3 Tips For Living Healthy Lifestyle *

To most people a healthy lifestyle encompasses being physically and mentally balanced. While it’s easy enough to talk about healthy lifestyles, living by the principles can be difficult, but if you want to enjoy the things in life longer following healthy habits should be in your mind no matter your lifestyle, so here are the top ways to achieve that.

  1. Follow a Healthy Diet
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

For proper growth and development your body needs to feed on a balanced diet. From adults to infants, humans have different nutritional requirements, for instance an infant needs to be fed every four hours each day until they reach an age that permits them to eat solid food. As time goes on they will adapt to the normal three-square meal plan. Teenagers and young adults on the other hand often take their snacks in between their meals to fuel activity and growth. If you want to stay healthy, stick to the following diet guidelines: Eat three times a day- that’s to say take your lunch, breakfast, and supper (dinner). Your dinner doesn’t have to be too heavy. In the evening eating a lot of food will stress your digestive system since you are about to go to bed. A huge chunk of your meals should contain healthy foods such as beans, fruits, veggies, grains, and milk products with low saturated fat, eggs, and fish. You may also want to avoid sugary drinks because they contain excessive amounts of calories. Three square meals won’t suit everyone so you could try six half sized meals/snacks to keep things more regulated throughout the day

2. Stay physically active (exercise)

Healthy living is deeply connected with physical activity. In evolutionary biology the theory of use and disuse of body parts suggests that if you exercise part of your body, it develops better, but if you don’t effectively use a body part, it atrophies (wastes). Physical exercises build your muscle mass, improve your balance and coordination, make you more flexible, and also enhance your endurance. Health wise, exercise also helps decrease your risk of cardiac diseases, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. Fitness freaks who love to hit the gym to do weightlifting routines build their bone density, this means they also decrease their risks of osteoporosis. Even for older people in their 60s and 70s, there is no excuse to be left out of workout activities. Regular exercises also boost your self-confidence, lowers your stress, and gives you a good mood. If you are someone who has weight issues, that can be a threat to healthy living. Consider doing physical activities such as walking, running, weightlifting, yoga, and swimming, to keep fit and maintain a healthy weight.

Photo by Jared Rice on Unsplash

3. Say no to negative lifestyles

Excess alcohol, drug abuse and tobacco-smoking are examples of negative lifestyles that can decrease your lifespan. In 2010, tobacco-smoking led to the death of over 443,000 Americans the National Cancer Institute reported. About 90% of male lung cancer-related deaths are caused by smoking, and female deaths account for 80% for the same condition.

Healthy living also means you have to take care of yourself physically and mentally, even in your workplace. For example, if you are a taxi driver you may want to drive carefully and also put measures in place that will not put you in a stressful situation. You can, for example, get a taxi insurance quote for your vehicle for those unforeseen moments. 

Healthy living is a broad subject comprising diet, exercise, and other safe practices. The tips above can be of great help if you try them.




The July Degustabox- it’s Summer time!*

Box gifted by Degustabox
This is a PR box, this means there will sometimes be additional flavours or products than you’d get as a subscriber, I will highlight this within my post.

It’s Summer! As I write this, it’s the most glorious July day and I’m enjoying a relaxing day (yay week off!) before going camping in Dorset for the weekend. It’s the perfect day to be writing my review of the July Degustabox as this month it had a Summer theme to it. There were some awesome products inside so let’s crack on.

Inside this month’s box was a surprise bag containing these sachets of sauces from The Skinny Food Co. I’ve seen this brand all over social media so I was curious to try their products. I don’t think I want to know how they make these zero calorie products but I admit they are pretty good- the white chocolate was a fab addition to breakfast and the others were all good too, oddly sweet, but fine. Perfect for anyone watching their weight but missing condiments- personally I’ll stick to the real deal but they were fun to try. Available from SkinnyFoodCo.com, Morrisons, Spar and COOP.

I’ve reviewed these ManiLife peanut butters before and my opinion still stands- these are great and I urge any peanut butter fan to give these a go. My favourite is the deep roast crunchy peanut butter for it’s awesome flavour. These retail at 60p and you’ll find the brand stocked in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Ocado and ManiLife.com.

I love protein bars for on the go snacks and I’m always looking for new brands to try. Premier Protein packed their Chocolate Brownie Bar with 20g protein and only 1.3g of sugar. It tastes great and I’m excited to try their other flavours; White Chocolate Vanilla and Chocolate Peanut Butter. £1.49 each from Ocado and WHSmith Travel.

This Golden Creek Maple Syrup Blended with Sugar Syrup was the perfect excuse for a fluffy American Pancake breakfast. Whilst our preference is for pure Maple Syrup, it’s expensive and at £2.49 this is the best tasting and most reasonably priced alternative we’ve tried. Nice one Golden Creek! Available from Ocado and Home Bargains.

