MISS HOLLY P
A BIT OF ME . A BIT OF FOOD . A BIT OF WINE
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Bills Norwich Bloggers Christmas

The lovely team at Bill’s Norwich invited a small group of the Norwich Bloggers the newly refurbished branch and sample their Christmas menu a couple of weeks ago. The second I walked in through the orange curtains I could see this was no longer the same Bill’s that stood before. With low lighting, marble bar tops, intimate booths, chandeliers, gorgeous botanical greenery and detailed accents of character the restaurant is truly unrecognizable for the better.

 

I met the rest of the girls downstairs and we introduced ourselves. I met some lovely people who I’d not met before with can be a bit nerve wracking sometimes on whether you’ll fit in or not but it was such a lovely group who all made me feel so welcome. Charlie the manager took us upstairs and showed us to an area away from the other diners and to our lovely own private dining room!! It was such a nice space and can be booked for private parties and group bookings, it truly felt so special and exclusive.

We had pre-ordered our food and I although a I’m not a vegetarian I went for the vegetarian option as I always think its good to see what can be created for those opting for the meat free options.

 

To start I had a beetroot and feta salad, followed by a pumpkin, fig and chestnut roast and finished with a Christmas eton mess. They also brought out bread olives and hummus for the table too. I was driving so I washed it all down with a lovely wintery mocktail.

The food was really tasty and there was quite a variation of choice on the menu too for a range of tastes but I think the thing which made the evening so great was the tangible buzzy atmosphere in Bill’s which is vital to any good night.

If you’re in the area I urge you to visit because the place really does look stunning and it still has its loved menu stretching across all meals of the day.

Thanks so much to Charlie and the team at Bills Norwich for your kind and generous hospitality. xxx

beauty

Let’s Talk About Health

Health. What does that really even mean? It seems to be very trendy at the moment to be ‘healthy’ which don’t get me wrong I’m so down with! It hopefully will make the world full on clean living young adults who binge on the gym as opposed to my generation’s teen years when it was cool to give your liver a bashing in the local park. However there’s so much more to health that just going to the gym, eating kale and drinking matcha. I saw a post on Instagram from @sophieshealthykitchen saying “Health isn’t just about what you’re eating or doing. It’s also about what you’re thinking, feeling or saying to yourself” and it got me thinking on a topic I feel extremely passionate about.

Health certainly does not have one definition and most definitely is not linear. Right on time with the season’s change I’ve had this lingering cold for weeks, I’m feeling the effects of leaving home in darkness and coming home in darkness- I miss daylight and the sun and I work in retail- as you can imagine I’m entering my most stressful time of year, so, although I gym 3-5 times a week and eat an extremely healthy diet I’m feeling majorly sub par. My skin is playing up in a big way, my recent enthusiasm for running has resulted in a casualty of my big toenail (soz if TMI but seriously this is stressing me out!), I’m too tired all the time to get into the gym as often as I would like so I’m visually feeling sub par too and mentally feeling guilty about that too, its just all a little ‘meh’. So internally and externally I’m feeling around a 5/10. I know its completely each to their own on your personal preference of how you would like to look or take care of yourself but personally having a really good skincare routine to keep my skin looking and feeling healthy counts as part of my health for me. Grooming myself and keeping my roots touched up and nails looking nice etc for me is my self care, it promotes self confidence for me and makes me feel good. On one of my bed ridden sick days I read a big chunk of Pretty Honest by Sali Hughes and her prologue really sums it up well that beauty and make up can really work wonders to how you are feeling and if that’s your health and that’s what makes you feeling good physically and mentally then I don’t think anyone should judge that. My blogger life is all about eating clean, no waste, exercise and all that jazz but my 9-5 life is as a beauty retail manager is multi billion pound industry that despite the negatives that can spawn from things revolving around looks is predominately about feeling good while looking good too. I’ve been doing ALOT of listening to my body recently- its been saying ‘EAT’, ‘SLEEP’, ‘REST’ and although I’m gone majorly off piste with my normal routines it has worked to get me back to where I need to be, as a final push I got my nails and brows done and have upped the ante on my skin care which I didn’t think was possible and as I write this- fresh from a Monday morning spin- for the first day in I can’t remember I feel like myself again- physically and mentally I feel like I’ve got my mojo back.

My point is- health is made up of so many different factors which will differ person to person.

Don’t follow the hype and have negative thoughts and feelings of guilt on yourself for doing/not doing certain things, we are all so different and should not judge one another if someone is doing something that didn’t work for you. If you want to drink spirulina and you like it and it works for you great but don’t feel pressured in to doing things because the internet says you should. If a good pamper is your therapy then go for it! If you’re exhausted and your body says rest don’t gym then listen to it. Trust your own mind and body. Health being such a popular topic is great, it’s so openly talked about and there’s so much information to help people on their journey, however, when it has the attitude of making you feel stupid or like you’re wrong and shaming certain choices is when things can get a bit nasty and be detrimental to your mental health even if it is for example the correct way to do something for your physical health.

