Friday 30th December 2016

Good morning, everyone! 

I'm very happy that it's almost the weekend. Training has been pretty intense this week and I'm looking forward to relaxing. Having my usual porridge today, made better with fresh strawberries!

Oh, how I love summer foods!

I've got CrossFit class booked for 9am and I get to wear my new crop top! Nobody will see it, but I love wearing it anyway. 

I completely forgot to take photos during the workout today (sorry!) but it was another awesome class. We did a 12 minute AMRAP of:

4 Burpee Pull-Ups

8 Push Jerk (I did push press)

200m run 

I felt really strong today, even pushing through my breathing on the runs. I managed to keep up with some of the fit guys that always finish first. So proud of myself! 

How cool is my gym, they sent me a Christmas card with a cute message on the back! Even being a new member, they treat you like family. Love my CrossFit community!

Home for a quick protein shake before I need to meet Mum for a run. I'm really craving a coffee as well so I'm combining the two! Chocolate protein + instant coffee = healthy iced mocha!

I'm also putting together some more muesli to have on top of yogurt. It's just coconut, walnuts,  sunflower seeds, macadamia nuts, dates, and other good things. All mixed with maple syrup and coconut oil and baked for 15 minutes. 

Just got dropped off at Mum's car so I can wait for her. Should be a good run!

My legs were struggling a little today, they felt like jelly after a while. But it's good to learn to push through on days like this. For lunch we came to our new favorite cafe, Park Ranger. They make a pretty great cup of coffee and the food is amazing too! 

Since we were close to the mall, I quickly ran in to pick up another one of these meal planners. I also found some beautiful notebooks, because a blogger can never have too many!

Since I'm going to the boyfriend's flat for New Years (no one is more surprised than me that I have plans for once) I thought I would make something nice to bring with me. My Mum found this healthy recipe in the paper and it looked perfect. 

Getting some protein before work with a couple vegetarian sausages and toad in the hole. Been craving this all day! 

Guess who forgot to record what she had for dinner? I was pretty hungry, so I think I was just focusing on the food. But I had a grilled tuna steak that had a dukkah crust and some salad on the side. It was delicious! We also watched Suicide Squad and ate chocolate. Perfect Friday night. 

I'm so excited to dig into that tart! We will also be ordering pizza and playing Cards Against Humanity. New Years is going to be awesome!

What do you guys have planned for the start of 2017?

Steph x.

Looking Back On My 2016

I love this time of year when I get to reflect on the year that's been and how much things have changed for the better. I've checked off a few more items on my bucket-list and carry around a few more tattoos with me. 2016 has been the year that I've become the best version of myself and really followed what makes me happy. You guys know that I try to always look for positives and even though this year has been crappy on a world-wide scale, I've still enjoyed life as best I could. With a few added surprises that made the year even better.


Here's a mini wrap-up of my pop culture favorites and highlights of the year:

Best Movie: Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

Best Book: Illuminae, by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Best Album: Suicide Squad Movie Soundtrack

Best Music Artist: 21 Pilots 
 

 Best TV Series: Teen Wolf, Chuck, Jane the Virgin

Trip to the States

At the end of August, we gathered our saved pennies and headed to the sunny east coast of the USA. I was blown away by how much I enjoyed LA and how much I want to go back. It wasn't just the heat, a magical day at Disneyland, or visiting Hogsmede at TWWOHP (can we talk about frozen butter beer though?) But also unexpected delights like Santa Monica and walking Griffith Park. Not to mention all the healthy foods we don't have here...Seattle was absolutely gorgeous and it makes me want to do a road trip to be among all that beautiful nature for as long as I can. Canada, I'm coming for you soon!

