A leap of faith.

I have taken it upon myself to quit my job without having another to go to. I have 2 months to find a new job! Let the journey begin.

Okay, it really isn't that dramatic, but I have in fact handed my notice in at my current job as a support worker for children and young adults with severe autism and learning difficulties with challenging behaviour (yes that's a mouth full). My current job was supposed to fill the gap between my previous job and going back to university. However, I decided to put university off for another year making it two! Although I love my current job as a support worker I know that it is time for me to move on and pursue the career I really want. Which in the long run will be an end of life care nurse. Many people with I am morbid because I want to work with those who are dying but for me the job is much more than that.

5 reasons why I want to be an end of life care nurse:

1. I was born to care for people. Caring for people is in my nature
2. Knowing that the person is dying with dignity and the best care they can possibly receive makes the job worthwhile
3. Knowing that I am making that person comfortable and reassuring them they are safe is very important. Dying is a scary thing, but I want to make the process easier on them and their families.
4. Dying is a personal and very private thing. I want to be with them to ensure they are happy and have everything they could need to pass away peacefully.
5. And finally, because I know that I would be good at the job. I am passionate, caring and loyal, and have the best interests of the person at heart.

Many people think I am crazy for handing in my notice without having a job to go to first. But I believe it is the right decision. I have had two interviews so far, and I have been offered 1 job and awaiting to hear back from the other (the one I really want). The jobs I have gone for a care assistant jobs in care homes for the elderly. Both jobs offer opportunities to develop as senior health care assistants, nurses etc. Whilst writing this I have had a phone call with an interview for a slightly different job. Still as a care assistant but for adults with learning difficulties. Something else for me to think about.

A bit of a different post for you all, I will let you know what happens. Fingers crossed and all that.

Here's to next time.

Love yah

IsThataRedHerring 

HELLO lovely people.

I've been procrastinating! Now there's a surprise HA.

It's been a while and I have attempted to write a new post a fair few times. I have deleted 14 drafts of posts because I just didn't like them or want to finish them. So hopefully I will actually finish this one.

I thought I'd show you my latest plus size clothing order, this time it was from Forever21, the UK website. My first ever order consisted of 3 dresses and 1 playsuit. I love 3 out of the 4 I love, 1 of the dressed was a bit meh only because it was a little bit tight. However it only cost me £5ish so the best thing to do is for me to lose weight. Which I am still doing by the way! The picture below shows you what items I got, all from the Forever21 plus size range. I did do a bit of research into what the sizes were like and what the equivalent size from USA to UK sizes were and found it very useful. In the UK I wear sizes 16, 18 ad 20, depending on garment, fabric and shop. For Forever21 I went for the 2X or 3X depending on the style of garment and fabric.

I am in love with the floral smocked playsuit which cost £19, and worth every penny. It is so comfy and has surprise pockets! Always a bonus. I got this in a size 2X,  I am so glad I went for the 2X for this playsuit as it fits perfectly, very flattering and comfy, any bigger would ruin this piece.
The black and white stripey smock dress was £15, also a 2X, fits lovely, floaty and flattering, just a warning, wear a white or nude bra with this dress! Anything else you will be able to see.
Matelasse floral bodycon dress was £5.99 3X., ironically this is the only item I got in the bigger size, but the only item that didn't fit. It was to tight. However, I reckon with some good pants that suck everything in, this dress would be lovely. Time to invest in some sucky in pants.
Plus size floral dress was £13 2X, this dress also has surprise pockets! I do love a good pocket. Loely light material and perfect length, I do not feel the need to wear leggings with this, I normally do with all dresses.

Books 
I finished a few books in the time I have been gone, The Martian by Andy Weir (started and finished whilst on holiday in Thailand) I am in love with this books and film. PLEASE READ IT! Also a couple of easy chick-lit books, On the Fence and The Distance Between Us both by Kasie West, lovely little books, vry easy to read and I thoroughly enjoyed them, good little summer reads.

TV series
FRINGE! I am obsessed with Fringe, in 2 weeks I have watched 4 seasons, nearly onto the 5th and final season. I have been gripped from the start, so many twists and turns and Walter Bishop, I love him. He is spectacular and always has something witty to say, his one liners re amazing.

Food 
I am right in there with my salads at the moment, a cheeky tuna and quinoa salad goes down a treat now that the sun is here. Also, iced coffee, I discovered this marvelous invention thanks to my mum, and I can safely say I am addicted. I now make my own iced coffee, its a hell of a lot cheaper and so SO easy to make. Also, a little shout out to Graze who have got me through the munchies lately, I get a box every Thursday/Friday and its full of lovely little snacks.