Thanks for reading, lets all look out for each other and uplift one another and have a cracking week. Happy Monday folks xxx

girl talk

Is Your Pill Working For You? Hormonal identity crisis no more!

Hi all,

I just wanted to revisit a topic I shared some struggles with last year and update you all on some changes I’ve made and what a life change it has been for me.

So, I’m 29, 30 next month, I was put on the pill at 15 to reduce my PMS and calm down my skin, heavy periods etc. I’ve always been on the 21 day pill and have tried a few different brands but predominantly containing the same hormones. Anyway, not sure if you read or not but last year I really hit an all time low with my mental health, I was seriously questioning if I had some far more serious issues and if I could I have an underlying, undiagnosed condition. I was convinced there was something wrong with me. I was peaking from highs to major lows, when I was around my period I would see blind red rage, if I drank around those times I became a spiteful drunk, I lacked motivation and energy, I felt self loathing. It was just so so awful and I needed to do something about it. I went to go and visit my GP and explained how I had been feeling and she said that it was not uncommon and that my pill was no longer a good fit for me and my hormones and suggested I go on the progesterone only pill which you have no break with, I’m on Cerelle.

It has absolutely changed my life, no exaggeration. I have been on it 6 months now and my mood and attitude has been consistently good pretty much solidly and if something makes me mad I no longer feel that stomach turning red bubble of rage, I am motivated all the time (within normal reason) and since changing pill and my hormones being better and having energy 4 weeks a month rather than 2 I have lost over a stone, me and my boyfriend barely argue anymore, I’m a nicer manager at work and all in all my quality of life is so much better. I just feel like a genuinely different person and like I am my best self.

After thinking properly of course my hormones at 15 wouldn’t be the same at 30 but no one GP or family planning had ever urged me to have a review! All women are different so not necessarily this pill or contraception will be right for you but if you are finding any of my struggles sounding familiar please visit your doctor and have a chat because from that day my live changed for the better.

Thanks for reading guys, any questions just ask, H x

anxiety

Gym-timidaton- Some top tips on beating the fitness fear!

Gym success! Top tips to squash intimidation, help you not quit and have a quick reality check!

I thought I just made this word up but clearly not, Urban Dictionary sums it up quite well!

“gymtimidation
The fear of working out at a gym because everything from the crazy contraptions to the seriously ripped bodies is extraordinarily intimidating.
Jack got gymtimidation from all the muscleheads at the gym”

So you may have come across this post because you’re thinking of joining a gym for the first time and feel edgy AF about it or you’ve already joined a gym and get the fear every time you’re there so I’ve put together some little tips to help and some little truths to help you through the period until you feel like part of the furniture!

  • First and foremost! Do not worry about what other people are doing, they aren’t worrying what you’re doing, trust me!
  • And on that point also, no one is looking at you and for those who really have it bad no one is laughing at you either!
  • If you’re offered a gym induction take it! It’ll teach you the ropes, help you settle into a new space and some gyms may offer to write to a programme included which will help you be in the know!
  • Struggling to stay motivated? Maybe join a class where the shame of leaving half way through is greater than the pain of the exercise or if you can afford it get a PT to push you.
  • Don’t know what to do? Get some fitspo and do some research, use Instagram, Pinterest, you tube, books there’s loads of moves and ideas on there or actual workouts just to follow! Structure really helps!
  • Buddy up! Take a friend cause hey misery loves company *jokes* but seriously stats have shown that individuals that work out with a partner have a higher probability of reaching their goals
  • Have a plan of what you want to achieve but set realistic goals so you aren’t disappointed and want to quit because you aren’t Kayla Itsines after the first week. Results take time and effort but don’t be disheartened it’ll be worth it!
  • Try not to weigh yourself too much, max once a week! Weight loss/gain can depend on many things so don’t be too hard on yourself and remember the number on the scale isn’t everything!
  • Don’t have all the gear no idea but I do recommend feeling equipped, comfortable and confident in your clothes! So you can strut like a boss to your next exercise!
  • If you think you don’t really know what you’re doing, don’t worry, half of the rest of those people are just pretending they know what’s going on too!
health

Eating a healthy diet: A beginners guide

So on my journey of weight loss and wellbeing one thing which I get asked all the time from people is “how do you afford to eat so healthily, its so expensive”, or “how do you have the time to always make something for lunch, I’m too busy to eat healthy” or “I would eat more healthy but I don’t like….. “  So I thought I would share some top tips for anyone out there who’s bank statement alternates Prep, M&S, Boots, Nandos etc like mine used to or anyone who’s just looking to change their eating habits and doesn’t know where to start. I’ve now lost 4 stone thanks to a healthy diet and exercise. Determination and organization has paid off and at almost 30 I’m the healthiest I’ve ever felt.

