You are BEAUTIFUL

Here's a (condensed) list of things I hate about my body:

My wobbly thighs
My bingo wings
My sticky-out tummy
That squishy bit between my armpit and my arms
My skin
My big boobs
My (sometimes double) chin
My unshapely bum
That muscle above my knee

The list could easily go on, but you get the picture. As I'm sat here writing this it's actually making me quite emotional thinking about all the bits I really dislike about my body.

But here is a list of things my body has allowed me to do over the years:

Endless hours of yoga
Running a half marathon
Swimming 1.4 miles in the sea for The British Heart Foundation
10 years of gymnastics
Skiing every year since the age of 2
Netball at county and 1st Team University levels
Representing my school in Athletics, Netball, Hockey, Tennis and Swimming

Again, the list goes on, but you get the picture. My body has been key to helping me do things in life that I love. I run regularly, I have an active job - sometimes teaching yoga 4 or 5 hours a day, I do my own self yoga practice, and I generally eat healthily. I am beyond lucky that my body is fit and healthy - it has allowed me to do so much, and yet I treat it with so much disdain, disappointment and hatred. I know I am far from alone in these feelings and IT MUST STOP.

My body allows me to do the thing I love most 

We must stop doing this to ourselves. We are all beautiful no matter what our body size, shape, skin colour, gender, disabilities, illnesses - there is not one-size-fits-all for beauty, and neither should there be. It is our differences that make us beautiful.

Body image is a hot topic of conversation at the moment even in the "celebrity" world. Everyone from Gigi Hadid to Robyn Lawley to Ashley Graham have all had something to say about it in recent weeks. Gigi defended herself against negative comments on social media, Robyn wanted to highlight her stretch marks just a few months after giving birth, and Ashley is tirelessly campaigning to show women of all shapes and sizes that they are beautiful.

So it seems that even the women who are known for being "beautiful" feel as though they have to fight such negativity. And the worst part? It's our own fault. We do it to ourselves. How many times on a daily basis do you put yourself down for the way you look? If you're anything like me you'll be up in triple figures!

Okay, so it's not all our fault. It has actually been this way for thousands of years. I was mesmerised by a recent YouTube video: Women's Ideal Body Types Throughout History. It shows that even in Ancient Greece there was an ideal body type for women, and although the "Ideal Body" has changed dramatically over the years, the poisonous sentiment that there is an "Ideal Body" sends shivers down my spine. How can we narrow down beauty to such few physical assets? The word shallow most definitely springs to mind.

And although it's something I know less about, this isn't just a problem for women. I know many guys who are tough on themselves for what they look like. They feel the pressure to be strong, tall, muscly. Often taking steroids and pushing themselves to extremes to achieve "The Body".

But please don't misunderstand me - equally, just because someone does fit into the ideal of beauty, does not mean that we should put them down either. No one should be put down. We should all be celebrated exactly as we are - slender, athletic, curvy, disabled - we are all beautiful both inside and out. Our bodies are walking miracles and we should learn to appreciate them as such. You can breath. You can think for yourself. You can do amazing things with your bodies. They allow us to experience pleasure, pain, fatigue, adrenaline, achievements - without them we would not be able to experience this crazy thing we call life.

We need to learn to open our eyes and our minds beyond the preconceived notion of a "beautiful" body. There is not one type of beauty. All types are beautiful. All types are equal. You can appreciate the beauty in all of your friends and loved ones - they don't look the same, do they? So why can't we appreciate the beauty in ourselves? You are beautiful too. I promise.

Image source: Pinterest

I know this hasn't been my cleanest piece of writing, but it's a topic that deeply upsets me, and when you're so passionate about something it can be hard to clearly communicate what you really want to say. You may be thinking "how can someone who sees themselves so negatively write about positive body image", and my response would be: that's exactly why I'm writing about it. I'm fucking sick of being so mean to myself, and something must be done. We must learn to see ourselves positively. Time is too precious to waste on negative emotions, especially when they make no sense.

I'll end by saying this: love yourself. Work on your relationship with yourself. Be kind to yourself. You are BEAUTIFUL.

Love Lucy x

My new secret: Matcha Green Tea

About 6 weeks ago I was sitting in a coffee shop with my friend and fellow blogger over at Charlotte's Nest, and she was telling me all about matcha green tea and how she didn't know why everyone wasn't getting on the bandwagon yet. Charlotte said since including it in her morning routine she felt like she had more energy throughout the whole day (I think the words "sustained buzz" may have been used), and she no longer suffered from those post-coffee caffeine slumps, as in fact she felt like she no longer needed the coffee. As someone who couldn't really function without a strong morning black coffee I was intrigued and came home to do some research of my own...

