Ignoring Negativity

When I started my blog, I was aware that there was always a chance of receiving backlash... the fact is if you have an opinion, there is always going to be someone who is going to disagree with you.  I always found it easy to brush off those rare comments on instagram or rare tweets from someone I'd never met, as these were always over-shadowed by the array of positive messages received. However, the message seems to resonate deeper when it is received from someone you know on a personal level.

For some unknown reason, people seem to have an issue with other people's happiness: whether this is from jealously, a longing to be happy themselves or some other narcissistic deep routed psychological reason stemming from unhappiness in their own life- the fact of the matter is: one person being happy does not detract from your ability to be so. It is not a case of for every happy person there must be an equally unhappy person- in fact it is possible for everyone in the world to be happy. So there is no excuse for trying to detract from someone else's happiness. Making someone else unhappy will not make you and happier, making a harsh comment on someone else's appearance will not make you any more attractive, and tearing down someone's self esteem will not build your own self confidence.

If you are a frequent reader of my blog, then you have some sort of insight into what I have been through over the past three and a half years of my life. I made a decision to publicise a lot of this journey through my blog, twitter and instagram NOT to gain approval or praise from others, but to share a positive story of recovery, and promote a healthy lifestyle and body image. It was not an easy decision for me to make to publish some of the darker aspects of my life on social media, when so many other people use their facebook timeline as a highlight reel showing how amazing their life is. I made a decision to share my story and this has now been viewed nearly 400,000 times. If even one of those blog visits sparked a positive reaction in someone's head then I have done my job, and I'd love to sit here and act like negativity never gets me down, but unfortunately, behind the blog, behind the instagram filters and behind the twitter followers: I am still a person. Who takes the time to read every comment. And who still has feelings that can be hurt when these comments are negative.

There are countless people that have been spectators to my journey, and the majority of these people have supported me and gained respect for me. These are the people who's opinions I care about. Unfortunately, for every positive response, there are always going to be some people who can't sit quietly and let someone else have even a moment of glory or happiness about something they have poured their blood sweat and tears in to achieve. The way to deal with this? Cut these people out your life. I have decided that in 2016, anyone who has any form of slight negative influence on my life will not longer be a part of it. I want my focus to be on the people that reciprocate my support of them. I learnt through my training in the gym that feeling physically positive and strong goes a long way in supporting you in feeling mentally positive and strong.

People are beginning to come out of the woodwork after years of no contact, people who now try and give me advice, give me their misjudged and completely biased opinion on a situation which they had no interest in until it caught their attention on social media. I am tired of people acting like they are looking out for my best intentions when really they are sadly mistaken. If you were a friend to me where were you over the past three years when I was going through therapy in the hope of bettering my life, and where we you when I made the decision to begin personal training (DESPITE a fear of weight gain, a hatred of the gym and any form of physical exercise). I put myself through that hell to get myself out of the hell that I was currently existing in. I could not continue to live my life as a shell, and I made a proactive (and incredibly expensive) decision to change. 

A year on since making that decision I don't even recognise the girl I once was... and apparently neither do a lot of people. Despite the odd negative comments, the vast majority of the comments received have been incredibly supportive, and so I would like to end this life altering year not being upset by the negative, but celebrating the positive:

"Your blog is wonderful: to read about it your progress in posts bursting with honesty, warmth and determination is just astonishing. You have an excellent voice, and you have no idea how utterly inspiring your posts are. I've been feeling so down with weight loss/mental health at the moment but just reading a handful of your posts has cheered me right up. While our starting points may be on opposite ends of the spectrum I can relate to you on so many levels, and hearing someone else battling to succeed and refusing to give up helps more than you know. You've inspired me to push harder and keep going: I will not be defeated by a hideous voice in my head! Basically, thank you. Your blog has provided me with exactly what I needed to hear."

"For what it's worth, after reading your blog I think you are an incredibly inspiring individual - to work so hard and to have achieved so much is incredible and I hope that next year is an even better year for you because you really do deserve it"

"You're entitled to be happy, you're entitled to celebrate that as publicly as you like not tied by any past"

"Amy, I just wanted to tell you that I find your blog so so inspiring! I have struggled with an eating disorder for the past 4 years that I am only just overcoming. I love your positivity and motivation. Your post on willpower has helped my outlook on things and your journey is extremely encouraging and makes me feel like a positive outcome is possible! Thank you." 

