January 2016

Posted on January 21, 2016

8 types of people you’ll meet at the gym

Being a regular gym goer means I come across a wide range of people who share the same passion for health & fitness as I do. I bump into a few once every blue moon. While others have me questioning whether or not they live there.

Since I go at least four times a week, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve gotten to learn the habits of avid gym nuts and have witnessed some of the most unfathomable behaviour from my fellow gym lovers. So here’s a list of eight ‘types’ of people you’re bound to meet at the gym:

1. The selfie king

Sometimes you get the impression that the selfie king goes to the gym just to take selfies. It almost seems like they document every workout from start to finish – and with little to no shame! One or two selfies? Absolutely fine! Check in on Facebook? Again, totally normal. But is a two hundred second Snapchat story really necessary? I dunno…..

2. The makeup addict

You’ll never see the makeup addict without makeup. Before her workout, she is caked in it and after her workout, she is just as caked (what setting spray does she use and where can I find it, right?). The makeup addict won’t dare to break a sweat because she fears she’ll rub off her perfectly drawn brows. If it weren’t for the yoga pants, the sports top and kicks, you’d never guess that the makeup addict is going to the gym.

3. The show off

I can already sense you rolling your eyes as you think of someone who fits the bill. No matter what fitness club you’re in, you’ll surely come across that one person who makes a point of letting everyone and anyone know that their dead lifting game is unbelievably strong. They also walk around half naked so that they can strut their stuff. #Gainz #FitFam #Lean. We get it, you’re not new to this at all.

4. The serious one

This person takes gym time a tad bit too seriously. You always see them carrying around a post-workout shake alongside an unusually large collection of workout gadgets that only a true die-hard fitness fanatic could own. The serious one drinks at least three litres of water a day, works out every single day and even weighs their food! There’s no stopping this guy!

5. The chilled one

The chilled one takes even the most intense workouts in stride. They calmly float about in the weights room as if they haven’t a bother in the world. These are the types of people you need to have around when you pull a leg muscle and have a near-death moment because you can always rely on the aura of the chilled one to calm you down.

6. The newbie

You can spot a newbie from a mile away. He or she jumps from one machine to the other in hopes that they will eventually figure out how one works because they are too shy to ask anyone around them. When the newbie finally discovers how to use a machine, they do more sets that required and then call it a day – bless them!

7. The two bestos

When you see one, you see the other. They are never apart. They attend every single class together and only use the treadmills when they can find ones next to each other. In the world of the two bestos, the gym isn’t a place to sweat. It’s a place to socialise and have a bit of a laugh.

8. The nudist

The nudist tends to prance around in, well, the nude (in case the name didn’t give it away). The second they get into the changing room, they strip down bare and walk around with pride. They’ll try to make small talk with you so you don’t feel uncomfortable although you never know where to look. Sharing the changing room with a nudist is one thing, but when it comes to sharing the sauna, then all bets are off!

What kind of people do you encounter at the gym? If you’re an active gym goer like myself, then which ‘type’ are you!? I’ll let you decide which one you think I am! 🙂

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Posted on January 7, 2016

December favourites!!!

product review

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and a fab New Years – I’m nearly certain I forgot to say it in my last blog post, sorry! But like always, I’ve been drooling over a couple of new products over the past few weeks and I just can’t help but share them with you guys! So here is a roundup of my ultimate December faves, I hope you’re ready 🙂

The Balm Nude’tude palette, €35.00, Debenhams

Love, love, love! Buy, buy, buy! Now, now, now!!! And just in case you didn’t get the message…..love it! buy it! NOW! This Balm Nude’tude palette has become one of my staple eyeshadow palettes in the last few weeks. It is a mix of matte and shimmer shades so you can use it during the day or at night. I’m not big into my shimmers, but I find that the shimmer colours in this paletter aren’t OTT. They are reasonably pigmented, extremely buildable and also long wearing. While I didn’t find the brush very useful, I do love the big compact mirror!

Sephora Lip Pencil in Deep Aubergine, $6, Sephora.com

This mini lip liner is by far one of my favourite lip pencils at the moment. For starters, I think the colour really compliments my skin tone, and it is super pigmented so you don’t need to use a lot of it to get the colour on. I normally use it over my entire lip and find that it glides on so easily, but leaves a semi-matte finish. It lasts the whole day in work and the only time I ever need to retouch is after having lunch! Worth every penny and it won’t even break the bank!

Eucerin Dermo PURIFYER Hydrating Care, €11.17, HICKEY’S

I started using the Eucerin Dermo PURIFYER Cleanser a couple of weeks ago and couldn’t get over how amazingly well it worked on my skin. Because of my praise-worthy results (yes, they were praise-worthy), I decided to branch out and try out a few other products in this range. This oil free moisturiser is light, absorbs in quickly and leaves the skin with a mattified finish. It works really well under makeup as it is very smooth on the skin. I’d advise using it with the Eucerin Dermo PURIFYER Cleanser for better results!

