Results with Lucy | 6 Week Progress*

I'm about half way through my journey in to New Beginnings and I must say, I'm really pleased with the progress I've made. I'm going to admit here and now, and put my hands up and say I haven't followed the programme to the tee. But there have been great results regardless and I can't wait to see what the remaining half of the programme can help me achieve. 

To read my initial post on this, click HERE.

I started off at 12 st 7lbs. Not a happy weight, but a long way off my heaviest weight that I'd reached over Christmas. After developing a dairy intolerance and sticking to a dairy free diet, I shed 6lbs, but soon found my way back to indulging my sweet tooth once I'd fully discovered the Free From ranges in local supermarkets. I've found chocolate bars, cake recipes, brownies, and every other thing that I shouldn't be able to eat, but now I can. My sweet cupboard at home, which I once thought would be baron for many years, this time is full once again with dairy free/vegan sweets, cookies and chocolate. I just can't help myself!

Now with the help of Results with Lucy, I've shed another 7-8lbs (my weight has fluctuated over the last week - birthdays are never healthy) and am now (almost) below 12st. Which is still huge for me, as I was a scrawny child, but once puberty hit, I ranged from an 8 to a 14 and back down again, then slowly crept up over the past 5 years. I realise clothes sizes and weight is just a number, it should be how you feel about yourself looking in the mirror. But with that.. with slimming down and toning up, its nice to know that you've dropped a dress size or you're back to your pre uni weight. 

When I was weight lifting and hitting the gym on a semi-regular basis (my friends would laugh at this) I wasn't losing any weight at all and I got really frustrated and started fixating on the numbers. My then-PT told me to stay away from the scales and start taking measurements as these would be the indicators of my body changing. As I was building muscle, the fat was being replaced pound for pound the more I worked. As muscle has a higher density than fat, I was actually slimming down, but still weighed the same or saw little difference in my weight. This is totally normal. 

After these 6 weeks, I've noticed my legs and tummy toning up, and other areas of my body getting smaller, despite not seeing too much change in my weight. Obviously 8lbs is loads, but in 6 weeks, had I followed the diet plan (and the timetable) correctly, I probably would have lost around 12lbs. I gave in to my sweet tooth, and missed almost a whole week of exercise. Luckily they give you 2 weeks extra to catch up! 

My clothes are fitting better, my sports bra even sits better and isn't as tight and I'm feeling a lot more confident. I really want to be able to shed another 7lbs at the very least over the next 8 weeks in time for my holiday to Portugal, where I hope I'll be able to exercise a couple times too, so I don't lapse!

I'm quite proud of my before and after photo as it really shows my progress. I just cant wait until I have the 13 week photo and see the difference (praying that there is some). You can see my ribs coming through at the sides, my stomach has reduced in size (to be fair, I was really bloated in the first one, as a reaction to dairy), my bum has shrunk, legs toned, chest has shrunk too and arms are toning up.

Here's my new measurements compared to my starting:

Chest - 92cm (8cm loss)

Waist - 71cm (9cm loss)

Stomach - 83cm (8cm loss)

Hips - 86cm (5.5cm loss)

Bum - 105cm (9cm loss)

Thigh - 66cm (4cm loss)

Arm - 30.5 (2.5cm loss)

Fitness Test 2:

Press Ups - 24 (knees) (3 more)

Squats - 37 (full) ( 4 more)

Plank - 1 minute (full) (30seconds and on knees previously)

Jacks - 61 (full) (5 more)

So I've lost a huge 9cm of my bum and waist and 8cm off my chest and stomach. These types of numbers, I like! I've also made an improvement on my fitness too which I've also noticed on my journey to work. I no longer am dying when I have to run up the escalator to catch my train!

Check back in 8 weeks to see the final results!!

If you want to sign up to a New Beginnings plan or a similar Virtual Personal Training plan (they're so cheap!) Click HERE

Have you tried RWL? Which plan have you used?

