MAKEUP: My Current Favourite Products

Hey guys! I'm back again with a new post for you all and this time it's all about the make-up because, let's face it, I can't go too long without buying and trying something new. I have five absolute *MUST HAVE* products right now, and hopefully by sharing them with you now, you'll have time to get your requests in to the North Pole and hopefully wake up to some awesome little stocking fillers on Christmas morning! So without further ado...

1. MAYBELLINE FIT ME! CONCEALER NO. 15

Okay, I feel reeeeeally guilty saying this because I am, well was, an Urban Decay Naked Skin concealer girl through and through, BUT, dare I say it, I think this is...equally as good, if not better?! There, I did it, I said it. Seriously though, I had heard amazing reviews about this product, and when I managed to pick it up for only a couple of pounds, I had to try it. I won't continue to compare it to the other product I just mentioned because it is incredible in its own right, but I will tell you why I love this more. 

 

 
This concealer sits SO smooth on my skin. I always begin my make-up by filling in my brows and carving out around them with concealer, and then taking it further down onto my eyelids to act as a base for my eyeshadow. I use a flat concealer brush to do this and then buff it all out with a blending brush (the Inglot 4SS- you NEED this!). Now, I am still following the same steps with this concealer but I find that I don't need to buff as much as I would with others. I also apply it over the top of my foundation to highlight under my eyes and down the centre of my face, and it blends so flawlessly with a damp beauty sponge. To make it last all day I bake the forenamed areas with a translucent powder and the product doesn't budge all day. 

 

Have I persuaded you already? If not, the price might twist your arm to at least go out and try it. You can pick this up here for only £5.99 - bargain! With four shades to choose from you should hopefully find a shade that's perfect for you.  

2. URBAN DECAY 'SIN' HIGHLIGHTER

This product has been out of stock for MONTHS, I couldn't get my hands on it the whole time I was working for the brand. But thankfully, the UD gods sent stock in just before I was leaving so I had to have it, while I had the discount obvs! We all know that highlighter is my favourite make-up product ever and I am always buying more *slaps hand*, but this is without a doubt the most pigmented one I've ever used. It is AMAZING! 

 

It comes in three shades - Aura, Fireball and Sin. Aura is a light pink shimmer, Fireball is almost like a rose gold shimmer, it looks gold in some lights and pink in others, and Sin is a gold shimmer. All three are stunning and your colour choice is merely personal preference. For me, I chose Sin as it is perfect for an everyday look, for example with brown smokes, or with gold glitter when I'm heading out. 

 

No doubt I'll buy all three at some stage though, it is me after all! Just pop it on with your brush of choice, for me it's the Zoeva 129 Luxe Fan Brush, and you're good to go!

 

 This retails at £19 and you can purchase it here or from your local Urban Decay.

3. SUVA BEAUTY 'NEUTRAL NECESSITY' PALETTE

This is a brand that you potentially haven't heard of and I personally hadn't until a few months earlier this year. They are Canadian, and I'm so glad that they've made an appearance here in the UK because their eyeshadows are to DIE FOR. Luckily for me, the salon I'm working in now is stocking the brand so I can play with the colours all I want, EEK! 

 

The Neutral Necessity palette is stunning, and absolutely perfect for this time of year. With 7 matte shades and 1 satin shade (Prohibition Pub, Turkish Bath, Lock Bridge, Shanghai Nights, Night Market, Islander, Hookah, Madrid), this is a staple product for all you make-up junkies out there.

 

Perfect for creating a natural daytime look with creams and browns, or a dark smokey eye using plums, browns and black, the possibilities are endless. Having a butter formulation and a built-in primer, the payoff from these eyeshadows is fantastic, and they last me all day when applied on top of the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer. 

 

Another bonus to this palette is that the magnetic pans are replaceable so when your favourite colour runs out you can buy it on its own, or even keep the empty palette and use it to try out some new colours. 

 

The palette costs £45 and you can purchase it either in-store at SK | Makeup Studio, Ballymena, or online at www.skmakeupstudio.com.

