Candyfloss & Dreams

Author: Kat Candyfloss

Why I Will Never Join A Slimming Club Again
In short; because they’re toxic and damaging and I never, ever want to put myself through that kind of misery ever again. But there is so much more to it than that. I will be sharing more of my body positive, self love, strength gaining progress on another blog as I feel it deserves more space than what this blog can give it. You can read more about why I’m saying Goodbye to scales and find other resources there too.

Recently you may have noticed on my blog and social media that I’m stepping away from talking about loosing weight and being thin and slimming clubs and all kinds of things weight loss and health related. That’s because I am sick of feeling like a complete failure and have accepted that I am so much more than what I weigh.

Adding lots of colour to food makes it look so much more appealing

I don’t want or need to be thin

You see I have no desire to be thin at all. I never have done. When I really sat down and thought about it I have no interest in being a size 8 or even a 10, 12 or 14. I have no interest in weighing myself on the scales ever again. I have no interest in feeling unwell because I’ve been starving myself. I do not want to spend the rest of my life counting calories, adding up syns (that have no nutritional backing by the way) focusing on what macros I’m allowed and if I’ve had enough protein. I’m sick of saying I can’t have what I want to eat because I’ve been dragged down by a fatphobic society.

Getting stronger without restriction

Instead of shrinking myself I am going to focus on making myself so strong. I am going to find ways of moving that I love, be it dancing with my kids, swimming in a bikini or learning to lift weights – because it’s bloody exhilirating. I said I wanted my word of the year to be more and I want to focus on more ways to cook delicious, fufilling meals for myself and my family. I want to find more flavours of food that I love. I want to read more books by inspiring, interesting, diverse women that have said a big F you to diet culture.

With all this anti weight loss that doesn’t mean I don’t seek change, I absolutely do but I am completely shifting my focus away from disordered eating and weight loss. Instead of restricting myself I am learning to listen to my body again, it’s fullness signals. And whilst I haven’t lost weight or got smaller, I haven’t got bigger in these last few months either. I don’t eat as much or as often, unless I’m hungry. I am getting back into my hobbies and reading more. I am writing more and I am singing loudly (badly) in my living room because it makes my little boy laugh so hard.

I want to focus on getting stronger and healthier without focusing on weight loss and hating my body because I am fat

What About MY Health

I am not disregarding my health. My blood pressure is fine, Im increasing my activity every day because I want to and it makes my body feel good, I’m taking a multivitamin and adding more veg and fibre into my food. I’m trying to cook from scratch more often and I’m drinking more water. But I’m not feeling guilty for a takeaway. I’m not feeling guilty for a gin and tonic. I’m not feeling guilty for feeling too full. I am wearing clothes that fit me and that are comfortable. I’m taking better care of myself and my health, body and mentality than I ever have before when attempting to slim and shrink down. Regardless, my health is my business and I only owe it to myself to get into a healthy position, not anyone else.

The need for emotional wellbeing and happiness

Loosing weight doesn’t make me happy. It makes be obsessive, stressed and binge eat. With no restriction I don’t feel the need to binge. Instead I want to educate myself and focus on improving my health, happiness and self confidence. All of these things do not require me to have a specific BMI or be a certain number on the scales. One thing I have noticed is when I’m not obsessing over weighing out food or counting calories or syns I actually have so much more time for myself and my family.

So what can you do to improve your health without focusing on weight loss?
1. Shift the focus from food restriction to eating slower, listening to your body when it’s full and stopping if you don’t want to. You never, ever have to finish your plate
2. Find movement you love and stick at it
3. Focus on getting a restfull night sleep
4. Drink water
5. Do something mindful like meditation, deep breathing, relaxing or keeping a gratitude journal
6. Do more of what makes you happy
7. Follow other anti diet culture people on social media
8. Affirmations can help your self confidence so saying something positive about yourself every day five times can really help shift the focus to self happiness
9. Read and educate yourself about damaging diet culture and find a way to live a lifestyle that makes you happy
10. Be out in nature and say yes to more things that you think will be fun
Pin Image: Ditching diet culture for a happier and healthier lifestyle
October 8, 2019
Thanks for Coming Through from Instagram
Here you can find links to my latest YouTube video, blog posts and amazon wishlisht.

Good Reads Profile with reading challenge and latest book reviews – https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7509160-kayleigh

Latest Blog Posts:
Latest YouTube Video

Amazon Wishlist

I’ve seen a lot of amazon wishlist threads about and have people ask for mine so I thought I would put it here too. I usually use my amazon wishlist for christmas/birthday gifts but it’s been really nice to give to friends and family in the blogging and bookstagram community!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/2MTYD0SUTNGL1?ref_=wl_share

You might be looking for a bit more information about me.

