Got any spare clicks?

Everyclick.com is a website with a built in Yahoo powered search engine. Whenever you search on their website, they will kindly pop a penny into the charity pot of your choice.

If you search on eBay or Shop.com on Everyclick.com a percentage of the sales will go to charity!

Every click counts! (How old school is that mouse, right?)

Did you know that 1.5p can feed a child in Gambia?* That's only one and half clicks!

Why not set this website as your homepage to remind you to use it. You'll be surprised how much difference switching search engines makes! (A couple of meals difference!)

You don't need an account to start this but it will help you keep track of how well you're doing.

So get clicking! :)

*Fresh Start Foundation The Gambia. Registered Charity no 1118109

Friday Funnies

Cute AND funny!

Have a great weekend everyone!

xoxo

All together now... Awwwwww

I found this through a friend. It's so adorable, don't you think?

Here is the story behind this cute pic if you wish to read it: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-481601/The-abandoned-monkey-love-pigeon.html#ixzz0oyOsDQMj

xoxo

Love Lauren?

Then you'll be happy to know that Lauren will be sharing her style secrets in her new book: Style.

With her literary success (she has so far written three novels) as well as having her own fashion line, Lauren is the perfect person to be writing about style.

The book will be out this October (I know it's too long to wait!) but you can preorder so that you won't be disappointed this October when the book is sold out!

If you're in the uk, click here to preorder now (or regret it later!)

In the US? Then click here to preorder.
(Remember, if the price goes down, you will only be charged the lowest price when Amazon send it to you. Amazon also do international shipping)

Now here are some LC outfits to inspire you until then...

xoxo

Super Simple Sun Safety

Why am I seeing so many lobsters this weekend? With so many sunscreen products out there (Pssst... you can get some good ones from Poundland. Only £1 to be protected from wrinkles, burns and skin cancer!)  there is no excuse to be barbecuing yourself in the sun! It takes only a couple of seconds to apply sunscreen. If you're not sure what spf you need, get the highest! It's that simple!

Speaking of simple, Simple have a lovely product called Sun Sensitive Protecting Facial Hydrolotion, which is a sunscreen and moisturiser combo with sunflower extract. This is particularly useful as a lot of sunscreens are unsuitable to be used on the face whereas this can be used on your face even if you have sensitive skin!

Apply this to your face and not only will you be protected from the sun's harmful rays but you'll have nice soft skin. If you wish, mix some of this with a little foundation to make a light tinted moisturiser that is perfect for the summer.

Right now there is bogof on selected Simple suncare at Boots but for a limited time only!!

Stay safe and enjoy the rest of the weekend!

xoxo

Are you beach ready?

If you head down to Lush (if you don't know where your local Lush is (tsk tsk!) just follow the heavenly scent that leads to it or alternatively click here) you can get all you need for beach ready skin for only £10!

The all-inclusive package includes six products:

Buffy - An exfoliating bar with cocoa and shea butter to moisturise your skin

Glorious mud - A rhassoul mud bar to keep your skin nice and soft

Stepping stone - A foot scrub bar that exfoliates and moisturises your feet whilst leaving them smelling of yummy mango

Fairtrade foot lotion (sample) - a minty foot cream with essential oils to take away weariness and cool them down

Ultralight lotion (sample) - a 2-in-1 moisturiser and sun protection (spf 10) which is essential to shield away nasty rays (sun rays not stingrays) whilst the St Johns wort and Myrhh provide free radicals to prevent premature ageing which can be caused by the sun

A token to the forest gods toner tab - The citrus oils in this tab will leave your skin refreshed after a day in the sun

They all come in a little box that you can pack in your holiday luggage so you can keep your skin super soft while you're away... because beauty never takes a holiday!

xoxo

Cute shoes

These shoes are so CUTE!

