The SlimSlow Diet

So much has been going on I nearly forgot I even started a blog!

It's been so long, but now I'm going to become a dedicated blogger (at least I'm going to try anyway).

There's two things going on in my life which I think will make for an interesting read (Though they probably won't be interesting to anyone but me)

The first I won't start until next month...I'm starting a Manicure course, and as anyone who's read my blog before will know I LOVE NAILS!

So I figured it'd be right for me. 

So I'll do a blog post every week or so relating to the course, and bore you all with my progress.

The second is what this here post is all about...SlimFast

I started slimfast on 25th July 2014,

So far I have lost 12lbs.

I don't think that's too bad since I've exercised a total of zero times and I've been naughty at least once a week.

All that aside I'm still dedicated to continuing the slimfast journey.

Though in my case it'll be slim slow!

I don't exactly have a time limit though, I'm doing it for me and no one else, so if I want that pint of cider I'll bloody have it.

Having lost 12lbs, I have already dropped a dress size!

Whilst I wasn't exactly huge; I was a size 16(UK) and extremely unhappy.

Now I'm a 14 and my goal weight is 10st7lbs (About a size 12 from previous experience).

At 5foot9 with "child-bearing hips" I wouldn't look right any smaller than a 12, and if I'm honest I'm not even sure it would be physically possible for me to be any smaller than that!

Here's how I look at the moment....I'm sorry for the graphic images of my flab! Don't worry I kept it all under clothes haha!

As you can see my tum is as big as my boobs and I gots me a second chin.

Having dropped a dress size I've noticed all the fat has come off my hips and not my belly so I look a bit weird now.

New me

I've decided not only do I want to lose weight (and get healthier - all in due time, I'll start exercising one day...honest) but I also want to become a more confident and stylish (as stylish as I can get) person.

I've bought new outfits and I'm sticking with the pixie crop.

I've started wearing make-up and actually putting in effort, even for work, where I'd normally just make sure I was washed!

Here's some of my recent purchases:

I'm totally in love with blazers, and they really compliment the pixie cut!

So...SlimFast...

I never liked chocolate milkshake but the slimfast chocolate one is my fave, it makes me feel really full!

I like having the mocha and the caffe latte occasionally too.

Strawberry and Banana are ok.

But vanilla! OMG I nearly threw up...it is VILE!

I'm not really a fan of the meal bars either as there's next to no choice.

The 3-2-1 plan aims for you to have 3 healthy snacks (approximately 100kcals each), 2 meal replacements (Breakfast and Lunch work perfect for me) and 1 600kcal meal (800 for men). 

I don't actually count the calories on my evening meal. I just eat healthier food (I've noticed I've been making a lot of Thai & Chinese inspired meals).

It works for me as I cook for my partner too and he doesn't need to watch his weight.

I don't always have all the snacks or if I do I spread the calories out.

Hartleys do a 10kcal jelly. So if I have one of those as a snack I then have around 120kcal for my other snacks.

I'm not following the plan down to the letter but my own way is working, and I'm happy.

Now that is something I thought I'd never say...Happy on a diet!!

So that's it for now. All caught up.

Hopefully I'll stop being so lazy and exercise a little (it's hard when you love sleep like I do).

UPDATE: I totally tried planking...it's hard

The Paminailtor

I recently changed my instagram name to make my account a little more nail related.

Still gonna post other stuff but the bulk of my pics will be nail related.

Throughout November I pretty much neglected my nails, and I feel awful for it!

So I'm back with a vengeance and ready to get some nail art going!

Here are my latest attempts of nail art:

 You can tell I'm out of practice!

I even had a go of sensationail again!
Lasted 4days...that's a record!
Still can't work out what I'm doing wrong :-(

Did love the colour though!

Today I'm trying dry watermarbelling...I love watermarbelling but there's always one or two nails that are poop!
So I found a tutorial on www.nuthinbutanailthing.com

Check my instagram for how it turns out (still waiting for the sheets to dry whilst I type this!)

@the_paminailtor

Long time no...tattoo?

So it's been an age since I last posted anything!
The whole of November went without a thought towards my blog!!
I've not been particularly busy I've just been bopping about and not sat down at my laptop for time!

So what's new...
Well after three years craving a new tattoo....I got's one!!
It is my fave of my three tattoos! And to be perfectly honest...my favourite tattoo I've ever seen!
Yes I'm biased but it sums me up rather well!

