Friday’s Letters: and they call it coffee love

Friday's Letters myfoxycorner

Dear Merlin: I know this cold weather makes you extra cuddly, I’m just going to go ahead and pretend its because you just love me so darn much that we have to hold hands all night (well, hold paw? I dunno, but it’s cute). Thanks for the snuggles. Thanks for coming home each night. Love you.

Dear Organisation: Welcome back to my world, here’s to a less stressed, more productive life. Going to give bullet journalling a go and see how long it lasts before I lost my notebook/pen/marbles.

Dear Banana Muffins: I forgot how ridiculously easy yet delicious you are. Welcome back into the baking repertoire. You’re welcome flatmates who are blessed with free baking (in return for a stolen/borrowed egg or two).

Dear Family: Even if you stress me out something chronic, my love for each and every one of you is strangely unlimited.

Dear Auckland: I know people joke about how Aucklanders can’t handle the weather. I am here, hands in the air, admitting I am a weather wimp from Auckland who would prefer to wake up to sunshine and warmth. These cold days have been beautiful and still, but rather uncomfortable for someone who is unable to remember items of clothing e.g. jackets/jumpers/scarves.

Dear Italy: I miss you. Oh, how I miss you. Your neighbourhood pizzerias, your little weird cafe/bars with freshly squeezed orange juice, your loud and wonderful people. We’ll be back to wander lost through your streets again one day, until then we will find the best damn pizza in town.

Dear Edd: You’re the short black to my long black (take that how you will). Thank you for being my shoulder where I can cry makeup all over without ruining my own clothes (I kid, I don’t do that on purpose). Sometimes we may stubbornly refuse to be the first person to apologise, but it’s such an indescribable feeling to know that i have you by my side when I find myself struggling. Here’s to many more brunch dates and so much more coffee drunk together in the sunshine (lol in the rain, who am I kidding).Friday's Letters myfoxycorner

 

Welcoming Winter with Kick-Ass Nails | OPI

OPI Winter NailPolish

7 OPI shades to wear in winter (or just all year round)

untitled-2-2Is it sad when your favourite thing about a season is the change in nail polish shades? I hope not (asking for a friend). On this freezing cold Sunday, I’ll share my favourite OPI shades for the season. Another post will go up soon to share a few other brands for fairness sake. OPI are one of my favourite nail polish brands, as I find them consistently superior in terms of beautiful colours, varieties of finishes (even if I only ever buy one) and excellent formulas. They are also pretty affordable, after the fairly recent decrease in price. I think they are $18 each at Farmers, with pretty frequent specials.
OPI Winter NailPolish

When I think winter, for some reason my mind goes straight to rich, jewel toned cremes, luckily this is a colour family that OPI excel at. For interests sake I threw in the only glitter I consider fussing about with, you can thank me later. A heads up, nail polish is a bitch to capture in photos, and although these all look stunning they tend to look a little brighter in the photos than real life. Imagine them a smidgen darker and dirtier (in a good way?). All the OPI cremes below have a really similar formula, smooth and easy to apply, opaque in two coats (that’s part of why I love them so much).

Winter OPI Nail Polish

L-R: The Living Daylights, Tickle My France-y, Skyfall

The Living Daylights – This glitter was released with the James Bond collection and I have no idea whether its part of the normal line, but its such a perfect winter/autumnal option. It features chunky little hexagons in blue, copper and silver and I haven’t seen anything else like it. Its almost worth the gruelling removal process. I love to layer this over other shades, pretty much any of the cremes in this post look even better with a couple of accent fingers (I don’t care if these are still in trend or not, I love them). If you want this one alone, be prepared to do a fair few coats to get an even coverage.

Tickle My France-y – Everyone needs a good nude/my nails but better shade and this one is my choice for this time of the year. Unlike the photo above, its a darker muted pink with a touch of brown. Its a really flattering shade and the perfect palette cleanser after wearing dark shades for weeks on end.

