Before and after pics... My current fitness routine

This is probably the scariest post I've ever put together, but since the photo's are hilarious it's making me feel a little less vulnerable!

Although I haven't completely reached my goals in terms of strength, I'm at a point where I'm excited with my progress and finally happy with my body and my fitness.

I feel the need to add that I have not starved myself for the "after" pics, or gone crazy hard in the gym for the past week. In fact I visited a Vegan fair today before we took the photo's and stuffed my face with a Cajun BBQ soy burger, a fake meat filled bagel, a samosa, onion bhaji's, NY baked cheesecake and a chocolate orange doughnut (haha, go Vegan for minimal bloating!) This is how I look consistently and have done for some time now, I believe that it is my ideal weight.

These "before" pictures were taken way back in 2013, I had no idea about fitness or nutrition and I resorted to eating at most 1200 calories a day and getting in as much cardio as possible. One month in and my abs looked amazing, but I was absolutely starving and the tuna salad's just weren't cutting it anymore *vomit emoji*

Needless to say the low cal diet failed and I ended up going back to my old eating patterns and regaining what had been lost. Society has programmed us to believe that a pattern of dieting followed by a binge is normal and I was in that mindset up until I found Veganism and discovered the high carb, low fat lifestyle.

I know a lot of the HCLF Vegans swear by cycling, but personally I am uncoordinated on my bike and where I live there are no exciting hills to ride nearby.

For me, I have found the perfect exercise in bouldering (rock climbing but without the ropes). It combines cardio and strength for an all over body workout and it is so much fun, meaning going the climbing gym is never a chore or a boring task!

The reason I have mentioned being Vegan is because I was eating the standard Western diet for my first year of bouldering and it wasn't until I dropped the meat, dairy and eggs that my body started to reap the benefits. Of course I'm just speaking from personal experience, but that's what I'm supposed to do on here!

Almost immediately I dropped a stone and since then I have maintained the same weight whilst toning up and building muscle.

 Over the last few years I have gone from climbing once a week, to around three or four times. I've never lost motivation or become bored of my routine, I've only become more psyched and excited to improve.

What I'm trying to get across is that bouldering and Veganism combined have meant that I have reached my ideal body without even trying, no difficulty at all, just fun (and alignment of my morals).

In the "before" pic I was tensing my bicep (or lack of) I literally used to have no strength!

Although I've mentioned the HCLF lifestyle, I don't follow it religiously. I eat the odd avocado, have a handful of nuts here and there and sometimes cook using olive oil. However, the majority of the time I am sensible and I dine on bananas, rice, potatoes, rice pasta, beans and all of the other delicious staples of HCLF. I try to hit at least 2200 cals a day, but I don't usually keep track, I'll just eat as much as I want until I'm nice and full.

I'm so happy that I discovered what works best for me and it really is amazing being fit, healthy and strong!

Also I give permission for you to laugh at how miserable I look in the "before" pics and how I used to have the posture of an old woman!

No matter where you are on your fitness journey, I reccomend you try bouldering! If you are in Liverpool come visit The Climbing Hangar and find out for yourself how addictive this sport really is and how awesome the people who climb there are!

Instagram @wolvesandflames

Go and get your dream job

Today I woke up and almost skipped out of bed.

I always have Mondays off work, so I don't have that deep set hatred that most 9 to 5'ers seem too, but I've never properly appreciated the day. Usually I'll lie in bed, scrolling through my Instagram feed until I get the energy to throw some clothes on and go the park with the dog, then I'll be back in my pj's within five minutes of walking through the door.

But this morning was different, even the cold and rain didn't bring me down.

Today was my boyfriend Mike's first week since he finished at his old job.

You may be wondering why Mike starting a new job is so life changing for me and I know it may seem dramatic, but with my partner in crime being out of the house for most of the week whilst I'm working part time, it can get more than lonely.

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Last year I faced my fears and left my zero hour contract job to start somewhere I knew I would love. My previous job was unstable at times but I would be earning a pretty penny most weeks and that guaranteed wage can make you feel quite comfortable, even though the job itself is awful (yes, I was a Vegan working at McDonald's).

When I took the leap and committed to my new job I knew straight away it was the right choice and even on the coldest, darkest mornings I would still have a smile on my face as I was catching the 6am bus.