Every time I receive a comment like the one's above it makes my day... it makes the whole struggle worthwhile. However, the one that resonated with me the most happened in the gym around September time. I will never forget the moment a young girl came into the gym whilst I was training, she walked up to me, gave me a hug and told me what an inspiration I was to her. She told me she followed me on instagram, had seen my journey and it had inspired her to get better herself. She told me that she was going to try and gain weight, gain strength and regain her life.  

So please: if you have a problem with me or anything I have done over the past twelve months, do me a favour and delete me off social media. You are not important to my life, if your comments do not promote positivity like the one's above then I have no desire to read them. 400,000 page views represent support and comfort that I have provided to people's lives, if you disagree I'd rather not share my story with you.

Strength is Beauty

“There are people who spend their entire lives allowing the reflection in the mirror to determine their self-esteem, submitting to a cultural judgement established decades ago. Fitness [should be] gauged in reps, in speed, power, virtuosity. And beauty measured in joy. And in pride,” - Marty Cej.

I’m going to start from the beginning of my fitness journey: An early morning in October 2014. I woke up, weighed myself, cried, tried to eat breakfast and cried again. I got dressed in a pair of leggings and a my old ratty GCSE leavers hoodie, and drove to the gym with my 10 visit pass to spend an hour sweating in the sauna in the hope of coming home a few pounds lighter. A destructive and unhealthy means of weight loss, but something I relied so heavily upon. At that point in my life I had considered myself somewhat recovered; no longer drastically underweight I didn’t really see any need to change my current habits. My daily life was a constant loop of eating, crying, weighing myself, crying and starting all over again. My happiness was solely dependent on my weight, but conversely my weight was never at a figure that made me happy. I don't know what it was about that day, but as I left the sauna to go home and weigh myself (for not the first and certainly not the last time that day), something in my head felt different. At some point that morning I made myself a promise. I promised myself that I would do anything in my power to get better, to get stronger and to be a person again instead of the shell I had spent too many years living as. The immediate days that followed were spent trawling through instagram for hours on end, scrolling through image after image on the hashtags #edwarriors #strongnotskinny #girlsthatlift…. If these girls could recover then why couldn’t I? What if one day people looked up to me the way that I looked up to these girls? I stared in awe at how strong they were, how far they’d come, and surprisingly how good they looked. But needless to say I stayed in my destructive ways.

By the time January came around, my weight had dipped again and this mini relapse forced me into making my final decision. And once I've set my mind to something, failure is never an option. 

I got myself a personal trainer (and trust me, this was not the Hollywood star type luxury that you may think it was). I spent a lot of money and a lot of time putting myself through what can only be described as utter hell. Constantly questioning whether it was worth the tears and the sleepless nights. My trainer was harsh, he was mean, he deliberately put me in situations that would not only question my physical health but my mental health too. Hours and hours were spent sat in the dreaded fitness assessment room, talking and analysing and crying about my situation. For months on end my training became just as big a battle as my recovery, and my mind was finding it increasingly hard to accept that the weight I was gaining was muscle not fat. But after the months of hell, came progress. Yes my trainer was mean and harsh, but he had done it for a reason. He had increased my fitness levels, showed me strength I never knew I was capable of and ultimately gave me my life back. 

People started to make comments to me in the gym, mostly positive but it was the negative ones that stuck with me. People remarking that I was 'obsessed' with the gym, that I don't want to lift too many weights or I'll get bulky, and that I couldn't possibly simultaneously be working hard for my degree as I spent all my time in the gym (despite the fact I was still maintaining a very high 1st at this point). People see someone trying to do something different from the norm, and they don't like it. And that is the problem with society today: you can't win. If you are seen eating someone is judging your choice of food, if you're not seen eating it is assumed you must be skipping meals. If you go to the gym you're obsessed with your looks and if you don't you're lazy and unhealthy. 

Women have fought for years for equality, the vote, better jobs, the right to earn the same as men, and yet in 2015 we are still subject to sexism in the view that weights are a privilege kept solely for men. 

It was partially these comments that spurred me on. I started to reevaluate my beauty ideals, I started to thrive on seeing an increase in my strength. I felt healthy, I felt fit, I felt strong. Things that I had never before felt in my life, so what did it matter if I was heavier? Women are supposed to be dainty, thin, pretty little things right? Wrong. There is a new generation of women that are strong, athletic, confident and beautiful. And I am proud to be one of those women.

The Benefits of Green Tea with Quinteassential*

Anyone that knows me will know that I am a self confessed green tea addict. Cold green tea, hot green tea, ginger green tea.... I literally consume green tea in every possible way all day long. In the morning an ice cold glass of green tea wakes me up and gives me energy for the day, and at night time a warm cup of it helps me to relax and prepare for a nice long sleep... So when I was contacted by Quinteassential about sampling some of their loose leaf luxury tea I couldn't resist.

