fitfam

#FITFAM | Gift Guide 01 | Fitness & Health Lifestyle Books

November 26, 2017

Dear reader,

 Firstly, how are you? It has been a loooong while since we last chatted, but I have had to take time out (again), just to be able to get my creative juices flowing and to ensure I know what content I want to be putting out there. I am hoping to be posting a new fitness/lifestyle post on here every Sunday (let's hope I'll actually be able to stick to it!!) I am also hoping to launch a fitness a lifestyle channel at some point in the new year, but we'll see how that goes! 
Anyway, today's post is my first Gift Guide of 2017, how exciting is that? I cannot believe how quickly this past year has gone and that we have less than a week to go until December! It's mad! I absolutely adore putting together Gift Guides for my blog - they were one of my favourite posts to do back when I did Blogmas, so I thought, why not a few together for you this year too? It's always good to get a little bit of inspiration. 
In today's gift guide, I wanted to share some absolutely fantastic fitness/healthy lifestyle books that are out there, a perfect gift for someone you know who is interested in fitness and health, or for you to place on your wishlist! These books will be the perfect companion in helping you to learn more about fitness and food, as well supporting you on your journey in starting your fitness/health journey or aiding you in making positive changes.

 I have decided to include books from three authors whom I am sure the majority of you will have heard of. These are three women who I myself consider inspirational, and I have learnt so much from, even as a fitness instructor and PT.  They are so passionate about leading a healthy lifestyle and in encouraging others in leading a healthy lifestyle, which to me, adds to the appeal of purchasing one of their books - it evident that they really care about what they do. 



| WISHLIST |

Book #1: "Strong" by Zanna Van Dijk 

For those of you who are sick to your stomach at the thought of having to spend hours in the cardio section at the gym, whilst switching your yummy meals for meals with no substance, this book is for you! Zanna's book encourages you to lead a balanced life. 
This book is full of motivation, tips, and tricks in order to help you kick-start your journey with fitness, as well as an achievable guide to eating well. The book is packed full of recipes and exercises to give you the inspiration you need.
Zanna is encouraging and positive, and uses her book to help readers live a healthy and happy lifestyle! 

Strong - Available at Amazon.co.uk for £8.94.
Direct link: click here!

Zanna on Instagram: @zannavandijk 


Book #2: "Get Gorgeous Guide" by Carly Rowena

As many of you know, Carly has been a real inspiration to me for a long while now - I just think she is a really lovely person and I absolutely love watching her YouTube videos (you should definitely check out her channel if you haven't already), so when I heard that she was releasing her very own book I was very pleased! Carly's "Get Gorgeous Guide" takes the complicated out of health and fitness. The guide is filled with food tips and exercises  to get you feeling gorgeous! The e-book guides you through a "12 week transformation" to support you in reaching results quickly and effectively. 

Get Gorgeous Guide (digital edition) - Available at carlyrowenashop.com for £24 (sale offer from Friday 25th to Monday 27th), regular price £30.
Direct link: click here!

Carly on Instagram: @carlyrowena 


Book #3: "Clean Eating Alice: The Body Bible" by Alice Liveing 

Alice, like Zanna and Carly, is a bundle of positivity and truly gets you excited about fitness and eating healthily! What I love about this book is that Alice's aim is to inspire you to look at eating and exercising in a positive way in order to change your lifestyle for the better in a sustainable way. The book is filled with tonnes of healthy recipes and exercises to make you feel stronger, healthier and happier!

Clean Eating Alice: The Body Bible - Available at Amazon.co.uk for £8.19.
Direct link: click here! 

Pssst...Alice also has some other fabulous health and fitness books available on Amazon too! :) 

Alice on Instagram: @aliceliveing 

---

So there we have it, the first gift guide done! I know that health and fitness books can often be hit or miss, but I honestly do think these books are worth giving a go, whether you are looking to begin your health and fitness journey, or if you just need some tips to make further improvements. 

Thanks so much for reading!
Speak to you all very soon. 

Love,

Eve
xxxx

Twitter: @haiaeve
Instagram: @evejohnson15 

it was nice to see you to see you nice, Brucie!