Alternatively you might be looking for ways to contact me which you can do so here or feel free to email me directly [email protected]
October 1, 2019
When is the Right Time to Visit Austrailia with Kids #Ad

I think Austrailia is one of those places that seems to be on everyone’s travel bucket list. I’ve seen many family and friends visit this beautiful country and share their travel adventures for us. There seems to be a lot of things to consider when travelling to and visiting Australia from arranging an Australia visa, travel money, flight plans and where you want to visit. It’s a big place with a long haul flight and it’s unlikely you can see everything you want in just a couple of weeks.

Making Travel plans & arranging Visas

Planning a trip to Australia is not going to be a quick five minute job, unless you’ve got friends or family there it will require a bit of planning. Firstly what kind of holiday or trip are you going to have? If you’re planning a trip which see’s you out there for a long time and then perhaps wanting to earn money then looking for a working holiday visa Australia is going to be ideal. This allows you to work and travel around the country for a maximum of 12 months. It is an ideal visa for student’s looking to take gap years or someone eager to travel and work around a beautiful country.

When travelling as a family an eVisitor visa can work well for tourist trips and will be something to look into for many members of the family. A travel visa can usually be obtained quite simply online but make sure you fill in all of the details correctly so that your visa can be approved way before you travel.

Visiting Australia requires a visa so it’s best to check which one you need ahead of travelling

When should you travel to Australia as a family?

I don’t really think there is a best time to travel as there are so many variations of circumstances. Cost is usually a big factor for many families as the time flying and time needed to explore such a large country can make visiting Australia expensive. I think that’s why so many people opt for the working holiday visa because it allows them to earn as they travel. This isn’t usually something you need as a family or for shorter trips.

There are some great blogs on travelling long haul with a baby too which may make your decision easier if you have very young children, like me. You also want to consider the seasons being very different and the fact that it can get pretty hot down under. When you’ve got small children sometimes travelling in cooler months such as Spring or Autumn is a little easier on sensitive skin.

You also want to think about what you want to do and what you’re family are capable of as both sides of the country can offer completely different experiences. Another thing you might want to think about is how much time you can arrange of work so you can make the most of the trip and perhaps visiting this beautiful country before any children start school so that there are no issues or disruptions.

Australia is full of beautiful landscapes or all the family to enjoy

How long should you visit?

Again, visiting Australia is going to be a different experience for many people. I’ve known family and friends to visit for the full 12 months and I’ve also seen others visit for 4 weeks and still have the most amazing time. With a very long haul flight to consider, usually at least 24 hours, then you want to make the journey as memorable as possible as it’s likely to be a once in a lifetime thing for so many people, especially families.

If you’re visiting on your own then you really only have to think about how much time you have spare. Getting the right visa and arranging any work placements before you go might be advisable just so that you have a bit of a plan and then that can really help shape how long you visit for. Funds are again usually a big factor for both families and individuals visiting Australia.

For my family I think we would be looking to visit for around 4 weeks and we would probably want to stay on the east side of Australia. I think the best thing to do is book a week or so in each place you want to visit and make sure your flights accomodate this. There is so much to see in Australia that I know for my family it would be pretty tough to choose just a few things because it’s so big and there’s so much to see. I know it would be a once in a lifetime trip for us all though and I’d want to make it really special.

There is so much to see and do in Australia

Things you need for a family holiday to Australia

I think a good thing to do would be to pack fairly light and then find laundry services so that you can travel around the country a little lighter. You obviously need good travel insurance, passports, visas and any medication you need to take. Other than that a good plan and a prepaid credit card and you can have a wonderful trip.

Pin Image: Best time to visit Australia with Kids

October 1, 2019
36+ Audio Book’s I love
I’ve made no secret of the fact I love Audio books and I listen to them to go to sleep. I listen to the same books over and over again until I can use my audible credit (7.99 a month) but sometimes I find it hard to spend that credit. I mostly listen to fantasy stories. I don’t like to listen to non-fiction at night because it’s something I feel I should pay attention to. Most of the audible books I have I also have on my kindle so I can flip between reading and listening. That way I actually know what’s going on.

Please note there are affiliate links below.