The creator of Quinteassential says she is passionate about flavour combinations and would love to take the tea drinker with her on an imaginary voyage. 'Bernadine Tay is a unique story teller with tea as her medium. As her creations evolve, scenes, textures and colours are amalgamated to kindle new flavours. Her signature style is defined by her love of ingredients that straddles East and West she uses in all her creations. Inevitably, this translates to an explosion of flavours that underpin many of her tea designs.'

Along with the refreshing taste of green tea, there are also many proven health benefits of drinking the recommended amount of between 1-4 cups a day:

1. Green tea helps to burn fat and increase metabolic rate

2. The chemical theanine found in green tea can help you to relax, especially if brewed in slightly cooler water

3. The cafine will help to improve physical performance

4. It can help to slow the rise of blood sugar levels after eating, helping you to stay full for longer

5. Green tea contains anti-inflammatory properties which can help to slow the signs of ageing and reduce sun damage.

All the tea leaves used in Quinteassential teas are delicately mixed with fruits, flowers and spices creating a harmonious blend. The 'Green Flamingo' flavour I sampled was the most delicious green tea ever tasted and I cannot recommend it highly enough. The beautifully packaged tea would make the perfect gift for someone this Christmas.

Why Women Should Deadlift - Amy Elizabeth X ADMFitness

'The myth that women shouldn't lift heavy is only perpetuated by women who fear hard work and men who fear women.'

It's nearly been three years since I first started therapy, nearly one year since I first started training, but really only about 9 months since I 100% committed myself to recovery, to strength and to health. 9 months since I decided not to focus on the weight on the scales going down, but the weight on the bar going up. Sometimes, you need to remind yourself that a scale cannot measure character, talent, beauty, purpose, strength or love. Deadlifts are without a doubt my favourite lift and have completely transformed my body and increased my strength immensely...(constantly trying to hit that 87.5kg PB). Below, myself and Ant from ADM Fitness have collaborated shared some of the benefits of deadlifts for women: fighting the stigma of girls who lift.

When it comes to weight lifting, there is a far too common misconception amongst women that lifting weights will make them bulky. However, this is a myth with no grounding which both me and Ant would like to dispel.  It is not surprising that women shy away from heavy lifts like The Deadlift when the weights rooms in gyms are often full of groups of big 'beefed up' guys trying to lift as much weight as possible and making noises only found in the Amazon Rain Forest. But there is so much more to this exercise than trying to lift as much weight from the floor as possible, and the benefits for women are just as great as for men.

1. The deadlift is a real transferable life skill, anytime you need to pick something heavy off the floor, you Deadlift.

2. The deadlift can help you improve your posture and can help correct anterior pelvic tilt. All those years of nights out in high heels, and all those long days in work sat at a desk can lead to what you call anterior pelvic tilt: when the front of the pelvis drops and the back of the pelvis rises which increases the arch in your lower back, potentially leading to future lower back conditions.

3. The deadlift is a great exercise to increase your metabolism and incinerate fat as it uses so many different muscles. It will tone your hamstrings, thighs, glutes and back and strengthen your pelvic floor. (For those of you who have children will realise the importance of a strong pelvic floor).

4. IT WILL NOT MAKE YOU BULKY.  Instead, it will allow you to realise how strong you can be.

5. The deadlift will give you amazing abs and a strong core, it will transform your body and improve your confidence.

HOW TO DEADLIFT:

'With my clients, I have found that if we start with Romanian Deadlifts with a light weight, the transition to other variations is much easier. Click here to see a video of Amy performing a 70kg Romanian Deadlift. A deadlift like this at nearly140% of your bodyweight takes time to work up to and I recommend starting with a very light weight in order to develop perfect technique first before progressing to heavier weight, eventually progressing to incorporate them into your workouts once or twice a week.'

Below is a breakdown of how to perform the 'Romanian Deadlift' as shown in the video:

1.   Step up to the bar with your feet shoulder width apart, knees over toes, shoulders over knees and toes under the bar

2.     Grasp bar with an overhand grip

3.     Sit back with your arms straight and chest up and shoulders pulled back and stand up (this is the deadlift)

4.     Once tall stand with softened knees and keeping the shoulders pulled back so to maintain good posture in the back (don’t let the back round) bend forward at the hips and lower the bar to just below the knees and keep the bar as close to the body

5.     Using the glutes and hamstrings stand tall again

6.     Remember to maintain a good alignment in the spine and keep the core strong throughout

7.     Perform 6 - 10 reps for 3 sets and only increase the weight when your technique is sound and the reps are easy to perform and remember: start light and work your way up.

