The Guide To A Healthy Lifestyle

Hiiiii guys! It's been a while, and after several attempts of trying to upload a blog post, hopefully this will be my last attempt before I actually cry. I have written this post about 8 times, but it kept deleting - along with several other posts and even when I copied and pasted the contents, there was nothing to paste for some reason, everything just came out blank! So, I have decided to back up this attempt by writing it in a word document first, saving it onto a memory stick and onto Google Drive - therefore, if all else fails, I'm giving up!

'The Guide To A Healthy Lifestyle' will be a series, as there is so much to talk about, however with Easter just gone, today I am talking about Healthy Eating and Exercising. We know everybody loves a good sprout every now and then and a flat out workout leaving your whole body aching for days!  w h o   c a n   d e n y   i t ? I can, eurgh. Anyway, I'm just going to share my 'ideal' routine or whatever and feel free to state your own opinions/routines/whatever in the comments!

Healthy Eating

If I'm honest, when I think of healthy eating, I think of all the food I don't like, such as sprouts, parsnips, pears. Or I think of not being able to eat any fatty foods, ever, or the fact that so much money is being robbed from my bankcard R.I.P. 

The biggest thing for me is that the prices of fruit is sooooo expensive, for example, for one orange it is 30p from a supermarket. I don't know if I'm being too tight, or whether it is because I know that if I'm going to snack on an orange, I'll know it won't fill me up... leaving the price to 60p. This is where I find myself debating whether I should get the 60p chocolate bar/packet of crisps which will definitely get rid of my cravings until I have proper food, or whether I should get two oranges which will only satisfy me for about half an hour. I'm currently in college, and when I walk into the shop in the canteen, the first thing I see on a big stand is chocolate, crisps, mints, popcorn, biscuits, anything like that. The second thing I see is a small fridge with pots of fruit... fruit which costs £2.30. £2.30???! FOR A POT OF NOT EVEN A WHOLE PINEAPPLE? Am I really going to try and stretch my money for just 6 pieces of pineapple, or am I going to get a chocolate bar, crisps AND a pack of mints? What do you think. At the moment I am so tired of adverts, health 'professionals', teachers or just anyone saying how good and important healthy eating is and that obesity has risen so much in the last so many years, blah blah blah. I get it! But, how can anyone afford to eat healthy? 

A lot of the obesity thing is because all these fatty foods are so much more available these days, and also a lot less expensive than the good stuff. There is also a McDonalds, KFC, Burger Kind, Subway and all these fast food restaurants everywhere you go, it is so hard to resist when they are always in your face. Why isn't there healthier options in our faces? Why is there a whole isle in a shop for chocolate, a separate one for crisps and another one just for biscuits? Why isn't there a nicer set up for fruit and veg? 

However, despite my ramble, I have made some changes to my diet recently as I have recognized the weight that I have put on. I have also realized that eating healthy doesn't mean you need to eat the stuff you don't like, just find things you do like or try new things until you find something you do like. For me, I'm not much of a veggie kind of gal, but I am definitely a fruit kind of gal. I love strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, oranges, plum, peach, banana, you name it! But I just can't stand pears.. So why would I eat a pear if I don't like them? For veg, I like carrots, peas, sweetcorn, tomatoes (fruit or veg?), beetroot, etc etc... but I do not like sprouts or parsnips, there's also plenty more which I hate too. So recently, I have been eating all the stuff I do like and minimizing the things I don't like so much and honestly, I feel so much better. I now find myself reaching for a banana instead of a chocolate... but I don't know how long it'll last - I'm no good at this.

Also, there is so much you can do with fruit and veg. For example you can eat fruit with your cereal! I get my inspo from the Weetabix instagram! Also you can combine all your favourite fruit/veg in a blender and make a smoothie! 

Healthy Eating Tip: You don't have to cancel out all the fatty foods. Instead, have "cheat" or "treat" days, for example, mine are Friday and Saturday! But that doesn't mean I can binge on what I haven't been able to eat, it just means I can sneak a few chocolate buttons without anyone looking!

