why to be a vegetarian

Allright, so on the top 10 for this week I have my top 10 reasons to be vegetarian. I'm not one myself, not yet at least, because I'd never been interested on this until now, and as I'm living in Ireland I don't want to cause trouble to my hostparents or stuff like that. But I'm definetly going to try this summer, once I'm back in Spain, and here's why:
10- Loads of researchs have proved that low-fat diets (as the vegetarian one) prevent the heart-diseases.
9- Vegetal fats decrease blood pressure, while animal fats increase it.
8- Vegetarian diet is a really good measure to prevent cancer because of all the fibers existing on it.
7- Pasta without meat the best way (specially for athletes) to get loads of energy with not too much fat.
6- The most vegetables, fruits and cereals you eat, the most nutrients your body gets.
5- It helps to prevent diabetes.
4- contrary of what people tends to say, a vegetarian diet is not poor on proteins.
3- Getting interested on this lifestyle will give you more knowledge about your health and nutrient's           ingest.
2- Is much more cheap than a diet with meat.
1- It's a complete diet as vegetables have all the sustances our body needs, and is more clean than water.
So, as you see, I tried to choos "scientific" reasons, not the typic "you're eating something with a soul".
Anyways, if you decide to take this as a lifestyle, you have to be conscious of what you're doing, make sure you have all your nutrients and don't make it as a fad. It's a very important decision on your life.
are you vegetarian? why? why not?
xoxo

Elisa

book: Whose life is it anyway?

I just finished this irish book by Sinéad Moriarty, "Whose life is it anyway?" and it's beautiful. it's about how an Irish girl with close-minded parents falls in love witha black guy. As I'm a foraign living in Ireland I can see and tell the inconcious racism that exists in this country. anyways, I wouldn't say "racism", i would just say "ignorance". it was my first time reading an Irish book - I think - and I'm actually surprised, in a good way. It such a good book that got me since the very first moment, and I just couldn't stop reading it. I thought it was going to be cheesy and dramatic but it wasn't at all.

getting stronger

allright, for this week, my target is to start working on a routine for my abs and buttocks. Why? Well, on a few weeks I'll be back to Spain for the Eastern Holidays, and I actually NEED a flat stomach by that date. So I'm gonna work on abs tuedays, thursdays and sundays and on buttocks on mondays, wednesdays and fridays.

LAST WEEK'S TARGET:
it actually went pretty cool. I was gone for the weekend to dublin to visit my aun who camed from spain, and I had St. Paddy's day today, so I ended up skiping the videos on friday, saturday and sunday. Sorry! I had such a busy weekend.
 But anyways, that's because those days went out of the routine, as all the other days I did it perfectly and with no problem at all.

The silver linings play book

Hello guys!
Today I camed up with this book that I just finished. It's called "The silver linings playbook". And I'm pretty sure that you all know about the movie based on this book. Well, I personally didn't that it was based on a book. In fact, when I started reading this book I didn't know that it was the story from the movie (as the movie is called on a different way in spanish).
 The book was GREAT, much better than the movie, honestly (as always). Don't get me wrong, I actually love the movie so much, but in the book it was easier to understand that the main character has a mental disorder as the book is written from his point of view.
 It's so, so different from the movie. It's not even like they have deleted things from the book to the screem, they just changed the whole story at some points, wich freaked me out so much because as I already watched the movie I (thought I) knew what was going to happen next.
Well, I actually recommend you all to read it as is a very good book.

Do you usually prefer the book rather than the movie? Let me know!

xoxo

Elisa.

This week's target: A little bit of extra exercise.

Allright... So, as spring break is coming and I'm fatter than ever, for this week I'm going to make an extra 20 minutes of exercise everyday by following these videos I found on youtube. I'm going to do this everyday this week but tuesdays, as I go to the swimmingo pool, I get showered there and I don't want to come back home and start to sweat again.

The videos are in spanish, but even if you can't follow exactly this account, this post may have inspired you to do something similar. 

