BINGHAM GIRLS HAS MOVED! www.binghamgirls.com

Dear all

After nearly a year on this blogspot, we have finally launched our own BLOG site which is where we will call home from now on!

Please go to www.binghamgirls.com (much easier to remember) and we look forward to seeing and hearing from you there. Thanks so much for your support, we have loved blogging in 2010 and intend to carry on into 2011!

Please feel free to send you family and friends to get involved with Bingham Girls blog activity!

With all our love

Zar, Georgie & Rosie

ZAR - Recipe - Tuna Cassoulet

This is a really great dish for the family to make ahead of time. This uses fresh tuna steaks but you can easily use tinned tuna if you're on a budget or just using pantry staples.

Serves 4

1 stick celery
1 leek
1 carrot
1 tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tuna steaks (400g approx total weight)
1.5 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1 clove garlic
2 tbsps chopped parsley

Finely chop the celery and carrot and finely slice the leek. Sauté in 1 tbsp olive oil over a medium heat until softened. Add the beans, tomato and stock and simmer over a low heat for about 20 mins until thickened. Turn off the heat, stir in the mustard and season with salt and pepper.

In a pan, heat another tbsp olive oil over a medium high heat. Quickly sear the tuna steaks for about 1 minute on each side. Remove from the pan and cut into small cubes.

In an ovenproof dish layer the beans and tuna, then more beans and tuna and lastly beans. Mix together the breadcrumbs, parsley and garlic and spread ontop of the beans and tuna. Bake in a 180-200 degree pre-heated oven for 30 minutes,

Serve with green veg.

GEORGIE - Winter skin - ouch!!

I've been doing a little research into how to help those of us who really suffer with winter skin. The internet is a mind of information and so is my make-up department at work! So here goes...

LIPS SAY IT ALL
Apparently the state of your lips tell you how much you are suffering in the cold weather. Very dry lips = suffering skin!! This is a good tell tale sign you are struggling, so first, deal with your lips and keep them luscious!! Experts recommend switching from your usual lip balm to a slightly heavier duty one - I cannot recommend Blisteze enough - a small tube that packs a punch of moisture - but other products I would trumpet include Ellizabeth Arden's 8 hour cream, Dermalogica multivitamin for eyes and lips and my newest discovery thanks to one of our fabulous make-up artists - Dr Lipps Nipple Balm for Lips. Don't be put off by the name - It's a brilliant and thick emulsion to help dry and chapped lips!!

WATER WATER AND MORE WATER
Yes, again, it comes down to water. Apparently in the winter we drink more tea and coffee (warm drinks to warm up) and less H2O. I am not a believer in the theory that any liquid you take onboard will hydrate you - so I try to keep water to hand to keep drinking the same amount. It's not easy - I occasionally drink a cup of plain boiling water instead of tea - warms you up - is pure water still - try it before you judge, it's quite good!!

SKIN MOISTURE
I tend to trade in for a heavier duty moisturiser as soon as it gets cold, My current favourite is Boots No7 Advanced Hydration Cream - they do a day and night version - although Ponds Cold Cream is another old faithful that always works!

FOUNDATION
Less heat = less perspiration of the skin and less oil so in the winter I think it is always worth going for an oilier foundation - I use an oil based one by MAC called STUDIO TEC very sparingly, it helps stop those dry patches appearing - and I NEVER use powder in the winter, it makes me look all cakey I always feel.

HAIR SUFFERS TOO
So I have switched to a more moisturising shampoo... I am currently on Aussie Moist - it rocks - but most high street brands do a slightly heavier duty moisturising brand that also works well in the summer when you are dry dry dry!!

FINALLY - SKIN CARE
Unless you are very spot prone - keep you use of facial exfoliants and gel face washes to a minimum in favour of cream cleansers and face washes. Then you don't keep stripping away what little moisture your skin has. I read an article this week in the Daily Mail where an expert suggested using oatmeal/raw porridge oats mixed with warm water as a gentle exfoliator to get rid of dry flakey skin. It works but doesn't absolutely rub the skin raw.

IF IN DOUBT - HIDE IT!
I go much more ruddy in complexion as soon as it turns cold. I am very red indeed at the moment so am using a layer of concealer across my cheeks and around my nose as well as under my eyes before I put my foundation on. For extra long coverage of your ruddy red patches, apply the lightest layer of powder on top of your concealer and under an oil based make up to ensure it stays put!!

NOW GO and GLOW in the SNOW!!

ROSIE - Winter Comfort

Particularly relevant with the amount of snow we have in the UK! Apologies to our Aussie counterparts...

With the nights drawing in and sunny Sundays a distant memory, it's so tempting to hunker down and hibernate. I think we can safely say winter is well and truly underway now, in fact I can't remember when I last saw the sun shining and I know that for those of you who work full time it can be a struggle to actually see daylight if you work long enough hours.

I was remembering my not-so-healthy-and-active days, when I was very much lazier (because I could be) and would happily have not even opened the curtains on a Sunday. I probably (perhaps not EVERY Sunday) had a bacon roll for breakfast at around 10 am, bangers and mash for Sunday lunch at around 1pm, maybe followed by a treaty pudding, and then in the evening maybe a pizza. The inbetween phases? Not a lot else went on. In fact reaching for the remote to turn the telly over or tossing an extra log on the fire required a big build-up. What was my reason for this? Well, I deserved it, didn't I? I worked really hard all week and on a Sunday I could indulge myself.

Result? By Monday morning I would feel revolting. Heavy, spotty, pasty, pale. Barely able to get out of bed. Really lacking in energy (which was surprising as the amount of calories consumed should have meant I was running on double speed).

I'm not remembering this to be a smug, energy filled person right now, or to make anyone who does the above feel bad. It's perfectly justified if that's what you want to do with your Sundays! Far be it from me to make you feel guilty.

Last Sunday was so cold. We had a freezing dog walk in the morning. Then Richard & I stood shivering with cold at a farm park whilst Jack screeched with delight at the farm animals (why do toddlers never get cold?!). After moaning for a couple of minutes I realised that if I actually kept myself warm then I would feel so much better. So, cue Mummy on the slides, on the swings, literally running (not an attractive sight at 7 months pregnant) around after Jack to try and keep warm.

And when I got home? No, I didn't shut the curtains and snuggle under the duvet with a sticky toffee pudding, we played some games then went outside again to play some football (don't ask, yes, the dog did put a tooth through the football resulting in mass tears).

Yes, I actually spent more hours outside on that freezing Sunday then I probably had all week. Result? I felt great. I felt so healthy that I wanted to eat healthily, slept so so well and woke up on Monday feeling like a new woman.

I know you all hate me, I sound so revoltingly outdoorsy and smug. I am lucky in that I live in a fantastic environment and I actually like being outdoors. But please trust me when I say that once you're out, it doesn't feel that bad. Make an effort on your days off to get outside. It's so good for your skin and really gets your body feeling so much better! I sound so like my mum it's actually terrifying me so I will sign off before it gets much worse. But please, trust me and try it!

Georgie- Gym Nemesis - dispatched!!

Well it's good to be able to pass some good news on - particularly on a Monday, my grumpiest day of the week...

A few months back when I first came back to London, you might have heard, or laughed at me as I grumped about a machine in the gym that became my absolute worst and most evil nemesis... It's a kind of ski/skate machine that requires you to semi-squat, and float your knees up at high speed whilst keeping your weight centred. Kind of like an elliptical, with down and outward pushing pedals that you address in a squat position. Annoying, agonising and exhausting!!

(For those interested its the SSTBodyGlide600 at this link http://www.weightlossjedi.com/5-cool-ski-trainers-to-improve-your-skills/

Just thought I must report tonight that for the first time, I lasted a 20 minute workout on this bloody thing! Finally, I think I might have got it - I heard two blokes behind me in the gym having a good laugh at my efforts (Sweat pouring off me, BRIGHT PINK FACE from effort) but I didn't care. What my ass looks like on this machine I can't even bear to think. I wish they would put it against the wall in our gym. But no, it has two rows of treadmills THEN two rows of ellipticals behind it.

Anyway - level 12 (of 25) I am a happy gym bunny tonight. That's all!! I so rarely have anything to be content with exercise wise - generally I underwhelm myself in the gym and come out thinking 'could have done better' so thought it might be nice to report something positive in the hibernating season!! Go forth people and conquer!!

ZAR - Brain food

I find the newspapers pretty boring; I tend to get my news from the radio in the car or at work. What I do really like is the sections of the newspaper which focus on lifestyle, people, food etc. It's great for the brief chats I have with the ZarBar patrons as well as for the blog.

This one is from a new section in the Saturday SMH and really talks the Bingham Girls talk......

The author, Paula Goodyer, wrote about children and what they eat and how it affects them.

Obesity is, as we know, becoming an enormous problem in our society. However, the food that kids eat can not only affect their weight but their brains. Studies published recently show that diets high in processed and sugary foods and drinks leads to a greater risk of emotional and behavioural problems and also doubles the risk of ADHD.

Like the rest of the body, the brain needs enough of the right nutrients to function properly. What processed foods are missing are omega-3 fats and B vitamins, crucial for brain health. These are commonly found in wholegrains, leafy greens, legumes and some fruits. Vegies and fruit also promote brain health because they are high in antioxidants, including vitamins C & E. These also help prevent inflammation which has been linked to depression.

Of course, I know first hand that the way you feel as a teenager can mean you crave foods high in fat and sugar to make you "feel better". I still battle with that, as do many others.

I'm not a parent, and I do not judge anyone and their choices, I don't have to live with them. I really think that giving your kids the gift of eating healthily is one of the best things you can do. We were given the best start we could have been with non-processed, home cooked food. We all sat around at the table to enjoy it together.

(And look at how brilliant we are now!! - jokes.....)

GEORGIE - Family blessings

Dear All - it's been one hell of a week for the Bingham family. For those of you not in the loop, poor Zar fainted in the shower on Monday and fractured 3 bones in her neck and back. She has been incredibly brave and also lucky not to have done herself permanent damage - and has had good news from the doctors midweek that she will mend, albeit, she needs to take life a little easier. ZarBar patrons will know that she amazingly got herself on her feet and had coffee back out on sale by midweek which is an amazing achievement. All of us back in England feel so fortunate to have such a brave sister and we can't wait for her to get back to full feckle.