Exercising

Since I've quit the gym, I have been so, extremely lazy. The only reason I quit was because I couldn't afford it, although I am thinking of starting back because I can afford it now. Another problem with the gym is that me and my friend used to go together, but it was always hard to work around time schedules and buses or lifts. So, when I get a car (I passed my driving test in February!), I do plan on starting the gym again because it will be just so much easier to get to the gym, because the gym is quite far from my home. I always walk to the bus stop in the mornings, and I always try to have a walk every chance I get, although I'm not going to get the perfect figure that way am I? Some people just want to stay fit and healthy and that is one of the main reasons why I want to, but I also want to lose some weight, or just tone up. 

I've found that exercising at home is a good way to keep fit. I usually download some sort of daily routine from google images and follow that for a month and just change it every month, which is really good, especially when you do it with friends! Friends are so good as they just motivate you. I love competition and if I know that one of my friends is doing the same workout as me I know I can't give up - although, when me and my friend Becky went to legs, bums and tums, she was still going for gold when the fitness person was picking me up from the floor telling me to get up, not to give up and be strong. So motivational. 

I think the best way to keep up on exercising is to have a routine. Write a routine in your calendar, a to do list, anything! It really does help!

Exercising Tip: Make sure you wear something you like wearing, it really helps! Also, make sure the clothing isn't too warm or heavy otherwise it'll hold you back and you don't want that!

So until next time, happy healthy living!

Feel free to tell me your tips and tricks and I look forward to your intake!

Liebster Blog Award

Hello beauties, today I am very excited to announce that I was nominated for the Liebster Award by my darling friend and fellow blogger Tiffany. You have all probably heard about me talk about Tiffany's blog Wallflower a number of times and I am so happy that she nominated me. I have heard about the Liebster Award but was never intrigued to find out more about it, but now that I have been nominated, why the hell not!

If you want to take part, here are the rules:

• Mention the person who nominated you
• Answer the eleven questions the person gave you 
• Come up with eleven questions yourself
• Nominate eleven bloggers
• Let them know about the nomination

Here are the questions Tiffany asked me.

1. What are your top 3 songs at the moment?

At the moment I am really into Hymn For The Weekend - Coldplay, Stressed Out - Twenty One Pilots and Always - Ella Eyre. 

2. How did you come up with your blog name?

Actually, I just got a few words that my blog was going to be made up of and combined them together, took some away and you (Tiffany) helped me choose a name out of about six choices... Thank you! However, I am looking to change it soon.

3. What is your favourite book?

Okay, this is a difficult one. That's because I always get to half way through a book and pick it up a year later forgetting everything that has happened - therefore, my favourite book is probably Cookie or the Suitcase Kid by Jacqueline Wilson because those were my favourite books of hers when I was younger and I read them about 10000 times! Oh how I wish I was young again.

4. What is your dream career?

My dream career, huh? To be honest, I have never known really what I've wanted to be. I'm sure I'm not the only person who's wanted to be an author one week and a police women the next.. am I right? But at the moment, I think my dream career would definitely being in a career which I can help people. For example, a charity or anything that supports equality. OR being a magazine editor, or even own my own magazine.. in my dreams!

5. Favourite place you have visited?

I will forever remember my two weeks of luxury in Florida when I was about 7. It was by far the most amazing holiday ever because it was so warm and so fun! But, I have to say France is my favourite place I have visited. This is because I went with four of my friends at the time on a school exchange, with my favourite teacher. I just loved every moment of it and France is so pretty!

6. Describe yourself with 3 words.

Daaaaaamn Tiffany, back at it again with those hard questions. I cannot believe I just wrote that. Anyway... Hmm. Okay, opinionated, happy and hyper. 

7. What is your biggest fear?

Probably my biggest fear is being rejected. Not just by the people I love, but also by the people I want to interact with.. or a job.. Anything really.

8. Name 3 people you would love to meet.

This is easy! Jessie J, Sia and Joe Sugg.

9. Favourite TV Series?

I have a few - The Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars, Orphan Black, Mum and The American Horror Story.

