Cat Calling – Right or Wrong?

This all sparked from a discussion at work.

What are people’s reaction to cat calling? The simple answer was that it’s a mixed bag.

Bake, China Town

Last week was hot, I’m holding out hope the warm weather might surge back, but even if it doesn’t this cute little Japanese bakery is definitely worth a visit.

Dirty Bones | Carnaby Street

I visited dirty bones quite a while ago and I honestly cannot remember why I didn’t tell you about it then, perhaps I had a lot going on, perhaps I felt like I’d written too much foodie stuff (seriously, does that even qualify as a reason?!).

Anyway, whatever it was, it doesn’t matter. What matters is I’m sharing it with you now. 

Love Chin Chin

Oh hey Autumn, how you doin’?

I’m definitely feeling all the hygge, all the cosy and you know what you need to complete that picture? Some absolutely delicious warming snacks.

How to keep active in an office job

We all know a sedentary lifestyle isn’t healthy and recently this has been confirmed through a study showing an hours worth of exercise greatly reduces the effects of a seated office job.

Now I’m no expert, in fact I used to hate exercise and “forget” my P.E. kit so I couldn’t join in at school and the like. However, once I got to uni and actually thought more about the good it was doing me rather than my general lack of coordination and fitness that I possessed at that time. 

That’s when I started taking up sports, the gym and soon after… running.

Then work came along, a fixed schedule and another hurdle to leap to get that exercise in. Now, I know I don’t normally overshare – well you know what’s going to happen when someone says that – but as a 20 something who still kept relatively fit I found I was getting cellulite on the back of my legs. The seated life of an office job was doing me no favours, so I started getting at least an additional 30 minutes of exercise a day incorporating it into my plans. It may sound excessive to someone who exercises occasionally, but I’ve got a few tricks to make it fit round  you!

I always struggled with getting up in the morning, and although now I find it easier, I still don’t fancy getting up an hour earlier to do exercise.

So here are the ways which I have found easier to incorporate moving my body into my day.

I know it’s been said time and time again and I’m almost contradicting myself here, but stay with me. It’s easier to exercise in the morning. Then it’s done. But try and incorporate this into your commute to work. I now get up 15 minutes earlier so I can run in which takes 30 minutes, instead of taking the last 15 minutes of my journey on a hot and sweaty tube. Park a little further away, always choose the stairs and doing the tea runs can all help towards your fitness in tiny steps. Walk to the shops instead of driving to pick it up or getting it delivered, bags heavy? Great that’s a weight workout too – or grab a friend to help out if it really is too much!
It’s absolutely amazing, after a week of running in, my cardio fitness has already improved and my legs look smoother and leaner, which is a win, win, with avoiding a hot and sweaty tube stuck under some strangers armpit.
For those of you that are very adverse to mornings getting out and doing a workout at lunchtime is a great opportunity to get away from your desk, actually feel like you’ve got a break from your office work and get a fresh perspective on that thing you were stuck on in the morning.

Finally – and I think you can see where I’m going with these – get out after work. Now I used to not really enjoy this one. The key is do not go home first, you won’t leave again, or at least I don’t. Get a few friends together and do a bootcamp, this won’t only keep you going as you don’t want to let them down, but you’ll keep each other motivated! If you’re unsure of what workouts to do, I highly recommend using the Nike training club app, but otherwise write down a few exercises on a sheet of paper and do a few reps of each like your own makeshift HIIT workout.

Most importantly get moving, even a walk round the block, the fresh air and stretch of your legs will do you good.

Himlen Stockholm

Gotgattan weaves its way down to slussen, made up of cobblestones, pubs, restaurants and some classic Swedish fashion brands you can see why this is one of Stockholms social hubs. It’s got the character of Gamla Stan (the old town), but wider roads and a cracking view down to where it meets the water.

Trek on up and you’ll be in for a treat, for nestled unassumingly in Skrapan building is Himlen, one of Stockholm’s few sky scrapers.

Far East, China Town

I’ve got something to admit, I’ve been a bit selfish.

I’ve been going here for years and contemplating whether or not to share my little safe haven in the middle of busy, crazy, fast-paced London.

A little oasis nestled right in the centre of China town, it’s calm, quite and you know what the food may be cheap and cheerful, but it’s damned good too!