Fitness Friday: 5:2 Diet

So it's time for Fitness Friday! You can check out all of my previous Fitness Friday posts here but today I'm talking diets.

My Fitness Friday posts will include workout tips, favourite exercises and wishlists. I must make it clear that I am not a fitness professional, nor do I have any qualifications. These are simply what works for me and what I do myself in the gym. However, I do work in a leisure centre, so I am friends with many gym instructors, personal trainers and my brother studies Sports Science at university - and most of these tips are from them! I hope you enjoy joining my fitness journey and sharing your own tips too.

In this post, I wanted to talk about that diet that everyone is talking about, yes it's the 5:2, or 'Fast Diet.' If you aren't sure what it is, in simple terms you eat normally for five days a week but two times a week you limit your calorie intake to just 500 calories. I personally tried this for a couple of months two years ago, but it fell by the wayside as my university exams became the priority - studying on 500 calories a day is impossible! However after moving home, where the fridge is always full, I've needed to reevaluate my diet and give the 5:2 another go.

To help me along, I've been using My Fitness Pal to track my calories, which is a handy free app to log all of your meals. However, my main problem with it is that I don't weigh my food so I'm sure that I'm actually eating more than I log. This is where Exante Diet* comes in handy. They provide prepared foods with all the calories and vitamins calculated for you and they have started to angle their products towards 5:2 dieters. Each packet I was sent included a 200 calorie meal, perfect for those fast days. You simply add either hot or cold water to the powder, depending on whether you want soups or shakes, and blend. I found that using a blender created a better result than a whisk and it was exciting to smell the powders come to life and turn into recognisable food!

If I can cook, I will, so I personally wouldn't use these for all of my fast days. However, they are perfect for a quick fix, when you want food in seconds to beat those cravings. I was also pleasantly surprised by the price - I always associate these companies with expensive prices, capitalising on laziness, but they have some great voucher codes and offers. I think the key to success with the 5:2 diet is getting into the routine; I'm still finding it hard to fast on days when I am particularly busy and stressed, and I also miss the gym as working out on 500 calories just doesn't work!

Have you tried Exante Diet? Do you do the 5:2 diet?

Jess

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Long Haulin'

If you haven't heard me go on (and on) about it yet, on Saturday I am flying to New York! There are no words to describe how excited I am and since I am a huge planner, I have been writing lists for about a month! Today I wanted to share my beauty essentials for the long haul flight:

Small sizes are key for long haul flights, so I raided my sample draw for a small but powerful moisturiser. This Bioderma Ultra-Nourishing Balm from Escentual* is deeply nourishing for my skin, but the sensitive formula means I won't break out either. I know that hydration will be key to keep my skin happy over the flight, so I am planning on going make-up free and topping up my skincare throughout the flight. I will also be packing a tiny pot of coconut oil for any pesky dry spots and my under-eyes. I love this tiny pot, which was part of a Primark Travel Set and cost just £1 for three bottles, one pot, a funnel and labels - such a bargain! I also picked up this L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream as part of a free duo from L'Occitane's Facebook page - they always offer great samples to try so it's worth 'liking' their page as I love their products, especially when they are free!

My in-flight read will be The Luminaries, which I have had on my 'to-read' pile since it won the Man Booker Prize last year. Finally, I will have plenty of time to tick it off my list! At some point, I will inevitably snooze, so my hand-made eye mask will be a must have. It's made from a vintage silk scarf and is so comfortable - let me know if you want a DIY tutorial!

Just before landing, some makeup will be needed before I brave New York. I'm planning on keeping it simple with some concealer and a little powder. The Maybelline Eye Eraser Concealer in Light (£7.99) has been raved about by so many bloggers recently, so I obviously couldn't resist! I'll make sure I review it in full soon, but in short, it really does brighten and conceal the eye area and any blemishes. Another blogger-enabled purchase is the Bourjois Healthy Balance Compact Powder in Vanilla (£8.99). I already use the Bourjois Healthy Balance Foundation in the same shade, so this powder has seamlessly fitted into my make-up bag, providing light coverage and the matte finish I love. Finally, a touch of Benefit's Roller Lash from last month's Elle magazine will add a pop of glamour to my exhausted face and open up those tired eyes until I reach my hotel room.