Clarisonic, Mia 2, €149, Debenhams

If you’re big into your skincare, then this is definitely a beauty must-have! The Clarisonic Mia 2 has been in the market for quite some time now and there have been so many replicas of it. But to be quite frank, there’s no replacing it, especially since the cleansing system is patented! It has over 300 movements per second to leave your skin squeaky clean. It helps get rid of dirt, makeup and excess sebum, leaving the skin feeling smoother and healthier. I experienced a small breakout when I first used it, which was basically my skin purging and getting all the bad stuff out! Really looking forward to seeing what my skin is like in the next few months to do a full review!

Buffalo, Riviera new red patent, €125, Buffalo

‘Give a girl the right shoes and she will conquer the world,’ these words definitely hold true when it comes to these little guys! I wore them for the first time on NYE and I lasted all night! A lot of people get thrown off by the height of high heels, but being the shoe expert that I am, I say it’s all about the structure and material of the shoe! The cushioned soles and leather lining in the Rivieras will ensure you have a comfortable night, as they did with me! I’m obsessed with the red patent, but they also come in 11 other colours! check Buffalo out in Arnotts and see for yourself!

What have you been obsessing over in the last few weeks! Would love to know!

Hope you enjoyed this post and thanks again for all the positive feedback on my celibacy article! I have some very exciting and hopefully, NON-CONTRIVERSIAL topics I will be blogging about soon! #WatchThisSpace 🙂

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Posted on January 2, 2016

Celibacy: One year on

Uncovered

This time last week, I was absolutely dreading writing this article, let alone actually publishing it. But after having received one of the most heart-warming gifts by a very good friend of mine, of a framed certificate to congratulate me on completing 12 months of celibacy, I took it as a sign from the universe that I needed to go live with this.

I think the path of celibacy is something people should be made aware of. And I most definitely think that it is a topic that needs to be discussed by today’s generation. If you think about it, sex is too easy to talk about. Let’s face it, it’s absolutely everywhere. Having sex with ‘zero commitments’ has become so common that we have come to a stage where relationships have lost any sort of meaning, never mind the act of actually making love – excuse me if that’s no longer a socially acceptable term to use.

Since sex is so easily available, and people are just randomly jumping into bed with strangers, the thought of willingly giving up sex just seems absurd to the Netflix and Chill generation. Actually, it is unheard of.

So when I told some of my friends that I had decided to take a vow of celibacy for a full year, most of them laughed in my face. Some of them even questioned if I were gay. To them, it seemed like an impossible task, some would even say self-punishment.

I mean why in the good name of God would anybody want to voluntarily deprive themselves of sex for a full year? Who in the right mind decides they want to be sexless for a full 365 days? I’d love to tell you that the answer to that is a broken-hearted girl and just call it a day. But to be honest, it was a lot more than that. It was a mixture of emotions and a mountain of issues piling up one after the other.

For starters, I was just out of a relationship (if I could even call it that), which made me jump on the ‘All men are %$$holes bandwagon’. It was an absolute rollercoaster of many highs, but a lot more lows. My love and sex life took a pivotal turn after it. Enough was enough.

I had gotten come to a point in my life where I finally realised I deserved so much better. I realised I had been giving my body to men who were not truly worthy of it.To men who charmed the pants off me (literally) and then poof! Off they were.

I’m not saying that I was ever wreckless with sex. But I will admit that I went into the majority of my sexual relationships with both eyes closed. Up until now, I was absolutely blind. Blind of the emotional consequences, the mental consequences and everything else that comes with sharing your body with another soul. So this time last year I made the conscious decision to go celibate for a full year.

To say it was difficult, is an understatement. During my ‘dry spell’, nature’s monthly visits were definitely a lot harder to handle. I was extraordinarily sentimental and often felt that nobody wanted me because my body wasn’t good enough when in fact it was my very own decision to become celibate.

However,the positives of taking on a life of celibacy definitely overweighed the negatives. I have learnt to value myself and my body without seeking sexual partners to that for me. I have learnt to set my own standards and not accept the standards which have been placed on me. But most importantly, I have learnt that I am worth waiting for.

I have always been a firm believer of making yourself happy first.I honestly think that the most important relationship we will ever have in this world is the relationship we have with ourselves. We are never going to get any closer to happiness by sharing our bodies with others- if anything, it does the exact opposite. Yet, there I was going against my so-called beliefs, making the same mistakes time after time.

A wise woman once told me that each person we have sex with leaves their energy with us and I think this statement holds so much truth. I would have never thought so years ago, but I do now. I am in no shape or form trying to force celibacy onto anyone, at the end of the day it is your body, not mine. I just feel that women (and man alike) should be made more aware of who they give their bodies to and contemplate whether or not these people are deserving of it.

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