DIY At Home Weights

Going to the gym can be an expensive, crowded and slightly daunting experience for some people so creating a gym in the comfort of your own home sounds like a better idea. With countless fitness DVDs on the shelves in pretty much every shop you go in to the tools of a home gym are easily found and relatively in expensive.  However, the actual physical equipment is a little more pricey hence why I am here with a little helping hand. I made these super easy at home weights using two hugely inexpensive things.  A water bottle and rice.  Most people drink water and most people have rice at home and even if you don't you can buy a 1kg bag in the supermarket for about 40p.  To create them all you need to do is get a selection of different size water bottles, I'd suggest two of each size (drink the contents first) and pour the rice in, filling the bottle to the top, you could use a funnel for that or just a small cut in the bag. Screw the top back on and there you have it.  Now, get pumping them guns! 

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Healthy, Easy, One Bowl Flapjacks

I am a sucker for sweet things and when you are trying to get your booty in shape, sweet things can sometimes be a little naughty and not very helpful. Queue these little beauties! A super easy, one bowl (and a small baking tray) flapjacks!
For these you will need:
- 1 cup of oats - 1 cup of almond milk - 1 tablespoon of honey - A handful of raisins (or some other fruit of your choice like cherries or blueberries maybe?) - A sprinkle of desicated coconut Add all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and combine together. Pour it all into a lined baking tray and sprinkle some desicated coconut on top  Bake for around 20 Minutes (until golden brown)  Once baked, cut flapjack up into smaller pieces and there you have it! I told you it was simple.. These flapjacks make the perfect snack or you could even take one for breakfast. I have already taken to baking a batch every Sunday to see us through till Friday.

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My Workout Playlist [001]

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We all need a little motivation when it comes to hitting the gym, some of us more than others.. So to hopefully help with that a little I have compiled a few of my favourite songs that are in my current workout playlist to share with you! 
- Work B**ch - Britney Spears - this is the first song I listen to when I start my workout, it gets me pumped up and ready to take it all on.  - Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars - Don't mind me dancing away on the cross trainer..  - Hold My Hand - Jess Glynne - Talk about a feel good track! - So Freakin' Tight - Tough Love - because I want my body to be So Freakin' Tight! - Getting' Jiggy Wit It - Will Smith - Urm.. yes.. seriously.  - Yeah Yeah - Bodyrox - helps me get an attitude and squat lower - Hold Back the River - James Bay - Always a nice one from the end of workout, time to chill.. - Shake It Off - Taylor Swift - Naturally I would include a Taylor song, talk about getting pumped up! What are your top tunes to help you stay pumped? 

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Yummy Granola Jar

I always struggle in the mornings. Always. I start work at 7AM and the thought of getting out of bed much before 6AM is daunting so breakfast is somewhat over looked and I normally settle with a quick protein shake or some form of bar to get me going. Surprise, Surprise it doesn't really work and I'm normally hungry by about 8:30AM and any sign of a break is lingering 2 hours in the distance.  Then it all changed when I discovered Miss Carly Rowena who is the owner of one of my favourite fitness youtube channels and blog (check them out, seriously..) I got inspired by the granola jar Carly created in this video and thought I'd put my own spin on it. 
In my jar I have:  - A handful of chopped up strawberries - A handful of blueberries - 3 tablespoons of Alpro plain yoghurt - A sprinkling of Natural Honey & Oat granola
Its also super simple to make too.. I basically put the ingredients into the jar in that order, screw on the top, pop it in the fridge where it will keep for around 5 days. You can make a bunch of these on a Sunday and they will see you right through till Friday!  I purchased my jars from The Range for about £1.40, super inexpensive!  Go give it a try, you won't regret it!

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and relax...

There is something so therapeutic about finishing work at 3:30pm, coming home and snuggling in to the bed with my laptop. Normally I'm settling down to edit a few videos but more recently I'm finding myself opting for my blog.
Don't get me wrong, I love YouTube and the routine of preparing for a filming session, making sure my makeup is looking nice, checking the lighting and knowing what I want to talk about. However, sometimes, just sometimes, it feels like a lot of effort for a few minutes worth of video. I think its those moments that made me pine for my blog a little more. Its nice to come home from work and not have to make any effort with my appearance, I can just sit here in my pyjamas and fully relax into a blog post. I never feel like I'm trying too hard, which I can admit I sometimes can do on my channel, and I get to be the most realistic and basic version of me.

