Food For Fuel: Chicken, Rice and Steamed Veggies

After a sweaty workout, I love to refuel my body with food that's packed full of natural, nutritional goodness :) some fitness bloggers and companies say the best thing is a protein shake. Personally, I prefer to eat as many foods that have not been altered and aren't packed full of man-made ingredients that might cause havoc with my digestive system. 

One meal that's super quick, easy and doesn't cost a fortune is this Chicken, Brown Rice and Steamed Veggie dish that is packed full of flavour and nutrients. Here is how to make it for one person:

Ingredients: 

• 40g dry brown rice 
• Organic chicken stock cubes
• Either a tsp of coconut oil or olive oil 
• One chicken breast 
• One garlic clove
• Half a red onion 
• Half a green pepper
• A bunch of asparagus 

How to make it:

1) Boil some water in a pan, and add a chicken stock cube making sure it's broken up and dissolved

2) Rinse the brown rice in a sieve to get rid of any dirt and excess starch

3) Add to the boiling stock 

4) Add some coconut oil or olive oil to a frying pan and add the sliced pieces of chicken breast 

5) Cook until starting to brown 

6) Add the chopped garlic and sliced red onion and stir thoroughly

7) Add the sliced green pepper and asparagus to a colander and put on the pan of boiling rice with the lid on to steam 

8) Make approximately 100ml of boiling chicken stock and add to the frying pan and simmer

9) Add the steamed veggies to the pan and stir

10) Once the rice has cooked, drain and add to the plate or bowl, dishing up the chicken and mixed veggies. Pour a little of the leftover stock for added flavour 

Enjoy! :) 

 

Why I've Quit Sugar

Hi I'm Amy, and I was a sugar addict.

For the last few years now, I've eaten a diet that's included lots of cereals, fruit and the occasional piece of dark chocolate. Compared to my diet in my early twenties, this was healthy! Cereals are always marketed as being good for your heart, fruit is packed full of natural vitamins and dark chocolate that's over 85% cacao is a lot healthier than a milk chocolate bar right?

The problem is, these foods are still packed full of sugar.

I had heard about Sarah Wilson's I Quit Sugar a while ago but had also read some mixed reviews. I decided to find out for myself partly because I was curious, but mainly because I generally want to be free from my sugar addiction. I've always found my tummy to be my 'problem area'. Weight that just didn't seem to want to shift no matter how many core exercises I did. 

I bought the I Quit Sugar: Complete 8-Week Detox Programme and Cookbook and read through the recipes and the outline of the next few months so I knew what to expect. I soon realised that weeks 1 and 2 are already what I have cut out and changed in my diet for some time now, so I started from Week 3 of the programme. 

To get a rough comparison of just how much sugar I was actually consuming, I used a fitness and food app to track my food. I had already been tracking my food before I started the programme and from my diet of fruit and cereals, I was eating between 35-50g each day! Now I'm eating on average between 13-20g a day. 

Previously, I'd been eating fruit to snack on throughout the day at work, so this programme has given me a chance to get creative and find some other ways to enjoy some tasty snacks. Before, I would take an apple, an orange, a banana, some grapes and blueberries and maybe even some cherries on an average day. This is a LOT of sugar to be eating, as despite them coming from natural healthy foods, they still contain high levels of fructose. 

The programme encourages you to cut out fruit at the beginning to help our bodies re-calibrate to a 'clean canvas' so we can clear our system of any fructose, release the toxic build up in our fat cells and ultimately help ourselves to quit sugar and kick those cravings to the ground. Since starting the programme, I feel leaner, wake up earlier and my skin is clearing up. Collectively, I have lost a couple of inches from my thighs, arms, and hip area and about 5lbs in weight. 

Regardless of the number on the scales and tape measure, the main progress and changes inside my body that I'm more concerned about is how I feel. A mere week before I started the programme, I had been struggling to get out of bed before 7am and yet since quitting sugar I have naturally woken up and out of bed around 6am. Perhaps it's psychological. Perhaps cutting down on the bad stuff actually does work this quickly. My ultimate goal is to feel good, increase my energy levels and enhance my focus, so any other positive physical benefits are a bonus to me! 

