Gym Update – One Month In

April 4, 2019 cosmeticsjunkiee1 Comment

Following on from my last post, I Joined A Gym I have received several messages asking questions about what I am doing, what I am eating and how I’m feeling and whether or not I have seen any changes so I thought I would post a little update.

In case you haven’t read my last post, I’ll catch you up. Basically, I woke one day and decided I needed to do something regarding my lifestyle and exercising. I joined a gym and started with a fabulous Personal Trainer, Ryan Spence and have been going there for a month exactly now.

While I am wholly aware that a month is not a very long time at all, I have learned a lot about myself and my body in that short space of time. I learned that exercising is difficult but also extremely rewarding. I have never felt as good in my life and while some days it can be hard to fight a chips craving, that good feeling that I get makes it all so worthwhile.

So, what have I been doing? I have been doing 2 PT sessions each week and attending the gym as often as I can outside of that. In my PT sessions, Ryan has mapped out exactly what I should be doing and he takes notes on weights each week on what I have been lifting, etc. I love having someone there that knows exactly what they are talking about and I am so thankful for him as he puts so much energy and time into creating this workout plan for me as well as taking a great interest in my diet and giving me lots of helpful hints and tips along the way. I have found a love for certain machines that I find fundamentally bizarre. When I think back to a few weeks ago, the very thought of a rowing machine would actually make me GAG. Now, I can’t wait to get there and have a little cardio workout on it. There are a few things that I outright just don’t enjoy doing, stair master for example. Ryan had me on it and I really, really, really struggled on it and told him – without being too much a whine, that I didn’t like it. I was scared of his response at the time, like it was really bad of me that I didn’t want to do it, but he was like ‘okay, no sweat.’ There is not point in doing something if I am not enjoying it because I’ll not get that good feeling at the end of my session. I am still learning and have no idea what half the machines are called, so when anyone asks me what I’m doing I am like ‘the thing you climb up onto and kneel on and pull up with…’

What have I been eating?
The biggest and best change that I have made to my diet is actually eating breakfast. Like, what the hell why have I never done that before? Being someone that loves food so much – why on earth would I skip that meal? Working somewhere where my shift pattern changes every day it can be hard to eat at the right times of the day. For example, when I used to work 10.30-7 I wouldn’t eat before work and the first time I would eat that day would be about 12 or 12.30. Even then, it would be something straight from the vending machine and something quick like a sandwich or something from Cafe Nero, because I was lazy and it was close. Now before I start I have had breakfast, something relatively healthy and filling and my lunches are healthier choices too. Anything is better than a chocolate bar and a packet of crisps.
I am still struggling to hit my calories each day and eat as much as I should be but at the same time, the things that I am eating aren’t leaving me hungry. For breakfast, I have become obsessed with oats. Like, I must have had them every day now for the last few weeks! I love chopping a banana into it and a wee teaspoon of Nutella or peanut butter in there too to bulk up a little. Even a drop of honey, just to sweeten it up! For something bigger or more filling I will have some avocado on toast with some bacon medallions and a poached egg. My lunches are more about chicken with veg and brown rice and don’t vary too much. Or I have the rest of last night’s dinner. Dinner’s haven’t seen much change as Joel and I tend. to eat relatively healthy dinners anyway. It’s more my habits for my daytime eating and be prepared to bring things to work, having it ready to go the night before that has helped me the most.

Results
I had my measurements taken at the start, before I started any exercising and had my second measurements taken again last week. I can’t see any difference in myself, but looking at yourself every day, it can be hard to see the small changes. I have been taking photos of myself – before and after styles but they are not ready to be shown to the world just quite yet! In the meantime, I am happy to report that I have lost weight and my measurements are going down!

Weight
Starting weight 89kg – 14 stone
Updated weight 82.6kg – 13 stone

Measurements
Neck – 37cm – Now 36cm
Chest – 113cm – Now 104 *I did have an extra sports bra on so I think I was just squished!
Waist – 97cm – Now 94cm
Hips 116cm – Now 114.5cm
Thighs – 70cm – Now 67cm

Isn’t it amazing what not eating shite and exercising does for you, isn’t it?
I am still learning, there are probably things that I am still not doing right but the main thing is that I am progressing.