Our pa has also been taken ill this week. I am home in Suffolk this weekend with him and mum and glad to be able to offer what little support I can, whether it's walking the dog, or helping dad work his Kindle to ease the boredom of being bedridden. I hope he will make a full recovery very soon.

I guess this blog is short and sweet - I appreciate my close and loving family all the time - but no more so then when we hit a patch of adversity. Being so far from our beloved Zar when she is ill is so hard but luckily words aren't hard to say when you are close and you need to tell someone how much you love and think about them.

I shan't lecture, cos that would be so predictable but I will say that remembering to tell your loved ones how much you love them and tell them how much you need them is really important. I am so lucky to have full Bingham love and support and can't imagine life without it. Thank you guys and get better soon Dad and Zar!

ZAR Recipe - Stir Fried Snapper with Broccolini and Mushrooms

Fish is something you can eat and know it's good for you. Either it's lean or it has good oils in it. Also contains omega 3 which is so good for all over body health.

Very simple and quick which is what we need for during the week particularly. Asian ingredients which is always a healthy and delicious way to cook.

A day early because naught GB got posts muddled up!!

This is a recipe from Michelle Bridges, one of the trainers from The Biggest Loser Australia.

Serves 2

300g snapper fillet (or other firm white fish), skinned and cut into cubes
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
2 tbsps (salt reduced) soy sauce
1 bunch broccolini, stems quartered lengthwise, cut into chunks
2 yellow (or green) zucchini (courgette), halved lengthwise and sliced
6 shallots (spring onions) cut into 5cm pieces
150g shitake (or button) mushrooms, sliced

Combine fish, garlic, ginger and 1 tbsp soy sauce in a bowl.

Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a wok or heavy bottomed pan on a high heat. Stir-fry the broccolini for 3 mins. Add the zucchini and stir-fry for another 2 mins. Remove the vegies from the pan. Heat another tsp of olive oil and stir-fry the mushrooms and onions for 2 mins. Remove from the pan. Heat another tsp olive oil in pan and stir-fry the fish for a couple of mins until browned. Return vegies to the pan and toss with remaining tbsp soy sauce. Serve immediately.

ROSIE - Improvised training Part II

So, following on from a couple of blogs ago about improvising training and those excuses not to get to the gym! Sometimes, when I'm finding it hard to get out of the house and an exercise DVD just won't cut it, I have had some of my best, calorie burning workouts ever using a couple of simple household items. You DON'T need equipment, you DON'T need to look good, you can do it in your bra and knickers if you like, the only thing I do request is that if you are doing high-impact stuff then please, please wear good trainers. Your calves will pay you back the next morning if you don't.

You can do improvised training anywhere, using anything. Below are just some ideas, you can do them indoors OR outdoors, just try and find some form of equivalent - i.e. if you need a chair and you're outside, use a park bench or something. If you are doing it in a public place, expect some funny looks... but you'll have the last laugh when you're as fit as a fiddle.

I have a little selection of things which I have built up over the years at home such as weights, exercise bands etc. But you don't even need them - for weights create your own with a couple of big bottles filled with um... water... or sand or something. Use your imagination. A small child will do... and they'll love the interaction.

Below is a little circuit I would do myself (if I could... grrr). The only rules I set myself is to FINISH it. Because you're at home, it's tempting to answer the phone or put the washing on. But I treat the session as if I were out of the house and in the gym - not to be interrupted. Do as many or as few reps & sets of these as you like, bearing in mind they WILL get your heart pumping and the sweat flowing, but hey, that's the point. Remember, this is what I would do for MYSELF, if there's something which you think you would prefer, then by all means incorporate it.

1) Lunge jumps:
Start in a split stance, one leg in front of the other. Go down into a lunge, using your arms spring up into the air and change your front leg so that when you land you are doing a lunge on the other leg. V v tiring. Rpt x 10

2) Foot taps
Using a stair or low step, tap each toe on the step alternatley. Obviously this is at a relatively high speed, as you are running up stairs. Repeat x 1 min

3) Leg crossed crunches (with weight optional)
Lying on your back, with your feet crossed in the air, take a weight on your chest (not too heavy) and crunch up to the ceiling. Rpt x 25

4) Mountain climbers
Get into a press up position (on your feet, no ladies press ups here!), and alternatley bring your knees up to your chest, ensuring you bring them as high as you can each time and making sure your legs go straight when you extend them. Rpt x 25

5) Leg extensions
Sit up straight. Pull your abs in. Lean back as far as you can whilst keeping your abs in (vital). Either rest your hands on the floor behind you (easy option), or cross your hands over your chest (v v hard!), extend your legs out in front of you (to straight) and then back in to your body (knees bent). Rpt x 20 if you can.

6) Bench hops
You do need a relatively low (about knee height), long... um... bench style thing here but to be honest I have done it with chairs before. Just be careful with those feet! If you're nervous you can do it just on the floor, just get those feet as high as possible! With your hands resting on the bench at one end, take both feet on one side of the bench. Keeping your feet together neatly jump both feet over the bench to the other side on the floor. This one makes people really nervous, just trust yourself and keep your feet high! Rpt x 20

5) Elbows to knees
That good old favourite - lying on your back, doing a cycle motion with your feet but with your legs extended straight and low along the ground, alternate touching your elbows to your knee as the knee comes in. Change the timing so do 8 normal speed, then 4 slow speed, then 8, then 4, then 8 then 4 if you see what I mean. Do 8, 4, 8, 4, 8.

6) Star jumps
AKA jumping jacks. One minute if you can!

7) Jump ups.
Again, I am lucky enough to have Reebok Step at home, anything equivalent will do. Stand with your feet either side of the step and jump up onto the step, then back down. Again, many people get nervous about this but practise makes perfect and it's great for co-ordination and balance. Rpt x 20

I would do try and do 3-4 sets of each, coupled with some upper body weights and more ab work. It is pretty intense so expect to find yourself in a hot, sweaty mess by the end of it. The joy is that if you're at home no-one will ever notice.......!

GEORGIE - Balance it out, even when you PIG OUT!!

Picture this last week - Friday, tired, and at the end of quite a long week, i stuffed my face a little bit... no - I lie, quite a lot. I was also pre menstrual and always allow myself what I term a 'pig day' on these occasions or I am grumpy as hell...

So, cafeteria offerings are a little slim so I indulged myself with my favourite meal in the world (after pizza) which is baked beans and chips. (fries and boston beans to you yanks although better as they are English and yummy).

A few hours later, I had pasta, pesto and some veggies and a glass of wine (+1 +1 +1). Then it was a few crackers, cheese and chutney before bed. Oh and a bar of chocolate. Told you it was a pig out.

Anyway, the next morning, Pre menstrual stuff gone, I went to the gym - where having consumed quite a lot of carbs I was sure that I would breeze through my training session with my trainer Adrian. Oh how wrong I was. Half way through, I was running on empty, like I hadn't eaten properly for days; lead legs, short of breath, light headed - that kind of thing. I asked Adrian why, when I had eaten half of the carbohydrate family the day before wasn't I bouncing around like an idiot?

"Did you eat anything apart from carbs? "

"Well yes, baked beans, vegetables, chutney, pesto..."

"yes but did you eat any protein apart from the small lump of cheddar?"

"Er... guess not"

That's it? I didn't balance it out and it bit me in the ass??? Seriously people, before I got healthy - I used to go days without eating anything worthwhile in terms of nutritional value. Cardboard literally!! I guess when you eat a good, well balanced diet, it bites you in the ass when you don't.

So that's my little lesson learned last week. If I feel the need to up my calories for any reason, I shall include a steak with my beans and chips and some chicken with my pasta!!!

Have a great week!

G x

ROSIE - Furious Bingham Girl!!!

Oh, I'm an angry girl today. Why does the media do it? (Sorry G). They print and publicise so irresponsibly that it makes me FULL OF RAGE. Take the article on Yahoo "health" today. The link is here - http://uk.health.lifestyle.yahoo.net/eat-candy-lose-weight.htm, the title "Nutrition professor drops two stone on snack food diet". As you can see, the link says "EAT CANDY, LOSE WEIGHT".

Grrr. Grrr. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr. What does the message give us 4 times over in the link and title alone? And you don't have to be bloody stupid to think it, either!
* Well, if a nutrition professor can do it, then it must be okay for me.
* I CAN eat sweets and lose weight.
* He dropped two stone, surely I can too?

And the above are alongside a number of other things... and, as I said, I wouldn't blame you if you DID think the above. The problem is that many people will read the title, and then flick their eyes over the remainder of the article without taking in the fact.

And the fact is?

* The dude restricted his calorie intake to 1800 calories per day (recommended daily intake for a man is 2400). If my maths is correct, this is a 25% reduction in calorie intake, way over the 15% recommended drop if you are trying to lose weight.
* Recommendations are there for a reason. Your body NEEDS the calories. If you restrict your calories excessively, your body will lose weight for a short period of time, and it WAS for a short period, only two months. Thereafter, your body clings to fat, thinking it is being starved, your metabolism slows and you GAIN weight.
* It was done under extremely controlled conditions, which is not a usual "junk food eating" condition.
* Although it took account of other health indicators, this was on a short term basis and probably only associated with the actual weight loss, rather than the food he consumed. What would have happened to his blood pressure, cholesterol levels and everything else if he had continued to eat rubbish food long term?

I would like to clarify my thoughts on the matter, as I am a bonafide nutritionist too (okay, so I'm not a Professor). This is seriously irresponsible, not only to do the bloody study in the first place but more importantly to publicise it in such a way.

The article concluded with another astute comment from Professor Haub - "I am not promoting this or recommending it; it’s just an exercise in nutrition." Well, do you think the readers will really have GOT to the end of the article? No, they're off at the garage stocking up on chocolate.