Within a few hours I'd ordered some of my very own match green tea powder from Amazon - I went for the Pure Chimp 50g pot - and eagerly awaited my delivery!

Charlotte had warned me about taste...I'm not going to beat around the bush - it's not the best. My personal description would be that it tastes like you imagine pond water to taste (surprisingly I've never actually drank pond water so I can't correlate this with real-life experience, but you get the picture!). When I first tried it I mixed it in hot water with a squeeze of honey. For me the honey didn't really disguise the taste...

So the next morning I decided to chuck it in with my morning cashew, date and raw cacao smoothie and I couldn't taste any difference to normal. Hallelujah! I'd found a way to include it in my morning routine without actually tasting it. And boy am I glad I did. I can honestly say hand-on-heart that the last 6-weeks I have had more energy than ever, I've given up coffee completely (aside from one black coffee after a two-night hen do, but I don't think that counts!), and I genuinely think the quality of my skin has improved too (I have also begun to take milk thistle tablets during this time to help my skin, but my hunch is that it's a combination of the two that's help it to improve).  

So what is it that makes matcha green tea able to provide that "sustained buzz"? Well, firstly it does contain caffeine as that's a natural ingredient of green tea. It was originally thought that it was the caffeine that was the energy-boosting ingredient, however researchers found that it was actually a combination of it's other natural ingredients too - mainly the amino acid L-theanine - that help to create a sense of relaxed alertness after consuming matcha green tea. The inclusion of L-theanine actually inhibits the negative side affects we get when drinking coffee. Learn more here. 

And it doesn't stop there. Matcha green tea is absolutely packed with antioxidants (way more than goji berries, blueberries, spinach and broccoli), and antioxidants are known fighters of infections, disease and the ageing process. It also contains a high level of chlorophyll which is great for detoxing the body. 

One thing that I can't report back on just yet is the weight loss claims. Many producers of matcha do state that it can help with weight loss as it supposedly boosts the metabolism and burns fat. Perhaps 6 weeks isn't enough time to see results, but I don't think my weight has changed much just yet...perhaps that will come later down the line! Nonetheless I will most definitely continue to include matcha in my routine every morning as I certainly feel more energised and able to focus than I previously did. And I'm definitely not missing that post-coffee slump! I also maintain that my skin quality has improved and am excited to see if it continues to do so - after all, the Japanese do have fantastic skin and they've been drinking it for thousands of years!

Match is definitely helping me to feel Beautifully Healthy and I love it so much that I've already ordered pot number 2 of the Pure Chimp powder!

Have you previously tried matcha or are you tempted to give it a go? I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

Love Lucy x

25 life lessons in 25 years

Today I have officially been on this planet for 25 years. Two and a half decades. That's a quarter of a century. And yes, I know, that's halfway to 50 (yikes!).

25 is an age where you're not so young that you can get away with acting like a student all the time, but equally you're not quite old enough to warrant being an fully fledged "adult" all the time. It's very much an in-between stage - for most of us by this stage we've left education and have got our feet on the employment ladder, but at the same time we're still figuring out exactly where we want to go - constantly questioning our life choices up until this point and whether we're on the "right" path.

It can be quite a pressured time, the Quarter-Life Crisis seems to be a real thing nowadays, and it can be hard to know exactly what you should be doing with your life at this stage. Luckily I think I've prematurely had my Quarter-Life Crisis - over the last year I have completely transformed my life and changed my path - all that change is a little overwhelming, ridiculously exciting, and has given me the inspiration to be a little reflective. It encourage me to think about what I've learned over the years, and what's important to me now, so I thought I'd put together a little list of life lessons that mean something to me. I hope you enjoy reading them, and that they reassure you that age really is just a number, it's more about who you are as a person, how you feel in yourself, and how you interact with your world. So, without further ado, here are my 25 life lessons:

1. Love wins. This is my most important life lesson and I'm putting it as number one so that if it's the only one you read in my list I'll be happy! Love wins in every situation. It's always better to show love than any other option; whether it's with your family, friends, colleagues, strangers, enemies - if you love then you can't lose and you'll always go to bed feeling content. <3

2. Never stop learning. As geeky as that makes me sound it actually keeps life pretty exciting. Look at every new day as an opportunity to learn new things and you'll never be disappointed. We will never know everything, and that's okay, but I sure want to learn as much as I can in the time that I have.

