#MyBlogLife: We Meet Stephanie O’Quigley From SnappedUp.ie

How did you get into blogging?

I always loved to write so myself and my friend started SnappedUp.ie in 2012 and I haven’t taken my fingers off the keyboard since. It was easier than it is now to break into the blogging scene. My site’s a hobby – I work full time for Cocoa Brown Tan. I now hold the role of Marketing Manager for the brand; I began as an intern working for Marissa Carter, and luckily she took me on full time after a few months.

What’s the best part of your job?

I love the beauty industry, as no two days are the same. One day I woke up and Kylie Jenner had tweeted about the Cocoa Brown to her 30 million followers. I didn’t sleep for a full 72 hours after! I loved being a part of that.

Is that a Cocoa Brown tan…?

Any lovely goodies?

Yes, definitely. I’m very appreciative and love trying out new products and clothes, but it’s very hard to fit it all in or even genuinely like it all. I didn’t develop a readership overnight and I’m 100% loyal to my followers. If I don’t want to blog about something I’ll pass on it – my readers mean more to me than that.

Favourite blogs to browse?

Retro Flame, The Londoner and Kier Couture definitely stand out to me on an international level.

You are in FANTASTIC shape, what’s your secret?

The so-called secret is pretty much Nike’s mantra… ’Just do it’. It really sucks sometimes and you can be tired, stressed, stuck for time, but you have to make it a priority. Healthy food and fitness are top of my list everyday.

What do you do at the gym?

High intensity interval training has given me the results I wanted: a high level of fitness, toning and fat loss. I do this mostly through sprinting but I have to shake it up by including interval resistance on the cross trainer, spinning and sometimes circut training too. By keeping your body guessing all the time with various forms of activities, it has to work twice as hard, boosting your fitness and giving more efficient results in a shorter time frame. HITT training has definitely been the most successful for me.

Stephanie’s before and after.

How long did it take to lose your weight?

In two and a half years I lost five stone.

Give us an example of your daily diet?

I call myself a ‘clean eater’. Because I train a lot, I try my best to keep my protein intake high to repair my body. On a normal day I’d have porridge oats with chocolate protein powder for breakfast. For lunch I usually have my leftover dinner from the night before as I always cook extra to take to the office with me.

Dinner’s always protein and vegetables, and sometimes I might have quinoa or sweet potato too. My protein options are chicken fillets, turkey mince, eggs, tuna or fish. After dinner, I always have a small snack with a cup of tea. It could be peanut butter, a handful of mixed nuts, natural yogurt or a protein bar. I drink a lot of water during, and I try to avoid dairy.

Do you ever worry about your weight?

If I was to look for happiness in my weight, I’d spend my life chasing my tail! I refuse to be defined by a number in a box! I’ve learnt that it’s all about how we feel. If your mind is at ease, everything else falls into place. Everyone has off days, but as long as I know I am treating myself right, I’m happy.

Was everyone supportive of your transformation?

My habits, activities and wants are very different than before. I no longer drink alcohol, sit with a takeaway on a Friday or chomp my way through a movie in the cinema. Although not everyone I love agrees 100% with my lifestyle habits, I do it because I believe it’s the right thing for me personally – and I feel the benefits of it.

She’s literally feeling on top of the world.

Any tips for people trying to make a healthy lifestyle change?

Take it very, very slow. Make small lasting changes that will help you reach your goals. Go easy on yourself and think positively. Being healthy is not about restriction. It’s about making the best choices for yourself so that you can have the best quality of life possible. No matter how many times you fall off the bandwagon, just get back on.

Wanna be a part of #MyBlogLife? It runs online weekly and in the magazine monthly, too. To be considered, you need to have a personal blog. Join STELLAR’s Facebook group, open to all personal bloggers, or drop an email to info@stellar.ie, telling us why we should feature you.

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• Stephanie O'Quigley