4. ILLAMASQUA SKINBASE FOUNDATION

I only purchased this foundation about six weeks ago, admittedly whilst I could get discount on it before leaving my job, and also because I had always heard people saying it was amazing. I got matched up after I came home from Ibiza to an 8.5 but sadly, I need a lighter one as I've lost ALL my tan *sad face*. However, I'm happy to use the same colour and mix it with some sort of other lighter foundation. 

 

This foundation is highly recommended for dry skin, but right now I have combination skin - oily in the T-zone and fairly normal elsewhere, and I find it still works so well for me. It is full coverage, yet doesn't feel heavy or cakey on the skin and undoubtedly covers any flaws or blemishes I have. Boasting vitamins C and E, it also smooths, softens and conditions the skin. It doesn't budge all day, and I cannot find one fault with this foundation. With 26 shades to choose from, some with pink undertones and others with yellow, and with knowledgeable staff, you can be sure you will be matched up perfectly to your desired shade. 

 

To make it even better, Illamasqua are British and are recognised by PETA as a cruelty-free brand. I'm finding more and more people are on the search for products which are not tested on animals, and if you are among those people, I cannot recommend Illamasqua enough. This particular product retails at £32.50 and you can purchase it here or at your local Illamasqua counter. 

5. MINK'D BY SK 'SPACED OUT' LASHES

I have gotten so used to wearing lashes that I feel naked without them and subsequently wear them on a daily basis. I have naturally long lashes and don't particularly need them, but I find that they really complete the dramatic eye looks that I wear to work every day. 

Financially it makes more sense for me to purchase mink lashes, as the cost per wear is less than that of normal false lashes. The longevity of a pair of lashes really boils down to how well you treat them, but roughly speaking, false lashes will last about seven wears and cost on average £1 per wear. Although mink lashes are more expensive, the cost per wear comes in around 66p and you can wear them approximately thirty times! Saying that, if you are really careful with them you can get much longer out of them, sometimes up to sixty wears! Be sure to use Duo glue with them to make them last as long as possible.

 

These particular lashes have been chosen by my friend Shawna and come in four different styles. 'Spaced Out' are my favourites because they are full but not too thick, have different lengths of hair which blend better with my own lashes, and funnily enough, are perfectly spaced out!

 

 

These mink lashes are cruelty-free and are ethically sourced, and can be purchased through Facebook or in-store at SK | Makeup Studio, Ballymena for £20.

 

Have you tried any of these products? If you have then be sure to let me know what you think! And if Santa is kind enough to leave any of them for you on Christmas morning, please Snapchat me and show me! I'll leave all my social media details below so you can contact me. Thanks for reading!

 

Friday’s Giirl

x

Instagram - @fridaysgiirl

Facebook - Friday's Giirl

Snapchat - lboyd5

REVIEW: Rodial 'Hero' Collection Skincare

Does anyone else find skincare just utterly confusing?! I hope it isn't just me. I can tell you what skin type I have as and when it varies (sometimes I'm oily, sometimes dry and more often than not, combination). And that's probably because I'm a make-up artist. I know how to prep and prime for certain skin types, and how to ensure that your make-up will last all day accordingly. But beyond that, I'm stumped. I mean, I have blackheads, and I regularly get breakouts, but I have absolutely NO idea what causes them and how to treat them appropriately. As a result, I am forever buying new skincare to try and attempt to find the holy grail, that one product that will miraculously give me perfect skin! Alas, on my way home from Cyprus earlier in the year, I picked up this Rodial set after having heard great things about the brand.

 

This travel-size set retails at £50 (buy it here) and contains a four-step system as follows:

STEP ONE: STEMCELL SUPER-FOOD CLEANSER 50ml
A 2-in-1 cleansing cream and mask with advanced stem cell technology from the PhytoCellTec™ Alp Rose. The potent super-food complex gently cleanses and softens skin, boosting the complexion's vitality when removed with the muslin cloth (included).

