take out  in preparation for a dog walk

Time For A Health Kick

Morning guys, I must say it's been a while but don't worry I've got lots of things to share with you over the next couple of weeks so keep checking out my blog for more info.

But right now, one thing that I really need to get sorted is - my fitness! I am SO unfit. For once in my life I just want to feel confident in a bikini and have that perfect summer body, now this is gonna take some hard work but I am prepared to work for it.

The last couple of weeks I've started biking and playing a bit of Badminton which I really enjoy, it's hard work but is soooo much fun. I've been on the odd few runs but it is proving difficult for me at the moment because by the time I get home from work it's too dark to go running. (I probably just need to quit the excuses but hey ho!). One thing that I know will motivate me is getting some new sports wear. I don't really own much gym kit and think that if I just sacrificed some money on getting some I would be so much more motivated.

I am going to attempt to get myself into a proper routine in which I am exercising daily and feel loads better for it. So in preparation for my health kick I thought I would put together a little mood board of the sports gear which I hope to purchase very soooon.

Normally I'm more of a Nike fan but one thing I am loving is the Stella Mccartney Addidas collection - it's just wow! It's deffffs up my street and it's just that little bit different plus it's not too expensive, so I am really hoping to purchase this zip up hoodie as soon as I get a chance.

I've  also seen the perfect pair of Nike SBs from Streetwear company Attitude Inc. The colours are so vibrant and have the perfect summery feel to them. Nothing is more refreshing than getting a new pair of trainers, especially running trainers as they get to go on your little fitness journey with you, which I think is a lovely concept.

I've been wanting to get my hands on some running leggings for a while now just literally plain black Nike ones will do it for me. They will team amazing with the Purple Midnight Sports Bra Crop from Nike and I can't wait to purchase one. :)

I've been using Pinterest boards and fitness inspo on Instagram & Twitter to get me fired up to do this health kick and I just know once I've purchased the right gear and got an eating plan together I will finally get myself looking the way I want to look!

What do you use to motivate you??

My New Years Resolutions!

Hey all!

First of all I would like to wish you all a very happy new year - I hope you find 2014 a successful and happy year full of wonderful memories and most of all I hope you all had an amazingggg Christmas - I know I certainly did.

Anyway, soooo...it's been a very long time since I've written a blog post (please don't hate me) - in all honesty the last few months I've been rushed off my feet and just felt totally exhausted so I decided to give myself a rest. Silly really as now I'm back, I already feel like I never went anywhere and have missed my fellow bloggers.

Call it a cliche' post all you like but I feel doing a new years resolution post/goals for the forthcoming year is somewhat refreshing and makes you feel almost as though anything is possible.

So I guess Ill start by sharing with you all my goals for 2014 :)

• Start running again - I used to run a lot when I was younger and have always taken a huge interest in Athletics, so I think its time to get the old running spikes out again. I stopped last year because of constant problems with my knees but I now feel ready to overcome that challenge and get back on the jogging scene. I don't necessarily want to get back into running to compete again but I certainly want to start again - mainly to increase my fitness, partly for enjoyment and also because I'm thinking of doing the Tough Mudder challenge!
• Drink more water - It sounds silly but I really don't drink enough water, I always forget which is bad really because it is soooo important to keep your body hydrated. The way I plan on doing this is by swapping cups of tea to glasses of water whilst at work (we all know that having a cup of tea at work will follow by dunking several biscuits in your cuppa, not good!)
• Do 100 squats a day - I used to do this last year and quite liked my bum back then but since having problems with my knees I stopped.
• Do 100 sit ups a day  - I have never liked my stomach and I am determined to get it flat and toned for the summer.
• Blog 3 times a week - I love blogging so much and it seems a waste to not do it on a regular basis if it is something I enjoy, so expect to see this page much more active in 2014, starting now. Through blogging I hope to meet lots of like-minded people who share the same interests as me. Next week I'll be doing a 'my blogging goals for 2014' post so I'll expand more on the blogging part of things very soon!
• Save money - The last half of 2013 I spent a lot of money, I did some amazing things and it was all so worth the pennies I spent but this year I plan to knuckle down and be a lot more wiser with my money!

This month on my blog it will be all about looking back on last year and goal setting to get you all (including myself) excited and focused for the year ahead. 

What are your new years resolutions?