"Buy me" "No, buy me! I'm a purrrrfect pair"

Personally I wouldn't wear them as they're not my style but they're fun to just look at. Get them while you can from Topshop.

xoxo

Friday Funnies

Uh-oh! hehe

Have a great weekend everyone!

xoxo

Step 1: Why do we eat?

I should have written about this before introducing the three hour diet and recommending healthy snacks so I apologise. It is still worth thinking about this even if you have already started a weight loss plan.

So, Why do we eat?

As humans, we tend to eat when we are feeling hungry or when we need nutrients. That is pretty obvious. Choosing the right food and eating at the right time lets us have a healthy body weight. But if you are thinking of losing weight, you may not have a healthy body weight or maybe it is not slim enough for you so it could be that you are choosing the wrong food to eat or are eating at the wrong time.

If you are choosing the wrong food, check out the food swaps I've recommended that have less fat and calories to what you may be eating.

If you are eating at the wrong time, read up on the Three Hour Diet. If it is not for you, plan when to eat each day and make sure you plan when to have the food prepared for that meal too. If you plan on having dinner at 6pm, also plan when to start cooking so that the meal is ready to eat by then.

Another reason why we may not have a healthy body weight could be that we eat too much.


So why do we eat too much?

You may think that you do not eat too much (and you probably don't) but there could be emotional reasons why you are consuming an extra few calories each day. Does a bar of chocolate make you feel less lonely or less sad? Unless you can fix the problems that you are temporarily fixing with a bar of chocolate or ice cream, then you will continue to overeat.

Why do I eat?

I haven't eaten chocolate for four whole days and already I feel sad and I'm craving chocolate like crazy! I know that unless I can tackle my problems unarmed with a bar of chocolate, I will continue to crave chocolate.

Why do you eat?

Either think about this or write it down. Do you consume too many calories because of eating the wrong food? If so, save on calories by choosing lighter options. Do you eat at the wrong time? Then plan your meals and stick to it. Are there any emotional issues that are causing you to consume too many calories? Sort out your problems rather than temporarily forgetting them with cake or whatever it is you consume to make you happy for a few minutes. If you can't fix them yourself then find someone to speak to. Your doctor may be able to refer you to someone who may help if overeating is affecting your health.

Once you know where you are going wrong and have planned how to fix your eating habits, you are ready to not only lose weight but keep it off in the future.

If you are interested in finding out more about what could be causing you to overeat, I recommend The Ultimate Weight Solution - the 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom by Dr Phil. This book has opened my eyes to issues that were affecting my eating habits and I couldn't have shared this post with you without it!

I hope this has helped at least one reader make healthy changes to their eating habits.

Have a healthy and happy day!

xoxo

20% off at New Look

Click here for a voucher that entitles you to 20% at New Look. Valid until 23rd May.

Happy shopping!

xoxo

Coconut water - Fab or Fad?

Vita Coco is drink made entirely from Coconut water. This is the water taken from inside baby coconuts, which are famous for being high in electrolytes so they're perfect for an after gym snack.

Vita Coco is loved by many celebrities including Jessica Simpson...

... Sienna Miller....

... and Anna Paquin and Steven Moyer...

Madonna loves it so much much that she has invested $1.5 million into the company that makes it!

But is this drink worth all the craze? Let's see...

Taste:

I don't like the taste of the coconut water at all. It has a similar taste to the coconut water you get inside ripe coconuts (which I love) but it also has a tangy-ish taste too.

Smell:

One of the things that ruined the taste was the smell. I can't describe it but it is not very nice at all.

Price:

£1.69 for 300ml. If you normally spend this much on a sports drink then this might be a reasonable price for you. But for the taste and smell, it is not worth it at all. Especially when there are many different products that offer the same benefits...

Nutrition:

According to the Nutrition Diva, coconut water doesn't really offer anything different to what fruit and vegetables already do. Click here to learn more about coconut water from the Nutrition Diva herself.