Junk food is NOT GOOD FOR YOU. Now and again, as we all agree, it is nice, (sometimes necessary) but these should be few and far between. If you eat a varied, balanced diet you should not want to binge out on crap food. For most people, eating "snack food", or binging out on junk food is not done in a controlled environment. Moreover, eating junk food significantly adds to their daily calorie intake, it would NOT reduce it as it did "Dr Haub".

For most, junk food is comfort food. I do not think there is anyone in the world who has not snacked on some choccie or eaten some icecream in an emotional way.

To almost encourage (and yes, I think the title of this article almost does that) people to eat snack food by giving them the line that you can "lose weight" is ridiculous. Anyone can lose weight if they cut their calories enough, Professor Haub doesn't have to be a professor to know that.

Nuff said. I'm off to eat some icecream in protest.

ZAR - Recipe - Seven Vegetable Salad

Ooooh, I'm really excited about this one. I'm serving this at ZarBar this week with some adjustments but will be having it for my dinner on Tuesday. This would be a good one to make ahead of time and have for lunch at work and add different protein each day - tuna, chicken, turkey etc.

Serves 4

Half a bunch asparagus
1 carrot
1 zucchini
Handful baby spinach leaves
1/2 red capsicum (pepper)
10 sugar snap peas, green beans or mange tout
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
50g soft goats cheese
Half a cup of snowpea sprouts or alfalfa sprouts

With a peeler, peel long strips off the asparagus, carrot and zucchini into a bowl, until it's all done. Thinly slice the capsicum and peas/beans and add to the bowl with the spinach and the cannellini beans. Mix with your fingers.

If you're serving straight away then dress the vegies with some olive oil and lemon juice, salt and pepper and mix again. Place onto plates, crumble the goats cheese over the plates and share the sprouts amongst them.

(GB - I tried this one this week and it's fan-bloody-tastic!!)

GEORGIE - If your'e obese - read this.

I am sure that it isn’t correct to laugh at this headline “Fat People ‘are better at sniffing out food’” but oh how I chuckled when I read this in today’s Daily Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1329811/Fat-people-better-sniffing-food.html

It’s actually quite an interesting article – fatter people have a better sense of smell. Their sense of smell also improves when they are full which makes them eat more. Ok, so they make good foragers but like SOO many previous pieces of research that try to understand what makes people obese, I welcome the good intent, but this yet another piece of literature that basically discards the idea of self control. Yes, if you have a keener sense of smell you might be tempted to eat more. But this comes back to my Bingham Girls argument that at the moment seems to be coming out every month.

IF YOU ARE OBESE – GET THIS;
“MY name is Georgie Bingham and if I ate what I want, when I wanted, I would be morbidly obese. EVERYDAY when I get up I make careful choices about what goes into my body and how active I am, to ensure that I maintain a healthy weight, so that I not only look as good as I can, but I am healthier, a hopefully live longer and am a smaller burden on our Health Service. I CHOOSE not to be fat. I choose to fight the temptations that would make me fat and this is an integral part of being a healthy person. Some people really DON’T have to watch what they eat. Lucky them. But if you are obese and imagine that everyone who isn’t obese is like that – think again. Being fat is about a lack of self control, self esteem, or BOTH. Stop eating, get a bit more active and join the rest of us who make conscious decisions every day, many times a day NOT to be obese.”

ZAR - Everyday actions and decisions

I found this so interesting. In the Body and Soul section of the Sunday Telegraph (Aus) a couple of weeks ago, explaining what happens to your body when you do certain things. I love this kind of article because usually I'm doing all the right things for my body and I can give myself a pat on the back!!

Laughing - produces feel-good chemicals which provides pleasure. Smile if you don't feel like laughing. Your brain will mirror-image your emotions by copying your facial expressions.
Drinking a soft drink - this can contain high levels of caffeine and sugar which will make you feel great in the short term. Quite quickly though, you will feel thirsty again as your kidneys have to work hard to process the caffeine. You will be depleted of vitamin B6 which among other things, balance hormones. You will also become addicted to the caffeine and sugar.
Eating chocolate - because chocolate is basically fat and carbs which give and instant energy boost but must be burnt off if they are not going to be turned into body fat immediately. On the upside, nutritionists recommend a small amount of chocolate is good for you because of the cocoa. This contains antioxidants which will attach themselves to free radicals which are enemies for our bodies (they attack healthy cells and increase the risk of diseases). On a basic level, cocoa encourages the brain to release serotonin which makes us feel happy and less stressed straight away.
Running - is the best workout you can do in terms of burning your stores of carbs. Your body also produces an excess of lactic acid which can end up in your muscles which could lead to soreness post-run, so make sure you warm down.
Drinking a glass of wine - apart from relaxing you the sugar will make you feel alert. However, as we all know, once the alcohol passes through your stomach and small intestine, it gets into the bloodstream and from there, the brain. This then makes us all a bit silly!!
Eating fruit - the natural sugars are used for energy, and the vitamins and minerals are used for bodily processes. The skin is passed through the intestine unchanged, keeping your bowel regular. The high fibre and lower KJ content of fruit makes it filling, so your stomach tells your brain that it doesn't need anything further.
Smoking - Apart from the joy to a smoker of the drag of a cigarette, it is of course doing unimaginable damage to your body. The carbon monoxide robs the muscles, brain and blood of oxygen meaning your heart has to work harder. The tar coats the lungs which causes lung and throat cancer. Amazingly, smoking does not relieve stress. The relaxed feeling that smokers experience when they smoke is actually a return to the normal state that non-smokers experience all the time!!
Crying - I don't cry alot but when I do, I feel so much better and I'm sure you'll all agree. Once you've finished crying, your heart rate and breathing return to normal which is what leaves us feeling so great. The deep breathing reduces stress levels.
Kissing - increases levels of oxytocin which help people bond and lowered levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Sharing germs also boosts the immune system (I wouldn't advise sharing too many though - yuck!)

ROSIE - Improvised Training

I saw this great piece on BBC News 24 the other day about how the army have incorporated an "improvised training" section into their physical training programme, mostly for when they are out in the field and do not have access to gyms.

Basically they are talking about using pieces of equipment such as rucksacks, gerry cans, rocks, ropes and anything (heavy, I suppose!) they can get their hands on to train with in the desert environment.

This is such a great subject to advertise to the general public. There are SO many excuses that people give not to exercise and I can say without question that the most popular are:

- I don't have time to go to the gym
- The gym is too expensive
- The gym is too far
- I don't have a gym near me

Excuses ALL associated with gyms & memberships. This shows how heavily people rely on the gym to keep fit, get fit, maintain fitness, lose weight or whatever they use exercise for.

But there are SO many ways to exercise. It doesn't have to be expensive, snazzy, fashionable or anything else - exercise is exercise and that's all it boils down to. I went on an expedition to Venezuela many years ago - the best training we did was climbing stairs with a rucksack filled with sand. Wow. I got SO fit it was incredible.

Bear it mind next time you think "oh, I can't get to the gym, I'll give my exercise a miss for today/this week - whatever". Press ups, lunges, squats, the stairs, some bottles of water, a small child - anything will do.

Following on from this, I will be blogging later this week in more detail about things you can do to improvise if all else fails.

ZAR - Recipe - Grilled fish with cajun wedges

I love eating healthy and living a healthy lifestyle but I get SO bored of being good!! I am at the stage now with the balance I have achieved that I can have a treat now and again. This is a way of having fish and chips without the deep frying.

For 1 person

1 fillet of white fish
1 potato or sweet potato - no more than 150g
Cajun spice

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Cut the potato in half lengthwise and then each half in half lengthwise. Finally each quarter in half again to give you 8 wedges. If you're using sweet potato then you may need to cut in half around it's waist before you cut it into wedges - don't eat the whole thing if it's too big - not the point.

Lay the wedges on a baking tray and spray with olive oil. Sprinkle on some Cajun spice, not too much. Put into the oven and bake for 20 mins.

Place the fish on some oiled foil on the grill tray and season with salt and pepper.

When the wedges are cooked, turn the grill on to hot and grill the fish for about 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. The wedges will keep warm enough under the grill tray while the fish is cooking.

Serve with peas.

GEORGIE - Detox fall out!!

So after virtually starving myself on a low calorie juice detox - against the advice of many of you by the way - I will admit that I did actuall feel fantastic. I was careful last weekend to eat carefully and despite going to a wedding where I drank too much Schnapps (and was sick) it was great to be back in the gym, to have awesome energy levels and to have a mega slim waistline too!! For all the bad the detox did it did teach me that in future I can cut out caffeine, wheat and dairy, I can get the same feel good effect, without the starvation!!

What next? Well then, as predicted by many of you - the fallout. My poor body has fallen to peices!! Most importantly, the cold I have been staving on for WEEKS (that Rosie and Jack tried to give me) finally hit full blast yesterday. It might be coincidence, but when you aren't eating a balanced diet (i.e. when you eat just green muck and fruit juice) your immune system sometimes takes a hit. It been documented before but I guess that I, being someone who almost always cheats colds and illnesses when everyone else is going down - I thought I was too invincible for that!! Great!! I am at crappy cold rock bottom, armed with vix, Benylin, strepsils, the LOT!! I have also had my first spot break out in about 6 months. This also might be a coincidence but it all seems a little bit too convenient in timing for me.

Fundamentally, what disappoints me about my experience is that I naively thought that detox meant a way to have a good clearout of your system. It does. But I don't think that a clearout should involve near starvation and the intake of green gunk to the point where I will NEVER EVER drink a vegetable juice again!! I can't even look at one!!

I hope that if any of you decide to detox in the future you will follow my advice that follows!

1 Don't starve yourself - sure cut down your calories but no nutritionist would ever ensorse cutting down to unhealthy levels (like I was on - about 600 calories a day)

2 Cut out all sweet fruit - stick to berries only. It's important your body has a break from processed and sweet food so try and keep fruit consumption to a minimum, especially those very acidic orange and grapefruit juices.

3 Cut out dairy, wheat, red meet and caffeine. Eliminating these four is certainly enough to give you a massive health boost. The caffeine starve will give you the WORST headache for 2 days but find something you can replace that hot cup of tea/coffee with (I like a segment of lemon or just plain boiling hot water) and you won't miss it too much.

