My Gymnastic Days

Seeing as it is now the Olympics, I thought I would throw it back to when I did gymnastics.

Back in 1999 I started gymnastics at The Berkhamsted Gymnastics Club.
I absolutely loved it and progressed so much.

You would always catch me doing cartwheels, handstands and the crab whenever I could.

Beam always used to be my least favourite, as balance just wasn't my thing!

I always used to remember practising my balance at home, to improve on beam by placing a scarf on the floor and attempting to do a routine on that. 

You can even see in the photo above by my toes how much I'm trying to keep balance!

 A few years on, I got to the age where I started competing in competitions. 

Counting down the days to my first competition I was excited but VERY nervous.
Being the centre of attention does not go down well with me, so the thought of 'all eyes on me' was extremely terrifying!

First Competition

Considering how nervous I was, for my first competition I did quite well.

I received two medals overall for this competition, 1 bronze and 1 silver!

Second Competition

My second competition, I was still very nervous, but I knew what to expect which calmed me down a lot.

I remember trying my absolute hardest when training, to be the best I possibly can!

Which clearly worked as I came first in Bars, Vault and Beam! 

I received a silver medal for this competition overall, which I was very happy about.

I carried on going to my training and competing, getting better and better.

One of my last competitions, I remember saying to myself and family, that I was determined to come home with a trophy.

I DID IT!

The awkward smile in this photo is deceiving. I was so so proud of myself, I just hated my photo being taken.

I came first overall in this competition, resulting in me receiving a gold medal as well as the trophy.

A few months after this competition, I was approached to join the Competition Squad, meaning I would be competing a lot more in much more important competitions!

At the time this scared me a little bit, as the coaches said this could potentially get me into the Olympics!

So, I quit gymnastics altogether..

Looking back now I massively regret that decision.

About 3 years ago, I decided I was going to go back! I called my old gymnastics club, and to my surprise, they were still there. 

I went back once a week, but I just didn't enjoy it like I used to, due to me being a lot less flexible than before. 

I would love to know if you ever did or still are doing gymnastics and what your favourite peice is?

I'd also love to know if you are watching the Olympics and what your favourite sport is?

Speak soon,

Love Beckii

xxxx

My Exercise Regime

Metafit

As its the 'summer' season - not that we have had much of a summer - and all us girls are trying to get bikini body ready, I thought I would share with you all how I keep fit.

I have never usually been one for exercise! 

I always had the idea of joining the gym and going everyday, but I just knew I would never go, so gave up with that idea!

That's when I saw Metafit!

What is Metafit I hear you ask! Well let me explain to you all.

Firstly, its HARD! But thats why you get such good results, and the feeling you get once you're done is great!

It is a 30min, bodyweight only HIIT workout that aims to boost your metabolism, tone muscles and burn fat. 

There are so many different workouts that are available, and near enough every class I have been to is different, which is why it's so good.

This isn't something you can do from home, nor can you buy it on DVD as it is taught in a class by trained coaches.

The intervals have a mixture of the latest HIIT techniques as well as the older techniques, to make you feel the burn - and my god you feel the burn alright!

When I went to my first class, I'm not going to lie when I say I was nervous! I had never done anything this intense before, so I knew I probably wasn't going to be very good at it. 

Which I wasn't, I couldn't do hardly any of the exercises, and just felt like giving up!

Toni, who takes the classes I go to is amazing! Each exercise is adapted to your own ability, so everyone is able to do something. She's very good at getting everyone motivated, and makes you feel good about yourself. Even though you feel like your dying half way through and want to give up, she's there making it fun, which encourages you to carry on going!

Check out her Facebook page for all classes she takes! 

Click here - Toni's Toning 

I am now on my 12th class, and LOVING it! I can notice how much fitter and stronger I have become, and have also been told by numerous people that I am starting to look a lot more toned. I can do pretty much all the harder exercises now, which I never thought would happen. 

If you don't go already, I really think you should give this a try! It is hard, but SO worth it.

If you go to classes, I would love to know what you think.

How else do you all stay fit other than the gym?

Speak soon,

Love Beckii

xxxx

Boyfriends Birthday

Prime Steak & Grill

Last week was my boyfriends birthday, and as usual, like every year I spoilt him! 

As well as taking him into London for brunch, I took him for a meal at Prime Steak & Grill in Chandlers Cross.

This is the first time either of us have been here, and we will be returning!

The food was amazing and the staff were very friendly!

I'm not the biggest lover of red meat, but Jamie loves it.

Starters

Left: Chicken Liver Paté, Fig and Balsamic Chutney with Sour Dough.

Right: Salt & Pepper Squid, Crunchy Asian Salad with Mango & Lime Chilli Dressing.

Mains

Above: Roast Organic Chicken, Green Beans, Roasting Juices (Gravy) and Triple Cooked Chips.

