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How To Make Hard Decisions | Lifestyle

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Life is full of hard decisions.

When a big decision comes around it can leave us paralysed with what to do when weighing out the outcomes.

Indecision, sometimes, can be as hard as making the decision itself. It can leave you riddled with anxiety and immovable with moving forward.

Speaking from my own experience, I personally do not like change. In fact, I am often resistant to it. I am guilty of asking for other people’s opinions rather than making my own. However, in hindsight I often find out that my initial gut feeling was the right one anyway.

I may not know all the answers but here is my way of dealing with coming to the right decision when times seem tough.

Cyntra Abigail Charlesworth Mkaing hard decisions

How To Make Hard Decisions

Reflect

Take time. If you feel people are pressuring you for an answer be firm and let them know you need time. I often find that sleeping on a decision allows you to digest and find your truth. Like with most things, a good night sleep can give you clarity and stop you from making a rash decision.

Weigh up the Pros and Cons of the decision

The good old pros and cons list is a fantastic weapon when coming to an answer when you are not sure. Instead of breaking down different factors into negatives and positives, break it down into your values, truths and ambitions.

Will it get you to where you need to be?

Will it bring you joy?

Will it be tough at first but give you reward?

Do not merely break things down into plus and minus as sometimes something which is tough in the long term can be more rewarding.

Hard decisions, cyncity, cyntra in the city, how to make hard decisions

Think passed the decision

Similar to the above, sometimes most people will only think about the near future but not long term. For example, one answer could cause a huge upheaval in your life, bring about change and be quite challenging but in 6 months time be the best decision you have ever made.

Think forward, remove your mind from the here and now, and truly try and take an umbrella view. You never know what you may see in the future.

Ask for advice from a Friend/ Family

Your friends and family are your trusted committee who know you best. They may be able to guide and support you through the decision making process and help you find your answer. Alternatively, you can sometimes find by hearing what someone else thinks reinforces your own opinion if you disagree with them…

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Trust your Gut feeling

Trust your gut. It is your second brain and is powerful for detecting your innermost voice. We all have had that moment when something doesn’t feel right…learn to trust it.

Whatever your decision is, remember, you can always change your mind. The wonderful thing about today is that we are in a dynamic society, which, is constantly metamophosing into something different. Nothing is forever, so know that even if it doesn’t work out, you can always take a new route.

Remember, life is going to be full of hard decisions, some we will make right, others wrong but always know that every decision you make you will learn from it.

Be the driver of your own life.

If you like this article, you may also like Natural Ways To Keeping Stress Free!

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Applying The Right Psychology To Fitness Success | Balance

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Keeping fit is something that we should all do. But how often have you made a change in your lifestyle such as started a new diet, or implemented a new fitness routine, only to abandon it after a week? 

Making a new change can be stressful but it doesn’t need to be…

Make Lifestyle Changes Gradually

There is a reason that we often abandon these major lifestyle changes and this is generally because we are doing too much at once.

Our habits will have taken us our entire lives to develop, and we’re not just going to be able to break them with a click of a finger. If you are used to eating a certain type of diet, then completely changing this overnight will come as a huge culture shock to your body and it will leave you feeling pretty lousy.

Similarly, if you expect to be able to increase your level of activity from low to high immediately, your body and brain are going to be resistant to the change. 

Don’t expect to make major changes suddenly. Implement the psychology of marginal gains and make the changes that you want in a more gradual fashion. 

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Get The Right Kit

We all worry about how we appear to others. And having the right kit is important for if you are taking up a new physical activity. Whether you need Fujin Tracksuit Bottoms or some new running shoes, buy something that is suitable for the job that you need it to do, but that you are also happy with the appearance of. 

While you may be dealing with superficial ways of developing your confidence around physical activity, if you feel confident in the way you are dressed, the internal self-confidence will gradually follow. 

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Set Realistic Goals

If you are just starting out on a fitness journey, don’t expect to lose four stone and be able to run a marathon in six months. Sure, you will hear stories of people who can do that, and it is not impossible. But comparing yourself to these people is setting yourself up with some very unreal expectations.

If you do not succeed in meeting these lofty goals or don’t seem to be making the level of progress you would have hoped to, you are going to be more inclined to feel demotivated and give up. 

Make sure that your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Start small and work up. Remember, a marathon is a slow process and you should not try and sprint it.

