Top: Zara France / Skirt: One x Oneteaspoon

Hey babes! How’s your weekend going? I have been in full fitness mode this whole weekend. Really trying to get back into it for summer, as bikini season is fast approaching. Well… it is kind of already here so I am a bit late to the party but what else is new lol. 😂 The other week I shared my top BIKINI BODY TIPS here on Skinny Belle, so if you are also needing a bit of a “body boost” for summer it is a good one to check out. Will be sharing more of my slim-down tips soon. 🙂

Love love LOVE this top I got when I was in Paris earlier this year. I swear that Europeans get a higher quality of clothing at pretty much every store. When I was shopping there, I bought tons of stuff at Zara that I would have never found in Canada. The difference in quality was nuts. Everything is made in Morocco or Italy in the Zara France store, and in Canada that is definitely not the case. I linked the Zara France store for you so you can order online if you like. 😊

x,

Maca capsules: Vega

One thing you should probably know about me is that I am obsessed with supplements + keeping my body as young/healthy as possible for as long as possible. When I say obsessed, I really mean obsessed. We only get one body, and it is up to us to make sure we are staying as healthy as we can. My goal is not only to stay healthy, but to actually reduce my body’s natural aging process. Crazy? Probably yes. But hey, no harm in trying!

Maca Root has been on my radar for quite a few years, but I just started taking it a few weeks ago on a daily basis, and thus far… loving it! Why has my eye been on maca? There are tons of health benefits and it is known as a superfood — especially for women. 🎉

The list of health benefits of taking maca on a daily basis is extensive, so I will share with you what I love most about this little root vegetable.

1) Makes you happy!

Maca root supports your mood and overall brain health! Uhmmmm yes please. Nothing like a little extra dose of happiness in a day. Sign me up.

2) Gives you energy!

Maca’s natural vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and protein help you feel more energized throughout the day. Yes yes yes. All the good stuff here!

3) Boosts antioxidants! 

Yes yes yessss maca root can help prevent the development of diseases that arise from high antioxidative states. AKA your immune system will be improved and you will be less likely to get sick!

There are a bunch of other benefits that have to do with… erm.. *cough cough* “fun times”….. (AKA maca is an aphrodisiac 😂) So I will let you read about those in this article here. LOL it was too good not to share.

Needless to say, you can see why I am taking maca powder every day now. It makes you happier and gives you more energy… What’s not to love?!

Where can you get maca? Vega is one of my favourite brands, and I love their maca capsules. So easy and convenient to take, because ain’t nobody got timeeee. My attempt to be forever young might sound a bit silly, but I am dead serious 😂 Girl means business. 

Thoughts? Will you be taking maca powder? Yay? Nay? Comment below!

x,

It’s almost the weekend… treat yo-self!

Everyone, I have done it again. These little pillows of delight will make you fall in love. They are soft, fluffy, flavourful, sweet, and full of lemony goodness. Top with some fresh nectarines, blueberries, and honey? That’s winning in my books.

Having treats is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle (really.) I mean, if you cant have any Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes on the weekend…. what is even the POINT?? So make sure you are indulging every once and a while, it keeps things in balance. 80/20 people!

If you guys have seen my other pancake recipes, you already know I am a huge cheater. Or, said more eloquently, I like to take a simple recipe and elevate it with a few key ingredients. (AKA make the pre-packaged pancake mix and add some stuff to take them from ordinary to extraordinary. Nobody will know, promise 😉.)

Lemon Poppyseed Pancake Ingreds:

• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp lemon rinds
• 2 tbsp sugar (I used vanilla bean infused sugar in these and it was BOMB. You can get it in the bulk section at Whole Foods.)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 cup packaged pancake mix, today I used this kind

Toppings:

• Organic honey
• Fresh blueberries
• Nectarines

Hereeee we go!

Step 1: Combine your lemon juice, lemon rinds, sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl. 

Step 2: Follow the directions on your pancake mix package, and mix together all the ingredients they require. It;s usually just milk and a few drops of oil (I like to use coconut milk and oil.) Once the pancake base is all ready to go add the prepared lemon mixture and poppy seeds. **Make sure to not “over-mix” your pancake batter. If there are a few chunks that is okay!**

Step 3: Heat up your frying pan to medium heat. Melt some coconut oil in the pan, and use a ladel to measure out equal portions of pancakes. 

Step 4: When the pancake is cooking, you will know it is ready to be flipped when it starts to bubble in the middle. Once this happens, flip away! And let cook for a few minutes on the other side.