10. Have you learned anything from blogging? If so, what?

Honestly, yes. I have learned that there is a whole community of amazing people and if it wasn't for my blog I would have never have interacted with these people. The blogging world is so huge, but it is a small community in which I love. Also that supporting others truly does make people happy.

11. What is your favourite post you have written? Provide a link!

My favourite post of mine is Embracing Your Flaws. I think embracing your flaws is one more step towards your own happiness.

I nominate...

Wallflower

LoveJade

ITS LAUREN VICTORIA

holly sparkle

Behind The Scent

Georgia Petite

With Love, Celeste 

Perks of Being Amy

Maddie In Wonerland

FASHION with VALENTINA

BECKIEIONE

My questions are..

1. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

2. If you could only have one beauty product for the rest of your life, what would it be?

3. What is your dream career?

4. What is your biggest achievement?

5. Would you like to make a change? If so what would it be and how would you do it/them?

6. Describe your blog in 5 words.

7. Who is your role model?

8. If you could meet anyone in the world, who would it be?

9. Why did you start your blog?

10. What is your favourite restaurant?

11. If you could decorate your room with no budget, describe what it would look like.

Thank you to all the bloggers I have mentioned for motivating me to blog and inspiring me.

x

International Women's Day

I am a Feminist. A feminist is believed that they only want what's best for women, but that's not true. I, as a feminist, wants equal rights for both women and men. It's one thing to have equal pay or equal rights to vote, but it's another to look between the lines. 

As I take Sociology I have become more aware of certain things within society and because society is constantly changing, people often forget this and think it's okay to be, well, 'old fashioned'. There are so many different feminist's such as Liberal Feminists, Radical Feminists, Marxist and Socialist Feminists, Cultural Feminists and Eco Feminists. I take on board what each theory says and I have decided I am a Feminist. 

Why are people so scared of the word Feminism? Instead of supporting equal rights people turn their backs.. Why? Although people may think 'Women do have equal rights, they get paid the same, they get this, they get that' .. But is that really the case? Me and my boyfriend have completely different views as he doesn't really care about society or how it's run as long as he gets to do what he wants to do, right. That's how we should all be, we should be able to do whatever we want - of course, putting aside any criminal action.

Emma Watson is my role model. She created the #HeForShe Campaign. She stood up and she wasn't scared to get her point across. Her speech made me think a lot about the world we live in and she almost had me crying because everything she said is true! Why is a male crying a bad thing? Why are they not aloud to show their emotions like a women can? Maybe that's the problem. As people say "it's a mans world" - I don't think so, not anymore. It's not a women's world either. Can we really live without either? The world needs both to be able to work. 

There are so many adverts or mini interviews/films on equal rights that I have seen which I really want to share with you, so I will leave the links at the end of this post. 

I am a feminist. You don't have to be a woman to fight for equal rights, you don't have to be a woman to be a feminist. Why don't you fight for what you think you're worth? Don't be scared to say how you feel, show how you feel and shout out what you believe in. I'm here for equal rights, what are you here for?

I am dedicating this post to my mother and my grandmother, the women who taught me to be the best I can be and to say and show everything I believe. My father who taught me how to fish and climb trees, and took me cycling and camping every weekend, despite me being a girl and got my involved in the things he liked without defeating the object. Also my granddad who is surrounded by women in his life and never took that for granted and loved us all because we were girls, never treated us less kinder than if we were boys and found ways of bonding with us, even though he didn't exactly like the look of himself when my cousins and I put bobbles in his hair and pink clips and made him look strange. And also to all the other women in my family, like my cousin who has shown she doesn't need a man to look after a child and that she is independent enough to look after herself and her child on her own. Thank you to all the women in my life who have shown me it is okay to be who I want to be and most of all that it is okay to be a woman. Thank you to all you women out there.

I am Whitney and I am a feminist. What will you be?