The I Quit Sugar goal isn't to never enjoy a slice of cake again; it's to help our bodies understand the difference between hunger and cravings, which the body can find very difficult while sugar is pumping around our system. 

It has now been 11 weeks since I first gave up sugar and I don't for a minute regret not eating all the doughnuts, biscuits and sweets that were always available at work! Last week was the first time I introduced sugar back into my diet (something that the programme does encourage!) and I was actually quite surprised. My favourite Cadbury bar didn't taste half as delicious as I remember and I didn't feel any satisfaction from eating it. 

I'm hoping this is the start of a much healthier lifestyle, where I can eat something sweet if I choose to, but I can also stop easily. 

Why Carbs Aren't The Enemy

A few years ago, and even still today, people view carbohydrates as the enemy. 

When people swear by their initial rapid weight loss on low-carb diets, it is usually water weight that they lose first - they are never able to sustain the weight loss adopting this diet for long. It is extremely dangerous to cut out any one food group, so if you are thinking of going on or are already on a low-carb diet, then please don't restrict yourself. We need healthy carbohydrates to live; for our brains to function properly and to provide ourselves with enough energy when we exercise. Without them, our muscles will waste away, and you could find yourself feeling incredibly weak. 

Carbohydrates are the macronutrient we need the most in our day to day diet, with most people needing to consume between 45-65% of their total daily intake of food. Aim to eat healthy, natural grains such as wholegrain rice, quinoa, and plenty of organic fruits and vegetables. When we exercise, it's particularly important to consume carbs as this is the fastest source for our bodies to find energy. The starch, sugars and glycogen provide fuel for our muscles which is particularly great if you do any high intensity interval training (HIIT). Carbohydrates provide a number of other healthy benefits vital for optimum health as well including supporting your brain, kidneys and heart to function properly. 

If you struggle to fit them into your diet, try adding some wholegrain rice to an avocado and chicken salad, or some oven-baked sweet potato to some steamed fish and green beans - trust me you will feel a million times better! 

5 Life-Changing Tips For Eating Clean

Eating healthily does not have to be boring and a lifestyle full of plain salads. Eating clean and healthily is actually what a normal 'diet' should be anyway! Our bodies and how they function are a direct consequence of the foods we eat, the products we use and the environment that surrounds us. 

Every bite of food we eat is digested and broken down and used to transport nutrients to every cell in our body. If we eat highly nutritional, fresh and natural foods we are designed to eat, we will be providing our bodies with a healthy variety of vitamins and minerals, keeping illnesses at bay, our skin, hair and nails shining and strong, and our organs functioning to their very best. 

Here are 5 simple yet life-changing tips for how you can eat clean:

1) Buy organic foods where possible. 

The difference in nutritionally dense foods when bought from sustainable farms is shocking. If you can, buy from local organic market stalls that not only support local farms, but you will also know that they really are fresh and haven't been transported for miles on end to reach your plate. 

2) Wash your food. 

Modern agricultural methods have meant that tonnes of pesticides have been sprayed on crops so much, that the impact is having detrimental effects on our health without many people realising it. Although some pesticides are waterproof, it is still best to wash fruit and vegetables as much as possible to try and remove any harmful chemicals. 

Healthy Cacao Hot Chocolate: A Quick and Easy Recipe

When I get a massive craving for chocolate, but I don't have any to hand and I'm trying to be healthier, I usually whip up this super quick and easy hot chocolate. Made from organic cacao powder - it really is guilt free! One of the best things as well is this hot chocolate always pours out really frothy and smooth so put your feet up, relax and completely melt into the sofa enjoying this delicious cup of hot chocolate :)

If you want to read up on the benefits of cacao powder, see my previous post here. 