That’s it! Such a delicious way to start your weekend. Not to mention these pancakes are an easy way to seem impressive in the kitchen without really doing much 😜

What do you think?! Will you be trying out my Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes this weekend?

x,

Dress: Aritzia

Oh yes yes yes. I am all about dresses in the summertime. They are the perfect solution to not sweating to death (seriously though.) Wearing jeans in the summer heat is literally my definition of a living hell haha. Your legs feel like they are encased in two sausage-like incubators that are progressively getting hotter and hotter, with the end goal of baking you from the inside out. No fun at all. Anyways, you get my point. Dresses are the best way to go to fight the summer heat and look damn cute while doing it. 😉

This past weekend I spent my time hanging out in Austin, Texas. Can you tell it was humid by the size of my hair? It was almost as bad as when I was in the Philippines over Christmas this year. My hair was mostly contained in these photos, but the second we stepped outside to go for dinner I looked like Monica from friends when they went on vacation (<– click that link you won’t regret it 😂)

What do you guys think of this little dress? How do you beat the summer heat? Comment below ❤️

x,

A refreshing treat perfect for summer afternoons!

Ahhhhh yes. The margarita. Friend, foe, but…. mostly friend. Because, even if you have a fight with margaritas (aka you drank 14 too many) you will always make up. They have a way of luring you back in. 😜

These margaritas are a special breed of amazing. Infused with rosemary and brimming with fresh juices, these babies taste delicious and are guaranteed to get you reallllll festive. 🎉

Rosemary Simple Syrup Recipe

• 1 cup water
• 3/4 sugar
• 5 sprigs rosemary

Step 1: Put everything in a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for about a minute then remove from heat once sugar disolves and set aside for 30 mins to cool.

Step 2: Pour liquid through wire-mesh strainer into an air-tight mason jar. Seal and put in the fridge to chill for an hour or so.

BOOM. Done.

You already look like a goddess in the kitchen. You go girl. 💪🏼

Now for the real good stuff..

Rosemary Grapefruit Margarita Recipe!!

• 2 ounces tequila (I like to use this one.)
• 1 1/2 ounces fresh grapefruit juice
• 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1/2-3/4 ounce rosemary simple syrup (this totally depends on how sweet you like your drinks. I prefer mine not sweet so I do 1/2 ounce!)
• 1 sprig rosemary for a cute lil’ garnish 😊

Step 1: Get your cocktail shaker ready and fill it halfway with ice cubes.

Step 2: Add all your delish ingreds into the cocktail shaker!

Step 3: SHAKE IT! 

Step 4: Pour out the margarita into a fresh glass filled with ice, and top with a little sprig of rosemary for maximum drink-cuteness.

The last step? Enjoy a glass or 6!

Margaritas are definitely going to be my drink of choice this summer. They are light & refreshing with so many cool ways you can spice them up! 

Let me know what you think!

x,

Top: Zara / Pants: Zara

A simple way to get a beautiful dewy makeup look!

Meet my latest makeup obsession, MAC Prep + Prime Fix+. This stuff is the BEST. It will give you a beautiful dewy finish on your already fab makeup look. Plus, it helps hold your makeup in place and not get all creasy and crusty throughout the day. (Nasty.)

Ever feel like you finish powdering, bronzing, and countering and your face just looks SO dry? Well MAC’s Prep + Prime Fix+ will take that dry powdery look down a notch and make your skin look glowy, youthful, and dewy. Like I said, totally obsessed.

How do you use it?

Step 1: After you wash and moisturize your face, hold the spray a foot or so away from your face and give it a few light spritzes.

Step 2: Do your makeup like the bad bitch you are.

Step 3: After you finish your makeup, holding the Mac Prep + Prime Fix+ a foot away from your face, give it another two sprays and wait for it to dry.

And voila! Beautiful dewy skin.

This has honestly changed the makeup game for me. My skin is fairly dry so I frequently use this mid-day to add some extra moisture to my face and refresh it. Having a clean dewy face is the perfect look for summer, and is much more natural in my opinion. 😁

What do you guys think? Have you tried this yet? Comment below!

x,

My top tips to prep for bikini season!

It is just about that time of year where the weather is getting hotter, days longer (thank the lord for that), and the beach is calling your name. Until, that is, you realize your pale ass hasn’t seen the gym since September and you are still losing your “Christmas holiday” weight…. Ahhhh yes. The joys of spring. There is nothing like the thought of being in a bikini in public to make you want to crawl under the covers and just avoid the whole situation.

But, this is where I am here to help. DO NOT FEAR.

There are a few simple things you can do to prepare yourself to be a total babe at the beach this summer. 