It may be my bunged up, cold ridden brain talking or my true self but I am really happy with my channel and I'm also really glad I introduced my blog back into the circle.

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Watch This Week [003]

YAY, More Lush! CLICK TO WATCH

Things are heating up.. CLICK TO WATCH

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Fit Food - Meal Time Inspiration

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I have recently made the conscious decision to start working out and putting the right foods into my body. Now I'm putting it out there right now that its not for the sake of a "Bikini Body," Ladies, if you want a bikini body then you put that bikini on your body right now! Its more for me wanting to feel good about myself and my body because for a while now I just haven't been happy. I've fallen into a sort of pattern when it comes to food so I thought I would share my favourite meals and places to shop with you in an aid for your own journey. 
BREAKFAST is the most important meal of the day.. right!? My favourite things to have for a quick breakfast before my 7AM starts at work is two of the Fuel Protein Brix (like weatabix but with added protein) and almond milk, sometimes a little stevia makes its way onto them too.. When I'm off work or start later in the mornings I always reach for 2 eggs and either scramble them or make them into an omelette with some ham. 
SNACKING happens three times a day, yes THREE. I'm not into that whole "3 main meals a day and thats it" crap.  I have a mid morning snack at around 10AM, Mid afternoon snack at around 4PM and the last one at 9:30PM. A few of my favourites are Quest Bars or Protein Chips (you can find them here & here) An apple with a handful of almonds, Green beans with sweet chilli sauce and rye bread and peanut butter (especially before an afternoon workout.) My evening snack is always the same; 2 Caramel rice cakes, a small amount of hotel chocolat supermilk and some blueberries. 
LUNCH is always rather similar. Chicken with some vegetables and either with or without basmati rice. I have recently started buying frozen vegetables that you can microwave as it makes meal prepping easier as well as staying fresh for much longer therefore stopping them being wasted. My favourite place to get chicken from is Protein Pouch, they have a nice range of chicken either whole breast, sliced or diced that you pop in your freezer and just take out what you need when you need it. It's kept fresher for longer and its really good value for money. They also do a whole range of vegetable pouches, sweet potato wedges and also some fresh flavoured chicken. 
DINNER can be fun. The meal I tend to enjoy the most is a homemade cottage pie with peppers, green beans and sweet potato mash on top. Other things that I am looking forward to trying is beef burgers with a lettuce bun and rice. Fajitas are also another delicious option.
See, being healthy isn't all bad! 

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My Second Instagram!

Lately I have been absolutely loving Instagram and its where I've found the most inspiration for motivation within my changing fitness. Having an operation that leaves you bed bound for a week means you have a little bit of spare time on your hands and within that spare time I created my second instagram account! I wanted a place where I could document my progress as I sculpt my body into my ideal, I feel that having somewhere to do it will keep me on track. Plus I get another place on the social world to fill with my favourite fitness related things (sorry, I'm a little greedy..)  Feel free to head on over to charlottejessfitx it and give it a little follow and if you have a fitness account or just an instagram in general then leave me a comment on here or there and I will give you a little follow back! 

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Watch This Week [002]

Can we just take a second for my bag!? CLICK TO WATCH

My new fitness obsession: CLICK TO WATCH

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My Favourite Things - April 2015