 

If you have dry or dull skin, you NEED this cleanser, I'm not even exagerating! Or any skin type for that matter. Boasting coconut oil, rose hip oil, rose wax and cocoa butter, this product will leave your skin feeling softer than ever (well, before the product which follows, eek!). The cocoa butter cleanses the skin while the oils work to condition and smooth the skin, and the unique stemcell treatment prevents any environmental damage which is perfect on these cold, wintery days! 

Don't be put off if you don't have dry or dull skin - when I was using it my skin was combination/oily and it certainly still worked a treat without adding any excess oil. I used this cleanser twice a day, in the morning and at night to remove my make-up. I smothered it all over my face with my fingertips and removed it with the muslin cloth which I had soaked in warm water. My complexion was GLOWING! You know that expression 'as soft as a baby's bum'? Yup, well my face genuinely was! 

The full size (200ml) of this product is available here at a price of £32. To be honest, it's more than I would normally pay for cleanser, but the one I was using lasted approximately four weeks and since this is four times the size, you should hopefully have it for about four months at least! I'm trying to invest more in my skincare now than ever (again, in the hope of finding the answer to all my problems!) so I would DEFINITELY purchase it again. I think it's the perfect winter cleanser as I know my face certainly dries up more in the colder weather. Maybe one for the Christmas list?!

STEP TWO: SUPER ACIDS X-TREME ACID RUSH PEEL 20ml
A potent combination of pronalen™ fruit acids and prozymex enzymes effectively exfoliate and retexture skin to brighten the complexion and reduce appearance of imperfections and fine lines. Probiotic technology work simultaneously to help protect skin from external aggressions by boosting hydration.

 

Okay girls, I know I said you need the cleanser, but if you have some money to treat yourself, forget the cleanser for now and go straight to this mask because you will NOT regret it! This is probably the closest I have come to finding that holy grail of skincare products. Now,I'm not saying I had perfect skin afterwards, but my goodness, it made such a difference! It's literally like an acid peel in a bottle (well, what I imagine an acid peel to be like)! With azelaic and glycolic acids, I can assure you that this will leave your skin feeling better than ever.

I used this twice a week and it lasted me a good eight weeks, maybe more, which was great for such a small tube. It undoubtedly left my skin feeling completely rejuvenated - almost as if I had stripped off the top layer of skin. That sounds awful, but I promise it was no bad thing! I could have exfoliated for a week and it still would not have felt as fresh as this did. I found myself having to refrain from constantly touching my face afterwards for fear of clogging it with bacteria, but it was just that damn SOFT! Should I not be pestered with blemishes at some stage of my life, I would happily confront the world bare-faced with such luminous, bright and revitalised skin. You know those girls that have that natural glow to their complexion? This is how this will make you look - AMAZING!

Now, the not so good part. The full sized product (50ml) is £75 and you can purchase it here. But please, consider this a luxury and treat yourself! I'm sure it is much cheaper than paying for a one-off acid peel treatment.

STEP THREE: DRAGON'S BLOOD SCULPTING GEL 9ml
An innovative gel to help define facial contours with skin that appears firmer and plumper. Dragon's blood forms a second-skin like protective shield to protect against external aggressions whilst comforting skin through increased hydration.

 

I have to admit that I didn't see a MASSIVE difference in my skin when I was using this product but that's not to say that it didn't do anything. It's an anti-aging product containing Rodial's unique dragon's blood complex and is therefore more of a preventative measure. Unfortunately this is the smallest product you get in the set, and as a result it only lasted me a week (I actually thought the pump had stopped working!), so I replaced the step in my routine with Nip+Fab's Dragon's Blood Fix Serum. Although both of these products are primarily dragon's blood, they boast different ingredients otherwise and whilst I'm not sure that the Nip+Fab one has as many anti-aging properties, I feel like they actually did the same job to my skin. 

I used these every morning and night after the cleanser (and mask when appropriate) and my skin did feel plumper. I'm still using this in my current daily routine but I'm unsure whether I will continue to do so, I mean, is it a neccessity? Should I keep going so as to prevent fine lines and sagging? If you have the answer to that question then please do let me know!

