My daily cost effective lunch- Salad recipe

To avoid the daily Chicken, Bacon and Avocado baguettes that I have been consuming for the last month (daily), I have found a fool proof and cheap alternative that has left me feeling VERY good. I am a massive carb lover but they do make me feel sluggish on a regular basis so I have decided to allow myself just 1-2 carby meals a week and switch to the lighter stuff. This is an attempt to get back on some healthy regime but also doing it realiastically after my massive Dukan Diet fail. On a serious note, if you want to shed the pounds, definitely look for an alternative because the Dukan Diet is seriously hardcore. I would recommend the Clean and Lean which my friend Hannah introdcued me to. It is much more realistic and achievable and takes a mere 2 weeks but I think I will stay on it for the long haul with minimal exceptions.  

Aside from just wanting to get healthier, the London lifestyle has taken its toll on my bank account! I discovered that I was spending at least £20 on food  for my lunches per week which is too much for my liking! I have since made a daily salad recipe which has left me completely satisfied, carb-less and most importantly with a few extra pennies in the pocket.

Ingredients:

Salad leaves

Cucumber

Cherry Tomatoes

Avocado

Chicken/Turkey breast chucks and/or thin sliced ham

Grated cheese

Method (I may be stating the obvious here but here goes….) :

Lay the leaves onto a plate

Chop the cucumber into small circles (5 or 6)

Add the tomatoes (4-5)

Chop the avocado into 4 sections/chunks

Lay on the desired meat (my personal favourite is ham AND turkey…mix it up abit!)

Sprinkle some grated cheese

And there you have it….a yummy, healthy salad.

I buy the ingredients for the whole week on a Monday morning and spend a mere £8.52. If you are particularly cash-condisous, I would really recommend the Bernard Matthew Turkey Breast chunks, which retail at just £1 from Sainsburys and Tescos and one pack will last you for two lunches. Perhaps you want to splash the cash? Try the Tescos Finest Wiltshire Ham with your turkey chunks.

This is literally perfect for anyone on a budget and who wants to get in shape and healthy. I wish I had done this during my student days!!

Happy eating and slimming people!

Peace,

O x

Rumble in the Jumble

When you think of a jumble sale, you think of old rubbish that no-one really wants, right? Images of old books, crappy board games and silly Ellesse t-shirts that we used to wear when we were 8 come to mind. Well,  instead try imagining this....delicious cakes, style icon hand-me-downs and a room full of celebrities and thats what I got when I sauntered into  Old St Pancras church for the Rumble in the Jumble sale.

Arriving shortly after 6pm with my lovely sister, we joined a healthily busy queue. We waiting approximately 15 minutes before we were greeting by a smiley and enthusiastic Gemma Cairns who guided us to the entrance desk. Paying just £2 on the door, guests were asked to bring some jumble to donate, which was then divided up and sold band then anything left over was donated to Oxfam stores. Celebrities helping out included Kate Nash, Harry Potter actress Jessie Cave, fashion stylist Grace Woodward and food writer Gizzi Erksine and (my personal favourite celeb spot) Bridesmaids star (and Dawn Porter’s hubby-to-be) Chris O’Dowd. Stars who couldn’t attend but donated clothes included Lauren Laverne, Claudia Winkleman and Jimmy Carr.


After browsing for a nice amount of time, my sister had her bargain eyes in full go-go mode and spotted an electric blue Luella cashmere cardi donated by Lauren Laverne for a mere £20!!!! There was not really time to think about it, so she handed over the cash and swooned at her purchase. We found a quiet corner to try things on whilst coming across a shoe stall, where Annie proceeded to find yet another bargain, Topshop booties for a tenner! BARGAIN!

Anyways, all in all, it was a roaring success for all! The shoppers were delighted, the hosts were chuffed and the charity was rolling in it with a donation of over £7000 to Oxfam!!


Here are some cheeky snaps! Look out for Chris O'Dowd...SUCH A LEDGE!