These Plant Pops popped lotus seeds were my product of the month. I had no idea what to expect from these and they are impossible to describe, but so delicious and addictive. The peanut butter flavour was subtle but there and worked perfectly. I think there are other flavours available too which I am desperate to try- my only grumble is that they are £1.50 per bag which means I can’t afford to make them a regular snack. They are also not yet widely available but you can find them on Amazon, plantpopsnacks.com, TheVeganKind Supermarket, Harvey Nichols, Londis and Budgens.
I’m not a big fan of Stevia so I haven’t yet used the Natvia Natural Sweetener from this month’s box, however I have used the brand before in baking with great results so it’s definitely a winner if you’re a Stevia fan or trying to cut down on your sugar. £5 a tub from Tesco, Ocado, Tree of Life and Health Food Stores.
Nesquik is much more up my alley. Bob pounced on this all natural milkshake powder immediately. Made from just 5 natural ingredients this has the taste of Nesquik that we know and love with nothing nasty added. Bonus points for the fully recyclable packaging! £1.89 from Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
I didn’t get a look in with the Bebeto party mix! Bob took these on a car journey with him and came back full of praise for the fizzy gummies. I’ve started to see this brand more and more in the UK lately and I’m excited to try them for myself. At £2 for the tub this is great for summer picnics and parties. Available at Morrisons, selected Spar stores and Bestways- I’ve also spied the brand in some of the discount stores near me so keep your eyes peeled!
The Minor Figures Nitro Cold Brew coffee scared the life out of me when I opened it! When you open it the nitrogen is released to create a silky microfoam- quite the shock if you don’t know what to expect. This is a light, dairy free drink with no added sugar. It wasn’t something I’d buy again personally but I know people love this brand so it’s down to me having a quite basic palette when it comes to drinks I think! £1.95 each from Wholefoods, Planet Organic, Sourced Markets, As Nature Intended, Ocado, WHSmiths Travel, Holland & Barrett and nationwide independents.
Next up on the drinks front we have Pravha lighter tasting pilsner. I’m not a lager fan but this went down well served chilled- more so with Bob than myself but I would drink again. £2 from major supermarket chains.
Finally we have the curiously named Wunda milk alternative. I regularly use non-dairy milk in porridge as I prefer the taste so I was quite excited, if a little apprehensive about trying this after reading it’s made from peas. This doesn’t launch until 2021 but I am very much going to be buying this when it does. It tastes great and is fabulous in porridge, on cereal and in hot drinks. It’s high protein, low sugar, low fat and fortified with vitamins A, D, B2 and B12. A real superhero product, worth it’s £1.99 RRP.

Let me know if you’ve tried any of these products and what you thought in the comments, it’s always great to get other people’s thoughts.

If you’re new to Degustabox, it’s a monthly food subscription box that gives you the chance to try new and exciting products on the market whilst providing amazing value for money.
On a month by month basis the box costs £12.99 (with a discount for longer subscriptions) but the contents are generally worth far more than this as you can see if you do the maths.

If you’re persuaded to give Degustabox a go (and really, you should) you can claim £3.00 off of your first box (making it just £9.99!) by entering the code XOQGC at the checkout. It’s been a pleasure to work with the brand regularly over the last couple of years and it’s without a doubt something that I will continue to purchase long after our partnership ends. I love the monthly surprise and excitement as well as the chance to discover products I’d otherwise pass up on the supermarket shelves.

Let’s talk about dental health*

Guys, let’s talk teeth; not the most thrilling subject I admit, but after yet another toothache saga and an ongoing war with my teeth I figure it’s an important issue and one that is often skipped over.
I totally took my teeth and dental health for granted, up until my late twenties, despite years of abuse and general self-neglect I had no trouble with my teeth at all and just assumed things would carry on that way.
I was wrong, so very wrong!
Turns out that over a decade of eating disordered behaviours had stripped my teeth of enamel leaving them super sensitive and prone to breaking and getting infected. I’m now a frequent flyer at the dentist (outside of my 6 monthly check-ups) and if I had my way I’d have the whole lot taken out and dentures fitted just to get rid of the problem.
It’s not hard to take care of your teeth, and here are some simple steps you can take to maintain good dental health.

  1. Brush at LEAST twice a day; yeah it’s a ball-ache, but you’ll regret it in years to come.
  2. Pick your products; I always use this Colgate sensitive pro-relief as it works wonders for me. Long before this blog post this was my go-to toothpaste and I won’t stray. I also use an anti-septic mouthwash as I have a long-term infection in my front teeth and this combination means I can eat and drink without fear of major pain or yet more antibiotics.
  3. Floss; I hate flossing, I really do, but short term pain for long term gain, trust me.
  4. Limit acidic foods and drinks; acid is what destroyed my teeth so now I am really careful to limit how much I consume to protect any enamel I have left.
  5. Befriend your dentist; my six monthly check-ups often reveal problems before they’ve become a problem meaning less invasive treatments and good advice for keep things stable.