Ingredients: 

• 250ml Organic semi-skimmed milk 
• Organic cacao powder
• Sprinkle of cinnamon (optional)

How to make it:

1) Gently heat up the milk in a small saucepan, constantly stirring so the milk doesn't burn

2) Add in the cacao powder and keep stirring until completely combined

3) Take off the heat and pour into a cup. Sprinkle with a dusting of cinnamon if desired and enjoy! :)

Why Fad Diets NEVER Work

Fad diets do not work. No matter how much you restrict your calories, eat low fat foods or cut out carbs, you will never be able to sustain this lifestyle for long. 

 

About 8 years ago, my Mum wanted to try Weight Watchers and lose some weight. Unhappy with the weight I had put on, I happily decided to join her and so the planning began! We stocked up on cookbooks, bought tonnes of low fat, low calorie foods and were full of enthusiasm. I logged a diary of my weight and began planning what we could and 'couldn't eat' for each day. Looking back, I think my Mum was already beginning to think I was over obsessing about calories but I honestly believed that I had finally found the key to a slimmer, and ultimately happier me. I could encourage and motivate my Mum, and she could do the same for me. It was a win-win situation surely?!

Free Weekly Meal Planner Download

To help you stay on track, recognise your food patterns or to help you write your shopping list, I have created a weekly food planner that is available for free to download now. 

With a simplistic design, I hope it will give you an easier way to plan your meals ahead for the week. The planner is available to download for free - just click the button below! Enjoy :)

DOWNLOAD NOW

Cacao Chocolate Milkshake: A Super Quick and Healthy Recipe

When I discovered cacao powder, I was amazed to see the many benefits of this powerful antioxidant. It is the purest, most natural form of chocolate and is so nutrient rich, it's definitely worth incorporating it into your diet. These are just some of the many benefits of adding cacao to your food: 

• Cacao is packed full of vitamins and minerals including calcium, iron, vitamin C and magnesium 
• It contains theobromine which helps our bodies to burn fat 
• It improves our mood as it is rich in tryptophan
• Cacao powder is great for adding to smoothies, cereal, yoghurt, coffee, hot milk or for making your own chocolate; it is so versatile there are many ways you can add it to your diet and start reaping the benefits 

Here is a super quick, cheap and healthy smoothie that I regularly blend in the mornings to take to work as a snack. 

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana
• 250ml of organic semi-skimmed milk or almond milk
• 1 heaped tablespoon of organic cacao powder 
• 1 teaspoon of chia seeds 

How to make it:

1) Slice up the banana into thin pieces and add to the blender

2) Add the milk 

3) Add the cacao powder and blend for about 10-15 seconds or until a smooth consistency 

4) Pour into a glass and sprinkle the chia seeds on top! Enjoy :)

The Real Super Stars: Micro-Nutrients

You may have heard of the saying: "If it ran, swam or grew out of the ground - eat it". Since studying nutrition, I have learnt an enormous amount on the importance of micro-nutrients; vitamins and minerals that ultimately keep our bodies functioning. 

You might already be familiar with macro-nutrients - the three main food groups of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. For the past year, all I've read and seen on social media and even on some health websites is the importance of eating and hitting our macros; mainly protein, to help us achieve the lean body we admire. Protein can help build muscle tissue and is known to keep you fuller for longer but it isn't the only food group we should be consuming. 

After seeing image after image on Instagram and other blogs of muscular men and women who look so lean and healthy, I got roped into buying protein powder. Let me tell you here and now - do not buy these as they are a waste of time! I've already spent so much on huge bags of protein powder believing that they were helping me to gain muscle and shred excess fat. Yes they are full of protein (usually averaging about 24g of protein per scoop), but our bodies can only use about 30g of protein a day so anything more than this and we just excrete it. Don't forget that eating eggs, meat and even quinoa all contribute to our daily intake of protein anyway, so we all usually hit this just through our main meals.  