'We aim for progress not perfection'

For more fitness tips, guides and nutrition plans register your interest now with Amy Elizabeth x ADM Fitness

5 Things: Monday Motivation

Life recently has been crazy. Like whirlwind 'is-this-really-real-life' kind of crazy. And somewhere along the line in this amazing few weeks, I seemed to have somehow misplaced my passion, belief and pride in myself. Life got in the way, as it so often does, and I forgot to give myself time to reflect on exactly how far I have come this year, how much hard work I have put in and the amazing results I have seen out of it. So today being a Monday, I decided it was time for a new start: a week of appreciation for my strength, health and fitness.

Below are some Monday Motivation quotes that help me to get my mind back on track, and I hope they will help you too:

1. 'The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have fought their way out of the depths. these persons have an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen'

2. 'There is an inner beauty about a woman who believes in herself, who knows she is capable of anything that she puts her mind to. There is a beauty in the strength and determination of a woman who follows her own path, who isn't thrown off by obstacles along the way. there is a beauty about a woman who's confidence comes from experiences; who knows she can fall, pick herself up and move on'

3. 'Keep going. No matter what you do, no matter how many times you screw up and think to yourself "there's no point to carry on", no matter how many people tell you that you can't do it - keep going - don't quit. Don't quit because a month from now you will be that much closer to your goal than you are now. Yesterday you said tomorrow. Make today count.'

4. 'Strength doesn't come from what you can do, it comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn't'

4. 'Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma- which is living with the result of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.'

(Please don't forget to vote for Amy Elizabeth for Best for Fitness in the 2015 Cosmo Blog Awards)

Cosmo Blog Awards Finalist - Thank you

I remember the day I sat on my bed in my studio flat in Manchester and wrote my first ever blog post. For weeks I would blog every single day, spend endless hours and sleepless nights teaching myself HTML, designing and redesigning logos and headers on photoshop until I finally settled on a design I was happy with. For months I didn't tell anyone that I'd started a blog, I kept it a secret between myself (and every single person on the internet), until I found out that after 7 months of blogging I was shortlisted from 47,000 entries to the final 9 for 'Best New Beauty Blog' in the 2014 Cosmo Blog Awards. I was so humbled that people out there were not only reading my blog, but thought it was worthy of such a prestigious nomination. Following this, in December last year, after 10 months of blogging the second nomination came in: 'Young Person Recognition' in the 2015 UK Blog Awards.

On Monday, something truly incredible happened. After just twenty months of blogging my blog was shortlisted for it's third national blog award: 'Best for Fitness' in the 2015 Cosmo Blog Awards. Over the past year and a half I have poured my heart and soul into this website, and it has become a place where I hoped to provide comfort and advice to other people struggling with similar issues to the ones I went through myself. I wanted to create a place where people could read about my own struggles with stress, anxiety, eating problems, lack of body confidence and general disbelief in myself. I hoped that by sharing my journey I would inspire others to do the same. To be recognised by one of the biggest selling magazines in the world as one of the best bloggers is an incredible achievement, but more than that, the comments and messages I have recently received from people I barely know telling me how I have personally affected their lives for the better or inspired them to change their lives have touched me and made me so proud of how far I have come. I am eternally grateful for every single person who has ever taken the time to read my blog. From the very bottom of my heart: thank you.

Despite all these amazing experiences, the moment it hit me that I might actually be changing people's lives came a few weeks previously to the third nomination. I was in the gym halfway through a cross fit workout, struggling to breathe and sweating out of my eyeballs when a 15 year old girl battling in the way that I once battled walked up to me and told me that after following me on instagram she wanted me to know that I had inspired her to seek recovery. She gave me a hug and told me that my strength was such an inspiration to her… what she probably didn't realise is that her strength to approach me and tell me that makes her an absolute inspiration to me.

So to every single girl out there like that one brave girl: thank you. You are truly helping me just as much as me and my blog may be helping you. I wish I had the words to express how much this nomination means to me, thank you once again for your continued support and if you have a few minutes to spare please click here and vote for Amy Elizabeth in the 'best for fitness' category. 

