GM Diet/Cleanse Review

I have come to the end of the detox, well I did over 5 days ago now! SO my thoughts??

Well in total I lost 9lbs and I'm completely blown away. 9lbs in just 7 days is pretty amazing, and to be honest it wasn't that hard. The only day I really struggled was day two, the vegetable day, probably due to the lack of sugar! Five days off of the diet I haven't gained, so I feel its not one of those diets you do and then pile loads of weight back on. I have been careful about what I eat, doing this diet changed my outlook on food, which is key when you want to get serious about losing weight. I no longer think "oh one more biscuit won't hurt"...! I also LOVED that I didn't have to calorie count. I detest calorie counting. I'm determined to never calorie count again!

I would recommend this diet to anyone who has a special occasion coming up, or who wants to kick start their weight loss journey. Pinterest was my friend during this and kept me inspired for meal ideas! Instagram was also helpful for motivation! 

On another note.... I GET MARRIED ON SATURDAY!!!!

Mummy B xoxox

GM Diet/Cleanse // Day Three & Four

I am LOVING this diet! I think its brilliant how clear the diet is to follow, I'm not busy calorie counting all the time, just eating particular foods on certain days. Another positive, is that this diet works, I'm seeing the results so quickly that it is keeping me motivated.

So, as I was a little swamped yesterday, actually thats a lie, I was racing round Snetterton racing track, I will posting day three and four today...

Day Three

Start Weight: 165lbs

Current Weight:160lbs

Breakfast: Bowl of strawberries

Morning Snack: Watermealon & blueberries

Lunch: Watermelon and Strawberries smoothie, Salad.

Dinner: Steamed vegetables including, carrots, sweetcorn, runner beans, broccoli.

Snacks: Pleanty of water!

Notes: Today was easier, I liked the combination of fruit and vegetables. Feeling motivated!

Day Four

Start Weight: 165lbs

Current Weight:159lbs

Breakfast: Banana and banana & milk smoothie

Morning Snack: Banana

Lunch: Milk and banana smoothie

Snack: Banana

Dinner: Banana & milk smoothie

Notes: Today, bizarrely  I haven't felt very hungry! I definitely don't want to look at another banana again for a while! Looking forward to devouring some beef tomorrow!!!

Have you been tempted by the GM diet and detox? I know a few people have said they would like to have a go, I would love to hear from you!

Mummy B xoxox

GM Diet/Cleanse // Day Two

Today has been a little tough, I like my vegetables, but not for breakfast, lunch and tea! I thought today would be one of the easier days, but I just feel very lethargic this evening, may be its just the Monday feeling...

So here is a quick glance at today

Start weight: 165lbs

Current weight: 162lbs

Breakfast: Steamed vegetable stir fry (no oil!!) and one large glass of water.

Lunch: Half baked potato, peppers, sweetcorn, lettuce, beetroot, cucumber. Two large glasses of water.

Dinner: Half baked potato and Mediterranean grilled vegetables. Two large glasses of water.

Notes: Like I said today was tough, but I'm pleased with the progress. I have lost 3lbs since I tried my dress on, on Saturday so thats a lb a day. Not bad going. I felt more hungry today and a lot more tired, perhaps I didn't snack enough! Tomorrow is veg and fruit day... bring it on!

Mummy B xoxox

GM Diet/Cleanse // Day One

Ok so you will now see me eat my own words.... A while ago I wrote a post about how I wasn't going on any special diets before my wedding day, as I wanted to focus on controlling my anxiety (which I have quite good control over now). However, yesterday I went for my final dress fitting and it was a little tight, it zipped up, but was tight! Now it was incredibly hot, the dress kept sticking to me and I'm about to come on (sorry TMI!) so I always bloat and gain around 4lbs around this time, but it terrified me that it was a little snug!

So I have decided to do a bit of a cleanse in preparation to make sure I'm not carrying any water weight and perhaps shed a few pounds to make sure it fits comfortably. On my Pinterest fitness board, I remembered I found a cleanse/diet that claimed you could shed 10lbs in one week. I have my doubts, and I certainly don't want to lose that much but I thought I would give it a whirl...

So the GM diet/cleanse goes a little like this....