I haven't made too many new discoveries this past month but hey, the bank balance needs a break sometimes, right? Roller Lash by Benefit has become something of a cult product around the beauty community and I can see why! I love this mascara, especially the brush. It has the perfect shape to create the ideal curl in the lashes, that paired with the plastic bristles makes this a favourite in my eyes too.  Benefit's Big Easy is the new wonder product. It blurs imperfections, balances the tones in your skin, adjusts to mirror your skin tone perfectly and has SPF35 to protect skin even more. Oh and did I mention that it applies like an absolute dream and its perfect for my oil prone skin!? Need I say more.. FM Cosmetics is pretty much like the new Avon only with better quality products and high end dupes and high street prices. (Watch my review in full right here) I am obsessed with the perfume in the scent 18, its the perfect dupe for DKNY Be Delicious at a fraction of the price.  My Pink Nikes (I've forgotten the type) are my favourite accessory for every gym outfit. They are so comfy and bouncy and I just love them. I may be looking for replacements right now, actually, I won't say replacement.. lets just say a companion for them but they will always be my favourites.  Naturally my favourites can't be complete without some food cause we all know girlfriend loves food. The first is the Lenny & Larrys Complete Cookie, being on a fitness hype the cookies are the perfect sweet treat that taste just like a delicious chunky cookie but with 16g of protein. A serving is half a cookie which means a box lasts a lot longer than normal and they are so filling that its easy to stop at half.  The Grenade Carb Killa is basically a caramel chocolate bar parading its self as a protein bar. I normally HATE protein bars and the chalky protein texture but those things do not exist in this delicious bar. It is AMAZING. 

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Watch This Week [001]

Take a peak at my super easy summer makeup routine: CLICK TO WATCH

My one true love from lush, let me tell you all about it: CLICK TO WATCH

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Rise and Shine

Now I may be seriously looking forward to getting my booty back into an actual gym on Monday morning but part of me is going to miss these outdoor early morning workouts. There is something about waking up as the sun is rising and walking a few hundred yards up the road to escape the concrete streets, finding yourself in a mass of peaceful woods and vast fields. Its especially nice when its a little bit misty out, everything just looks so pretty.  Myself and Josh have been going out most mornings for the past week or so just to get our bodies prepared for the return to the gym, neither of us are in the condition we used to be so it is needed, a bit. I'm talking like, I used to be able to squat with my body weight on the bar.. Now.. I can just about manage a fraction of that!!  A run, jog or even a fast walk have been accompanied by a full body circuit in the garden and I'm already starting to feel better in myself. 

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The Most Ridiculous Day...

Waking up on Saturday 25th April I would never have known what a mad and emotional day I was heading in to. Here I was, innocently eating lunch at my mums house near Northampton when I checked my emails and came across one from Barratts informing me that the two house plots we had been impatiently waiting for for the past month or so had finally been released for sale. Crap. Josh is at work, I'm half an hour away and there was no chance they'd take a deposit over the phone! My mum was practically leaping out the door encouraging us to go to the sales office and we left almost immediately. I was trying so hard to get in contact with Josh on the way there, I wanted to check with him which plot he'd prefer and just let him know I was going. No luck. It was only when I was around 10 minutes away that his friend from work called me to let me know the details, phew! Once we arrived at the sales office and I was told that our preferable plot was available I had to wait for another client to finish his qualifying call before I could start. The sales office is small and the only thing separating the office from the waiting area was a small glass wall, I could hear every word of the call, he told them the house price and style, it was the house we wanted! I was devastated. Once his call ended and the sales lady went back into the office the man left, he had some calls to make and thinking to do. He just left. I practically ran into the office and despite being full of nerves (this call was a yes or no) I began the qualifying.  Throughout the call people kept coming in and asking about the specific plot I was trying so hard to secure. I also found out that had rang 45 people about the plots but neither me or Josh got the call.. We passed!! I've never given someone my bank card so fast.  I can honestly say that I have never believed in fate more in my life, so many things had to have happened for us to get that house... - It had to be my day off from work so I could go to the sales office - I had to have checked my emails as we got no phone call - I had to have got there when I did as so many people came in right after me. We went in my mums car which was faster than mine, if we had gone in mine we probably would've missed out. - The guy before me had to fail his qualification I am so pleased that we are now the proud owners of our first home! Now all we have to do is wait until October for it to be built! You can expect to see lots of home related posts, videos and of course vlogs along the way! SO EXCITED!!! For now though, I will leave you this little image of what our home will look like and I shall keep you updated on the growth of it over the next 5(ish) months!

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Turning 22..