Skyfall – Another James Bond feature, and possibly my favourite out of them all, this dark blood red is pure winter perfection. Again, a touch of brown just to make it a little different, and its just the ultimate accessory to a put-together outfit (also looks real nice with pyjamas, lets be honest).

OPI Winter NailPolish

L-R: Miami Beet, Skating on the Ice-Land, Jade is the New Black, Dark Side of the Mood

Miami beet – A beautiful rich berry shade, in-between a purple and a red (and not as pink as it looks). This one I love because its dark and subdued in the shade/indoors but in the sunshine the bright tones come to life. Adds a pop of colour to my usually rather dreary clothing/attitude. This one has been a staple for years now.

Skating on the Ice-land – One of my new buys, this beautiful purple shade is from last years Nordic collection. This is described a blackened cherry purple (there’s a hint of red, but mostly its just a dark, rich plum shade). Its dark on the nails but not one of those shades that looks black except for when you stick your fingers directly under a lamp. Its a nice alternative to my usual winter navy shades.

Jade is the New Black – This doesn’t need much introduction, it’s one of the cult favourites for OPI, and for good reason. This is a ridiculously flattering green creme, dark but still colourful, green without being too weird or unusual. Nowhere near as bright as the photo, but its just a beautiful dulled dark shade. I love it.

Dark Side of the Mood – I know we are all supposed to hate anything 50 shade related, but I love a good grey polish, and its one I have been missing from my slightly extensive collection. Plus, the name kind of sold it. This is definitely as dark as a grey can get without just looking straight-up black on the nails. I really like this, its classy and looks amazing on shorter nails (as do most of the darker shades). It has a ridiculously subtle shimmer, but just pretend its not there because you’ll never see it.

untitled-10-2Do you own any of these shades? Let me know what you tend to gravitate towards around this time of year!

 

Our daily, lazy breakfast

Banana Mango Smoothie

I love food and spend most of my hours of the day looking forward to my next opportunity to eat. Some may consider that sad, I think of it as being gastronomically appreciative, every chance I get.

Banana Mango Smoothie

Breakfast is one of those meals I can pass on, me and toast have never been great friends and soggy cereal is basically one of my versions of hell on earth. In an effort to being better eating habits and stop eating my lunch at 11am, we bought a fancy blender and started experimenting.

This banana and mango smoothie is the most boring of them all, but I wanted to start with it as its our usual every-day choice. Delicious but no-fuss, packed with protein powder and banana to keep you full until its an appropriate time to eat lunch, its an easy winner.

We started off making this with plain yoghurt and trim milk, but have now tried to reduce our dairy and so have been substituting with almond milk instead (one day I’ll try making my own, until then laziness wins out and I have been trying different supermarket offerings). Taste-wise there isn’t much difference, apart from a slightly nutty flavour, which we both like. It does result in a slightly thinner smoothie that’s easier to drink (don’t worry, the banana still thickens it up).

myfoxycorner Every day smoothie

Ingredients (serves 2):

  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 1/2 can of tinned mango (or roughly 1 fresh mango)
  • 2 scoops of protein powder (ours is banana flavoured, but vanilla would work too)
  • 1 1/2 cups of Almond Milk (or substitute)
  • Large handful of ice cubes

Chop up the banana roughly. Chuck everything in the blender and whizz (very technical) till its smooth/at your desired consistency.

The mango and banana are a really nice pair of flavours, sweet enough without needing to add any honey and matched with the nutty almond milk. Cans of mango are super cheap and I love not having to rely on fresh fruit, so there’s always a couple of tins in my pantry (I know fresh fruit is way cooler, but it always just ends up going mouldy because I put off eating it until the last possible moment). We add in protein powder just to bulk up the other protein we get from our diet, and if you have any excellent recommendations for good protein powder options please let me know!

myfoxycorner smoothieWhat about you, do you live for breakfast or struggle to remember it like me? What’s your favourite smoothie flavour combination?