3. Patience really is a virtue. Sometimes being patient is hard, but in recent years I've done my best to practice being patient when the urge for impatience arrives. I'm waiting for a bus and it's not arrived on time - the younger me would become agitated and annoyed that the bus is going to be late, but now I try to breath and to focus on the positive, such as it means I can stand for a few more minutes out in the fresh air. It's a really small mind-shift but it makes a massive difference to everyday life.

4. If you want to dance, dance. If you want to sing, sing. If you want to cartwheel, cartwheel. Basically if you want to do anything that is an expression of your happiness, of your true being, then do it! The other day I was finishing up a really good workout in the park, and I got a sudden urge to cartwheel down the hill on my way home - the sun was shining, I was feeling super happy, so I just thought f*ck it, did a cartwheel, felt even more happy. #noregrets

5. Surround yourself with people who genuinely care about you. Do not worry about spending time with those who bring you down. Life is too short to spend time with people who drain you - you deserve to have people around you who care, who make you happy, and who are there to help build you as a person. Do not feel bad for ditching the drains.

6. Family and friends first. They are the ones who raised you, who know you inside-out, who will always love you no matter how much of an idiot you can be sometimes. Love them, show them gratitude, and always put them first.

7. Always show compassion. There is always someone in the world who needs your compassion. You never know what people are going through, so be kind, be there, and be compassionate. If you do this for others I can almost guarantee that they will do it for you when you need it most.

8. Look after your body. "You only get one body, you better look after it" - Papa J has often said this to me, and as cheesy as it sounds, he is 100% right on this one. You really do only get one body - one home for your soul to live in - and so to me it's a no-brainer that we care for our bodies as much as we can. My rules are: sweat at least 5 times a week, eat healthily (but don't deny yourself the odd treat), always wear suncream in the sun, drink enough water, get enough sleep, and exercise your smile muscles regularly.

9. Embrace change. Nothing stays the same in life. It is constantly changing. Therefore it is always best to accept that nothing will stay the same, but no matter what happens in life know that you can and will adapt.

10. Travel as much as you can. One of my favourite sayings goes something like this "spending money on travelling is the only spending that will make you richer" (I'm not sure if that's quite right, but you get the gist!). It is so true that travel enriches our lives - it challenges us, it introduces us to new cultures and ideas, it excites us, it inspires us, and ultimately it changes us. I've yet to meet a single soul who has regretted travelling, and that's because it really is one of the most amazing gifts you can give yourself. This is an AMAZING world we live in, go and explore it!

Me, some of my beautiful yoginis & our mate on the phone in Kerala, India, 2015

11. Practice an attitude of gratitude. We all have many things to be grateful for: waking up each morning to a new day, having the capacity to breath, to feel, to live. Anything on top of this is a bonus, and I am so fortunate to have many things on top of this to be grateful for. Always be grateful and appreciate what you have.

12. It's okay to make mistakes. And boy have I made a few in my time! We all make mistakes - it's part of our human nature, and is essential for our growth. But the most important thing is that we learn from our mistakes, and use them as opportunities to improve.

13. Push your boundaries. Get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. Only by doing this can we grow and learn that we are capable of much more than we ever could have imagined. Face your fears and beat them - I promise it'll feel damn good when you do!

Falling out of an inversion, Bermuda, 2014

14. Never take yourself too seriously. Life is too short to take yourself seriously, it only ends up causing anxiety and stress - so let it go, relax, and smile! If I mess up or do something totally stupid I used to feel so embarrassed and would close up, but now I've learnt that it's okay to look like a wally sometimes - after all if you can laugh at yourself in these situations, then others will laugh too, and you're bringing some happiness into their day.

15. Always look for the positive. And always be positive whenever possible. Bad things will happen in your life, you will suffer pain, you will feel grief, you will face challenges - but it's how we respond in these circumstances that will help to build us. Something positive can always be found in the negative, you might just have to work that little bit harder to find it. Buddha once said: "Every experience, no matter how bad it seems, holds within it a blessing of some kind. The goal is to find it." Wise words Big B.

16. Everything is OM. In non-yogi terms this means that everything, everyone, every being is inextricably linked. We are all one. Each and every little thing you do and say will have repercussions  on other beings. Throw a plastic bottle in the bin - you're adding to the waste we create, and ultimately to pollution. Smile at a stranger - you brighten their day and you never know what difference that might make. Give a friend advice - you may well change their course of action. It's the butterfly effect. We are all connected. We are all one. Everything is OM!