4 Keep in mind the foods you need for vitamins and minerals - I am sure that is the reason I am sick this week - I had no iron, not enough vitamins and no protein in my diet for nearly a week and that just can't be good for you!

5 Stick to it! I am glad I did, just choose a length of time - 3 or 5 days is enough and stick to it come hell or high water.

Good luck and remember - don't go extreme!! ( Just a little lesson I have learnt - again!!)

ZAR - 4 little tips to avoid over eating

On the weight loss journey, I've found that being aware of food has been really important. Let me explain - a variety of food diaries, menu plans, organisation, cooking in advance, having healthy snacks on hand etc. Further to this I came across 4 ways you can stop yourself from overeating.

Put any food that you eat onto a plate. This stops you from mindlessly eating a bag of chips or eating takeaway straight from the container. Better still, always try to eat your meals sitting at a table. This makes an event of eating and trains us to eat mindfully not mindlessly as we all do from time to time.

Eating regularly. By this I don't just mean eating 3 square meals a day, but eating every 2-3 hours. Therefore, eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with 3 snacks in between. Plan these and make a meal of them, measure them out at home to take to work with you to avoid eating the whole pack (guilty as charged!!). Examples - 1 cup fruit with 50g yoghurt, 10 almonds, crispbread with cottage cheese, apple and strawberries, protein shake, celery and hummus. It is known that eating regularly speeds up your metabolism which in turn burns energy.

Never eat until you feel full. Alternatively, eat until you are comfortable and could eat more. In 20 minutes you will feel full and content. If you constantly eat until you are full, you are overeating and will consequently put on weight.

Question why you're eating. If it's a meal or snack which is planned then fine, but if it's chocolate late at night or at 3 in the afternoon - are you hungry, or tired, or lonely? Eventually your brain will link that feeling to chocolate and expect it. Emotional eating is a huge part of many people gaining weight and if you can control this and ask yourself why you are eating this item and stop yourself doing so - you will hold the power in your hand!!

ROSIE - Very Proud Sis!!

I hope I'm not stealing her thunder here, I am sure Zar will blog about her activities at the weekend in the coming week. I just thought I would sneak in a quick one about "challenging yourself".

My sister Zar is a superstar. That's fairly common knowledge to all that know her. However, I skyped her this morning - her Sunday evening, to chat about her weekend. Zar had just completed a NINETY KILOMETRE BIKE RACE in under 4 hours. Wow. No mean feat for anybody. But...

I'm sure Zar won't mind me saying this but 10 years ago she was possibly the laziest person I knew in terms of exercise. She worked bloody hard but the rest of the time had no motivation to do ANYTHING except watch TV and snack on naughties. I would say the most active part of her day was walking to the local shop to stock up on choccies etc. Sorry Zar, as I said, I hope you don't mind me saying that - I'm sure many of the people who know you now will be really surprised to know that.

Speaking to her this morning, I had tears in my eyes. She was so enthusiastic, excited, proud of her efforts and loving herself. And that was what it was all about to me. She has turned into someone who loves exercise for what it is and what it does to her. She is a changed person - she's still superstar crazy Zar - but with so much more pizzazz in her life and so much more self worth, determination and pride in what she does.

I don't say it enough as I don't see her enough - but Moo, you make me very proud. Well done for not only what you've done with the bike ride but for what you've done to your body. You are no doubt physically younger and healthier than you were 10 years ago and only you have done that!

To everyone else reading this - if you find yourself somewhere you don't want to be, take inspiration from Zar. Even if you are in denial, feeling like you can't possibly change your life, well, you can. Zar did!!!

DETOX - The results!!

I have been on a 5 day juice 'cleanse'. A detox that consists of 2x colonic irrigations, a lymphatic drainage massage and body wrap, and 5 pressed juices a day (4x vegetable and 1 fruit).

That was a week I will never repeat. If I ever see another vegetable juice again it will be too soon. It turns out that the first 2 days you are given the 'nice' juices... the ones that are apple and cucumber based, but the second batch had so much parsley, carrot and celery in I couldn't actually stomach them AT ALL by Friday.

By Wedesday (day 3 of 5) I woke up feeling MAGICAL. The caffeine headache was completely gone - and my skin looked fantastic. Problem was that every day I was brilliant in the morning and from HELL by bedtime. I got hungrier and hungrier the more the day went on and went to bed every night sick with hunger. Believe me when I say people - this is nothing more then a crash diet by a healthier name.

By Thursday I was eating even less as I couldn't stomach the vegetable juices and was supplimenting some of the juice for plain cooked beetroot. It was miserable. On Friday, I was due a personal training session so I ate 3 juices for breakfast and by mid afternoon I declared it detox OVER in order to get my life back after nearly passing out in the gym twice.

So, a lesson learned is that detox is good for very few things, and bad for a lot. I wanted to feel cleansed - instead I got starved. I don't want to drop half a stone in 5 days as we all know that it will go STRAIGHT back on again.


The PROS
Taking a break from Wheat, dairy and caffeine is a brilliant thing to do. I was less snotty, slept better, and I didn't miss the caffeine after a few days. I was better hydrated then I have been for a while and that side of the cleanse was brilliant.

I fitted into a very tight dress for a friends wedding this weekend. ( I couldn't eat but it looked awesome).

I learnt a valueable lesson NEVER to do this again.

Er - that is it.

The CONS

This is an extreme form of dieting. It's dressed up as something healthy but it isn't good for you, nor (I believe) will it help my weight long term. This is starvation. And it can't be good for you. If you want to 'cleanse' as they call it, cut out the wheat, dairy, processed food and caffeine but make sure you still eat a REASONABLE amount of calories to ensure this isn't a crash diet. Much healthier - you will still drop weight but just not in this unhealthy way. This is the kind of bullshit that people like me spend money on only to discover that the £3 moisturiser is just as good as the £240 one. I now at least have an idea of HOW to cleanse but I went about it the wrong way. I was the most miserable person ever!!

Have a good week one and all!!

ZAR - Recipe - Grilled Spatchcock!

I was scratching my head for a recipe this week. Usually I try and get ahead of the game (anal control freak) and try a new recipe each week so I have something to bring you. I have been really lucky to get away this weekend to a beautiful house owned by a family friend. The deal I made was that I was going to do the cooking - YAY!

I saw these spatchcock in the fridge section of the deli and pounced upon one. It's such a great different way to cook the bird. Really easy too. It's not so much a recipe strictly speaking but more of an idea for you. This is how I cooked it.

Serves 2

1 large spatchcock (750g) or 2 smaller ones
olive oil
2 garlic cloves
handful of thyme sprigs
salt and pepper
2 lemon quarters

Take a pair of poultry shears and cut through the birds along the breastbone, through the arse and along the base so that you have 2 halves both with a leg and breast on them. You will find this hard without poultry shears although it can be done with a large sharp knife on a board but please be careful.

Combine the olive oil, garlic cloves (grated or chopped), salt and pepper and thyme leaves, picked off the stems.

Put the spatchcock in a dish and pour the marinade on to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. Try to do this a couple of hours before.

Preheat the BBQ. When hot, put the bird skin side down onto the grill and close the lid. Leave for at least 10 mins and then turn and cook for another 10 mins. At this point I would turn the BBQ down to low and give them another 5 mins on the skin side. You will have to judge according to the heat of your BBQ. You need it hot enough to crisp up the outside but not so hot that the outside is burnt and the inside is raw. If any doubt, pop them in the oven for 5-10 mins.

Serve straight away, squeezing lemon juice over them.

This is best done on the BBQ but you could easily do it in the oven, roasting for about 20 mins. You could roast some vegies at the same time. A great dinner if you have people coming over or just for something a little more special.

ROSIE - Avoiding those winter pounds

Ugh, I think those crazy people who actually claim to "enjoy" winter are few and far between. I’m not sure about you, but I always gain a few extra pounds in the next few months. According to the British Nutrition Foundation, most of us gain between 1 and 5 lbs in winter! The bad news is that it actually tends to stick around, leading to long term weight gain. Luckily, this year I have an excuse but if you’re like me and usually gain a little “winter warmth” the natural way, follow these tips below to avoid that padding.

Lightening up
Natural light triggers messages to a part of the brain called the hypothalamus which controls sleep, mood and appetite. As nights pull in, the decline in daylight hours can have a double whammy effect on your weight by increasing your appetite on the one hand and decreasing your inclination to exercise. Making the effort to get outdoors for at least 30 minutes in the middle of the day can really help to combat this, so keep your trainers handy and take a 30-minute brisk lunchtime stroll as often as possible.

Keep a food diary
According to one of the largest and longest running weight loss trials ever conducted, keeping a food diary will not only prevent you from gaining weight this winter, it can help you lose weight too. The study found that the more people record their food intake the more weight they lose, so keep a notebook handy and jot down what you eat, the amount and the timings of your meals. Then, after a few days, look back over the information you’ve recorded, I can guarantee you’ll notice some areas for improvement.

Tea off
Swapping your daily winter warming latte or hot chocolate for a cup of instant coffee or tea can save between 150 and 500 calories a day. Over the three-month winter period, that’s a saving of up to 42,000 calories - equivalent to 12 pounds of body fat!

Stay healthy
There’s nothing like an illness to wipe out your workout, bring activity levels to a standstill and turn your healthy eating habits on their head - all of which can lead to excess weight gain. Eat well, sleep well, keep warm and look after yourself to keep colds and flu at bay – see, I really am preaching this one big time!

'Carb’ your cravings
There is strong evidence to link winter weight gain with increased cravings for comforting carbs such as bangers and mash and sticky toffee pudding (some personal favourites!). It’s thought that this is because carbohydrates help to stimulate the production of serotonin - a brain chemical responsible for regulating mood and appetite that naturally decreases during the winter months. The problem is, many high-carb foods tend to be high in fat too so try to avoid the cakes, chips, chocolate, biscuits and butter-laden bread and potatoes and opt instead for smaller portions of healthier, lower calorie, lower GI alternatives such as wholegrain breads and cereals, beans, pulses, fruits and vegetables. Booooring. But so true.

