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Health

Balance

5 Ways to Cure Sore Muscles after the Gym

Do your muscles ache the day after the gym?

Struggle with the stairs?

Does it put you off going the next day?


5 Ways to Cure Sore Muscles after the Gym

Here are 5 tricks I use to make sure I keep on track of my workouts and to keep those sore muscles at bay.

Rehydrate

This one is a bit of a no-brainer. You must replace the water lost in workouts so your body continues to function. When you put your body under stress it needs to be consistently hydrated.
Make sure you are getting at least 2 litres of water a day. You can make this more funky by having herbal teas (my favourite are Pukkaany flavour) or by putting lemon and mint in your water to add flavour!

5 Ways to Cure Sore Muscles after the Gym


Foam Rolling

Foam Rolling lets you roll out those tight muscles. This is crucial when training with weights when your muscles are getting stronger. Foam Rolling allows you to take the pressure deeper – really working into those tighter areas. This allows you to work the tightness and get you back in the weights section quicker.
If you don’t have time to foam roll in the gym (plus you can look and sound very strange when you find the tighter spots)

I recommend buying a roller for home and spending 20 minutes when catching up on your favourite show.


Massage

There will be times, especially when starting a new routine, when you may need to bring in a professional.

Massage not only makes you feel better and relax but it also helps with muscle recovery. Knots and tightness can really impact your workout – so getting a professional to relieve the pressure can really help.

Having a massage can really help you identify injuries or potential problems which could be exacerbated by certain exercises.

I recently have been having trouble with my legs and neck. My neck and legs were stiff, sore and it was affecting my sleep.

I was recommended to get a massage ASAP!

I booked a sports massage to my house (amazing – I know!) using Urban Massage App!

The masseuse worked through all the layers easing the tension. I had no idea how tight some of the larger muscle groups were. Her hands were magic and by the end of the massage, my muscles had melted.

If you don’t have the time to go to a spa or are nervous about booking a massage – try using Urban Massage App
I have the app on my phone and have now started booking massages every couple of months to help re-align from training

For a little treat click here and get 10% off your First Massage!


Warm Bath

Grab those Epsom Salts and Lavender Oil and fill up the bath with warm/hot water and soak those muscles. If you have time the optimum time to relax those muscles and detoxify is 30-40mins.

If you find it hard to sit still for that long and wind down… take in a good book or listen to a podcast while you unwind.

5 Ways to Cure Sore Muscles after the Gym


Sleep

The vital ingredient to any recovery!

No excuses: if you are not getting 8 hours you are not allowing your body to recover.

Sleep and hydration allow your body to work at its best.

Switch off your phone, turn off the tv, get into bed an hour early and read…meditate…relax and wind down and give yourself enough time to get in those 8 hours.

5 Ways to Cure Sore Muscles after the Gym


For More Stress-Free Workout Tips Click Here: Stress-Free Workout

Recipes

My Recommended Supplements | Stress-Free Health

There are often mixed responses when it comes to supplements but I truly think the right ones can support you against the natural stresses of our world. 

Often, we are all so busy running around from meeting to meeting, client to client, work to the gym that we often miss out on vital nutrients and minerals. This is where I believe supplementation can support our modern lifestyles.

Here are my Recommended Supplements to give you that Vital Boost and Keep you Balanced!

VITL Supplements

VITL

VITL are a home delivery supplement service bringing to you all your vital vitamins and minerals in handy day packets which means no fussing with tonnes of pots of pills everywhere!

They have an app where you update your details, complete an assessment of your lifestyle and needs and then they recommend the correct vitamins and minerals for you.

Here’s How It Works…

1) In-App Consultation

Find out your wellbeing scores across five key pillars of health:

Digestion

Energy

Mood

Immune system

Detoxification status

This will pinpoint which area of your well-being to focus on to improve your health.

2) Bespoke Content & Reminders for You

Receive a free, fully personalised well-being plan with the latest advice and health tips relevant just to your scores.

3) Personalised Vitamin Packs

A nutrition pack will be formulated according to your unique nutritional needs. You can order your pack directly from within the app and you’ll be reminded to retake your consultation so your pack adapts as you progress.

4) Integrates with Your Apps

Connect the Apple Health App and your 23andMe profile to seamlessly integrate your sleep patterns, activity levels, and genetic markers to help our experts perfect their recommendations

All this for £10 for your first month with code: CYNCITY

You’ll get your first month supply of personalised vitamins on the monthly plan for just £10

VITL packaging is very easy to use and you can throw the daily packets in your handbag – I couldn’t be without mine!


Pukka Turmeric Lifekind

Pukka

Pukka Herbs are an incredible brand who’s products, teas and supplements are organically created here in the UK. From Sleep to Stress they have a solution to support your daily needs. Due to Pukka’s phenomenal popularity, many people do not realise how committed they are to ayurvedic medicine and organically and naturally produced herbs. This is a company that cares.

Turmeric Lifekind

Is one of my favourite go-to’s to support my daily needs. It naturally supports my system with its anti-inflammatory properties. It comes in a handy little capsule that I pop in my bag to take just before breakfast and morning cup of Detox Tea.

The BBC did a report that found that increasing your intake of turmeric (curcumin) has shown to affect the cells responsible for depression, eczema, asthma and cancer.

“It was really exciting, to be honest. We found one particular gene which showed the biggest difference. And what’s interesting is that we know this particular gene is involved in three specific diseases: depression, asthma and eczema, and cancer. This is a really striking finding.”

There was evidence turmeric is lipophilic which means for it to be absorbed it is best taken with fat…roll on those coconut turmeric eggs!


Supplements-daily

Sönd Skincare

Have you heard about Sönd? Sönd is a new skincare system for sensitive skin, which harnesses the incredible natural power of silica. Their Energise + Activate supplements are incredible for dull skin and are formulated to replenish your skin with collagen forming silica, and to improve the overall health, function and appearance.

Their packaging is simple and chic and they pride themselves on looking after your body from the inside out as well as topically.

The tablets contain minerals which are also really good for promoting healthy sleep – which is also an added bonus for our skin.

