Let's Chat (06)

01. It's coming close to coursework submission and exam time. The mock was on Tuesday, so I now feel like I have a little more time again! I've discovered that I really do have a tiny attention span. I hate doing work until the last minute, when I absolutely have to. I think that's because the course is so badly written, but that's another story. I'll get there eventually!
02. So I re-dyed my hair! It's not as red as it looks in this picture. Dye just doesn't stay in my hair very well, so I find myself needing to dye it dark every 8-10 weeks or so, and let it gradually fade to the colour I want. Every time my friends see me they ask if my hair colour has changed, it's different every day!
03. I made a stand the other day. I went with my instincts, even though my willpower was failing me and I really wanted to give in to doing something I shouldn't have. But I stuck fast, and I didn't. I need to start doing more of this - not feeling the need to please others if I don't want to do it. Cryptic! Sorry ;).
04. This week is another busy week for me. Lots of socialising after work, gyming, and off to Grand Designs Live on Sunday as we have some work things going on over there, and I'm taking a couple of the girlies along.
05. I am so excited for Saturday night in particular. I'll be babysitting my favourite little boys! The problem they aren't so little any more, and don't need as much looking after as they once did. Even though they are now practically teenagers, they are still some of my favourite people to hang out with. They make me laugh constantly with their brilliant one liners! Can't wait to see them again.

ellie | x

I want you so bad I'd go back on the things I believe

   dress: Topshop . jacket: New Look . cardigan: H&M . shoes: Daisy Street . watch: Fossil . anklet: India . rings: Primark

I wore this outfit a couple of weeks ago, when my sister was home from Uni, the weather was worse, and I hadn't re-dyed my hair (it looks SO dull here). It was just before going out for my sister's birthday meal at my families favourite Thai restaurant.

ellie | x

Water Retention, and how I fight it #teamhealth

[If you are a male and I know you personally, please, for your sake and for mine, do not read on any further. Please. STOP NOW]

I can't believe I'm actually writing a post about this...

As you know if you've been following me for a while, from December I've been on a bit of a health mission. This has become all the more necessary as I need to fit into the now-bought bridesmaid dress. Gah.

Now, I'm going to talk about contraception. More specifically, the contraceptive pill. Oh, that complicated little thing. I don't want the implant or injection because I want choice over when I have my periods, and I'm bound to be the person that it makes them even heavier for. Condoms are the most unsafe. Everything else isn't recommended when you're under 30. So I'm left with taking a hormone every day that fakes pregnancy permanently in the body.

As we all know, each type of pill reacts different with everybody. Levest makes me moody. Marvelon sorts out my skin but makes my boobs a size bigger and sore. Celest, evil round purple devil, makes me retain large amounts of water, my boobs grow (most recently) TWO sizes and my skin didn't get much better.

I am finally on the one I wanted to be on - Yasmin. It includes a diuretic that actively combats the water retention, so I am really hoping it will kick in soon. I've noticed it go down gradually since I stopped on Celeste, and I am slowly getting back to the size I was in January. It's actually really getting me down. I eat so carefully, and usually my body reacts to what I eat really well, eg. when I'm healthy, I notice that the tummy disappears. I've had some good friends have great reactions to Yasmin, but each body reacts to a pill differently. Praying this works for me, because I can't stand this much longer! Too scared to weigh myself at the moment... Please comment and let me know if you've been on Yasmin, and had a good experience with it. I've googled different reactions so many times that it's starting to scare me.

But anyway, while I wait for Yasmin to kick in, I'm working hard to combat the water retention in other ways.

1. Cut down on salt
Salt is one of the main causes of water retention. And I am SO bad - I like salt even more than I like sugar, and I used to sprinkle it on everything without thinking. I'm trying to not add any to my food (gone cold turkey) and enjoy the other flavours instead. I'm also not eating things like crisps, processed meats etc (she says having just eaten bacon sandwiches... I have a cold it doesn't count), but my guilty pleasure is mayonnaise. Need to kick that one next.

2. Cut down on sugar
It is sugar that causes fat, not fat. That's what one of my favourite health gurus/colleague at work told me anyway. She gave me the scientific reason behind this fact, but I can't remember it now. Ask me if you'd like me to find out. But anyway, sugar also causes water retention. I am clean eating and cut down sooo much on sugar recently. So this is good.

3. Apples
Apples are great at neutralising the acid in your stomach, therefore stopping bloating after eating.

4. Celery
Apparently aids the release of water retention. Such a brill little vegetable. 

5. Cranberry
I've taken cranberry extract to make for a healthy down below (I sincerely hope the males I know have stopped reading by this point) but they also apparently aid the release of water retention too. Let's see.