What are your top dental health tips and go-to products?

Life Lately- a new kind of normal?

Dress: Pull and Bear | Shoes: Primark

I’m giving up on making promises of regular blog posts, whilst I still enjoy having and updating this space on the internet I have come to realise I don’t need it as much as I used to. Back when I started it, when I was in the deepest, darkest days of my life, through the rollercoaster few years right up until I met Bob this place was my link to the world, my place where I could be heard and connect with people. It got me through some really tough times and presented me with some amazing opportunities. I’m sad in some ways that I no longer have the time and headspace to keep up with daily, or even weekly posts, yet happy to be letting go, to finally be in that place where “real life” is enough. I’m not giving up completely, there is always going to be the regular features as well as hopefully some wedding related posts, and looking forward, hopefully some family ones too. Even if that wasn’t the case I think I’d be stepping back now anyway, the blogging world has changed beyond recognition and I no longer feel I have a place in the centre of it (and I’m 100% ok with that).

Life lately has been chaotic and confusing for everyone and I’m definitely feeling it more now than ever. During the peak of Covid-19 I was so frantically busy and exhausted from work that I didn’t really register how much life had changed for me- and actually, it didn’t really change that much. I worked 9-5, shopped for essentials when I had to, so whilst I did have lockdown to contend with and the isolation from friends and loved ones I did at least have routine.

As restrictions ease I find it’s hitting me more now. Work has slowed right down. We can go about our daily business with a little more freedom. I’ve been on a socially distanced picnic with friends, I can see my family, I’ve had my nails done with hair to follow and Bob and I are planning a camping trip in a couple of weeks. With all of this has come a greater feeling of unease. Is this the right thing? Should I be going out/away. Do I really need to leave the house? I’m making the most of the freedom but it isn’t half causing some conflict!

Conflict aside, I’m happy. Ridiculously happy in a way I thought I never could be. I’m the healthiest mentally and physically that I have been in my entire adult life. I’m planning my wedding to my absolute soul mate (432 days to go!) and I have a job I enjoy, a roof over my head and an all round happy and contended and comfortable life- for which I am eternally grateful.

I’m not sure what the point of this post is other than to share some photos of a pretty dress, our somewhat more up together garden (like many, lockdown has given us a drive to take pride in our garden!) and explain, largely to myself why I find myself blogging less and less. I still want to do it, but on my terms with no pressure. I already feel more at ease with it all having written this post, so despite being a disjointed tangle of words it has served some kind of purpose.

How To Revamp Your Wardrobe To Achieve Chic & Sophisticated Style*

With such a large percentage of people staying at home in the most comfortable of all outfits, dressing up and looking glam seem to be a thing of the past. Chic and sophisticated fashion has gone out of the window, to be replaced with pyjamas and sweatpants! However, with the end of lockdown looming now is the time to address your wardrobe and identify any positive changes that can be made to ensure you can feel smart and stylish for your next endeavour! So, if you’re looking for the perfect classy office look or simply want to dress with a little more commitment to sophistication, then read on to uncover some of the best top tips and tricks that you can make the most of today!

Photo by Micheile Henderson on Unsplash

Say No To Patterns 

One of the worst things that you can do when trying to achieve a chic aesthetic is to layer lots of different patterns and colours together, this is far too eye catching and jumbled to even hint at sophistication. Avoid prints altogether where possible, experimenting only with simple stripes or a basic animal print on one small section of your outfit (such as your top) to identify whether these patterns can match with the block colour items in the rest of your wardrobe. 

Accessories Add Value 

The accessories that you wear can transform your outfit completely as soft and delicate clothing is taken to a whole new level with the accompaniment of a gold or silver jewellery set. Earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings are all great extras to add to your chic style as there are so many statement pieces embellished with glistening diamonds or even more kitsch floral shaped sets too. Even a good pair of designer cat eye glasses can take your outfit to a whole new level, so it’s a good idea to explore a relevant website or two in order to identify what’s truly on the market right now.

Find The Balance 

Though you may wish to dress the part every single day, sometimes it just isn’t possible. Finding the balance between über sophistication and complete casual may seem impossible, but even if this means substituting one item then this can really be of benefit. For example, wearing a sleek women’s suit dress with a statement necklace falling over the collar of your shirt would fit perfectly with a new pair of cute tennis shoes or other similar trainers. This can help you to avoid being overdressed, as well as help to keep control of your budget too! 

Revamping your wardrobe to achieve a chic and sophisticated style has never been so simple when you are able to make the most of the top tips and tricks detailed above! Start off by getting rid of any garish patterned clothing, as this can be too eye catching and make for a jumbled and confusing outfit. Stick with basic block colours, and add extra features by experimenting with accessories such as glasses and jewellery. Make sure that you find the right balance!