Emma Watson HeForShe Campaign speech - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkjW9PZBRfk
Always #LikeAGirl - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjJQBjWYDTs
Always #LikeAGirl - Unstoppable - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhB3l1gCz2E
YOU LOOK DISGUSTING - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWTRwj9t-vU

Also the Youtube Channel WatchCut Video shows a variety of inequality and opinions, make sure you check it out.

#BlogBetter February

Recently I came across #BlogBetter and I have to say I was impressed with what improvements people who have taken part have accomplished. Thanks to a lovely blogger called Laura who came up with this great idea, I'm going to take part. I think that this is such a good idea as it may motivate me that little bit extra.

So, I had to choose three things that I want to improve on. Here it goes.

Improve my Blog Itself

Recently I've been changing my blog every time I log on. It seems that I am never 100% pleased with my blog. This month I have decided to set myself the following targets.

- Change bits of my blog every week. This month I am going to schedule what to change and when to change them. Instead of what I have been doing, which is changing everything I can think of every time I visit my blog. After looking this morning on what I can improve on, I noticed that I had deleted my widgets which link to my Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Silly me! That is one thing I can add to my blog again!
- Blog more regularly. Unfortunately for me I have an extremely busy life. I'm in college five days a week and work Saturday and Sunday. Yay me. I also have to fit in seeing my grandparents, friends and my boyfriend. Oh, and my parents. As I'm getting more and more stressed by the day as my A Level exams are right around the corner, blogging is actually a relief. I am aiming to blog at least three times a week from now on and possibly more later on.
- Improve my content and ideas. Ever since I started writing a blog, I have never been organised. I have about twenty drafts and maybe I'll work on posting them this month. My content varies from time to time but I'm looking to improve it now, not lower the improvement. My ideas on the other hand... I have lots. Though, I am often too scared to post some things as I may be judged. But this month I'm going to try and let my fears go and come out of my comfort zone.

Improve my Instagram

I deleted mostly all my old pictures Christmas time, just so I could start fresh for the new year.. However I can suddenly feel myself slowly going away from having a good Instagram, back to the ugly Instagram that I used to have.

- Find new places to take pictures. I was hoping my room would have been redecorated by now, however it's on half.. But I cannot wait until it is done. But until it is done, I need to find new places to take pictures.. Like maybe outside?
- Start a theme. I did have a theme but it went off track. I'm not really sure how to stick to a theme.. I'll do some research.
- Upload more photos. I usually take photos and really like them, so I upload them onto Instagram all in one day. This month I'm going to aim to do at least one every other day and maybe one in between.

Promote my Blog

For a long time I have been hiding from the people that I know, worried that I'll get judged or that people will talk. But, already this year I have been improving and I have created a Facebook Page for my blog.

- Open my blog up to people I don't really want to. This month I am going to promote my blog everywhere.. maybe. I'm going to try my hardest to step out of my comfort zone a lot .. but bit by bit.
- Tweet about my blog more regularly. Three times a day, then twice a day, then once a month.
- Comment and Support more bloggers. The more bloggers I support, the more will support me, right?


Are you planning on taking part in #BlogBetter? If you want to but you don't know what to do or where to start, here's the link to #BlogBetter with a list of rules and what you can do. Good Luck!

Read my last blog post here.

Embracing Your Flaws

I hate this topic almost as much as I hate certain things about myself. But, this topic makes me extremely happy when I see that other people are able to embrace what they hate about themselves. I don't exactly know where this post is heading but I'm going to try to embrace my flaws and maybe you can too. 

For me, I hate a lot of things about myself. These are things such as having no motivation some days, not being 'brainy' enough, not having looking a certain way, not having perfect hair, perfect body. perfect anything. But, most of all I hate my teeth. All my friends and everyone who I complain about my teeth to just say "there's nothing wrong with them", "they look fine" ... And I know they don't. Is it just me who gets annoyed when people do this and you're just like, "uh if it was fine I wouldn't be complaining and I wouldn't be SELF CONCIOUS!!" ... Yeah me too! But on a serious note (not that, that wasn't serious)... Some days I feel fine and I try to embrace my horrible teeth, but then some days I shut my mouth all day and literally try and hide my teeth from literally everyone. Silly right? But this has been for years and I have literally tried everything to do something about them but nope... I'm stuck. SIGH.

