Exciting News.... Dum Dum Dah Dum....

Sorry I've been MIA for the past few weeks, i've been busy...visting cloud 9 and also got sick :( HOWEVER!

Very quickly... I HAVE NEWS!

I very rarely have news, you know when people ask you "what's new with you?" I never have a decent response to that, does anyone else ever find that?

Now I do!

I'm Engaged!

Yep my lovely boyfriend (now Fiance') proposed... After 9 years he's making an honest woman out of me it seems. We are very excited about planning this big and special day!

I won't be turning this into a wedding blog, but I may do some wedding related posts. I've already started my wedding inspiration board on Pinterest which I was so excited about getting to do :)

Here is the lovely location that he proposed, we saw 2 Whales that day! I've never seen a Whale so it was so special to me, and we were lucky to have a beautifully sunny Sydney day (such a rarity!)

I haven't gotten my real ring yet, he's letting me pick that and i'm currently debating on a mined diamond or a man made diamond (ethical reasons...and cost!). In the meantime I have a little placeholder, just made from CZ :)

Here is a mega cheesey picture of Shane and I, we were responding to a picture message that my aunty and cousin sent us...I look like shit but it was a big day (and I was getting sick!).

Currently obsessed with a drink

It's cold and I think this is the perfect time to write about this little drink i've been indulging in of late!

A few weeks ago I was in freeeeeeeeeeezing cold Canberra, checking out the Groovin The Moo festival (it was fun and i'll do a post about it soon :P). The festival was around 0 degrees all day, that is not exaggerating!

My dad managed to find this miracle drink (well it's not totally a miracle, it's quite common) but i've been addicted to it ever since! It was so warming and soothing and it's so lovely to have on those chilly nights.

It's also great if your feeling a bit fluey, it'll clear you right out!

Best of all, most of the things you'll already have in your kitchen cupboard.

So all you need is - Lemon, Ginger (ground or fresh) & Cinnamon (ground or sticks) & a cup of water.

Put the ingredients in a saucepan and taste as you add, I haven't put any measurements because this is totally a taste thing! You like more cinnamon? Throw more in!

Stir and bring to the boil, as demonstrated below.... gosh I should be on Masterchef!

Once done, pour into your favourite mug, throw on your snuggly dressing gown and watch Jerseylicious or TOWIE just like I did here! Like my mug? I got it from Disneyland Paris when I went overseas for the first time in 2001! It's one of my favourite possessions :)

Health/Fitness Journey!

I thought what better time to write a big of a update on how my little health/fitness journey is going then while my abs are burning from my workout last night. I want to start doing more of these sorts of posts because it motivates me to do well and be able to write about doing well and also I spend so much time on it and that's why the other parts of my blog have been lacking lately.

I started my journey in December last year, so it's almost been a year.... and let me tell you it's the longest i've ever stuck to a fitness routine.  I've upped my sessions throughout the year with my personal trainer, I now do all my sessions in a group with the PT and I do 4 a week but every session is different.

My current routine -

Monday - Outdoor Kettlebell Training (it's usually abs and legs)

Tuesday - Rest! Wooo!

Wednesday - Outdoor Kettlebell Training (Chest, Upper Body)

Thursday - Fight Club! (Kickboxing, MMA etc)

Friday/Saturday - Rest (I should really do SOMETHING in here though...C25K is my plan!)

Sunday - Heavylifting weights session

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So my downfall... FOOD!... cravings, going out & sometimes general laziness means not so good food choices.

I have really overhauled my diet from what it was and I always try and stick to a diet of no carbs at night (no white carbs anytime of day really), fresh/clean food as much as possible, lean protein, good fats etc. I'm human and sometimes I slip, I do think allowing yourself a cheat once a week is a good idea and something I definitely try and do.