Our real stars of the show though are our micro-nutrients. Our bodies need vital vitamins and minerals to be able to function properly. Even if you focus on taking loads of one vitamin, you risk becoming deficient in another. This can lead to all sorts of problems from insomnia and bloating, to weak bones and dry skin. To reach optimum nutrition and health, our bodies need a combination of vitamins and minerals to ensure that each and every part of our bodies works to the best of it's ability. 

Sound impossible? It's really not! We can start by taking in a healthy variety of fresh, organic produce and get creative by mixing different foods together for our bodies to feel revitalised and full of energy. I'll be posting plenty of recipes that I use to help you get started, alongside some extra knowledge throughout this website so all you need to know is in one place. Nothing but clear, science-based knowledge that will give you the tools to reach the healthiest, strongest and happiest you. 

Travel Makes You Richer

"Travel is the only thing that you buy that makes you richer"

Anonymous

When was the last time you truly enjoyed life? When did you last spend the day not mindful of the time, living off of tasks to do or the same old boring 9-5 routine? As my Mum has always told us; you don't live to work, you work to live. 

I remind myself of this saying every now and then just to refocus and gain a little perspective. Life is full of surprises both good and bad. It's one big roller-coaster of ups and downs and we need to push through the bad times and embrace the highs. 

Ever since I was little I have always been fascinated by other cultures; their food, history, weather and the people. Our world is a beautiful and astonishing thing and we should take the time out to enjoy it. There is so much we have not yet even discovered! My own personal goal is to explore the deep oceans, swim around tropical fish and manta rays and play with wild dolphins. I want to learn more and more about wildlife and how we can help save them from a world of ever growing pollution and damage. I know that realistically we cannot all afford to go jet-setting off around the world, but we can take active steps to pave the way for us to make it a realistic goal. 

Next time you are feeling down, lost or fed-up, take the time out to re-think what you want to do with your life. What are you goals and aspirations? Spend more time doing the things you love and your life will be full of richer experiences. Your mindset will change and you will feel so much happier for it. 

Believe In Yourself

Take the time to invest in you; invest in your health by eating foods that will provide you with energy. Take time out to move your body and relax your mind. And most of all - believe in yourself. 

You can achieve all that you want to achieve. It all starts with your own thoughts. Even if you struggle to believe this at first, keep telling yourself that you are worth it because you are! Invest in a little self love each and every day and your thoughts will directly impact your actions. 

I saw the following quote recently and it couldn't be more true. Don't let your life be full of regret. Take that leap over any barriers...you never know you might actually enjoy it ;) 

"Our headspace dictates our perspective...our perspective dictates our experience...our experience is nothing short of life itself."

Andy Puddicombe

LISS: The Optimum Fat Burn

 

 

Sometimes getting ourselves moving is a lot harder than we'd like. I'm currently aiming to do about 3 to 4 Low Intensity Steady State sessions a week (also known as LISS). This is great for burning excess fat we have on our bodies, as the aim is to get our heart rates at a certain rate, but maintaining this for a period of time.

 

I usually aim for about 35-45 minutes of either power-walking or cycling as these exercises are difficult enough to keep going for a long period, but also enable you to breathe through the exercise. Making sure you have enough oxygen pumping around your body is key and drinking plenty of water to keep hydrated as you will find yourself sweating!

 

Now to work out the intensity you need your heart rate to be in, we need to decipher what your maximum heart rate (MHR) is. To do this, subtract your age from 220, so as I am 26 years old my maximum heart rate is 194 (220 - 26 = 194).

 

220 - (your age) = (your Maximum Heart Rate)

 

Once you know what this is, you can work out which range your heart rate will need to be in for your exercises. For our LISS sessions, the range (as the name suggests) is low; between 50-70% of our MHR. This level of low intensity is great for warming up our muscles and supplying them with plenty of oxygen. By pushing ourselves walking or cycling for example, we are able to breathe in properly whilst still getting our bodies moving. This is also a great way to build up your fitness especially if you don't quite feel ready for resistance workouts. LISS is generally quite gentle on your joints and doesn't put too much strain on your body.

