Glitter Gets Fitter


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

If you follow me on YouTubes, Facebook, Instagram or Tumblr you may have noticed #GlitterGetsFitter being a THING. 

I say a 'THING' because I can't quite tell if it's a full on new lifestyle change or just a fad and not being one to love commitment (types the home owning married mother who has run her own business for the last couple of years, commitment much?) I'm reluctant to give it a title. 

GlitterGetsFitter
(A collection of my GlitterGetsFitter instagram updates this month.)

I talked about it in a video this past Sunday and wanted to chat a little bit more about it over here so as to have all bases covered. I'm not going to bleat on about it too much after that, unless something worthwhile happens, but you can still follow the THING on my social platforms if you're a keen bean.

It all began when Weight Watchers approached me in Autumn 2013 and asked if I would work with them on a few videos they had in mind to promote their new plan, Simple Start. I had long being thinking that my physical fitness needed some help but initially said no because I thought Weight Watchers was all about dropping lbs and eating boring foods. 

After a few discussions back and forth with me saying I don't enjoy the idea of diets and extreme/fast weight loss and that my goal for 2014 was to fuel my body better and improve my health levels, I quickly realised that was what Weight Watchers is all about. It's not about bland foods and being hungry, it's about learning which foods love your body and which foods don't really give you much (sadly, my beloved macdonalds french fries are the latter *sob*).


I decided that if I was going to be in videos promoting the Simple Start plan (HERE and HERE) that it would only be right to actually give it a go (practise what you preach and all) and have now being doing it for two weeks. 

I won't lie, it's been a big shock to my body and lifestyle. This second week I have spent a lot less time craving takeout food but the first week was a real battle of wills. I win those little battles by thinking in short term chunks. I say, 'You can have a chinese takeout on Friday, just resist for 3 more days and it's all yours' and then of course by the time I reach Friday I feel accomplished and don't want to order the chinese. Basically, I have to treat my brain like a toddler and do sneaky mama tricks on it haha. 

On the plus side, I have now had 14 consecutive days getting my 5-a-day of fruit and veggies and my skin, alertness levels and mood are thanking me for it. I'm not 100% sure if this is linked but since putting cleaner foods into my body I have been a lot less up and down in mood. I'm a very passionate person so I'm quick to laugh heartily, cry hard or shout loud but this last fortnight I've felt a little more mellow, which has been quite the treat for my Husband!

As well as eating better I have been upping my exercise game. By 'upping', I mean, 'actually doing some'! I used to have not a jot of proper exercise, aside from pushing the pram about, taking Darcy to the swings or nipping to the shop but none of those were anything more than light. 

I now go on 30 minute brisk walks/runs every other day and I don't hate it. I haven't got that addicted to exercise bug yet but I'm hoping it hits fairly soon. My friend Mark says it takes 3 weeks to make something a habit so my fingers are firmly crossed. I used to walk the length (and back again) of a nearby park but after a scary encounter with some locals (think hooded group of young men making lude remarks), I quickly changed my walking root and it feels much safer, although rather hilly and slightly longer dagnamit! 

The first time I did one of the walks I came home and was shaking I was so unused to exercise! Now though, I bound home in my hot pink trainers, jump in the shower and feel really accomplished. There is a certain sense of power in knowing that you are taking control of a new area of your life. I feel physically and mentally stronger because of it. 

So far, I'm really enjoying making these changes. I want my insides to feel great, I want to be a fit and healthy Mama for my Little and I want to enjoy a much more active life. 

I don't know how long I will continue on this journey (commitment issues, remember?) or how accomplished I will be but for the last 3 weeks I have taken so much from Sprinklerino Support (official term there) and feel very blessed to have you all in my glittery life. 

Have you ever undertaken big life changes like this? How did you feel? Did they work? Do you feel like a sensual woman goddess?!?

Toodlepip!

Contributor - Louise

To find new ways to stalk me or learn about my disclosure policy, click HERE

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Motivational Monday #3



Aloha Sprinklerinos,

According to scientists (or maybe just general 'they say' ness), today is the most depressing Monday of the year on account of it being so long since payday and a while til the next, the gloomy weather and the lack of excitement (oh how we miss you Christmas). If you are feeling blue, you've come to the right place because today is Motivational Monday where we come together as a happy, supportive, caring community and there is always a friend for you in the comments section. 

Motivational_Monday

I don't know about you but I often find myself worrying in circles and revving myself up into quite the tizzy about things I can't control or problems that aren't really mine. This week I'm going to make a concerted effort to let go of them.

This week I am going to love myself the most and not beat myself up over all the little things I find myself fixated on. So I cleared my office but left a load (and I mean loads!) of junk on the sofa, oh well. So I slipped up on my healthy eating plan and ate four (oops) weight watcher bars yesterday, oh well. So I didn't plan out all my blog posts last week, never mind. What I have done is love my family, read to my Daughter, laugh with my Husband, looked after my body with a few good walks and no takeouts, shared with a neighbour. 

What I'm trying to point out is that when you focus on all the times you've done wrong, messed up or missed out, you can't fully see all the things you have excelled at, been brilliant in or cared about. We are often our own worst enemies and this week for Motivational Monday I would like you, every day, to find something good that you have done and give yourself a pat on the back. You deserve it. It can be really big or really small or somewhere in between, but give yourself some lovin'. 