August 19, 2017

I am utterly gutted that Bruce Forsyth has passed away, but can't help but look back all he's accomplished in his life in total awe. What an absolute legend. Bruce was a hero to me from a young age, he was my 'TV Grandfather' and I truly adored him so much. I grew up watching him on Strictly and always thought he was one of the greatest 'celebrities' in the world. His onscreen chemistry with Tess Daly was just so wonderful. He truly was a star. His personality was infectious and he had the ability to always make me feel better. I like to think that his contribution to Strictly really inspired my love of dancing and music. I am so sad that he has passed because HE WAS "MY FAVOURITE" ;), however, I am so thrilled we get to celebrate Bruce's long and successful career. He did so well and he deserved it. Thanks for being a fabulous man, Bruce - you'll be missed so much! 

I do not own photo. Found on Google Images.

i got in!

August 19, 2017

I am so thrilled to be able to share my latest life milestone with you all. I got into uni! I am so excited and truly cannot believe I did it! It wasn't until I found out I got in that I realised how happy, excited and proud I am. I am off to study a BA in Geography & English Literature in Swansea University. Both these subjects mean the absolute world to me and I am very excited to now have the opportunity to further develop my interest and enjoyment around these subjects. Although I am extremely excited to see what the future brings, there is a little part of me that feel so emotional when thinking about how much I appreciate the support I have received from my teachers to get me to where I am now, especially my English and Geography teachers who have continuously inspired me and my love for the subjects. I will miss them. However, now is a time for a new chapter and I'm excited. Bring it on. Eek!



Lots of love 
XXXX

lifestyle

where I am at.

August 14, 2017

Grab a cuppa. Today's post is going to be a long and chatty one. 

 Hello everyone. I feel so ready to be back sat in front of my laptop typing away today after a very long hiatus from the blogging world. I had got to a point where writing a blog post had become a tedious chore for me and that truly reflected in the quality (and quantity) of the content I was providing to you all which made me extremely disappointed. After taking a break I do feel very refreshed and am eager to start sharing new thoughts and ideas with you. Before delving back into (hopefully) regular content, I thought it would be appropriate to share an update with you all on where my blog is at, and also where I am at in life. The past few months have been a huge period of personal growth for me; I've learnt so many lessons and made so many changes and honestly, I feel I am in a really good place at the moment.

 The past year has flown by, and during that time so much has changed. I have gone from spending my time dedicated to studying my A-Levels, a time where it felt like it completely revolved around exams and coursework to now having free time to relax and prepare for the next chapter. It is crazy how different life is now compared to two months ago. Although I thoroughly enjoyed my period in school and studying my wonderful subjects, I am so excited and ready for a new chapter of life. It is crazy to see how greatly studying impacted on my health and well-being; I was so stressed, emotional and exhausted during that period of my life, so being able to relax and recharge has completely changed me and my view on life. I have always tried to be a positive person and even during the stress that was exam time, always aimed to be happy, but it's crazy how much the strain can mean that every emotion felt was completely exaggerated; if you felt happy, you were extremely happy and if you were sad, you'd be crying your eyes out. I'm so glad to now have a good grip on my feelings and emotions (thanks to an exam-free life). I decided that I wanted to take this time to now focus on being a better person; as people, we are constantly growing, changing and learning, so I decided now that I have the time and energy that I wanted to make some positive changes in my life. Although some changes may be minor, in the long term the hope is that they will be of a beneficial value. 