 

I know that not everyone has the time to spend completing LISS exercises for 45 minutes 3 or 4 times a week, but it is a great way to also reflect on your day or just take time out to clear and free your mind of any worries.

 

When I recently had a break from work, I travelled to stay with my family a few minutes walk from the coast. By walking our border collie and greyhound, I ended up walking almost 8 miles a day without even realising! It was a fantastic excuse to get outside, breathe in some fresh air and play with the dogs for a bit while still getting my LISS in for the week.

 

Whatever LISS exercises you choose to do, and no matter how big or small, just take the time to get moving each day. Listen to your body. Take care of it and respect it, and in turn you will start to see results.

Surround Yourself With People Who Encourage And Motivate You

I am a firm believer that no matter how hard you strive to achieve your dreams and goals, it can be incredibly hard, even hinder your success if you have to go through the journey alone.

 

If you surround yourself with people who encourage you to do well, support you to achieve your dreams no matter how big or small and motivate you when it feels like there is a mountain to climb, you will honestly feel a lot more invincible knowing there's an army behind you.



Luckily for me, I have a boyfriend and family who have always encouraged me to follow my aspirations. They just want me to be happy no matter which path I choose to follow and I am so grateful for that. I can only imagine how difficult and heart-breaking it must be when the people closest to you don't encourage you to reach for what you truly want.

 

If you are embarking on a healthier lifestyle like me, please feel free to comment or send me an email; whether you are going through a rough time, need some motivation or just want to chat, I am always here :)

 

The online fitness community can be very encouraging, but it's important to take the right advice and not go down the wrong path. Don't get me wrong, I'm no fitness and health expert (just yet!) but I am in the process of studying Fitness Nutrition and will only ever post advice that is real, scientifically proven and that I follow myself. I sought to gain a qualification so I could eliminate all the rubbish out there and to know once and for all not only for my own journey, but for all of you lovely readers who may want everything you need to know in one place.

 

Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions or comments, and I will endeavour to answer them to support you and your own journey. 

Strive For Results, Not Perfection

Too many times we compare our progress to someone else's. It's good to look to others for inspiration, but don't forget to focus on you. Listen to your body. Eat when you are hungry and make sure you let your body rest. Pamper yourself and protect your mind by taking time out each day to just be. After all, it's far kinder to our souls to focus on achieving our own personal goals rather than the unachievable image of perfection.

Treat Yourself

When youre embarking on a new lifestyle, it's important to keep up your focus and mentality. I truly believe that by allowing yourself treats every now and then, can actually help you to keep going and improve your progress! 

As long as you maintain your healthy eating for 80-90% of the time, a full-fat coffee or burger is not going to hinder your results. A lot of people even dedicate a cheat meal once a week to satisfy their cravings. Not only could this motivate you to eat clean for the rest of the week, but it can also help you to not feel as if you're missing out. 

So if you have a BBQ to go to, or a dinner with friends and family, you can relax and enjoy the meal you want. Being healthy doesn't mean you always have to stick to a salad at every meal, while people around you indulge! But by sticking to your goals for most of the time, enjoying the odd treat will help you enjoy your time out, instead of making you focus on what you 'can't have'. 

Good Things Come To Those Who Sweat

If you had told me a year ago that I would enjoy exercising, that I would enjoy that feeling of finishing a workout that I never believed I would be able to complete, I would have laughed in your face. 

When I exercise now though, I love the feeling of accomplishing something that is making me stronger, more powerful and most importantly, improving my health and fitness. Each time we sweat through exercise, we are getting our hearts pumping, getting the blood flow circulating and testing our mindsets. We are building up our muscles and improving our strength. 

I have found personally over these last few weeks that by doing the BBG workouts, my strength is already improving. If you're not familiar with the workouts, there are three a week that consist of four sets of movements with reps. These are circuits and you repeat both to make up the four sets. The weeks alternate so you repeat the moves from Week 1 in Week 3, Week 2 in Week 4 and so on. This is brilliant though especially when you repeat the circuits because you notice how much your body and muscles already adapt to complete the movements! 

