Let’s keep it going

As we are now coming to the end of January it’s around this time of year where we either quit the health kick and go back to our old ways or we push through and keep going. 

Let’s put it out there, chocolate and a sneaky glass of wine or two may have passed by my lips, but the healthy meals and the exercise are well and truly here to stay! 

So here are my 5 top tips to ensure the inner glow continues on into 2016. 

Preparation 

This is key to ensuring you stay on track! 
Take those few extra minutes to prep tomorrow’s lunches. 
No one wakes up in the morning and thinks ‘Oh Yay, time to make a healthy, nutritious and tasty pack lunch’…well maybe some people do, but if you are anything like me and wake up looking more like a mole, dishevelled and grumpy, that is the last thing on your mind. Coffee perhaps, but definitely not lettuce!   

                      

Mix It Up

Being quite the newcomer to the world of exercise (well for a good few years anyway) I am loving finding new and fun ways to ‘feel the burn’. 
Finding exercise you enjoy is key to keeping to a routine. 
For the past few weeks I have just stuck to the bike and the weights, but there is only so much cardio and squatting a girl can do before she gets a little bored. So I’ve started to look a little further a field and I’m loving it.
Yoga is becoming a major love of mine. Being someone who struggles with nerves and anxiety this is not only a great way to improve how I look on the outside but it is also helping me on the inside. It’s a great way of having some ‘me’ time and helps give me the chance to put things in perspective. I’d highly recommend Yoga with Andriene on Youtube. Her Yoga Camp is a great way for beginners to get involved. So mix it up!

                     

Meal Plans

Plan out your evening meals for the week.
Grab some cook books (Get the Glow Madeline Shaw, Lean in 15 Joe Wicks or Gizzi’s Healthy Appetite) are some of my favourites to ensure a healthy but beyond yummy evening treat.
This doesn’t only ensure your fridge is packed full of the goodies you need, but also gives you something tasty to look forward to whilst you plough on through at work.

                      

Keep Hydrated

Water has become a very close friend of mine and it should become one of yours.
Having a 2L bottle on my desk at work has worked miracles.
I’ve marked it with little time slots. Sounds a bit nutty but honestly it’s a great reminder to keep hydrated and just to get it down.

2L sounds like an awful lot but the benefits don’t even compare. 

Clearer Complexion, Boots Your Immune System, Flushes Out Toxins 

The list honestly goes on. If you think water is a little bland, why not infuse it with fruits and veggies? My personal favourite is Lime and Cucumber. Odd combo I know, but trust me.   

                                           

Just Keep Going!

Whether you are going it alone, getting healthy with a friend or fighting the flab with a partner, just keep pushing to reach your goal! 
Sounds cheesey I know (and that’s a healthy cheese by the way) but by encouraging each other and keeping positive, in an odd way, it makes you more likely to succeed as you won’t want to fail. 
I’m fortunate enough to have beardy pushing me to keep going, and trust me he can be strict when it comes to exercise and sneaking chocolate. 
But there are so many Bloggers, Instagrammers and Youtubers out there who are also there to support you. Carly Rowena, Samantha Marie, Vivianna Makeup, Kayla Itsines and Happy Healthy Sophie just to name a few. 

                        

So come on guys. Let’s not have another January fad and keep pushing forward for a happier, healthier you! 

Much love x

Getting the Glow in 2016

Since we hit 2016 I have been a little obsessed with cooking. I realise everyone is into a January health kick right now, but having Madeleine Shaw’s –Get the Glow cook book propped proudly in my kitchen I can see this being a long term thing. After the mountains of stodgy food, the comfy pjs becoming a daily look and copious amounts of wine and cheese  – I was actually craving something fresh and healthy on a plate and fancied vegetables, which is pretty much unheard of for me. So receiving Madeleines cook book from Beardy was a blessing! I fully believe that in order to change, it’s not just having the right tools or ingredients, but you have to be in the right frame of mind. You need to be focused and determined enough in your own head in order to achieve and reach your goal. Which for me, 2016 something seems to have clicked and it’s now turning into a way of life rather than just another fad.

Exercising daily is turning into an activity I enjoy rather than a chore and as for food, well yoyo dieting is a thing of the past.

So let’s talk about this wonderful cook book.

                         

Madeleine Shaw – Get the Glow

I feel like this is one of my favourite cook books. Being someone who has tried nearly every fad diet going, every quick fix and so called ‘miracle liquid’ shakes to shift those pesky pounds, reading this book has actually made me see food in a completely different light. Cliché right, but Madeleine has a fantastic way of putting it all into perspective. By telling her story at the start, going into detail of her own struggles and how she turned them around just by changing her eating habits, is not only something I can relate to, but also something I feel I’m in the right frame of mind to achieve myself.

It’s not restrictive in anyway and covers everything from breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and let’s not forget those much needed snacks. It’s all clean, healthy and delicious eating when it comes to ‘Get The Glow’. Madeleine has some fantastic weekday quickie options, as well as some show-stopping feasts for the weekend.

Here are FOUR of my go to recipes that I have tweaked to fit our lifestyle.

