I know, I’ve been terrible!  I haven’t updated my website for ages and I apologise.

My new job is going really well and, to be honest, I’m enjoying it that much, I havent really focused on anything else recently.  Apart from maybe the garden.  Isn’t it great to have such lovely weather?  Any spare moment I have had this last couple of weeks I have spent in the garden trying to get my little vegetable plot started for the year.

I’ve put my carrot and parsnip seeds in, started my green beans, cucumber and tomato plants off in the greenhouse and generally had a bit of a tidy up.

Of course, we have also had the dreaded lawn mowing, once you start you cant stop right up until winter!

And, as I’m sat here writing this, im looking at my fish tank and thinking that maybe, if I cleaned it, I might actually be able to see the one solitary fish in there, which, to be honest doesnt look that healthy!  Do you think that if he is floating on his side he maybe isn’t that well!!!!

Why are there never enough hours in the day?

Got to go back out to work now but I hope everyone is ok, enjoying the weather and keeping safe.

Will write again soon x

I’ve done a bit of research into how we can keep our face’s youthful looking with exercise!!

It seems that we don’t have to spend a fortune on facial products just to stay looking young.  I’ve already given you some really good home made facial products so now lets look at our exercise routine and see if we can all look 18 again!

With a regular facial fitness routine – ie exercising the muscles of your face, we can build up the muscles of our face and keep them toned and firm. Regular exercise can keep the muscles lifted enough to remove the sags and the skin can become smooth enough to reduce wrinkles.  Also, the blood circulation to the face will enable the tissue to repair itself.

You only need to take a few minutes a day with a routine (you could even do it watching the T.V if you don’t have anyone else watching you, he he!).

Here goes …..

Forehead  -  This will help smooth the wrinkles of the forehead. Place your fingers just above your brow. Then, with your fingers, pull the skin down. At the same time, try to raise your eyebrows. Repeat this 10 times.

Eyelids –  To deal with crows’ feet at the corners of the eyes, put the thumbs at the corners of the eyes and then shut your eyes tightly. Then, with your thumbs, pull at the skin towards the forehead. Repeat 10 times.  If you suffer with sagging eyelids then hold your index fingers close to the brow bone. Afterwards, raise your eyebrows. At the same time, try to close your eyes and repeat 10 times.

Cheeks –  Form an O with your lips and try to push them forward as fast as you can. Then release and smile as widely as you can. Repeat 10 times and have a laugh at how daft we probably look!

Chin  -  None of us want a double chin so,  push your lower lip upward as high as you can. You can also press your thumb on the bone just under your chin and then push your tongue against your lower gums as if it is trying to meet your thumb. Also, massage the flesh under your chin with your thumb with strokes directed towards your neck.

Neck  –  Arch your neck backwards and place your hand on your neck just under the chin. Let your hand slide downward and push at your collarbone.

Ok, so this isn’t going to work straight away.  As with any exercise programme you need to stick at it for a bit!  But, if you preserve a few minutes twice a day, five times a week, you will definitely notice a difference in a month or two.  Definitely worth it but I think I will do mine in private.  I think my husband and my 19 year old son would definitely think I’ve lost the plot!

Anybody that really knows me well will know that the last few months haven’t exactly been the easiest.  Being made redundant, being owed a fair amount of money and not knowing where to go next has really taken its toll on my mental state.

I know we all have to face a tremendous amount of anxiety and stress in our everyday lives and I’ve struggled to stay away from the doctor and avoid the old medication!  I’ve been there before many years ago and it isn’t always the right thing.  Its great short term but eventually you have to come off it.

The hardest part of all is recognizing the root cause of our anxiety and then base how we deal with it around this cause. 

We need to relax and try to forget our symptoms for a while, try and chill out and with a bit of clarity we can reorganize ourselves (and our brains!) into a more logical process.

 
My biggest problem is re-acting the wrong way too quickly.  I never sit down and take time to react the way I should.  I steam in and suffer the consequences.  I’m learning to take the day a bit slower in my head.  Nothing needs dealing with within 30 seconds does it?  Not really, when we think about it logically.  I have to say I have great support in my husband who (rather annoyingly) has the most logical brain I’ve ever come across! 

Take up something new.  Yoga, meditation classes, have the radio on more and get stuck into a good book.  It does do wonders for taking yourself out of things.  I have taken to just sitting for 5/10 minutes with a cup of tea and listening to the silence (not that I get it very often with 5 in the house!)  Time out is most important.
A good walk and fresh air on a daily basis really makes you feel great and never more so than in the rain I’ve found.  Oxygen feeds the brain and consequently wakens you up and makes you feel alive. Healthy eating and a really good night sleep will also help tremendously.  I just need to get my 5 year old to stop waking just after 5.00am every morning.

What’s really given me a great boost this week is that I’ve LOST WEIGHT!!  Yippy!   I keep playing at my diet, good days, bad days, but last week decided to stick to it like glue and hey presto, ½ stone lost.  It’s great for my mental state and much better for me than medication!

The most important thing of all ‘POSITIVE THINKING’, not something I’m brilliant at but I’m trying so much more than before.  I’ve decided to throw myself into something new this week and I’m doing a three day training course for care work.  I’m going to put a bit back into the community and occupy my mind with other people instead of myself.