Sorry for taking so long to post again. And for this post being all over the place. I hope to post more regularly from now on. Fingers crossed

Love yah
IsThataReddHerring

January wrap-up!

That's right I thought I'd jump on the band wagon and start doing monthly wrap ups. It is also nice for me to look back on each month and see what I've done and things I want to achieve next month and so on.

Fitness
Let's start with fitness. A lot of people in January make it their resolution to lose weight and get fitter, but I started my journey back in October and its going well. But in January I stepped it up a whole new level. More determined than ever to better myself. Of course I've had my ups and downs, slipped up a few times (had the odd one too many biscuits) but I didn't let that deter me. As soon as I felt myself slipping I did something to change that and distract myself.
If I did slip I didn't then force myself to do a 5K run or anything drastic, i simply told myself that 'I am human after all, and there will be times when I've had a really bad day at work, or just don't feel like exercising and you know what that is perfectly fine. I am not going to give up things that I like and enjoy. Restricting myself completely of the things that I love, yes I'm talking about those KitKats, is a silly idea. I tend to crave it more and give in and go on a binge. Whereas letting myself have a little treat every now and then stops me from binging on the bad stuff. In the long run for me it is better. Instead of having 3 or 4 biscuits I only have 1, filling the craving but not causing to much damage. I'm always on the look out for healthier options of my favourite foods. But sometimes I need a little fix!
My biggest achievement this month though is a 10lb weight lose. I am extremely happy with myself and feel a lot more confident. It's nice that people are noticing as well.

Book Haul
As usual I have brought way to many books this month, but my top picks are Deathnote books 1 to 4, which if you haven't read or heard of you must give them ago. Deathnote is a Manga series based in Japan. I will be doing a separate blog on Deathnote and why more people need to know about it. I got a great deal in Forbidden Planet it was 3 for the price of 2 on most books. So I picked up books 1,2, and 4 they were missing 3 :( but went into hmv and there it was so I picked up 3 as well. Each book has two volumes and to be honest they are such an easy read I will finish the 4 books by the end of the week. I got the black editions and they are amazing, so beautiful!

Other books I am really looking forward to reading are The art of being normal by Lisa Williamson , Cinder the first book in the lunar chronicles by Marissa Meyer, The Martian by Andy Weir, and The Reunion of Ghosts by Judith Mitchell. I will be doing reviews for each as and when I read them. 

Clothing 
I may have done a little clothing haul or 3! I brought some very boring things like new socks and underwear, trousers for work... But I did buy some new running shoes well actually two pairs oops. In my defense my old trainers are horrid, they are the typical style you see kids running around in at school for P.E. it was time for a change. I got a good deal on a pair of Sketchers Flex Appeal on Amazon and they are amazing (see picture below) I got mine for £41 and worth every penny. I did a fair amount of research into which trainers to get and time after time these popped up. I cannot wait to try them out properly later on this week at the gym.

I also brought a basic black pair of running shoes. I got these on a whim and honestly they are amazing. Myself and my boyfriend were shopping in Southampton and came across a sports shop I hadn't heard of before called Decathalon. We went in on the off chance there will be something we want. And to my surprise they did a lot of great sports gear for a very good price. So I brought myself a pair of Kalenji (see picture below) running shoes for only £12.99. I cannot stop wearing them.

Favourite Film of January 

Straight Outta Compton. This film was amazing. Contains very strong language but based on the true story of N.W.A, safe to say it doesn't hold back any details or swearing! A must watch, one of my favourite all time films. 

Favourite TV Series of January 

Mr. Robot, Amazon Prime original, it's really good. Very quirky and has everything a good series needs. Highly recommend. 

Favourite Book of January 

The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simison, the second book in the duo-logy, follows Rosie and Don after their marriage and a surprise baby on the way. (Not really a spoiler as its all over the cover) 

Favourite Song of January 

Dessert by Dawin, I love this because it keeps me motivated in the gym :D 

Overall January has been a very good month, a great start to 2016 :D roll on February

Love Yah
IsThataRedHerring

Workouts that I enjoy doing and feel working.

Let's face it working out can be boring if you are doing the same thing over and over again. So when I work out I keep it varied to stop becoming bored and tired and well giving up.

