Protein World Debate: The obesity crisis is much more worrying than a model who is 'beach body ready'

There’s a big debate in the news at the moment about the Protein World ‘beach body’ advert. 

Photo: Protein World

The ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) has received a number of complaints, stating that the ad is “offensive, irresponsible and harmful because it promotes an unhealthy body image.” Thousands of people have signed an online petition, arguing that “Protein World is directly targeting individuals, aiming to make them feel physically inferior to the unrealistic body image of the bronzed model, in order to sell their product.”

The debate has developed so much so, that a protest is due to take place this weekend and there has even been an alleged bomb threat against the Protein World head office.

I’ll be honest, I find it all a bit puzzling.

If you take a look at billboard ads in any big city, open up any magazine, visit most fashion websites or watch a TV advert break, you’ll easily find a model who is the same size as the one in question, yet nobody kicks up a big fuss.

The model in question has a crackin’ bod. She’s not emaciated like a lot of high fashion models are. She has boobs, she has hips – she has a feminine shape. Yes, you can see a slight hint of her ribs, but she still looks healthy and fit.

I truly believe that high fashion brands and magazines are much more irresponsible when it comes to promoting unrealistic body ideals. I think images of gaunt young men and women walking down a catwalk are 100 times more harmful, especially to impressionable teenagers.

Photo: Peter Duhon

Richard Staveley, head of marketing at Protein World, has defended the image, stating that the company simply wants to “encourage a healthier, fitter nation.” Well, who can actually argue with that? The results are in and it’s official – we are a nation of fatties, with one in every four adults being classed as overweight or obese.*

The UK has the highest level of obesity in Western Europe and obesity levels have more than trebled in the last 30 years. In fact, it is predicted that MORE THAN HALF the population will be classed as obese by 2050. That is really frightening. Especially when you consider the health consequences that come with being overweight or obese – it increases the risk of serious illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure.

I think that is far more worrying than a model on a billboard.

*figures taken from NHS.uk 

Sometimes bad things can lead to really, really good things

Do you believe in fate? I definitely do, and I’ll tell you for why.

Three years ago today (27th April), I met my husband-to-be, but that wouldn’t have happened if my lovely little dog, Charlie, hadn’t passed away.

Sound like an odd chain of events? Bear with me.

I’d had Charlie since I was 11 and he meant everything to me. Anyone who’s a ‘dog person’ will understand that. Dogs are more than just household pets and Charlie certainly was – he was my best friend. Ever since he arrived at our house, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (literally), he was not a pet, he was another member of our family.

My little Charlie bear

So, when he got to that age when he couldn’t run around as fast as he used to, or wouldn’t get excited about his food, we were heartbroken because we knew the end was nigh.

After Charlie passed away, I was, of course, absolutely devastated. So much so, that I just hated being in the house. Everything reminded me of him and every time I walked through the front door, or even into a room, I’d expect to see him there.

I decided a break would do me good. It would give me a bit of distance and also a bit of perspective.

So, I hopped on a flight to Abu Dhabi to stay with my family out there.

Then, two weeks to the day of Charlie passing away, I went to a bubbly brunch at the Westin (my auntie knows how to cheer me up!) and met someone. That someone was Tom and now, three years later, we’re engaged and we’re buying a house together.

Little did I know, but my auntie and Tom’s auntie (who are best friends) had been playing cupid when they arranged that bubbly brunch.

But if it wasn’t for losing Charlie, which was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to go through, then I would never have planned a last-minute getaway and I might have never met my future husband!

It just goes to show that everything happens for a reason and sometimes something bad has to happen, so that something good can happen because of it x

Our first picture together, I blame Tom (and maybe the wine) for it being upside down!

Lovely Lush: Brazened Honey face mask and Mint Julips lip scrub review

Everything in Lush smells and looks, well, lush! I’ve never been able to walk past a Lush shop without popping in for a nosey around. The amazing smells just lure me in and then it feels impossible to leave without buying anything.

(This BuzzFeed post about shopping at Lush really made me chuckle!)

I’m starting rather early with my wedding skin regime (the big day isn’t until next March!), but I want to get my skin in tip-top condition because it can be a little troublesome at times. So, during a little shopping trip in Liverpool, I decided to pop into the local Lush shop to buy one of their famous face masks. They are perfect for a serious pamper sesh because they’re made using freshly squeezed juices, extracts, or whole fruits and vegetables.