17. Be humble. But never undervalue yourself. Too many people in this world are either too proud or under-confident. It's very hard to find the right balance.  Being humble is super important - no one appreciates a boaster - but equally be quietly confident in yourself and your abilities so as not to undervalue yourself. You are important, but so is everyone else - we are all equal.

18. Take time for yourself as regularly as you can. To be the best version of you, you must take time for yourself. I do this through my individual yoga practice - I try to practice outside of the classes I teach at least 5 times a week - of course as a yoga teacher this is essential to help me deepen my own practice and to practice what I preach, but it also provides me with time to just BE. I spend time with myself, check-in with how I'm feeling, and show myself a little love. You are super important, so make sure you're looking after numero uno!

19. Follow your dreams. Do what makes you happy. I have learnt this lesson in the most incredible way - by actually following my dreams, and now I'm living them! If something brings you happiness then chase it, grab it with two hands, and don't let go. If you want to do something, do it. Life really is too short to be doing things that don't bring you happiness, so stop spending time on these things, instead use your energy to follow your dreams, and be happy :)

Dreamcatcher, Varkala, India, 2015

20. Don't compare yourself to others. This is one that I still struggle with, but whoever said that "comparison is the thief of joy" really did hit the nail on the head. There is always going to be someone who seems to be more intelligent than you, happier than you, prettier than you, richer than you, more successful than you - but by comparing yourself it's likely that you'll just make yourself unhappy. Try to be strong in the knowledge that there is only one you, you are totally unique, and no one can do you quite like you can.

21. Going out is great, but so is a night in on the sofa! Also under this life lesson comes: wine is great, but so is a cup of tea. Basically 25 is a great age because I still feel young enough to drink too much and go crazy on the dance floor, but equally I'm very comfortable admitting that I very much enjoy a night in watching Netflix and drinking tea!

22. Never accept anything less than you deserve. This is one I've learnt the hard way. For a long time I did settle for a situation that was less than I deserved, but the older and wiser I've become I've realised that I don't have to do this, and that I deserve something better. Too often people settle for less, and this will only result in unhappiness and bitterness, neither of which are healthy. So be true to yourself and know that you do not have to accept anything less than you deserve.

23. Try not to judge. You never know what a person has been through, so try not to judge them until you've walked a mile in their shoes. This is hard to do. It's our natural human reaction to make judgements on people, but actually who are you to judge them? You don't know what they've been through and therefore you cannot fully understand their actions. Have an open heart and make it your responsibility to love rather than to judge.

24. Let go of expectations. If you don't have expectations then you cannot be let down, but if something amazing does happen then you'll appreciate it even more because you didn't expect it! Again, this is hard to do, and I don't think I'll ever fully master this lesson, but it's something I'm going to work at because ultimately letting go of expectations naturally makes us more flexible, more appreciative, and leads to a more exciting and unexpected life.

25. 25 isn't that old! There is still time to enjoy being young, but also to enjoy being that little bit wiser than I was a few years ago...maybe 25 won't be so bad after all!

So there we have it, my 25 life lessons in 25 years. They're in no particular order and there are so many others I could have included. Life is about learning, evolving and adapting. It is beautiful, terrifying, amazing, challenging, unpredictable - and I plan to live it, to feel it, to absorb every single moment. You never know how long you've got so I'm going to make the most of it whilst I'm here, and I hope you do the same!

Thank you so much to all my beautiful family and friends who have supported me, loved me, and inspired me over my first 25 years on this planet - I love you all millions and am so blessed to have you in my life.

Have a beautiful day everyone!

Love Lucy x

Namaste y'ALL: Yoga is for EVERYONE :)

So you may have noticed that I quite like yoga. I teach yoga, I write about yoga, I practice yoga (almost) daily, yoga-related pictures can easily be found on my Instagram feed, and I follow more yoga pages on Facebook than I can even begin to count! 

Yoga is seriously awesome and there are many reasons why I love it so much. But I am conscious of the fact that on paper I'm a pretty stereotypical yogini: 20-something, western, middle-class, and female. So who am I to start preaching about yoga being for everyone? Well it's a good question, but I don't much care for it.  I strongly believe in yoga being for everyone, and just because I fit into the yoga "stereotype" doesn't mean that that's how I want it to stay. In my world there would be no yoga stereotype as everyone would feel able to practice if they wanted to, and I'm going to try to dispel a few myths and to articulate why it is for everyone in this little post and why we should all give it a go. No excuses accepted!

MYTH 1: Yoga is for girls

Figures show that nowadays yoga is more widely practiced by women than it is by men. However traditionally in India it was a male-only practice; females weren't allowed anywhere near it. So it could be argued that it's a practice which is actually more suited to the male form. 