Drink up
Extra layers of clothing, warm offices and centrally heated homes can lead to dehydration. Studies show that even small losses in fluids can lead to tiredness and lethargy which in turn can result in excess weight gain, as when tired we feel less inclined to exercise. Research also shows that thirst is often confused with hunger so being dehydrated could actually cause you to eat more too. To avoid that happening drink at least eight glasses of water a day or for a more appealing winter warming drink try herbal and weak teas or hot water with lemon.

Sip on soup
According to a study done in the States, eating a small bowl of warming winter soup before your main meal can save you up to 700 calories a week. That’s because those who ate soup before lunch consumed 100 fewer calories at that meal--and they didn't make up for those calories by eating more later.

Go to bed
Those of us who sleep five or less hours per night are 32% more likely to gain weight and 15% more likely to become obese than those who sleep for 7 or more hours per night. Now personally I NEVER need an excuse to have a kip, so this is music to my ears. Apparently it’s because lack of sleep may slow metabolism or decrease the calories burned by spontaneous activities such as fidgeting. So, on that note…. I’m off to bed. I need no encouragement!

Georgie 5 DETOX DIARY - Days 1 and 2

Ok so here we go with a 5 day detox programme. It's serious stuff this and I have to commit to it (so says the lady who organises it.)

So, this programme starts with a colonic irrigation. I love them. I don't have them very often, maybe once or twice a year but they really help with my weight, my digestion and give you a general feeling of good health. At the same time I pick up my juices. 5 a day, 4 veggy and 1 fruit per day. And a little pot of what can only be described as green sawdust. Eugh.

It's an alarmingly little amount of sustenance and I start to sweat when I realise how few calories I am supposed to be living on.
The juices are yummy actually - hints of cucumber, apple, celery, mint, lots of flavour and I feel quite contented by them.

Fast forward 14 hours to my final juice of the day and I have a TERRIBLE headache and am STARVING! This is torture!! Before we went to air with our last show of the night I got so lightheaded I thought I was going to faint which is when I realised - people who work, who burn calories, who actually have something better to do DON'T detox. Not like this anyway - I can't even climb the stairs to my apartment without getting so out of breath through shortness of calories!! WHOS IDEA WAS THIS??

I fall into bed in a dazed and hungry state, but when I woke up on day 2 - gosh I felt better. I spoke to the lady who designed this programme and she said it IS tough but it's worth having no caffeine, no dairy, wheat or processed foods just for a few days.

Fine. So I start day 2 with renewed optimism. I don't find the lack of a cup of tea in the morning a problem - I don't find anything a problem really until we get to after 8pm. Here I am sitting writing this and conscious that I am burning, possibly wasting calories typing. Calories I need to keep me alive! ha ha!! This is miserable!! By the evening, I am starving hungry, but it is the headache that is killing me. I have drunk 2 cups of peppermint tea, 3 cups of lemon and fresh ginger and a litre of water today but I feel like I have sun stroke! I am so lightheaded that I can't turn my head around too fast without getting dizzy. I KID YOU NOT!!

Why am I doing this? That's right - for your amusement and my waistline and general wellbeing. God wish me luck on getting through the next 3 days I will come back to you.

G x

ZAR - Cho...Cho...Cholesterol

Nowadays I could describe myself as a perfect specimen of health. I eat a healthy diet, I exercise frequently, I sleep enough, don't drink too much blah, blah, blah. I'm lucky enough to have a really wonderful doctor. I've seen her a few times recently because there's a few things in my blood that have caught her attention. I'm not sure that the average doctor would worry about it but she is a superdoc.

On a visit last week she revealed to me that my cholesterol was higher than it had been. I was taken aback. Not me. With my healthy lifestyle. At 36. She did explain to me that while it wasn't in the dangerous range, it was at the top of the acceptable range. Knowing how much I pride myself on my health, she knew I wouldn't let it lie.

We went through my diet which she was quite happy with although she advised me to eat cheese in moderation as well as peanut butter which is my junk food of choice at the moment because I am avoiding sugar. I HAVE TO BE BAD SOMETIMES!! It really won't be hard to bring it down. Just a less saturated fat will do the trick. Eating low fat dairy which I do mostly (but I admit I am a sucker for cheese and Greek yoghurt), lean protein (cutting the fat off) and no chicken skin (boring).

She also recommended that I start using psyllium husk, just a spoon on my cereal in the morning. It has been shown to help reduce cholesterol while eating a low fat diet. There are other benefits for individuals who have problems with their guts but I won't worry about going into that now - you understand!!

It made me realise that while I know how lucky I am to have such a GREAT doctor who really cares, I'm glad that I can do something about this now and then take care of it for the rest of my life so that when it could become a real issue, I have it under control. It also made me so happy that I don't get sick that often because going to the doctor all the time is such a pain!!

GEORGIE - Detoxing!! Here I go!

Hey all - hope you all had good weekends - bit nervous this Sunday night - because tomorrow I got on a week long 'cleanse' that starts and ends with a colonic irrigation, and consists of vegetable juice, fruit juice, vitamins and minerals and er - water in between. And that's it. ( I can already see Zar and Rosie raising a disapproving eyebrow)

No kidding, it is time to just give my poor old body a bit of a break.

Firstly let me say this is NOT a form of crash dieting. I am not doing this for the pounds/kilos. Of course I always think I could do with some weight loss but this is a conscious decision by me to just cut my poor body a bit of slack. London life is fast, crazy and fun. When I am at work I eat like an angel, and only really OD on tea. When I don't work, I socialise or sleep. That consists of late night, late food, drinking and bouncing around a lot. It's not exactly very peaceful!

Nearly 2 months ago I hurt my neck and with the exception of the odd 20 minute 'cruise' on the stationary bike or elliptical, I have been made to stay off all forms of exercise. It's been yuk! I have lost about half a stone in weight but am wobbly and feel huge. I finally started back at the gym last week and felt so much better after just one workout but I still feel like my poor old body needs a little help.

I'm also really interested to find out what it's like to actually detox. I eat a diet that is really high in fruit and veggies and protein. I am not a massive dairy or wheat freak so giving these up just for a short time shouldn't be too hard (I guess my afternoon half bar of chocolate might be tough but it's only for a week!) I could do with a week off caffeine, booze and fags. I am also, dear readers, being my own kind of guinea pig. I am doing this to experience what detox is like, and find out what the after effects of a week like this is on my body, my weight and my wellbeing.

Wish me luck and please don't come near me with anything fattening!! I shall report back on Wednesday as to how I am going!

ZAR - Recipe for the weekend! Chicken with Capsicum, Fennel and Olives

This is a great dish to prepare in advance if you're having people over or to freeze some for a later date. Not difficult at all. Delicious served with some green veg and potatoes if you must. Capsicum are also called peppers in England!

Serves 4

4 chicken thigh fillets
2 chicken breasts, cut in half
2 red capsicums (peppers), seeded, cut into 1.5cm strips
1 red onion, finely sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup water
75g green olives

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a heavy based saucepan over a medium high heat and brown chicken pieces in 2 batches if you need to. Set to one side and turn the heat down to low. Cook the capsicum with 1 tsp salt with the lid on, stirring from time to time until softened. Add the onion and continue to cook, uncovered until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and fennel seeds and cook for another minute. Add the wine and bring to the boil. Add the chicken, water and olives. Cover and bring to a simmer and cook for 40 mins.

ROSIE - Love and Support

Looking back on my personal training days, one of the things I think some of my clients found hardest about sticking to a healthy diet and lifestyle (once they'd made the commitment to it), was fitting it in with their family life. Men notoriously can do a lot more damage to their bodies and, certainly in the short term, get away with it... so that when my ladies (as most of my clients were ladies) tried to give their husbands and children a healthy meal, a lot of them turned their noses up at it and wanted their normal fare!


Women, particularly working mothers, also have notoriously little time for themselves, to go the gym or whatever it is exercise-wise that they do. This is the thing that tends to be sacrificed as it's not a "necessity", certainly children are their number one priority.


So, man or woman, husband or wife, son or daughter - whoever - I beg of you. If one of your loved ones is making a commitment to get healthy, be it by eating better, exercising more or whatever it is they are doing - please support them! It's hard enough to make a decision to do this, let alone START doing it, and sticking to it is even worse, particularly when you are being led astray by "loved ones". Think about how much you love them and how important your support is for them. Just little things can make all the difference and let them know that you are behind them all the way - and can be the difference between them falling off the wagon and not.

GEORGIE - Bridget Jones's shopping basket!!

In my last blog I got stuck into the idea that frugal supermarket spending can be aided by paying by cash, not card. Researchers say it makes you more frugal and careful about what you eat. So I went and did it. It was fun actually - I worked out how much I was going to be eating at home this week, what I would need to eat, and what to buy as a result. I reckon I spent £20 less then I would on average if I just wandered round and threw stuff into the basket.

Thing is - for me - thinking about what I am spending is not about staying away from the cakes and biscuits - it's an exercise that works in a totally different sense for me - and that is to ensure that I don't fritter money away on food I am not going to eat. I am not used to being only me - I cooked for Eduardo and I for 3 years and loved it - and I still buy enough food for 2 - which is such a bloody waste!!

Thing is - I am NEVER HOME. I work a lot of evenings, and I socialise the others. I spend my days working, visiting friends on maternity leave, playing golf or in the gym before work, I mostly eat two meals a day at work. (I keep stuff in the fridge to add to whatever is on the salad or fresh bar that day)

So, I have identified my '20'. Food I eat all the time and actually need to have. This doesn't include the salad dressings, mayonnaise, salt peppers, tobasco etc. but is my basic diet.

Eggs for omlettes
Ryvita or oatcakes instead of bread
Tinned tuna and tinned sweetcorn for said Ryvita
Fresh soup ( I don't have a freezer so I buy it fresh)
Plain yoghurt, blueberries, raspberries, sunflower seeds (my regular breakfast apart from omlettes and beans)
Rocket, tomatoes, celery, ( a salad a day stops Georgie from being obese)
Chicken Breasts to have on salad
Hummus or smoked mackeral pate to have with celery at work when I start to get peckish
Milk for tea
Baked Beans (my favourite and only processed food - what a treat!)
White and Red wine (of course!!)