Grace Woodward!!

Caroline Flack 

Sara Cox

Dawn Porter (Fellow Guernsey Girl!!)

Chris O'Dowd

Peace,


O x

The Oscars: Fashion Favourites and Fails

Monday mornings are often the most depressing days. It is the end of the weekend and the start to a long work week. However, one thing that makes it far more enjoyable is the fact that it is not just ANY Monday, it is the Monday after the Oscars which means a morning of scouring over the images of the red carpet to see who has impressed and who has made a fashion faux-pas. I have detailed below my favourites and the the fails from both the red carpet and the after parties.

My top 3 favourites:

Kristin Wigg: This dress is absolutely stunning. After her quick rise to fame after her role in the hilarious rom-com “Bridesmaids”, Kristin was almost seen as a little bit ‘dorky’ but on the red carpet, she was the picture of femininity in the J.Mendel nude tulle strapless gown with woven bodice and hand-pleated layered skirt. The hair also works well with the colouring of the dress but I have to say that I do miss her as a blonde! The colour is also pretty hard to pull of with quite a fair skin tone but she does it very well. My guess is that she went for a cheeky St Tropez spray tan, or better yet, an actual trip to the South of France. 

Gwyneth Paltrow: I absolutely ADORE Tom Ford. Everything about that man is sexy but so classy. He is one of the characters that plays on simplicity but also makes it interesting, whether its texture in the materials, shapes in his eyewear or masculine spice in his fragrances. To pair with Gwyneth Paltrow was yet anoter stroke of genius. The gowns rich material is elegantly highlighted as it drapes over her slim silhouette- she doesn’t look a day over 30. Classic, stylish and feminine, 10 out of 10 to bother Gwyneth and Tom.

Emma Stone: I have always been a little unsure about Emma Stone. Since she played the annoying ex-girlfriend of my childhood crush Justin Timberlake in one of my favourite films "Friends with Benefits", I have always found her rather annoying. But she was extremely charming and funny whilst presenting an award with Ben Stiller and I thought she looked stunning. She wore a Giambattista Valli dress, in an eye-catching shade of red, accented by a big bow- absolutely incredible.

My top 3 fails:

Shaliene Woodley: I was expecting big things from this new rising starlet being the star of one of the most talked about films of the year. Unforuntely, in my opinion she made a massive “boo-boo”. She chose a Valentino Couture dress which was beautifully simple in shape with the most intricate of detail but frankly it was just too severe and covered up. I think it was admirable that she played it safe, but for such a young girl, she should be taking risks and playing with shape, colours and necklines. Next time, show us some leg!

Nancy O’Dell: This was probably the worst dress for me. It just did not match at all. Who puts canary yellow with sultry black lace? To me, it was just mixing themes but not in a cool juxtaposing way like that of Alexander McQueen etc, but instead just a massive mess. The dress by Chagoury Couture may have been acceptable at the MTV awards, but at the Oscars, it was simply too garish and loud and I thought it lacked class.

Missi Pyle: Lastly, this bizarre choice from Missi Pyle was definitely abit of a mistake. The colour was interesting because it was quite fitting to the upcoming seasons but the material looked cheap and the overall shapes made the dress look somewhat unfinished. It almost looks as if the designer has had a last minute hack at the dress and left several bits hanging off. 

Overall, not a fan at all- sack the stylist!

Honorable mentions

The other starlets who I think deserve a mention is the gorgeous Cameron Diaz, the youthful Selena Gomez and the stunning Diane Kruger. Not quite making the cut in my top three, but all three looked radiant and classy in an array of gowns from Dolce and Gabana to Gucci. I thought that Selena Gomez went for a very feminine style which made shaked her teeny bop image and shifted her more towards the mature and serious actress persona. Cameron Diaz is usually one of the first people I look for on the red carpet because she rarely makes mistakes. This time was no different and I really loved the shape on her slim figure. The only criticism is that it was a little simple- perhaps next time she should try thinking outside of the box.

