A very Special year

I’m not normally one for the personal posts, but considering the year I’ve had, I think that somethings are worth looking back on. Every year brings it’s own ups and downs, but this year has been a fairly spectacular one.

2014 started out on a pretty bum note, as I was still unwell, and faced into another stint in hospital. However, as clichéd as it sounds, what doesn’t  kill you makes you stronger, and I can honestly say this year has brought about some really amazing things. I finally got the all clear health wise. The blog has gone from strength to strength thanks to you guys and I was not only nominated for the best International Newcomer award with Company magazine, but I was given the highly commended award. In July I was announced as one of the 4 brand ambassadors for The Loop at Dublin and Cork Airport and on the same day, my biggest highlight of all, I got engaged!  Saying all that, there are 4 steps I took this year, that have honestly changed my life.

Slimming World

I have since lost a further 8 lbs since the picture on the right was taken.I was also another stone heavier when I started Slimming world, then the picture on the left.

I started Slimming World the weekend after St Patricks day to humour my mother.  Having had my thyroid removed, I had been told that I would find it near on impossible to lose weight and I had given up hope on shifting the 3 stone that I had gained while sick. 9 months later I am delighted to have  lost 2 stone and 2 pounds. I am now the lightest I have been in over 4 years .While I don’t lose weight at the same speed as many other people in my group, I am slowly but surely chipping away at it and hope to be at my goal weight come Easter.

Like most people I hate diets, but with Slimming world I  honestly don’t feel like I am on a diet. I rarely feel hungry and if I can eat fairly hefty dinners. It has changed how I think about food and for the first time ever Mr Beautiful Truth doesn’t give up about the skinny food I cook!

Crossfit Fifteen

If you told me earlier in the year that I would finish this year out not only going to a Crossfit gym, but loving going, I would have fallen down laughing. I am really not an exercise person at all. I would normally avoid exercise like the plague. However, I am now a massive advocate of Crossfit. The changes that going to Crossfit fifteen has made to my body, weight loss and even my all round standard of life in such a short period of time is mind blowing.

When I started Crossfit, I had hit a plateau with my weight loss. I had been in and around the same weight for nearly 3 months, and I was playing with the same few pounds all the time. It was a constant rollarcoaster of Up one week and down the next. Since starting Crossfit classes 7 weeks ago, I have not only lost a further 8 pounds , but the shape of my body has really changed. I finally have a waist again!! Without sounding like a self righteous git, I feel amazing! I am feeling confident in my clothes again and I was actually able to go into town the other day and buy clothes that are 2 sizes smaller than what I was wearing in March.

Not only that, but I feel strong! I don’t mean lifting heavy things strong, but rather I can get up off my hunkers without falling over. I can climb a long set of stairs without collapsing in a heap and I also have a way more extra energy. I will be further blogging my Crossfit Fifteen journey to get into my wedding dress with, but ladies if you are in the market for a new fitness regime in the new year, please promise me that you will even consider checking out a Crossfit gym. This is honestly the fastest I have ever seen a change in my body from exercise and it is far more enjoyable than running on a treadmill.

FastBraces

I am not going to lie, braces are hard hard work. First there was the pain and now it’s food constantly stuck in my teeth and never feeling like my teeth are fully clean. In saying that, my braces are one of the best things I have ever done. All my life I have had issues with my teeth and wanted them sorted out and this year, I finally got the chance to get them looking perfect in time for the wedding in early July. I’ve had them on 5 weeks now and I can already see some slight movement in my upper teeth. I really can’t wait to till I’m grinning like a clown with a set of straight delph. You can read more about Fastbraces here

Embrowdery

Ok so I know this is a very superficial one, but you have no idea how getting my brows done has made my life so much easier. It used to take me at least 5 minutes in the morning to sculpt out my brows, but now all I have to do is run a pencil through them, if I even do anything to them at all. I had my last session done in July and they are still going strong. I will get a top up before the wedding to keep them going for even longer. You can read a full review here

As amazing as 2014 has been, 2015 is shaping up to be a fairly amazing year. Thank you all for your support with the blog. You have no idea how grateful I am for every comment, or page view. It still baffles me that people take the time out to read my beauty ramblings. Happy Christmas guys and here’s to an amazing 2015.