Below: Surf and Turf (Lobster & Pavé Steak)

Dessert

Chocolate Fudge Brownie with White Chocolate Ice Cream & a Hot Toffee Sauce.

The time then arrived where we ordered cocktails, it would be rude not to right?

Jamie had an Espresso Martini and I had Hurricane Eyes.

Any of you looking for somewhere extremely yummy to go for dinner, and you haven't yet tried this place, then I suggest you book a table!

I'm telling you now, you will not regret it! 

Speak soon,

Love Beckii

xxxx

A Day In London

Boyfriends Birthday Treat

I don't know about anybody else, but for me, giving presents excites me more than receiving them!

On Sunday - 12th June - myself and boyfriend Jamie went into London. 

I had booked us in for Brunch with unlimited Prosecco - oh dear! - at a place called Avenue.

If you love your Prosecco like we do, then I would highly recommend coming here for brunch!

Starters

Our starters were delicious!

Left: Smoked Salmon and Scrambled Egg on Granary Toast.

Right: Egg Benedict, Blythburgh Ham, and Hollandaise Sauce.

Mains

These burgers were to die for!

Left: Buttermilk Chicken Burger and Fries.

Right: Cured Bacon and Cheese Hamburger and Fries.

You can choose whether to have a 2 or 3 course meal, depending on how hungry you are, but by this point we were extremely full up, and the thought of having a dessert was enough to make you pop!

I did however, inform the restaurant when booking, that it was for Jamie's birthday, and they brought out a "Happy Birthday' plate with a little cake and candle!

Once we had finished we went for a walk to Buckingham Palace, where the Patrons Lunch was taking place for the Queens birthday, we couldn't see much as it was all fenced off which was a bit of a shame, so we headed to Green Park where they had a big screen for you to watch it on.

We then moved on to have a mooch around the shops!

I love London and all the amazing looking buildings, it is such a beautiful city!

Here are a few shots I took on the day.

I would love to know if you have been to Avenue and what your thoughts are!

Also, I would love some recommendations of where else to go in London.

Let me know by leaving a comment below!

Speak soon,

Love Beckii

xxxx

My Lipstick Collection

MAC Lipstick Collection & Swatches

I thought I would share with you all my MAC lipstick collection and my thoughts on all the colours.

Its not the biggest collection and a lot of them are nudes - actually, they are all nudes - , but hey, you've got to start somewhere right?

Pink Plaid | Finish - Matte

This is the perfect lipstick if you are after nude pink! I love this colour at the moment as it goes with almost everything. This is actually my sisters, but she is the loveliest and lets me use it! That's what sisters are for though right?

I feel like this lipstick would suit everyone.

Creme Cup | Finish - Creme Sheen

This is probably my go to lippy, I wear this for day wear mostly. Its goes with everything, but you can wear it with any makeup look! Its lovely as it has that creme finish so looks nice and shiny when its on.

Chatterbox | Finish - Amplified Creme

So this colour was a bit of a risky buy! I personally, don't think bright colours suit me, although a lot of people say they do! I don't actually wear this colour much, but think I should start to as it is such a beautiful summery colour!

Peach Blossom | Finish - Creme Sheen

This was the first MAC lipstick that I bought. For me it is very similar to creme cup! As you can see its been very well used, so I'm glad I have others to keep this one going a little bit longer! It is a very nude/peachy colour, so doesn't show up all that much, but it still looks lovely when applied.

Brave | Finish - Satin

Brave is one of my newest colours, and I LOVE it. It is a nudey pink, and makes your lips look amazing! I pair this up with MAC's Soar Lipliner, which is the best combo! It actually makes your lips look a lot plumper even though they aren't!

This colour also goes with pretty much everything!

Velvet Teddy | Finish - Matte

My parents brought me this back from Mexico!

I have been wanted Velvet Teddy for ages now, but whenever I went to buy it, it was sold out - annoying! - 

This colour is literally amazing! So many people have been going on and on about this colour, I now understand why! At the moment I have been wearing it on its own, but I've been told pairing it with MAC's Whirl Lipliner is a must to make it look that much better!

So, that is my lipstick collection - for now - once I have bought more I will do an updated post.

As you can see from all the photos, I have a thing for nudes. I need to start being more adventurous and trying out brighter/darker colours! 

What colours would you all recommend, and what are your favourites?

Leave comments below as I would love to give them all a try!

Speak soon,

Love Beckii

xxxx

Lash Treatments - 'Extensions & Lifts'

Eyelash Treatments

I thought it would be a good idea to chat to you all about the two different lash treatments which I offer. This time of year is when us girls want to wear as little makeup as possible, but still look pretty! 

If you are interested in either Eyelash Extensions or the Lash Lift, then carry on reading for all information, tips on aftercare and the difference between each treatment.

Eyelash Extensions

  

What are Eyelash Extensions?

