Another Step Closer to 30

So the BIG Twenty Six is just around the corner, 13 days to be exact, and in all honesty I don’t really know how to feel.

       

Turning 26 is a pretty big milestone, well saying that I guess its not one of those highly celebrated numbers, but for me, 26 is one that I have somewhat been apprehensive about...almost to the point of dreading. 

Once you reach 26 you are no longer allowed to say, 'I'm in my early 20’s', I mean blimey 4 more years and I’ll be 30!!! How did that happen?!

Whilst trying to get my head round that fact I realised that age is just a number. 

Why am I worrying? 

On the morning of Tuesday 3^rd May I will be no different. 

Physically I will still be a little bit chubby. 

Mentally I will still be a little bit childish. 

                                  

                                                 

And I find it very unlikely I will wake up knowing where my life is going...trust me if I do I will let you know.   

So what is the plan to make the most of this next step closer to being 30? 

Let’s stress less! 

25 was a very stressful year. I’m pretty sure I have acquired several stress lines (face and stretch) from this milestone age. I’ll be whipping out the yoga mat, lighting a few more 'de-stress' candles and to be honest not giving so much of a monkeys about other peoples dramas. Work, Bills and Debts I’ll pop in a little bag at the back of my mind and focus on having fun! 

       

Ditch the podge! 

Well, I am extremely excited about this. I have recently really kicked myself up the bum (sounds like an interesting position) but yeah...I have dropped just over a stone and I couldn’t be happier. Bike every night, no crappy crap and nearly 4 litres of water a day! We are on the right path people. It is just continuing with it. Fingers crossed slightly skinnier Suze is making a come back! 

                                       

                                                                   (And yes that is me) 

Adventure Time…com’on grab your friends!! Blimey I love that programme!

I need some adventuring back in my life. This time last year Beardy and I were travelling around the world and it was incredible!! I think mini adventures are needed to release my inner Fin and Jake. Amsterdam? Berlin? Paris? Who knows…Any ideas guys chuck them my way. 

       

Even though 26 is still a terrifying number and I guess I’m still not fully ready for it, I can’t help but feel if I face it with the right mind set and positive vibe....then sod it! A number is a number. 

Let’s fill this 26^th year with as many memories and fun times as possible. 

The Dreaded Mid-Mid-Life Crisis

Everything is getting odd and there is no sign of it stopping. 

So don’t worry teenagers, the crisis you are going through now (aka puberty) will stop for a little bit, but then come back when you least expect it. Mine appears to have hit me at the age of 25, nearly 26!! 

The Dreaded Mid-Mid-Life Crisis             

         

1.Your skin

When you finally think yeah, I’ve nailed this, I’ve got my skin care down to a T, my make-up is sitting perfectly, but then BAM my skin goes ‘oh hell no’! 
Out of nowhere it decides to mix things up and do things to completely knock my confidence. 
A little dry patch here, a break out there and boom back to square one on how to cope with my skin! 

2. Your Wieght 

When I was younger I used to be able to drop weight a hell of a lot easier. What on earth has happened there? As some of you know I was a chubster when I was little, but as I got older, I got really active, I ran a lot, lost nearly 5 stone and could eat whatever the hell I wanted.           

       

Now it’s a case of if I even look at a piece of cake it morphs into an extra chin. No matter how much exercise I do Food has decided that ‘hey we love you too Suze. So we are going to stick around for a little longer, perhaps in the form of a stretch mark or an extra giggle on your bum, you can keep that, that’s our gift to you’. Cheers food! 

3. You just ache!! 

I can go to sleep perfectly fine but then wake up with a messed up neck. How did me sleeping cause this much damage!?! 
It has got to the stage where I now keep a load of those sticky heat patches under the sink just in case. And let’s just say I literally smell like tiger balm 24/7….sexy right. (For those of you that don’t know Tiger Balm is like a pain relief balm…Amazing stuff). 

       

4. Your hair. 

Oh my hair. Bless it, it doesn’t know what it’s doing with its life either. Back in the day when my main responsibilities involved going out and having fun my hair was just beautiful. Blonde, long and full of love. Now, well now it doesn’t even know how to react to shampoo. 

                                             

As I’m sure you can imagine, chubbing out, messed up hair, aches and pains, I’ve never looked hotter...haha your welcome Beardy. 

Probably the most frustrating for me is STILL not knowing what I want to do with my life. Back when I was a youthful, slim, energetic 19 year old I was blissfully naive. I honestly thought by the time I was 25 I would have my life sorted. 

19 Year old Suze’s Check List 

I would be in a career that I loved (25 year old Suze – Nope)
I would be married (25 year old Suze –Nope) 
I would own a house not rent (25 year old Suze – Nope)
I might have a little one on the way (25 year old Suze –Nope, well not that I’m aware of anyway) 

The list goes on.

I’m still extremely confused as to where my life is going. 

Size 8, 19 year old, full lush haired Suze honestly had no clue. 
Size 14, 25 year old, dull haired Suze is equally in the dark except this Suze has bills, debts, and a desk job haha whoop! 

Don't get me wrong I have been able to achieve some amazing things in my 25/26 years on this planet, but I guess I thought something would have clicked by now. Some sort of guiding star,....I'll ease up on the Disney style wishful thinking, but you get the idea.

