Recent Purchases

It's fair to say I went a little mad with spending lately, a recent weekend trip to London was enough to empty the bank account. I've decided to live for the present and say 'I deserve it' so without questioning anything (oh dear) I treated myself.

Ren Skincare Clarimate Toner// £15.50

I've been lusting over acid toners for a while and it was time to finally decide which one to go for. I'm one of those, 'I don't believe in perfumed water' people but trusting in Ren skincare I couldn't resist trying the Clarimate Toner after reading some great reviews. It was cheaper than most at £15.50 but after a couple of weeks trying it I can't say I've seen much of a difference. The gentle acids are designed to slough off any dead skin cells and speed up cell turn over. I'm persevering but can't say I'm a fan.

Vitamin E oil//£4 - eBay

As you know I'm a massive oil fan and wanted to try vitamin E for it's famous healing properties. The oil is very heavy and isn't ideal as a facial moisturiser but dabbing it on any scars or areas of dry skin is quite effective.

Weighted Hula Hoop//£7 

My quest for abs is never ending and I've seen some definition in that area recently which has made me much more confident. To boost results I ordered a weighted hula hoop from eBay to use during the ad breaks of lazy TV evenings, (productive!) You can feel where the hoop has hit your tummy and back after the first use but you quickly get used to it and I believe it is tightening the area, it isn't too strenuous either.

La Roche Posay Corrective Fluid Foundation//£15  

I bought this on impulse after reading about the coverage and great ingredients, as you know I'm not a foundation fan, especially not in liquid forms. It was risky to order online as I wasn't sure of the colour and I can confirm that it is a bit too dark for me but a little really goes a long way so it can be sheered out! The finish is great but moisturising first is vital or it will cling to dry areas.

Lush Angels on Bare Skin//£6.75 - repurchase 

I've fallen in love with this cleanser a little bit. It really wakes up my skin after a sweaty workout (so glamorous.) It's perfect for a morning cleanse but I tend to dabble in and out of using it in the evenings if I need to exfoliate.

Almond Butter (monster tub) // £12.99 - Amazon

I'm addicted. The other day I actually had almond butter with every meal! It's perfect stirred into porridge or smoothie in the morning, makes an excellent partner with apple as a lunch time snack and is lush on toast with some chocolate spread and nuts as a healthy dessert.



So with all that retail therapy out the way and a much lighter purse I have well and truly treated myself. I hope you do the same! We're worth it.

Little Lottie 

XO

Feeling great

Hello beauties. Today is another chatty post, it appears you liked the last one. I'm really excited to share my health journey with you and I honestly feel the best I've ever felt. 

Honestly, I'm not sure what kick started it all. I made a New Years resolution to tone up my stomach and joined the gym, unfortunately that didn't work out and I started doing insanity and home workouts. I was so motivated by the results and 3 months later I'm still doing insanity 4 times a week,  I even have baby abs!

Of course all that hard work would be nothing without eating right. My diet changed gradually with subtle switches - as I spoke about on this post. 

Now I have become some what of a raw food and clean eating fanatic. Abs are made in the kitchen after all! 

I get a lot of meal inspo from bloggers like Deliciously Ella, Madeline Shaw and Niomi Smart. Instagram is a great motivator, clean eating Alice has plenty of delicious meal snaps on her page that will change your life forever! 

Cutting out sugar and dairy made the biggest difference with me, adding fish to my diet was also vital. The cravings for chocolate and sugary snacks soon disappear and you can still enjoy plenty of sweet treats naturally. 

I recently re-created Madeline Shaw's raw brownie recipe, you need to try this! Made with dates, raw cacao, plenty of nuts and honey for sweetening they are all natural and truly satisfying.

There is no single image of beautiful and we are all gorgeous in our individual ways. If you want to be healthy do what feels right for you and only you.

Remember, you're perfect and I'm no nutritionist. 

Little Lottie

XO

Health switches to make you feel great!

Hello Beautiful. I hope you had a glorious Easter, whatever got up to. If you are regretting how much chocolate you ate over the last week you may be wanting to put some new health regimes into action to make you feel (& look) like it never happened. Here are some easy (& delicious) health switches to make you glow from the inside out.

1//  Reduce your dairy consumption. 
Cows are frequently given hormones and it shows on our skin when we consume their milk. Through reducing my dairy intake I have fallen in love with almond milk! I put it on cereal, in smoothies, make hot chocolate with it and it's great for baking too. There are lots of delicious non dairy milks in your supermarket that contain great anti-oxidants!

Almond milk hot chocolate is DE-lish!

2// Increase your Omega 3 intake. 
I have done this by purchasing supplements like fish oil and adding flaxseed to my breakfasts/smoothies. The best way to get a good dose of omega is through food, experts recommenced at least 3 portions of fish per week, my favourite is Salmon with lemon and kale. Omega 3 fatty acids are an anti-inflammatory and some people have cured skin conditions with this alone.