Homework (ie. comment below with haha)- Are you going to try and be kinder to yourself? What great things did you do over the weekend that you deserve a personal clap for? Also, how did you get on last week? Did you focus on any existing goals and did you have a positive outcome? It's good to reassess as well as look forward. 


Toodlepip!

Contributor - Louise

To find new ways to stalk me or learn about my disclosure policy, click HERE

Ultimate Advertiser -The Fashion Fuse. Click HERE for more info. 


Budget Pamper Treats


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

This week on my YouTube channel I talked about purse friendly ways to pamper yourself this month. I really like this video (vain much?) because it's sweet and snappy and I tried new things during the editing process to challenge and stretch myself creatively. Go me.


I'd be really interested to hear about your budget beauty or pamper tricks and I'd also like to know how you're getting on this month. January can really drag so I'm always trying to think up new ways to make it that little bit more sparkly!

Also, in case you missed last week's video (I didn't feature it on my blog due to THIS post), 'What's In My 2014 MakeUp Bag', you can watch it HERE. If you would like to, please feel free to SUBSCRIBE to my channel. Yay YouTube!

Toodlepip!

Contributor - Louise

To find new ways to stalk me or learn about my disclosure policy, click HERE

Ultimate Advertiser -Adventures of an Anglophile. Click HERE for more info.

Topshop Goodies


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

On falling into Topshop the other week when I had a few minutes spare before I meeting, I accidentally fell to the till with a handful of new products, my money fell out of my purse and then the products fell into my makeup bag. What can you do eh? These things happen to the best of us. 




I thought it might be quite nice to do a little blog haul since I usually feature this kind of thing more prominently on my YouTube channel, it's nice to give my blog a little lovin'. 

I haven't fully road tested these products yet so am hesitant to give any kind of review but having used and adored Topshop lipsticks for years, I feel confident that they will be well loved assets to my makeup bag. 

In 'The Damned', 'Boom Boom' and 'Beatnik', each lipstick retails at £8 and is creamy, pigmented goodness in a solid metal tube. 



I also treated myself to a warm toned highlighter, a 'Lip Bullet' (basically a lip crayon with swivel-up mechanism when it gets blunt) and a Kohl eyeliner in 'coal' which is a trusted re-purchase. 

I have always had fantastic experiences with the Topshop line so I am excited to get into these and if anything crazy good/weird/bad happens, I'll be sure to let you know.

If you enjoyed this post or are enjoying sciving from real life for a few minutes, why not read about my 2012 TopShop Splurge or my very first mention of Topshop makeup back in 2011! Yikes!! (I do hope I've improved somewhat since then!!)

What was the last thing you treated yourself to or splurged on?

Toodlepip! 

xx

Contributor - Louise

To find new ways to stalk me or learn about my disclosure policy, click HERE

Ultimate Advertiser -Adventures of an Anglophile. Click HERE for more info.

Motivational Monday #2


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Are you excited for the new week? You should be. It's an opportunity to asses what you want out of your time and decide upon the best attitude to help you reach it. I have faith in you!



The second week in January is usually the time I give up on New Year's Resolutions and feel rather melancholy at the sorry state of my will power. I don't think I'm alone. 

You've had a good crack at things but really, not drinking fizzy drinks or finally reorganising your junk room is hard work and sometimes boring. I get it, I feel your pain. I can't even tell you how much I want a gallon of iced diet coke and some cheese fries.

But, we have each other and this warm, engaging community to support us!

Have a think about a goal or aim you have at the moment. It doesn't have to be a New Year Resolution as I know some people don't bother, but just something you're trying to do/not do right now in your life. Focus on it. Are you doing it well? Are you veering off course? Are you cheating a little bit?

Make today be the day that you try a tiny bit harder. Not start over or find a new goal but just try that little bit more to achieve this one. Take the love and support of this community all cheering you on and push that one bit harder. Do that every day this week and then on Saturday assess your progress. Hopefully you'll be so proud of yourself that you keep on going next week and voila, you have pushed through a hump and come out stronger.

I for one will be drawing from this motivation as I continue on my road to a fitter body (and gee wizz sometimes it feels like a rubbish road, but I'm determined not to let myself down this year, because after all, who else's body am I bettering?) and will update you on my progress.

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Last week in THIS post we talked about enjoying little things in each day. I would love to hear in the comments if there was anything specific you enjoyed. Here are some of mine - Having Matt, Clare, Zoe, Alfie and Marcus be so supportive of my healthier life choices, listening to Darcy play her 'git-ar' and singing made up babybabble songs, watching YouTube videos in bed with Matt before we go to sleep and taking pretty pictures on my big girl camera- I should do that more. 

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So two bits of comment 'homework' for you haha. What resolution/goal are you going to push a tiny bit harder on and what did you enjoy from last week's focused attention? Feel free to talk to each other in the comments and provide encouragement!

Contributor - Louise

To find new ways to stalk me or learn about my disclosure policy, click HERE

Ultimate Advertiser -Adventures of an Anglophile. Click HERE for more info.