I will keep you updated with my results but anything that will brighten my skin and help me sleep better is always a bonus.

 (I showed the ingredients list to a biochemist who was impressed and said she would take these)

Sond-Energise-Activate


Conclusion

There are lots of brands out there pushing vitamins to us that are low quality or full of fillers. Do your research prior to taking supplements and make sure the brand you use know their ingredients.

I hope you find my recommendations useful and informative. I am open and honest with my suggestions and would only recommend products I have tested and used myself. I have run all ingredients past a qualified biochemist to investigate.

Recipes

Peanut Butter Cups

Peanut Butter Cups

Another little stress-free treat from me to you. This delicious recipe was inspired by the incredible Joe Wicks from The Body Coach.

Its the perfect weekend indulgence that is full of protein and great after a hard slog in the gym.

Really simple to make and incredibly tasty.

Peanut Butter Cups


Ingredients:

Dates
Mixed Nuts
Protein Powder (I used That Protein)
Cacao Powder
Coconut Oil
Natural Peanut Butter
90% Dark Chocolate


Method:

Blitz all the ingredients except the peanut butter and chocolate in a food processor.

Heat your oven to 150c

Grab a cupcake tin and grease the bottoms

Spoon a nice dollop of all the mixture into each cup

Then add a nice layer of Peanut Butter

Place in oven for 10 minutes – then remove from oven

Melt the dark chocolate and drizzle over the top

Voila – delicious and nutritious

Peanut Butter Cups


These Little Cups are Perfect to Take to Work!

If you store in an air-tight container in a cool dry place these should last a few days. Take them to work in Tupperware and enjoy a little treat when you need.


For More Stress-Free Nourishing Recipes Click Here: Nourish

Explore

Stress-Free Guide to Cuba | Havana

Guide to Havana CubaThinking about travelling to Cuba?

Here is my little guide to the places I visited.

My hints and tips. All the things I wish I knew before I went.

I hope you enjoy and if you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to ask.


Learn Spanish

This is a big one – people don’t always speak English.


Flight

First and foremost this is a biggy. There are not many flights that go directly to Cuba. This may improve over time now the country is opening up.

However, that said – make sure you get the direct flight from London. We did the split going via Spain. Not only was it like stepping back in time on the plane (no personal screens) but it is a LONG flight. It may be more expensive but trust me it’s important.

Airport

You are not going anywhere quick.

Havana airport is renowned for being one of the slowest airports in the world. It is disorganised, chaotic and slow. You will be waiting for your bags a long time. If you are travelling with a tour operator they are well versed in this delay but if you are booking your own onward travel please keep this in mind. Bring a book – there is NO 3G and NO WIFI.

Taxis

There are lots of taxis waiting and available from the airport. Don’t be scared to haggle the price. They know you have just landed. If you can get a classic car I would highly recommend.


Accommodation

This is up to you how you do this. Some things to consider… There is no beach in the city, the closest beach to Habana is about 20 minutes away, at Playa del Este. There are daily shuttles, I think for 3CUC/day.

With this in mind if you are a beach bae then I would try and book a hotel with a pool for the first couple of days to get over the jet lag before moving on to a casa.

I stayed at NH Capri La Habana

Nestled in the heart of downtown, rooftop pool, great views and in a cool area.

If you are staying in Havana for a while I would highly recommend you seek out a casa to stay in. Effectively these are B&B’s where the hosts generally look after you. They cook, clean, feed and water you. It’s an amazing way to immerse yourself in Cuban culture, meet Cubans and also help the community. This way you are helping the locals out.

Here are some great recommendations: Best Casas in Havana 


What to wear?

Key pieces:

Trainers:

I wore Adidas Superstar.Havana is a casual place but also a place you want to explore. The roads are cobbled, the streets full of life. You want a trainer that looks stylish yet is practical for allowing to you to get stuck in.

Shorts:

This is the perfect climate for shorts. The Cubans are lively and bold dressers so don’t be afraid to go with colour. It’s not widely conservative – so you can wear what you would wear at home. Females are warned though – be careful if alone – you will get attention. My American Apparel shorts were a godsend. Chic and comfy.

Tops:

Short, long, flowy – anything goes. Play with colours and be vibrant. Its hot during the day but there is a cool wind at night so bring a light sweater or scarf.

Accessories:

Think hippy and creative. This town is full of colour and art. Be part of the creativity.

Bags:

Bring bags with lots of pockets. This is still a foreign country and you are a tourist. There are a lot of opportunists in this world.

This is a cool, casual, artistic and vibrant part of the world. Like most Caribbean islands it’s full of life. In the evening for dinner its casual with a little elegance if you feel.


What to see?

Havana is a historical and political hotspot to explore.

Cuba Direct was our tour operator as we only had a limited time there. We had a bespoke private tour and saw the whole of Cuba from the comfort of an old American car. If you are short on time then a tour is the way forward otherwise have a look around when you get there.


Top Visits

Hemingway House

Old Havana

El Malecon

Havana Catedral

Plaza de la Revolucion

El Cristo de La Habana


Places to Eat

Something you will work out quite early on is that when you buy food out – its well erm ok.

Their avocados though are off the fricking chain!

The best food you will have is cooked by Cubans in their Casa’s

Here is one of the restaurants I will recommend in Havana Old Town.

Good food – peaceful atmosphere – good price.

Watch the prices in Havana Old Town – they are expensive.

Coppelia

This is a must visit Havana’s Coppelia building is one of the largest ice cream parlours in the world. Holding 1000 guests, it is located on the part of Calle 23 known as La Rampa in the Vedado district.

Fidel Castro had it built to bring Ice Cream to Cuba but also rival the Americans in Ice Cream production.

Its a weird looking building but in a really cool area where loads of Cubans hang out so it’s nice to get away from the tourist humm that will drive you nuts in Old Town Havana

La Rampa

where the Coppelia is located in a cool area.

It has the big hotels that once were booming in the 50s and also the old Mafia hotel (you cannot miss it)
It is also the home to one of the best Jazz Clubs I have been too.