As always, I would love to hear from you – you can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

I Joined A Gym

March 17, 2019March 17, 2019 cosmeticsjunkiee2 Comments

I did it, I finally joined a proper gym. For a few months I attended a gym probably once a month and pissed my money down the drain as I was unhappy and still ate the same old shite instead of eating better and healthier. Fast forward to 2019 and it wasn’t so much a New Year’s Resolution as I don’t totally believe in them, as it was so much that I just woke up one day and thought ‘let’s do this.’

Some people will tell you that they looked in the mirror one day and couldn’t stand the sight of themselves so they decided to join a gym and get fit. Some people will stare at fitness accounts on instagram and join to look like them. Some people genuinely love fitness and therefore being a member of the gym is a given. For me, I didn’t have a revolutionary moment or a love for fitness and I tended to stay away from those fitness accounts on insta. I just woke up and decided that if I wanted a happier, healthier lifestyle then I had to make some changes.

Anytime Fitness gym opened up less than a 10 minute walk from my house and so I thought that that was perfect as then I would have no excuse to get there. I went to check out the gym and upon entering I was greeted with the nicest, most welcoming smile I have probably ever experienced. I had been a little scared before I went because I thought ‘Oh God, they are going to judge me because I am bigger than them.’ Legit the opposite.

I was shown around and told how each machine worked and was reassured that if I needed any help at all then I could just ask. I found this to be alien as in Pure Gym no-one spoke to me. After a few days I was starting to get into a routine and kind of enjoying it when I thought about looking in to Personal Training. I have had a personal trainer before but didn’t take it seriously enough and he never got me excited or motivated to come back for the next session.

Things could not be more different this time around. Ryan Spence was introduced to me via the gym and while I am still extremely new to this lifestyle – 2 weeks to be exact – I have never in my life felt happier and more confident. Ryan booked me in for a consultation (£30) where we basically had a casual chat and taking into account what I do for a living and my normal habits and past experiences he curated a plan for me. He is so informative and every session I learn something new, which I love! I want to know why I am doing these exercises and why I am eating these things so that if I stop going to a Personal Trainer I’ll be able to handle it on my own.

With my previous trainer he didn’t sit with me and take an interest in my eating which at the time I didn’t worry about but now I don’t know how a PT wouldn’t check in on your diet. Ryan did so much more than just check in on my diet, he worked out my macro splits and even put them into My Fitness Pal for me.

I’m still in the early stages of this path but the point is I am now one of those people I hated. Those ones that were happy all the time and took photos of themselves in the gym. Cringe. I can’t help it, I am one of them and now proud to be. Anyone that gives me shit in my DMs are just jealous and haven’t had their ‘let’s do this’ moment yet.

In case you are interested in pricing for Ryan Spence and the gym – if you’re local then you can check it out below.

One Off Consultant Fee – £30
One Session – £30
10 Sessions (2 Minimum Per Week) – £250
15 Sessions (3 Minimum Per Week) – £300

And if you want to train with someone

One Session – £50
10 Sessions (2 Minimum Per Week) – £400
15 Sessions (3 Minimum Per Week) – £525

I plan on documenting updating you on my progress, if you are interested then you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

You can also follow Anytime Fitness on Instagram here

If you are into fitness or have recently started a healthier journey I would love to hear from you!

Relax Babe, You Deserve It

January 2, 2018April 3, 2019 cosmeticsjunkieeLeave a comment

As the stress of the Christmas period comes to an end and the stress of a new year begins, it’s important to carve out time for yourself to relax. As we all try to turn ourselves into better people for a new year we someone manage to forget to look after ourselves causing anxiety and – yes, stress!

I have devised my favourite ways to wind down and relax for you all, so do your body and mind a favour and tick some off the list. The best thing is you can do some of them in less than 5 minutes so they don’t take a lot of time out of your busy ‘New Year, New You’ schedule.

Munch that chocolate.

Now, I don’t want to disturb anyone’s diet but it’s SCIENCE. Not only is it effing tasty but eating some dark chocolate can reduce stress and anxiety. It improves memory and is related to happiness and increasing your mood. So, if science says it’s okay then you have that chocolate! To avoid the guilt maybe don’t race for the vending machine for the goods but instead keep with you a few squares of dark chocolate with you. My favourite is Pascha Chocolate *bonus – gluten free, dairy free, soy free and nut free*

Meditate – ahummm.