This product is another expensive one as it retails here at £79 for 50ml. To be honest, I think I would opt for the cheaper option as it is only £19.95 for the same amount. It's difficult to say which will be better for my aging skin in the future but Kylie Jenner is a huge fan of Nip+Fab and to be honest, if it's good enough for her, it's good enough for me! Saying that, if you can spare the extra dollars then I would by all means recommend the original. For me, it purely comes down to your budget, and I would prefer to put the money into the previous mask. 

STEP FOUR: BEE VENOM MOISTURISER 15ml
An advanced formula to revitalise and renew for naturally younger-looking more radiant skin. Bee venom works in synergy with a complex of plant stem cells, cyclopeptide-5 and juvinity™ to help improve skin tone and elasticity with long-lasting hydration. 

 

I'm going to keep this one short and sweet. I have no doubt that this product would be a positive addition to some people's skincare routine and I will explain why, but unfortunately for me it was just too heavy on my skin. I find that my skin is better suited to a lotion rather than a cream, as they tend to block my pores and cause my skin to produce more oil and break out. However, I wouldn't rule out trying it out again now in the winter as my skin has changed quite a lot as the days have gotten colder.

But why should you try it? Again, more as a preventative than anything else. Not only will it give long-lasting hydration, it contains bee venom which plumps and smooths fine lines and wrinkles, and other ingredients which promote even skin tone, and increase skin elasticity and firmness. This is the most expensive product in the collection at £150 for 50ml (buy it here) but I have no doubt that if it works for you, it will be a great investment!

So all in all, I am seriously impressed with my first Rodial skincare products. I will certainly be re-purchasing the cleanser and when I decide to treat myself, the acid peel mask. I would highly recommend buying one of these sets where I feel like you can essentially 'try before you buy' (at full price!) because they are at the higher end of the market, and it's important that you love them before splurging. 

If you've tried any of the other products and think I would love them then please be sure to let me know!

Friday’s Giirl

x

LIFE: Nobody's Perfect

It's been approximately twelve weeks since my last blog post, which probably doesn't seem that long ago, but is a lifetime in terms of blogging, so I think I owe you an explanation as to why, aside from irregular Instagram/Snapchat posts, I have been MIA.

Let me start by telling you this - those twelve weeks have been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride, and have been anything but easy. Combine the pressure of starting a new job with a break from my relationship, and the result will be tears, heartache, over/under-eating, oversleeping, and just generally not being in a very healthy state.

Image © Google

I am by no means writing this post to receive sympathy from anyone, I can assure you all that everything is great now. I adore my job and the people who work there, and my boyfriend and I have overcame our difficulties and are happily back together again. But the reason I am writing it is to make you aware that we all go through trying times - there is no-one immune to such.

I don't see any downsides to being a blogger (you wouldn't do it if you didn't love it), but I guess it isn't easy pretending to be okay when you put your life out there into the public eye. And what more, it is very frustrating when you stumble upon an obstacle and it prevents you from achieving your goals/deadlines. For example, remember that 12-week transformation I started back in May? Yea, me too, but I didn't get to complete it. You might wonder why, why would I let something get in the way of my dreams? Well, obviously it isn't intentional, but sometimes you just aren't mentally or physically prepared for such instances. 

As I already said, I was both overeating and undereating, which meant my 'diet' went out the window. Some days I found comfort in eating chocolate and biscuits, and other days I didn't feel like eating anything at all. As you can imagine, either way I did not feel like undertaking any form of training, and I don't think I would have had the strength even if I wanted to. But in my opinion, this wasn't important in the grand scheme of things. What was more important to me was ensuring that I looked after my physical and even more so, my mental wellbeing. Bearing in mind that I have shared with you my experience of mental illness, I have taught myself that it's okay to do what will make me happy and if that means eating a share size bar of chocolate PLUS a doughnut , then I will. I know it isn't a healthy choice, but I also know that it's a one-off and I am otherwise a healthy eater.