 

Friday’s Letters: Beers, Boxes and Bottomless Coffee

Friday's Letters

Dear Gym: Somehow you have transformed yourself from a place of torture, to a sanctuary of personal reflection. Every time I get to take an hour our of my day to focus on something completely separate to whatever’s going on in reality it’s like a total (painful and often humiliating) treat. Thanks.

Dear Federal Delicatessen: Your bottomless coffee has my heart, nervous palpitations and all. See you Sunday.

Dear Merlin: I know you love cardboard and boxes and ripping shit up. I love that about you (well, kind of). But 3am is not optimal box shredding time so please save this rather noisy activity for times of the day when I am not trying to sleep and can control my violent urges better (you’ve been very lucky so far…I kid, you’re too cute, do whatever you want).

Dear Weekend: How did you manage to get so busy without me realising. Whoever accepted all of these commitments obviously didn’t take into account the 6 hour period I need for crocheting in bed with The Bachelor playing off a precariously balanced laptop. We’ll make it work.

Dear Junk Free June: I gave it a good try. I promise. It was up until I realised that I can’t physically survive without emergency use of chocolate that our short-lived challenge came to a very delicious end.

Dear Self: Stop apologising when you have nothing to be sorry for. Please try to stop stressing over things that are outside of your control. It’s okay to do things for yourself, set boundaries and to put yourself first. More than that, its necessary every once in a while. Let’s not go over every conversation 10 times because in the end it doesn’t make it any easier, let go, move on and who cares if other people do the same.

Dear Edd: Thank you for turning a shitty week on its head. You know the way to my heart; beer, burgers, chocolate and 90s dino movies. I knew we married for a reason. Thanks for being there when my ridiculously insecure and crazy mind runs havoc.

Friday's Letters

 

Book Review: Church of Marvels

church of marvels


church of marvelsChurch of Marvels by Leslie Parry

This book arrived at my door and from the moment I saw its beautiful cover, I had a feeling I was in for a treat. Lately, books have been taking me forever to read, regardless of how great they are. Church of Marvels was demolished in two days (this was achieved with sleep deprivation and some casual anti-social attitudes towards colleagues at lunchtime, sorry). It doesn’t take a magician to work out whether I enjoyed this… but I reviewed it anyway so read on.

Summary: This marvellous story revolves around 3 narrators: a twin from a spectacular freak show on a search to find her sister, a wife who has ended up in an asylum with little recollection of how she got there, and an orphan man who cleans up the city at night, and discovers a thread which ties them all together. Set in the dark, and yet enchanting, late 19th Century New York, these characters lives become intertwined during one gripping night that unravels during the novel.

My Thoughts: I  haven’t been this engaged with a book for a long time, and I forgot that feeling of truly losing yourself into a whole other world and time, a setting full of dark secrets, unique characters and twisted back stories. This novel was expertly woven together in a way that every chapter left me wanting more, each character’s snippet of their story was never quite enough. The twists and surprises were the perfect kind, subtly implied and presented, but it wasn’t until the reveal where all of the random threads suddenly made sense. This was a world like nothing I had read about before, dark and yet spectacular, dirty and yet magical. Coney island was the perfect backdrop for these characters to come together, and Leslie Parry’s writing was the perfect tool to do so, detailed enough to make each description irresistibly real but not too much so to detract from the rapidly moving story.

We can be a weary, cynical lot – we grow old and see only what suits us, and what is marvelous can often pass us by. A kitchen knife. A bulb of glass. A human body. That something so common should be so surprising – why, we forget it. We take it for granted. We assume that our sight is reliable, that our deeds are straightforward, that our words have one meaning. But life is uncommon and strange; it is full of intricacies and odd, confounding turns.