Obviously, it doesn’t always work this way and if you really need help then go see the doctor, that’s what they are there for.  For me, I’m going to stay away from him for a while and I’m sure things will improve tremendously.

Well, it got me thinking that maybe something like that could actually work so I’ve tracked it down on Amazon and I think I might just have a go and see!

This is the description published to entice us …..

Would you like to eat whatever you want and still lose weight? Would you like to feel really happy with your body? Are you unable to lose those last 10 pounds? Do you find it difficult to say no to second helpings? Do you get disheartened about your eating habits and your weight? Then this amazing book and CD can help you! Welcome to a revolutionary way to stop overeating, control cravings and feel totally motivated to take exercise. Paul McKenna has developed a breakthrough weight-loss system that re-patterns your thoughts, attitudes and beliefs about yourself, your health and food to help you easily take control of your diet and lose weight permanently. As you use Paul’s amazing system, the latest psychological techniques will automatically help you to start losing weight straight away! You can use it again and again to make you feel happier about yourself as you go all the way to your ideal shape, size and weight.

A lady has written a great review on how it has worked for her …. This is an extract from what she has written.

“How I stopped being a greedy pig with no effort at all!”

“I loved the idea of listening to a CD that would hypnotize me into losing weight because somehow I still believed that there was a cheater, short-cut way to lose weight. I didn’t really believe that it would work and assumed that this would be money thrown away. Well, guess what? This is day 16 and I have lost 4 kilos. That is almost 9 pounds and I swear it was without effort. The book is a quick read, intelligent and to the point, but the CD that is included with it is even better”.

Sound promising doesn’t it! I still think that a lot of will power must be needed but I’m game, anyone else?

2 Medium Sized Ripe Bananas, 2 Cups Skimmed Milk, 1/2 Cup Skimmed Dry Milk Powder

1/3 Cup Wheat Germ, 1/2 Cup Fat Free Plain Yoghurt, 1tsp Vanilla Essence, 2.5 tsp of Low Calorie Sweetener

Blend all ingredients together and divide into four glasses.  For a little bit of extra zing try adding  just a pinch of ground cinnamon!

Calories per Serving  :  190 Cals

Fat : 2 g

This is a great way to get the day started, it is low in calories and fat which is definately worth trying.

Interesting facts about the Banana!

Bananas are one of the most nutritious fruits available year-round. Bananas are a versatile fruit that can be cooked, baked, toasted or eaten raw, and make a nutritious addition to a variety of recipes. Mixed with other fruits in a salad or smoothie, used to top hot or cold breakfast cereals, as an ingredient in baked goods or just peeled and eaten as a snack, bananas are a healthy food choice for both kids and adults.

Banana Nutrients

Bananas make for a nutritious and healthy food choice because they are a good source of fiber, are low in sodium, cholesterol, calories, and contain almost no fat. Because bananas are loaded with potassium (422 mg per medium banana), bananas are a great post-workout snack for those who strength train or engage in cardio exercise to help replace potassium lost through sweating. Bananas are also a good source of Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Manganese and Folate.

Bananas provide trace amounts of calcium, zinc, copper, iron, vitamin E, and selenium. In addition, bananas also contain fructo-oligosaccharide, a resistant starch that acts as a prebiotic. Prebiotics promote a healthy gut and help the body more easily absorb nutrients from food.

As you can probably tell ….  I go Banana’s for a Banana!

I’ve got the usual ones that all us women have, loose weight, get fit, drink less (yeah right) etc but my new one for this year is to stop being so emotional and be alot more tolerant of people.

Im way to sensitive for my own good – take things far too seriously most of the time instead of just getting on with it and letting things flow.

I reckon its a pretty good resolution to have to start the new year with – what do you think?  I’ll keep you posted how it goes but fingers crossed, this could be where everything turns around.  As my friend Karen would say ’stay positive and things work out in the end’!

HAPPY NEW YEAR x

We are all forever being told that we should exercise more, eat less and keep our BMI down to reasonable levels….

I never really worried too much about it until I asked my husband to buy me a Wii Fit Balance Board for my birthday!  Boy, was I in for a shock.

I’m not the slimmest of people (definite exaggeration!) and have always struggled with my weight.  In the past I have been known to loose 6 stone and went from 16.5 stones down to 10.5 stones.  I’m not doing too bad at present but did find myself back up to top side of 14 when I received my birthday present!

I had no more excuses, the Wii Fit Plus & Board is the perfect way to have fun and achieve your fitness goals without even having to go out!

There are over 60 exercises and fun activities which are specially designed to burn calories, improve strength, tone up your muscles and develop better balance and posture.

Each time you step onto the board your BMI is assessed and when you begin you are invited to set some realistic goals to reduce or maintain your BMI.  Every time you exercise your progress is monitored so you can see how you are doing.

With so many activities to choose from, you can keep your exercise routine different and interesting every day without getting bored.

My BMI is down much lower now and my weight (thanks to Weight Watchers also) is 12st 10lb which is a huge improvement and I feel so much better.

Why not ask for one for Christmas, I’m glad I did!!