As you can see it does look a little daunting, but you can eat as much fruit and veg as you like on the particular days so hopefully it won't be too difficult! I think the thing here is I will be craving lots of different food, but the thing to remember is that it is only for seven days! Now there is a reason for why it is structured the way it is...

"Day One you are preparing your system for the upcoming programme. Your only source of nutrition is fresh or canned fruits. Fruits are nature’s perfect food. They provide everything you could possibly want to sustain life except total balance and variety.

Day Two starts with a fix of complex carbo-hydrates coupled with an oil dose. This is taken in the morning for energy and balance. The rest of day two consists of vegetables which are virtually calorie free and provide essential nutrients and fibre.

Day Three eliminates the potato because you get your carbohydrates from the fruits. You system is now prepared to start burning excess pounds. You will still have cravings which should start to diminish by day four.

Day Four, bananas, milk and soup sound the strangest and least desirable. You’re in for a surprise. You probably will not eat all the bananas allowed. But they are there for the potassium you have lost and the sodium you may have missed the past three days. You will notice a definite loss of desire for sweets. You will be surprised how easy this day will go.

Day Five, Beef and tomatoes. The beef is for iron and proteins, the tomatoes are for digestion and fibre. Lots and lots of water purifies your system. You should notice colourless urine today. Your allowance calls for the equivalent of five “quarter ponders”. Do not feel you have to eat all this beef. You must eat the six tomatoes.

Day Six is similar to day five, Iron and proteins from beef, Vitamins and fibre from vegetables. By now your system is in a total weight loss inclination. There should be a noticeable difference in the way you look today, compared to day one.

Day Seven finished off the program like a good cigar used to finish off Victorian meals, except much healthier. You have your system under control and it should thank you for the flushing and cleaning you just gave it."

So Day One went a little like this...

Start Weight: 165lbs

Current weight: N/A

Breakfast: One large glass of water, one orange and one apple.

Morning snack: One large glass of water, handful of blueberries

Lunch: One large glass of water, quarter of a water melon, raspberries and blueberries.

Dinner: Two large glasses of water, water melon, apple, orange and blueberries in a bowl.

Snack: Water

Snack: Raspberries and blueberries blended smoothie with a splash of water

Before bed: One large glass of water

Notes: I did have pangs of hunger throughout the day, but I think thats expected as it is obviously not my normal eating habits! I'm looking forward to tomorrow, especially the baked potato! 

Have you ever tried a cleanse? Did it work?

Mummy B xoxox

Capture moments of summer with Jessops

Today I'm sharing a piece from Ian Savage, Head of Training at Jessops. As you know, I like to dabble with photography, so here are Jessop's top five tips for taking the perfect photo for capturing every moment spent with the children this summer.

1. Child's play

Kids rarely sit still long enough for you to take the picture, but instead of resorting to bribery to get them to sit down for a photo, start photographing them on the go. Either choose your camera's sports more or select shutter priority and continuous AF. In both cases, your camera's autofocus will keep your subject in focus, even when thats a toddler wobbling around a playground on a bike with stabilisers. it really is child's play to get a good shot! 

2. Get together

Whether you're enjoying a barbecue in the back garden or a walk in the park, it's a great opportunity to get some photos of everyone together. And with just a bit of planning, you can get some lovely photo memories. Before you gather your group, scout out a good spot and think about your composition. all in one long line is boring, so consider arranging them in two lines; ask some to sit, or have kids kneeling in front; or how about running towards you? Lines, by the way, don't have to be horizontal; think vertically, too, and have fun!

3. Beautiful portraits

Taking portraits outdoors means you can work with lots of lovely daylight, and at this time of year you'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to stunning natural backdrops. When you position your subject, make sure they won't be squinting or pulling a face because the sun is in their eyes. Face them away from the sun - side lighting works well - and ask them to stand in a shaded area for a more flattering, less harsh light. Then all you need to do is turn the exposure mode dial to aperture-priority, foucis on the eyes and take the shot!

4. Action shots

Feeling a bit more adventurous with your photography? Then try panning. this cleaver technique gives your photos a sense of movement. Pick the point you want to take the photo and face it, but then turn to the direction the subject will be coming from. Half press the shutter button, and without moving your feet, turn smoothly to folio the subject, fully press the shutter button at your chosen point to take the photo and continue to follow the subject out of shot.

