Starting again

So I've decided after a few months to start blogging again! I stopped mainly because I didn't feel like I had anything interesting to write. However 2014 has been a great year so far and I think I have a lot that I want to start sharing with people. I've got a lot planned, lifestyle posts, beauty, uni tips, food and more. 

I hope that people get some inspiration from my blog and enjoy what they read!

And Happy Easter :) 

xxx

Goodbye 2013

So its the day before New Year's Eve and its the day to eat all of your chocolate before you agree to eat more healthily for a resolution. Let's see how long it lasts this year!!
In all seriousness 2013 has been a really good year and its nice to look back and see what has happened in the past year that has been good.
Personally I am happy that:

• I'm more confident - In one of my posts I spoke about Pole Fitness. I am not the most body confident person in the world and am rarely seen in anything that shows my legs, I practically live in tights. But every Sunday I've been wearing shorts and a vest in front of a large group of skinny girls. I thought they would look at me strangely but I couldn't be more wrong. Those classes have made me feel so much better and making me question if my insecurities are irrational
• I'm more organised - I've finally got myself in order in certain aspects of my life. I'm better at organising time and my money which is very useful when you're a student! It's meant that I've been able to spend more time with my friends and I've made lots of new friends this year which has been great. I've always loved meeting new people and trying new things and I've been very lucky this year in meeting so many fantastic people!
• I've been smiling more - I've always been known for being a bubbly person but the past few years have been a bit difficult. I find it hard to know my place in a friendship group or even just a social situation. So its hard to be happy all of the time and I've always felt a little left out. But this year I've felt like I have a lot of people close to me that I can trust and be myself around which has really helped me. I feel a lot happier a lot more often. Obviously everyone has their bad days but I can take them if it means more happy moments. 
• My family are closer - Since me and my brother have both moved out of the house when we're at Uni my parents spend more time together. They used to always argue but now go on holidays for just them two, go on dinner dates and days out. Its nice to know that they can be happy together as no one likes when their parents are always arguing. Its made home a lot more relaxing and fun and even me and my brother get along better than we used to

I'm glad to be starting the new year feeling happier and more confident and hope 2014 will be just as good! I haven't decided my resolutions yet but I'm sure there will be a few. Whether or not I stick to them is another matter. 

I hope everybody who reads this has had a good year and are as excited for 2014 - see you next year :)

XXX

Getting Healthy: Vegetable Curry

I love vegetables and I love curry, so I combined the two!!! This is a pretty simple recipe and it tastes amazing!! You can also change around some of the vegetables to whatever you like best and the curry paste, depending on how hot you like your curries. This recipe serves about 2-3 people.

Ingredients

• 1 sweet potato
• half a green pepper
• 3 or 4 mushrooms
• 1 medium red onion
• 1/4 jar of Curry Paste- (make sure its a paste not a sauce- I used a mild curry paste)
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes

Method

1. Chop the sweet potato into about 2cm chunks and chop all other vegetables
2. Fry all the vegetables in an oiled pan for around 5 minutes
3. add the curry paste and cook for another 3 minutes
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste
5. Leave to simmer for around half an hour - make sure the sweet potatoes are soft
6. If there isn't enough liquid and things are burning - add a little water
7. Serve with rice and any sides you like with curry (chutney, naan, poppadoms etc.)

Getting Healthy: Stuffed Mushrooms

So here's a recipe I threw together when trying to eat more healthily! I just made a basic recipe so if you ever try it; add things to make the meal more interesting. This recipe is for one so just adjust it to whatever you would want

Ingredients

• 2 or 3 large flat mushrooms (depending on how hungry you are)
• 1 slice of bread (left on the side for the day to go a little stale for breadcrumbs)
• 1 small red onion
• 1 large clove of garlic
• lots of grated cheese

Method

1. Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and clean them. Also turn on the oven to 200 degrees centigrade on a fan oven
2. Once the oven is hot put the mushrooms on a baking tray and drizzle them with oil and leave in the oven whilst doing the next steps (or around 5 mins)
3. Break your piece of bread into very small crumbs and add to a bowl. Also chop the garlic and onion into small pieces and add to the same bowl
4. Mix all the ingredients in the bowl and add salt and pepper to taste
5. Carefully take the mushrooms out and spoon the mixture equally into the mushrooms
6. Grate as much cheese as you'd like onto the mushrooms and put them back in the oven for another 10 minutes or so until all the cheese has melted and the onions look cooked

ENJOY :)

Getting Healthy

Last year at Uni I found that McDonalds became my best friend, along with lots of other fast food restaurants! So this year I've decided to change my eating habits and to get healthy. So I'm going to be trying lots of new foods and new recipes and hope you guys can join with me. Most people told me that at Uni all you can afford to buy is unhealthy food.
I can prove them wrong! I have begun shopping at my local market and butchers and have spent the same (or sometimes less) on a weekly shop. I know you can't get everything from these places but I've also stocked up on things like pasta, rice and bread every week or few weeks. I've found that buying vegetables when in season from a vegetable and fruit stall makes you think more about trying new things. For example I'd never cooked sweet potato but now I seem to be eating it with every meal.
So I'm going to share my experiences with you guys. Writing down any interesting foods I try and any recipes I think of that I think you would enjoy!
Fast food may be nice but if you cook veg properly it can taste really good and make you feel a lot better about yourself!

IT IS A SPORT!!!

I've always wanted to be part of a sport but never actually liked sport. So I looked at all the sports societies at my university and came across something interesting. The pole fitness society! I've never had much body confidence so the thought of dancing around a pole in minimal clothing actually terrifies me. However I've decided to join anyway.
Now to those of you who think its all about dancing like a slut in your underwear... you are very wrong. The only reason people wear small clothes; shorts and tops, not underwear, is because you need to grip the pole to do the moves. Now I've never actually done the sport and my first session is this Sunday, but I know it is a sport! How do I know? I have to do 2 hours of fitness and circuit training a week and 2 hours of core strengthening and stretching weekly as well. Pole fitness can be a competitive sport and really works on your fitness and toning. Which I'm glad about because I am seriously unfit.
I am so excited to try it out and will post about my progress, hopefully whilst simultaneously proving it doesn't objectify women!
Hope this inspires some people to try it out as well :D xx

Being Yourself!!!

Its always interesting to talk to my friends from different universities to see if there are things that all students experience. One of my friends is currently a fresher whereas I'm a second year so its fun to see how her uni life is different to mine. However when I was on the phone to her she told me something that I experienced myself when first joining Uni.
Being around a completely different group of people changes our personalities unintentionally. Back at your home town your friends know exactly what you're like and whether you have certain quirky personality traits. But when you turn up in a new place with people who might be the complete opposite to you its hard to truly be yourself just in case they don't like what they see. It may sound like you're being superficial but I think its just about acceptance. Knowing you have to live with strangers 24 hours a day 7 days a week is difficult and its hard to open up straight away. Personally I have a rather loud personality and can be a bit annoying at times and going to Uni knowing that made me worry that my flatmates would get bored of me quickly. I found it really hard at times, being somebody I wasn't and sometimes I would just stay in my room so that I didn't have to act. The only time I felt like myself was when I was on the phone to friends.
I don't want to worry anyone by writing this I just want to know if anyone has or is experiencing this. If you are feeling just like I did all I can say is it gets better. Everyone is in the same position and people grow accustomed to each other and love one another's quirks! My flat know I'm loud and crazy but they also know I'm bubbly and optimistic and will be there for me when I'm not. Its so true that your uni friends will be friends for life, now I can't imagine being here without them and feel completely happy with who I am. I hope you all do too! :) xx