Well, I hope you like this as I guess you're all making every effort to get skinny for the spring break (So am I, right now I'm putting all my efforts on getting in a good shape, as I'm coming back to spain for eastern and I want to blow everyone's mind!)

C'mon guys, just imagine having this body on a few months from now...

What do you do to ultimate your operation transformation?

xoxo

Elisa.

Ready, set... DIET!

Allright, this last week I've been keeping it pretty fine, I'm already sticked on my old-good-habits routine (more or less), So, the other day I was thinking and... I realised I eat SO much. So I started a drastic diet that is going to last 3 weeks (the time where your body and mind get sticked into a routine). The diet pretty much consists of eating 700 calories on 5 meals a day (because I don't want to ralentise too much my metabolism). So, more or less this is my day:
-Breakfast: Apple + Yogurt (more or less 80 calories)
-Morning snack: Mandarin Orange (45 calories)
-Lunch: 1/2 margarin and ham sandwich (more or less 120 calories)
-Afternoon snack: Tea or coffee with milk and sugar (60 calories)
-Dinner: whatever my hostfamily has cooked for me.
 Ok, so dinner is my biggest deal because is obviously so bad for my health and metabolism to eat that much when I'm eating that little the rest of the day. But I've nothing to do with it because as you know my hostparents cook the dinner and also serve it. And I don't want to say things like "I'm on a diet" because I don't want to worry them. So all I can do it's to try to eat as little as I can during the dinner.
 I actually started this diet on saturday and since that everyday I feel less and less hungry. And I've also lost more than 1kg! So yes, I'm pretty happy with it. I'm supposed to be making some exercise- to boost my metabolism because the fast is ralentising it- but as this week I'm on my work experience and I finish everyday at 6 o'clock in the evening, I'm not able to go to the gym- any day. So all I can do it's to look for some video-home-workouts and things like that. Wich I find pretty boring- but I don't have any other chance!
 To fight hunger and craving I'm drinking loads (and when I say loads I mean loads) of water, green tea as much as I can, looking at my phone's thinspo wallpaper or reading motivational texts.
This is my first time in such a drastic diet. Have you been in any diets? Did they worked? Did you regained everything after them?
xoxo
Elisa
PS. Alright, I'm not a doctor, and I've NO IDEA if what I'm doing is healthy or not. So please, PLEASE, if you follow me at this diet, you have to be responsable of the changes that it will produce at your body. I don't want anyone to sue me!!

My week!

All right! First week i'm writing down in such a long time... While I was missing here, some things did happen (Not many, though)
  By the end of January (and it's sales) I went to Galway on a shopping trip! We had so much fun (even if the wheather decided to be awfull that day), and we ate so much food!

  That same weekend I went to this Disco at my town. I was so excited because of the trousers I wore, because they're the high waist ones from Forever 21, and yay, love them.

Then, last week, we had our school musical: Fame! It went great, after all our hard work, so yeah, I'm gonna miss it, because we were spending so much time on it everyday and now it's gone...!

 
And then, this week, I had my mid-term break, so I didn't do pretty much, I actually just studied and spent loads of time out; sleepovers in town, etc,
 We had a party to celebrate one of my friends 16th's birthday and this is the most more or less decent picture I found:
 (you really don't want to see all the other ones)
 So yeah, nothing really interesting happened lately.
Here in Ireland there are mid-term breaks, but for example in spain we don't have them.
Do you guys have half-term holidays?
xoxo
Elisa

Friday favourites

Favourite quote:

Favourite DIY: 

Favourite animal picture:

Favourite thinspo:

Favourite magazine: Women's health

Grinbuzz

What if I tell you that you can help a poor kid for free, just spending two minutes a day?
Would you do it?
Ok, today I want to talk to you about this website called Grinbuzz.
This website supports (sponsors, not very sure of what it's the most correct word) children who need your help. Usually you can help this children giving money each month to an ONG. But this website does that for you. You just have to... watch videos! You have to watch adds from brands. The brands will pay Grinbuzz and Grinbuzz will give 80% of that money to ONG's that sponsor poor kids from all around the world.