For you, I'm not going to just tell you to be happy with your flaws because I know how hard it is to be happy with something that makes you feel 'different' or 'ugly' or 'weird' or anything negative. But you are who you are and because of these flaws it makes you more special than someone who is 'perfect'.. Although, the people who are 'perfect' are not. I know everybody has flaws and I know that everyone who is reading this is thinking of things that they hate about themselves, but sometimes we have to deal with these things. Flaws are horrible things but at the same time make you the wonderful people you are, because you are wonderful. cringe. What I'm trying to say is that even though we hate things about ourselves, whether it would be our heads, shoulders, knees or toes, or anything in between, I believe they make us different. Different is good. Different makes me happy. Different should make you happy. 

If you want to 'embrace' something you don't like about yourself why not comment below and tell me your story. Or even better why don't you make a post like this of your own and let me know when you've posted it in the comments because it interests me and anyone who can embrace it I think will feel better about themselves that small percent more because it's made me feel better.

Being Around The Right People

Hi. I haven't been blogging recently for a lot of reasons. You know when you have a week or two of complete drama and a full calendar.. WELL.. yeah. But, I'm back! So, I've decided to write a different sort of post from my normal posts and it's going to be about why being around the right people is so so so important.

People who you don't want to be around are people who constantly put you down. Whether it would be someone who's constantly telling you you're doing things wrong, constantly bickering and picking over silly things, or whether it's someone who is constantly down and wants to bring others with them. Also people who only want you to do what they want you to do, people who hold you back, people who do nothing for you but expect everything from you. NO NO NO!! People who are like this are self-centered, mean, not friends. Well, these people don't have to be people who are meant to be friends, they can be boyfriends, girlfriends and possibly family. My advice, if you have someone in your life who's just going to make you feel 'down in the dumps' all the time and make you become a negative person is to please remove them from your life. No matter how hard you think it is to do this, your happiness is more important.

The meaning of friendship - "Friendship for most people is a combination of affection, loyalty, love, respect, and trust" .

People you do want to be around. These are people who support the decisions you make, people who advise you, people who go through hell with you and vise versa, people who will make every effort to keep in contact, people who make every effort to make you as happy as they can, even if they're not (but that's where you come in) and people who let you be who you are. However, I know that different people see friendship or any other sort of relationship differently. For example the people you don't want to be around. But, I know that I have always cherished everything that's come into my life, whereas people have walked in and out of my life without a care in the world. Friendship is the most important thing to me, as well as family. All friends and family come with faults but that is why we should be there for them and vise versa. Friendship and relationships should be equal.

At the end of the day, we all need to have a breath of fresh air. We all need to feel alive and we all should live our lives without people stopping us from living. Recently, I've noticed how many people were purposely making me feel negative and now I ignore it. Your happiness is everything. Respect the people who actually care and would do absolutely anything for you, and get rid of every person in your life who is negative and you will feel so much better. I promise. Being around the right people is so important and don't be afraid to tell people how you really think about something because if they were true friends they would never judge you. 

(image from funmozar.com)

Thank you for reading, again.

Whitney xo

Who Runs The World??.. GIRLS!

Today I've decided to do a slightly different post. Why? Because I feel like as women we are extremely important in this world and I feel we are extremely undermined a lot, especially by men. So, just sit back and read. This is not a rant (i hope).

As women we are expected to be a certain way. Historically, housewives. I agree, we do make wonderful housewives, but is that all we can do? NO. Never should a woman be undermined, because we will always prove otherwise. I don't agree that only men are supposed to do certain things. Women are expected to be everything a man isn't; elegant, poised, soft natured and appealing inside and out. I agree to an extent that a woman should be elegant as there's nothing more disturbing than seeing a girl be mouthy or rude in a man's manner. But a woman should be able to be who she wants to be without anyone telling her otherwise. I believe that equality is a myth and that it will never be alight as everyone assumes that this is a 'man's world', but, it's not.

