Tag | A Little #FitFam Tag

Happy Sunday! I was recently tagged by the lovely Natalie from The Blonde Ethos for this #FitFam tag and I thought it would be fun for a Sunday afternoon. The tag was created by Chrissy Lilly so be sure to check out her blog as well! So here goes...

1. Why and when did you start your blog?

I started my blog in April 2012 I had been thinking about blogging for a while and finally took the plunge! I have always enjoyed reading blogs and watching YouTube videos so I love that I finally have my own little place on the internet where I can get creative.

2. Do you feel like having a blog has helped you stay accountable and motivated?

Yes! I love sharing my progress with my readers and I hope that I will help to motivate other people to lead a healthy lifestyle. As you know at the moment I am following the Tone It Up Bikini Series so I find that by posting weekly updates and also daily updates on my Instagram it helps me to stay accountable. 

3. What are you overall goals when it comes to health and fitness?

To be the best version of myself that I can be. I am happy and healthy and I want to continue that way!

4. Who are your "fitspirations", if any?

Karena and Katrina from Tone It Up. I love them and their healthy, positive attitude towards health and fitness. I am also inspired everyday by all the Tone It Up girls who 'check in' on a daily basis on Twitter and Instagram ~ you are all amazing!

5. How often do you work out?

Usually 6 days a week with an active rest day. I find that this works best for me. 

6. Do you take supplements?

Not really, I find that I get all my vitiamins and minerals from the food that I eat, I don't feel that I need to take additional vitamins in tablet form. I do use protein powder after a tough workout such as a long run, as I find that it helps my body recover quicker and also aids in building lean muscle. I have a post coming up soon about protein powders so stay tuned! :)

7. What would be your advice for someone who wants to lose weight but is lacking motivation?

If it is important you will find a way! I think that often it is the getting started part which is the hardest, just push yourself to get out of bed in the morning and workout. Trust me you will feel 10x better for it!

8. What's your favourite part of #fitfam?

I love being part of a community where everyone can share their love for health and fitness. I love how we can all motivate one another to push ourseleves and stay on track. 

9. Do you set little goals for yourself and give yourself rewards when you reach them?

No not at all. This is my lifestyle now and I love it! 

10. What has been the hardest part of your weightloss journey so far?

I'm not on a weightloss journey and I didn't start my fitness journey to lose weight. I started because I loved running but I needed something to push myself that little bit further. In the process I have made friends, toned up and grown in confidence! I did find it hard in the winter when it was cold outside but I just pushed myself to take that step out of the door. I often think it is a mental thing and you have to tell yourself that 'You CAN do this'. 

11. Do you prefer to do set workouts like Insanity, 30 Day Shred, TurboFire, Tone it Up etc. or do you like making up your own workouts?

Tone It Up of course! Without I doubt I wouldn't be where I am today without these girls. They put up a weekly schedule on their blog every Sunday and I pretty much stick to it, I find it easier to stick to if I have a plan and I know what I am doing on a daily basis. 

Thank you Natalie for tagging me in this post! I tag the gorgeous Cantara from Gymbags and Gladrags. Have a fab Sunday girls!

Favourite Snacks to Stash in your Desk Drawer

If you follow me on Instagram you will notice that I post pictures of my food on a daily basis. I find that this helps me to stay accountable. I also love to see what other people are eating too as it is always a good way to get ideas for some new and tasty recipes. I don't count calories but I do keep a note of what I eat each day, that way I can get a general overview of how I am doing. I think this is a good way to stay accountable and also track my hunger and eating patterns. 

Before finding Tone It Up I used to constantly feel tired and get an energy slump during the afternoons at work. So much so that I would feel like I was about to fall asleep at my desk! For me I find that eating small meals throughout the day both keeps my energy levels up and also keeps my metabolism going all day long. I also get a bit grumpy when I get hungry so this is also a good way to combat this ;)

I also drink plenty of green tea with mint and in the evenings I love cinnamon tea. It is great for curbing those after dinner chocolate cravings. 

Here are a few of my favourite snacks that I like to take to work ~

• Plain almonds
• Nakd Bars
• Rice cakes
• Greek Yogurt & fruit
• A banana or apple
• Grapes
• Naked Juice

I find that if I have snacks prepared I won't reach for the chocolate for an energy (sugar) hit. I also generally try to keep coffee to a minimum at work, it is expensive so I try to have one for a 'treat' rather than everyday ~ a skimmed latte has to be one of my vices though. Could be worse! 