 The website it's in spanish, but you can try to translate it and watch the adds in spanish (or look for a similar website on your mother language). Anyways, it's a really easy and free way to help the most needed ones.
If you speak spanish, here is a video of jpelirrojo (a spanish vlogger) explaining this website. I think it's just an amazing way to help, so I'm watching a few videos everyday.
Do you help with any ONG? how?
xoxo
Elisa

¡¡¡¡PASTA!!!!

All right, on this week's teen wednesdat, I'm going to chart my top ten ways to cook pasta! Why? Well, I just had pasta for dinner, and it was damn delicious, so yeah, I'm pasta-inspired today. Here we go:
10. spinach lasagna
      -It's delicious... and I feel kinda of healthy while having it (yup, I know I'm lying to myself, but at least I don't feel that guilty after over eating it)

9. Spaghetti primavera
      -Another healthier and vegetarian way to enjoy pasta: With black olives, cherry tomatoes and broccoli.

8. Spaghetti bolognese
      -Such an old classic I will never get tired of.

7. canelloni
      -Canelloni were my favourite dish when I was a kid. And they're actually perfect.

6. Meat lasagna
      -With loads of cheese. Yummmmm.

5. Fusilli with green pesto and salmon
     -Easiest way to eat delicious pasta.

4. Spaghetti with tomato, olives, and tuna.
    -That's the way my dad cooks pasta. Every. single. time.

3. Tagliatelle il pomodoro (with parmesan)
    -I just really like Taglietelle more than Spaghetti, what do you think?

2. Penne with chorizo (spanish peperoni)
    -My mam's recipy. I just don't have words to describe it. And I couldn't find a picture... but I think I posted the recipy a time ago so just look for it :)

1. Spaghetti carbonara
    -Also my mum's. This one is the winner because there have passed ages, and when I say ages I mean ages, since the last time my mum cooked this for me. I just miss her so much...!

What is your favorite way to eat pasta?

xoxo

Elisa

book: the fault in our stars

Ok, this is the last book I've been reading. I finished it about a week ago now, and...

 Well, I've heard amazing stuff about the fault in our stars, but, in my opinion, is not that amazing. And it's not like I had a high expectation about it and I'm disappointed now, because I barely expect anything from books, and I definetly never judge them before reading them just because of the things people says about them (sorry if I sometimes say things in a weird way, is just that I can't find any other way to express myself), because everyone is different with books, like, for me, all the books are good, is just that some of them are just not for me.
 So when I started the fault in our stars, I was amazed because of it's sweetness. It's incredibly emotional, and so, so witty. It just combines perfectly banter and tenderness, in a way that makes you feel so close to the characters, that makes you feel like they feel, and ah. It's amazing.
 But then, around the half of the books, everything turns just kinda of boring. Like, it's just another book about kids with cancer (it's not like I don't like books about them, I actually do love them, is just that it's no big deal...).
 Anyways, things turn better for me at the end of the book (not going to spoil you guys!), so I'm going to think that John Green just got uninspired for a time while writting the book.
 It was the first time I read a book by John Green so I can't tell If it's his masterpiece... but I'm looking forward to read "looking for alaska" and I'll read it, probably sometime soon. Because the truth is that, even if it's not my favourite book, it's a really good book, and it has great quotes, wich I love.

I want to know something...
How many of my readers actually know me in the real life? Cause like, I haven't told anyone about the blog. Ahh, that would be embarrasing.
Elisa
xoxo

This week's target: come back to my new year's resolutions

All right... Before anything, I'm TERRIBLY SORRY about this. I know I haven't posted anything for weeks, and I can't say anything because I don't have any excuses, so I can just apologize.
 I don't know what has happened with me lately, I just don't know... But here I am, with the firm resolution of coming back to my routine. So from now you'll have a new post everyday (but saturdays).
 I'm not going to start a new target after all this time without doing anything, so for this week I just have the resolutions I was already on:
 -Eating clean and healthy

-Doing exercise 

 Right now my goal is to get a b s ♥

-Studying, being good at school and stuff...