The first workout I turn to is one that I know works. It’s not very adventurous but perfect to do when you only want to spend 45 or so minutes in the gym. It’s simple but effective. Simply its:

• 30 minutes of cardio -  I do it to a level in which I cannot talk to the person next to me
• 15 minutes on the treadmill. High incline and around 3.5 mph. Not too fast but after 15 minutes you know you’ve done a good workout. 
• Then 15 minutes cross trainer, mid-level around 8 or 10. I choose not to use the bikes because I tend to get lazy. But with the cross trainer I can feel my muscles working. 
• I walk around the gym twice as a ‘rest’, then straight into my next part. 
• Squats and lunges. 
• 10 squats and 10 lunges repeat 5 times. 
• I use a 3KG weight for balance when doing the lunges. I step the weight up every couple of days. 

If I cannot get to the gym or it’s a 'rest' day I still do my squats and lunges at home. I am quite lucky that my job keeps me active. Always running and walking around. It's amazing how quickly your heart rate can raise. Even on days when I don't go to the gym I know that being active at work helps.

This week at the gym I've been doing something slightly different:

• 30 mins of cardio
• 15 minutes on the treadmill, 3.5 mph on full incline. 
• 15 minutes on the bikes or cross-trainer. Level 8 or 10 depending on how my knees are. 

Then I go through a routine in-which my gym instructor has given me. It's tailored for me, to lose weight quicker. See picture below:

I really enjoy this work out and you can really feel it working. My shoulders, calves and thighs in particular. Each time I push myself to do more. Heavier weight and more reps. Building it up slowly.

Another good option is the couch to 5K app. It helps with jogging, running and of course motivation. It’s a free app, and can be downloaded on most smart phones. I would really recommend this app if you want to start slowly. 

NHS- Couch to 5K

I hope this has helped, given a few of you a couple of ideas for fitness. If I can do it, anyone can :D

Love Yah 

IsThataRedHerring

UPDATE on everything. Fitness, books, goals and more

This is a much needed update (sorry). As the title suggests it is time for a big update on well my life. I know a lot of people are going to be doing New Years resolutions but this year I only have one big goal, which is being broken down to the following:

Fitness
Back in November I pledged to get fit and with every pound I lose I will donate to charity. Since then I have lost 14 pound so yes that is £14 towards a charity. In December I joined the gym and hired a personal trainer. When I sat down and talked to her (personal trainer, thank you Carrie) she reminded me that muscle weighs more than fat, so although it's a good idea in theory I will be losing fat and gaining muscle and my routine consists of a lot of weight lifting to shift the fat. So, I have decided with every dress size I drop I will donate £50 to a chosen charity (still need to be chosen) and when I get to my target dress size of a size 12 I will donate a further £100.

This year 2016! I want to do a few charity runs, particularly Cancer Research Race for Life and a few others which I need I to research more into. If you have any suggestions for charity runs then please let me know... also any suggestions you have for the charity in which the money I raise with my weight-loss, then please let me know.

Work
I started a new job in October, quitting my job as a care assistant in a care home due to a few reasons, but the main issue is that I didn't see myself furthering my career there which at the age of 21 is very important to me. So, I got a new job at a school for autistic children, it's an amazing job, very rewarding and I am part of a great team. Unlike my old job the hours are consistent and the money is a lot better, and the best thing is there are many opportunities to further myself. At some point this year I will be starting my health and social diploma. Exciting times, this also means a pay rise!

Books
Well its 2016 so there are many amazing books being released but I already have a ton of books I need to read. So after my last Waterstones voucher is spent I am going to STOP buying new books! It's going to be so hard, but my To Be Read list is so big is frightening!
The books I am looking forward to reading most this year are :-

• Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs 
• Illuminae by Amie Kaufman 
• The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer 
• The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion 
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
• Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma 
• The Maze Runner trilogy by James Dashner 

I know a lot of these books are old (not really but so last year ;) ) but I really wanted to read them and this year I will be getting to them. I am particularly excited about the Lunar Chronicles and Illuminae. I have heard a lot of good things about these books so I am very excited to pick them up and give them a read. 

I also aim to reread a couple of my favourite books, for defiant I will be rereading Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky because it is one of my favourites and I love it. I need to reread it so badly. I think it will be my first book of 2016. Also, at some point this year I will read Life and Death by Stephanie Meyer, the reverse version of Twilight. I have heard very mixed things about this book so I need to give it a go myself. 

Blog
The main aim for my blog this year is to blog regularly, pre-write blog posts and post twice a week. It's not that hard really but I have become very lazy with my blog and well a lot of things to be honest (sorry). So, I have started a fresh notebook full of ideas for posts and I am going to start writing them as soon as I've finished this one. I want to get regular views which would be nice and hopefully make a little name for myself. But that is an ongoing goal. I hope my writing will develop.