What are your long haul flight essentials?

Jess

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Sweet Treats: Bea's of Bloomsbury

Afternoon tea; it's one of my favourite things. Who doesn't love sharing some tea, cake and scones with friends? I recently headed down to London to see some old housemates and of course, we had to catch up over some afternoon tea. After some researching, I discovered Bea's of Bloomsbury and for £19, I knew that we had to try it out:

The photos don't quite do this afternoon tea justice - I wish I had taken far more, but I got distracted and just dug in! I normally find that the sandwiches are the weakest part of an afternoon tea, but I loved the crispy miniature baguettes. The ingredients were fresh and tasty and my favourite was a salami and cheese combo. The scones were a good size and texture - you can't really go wrong with a good scone!

What I loved most about this afternoon tea was the interesting 'sweet' parts to the three tiers of food. We were treated to three cupcakes between the three of us; a tiramisu cupcake, a strawberry flavour with colourful sprinkles, and finally a chocolate cupcake, They were all delicious, light and fluffy, and the flavours were perfectly balanced,

Finally, the top tier was my favourite of the bunch; a mini selection of bite sized treats. This included three different types of brownie; one chocolate, one containing nuts and another white chocolate version. Alongside, there were some homemade marshmallows (if you haven't made these, you should because they are fantastic) and miniature meringues. The chocolate brownies balanced out the sweetness of the meringues and marshmallows, meaning that although we were very full, we weren't in a sugar coma like my rather less enjoyable Mad Hatter's Tea Party in York.

I thought £19 was great value for a London afternoon tea - unfortunately these things are much more expensive down South! For the price, we were treated to an interesting and varied afternoon tea and I would definitely go back again. The flavours of cupcakes and sandwiches were different for everyone so you would have a different and enjoyable experience every time.

Have you tried Bea's of Bloomsbury? Where else would you recommend for afternoon tea in London?

Jess

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The Lip Lacquer Lowdown

Recently, lip lacquers, or matte lipsticks which are packaged and apply like a gloss, have become a standard form of lipstick. I love matte lips and the precision which a lipgloss wand provides, so today I'm sharing three highstreet lip lacquers and my thoughts on them:

1. MUA Velvet Luxe Lip Lacquer in Dare: £3
This is the cheapest of the bunch, but probably my least favourite. I love the colour, as I had been hunting for a pink toned berry shade and it was a bargain at just £3. However, the staying power isn't as impressive as the other two products - the center of my lips lost all colour after my meal, and left me with a very strange 'lip line' around the edge of my lips; not a good look! This has put me off wearing the shade unless I am going somewhere where I won't be drinking or eating lots, as much as I love the colour. However, it does apply smoothly and consistently onto my lips and I actually love it more in these photos.

2. Boujois Rouge Edition Velvet in Nude-ist: £8.99
I've reviewed this lipstick in a different shade, Peach Club, a long time ago and these are still my ultimate lipsticks. What I love most is the incredible staying power - so many lipsticks disappear as soon as I have cup of tea or a meal, and since I spend nearly all of my time eating or drinking, this is a deal-breaker. I can't be bothered to be constantly reapplying lippie! This stuff stays glued to my lips throughout food, drink and nights out so they have become my evening makeup staple. My brighter shades have now started to lose their opacity as they run out but given that they have lasted me over 8 months, I am not too disappointed and I will definitely be repurchasing. These are the best of the bunch of the lip lacquers I have tried, so if you want to try this style of lipstick, head to Bourjois!

3. Rimmel London Apolcalips Matte in Meteoric Matte: £6.50
Finally, I purchased this lip laquer last week from Asos, as they had reduced it in a flash sale - they are getting really good at beauty and becoming one of my favourite places to buy makeup from. I was looking for a similar colour to the MUA version, with a better staying power but it isn't very even on application. The colours are pretty similar, although this is slightly darker and more 'vampy,' so I was pleased that the online swatch was accurate. The one thing that the Bourjois range is lacking are some berry shades, as they now seem to focusing on their nude range. This lipstick has the best wand of the bunch, as it is far more pointed and therefore allows a really precise application, especially on your cupid's bow. As well as not topping up my lipstick, I'm also very lazy about liner so if I can skip this step, I will!

