RANDOM UPDATE

Because Friday the 14. Of February was Valentine’s Day, it would not be appropriate to write about healthy food and fitness.

Yes, I did go to the fitness club, but then my fiancé took me to a gorgeous restaurant in Ljubljana, which also happens to be one of the best in our country. I would love to share some pictures of the food, but I am afraid that we did not have the time or the patience to take them. We were hungry, and the food was magnificent! Maybe not the healthiest, but on some days – who cares!? What’s the point of being fit and hot if you don’t afford yourself some decadence from time to time? It is all about the balance. Everywhere, not just with food. Some authors even claim that putting crap into your body, BUT ONLY OCCASIONALY, actually boosts one’s metabolism. Go figure… what a nice excuse. J

Bottom-line is that we had an amazing evening and who wants to count calories on a beautiful evening.

As far as fitness is concerned, I would love to put some pictures before/after on my blog, but I am still a bit unsure because my belly in not looking the best – I have a big psoriasis rash on it.

About my wedding planning ...

Planning wedding is quite a lot of work. I thought it would be easier. Because we will have a small wedding with our relatives and closes friends I thought that everything will be sorted out very quickly. I guess I was wrong.

Until now we have found and booked the restaurant. Because we both love good food and wine we made sure that we don’t have to worry at least about that. Testing day was great, and some connoisseurs even say, that should there ever be a Michelin guide for Slovenia, this restaurant is one of the first in line for the stars. Jummy!!

I don’t wish to spend a huge amount of money for my wedding dress, so I was thinking of ordering it from China. Have any of you got any experience with Chinese custom made dresses?

I will make invitations myself. I think it is nice to put something personal in it. I found a few nice and chick designs but I am still not decided what to do.

Did you make the wedding invitations yourself? Where did you find ideas?

Honeymoon ...

We would love to go to Thailand.  Because we have never been everywhere outside Europe we think it’s time. For now we found that the plane tickets are quite expensive and that the country is very pleasant and a lot different from Europe.

Have you ever been to Thailand? What do you think is the must see/must do there?

About my dog..

Do you remember my little puppy post back from October? The little monster is now almost grown up, but still small. She has such an amazing and naughty character. A typical bulljack.

Love, P.

GET FIT DIARY: DAY ONE

A week or two ago, my boyfriend started reading The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferris. He was so into this book, he constantly keeped me updated with tips from the book. And because I am on the market for good tips to get fit and healthy I incorporate a few of them to my everyday life. Also, I try to not do the most obvious mistakes. Like eating chocolate and carbs in general.

• I often start my day with grapefruit juice.
• I eat breakfast every day. And I mean every day.
• I am NOT eating chocolate, sweets, deserts,… practically anything that contains sugar.
• I canceled processed food.
• I am trying to put cinnamon in my green tea sometimes.
• I cook A LOT.                                                 
• I try and cook every day something new healthy.I went from hating avocado to loving it.

So, because I go to the gym three times a week (even though it’s not compliant with Tim Ferris’ methods), you can expect my “Get Fit Diary” every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

I joined a fitness club in October and only did cardio for three months. Then I added just a little bit of weight lifting and I love the progress that I’m making.

Now I do 10 to 15 min to warm up, then I proceed with weight lifting for 45 to 60 min with light weights and finish with 10 to 15 min running on a treadmill. I am doing this for one month and a half now and the results are showing quite well. I alternate chest/back exercises and work my legs every time, because it is important to have strong big muscles, the bigger they are, the more fat they will help burn, even on idle.

Yesterday was Wednesday so I did 10 min cardio – running. Then I did 60 leg raises on a “leg-raising rack”. Then I did my back routine. Next were four series of 25 kettlebell swings.”Kettlebelling” surprised me, because it looks easy, but is actually quite intense. This exercise is also suggested in The 4-Hour Body as one of the best if not THE best for shaping a woman’s body.

Food

Yesterday we had chicken and my version of guacamole that was actually a salad.

