Life | Five Weeks to Bridesmaid - Week Three, Monday

Sunshine makes everything seem brighter and happier, and a sunny Monday morning is a much more bearable way to the start the week!

07.00 am - I had some Homemade Granola, with Unsweetened Almond Milk, Blueberries and Raspberries outside in the garden.

11.00 am - Snack Time, I had an Apple Strudel Ernie Bar and a cup of Green Tea.

2.30 pm - I made a Greek Inspired Salad. I had Spinach, Yellow Pepper, Cucumber, Cherry Tomatoes, Quinoa and Feta Cheese. It was dressed with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar and a little sprinkle of Dried Oregano. Sooo good!

5.00 pm - I fancied a snack so had an Apple with a few slices of Mature Cheddar Cheese.

8.15 pm - My brother Rich (who totally missed his calling as a Gourmet Chef), invited us round for dinner. Which turned about to be a 3-Course affair washed down with a few glasses of crisp, cold Rosé.

We started with fresh Gazpacho.

And then moved on to this Ottolenghi Saffron and Herb Chicken Salad, which was delicious.

And then finished off with a few slices of Gorgonzola served with a drizzle of locally produced honey.

I'm not even a massive fan of Blue Cheese but this combination was perfection! I may have to steal this idea for the next dinner party (post Bridesmaid Challenge of course)!!

Life | Five Weeks to Bridesmaid - Week Three, Sunday

Lazy Sunday's are the best!

08.30 am - I woke up craving the same Breakfast I had at Bakers and Co yesterday so tried to recreate it at home. My Poached Eggs were terrible but the smashed Avocado on Ryvita was good!

12.30 pm - I went to Clevedon to spend some quality catch up time with my good friend Annie and godson Ralph. I had fully intended on having something healthy for lunch but then we got to a Cafe and they were only serving Roast Dinner's or Afternoon Tea.....

As it was too hot for a Roast, my decision was made pretty quickly, and these scones were epic!

I only had one (and a quarter!) and savoured every last mouthful.....

17.00 pm - I was craving something savoury after my Sweet lunch. I had two Pumpkin Seed Ryvita with Crab Pate.

20.00 pm - After taking the dog for a walk I stayed at Tia's for a quick salad. I had Roast Chicken with Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumber and a dollop of Cottage Cheese.

21.30 pm - I was still a little peckish so had a Coconut & Macademia Bounce Ball with a Cup of Spearmint Chamomile Tea.

Life | Five Weeks to Bridesmaid - Week Three, Saturday

On Saturday we woke to cups of tea in bed. We sat there in our PJ's laughing at nonsense and dispatching advice on life's little problems in the way that only girls do.

And then the grumbling tummies started and it was time to head out for Brunch!


11.00 am - Brunch at Bakers & Co. I had a Green Tea and Smashed Avocado on Sourdough with Poached Eggs.

As always it was amazing! Super tasty and the perfect amount to set you up for the day.

3.30 pm - I took a break from my Organising Mission for a little snack. I had two Pumpkin Seed Ryvita spread with Soft Goats Cheese.


6.30 pm - Early Dinner! I had Steak with Chopped Salad, Med Veg Quinoa and a "Mushroom Sauce". We just fried off the Mushrooms in a little Olive Oil with some Garlic and Cracked Pepper and added a dollop of Creme Fraiche at the end - divine!

And we were so good! We drank nothing but Water all evening long! How's that for restraint on a Saturday night?!

Life | Five Weeks to Bridesmaid - Week Three, Friday

Gah, 7am this morning was the dreaded "measure-in" and PT session with Rich!

I'm happy to report that I'm shrinking, yaaayy! Still waiting on that Infographic I promised? Yea, me too..... (I'll work on that for next week).

Anyway, the results this week are 1 inch off my waist and 1/2 inch of my hips/bum - which I am totally happy with, it's all progress right?

Here's how Friday happened.

08.30 am - Post Work-Out Breakfast. I went for an all-time fave of Scrambled Eggs, Smoked Salmon and Avocado, yummmm.

11.00 am - Snack Time. I had a Raspberry & Coconut Ernie Bar and a Green Tea. Have you guys heard of The Ernest Food Company? They're the people behind these awesome Bars. I'll do a little separate write up with all the details but they are packed full of goodness without any Gluten, (Refined) Sugar, Soya, Dairy etc. Two enthusiastic thumbs-up from this girl.

12.00 pm - Feelunique.com were having a Summer Sale so I decided to splurge on some additional resources. I am determined to have toned, smooth arms in that Bridesmaid Dress so bought this Arm-Perfecting Cream from Bliss. I know it's the diet and exercise that will get the job done ultimately but every little helps!

1.30 pm - Lunch was a sort of raid-the-fridge leftovers situation! I made some Quinoa, Roasted some Peppers, Onion and Courgette and served it with Romaine Lettuce, Feta Cheese, Toasted Pine Nuts and a dollop of Hoummos. It was freaking amazing!

