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Yearly Archives: 2017

As holiday season rolls around, it's safe to say a lot of us what to ditch our, er… rolls in time to don an itzy bitzy bikini.

But as ALL of us know, it's not that easy, and sometimes we have to be super honest with ourselves in order to achieve our goals.

So, if you're determined to drop those extra few inches over the next couple of months, here are a few tips to help you along the way.

Sleep is QUEEN

Nabbing at least seven hours of sleep every night helps you manage your appetite (and keeps you sane).

Late nights and extra early mornings can mess with your hunger hormones and lead you down a path of munching on those very-tempting greasy foods.

10pm Dominos, how are ya?

Image result for sleeping

 

Losing weight and a healthy diet go hand in hand

Unfortunately, no matter how hard you workout, you can't trick your body.

No matter how many hours you spend at the gym it won’t work if you consume more calories than you could possibly burn.

So, be kind to your body and give it the best nutrition you can.

Sliced Oranges Kiwi Melon Blueberry and Dragonfruit on White Ceramic Platter

 

Mix it up

Being an expert in yoga might give you a confidence boost, but if you get too comfortable you’re going to stop seeing results, so try and mix it up.

Fitness instructors often suggest doing a mix of cardio, weight-training and aerobics.

If anything, it'll make things interesting.

Low Angle View of Woman Relaxing on Beach Against Blue Sky

 

You DO have the time

Making the time to look after your health will help you develop better habits that your future-self will thank you for.

We know it can be difficult if you work long days, or go to college at night, but trading in an episode of Riverdale for a 30 minute gym sesh will make your mind and body feel so good.

Archie is getting super annoying anyway…

Woman in White Jacket Holding Silver Iphone

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Forbidden Fruit is kicking off festival season next weekend, and we're kind of panicking about what we're going to wear.

Luckily, there is still time to order online, and ASOS has just dropped a whole host of fantastic festival finds.

Whether it's a sequined kimono or a printed crop top you're after, we've got you covered. 

 Left to right: Pom pom headband €8.11

Sequin vest €35.13 

Rebel T-shirt €24.32

Marble sunglasses €18.92

 Left to right: Sequin kimono €114.86

 Free People top €43.24

Wrap Front Dress €47.30

Bum bag €33.78

 Left to right: Fringed playsuit €47.30

Bralette €24.32

Bershka floral top €20.26 

Leather ankle boots €67.57

Left to right: Pink bell sleeve top €40.54

Co-ord set €29.73

Gingham dress €33.78

Mermaid jacket €60.81

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We've all been led to believe that fat is our dietary enemy.

We've been conditioned to think that we should stick to low-fat foods in order to stay healthy, so it's no wonder that when nutritionists step forward and advise us to eat high-fat foods, we're all a little confused.

Well, some high-fat foods are super healthy for you and should be included in your everyday diet.

Now, we're not saying you can eat rashers by the bucket load (although, sometimes we want to) but eating the foods below in moderation will help you along the way to achieving a balanced diet.

Avocados

Top of the list is obviously avocados, because we need an Instagram favourite in here, right?

We're joking, but avocados are seriously good for you. According to Self, the brunch-favourite has approximately 23 grams of fat. 

As well as that, a medium avocado contains 40 percent of your daily fiber needs, is cholesterol-free, and "is a good source of lutein, an antioxidant that may protect your vision."

See? We don't just love them for the pretty pictures.

Avocado Fruits

 

Grass-fed butter

"Nutritionally, butter is actually a much healthier fat than most people realise, especially if it comes from grass-fed cows," nutritionist Laura Schoenfeld told Women's Health.

As well as that, dairy fat from pastured cows contain higher levels of fat-soluble vitamins, which help your body to use calcium appropriately.

It deposits calcium into your bones and removes it from your arteries, so it's a win-win.

Did we mention it tastes unreal on your veggies, too?!

Image result for butter

 

Dark chocolate

Mmm hmm, of course we had to include this sweet treat. One ounce of dark chocolate contains around 9 grams of fat (but, of course we have more than one serving at a time).

Self notes that it contains vitamins A, B, and E, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, and flavonoids, which are all plant-based antioxidants.

And if you want a good dose of fiber in the mix too, aim for 70 per cent cocoa content to get the most out of the delish treat.

Chocolate avocado smoothie, anyone?

Image result for dark chocolate

 

Eggs

A lot of people have been foregoing eating an egg yolk in recent years, but guess what? It's super good for you!

Self explains that, "while it's true that the egg yolk contains some fat, it's also packed with important nutrients."

A whole egg contains five grams of fat, as well as choline,  which is an important B vitamin that helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system.