Head to the British Telephone Box and head down the stairs.

YOU HAVE TO EXPERIENCED CUBAN MUSIC!

Enjoy


Keeping Healthy

Cuba is not a health hot spot in the world. A lot of the food is high carb, fried and meaty. It’s not the best place for vegetarians.

A lot of the cocktails have a spoonful of sugars added.

With this in mind think outside the box.

Havana Old Town is a nice walk away from most places – so opt for walking rather than cabs.

Try and top on veggies and fruit where possible.
You will often find vegetables come in a sauce – so in your best Spanish try and ask for them plain.

Swim, walk, run, and get active.

You don’t want to restrict your enjoyment but remember there is a Yin to every Yang – so balance it out.


Cuba is a wonderful place and will be ever changing now they are becoming open to the world.

Try and get there before it loses all its original value.


Words of warning

Do not buy cigars from anywhere other than state-run shops. You may think you’re getting a deal but you’re not they are fake and you do not know what is in them. You will meet sweet Cubans who have a friend, or know someone who can get them cheap, or will tell you about a national day where they are cheaper…unfortunately it is all lies. Sorry – but stick to the rules if you want cigars.


For More Stress-Free Travel Guides Click Here: Travel

Balance

Mid-Morning Snacks for the Office

It’s 11 o’clock and your stomach starts to grumble…what do you do?

Here is a list of healthy snacks which are my go-to to keeping hunger at bay and stress levels on point.


1. Water

Sometimes our minds do not know if our bodies are hungry or thirsty… before reaching for a snack – have a pint of water to quench your thirst. Easy Snacks for the Office!

Healthline


2. Fruit

The super snack – fruit – tasty, easy to transport and satiate the smallest of grumbles. Easy Snacks for the Office!

Fruit Bowl


3. Nuts

Don’t reach for crisps! Nuts are packed with good fats and protein, nuts are a sustainable alternative to crisps and other junk.

Always choose raw varieties and keep an eye on quantity because of their high-fat content. Easy Snacks for the Office!

nuts


4. Muesli, Natural Yoghurt and Berries

This combo is a great alternative to cereal bars which are often packed with sugar.

Berries provide a shot of antioxidants and are powerhouses of vitamins. I use Spoon Cereals to make my life more stress-free but you can also make your own muesli from oats, nuts, dried fruit and seeds which you can bake in large quantities so you always have to hand. Easy Snacks for the Office!


5. A Cup of Soup

When water is blended with food it stays in the stomach longer and keeps you feeling full.

To make your own soften a mix of veg in a little oil, add water, simmer until tender and blend.

I recommend asparagus soup! Easy Snacks for the Office!

1


Take the stress out of snacking with these little tips.

For more healthy snacks click here: Nourish

Recipes

Ras El Hanout Chicken Wraps

This World is full of amazing Recipes waiting to be discovered

The cultures, the knowledge, the old wives tales… there is a wealth of discovery awaiting us! I love cooking dishes from all over this beautiful planet. Drawing inspiration from flavours, colours and ingredients not found in my own lands. Over the years I have accumulated quite a few Clean Eating and Worldly Cookery Books.

One of my favourites at the moment has to be Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour.


A British-Iranian, her book invites you to discover the flavours of the middle east and incorporate those in your daily cooking. From Salads to Mezze, Stews to Grills and rounding up with delicious desserts; Sabrina captures the flavours that will entice the palette without piling on the calories. Add this beautiful book to your collection – you will not regret it.


Ras El Hanout Chicken Wraps 

Ease: Medium

Storage: 1 day

Transport: Tupperware for lunch

IMG_6960


Ingredients: (for two people)

3 large chicken breasts, chunkier side cut & spread out to even out size for cooking
2 heaped tablespoons of Ras el Hanout spice (Can be found in most spice isles but I made my own using…

  • 2½ tbsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • ½ tsp cardamom pod (seeds from about 10 pods)

Olive oil
Pomegranate molasses
Rocket/lettuce leaves to garnish
4-6 flour tortilla wraps – (I use gluten free wraps from Wholefoods) 
Maldon sea salt
Pomegranate seeds

IMG_6953

Ingredients for yoghurt sauce:
400g Total full-fat Greek yoghurt
1 small bunch of fresh mint
2 tablespoons of sumac
Maldon sea salt


Method:

1. In a small bowl, mix the Ras el Hanout (or homemade) spice mix with approximately 4-5 tablespoons of olive oil to create a quick paste and smear the paste over the chicken breasts, ensuring they are well coated.IMG_6954

Season each piece with just a pinch of Maldon sea salt and if you have time, allow to marinate for as long as needed (overnight being the maximum).

2. Finely chop the fresh mint and add it into a bowl along with the yoghurt, sumac and a generous pinch of Maldon sea salt and some black pepper and mix well until the sumac and mint are evenly incorporated.

IMG_6955
3. Preheat a large frying pan over a medium flame and then drizzle a good amount of olive oil and add the chicken breasts in and fry them for about 8-10 minutes or so on one side and 6-8 minutes on the other side. You can check cooking progress of the flesh by prodding the fattest part of the chicken strips with your finger. If it feels very springy then it needs to cook a bit longer, but if it feels firm, then your chicken is cooked and ready to serve.

IMG_6956
4. Place your cooked chicken on a chopping board and allow to rest for a few minutes so the juices can flow back through the meat, ensuring it remains moist and tender. Then slice the chicken up into strips and put a few generous strips into a tortilla wrap, dollop some of the yoghurt onto the chicken and then drizzle with some pomegranate molasses and add in some rocket or lettuce leaves of your choice and serve.
IMG_6957

It is such a tasty, clean and filling lunch, snack or dinner. Mix up some lemon quinoa or a salad and you have the perfect meal.


For More Stress-Free Nourishing Recipes Click Here: Nourish

 

 

 


Balance

How to become lean for life!

 

lean for life Louise Parker Method


January

The time of year for new starts and new years resolutions. High hopes after the Christmas cheer of shifting those extra squidgy bits that came from the cheese platter…guilty!