6. Green tea
Another aid, apparently. I drink loads of it as a healthy alternative to tea as it has many a great quality, and less caffeine that breakfast tea. So there we go.

7. Exercise
I've been sticking to my 3-4 times a week policy with the gym. Not noticing so many results as of yet. You may have noticed my attitude by this point in the post... I dislike that we girls have to suffer this much just for contraception, but there we go.

8. Drink water!
I do this too.

So let's see if any of this makes a difference! I resent looking 5lbs heavier than I already was, just because by fat is retaining water, when I was doing so well before! Any tips are very much welcome.

ellie | x

The 1 year plan

Some people, some of my very close friends even, have 3, 5 and 10 year life plans.  I am the type to be as organised as this, believe me, but life in the past few years has taught me that things can change so drastically that having the firm belief that 'I will get married by the time I'm 27 and have children before I'm 30' just can't be guaranteed. I've learnt to live appreciating the every day, working as hard as I can but not expecting the future to pan out in any such way.

Having said that, I do know where I would like to be a year from now. This has always been something that has bounced around in my head, but today I wanted to get it out.

I've been a little lazy these past few weeks, so I'm hoping this will be the kick in the arse I need to fix up and look sharp from today onwards.

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In a years time I will have...
Saved 15% of my salary each month and have a nice amount of money in my savings account
Moved out and started renting a flat with friends
Met my health goals from hereEither moved into a more senior role at work, or started at a development-focus charity in a comms role
Be the size and shape I want to be


A small and succinct list, but there we have it. I don't want to think about lies beyond being 24. I'm enjoying 23 far too much for that.

I think next time I'm going to list all the things I'd like to do this summer. There's a lot of them!

What are your 1 year plans?

ellie | x

Last Friday Night

I meant to share this a few weeks ago!

This is going to be a sort of outfit post, but more just a few snaps of a great Friday night with my best buddies, for my gorgeous Louisa's birthday...

 Dress: Topshop . Bag: New Look . Ring: Boots. Watch: Fossil . Bracelet: Primark

They aren't the best quality, but I think it's nice for you to see a bit of everyday life sometimes.

ellie | x

Wedding Bells

My best friend is getting married. In July. Have I mentioned this before? Well I am again.

I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!

She has done brilliantly and has the whole thing all but organised. I was thinking about posting about the process, all the plans and little details that are going to make the day so special, but that would be cheating. You're going to have to wait and see the photos.

Instead, have a little look at her post here. Made me shed a tear.

My maid of honour speech is ready.

ellie | x

I had to...

That bag I posted about the other week? It broke. Oh, silly silly eBay purchase.

So, I went to River Island, and I found me a new one. 

J'adore. Quite literally.

ellie | x

Happy Body Diary 26|03

I've been a good girl! I've managed to stick to a fairly clean eating routine for a good couples of weeks. This isn't to say I haven't slipped, I think we all get our off days. But, all in all, I've been making very good choices with my eating. Below are a selection of some of the meals I've had recently.

I just realised that all the main meals are pasta. I really am not having much wheat at all, I promise! Maybe pasta is just the most aesthetically pleasing food? Who knows.

I don't want to start measuring myself yet, as I'm so little in to this, but I can already feel that I'm more toned around my middle area. How exciting! And despite changing pills and the water retention that comes with it (a post on this to come I feel), I'm obviously doing something right!

A few things have kept me motivated. Firstly, my #TEAMHEALTH buddy Samantha is a godsend. If ever I post about food on Twitter, she will be in there with a helpful comment. If I am exercising, she will encourage me. If I am eating fat, she will make me feel OK about it until I'm ready to eat green stuff again. We are in this together. Secondly, as I may have mentioned, my best friend Nikki walks down the aisle this July. Along with my fellow bridesmaid Louisa, we are on a mission and are team health-ing it up before the big day. Messages are flying back and forth on the subject of low GI, high fibre and water retention (noticing a theme here?) goodness. We are on this thing. Thirdly, seeing the difference the gym makes has really spurred me on recently. I have always been a keen exerciser, but stepping it up since I was able to join again around September time has done me the world of good. Especially muscle toning exercises. It just shows that if you put enough effort in (and it is a LOT of effort, you will see results).

I have a lot of meals out and nights of partying planned over the next few months, but I think that's ok. As long as I keep eating well in between, a treat is fine. Yeh are still young after all!