I thought I would share the books I have on my Audible library for anyone looking for new audio books to listen to. I’ve had Audible on and off for years so my collection is quite big now. Adam has had it in the past too so some of the series are incomplete because he has them on his phone. You can find the entire selection of Audible books in my store front here.
1. Is It Just Me? Miranda Hart – this is also narrated by Mirander and slightly altered so when you read things like “reading chum” it’s “listening chum” etc. I love this autobiography and I love Miranda so it’s one of the only non fiction audiobooks I have.
2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy – I love the films and the books and the audiobooks.
3. A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice & Fire – Book 3) I think this is my favourite of the series to be honest, so much happens in this book.
4. 3rd Degree – James Patterson. A good old crime fiction from the Women’s Murder Club series and I love the narrator.
5. How to Speak Dragonease & How to steal a dragons jewel – A How to train your Dragon book that I got for Evie to listen to. It’s narrated by David Tennant and he puts a lot of energy into it!
6. A Bear Called Paddington – again, got it for Evie, hopefully Felix will like it too. Narrated by Stephen Fry and has a little musical intro.
7. Sabriel – an amazing, absolute favourite story of mine narrated by the amazing Tim Curry. It’s a must read coming of age type fantasty book about a young sorceress that is looking for her anti-necromancer father with the help of a demon cat. It’s got one of the most tense scenes in it with the Mordicant chasing Sabriel up the mountain and has a really cool representation of Death.
8. The Ruby Knight – David Eddings. I really like this series and this is my favourite in the Elenium series.
9. The Worst Witch – I wanted to share this with Evie as it was a favourite of mine when I was younger.
10. Too Much Information by Dave Gorman and narrated by Dave Gorman. I love the TV show modern life is goodish and this is a very funny book that is of similar nature but without a powerpoint because it’s a book.
11. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – it’s my favourite book in the series and again narrated by Stephen Fry. I love it.
12. Afterlife & The Two Kings by Stephanie Hudson – this is a really weird series that Adam can not stand listening to. There’s a lot of sex that gets a bit explicit at time but it’s basically about a tramautised girl that moves in with her sister in America and falls in love with a demon nightclub owner. It gets really weird as the series goes on but it’s one I needed to know how it ended. It’s an odd one.
13. The Immortal Crown – Age of X – Richelle Mead – I love this concept for this story. It’s the second book and it’s so interesting. The first one, Gameboard of the Gods sets up a post-apocolyptic America where religion is strictly controlled due to a religious terrorist extremist group creating a virus that killed a lot of people and left half of the population infertile. It’s really interesting.
14. The City of Mirrors: The Passage – the books are amazing and now a TV show on sky but it doesn’t do the books justice at all.
15. The Cuckoo’s Calling – JK Rowling’s other book persona Robert Galbraith. Crime fiction, really good. BBC made it into a series a couple of years ago which encouraged me to listen/read the books.
16. The Triple Goddess – another of the Afterlife Saga – it really is a saga. I can’t stop myself apparently. Adam also hates this one but I love it! Especially the introduction of Pip who is some sort of pixie demon.
17. 9th Judgement – back to crime fiction with the women’s murder club here.
18. Peggy and Me – couldn’t resist another book by Miranda Hart about her and her dog. I love this.
19. Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children – I got this because the film looked good.
20. The Queen of the Tearling – a really interesting story kind of set in an old version of our world. The second book The Invasion of the Tearling explains the backstory more. It’s a trilogy, again a really interesting concept build on how societies are reformed time and time again. It’s on the basis of socialism following a sort of handmaid’s tale style reform. Very interesting. The first book is basically about a missing princess who goes to reclaim the thrown now she’s old enough and then has to fight the tyranny of the red queen who demands a tithe of slaves every month or she will go to war.
21. The Forsaken Saga – this is like four books in one I think about vampires but not as we know them really. It’s okay, very easy to listen to.
22. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – the 2nd best of the Harry Potter series.
23. The Assassins Blade: A Throne of Glass novella. This gives the back story to the Throne of Glass series
24. Throne of Glass and all the other books in this amazing series by Sarah J Maas. I love this series. I am obsessed with it. It’s about an assassin that got caught, was a slave and enters a competition to become the kings champion. It is so much more than that but going into it more gives away the rest of the series. It’s dark, twisted, has amazing characters, amazing romances, amazing plot, battles – everything. The series is 7 books long and ends in a really interesting way. I believe a world concept book is being released this year too and I need it in my life.
25. Truthwitch, Windwitch & Bloodwitch from the witchlands series. This series is deep and really about a bond between the two threadsisters. I think there is another book to come. It’s very good, has magic, a big plot heist, an angry admiral, seafoxes and it’s just an amazing adventure.
26. It by Stephen King – Adam wanted this.
27. Still Me – this is the third book in the You Before Me series. I have the first on Kindle, the second in paperback and the third in Audible fashion. It’s a great series, very emotional and an interesting turn from the first book. I like finding out where Louisa Clark’s journey has taken her.
28. The Frostblood Saga books 1-3 – another YA fantasy magic series. This is in a world where fire magic is basically banned or punishable by death. A fire magic user gets caught but then smuggled out and trained in secret to help overthrow the king.
29. Timeless tales for kids – another one for Evie, great to listen to in family room’s in hotels. This is all classic tales from E Nesbit, Charles Dickens and Lewis Carol.
30. Heroes: Mortals and Monsters by Stephen Fry. This is a really interesting one actually because it’s all the Greek hero myths told in a slightly different and unique way thanks to Stephen Fry. I love all these old stories from Ancient Greece and got this when I was playing a lot of Assasin’s Creed Odyssy
31. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. This is a really interesting concept for a YA fantasy style book. Sort of post apocolyptic because it’s clearly based in the US but many years in the future where people with silver blood have magic that dictates the way those with red blood live. It’s very oppressive and revolutionary. It’s one for the older YA readers, especially as the series goes on as there are some disturbing scenes. Very much built up around a class system and how those in power will find a way to discriminate against the many to keep them in control. I’m yet to read Broken Throne which is the last book in the series and features loads of cool letters and maps and things.
32. Mythos – Stephen Fry. This is another Greek legends one but starting with Chaos and introducing us to the Titans and then the Gods of Olympus. Love this one too.
33. The Cruel Prince. Now I’m quite late to this one actually because it’s been out for a few years but it didn’t really appeal to me. This is a book about three sisters, one Faerie and two twin mortals who are taken away to live with the Faries outside the mortal realm. These Faeries are not particularly nice and not quite the same as ones in other books. It mostly follows Jude who wants to be a knight, finds herself as a sort of spy. The second book, The Wicked King, follows on from this and the third book is hopefully coming out in November. I’m looking forward to reading where Jude’s story ends up.
34. Shadow and Bone – a YA magic book where magic users form a seperate part of an army in a world constantly trying to fight an area of darkness. A little bit about self doubt and belief. A bit of romance. An interesting twist.
35. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas – I love this main trilogy so much I can’t even say. It’s amazing. It’s got some really creepy and gruesome elements to it. It’s followed by novella A Court of Frost and Starlight. It follows Feyre who kills a wolf beyond the walls of the Fae realms and then has to commit to spending the rest of her life as a part of the Spring Court. Some of the creatures are really disturbing and the main villian is absolutely awful. The third book has a huge, epic battle as a finale which I just love. The second book, A Court of Mist and Fury is my favourite because of the change in relationship development dynamic with Feyre and other characters.
36. Caraval, Legendary & Finale – unlike anything I’ve read before. It’s an amazing series that reminds me of a travelling circus with magic and fortune telling. It goes further in the other books about the Deck of Destiny which remind me of Tarot Cards coming to life. A great trilogy with likeable sisters as the main protagonists. Nothing is what it seems in the world of Caraval.
36+ Audio Books to listen to if you love YA Fiction Novels
September 19, 2019
Attempting to avoid Freshers Flu & Back to School sickness (#Ad)