But that got me thinking, why doesn't everyone just go and do a job that they love?

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People were generally understanding when I changed my job and the few concerns about my drop in hours with going part time were quickly dispelled when I reiterated that I'd finally have a stable schedule and a job that I love rather than that zero hours BS.

However with Mike starting his new job there has been a lot more confusion and family members have been more concerned about money than just being happy that he's found a job that he will love!

I really struggle to understand the normality of being normal. Working five days a week behind a desk in an office until you retire, is that really living life?

I understand people work jobs they hate in order to fund their adventures and that they basically "live for the weekend" but I can't help but believe that every day should be amazing.

People are so obsessed with money that they put it before their happiness and I just can't grasp the concept.

People are never concerned about other peoples household income but suddenly it's the first thing that's brought up when you start a fun job or your "dream job". We will soon be better off financially than we have ever been, but even if we would make less money following our dreams would that be such a bad thing?

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I didn't actually intend for this post to turn in to the rant that it has, I'm just really passionate about people stepping outside of the "norm" and finding something that they love (I get to work in a rock climbing gym, I mean that's enough proof that life is awesome!).

To summarise you should go and quit your job, pack a bag and travel the world (just kidding, but if that is what you want to do then go for it!)

I don't do many personal posts like this, because it's pretty scary to be so honest and vulnerable, but I really enjoy writing them and they always get the most views so maybe I should push myself more!

Thank you so much for reading...

Image sourced from Pinterest

Quinoa and Kale

 So, my last post went down surprisingly well and I was left feeling pressured to write an exciting follow up post, hence my slight hiatus over the past few weeks. I am completely overwhelmed by the response and I'm grateful to everyone that has taken time out to message me and give me advice. I seriously thought my Mum would read it and that would be it, but it has ended up being my most viewed post on the blog, which is awesome and I am certainly feeling the positive vibes!

Anyway, back to this post. I went out bouldering to the Roaches in Staffordshire this weekend and it was a beautiful day with great people so I thought I would share some photo's!

My Quinoa and Kale t shirt is by Mink Pink and my Mum was kind enough to buy it for me! I also wore my trusty Craghopper coat (that I've wrote a review on here), my Missguided Active leggings and some Ugg lookalikes I bought from Matalan.

@wolvesandflames

Staying motivated to exercise...

Over the past few years I've gone from someone that went the gym a few times a month to someone who exercises in some form every single day. I still have a long way to go on my fitness journey but I thought I'd share a few tips that have helped me along so far!

Make a playlist

Like most people, music is a vital part of my life and I've found that listening to the right music will make you push that bit harder when exercising.

Create a playlist with all of your favourite songs that get you psyched and ready to go. Make sure you mix it up often and always have your phone/I pod charged for impromptu workout sessions!

Do what you love

I have truly found my passion in rock climbing. I would climb everyday if I could, we even plan our holidays around the boulders we're going to climb.

But before I started bouldering I was the complete opposite, my workout routine was flaky, I would stick to something for a few months and then I would hit a wall and stop exercising altogether. You just need to find your passion and then exercise will never be a chore!

It might be something simple like running, or something exciting like parkour, be adventurous and try as many new fitness classes as you can!

Buy cute workout clothes

I know it sounds cheesy, but it's an obvious one for us fashion obsessed. Having a wide variety of sports bras, trainers and yoga pants that you actually want to wear is really important. There's nothing worse than wanting to go the gym and all you have are some baggy 3/4 tracksuits and your old tongue twister K Swiss trainers from year 10 P.E.

On my lazy days off work I find that putting on some nice leggings and a structured vest will motivate me to exercise, even if it's just running in the park with the dog (instead of letting him pull me around as usual).

Set goals

It's important to challenge yourself when exercising and setting goals is really helpful. I will usually aim to improve flexibility, stamina and it has been vital in my fitness journey.

Be realistic with your goals, I will set myself small targets so that I can't fail, but it is still rewarding to see progress however small it is!

Friendly competition is also great for this, my boyfriend Mike and I are currently in a battle to be the first one to do the splits, it might take a few months but I am definitely motivated to kick his ass!

Just make sure your goals are reasonable and don't over exert yourself, there's nothing fun about getting injured... 

This was just a quick post to hopefully inspire and help people on their fitness journey, remember we all have to start somewhere...