I hope this helps if you are looking for healthy snack ideas and I know a few people asked to see what I eat on a daily basis. If you want to see more head over to my Instagram ~ @jaynebecca :)

What are your favourite snacks?

Fitness | Tone It Up Bikini Series Update Week 3

I can't believe how fast these weeks are flying by! It will be summer before we know it. While I was away this weekend I bought myself a few motivational workout clothes. I love cute workout clothes, it just makes you feel a lot of confident if you look good while you are working out. It keeps me motivated so as long as it works why not?! I was a little bit disappointed that Forever 21 didn't have more pieces in the Birmingham store but I still managed to find a couple of nice items. One of them being this cute sports bra it has a criss cross back just like the Lululemon ones I love so for £11.50 you really can't go wrong! 

Cute workout clothes a side I've had a great week although I will admit it has been a challenge just because of how busy I have been. Between my car going in for it's MOT, my eye test (I need new glasses!), Matlock aka the horse, work and everything else ~ super busy! However, I didn't miss a workout but I was glad we had a three day weekend away for some much needed downtime. I am looking forward to the challenges this week ~ the newest challenge is to reach 100 miles by summer! So watch out for the hashtag #100bySummer. Have a look at the weekly schedule for more information :) If you need an extra push to Bikini Body Fitness have a look at Lauren Conrad's Bikini Boot Camp post for ideas!

My plan for this week is to continue to fit my early morning workouts in, make a good dent in #100bySummer and prep my meals more. For some reason I was so hungry at work today so I'm going to make sure that I take more healthy snacks. Luckily Matt picked me up some Nakd bars today as they were 40p each in Morrisons! I'm going to have a go at making the infamous Tone It Up Protein Bars too as I have heard they are amazing. 

I also popped up a new vlog on my YouTube channel yesterday. It is a little apartment tour of the amazing place we stayed in Birmingham and a post run sweaty mess check in ~ I know you must love those! Let me know how you are getting on with your fitness plans and if there is anything you'd like to see on my blog or YouTube let me know ~ I have a free weekend to film!

Beauty | Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub

Oooh Monday again! We have just got back from seeing Iron Man 3 and a spot of dinner. Iron Man was amazing by the way, certainly worth going to see at the cinema. Speaking of the cinema and films both Fast & The Furious 6 and the Great Gatsby are out this week ~ a bit of a dilemma as to what to see first! Let me know what you think we should go and see first in the comments! So today I thought I would share with you my thoughts on the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub.

As you will know I am a huge fan of the Sugar Crush Body Wash, so much so that I bought two of them in the Boots 3 for 2 offer. Yes I am addicted! What I love most about the body wash is the clean, tangy, fresh scent and the body scrub does not let me down in the scent department. It is very refreshing. The scrub itself is lovely to use, the macadamia grains work to exfoilate away the dead skin cells along with the smashed brown sugar. It is gentler than a lot of scrubs I have used in the past but that doesn't mean it is any less effective. My skin is left feeling soft and moisturised ~ just what you want from a scrub. With summer approaching I have been using my St Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse more and as you will know it is essential to exfoilate the skin before applying self tanner so this does the job nicely! If you like any of the other Soap & Glory Sugar Crush products I guarantee you will love this and it is the perfect scent for summer as well :)

You can buy the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub for £8 from Boots ~ watch out for 3 for 2 deals! Have you got any Soap & Glory products to recommend for me? Let me know!

Recipe | Strawberry Peach Smoothie

Happy Thursday! Today has been so busy ~ non-stop! I was up at 6:15am for my workout, had two hours of training at work and a eight hour day. Then up to the stables to rescue poor Matlock from the rain and back home to have dinner and finish off some chores. So finally I am sat down! I am looking forward to the weekend as I have Monday off work too. We are going up to Birmingham for the weekend to see Lana Del Rey and do a spot of shopping ~ watch out Forever 21! So today I thought I would share with you a smoothie which I whipped up this morning. 

Smoothies make a great breakfast choice when you are short on time, need something filling and packed full of nutrients and have soft fruit which needs to be used up. 