What I liked: I lose any semblance of eloquence when trying to write a review (I’m not sure I ever had any) but I loved so much about this book. The enchanting and at times disturbing setting, the courageous set of carnival characters and their world of opium dens, hidden identities, mysteries and revelations. Attention to detail, even for seemingly minor characters, made this story lush and complex. The pacing of this story and its surprises were also done really well, enough was given away to make me feel like I was gradually working out what was happening; until the secrets were revealed and then I realised I really had no idea of how deeply intwined the story was. I also really loved the physical appearance of this book…which seems very shallow (okay, it is very shallow) but it just made the whole experience something special.

coney island

What I didn’t like: This is tricky..the only thing that was a negative for me (and it’s a bit of a stretch) was that for the first bit of the book I was a bit slow at working out who each character was and understanding their story in relation to everything else. I have heard opinions from others who didn’t love this book as much as me, and I think it was because it has the potential to become confusing due to the interwoven stories and the use of some creative language that at times can feel a little inaccessible. Personally I found the confusing intricacies and the imaginative language of this novel part of its charm, but I guess for some, this made it hard work.

Worth a read: Yes. So much yes. Give Church of Marvels some of your attention and you will be rewarded with an evocative story that entertains just like a spectacular carnival.

Rating: 4.5 stars

*This book was provided to me to read, but as always this space is for my opinions, as un-organised and confusing as they can be. All thoughts and words are my own.

Why I went vegetarian (and then decided to start a blog series about it)

Becoming Vegetarian

Ready for a new series on the blog? One that will hopefully last a little longer than 2 posts and a few tweets? Well before my boss realizes I am supposed to be working (kidding, I would never blog at work), lets get into it.

Being vegetarian is now a pretty big part of my life, and my personal identity (which I’m sure annoys a lot of my meat-loving friends, I would apologise but I’m not that sorry). Eating is another big part of my life, and getting healthy is something I am trying to make more of a focus. With those three things in mind, I want to start sharing more on being a vegetarian in a meat-eating world, and how I am attempting to develop healthy vegetarian habits.

To start,I figured it was only fair to briefly explain my vegetarian journey thus far. Not as a tool to guilt others or try and unsuccessfully seem morally superior to those who are partial to some bacon, but more just as a bit of context and background.

Why I Went Vegetarian

There are heaps of different reasons why people decide to cut out meat, for me it was a combination of two factors. Firstly, I was never a huge meat eater. Chicken and mince (and bacon) were semi-regular in my diet but that was about it. Secondly, and more importantly, Edd and I both started to realise that we felt like there was a lack in congruence between our ridiculous love of animals, and our eating habits. We condemned hunters, we lamented the deaths of certain species of animals and questioned why others would eat things like horse or dog, without realising/avoiding the point that this seemed hypocritical. We decided that for us, there was no arbitrary line in the sand where certain animals deserved to bred and killed for consumption, whilst others did not. And so it only made sense to cut out all meat (obviously dairy and eggs are a whole other part of this industry that I am uncomfortable with, but one step at a time for now :)).

This was our New Years resolution for 2014, and it was a decision I expected to be far harder than it was, although I’m not saying it was extremely easy. Within a short few months, I suddenly couldn’t even force myself to eat chicken (which was the one meat I thought would be missed). We also felt a newfound satisfaction with not being a part of an industry that we had previously ignored or naively set aside as to big of an issue for us to make a difference. Our diet suffered at first, without adequate knowledge about how to eat healthy on a vegetarian diet (okay, so part lack of knowledge but a bigger part of just pure laziness). This year is when we have finally found our stride and figured out how to make it work.

Do I have any spinach in my teeth?

There are so many other reasons to become vegetarian, and I know that it’s different for each individual, but these were our core motivations. Would it have been different if we were eating steak 4 times a week and dining on every variety of meat available? Maybe, but I would hope that we would still have arrived at this decision, even if it took a little longer.

And so here we are, a year and a half later, finally figuring out how to be healthy vegetarians and not just replace McDonalds with BK Salad Burgers (they are delicious though…). I now have a fair few delicious vegetarian recipes up my sleeve, and I can’t wait to share and learn more with those who are also vegetarian or who just want some easy, healthy meal ideas.

Starving in Italy.

Starving in Italy.

I envisage the series including a variety of posts, like the best burger joints in Auckland for vege lovers, nutritious and easy dinner ideas, and general healthy eating habits (like the variety of delicious smoothies we have been experimenting with to increase protein and reduce snacking). If there are any other ideas for what you would like to see as part of this, please let me know! All inspiration is welcome.