I have basically been waiting for my 22nd Birthday to roll round since the first time I heard Taylor Swift's rather upbeat tune '22' and alas, on the 9th April 2015 it finally arrived and you better believe I listened to that song all day and sang it out, finally feeling 22! The day started off rather averagely with a trip to Costa for our usual weekly treat (medium mocha with an extra shot & a medium hot chocolate with a single shot) before moving on to McDonalds for a yummy breakfast wrap, it is my Birthday after all.. Josh needed a hair cut so it was off to the shopping centre for that and a mooch around for a Birthday present (I found nothing I liked) 
Then the fun began. As you may or may not know; I love pigs, it is my dream to one day own a small pig farm where they all live happily ever after so finding the gem that is Wimpole Hall, near Cambridge, was perfect and naturally the only way to spend my special day. Wimpole Hall is basically a huge stately home with a mass of grounds that includes gardens and a home farm, complete with a piggery. YASS!  We spent a good two hours wondering around the little farm in the warm sunshine, scratching the pigs behind their ears, having our fingers nibbled by the piglets and we even got to see a sheep give birth to her two babies which was mesmerisingly beautiful to watch. Josh has a way with the pigs that once he starts scratching them behind the ears they just fall the ground in pure submission, the love it! 
We finished off the day with a nice dinner at one of the nicest Chinese restaurants, joined by my Dad and Grandma (She even made cute little cakes with pigs on them!) it was delicious! 
All in all, you could say I turned 22 in the least adult way possible but who says you are too old for farms!? 

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My Favourite Things - March 2015

March is officially over and we are in my favourite month of the year, April aka my Birthday month! It's the 9th, incase any of you were wondering (teehee) but as the month of March has ended I figured its time to tell you about all the things I loved this past month. 

Urban Decay 'Naked 3' - This is possibly my favourite out of the three Naked pallets and I'm not just saying that because my boyfriend is laying next to me and he bought it for me.. It contains my favourite combination of colour; Neutral, rosey, pinky shades. I am yet to try out all the shades but I've been favouring a few of the deeper mattes with some lighter shimmers.

Urban Decay 'Naked On The Run' - Can I just say that Urban Decay can only ever do things right. I have wanted the On The Run pallet for the longest time and now that I have it I want to take it everywhere with me. Its the perfect chuck in your bag for day to day, travelling or even post gym. This handy little pallet contains everything you need to create a perfect full face (minus foundation but c'mon, make some effort!) All the shades work so well together and I am fully obsessed with the lipgloss and mascara. 

Benefit 'Hoola' Bronzer - I have been reaching for this bronzer more and more as the months go on, sometimes even over a blush completely. I feel like we are getting towards the time of year where looking like a bronzed goddess is the aim and this little baby is the perfect transition from ghostly winter white to oh so sun kissed. I am obsessed. 

Bare Minerals 'Prime Time' Primer - Holy-freaking-grail primer. It applies like an absolute dream and feels super light on the skin. It doesn't feel like it gets all heavy and clogs up pores like some other primers can. I need a full size of this ASAP. 

L'Oreal 'Miss Punky' Mascara - Potentially the best thing L'Oreal have ever created. I have a full review of this mascara coming up on my channel in the next couple of weeks so you'll have to take a peak over there to see just how amazing it is.

Frends 'Taylor' Headphones - Just look at them! Aren't they beautiful?! I got these beauties for christmas from my dad (thanks again, dad!) and I used them a lot of the time when I edit my videos. I love how comfy they are around my head and over my ears, I could wear them for hours! Yes, the price tag is a little steep but its super worth it as the quality of sound is really, really good!

Grenade 'Killa Ketones' - These little things are my new early morning best friends. Having to get up at 6AM for work is a killer, after doing it for nearly a month I still haven't actually got used to it yet. I have taken to popping one of these to give me the kick I need. The great thing is that the Grenade products are nothing but good for you unlike some "Ketones" Pills. Being specifically for women and containing green tea extracts, Acai, L-carnatine and a whole bunch of vitamins they are the perfect thing for burning fat and making sure you are ready to take on whatever the day throws at you! 

Cadburys Creme Eggs - My one true love at Easter. I am slightly devastated that they are now out of season and I have to wait a whole year before being able to enjoy the deliciousness again. I mean I only have like..43 left to last me until they are back on the shelves! I'm not kidding, by the way, I really do own that many.. 

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