Diane Kruger’s gown for the Vanity Fair after show part was a very daring choice and that is why I love it. She has had a fair bit of negative press but I think she makes it work. On someone like Katie Price, we would be looking at a seriously trashy attempy at a red carpet dress but because it is Diane, who oozes style and class anyway, I think it is a nice change up and perfect for an after-party look.

I also have to mention Natalie Portman and her choice of Christian Dior dress? I really was not a fan. I thought it was quite frumpy and was a fairly bland choice for an event of this calibre but I have seen nothing but praise for her choice this morning- each to their own.

A massive congratulations to all the winners!

On my agenda for the week: GO AND SEE “THE ARTIST”.

Peace,

O x

The verdict: Du-Can’t!!

It is with regret that I have to inform you all that after 5 MISERABLE days, I am no longer participating in the Dukan Diet. 

I started to doubt its positive effects on Wednesday night when I spontaneously through up on the tube platform… (horrendous I know) and I have since suffered infinite headaches. My whole body ached and I felt dizzy at most points of the days, especially in the mornings. The purpose of a diet is obviously to be challenging, but I think it gets abit silly when it makes you so ill and feel so crap. I was expecting the odd faint moment with the occasional headache but I legitimately felt like I was dying. Maybe it’s a lack of willpower and my brain is making me feel like I am ill as an excuse but all I know is that I did not feel normal for one day and the fact that I lost 3 pounds is not making it feel any better.

It has made me realise that I love to eat. I cannot live a life (or a prolonged diet) of restricting my eating habits when there is tonnes of flavoursome foods out there waiting to be devoured.

I would only recommend the Dukan Diet if you are totally 100% committed and have a very strong stomach. I think I probably ate about 10 chickens, 5 turkeys and at least 10 eggs this week- that cannot be healthy!!! I did however shed 3 pounds, but it really does not compensate for the public humiliation of being sick on the tube platform (soz to the poor underground work that had to clear that up…).

So to sum up: 4 days, 3 pounds lost, endless headaches, one public vomit.

Verdict: The Dukan Diet is not for me. I like to eat what I want, when I want. I guess this means I have to up the ante with spin classes, weight sessions and runs which is fine by me if it means I can avoid the horrendous side effects of the Dukan Diet. It really is not for the faint hearted.

I am off for a weekend of CARBS, CARBS, CARBS. And I am not in the least bit sorry.

As my good friend Maria says: "DIET WHEN YOU'RE DEAD".


Peace,

O x

Du-Kan or Du-Can't?

Well, here I am on Day 2 and I am struggling a lot more than I thought I would be! The main reason for this is the fact that it is Pancake Day. All day, all I wanted to do was stuff my face with scrumptious pancakes with melted galaxy chocolate, a tonne of sugar and a splash of lemon. I insisted that I MUST be a part of this day in some shape or form, so I made a Dukan alternative- Oat Bran pancake…yum (can you tell my enthusiasm?!). If anybody cares to give them a go, use the recipe below- they actually tasted pretty darn good and I added some low fat cream cheese on the side!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tablespoons of Oat Bran
1 1/2 tablespoons of non-fat fromage frais or quark
1 egg (or egg white if have cholesterol problems)

Directions

·         Put oat bran in a bowl, add non-fat fromage grais or quark and one egg.
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and pour on to a non-stick pan that has been greased beforehand with a few drops of oil then wiped with kitchen paper.

·         Cook for 2-3 minutes each side.

·         Makes one serving/pancake

Enough of the pancake malarkey, and more on to tips to avoid caving! My biggest tips would be to plan a snack every few hours and really try and stick to it. It gives you a clear goal and you know that you only have 1-2 hours max to wait to eat something. The snacks that I have been told are cottage cheese and low fat cream cheese as well as things like chicken breast strips. On my way home from work, I purchased some lean turkey ham and that tastes DELIGHTFUL- I have a feeling I may turn into a turkey by the end of this diet. 