I couldn’t decide between Catastrophe Cosmetic, Cosmetic Warrior or Love Lettuce, then the smiley chap behind the counter recommended Brazened Honey, as its zingy ingredients can help to calm oily skin. 

According to the Lush website, Brazened Honey contains fresh fennel, ginger root, parsley and coriander to detox and stimulate. They also use a sage, rosemary and juniper berry infusion with cardamom and clove bud oils for their antiseptic qualities, fresh lime juice to cleanse the skin and free range eggs, honey and almond oil to soothe and moisturise.

That evening, I had a good ol’ pamper before my first round of wedding dress shopping appointments (read all about that here). I opened the tub and had a sniff of the face mask. It’s quite an unusual scent, as you can smell the ginger and the fresh herbs, I think it’s probably one of those smells you’ll either love or hate (I love it, Tom hates it).

The mask itself has lots of grainy, gritty little bits in it (definitely the correct technical term), so it feels quite exfoliating when you rub it into your skin and it also tingles a little bit. Because of its texture, take care to make sure you spread it evenly – it’s not one of those super smooth face masks that you can spread really quickly. Put a thin, even layer all over your skin (avoiding your eyes and mouth). Then, after about five minutes, it’ll go a little stiff. 

My awkward 'can't-really-smile-because-the-face-mask-has-gone-stiff' selfie

After 10 to 15 minutes, rinse it off gently with warm water. As soon as I rinsed the mask off, my skin felt soft, cleansed and refreshed and my complexion definitely looked brighter. 

I’d recommend this face mask if you have oily/combination skin. Just remember that some Lush face masks (this one included) need to be kept in the fridge. This is because the ingredients are fresh, otherwise they’ll go off quite quickly.

The Brazened Honey face mask from Lush is £6.50 for 75g.

During my Lush little shopping trip (see what I did there…) I also couldn’t resist picking up a Mint Julips lip scrub.

I know you can make lip scrubs yourself, but I just couldn’t resist the Mint Julips one, mainly because the peppermint oils and vanilla extracts mean it smells like mint chocolate… I definitely preferred that over the other option, the bright pink Bubblegum flavour, which just smelt too sweet and sickly.

To use the lip scrub, simply put a little bit of the scrub on your finger, then rub it around your lips in circular motions. It gets rid of dry skin and your lips feel lovely and soft afterwards! I use mine every day, with my favourite Burt’s Bees lip balm too (read all about my favourite skin products here).

The Mint Julips lip scrub is £5.50 for 25g.

What are your favourite Lush products? x

Restaurant Review: Afternoon tea with an Alice in Wonderland twist at Oddfellows, Chester

If I had to describe Oddfellows in one word, it would most certainly be ‘quirky.’ I’ve never been anywhere like it and I absolutely loved it.

From the minute you walk in, you almost feel a little like Alice stepping into Wonderland. The décor is funky and eccentric, complete with bright colours and murals of various birds and foxes.

When you walk up the stairs into the Grade II* listed building, it’s definitely worth taking a sneak peek into the office on the left, with a giant pig statue, imposing desk and chandelier hanging from a large rope, it almost feels a little surreal.

We were so curious about the rest of the building, that we asked the friendly receptionist whether we could take a look upstairs at the private dining and events areas. Loren had her chief bridesmaid hat on and asked lots of questions about using it as a potential venue for my hen do and we later decided that it’s definitely a strong contender!

After our little tour, we were led to our table in the main restaurant area. We were sat right beside the window, so it was lovely and bright. It was a gloriously sunny afternoon and ‘The Secret Garden’ was filled with people basking in the Chester sunshine.

We all opted for afternoon tea – the perfect end to a girly day of wedding dress shopping (read my blog post here).

We ordered tea, coffee and a cheeky glass of wine each, before the afternoon tea stand was presented. The top layer was a yummy selection of sandwiches, including ham and mustard, tuna mayonnaise, chicken and bacon and cheese and pickle. 

The second and third layers included a selection of mouth-watering treats, such as fresh scones, strawberry macaroons, strawberry and white chocolate mini muffins, pistachio éclairs and chocolate orange tarts.

If I had to pick one favourite from the savoury selection and one from the sweet, it would be the chicken and bacon sandwich and the pistachio éclair (SO good!)

We had a lovely time chatting about our day, while listening to some great summer tunes. There was a great atmosphere both inside and outside the restaurant and we all agreed that we’d definitely go back again soon… we might even be back for my hen do!

Afternoon tea at Oddfellows is £17.50 per person.

www.oddfellowschester.com

Wedding Dress Shopping Round One: Prosecco, Princess Dresses and Pushy Salespeople!