Disclosure: I received some samples of Humbles bamboo brushes, snuffle babe and fish oil in exchange for this feature.

Evie was back to school for 3 days before coming down with a sickness bug in the early hours of Sunday morning, the first weekend of the school year. Then I got ill and then of course Adam and Felix were unwell. It was horrible and not the start to september anyone of us wanted. We are now faced with Adam returning to University and I want to make sure he is doing all he can to avoid getting ill during the first semester.

Humble bamboo toothbrushes

Thankfully, we had some unopened The Humble Co bamboo toothbrushes available so as soon as the bug was out of everyone’s systems we ditched the old brushes and have begun using these. I love that they’re made of natural bamboo, they brush well and the kids version has super soft bristles too which is great for Felix. It’s a good size for him to hold and get used to too, of course being only 11 months we help him with the brushing now he has enough teeth to cause a bit of a painful bite! (Usually on me!)

I am fully stocked with snuffle babe products which are my favourite for helping Felix through a cold and ridding him of decongestent. We all had a bit of a summer cold so these really came in handy. The vapour oil is great for just putting a few drops on a tissue and then placing in the cot for a bit of time before bed. I then move it out of the cot and place it close by but out of reach of tiny hands.

Wileys Finest Fish Oil supplementation for Omega-3 and Vitamin K2 to help give us a boost!

Vitamins and supplements along with a freezer full of preprepared slow cooker meals with loads of vegetables is my next line of defence in keeping colds at bay. It feels good knowing that everyone is getting the dose of vitamins they need and I’m really trying to learn more about nutrition so that we are all getting the most out of our meals. The slow cooker fills the flat with lovely smells of deliciousness throughout the day too and I’m really enjoying out autumnal casseroles, stews and chilli’s so far.

Prevention, when it comes to colds, is the best thing and whilst sometimes you just can’t help getting sick, getting the right vitamins, some fresh air and encouraging good hand washing practise goes a long way in helping to make sure we stay as well as possible. And of course getting loads of vegetables into eat of our meals is going to help too!

September 18, 2019