Which matte lip lacquers would you recommend? I've got my eye on the Sephora Cream Lip Stains and the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks when I head to New York in just three weeks!

Jess

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Fitness Friday: My Fitness Goals

It's time for Fitness Friday! If you have read my other Fitness Friday posts, you will know that I have been sharing some tips and thoughts on all things fitness, but today I wanted to outline some of my fitness goals.

My Fitness Friday posts will include workout tips, favourite exercises and wishlists. I must make it clear that I am not a fitness professional, nor do I have any qualifications. These are simply what works for me and what I do myself in the gym. However, I do work in a leisure centre, so I am friends with many gym instructors, personal trainers and my brother studies Sports Science at university - and most of these tips are from them! I hope you enjoy joining my fitness journey and sharing your own tips too.

I think that fitness goals are key to keeping on track with your fitness plan. I always remember the motto above when I start to get frustrated with my lack of weight loss or fitness - it's a slow process and I never realistically expect to ever feel like I have completely reached my goals. However, it's important to keep goals in mind to keep that motivation going, especially now January is behind us!

1. Weight Loss
Let's get the obvious one out of the way. Many people want weight loss from their fitness routine, and I am one of them. After moving back home to study my Masters, I've enjoyed a much better diet than my university one, but the novelty that the fridge is always full isn't good for my stomach! If I get bored or stressed, I am bad at snacking so this is perilous, as well as my love for gin and Prosecco at the weekends! My target is to hopefully lose half a stone and I'm working to do this through a combination of the 5:2 diet and more cardio.

2. Inch Loss
If the scales don't go down, I am willing to forgive them as long as my measurements get smaller. The old adage that muscle weighs more than fat, but takes up less space, is definitely true and I know that body fat percentage is more important than the number on the scales. I am looking to tone up my arms, narrow my waist and slim down my thighs, unsurprisingly, and keeping an eye on my stats will be key.

3. Improve my Endurance
I don't run. I just don't. It doesn't come naturally at all and as fit as I may feel, if I attempt to run I end up a frustrated and sweaty mess within about 30 seconds. Swimming has always been my thing, so I'm thinking about completing an open water swim as part of the Great East Swim. I also keep mentioned my wish to complete an obstacle course and I know that for this, I need to improve my running in order to get round the course in one piece!

4. Feel Better
Finally, I understand that exercise isn't all about weight loss, or even fitness. I always underestimate the difference that exercise makes to my mood until I get down the gym and feel immediately better! Even if all my other goals fail, I will always continue to do exercise to keep stress at bay, improve my confidence and get those endorphins going.

So those are a few of my fitness goals! I'm sure that I have forgotten some obvious ones but I think four are reasonable to keep me going throughout my Fitness Friday series! What are your fitness goals?

Jess

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Gin'll Fix It

Who loves gin? *hands up* I'm a little obsessed with all things gin and I recently took a trip to the English Spirit Distillery in Dullingham, just outside of Cambridge, to discover some amazing local gin and other spirits:

You can attend a tour and tasting for free, so we booked a slot on the website and were treated to a personal tour from the owner of the distillery, John. He explained in great detail the process involved to create vodka, gin, whisky and rum in his small batch distillery. It was fascinating to hear the science behind the creation of the alcohol we all enjoy and quite how small the margins are to create different strengths of alcohol and therefore different spirits.

After a tour round the tiny distillery itself, we were taken to the shop for the exciting part - the tasting! We were treated to samples of almost every spirit which the distillery offers and there were a lot! John was evidently an expert in his products and again it was fascinating to hear both his knowledge and passion surrounding alcohol.My favourites were definitely the gin and the limoncello, both of which we ended up taking away with us, as well as the cucumber spirit (nicer than it sounds, with hints of melon and pepper) and Old Salt Rum. You can even buy your own still to have a go at home - is it terrible that I partly want one to fuel my current obsession with all things copper?