     

So my advice is this: 

Find what you love and don’t let anything stop you from pursuing it! 
If you are creative and love it do something in that field...that's my aim.
If you’re a whiz with numbers or a lyrical genius go down that route. 
Don’t and I repeat DON’T do something just to pay your bills! 
As time goes on it gets harder and harder to break that cycle! 
Trust me! 

Being an adult isn’t all doom and gloom as this post may suggest. We get to stay up late, we get to have a cheeky drink now and then, and we get to do the angry disapproving look if someone is being too loud on the train….ok I’m not selling this very well. 
But just know that if you are my age, or slightly older or slightly younger, and you haven’t figured it all out yet, then don’t worry, you are not the only one. 

Life is what you make of it and I’m sure as hell not going to stay in this rut.

So this is a shout out to all you Mid-Mid-Life Crisis sufferers out there. 

Stay strong, do what you love and just know you are not alone!! 

Meat Mission Hoxton

The meat-lovin’ legends that gave us Meat Wagon, Meat Liquor and Meat Market have now taken over Hoxton with Meat Mission. 

        

For all the meat lovers out there I’m sure you are aware of these guys, and if you haven’t where the hell have you been?? 

When walking into this Hoxton hot spot you are greeted by a windowless main room that is dark and grungy, with light only via a beautifully designed stained glass ceiling.

        

The cooking here I guess a little more rough ’n’ ready, but that’s just how we like it. If you aren’t prepared to get a little messy then this isn’t the place for you. 

       

The burgers that made the Meat brand famous are beyond awesome. Everything you could ever want, a good quality patty, a decent amount of add ons and they aren’t stingy on the chips! 

       

To add a little spice to our meal we added a side of ‘monkey fingers’. Delicious buffalo style chicken strips that are finger licking gooood! 

       

As you guys know we are always partial to a cheeky cocktail when we head to London and here was no exception. The awesome bartender even showed us how to make the famous Zombie! A concoction of rums, syrups and fire! That's right...fire! 

      

Honestly even if we wanted to recreate one at home I don’t think we could, purely down to the number of different ingredients. But MAN it was tasty! If you are also in the market for something creamy yet alcoholic, they do incredible boozy milkshakes. 

      

This chilled out place is a real favourite of ours. With it’s laid back style, quirky lay out, delicious food and drink you can’t go wrong with a bit of Meat Mission! 

Also they have a photo booth for all you budding models out there. Plus if they like your picture they might just buy it off you. And POSE! 

My Realistic Morning Routine

Let’s be real guys, I love seeing bloggers 'Morning Routines' and wish mine were a smidgen as lush as theirs...but unfortunately mine is nowhere near. 

So here is a run-down of my very realistic morning routine. 

With the classic 80’s song Africa by Toto gently jingling away on my phone at 6:00am, to then be slammed down upon by my hand for at least another 2 snoozes is pretty much how I start most mornings during the week. That might explain why my phone is so broken. 

     

At 6:30, scruffy haired, tired eyed and several 'Suze come on's by Beardy, I eventually drag myself away from my comfy den of a bed to get blinded by the hallway light.

     

With a quick wash using Lush bubble bar and a panic look in the mirror with the thought of ‘Oh Jesus how am I going to sort this mess out’ I get dressed (popping the bear hoodie back on obviously as it's chilly this time of year) and head upstairs to the much needed coffee machine. 

     

The relief when looking in the fridge to see that I remembered to make my lunch the night before brings a slight smile to my face. The thought of making a healthy and nutrious lunch when I wake up is not the first thing that comes to mind....coffee yes, lettuce....most definatly not! 

Hmm…Decisions, Decisions, Decisions. 

     

My eyes start to look slightly less mole like when I take my first sip of piping hot coffee and take my first mouthful of Pesto Scrambled Eggs....mmm tasty!

     

Around 7:03 I slump back downstairs and assess the damage of getting dressed in the dark and deciding on whether to apply the war paint or not. 

9 times out of 10 the base gets done and I leave the rest until I arrive at work...classy right? Better that than accidentally poking myself in the eye with a mascara wand. We've all done it! 

     

At 7:15 we both wrap up warm. We are talking scarfs, parckers, gloves, hats, the lot as HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL it's chilly outside. Oh and did I mention still dark? Oh English winter what a joy you are.

     

As Beardy and I work in a similar area we say goodbye to a very grumpy old boy (who in this time has been fussed, fed and watered), hit the road and head to work together. 

      

And that's it...every morning...5 days a week...Glamorous or What??

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

Desert Safari

For our last day in Dubai we went on a brilliant desert safari. 

There are several companies to choose from, but we went for Arabian Nights as we had some vouchers in our Entertainer book. 

They pick you up at around 3pm in a Toyota Land Cruiser and take you on a 45min journey into the desert for dune bashing, an Arabian bbq, shisha, henna, traditional dancing and then dropping you back at your hotel around 10pm.

Another Vlog on the way when we have better internet, hope those fingers are still crossed guys! But for now here are a few pictures. 

Helpful links: 

Arabian Nights - http://arabiannightstours.com