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Mix It Up A Bit 

Variety is the spice of life. If you are running the same course or using the same pieces of gym equipment every day, stop. Mix it up a bit. Think of alternative exercises to bring into your routine. Go for a cycle or a swim. Take in a change of scenery, or listen to a playlist or podcast while you work out. The fresher you can keep your experience, the more likely you will be to continually engage with it. 

If you like this article, you may also like Is Your Social Life Making You Sick?

This post was written with collaboration with FATJOE 

Balance

How To Deal With A Change To Your Lifestyle

Cyntra, Cyntra in the city, patterns, art work  Change. It is terrifying and not for the light hearted but quite often it is necessary. Life can throw many curve balls at us which require us to change. Sometime, change is done to us or we come to a cross road in our life when you wish to make a change to your lifestyle.

Be it a new fitness regime, change to your diet, end of a relationship, new job or moving to a new city or country; all of these can have big affects on your well being.

“Be the change you wish to see in the World” – Gandhi

Change brings opportunities and challenges us. It led me to think about the changes I have made in my life and how I went around dealing, working through and coping with those changes. It inspired me to share with you my top ways with dealing with change.

How To Deal With A Change To Your Lifestyle

Establish A Routine

When big changes are happening your life things can get overwhelming. Establishing a routine has been frequently recommended to those who are going through transitional times. It helps to ground you but also build good habits which provide a solid base for positive change.

  • Routine
  • Bedtimes
  • Pre prepping
  • Connection with people

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” – Tolstoy

Expect The Lows But Enjoy The Highs

  • It won’t always be easy
  • It is ok to feel low
  • Change is daunting, unknowing, grey area and worrying
  • Things will get better
  • When things feel great – savour the moment

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” – Einstein

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Reflect On Your Reason Why

  • Why did you make the change?
  • What were your reasons?

These will be a really good indication of when you are questioning yourself why you made the decision in the first place. It is sometimes easy to lose sight of your reason ‘why’ when you are going through a tough time. It is often easier to go back to comfort than to face the difficulties of a transition. This is often the reason why people never progress or achieve when making a change.

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” – Rumi

Focus And Re-Focus Your Goals

Where are you in your journey – where do you want to go? What were your original goals? Are they still relevant now?

When you make a change to your lifestyle, whether it be a new fitness regime, diet, job or move city – just because you set original goals doesn’t mean you can’t be flexible and evolve them as you evolve.

“Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.” – Mary Shelley

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Always Be Kind To Yourself

Change is tough and change is for the brave. Many people go through life dreaming about the changes they would like to do with their lives but never turning those dreams in to reality. It is not always easy, nice, fun or enjoyable when making big changes to your lifestyle. With this in mind, be kind to yourself.

If things aren’t always going your way, don’t be too harsh. Things will go wrong, it may be tough, it may get rough and sometimes you may feel like you’ve made a bad decision. Whatever happens though, you have tried. There is a lot to be said for trying as unless you try something you will never know if it is right for you.

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” – Lao Tzu

Making a change to your lifestyle may result in an outcome you are not happy with. Never see failure as a trait of who you are, it just the result of something that has been tried or tested to find out what works better. It is not who you are.

If you like this article, you may also like Natural Ways To Keeping Stress Free!

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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

Recipes

Pumpkin and Chia Seed Protein Porridge

 That Protein

Let me introduce That Protein

Natural and organic, cold pressed and pure. Never processed by heat over 40 degrees. 

Dairy free, no added sugars, non-GMO, no sweeteners, free from anything artificial – this is the range you have been waiting for! Developed by nutritionists with a true passion for plants and how to get the best from them to help you look and feel your amazing best!

Its perfect to combine into your daily life to hit those protein goals to build lean muscle, have luscious hair and keep yourself fuller for longer!

That protein 2

I literally could not have been more excited when my pouch came through the letterbox. Pumpkin seed and chia protein powder tick…

To have vegan, organic and supernatural protein powder is always the best option.

My brain started racing and the internal recipe maker switched on… what can I create to make this powder pop!

The below recipe is gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian…(sounds like dust!)… seriously it is beyond tasty!