Thank you,

My Recipe for a Summer's Day with Aperol Sprtiz*

Aperol Spritz , the 'taste of summer' cocktail consists of 3 parts prosecco, 2 parts Aperol and one part soda. Super easy to make, this refreshing 'taste of summer' can be easily created by clicking here and watching the video.

In light of the new drink, Aperol challanged me to share a taste of my summer by giving you a recipe for a summer day in the life of Amy Elizabeth:

3 Parts Passion

Do it with passion or not at all. I am an all or nothing kind of person. When I commit to start something I will give it 110% until failure, and then I will pick myself back up and continue trying. This summer I have been extremely busy. Working 9 hour days, running my blog, finding time for my gym training and meal prepping and completing freelance graphic design work. For a lot of people this would be the summer from hell, but for me this summer has been perfect. Because it has been filled to the brim with the things that I am most passionate about: my career, my blog and my health. 

2 Parts Company 

 What is the point in having amazing experiences, striving for new goals and working towards your dreams if there is no one around to share them with? Company is what helps to turn an experience into a memory. A huge part of my summer recipe is the company you can share those precious moments with: friends who have helped me through dark times, laughed with me through amazing times and never been more than a phonecall or dodgy snapchat away and family who have unconditionally supported every decision and loved me regardless of the mistakes I've made.

1 Part Relaxation

When all is said and done, hard work must come hand in hand with down time. The final component in the recipe for my perfect summer is relaxation. Time with yourself, for yourself. Time away from social media and the never ending stream of communication of today's society. Time to recharge your body and mind and find peace with yourself. My perfect relaxation is the pool and sauna at my gym: a time where my phone is in the locker and no one can contact me. 

Leave your comments below and let me know what your perfect recipe would be and don't forget to try this refreshing cocktail and let me know what you think

Training: The Importance of Willpower

'Will power is a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets'

Modern society tests your willpower each and every day. Wherever we look there are adverts for sugary snacks, 2-for-1 deals on chocolate, and ever so tempting #foodstagram shared all over social media. During the week it is easy to avoid the gym with the excuse of being tired from work and come the weekend all you care about is some well deserved social down time. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find the willpower to stay on track and motivate yourself to being healthy, strong and fit. The bottom line is this: willpower is easier than you think. If you want something enough, nothing will stand between you and that goal. It is simply a case of prioritising your own health and goals rather than taking the easy way out and reaching for that chocolate bar whilst watching another episode on Netflix every night. Yes, habits like this can be hard to break but if it's worth fighting for, it's worth working for. Remember: Nothing worth having comes easy and if it were easy everyone would have it.

If you are used to snacking on sugar all day in work and crashing on the sofa as soon as you get home, starting a new training programme or diet plan can really put your willpower to the ultimate test. Below are a few little tips that I have put together to help you retain that willpower:

1. Believe in Yourself - 

A strong body comes paired with a strong mind. Strong self control and self belief will dramatically help with your motivation. One of the biggest forms of discouragement can be when your goals seem unobtainable or when you tell yourself you will never be able to look like/ lift as much/ run as fast as a certain person. Telling yourself that you can achieve your goals will help give you the willpower to do so! 

2. Stay Prepared - 

Take control of a situation before a problem even arises. Therefore, when something crops up to test your willpower you are already prepared to smash through temptation and continue to achieve your goal. For example if you know you're incredibly busy during the week do a huge food shop on a Sunday and then sticky note each item with they day you plan to eat it: bye bye take away on the way home. Always have a pre packed gym bag ready in your car so that you always have the option to go to the gym if you find you have a bit of extra time in your day. Being prepared means avoiding excuses!

3. Monitor your Progress and Review your Goals - 

I keep a little black book next to my bed at all times. Every single night I start a new page in the book and write the workout that I have completed that day (including noting down rest days). By doing so, it keeps me on track and when I'm feeling discouraged I can look back to the same date a few months ago and actually see the progress I'm making. Visualizing your progress and goals in this way will make you so much more determined to carry on and see your goal through to the very end. Encouragement is the key to feeling good about ourselves, so tracking your workouts in this way will allow you to see the transformation you have made, serving as a positive mental reminder.

4. Reward Yourself - 

Willpower is especially vital when first starting out on a new eating plan or training programme. At first, you will need your willpower to keep you motivated... over time new habits will form and it will simply become second nature to you. In order to really change yourself and your habits you have to want to change, you have to accept that it will be hard and you will struggle at times. To keep yourself on track in these difficult times set yourself smaller goals and when each is reached reward yourself. By allowing yourself little rewards your body won't feel deprived but make sure these are still infrequent and you must work hard to get them!