Salmon with kale, sweet potato and coleslaw

Flaxseed sprinkled on cereal and fruit

3// Stick to Wholemeal. 
Staying away from 'white' products will also benefit your health and show on the outside too! Switch to wholemeal bread, pasta and rice to avoid the chemicals used in bleaching food and reduce bloating. Although the odd pizza wont go amiss...

4// Which leads me to... Cut down on sugar! 
White food products, fizzy drinks, alcohol, junk food, sweets and most cereals are high in the white devil which sends your blood sugar rocketing, this makes your body produce more insulin and breaks you out!


5// Switch potato for sweet potato! 
Sweet potato is orange in colour which means it contains beta cerotene, this turns into vitamin A when digested and is vital for that glow factor. Sweet potato is so tasty, in my eyes even better than regular potato. It's quick to cook and not nearly as bloating as white potato. They make great fries, wedges, jacket potatoes and are super delicious dunked in mayo or BBQ sauce.

Sweet potato fries with sweet chili and mayo

6// Use Olive Oil more.
This oil is great to cook and dress food with, it contains anti-inflammatory agents and some omegas that will help your skin glow. It is however a fatty oil so use in moderation. I like it drizzled over kale and vegetables.


7// Drink 2 liters of water a day and a few cups of green tea. 
This may be hard at first but I now look forward to a cup of lemon green tea with my breakfast and end up thirsty if I don't have a bottle of water handy. These drinks will pump your body with antioxidants and flush out any unwanted baddies. Add lemon slices to your water for more flavour and health benefits or try berries to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Loose leaf green tea

Lemon water

8// Don't deprive yourself. 
I never deprive myself of a sweet treat if I really want one, chocolate is my downfall. Remember everything in moderation, starving yourself will only make the cravings worse.

9// Exercise.
It doesn't sound fun now but I promise you once you start and get into a routine you will feel one hundred times better. They key is to find something that works with your lifestyle, I was against joining the gym for a long time because they pull you in on a contract and cost a fortune. As well as the pressure of the 'regulars' staring at me whilst I look like a beetroot and sweat like a pig.
In the end I gave in and joined the local gym round the corner from work, I would get up at 6.30am, go to the gym for an hour, shower and get ready there, then rush round the corner to work, shoveling breakfast down at my desk.

It worked for about a month when I decided it wasn't benefiting me in any way, now I get up at 6.30am, stroll downstairs to the comfort of my living room and do 40 minutes of high intensity interval training in the form of Insanity, which has changed my life. I feel more confident and am slowly achieving my New Year's resolution to tone my stomach. I do this 4 times a week and have a break at the weekends.

If you aren't motivated to work out at home then joining the gym and knowing that you're paying is a great motivator. I am personally more motivated by the thought of exercising in my own home and Insanity really works for me.

Insanity workout 

Baby abs. Workout gear from Primark

Whether you make health changes gradually or in one hit you will never regret working out or eating a healthy meal. Instagram is great for motivational quotes and tips, follow me here.

Comment with your favourite health tips and follow for more from me.

Little Lottie 

ChocoLottie Treats

(Warning: This post contains many photos that are likely to cause dribbling and cupcake craving.)

My lovely and very talented friend Charlotte from ChocoLottie Cakes was kind enough to send me some of her gorgeous cupcakes to try.

They looked far too beautiful to eat, gorgeously decorated in buttercream, roses, hearts and even marshmallows! 

I made the most of the rare Cornish sunshine and took the cupcakes out for a garden picnic. 

Each one was topped with different and dainty designs that added a delicious flavour to the vanilla sponge underneath.

The thing I actually enjoy most about desserts is sponges, there is something so satisfying about that filling, sweet and fluffy goodness. Charlotte really does sponges well, they are always moist, fluffy and gorgeously flavoured.

I had my eyes on the flower-like white cupcake which  had petals made from marshmallows, that's right, MARSHMALLOWS! As you can see I munched my way through that one with ease. I really enjoyed the marshmallow flavour with the vanilla sponge and Charlotte's creativity was appreciated by my sweet tooth. 

Cakes are a worldwide favourite and can send so many messages, whether it be for Mothers Day this Sunday, a thank you for a friend, a get well soon or the famous Birthday and Wedding cakes. I highly recommend ChocoLottie Cakes if you are from Cornwall and even if you're not take a look at her website for some jaw dropping, beautifully designed cakes and show her some love on Facebook. From bespoke designs to classic favourites Charlotte can create pretty much anything which never fails to taste heavenly.

I hope you enjoyed a different style of post today and I definitely enjoyed photographing a new kind of product. 

Little Lottie

XO