One thing that really rattles my cage is the way women are expected to dress. If a woman wishes to expose her beauty, why is it seen as disturbing? Whereas men can show off their body without any hassle and drama. A couple of months ago I saw a picture on Instagram of Kate Moss topless and then a couple of minutes later the girl who posted the picture had stated that Instagram had removed it because it was offensive and inappropriate according to the people who reported the image. So I started to scroll down the comments and then I saw one comment where one individual said "the way women dress provokes men to rape them" .. OK, so this is slightly off topic, but, how do you justify a rapist? It is not a woman's fault that a man cannot control themselves and it's certainly not the victims fault of their own rape. The point is, women should wear exactly what they feel comfortable in. In my opinion, the minority of men who to convict offences against women want to show power. But let's be honest, we are the most powerful.

OK, back to topic. Most women perform triple shift. This is where they are responsible for paid work, unpaid work and emotional work. Whereas the majority of men are responsible for paid work. Also women are expected to give up their jobs after having a child but not a man to give up theirs. But weighing out everything, women are the most important as they keep everything intact and are able to stay strong no matter what the circumstance, just to keep other people happy and to provide a healthy living for people around them. 

If you feel undermined or less important just think of the following things I am about to tell you.

• You are beautiful inside and out.
• Women live an average of seven years longer than men
• Nancy Drew was a girl, therefore men are not the only detectives. So this shows a woman can do a mans job.
• Women have a wider variety of what to wear. BETTER WARDROBES!
• Women have more hairstyles to try
• The majority of women don't go bald after they turn 25
• We have a Queen and not a King
• Women are better leaders 

SO, WHO RUNS THE WORLD?

ps: if you want to state your own opinion, feel free to comment.

Whitney xo

The Wonderful Things In Life

As I sat in my local coffee shop moaning about my day of work ahead, I stopped and it suddenly occurred to me that it's really not that bad. I sat back and enjoyed my luxury for a few minutes and watched people around me (i'm not creepy i swear!). The joy of other people actually made me feel happy about my life and made me cherish what I've got. As I watch people walking to work, some faces with smiles and some with frowns, it made me chuckle because my moods vary when I think of going to work. But then I watch an old couple walk past and I thought of the many, many years they have both probably worked and now they don't work and they have each other and it made me smile. 

I guess what I'm trying to say in this post is that we are all lucky. Everything around us is wonderful and too many of us take it for granted. We live in a beautiful world and it should be explored. Meet new people, don't shy away from anything because opportunities are for us. You make the world more wonderful. We live in a luxury, whether we are rich or poor, everything we have is a luxury. Everything else is a desire and one day you'll desire that luxury too, so do great things and the world will do great things for you in return. We are the wonderful things in life. 

EXAM RESULTS!!!

Obviously this time of year is where everyone who's sat their GCSEs and AS/A Levels a couple of months ago is STRESSING over their results... But don't stress! Whether you've done good or bad it doesn't change you as a person and there are other options you can explore.

The exam room is definitely not a place that I want to go to. I'm one of those people who want to do well but CANNOT revise at all. I remember the night before getting my GCSE results, I was so nervous I didn't sleep at all and I convinced myself that I did bad.. But when I had my results I did considerably well for someone who hates revision and gets so easily distracted. They weren't the best results that I could've had but I got into AS Levels in college which I was really happy about! Little did I know how much work was involved and how BIG a jump it is from GCSE.. I'm not even kidding! I revised more for AS than GCSE but not enough and when I went to get my results I was devastated!! Although I didn't do well I will try again and work harder this year.

So, if you don't or didn't get the results you hoped for there are always other options for you and there is something out there for everyone. If you're not sure what career you want to have in years to come, don't stress about that either. Just keep looking for something you enjoy doing and take your time ((BUT NOT TOO MUCH TIME)), you don't have to find what you are good at now, like I haven't. 

Thank you for reading and Good Luck for your exam results, don't stress. And if you've already had them I hope you've done better than I have and if you haven't please don't stress!

~W