8.00 pm - Friday night was Girls Night! We got a Take-Away from The Thali Cafe, as usual it was super tasty. On my plate there's Rice, Dahl, Lamb Meatballs, Vegetable Curry, Chicken Curry and a Spinach and Paneer Curry. I'm literally drooling just looking at the photo!

And what girls night isn't complete without a few cheeky glasses of Prosecco?!

Life | Five Weeks to Bridesmaid - Week Three, Thursday

And so it begins - Week Three! I can't believe in a few days we will be half way through this challenge. Time flies so we may as well use it wisely peeps.

Source : Pinterest

07.00 am - Dan made me Breakfast today so I'm not 100% sure what went into the Smoothie, it tasted good though! I think he used Frozen Banana's, Almond Milk, Strawberries, Dates and Almond Butter.

He also made me a Green Tea.

11.30 am - I snacked on an Apple and a Nakd Banana Bread Bar whilst on the road.

1.30 pm - I picked up this Turkey, Pastrami and Emmental Cheese Flatbread from M&S. OMG this thing tastes AMAZING (I'm not sure how healthy it is though?)

3.30 pm - I had a pack of Salted Popcorn which I actually really didn't enjoy. It tasted too salty and made me really thirsty. Gross.

6.30 pm - JP and I were supposed to go to Yoga tonight but when it came to it we both just fancied blasting through a circuit rather than 90 minutes of Yoga.

We put on some upbeat tunes and did the circuit below - it was actually quite fun!

Source : Pinterest

8.00 pm - Tia joined us for dinner and we had proper Italian Sugo and Meatballs over Courgetti with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan on top. Sooo yummy!

Aaand, there may or may not have been a cheeky glass or two of Prosecco consumed with dinner......

Tomorrow morning I "measure-in" - eeeek!! I'm secretly thinking that after the excesses of last weekend I've probably plateaued this week. We shall see, I'll let you guys know tomorrow!

LIfe | Five Weeks to Bridesmaid - Week Two, Wednesday

On Wednesday's we eat Dessert for Breakfast......

07.00 am - Hot Water and Lemon

07.15 am - Breakfast Parfait. I just layered Homemade Granola, 0% Fat Greek Yogurt and Strawberries in a glass. I love playing around with meal presentation - even first thing in the morning!

11.30 am - I had a Green Tea and 2 x Kallo Organic Rice Crackers with Dark Chocolate.

1.30 pm - For lunch I had a Thai Coconut Curry Innocent Veg Pot, and added extra Baby Spinach.

5.00pm - I decided to try and help with some muscle recovery from yesterday with a Protein Shake. This one had Almond Milk, Strawberries, Ice and Vanilla Plant-Based Protein Powder.

8.00 pm - Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Chilli served with Baby Spinach, Grated Cheddar and Avocado. Yummmm! I always forget how good my slow cooker is in-between uses, this was so easy to do and it tasted amazing!

Healthy Food + Minimal Effort = Win.

And even though the boys were trying to tempt me with a glass of White Wine, I managed to stay strong!

Life | Five Weeks to Bridesmaid - Week Two, Tuesday

Oh god. Maybe telling our PT Rich about this blog was not the best idea. Having read all about the excesses of the weekend he literally killed JP and I in Training.

"Killed" might be slightly strong, but at one point I definitely though one of us was going to throw-up. And so I've (temporarily) learnt my lesson. Last week during PT I felt strong and on the road to fitness, today I felt like a big lump of lard on the road to death. Eeuggghh, stupid alcohol!

Here's Tuesday for ya.

07.00 am - Cup of Hot Water and Lemon.

07.30 am - Today turned out to be a Two-Breakfast-Tuesday affair. My first breakfast was this Smoothie which had Frozen Banana, Strawberries, Blueberries, Almond Milk, Dates, Almond Butter and Chia Seeds.

09.00 am - Just before I was leaving for work I felt like I wanted something more to see me through the morning. I quickly scrambled a couple of eggs - voila!

1.30pm - Lunch was a Salad from Waitrose. Hands up, who knows what a Wheat Berry is? Me neither. Here's the story.

3.30 pm - I made a pit stop for a Decaf Iced Latte (with Semi-Skimmed Milk). It was hot and what I really wanted was an Ice-Cream, so I went for this instead.

5.15 pm - PT with JP.  Just thinking about all those Squats and Mountain Climbers still makes me want to cry (or be sick).......

7.30 pm - Dinner was the highlight of my day! I made Homemade Guacamole and Thai Pork "Tacos". You use a big leaf of Romaine Lettuce as your 'shell' for the Thai Pork, Guac, Creme Fraiche and Grated Cheese, and it's literally THE BEST THING EVER.

You must try it. Here's the link to the recipe. It's worth noting that for speed I use Spring Onions (Scallions) instead of Shallots. And I leave out the Mint and Peanuts.

