Al Fresco Yoga with Secret Urban Escape

What better way to celebrate the (few seconds of) summer than an al fresco yoga session, accompanied by some soothing live music? Followed up, naturally, by a super healthy breakfast to set you up for the day.

The Sick-Bed Edit

Now, you might scoff at this, but I have a fear of getting ill.

Can we please stop body shaming? Thanks.

Scrolling through Millie Mackintosh's Instagram comments makes me die a little inside.

At the time of writing, here is her latest image

                       

(Courtesy of @camillamackintosh. I do not own this image. Please don't sue me, I'm poor)

This image, like so many of Millie's, sparked some pretty dire comments such as "Too skinny", "Too much salad, eat a pie" and my personal favourite (sarcasm, btw) "How did you manage to put on a few pounds in the hour? You look better for it".

Now, I'm guilty of this judgemental attitude, too. And I hate myself for it. I saw a girl on the tube the other day with a really prominent thigh gap. Not having a thigh gap myself, and having been conditioned by the media to think "thigh gap = underweight", I felt a little bit threatened by it. Yes, you read that right... I felt threatened by a few inches gap between this stranger's thighs (... Don't be vulgar, people). 

But when did it become okay, this judging? I can't describe how much I hate the covers of certain weeklies where they plaster "IS SHE PREGNANT, OR HAS SHE JUST EATEN A BURGER?"-type garbage all the time. And the hypocrisy of it all! At the beginning of January it was all about getting fit and shaming celebs who weren't a size 10, and now it's all about avoiding the gym and wearing baggier clothes to hide your wobbles. Neither are promoting a healthy attitude. Can we just stop?

In the last week Cosmo has been slammed for its #StopThighGap campaign, and a really eye-opening article has been written by one of my favourite online magazines Vagenda.

The original Cosmo article is here: http://www.cosmopolitan.com/celebrity/news/stop-thigh-gap?src=spr_TWITTER&spr_id=1440_39551030

And Vagenda's response is here (I strongly recommend reading it): http://vagendamag.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/why-cosmos-wrong-about-thigh-gap.html

While Cosmo has taken it upon itself to try and convince us all that the quest for thigh gap is impossible for most people because it relies on the way you're built (very true), as Vagenda points out, this suggestion doesn't suddenly stop those who have eating issues have said eating issues. It takes more than saying "Starving yourself won't make you Cara Delevigne, so you can stop being mentally ill" which is an unfortunate nuance Cosmo has ignored. Oops.

It's all very sad really, isn't it? A rather pathetic statement, but it is. I feel bad for Millie that people shame her for acting as a pro-Ana role model. When she learnt this she was utterly horrified (understandably). What people forget about celebrities is that they are people, too... Just people who are able to obtain amazing figures through hardcore personal trainers and bespoke eating plans, which the vast majority don't have access to. I'm pretty sure Millie doesn't have the 3pm slump that has her reaching for anything that contains excess sugar and calories. I'm also pretty sure she doesn't have to debate between catching up on "Take Me Out" or working on her abs. She has the time to look great, and she does look great. Deal. With. It.

But anyway. My point (yes, there is one somewhere. This is why I always flailed with my Lit essays: lack of focus) is that some people are naturally slim. Some people have to work really hard to be slim, and some people will never be slim. Some people have junk in their trunks. Some people have thigh gap (I personally like to rock "the mermaid". Very exotic). Whatever. We need to stop looking at everyone and judging them for something we have no business judging them for.

You have no idea about a person just by looking at them. Some people with thigh gaps may be perfectly healthy and they were just born that way. Equally, some people with them may be ill. It's not fair to condemn them, or anybody. If you were worried about a friend, you'd address the issue oh-so sensitively.  You wouldn't go on their instagram and say "Ew, you're skin and bones #eatapie".

From now on I'll make a conscious effort to stop being judgemental and appreciate that everyone is different and unique, etc etc. And you know what? Being different and unique is what makes us all semi-interesting as humans. Great, eh? I just wish the haterz in Millie Mack's instagram would make the same effort, too.

Rant = complete. Over and out.

The dog days aren't over... and that's okay

So I've realised a few things in the last couple of weeks:

1. I have a tendancy to romanticise the past, which makes the present seem a lot worse than it actually is.

2. A healthy body is the first step to a healthy mind.

and possibly the most important thing...

3. To feel more confident, sometimes it's all about the little details.

The Easter holidays has, and will continue to mean for the duration, university work and paid work. At first this notion filled me with dread, but then I realised that I'm a complete sucker for organisation, and the holidays were the perfect opportunity to spring-clean my life and plan things to the last detail... which is a little bad sad, I'll admit, but that's just me.

So when I'm doing university work, I'm semi-content because it means I'm getting things done and a few hours closer to being FINISHED, and when I'm doing paid work, I welcome it as a chance to use my brain for practical means, not just focusing on the lovely topic of incest (which I've managed to base both my essays on, and I don't know what this says about my state of mind to be honest!)

Oh, and when I'm not doing work, I split my time between mindless TV - think New Girl, The Mindy Project, The Carrie Diaries and TOWIE - and the occasional outing to the gym. I'm determined to get there three times a week, even if it kills me.

Within this essay madness I've had my down moments, and moments where I feel like I can't be bothered anymore, and I put minimal effort into my appearance because hey, who am I trying to impress, the librarian? Somewhere along the way, I lost a bit of self-esteem, and started to wonder whether I could actually look NICE anymore.

You'll be happy to know I've found the answer, and sorry, but it IS shallow. I don't care.

My solution? Lipstick and some boot heels.

Even if your hair isn't styled, and you're wearing minimal make up, lipstick makes it look like you've made an effort (even if you haven't), and brightens up your complexion. I'm an absolute sucker for the bright pink lipstick I bought from Topshop about a month ago (it looked red on the website, but I'm glad for the mistake!) I wore it for my step-dad's birthday outing to The Shard, and it instantly made me look half decent, even though I was exhausted and stressed.

And boot heels... it shouldn't need any explanation, really. Heels automatically make me feel more grown up, make anyone's legs look longer and slimmer, and if you're wearing boot heels they're not nearly as painful as regular heels, and they are on the dressy side of casual - or casual side of dressy - without making it look like you've tried too hard.

The combo took all of about 5 minutes, and that's because to this day I still can't tie my shoe laces up very quickly, and I am rather challenged when it comes to applying lipstick. It would probably take most people less time than that.

Here are some pictures of my Easter weekend including my step-dad's birthday meal in Chinatown, The Shard and our Easter Sunday afternoon tea, although if you're following me on Twitter/have me as a friend on Facebook, you'll probably have seen them already:

 

 

 

 

 

Complete with a very strong G&T, courtesy of M&S

 

So I guess what's I'm trying to say is that even when you're feeling pretty darn unattractive, it's the little touches that can go a long way. Do something for yourself, indulge a little in the superficial, and let yourself be selfish. It feels good. And if it makes you look good, even better :)