Tassel love

Hi Gals,

Such a gorgeous day out today :) Hope you are all enjoying it.

Just a quick outfit post on my Summer look from the weekend gone. 

I am all about the tassel trend. I love these lace up shoes in blush pink.

I bought the Rose tassel bag last week and it matched them perfectly.

White blouses are perfect for these hot evenings and will go with nearly everything. I teamed it with ripped denims for my look.

Big hair on the night. I used my new remington silk curler that Damien got me as a little present for hitting the 10k mark on instagram. It gives a tight curl which I teased to make extra big.

I finished the look off with a light blush coat.

Top- Zara

Shorts- Zara

Shoes- Missguided

Bag- Pretty Little Things

Coat- Missguided

Dominique

Xoxo

Workout motivation

Hi Everyone,

Happy Tuesday :) 

Today is rest day for me, thank God!! I started Cycle 3 of the 90 day challenge last Monday and I have never experienced training as tough. 

The first month was HIIT training, second month was weight training mixed with HIIT and now the final month is DTP HIIT. The workouts seem shorter than last month but are way more intense. I have to to do high to low range rep exercises followed by a round of HIIT training in between each one. 

I train 4 times a week and each day focuses on different muscle groups. Monday - chest and back, Tuesday- arms, Wednesday- rest, Thursday- legs,  Friday- rest, Saturday- shoulders and Sunday- rest.

I had a couple of people asking how do I stay motivated to workout all the time. I find it easier to workout with a gym buddy as you can motivate each other. My friend Denise and I have been going to the gym together. When she can't make it I normally tag along with my boyfriend and we do our own weights and then a HIIT session together. Having someone to go with it makes it harder to roll over and hit the snooze button because you're letting your friend down as well as yourself by skipping it. 

When the sore muscles seem like they are getting too much remember pain is just weakness leaving your body :) 

 This picture sums up how I felt all week, every move I made was painful. Good pain though, progress pain!!

Taking pictures is the best way to see your progress. I have lost the weight I wanted to and now its all about toning and building muscle. They say muscle is heavier than fat so I feel like there is no point in standing on the scales anymore. There is no better feeling than seeing a picture from four weeks ago to now and being able to see the changes you have made by healthy eating and training.

Healthy tip: If you keep only good food in your fridge, you will only eat good food.

I don't buy crisps or chocolate anymore there is never an option to cheat when I am at home.

I am not saying I don't ever eat bad food. I do have a treat meal once a week. Although this is not part of my plan I felt if I went too extreme and cut it out completely that I would find it to hard to stick to.

If I can do it anyone can :)

Hope you like this post.

Dominique

Xoxo

The body Coach - 90 day SSS plan Cycle 2

Hi Everyone,

60 days down, 30 to go and I can't believe the second cycle has gone by so fast. I posted my before and after pictures on my instagram and got a great response from so many of you so thought it might be easier to write a post on it.

When I finished cycle 1, I submitted my pictures & measurements.

The picture on the left was the one I submitted when I signed up for the plan and the one on the right I took when I finished cycle 2 a few days ago. I made my bf take the before picture for me and when I saw it I had a little cry. Although I know that sounds really dramatic I couldn't believe that was me. When the plan came I was determined to make a change and pursue a healthy lifestyle. Not only to look better but to feel better also.

Although you are supposed to continue as normal while waiting on your new plan to be sent back to you I thought what the hell and had 1 or 2 cheat meals. Even though I am trying to get in shape I don't want to let it completely take over my life I just want to keep a balance in my life. It is just really important not to let one or 2 bad meals turn into a week of bad food and binge eating.

I found the food in cycle 2 much easier because you are allowed to pick and mix with the meals. It is still 3 meals and 2 snacks a day but on the days I trained I got to eat 3 carb refuel meals whereas I was only allowed 1 carb refuel meal right after training in the first cycle. I did feel bloated the first week or two with the amount of carbs I was allowed in comparison to the first cycle. I noticed I was much hungrier after doing this training as it is much more intense so my body definitely needed the extra carb meals.

The training in Cycle 2 was definitely a lot tougher. It went from being 25 minutes a day to 45mins - 1 hour. I still done my HIIT sessions but weights were introduced. I had to train 4 days a week while making sure I was taking rest days in between and not doing 5 days straight and then taking the weekends off like I did in the first cycle.

                       Day 1                Day 30            Day 60

I am really looking forward to cycle 3 now and cant wait to put my pictures from day 1 and day 90 side by side to see my progress.

If you are thinking of signing up you can do so on the body coach website. I have more details on signing up in my first blog post " The Body Coach- 90 day SSS plan Cycle 1". Take a look on his instagram page if you want to see some more amazing results from other people doing the challenge.

Snapchat is dominique89 if you want to follow what I do in the gym most mornings :)

Dominique

Xoxo

Kids and Baby furniture

Hi Everyone,

As many of you might already know from my snapchat I work in Kingsbury Furniture. I have been working here since I came home from Australia a couple of years ago and I love it. Naturally growing up with this being the family business I have gained a huge interest in interiors and interior design. I actually have a furniture blog that I set up 2 years ago on the Kingsbury furniture website. I know that this post wont be for everyone but all this stuff is too cute not to share. 

The Versailles day bed is too cute. It has an underbed trundle which you can pull out and stand up to make this into a 6ft bed when both singles are pushed together (which makes it ideal for sleepovers). I dressed it up last year with a girly paisley throw and cushions. 

This chest of drawers are adorable and the colourful design means it will match in with nearly any colour scheme. We have these little chest of drawers in loads of different sizes. I stuck a headboard on the wall for the display.

Baby furniture isn't something we specialised in so when the NEC furniture show came around this January we thought this was our oppertunity to get some new kids pieces in. I think knowing that my best friend Grace was pregnant at the time and that I have a baby niece I was very much focused on buying pieces that were good quality as well as looking pretty.

The matching pieces will really finish a kids room off. Its all about the little accessories :)

We are expecting a cot and toddler bed in this month too.

I done our window in work today to display some of the kids furniture pieces. So if you are in the area have a drive by and take a look :)

Dominique 

Xoxo

Instagram: Kingsburyfurniture

Facebook: Kingsbury The furniture Studio

www.kingsburyfurniture.ie

Kingsbury Furniture 

Unit 3, The high Street

Tallaght Retail Centre

Dublin 24

01/6579508

My Summer Look for the Flormar Event

Hi Gals,

I feel like I have been slacking a bit in terms of my blog the last week. I had 3 different events so never got around to writing one up until now. The good weather also just makes me want to get out and about but I have loads of new Summer looks coming soon. I went to the Flormar event with Grace last Thursday and got to meet and see the amazing Alesha Dixon perform.

I feel in love with this flower wall. It was such an amazing backdrop and I wanted to take it home with me. As far as events go I haven't been to many but I know this one will be difficult to top.

For my hair I just left it straight and done triple dutch braids in the front section. When I went to get a picture with Alesha she said she noticed my hair and she loved it. I was delighted with myself haha :)

As the weather was nice I went with a casual summer look and dressed it up with my heels.

I like the oversized look so always buy a size or two up in tee's. I teamed it with river island cropped jeans, heels and straw handbag. I love the bobble details on this handbag its so summery and will be perfect for my holidays.

These heels were definitely the favourite part of my outfit. I got them in Pennys a couple of weeks ago and I love them. 

Tshirt - Zara

Jeans - River Island

Bag & heels - Pennys

Dominique

Xoxo