I even think that the tour and tasting session would be a fantastic birthday idea, hen party or celebration. The atmosphere is so friendly, the alcohol is delicious and you are sure to leave with more knowledge about alcohol, if slightly tipsy! I still can't stop telling people about it! If you are near Dullingham, I would absolutely recommend that you head down to the English Spirit Distillery as soon as possible. The tour and tasting is free, although you will inevitably buy a lot of alcohol, and you will have an amazing time and enjoy some fantastic English spirits.

Have you ever visited a distillery? Where should I visit next?

Jess

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Fitness Friday: Killer Legs Set

Hello! It's time for Fitness Friday and it's leg day! Today I wanted to share my current favourite legs set, which I have been using in the gym recently - along with one of my favourite motivational quotes!

My Fitness Friday posts will include workout tips, favourite exercises and wishlists. I must make it clear that I am not a fitness professional, nor do I have any qualifications. These are simply what works for me and what I do myself in the gym. However, I do work in a leisure centre, so I am friends with many gym instructors, personal trainers and my brother studies Sports Science at university - and most of these tips are from them! I hope you enjoy joining my fitness journey and sharing your own tips too.

1. One Leg Squats
4 sets of 8 reps on each leg
These are my brother's current favourite style of workout - big, compound movements, but on one leg. I use this version because it supports my balancing leg. I place a bench behind the squat rack, put the bar on my shoulders, one leg on the bench behind and squat on one leg; Bodybuilding.com runs you through a good explanation with pictures. Start with an empty bar to consolidate your technique, then up the kg once you are confident.

2. Goblet Squats
4 sets of 8 reps
Hold a heavy dumbbell away from your chest and squat as deep as possible, ensuring you keep your back straight. I've been really working on my squat technique recently in order to improve my depth, so goblet squats are great for this.

3. Dramatic Lunges
5 sets of 8 reps on each leg
I'm pretty sure that these aren't called 'Dramatic Lunges,' but in my head that's what they are called! Take a large step forward, bringing you knee high and swinging your leg forwards. Step down on your heel first and into a deep lunge. Repeat 8 times on one leg and then move onto the other.
I've been doing these without any weights, as I find that they are hard enough without and I can focus on the technique. However you can also hold dumbbells to add some extra weight.

4. Straight Leg Deadlifts
4 sets of 8 reps
Oh, my favourite! Straight leg deadlifts are a little harder and really work the back of your quads. Be careful not to lock your knees though, as this will put unwanted stress on your joints. Lift strong and heavy for 8 reps at a time.

5. The Finisher: Crab Walks
4 sets of walks (6 paces across)
This is another of my new favourites, courtesy of my brother. Stand with your legs hip distance apart and tie a resistance band around your legs. Then squat down and crab walk (step sideways) to one side of the room and back. Do not stand up! It's a great final exercise to really finish off your legs.

End with some foam rolling to reduce the risk of DOMS over the next few days and hopefully your legs are feeling nice and sore! What do you think of my legs set? What are your favourite leg day exercises?

Jess

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Slow Cooked. Fast.

I've recently realised how much I have missed reviewing food so I was excited to get the chance to try Smokeworks in Cambridge. I spotted the sign hidden down an alleyway in Cambridge and recognised the name thanks to some local reviews. I dragged my friend Katt, who has recently started a delicious food blog What Katt Does, inside and brought out my camera:

I was instantly drawn to the Pulled Pork Burger, as pulled pork is one of my favourite things. The bun is always a deal breaker with these dishes and I was impressed with the light, floury bun which housed my pulled pork, slaw and pickles. The pork was tasty and once I added a little BBQ sauce, the bun really came alive. A little like Nandos, you can choose two 'minor sides' or one 'major side' with your dish and I opted for the sweet potato fries. I often find that sweet potato fries can be soggy and disappointing but these were light, crispy and the perfect portion size. I was extremely impressed and would definitely order them again.