Eggs have also recently been linked to heart health too, so go on, order that omelette.

eggs, food

 

Bacon

Choline comes back into play again as Women's Health states, "high quality bacon is chock-full of [the] very important nutrient, which has been shown to help fight off the debilitating effects of Alzheimer's disease and other chronic mental impairments."

Bacon also delivers a good measure of B vitamins and zinc into your body. 

What's more, it aids in the production of serotonin, the feel good neurotransmitter in you brain.

There's nothing better, right?

Image result for bacon

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If you grew up in a Catholic household, you'll know only too well the number of sayings, habits and rituals which pepper daily conversation.

For a long time, you took most of these things as standard, and happily assumed everyone held the same beliefs and followed the same rules as you and your family.

And whether or not you still practise, the vast majority of us are now able to see the funny side of the various perceptions we had of the fate as youngsters.

And here are just 12…

1. Assuming St Anthony ran his own Lost & Found

As a child, you thought of St Anthony as the Finder of All the Lost Things.

Whether it was your school journal or your favourite Troll you were looking for, St Anthony was the bloke to talk to.

And it never hurt to promise him a few bob in return for finding your Camogie kit.

2. Presuming candles held magical powers

Both your mother and grandmother gave you the impression that lighting the wick of a candle was the equivalent of casting a spell.

Whether it was in the run-up to exams or following the hospitalisation of a family member, the candle process was looked upon with almost as much importance as studying or medicine.

And if you're honest, you still get a little comfort out of it the odd time, right?

3. Feeling disappointed that your Confirmation name would appear absolutely nowhere

You spent months if not years turning various names over in your head in the run-up to your Confirmation Day.

After finally choosing a name which you thought worked for you, you couldn't wait to practise your new (and extra-long) signature.

And then you learned that aside from your Confirmation Day, you will never ever be asked about it again.

4. Remembering what you bought with your Communion cash

One of our most abiding childhood memories is the sheer wads of cash pressed upon us on our Communion Day.

And to this day, the vast majority of us still remember what we splurged on with our loot.

And if it wasn't made of plastic, totally overpriced and nowhere near as fun as we thought it would be, you did it wrong.

5. Fearing the catechism and all it stood for

While the term catechism was rarely brought up by your teachers, your grandparents had a habit of asking you about it.

After being forced to memorise it back in their day, they were stunned to find out that your generation was getting off lightly.

And you feared the day they might reintroduce it to primary schools.

6. Faking 'sins' so you'd have something to say at Confession

Although you spent half your childhood doing things you probably shouldn't have, when the time for Confession came, your mind went blank.

For some reasons some 'sins' didn't seem worthy enough and others were much too real to be confessed, so your imagination went to town.

And you often compared notes with mates before you took a seat inside the Confession Box to make sure you weren't overlapping with your fictional 'sins'.

7. Wishing the Holy Wafer wouldn't stick to the roof of your mouth

You spent the first eight years of your life wishing you could take part in the Communion aspect of mass.

And then the day comes, and you wonder why you bothered.

No one told you the wafer would stick to your mouth, and you wouldn't even get a sip of that wine doing the rounds.

8. Wearing your Communion dress every Sunday for the following three weeks

Being told you were allowed wear your Communion dress more than once was pretty damn amazing.

And like any self-respecting kid, you rode that wave for as long as possible.

Which ultimately meant your mother was forced to hide your Communion dress in the attic until you forgot about it.

9. Plotting your revenge after getting blanked during the Sign of Peace

Look, no one likes the Sign of Peace ritual which we're forced to endure during Catholic mass.

It's awkward, it's unnecessary and it's so very, very skin-crawly.

And yet, when you bother your arse to take part, you don't expect to be fully blanked which is why certain parishioners have a black mark against their name in your book.

10. Feeling like mass was little more than an aerobic session

Between kneeling, sitting and standing, you get your fair share of exercise at mass.

And those times you had to go from kneeling to standing? Yeah, they weren't for the fainthearted.

Why couldn't you just make like that 90-year-old woman in the corner and sit perfectly still for an hour?

11. Pretending to feel embarrassed by your ashes but secretly loving them

Everyone pretended to hate getting ashes on Ash Wednesday, but everyone secretly loved it.

And that's because you got a break from class and were allowed roam around with a dirty face and no one could say a word.

What's not to love?

12. Spending an afternoon in a graveyard was relatively normal 

If you grew up in a Catholic family, you'll know that your parents often considered a roam around the graveyard as an acceptable way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

While you were all for a quick visit to remember deceased relatives, you drew the line at your mother's insistence to check out every grave in the place.

And why she felt the need to guess what caused the death of each person was beyond you…

 

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There is nothing we love more than curling up in a knitted jumper with a cup of tea in our hands and our favourite scented candle burning.

This aesthetic has been pioneered by Danish cosiness concept, hygge, which is still going from strength to strength since its adoption by popular culture last year. 