Everybody's progress is different however, and sometimes you may need to adapt a movement if you are struggling to complete it. After all, any move is improving your form and fitness and you don't want to injure yourself if you are finding something a little difficult. Plus, imagine that satisfying feeling once you can complete it further down the line! 

So if you're doubting your progress, aim to get moving every day. No matter how big or small, every little bit of walking, running, cycling or jump lunges are all counting towards improving your fitness. 

Learn To Love Yourself

We've all been there. You've eaten more than you can stomach and you're feeling pretty guilty. You've worked SO hard to keep on track and now you've gone and blown it on a takeaway. 

It's not the end of the world. Don't beat yourself up about it! As I said above; we've ALL been there and you're not alone. 

This time of the year is particularly difficult. We've just spent the previous month indulging in our own body weight chocolate, mince pies and turkey, and now we're all on a health-kick to start off the new year. The problem is, at first you may be motivated and determined, but once you're a few weeks in your body will naturally start to crave all the junk food you've been recently used to.

Many nutritionists claim it takes us about 5 weeks to drive our sugar cravings away. 5 whole weeks to get rid of any sugar cravings?! Just how addictive is sugar?! But by making small, achievable goals, you will feel far less overwhelmed and a lot more likely to stay on track. I've found that sometimes I set myself huge challenges and then when I don't quite hit all of them, I feel disappointed and annoyed with myself! It seems ridiculous to be so hard on ourselves when we should really be focusing on the positives. By choosing to do a workout when I was tempted to chill out and watch TV. By cooking a healthy meal from scratch when I really fancied fast food. These healthier decisions are what I am ultimately working towards; a healthier lifestyle. Therefore in some respects I have already achieved this by making these changes which can only be a good thing! 

In time, these choices will become healthy habits and will only get easier to make as the cravings wear off. Exercise will become part of my daily routine, and I actually already enjoy cooking dishes from scratch knowing that every ingredient is fresh, clean and nutritious! 

I hope I can encourage you to learn to love yourself, be proud of your achievements and to not be so hard on yourself when you don't quite hit your goals. We are only human at the end of the day, and any progress is good progress. So eat healthily, move your body and remember to treat yourself ;) 

Doubt Kills More Dreams Than Failure Ever Will

Surround yourself with like-minded people who will encourage you to achieve the goals you strive for. Don't let anyone tell you you're not good enough or that you won't ever reach your dreams. You can achieve your dreams and so much more. 

Sometimes the doubt that people plant in our minds can already hold us back before we've even had a chance to move forward. Everyone has a right to have a dream and to work towards making this a reality. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. If anyone does hold you back, then you can agree to disagree, and prove them wrong by focusing on your own mind, your own opinions and your own goal. 

Eat Right And You're Half Way There

They say abs are made in the kitchen - and they couldn't be more right! There was a time when I truly believed that if I just did more crunches and sit-ups and and still ate unhealthily I would have a six pack within a few months. Yes I know, I'm even embarrassed to admit it! But this just goes to show how uneducated I was in terms of nutrition. I had got fixated on achieving the perfect waist, the six pack image of the leanest body without actually working hard to change my diet. 

If you are generally looking to achieve a lean body, losing stubborn fat and building muscle then we have to face facts. It's not an overnight job. It's not easy. However, if you persist and change everyday habits, it IS achievable. 

I would suggest opting for more natural wholesome foods and make small but delicious swaps that won't seem overwhelming, but will fill your body with nutritional goodness and keep you satisfied. Try swapping normal white potatoes for example with sweet potatoes. I found that what used to be a jacket potato dripping in butter with beans and blocks of cheese has now changed to a healthy sweet potato filled with just spinach and feta cheese - absolutely delicious! So so good and yet far better for your digestive system!

