Going Vegan?

Tomorrow is #HugAVeganDay, did you know? I have been considering going Vegan for some time now and I just don't know what's stopping me.

There are a lot of people making the transition into Veganism nowadays for a variety of reasons: health, environmental and of course for the animals. Conversely there are still a huge amount of people who view Vegetarians and Vegans in a negative manner, maybe because they just don't understand it fully. 

Personally I would like to go Vegan for the heath and ethical reasons. I am a huge lover of animals and I disagree with the way they are treated in the meat industry. The only reason I haven't made the change already is that I am nervous about not getting all of the nutrients that I need. I am a lazy cook so I need food that can be prepared quickly and with very little effort and everything I have seen about Vegan cooking takes a lot of work. I suppose I should just stop being so lazy! I also truly believe that going Vegan may help cure my raging eczema, and that would be a miracle! 

I'm going to turn my Vegan journey into a regular segment on here so that you can see how I'm getting on and so that I can share my thoughts and discoveries with you. Maybe I could even help a few of you on your own way to becoming a Vegan! 

One of my all time favourite Vegan's is Sweetsugarcrumble. She is an absolute gem and I love her blog and her Youtube channel so you should definitely check her out. 

Here's to going plant based!

Lottie x 

"Get Some Meat On Your Bones"

I hate this saying. My Nan says it to me almost every single time I see her, along with, "You're so pale, you look like a ghost."

"We need to feed you up"
"Do you ever eat?!"
"Why are you so thin?"
"You look anorexic."
"You must not eat enough to keep a fly alive."
"You are too skinny."

All of the above are things that I have had said to me over the years and all of them are things that I find offensive.

I have always been thin. I danced from the age of 3 and still do so I never really put on any weight. I have a very high metabolism and I am just generally quite a small person, In the past doctors have expressed their concern from my BMI being lower than it should be but only by about 1 or 2 points and nothing to worry too much about. The fact is is that I have always been like this, no matter how much I eat. And crikey, I eat a lot!

I guess what I'm trying to get at is that phrases like the ones above are not exactly helpful. In fact they can often make people feel self conscious and worried about their appearance. I feel this way and I am perfectly healthy. But imagine if you did say this to someone who does suffer from an eating disorder, how would it make them feel? It certainly wouldn't help them in their recovery, I can bet that much!

I suppose it's just important to think about what you say before you say it, and to consider how it may be received by the person to whom you are directing it. There are better ways to compliment someone on their weight or appearance.

No matter what you're body shape, if you are healthy and happy then don't worry about what other people are saying. Just be confident with who you are because you are beautiful.

If you do think that you may know someone who is struggling with an eating disorder then please tell someone who can help them and get them the support they need.

Let's just be nice to one another and take care of each other.

Lottie x


P.s. Zoella did a blog post on this topic back in 2011 if you would like to check it out. https://www.zoella.co.uk/2011/03/why-are-you-so-skinny.html

Just Do It

Anxiety stops us from doing things, often things that we really want to do but feel we can't. Usually because we feel shy or out of our comfort zone and we feel like saying NO is the only option. But in reality, what would really happen if we just said yes a little more? Anxiety always makes us think of the worst case scenario but 99% of the time the things we worry about never happen.

Unfortunately for us, anxiety creeps up on you and before you know it it has taken control of your life and you've become accustomed to living how it wants you to live. Living like this will make you unhappy though and you won't live your life to the fullest. Remember, that you are more likely to remember the times you enjoyed in life over the times you spent being anxious, and that's what is important.

I am controlled by my anxiety more often than not. I have stopped seeing friends (and have lost many because of this), I don't leave the house unless I really need to, I've stopped eating out as often as I used to and I have become somewhat of a shut-in. I don't want to live my life like this however, and so I've decided it's time to make a change. Nobody should live like this, it's not only draining for me but also for those around me.