Yoga (particularly styles such as Ashtanga, rocket, and Vinyasa) is a practice that requires strength, focus, and commitment; each of these requirements is totally genderless, and we could all do with more of them on and off the mat. Furthermore yoga is scientifically proven to have all sorts of health benefits such as reduced stress levels, improved cognitive function, helping to maintain a healthy weight, lower blood pressure, and increased sexual function. So gents, if you're looking for an activity that boosts brain power and has all sorts of physical benefits then join those ladies in the yoga studio! And if you need any further persuasion, I can promise with my hand-on-heart that a regular yoga practice will boost your athletic performance in any other sport you practice: Shaquille O'Neal, LeBron James, the New Zealand national Rugby team, Tom Brady and Ryan Giggs all practice yoga to support their games - need I say more?

MYTH 2: I'm too young / old for yoga

See above for the mental and physical benefits of yoga. No matter what our age it's never too early or too late to begin to take care of ourselves that little bit more and to invest some self-love into our routines. 

Nowadays many schools are actually incorporating yoga classes into their extra curricular activities, and yoga for children is a sector that's growing rapidly. My four-year old cousin practices alongside my Aunty to their yoga DVD and he can already perform a better tree pose than I can! He genuinely enjoys it and you can tell that it's something which captures his concentration - no mean feat when you're a toddler! 

Equally, at the other end of the spectrum, if you can still breathe then it's never too late to take up yoga. Of course as we reach the latter years of our lives our bodies won't quite be able to do what they could when we were young, however yoga is an eight-limbed practice: the physical practice is only one of these limbs. Look for a yoga class that is designed for the older generation and one where the teacher is accommodating for any modifications that might be required. These practices will tend to focus more on the breathing and meditation side of yoga, two very important aspects for any yoga practitioner at any age. 

MYTH 3: Yoga is too expensive

It's true that many yoga classes are now at least £10+ for just one session, and many of us can't afford this pricey sum each week. But just because cash is tight doesn't mean that you can't practice yoga. You don't even need to invest in a mat if you don't want to (although if you're in the UK they can be found for a fiver at Sports Direct ;)). 

For the first six months of my yoga love affair I didn't spend a single penny on practice, and yet I was practicing 3 times a week. And how did I do that I hear you say? Good old YouTube videos and free apps is the answer to that question! Do be careful when finding online tutorials; as a beginner you'll be unlikely to know what is safe practice. But I can highly recommend the YouTube videos of Esther Ekhart as she is clear, concise, and concerned with correct alignment. When learning I also used a free app called "Simply Yoga FREE" which gives you 6 different yoga practices, over 20 mins, 40 mins and 60 mins. If you are doing the majority of your practice at home I would suggest trying to go to one class every month, just to check in with a teacher to ensure that you are practicing safely, and also to connect with other yogis who may want to come and join you in your living room or in the park to shake up your yoga practice and to keep it fresh. 

My other tip would be to shop around for deals on sites such as Wowcher, as studios will often offer introductory offers that are affordable. 

MYTH 4: Yoga is for fully able-bodied practitioners

One of the reasons I love yoga so much is that you can adapt your practice completely to your ability, your strength, your feelings. This is the same for EVERYONE - able bodied and disabled practitioners alike. Don't let your disability hold you back as there are always modifications and different styles of yoga that you can try. 

It might be the case that you want to specifically find a yoga class that is designed to accommodate for disabilities, in which case they are out there so all you've got to do is a quick Google session to find the ones near you. Or it may even be worth investing in a few sessions with a private teacher who will be able to work with you one-on-one and guide you to find a practice which suits you most. 

MYTH 5: You've got to be flexible to do yoga

You wouldn't believe how many times I've heard the phrase: "Oh but I'm not flexible enough to do yoga". Come on guys. Really? A) Yoga isn't just about flexibility (the only thing that you're required to have is a flexible mind), and B) It's very unusual to be naturally gifted at something straight away without any practice whatsoever. 

How many times did you have to practice reading before you could complete a whole book? How many times did it take you to perfect your cupcake baking skills? How many times did you fall off your bike when you were learning to ride it? You get my gist. Now get on the mat and stop being so silly. 

So hopefully I've demystified some of the myths around yoga and you'll feel more encouraged to get on the mat and give it a go. Ultimately yoga is about connecting with yourself and loving yourself, and in turn you'll connect more meaningfully with others and with the world around you. If you ask yourself honestly, who doesn't want that? So go on, give it a go, you might just change your life ;)

Namaste y'all! <3

Love Lucy x