So, I had my first session of wedding dress shopping last weekend (YAY!) It was great fun, with lots of laughs, smiles and even a few tears.

Pretty dresses aaahhhh!

Firstly, wedding dress shopping is a BIG thing and you want to feel AMAZING when you’re trying on all these super fancy frocks, so I would definitely recommend having a serious pamper the day before.

I had my hair coloured and cut, then finished with a great big, bouncy curly blow (as much as I love living in Cumbria, you really do get the best curly blows in good ol’ Merseyside!) That evening, I ran a hot bubble bath with my favourite Molton Brown bath goodies, plucked my eyebrows, popped a Lush face mask on (review post coming soon!), did a lip scrub and painted my nails and toenails. The only pampering treat I missed out was a fake tan, as that is apparently a massive no-no while wedding dress shopping (nobody wants an orange dress!)

I was walking on air after my amazing pamper session and my mum and I went to pick up my best friend Loren and her mum (my godmother) Cas from the train station, then we had a bottle of champagne and raised a glass to the incredibly exciting weekend that was ahead!

The next morning, we woke up to beautiful blue skies and sunshine. I wanted to wear an outfit that wouldn’t be too much of a faff to whip on and off while trying on dresses (buttons were a definite no-go) so I wore a simple white top (I couldn’t resist wearing something white!), black capri pants, sandals and my favourite pink mac.

We headed off to sunny Chester, but annoyingly, we got stuck in horrendous traffic at Runcorn Bridge. The whole journey took us 90 minutes longer than we expected and I missed my first appointment, ANNOYING!

Stuck in the car selfie. There was sheer panic behind these happy smiles...

We arrived at the second shop I’d booked an appointment with. I’ve been debating whether or not to name the shop, but I’ve decided I’m not going to for reasons that will become clear further down this blog post...

The four of us arrived at the same time as another girl and her family and we were all taken up to a room which was filled with dresses. If I had to guess there was probably at least 50, so plenty to choose from.

Los and I got SO excited, we dived straight in (almost literally) and picked some dresses out. This was at the same time as the other girl who was there, which made it kind of awkward, as it felt a bit like a race to find which dresses we both wanted before the other one could choose them.

Then, for some reason that none of us could work out, the other girl (I think throughout this post she’s going to be known as “the other girl!”) was taken into a private room with a nice big sofa and a cold glass of Pimm’s. Now, I don’t want to sound petty, but I was a little peeved. I was in the main room and, although I had a curtain to get changed behind, I was still very much out in the open and whenever anyone from the other party came out of their room, they could see me. 

It might sound silly, but trying on wedding dresses is such an intimate thing that I just didn’t feel completely comfortable having complete strangers wandering around at the same time.

The assistant who was “looking after us” also didn’t offer to get any extra chairs, which meant my mum, Los and Cas had to take it in turns to sit down. Throughout the two hours we were there, we also weren’t offered any refreshments. Now, although I absolutely wouldn’t have turned down a cold glass of Pimm’s… a tea, coffee, heck, even a glass of water would’ve been nice!

Another annoying thing was that she didn’t make much effort at all to make any of the dresses fit me properly. She pinned them all at the back because the sizes were massive on me, but none of the dresses I tried on looked right until either Los or Cas stepped in and pulled them in for me, so I could see how they would fit on the bust, waist and stomach.

Anyway, initial annoyances aside, I tried on some really beautiful dresses. I went there with an open mind, so even though some of the dresses made me look like a blingtastic toilet roll holder, they were definitely worth trying on because at least then I could eliminate those styles from my search.

I don’t want to give too much away, of course, but the dress style I soon learnt suited my body shape was the complete opposite style to the one I’d always assumed would suit me best. It just goes to show that it’s worth trying on lots of different shapes and styles.

"Is this really happening??"

"IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING??"

One particularly emotional and lovely moment was when I found the dress that could potentially be “the one” and the assistant put a veil in my hair. Cas and Los cried, and even my mum got teary (I’ve NEVER seen my mum cry, ever, in my whole life).

My face when I tried on the dress that could be "the one"!

I was almost tempted to buy “the one” right there and then, but I remembered to put my sensible hat on and I told the assistant that as much as I loved the dress, I wouldn’t be buying anything that day, as it was my very first shopping trip.

