I feel like i’m forever doing life updates for you guys because life gets ahead of me and by the time I have a moment to write and post, 7 months have gone by!

First of all, Hi. How are you? How’s life been? Also, how is it already August!? The fact that there are only 4 months left of this year petrifies me. These past few months have been some of the best and craziest times of my life and I have uni to thank for that. It honestly feels like I should already be in my third year, thats how long these past 6 or 7 months have been (I mean that in the least negative way possible)

Moving to Stellenbosch, starting university, going through and trying to survive exams and all the stuff in-between is the main reason my blog has taken a bit of a back seat. At the moment, uni is my number one priority and everything else comes second, unfortunately that means my blog too! One of the perks, is that I was on holiday for 7 weeks which meant I had plenty time to work on some content, which means theres content for during uni! I am definitely still trying to get the hang of how to handle both simultaneously, but i’m getting there – slowly but surely!

I am in my first year of studying sports science and so far so good. It’s definitely been difficult at times but i’ve met incredible people, made the best memories and worked my butt off so what’s to complain about really? At the beginning of the year, before uni begun and before I knew how much time and effort it would take, I had planned out blog posts for the whole year. That’s right – the whole year, without taking into consideration what might happen in between that time and where i’d be or what would be going on. Rookie error, let me tell you.

It left me with high expectations of where my blog would be at the end of the year and I made myself feel super guilty for not posting but life happens and I had to teach myself that not everything can go as planned, adaptation is key!

I AM SO HAPPY TO BE BACK (let’s hope for a lot longer now)

Blogging isn’t the only place i’ve been slacking, gym too. My goals for second semester are to get back on track with gym, eat healthy and just focus on balancing everything a bit more, work, gym and social life. I’m now going into my fourth week of second semester and so far so good, balance has been key and i’m actually enjoying this term a lot more than the past two. I definitely want to be a bit more adventurous this semester, I tend to get stuck in my own little comfy bubble and don’t do much being the home body that I am but I want to explore the town some more and do things i’ve never done whilst focussing on work and tests. I definitely feel like I have a tighter grip on this semester, I’m ahead in all my work and have been consistent with gym as well as making sure I save time for friends and some me time. Lets just hope it stays smooth sailing!

Over the next few weeks, you can expect to see content based on health, fitness and beauty! I can’t wait to share more content with you guys, if there is anything you’d like me to write on, leave a comment below or send me a dm on instagram. Suggestions are always welcome and are always appreciated!

I’ll be uploading posts every Sunday  so you can sit back, relax with a cuppa and wind down for the week ahead.

Please like, share and comment on my posts – every single one makes a difference! 

Do you ever have those moments where you are in absolute awe of the life you are living? Where time has stopped and you realise that the world is so big and you are so small? Well, this was one of those moments.

Kaskazi Kayaks gave me one of those experiences I will never forget. Located right off three anchor bay, with the breathtaking view of the blue gem drops of the ocean and the tiny sandy shore.

Arriving there I had no idea what to expect, I went in with no preconceived idea of how it should be or what should happen. As soon as I walked in, I felt like I was at home. The guides that were taking a group of us out on the trip were full of life and laughter. The banter (if you will) was unreal, I spent most of the time giggling while bobbing around the ocean, taking in the City we live in and visiting the inhabitants of the Atlantic.

After our morning briefing from the lead guide, we set off to the bay, got our kayaks and began our journey. We paddled (with ease might I add) around the lighthouse point (Mouille Point) and into the bay in front of the Radisson Hotel (Granger Bay). It is one of the rare occasions where you get to see Devil’s peak, Table Mountain, Signal Hill AND Lion’s Head all in the same frame. It’s one of those sights you could never get tired of looking at, picturesque really.

Nevermind the fact that it was the first time I had ever been out at sea in a kayak, it was also my first time EVER seeing a pod of dolphins (I know right, been living in Cape Town my whole life and have never seen a pod of dolphins before!? Crazy) and honestly, what a first way to experience it. We were only a few metres away from these magnificent sea creatures. If you ask me, I would call it aqua paradise.

Unfortunately these mammals move so quickly, we weren’t able to capture the moment this time round but what we did manage to capture was the cutest little jelly fish and baby sunfish that we saw on our way back to the bay.

Some of the sea life we managed to capture.

What is so incredible about kayaking out at sea is not only do you get to see the views but you never know what animals you will come across. I was chatting to one of the guides and they were saying that there are whales in the bay between Noordhoek and Kommetjie and they could (hopefully) be passing through their bay any day now which is incredible, makes me want to go book more paddles just so I could have the chance of witnessing it!

Overall, the experience I endured was nothing like I have ever experienced before. It’s a great way to get outdoors and to see a different part of the city. It’s a good holiday activity for family, friends, tourists and sometimes they even have the shops doggies come along on paddles with you! I would recommend this to anyone. I would score it a strong 11/10!

To make bookings or if you have any questions, you can DM Kaskazi Kayaks on any one of their social platforms by clicking the links below:

Instagram: @kaskazikayaks

Twitter: @kaskazicapetown

Facebook page: @KaskaziKayakTrips / Kazkasi Kayaks & Adventures

Website: kayak.co.za

The guides I went with:

Grant & Oreo, best guys!