I am telling you, once I got over the Buddha feeling this seriously helps. From as little as 5 minutes can seriously affect your mood for the better. The mind, heart and body can improve with regular meditation! For me personally it grounds me and steadies my thoughts so that my brain doesn’t go into overdrive. Meditating improves concentration and causes the pituitary gland to secrete endorphins that help elevate the mood and have a positive effect on your whole body. So sit your ass down and hum a few bars to center yourself. Trust me, you’ll feel better.

Drink a green tea.

I don’t know what it is but a sense of smugness washes over me that calms me down when I drink a green tea. It’s the same sense that you get off those that sit in Starbucks for hours writing or banging away on their laptop. Anyway, drinking green tea helps with your metabolism but aids in relieving stress also as it contains theanine, a calming agent. If you find it hard to get used to the taste then try another kind of tea or add in some diluted juice (sugar free!)

Count backwards.

Come on now, I work in retail so I have had to count down from 10 several times over the Christmas period and for a little quick fix this really works. It sounds like a test, but trust me it’ll make you feel a lot better as you’ll find that when you are counting your breathing will go in time to the numbers therefore calming you down.

Pat cold water on your wrists.

Okay, hear me out on this one. I really do mean cold water and not perfume. When you apply cold water to your wrists and even behind your earlobes too this can calm down the whole body due to these areas being major arteries. Sounds bizarre, but go and try it – and I do mean a little not a whole bottle of water or anything crazy.

Find your space.

I don’t mean hide somewhere until the calm goes away like the stationary cupboard at work but I mean find a space that you can really relax in. For me, it’s curled up in our ‘vibe room’ in my house where I can sit and listen to music. I have my paints there if I fancy pushing some paint around. I have a bean bag and my books. It’s bliss and it makes me really happy. So if I am having an off day I come home and sit in there and chill out. Ideally make this space somewhere where there are no phones, TVs, etc so you can really truly relax.

Bubble bath.

As if I even have to put this one in here. I feel like this point goes without saying… I have never been s relaxed as when I have a bath. The only reason we are renting the house we are, is because it has a bath. The only thing is after I am done being relaxed in the bath and I pop some pajamas on I get sweaty and stressed again from being too hot. Worth it. Get your sorry ass down to Lush or The Body Shop or wherever your favourite smellies place is and pick out some amazing bath stuff and get in a hot bath with a book or with Netflix and chill out.

Turn off your phone.

I get it, it’s the 21st Century and most of our lives revolve around our phones. Most of you will probably be reading this from a phone. Regardless, as much as I love social media and all the things I post about, I hate how attached I am to my phone. As soon as I put it down I pick it up again to do something else. Even as I write this one point I have picked my phone up twice. When my phone is off, I feel more relaxed. Try it out, I am sure you can last even an hour and it will do you the world of good.

Have fun.

Sounds obvious, right? But when was the last time you did something you enjoyed? Whether it’s reading a book, going for a walk, catching up with friends, watching football, whatever. Don’t deny yourself fun in your busy, hectic schedule. Take that time for yourself and even plan it in advance so that you have something to look forward to. I love having a plan for the weekend ahead so that I know my busy week has a happy ending!

So there we have it, a few of my favourite ways to wind down and calm down. Hopefully this post has inspired you to take a chunk out of your busy life and relax. Your body and mind will thank you for it!

Peace,

Amy xo

Me, Myself & I

December 5, 2017April 3, 2019 cosmeticsjunkieeLeave a comment

Hello Earthlings,

This blog post flies at you from my sofa where I am sitting cross legged with a large glass of wine on one side and a bag of salted popcorn on the other. I felt the need to post about something and I am not lying to you when I say I look absolutely ghastly. So, for fear of destroying my camera with my current state I have taken to writing another post. Seeing as I have nothing planned regarding a post I think I’ll have a post about me. Because, why not? In fact, let’s get some questions and I’ll answer them… because I am drunk and lazy.