Starving at #brunchclub

Starving at #brunchclub

If you’re vegetarian, I would love to know! Let me know what your journey has been like, and why you went vegetarian in the first place :) If you’re not vegetarian, but want to share any delicious vegetarian meals you make, or ask for any clarification as to why we went vegetarian, please feel free to comment. I don’t bite, promise.

For those of you who have no interest in this whatsoever, I promise that for now my blog will remain its usual mismash of topics, and this will only be one of them. Having said that, I not-so secretly hope to convert the entire world, one bacon-lover at a time.

Edit: Below are a couple of vegetarian/vegan recipes I have posted since this little intro.

 

Foxy Favourites|May

May favourites myfoxycorner

May favourites myfoxycornerI haven’t done a favourites ramble in a verrry long time, but they are always posts I love to read, and I always have a few things that stand out amongst the plethora of random makeup/skin care products that I clutter my life with. So with an extremely creative title, here are 5 products I loved using over the last month.

Trilogy ultra hydrating body cream

Trilogy Ultra Hydrating Body Cream*

I was sent this product to try out and have been using it religiously to combat the dry skin that can accompany a change in season. The scent is pretty strong which doesn’t bother me but might be a factor worth considering for others (it’s a natural/herbal scent). The thing I love most about this moisturizer is its texture, something between a body butter and a lotion, thick and yet fast absorbing, hydrating but not greasy at all. This feels luxurious and has definitely made a difference in keeping moisture in my notoriously difficult skin. It contains a selection of hydrating oils such as rosehip, evening primrose and jojoba which seems to work well at delivering on the promise of intense moisture. It also contains mica particles for a very subtle shimmer, however I don’t notice this particularly.

Buy this online for NZ$29.90

Dolce  Gabbana Intense

Dolce & Gabbana Intense Eau de Parfum

Buying perfume for others is always risky, and when I was given this at Christmas it wasn’t a scent I was drawn to straight away. Over the last month or two, with the colder weather and changing seasons I have worn this more and more and its now one of my favourites. Keeping in mind how terrible I am at describing scents, this perfume is a little bit sweet/fruity but has a woody depth (from the sandalwood notes) to its fragrance that warms it up and makes it the perfect cozy yet sexy scent for Autumn/Winter. I expected this to be a lot more intense than it is, but I find that the scent isn’t overpowering and yet lasts most of the day. I don’t really see me wearing much else (fragrance wise) over the next season as this just works on a day to day basis.

I’m unsure about the price of this, I just know that I hope I never run out. Ever.

 

Karen Murrell Violet Mousse

Karen Murrell lipstick in Violet Mousse*

You’d think that a deep plum or rich red would be an appropriate lipstick for the weather, but I have been far too lazy and instead opted for something easy to wear that suits everything and lasts on the lips. I raved about this lipstick over here so I won’t go on, but the warm neutral pink shade is the perfect everyday lip colour and I find myself reaching for it every couple of days. It wears down really naturally, making maintenance during the day super simple.

Buy this online for NZ$30 or at selected pharmacies

Benefit Hello Flawless Foundation

Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup by benefit

Mouthfull of a name, and somehow doesn’t include the word foundation (which is what this is). Impressive. I have used this foundation, and this foundation only, pretty much all year and have loved every minute of it. It has a good medium amount of coverage without ever looking cakey (well almost ever, sometimes my skin can make the job quite hard). The shade matches my pale, ghostly face well and this goes on feeling very light and leaves my skin feeling really healthy at the end of the day.This is such an easy to wear foundation, i’ll definitely be repurchasing when I run out (despite it’s slightly hefty price tag).