Eyelash Extensions are designed to lengthen and thicken your own natural lashes. The extensions are single strands of synthetic eyelashes. They are applied to each individual natural eyelash one by one. Application can take anything from 45mins - 1.5hours. A full set will last between 2-3weeks if looked after properly, before needing infills. Your natural lashes fall out all the time, so to notice a few fall out fairly soon is quite normal, due to the lash cycle. A lot of clients lashes will differ based on day to day activities.

How to take care of Eyelash Extensions

After application, it is important to avoid getting them wet for at least 12-24hours, including steam rooms and saunas.

Try not to rub your eyes, this includes pulling at the lashes as this can cause your natural lash to fall out, resulting in gaps.

When removing eye makeup, try using an oil free product, as oil can sometimes react with the glue causing them to fall out.

It is very important to keep your lashes clean as you do not want to get any eye infections. When in the shower, getting them wet is fine, but try to avoid having heavy flowing water fall onto the lashes.

Your therapist should provide you with a comb, which is very important to use to keep them looking fabulous!
Eyelash Extensions are ideal for special occasions, or day to day wear. They save a lot of time in the mornings, and it looks like you have makeup on even if you don't!

Lash Lift

What is a Lash Lift?

A Lash Lift is one of the most popular lash treatments at moment, due to the fact that they are maintenance free, with outstanding results! The treatment has a lot more to it than the extensions, so this will be a slightly longer and in depth explanation!

So how does it work I hear you ask!?

A silicone shield is attached to your eyelid using an adhesive - completely safe!   

 

Adhesive is then applied to the shield, where the lashes are then pulled back onto the shield and separated into position. It is essential that all lashes are seperated and in a nice position before the lotion is applied, as this is how they will stay once the shield is removed!

Once they are all positioned, the first lotion is then put over the lashes and left on for up to 13mins. This lotion breaks down the bonds in your lashes, ready for the next lotion to be applied, which then builds the bonds back up again keeping them in the position which they are in on the shield! This stays on for around 5-6mins.

All products removed, it is now time to tint them! This enhances the finished result a lot!

Your lashes become quite porous during this treatment, so the tint takes extremely fast!

It is now time to remove the shields and reveal those gorgeous lashes! 

It is very clever this treatment, as it gives the look of longer lashes even though they are all yours! 

Results last 6-8weeks, you can still wear mascara if you wanted to, but you don't have to! 

It is also quite nourishing for your lashes, so the more times you have it done, the better your lashes will become!

Aftercare

To be honest, there isn't a lot of aftercare with these, which is another reason why it is so popular.

You must avoid getting them wet for the first day of having them done, however, after the first day you can treat them how you would your own lashes!

If there is anything I have missed out and you would like to know some more information, please leave a comment below and I will be happy to answer all of your questions! 

If you would like to contact me regarding either of these treatments, please head over to my 'Contact Me' page to find all my social medias where we can talk about booking you in.

Speak soon,

Love Beckii

xxxx

Spa Day & Afternoon Tea

Pendley Manor

On Thursday I went for a Spa Day & Afternoon Tea with my mum, sister and cousin.
Relaxing with tea and cake, who wouldn't enjoy that?

Once we arrived we were greeted by the reception staff, who then handed us over to a lovely lady who took us into a room, where we could have a cup of tea. 
Walking through the building, you can feel how old it is, its beautiful!

After we had all finished our tea, we were then shown around the spa facilities, given our robes and flip flops and headed to the changing rooms.


And... Relax!

The whole pool/spa bath to ourselves!

We sat by the pool chatting for a bit, and then all headed down to the sauna/steam rooms.
For me - and I don't know about anybody else - but steam rooms make me extremely panicky! I get quite claustrophobic, so the feeling of not being able to breathe easily terrifies me! However, I did manage to spend about 5minutes in there, which is a long time for me.


Time for the food!

   

Quite recently I've learnt that certain foods really hurt my tummy! 

So whilst eating all these sandwiches, cakes, and scones, I knew my tummy would be in agony and very bloated afterwards - who wants a bloated tummy whilst in a bikini on spa day? Not me!

So instead of choosing traditional breakfast tea like I always do, I chose peppermint tea to settle my tummy throughout, which really helped!

All the food was sooo delicious, its making my mouth water now just thinking about it.

My lovely mum then treated us all to a glass Prosecco. Yumm!

Cheers!

Back to pool and spa bath!

The spa bath was bubbling away, so we decided to hop in! It was just like getting into a nice hot bath.

We all then thought we should try out the gym! It was empty - just how I like it - I went on the treadmill for a little while, but that just isn't for me, so instead I did 2000m on the rowing machine - very impressed with myself I must add! -

Gym done, so we went to the changing rooms to get showered and dressed, to make our way home!

What a lovely day we all had!

Have any of you been on a Spa Day or Afternoon Tea recently, and would recommend anywhere?

Leave comments below and let me know! 

Speak soon,

Love Beckii

xxxx