Be Body Beautiful by Lucy Mecklenburgh : Book Review

Well this is a first for A Yellow Brick Blog, a book review! I purchased this last week from amazon after spotting people talking about it on twitter and immediately wanting to check it out for myself.

I always loved Lucy on TOWIE and even though sometimes I wanted to shake her and say what are you doing? I always found her to be pretty genuine and definitely a likeable 'character'!

Since leaving TOWIE I think we've all seen the transformation Lucy has made from Essex glam girl to fitness fanatic and I have been fascinated with her journey every step of the way.

 Lucy story seems different to alot of other "weight-loss celebs" - Lucy was never fat, she was never big... she's probably never even been above a size 10, but her fitness and total life overhaul seems genuine, healthy and really achievable if you put enough energy and effort into it.

Her book Be Body Beautiful : My guide to a healthy, happy new you - is a real page turner and not your usual celeb auto-biography.
This isn't about loosing weight, it's about changing your lifestyle and the way you think and feel about food, exercise and the way you live.
 Yes, we do hear snippets about Lucy's life from childhood up until now and how she's got to this point but it is also full of tips, motivational advice, yummy recipes and amazing exercise routines and ideas.

Normally when I look at "healthy eating" books and recipes I sit there and roll my eyes at the extravagant ingredients, 1000 different steps to make it and normally think to myself... where in the hell am I going to find that? But this book is full of easy and attainable concoctions that have got me really excited!

There are meal plans for you to follow for weeks on end, which help you make a healthy change slowly but surely and great lists of foods for you to avoid and encourage! I love the no-no's lists!

Some of the recipes I am looking forward to trying out include :  

Raw Chocolate Mud Shake

Banana Berry Smoothie

Antioxidant Blend

Purple Porridge

Salmon & Scrambled Eggs

Spinach, Apple  & Walnut Salad

Chicken, Strawberry & Kiwi Salad

Green Soup

Beef Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries

Beauty Bowl

Healthy Fish Pie

Avacado, Chocolate & Strawberry Mousse

Dark Chocolate Shake

Berry Crunch

Lucy also shares her favourite exercise routines and even includes a six-week challenge for both diet and exercise to help give you that needed kick up the butt! Lucy also talks, confidence, body, fashion and self-esteem. She's brutally honest and I'm looking forward to finishing the parts I am still yet to read.

This book is all about a permanent transformation which I something I am really striving for.
I want to make my body a healthy both on the inside and out and get out of my rut of junk food binges and exhaustion.
If you're looking for some motivation, ideas and support whilst trying to become healthier and happier this is definitely something you should pick up - even if you aren't a TOWIE fan (it's literally nothing to do with it!)

Thank you Lucy!

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Throwback Thursday : Essex Memories

I love a bit of Throwback Thursday - weather it's on instagram, twitter, facebook or like today - herem I love looking at everyone's old photos (especially if they are some funny childhood photos!).

Reminiscing is so much fun = photos hold the best memories and a picture's really do say 1000 words!

Knowing that the all important TOWIE is coming back to our screens this weekend (wahoo) I thought this week I'd share some photos of when me and my friends made the crazy journey to Brentwood for a weekend!

This was over a year ago now - we went in Nov 2012 for my friend's 21st birthday! It was so much fun... although we had ALOT that didn't go to plan - which, luckily, we can seriously laugh about now!

I can't believe how much me and my friends have all changed in just over a year (my hair is so short!!) - crazy! I'd definitely go back to Essex - was a great couple of nights out!

Send me your #TBT photos on twitter or instagram - or link them below!

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Lauren's Way Self Tan Mousse & Glam Tan Review

So, winter is upon us. Not only does this mean chapped lips, freezing cold fingers and toes and tights become a staple in the wardrobe but we all get a bit...well.... pale.
I, myself, look like a total ghost in the autumn & winter months so fake tanning is normally key to me looking half normal.
So when the fabulous ladies at Lauren's Way contacted me after I had been raving about their rollers on twitter (seriously they are amazing!) and asked me whether I'd want to try out some of their tanning products I jumped at the chance - seriously who wouldn't!

I had heard so many amazing things about this tan so I jumped straight in and whacked it on as soon as the postman dropped it through the letterbox.
Because I'm fairly fair skinned and not an expert tanner I went for the 'Medium' shade in the mousse - I think this was the safest option for me to start off with!

I do have a confession to make - I normally only tend to tan before a big night out - 1. because I am lazy and 2. because I'm always scared I'm going to totally muck it up.
 There is nothing worse than seeing someone with horrific streaks or who is clearly the same colour as a tangerine -I do NOT want this to be me!

I've been using this tan alot over the last few weeks as I have had lots of partys, night outs and general fun-type things to go to!
 But for these photos I thought I would just show you the difference from just ONE application!
I found this mousse so easy to use (thank you for the free mitt aswell LW!) Just 1 pump from the bottle goes a long long way and I think the smell is slightly better than the other tans I've used but of course there is still that slight "biscuit smell" that everyone has grown to know and love haha! (although I've never really got that... what biscuit to you people eat?!)

It doesn't take me long to cover my whole body with this stuff and streak free I must say! One thing I was super impressed with is the drying time. 
Normally I'm flapping around the bathroom trying to get my tan to dry and feel less sticky before I get dressed again but the LW tan dries so quickly - I was so shocked! Massive brownies points for that one girls and boys!

As you can see in the photos there is a huge difference for just one quick once over with the mousse AND this is a developing mousse so you leave it on for approx. 8 hours and then wash it off for the best results - so pop it on before bed and this tan develops while you sleep - easy peasy!

The mousse is priced at £17.95 and the Glam Tan spray (mentioned below) is £18.95 and that comes with a FREE tanning mitt worth £3.99! To me these are total bargain prices, cheaper than St. Tropez and Fake Bake and for, in my opinion, a better product!

With the LW mousse tan I was also sent one of the "Glam Tan" spray bottles! When I fake tan I normally use Fake Bake or St. Mortiz and always go for a mousse, I find it so much easier to use than anything else so this is something that initially scared me a little to try out but I am actually am so impressed with how easy it has been to use!
Where it is quite a bit darker than the 'medium' mousse it took me a lot of courage to try it out but with the mitt the spray technology makes it so easy to apply evenly! So, thank you LW for helping me get out of me mousse comfort zone!

Fake tan has so many benefits - it makes you look healthier, it makes you look skinnier, it makes you feel more confident,  it isn't harmful to your skin and body unlike sunbeds and sun-bathing, you are in control - want to go darker? Do it again tomorrow and the next day! If you need a pick me up with all this gloomy rain and cloud - hit the bottle and you won't regret it!

I can honestly say now - hand on heart - that the LW is the best at-home fake tan I have EVER used and will 100% be purchasing when these bottles have run out, because with the weather as it is and no holidays booked as of yet ... I'm going to need it!

(***Disclaimer : This product was kindly sent to me by the lovely people at Lauren's Way. . All thoughts, opinions and ideas are always my own and I would never include an item or product on A Yellow Brick Blog that I didn't truly believe in.)