After I said that, we all noticed her body language change (not that she had been particularly helpful before) and she began to remind me that it would be a very tight schedule to order the dress in and finish any alterations before my wedding date (which is next March, so not exactly round the corner!) She also tried to persuade me to buy it by saying that they’d throw in the veil for free – not exactly a deal breaker when you’re already spending a lot of money on a dress.

I completely closed off when she acted the way she did and it reaffirmed my decision that I would definitely not be buying anything that day (and probably not from them!)

Afterwards, we went to this really cute little champagne bar, had a glass of bubbles and agreed that it was the right decision to walk away. I was really worried that I would regret it, but I think it was the right choice… I might just have to track that dress down to a different shop!

Luckily, my friend Chelsea has given me some great recommendations, so I’m going to plan another shopping trip in a couple of weeks, so hopefully my next blog post will be much more positive! I hate being a Moaning Mary, but thought I should be totally honest about the whole experience. 

Also, if anyone has any bridal shop recommendations in Merseyside, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cumbria, please let me know! x

Arabian Adventures: My Eight Favourite Things to do in Abu Dhabi

I have a real affinity for Abu Dhabi - the vibrant capital of the United Arab Emirates. Not only did I meet my hubby-to-be there, but it has also been mine and my mum's number one holiday destination for the past 12 years, as some of our family members have settled both there and in neighbouring Dubai.

Abu Dhabi is a really special place, it has so much to offer. Here are my top eight favourite things to do in the beautiful city.

How cool is this pic?! The plane was at the perfect angle when I took it (thanks Mr Pilot!)

1. Go to the F1 Grand Prix at Yas Marina circuit

This has to be my number one choice because I’m a huge Formula 1 fan. We went to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2012 and had a fantastic time. It was before the new engines were introduced, so the noise was immense and the atmosphere electric. We sat in the stand at turn nine (the hairpin), it was a good action spot as we saw a few overtakes. However, despite our best efforts in cheering the Brits on, the iceman, aka Kimi Raikonnen, took the trophy. 

Turn nine was a great place to watch the action

There's even the chance to get up close to your favourite drivers at the autograph sessions. Just be prepared to queue for hours... we waited in the blazing sunshine from 7:30am to 11am to get autographs from Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button but didn't get anywhere near them! Luckily, our determination paid off and we got to meet Daniel Ricciardo, who is my second favourite driver after Lewis. We also got pretty close to Michael Schumacher, which, as you can imagine, felt pretty surreal/special. 

Probably the only picture in existence of Ricciardo not smiling...

Another great thing about going to the Grand Prix is the great entertainment at the Yasalam after-race concerts at Yas and Beats on the Beach at the Corniche. We saw Kylie Minogue, Nickleback and Eminem during the race weekend. 

We had a good ol' boogie to Kylie Minogue!

A couple of days after race day, we went back to Yas Island for a wander. We were a little bit confused when we could hear the unmissable sound of Formula 1 cars and then couldn’t believe our luck when we realised they were testing them! So, we pulled up a chair on the balcony of the chic Yas Viceroy hotel, ordered a chilled beer and sat back and relaxed while watching the cars whizz around the track.

I want to watch the actual race from this spot one day! *Bucket List*

If you can’t make it to the Grand Prix, you can do a tour of the circuit, which is a must for any F1 fan. You get to see behind the scenes, including the control room, team villas, the room where the top three drivers go before the podium presentation and even Bernie Ecclestone’s private lift!

I got a tad excited as this was the ACTUAL champagne bottle from Vettel's win in 2009!

2. Do ‘brunch’

Going for brunch is an Abu Dhabi tradition for me. You are spoilt for choice as there are plenty of fantastic places, but the Fairmont Bab al Bahr and the Westin are my top two choices. I am slightly biased about the Westin, as it’s where I met my lovely fiancé, so it will always hold a special place in my heart!

The Fairmont Bab al Bahr is spectacular in every way possible and you can make it even more of an occasion with their Moet brunch package (unlimited champagne AND delicious food – what more could you want?!) 

I'm suddenly feeling very hungry/thirsty writing this blog...

Afterwards, you can take your drinks outside and watch the sun go down over Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque – a truly stunning setting and a brunch to remember (as long as you don’t overdo it on the champers!)

3. Hire a bike and ride along the corniche in the sunshine

I actually ended up doing this a few times on my most recent trip to Abu Dhabi because I loved it so much. You can hire bikes by the Hiltonia for only 30 dhs each (approximately £5.50). You can keep the bikes for as long as you want and just pay an extra 30 dhs per hour. Cycling in the sunshine is a lovely way to spend the afternoon and when you get tired, stop off at Cold Stone Creamery for an ice cream – perfect!