Life | Five Weeks to Bridesmaid, Week Two - Monday

What is it about Monday's that makes them so busy?! Especially when you're still feeling a little jaded from the excesses of the weekend (yes it's true, once you hit 30 it definitely takes more than a day to fully recover from a big night out, sob!).

Anyhoo, here's what went down (sorry!) today.

07.00 am - Hot Water and Lemon. I've had a couple of people ask me about why I do this? Because it cleanses your bowel first thing and also it makes you poop (which is something I never thought I would be talking about on the blog) #truestory. I just find it's like a reset button for your bowels and tummy at the start of each day.

07.30 am - Whilst planning my week (I love a to-do list) I had some 0% Fat Greek Yogurt with Homemade Granola, Strawberries and Blueberries.

1.30 pm - Lunchtime. I made a quick stop at Waitrose on the motorway and grabbed this chicken wrap.

3.30 pm - Still feeling peck'ish I snacked on a Bounce Ball.

6.00 pm - Home from work and I needed a little snack. I had a cup of Green Tea with an Apple and some Cheddar Cheese.

8.30 pm - For dinner, we had Homemade Bolognese Sauce with Courgetti (or Zoodles if you're in the US). And by "Homemade" I mean not a sauce from a jar or packet - often these can have some hidden sugars.

I lightly steamed my Courgetti but you don't need to really - I just don't like them being cold and the sauce being hot.

Life | Five Weeks to Bridesmaid, Week Two - Sunday

My head hurts!! Yesterday was so much fun but I am absolutely paying the price today.

Considering how much a hangover makes me want to eat everything in sight, today didn't go too badly. Not great, but not terrible.

10.00 am - LOTS of Water, and a Green Tea.

10.30 am - Gluten Free Porridge made with Almond Milk, Cinnamon and Almond Butter. I then topped it with Strawberries and Blueberries.

12.30 pm - For lunch I had an Indian Lentil Sambar Innocent Veg Pot. I served it with Baby Spinach and a spoonful of Greek Yogurt.

3.00 pm - Still feeling fragile, I had a Chai Latte and a Nakd Cashew Cookie Bar.

6.30 pm - I had been craving Pizza all day long and finally gave in to temptation. I had a Pizza Express Pollo Pesto Pizza, and loved every bite!

I also treated myself to a packet of Maltesers, yummmmm!

The focus on healthy food choices and the challenge starts again tomorrow!

Life | Five Weeks to Bridesmaid, Week Two - Saturday

Today was our lovely friends Seb and Chelsea's Wedding! Congratulations again Mr and Mrs Harding - it was an amazing day!

08.30 am - Dan made Soral and I Breakfast - it was a two stage affair! First we had a small bowl of 0% Fat Greek Yogurt with Blueberries, Strawberries and Homemade Granola. And then we had Scrambled Eggs, Smoked Salmon and Mushrooms. Oh and a Green Tea. It was more of a "Breakfast Feast", if you will.

11.00 am - On the way to the wedding we tucked into the Prosecco. Today's a celebration! I had around two or three glasses.

12.15 am - Dan had made us all some small baguettes. They were made with Granary Bread, Hoummos, Brie, Salami, Sun Blushed Tomatoes and Rocket. We quickly inhaled one before the big "I do's" in the Church.

2.00 pm - Prosecco and Canapes. After the Ceremony we all had drinks out on the lawn in the beautiful sunshine. I had around three glasses of Prosecco and a few Canapes. I have a rule with Canapes - say no to every-other one. It means you still get to enjoy a few without going crazy.

3.30 pm - Time for the Wedding Breakfast - the food was simply amazing!! So tasty and the perfect amount for everyone.

I started by enjoying all the little extra's that are on the table. I love how much thought goes into all of these.

For Starters, we had a Chicken Liver Pate (I think?) with Melba Toast - yum!

And for Mains there was Roast Lamb with Veggies, Potatoes and Yorkshire Puddings. Each table had a designated "Carver" who was in charge of the meat, which was cooked beautifully!

Feeling a little guilty about the excesses of the day, I skipped the Potatoes and Yorkshire Pudding but the rest was amazing.

Dessert was an Apple and Blackberry Crumble with Custard - I couldn't resist, Crumble is one of my all time favourites!

Throughout dinner I had around four glasses of White Wine (and hopefully more of water!). And then a Jager Bomb Shot at the end - we were all very tipsy and getting a bit carried away!

Post Dinner is a bit of a blur - which I think is the sign of a great do! I know there was some Hendricks and Tonic, and there was definitely lots of dancing.

At around 10.30 pm (I think?!), I had a Hog Roast Bap - which was well needed to help soak up some of that alcohol!

And at 11.30 pm we hopped back into our waiting car, clutching a bottle of Prosecco for the journey home.

The perfect end to a beautiful day.