 I'm on my mid-term break right now, but I have a massive amount of assigments to do, so that's what I'm going to be in to this week.

-Getting prepared for the ADVANCED EXAM of english on may. 

 I've already signed in, so I can't go back, and all I have to do now is to PREPARE MYSELF for it! 

-Keep my diary updated (so as this blog, of course)

So yeah, it's going to be a busy week but I'm motivated again and this time is for real! I swear!

Do you give up easily? 

xoxo

Elisa.

Carrot plum cake

This recipe is not mine but I've tried it lately and I can just say that it's beautiful.

Butter (for the pan)
	Flour (for the pan)
2	cups flour
1	teaspoon baking powder
½	teaspoon salt
½	cup (1 stick) butter, at roomtemperature
2	cups granulated sugar
4	eggs
2	teaspoons vanilla extract
7	red fleshed plums, each sliced into6 pieces
	Cinnamon-sugar made with 2 tablespoons sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for sprinkling)
	Confectioners’ sugar (for sprinkling)

2. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan. Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.

3. In an electric mixer, cream the butter andgranulated sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time,followed by the vanilla.

4. With the mixer set on the lowest speed, blend in the flour mixture. The batter will be thick. Pour it into the dish and smooth the top.

5. Place the plum slices, overlapping slightly, in rows on batter. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.

6. Bake the cake for about 45 to 50 minutes until the cake pulls away from the sides and a toothpick comes out clean when pierced in the center.

7. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar. Cut into squares.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2013/08/20/recipe-for-plum-cake/spCfpBYHvaTLYVg4wjYcNP/story.html

Unplug!

Ok, so this week's challenge is to unplug a little bit from whatsapp, instagram, and all my social networks in general, 'cause they keep distracting me so much! So here are some tips that I'm gonna use:
-When studying, I'm gonna go downstairs and I'm not going to bring my mobile phone with me!
-When I arrive home, I'm not going to check any social network before the shower... I'm gonna to do straight what I have to, and then, I can check my mobile phone.
-Half an hour before going to bed, I'm gonna put on plane mode all my electronic dispositives- so I can fall sleep easier.
-I'm just going to have each app downloaded once. Like, snapchat on the mobile phone, instagram on my tablet, twitter and facebook on the computer... So I just can check one social network at a time.
This doesn't mean that I'm gonna completely stop using the internet, like at all. Because like, ya know, I HAVE TO answer all my whatsapp messages and to read the groups and to see my friends pictures on instagram, and I'm also a bitta stalker and I need to know about what's going on out there. Is just that I need to throw any distractions because I'm already studying so hard for the advanced exam.

my week!

ok, I just had an awful week and I couldn't wait for it to finish! so, finally, it's over, and i'm kind of try to start all over again this next week that it's coming. 

 That's why (I'm sorry guys!) I'm not doing this today... I'll leave it for next week. 'Cause I haven't really done pretty much this week, so... I just went to galway (today). Oh and I booked for doing the advenced exam of english on MAY! I'm kind of nervous about it, and I'm gonna have to work reeeeeally hard for it.

Friday favourites

Favourite place: Cliffs of moher

 When I camed to Ireland with my parents a few years ago, we went there. However, I haven't been in there since I'm living here! The other day I read some stuff about them and now I'm really looking forward to go again!

Favourite quote: 

Favourite shorts

Hello, I NEED these for this summer! Definetly gonna buy them, both american apparel or a cheaper version.

Favourite puppy:

Favourite boots:

I was going to get one of these on cherry red (HELLO) for xmas but at the last moment I decided with my mom that my feet were already big enough to wear a pair of Doc Martens. Because, hello, they're massive.

"when chris turned the corner...