CONFIDENCE

LITERALLY CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. Have you ever seen a girl walking around in her swimsuit like she owns the damn beach? You just know she feels great, and because of that… she looks even better. How you carry yourself and how you feel about yourself has a huge impact on your appearance. If you are withdrawn and slouchy and looking all insecure, A) chances are you are not having any fun at all, and B) it is obvious. So throw those shoulders back, and strut your stuff lady!! Seriously, we are all unique and that is what makes us so beautiful. If we all looked like weird alien clones (a look that is kind of trending right now unfortunately) things would be so boring. So be confident, love yourself, and just have FUN.

Annnnnnnnd if you want to go the extra mile to prep that bikini bod, here are a few more tips:

Keep a journal

Sounds a bit weird, but sometimes you are not even aware of your poor eating habits because they have become… habits. If you actually write down everything you eat in a day (this INCLUDES mini snacks and “bites”) you may be surprised at how many wasted calories you consume in a day. Try this even for a few days and it will be really eye opening, and a good starting point to know where you need to make some changes to get your bikini bod in check!

Cut the snacks

Snacks are the best yet worst things ever. If I let myself, I would be snacking all day long every day. Having little bites of lots of different foods is my FAVE thing. Unfortunately that is how you consume way more than you normally would while thinking you really aren’t eating anything at all. Seemingly innocent bites add up quickly. So beware of snacking, shit is dangerous haha.

Start with cardio

I am a bigggg fan of doing cardio to kickstart my workout routine when I have been slacking on my fitness for a while. The feeling of having big healthy lungs and getting your blood pumping is literally the best thing in the world. It makes me feel overall so much healthier. Once I have been doing cardio for a while and feel comfortable with fitness again, then I add in my core workouts.

When it comes down to it, looking your best is all about feeling your best. If you feel like a queen, you will look like one. Easy peasy babes. So remember, you are beautiful inside and out! Go git yo-self on the beach and rock it!

x,

Uhmmmmmm YES PLEASE. Get in my belly, right meow.

Okay so realistically I wanted to call this post “shit on toast” but I am making a serious effort to be more of a lady and to sound less like a trucker. #lifegoals. Big things happening over here people, I know.

Either way, you get the message. Toast with stuff on it is always a win in my books. Someone told me the other day that they think the only thing I eat is toast and avocado. While this is not entirely true, it definitely has some truth to it. It is just so easy to make and always tastes so good. I am big on using fresh herbs and natural ingredients to take something ordinary and make it extraordinary.

This avo toast recipe is so easy I am not even sure I can call it a recipe. Going to do it anyways though cuz it makes me feel better about myself lol. You can have it for breakfast, a snack, lunch, or dinner. Depending on how much you eat/how hungry you are.

Ok friends, let’s do this thing.

Ingreds:

• 1 soft avocado
• Handful of radishes (“peel” them with a potato peeler to take them sliced nice and thin)
• Fresh cilantro
• Slice of lemon (used to squeeze on top of everything one it’s done)
• Pea shoots
• Pepitas seeds (totally messed this one up and forgot to put the seeds on pre-photos. Put the pepitas on, they taste bomb diggity.)
• Rosemary infused bread from Whole Foods (my current fave, use whatever bread you have in your house.)

Step 1: Toast the toast.

Step 2: Put stuff on your toast.

BOOM. Science.

See?! So simple but you will be SO impressed with how good it tastes. You literally can’t go wrong (well if you really try I am sure you could) with fresh ingredients that taste delish.

Want more recipes of stuff on toast from Skinny Belle? Click here and click here for two other bomb recipes. I especially like this goat cheese and avo recipe, it is crazy good.

Enjoy!

x,

Nothing like a little black dress in Paris!

A few more photos from my Paris trip the other week for you guys!

Diddddd I mention I fell in love with Paris? Yep. Totally head-over-heels in love. This also could have been heavily impacted by the fact that I was drunk on croissants and macarons the entire time. Chocolate wasted for sure. I am literally the biggest sucker for anything sweet/carby/delicious so being in Paris was the equivalent of being a kid in a candy shop for me.

Also can we talk about how people dress in Paris? Everyone just looks better. The women are all SO beauti, I felt like a total creep just staring at everyone and trying to understand why French women are just so…. Je ne sais quoi. Creepiness aside, the women in France really do put themselves together fantastically and I was defs inspired by the style there.

Since I was in Paris, I decided what better to go with than a little black dress. It is a classic piece that you can literally wear 100 times in a hundred different ways. Which is totally winning in my books. What do you guys think? Oui? No? Comment below!!

ALSO, I am a bit late to this party (what else is new lol) but add me on snapchat! 👻@robynkim Let’s be friends 🙂

Love love!

x,