LIFE
Just the small topic of life. But to be honest I just want to be happy and healthy and I will achieve this. I am making positive changes to my life. I am determined not to give up on anything.
A few other little things is:

• travel more
• even if it's to the next town over, or to London more. Just to discover new places... I am also going to Thailand for 10 days which is AMAZINGLY EXCITING. 
• Use my time wisely- not to waste my precious time. Because if 2015 has taught me anything it's that time does not wait around for you. 
• Appreciate the little things. 
• LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE

Sorry for such a long blog post but I felt that it was needed. 

Love yah 

IsThataRedHerring 

Fuck it, I'm going to prove myself wrong!

I’m terrified.

I’m terrified of never being truly happy with the way I look. I want to change I do, I try so hard but then something happens or I make up an excuse and I’m back to square one again. I self-sabotage all the time. I know this but yet I keep doing it.

Today I had the day off work, I could have gone for a walk, run or a jog. I could have got my bike out of the shed and gone for a bike ride. Even if it was for half an hour it would have been better than what I actually did. But surprise, surprise I didn’t instead, I got up at noon, ate some cake and proceeded to watch T.V. all afternoon. I did a marathon… of a T.V. series. I’m so lazy and I know that, I really do. I keep trying to lose weight and get healthier but after 3 weeks I get bored, annoyed and angry because I haven’t lost the amount of weight I wanted to. Of course I know that it is a long process but let’s face it, if we could all just press a button to make us look the way we want to we’d all press it. But life is a bitch and that’s not how it works.

I’m scared that if I don’t make the changes now I never will. My weight is already causing problems for me. I was 14 when I was told I have an 80% chance of not having children. I was told then, that if I lost weight that statistic would go down. But did I listen, did I fuck! I carried on the way I was. And my weight has piled on. I’ve tried a lot of things but as soon as small excuse appeared I’d grab it and make it massive. I got ill, I had 3 operations. Now what’s my excuse? I’m tired after work… well Gemma MAN UP!

I need to stop thinking of excuses. I work 4/5 days a week. Always have at least 2 days off work. Work is great, I am more active at work. Running after the kids and eating reasonable meals. But it’s the snacking and picking.

I always have plenty of time to do exercise after or before work but I never do. I either start work at 7am and finish at 3:45pm or start at 3:15pm to 10:30pm… I have plenty of time before or after to do something. I know that if I did 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day I will see a massive difference but once again I can’t be bothered.

But the difference this time is that, I have my family, my friends, a personal trainer and my boyfriend rooting for me. I lack motivation but with each of them supporting me I know I can do it. One step at a time. One pound at a time, with every step I will get there and be healthier. I’ve said it so SOOOO many times that I will change but this time I NEED to do it. I can’t keep slacking. I have a future to prepare for. I have a full time job, a loving partner and the only thing holding me back is my weight! It’s one thing I can control and change so here goes!

I promise… for every pound I lose over the next year I will donate a pound for pound to charity. On the 13^th of November 2016 I will update you all. With weekly updates (every Friday) I will let you know how I go. What I’ve eaten, how I’ve exercised. My highs and lows. Everything.

I hope you can all join me on my journey

Love yah

IsThataRedHerring 

Carrot Cake Recipe

I love carrot cake, and with this simple recipe so will you.

Ingredients 
250g self-raising flour
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
400g caster sugar
350ml vegetable oil
350g grated carrot
optional
120g chopped walnuts

Icing 
140g soft margarine (I use dairy free)
350g icing sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract/flavouring

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180C/ gas mark 4 and grease 2, 20cm cake tins.
• In a big bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients (self-raising flour, cinnamon and sugar)
• In a separate bowl beat the oil and eggs together, until combined.
• Slowly mix the eggs and oil into the flour, sugar and cinnamon until smooth and combined fully. 
• Then add the grated carrot to the mixture, and mix until smooth and fully combined. 
• Once the mixture is combined, divide equally into the 2 cake tins. 
• Bake for 25-30 mins in the preheated oven. Test the cake with a skewer and if it comes out clean it is baked
• Once the cake is baked, leave to cool in the tins, once fully cooled removes from tins.
• Whilst cake is cooling, make the icing.
• simply mix the margarine, icing sugar and vanilla extract together until smooth and creamy. 
• Once the cakes are cool, layer the cakes, with a layer of icing in-between each layer.
• Top with a thin layer of icing and serve.... with a cup of tea is advised
• Enjoy

 

The finished product

little discalmer... this is my finished cake it is a lovely picture courtesy of Google Images... I have lost the picture of the cake I have made! Silly me. Sorry... Nevertheless the cake was amazing and didn't last long in my house as it was eaten so quickly.

I hope you try this very simple recipe.

Love yah
IsThataRedHerring