Most people dive head first into a healthier lifestyle, binning every ounce of chocolate in sight, especially in January after we have eaten our own body weight in sweets and turkey. Although this is great for your body, it isn't always brilliant for your mentality. Sometimes easing your way into a healthier lifestyle is far kinder to yourself. It's important not to set the bar far too high so that your goals are unattainable in such a short time. Keep the food, but make sure you have plenty of healthy foods prepared and within reach first. Alter your mindset so that you eat that bunch of grapes before a twix. Listen to your body and re-educate yourself to eat when you need to refuel, not when you are angry, upset or bored. 

If the thought of throwing out every bit of unhealthy food seems overwhelming then don't. Enjoy the odd treat and still have that cheesy mash if you want to. But if your goal is to ultimately live a healthier and longer life, then make the small everyday sacrifices that will make a MASSIVE difference to your body. When we start to feed ourselves with the right foods, our bodies feel and work so much better. You'll find that your skin glows, your energy levels rocket and you're less likely to suffer from the dreaded bloat. 

Back in October, I got Jamie Oliver's Superfood Recipe Book for my birthday and oh my god some of his dishes are phenomenal! If you think that healthy eating equals a boring diet of lettuce and bran flakes, then stop! Do yourself a favour and get his recipe book. He not only has recipes for breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks, but also talks about the importance of hydration, food groups and how nutrition can nourish our bodies. Not only all of this, but he also makes me look like a domestic goddess in the kitchen! My boyfriend always asks if I can cook his Bombay Chicken & Cauliflower Curry and we regularly have his Spinach, Parmesan & Chilli Eggs for breakfast (as you'll see from my Instagram!) 

Above is one of my absolute favourites - Skinny Carbonara with Smoky Bacon, Peas, Almonds & Basil (click here for the recipe). Filled with absolutely gorgeous ingredients and packed full of micronutrients including thiamin which helps keep our hearts healthy. See! Who said healthy eating had to be boring?! 

Take A Step Back In Order To Move Forward

For years I had a plan. I was goal-driven, working incredibly hard to get the best results not only in education but in my jobs too. Like most young people, I had my life mapped out, at least for the next ten years or so. 

However, it doesn't always work like that. Life throws curve balls at you and time seems to pass so quickly. It's how we deal with these curve balls and stop stressing or panicking if things don't always go according to plan. 

If you feel overwhelmed by work or money or just in general at the frantic world we find ourselves in, take a minute out of your day to step back. Find somewhere quiet to sit or lay down. Why do you feel so overwhelmed? What is it that you can do to actively change this? Can you talk to a friend or family member to help you? 

Communication is key to friendships and relationships. After all, most problems seem a lot less daunting once they are shared. A heavy burden weighing down on your shoulders can seem unbearable. It can build and build and effect your everyday life. Share the problem. Find ways of overcoming them so that you can get on with your life. That way you are not controlled by it, but you have taken control of the situation. 

"It is a common experience that a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it."

John Steinbeck

A New Year, A New Start

Sometimes we forget to take time out to just be. To sit and relax and take the time to stop worrying about everything. I feel like personally, I have not been myself for a long time. The once cheerful, happy and outgoing Amy has got buried under a tonne of work and stress which when you take a step back and look at from the outside, was pointless to even be fretting about. 

It's taken me about 8 long months to realise that I am far from the outgoing girl I used to be. I think personally, I had swept my feelings to the back of my mind and pretended that everything was the same. It was only when my sister came to visit that my feelings came flooding to the surface and I poured out my heart to her. She made me put things in perspective. She made me reassess my life and get back on the right track. She is my inspiration. My best friend. 

If I can learn anything from 2015, it's to communicate more with people. Yes, social media makes it easier to talk to people all over the world, but it also prevents us from speaking to people close to us. Take time to actually have a chat and you never know you may not feel as lonely when you can have a conversation face to face. 

Through this blog I hope to inspire even just one person to re-establish their relationship with themselves; to feed your body with the nutritional foods it really deserves, to enjoy exercise and to achieve happiness.