This bike was massive, which made for entertaining viewing whenever I had to get on/get off/start/stop/just move in general...

4. Visit Saadiyat Island

This is a a really exciting development in Abu Dhabi and it sounds like it's going to be fabulous when it's completed. We checked out Manarat al Saadiyat, which is the arts, culture and visitor centre. After wandering around the exhibition and reading about the fascinating history of Abu Dhabi and the vision for its future, we sat outside and had a lovely lunch in the beautiful courtyard.

5. Wander around Souk Qaryat al Beri

The souk is great during the day and at night. During the day, it's great for people watching over a refreshing drink. There’s also a Gallery One shop (I LOVE Gallery One) and plenty of cute little stalls to buy trinkets and souvenirs for friends and family back home.

If you go there in the evening, you really do have your pick of the bunch when it comes to restaurants. There's Sho Cho, Noodle House, Ushna and Left Bank, to name but a few. One of my favourites is Traders because the outdoor terrace there is just gorgeous and the ideal spot to chill out with a shisha.

This picture really does not do the view from Pearls & Caviar justice

One of my favourite bars in the world is just a short walk from the souk. It’s called Pearls & Caviar (Pearls is the restaurant and Caviar is the bar). I didn’t go last time I was out there because we seemed to run out of time really quickly, but it's definitely one of favourite bars I've ever been to. They do great cocktails, play some really cool tunes and the view is absolutely incredible. Just take care when you’re leaving and make sure you don’t accidentally fall into a bush. Mum and I have DEFINITELY never done that...

6. Visit Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

The mosque is the largest in the UAE (it can accommodate more than 40,000 worshipers) and it is simply magnificent. Make sure you check what time the guided tours are, they're really interesting and definitely worth doing. Otherwise, wandering around the complex is still a really pleasant way to spend a morning or afternoon.

You will see some incredible things at the mosque, such as the carpet in the main prayer hall, which is considered to be the world's largest carpet and one of the chandeliers is the third largest in the world! 

*Remember to dress appropriately. Cover your ankles and your shoulders. Women must wear headscarves, which are available at the mosque. Most importantly, be respectful. Don't do a Rihanna!*

7. Order a Camelchino at the Emirates Palace

The Emirates Palace is a must-do if you haven’t visited Abu Dhabi before. I will say, however, that I was slightly disappointed last time I was there. I felt it had lost the special atmosphere it used to have. The entire place was heaving with tourists in tiny shorts and teeny vest tops taking pictures. I know we were tourists too, but we dressed respectfully. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Emirates Palace took a leaf out of the Burj Al Arab’s book in Dubai and stopped letting people in unless they have a reservation/are dressed smartly.

Anyway, tourist-resenting rant over. The palace itself is extraordinarily luxurious. Tom and I had a lovely afternoon wandering around, then wandered over to Le Café. After picking out a few chocolates from the impressive counter, which boasted a huge array of impressive-looking desserts, we ordered our drinks. I had a zingy and refreshing oolong tea, while Tom had the famous Camelchino, a gold-leaf drizzled cappuccino made with fresh camel milk. It also came with a camel chocolate and as we made friends with the waiter there, he treated us to a few more!

8. Try the cheese bread at Gulf Pastry

Gulf Pastry is a chain across Abu Dhabi, but the one we have tried is the shop in Al Maqtaa.

This is in a very local area, which comes alive at night. It’s a great thing to do if you want to sample a bit of ‘local life’ – but be warned, it’s a nightmare to park around there and you’ll probably get beeped at every two minutes!

We discovered the cheese bread after our morning power walk – yes, walked about 6K in the blazing middle eastern sunshine then we ate all the calories we burnt off (and more) in the form of seriously naughty cheese bread! But seriously, I doubt anyone could resist it because it is SO GOOD. I am actually really glad we only discovered this on the last day of our holiday because if I’d had it any earlier, then I probably would've eaten it every day. There are lots of different options, but we just had the standard cheese bread. I’m not sure what cheese they use, it’s a salty one, a bit like halloumi but gooier, and it's melted on gorgeous bread. I swear I’m salivating while writing this. It is just so, so, so good. DEFINITELY worth the calories! (I don't have a picture of the cheese bread, which is a good thing, as I'd probably want to frame it).

I hope you enjoyed my top eight favourite things to do in Abu Dhabi! If you've been there, let me know what your favourite hot spots are! x