Breakfast

Eggs and Asparagus

        

2 Eggs

4 sprigs of Asparagus

2 rashers of Smokey Bacon

Pinch of Chia Seeds

 

Boil the kettle and place asparagus in a saucepan to gently cook

Boil both eggs for 5 mins for a runny centre

Snip the bacon into small strips for a quicker cooking time (speedy breakfast)

Peel the shell of the eggs and serve with a sprinkling of chai seeds for that extra kick of protein

Lunch

Pesto Courgetti

       

   

1 tbs Pesto

1 Courgette (Courgetti)

2 rashers of Smokey Bacon

Small cubes of Haloumi  

Snip the bacon (again) into small pieces for a quicker cooking time.

Once cooked add the haloumi until slightly golden brown.

Pan fry the courgetti until al dente then add the bacon and haloumi. 

Once combined gently stir in the pesto to heat through then serve….mmm tasty.

Dinner

Cumin and Chilli Rubbed Duck

       

1 Duck breast (Skin Scored)

Pinch of Cumin

Pinch of Hot Chilli Powder

3tsp Dark Soy Sauce

1tsp of runny Honey

2 Spring Onions

Bunch of Coriander

1 Courgette (Courgetti)

1 glove of Garlic (Chopped)

Thumb Size piece of Ginger (Chopped)

1 Chilli (Chopped)

Preheat a pan (dry) whilst you score the duck breast.

Once the duck skin is scored, rub in the cumin and chilli powder and place skin down in the pan to seal in the flavours (Also makes the skin nice and crispy).

Flip the duck in the pan so the skin is now facing up, and add all the other ingredients to the pan to create a glaze.

When the sauce starts to reduce place in the oven to finish off cooking (pink 10/15 mins) (25/30 medium to well done) But keep basting guys!!  

Whilst your duck is getting all tasty in the oven gently pan fry your courgetti.

When your duck is just how you like it serve with a sprinkling of coriander to garnish.

Snack

Raw Chocolate and Maca Balls

       

The benefits of these superfood delights are awesome

helps balance hormones

clears skin

improves mood

…and improves libido (Ooooooh Yeaaaahhhh)

150g of hazlenuts

150g of medjool dates

4 tbsp of raw cacao

2 tbsp of maca powder

3 tbsp of coconut oil

a small pinch of salt

 

Makes 16 Balls

Place the hazelnuts in the food processor and blitz.

Add the rest of the ingredients and process until fully combined.

Roll into balls and pop in the freezer for 20 minutes then into the fridge until you are ready to chow down.

These keep in the fridge for 2 week, but I guarantee they won’t last that long.

These are great for an after workout snack or a mid-morning crasher stopper.

Enjoy guys! 

Goodbye 2015

      

Another year has ended and just like each year, I can’t get over how quickly it’s gone! 

2015 brought many highs along with a few lows! 

I can’t lie, I’ve had some really tough times this past year for a few reasons.

1. My beautiful nephew having to be so brave being in and out of hospital.  

2. Losing an incredible woman to the great cloud in the sky. 

3. Getting screwed over by a so called ‘friend’. 

4. Having a short stint in the Dark Side of Depression

5. And let’s not forget adding a good few inches to my waistline.

But Hey, it’s not all been doom and gloom. 

1. I went travelling to some of the most beautiful places in the world with my one and only Beardy. 

      

2. I’ve met some incredible people who I feel I’ve known for years. 

     

3. We moved into our first official apartment.

4. We got little man, Lord Fluffington, back after travelling, so we were reunited as a three. 

     

5. Met new friends, some who are equally as bearded as Matt. 

6. Visited some incredible restaurants in London. 

      

7. A few Family gatherings 

8. And finishing off the year in Dubai with my parents for Christmas which was just perfect. 

           

       

What can I take from 2015 into 2016? 

I’ve learnt to keep strong and to keep pushing for happiness. It taught me to continue to spread positivity in the way I love to do it. Whether that’s through blogging, or photography to the odd YouTube video.  

I want to develop the 'Suze and the Beard' Blog and take it to the next level. 
It’s something I love doing and it’s an outlet for me to be fully myself. 

Focusing on: 

Health/food

     

Happiness

      

Make up

       

And Fashion

      

Spreading positivity, realness and my mundane ramblings…I hope that is ok guys. 

2016 will be the year I try to care less about what others think and focus more on the things that make me happy. 

I also feel 2015 made me see friendships in a completely different light.

Yes I have lost a few this past year, but that all happened for a reason. 
If someone is meant to be in your life they will be. 

In 2016 I’ll be flushing out the people that don’t bring out the best in me or who have a negative effect on my life or wellbeing. 

Focus on those who make me laugh, and I mean full on belly laugh, and who make me a better person.

After all, life is too short for anything less.

Plus they will always check your Snapchat stories to clearly see what you are up to…Trust me…it’s quite flattering I guess.

I feel like we all got a little disconnected in 2015 and I’ve come to appreciate how others can make me feel.

Social media is a fantastic thing, and I honestly don't know where I would be without it, but sometimes I think we need to pop the phones down and just have a chat (previous statement justified, stop the spying and have a chat if you want to know what's going on). 

I want to make this year all about being positive, and bringing out the best in not only myself but others around me.  

Taking the plunge and finding not just another mundane job, but a career I love. Ideally from a hobby or a passion, let’s see what happens ey. 

So bring it on 2016! 

      

Here’s to a year of laughter, love, challenges, friends, family and happiness.

Love

Suze xx