That's it! I really do live on a diet of soup, salad, fruit salad and ryvita. I eat nice food when I eat out - and that tends to be the big eats. I don't keep chocolate, crisps or bread in the house as its just a 'no-stop button' problem I've identified. When I want to have fish and veggies, or a chilli - I go out and get the ingredients - and eat them that day. Otherwise, it's still in the fridge and past it's best by date a week later.

Because I am such a creature of habit, online shopping should be what I like - but actually I love the supermarket. I am an avid people watcher and I'm not a big impulse buyer of crappy food so I won't be using Tesco direct.com anytime soon.

I realise this blog is limited to lucky people like me who aren't feeding lots of mouths and planning family meals on a budget every week - but even if you've got 3 kids - try and identify food being regularly thrown out because it rots in your fridge. It's a bloody good way to save money - and hey - Mummies have Ocado and Tescodirect these days - which means no dragging the little monsters around the supermarket if you don't want to!

ZAR - Back basics

One thing that so many people have in common in this day and age is that they spend all day sitting at a desk.   Being so sedentary is one of the reasons that the population's waistlines are getting bigger.
 
Another impact that this can have is on the health of an individual's back.  It really is so important to have a decent chair in the correct position at your desk.   Your employer is obliged to provide one and would save time and money in the long run by doing so.    Employees taking time off for pain or sickness, or suing for injury at work is more costly than spending money getting it right in the first place.   Mostly, employers are more focused on treating their employees right in this day and age.  
 
I have some friends who have bad backs at the moment and it is making them miserable.   Daddy Bingham has always suffered too and for him it's definitely been sitting at a desk which has caused it.
 
Make sure that your shoulders are relaxed and that your desktop is lower than your elbows.    The computer and mouse should be close to you so that your arms are not outstretched.  Your feet should be flat on the floor, or on a foot rest, with your upper legs at 90 degrees.  The chair must swivel and the backrest be upright.
 
Another option is an adjustable desk which could allow you to stand and work.   A key to avoiding back pain is exercise and movement.    Take frequent breaks from your desk if you can.
 
At your desk, have items that you use frequently near to you so you don't have to reach out all the time.   Your eyes should be level with just below the top of the screen.   This will reduce neck and eye strain.   Use a document holder attached to the side of your screen or between the keyboard and the screen to reduce the frequency of looking from your desk to the screen.   Also find the right design of mouse for you - there are many different types.
 
Really, really take care of yourself at work.   You don't want to be in a position of being in pain everyday.

ROSIE - Boobies and Bras

This is a real one for the ladies, and one that I beg you to take note of. Regardless of age or size, take care of your boobies! Of course this blog mainly applies to exercise bras, but really it is important for ANY bra that you were. I have a reputation with my beloved sisters of being TERRIBLE with sports bras, going for the cheaper option which really are no good for exercising. I found myself, the other morning, pulling on THREE bras, one on top of another, to go running in. 

My husband (probably quite aside from wondering where the romance has gone in our relationship), looked aghast and asked me what on earth I was doing. And of course, I had never really given it much thought, my boobies are bigger at the moment. So really, what I should have done, is go to a sports shop and got the correct size and support for them. No, I took the "easier and cheaper" option and just added bras. 

Result? Saggy, stretched marked boobies. When will I learn? I shall take my own advice and go and buy some proper ones. Please do the same ladies, no matter what size you are and what kind of exercise you do, get some good bras!

GEORGIE - Supermarket Stinge!!

Researchers at two US universities are recommending shoppers use cash instead of credit cards in Supermarkets - to ensure they end up with the right type of food in their trolley. It's an idea I am not completely alien to - that parting with actual paper cash as opposed to signing the credit card slip makes you more aware what you are spending and according to researchers at Cornell and the University of Buffalo you are more thrifty if you actually see the cash leave your wallet.

Totally, totally agree with the money thing. Cards have always seemed like free money to me (that's how I got into debt in the first place) and now I no longer have credit cards I also no longer have debt. It works for me. I know that on the very rare occasion I have had to pay for an item of clothing or some shoes in cash I have been shocked at how hard it is to hand over notes instead of just signing that paper strip.

What confuses me though, is the idea that you become more responsible with your eating habits if you pay by cash. The cheap stuff at the supermarket is the crap stuff!! ESPECIALLY in America - it's expensive to eat fresh there - (my weekly supermarket bill for me and Eduardo used to be about $300 of all fresh food as a minimum - and that was before you added wine.) So - doesn't it follow that if you are looking at the colour of you money as you part with it I am surprised it doesn't equal getting the best bargain whatever you eat? Apparently not - it works the other way - if you ARE looking at the amount of money you are spending then you need to make it worthwhile - i.e. choosing the healthy stuff and knowing you will be eating healthily makes it easier to part with your hard earned cash. The researchers say that actually - buying junk food in the supermarket is an impulsive act - and shoppers don't feel the pain of parting with cash for crap food when they pay by card.

The article I read (linked below) reminded me of when Rosie and I lived in Norwich and were the poorest we have ever been. We used to literally walk around the supermarket with a calculator, working out what to buy for a week without going a penny over our budget. I laugh now at the days when we used to sit down on the 2nd of the month and work out out finances and realise we had £34.65 for the whole month as beer money! It did make us brilliantly frugal though - we planned our meals, ate packed lunches and relied on each other to make sure we ate well and spent well. It's a good test - and something I could do with a little more now.

So - maybe I will try the cash thing. Or of course, there is another alternative... just a thought - buy your food online - then you certainly don't get tempted by the spoils of naughty food the supermarket has to offer as you walk around!

Daily Mail Article - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1321776/How-stay-Pay-cash-avoid-using-cards.html

ZAR - Recipe - Baked Chicken, sweet potato and chickpeas

Sweet potato is a really good carb. Lower GI than others but with the texture of potato and will give you that satisfying feeling of having eaten carbs.

This is a good midweek dish, quick and the fact it is cooked in the oven means you can get everything else done that a household requires at the end of the day.

If you want a lower fat option then use chicken breast instead of thighs.

Serves 4

2 red onions, cut into 8 wedges
600g sweet potato (kumara) cut into 3cm cubes
4 roma tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 (about 600g) chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2
1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Few sprigs of thyme, oregano or rosemary if you have them

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Mix the onion, tomato, kumara and garlic in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking tray, if you have any sprigs of herbs, pop them on top now and bake for 20 mins.

Meanwhile, heat a little olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan and over a medium heat brown the chicken on both sides.

Add the chicken pieces to the oven tray and cook for a further 15 mins. Remove from the oven and stir through the chickpeas.

Serve with a salad or some green veggies.

ROSIE - Illness...and how to get over it quick smart

I am now 31. How did that happen? And more to the point, aren't I now officially "GROWN-UP"? Anything over the age of 20 is ancient when your young, so yes, I suppose I am meant to be older and wiser. So you would think I would know a think or two about staying healthy, especially given my career choice.

Last week I was hit by a particularly nasty illness - no, not flu, bronchitus, an infection or even a virus. It's called "don't-you-know-a-damn-thing-about-looking-after-yourself" coupled with "particularly-when-you're-pregnant". Nasty. I feel for you if you've ever had either of them. Basically run down to the point of your body saying "I am going to make you feel SO rubbish you have no choice but to stay in bed for 4 days". Yes, temperature, hot/cold sweats, no appetite (that's the worst one), thumping head, achey joints and general yuckiness.

So... the moral of this story? Look after yourself. Summer is over and the cold is setting in, even if you're resisiting it like mad and still going out in t-shirts...

Eat well and healthily - but SUITABLY for the autumn/winter, stay hydrated, stay exercising and wrap up warm. Get plenty of rest and sleep. This goes for everyone, pregnant or not - and you should avoid those horrid bugs. I'll learn from myself one of these days!!!

ZAR - Body Banter

I did the Pink Triathlon today. It's the same one that I did last year, the one that set me on the 'slippery slope'!! Just a mini - 300m swim, 9km cycle and 3km run. It's a really great event, raising money and awareness for breast cancer and giving women the opportunity to challenge themselves and have fun participating in 3 different length mini-tri's. There was also a kids event and plenty of families supporting the entrants.

What always strikes me about events like this is that there are no two women's bodies that are alike. Aged from 16 to 60, 5ft to 6ft, experienced or not, one lady with a prosthetic leg, cancer survivors and we can only guess how many other stories. It is great to see so many people getting out, breaking a sweat and challenging themselves.

There are of course bodies that I look at and think that I'd love less fat on my stomach like that girl. Or I'd love my thighs to be smaller like that lady so they weren't bulging out of the bottom of my tri-suit. And then I turn it on it's head and catch sight of myself in the bathroom mirror and think, there might be some people here who would like their body to be more like mine. Maybe they'd like my height, my arms/shoulders, my flatter (than it used to be) stomach.
That makes me feel really good. I remember that noone looks at and judges our bodies like we ourselves do. And I really remember how happy I am with the balance that I have achieved in the last year or two.

There is always something that we don't like about our body. Even Rosie who has the most enviable body, has spoken about the fact that she judges herself to be larger than she really is. It's about accepting ourselves as much as we can, being as healthy as we can to feel as good as we can. Remember also that there are talents that we all have which others are jealous of, it's not just about the body.

Just a note on being healthy in terms of body shape. Excess fat around the abdomen and organs is not good for your health in the long run as it can mean you're more at risk of heart disease. Most women particularily can lose the fat around the middle if they put their minds to it. Staying active and eating more fresh and less processed food is a great start.

GEORGIE - A MEGA PIG OUT!!

I know how much you girls love a good over indulgence from me and it's taken a while but I feel truly madly deeply off the high board this weekend - this was a pig out gigantica - and when I woke up this morning I had what can only be described as a 'food hangover'. I totally over indulged in everything that upsets my stomach, makes me bloated and makes me knackered. I went on a Hen weekend - arrived late Friday night and started well enough, but it all went downhill from then on in...

Come, walk with me through this weekend's over indulgences...