It really is important to drink a lot of water too, that is probably my top tip. I think people underestimate how good water is for you and it really helps ease my cravings.

I keep a water tally on my post-it notes and aim for around 6-10 glasses a day. 

Not only does it help with the thoughts of hunger etc, but it really does your skin some good too. Without water to drink every few minutes, I started to go a little light-headed at times and everyone at my work started to look like burgers. 

So, back to the facts and figures....

What I ate today:

I ate scrambled eggs for breakfast, low fat cottage cheese for mid-morning snack (twice!), a tin of tuna for lunch, a double oat bran gallette with cream cheese for dinner! I also got kinda hungry and ate 300g of Turkey ham at various points after work till now!

I lose weight pretty quickly, but unfortunately not in the areas I want to lose it! So far, I have lost 2 pounds- in nearly 48hours….babysteps but pretty good so far.

Peace,

O x

The Dukan Diet:Day 1

I have had a fair few stabs at some fad diets in my time but I have never found one that has worked well to both lose weight but also maintain it afterwards. It is for this reason that I have decided to take part in the DUKAN DIET. After many warnings and praise, sob and success stories, I thought it was time to give it a whirl myself and get back into shape.

I don’t want something that is a fast fix (I have tried the maple syrup diet and lost 11 pounds in 10 day…that cannot be healthy!), I want something that will produce results quickly (because I am the world’s most impatient person) but also something that will help me maintain the weight loss afterwards. This is where the DUKAN DIET ticks pretty much all of the boxes. It works in a series of stages. The first being, THE ATTACK phase.

During this phase, you are only to eat protein-rich foods. I thought this would be easy because I love meat, fish, eggs etc, HOWEVER, I did not realise how hard it would be to give up my beloved carbs. No baguettes, No pasta, No bagels, No muffins, No cakes, No toast…the list goes on. It works by simply shocking the body with high protein intake, which makes you lose the weight fast.

So, Day One. I weight 9st 6 and have the target weight of 8st 6, here it goes….

I had eggs for Breakfast, cottage cheese for my midmorning snack, 250g of grilled chicken breast for lunch and a fillet of haddock for my dinner.

My cravings are pretty bad, but I have a picture of Poppy Delavigne glued to my work computer and iMac at home which keeps me in line. It also doesn’t help that my boss decided to treat us all to cupcakes in the office this morning, oh AND the fact that its pancake day tomorrow. That is going to be a killer.

Well, watch this space. 

Peace,

O x

EXTREME MAKEOVER: Blog edition!

Blog revamp! Out with the old, in with the new…

After a little deliberation with myself for quite some time, I have decided to change the focus of my blog slightly. It will still contain all sorts of beauty tips and hints but much like my first blog, I want it to be about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. So look out for trend reports, new hairstyles, nice restaurants, film reviews and general mumblings and thoughts that may pop into my head.

Look out for my next blog post which will document the start of my journey through the DUKAN DIET.

Peace,

O x

Maybelline New York- Dream Nude Airfoam

This week, I have decided to review Maybelline’s Dream Nude Airfoam. I have always been a big fan of the Matte Mousse range but I often felt that it could be quite heavy, especially for the day. The hook that reeled me in was the fact that it was an airfoam product. Elizabeth Arden did a similar foam foundation which I really liked but didn’t continue to use because of the price, so when I saw that this was being released at a reasonable £8.99, I felt I was obliged to give it a go.

Firstly, I always purchase to shades of foundation; one for the day and one for the evening. My day shade tends to be a lot lighter and I like to go for a lighter shade- usually in the Ivories. The evening shade will always be heavier, with better coverage and often in a more nude shade to adjust to my shameless self-tanning habit. With this reasoning in mind, I tested 4 out of the 12 shades available and decided to purchase both the Classic Ivory (150) and Nude (170).