For example, my general daily food is as follows -

Breakfast - Small bowl of Healtheries Apple & Cinnamon Bircher Muesli

Lunch - Chicken/Fish & Salad or Mad Mex Naked Burrito

Dinner - Chicken/Steak/Fish with Salad or Vegetables

Snacks - Nut bars, Almonds, Apples, Green Tea, Cottage Cheese, Corn Thins (during the day only), Natural Yoghurt, Strawberries/Berries, Pickles (call me Snooki), Cheese, Olives, Protein Shakes/Bars

Motivation is the other key, I find that since I have actual sessions I need to go to even if i'm feeling crappy and don't want to (example last night, was hot and gross and I would have been happy to sit on the couch) I will go because I really have no excuse not to.  Also having my boyfriend doing the same sessions with me we motivate each other as well.

My progress so far, I still have a long way to go! I have dropped a size and am a comfortable size 14 at the moment :)

I don't weigh myself too often because I am focusing a lot on building muscle as well, but I randomly stepped on the scales at the gym the other day and noticed i've lost another 4kgs since my last assessment in August. I have an assessment coming up with all my measurements etc so will try and update how I went with that too :)

GOAL - Drop another size by February... I can do it!

I hope you don't mind that i've gone off from the regular beauty reviews for this post but it is something I do dedicate a lot of my time to and where my head is at right now.

Top 5 Tag!

I've seen this doing the rounds on the blogs I read so I thought since i'm sitting here eating my boring Tuna & Lettuce at lunch I might give it a whirl! If you do this or have done it, send me a comment below so I can go read.

Beverages:

1. Starbucks Caramel Frappucino Light (THIS IS MY JAM YO!)

2. Coke - sadly we've had to move into a long distance relationship but I occassionally still indulge :)

3. Ginger Beer - Love the stuff! I also found a sugar free version that doesn't contain Aspartame so hell to the yeah!

4. Coffee (particularly Caramel Lattes)

5. Water - who'd a thunk i'd grow to love this stuff?

 

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="327" caption="Credit - We Heart It"][/caption]

Snacks:

1. Cherry Ripe - in moderation of course!

2. Apples with Peanut Butter

3. Celery, Carrot, Capsicum sticks with Ranch Dressing (you should see my giant Ranch dressing I have...yeh i'm addicted)

4. Pork Crackles - don't judge, when your on a high protein, low carb diet and are craving chips these are a winner! shit loads of calories though so keep these snacks to a minimum

5. Cashews... nom nom nom!

 

Image Credit - We Heart It

Apps:
1. Twitter

2. Instagram

3. My Fitness Pal

4. Plants Vs Zombies

5. Tiny Tower (although I haven't been playing lately)

 

Movies

1. Edward Scissorhands

2. Mean Girls

3. Neverending Story/The Little Mermaid (sorry I had to!)

4. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory

5. Almost Famous (I mean I named my dog after one of the main characters!)

...surely i'm forgetting something!

 

Books:
1. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

2. Charlie & The Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

3. This is Why You're Fat by Jackie Warner

4. Chelsea Handlers books (sorry couldn't pick 1, love them all)

5. Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (currently being made into a movie)

OH and I love the Harry Potter books too

 

Also if you haven't heard this song or seen this film clip, you haven't lived! Enjoy!

 

 

Biiiiiirthday

Yesterday I celebrated my 30th birthday...woah thirties!

I started my day with an amazing facial at Northmead Beauty Therapy, it was my first time getting a facial there and my first facial in a few years, loved it! I had a Dermalogica face mapping as part of my facial so left with a few new prods to try out.

Then it was present time! I was very spoilt and one of my gifts is what I'm doing this blog post on, my new iPad!

Later that night it was dinner at Aperitif a restaurant owned by Manu Fieldel and Miguel Meastre, Manu wasn't there but Miguel was and was a charming not to mention quite a good looking host :). I ate my way through tapas and paella and consumed far too much sangria but boy it was good!!!

I had a great day saying goodbye to my twenties and hello to my thirties!

If anyone has any iPad app recommendations please let me know :)

Hi!

Welcome to my blog!

This is probably my 4395293520th blog... i've tried everything from specialising in music, cooking, fashion etc so I thought why not delete all the useless ones and just create one about everything I love...hence the name love vulcanella :)

Expect randoms here about whatever I feel like talking about. I'll be doing product reviews, concert reviews, updates about life etc so stay tuned!

Hope you enjoy! follow my blog, follow my twitter, comment me if you have a great blog I need to see right now :)

Bye!