// H E A L T H & F I T N E S S \\ 

I feel this is a great place to start. Now, I'm not going to be solely discussing barbells and treadmills (although the gym/exercise aspect does play a part in what I want to discuss), I want to also discuss the importance of mental health. Having good mental health can have a profound positive knock-on effect on other health components such as diet and physical fitness. 
As I have previously mentioned I have always tried to be as positive as possible when approaching life's everyday challenges, now of course sometimes this can be harder/easier than usual, but on the whole, I have tried to have the 'glass half full' view on life. It is funny because as soon as exams finished things I wouldn't necessarily be concerned about and were fairly minor became big focuses for me and I'd find myself overthinking such stupid and unnecessary things. I did find myself on a few occasions pondering too much over my own actions (being quite self-critical) and worrying about people's perception of me (in the sense that I wanted to be viewed as a "good" person.) I decided I had to snap out of it because I was so aware that I was being ridiculous and irrational. I realised much of it came from my 'people person' quality; I really value people in my life - they are the most important thing. Honestly, I am one of those people who worries more about what teacher's think of my exam results, than my own view because I don't like to let people down. I had got into the mindset that I had to reach certain expectations to ensure that I was a 'good enough' person and for people I really cared about to think so, too. How mad is that?? Obviously, I know that is absolutely bonkers, but I was just being too hard on myself. It is also a time of transition in life, so I know a lot of people my age may be able to relate to the feelings around 'trying to work out who you are, what you are doing and where you are going'. Anyway, I sat back and thought GET OVER IT EVE. Easy as that. Okay, I did have to give myself a little pep talk, but you come to realise that as human's we are not perfect and we make good decisions, bad decisions, and uncertain decisions all the time - we learn and we grow. I do think we live in a society where comparing yourself to someone else becomes increasingly unavoidable, but we do need to give ourselves a break. So, that's what I did! I am good enough and am doing my best to be the best person I can be. I embrace my hiccups and celebrate my successes. Life is a huge learning process and sometimes we just need to remember to live. Having a positive perception of yourself and life can have a profound impact on your health, believe me. Now, for some, I realise it's not as easy as giving yourself a 'pep talk', but I do want to remind you that it is possible to get yourself on a good track. Talk about how you are feeling to someone. 

I have been feeling so happy these past months since finishing exams, even with my stupid worries and I think much of that is down to my change in fitness routine and diet. I made the conscious decision to really improve my fitness and to try to introduce small, healthy changes to my diet. As a fitness instructor, there are certain expectations to have a good fitness level as well as balanced diet, I will say that I have followed a regular fitness routine for years now, especially since teaching regular Zumba classes (I am still LOVING Zumba and being an instructor btw), however, I did feel the need to introduce some new exercise into my routine, as simple as going for a long walk on a daily basis. I have noticed that just adding a little more exercise has made a big difference for me. I have also tried to eat more healthy, however never deprive myself of eating food I enjoy. Balance is key. 

// M Y  P E R S O N A L 'LIFE' G O A L \\ 

This may be strange, but I've been thinking a lot about what it is I want to achieve in my life and I have come to a conclusion. I have some key role models in my life, these are people I adore so much and admire greatly, and I thought to myself 'what is it that makes these people so amazing to me?', and I worked out it was the way they made me feel. These people make me feel so happy and inspired about life, and I realised I want a focus and goal of my life to be to do the same. I want to help and inspire people I meet, I want them to feel happy in my company and encouraged to achieve good things! That is my life goal. How I'll get there, not sure yet. Whatever I end up doing, I want that to be a factor in it. 

// T H E  B L O G \\

Haia Eve is going to be my space to write about whatever it is I want. Yeah. I had always put pressure on myself to fit within a certain blogger category, but I can't. I have so many interests. Lots of things excite me and I like talking about lots of different things. However, the primary focus of my posts will be health/fitness/lifestyle, so look forward to lots of posts falling under those topics! I'm also starting to explore the idea of starting up a lifestyle YouTube channel, but at the moment this really scares me, we'll see.

// S U M M A R Y \\ 

I am so excited about life and all the possibilities. I have lots of little exciting things coming up and I am truly treasuring them. I am so happy at the moment, as well as scared to see where I'll end up going. I cannot wait to get back sharing things with you all because I have really missed being a blogger. I will hopefully be telling you in a week that I got into Uni, however, if I'm not, I'll work something else out :) Things work out in the end! If you are waiting for results, too, whatever happens - things will be okay =). 
Ok, so updates done! I hope you are all well.

Speak to you all soon.

XXX




favourites

My Most Loved Music - Pt 1.

February 20, 2017

Music is my favourite thing - it has such a powerful impact on my life every single day. I can't imagine life without music. Whilst reflecting on the importance of music, I thought; 'What are my most favourite songs?', and then I thought why not share them on my blog? So today I am sharing with you PART ONE of my favourite songs (believe me, this could end up being 3-5 parts!!)