Many of us start out with a plan to start eating better and to shift Christmas pounds but when we go to search for the plan that will suit our needs we are bombarded with so much information it can become very confusing.

“No Carbs”

“More Fat”

“Gluten Free”

There are many different plans to follow however most people will find that these plans may make us reach our goal but what next… you will never have a carb the rest of your life?


 Lean is a Lifestyle

On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of joining a talk hosted by Lauren Armes, Welltodo, with Louise Parker from the LPM to discuss her new book Lean for Life: The Cookbook. The Louise Parker Method is well known as being the fame and celebrity go to for all things ‘weight loss’ and lifestyle chance. This perked my interest and I went along to get the inside scoop of this method.

I loathe dieting and I’m on a mission to end it!

The opening line from her book was read aloud to the crowd – this really perked up my interest! Louise started to tell us about her journey through health and lifestyle and how the Louise Parker Method came about. Contrary to this ladies slim physique she explained she had battled with weight and yo-yo dieting for years and is well aware the different ‘diets’ that women put themselves through in order to look great.

Letting go of the all or nothing approach

Louise explained that to be lean for life you have to accept that some days you won’t get it right. If you indulge a little too much just get back on it with the next meal or snack. It is all about mindset and lifestyle. The odd glass of wine here, or steak and chips for dinner there won’t impact you, as long as the majority of your decisions are good for your body. Operating at a 70:30 ration means that it will give you the longevity mindset to continue.


The Louise Parker Method

Lauren and Louise continued to discuss how the Lean for Life: The Cookbook can support those who are following the LPM method and then introduced the four pillars that make up the Louise Parker Method.


Think Successfully

To achieve your goals and make the right choices to become the best you – you need to change your mindset! Once you get the method and the principles behind making the right choices, you have fundamentally taken one of the hardest steps in the right direction. With this new mindset and belief in success you will set yourself up for success on your goals!

Your brain is the most important muscle there is in your transformation, and you are going to train it consistently, as you would your body.


Eat Beautifully

No gimmicks, no ‘free froms’, no fads just filling your plate full of nourishing whole food that will give you all the right energy you need. The recipes in the book will provide you the tools to make excellent meals that will make life and living lean easy and part of your lifestyle

With a lower calorie diet you need to make sure you pack those calories full of nutrition

There will be days where you indulge and may be a little naughty – but that is fine as long as 70% of the time you are nourishing your body with simple, healthy and beautiful foods!


Work Out intelligently

Very simply, you’ll move more. You’ll also exercise in the most intelligent way, combining the maximum amount of fat-burning and toning, while boosting your metabolism and making you feel fabulous.

There is no point wasting your time with exercises that you will not keep up or enjoy. With any goal in sight you need to keep moving (even if it is just getting in those 10,000 steps a day)

Remember if you don’t enjoy it, find something you do. When you want to change your lifestyle and incorporate exercise in – it has to be something you enjoy otherwise you will not stick to it!


Live Well

The last foundation is about your Lifestyle. Making changes that apply to your wider health. Sleep, Digital Detox and starting to change those patterns that cause you to make bad choices.

When you get a bad night’s sleep it puts your hormones out of whack and this can impact everything from feeling low to how hungry you are.

We are surrounded by digital – even now writing this – my phone is buzzing, the screen is bright and I have my favourite episode on.

We can all take a leaf out of this one!


Become Lean for Life

Listening to Louise talk, it really struck a chord with how much information we are bombarded with, and how many do this, do that, eat this, stop that there are in the world… when actually it is all very simple.

By following simple principles of eating protein, fat, good carbs and balancing that with exercise you really have set the foundations for a life of ease.

We can all do with a bit of guidance, which is why I would recommend taking a look Louise’s new book, which offers recipes and meal guidelines to give you an idea of how you can live your life a simple way and achieve your lean goals.

Personal Rant!

From a female perspective, we are born into a World where how we look is discussed every day!

Magazine front covers are filled to the brim with crap to make us feel bad! The new fad to make you a size zero, drinking some tea that will ‘detox’ you (a.k.a a laxative), don’t eat a carb or you will look like a whale or gobbling keytones will be the be all and all!

All in all, generally confusing the f*** out of us – when all we really need are simple positive principles, regular ways to exercise, a confident and chilled mindset, which when followed the majority of the time will allow us to be free of the negativity and allow us to live lean and happy lives.


The above article was written with my own opinions and values

Balance

Tired! Why am I always tired?


art-fair-girl-monochrome

What is going on?

Has the world got some kind of sleeping illness? I am tired. Really tired. No matter how much sleep I seem to get – and I mean I am on the full 8hours – I awake in the morning wondering how long it is till I next get into bed.

I do an overall check:

  • Have I eaten – check
  • Have I slept – check
  • Am I busy – check

So I thought to myself – I should probably dig a little deeper into what the cause could be.


Good quality sleep?

Most people think because they shut their eyes this is good quality sleep, but there are a number of factors that can improve on this.

Phone and Laptop

Kick your phone and any blue light operated equipment out of your room. Constantly being available online right up to the moment you sleep may be affecting you in a far more serious way. Have you heard of the circadian rhythm? Bit of a mouthful I know but the circadian rhythm is our own natural rhythm which governs our attention and alertness but also when we switch off and down time.

A Harvard Study has suggested that over exposure to this blue light (the light we originally only had in the day) can lead “to several types of cancer (breast, prostate), diabetes, heart disease, and obesity”. Time to put your phone away, put on a low yellow lit lamp and enjoy a nice book before bed (rather than the latest on #brangelexit)

If you are a Netflix fiend (aren’t we all) try downloading this app Flux it adjusts the colours of your mac book in order that you receive less blue light and warmer tones in the evening


Wendy Rowe Eat Beautiful

Are you eating Seasonally?

Now before you roll your eyes at me thinking I am suggesting another fad diet; I’m not. Each country has beautiful vegetables that are grown locally and guess what are perfectly full of those vital vitamins that your body needs for that time of year.