Chicken

Yesterday I had a weird and strong craving for fried chicken. So instead of abandoning the idea as a mother of all bad ideas when trying to get in shape, I went and did it properly and with as few sinful ingredients as possible.

• Get a nice chicken fillet.
• Cut it in steaks, bites, chunks, whatever you like best.
• Dip the chicken in plain yogurt and forget it for 4 or 5 hours.
• Take the chicken out of the yogurt and season it with salt and paper (no need to take all yogurt off, just take the meat out and leave it “wet”).
• Dip the meat in breadcrumbs and put it in a nicely hot pan on some good olive oil. Notice how I wrote put it ON, not into!! We’re not frying here! Frying sounds like something we used to do. 

Avocado salad

• Cut avocado, tomato and onion to small pieces.
• Season everything with salt, paper, a little bit of dried garlic.
• Pour on some yogurt
• Mix
• Enjoy.

Wow, I didn’t even realize how simple this recipe is until I wrote it down. A really tasty one, also.

Love, P.

I am BACK

Hello, lovely people, long time no see:)

As those of you might have noticed, I kind of disappeared some time around October. I wouldn't exactly say I had nothing to write about, I was just setting my priorities straight. Plus, I got engaged.:)

One of my new year's resolutions of 2013 was to start blogging. I managed to post my first post somewhere around the end of the summer and then it took me three months to put everything on pause. This year’s resolution is to re-start my blogging. As you can see it only took a month to move my ass this time. Woohoo:D

I just want to share some random stuff with you today.

So far, 2014 seems like it will be “the big year” for me because I’m getting married in the end of the summer. But until then, some 'very important' things have to be done.  And it just happen to be, that they are blogging-friendly and should give me a lot of topics to write about.

As almost every girl knows, a wedding is the ultimate look good/feel good day, so I thought I might as well embrace this stressful year to kick myself in the (sometimes lazy) behind and get going!

So far, I joined the fitness club and  got myself in a much better shape already, started cooking and eating better and got myself completely off alcohol. So far, so good. J

So this blog (at least until september) is now officially dedicated to general fitness, good looks, good (and healthy) food, and of course wedding planning with saving advice.

What do you think about the master plan?

Love, P.

The fabulous fall

Why is time rushing so  fast? This year is going so quickly.  It is fall already, and in a blink of an eye it will be winter and Christmas, new year,…

I just want to share a few moments from my life in the past week.

Chestnuts

One of the most signature fall’s feature  are definitely roasted chestnuts. They taste so good and bring all those good memories from the young years back to life.

Me, my boyfriend and his sister went in to the wood and got us some chestnuts (the weather was so bad that even the dog started crying and begging to go home). But it was so worth it. Later in the evening we roasted them outside. Along with it, we drank some homemade apple juice - can you imagine an even more cliché fall evening? Clichés are sometimes so nice.

Long walks in the woods

I just love walking around and have nothing in my head. Fall weather is so pleasant sometimes –however, it was not very often this year so it is necessary to use it for nice walks bulk up your body with some vitamin D before the cold and foggy winter.

Nice diner with best friends

Isn’t it a good feeling spending time with friends over good food and (optional) great wine? 

Love, P.

Avocado face mask - Pamper Yourself Thursday

It is very nice to have a free evening to pamper yourself. Because I don’t usually have a lot of free time just for myself I love to use it properly. I decided to dedicate every Thursday to pampering and share my tips with you. So, you are reading my first official Pamper Yourself Thursday.

THE AVOCADO FACE MASK

This magic green fruit is not useful just in the kitchen. Avocado is one of those fruits that can easily be used on skin. It is full of vitamins (A and E), calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, zinc and nourishing things that can help skin in so many different ways. Plus, it is budget friendly.

It is full of antioxidants which help fight against free radicals which attack your skin cells and cause it to age. And so by using avocado, we can say we can fight the time. Wow, how’s that for a superpower? ;)

It is also full of unsaturated fats which make wonders on oily, acne prone as well as on dry and sensitive skin. It is also suitable for male skin :P.