Vita Coco - fab or fad? Nutrition-wise, I think it is a fad. But if you enjoy the taste (which I clearly didn't) then it is a healthy alternative to most drinks out there.

Have you tried coconut water? What do you think of it?

xoxo

Why won't shoes love me back?

What's it with shoes? They seduce me with their beauty, I pay good money for them and a little while after I put them on, they torture my feet.

One of their favourite moves is to rub onto the backs of my ankles and give me blisters then they rub onto the blisters to make things even worse. They also make sure that the front of the shoes can accommodate only four of my toes so I'd have to squeeze all five toes in. The pain!

Great looking shoes aren't enough when you look like you're in a lot of pain and want to cry.

If England was always sunny and warm then I can happily wear flipflops and sandals everyday (though they both like to give me blisters too somehow). I guess I'm doomed to a life of Clarks and Hush Puppies.

So shoes... please answer me this: what did I ever do to you? I adopted you and gave you a home and this is how you repay me?

Does anyone else have this problem or are shoes only out to get me?

xoxo

Sunny songs

Is it just me or does the weather remind you of certain songs?

Whenever it is sunny and warm, I am always reminded of songs I used to listen to whilst walking home from college right before the summer holidays. Now college was a few years ago yet the sunny weather always reminds me of those days. I mostly listened to Michelle Branch (who I adore!) so whenever the sun is out and I am listening to Michelle Branch, I am reminded of those happy carefree days, walking in the sun and looking forward to the summer holidays.

There are some songs that I tend to keep away from when it is sunny as, emotionally, I am taken back to the grey winter days. I hate the winter and I am already dreading it. The dark skies, the grey clouds, the damp smell, the cold wind... But lets forget about the winter and make the most of the happy sunny weather and happy sunny music...

Do you have any summer songs that you like to listen to when the sun is out?

xoxo

The Three Hour Diet

No this isn't a diet that lasts only three hours!

This is based on Jorge Cruise's diet where you eat every three hours. I wouldn't even consider it a diet as you are simply regulating your body's natural balance of sugar, energy and metabolism as you should be doing anyway! This is the only diet that has worked for me.

Where most diets involve restrictions on what you can eat, the Three Hour Diet involves eating whatever you like (just as long as it doesn't go over a certain amount of calories). The only difference is that you eat every three hours.

"You are when you eat" - Jorge Cruise

This is because after three hours, your sugar levels drop too low, your metabolism slows down and you start craving sugary food. You might then overeat and because your metabolism has slowed down too much, your body can't burn off as many calories as it should. But by eating right before your blood sugar and energy levels drop this low, you are avoiding sugar cravings and your metabolism stays normal meaning you burn calories quicker.

This is a safe diet and it allows you to cater to your body's energy and sugar requirements exactly when it needs it and not after these levels have fallen low enough to affect your cravings, energy, metabolism and even your mood (Don't you crave junk food when you feel irritable? I know I do!).

Whether you are looking for a long term healthy eating plan or just want to lose a little weight for the summer, I recommend it 100%. I have lost weight with it and kept it off as I was happily eating what I wanted (including chocolate) so I never felt like binging after the diet.

Eat chocolate and lose weight?

I never got hungry on this diet because

a) I felt like I was always eating and

b) I ate before I got hungry

I am no doctor and only recommend it based on my own experience. However, it has been recommended by many experts including doctors and nutritionists.

If you're interested in this diet, Jorge Cruise has written books on it, which you can find here.

You can also watch Jorge Cruise talking about the Three Hour Diet on the Tyra Banks show here.

Have you tried it? Have you lost any weight on this diet?

Do you want to try this diet?

I'll keep you updated on my progress!

xoxo

Eat yummy food and stay slim

For the first time in my life, I've joined a gym. I'm actually quite excited but I have to wait until Monday, which is the day of my induction.

