Getting Stronger, Not Smaller
Over the last few months, my body has changed. Quite a bit, actually.
I have a before-and-after picture and, when I put the two together, even I can see it.
But I haven't followed a complicated diet. I've never really been a weighing-scales girl and I'm definitely not weighing out every bit of food I eat. I haven't got the patience for that!
What I have done is change quite a few things about the way I live.
I've made better food choices, become more conscious of protein, trained consistently and generally started taking better care of myself.
Nothing particularly revolutionary.
But apparently doing the sensible things consistently actually works.
The biggest change? Weight training
Weight training has been a massive part of this.
I've trained for a while, but I've become much more consistent and I'm lifting properly. I'm far more interested now in getting stronger and seeing what my body can do than spending hours doing cardio.
Training at Tao Centre has been a big part of my routine. I train alongside the Elite Lions too — having people around you pushing themselves makes those early sessions a lot easier to show up for.
None of this would have happened without Paul at Tao Centre — my PT and the owner of the place. He's the one who's pushed me on those 6am sessions.
And yes, this includes 6am sessions.
Getting myself out of bed for training at that time probably deserves some credit in itself!
But I enjoy it. I like lifting, I like feeling stronger and I've found a way of training that works for me.
I can see the difference in my body, but I can also feel it.
I still eat proper food
This was never going to be a chicken-and-lettuce situation.
I like my food far too much.
I like flavour, seasoning and spice, and I don't want to spend my life weighing food or worrying because I've eaten something I "shouldn't".
What I have become more conscious of is protein, particularly because I'm weight training.
So rather than completely changing the way I eat, I've concentrated on making better choices.
More protein. Better meals. Being a little more thoughtful about what I'm eating.
And then getting on with my life.
That feels much more sustainable to me than being on a permanent "plan".
Obviously there's tea…
I couldn't write about my routine without mentioning Divine Tea.
But before anyone gets excited — no, I'm not about to tell you that drinking Divine Tea changed my body.
It didn't. Training and better food choices did that.
My Divine Tea Seven Spice Blend is simply part of my everyday routine. Made with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, fennel, liquorice and black pepper, it's the cup I actually look forward to.
I've always believed that the things we do for ourselves need to be enjoyable if we're going to keep doing them.
For me, sitting down with a warming cup of tea is one of those things. A moment that's mine, in a routine that's otherwise fairly disciplined.
No outrageous claims required. It's just a very good cup of tea — and it's the one I reach for after every early session at Tao Centre.
I've started looking after my hair and skin too
This is something else I've noticed. As I've become more conscious about training and what I'm eating, I've also started putting more effort into looking after my skin and hair.
Apparently once you start in one area, it spreads.
I've got into my oils recently. At the moment I'm using pumpkin seed oil and jojoba oil on my hair, with a touch of jasmine oil because I want it to smell lovely too. I'm also using Esque body oils as part of looking after my skin.
Nothing complicated. Just another part of the routine I enjoy.
And actually, that's probably the theme running through all of this: I'm taking better care of myself, one small habit at a time.
What I'm using at the moment
People often ask what I'm using, so here it is. To be clear — none of this is a "fix". These are simply the things currently in my training, tea and self-care routine.
- Divine Tea Seven Spice Blend — still my regular cup, warming and very much part of my day
- Electrolytes — around training, particularly for early sessions and when I've been sweating a lot
- Pumpkin Seed Oil — in my hair-care routine
- Jojoba Oil — alongside my other hair oils
- Jasmine Oil — because I wanted something beautiful-smelling in the mix
- Esque Body Oils — now part of my body-care routine too
So what actually worked?
There really isn't a secret.
I've made better choices. I've prioritised protein. I've weight trained consistently. I've kept moving. I've stayed hydrated. I've kept going.
I've also started paying more attention to the smaller things that make me feel good — looking after my skin, oiling my hair, enjoying my tea and generally giving myself a little more care.
I haven't weighed every meal. I haven't obsessed over the scales. And Divine Tea hasn't magically changed my body.
It's been lifestyle. Small, repeatable, enjoyable habits — kept up.
And perhaps that's why this feels different. I'm not waiting for a "plan" to finish. I'm just carrying on - one cup at a time.
Feel Divine, one cup at a time.
👉 Shop the Seven Spice Blend — the cup I actually look forward to