In the UK some of the best available are; Aubergine, Beef, Beetroot, Blackberry, Broccoli, Sprouts, Cabbage, Cavelo Nero, Celeriac, Chicken, Garlic, Fig, Kale, Lamb, Leek and the list goes on.

Source Locally

If you can source these from a local farmers market even better but most supermarkets will have them and at lower prices due to the abundance of in-season!

If you are stuck for ideas on what to cook – take a look at Wendy Rowe’s book Eat Beautiful. Makeup artist to the stars and famous for her nude skin look – she knows a trick or two about how to keep you glowing and feeling alive during the seasons.

The alternative is to take a multi-vitamin for all your needs. My favourite is VITL. They come delivered to your door in daily strips to provide you with all your vitamins. Make sure you have them with food as most vitamins are fat soluble. Use my coupon for a discount: VTAMCYN


 Exercise: Get moving!

This is a bit of a no-brainer. We all know it, however – do we all do it? There is a difference between exercising and moving. Going to the gym for 45-60mins is great but not if you spend the rest of said day sat on one’s bottom not moving.

While the sun is shining and it’s brisk enough to wrap up… grab those sunnies and start walking to work. Get out at lunch-time. Just move.

Vitamin D

The extra sunlight will help boost those well-needed vitamin D reserves and the movement will get you feeling naturally more tired toward the end of the day in order you can get those high-quality ZZZzzz’s

Be careful about exercising at night. Light exercise like yoga and pilates can be great but weights or high intensity can leave you pumping full of endorphins and ready to go.

So breathe deep, stretch and ease into the evening.


 De-Clutter that diary

Are you like me and your answer to most things is “I’m busy”? Well this is the month to clear your diary down to the bare minimum. Put dates in your diary for your own MOT days. Buy a book and have a date with you time. Having a full event calendar may look like a status symbol but the only one losing out is you.

If you feel bad letting people down; just use your famous excuse of I’m busy and leave it there. Or as I said post diary invites for nights in so it really does leave you with no excuse.


Fed up for feeling tired?

Try and apply these tried and tested tricks. I am not supplying you with anything you aren’t already aware of. It’s like losing weight – we all know how it’s done – but whether we do it is a different story.

So here is my homework for you. Kick your phone outta bed, Get those vital vitamins in from seasonal food, Get moving and schedule some well earned YOU TIME!


 

Balance/ Recipes

Guide to Wedding Guest Season


Wedding Season has begun.

Our diaries are populated throughout the spring/ summer with engagement parties, hen doo’s and weddings.


The first things that comes to mind when I get the invite is What to Wear and Wedding Gift.

This can be quite stressful – especially if you have more than one wedding and it’s the same group of friends.

This is my little guide to staying on it this season and without blowing the budget.


The Outfit

This is always hard for me because – guess what – it’s not ok to wear black to a wedding.

An occasion dress is like no other dress. It’s not partywear it’s not workwear. Its finding that graceful balance between the two.

My suggestion is to keep it simple and accessorize.
This means you can wear the same dress to a couple of weddings and mix up the shoes, bag and fascinator.

Monsoon is fantastic for jackets, fascinators and accessories to change the look of a dress.

Beautiful and really effective in dressing up a simple dress.

You have to make sure you are comfortable as Weddings are a long and often move from Church to Reception to Dancing – so plan ahead with those shoes.

My go -to’s for Weddings are: New Look and Louboutin ( I know a bit of a difference but they really make the comfiest shoes)

Dresses: House of Fraser, Monsoon, ASOS, Reiss.


 The Alternative Outfit

best friends hands

Now this is another great trick using the best network you have: Your Friends.

Team together with your best friends. If you have similar styles and shapes to your friends – then reach out – share! Everyone looks different in a dress so if your summer is choca block with Weddings and you’re saving for other occasions – then bring your network together use your resources!

Stylish and Saving money = win/win


Wedding Gifts

Gifting Etiquette

This is a tricky area. Most couples these days have already set up their homes so wedding lists are often to guide those who want to get them a gift but not end up with duplicates.

Again these can often be costly.

If you’re not sure what to buy the newlyweds: sometimes the token of a little bit of money in a card would be greatly appreciated to put toward the honeymoon or their new life together. Weddings are expensive and honeymoons too. Every little helps.


DIY Wedding Gifts

These are the cute touches you can do for someone special if you want to give a personal touch. Something homemade something original.

A close family relative is getting married this weekend and has strictly said no gifts. But I am bending the rules a little bit.


I have made her Wedding Breakfast Granola

Ingredients:

Coconut Oil: 1tbsp
Oats: 400g
Coconut Milk: 200ml
Honey: 1tbsp
Cinnamon: Sprinkle across
Dried Fruit: Handful
Flaked Coconut: Handful
Edible Gold Dust

Method:

Preheat your oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Melt the coconut oil, either in a small pan on a low heat or in the microwave. Combine the oats, rice milk, coconut oil and honey in a bowl and mix together using your hands. You want to create little chunks and the mixture will naturally stick together.

Spread the oat mixture evenly in the lined baking tray and bake in the heated oven for 20 minutes.

Spread the pecans on another baking tray and put into the oven to toast with the oat mixture for the last 10 minutes of the cooking time.

Remove the oats and pecans from the oven and leave to cool. Once cold, mix them together and add the cinnamon, fruit and flaked coconut.

Once the mixture is cooled – sprinkle edible gold dust all over the granola for that extra special touch.

Get a cute Kilner Jar and a nice label and you have a personal touch present that the happy couple can enjoy in together in their new lives together.


Recipes

Spring Detox: Teami Teatox Diaries

Spring is here. It’s time to shake off that Winter baggage and get ready for the Summer months.


Spring is the perfect time to detox.

Dreaming of bikinis and beaches from my full time job – it’s become ever more clear that the tights and baggy jumpers which were acceptable in winter will now be replaced with skirts and short sleeves. Time to get Summer ready.

Over the Winter months we tend to pick heavier and richer foods to keep us nourished. The dark nights and cold weather keep us in doors and less active than we naturally are in the summer months.