Until then, I can keep myself busy by stocking up on low calorie food. Below are a few healthy things that I actually love to eat/ drink and which I'll be incorporating into my Three Hour Diet. If you are planning on losing weight then I hope it helps you make simple substitutes in your diet to save on calories.

My shopping list...

Substitute no breakfast or an unhealthy breakfast with Cereal

You've all heard it many times before: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is especially important if you want to lose weight. Wholegrain cereal, such as Oatibix and Bran flakes can keep you full for longer. I need to hunt down Kallo Organic Wholegrain Puffed Rice as I am obsessed with Kallo.



Substitute sweet snacks with Cereal bars


It is smart to keep a cereal bar in your bag to eat when you're out.  However, there are cereal bars with crazy amounts of calories and sugar so always read the label.



Substitute biscuits with Weight Watchers Double Choc Chip Cookies

A box contains 6 packets containing 2 cookies each so you can pop one in your bag for when you need a treat. They're nowhere as nice as Maryland Cookies (yum!) but they're pretty decent biscuits with a nice cocoa flavour. However, I personally won't be buying these as I want to keep my diet as natural as possible.

Cost: 70p from Sainsburys

Calories: 98 per 2 cookies

Fat: 1.2g per 2 cookies

Substitute crackers with Kallo Organic wholegrain rice cakes - slightly salted

I always make sure that we have a packet of these at home at all times. I love them so so much! It's literally organic wholegrain rice and organic salt. That is all! Whenever I feel peckish, I just grab one of these ricecakes and eat it plain or top it with different ingredients depending on what I feel like eating.

Cost: 95p from Sainsburys

Calories: 28 calories per rice cake

Fat: 0.2g per rice cake

Substitute crisps with Kallo wholegrain corn cakes

These corncakes are made from organic corn and salt. Nothing more, nothing less. They are crunchier than the rice cakes so they're a great alternative to crisps. You can top these with whatever you like but I tend to munch on them straight out of the packet.

Cost: £1.35 from Holland and Barrett

Calories: 16 calories per corn cake

Fat: 0.2g per corn cake

TIP!!!

Top your rice cakes and corn cakes with these yummy toppings:

• Cheese spread, smoked salmon, lemon juice and dill.
• Dairylea Extra light spread
• Cottage cheese
• Philadelphia light
• Thin layer of light peanut butter with a little jam or sliced banana
• A little drizzle of honey (how about some sliced banana or strawberries on top too?)

Substitute full fat cheese with Low fat cheese

You may have noticed from my tip that there are different cheeses that you can eat whilst losing weight. I won't go through each one in detail but these are the cheeses that I personally eat...

• The Laughing Cow/ Dairlylea spead or triangles - Extra light
• Philadelphia - light (Extra light isn't nice at all)
• Cottage cheese - you can get these mixed with pineapple or chives but I prefer it plain. Remember to read the labels well as some have more fat than others.

Substitute full fat milk with Skimmed milk

If you are used to drinking full fat milk, it is best to start drinking semi skimmed milk first and then move onto drinking skimmed milk so that the difference in taste and creaminess isn't too different. Milk can be used in many low fat breakfasts such as smoothies, porridge and cereal.

Substitute full fat desserts with Low fat yogurt/ fromage frais

Yogurt is perfect for dieting as it is so versatile. You can have it as a dessert, snack or breakfast and mix it with different toppings such as a little honey, nuts, fresh fruit, dried fruit, cereal or seeds. You can also use it to make smoothies. So keep a tub of this in the fridge and you will always find something healthy to eat.

Be good to yourself 0.1% Natural yogurt from Sainsburys

Cost: 85p for 500ml

Fat: 0.2g per 100ml

Calories: 54 calories per 100ml

Be Good to Yourself 0.1% Natural fromage frais from Sainsburys
Cost: 85p for 500ml
Fat: 0.1g per 100ml
Calories: 49 per 100ml

Substitute coffee for Green tea

Green tea is known to have both metabolism increasing and detoxing properties so it can help burn calories faster and flush toxins out of your body, which tend to hold onto fat in your body. It also has many other health benefits.

