New Year, New Look: Weight Loss

So once again I'm jumping on the old bandwagon of losing weight and at the time of year EVERYBODY does this.

I'm currently clocking in at 77kg and 167 cm (thats 169lbs and 5 foot 6) with a nice overweight BMI of 27.4.

By the beginning of June I hope to be 60kg (133lbs - ish) (and I damn well hope still) 167 cm with a much nicer happier BMI of 21.3.

I've signed up to my usual internet calorie intake monitory thing and the wise one has told me to achieve this goal of mine I need to restrict my calorific intake to 1600 a day. I find recording my eating habits really helpful so i ordered a big moleskine diary this year (I'm so excited about its arrival, come on amazon!) and plan on designating a part of each day's page to recording my eating habits.

Weigh day will be Monday mornings, and I'll be sure to tell you guys how I'm getting on. As well as how I'm feeling and I'll go back to recording my food intake for the day.

Wish me luck! I'll likely need it. I know my weight loss ambitions have been unachieved on this blog but I do have a history of actually managing this, as I've mentioned before on here. This time two years ago I was knocking on the door of 90kg. Sometimes when I feel huge now I cannot imagine how massive I must of felt back then. I'm very proud of the fact that I've managed to not only lose that weight but also keep it off for so long and think now is about time for a second burst. Will power time!

So good luck to anyone else embarking on a similar journey to me, I know we can all do this!

P.S. Happy New Year! Hope everyone has a great time!

New Year, New Look: The Blog

This is my philosophy for 2010 and I've started here early. Think of it as a shiny new hair cut for my blog, the beginning of a few changes I want to make this year. Like a head start on a New Year's Resolution. So enjoy all the pretty new colours, I'm hoping it'll get me posting to you guys more regularly. I am so easily lured in by a good pattern and some pastel colours...

I'm Back! A quick me update.

After a Christmas spent eating far too much food (I daren't get on the scales) and doing far too little work I'm back starting the New Year in a ridiculously buoyant mood.

I've got a job lined up for after my exams (just have to get them out of the way first!) which is brilliant news, the circumstances of which mean I'll still get my summer; I'm so excited about the thought of actually having somewhere to go with something to do everyday. Offers at universities have meant I'm most definitely heading somewhere this September to do what I want to do and all are within at the most 3 hours of my family and A, which I know is the complete opposite of what some people want, but I'm a home comforts girl at heart!

And to top off the smileyness of this post...I'm wearing a reindeer jumper.

My Step By Step Manicure

This is what I do to keep my nails looking nice. It's by no means professional but it works for me. I have put the particular products I use in brackets at the end of each step, I'm in no way affliliated with any of these companies, I just like their products and am passing on my own recommendations. (And I'm sorry for that rubbish picture, I haven't got great lighting this evening.)

Enjoy!

1. Remove any traces of old varnish from your nails using a nail varnish remover and cotton pads. (Cutex 'Ultra Cleansing')

2. File your nails to desired length and shape, going in one direction only to prevent splitting. (Excuse my stunted ring finger nail, it had a run in with a door early in the week) I have filed mine reasonably short in an attempt to match them up a bit.

3. Buff with a three/four sided buffer thing. (Ms. Manicure Smooth, Buff and Polish File)

4. Apply a cuticle oil to base of nail (China Glaze Orange Cuticle Oil) and push back cuticles gently with an orange stick/cuticle pusher. Remove any excess oil by washing hands or swiping over nails again with nail varnish remover.

5. Apply a thin, even layer of a base coat (I'm using China Glaze First and Last, but I would recommend Nail's Inc.'s base coats - mine has just run out)

6. Apply 2-3 coats (thin coats!) of your chosen nail colour (as its Christmas I'm going with China Glaze's Ruby Pumps) allowing 10 minutes drying time between each coat. Excuse my rubbish aim, there's more paint around my nails than there is on! I've never been good at this bit. Any varnish on your skin can be washed off when nails are dry.

7. Apply a top coat (China Glaze First and Last again...and again, not a big fan) and leave to dry well.

8. When top coat is completely dry apply a cuticle butter (Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream) and a hand cream (Garnier Hydralock - great in winter so is L'Occutaine Shea Butter Hand Cream, amazing for cold dehydrated hands)

Et Voila! Pretty Hands!

On the Top of my Christmas Wishlist

Just because I'm on a massive posting spree today...

Gavin and Stacey: The Complete Series

Glee Soundtrack: Volume One

Lola by Marc Jacobs

Topshop Fluffy Robe

(I'd prefer in the slate colour, but that's no longer on the website)

Accessorize Bright Fair Isle Slipper Boots

Topshop Rose Long Leg PJs

(once again, not the exact ones on the list, but Topshop has moved loads of stuff off its site)

How Freakin' Gorgeous are These Babies?

I fear I love them more than is healthy for a girl to love a pair of shoes...

Project Weight Loss: Update

I've hit 73 kg! 73.8 if we're being picky but still, there's a 73 there! I've set myself a short term goal of being 71.3 by Christmas; thats exactly two weeks to drop 2.5 kg (thats about 5.5lbs, so a little under 3 lbs a week.) This would put me at my lowest weight in recent times. Prior to that my lowest was dead on 73kg. Wish me luck guys.

Most posts to come today, off to a nearby Sally's in search of the unfindable Emerald Sparkle by China Glaze. The beautiful Ruby Pumps is currently gracing my not so lovely toes.

Be back soon!