This combination of heavy foods and less activity can often lead you to feel a little bit sluggish and bloated. Bloating is one of the worst afflictions you can have as it makes you feel unwell, rubbish and generally unattractive. Anything that can get rid of that feeling is a winner in my eyes.



In order to get the ball rolling I have taken on the 30 day teami detox!

I’m going to share with you my reviews and opinions throughout the detox. (Use my discount code: CYNTRA10)

Teami 30 day detox comes with two parts: The Teami Skinny and Teami Colon… (hate the names but give some clarity)

The Skinny Tea is a tea which you blend with hot water in a cute shaker you can buy from their site or in a tea infuser.

Its made up of a blend of Oolong, Yerba Mate, Lime leaf Extract, Lotus leaf, Ginger Root, Dandelion leaf, Rhubarb Root. I thought it may taste a little bit earthy when the bag arrived… something you may find the hippiest of folk drinking… however it has now taken the place of my morning espresso. (don’t worry I haven’t gone made I still have my morning hit of coffee around 10am)

The tea tastes good and you can sweeten it with honey or lemon but I haven’t felt the need to do this yet. Throughout the day you can top it up with hot water to re-use the leaves.

I have found it has reduced cravings and also is great after a meal mid afternoon to keep me relaxed. I am not sure if it is mind over matter but I don’t feel the need to snack in the afternoons since having this tea.

This is just the beginning of me using it – I will keep you updated through my detox.


The Colon Tea – what a pretty name. This tea is taken every other day of the detox. I am now going to put in a disclaimer. Careful with this one.

TeaMi describe the tea as “TeaMi Colon Cleanse Tea is used to purify the body from the inside out, cleansing the organs while simultaneously clearing the digestive tract of any toxins caused primarily by pollution, harsh chemicals and processed foods.” yes this means you will be taking a trip to the bathroom.

I endured terrible stomach cramps the first two times I tried this. I contacted Teami and they have assured me this is natural and this is my colon ridding itself of all the toxins. They said it should stop happening as I continue through the cleanse. I will let you know.

Bonus: Bloating has significantly diminished. It was great waking up and feeling fresh and ready to go.


 

banner23Tea Detox have been making headlines in the bloggers world for a while now. I think that they can work as long as they are used as part of a healthy workout plan.

1 Food – number 1 priority

2 Wellbeing – meditation, teas, relaxation

3 Exercise – keeping it all long and lean

Teami have come up with great recipes to support you while on your detox: Healthy Eating Plan

Incorporate this with a great HIIT Workout (click link)

And you will feel the best you can be by the time the Sunshine fully comes out!

Try your Teami Detox with a discount using this: CYNTRA10


Have you tried a teatox before? 

What did you think?

Would you recommend?

 

Recipes

Healthy Easter Bunnies

Healthy Easter Bunnies

Easter is just around the corner and it is time to celebrate the end of lent and meet up with family. Easter weekend is the perfect weekend to spend with family and celebrate life but it is also the weekend that is also full of naughtiness with chocolate coming up to the eyeballs.

This year I am going to do something different.

Instead of chocolate, I am looking into healthy alternatives which are equally as indulgent.

So after some investigation I have selected two perfect alternatives:

Bloomon

and

Tabitha James Kraan


 

Bloomon

Bloomon cut out the middlemen, delivering straight from the grower to your home, in utterly modern, straight-to-vase arrangements.

They launched their flower delivery subscription service to London on the 4th February 2016. Spreading beautiful and unique flowers to us Londoners.

Bloomon began life in their hometown of Amsterdam, in the heartland of the flower-connoisseur. By using their own growers, Bloomon carefully select the best quality of flowers, they then use their own drivers to deliver fresher flowers that last longer.

Bloomon have created a delightful subscription where you can get these beautiful and original flowers delivered to your house without the hassle of sourcing them yourself. You can also order gorgeous vases that display the flowers magnificently. If you’re a flower lover like me then this is a no brainer. Each delivery is different and unique.

I just adore my blooming Bloomon Flowers.


 

Tabitha James Kraan

Tabitha James Kraan is a wonderful organic haircare brand that treats your hair with the natural love that it needs.

Her products span from haircare to skincare.

The products are designed to treat your hair with organic products – eliminating the chemicals you find in mainstream products. This helps keep the natural equilibrium of your hair and keep your locks luscious.

Their range is perfect for gym bunny’s as they have an amazing dry shampoo and hair perfume designed to keep your hair looking and feeling fresh – eliminating the need to wash it as often.

Believe or not – your hair is happier un-washed!

These products and gift sets are the perfect way to spread the love in the family – for both men and women. Tried and tested the hair oil transforms even the most prickly of beards into a soft and kissable chin.

Check out their gift sets on www.tabithajameskraan.co.uk

Big smiles from my locks!


 

Easter doesn’t need to be the time you fill up on calories and spend huge amounts on chocolate. Do something different. Be original. Buy a lasting gift that puts a smile on someones face longer than chocolate does.

Or…treat yourself… spends the pounds you’ve saved on a treat for you.

Balance

Tips for Succeeding in an All Day Meeting


All Day Meeting

We have all been there. The dreaded all day meeting.

Training
Clients
Workshops
Sooner or later you will have to endure the lengthy meeting.

These meetings can take their toll on you mentally as well as physically.
Sitting down for a long period of time in a dimly lit room staring computer screens and being fed by platters of carb loaded sugar inducing crap that catering have provided.

Before you know it you have taken less than 200 steps all day, your body is dried out from filter coffee, your blood sugars have been on a rollercoaster and you feel like a little bit of your soul was left behind.

Well these are my tricks for smashing a meeting, keeping your a-game, keeping healthy and still have enough energy to get home


Catering

Plan ahead for this one. Most companies that offer catering will come in price brackets and the cheapest is usually the worst ones for you.
For this reason take your own food.

Grab a porridge or eggs on your way in to the meeting.
Take snacks such as fruit, nuts and seeds to keep your energy up.
Bring in some tupperware and have a delicious home prepared meal.