Instagram @wolvesandflames

What's in my gym bag

 Hoody, Koss Headphones, Anasazi 5.10's, water bottle, Phone, Deodorant

I'm in love with my new faux leather gym bag from Forever 21!

These photo's honestly don't do it justice. The bag is huge, it's so sturdy and there is plenty of compartments inside for stashing valuables.

Usually I just take a backpack to the bouldering gym, but this means struggling to fit in all of my stuff. With this bag I can fit in several pairs of climbing shoes easily, as well as my huge chalk bag and other essentials.

I am really loving Forever 21's workout section in store and I couldn't resist treating myself to this.

I'll also be using this bag when I travel, there's more than enough room to fit several outfits and my massive makeup bag.

When payday comes around I will definitely be making another trip to Forever 21...

Instagram @wolvesandflames

Vegan "synthetic down" jacket review

Down jackets have become really popular in the rock climbing scene.

Most of the female climbers can be seen sporting their bubble effect coats in all different colours and they look awesome.

I have been eager to find a vegan version for quite some time, but for some reason companies think that ripping feathers off a terrified goose is a major selling point and whilst people buy the product they keep supporting the practise.

I took a trip to the new Go Outdoors that has opened up in Liverpool, the store is huge and I was psyched with all of the variety and choice! As always I roamed the jacket section and I was really excited when I came across a synthetic jacket designed to look like it is down fill.

The jacket comes in black with pink lining, black with blue lining (what I bought), full blue and blue with pink lining.

The price varies depending on the colours you go for, but because of the synthetic fill, the jacket is (what I consider) very cheap and well priced.

With my Go Outdoors discount card I bought the jacket for £49.99 and the RRP is £60.00.
Buy online

For me the jacket looking nice and the fact that it is Vegan friendly was enough for me to commit to the purchase. However I've wore the jacket several times now and the quality really is great.

The synthetic filling is extremely warm and teamed with the windproof/waterproof shell you are guaranteed to be cosy in the temperamental British weather.

I really love the fit and I found it was true to size.

The jacket has elasticated cuffs and the hood fits really well to keep you warm and dry in the elements.

If the weather warms up the coat comes with a small pouch to fold it away and store in your bag.

This really is a great feature because when folded in the bag it is extremely compact, meaning you can always carry it on you just in case.

I'm really impressed with the jacket and I can't wait to wear it when we go climbing outdoors and get the full experience.

It proves you don't need to torture sentient animal's to get a good quality coat!

Down production

Instagram @wolvesandflames

Missguided Active range

I've had my eye on the Missguided Active range for a while now, but I always thought it was a bit too much money for me to spend on gym gear!

When I realised a lot of the Active range had been included in the sale I was psyched, but sadly a lot of the best pieces had sold out in my sizes.

I was only able to get three items but I'm still really pleased with the purchases.

I'm usually reluctant to buy workout clothes online, It's difficult to know if the pieces will be well fitting enough to avoid any nip slip's!

When I opened the Missguided package the first thing that struck me was how high quality the material used is.

I'm 5 ft 8 and often leggings will end up baggy at the top and the legs will ride up to my shins, these leggings fit extremely well.

They have been generous with the amount of material used in production and so they fit my chunky thighs really well and there is even net paneling on the backs of the knees to add some interesting detail!

When ordering I hoped that the vest would be lined well enough that I didn't have to wear a bra underneath. So I was really pleased when I saw that there was a full sports bra built in. I have very small boobs (32B) and for me the size 8 vest fits almost perfectly (if I had slightly bigger boobs then it would fit perfect). I'm really excited to wear this to the gym tonight to see if it supports me as well when I'm jumping around and swinging on the climbing wall.

How beautiful is the marble print on this sports bra?!

I've had sports bra's from Primark that were so thin that unless you're confident showing everyone your nipples a bra had to be worn underneath, this bra is nothing like that.

It has two layers of thick material that will fully support me in my workouts!

I also love the chunky elastic at the bottom and the thick straps on the racer back.

Overall I am really impressed with the pieces in the Active range and now I'm likely to buy the new season pieces at full price because I know how high quality they are.

I just wish that the marble leggings to match the sports bra were available in my size, but sadly they had sold out!

Instagram @wolvesandflames