I have dried tea leaves at home but you can find green tea in most supermarkets and health stores such as Holland and Barrett and Julian Graves.

Lemons

To make lemon juice! Stir some lemon juice into either hot or cool water. You can add a little honey if you wish. This helps detox your body and flush out the toxins which are holding onto some of the fat in your body. It has many other benefits such as helping to prepare your liver for the day ahead.

Cost: About 30p each

Calories: Zero!

Fat: Zero!

Water

Since a lot of the time we think we're hungry we're actually thirsty, it is important to make sure that you drink enough water especially if you're exercising.

Cost: 35p for 2 litres at Sainsburys

Calories: Zero!

Fat: Zero!

My list might seem long and daunting but once you buy the low fat/ calorie alternatives to what you normally buy, you will realise how simple and tasty it really is to save on calories/ fat.

Are there any low fat/ calorie foods you love?

xoxo

Friday Funnies

Enjoy!



Have a great weekend!

xoxo

And the award for the worst deodorant ever goes to...

... Garnier Mineral deodorant!!!

This product deserves some public humiliation. I have never come across a worse deodorant in my entire life! I keep thinking that I had forgotten to put on any deodorant (when I have!) because even though it does a great job keeping me nice and dry, it does nothing for odour. And I am a clean person, I swear. It's just this stupid deodorant embarrassing me!

48hr anti-odour? Pfffffft! Lies, I tell you, lies!

Have you tried it?

What do you think of it?

xoxo

Can things get any worse?

In most cases, the answer is yes.

We all get irritated by small things like getting gum on our shoes or being late. I know I do. But these things seem so small compared to the pain many people feel. People get sick. People are hungry. People lose their loved ones.

I have a friend who lost her husband a few days ago. They were married last Valentine's Day and were crazy in love. Plans were being made. A life full of love and happiness was being looked forward to. Then suddenly, these plans were lost and the heart that was once happy became filled with grief.

This really broke my heart. My heart is still breaking over it. I wish that I could to do something to make her happy but I can't bring her husband back to her. I can't do anything to erase the sadness she is going through. That's life. We are only human. We have no control over certain things.

These things can happen to anyone so we should be thankful to God that no matter how sad or angry we get, we aren't any sadder or angrier. Even when we are happy, we shouldn't take this feeling for granted. We should be thankful for every smile we make.

To all those going through sadness, I pray that you find peace and happiness. Until you do, I pray that you are granted strength and patience to get through these hard times. Your courage is admirable.

xoxo

Remember, remember, the 6th of May!

O.K. that didn't rhyme at all. What I'm trying to say is that tomorrow is an important day. It is the very day that women (more specifically, the Suffragettes) fought for decades ago. It is the day when your vote counts! Including all the ladies out there! Every single one of you! (Providing you are at least 18 of course)

Many women around the world don't have the option to vote so we are lucky to live in a country that allows us to voice our opinions and have an impact in the society we live in. Equal pay, equal education rights, equal job opportunities, as well as organisations set up for women who are living with domestic abuse or rape. These are just a few luxuries our Government has granted us because us women were allowed to voice our opinions and tell them what we want!

Whoever you're voting for, make sure you vote tomorrow!

xoxo

Topshop make up launches today!

Remember the Topshop cosmetics range I wrote about a lil while ago? Well, it's finally here! I went on their website to check it out and I wasn't impressed with the limited choice or the prices. They're not expensive at all but I would rather spend just as much money on an actual make up brand. But there's no surprise there since Topshop is overpriced in my opinion.

To promote their cosmetics line, they will be holding instore events in various stores where you can get a complimentary makeover but I'd imagine you'd have to get there super early otherwise you'd be queueing for ages.

What do you all think of their make up?

Have you been to their instore events?

xoxo