 I have been in meetings before when I came in and was greeted with Croissants.
Next break biscuits
Lunch Sandwiches and Crisps
Cake

This is a danger zone. You blood sugars will be going up and down as your energy will.
How can you possibly try and engage in a meeting when you a flying from passing out to bouncing off the walls.

If you are the one organising the meeting – think outside the box.
Many external caterers are sometimes cheaper, healthy and ten times more delicious than in house.
Give people regular breaks and suggest healthy options nearby.
If you can pick up a big fruit platter with nuts and see if you can expense.

The level of activity and engagement you will get from the yourself and the people in the meeting if catered correctly can improve your productivity.


Hydration

Keep hydrated through these meetings.

There are always jugs of middle range filter coffee which if you drink too much of will lead you to go into flight or fight mode, de-hydrate you and leave you feeling exhausted.

I always carry with me herbal teas. Water is only fun for a while so finding an alternative to keep hydrated is always good.

My go to is Pukka Tea

Image result for pukka tea range

They have green and pure herbal so you have the option of a caffeine kick!


Move

However way you can.

If you are presenting stand up to present.
If it is a workshop stand up and listen – there are no rules about sitting down.
If you get a break go for a walk – get some fresh air and move.

Sitting down is literally killing people. As humans we are natural hunter gatherers and designed to be mobile.
Stretch your legs, get the blood moving and get some fresh air.

You will return to the room with a clear head, more energy and ready to be productive.


The Wellness in the Workplace

Wellness at work is crucial and we all have a responsibility to take. You spend the majority of your working life there you should make sure that its benefitting your health not taxing on it.

People worry about suggesting new ideas but many managers or leaders out there just haven’t thought about the idea.

Next time you are running a meeting or you have a regular all day meeting make the positive suggestions to make these sessions healthier.

Don’t let the All-Day Meeting Drain you – make the small changes to get the positive results.


Recipes

Delicious Spinach and Aubergine Parmigiana


DELICIOUS SPINACH AND AUBERGINE PARMIGIANA

tasty

This little dish fills me with so much warmth. It is the perfect winter warmer which just keeps getting better. The ingredients cost little but the flavour is insane.

You can have it hot and eat it straight away or you can package this little delicacy up into some tupperware and take into work for a healthy treat.

My recipe has been updated to have all the flavour but less calories, hope you enjoy!


Ingredients:

2 x Aubergine
Glug of Mellow Yellow Rape Seed Oil
1x Red Onion
3 x clove Garlic
1 x 400g chopped Tomatoes
4x sprig of Basil
1/2 bag of Spinach
Splash of White Wine Vinegar
Grated Parmesan


Method:

Grab a griddle pan and heat up with a splash of Mellow Yellow Rape Seed Oil. Slice the aubergines and add to the pan to get a nice charred effect.

In another pan add another glug of Mellow Yellow Rape Seed Oil and chop the onions and garlic and add to the pan. Add some salt and pepper at this point and leave to soften. After 5-10 minutes add the spinach. Leave a few more minutes and add the tomatoes, basil and a splash of white wine vinegar and simmer to reduce.

Heat the oven to 190c and grab a over proof dish.

Take the charred aubergine and place a layer on the bottom. Add layers of tomato mix and aubergines until it is all used up. Sprinkle some parmesan on top of the mix for a nice crispy topping. This is up to you how much you add – but this is where the calories come from – so you can have too much of a good thing – however if you burn it off in the gym the next day – go nuts. 

Crack some black pepper on top and place in the over for 30 minutes

Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving

aubergine parmagiana


A delicious meal to keep you warm this chilli winter. Perfect as a main with a side salad or to accompany some baked chicken.

In this recipe I have used Mellow Yellow Rapeseed Oil. Not many people know but using the right cooking oil has a big impact on health. Olive oil should be had cold and never heated. Coconut Oil can be heated but also leaves a subtle flavour. So I have been trying out this delicious cold pressed rapeseed oil. It has the lowest saturated fat content of any commonly available cooking oil – it contains less than half the saturated fat that is found in olive oil and is packed full of Omega 3. Mellow Yellow has a wonderful subtle nutty taste, it is ideal for salad dressings, while its high smoke point makes it perfect for high temperature roasting and stir-frying oil.

Enjoy xx

Balance

Tips to Let it Go and Live Happier


All for one and one for all?

Do you ever feel like you need to have control of everything?

Does everything have to be Perfect?

Do you feel weak when someone offers help?

Do you feel you never have time for yourself or for activities?

Or just letting someone take care of you when you usually do the caring?


This life is a stressful one and sometimes you can programme your mind to make you want to be in control of everything.
Even if you aren’t a control freak – relying on other people doesn’t cross your mind and you sometimes feel completely responsible for things that could be shared?

You get it into your head that if you don’t do it – it will never get done?

You feel you have to fix all the problems

You feel you have to help everyone else before yourself

You want to make everyone happy

If any of the above applies to you: these are my tips for letting go


Perfection is always Perfect

Making sure that everything is done to perfection can actually push you further away from a perfect situation.

When you are tired from work and you can’t be bothered to cook but you know that it’s healthier if you make it yourself and have you had your 5 a day and what about the sugar content... Head Explodes.

You spent ages putting together that event at work, every last details was planned and it was going to be perfect and last minute it got cancelled as something else came up…Devastated 

Listen: Sometimes its ok to just be OK

Living a life the 80/20 allows you to live life how you want but allow for those moments when you aren’t perfect you are real. Sometimes the expectations you think people have of you are just your own expectations you put on yourself.

Living imperfectly allows you to be flexible. It frees up your energy to be happier. When things go wrong it doesn’t impact as much as your haven’t put so much effort into making everything just so.

Stop being your harshest critic and start living a life


Allow People to do things for You

I know what it feels like to do something nice for someone else. Its that warm fuzzy feeling when you see a smile on their face and you see their gratitude.