I hope you got excited to go for a paddle with them as I am to go for a second one! If you are interested in what else I get up to this holiday, follow me on Instagram @jeannakenchington or twitter @jakenchington.

Thank you for all your continued support and love, it means the world to me!

Chat to you soon,

Jeanna Xx

*Mini disclaimer: I have not been asked to make a blog post about Kaskazi Kayaks, I am just in love with the experience I had with them and wanted to share it with you!

Hey guys, It’s been a hot minute since i’ve last done a post.

My parents and I have been moving house for the past three weeks so things have been a bit chaotic leading up to the move and thereafter. I lived in the house we just moved out of for just over 19 years so needless to say packing up almost 20 years of memories and belongings takes up one’s time.

I must admit, it’s been a difficult time for me. That house has been home for all my life, every single birthday, occasion and christmas was in that home. It was a very special place for me and I think I will take a piece of that home with me wherever I go in life.

I knew I had to trust the magic in new beginnings and with that said I absolutely adore my new home – surrounded by parks and greenery, it has such a good vibe in it. I can’t wait to create new memories with old friends in this one! I mean, the day I walked into this house it felt like home so I haven’t had any issue settling in and trying to make it feel right because it already felt right! Onto better things they say!

Happiness doesn’t just have one address.

Not sure if it has been the weather, the moon or if I have just been overly dramatic but I’ve been having a difficult time within myself lately. Each day I take the time to reflect and assess myself, my surroundings, what i’m doing for me and what i’m doing for others and I struggled to find fault (I know, doesn’t make sense??) until I realised that I constantly compared my life to those I know and those I follow on social media and I immediately knew I had to change my way of viewing myself and how I think so last week, around Tuesday I was in such a rut with myself, mentally and physically I thought no, I need change and splurged on this incredible 8 week fitness program AND I HAVE NOT BEEN THIS MOTIVATED AND EXCITED TO TRAIN AND GET BACK ON TRACK IN SUCH A LONG TIME and I want you to join me!

Now this isn’t something that needs to be in the eye of the public unless you want it to be, it can be a personal challenge for yourself but I thought I should come here and tell you that if you are looking for a sign, this is it!

If I can motivate and inspire just one of you to join this 8 week journey to a better you than my job here is done!

So let’s get to the basics:

Aim: The aim of this, for me personally is to get motivated and stay motivated. By the end of these 8 weeks not only do I want to be more confident in myself, I want to feel refreshed and on track again. These 8 weeks are about getting fit, staying fit and being healthy. Doing things that you love and that make you feel good whether that be going for a walk on the beach or going to your local cafe every morning and having a mocha.

The best part about this is that there are no rules, you make them to suit you!

P.s My timing is so good that 8 weeks from now winter should supposedly be over and our summer bodies will be ripe and ready for those beaches. YEY!

Goals: I’ve come to realise that I often make unrealistic goals for myself thinking they’re realistic and then falling off the wagon because they weren’t realistic. I have always said create measurable goals for yourself, goals that work for YOU!

Cutting out chocolate from my diet permanently for 8 weeks isn’t realistic for me so on weekends I might have some, I will have less than usual but that works for me.

I do want to be happy with what I see in the mirror every time I walk past it and to be comfortable going to the beach so my goals for the next few weeks is to just be happy with me and get results while doing so!

Some extra advice: The most difficult thing in almost anything in life is starting but it is important to remember that once you start, you will love it so much that you won’t stop. Eating better and living a healthier lifestyle does become a lot easier when it is practised often. On Sundays I make sure I have all the healthy foods in my fridge and pantry that I need for the week ahead so I know I am sorted for meals and smoothies and don’t end up binge eating all the ginger biscuits that are left over because i’m too lazy to drive to the shops and get what I need (I’m way too guilty for this, tbh)

Planning is key; I am not the sort of person who can get up, go to gym and make a workout up on the spot so I enjoy typing my workouts into my notepad beforehand so I don’t get cold feet at the gym and end up having half a workout.

Don’t obsess over the numbers on the scale; I know it’s difficult and I understand that it’s always tempting to see if you’ve lost weight but the thing is, you can’t always believe what’s on the scale. When someone starts exercising more and eating better they will lose weight but gain muscle mass and what some people don’t understand is that, you can’t see the breakdown of your weight on the scale unless you have a scale that does that for you so it might discourage you instead of motivate you. What I would suggest is taking before and after pictures, one tomorrow, one four weeks from now and one eight weeks from now and let your clothes help you determine whether you’ve lost weight or not.

Always remember that slow progress is better than no progress! YOU GOT THIS!

Photography / Ashley Tapsell

So, in conclusion I am starting an eight week journey to a better me and I want you to join me!

It’s not about beating yourself up if you have a not-so-great meal or skip a workout, it’s about creating a better understanding of a healthy active lifestyle and I would love to help you achieve that.

In two weeks, you’ll feel it. In four weeks, you’ll see it. In eight weeks, you’ll hear it.

If you do decide to join me on this journey, please do comment below or dm me on Instagram, I would love to hear your goals and plan for the next few weeks!

Lots of love, Jeanna x