Firstly - wine. Champagne, Kir, Fruit wine, Sloe Gin... eugh.... we did a fair amount of drinking and although I had a few glasses on Friday and stopped drinking Saturday night at about 1am (we went on til 4) I certainly didn't help myself.

The problem was foods that I haven't seen or eaten in a LONG time... The crips (that's chips' for you Americans) bowls and bowls of Whatsits, cheesy balls, cheese and onion squares, prawn cocktail melts AND I ate so many salt and vinegar 'chip sticks' I kind of burnt the inside of my mouth off (it still feels funny today.)
One of the girls bought bags and bags of Almond M and M's from the States which I carelessly pigged at throughout the weekend - I ate croissants AND pain au chocolat... Bacon butties and sausages. I ate lasagne, biscuits, chocolate bars, bread, cereal, cheese, god - the list was endless. I ate loads and loads of high sugar, high yeast foods that make my poor stomach scream with mercy and I have no doubt given myself a big fat dose of candida that will take weeks to get over!! The funny thing is that I probably didn't eat THAT much. If I laid out my weekend calories in, say, pizza form, I would easily wolf it down - but the way it made me feel BLEUGHHHH. I went to bed on Saturday night with such bad indigestion I couldn't lie flat on my back.

I have spend the last 5 weeks with a bad neck and back so the gym thing has been a big problem. I've been incredibly careful to cut down my calorie intake to compensate for a lack of activity and have been meticulous about what I have put into my body. I was a picture of rude health before the Hen weekend and now I am a little dry skinned, puffy, bloated PUG. Hilarious!! 34, will never learn. Should have that tattoed on my big lardy ass.

Hope that makes you laugh - I only do it for research purposes you know...

ZAR - Recipe - Butter Chicken

I know I put quite a lot of spicy recipes up on the blog, but it really is such a good way of getting flavour into food without the calories. This does have cream in it but a minimal amount considering.

Also, this is a bit harder work than usual but is SO BLOODY GOOD!! You'll never buy a takeaway butter chicken again!! The recipe recommends naan bread but I used Lebanese bread which is much less bready.

If you're not too keen on too hot, leave out the chilli. It's flavoursome enough without.

Serves 4

400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 long green chilli, deseeded (optional)
2.5cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
25g unsalted butter
2 tsp cumin
1.5 tsp paprika
100ml thickened cream (longlife is fine)
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp toasted cumin seeds (toast in a dry pan)

Tandoori chicken
800g chicken thigh fillets, in 4cm cubes
1/4 cup lemon juice
120g Greek yoghurt
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 tbsp good quality tandoori paste

Raita, to serve
280g Greek yoghurt
1 garlic clove, grated
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 Lebanese cucumber, finely chopped

Lebanese bread or naan bread to serve

This uses a base of tandoori chicken.

Toss the chicken with the lemon juice and 1 tsp of salt. Stand for 30 mins.
Stir in the yoghurt, garlic and tandoori paste, cover and marinate in the fridge for 2-3 hours, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Place the chicken on a wire rack over a baking tray filled with about 3 cm of water. Bake for 20 mins.

Place the tinned tomatoes, chilli and ginger in a liquidiser and whiz to a smooth paste. Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed pan over a medium low heat. Add the ground cumin and paprika and cook for a couple of mins, stirring. Add the liquidised tomato paste and cook for 10 mins, until thickened, stirring every once in a while. Add the cream and the chicken, garam masala, cumin seeds and a little salt.

To make the raita, mix all the ingredients together.

Serve with the raita and bread, tearing off pieces and topping with a little chicken and raita.

GEORGIE - Darker mornings, colder weather - look after your skin!!

Following Rosie’s blog on darker mornings and colder weather (and yes, she is mad, I have been running with her in the winter and it was hell on earth) I thought it would be good to cover the cheats that help us to look our best at all times.

I will cover make-up cheats in my next blog, but wanted to start with well cleansed skin. When winter comes around I find my skin gets sorer and dryer in the cold, so I tend to use less face wash and scrub and MORE cream based cleansers to take off my make-up and clean my skin.

I am lucky enough in my line of work to be surrounded by the latest products and information in our make-up department – plus our make-up girls tend to give great advice about make-up and skin care and in the years I have been working in TV I have got much better about looking after my skin. Fundamentally I found a skin care brand I love and I stick to (Dermalogica) but I use different products for different reasons and conditions.

Here are a few recommendations for skin care ahead of the big chill. (sorry so depressing!!)

Do NOT use baby wipes. These suckers are full of alcohol and dry your skin out. I am talking about the actual baby wipes we use to wipe babies bottoms with here... I am not personally a fan of the medicated wipes brought out for skin care but I do realise they are convenient. Fundamentally for ALL facial wipes, only use them when you have to. Nothing replaces cleansing properly.

Find a good oil based cleanser for night time make up removal. A foaming face wash is all very well but getting oily stuff out of your pores needs to be done properly. If you are very dry skinner, then a pure oil cleanser will do, MAC do a fantastic one that you only need a tiny amount of and it really gets you clean. I have combination skin so use a mid weight cleanser called Dermalogica Essential Cleansing Solution but the cheaper alternative to this is good old fashioned Ponds Cold Cleansing Cream which is available in all good chemists and is cheap as chips (Kylie Minogue swears by it)!! If your skin is very oily then still use an oil based cleanser, just find one that is lighter. Rosie is a big fan of Simple and so am I, their stuff is hypo allergenic, un perfumed and not too heavy. If you like a foaming cleanser – fine! Just use it in the morning to wash away any grease that has accumulated on your face in the night. After a long day, your face needs care and a cleansing cream is just the ticket.

Don’t use DRY cotton pads to remove your make up/cleanser. Dragging a dry cotton pad across your face dries out your skin and doesn’t do it any good at all. My dermatologist in the US also said ‘dragging’ anything across your skin doesn’t help with the ageing process. I took the warning. Start using flannels, natural sponges, or simply use cotton pads under warm water. Run a hot tap, apply cleanser properly to your face and neck then use a warm flannel, facecloth, sponge or wet pad to remove it. If make up or dirt is still coming off your skin and its drying out, apply MORE cleanser and go again with it. If you are oily skinned, and feel too greasy after cleansing then rinse well and use a good toner and ‘pat’ your skin with a cotton pad (no dragging!!). Again, be very aware of the amount of alcohol in products, it dries your skin out and ages you!! I don’t use a toner but there are plenty on the market.

Don’t be scared to use skin boosters and serums. Boots – a chain store pharmacist in the UK bought out a range of skin care serums that caused a stampede to the shops when they came out because when tested – they actually worked!! I use their Protect and Perfect serum and swear by it. It evens my skin tone and makes it look really clear. (And hey US peeps, its available in Target too!!) I also use a hydrating booster from Dermalogica when I am feeling extra dry too.

Finally night cream. I have 3 different brands!! Fundamentally dependent on whether my hair needs a wash, I’ve been drinking, exercising or taking too many late night, it varies from day to day what I need for my skin. I have a mega moisturising cream for ‘post hair wash’ or a ‘few too many beers’ skin and a lighter one for anti ageing when my skin is indifferent. When I am sleeping with an oil treatment on my hair I tend to use a really light moisturiser to avoid getting spots.

Hope this helps!!

ROSIE - Hello again cold dark mornings

Unless you live the life of luxury and can get up after the sun gets up, the inevitable has happened... it's cold, dark and probably miserable first thing now. Boo, this is when I get full of doom and winter has set in for me. It doesn't matter that actually it's been beautiful weather in the day, getting outside when it's dark in the morning is D-E-P-R-E-S-S-I-N-G.

I tend to work out at 6 am in the morning as it's the only time Richard can be in to take care of Jack (I can't get motivated when he gets back from work). Either I go running or go to the gym at school (free). Running is fine as I take Jessie and a head torch and by the time I get going I haven't even thought about the weather, I quite like running in the rain actually. And Jessie is there to protect me from the dark. It's the gym that's the problem... as it's a school gym there aren't many other nutters who go at ridiculous-o'clock so I have to walk down a series of paths behind buildings to unlock a pitch black gym attached to the sports hall. SPOOKY. I'm a bit of a wimp about the dark and my heart rate is usually in the high 140s before I even start.

So, whatever is stopping you from working out at the moment: try and stay motivated. KNOW your excuses before you can make them. For me - a bright headtorch, lots of cheery thoughts and some loud singing to scare away the boogeyman who's lurking around dark corners.

For more normal people, lack of time, tiredness, hunger, forgot my trainers - all those things that stop you going for your work out - plan around those excuses.

* Book some time in the diary which is YOUR workout time. Treat it like a doctors appointment and don't miss it!
* Prepare yourself a snack for an hour or two before your work out, then you can't say you're too hungry.
* Too tired - remember how good you'll feel AFTER your work out, it's guaranteed to put a spring back in to my step, no matter how tired I was before.
* Take your gym stuff in the car to work and go STRAIGHT AFTER WORK. Getting home is a killer as there's always things you'd rather do.

We're all grown up enough to know that we can excuse ourselves out of anything we don't really want to do... let's all grow up together and lose that attitude!!!

ZAR - Only human!!

I like to pride myself on the fact that I eat a pretty good diet and exercise very regularly. I'd say I'm better than the average person. However, this week - two pizza's and a chicken burger and chips later...... I'm not that proud. I skyped G yesterday evening and felt so fat after eating my pizza and falling asleep on the sofa. Yuck.

I really had to put it all in perspective.

I asked one of my customers this week, a doctor, what people could do to live a healthier life. The first thing he said was "exercise". Then he said, not smoke, if they drink, do so in moderation, eat a healthy diet and get enough sleep.

I think, considering what I've put my body through in the last 20 years, I'm making up for it now. I can't be too hard on myself for what people do much more regularly than that. I live as healthy life as I can. And that's really all I can ask of myself.

Have a look at your life. Are you too tough on yourself? Considering your life, are one or two slip-ups worth punishing yourself over. Be realistic about how strict you can be. It is about achieving a balance and enjoying it too. That's not to say that using everything as an excuse not to live a healthy life is being good to yourself. I know it, I've been there. I know that I've changed enough to know that this is not a slip-up, just me being human.