Tell me the 3 best things about you. I knew this was a bad idea. I guess I am creative, I am fuuun and I make really good roast potatoes.
Are you single/in a relationship? In a relationship, just had our 2 year anniversary
On a scale of 1-10, how strict are/were your parents? Like a 6? They weren’t relaxed but strict when they had to be, yano?
Who was your worst teacher? Why? Miss Sloan, P1. She terrified me and made my mum take me to the hospital for tests because she thought I wasn’t growing fast enough and was accused of malnutrition. I was like, really small.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Miss Lavery, P5. She had a guitar and made times tables exciting.
Which would you pick: being world-class attractive, a genius or famous for doing something great? I feel like I would be a genius, as a genius I can go on to do something great and become famous. So two out of three ain’t bad.
Who are the 3 greatest living musicians? Keith Richards, Jimmy Page and Madonna
Childhood crush? All of McFly. I wrote to them… still waiting on my reply DOUGIE
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Not a thing.
What was your favorite toy growing up? I didn’t really play with toys, but the thing I always carted about with me was a case of art stuff. I was always drawing.
Name 3 celebrities you most admire. Julia Roberts, JK Rowling, Kate Winslet
Name a celebrity you think is lame. Justin Bieber
Which of your friends are you proudest of and why? My friend Jenna has conquered her fear of velvet.
What’s the most beautiful place you’ve ever been? I haven’t been many places but I think Ibiza is amazing. There’s far more to the island than meets the eye.
What are your 3 favorite movies? Goodfellas, Frozen and Dirty Dancing.
What’s the right age to get married? Any age, so long as you are with the right one.
Tell me 3 things you remember about primary school. We did Pop Idol in school and me and my friends did Steps 5678 and it was amazing. There were gypsys that stayed in the field beside our school and we were told to stay away from the bushes. A wasp landed on my floral headband and that was one of the scariest moments of my life.
What would you do if you were invisible for a day? I’d fuck with Trump and freak him out.
If you could time travel, where would you go? I’d go see dinosaurs for sure.
If you could live in any TV home, what would it be? Does the White House count? I’d probably still pick Monica’s Apartment, Friends.
What’s your favorite ice cream flavor? Chocolate!
Would you rather live for a week in the past or the future? The past, but the week chosen would have to be surprised.
What’s your best childhood memory? Walking around the lane with my Granda.
What’s your favorite holiday? I went down to Ballybofey with my family including my Granny and Granda. I don’t remember a lot about that holiday but I remember I had a great time.
If you could eat only 3 foods for the rest of your life, what would they be? Pizza, Pancakes and a jar of Nutella.
If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be? Johnny Cash.
What’s your favorite childhood book? Alice in Wonderland ORR Harry Potter
Who would play you in a movie of your life? Ooh, Clemence Posey
If you could be an Olympic athlete, in what sport would you compete? Eating.
Tell the person to your right your favorite thing about them. My wine appreciates the love I have for it.
Do you ever talk to yourself? When and what do you say? ALL the time. I couldn’t even sum it up in a sentence I say so many things.
What’s your favorite smell in the whole world? Joel.
What’s your favorite time of day? Around 9.30, I don’t know why but I feel a sense of calm wash over me at that time every day. Maybe it’s because I know I can go to bed soon.
What’s your favorite season? End of Summer
What’s the one food you could never bring yourself to eat? Fucking brussel sprouts.
What is the sound you love the most? David Attenborough’s voice
What 3 famous people, living or dead, would you want at your fantasy dinner party? David Bowie, Morgan Freeman and Joanna Lumley
If you could ask the President one question, what would it be? Why won’t you delete your Twitter account?
If you could pick a new first name, what would it be? Lara
What’s your pet peeve(s)? People walking slow – I know I am not alone on this one. I hate the word ‘moist’ and the feeling of a toenail catching on a duvet is enough to make me actually vom.
Do you ever count your steps when you walk? When I was younger I did… I was curious how many steps it used to take me to get to places.
What’s your favorite kind of sandwich? For me, you kinda can’t beat a ham and cheese sarnie? But I love a Tayto Cheese & Onion crisp sandwich.
What’s your dream job? Lady who lunches
Cake or pie? CAKE
What is the scariest movie you’ve ever seen? I can’t remember the name of it and refuse to google, but I watched it with my friend and fucking shit my self it just freaked me. I think it was called Sinister?
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be? South Africa
Who’s your celebrity crush? Any Marvel character (Chris Pratt and Chris Hemsworth I am looking at you boys)
What fictional character do you wish you could meet? Dumbledore
If you could be great at one sport which would you choose? Ultimate Frisbee
What’s the first thing you do when you get home from a trip? Collapse on my bed
Would you rather spend five days exploring Disney or New York City? DISNEY
Whose parents do/did you wish you had? What a horrid question… my own!
If you could shop for free at one store, which one would you choose? SEPHORA OBV
What personal trait has gotten you in the most trouble? Being a sassy hoe
Which celebrity chef would you most like to fix you a meal? Gordon Ramsey, then I would judge him
What is the best piece of advice you’ve received? Love yourself, no matter what
What do you like to do on a rainy day? Paint or do make up
What is your favorite thing about the beach? The smell. I wish I could bottle it and sell it.
What is your favorite Disney movie? Nope, too hard. Frozen I guess because I watched it pretty much every day sometimes twice a day for two years or so.
Which of the Seven Dwarfs is most like you? Dopey 😦
If someone made a movie of your life would it be a drama, a comedy, a romantic-comedy, action film, or science fiction? A comedy because I am hilarious
Name a product or service you love so much that you’d happily be that company’s spokesperson. Mr Kipling…
If you were guaranteed to be successful in a different profession, what would you want to do? Oh guaranteed success? I would cure cancer, then do their makeup
As a child, what did you wish to become when you grew up? I wanted to be in the FBI and I remember telling my Granny that I wanted to be a sausage roll.