Pumpkin and Chia Seed Protein Porridge

That Protein

Ingredients:

That Protein I heart Pumpkin Seed Protein Powder: 1 scoop

Sprouted Oats: 1 Cup

Coconut Milk: 3/4 Cup

Water: 1/4 Cup

Toppings of your choice

Method:

Put all the contents (except the toppings) in a pan and put on low heat

Gently stir until consistency is how you like your porridge

Serve and add your toppings… I went for blueberries and honey – simple and delicious.

If you don’t have time to eat this before work – package up in some Tupperware and take with you to work.

Splash a bit of water on the top and microwave at work

That Protein


For More Stress-Free Recipes Click Here: Nourish

Stress Free Style

Summer In The City: White Hot!


Anyone else feeling the heat!

This Summer has blessed us with perfect weather. Radiant sunshine, fresh green parks and the calling of BBQ’s in the evenings easing us out of working days.

Style choices start to become easier as simple cotton dresses and breathable shirts start to make up the basis of every outfit.

Topshop Broderie Bardot White Cyncity Cyntra Charlesworth Blogger Style

Whether at work or play – finding your style for Summer in the City is always made easier when you have a wardrobe staple to take you from work to play.

White Hot

Nothing brings a breath of fresh coolness to any look than a clean white jumpsuit and I have found the perfect one at Topshop. This Embroidered Bardot Jumpsuit has become my go to. Gliding me from work to play with the simple change of an accessory.

Topshop Broderie Bardot White Cyncity Cyntra Charlesworth Blogger Style

No-one wants to be carrying around anything more than their handbag in this weather, which is why I have chosen to share my simple tips to style for any occasion. Take the stress out of your day and make it easy from work to play.

Here are my simple hacks to take your from work to play:

Style For Work:

Pair this Bardot broderie jumpsuit with a heeled sandal, breathable shirt and colour-pop clutch.

A pair of oversize glasses will add a hint of glam.

Style For Play:

Dress down with a trainer: any colour can work as you have the purity of the white. With a clean fresh tee and the right shades, this will be the perfect pairing. If it gets chilly bring your favourite vintage denim jacket to pull over your shoulders.

Style For Evening:

Topshop Broderie Bardot White Cyncity Cyntra Charlesworth Blogger Style

A heeled wedge or a spicy stiletto and a leather jacket will take this jumpsuit from day to date.

A flash of red lipstick and a small flick of eyeliner and you can stroll into the evening oozing with chic and style.

Topshop Broderie Bardot

Style For Festival:

Topshop Broderie Bardot

Look chic and fresh – even in the mud!

Nothing says chic like a beautiful Bardot paired with your muddy wellies. A floral headdress and the classic festival shades – marry together that summery festival vibe.

Be it Wilderness, Tomorrowland, Obanjan or Bestival – you always have to be prepared for the #BritishSummer

Topshop Broderie Bardot

This Bardot Playsuit makes the perfect addition to a capsule wardrobe as it is so versatile to suit every need your Summer throws at you!

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

Review: Eat Beautiful Wendy Rowe

Eat Beautiful


eat-beautiful wendy-rowe new-releaseAbout

Eat Beautiful? What does that mean?

Well…Wendy Rowe in her new book tries to explain just that! There has been a shift recently away from looking into what’s scientifically proven to make your skin look younger using the most modern chemicals to looking inside your kitchen cupboards to go back to basics to nourish your body with the right ingredients found in your Kitchen.

Wendy Rowe is an international make-up artist and advisor to the stars. When you look into the women she works with; namely Sienna Miller and Victoria Beckham, you can see she has a high profile portfolio of women we all know and love.

Right, I needed this book. I wanted to know what the tricks are because I don’t know about you but as I hit my mid-late 20s my skin is becoming my most important accessory!


Spring

Each chapter starts with Wendy’s top tips for that season starting with Spring. She touches on the elements you should start to think about when addressing a spring clean. The new skincare routine: to exfoliate out the dead winter skin cells and brighten for spring

The new skincare routine: to exfoliate out the dead winter skin cells and brighten for Spring season. She reminds us that now is the time to dust off the winter layers and start to rekindle the idea of the dreaded bikini body season. Finally, she lists the types of food which will boost the skin and your body in that season. Focussing on less heavy and rich meals.


 Summersummer

 

Summer is the season of hydration! As we enter the longer days with more sunshine it is important to nourish your skin with more water. Wendy recommends “eating your water” as well as drinking it; introducing more salads a high water content food.