How are you all doing health wise? Good I hope :).

ellie | x

The day I did something unplanned

So last weekend I was in a very unusual situation for me. My plans were all up in the air, and I really wasn't sure what I was going to do.

Usually, I am the most organised person ever. I write every little thing down in my filofax, and know what all my arrangements are weeks in advance. However, recently, I've started to a bit more care free. Someone suggests a drink at the last minute? Why not! My plans can change. Let's be spontaneous! (If you know me well, my gosh that is a massive statement for me to make right there).

(image link)

On Saturday I woke with no plans. My friend was having his birthday party in Bristol, but I'd been in two minds whether to go - none of the other girls from our group were going except the lovely Caro who is in Bristol already, it was going to cost money, and I might have had a date. But, with nothing on the cards, I decided I'd go. I bought my tickets online, headed to the gym, then ran back to get ready for my train.

I was running last, as per usual, so my dad gave me a lift to the station. The tubes are every 10 minutes to Paddington, and I was about to miss one, so I sprinted through the barriers and got on just as the doors were closing. Result. I had plenty of time when I got there, so thought I'd pick up my tickets then head to Boots. Checked my bag for my purse. No purse. It was at home, sitting at the top of my gym bag. Luckily my dad is an absolute legend, and cycled to the station, got on the tube, and met me half way (with an epic run up the platform so that I could get on the train I got off). The next train to Bristol was in half an hour from the one I meant to catch, but with 5 minutes to go it was looking like I might miss it. When I got back to Paddington, I literally sprinted to the ticket machine, and then to the platform, literally crying out to the guard as he was blowing the whistle. He let me on the first door into First Class, and I was on. Relief.

Until the ticket inspector came. My ticket was fine, I had any anytime return, so I could have got on any train to Bristol that day (small miracle). However, my 16-25 railcard, that beautiful piece of plastic that saves a 1/3 off train journeys, it had expired. The guy wanted to help me (looking like you're about to cry helps) so he scribbled on my ticket, broke up the railcard and said he'd leave it to the guys at the ticket barrier to decide if they'd charge me for a new ticket or make me pay the difference. When I got there, I just slipped the ticket through the barrier and ran off. Mwahaha.

Now another reason to go to Bristol was to have dinner with my lovely cousin. He's a 6ft 5inches lil softy of a guy who's at uni there, and I thought we'd have a good catch up and go for dinner. He met me at the station and, like the last time I visited, we decided we'd walk to our eating destination. One problem - it started to rain. He had no proper jacket and no hood, I had a broken umbrella. We walked for AN HOUR through industrial Bristol. It was wet. But, he is a brilliant tour guide, and we had some really good little chats. When we arrived at our eating destination, the amazing Burger Joint, that was amazing too. Although we were soaked through.

I then went on to my friends flat. The party was hilarious! Some of my fave guy mates were there, and my lovely Caro turned up an hour later. So much wine! I got to sleep in her lovely comfy bed, and we went for an amazing brunch the next day, at Boston Tea Party. If you are ever in Bristol, you must go. I had pancakes with bacon and maple syrup, heaven.

Being an adventure that happened on a whim, and the state of the weather, I was a bad blogger and didn't take any good photos. Please believe me though that Bristol is a lovely face, and you must visit!

I had an amazing little trip away. It never would have happened if I hadn't listened to my instincts and just gone with it! Being spontaneous can be a really fun thing, and a little change in attitude can make the world of difference if you are looking for something new and exciting in life.

That's enough wisdom on a Saturday. Back to catching up on blogs (loving that I got to transfer them all over the Bloglovin - what a clever little trick they took up there. You can follow mantrapixie here). It's a snow day, stay in bed!

ellie | x

'So what does Ellie like to wiggle to?'

A (very cute) boy recently asked me the wonderfully phrased question that appears in my title. This made me realise I haven't shared what I'm listening to recently on here, something I really enjoy doing.

Here is what I am belting out lately...


Rihanna | Love Without Charity/Mother Mary
"I'm prepared to die in the moment
Cause even forever ain't forever
I swear by the moment
Cause together aint promised forever"

Skrillex | Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites
Not quite my usual, but it makes me want to dance like I used to.

Taylor Swift | I Knew You Were Trouble
Just reminding myself of this fact.

Bastille | Things We Lost In The Fire
"I read them all one day
When loneliness came and you were away
Oh they told me nothing new,
But I love to read the words you used"

Jay Z & Kanye | N**as In Paris
Reminds me of Ibiza, and one of the best nights of my life.  

What is streaming through your headphones?

ellie | x