5. Childproof!

Many cameras are waterproof, sand-proof, dust-proof and even drop-proof these days - so if you want to take great shots without worrying about the kids grubby hands, or damaging your new piece of kit, consider a camera thats up to the challenge.

Jessops Recommendation 

Ricoh WG-4 GPS If you need a super-tough camera to take with you on your adventures, look no further that the Ricoh WG-4 GPS. It's waterproof to 14m, shockproof to two meters, and can survive being crushed by 100kg weights: perfect if you want a camera thats safe around kids, without compromising on quality.

Mummy B xoxox

Wedding Makeup Buys

With the wedding now under three weeks away some of the finer details are having to be arranged/sorted. Something which I was on a mission to get done a couple of weeks ago was a few make up pieces to keep my makeup lasting all day and looking its best. I'm having my makeup done by the beautiful Jessica, who is a YouTuber and Blogger and have followed for a couple of years now which is really exciting! I have my trial this Wednesday, which will be fantastic so we can work on the look for the day. I can not stress the importance enough on having trials for your big day, whether it be for hair or makeup. I had my hair trial a few weeks ago and have now decided that I don't want that particular hairstyle, I would of hated to look back on photos regretting that style!!

So, as I'm still yet to have my trial, I have just bought a few pieces to keep me going through the day. First up is the Benefit POREfessional primer (£24), which reduces the appearance of pores beautifully. This silky lotion really does set me up to have a good makeup day and is soon becoming apart of my daily routine, it just does exactly what it claims to do but does fade a little throughout the day.

Which leads my onto my next item, the Urban Decay All Nighter makeup setting spray (£20). This oil free spray is applied after you have finished your makeup (or can be used to set different layers of makeup), I have to admit that it felt weird putting a spray over makeup that you have just done!! But this spray helps to keep you make-up looking its best all day (or night!), it can be applied to freshen your makeup too.

Lastly is a lip product, Urban Decay's NAKED Lipgloss in the colour Rule34 (£14), which is a lovely natural colour with no shimmer. I was advised by the lady at the Urban Decay counter to avoid shimmery lip glosses as they don't look good on camera so recommended this beauty. The lipgloss applies well and wears nicely, what more could I want?!

I would like to buy a concealer but I'm waiting for my trial with Jessica before making any purchases. 

What makeup tips would you give to any bride to be?

Mummy B xoxox

P.S If you want to see Jessica's beauty channel click HERE and for her blog click HERE. xxx

Choosing The Right Honeymoon For You

A honeymoon is supposed to be one of the most memorable getaways of your life, so choosing the right honeymoon for you and your partner can be a little challenging. 

For us, choosing was a little difficult, especially as we had a little person to consider. The first step was to decide whether or not our little person was going to be with us or to have a traditional twosome honeymoon. The decision was easy, we knew we had to include her and share this wonderful holiday as a family. 

Next step was to decide whether we wanted to go abroad or stay in the UK. A major consideration here is your budget, especially if you're honeymooning during school holidays like we are. You can, of course, get some amazing deals, with options of all inclusive or beautiful self catering villas. Here you must also consider what you want from a honeymoon, ultimate relaxation? exploration? or both?  We decided we wanted both, we knew with a two year old, two weeks on the beach staying in a hotel may get a little tiresome. So we wanted the opportunity to both relax and explore. The decision to stay in the UK or go abroad, in the end, didn't come down to money. Like I said, there are amazing deals to be had, so a dream honeymoon abroad can certainly be on the cards even with a smaller budget. But what did decide it was the fact we wanted to minimise any stressful encounters, like travelling on a plane for the first time with Darcie.

(Image Source)

We opted on a UK honeymoon, Cornwall to be exact. We have got a beautiful cottage in St. Ives, right on the front with sea, with views of the harbour and beach and a balcony. It wasn't cheap, but its in the UK so it will be familiar for Darcie. We adore St. Ives and Cornwall and knew it would be the perfect place for us to create some amazing memories and start our marriage in the best possible way. For us we didn't want to risk, being somewhere so unfamiliar that it would bring unnecessary stress. Of course if we were just Mr & Mrs and not a family of three, we would perhaps have chosen something more adventurous. I always imagined something like Thailand or Sri Lanka... Maybe one day when Darcie is a little older!