I want to draw your attention to the fact that I didn't share any of these moments with you as they happened - when my eyes were bloodshot from crying, when I ate that massive bar of chocolate followed by a doughnut, or the nerves before my first day at my new job. These are the moments we choose to hide, these are the moments that will ruin our picture-perfect Instagram feed, and these are the moments that will showcase our weaknesses. BUT, these are the moments that make us human and not just a multitude of squares on the worldwide web. For me, these are the moments I have overcame and the moments which have made me stronger.

Image © Google

Trust me when I say that everyone goes through difficult times - we all want to look like we have the most perfect lives, but the most 'perfect' lives have their flaws too. Nobody's perfect, and it's important to remember that when you are getting it tough. Don't feel bad about eating that bag of sweets* - if it helps you get through then do it. I'm sure you'll be able to work it off when you are in a better frame of mind.

So I'm back and I'm ready to blog more than ever. I'm not ashamed to admit that I've had a tough summer and needed some time away from everything, but I think it's important to show who I really am behind all the social media.

Thank you for reading and I'll be back with another post real soon (not after another twelve weeks).

Friday’s Giirl

x

*DISCLAIMER: I do not promote binge/comfort eating on a regular basis for obvious reasons but I do believe that we (us girls especially) need the odd chocolate bar now and again. 

REVIEW: Urban Decay B6 Vitamin-Infused Complexion Prep Spray

Ok guys, I am in love - this product is seriously amazing! To find out why, then keep on reading...

The B6 spray is a light mist, designed to be applied prior to any other face products, even before your moisturiser. The product claims to reduce redness, minimize pores and absorb oil - too good to be true? Absolutely, surprisingly, not.

My friend Shawna bought me the travel size bottle of this for Christmas and I've been using it now for the past month or so. To be honest, it took me a while to get around to using it, simply because I didn't know what its purpose was and wanted to do a little bit of research about it first.  

So why vitamin B6?

Without boring you all too much with the science behind it (some of which is far too complex to understand), vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, prevents the production of excess sebum, and as a result, is used to prevent acne. I am speculating, but I imagine this is also the reason why it minimizes pores. However, I don't know enough to know why the spray reduces redness, but perhaps that is the result of a different ingredient and not solely because of vitamin B6. 

When and how do I use it?
Since I started using this product, I have been applying it every single morning. I spritz it all over my face and leave it to dry before applying my moisturiser. You could also apply it at night when your skin is freshly cleansed, and I probably will start to do this. But while I only have the travel size, I'm trying to make it last as long as possible. As for how to use it, simply hold it relatively close to your face and spray it approximately 3-4 times and voila, just let it dry in!

What differences have I noticed?
Predominately, I've noticed a MASSIVE difference in my pores. I would have quite a lot of noticeable open pores on my nose and on either side of it. But these have been significantly reduced in size. I have also noticed that my skin is not as oily without make-up, in fact, I would go as far to say that my skin is back to the way it used to be about a year ago. Back then, I never had a problem with oily skin and I don't actually know what caused it to change. I am still using an oil-free moisturiser, and I use primers for oily skin, but I no longer need to reapply powder during the day as my skin does not seem to be producing any excess oil - in other words, this spray is doing its job! I've never had much redness to my skin other than when I am warm, so I can't comment on how this would be affected. But I would imagine that it will reduce this since the spray is super cooling and refreshing on the skin.

Would I recommend this to you?
100%. Otherwise I would not be featuring it on the blog. I have already recommended this to my best friend Alison and I asked her to tell me what she thought so that you could read someone else's opinion as well as my own. Here's what she had to say:

"I have been addicted to a few Urban Decay products for years, namely the Naked palettes! However, when Loise produced this little gem and explained the benefits of it, I thought to myself 'I need this in my life'! I bought it roughly two weeks ago and have used it every morning and night before I moisturise. What a difference it has made to my skin! It does exactly what it says on the bottle, reduces my red patches and certainly more than minimises the many, many pores on my face! It smells divine and is so light and refreshing on my skin! I've also found that it has prolonged the longevity of my make-up! Overall, this is a must for every girl's skincare routine. It has certainly cemented it's place in mine!"

Need I persuade you further girls?! I think not.

You can pick up the spray from your nearest Urban Decay counter or online for £23, or why not try out the travel size for only £10? I think you'll love it!