Buy this online for NZ$68 at Smith and Caugheys

OPI Skyfall

OPI Skyfall

One of my favourite things about autumn/winter is the nail polish shades that start appealing, rich reds, jewel toned cremes etc (I have a whole post on these soon, don’t fret). Skyfall is one of my favourite OPIs that I love to bring out in the colder weather. Its a dark red creme, with a touch of brown, and I love it especially on shorter nails (and preferably with big coats, black tights and boots). Its also one of those polishes that is super easy to apply, with two quick coats, and lasts about a week for me (with a bottom and top coat). This has definitely been my most loved nail polish this month.

Buy these pretty much anywhere, but OPI are buy one get one half price at Farmers (usually NZ$19.95) currently.

 

What products have you been using more lately? Does your makeup bag tend to change up with the weather/seasons?

May favourites myfoxycorner**These two products were provided to me to try out however I did not receive compensation for my time or opinions, all thoughts are my own.

 

My Foxy Book Challenge #6-10

Goodreads Challenge

Welcome to June! That means we are one month closer to Christmas, which makes me pretty excited at the same time as being terrified about the passing of time, just like everybody else. So in my rather feeble attempt to read 30 books by the end of this year, I have been making my way through a variety of fiction and non-fiction, albeit rather slowly. Luckily we have just had queen’s birthday in New Zealand so I was able to finish off a book, as well as devote some time to getting better at crochet (it’s an exciting life I lead, obviously).

Here is the next instalment of mini-reviews for what I have read over the last few months (you can read about the first five over here).

Goodreads Challenge

 

1. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

This thriller was one I had wanted to read for ages, and once I picked it up it was highly unlikely that it would be put down. Written from the point of view of the three main female characters (all of which are rather flawed and unlikeable) who live separate lives which are becoming increasingly tangled. The stories were set at slightly different time points and so this had the potential to get confusing, but thanks to simple yet gripping writing the suspense never lost me. Fast paced, mysterious and unsettling, this was an awesome book for the people watcher in me who likes to come up with ridiculously farfetched back stories for random people. This is often compared to Gone Girl, and it is similar in some respects, the character development was just as fascinating as more and more is revealed about our narrators. I enjoyed this immensely, even though it wasn’t a very pleasant read at times, and gave a glimpse into lives that others may wish to not be a part of. 5 starts (I love a good thriller)

2. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Another rather excellent book to start off this post, Eleanor & Park is a young adult romance (a la John Green style) with two characters who couldn’t seem more different, and yet fall for each other. What has the potential to be just another romance novel becomes something stand out for me. The 80s setting, the engaging characters and their imperfections, the amazing dialogue from each of them (another split narration, letting you see into both sides of this relationship). This was a beautiful book, one of those where I would reread certain passages, just to soak up the depth in their words. There was so much emotion, and anyone who remembers their first love (that one that made you whole and then broke you in two) will relate to the intensity that Rainbow Rowell has captured so incredibly well. Another easy 5 stars, I couldn’t give it anything less.

“You saved me life, she tried to tell him. Not forever, not for good. Probably just temporarily. But you saved my life, and now I’m yours. The me that’s me right now is yours. Always.” Eleanor & Park

3. The Biology of Belief by Bruce H Lipton

Just to break up all the fiction, I did venture into reading a book by this New Biology scientist about how it is not our DNA that controls our life but rather the expression of our genes, which he argues is primarily governed by our environment (meaning that our environment has a bigger effect on our body than our DNA). I don’t know how easy this would be to enjoy without some background in science, but in general I found this engaging thanks to Lipton’s enthusiasm for what he has studied. A lot of it was interesting, and the implications thought-provoking, but some of it was also just a little hard to make the logical leap for. 3.5 stars

4. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George*

I did a whole review on this book a while ago, but I’ll briefly recap. This story about a book apothecary on the seine, healing a long broken heart, and travelling throughout France captured my heart in the same way France itself did. I am a little biased (I will read anything that will make me feel like I am back in Paris or Provence) but this was easy to read and very easy to enjoy. The characters were likeable, the landscape was indescribable (but George did a good job trying), and the story was engaging. 4 stars.