My top tips would be,

1) Decide on what you want from your honeymoon, relaxation, adventure or both?

2) Set a budget. Remember weddings are already expensive, be realistic with your budget. You don't want to start your marriage with any financial stress.

3) Choose a few of your ideal locations, weigh up pro's and cons for each. Perhaps try speaking to people who have previously visited for advice.

4) Once you have decided on a location, shop around for accommodation. Remember to work into your budget food costs, it may be worth looking at all inclusive options.

5) Depending on your location remember you may need vaccinations. Make sure you plan for this and allow enough time for these to take place.

7) Work on a daily budget for expenditures whilst you're there. It's easy to get carried away... (I'm guilty of this!!).

8) Be ready to make amazing memories, and don't forget to take a camera!

I'm really looking forward to our honeymoon, we still have a few things left to do, like arranging car parking (some of you may know spaces are limited) and creating packing lists. We have to be super organised here as we are leaving the next day after our wedding!

What would be your tips for packing for a two week family honeymoon?

Mummy B xoxox

Update in Photos

With much of the wedding preparations taking up a lot of time, it has left me a little behind on here! So I thought I would share with you a couple of images from the past two weeks...

As many of you may already know, Jamie is a keen biker. a couple of weeks ago we spent the evening at a local track, Snetterton whilst Jamie did a few laps. It was a lovely evening as we decided to take a picnic and as it was pretty deserted, Darcie could happily play and let off steam.

Last weekend was a trip to Bressingham Steam Museum where we encountered Peppa Pig!! Darcie was mesmerised, as was I by the looks of it. It made me even more excited to share with Darcie the magic of Disneyland one day...

Last week Darcie also spent the day with one of her bestest friends, Lilly, whilst I was at work (thank you Hayley)... look how cute they were on the bus...!

I thought she was rather brave taking two two year olds out for the afternoon!

On Sunday we spent the afternoon baking, I had been feeling poorly days previous to this so we needed a "pick me up" in a cake form! Darcie pretty much made the mix herself, I just helped with the weighing and the final mix... what a little star!

This was followed by a stroll on Southwold beach and chip in the evening. Which was perfect after a crazy week!

This evening we went on our favourite walk through Wortham Ling, we even laid on the floor for 5 mins just watching the clouds... blissful. Time out like this (and in a way from blogging too) makes you really appreciate things so much more. I say that all the time, but I need to find the time to take a step back from the world a little more often.

What have you been up to? What have I missed?!

Mummy B xoxox

Count Down till "I Do"

What a week. So all the wedding stress got to me this week by making me a little ill! Having spent most of the day asleep, I now feel better and ready for the crazy three weeks (and one day) that lay ahead. 

I am so looking forward to saying "I do", its been a looong time coming, a lot of organising and late nights deciding just how we want to celebrate. I'm feeling we're on track but there are still a quarter of the favours left to make, table decorations to complete, alterations to be made, but it will get done (it has to get done). 

Darcie has been a little star amongst the craziness, being so patient at fittings and meetings, taking everything in her stride. As usual. 

I can't wait to share with you all our hard work. Its been a long 18 months since we got engaged, and I really hope our hard work pays off. There is so much I currently want to share with you but I'm going to hold back... don't want to spoil the surprise! 

So here is to our day, let the count down begin!

Mummy B xoxox

A New Venture // Norfolk Days

So you may have noticed (or at least I hope you have!!) I have been a little MIA on the blog scene of late. Thats because of a number of things, like getting married in four and a half weeks!!!! And I have been playing around with the idea of a new blog. Well, I have just done exactly that and took the plunge! 

Whilst I love this blog and will continue this to capture our memories and memoirs, I wanted a space that focused on my home, Norfolk. Norfolk is a beautiful place with lots to offer and wanted to celebrate this in the best way I know how, through blogging! This new blog is called Norfolk Days and is predominately a lifestyle blog sharing days out, restaurant recommendations, local events and products. 

I hope that you will head over and take a nosey, although it really is in development mode at the moment so please be patient.

I hoping this will keep me busy once the wedding madness has gone!

Mummy B xoxox