Best year of my fitness journey so far

I've focused a lot of my energy on my health this year, mostly because it keeps me happy. The first half of 2016 was kicking up my gym routine and really training harder. I even took up boxing and my fitness levels went up quicker than I expected. The second half of the year was the tough part and I faced an important decision: do I stay at my gym or leave for something new? I was bored. So, so bored. To the point where I had no motivation to be there. CrossFit came into my life when I so desperately needed a new challenge that would push my limits. I made new friends, found a great coach, and have hit so many PRs in the last few weeks that I feel like Super-Girl. I found my love of lifting this year and it's taken me further I thought it would. I can't tell you how excited I am to see what 2017 holds for me!

Blogging Friends 

When I first entered the blogging community, I found it hard to make friends. There were so many lovely people on Twitter, but it was only during chats that I found the courage to talk to them. This year I've found some amazing people that support me each and every week. When the internet gets a little negative, I know I still have these girls to chat to. 

Lucy, Kelly, Sian, Katie, Lottie, Tania, Dee, and every one of you lovelies that leave me the best comments, thank you for being so awesome!

Getting my full driving license

I know it doesn't seem like a big deal, but it really was a huge achievement to me. I had a bit of panic set in when I realized my restricted license was expiring (in NZ there's three stages to complete as a driver.) I could either renew it and put off the test for another decade, or I could get over my fear and just go for the final driving test. Turns out I had nothing to worry about! I passed easily and it was over in about twenty minutes. Just goes to show that you shouldn't not do something because you are afraid.

Losing Jess

The biggest heart-break this year for our family was saying goodbye to our beloved dog Jessie. Probably the saddest part of the year, but I wanted to include her in this post. She was super-cheeky and knew how to be the princess of the house. I used to give her hugs and she would rest her head on my shoulder to hug me back. I will always miss waking up to her wet nose in the morning, she was an unforgettable part of our family. She's back in her castle now. Will miss that beautiful face forever.

Pushing my comfort zone

This has been one of my biggest life lessons for 2016. "Be braver" has always been on my New Year's resolutions and I've finally made the effort to take more chances. And let me tell you, being bold can really pay off! Even trying new fitness classes or saying yes to more things can do wonders for your confidence. Sometimes it even changes your life for the better. From now on if my gut is telling me to go for it, I have to no matter how anxious I might get. Nothing ever changes if you stay where you are comfortable.

I definitely feel like I'm ending the year on a high note, so much so that I'm struggling to find any resolutions to make. I have my supportive family, great friends, my blog, a gym full of great people, and an amazing new partner by my side. I couldn't ask for more! I already have plans for more adventures in 2017 in the making. 2016 was tough for all of us, but there's a positive for every negative. Never forget to look all the good things. 2017 is going to be a good year, because I will make it so. I'll be sharing tonnes more recipes, motivational posts and fitness tips to help the make the most of your year too. We're in this together!


Have a great New Year everyone! Let me know some 2016 highlights in the comments!
Steph x.

A Christmas Day Photo Diary

I can't believe another Christmas has come and gone, but what a day it was! I spent the morning prepping food in the kitchen beside my Mum. Once everyone else was out of bed, we all exchanged gifts. The plan was to then have our big brunch together, but my Grandad arrived early so we all got changed as quickly as we could and got ready for lunch instead. 

I had to leave at 3.30pm for a shift at work (no holidays for hospitals) but on my way in I saw some families all enjoying time together in the park. It wouldn't be a Kiwi Christmas without playing with a plastic cricket set on the green! Ah, memories.

After rushing all day I was ready to just relax when I got home and enjoy some dessert. I forgot to take photos, but my profiterole trifle turned out amazing! I filled them with butterscotch custard, then layered some cream and whisky syrup. Yum! I also got completely spoiled with Star Wars goodies and fitness gear by someone very special. Feeling like a very lucky girl! It was lovely to finish the night by watching Captain America and devouring so more chocolate. 

I hope everyone had a great day with loved ones and ate lots of delicious food! And don't feel bad for binging on a few mince pies, we've all been there. 

What did your Christmas look like? 

Steph x.