Gift Ideas For Her | Swedish Massage* | The Beauty Barn, Hertfordshire

With my birthday coming up in the next week or two, there's one thing that's always on my birthday wish list, and that's to get a massage! From gym workouts and a desk job, I'm always aching and hold a lot of tension in my neck, back and shoulders. A massage is just what I need.

Set amongst the idyllic lush green fields of Hertfordshire, Church Farm is a lovely place off the beaten track. A place to visit animals, camp out, and enjoy afternoon tea with family as well as picking up fresh produce straight from the farm. 

A hidden gem amongst the many activities at Church Farm is the Beauty Barn. Offering Holistic Therapy including Swedish, Aromatherapy, Back, Neck and Shoulder and Indian head massages, you are guaranteed to leave your stresses and tension behind you after just 30minutes to an hour. 

Kayleigh, at The Beauty Barn, is a lovely, passionate therapist eager to expand her client base. She not only provides a friendly, relaxing environment, in which to unwind and release tension, but also offers great pamper packages for bridal parties, hen do's, birthdays and girls days out. 

With prices as low as £15, you can treat yourself, your girlfriend, mum, cousin, sister,  or whoever else you think would enjoy some 'me' time, to up to an hour of aromatherapeutic bliss. With countless massage oils of relaxing and rejuvenating fragrances, you can feel at comfort and ease whilst being pampered. 

I was lucky enough to receive a full-body Swedish massage, which incorporates the usual relaxing flowing circular motions with the palms and hands with stretching and more vigorous kneading and percussion-like taps, ensuring the entire body is circulating oxygen in the blood and expelling muscle toxins. 

After the hour long massage, I felt loose, limber and surprisingly awake, considering I was fighting to stay awake throughout. The soothing music definitely chilled me out, but it was the atmosphere, the oils, and of course the skilful therapist which made the experience one I would definitely do again. Kayleigh even offers a loyalty scheme whereby you get 5 treatments, you get a Neal's Yard product free. You get 10 treatments, you get a free facial and a half price full body massage. I can't wait to go back again! It's certainly worth the 25 minute drive up the A10.

If you're looking for a treat for yourself or someone you know, or are even looking for a pamper package for you and your friends, The Beauty Barn at Church Farm in Ardeley, Hertfordshire is super affordable, and a great excuse to give yourself a little TLC.

You can give Kayleigh a ring on 07535650872 to book your appointment!

Makeup Revolution | Ultra Eyeshadow Palette in Flawless | Swatches

I'm utterly in love with the Makeup Revolution Eyeshadow Palettes. Being so affordable and great quality, they're all favourites amongst bloggers. Last weekend I popped into Superdrug actually looking for somewhere that sells NYX. I'm yet to find anywhere local to me. But while I was in there, I thought I may as well browse the offers and see what I can buy instead. Low and behold, the Revolution counter was calling my name. "3 for 2" it was saying, "buy me, buy me".. I mean, how's a girl to resist?! 

So I bought three.. yes three eyeshadow palettes.. all for £16! Such a bargain. I couldn't wait to get back home and swatch them for you. 

Now that I'm helping my friend with bridal makeup clients, I've been experimenting more with eyeshadow looks and really want to wear it more myself, as I'm more of a simple winged eyeliner kinda gal. I do wear shadows on nights out, but they don't tend to be too dramatic as I've not been that good until I started practicing. 

The palettes themselves are very simplistic, but have beaut metallic outer-packaging.  This rose gold box is full of stunning shimmers and glitters and pure gorgeousness. 32 eyeshadows.. at just £8.. it's just unreal! They're all super pigmented and can all work seamlessly together to make the perfect smoky eye, the perfect nude look or the perfect glittery glam.

Here's the swatches from top row to bottom, left to right.

Keep an eye out for swatch posts of the other two palettes I purchased!

Do you have this palette? Done any tutorials using it? I'd love to see them!

Ceramic Braces | Cosmetic Dentistry | Adult Braces

Every Christmas growing up in my teens, I would write my Christmas list for my parents, detailing the things I'd had my eye on that year. Amongst other unrealistic super expensive, dream items, every single year without fail, there on the list would be 'braces'.