The presentation was similar to my favourite Leeds BBQ restaurant - Red's True Barbeque. I can't help but compare the two restaurants, as their premises are so similar. Red's is fantastic, with huge portions, tasty meat dishes and a strong brand of 'let there be meat,' However, its Southern equivalent Smokeworks offers smaller portions but still tasty food. I'm not sure I would go for an evening meal, as the menu is fairly limited, but for lunchtime its perfect, thanks to the portion sizes and price.

Smokeworks has just released a brilliant lunch-time offer for just £8, which includes a main, fries and a soft drink. As I think this is the perfect place for lunch, I will definitely be returning to try out this deal very soon.
Have you tried Smokestack? Where is your favourite place to eat in Cambridge?

Jess

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Vintage Gems

Despite the fact that I feel like I'm constantly talking about York and Leeds, I am beginning to discover that my home town of Cambridge also has some gems. I have been always been a fan of vintage fairs and Judy's offers Affordable Vintage Fairs all over the UK, including Cambridge. I have already experienced the Leeds version of this event, so I popped over to Cambridge to check out the Southern option.

The Guildhall in Cambridge had been transformed into a vintage haven, full of knitwear, dresses and plenty of coats. I was impressed with some of the extremely low prices - there were plenty of £5 sale rails and bargain baskets to root through for hidden goodies. It's nice to see that some vintage fairs haven't ramped up their prices in response to the trend for vintage clothing. There was also a cute vintage tearoom, with some delicious looking cakes and teapots, and the vintage music playing added to the fun and busy atmosphere. The fair itself was busy but not stressfully so; I could still easily move between stalls and rummage for clothes.

I exercised some self-restraint and only picked up some beautiful vintage fabric, which I am hoping to turn into an A-line skirt. I think I am going to buy a pattern rather than simply use guesswork as I don't want to destroy the wonderful fabric with my sewing ineptitude! Luckily it is an absolutely huge piece of fabric, probably 4 metres long, so I have some room for error and it was a complete bargain at just £8.

I'm excited to head back to the next Judy's Vintage Fair in Cambridge on the 8th March. I will be joined by the lovely Sarah from Adorned, who is a vintage magpie and I am always amazed by her finds, so I'm sure we will find some gems next time!

Will you be heading to Cambridge's next Vintage Fair?

Jess

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Get Connected in York

After graduating from York last summer, this lovely city and its neighbouring Leeds seem to be going from strength to strength, with fantastic new bars and restaurants opening which I am very sad to be missing out on! York has now gone one step further and CityConnect have introduced free WiFi to the city, and although I was jealous to discover this, I was excited to receive an amazing Christmas box of local goodies from CityConnect and an invitation to try out the new scheme.

I will be heading to York for a day out in a couple of weeks but I have certainly enjoyed my treats in the meantime. The first exciting thing I spotted was a tin of Bettys' shortbread. It's become a bit of a tradition to visit a Bettys for a fat rascal or pastry whenever I am near one, but I have never tried the shortbread before. It was delicious - buttery, moreish and perfect with a cup of tea, just how good shortbread should be. I now want to steal Simone's idea to use the empty tin to store my makeup brushes - genius!

The other food delights included some delicious clotted cream fudge, one of my favourite sweet snacks, from the Yorkshire Museum and a chocolate bar from York's Chocolate Story. I haven't visited York's Chocolate Story yet but I have eaten at the cafe and the chocolate fondue is amazing! I also enjoyed a couple of Benefit samples from Browns, which offers lots of great beauty brands - as well as a mean full English breakfast.

Finally, I have also been enjoying the coffee from Vincent's Coffee. I was excited to discover that the owner of Vincent's Coffee is a fellow York graduate and also a blogger. I love a cafetiere of 'proper coffee' and this ground coffee is rich, deep and excellent quality - great with the shortbread!

I'm excited to make use of the tickets which were also included in the box. I somehow never managed to visited the York Dungeons or the Jorvik Viking Centre during my time at York, so I am excited to return to York as a tourist and tick off these attractions. Students and tourists alike will love the new free WiFi and I'm looking forward to giving it a proper test run soon, once I head back up North.

Have you tried York CityConnect yet? Where are your 'must-visits' in York?

Jess

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