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup of strawberries
• 1 cup of peaches
• A handful of baby spinach 
• 1/2 cup of Greek youghut
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 scoop of protein powder (for this recipe I used Impact Whey Vanilla Protein* from My Protein ~ full review coming soon)

Directions:

Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Easy! Super quick and super easy ~ especially when you need something healthy on the go. 

Benefits:

Strawberries are packed full of potassium, magnesium and manganese which are all important minerals to keep you healthy, especially if you are sweating it out in the gym on a daily basis. They are full of vitamin C which keeps you healthy and is essential for that healthy glow!  

Peaches contain essential antioxidants and vitamins. They are also a natural remedy for cleansing your system, especially the kidneys. They have a high content of potassium and fibre that reduces stomach ulcers, inflammation and kidney related diseases. An all round great fruit!

Chia seeds are an amazing little super food packed full of essential nutrients. A rich source of omega 3 for healthy skin, hair and nails, it is packed full of protein which is a must for building and repairing lean muscle and they are a great source of fibre which helps keep you feeling full and balancing your appetite. Fibre is also essential for regulating your system which is great for detoxing. 

Let me know if you give this recipe a try! Find me on Instagram and Twitter @jaynebecca :)

Fitness | Tone It Up Bikini Series Update Week 2

Hi girls, Happy Tuesday! How nice was the weather this weekend? I was pleased that the sun was about because I could wear my shorts and flip flops ~ my favourite kind of outfit! So today I thought that I would give you an update of my first couple of weeks of the Tone It Up Bikini Series. I am seriously loving this challenge, I have got to know so many other like minded girls around the world. The support network of Tone It Up is second to none! I love checking in on Instagram with my meals and workouts and also seeing what all the other girls are up to. The whole community is so inspiring. If you have a spare 5 minutes or so check out #BikiniSeries on Instagram ~ very motivational! 

I have been getting in my workouts everyday, I honestly find this easy to do now that the sun is shining at 6am. I think that once you make it into a habit you don't think twice about it. I love getting up and getting my workout in first thing in the morning. I love the new SunSeeker Workout and I am looking forward to the new Surfer's Paradise workout today as well! I find the new cardio routines challenging, they kick your ass but in a good way. I find that HIIT workouts have really helped boost my fitness and tone up those stubborn areas such as my stomach and my bum. 

My meals have been lean, clean and green apart from the odd treat. You only live once after all! For me nutrition and fitness work hand in hand. You can't eat what you want, workout and expect to see results. It doesn't happen like that! What you put into your body is important. You need to fuel your body correctly in order to have the energy to workout and then see results. I find that journalling my meals on a daily basis really helps me to stay on track and be accountable. You can do this the old fashioned way with pen and paper, on your phone or even log your meals on Instagram! Whatever works for you. 

I am loving the Bikini Series so far, I am feeling confident and I can see changes already. It's not too late to sign up if you want to join in the fun ~ check it out on ToneItUp.com. What are you tips for staying accountable and on track with you food and fitness?

Images: Instagram

Beauty | Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturiser

Ahhh the infamous Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturiser. This is what I decided to treat myself to for completing my shopping ban. I have been after a tinted moisturiser for ages but after reading countless reviews and popping to the counter to get colour matched I decided to go for this one. I have been using this for just over a week and I adore it. I can't see myself using anything else on my skin all summer. 

Laura Mercier have several formulas of the tinted moisturiser and each has ten shades so you are bound to find one that suits you. I am in the shade Nude for reference, the lovely lady on the counter did say that this shade was the best fit for my skin as I have a lot of redness and this shade balances it out. The formula is nourishing and provides the skin with a hydrating amount of moisture and a hint of coverage. What I love about it is that it can be built up on the areas where you need a little bit more. I apply it using my fingers and then buff in any additional product with my Real Techniques Stippling Brush, all I need is a little bit of concealer around the nose and eyes and a touch of bronzer and I am good to go!

The picture on the left is minimal make up, no blush just my beloved NARS Laguna Bronzer ~ this is my average daytime look. In the picture on the right I used my Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer which is a little light for my skin but great for covering those dark circles ~ this is the make up I wore on Friday for Date Night with Matt. 

So as you can see you can see it is versatile for both day and night make up looks. It is pricey at £33 but you do get 40ml of product for your money so I think it is a good investment for the summer months. I have noticed that my blemishes have cleared up since I have started using this so clearly my skin loves a lighter base!  

What's your favourite tinted moisturiser?