5. One Summer in Venice by Nicky Pellegrino*

Another book that did a great job of taking me back to this time last year, when it was me getting lost in tiny side streets of Venice, instead of Addolorata, a mother and wife from London who escapes to Venice to find herself and decipher what makes her happy. This book has a sort of Eat, Pray, Love vibe, but I don’t think I engaged with the narrator as much as I should have. The setting was incredible, and the details that went into this along with all of the food descriptions/food porn (which I loved) was amazing. The only set back for me was a plot that at times lost its vitality and overcomplicated itself; and a character who I just didn’t quite connect with. It makes for an ideal holiday read, or just something to escape into for a bit. 3.5 stars

Anything that takes me back to my brief but unforgettable time in Venice is worth a read.

Anything that takes me back to my brief but unforgettable time in Venice is worth a read.

Connect with me on Goodreads and don’t forget to like myfoxycorner’s Facebook page!

What have you been reading lately? Let me know if there’s something I should add to my ever-burdened bookshelf.

 

 

*These two books were sent to me to read however I was not paid or sponsored for my opinions, and all thoughts are my own.

Friday’s letters: Silver Linings

Friday's Letters

Dear Merlin: I know it’s probably just cause your freezing, but I love how cuddly you have been. Thanks for being my purring hot water bottle and for giving me countless play wounds.

Dear Crochet: I’m getting there, but it feels like I am taking the tiniest baby steps possible. I feel like a baby would probably learn how to crochet faster than me. Not giving up, I just may be some time

Dear Florence and the Machine: I have been looking forward to your new album for months. This weekend is going to have one very satisfying soundtrack.

Dear Brother: I still remember when you were just a baby and I felt this instant connection with you and your chubby cheeks.  You’ll always be my baby brother, even though you are now far taller than me, and have become such an incredible young man. Love you, no matter what.

Dear Colleagues (who buy me flowers when I break down at work): I don’t know if you realise how special you are.

Dear Orange is the New Black: you are just as amazing as everyone says you are, and I’m struggling to stick to my no-TV bingeing rule.

Dear Muscle Class: being in so much pain has never felt so satisfying as after a Saturday morning class. See you tomorrow at 8am, il be the sweaty, puffy one at the back lifting the smallest weights but making the biggest deal over it.

Dear Self: Your allowed a bad day every once in a while, when you eat some crappy slice full of sugar and then get into bed and refuse to come out. Give yourself a break, take some time out, acknowledge that some days can suck, some things aren’t solved by a silver lining and certain situations are supposed to make you cry. Life isn’t a Pinterest quote 100% of the time.

Dear UK: I miss you and your stony beaches, and your moody skies.

Friday's Letters

Starting out small #2| body & soul

Image Source

So a bit over a month ago, I wrote a post about how I wanted to start prioritising my health and my body, and putting more time into taking care of myself rather than everyone else. I am not trying to become a more selfish person, but I have started to see that for me to be in the best position to help others, I need to be taking care of myself first.

I have been sick on and off for the last 2-3 months, and this has definitely affected my ability to do certain things, but I had set myself a few goals last month, and so first up I thought I would reflect on how that went.

  • Use that gym membership to get to the gym 3 times a week, even if its only for half an hour

So in the mindset of being honest here, I have been making it to the gym more like twice a week over the last month. Still finding my rhythm of making the gym work, and with things like the comedy festival on, I struggled to be home early enough to get there. Despite not quite meeting my goal, I have been already seeing such good changes from getting more exercise in, but I’ll talk more about that soon.

  • Start having a proper breakfast with a protein fuelled smoothie (and occasionally try and make it green)

Another partial win. I have had maybe 2 green smoothies, and they were fine(ish) but I have managed to avoid making green smoothies since. The good news is that my weird, unhealthy eating habits of snacking during the day, or buying a pastry with my coffee, have been mostly replaced by drinking a smoothie pretty frequently in the mornings or grabbing a banana if I don’t have time. Its delicious, filling and has helped me avoid snacking before lunch. Definitely going to keep this up.

  • Develop a better sleep cycle and aim for at least 7 hours a night (put your damn phone out of reach!)