Friday’s Giirl

x

FITNESS: 12 Week Transformation Week 1

I have had a LOT of interest in my 12 week transformation and am receiving questions about it on a daily basis so, although I have tried to answer each of you individually, I thought I would put together this post with all the details of my first week. I previously mentioned that I wasn't sure if I would blog about this as I go along, but since you all are so keen I will try my best to update you on a regular basis. 

Before I give you my daily meals and workouts I just want to let you know that to start this transformation all I had was a set of dumbbells and that's it, not even an exercise mat so instead I was using a towel! If I can encourage you to do anything, it is to just get started and use what you have. Don't think you can't do it because you think you need something which you don't own. You don't even need dumbbells, a bodyweight workout is as good as any!

As I have mentioned previously, I am not a professional in this field. I am simply using the little nutritional knowledge that I have and pairing it with some workouts to try my best to reach my goals. No doubt I will get it wrong at some stage, bear with me if I do. I will probably eat foods that aren't ideal and initially struggle to find the right balance between carbs, protein, fats, etc., but this is about making little changes to work towards a bigger goal, and with some trial and error I am positive I will get there. 

First up, my meals from week one. In relation to what I have just said, there will be foods I am eating that some people will not agree with, especially if you follow calorie-controlled diets. But I have my reasons for eating them and that is because I feel like my body requires them. I will maybe get it wrong and change it up, but it's a start! 

	BREAKFAST	LUNCH	SNACK	DINNER	SNACK
THURSDAY	Banana Water	3x scrambled eggs cooked in coconut oil 2x wholemeal toast with butter Water	Apple slices with 1tsp almond butter Water	Lean in 15 Bad-boy burrito Water	Protein bar Cup of tea
FRIDAY	Banana Water	2x grilled turkey sausages 3x scrambled eggs cooked in coconut oil Water	Apple slices with 1tsp almond butter Water	Lean in 15 My Mum’s special lasagne Water	Protein bar Cup of tea
SATURDAY	Lean in 15 Nut and mango smoothie		Apple Banana Water	*CHEAT NIGHT* Chinese Water	*CHEAT NIGHT* Squashies Marshmallow popcorn Caramel Rocky Cup of tea
SUNDAY	Lean in 15 Nut and pineapple smoothie	½ grilled turkey sausage 1x grilled bacon 2x scrambled eggs Apple and pear green tea		Chicken chasseur with rice Water	Mixed berry granola Greek yoghurt Raspberries Cup of tea
MONDAY		2x rice cakes with almond butter and sliced banana Water	Protein bar Water	Healthy chicken korma (recipe can be found on Facebook) with rice Water	Granola  Greek yoghurt Cup of tea
TUESDAY	Banana Water	3x scrambled eggs cooked in coconut oil 2x wholemeal toast with butter 2x pineapple fingers Water		3 egg omelette with bacon and mushrooms Water	Bag of sea salt popcorn Handful of yoghurt covered cranberries Water
WEDNESDAY	Banana Water	3x scrambled eggs cooked in coconut oil 3x grilled bacon 3x grilled cherry tomatoes Water	Apple slices with 1tsp almond butter Water	Lean in 15 Cheeky chicken fried rice Water

You will be able to see from the table that my eating is not perfect, I might as well not eat breakfast and there are days when I don't have time for every meal. But I did what I'm telling you to do - I started with what I had, and I am making little changes. By writing down my meals every day I can not only plan ahead, but I can recap on what I have eaten and see what I need to change. I cannot recommend Joe Wicks' Lean in 15 book enough, these meals are quick and easy to make, taste delicious and are super filling!

Now, for my workouts. These are mostly based around dumbbells, so you may wish to buy some, or you can change it up with resistance bands, or just your bodyweight. If you search for each exercise on Google you should be able to figure out how to do them. If I can give you one piece of advice with these though it is to go easy! I have previously had a personal trainer and know how to lift weights correctly so if you don't then I do suggest seeking professional help, we don't want any injuries, and I cannot stress how important it is to know how to compose yourself when weights are involved. 