Remember that time you gave a cupcake and coffee to your friend who was having a stressful time at work?
Or cooked dinner for your flatmate as they were working late?
You helped your manager organise the dinner out as they were up to their eye balls…

Allow people to have that same feeling by letting them do it for you.

Sometimes when you stop and just take a back seat you will be surprised what nice things people have been waiting to do for you.
When you let someone else cook dinner, or organise a night or just sit back and enjoy the ride!

Allow someone else to have that feeling…


Time: Don’t Fill It

Don’t fill your day, week and weekends – give yourself time.

Life is busy enough with work, relationships, friendships, family and other activities to constantly make yourself busy.

The greatest thing you can give to anyone is time so make sure you don’t exhaust it by giving it out to everything.

If you make time for something stick to it but if you have free time let yourself relax.

Let yourself be ok with not having a full diary


You cannot be good at Everything

The beautiful thing about this world is that people are born with different strengths. What makes a great team is when you can bring in different people who all have different skills so you can make the ultimate A Team.

Sometimes you can get so wrapped up in having to do everything yourself that when you cannot do something or you don’t do something well you see it as Weakness.

STOP!

I’m going to tell you a little story and I’ll use my parents as an example
(and as my mum is my number one reader – apologies for what I am about to say)

My Mum can’t cook. She tries but it is not her strength. She can put together a fish pie and just about master a cremated chicken kiev but culinary skills she was not blessed with.
My dad on the other hand is a great cook. He can master a curry like an native, throw together a meal from the fridge and makes an incredible truckers breakfast.

Does this make my mum a lesser person – NO – because now I am going to show her strengths.

My mum does all the food shopping. She has an eye for deals and works out how to save, gage, and buy appropriately. She identifies what ingredients are needed, sources the best deals and will make sure we are never over budget. She also is a damn good washer upper!
My dad… well if he did the food shop…he would come back with just enough items for that one meal, probably with some added extras that were on sale and would be scratching his head to how he managed to spend £50 on just one meal. He wouldn’t notice the pan he cooked dinner in 3 nights ago was still there.

Be good at what you are good at and let others help you in areas where you are not.


Life is stressful in the hustle and bustle of this busy world.

Don’t let yourself get on top of yourself. The ultimate goal in this life is to be happy and if that means letting go a little bit. Then do it.

Sometimes your imperfections are what makes you perfect to all of those around you.

Live life freely and with love and stop taking on too much.


If you have liked this post please comment below. Feedback is key.

 

Balance

The Importance of Micro Goals


HAVE YOU MADE YOUR MICRO-GOALS?

We are drawing to the end of January. January the time for new years resolutions. Big Goals like “Save Money” “Lose Weight” “Be Healthy” are thrown around… yet people forget how profound the small little goal is.

Save Money – How?
Are you just going to retire your bank card?

Lose Weight – How?
Stop eating?

Be Healthy – How?
Spend your life savings on every healthy eating fad out this 2016

Today I sat at an event hosted by Green for All Seasons founder Victoria who discussed with her panelists the concept of micro-goals and how they help us achieve the small goals for big wins


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Victoria the founder of Green for All Seasons started off with some of her advice. Her website advocates introducing the green way of life. For example: replacing your skincare products for organic and natural products. She scared us by saying an alarming 11% of products out of the 10,000+ deemed safe for use by humans have actually been tested. Now this may ring alarm bells (as it did with me) but she said…and this is the important bit… Start to change your products to the green version but do it step by step. When one runs out – replace it with a greener product. By doing this micro-goal you are making the small changes without drastically changing anything.

Are you starting to see the logic?

4

(beautiful nibbles from Green for All Seasons)


We then moved on to the delightful Chessie King 

She is such a positive ball of light – saying that her attitude to health is her attitude to happy.
Its how it makes her feel – no pressure – no force – just what makes her smile

“Take yourself of an adventure everyday”
Instead of seeing exercise as a chore – on your lunch break get up and explore your surroundings… what’s down that alley, whats behind that door – get out and explore.

This small micro goal turns a Big Goal like LOSE WEIGHT or EXERCISE MORE into a small achievable fun thing that you and a colleague could do everyday

 My colleague and I adventure ended up walking into a make up store and trying on the latest matte lipstick (gaining 3000 steps in the process!)

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(YSL – lipstick)


Chris Sandel (author or The Health Trap) spoke next

Chris spoke passionately that health and wellbeing is about looking at the person in front of you. No one person is the same. Something that one person swears by may not be what works for someone else. Small wins that make you feel great is what is important.

Keeping your micro goals personal


Dana Elemara the founder of the brand arganic – specialising in 100% pure argan oil.

Raised in a healthy mediterranean household: she never realised how healthy her food was as it was abundant.

Her mother would fill her plate full of colours and only use good meat.

She was very passionate about her cause: She inspired me to really think about what I put in my body.

“It doesn’t have to hard to be healthy”

Her micro-goals are ones that I am pinching

Always eat colourful foods

ONLY EAT WELFARE MEAT

Perfect.


Finally we met Ed Foy one of the founders of PRESS

...

This hyper-active passionate individual spoke of his life changing moment of experiencing meditation.

He was miserable even though his life was happy and full of healthy products

By taking 15 minutes a day to meditate: it game changed his view on life.

“Happiness is chemistry not circumstance”

“Giving time is the only way to achieve anything”

You can spend all day thinking about being healthy, doing more exercise, practising meditation, and engaging with the ones you love but until you give them time – the thoughts are redundant.


So to conclude this wonderful talk.

You can have many different goals in life but until you break them down into small bite-size steps – you are just going to stress yourself out and worse… feel like a failure.

If Eating Healthy is your goal start by something small…
“I will have an apple instead of crisps with lunch”

If Exercise More is your goal start with something small…
“I will walk to work”
“Take the stairs”
“Get 10,000 steps a day”

Don’t make your life any harder than it needs to be. Start small to make big wins


Throughout this talk we sipped on Tea by the amazing PositiviTea

Who provide teas that invoke your chakras and focus on the nurture your body may need.

For all those people running around stressed in the office or at home… find your perfect tea to re-engage and let go.

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