Luckily, Penneys has us covered, paying homage to hygge with their latest homeware collection. 

From oven mitts to fairy lights and everything in between, we're ready to feel all comfy and cosy once the night sets in.

Faux sheepskin rug €10, Bronze lamp €8.00, Cushion €8.00, Storage bin €4.00

 Knit blanket €23.00, Rug €7.00, Cloth napkins €2.50, Bronze lamp €10.00

Tea lights  €1.30, LED fairy lights €2.50

Knitted storage bin €10.00, Bronze lantern €10.00, Over mitt €3.50, Table runner €5.00

Feature image: Pinterest

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Perhaps best known for playing James Bond, actor Roger Moore has died at the age of 89.

Taking to Twitter to share the heartbreaking news with the star's fans and followers, Roger's family released a statement announcing his passing.

"With the heaviest of hearts, we must share the awful news that our father, Sir Roger Moor2, passed away today," read the post. "We are all devastated."

The typed statement photographed in the Twitter post paid tribute to the actor's life and the impact he has made over the course of the last 89 years.

"It is with a heavy heart that we must announce our loving father, Sir Roger Moore, has passed away today in Switzerland after a short but brave battle with cancer. The love with which he was surrounded in his final days was so great it cannot be quantified in words alone."

"We know our own love and admiration will be magnified many times over, across the world, by people who knew him for his films, his television shows and his passionate work for UNICEF which he considered to be his greatest achievement."

"The affection our father felt whenever he walked on to a stage or in front of a camera buoyed him hugely and kept him busy working in his 90th year, through to his last appearance in November 2016 on stage at London's Royal Festival Hall."

After recalling that memorable night last year, Roger's children wrote: "Thank you Pops for being you, and for being special to so many people."

Tributes to the legendary performer have already begun pouring in as Hollywood comes to terms with the death of a much-loved and respected actor.
 

 

 

 

 

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We all have a million and one striped breton tops hanging up in our wardrobes.

It's seriously to the point where our washing line sometimes looks like the laundry of a Where's Wally reject.

But unfortunately, our go-to look might actually be bad for our health.  

 

A post shared by Rinelle Hernyk (@rinelle_h) on

 According to researchers at University Medical Centre Utrecht (UMC) in the Netherlands, there could be a potential link between looking at stripes and getting headaches.

Looking at static parallel lines could increase brain activity in some people, which sounds like it should be a good thing.

But actually, the activity can lead to severe migraines, and in some cases even seizures and epilepsy.

 

A post shared by Lulu McGuiness (@lulumcguiness) on

‘Our findings imply that in designing buildings, it may be important to avoid the types of visual patterns that can activate this circuit and cause discomfort, migraines, or seizures,’ said Dr Dora Hermes, head of the research.

This discovery will be majorly inconvenient for future work outfits…

Feature image: Instagram / Rejanemode

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Iceland is becoming more and more popular with Irish wanderlusts, with the beautiful landscapes and gorgeous cities.

There are a few things you definitely shouldn't miss while in the land of fire and ice, and we have them listed right here. 

1. Northern Lights

Obviously the Northern Lights are a must-see when in Iceland, and there are a few key places you can go to witness the spectacular phenomenon. 

Some of the most popular places to see the Aurora is Landmannalauger, Vik on the south coast, the West Fjors or at the harbour in Borgarnes. 

2. Whale Watching Tours

There is so much marine life to be seen off the Icelandic coast, and a whale watching tour is a great way to enjoy an authentic experience.

With tours ranging from €50-€100 and a menagerie of animals to see including whales, seals and puffins, it's well worth the trip. 

 

A post shared by Gary Sutton (@gary_j27) on

3. Gullfoss Waterfall

This famous waterfall is renowned for its glorious three-step fall, which gives the rushing river a unique look that is well worth the trek to see.

The waterfall is also an excellent point of activity, where you can embark on diving, glacier hiking and snowmobiling endeavours from. 

 

A post shared by Ken Kaminesky (@kenkaminesky) on

4. Glacier Snowmobiling

One for the thrill seekers, gliding across a glacier on a snowmobile is an unforgettable experience.

There are a number of companies who provide the service, but one of the most popular departs right from the Gullfoss falls. 

 

A post shared by Lee Munday (@leejmu) on

5. Appy Hour

When in Reykjavík, quite a few bars and clubs run their happy hour until midnight, and with Iceland not being the cheapest country to visit, the more bargains you can get the better. 

To cater to this, there is an app called Appy Hour which you can download to find the best deals in the city.

We definitely recommend downloading it before you go. 

 

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Looks like James Corden can add 'celeb beef mediator' to his CV as he expertly got to the bottom of one of Hollywood's most famous feuds last night.  