A big chunk of eating healthily is in the planning and the prep. Even the prep of what your budget is for the weeks shop, when you are making time to go to the supermarket and what are you going to buy once you get there. I found it really useful to plan out the weeks meals in advance day by day and then writing a shopping list based on what is actually going to get eaten. If you  are smart too try to have crossover ingredients so you don’t buy something use a tiny bit and then the rest goes to waste. Then it’s making sure you have the discipline and motivation to do something with all the produce once you’ve bought it.

But first! Choose where you shop wisely. Doing a proper shop is vital to success and not getting things in drips and drabs and you’ll have more of what you need and aren’t topping up randomly from the more expensive quick express convenience stores. I personally choose to shop at Aldi or Lidl (I’m a real Aldi girl at heart though I could literally be their ambassador I love it so much) They have such a great selection of everything I need for for myself and Jamie to eat well, we are two people with a passion for a good diet and are very active in terms of exercise and for £50 I could feed us well for at least a week and I’m talking 3 meals a day.

Now, I’m no nutritionist or anything like that and the human diet from person to person is the most complex science but there are certain things I know personally you can’t go too wrong with. A well balanced diet will consist of a variety of different foods which will hit different nutritional goals.

I will always grab a protein to build each evening meal around so that would be for us some meat, fish or even eggs or if you’re veggie or vegan you could go meat free a substitute or legume. So chicken breasts, turkey mince, pork, chicken sausages, steaks, seabass, salmon fillets, cod loins, king prawns the options are endless and at their prices you can’t go wrong.

Then I try to eat as much fruit and veg as possible particularly those leafy greens so with my evening meal I will have a good portion of at least 2 different vegetables. Always check the super 6 too if you’re on a budget and want to load up on the veg. Essentials always in my fridge are kale, spinach, tomatoes, courgettes, cucumber, beetroot.

Then you have your carbs, sometimes if I have had a carb heavy lunch I might go for a lighter carb option but if not this will take the shape of either like a quinoa, wholegrain rice, wholewheat pasta, sweet potato or new potatoes, wholewheat pitta, bread or wrap. A personal fave is the little microwave pouches of wholegrain rice with quinoa and bulgar wheat. I think they’re about 69p and one will do me 3 lunches. I try to keep to a minimum what white carbs I eat. The prepped vegetable rices and noodles are great too if you are doing lower carbs and ares still really filling.

Then in there I’ll add my extras like making sure I’m getting my good fats so for me that would be raw nuts like almonds or cashews which are great for snacking, avocados, olive oil, eggs, seeds. (Try to remember when you’re cooking too that there is 119 calories in a tablespoon of olive oil!)

You can still snack or a healthy diet just keep away from the crisps, chocolate bars and cakes. If I need a snack or I’m having a sweet tooth moment I like to go for some fruit- berries are particularly good (try not too go too OTT with the fruit as even though it’s natural sugar you don’t wanna over do it), natural yoghurt (lush with a drizzle of honey), a square of dark chocolate. Their paleo, raw fruit and quinoa bars are great too for a snack which is just what it says on the pack with no hidden nasties. That kinda thing!

A big tip is don’t forget those pantry essentials which are always handy to knock up some delicious and healthy meals are…I can’t be without- tinned tomatoes, passatta, tomato puree, onions, frozen peas, tinned sweetcorn, tinned chickpeas, kidney beans, salad beans etc. These are all great things to have on standby! And lots of herbs and spices so you can really variate your flavours to keep it interesting.

Once you have planned and done your super healthy weekly shop you can get it home and organize your fridge with all your lovely healthy food and grab your favourite tupperware and start prepping like a boss!

One big tip with having a really healthy diet whatever your motivation- is try to make everything from scratch and do not cut corners. If you make it yourself from scratch you know just what is going into it and theres no hidden nasties that you can’t control. If you buy pre prepped meals out it can sound healthy but it can have all sorts in it if you aren’t analyzing the ingredients.

If you’re making lunches and food to take on your day to day I find it easier and time saving to do a few days at a time so you’re only doing it twice a week! Whether this is mixing it up a bit or eating the same day to day! Big batches of things that keep well are good to do this with! If you want some meal prep ideas for lunches let me know!

Do get creative!

Do snack healthy to keep the machine that is your body fueled!

Do enjoy what you’re eating and making!

Don’t deprive your body of what it needs but be smart!

Don’t be hungry! Eating healthy doesn’t mean being hungry.

Do remember that water is your best friend and make sure you’re drinking a lot of it!

I hope these tips help! When I first started out I wish someone would have written me a shopping list of sorts to point me in the right direction so I hope this does just that. Any questions just ask!

Thanks so much for reading!

H x