Juice Juice! Who Likes Juice? I Like Juice!

Having recently moved in with my boyfriend, in a (very close by) but albeit new city - the gym has been eschewed in favour of cuddly nights on the sofa. A new kitchen and surroundings have meant hearty meals and not salads of late. And this has all led to an unfortunate expansion of my waistline. 

I haven't been comfortable with my shape/size/weight since school. I left school for an office job and my late teens-early twenties were awash with nights out, break-ups, pizza, takeaways and generally unhealthy habits.

Typically, I laugh off fad diets, and have successfully lost weight (going from a size 18 to a 12) in around 8 weeks for my 21st birthday just through healthy eating. Some of this has popped back on in recent times and I need to make a drastic change I feel.

Mr. came home from work, excitedly talking of a juice detox that his colleagues have been doing - losing weight and gaining energy in the process. He wanted to begin immediately and I figured What the hell? A kick start may be exactly what's needed to boost the old energy levels and lose a few inches in the process.

The weekend saw us excitedly pop out to Argos to purchase our juicer. We settled for this little baby (due to be delivered tonight!!) http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9146013.htm

The juice detox will commence tomorrow, lasting a week - we'll be following a strict diet, five daily juices, no solid food in this time. I plan to post all the recipes and such for each day, along with results, general feelings and moans. It's completely okay to broadcast your weight, measurements, hunger pangs, motivation, anger on the internet, right?!

I am so excited to have energy above all!

Wish me luck? xx

Wednesday's a Skive Day...

Whilst I'm not technically skiving/playing hookey from work, it definitely feels as though I am. In actual fact I had today off to attend an appointment later on in the afternoon.

I still felt a little naughty, still being at home at 10:30am on a Wednesday morning, hanging out in my sweatpants and doing little else.

Today has been a day of non-work related productivity, and I am feeling good!

My day went a little like this...

Up at 9am (at least an hour after my boyfriend - who usually commandeers the weekday lie-in due to his closer than mine proximity to work. Swiftly followed by a mixture of the Chocolate Orange Shreddies and the Frosted Shreddies (it's like fusion in a bowl!)

A quick shower with my dear friends Mr and Mrs Tresemme, and Mr and Mrs Soap&Glory.

Spending far too long looking for my laptop charger whilst listening to songs from the Lion King on Youtube. (I credit this with my fantastic mood today.)

A little unboxing of the new skin care solution I picked up from Look Fantastic and a little before shot of my lovely skin tone for a blog post that should follow this post once I've finished putting all of the pictures in.

A trip into town (since I moved in with my boyfriend, I'm now in what Scotland calls a "city" though I'm not quite convinced, however, it's a lot bigger than my home town and contains some shops, so I don't like to complain too much) for some bits and bobs I needed wanted. 

A little caramel latte at Costa :)

The aforementioned appointment, followed by a little dinner and snuggles on the sofa. GTA V for him (anyone else single thanks to this game?!) and a little blogging and Youtube for me.

If this is what not being at the office mid-week looks like, I think I may need to go part-time.

:)

Imaginary Cocktails?! - Say WHAAAT?!

So...I feel a little explanation is in order, to let you know what on was going through my mind when I created this little space on the internet.

Imaginary Cocktails to me are a celebration. Whenever I think about something big happening in my life (getting promoted, getting engaged, moving house) I always think who I would want to come out for drinks with me to celebrate! (Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks in terms of Woo Woos and Cosmopolitans?!)

However, you can't be dragging your friends, family and significant others out for fruity drinks each and every time you have a little triumph. Well you probably could, but they'd start expecting you to pay! To combat this, every time something goes right for me...(I manage to paint my nails and not get any nail varnish on my fingers, I have a particularly good hair day, or I meet a stressful deadline.) I take a moment to reflect and give myself a little imaginary cocktail to mark the little achievements in life that get me from day to day.

I wanted that positivitely to spill over into a creative outlet, and this little baby was born.

Feel free to raise a little cocktail every time something goes right for you, and if you tell me what you fancy...I might even pay! x

New Blog-olutions

I'm such a sucker for a fresh start. I haven't been drastic enough to move country (I did move out of my hometown this month however, can I get a HELL YEAH?!) in search of a completely fresh start. But I do love a fresh notepad, or a brand new piece of paper devoid of scribbles and mindless nonsense. I love New Year, the idea that somehow you will make yourself better in the coming year.

I had a failed attempt at a blog a couple of years ago, where I had no idea what I wanted to write about, when, and to whom. I gained 3 followers in one week and decided it was too slow paced/too much effort, and I promptly gave up. Of course, I could easily have re-started the blog, surprised my 3 followers by still being alive and continued in the original vein. But I decided a fresh piece of paper would make me happiest. Hence Imaginary Cocktails.

With any fresh start in view, it's good to have goals and some guidelines for the task in hand.

With that in mind, I present to you, my NEW BLOG RESOLUTIONS 101. 

1. Write truthfully, freely and frequently. (There's nothing worse than loving a blog and having to wait weeks/months between posts. If I promise to write as often as I can, does someone promise to love my blog? ;))

2. Scribble down post ideas as soon as the mood strikes. (I don't care if that be on the bus, in my dreams or in the shower. Pen will make contact with paper as soon as I have some inspiration for a post.)

3. Slog it out, talking to myself for as long as necessary until someone, somewhere finds me and likes what I have to say.

4. Gain a follower or two along the way.

5. Create a series or two, so that anyone who stumbles upon the blog and decides to stay can have something to look forward to. (I already have a few in mind)

6. If purchasing nice products - (face/hair/make-up) with the view to reviewing them, actually remember to use them! I am so guilty of a cursory face wipe before bed, and no make-up/hair thrown in a bun for work the next day, just so I can have an extra half hour in bed. MUST STOP!!!

7. Make someone smile solely at what I've written.

8. Not really blog related, but smile a little more.

9. Again not blog-based, remember to breathe.

HAPPY NEW BLOG TO ME! x