THURSDAY - Leg/Abs Day

1. Squat tuck jump 3x15

2. Deep side lunges 15,12,10

3. Weighted lunges 3x15

4. Pulse lunges 30 seconds each side

5. Squat jumps 45 seconds

6. Sit-ups 1 minute

7. Leg raises 90 seconds

8. Weighted russian twists 1 minute

9. Weighted touches 1 minute

10. Windshield wipers 1 minute

11. Mountain climbers 1 minute

12. Plank for as long as possible

FRIDAY - Biceps/Triceps/Chest Day

1. Bicep curls 3x20

2. Hammers 20,15,10

3. Kickbacks 3x15

4. Overhead extensions 3x15

5. Wide press-ups 3x5

6. Tricep dips 3x15

7. Tricep dip pulses 1x30

8. Chest press 3x20

9. Flys 3x15

10. Diagonal press-ups 3x5

11. Plank for as long as possible

SATURDAY - REST DAY

SUNDAY - Ass and Abs

1. Squat jumps 60 seconds

2. Adductor squats 3x15           

3. Glute bridges 3x15

4. Deep side lunges 15,12,10

5. Weighted lunges 3x15

6. Pulse lunges 30 seconds each side

7. Sit-ups 1 minute

8. Leg raises 1 minute

9. Russian twists 1 minute

10. Ski abs 1 minute

11. Mountain climbers 1 minute

12. Plank for as long as possible

MONDAY - Back/Shoulders Day

1. Shoulder press 3x15

2. Lateral raises 3x15

3. Upright row 3x15

4. Arm circles 30 seconds each way

5. Front raises 3x15

6. Toe touches 1 minute

7. Plank rows 2x20

8. Quadrupeds 90 seconds

9. Alterntaing lying supermans 90 seconds

10. Bent over row 2x20

11. Plank for as long as possible

TUESDAY - REST DAY

WEDNESDAY - Biceps/Triceps/Chest Day

1. Bicep curls 3x20

2. Hammers 15,12,10

3. Zottmans 3x15

4. 21s

5. Tricep dips 3x15

6. Overhead extensions 3x15

7. Reverse curls 3x20

8. Flys 3x15

9. Chest press 3x20

10. Press-ups 3x15

11. Plank for as long as possible

I took approximately 30 seconds rest between each set and each exercise, and I also recorded the weight I used for each one so that I can hopefully improve. I would advise you to keep the weight low, it may seem okay for one or two reps, but it really will start to burn when you are into your second and third set. Not only that, but you will be less likely to sustain an injury if you keep the weight low and manageable. 

Having completed this eating and workout plan for a week I can tell you about my results. Before I do, I want you to know that I am not a fan of scales and I believe they do more harm than good. I did weigh myself prior to starting this and I wasn't unhappy with my weight, as long as I look and feel comfortable and healthy, the number on the scales does not bother me. I am about 8 or 9 pounds heavier now than I was when I was at my lightest, but I can tell you this, I am in MUCH better shape and definitely a LOT fitter! Out of sheer curiosity I weighed myself at the end of this week and I had lost 1 pound. To be honest I wasn't expecting to lose anything at all because my training was all based around weights, so if I was gaining muscle it would weigh more than fat. I also took my bodyfat percentage before starting and that is something I will monitor every so often but not as often as every week. 

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you will have seen some progress photos and a video and I cannot urge you enough to take these, even if you just keep them on your phone for your own personal reference. Trust me when I say you will see changes and it will encourage you to keep going, I know I love to see that I've lost inches or I have more definition in my abs or shoulders!

Progress photo from day 5

I hope this plan is of some help to you all. Like I have already said, it is not perfect, and I will continuously tweak both my diet and my workouts. But what I'm aiming for is to create a sustainable lifestyle, one that will make me fitter and healthier in the long run, and not just a fad which will quickly help me drop 5 pounds before a big event. I think it's so much more important that we take good care of our bodies and maintain them for as long as we can.

If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact me, I will leave my social media details below! Happy exercising and healthy eating!

Love,

Friday’s Giirl

x

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