Tattoo courtesy of Milan at Eagles Wing MCR

So it's not everyone's cup of tea, but it's not just cute and fluffy Elmo...it means more to me.
I was dressed as Elmo for my 21st Birthday Party - The BEST day of my life - The day my fella proposed.
So now if I ever feel down, I just look at my wrist and it cheers me right up!

So along with daft tattoos, I've been going through a bit of a teen rebellion...
I was a pretty good kid so never really went out and did things my parents wouldn't approve of.
So why not have a mid-life crisis at 22 and start now!

I went and got my tragus pierced...can't swap it for 10 weeks (which from when I got it done means it's staying in until the start of Feb) this totally sucks as I've already been out buying pretty bars/rings to replace it with!

Much to my disappointment of my mid-life teen rebellion - my parents love my tattoo and they're not really bothered about the piercing...DAMN!

Haha!!

To be honest I think they're happy if I'm happy!

Next on the list is another tattoo...

I seriously doubt this one will go down well...but hey it's what I like, so who cares what anyone else thinks!

I want Carl on my thigh!

I LOVE Minions!! and Carl's just too cute!

Are you drinking snot? No silly! It's a smoothie!

So I've decided no more junk food!
Instead of eating my own body weight in rubbish after my tea this eve I made a smoothie!
I made enough to have one for breakfast too!

I chose a lovely spinach and strawberry smoothie, and pretty much made it up as I went along.

I put low fat yogurt, water, strawberries, a banana, honey and loads of spinach in a blender and hey presto!

Hopefully this is the start of a healthier me. It was so yummy and I'm still not hungry a while after. Whereas I would normally eat a few chocolate bars and still want more!

Tomorrow I'm starting back on my cross trainer (while I catch up with the soaps), then another lovely snot looking smoothie for breakfast before I have to get ready for work!

Hopefully I'll post some pictures of a skinny me in a few months time! Though with Christmas coming I'll have to work hard...pigs in blankets are my biggest weakness!

...from Venice, with love

So it's been a year since we went on holiday to Venice, and not a day goes by where we don't miss it! (I apologise in advance for all the photo's this trip down memory lane is gonna include)

Not only was it a beautiful place but it was so relaxing and the people were so friendly.

We would quite happily up and leave to go and live there, buuut, first we have to learn the lingo!

Io non sono molto bravo con le lingue, ma google traduttore può aiutare!

The fella loved it so much, he got some ink to represent it!

Tattoo by Milan from Eagles Wing MCR

The whole place is so amazing, words cannot describe it, I would recommend a week in Venice to anyone and everyone...and it doesn't smell...a question I am asked by a lot of people when we talk about going there!

The buildings are just gorgeous.

24hr clock!

 

 

 The sunsets are the most beautiful I've ever seen.

 
It's even gorgeous when it rains!

 The food is so exquisite. This beauty is a seafood pizza...the clams and mussels came in their shells and a little squid had tentacles on every slice.

The Venetian masks are remarkable, the detail is so delicate, every shop had something different...I wanted them all!

It's such a romantic place.

We placed a padlock on the Ponte dell'accademia. A bridge crossing the grand canal.

Matthew bought it while I was at the apartment ill and he used a key to scratch our initials into it...ever so romantic that one!

 

 

So...Places to go when in Venice

Rialto Bridge

 Obviously the main island of Venice...we stayed on Giudecca and had to get a boat bus everyday, which was kinda cool...considering they're on water and cruise ships/other boats can hold them up, they were ALWAYS on time...British public transport could learn a thing or two!

There wasn't loads on Giudecca; a few nice restaurants, the Hilton hotel, a supermarket, but no real touristy attractions.

We had day trips to Murano and Burano.

Burano

The islands of glass and lace, respectively, again beautiful places, and great for day trips.

Going around the main island, it's great to walk, you find loads of quirky places by doing this, but you can also jump on the boat buses and get off at random stops to check out new places.

We found a cute little café that did tasty calzoné, and we managed to find it again...and again...and again! The staff were great and so was the food so we had to keep going back!

After a few days we could pretty much tell where we were going...although an evening trip to see where H&M was, for the next day, resulted in us walking past it three times and not even realising! (It was surrounded in scaffolding tbf!)

For those of you who don't like experiencing cultural foods (who doesn't like Italian!?!) there is a McDonalds.

Doesn't taste any different to over here.

So I'm gonna end it here with...

If you've never been to Venice, you need to go!

If you have been before, you need to go back!

I really need to learn Italian so I can go and live there!

It's an amazing place!

And finally, I love my Gucci shades that I bought out there!