Katy Perry recently joined the actor/ late night talk show host as a guest on the hit Carpool Karaoke series, but it looks like James wasn't just there to sing.

Instead, he took the opportunity to get to the bottom on the singer's infamous feud with Taylor Swift. 

"There's a situation," Perry said. "Honestly, it's really like she started it, and it's time for her to finish it." 

 

Only in LA #katyperry #carpoolkaraoke

A post shared by Darren (@nycdarren_) on

If you don't' know by now, their public feud stems back to a mix up with some backup dancers and a miscommunication between the pair. 

“I tried to talk to her about it and she wouldn't’t speak to me.” Katy says in the video.

It is widely believed that Taylor wrote her hit single Bad Blood about her beef with Katy, and now fans have speculated that Katy's new track Swish Swish is a response. 

"I do the right thing any time that it feels like a fumble," Perry says. "It was a full shutdown and then she writes a song about me, and I'm like, OK, cool, cool, cool, that's how you want to deal with it? Karma!"

''It's all about karma, right? I think personally that women together, not divided, and none of this petty bulls–t, women together will heal the world." 

James then rather lightheartedly asked the singer if she would be prepared to "remove the beef from the grill" if Taylor approached her. 

Katy agreed "100%".

James then took us back to what Carpool Karaoke is all about when he turned the radio up and Roar began to play. 

Check out the video below. 

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We put down irregular periods to many things.

Being stressed out at work. Having a bad diet. Being sick.

But, it turns out that a pretty common syndrome can be the cause of irregular periods, and you don't even know you have it.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, can cause your time of the month to be erratic, or in some cases, prevent the arrival of your period.

PCOS can't be diagnosed by just one simple test, but there are various signs and symptoms that could help you identify it.

As stated above, absent or irregular periods could be an indicator, as well as weight gain, acne, excessive hair and infertility.

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But don't be alarmed if you recognise some of these symptoms, because you're not suffering alone, and there are many ways to treat it.

Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine told Women's Health that between five and 10 percent of menstruating young women display symptoms of PCOS.

Another doc, Mamta Mamik, M.D., an assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai told the publication that "one of the conundrums is whether or not you develop PCOS and then gain weight or gain weight and then develop PCOS. Probably, both can happen.”

If you are overweight, Mamta advises you to create a balanced diet and exercise plan for yourself.

“Weight loss really helps to normalise the abnormalities,” she says.

Image result for periods

She further explains that if you have any other symptoms, including infertility or diabetes, go straight to your doctor to get checked out.

Your ob-gyn can order blood tests to be carried out which can signal if you have an abnormal level of sex hormones in your body, or high levels of testosterone. 

If you think you have PCOS, Mamta assures that “in general, the treatment is quite straightforward."

If you're not trying to get pregnant, the contraceptive pill can be a great option as it controls the levels or hormones you produce, as well as controlling the outcome of your eggs.

However, if you do see a little baba running around in the near future,  your gynaecologist can give you medication called Clomid, which starts you ovulating. “Success rates are quite high," Mamta assures.

Everyone is different however, so if you believe you have PCOS, talk to your doctor or gyno, and they can advise the right course of action for you.

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Summer is here, and we're ready to give our interiors a little bit of a lift to go with the bright and airy season. 

Luckily, one of our favourite homeware havens Zara Home is giving us just that with their new collection.

Check out a few of our favourite pieces: 

 Pillow covers €22.99Place settings €15.99, Mug €6.99, Rug279.00

Pink cushion €22,99, Bed set €45.99, Rug €99.99, Green cushion €22.99

Candelabra €39.99, Chalice candle €9.99, Elephant candle €19.99, Floor cushion €69.99

Photo frame €17.99, Wall mirror €69.99, Glass pot €22.99, Ceramic vase €29.99

Tree candle €11.99, Bell bulb lamp €59.99, Coral lamp €99.99, Round table nest €149.00

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According to emerging reports, a 23-year-old man has been arrested in connection with last night's terror attack in Manchester.

Greater Manchester Police have confirmed that the individual was arrested in the city this morning.

"With regards to the ongoing investigation into last night’s horrific attack at the Manchester arena, we can confirm we have arrested a 23-year-old man in South Manchester," they said in a statement released to the press.

Earlier reports suggested that the individual responsible for the attack on Ariana Grande concert-goers at the Manchester Arena died by suicide at the scene, however, confirmation that he had been working alone had not been offered.

Speaking out about last night's atrocity, British Prime Minister, Theresa May, condemned the actions of those responsible and insisted that terrorism will not win.

"The terrorists will never win and our values, our country and our way of life will always prevail," she said outside Downing Street following a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency committee.

The current death toll stands at 22.
 

 

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