It provides skin with moisture and keeps it glowing and young.

I would like to share my recipe for great homemade face mask.

I love to use it on my face, but sometimes I add some sugar and use it as a scrub on my neck and chest.

You will need:

• Half avocado
• 1 table spoon of yogurt
• 1 tea spoon of honey
• Some lemon juice – if you have oily and acne prone skin
• 1 table spoon of olive oil - if you have dry skin (I love to use olive oil in the winter time, when my skin needs something more to keep it moist because of cold weather.)

• Squish avocado with fork than add all other ingredients.
• Mix together.
• Apply on clean and dry face and leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse it off. Enjoy the younger you. :)

I should have  blended it better ...

Love, P.

What's in my bag

A lady’s bag is a place that is always full of surprises. Inside you can find almost anything.  When I’m choosing my casual and useful bag I always look for one that is big enough for all my essentials. I usually carry more things in my bag than Santa. :)

Here is a list of items that I always want to have with me:

• Wallet – I have to put my card and money somewhere.
• iPad mini – Small and handy computer is always good to have on hand. Because I am still a student, I love to have my notes beside me.
• Lip stick or more of them. You never know when you will have to change your look.
• Perfume – currently I love Chanel Chance. It is my favorite fragrance for quite some time.
• Note book and a small pen – although I always carry my ipad I still can’t live without a proper note book. I love to make lists and write down my plans. It is such a good feeling when I can strike things that I’m done with.
• Lip balm – It doesn’t matter if it is summer or winter, chapped lips can always get you.
• Concealer – for covering up spots and other not so pretty stuff you don’t want everyone to see.
• Mirror- can always prove handy.
• Hair bands – I always have them in my bag or around my wrist. They saved me a million times.
• Skin food – if I can find some space in my bag I always take skin food by Weleda with me. Because I have psoriasis I need to have a good moisturizing cream with me. This one is amazing for dry hands or even for dryness on my face.

I try not to forget to sometimes indulge myself and go somewhere and do something I can do without all crap from the big bag. I definitely not need all kinds of tools, for a nice evening out. 

Love, P.

CAUDALIE GENTLE CLEANSING MILK – REVIEW

This is definitely not one of those products everyone writes about. About a month ago I decided that my skin needs some extra care because it was the end of the summer and it got a bit exhausted and not very nice. I picked up a few products and one of them was the Caudalie cleansing milk.

Cleansing milk hasn’t been a part of my skin routine for quite some time. I really don’t know why I picked it up, but it somehow attracted my attention.

Packaging

The packaging is lovely. I like the fact that is in a container with pump so I don’t need to dig my finger in the product (which isn’t very common with cleansing milks anyway).

Product

I did not know anything about this product before I bought it. Later on I looked it up online. 

The producer claims that this product removes make up from the face and eyes and that it is suitable for sensitive skin even for the eye area. It can be used with or without rinsing it off. This product’s best feature is its ingredients: no paraben, sulfates or other poisons.

My opinion

I have oily and sensitive skin. Because of that, many products can be very harsh on me. However I did not get any weird reactions and it didn’t give me any nasty pimples or anything.

I use it after I clean my face and before I put on moisturizer. In my opinion it is definitely not suitable for removing make up , especially around eyes. I tried it but it just did a huge mess on my face. 

I like to use it after I get rid of make up for the final touch and I like it because it is very moisturizing on my skin. I put it on a cotton pad and just swipe it on or use it like a cleansing balm and then rinse it off.

I read quite a few comments on product any many of them complain that it is thick, greasy any leave film on their skin. 

I did not get this feeling. It is maybe more on the thicker side but it works for me. It feels my skin smooth, lovely and in my opinion it is nourishing.

I’ve read this one is the new formula, but I can’t say anything about the old one because I never tried it.

Summary

• It is a great product, well worth its money. It is not very expensive either, around 15€.
• I can say it is working great for sensitive and oily skin.
• It is not good at removing make up, especially mascara.
• It is nasty things free – great!

Love, P.