 (Part one)...

1. You're So Vain - Carly Simon
2. Don't Hurt Yourself - Beyonce
3. Daddy Lessons - Beyonce
4. Camouflage - Selena Gomez
5. Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell
6. Heartstrings - Leighton Meester
7. Mi Fum Yn Gweini Tymor - Sian James
8. F**k You - Lily Allen 
9. Start a Family - Texas
10. Earned It - The Weeknd
11. Medicine - Shakira
12. 23 - Shakira
13. This Girl's In Love With You - She & Him
14. Hey Girl - Zooey Deschanel
15. Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want - The Smiths

 I love all these songs for so many different reasons. Each song has a different impact on me, and for that I am so grateful to each artist for releasing such fantastic music.

 I am already excited to share part two with you all!
What are your favourite songs?

Love, Eve xxx

CHAT

FAVE SHOWS ATM

February 04, 2017

Hey lovelies and a very happy February! Last month was MAD, and due to me having to move out for a few weeks (we were having a kitchen fitted) and a lack of WiFi I was unable to post! :( Sorry!

 I was trying to come up with an idea for today's post (due to it only going to be a quick one) and thought, why not chat about my favourite television programmes, as I've been truly enjoying indulging in some new shows this past month or so. Enjoy!

1. Gossip Girl - Gahhhh. Hands down my latest obsession. Can I be Blair? And have my own Chuck Bass.....PLEASE!?!?

2. Miranda Sings: Haters Back Off! - OK, so I wasn't quite sure how I'd deal with this one;  I've loved Miranda Sings' channel on YouTube for AGES, so didn't want to be disappointed, however I must admit, I absolutely love this. Three words: LAUGH OUT LOUD.

3. Gwaith Cartref - A new found favourite! How is it only now I am getting into this show!? It's so good. Really great to see such a fab show on S4C in Welsh.

4. Call The Midwife - This gives me all the warm feels and adds a little excitement to my Sundays! I simply adore it!

5. Modern Family - YES OH YES! One of my all time favourite shows, so I've been quite very pleased to have a new series to enjoy. Love it.

6. Byw Celwydd - This is my favourite Welsh drama of all time, and boyyyyy there is a heck of a lot of drama kicking off. SOOO GOOD and filled with lots of juicy, dark and dirty little lies! Obsessed. 

pic source

...and I have so many other shows I want to start (including How To Get Away With Murder season 3B! Can't wait!) What are your favourite shows at the moment?? I'd love to know!

Speak soon.

Love, Eve xxx

Hello 2017

Make 2017 Better.

January 02, 2017

Well hello there and happy 2017.

How is your year going so far? I won't lie, a fair few of my first hours of 2017 have been dedicated to my new love in life; Gossip Girl. So, yeah, pretty great start to the year. 

For those of you craving a good year or better year, but have no clue where to start, I thought I'd dedicate today's rambles to a few ideas on how to start 2017 off better. 

1 - List your goals. Whether they be small or big, it's good to know what you want to achieve.

2 - Reflect. What were my weaknesses and strengths last year? How can I improve myself?

3 - Go out. A meal, a cinema date, a party or just a shopping day; start 2017 with some great memories.

4 - Plan to go places. Whether it be a holiday to land far away or to a place nearby you haven't seen enough; plan to see more this year.

5 - Give time to others

6 - ...but give time to yourself too.

7 - Work hard

8 - ....but don't stress.

9 - Appreciate all you have and who you have.

10 - Say YES to things you want to do.

11 - And say NO (if possible and allowed) to things you REALLY don't want to do.

12 - Meet new people.

13 - Find a hobby.

14 - Get inspired; by a film, a book, a person, music etc.

15 - Be kind.

16 - Be understanding and forgiving.

17 - Spread and share love.

18 - Know when it's time to cut ties with people who are wearing on you, they're not worth your time.

19 - Live in the moment.

20 - Take risks.

21 - Remember, it will all be ok in the end.

22 - Enjoy your year. Take lots of pictures, make loads of memories and smile your way to a happy 2017.

Good Luck and have fun. 

Wishing you a healthy & happy 2017. Have a good one! 

With Love,

Eve xxx