Okay… there were so many more questions but I am at the bottom of the bottle and I just don’t think I can go on anymore answering questions otherwise I’ll start getting too honest. I need snacks… I might go put on lil pigs in blanket now. IT IS CHRISTMAS.

If you enjoyed this then please do let me know and I can do more posts like this, instead of JUST make up.

Peace out xo

Much Ado About Nothing

September 15, 2017April 3, 2019 cosmeticsjunkieeLeave a comment

Guten Tag WordPressers,

I have nothing of interest to actually say and no end game of writing. I just haven’t posted in awhile and don’t want my little tiny following to keep themselves up at night wondering about my well being. Don’t fret petals, I’m right here.

So, it’s a Friday night and nearly 10pm. Most females my age are out partying with friends celebrating the end of yet another week while I am lying in bed. A place that I have been since 6pm. Sad, isn’t it? The truth is Joel (my glorious other half) is at an Ulster Rugby match with the boys and I thought I would take tonight to be extremely productive and look after myself. Instead, knowing full well my Personal Trainer of only 3 weeks might kill me, I ordered a pizza. I ate it in bed with a Diet Coke and watched Bridesmaids. It was excellent and I have absolutely zero regrets (LIE).

This means that I haven’t scrubbed off my tan, painted my toenails, moisturised my entire body head to toe, put on the expensive face mask I bought, ran my new hair mask through my hair or let’s be real here, showered. *EDIT: the boys have just come home and i’m compromised – I look like a hag and have pizza sauce on my white top. I was so chill, now I’ve been banished away back to the bedroom (as IF that’s a problem).

Having fled the living room where I had resided to edit some videos, listen to music with my fancy ass candles lit in my zen atmosphere I am now at the scene of the pizza crime feeling very naughty – in fact, I am away for a shower for my sins. BRB.

Ok, I am back with dripping hair but I had a fantastic time in the shower. It was scalding and I have successfully burned away take out guilt. Back to avocado and lettuce tomorrow!

Where was I…?

Oh, yea – I was talking about nothing. I hope all the fun girls my age with a life don’t have too bad a hangover tomorrow morning (lol jk) while I am in work painting faces tomorrow. Oh yea, work tomorrow – I best be off – I definitely need my beauty sleep considering I still look like Ursula the Sea Witch.

MWAH.

Peace Out xo

REMINDER – If you read my last post and want to try out the Skinkissed Serum then click the link at the bottom of the blog post

Use discount code cosmetics.junkiee-20 to receive 20% off your order 🙂

Amy Savage

Beauty, Fashion & Lifestyle Blog

Tag: fitness