By the way, I really feel that because I didn't gorge on sugar like I would have done not so long ago, it's a much better feeling in my body. It deals with food much better and I really don't crave sugar at all anymore. Much more of a balance for me.

In this age of amazing technology, it seems silly not to embrace ways to help us work out - we've come a long way - I remember trying desperately to jog with a CD walkman - can you imagine anything more stupid then running with a music player that had to be kept flat and couldn't really be moved in order for it to work? Those runs were not the greatest - although the CD Walkman did serve as a good excuse not to do much which is always a way I get out of running.

So - in this day of technology I cannot recommend an ipod nano or shuffle - guys, ask for one for Christmas or birthday and if you don't have lots of music that you can work out to then get some!! You don't have to spend lots of money - I always find that if you have a good dig on itunes then you can find compilation albums dirt cheap - you just have to shop around on the internet. In terms of shops, well HMV had a £2 and £3 sale last week - and a dig around the bargain bins would certainly help you find something that can give you a spring in your step.

The key here is finding something that works for you. I used to just throw a load of dance tunes onto Shuffle but I have more recently found that making playlists for different activities really works! This was at the suggestion of my trainer - and he was right - hip hop for cross trainer, heavy beats for running and belters for weights. Helps me concentrate the mind and means I can be in a zone in the gym. And hey, if you like someone else's music - ask to borrow it - it can't hurt!

On a more impressive note one of my trainers in the gym showed my a Nike Ipod collaboration that tracks your running and your work outs. For me, a slow runner with little desire to run, it is at least good to know how far I am attempting to run and how slowly I am doing it...

Hey it's Christmas soon and if you feel your workouts need a bit of a boost or a bit more fun injected then either of these will make an excellent suggestion to a loved one!!!

Happy Monday everyone!!

ROSIE - Shoes!

Just a short one today to remind you all of the importance of decent training shoes. I went out for a run with a friend the other week who was complaining like mad about her back, sciatica and knee. I'm running mega slow at the moment as I'm pregnant and she's just trying to get over all these injuries so we are about the same speed.

At the end of our run, I looked down at her feet and was mortified. On them were these little old thin gym shoes that really looked like she'd had them from school. She would have got little more support from them than if she was wearing flip flops.

I made her swear on her and her loved ones lives that she would go the VERY NEXT DAY (yes, I'm very bossy) to a proper running shop and get her gait analysed and measured for some proper running shoes. Her excuse - "Oh, I've been meaning to, I just haven't had time". Yes, she really had been meaning to get some proper work out shoes for FOUR YEARS.

Anyway, the result? This was two weeks ago. Her sciatica? Gone. Her bad back? Gone. Her dodgy knee? GONE. In two weeks. Just because of proper running shoes.

Don't try and spare money on shoes. It's better to spend £30 more than on some crappy old shoes and get some decent ones that FIT and are suitable for your activity. Don't put your body through any more than it needs to - and that applies to any exercise.

ZAR - Recipe - Pork with peas, ginger and soy

Writing the blog makes me experiment with new recipes so that I can bring them to you. I loved this so much I've had it twice this week!! Really easy, not expensive and mostly store cupboard ingredients.

Serves 2

300g pork fillet, trimmed and cut into bite size pieces
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 onion, cut into wedges
3cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
100g sugar snap peas, topped and tailed
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
100ml chicken stock or water
2 tbsp soy sauce
Half cup chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp sesame oil

Heat 1 tbsp olive or peanut oil over a high heat in a heavy bottomed pan or wok and stir-fry the pork for about 1 minute. Remove from the pan. Heat another tbsp oil and stir-fry the onion, ginger and garlic for a couple of minutes. Add both types of peas and cook for another couple of minutes before adding the pork, stock/water and soy sauce. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring well and remove from heat. Stir in the sesame oil, coriander and some pepper.

Serve with rice if desired but I enjoyed it just as it is.

GEORGIE - Yee Haa curvy girls!!

Just a little newsflash with some good news for you curvy girls... as I was lamenting over the size of my ass in a photograph taken at a friends wedding a few weeks ago I came across some new research that made the day a little more passable.... A big bottom and thighs is in fact a good thing!! There is reason for my curvyness (besides looking like I am capable of serious breeding) and that is that it's apparently healthier to carry your weight in saddlbag form. Research out today says while abdominal fat is not a good thing because excess fat around your vital organs isn't healthy, having a little extra reserve around your rump is!

Feel free to have a read and happy days curvy girls!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1317773/Being-pear-shaped-big-secret-long-life.html

ZAR - H20

Blah, blah, blah...... OK, OK, I know we're a bit like a broken record sometimes but we really only talk about everything from our perspective and experience. Drinking water is one of things which has improved my health immeasurably. I find very often when I'm hungry, I'm really only thirsty. I try to drink at least 1.5l per day, 2l if I can.

I read of the first randomised controlled trial studying the link between water consumption and weight loss. The trial was conducted using a group of inactive Americans aged 55-75. Half of those involved were intsructed to drink half a litre of water before each of 3 daily meals and the remaining people were given no instructions. All of the the participants calorie intake was reduced to weight loss levels.

After 3 months, the group drinking water had lost an average of 7kg each while the other group had lost an average of 5kg. A follow-up 12 months later found that the water drinking group had continued with the habit and continued to lose weight or maintained the weight loss. The other group had put the weight back on again.

This tells me two things. That if you drink water before you eat, you'll feel full and be less likely to over stuff yourself with food. Also that drinking water makes you feel so much better. Weight loss and healthy living is so much about the general feeling that you have. If you feel good, you are more likely to continue to motivate yourself to do more (or as much) and feel even more great.

ROSIE - The 'fat burning' zone

My goodness, I think the "fat burning" zone myth is the bane of every single fitness professional's life. I can't tell you the amount of times someone has said to me "but surely I need to work at a 60-70% of my maximum heart rate (MHR), as at that intensity I burn more fat?". Grrr. Grrr. GRRRR. It makes me so mad. So I see people walking, yes WALKING on the treadmill trying in vain to keep their heart rate below 70% to maximise their fat burning.

Sure, walking is a great day-to-day activity and a really good way for incredibly unfit and/or overweight people to start their weight loss journey, but as a form of fat burning exercise it certainly is not the way to go.

Here's the story behind the "fat burning zone" myth: at very low exercise intensities (60-70% MHR), a large proportion of the energy required to fuel the activity is taken from fat. However, as exercise gets more intense more energy is supplied by carbs and the proportion supplied by fat declines. At very high intensities (90%+ MHR), nearly all the energy comes from carb breakdown and almost none from fat.

But it's important to realise that actually it's the overall calorie burn that matters. At 60-70% MHR working out for an hour you will probably burn only 300 cals (depending on weight/fitness and lots of other factors). At 80-90% MHR you will burn over 700 cals per hour. It's that 700 calorie deficit you want if you want to lose weight. Also the higher the intensity you work out at, the more lean muscle mass you will tend to have. That will also maximise your fat burning potential both whilst exercising but more importantly at rest.

Also remember that the "fat max" varies enormously from person to person; there are so many variables that to put it into a 10% heart rate zone is just ridiculous.

The key to remember, the higher the intensity you can work out at the better, both for fat loss, fitness and generally to feel good!

ROSIE - Getting fit doesn't have to cost a fortune!!

If you're not on a budget then this is not for you... I think 99% of us are watching our budget to some extent and gyms are SO expensive. I'm not a member of a gym at the moment, I'm trying to do it the old fashioned way... below are some ideas to keep you working out without oveworking your wallet!


1) Get walking!
Try to incorporate some brisk walking into your every day routine. Take the stairs rather than the lift, get off the bus a stop early or take a walk during your lunch hour. On your days off explore the countryside; even if you live in a town, get out and appreciate the beauty of the country. But remember, no dawdling now, walk fast and swing those arms!
2) Cycle to work

Swap your tube or train ticket for your bicycle and cycle to and from work. If you’re not quite ready to do this every day, start with one trip a week and work your way up as your fitness levels increase. Sure, you'll have to organise yourself a bit better, i.e. clothes at work etc, but make a pledge to yourself to do it come rain or shine, it's way too easy to make excuses due to the weather!



3) Man's best friend

I am really lucky to have a dog, I know people who would love one but their lifestyle just does not allow it. But taking a dog out and about is likely to make your walks more fun, and more energetic! If you don’t have a dog of your own, see if you can borrow one from a friend or neighbour.



4) Contact your inner child

If you have kids, do they spend too much time in front of the TV or computer? Get them playing some games outdoors - and join in. If you’re not a natural footballer, try a gentler activity like Frisbee or kite flying.



5) Home and garden

I don't know about you but I'm always exhausted when I've done the cleaning; both gardening and hoovering are both excellent ways to keep fit. Even washing up or cleaning the windows will burn a good few calories! Research suggests that doing regular weekly housework could burn off over 50,000 calories a year.



6) Volunteer outdoors

There are plenty of charities who need volunteers to work in the great outdoors. For example, the Wildlife Trust always need people to help with conservation work - everything from pond and woodland maintenance to acting as a wildlife guide. You’ll get fitter, meet new people and do some good at the same time!



7) Get standing

Try to stand, rather than sit, when you’re traveling on public transport. This will burn more calories and help tone your leg muscles. If you balance on your own (rather than holding on to anything) you’ll be working your core stability muscles, too.



8) Don't slouch!

Many of us are guilty of poor posture, especially when sitting at a desk or at the dinner table. One way to improve posture (and avoid damage to the lower back) is to sit on an exercise ball instead of a chair. Your core muscles will have to work harder to keep you balanced, so it will be much more difficult to slouch.



9) Swap fitness DVDs

I don't know one person who doesn't have a fitness DVD they don't use anymore,, mostly because they get pretty dull once you've done them over and over. Gear up some of your friends for a swap, everyone will benefit and you'll give your fitness a boost by doing something different!



10) And if you really can't live without the gym...

Get hold of free one day passes... most chains offer these and are keen to attract new members so give them out fairly freely.



So... every little helps, surely there's something in the list above that attracts you!