When reviewing a product, I think it is important to realise that different textures and consistencies of foundation are not for everyone. Foam based foundations will most definitely not be for everyone, therefore I advise to really try out the product and know exactly what you are getting before purchasing to avoid disappointment.

The day shade (Classic Ivory 150) was an absolute delight. The coverage was VERY light, so if you have troubled skin then this is probably not for you as it doesn’t really conceal blemishes. It does however, give you a gorgeous glow! The wet look and feel at the beginning once applied can be a little off-putting, but once dried, it blends incredibly well and really gives a natural finish. One downside is that it is VERY hard to tell exactly how much you need. The first few times I applied it, I literally had enough to last me all week! So go easy on how much you apply, you can always add more!

The night shade was unfortunately not quite as successful. The concept of Airfoam just does not work with an evening look (which ultimately, will always be heavier than a day look). The coverage is minimal compared to that of my other personal favourites like Mac and Paul & Joe and the colour did not blend in very well, especially with the use of any self-tan products. Due to the products moistness, it caused more of a mess than it did anything else to my poor spray tan!

Overall, I would say that the lighter shades for day use is a delight and I would highly recommend it for a natural look with light coverage. Pair it with a nice soft bronzer (St Tropez is a personal fav!) to give your cheeks a little more colour!

The overall concept works for day looks, so I would give it a solid 8/10.

TRIED and TEST: Hair Oils

After receiving PR samples from Moroccan Oil, I was hooked on their products and have since invested in the shampoo, conditioning treatments and stocked up on the classic essential oils. The brand seems to be all the rage at the moment with celebrities such as Kelly Rowland singing its praises in all the glossy mags.

However, on a recent visit to the hairdressers, I was introduced to an alternative which (after abit of research) I found out actually has a lot more nutrients and benefits for hair. After payday, I thought it was time to invest in some new beauty bits, so I got a selection of hair oils and below is a snapshot of the highs and lows, goods and bads.

First up:

Moroccan Oil (Light for Blondes/thin hair and Original for all others)

Price: around £30.00

Why buy?

• Good value for money- it may seem a little steep but I have used it EVERYDAY since October and there is still over ¾ of the bottle left!
• Incredible scent!
• Not at all greasy, leaves hair silky, shiny and bouncy

Why not?

• There are cheaper alternatives
• It has a lot of nutrients but others can be better for different hair types. For blondes, I would suggest the Light version- best I have tried specifically for blondes.

Overall: A solid 9.5/10

Schowarzkopf Bonacure

Price: around £15.00

Why buy?

• Good value for money- much cheaper than a lot of other salon hair oils
• Has incredible amounts of nutrients, all of which are great for winter hair especially which is great with the really cold extended winter we are having!
• Great for all hair types, not just colour specific

Why not?

• Left my hair a little greasy
• Overall results were not as good as Moroccan Oil

Overall: A solid 8/10

Percy & Reed

Price: around £14.99

Why buy?

• Great size- you can pop in your hand bag and carry it around with you! You can use it on the go for a quick hair fix instead of using after washing hair when it is still wet!
• Has incredible amounts of nutrients, all of which are great for winter hair especially which is great with the really cold extended winter we are having!
• Great for all hair types, it comes in both Thin and Thick varieties

Why not?

• Very small bottle, not as good value 
• Similar to Bonacure, it left my hair a little greasy

·     

Overall: A solid 7.5/10

Overall Verdict:

All in all, I would say that Moroccan Oil is still my favourite product. Although it may not have as many nutrients as the others, the feel, texture and bounce in my hair feels a lot more long lasting, natural and healthy than when I used the others. I also team it with the Moisturising Conditioning treatment once a week to make sure my hair is in the best condition it can be in.

Last final tip: DO NOT USE TOO MUCH- it will only make your hair greasy. One pump is enough to cover mid hair down to tip. Avoid the roots.

Probably my beauty must have, so I urge you all to invest, or at least try it out when you are next in the salon!


Peace,


O x