I want to start saying YES to things and not holding back, and I encourage you to do the same. The big thing with anxiety is being able to prove it wrong. By doing something that you may not feel entirely comfortable with and showing that you are able to do it, you give anxiety a kick in the teeth. "See I CAN do it! That showed you!"

It's so important to enjoy our lives and to get the most out of them and if we always say no that will never happen. So just try, this week, to say YES to maybe one thing that you wouldn't normally. Put yourself outside of your comfort zone and prove to yourself that you can do it!

Lottie x

Peace Day

So, today is the International Day of Peace. Didn't know about it? No, neither did I until I saw it trending on Twitter. I wish there had been more knowledge of this and more information passed around because I think it's a lovely idea and something more people should have known about.

So what is the International Day of Peace? It was introduced in 1982, which is weird because this truly is the first time I'm ever hearing about it. The General Assembly of the UN declared it as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace. In 2001 the General Assembly voted unanimously on a resolution which states that the 21st of September would be a day of non-violence and cease-fire.

I did a bit of research and discovered that this years International Day of Peace focus is, 'Partnerships for Peace - Dignity For All' which aims for all segments of society to work together for peace.

Ok, now we know what it is, what can we do to be a part of this day?

• You could make a Youtube video and express your views on Peace. Maybe even get together with your friends and stand up for what you believe in. 
• You could join a peace group, there are lots of them about and you can meet like minded people. 
• You could do a meatless day. Showing peace towards our animal friends. 
• Write a letter, poem or use social network to let those who have the power know how you feel. Use this as your opportunity to get your voice heard. 
• One of my favourite ideas is to just simply make peace with someone in your life. Maybe a friend you fell out with or a family member you haven't spoken to in a while, today is the perfect day to put things right. 

Thank you for reading and let's get more people knowledgeable on this subject, spread the word!

Lottie x

Bare Minerals for Eczema

I want this blog to be as honest and open as it can be and that's why I'm making this post. I know that Bare Minerals are a highly reputable company who do amazing products that are very gentle on the skin. However, recently I had a bad reaction to one of these products and I wanted to share it with you guys so that you are aware and can just be careful when purchasing them, especially if, like me, you suffer from eczema.

For my birthday my mum booked me in at Bare Minerals to have my make up done professionally. I had been wanting to try this company for a long time as I have quite bad eczema on my face and wanted some make up that could cover it without irritating it. Whilst there, the lady who was doing my make up asked if I would like to try some skin care and of course I said yes! The cream she used was called, 'Purely Nourishing Cream' and as soon as she placed it on my face I felt the heat leave my rash and the redness calmed down. It was such a lovely feeling and I was so excited to have finally found a product that worked! 

Sorry for the stock picture, I no longer have the cream so couldn't take my own. 

I purchased the cream and at £27 for a small tub it was not cheap however I felt that if it worked, it would be worth it. 

Unfortunately, after using the cream twice daily for about a day and a half, I started to get a severe reaction. My eyes swelled up, my lips cracked and my face looked as though it had been burnt. I stopped using the cream immediately however two weeks later my face still hasn't gone back to normal. 

I would definitely recommend that if you want to try this cream to ask for a sample tester first, particularly if you have very sensitive skin like me. This won't happen to everyone and I'm sure for many this moisutriser is a miracle worker, it's just a shame it didn't work for me. 

I did buy some of the Bare Minerals make up and that works wonders for covering up my face eczema and so I will do a blog post of that in the future because it really is wonderful. 

Thank you for reading and please just be careful when trying new products as they don't always work out!

Lottie x 

Sometimes It's Hard.. A Little Hello!

Sometimes it's hard isn't it? This little thing we call life. It can get on top of us and drag us down but we should never let it hold us there.

Welcome to my little space on the internet, 'Living As Lottie'. I wanted to make this to document my life, talk about my struggles and my triumphs, and to help you in any way I can along your journey. I want to talk about my experiences with eczema, mental health and just life in general and hopefully amongst all of that you may find something that interests you, helps you or makes you smile.

So stick around and let's get to know each other!

Lottie x