... he saw the ship saling out of sight. Flox was leaving the country in that ship. For a normal person, that would mean the end. But Chris had never given up in his life and he knew that he was not going to start giving up now.
 Floxs' ship was still in the horizon when he started looking for another boat with the same destination. He didn't care about the circumstances, or the effort that he was doing, all he wanted was to be with Flox.
That evening he was on a ship, in his small room, with just a backpack with some clothes.
It was a long trip. Chris had to work hard on the ship, helping everyone. He also had to fight, but that's another story.
 Eventually he arrived at the city where Flox was supposed to be. But he had no home, no money, and no food. So he started asking for money on the streets.
 Sometimes he was under the impression he had seen Flox. That times, he ran and ran behind her, but she just disappeared every single time.
 One day, Chris was asking for money at a curch door, when a newly married couple came out of it. When he saw that the woman was Flox, he realized that sometimes, giving up is the best option".

 Well, here you go. This is the first story I've written in English, and even if it's kind of crap, I'm so proud of it, because I'm under the feeling that it hasn't got almost any mistakes (hopefully) Please, as always, if you see any mistake just coment it below.
 I'm sorry about the past two days, but I just had an awfull week, and I'm kind of trying to start over again this afternoon.
Do you write short storys? Then, please, share them with me!
xoxo
Elisa

This week's taeget: DIET!

Well, I don't know if you do actually remember, but the first target from the year was to do sport often. And even if I've almost did it well with that, my diet is being awfull. I started the year so well, but since I went to Valencia... things have just gone worse and worse. So for this week I'm starting again the diet, and I hope I'll do it! To keep me motivated, I've set a food schedule:

Breakfast: Bowl of bran flakes + Skim milk / 1 toast + 1/2 tbsp spread + 2 fruits / 1 light yogurt + 1 banana + 1 apple.
Morning snack: 2 fruits
Lunch: 1/2 sandwich
Afternoon snack: 1 cereal/protein/whatever bar

As my hostparents cook for me I'm not able to choose what I'm having for dinner, but it's usually just a main dish with veggies and wholegrain stuff and that so I'm happy with it.

For this week I'm also gonna write down everyday how did the challenge went to keep me more motivated and not to give up that easy.

Do you follow any diets? Do they work?
xoxo
Elisa.

MY WEEK

Well, I'm already attached to the old routine so I don't have really much to say about this week. We've been rehearsing so hard for the musical that we have on february, and this week I've camed back to the gym, to my english lessons... I've also received loads of assignments to be done for different subjects by the end of the month. So I have loads of work!

 On the 16th, Tuesday, the town where I live waked up with this amazing view: 

I took the picture on my way to the school!

The rest of the week was pure routine... Some of the irish girls I'm with at school can't hold us (Can't understand why but...) And eventually it's getting tiring being with them everyday.

On saturday we went to dublin for SALES! Shops like Forever21, River Island, GAP, Fat face and Abercrombie and Fitch had reeeeeeally good discounts so we just razed with everything! I had an unreal day. 

Finally, on sunday I've went with my hostparents to a family dinner. I actually feel like they're my second family now, so I had a great time. I want you to meet my lil hostcousin and my hostauntie's puppy! The kings of the family!

How did ur week went? Have you got any puppys at home? Send me the pictures! I fancy puppies so bad!

xoxo

Elisa

Friday favorites

Favorite braid: 

Favorite city:

Favorite picture: 

Favorite Miley:

Favorite GIF:

IRELAND 2013

Ps. Sorry it's in spanish guys!

Tv serie: Sherlock holmes

Ok...! I watched last Sherlock episode on sunday, on the bbc channel... And I'm still wondering... why didn't I saw it before? It's beautiful! Ahhh It's lovely. It's like CSI, Bones, or series like that, but in a very english way, everything is so correct, and the jokes are so, so subtle, and the reasonings are just brilliants. AND, please... Have you seen Benedict Cumberbatch?

Ten Tuesday:Ten cute cats

It's always nice to see some cat's pictures. Especially if I'm so tired and I don't have any post set for today.