With the aid of my fitbit, I can now track my sleep and see how restless I was. I don’t know if its just because I have something to record my sleep, but I seem to be sleeping far better than I was last month. Edd and I make a joint effort to watch less TV and go to sleep earlier, so that even when we do have an early start or a restless night, we get around 7 hours or more. The difference this more regular routine makes to my general attitude the next day is massive, and definitely worth the little bit of effort.

  • Start utilising the stairs at work instead of making the elevator awkward by trying not to make eye or skin contact with anyone

I work on level 7 at work, and that won’t seem like much, but for my unfit self its a bit of a mission. After a fire drill, I get so red and puffed that I hide away in the bathrooms until I resemble something slightly less manic. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been trying to work my way up. When I go to have a quick break from my desk I will try run up 4 flights and then have a quiet moment afterwards. Already, I can definitely see a difference in my fitness, but I’m still working towards going up the 7 flights easily. Work in progress, watch this space etc. etc. Its such an easy way to fit in a bit of extra exercise, and with my fitbit keeping track I aim to go up 10 flights every day (not all at once, yet), and most days this happens.

  • Be more mindful of what I am using to fuel my body (chocolate is one source of fuel but perhaps consider some other options as well)

This last goal was a little hard to quantify, but I have definitely been paying more attention to what I eat. In general, Edd and I have been trying to up the vegie and legume intake, and decrease the white carbs like rice and bread. Simple things like choosing a soup from the Thai takeaways instead of a rich red curry with rice may not seem like much, but for me these small decisions are all important in just being more careful with my choices. This doesn’t mean I no longer eat crap, I just try to enjoy it as a treat, whereas before pizza would be a meal without a second thought.

Source

Overall, its hard to tell which changes are caused by what, or whether everything is working together, but below are some of the things I have noticed that are different:

  • I’ll deal with weight first, because it was the one I really wanted to see change and yet it stubbornly is not really doing much. I lost 4 kgs in the first three weeks, and then nothing since. Hopefully its muscle, or just the fact that I could be going to the gym more, but I’ll be honest in that I was hoping for a bit more.
  • Fitness is already better, and every time I go to the gym or climb up the stairs i generally find that I can push myself harder and go further/longer. I also just feel stronger, especially in my legs.
  • My asthma is almost non-existent at the moment, which is kind of a small miracle within itself (normally I have to take my inhaler at least once a day, as well as preventers – which I am still taking).
  • My attitude to exercise has changed, in that I now relish a random long walk in the middle of the day, or a challenging hill to climb. Before, any exercise was a bit of an inconvenience, and one that I would avoid if possible. Now it is like with every step I take, and every burning muscle, I feel like I am doing something good for myself (at first this attitude was forced and did not come naturally, but now I don’t even register the thought pattern).
  • Lastly, my outlook in general has improved. I think this is purely because when I take the time to give my body what it needs, whether its half an hour on the bike, or a relaxation session, or a delicious, wholesome meal, it puts me in a better place to face the rest of my day. I know that this will get better, but its amazing to already feel like I have a little more control over my life and the way I experience each day.

Before this post turns into a monster, I wanted to finish off with another few goals for the following month or so. Last months were all focused around physical health, and I am definitely still working on all of the above, but I wanted to add in a few goals relating more to my mental health:

  1. Do yoga 2x a week, as well as improving my gym routine. 
  2. Keep a gratitude list each day of 3 things I am grateful for.
  3. Be more congruent, and honest with myself and others. Try not to be so afraid to say no or to ask for help. Say what I mean.
  4. Keep a food journal to keep track of my meals and intake and see where improvements can be made

Just four this month, seeing as I am still working on the others. I hope that over the next few weeks I can continue trying to prioritise my physical health, as well as my mental health, and continue to see some positive results.

Not my image, but one that I keep visible at work to remind me what is important. Source

Not my image, but one that I keep visible at work to remind me what is important. Source

Let me know what kind of goals you have set for yourself at the moment or what you will be working on!

 

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