She lists out a number of food ingredients which add an extra layer of defence to help the body protect against the sun. Vitamins and foods which support you in fighting against dangerous UVB and ageing UVA.

 

 

 


Autumn

autumn

 

Our current season. This chapter is loaded with delicious recipes using seasonal vegetables such as pumpkin, walnuts and kale.

Bright colours, darker days and cooler weather; Rowe suggest this is the season to get to bed earlier, exercise every day, meditate and not to eat too late.

For you skin; you need to think about hydrating with lots of good fat. I personally top up on avocados and argan oils in this season to keep my skin looking plump

 

 

 


 Winter

Ohhh the hibernating season. I don’t know about you but I do find something magical about the dark days and all the beautiful layers you can wear. This is the season for short brisk walks in the cold to keep the blood pumping. Filling your body full of hot broths such as bone broths and vegetable soups to boost your vitamins and loading your plate with protecting and health boosting foods to stave off colds.

Dry brushing your skin and encouraging circulation mean that your body doesn’t get dull and dry with the constant movement from central heating to the cooler air.


 Skincare

Throughout the body, Wendy gives her top tips for your skin routine. From addressing different issues your skin may be facing to introducing a new plan to your daily routine to make sure you naturally grow through the years.

The only thing I wish there was more of in the book was perhaps meal plans for the different seasons. However, Rowe may have deliberately done this to show us all there is no rule book when it comes to everyone’s routine. You need to find what works for you and keep it as natural and seasonal as possible.

Would I recommend this book? Yes

The more we can all learn about using fewer chemicals on our skin and eating right to achieve our beauty goals the better. We need to educate ourselves and stay true especially in a world that is constantly advocating the next miracle cream.


 Stay Natural – Eat Beautiful

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Top Secrets to an Effortless Weekend

After a hard week in the office it is a blessing to get to the weekend. Two days and three nights that are yours to do with as you wish. However, do you ever feel when monday has come around that you haven’t had a weekend? That you haven’t caught up on sleep and in fact you’re more tired than you were last friday?

Many of us are guilty of filling our weekend to the brim with high expectations to pack in as much as possible into the valuable free time we have. Drinks here, cooking there, late nights, lie ins, eating out, food shopping, running around town and we get to Sunday evening and feel exhausted!

Its time to take your weekend back and follow these simple life hacks to make your weekend as effortless as possible.


Get Organised

Finding your room in a state, all your letters un-opened, none of your washing done and your house un-tidy is not a nice way to start the weekend. Often than not you will leave these tasks to Sunday – the ultimate day of rest – and then you will find yourself rushing around to get this done before the week begins.

Stop. Get organised.

Set yourself 45 minutes each day of the week to put a wash on, order that food shop online, tidy a room (or book a cleaner) and change your bedding to free up more time on the weekend. Washing can take hours if left to pile up so do a bit each day to make sure you are on top of this by the weekend. A clean and tidy environment enables you to truly relax and put those feet up for a rest!


Outsource your Breakfast

Its the weekend! You have spent the week making breakfast, packing those lunches and cooking meals its time to treat yourself. Get out the house and meet friends for brunch. Take your loved one out or your housemate and let someone else do all the hard work.

Brunch is great as it means you can have a few hours extra in bed and effectively cram two meals in one! Saving money and saving time. Breakfast and brunch food is great too! There is nothing like sinking your teeth into Eggs Florentine, Chorizo on Avo Toast or getting continental with a Crepe.

All of these when attempted at home can sometimes lead to a disaster, mess and effort. Why not whatsapp a few friends and check out these amazing and reasonable brunch places this weekend and sit back and let it be done for you.

Cafe Fleur: Nestled in Wandsworth this beautiful cafe is the perfect stop. The owner is delightful and the food is abundant. Take a short walk to Wandsworth Common to walk it off or head to Putney for some shopping after brunch.
Recommend: Avo Toast with Chorizo and Poached Eggs!

La Petite Bretagne: New and situated a short walk from Clapham Common this beautiful french crêperie delights the senses with their Gluten Free and Wheat Free Crepes. Coming in both Savoury and Sweet there is a crepe to suit everyones taste. Nearby you have the big open space of Clapham Common to rest and walk and lap (if there is any) some rays on sunshine while you digest.
Recommend: Paimpol with a side of the SuperSalad


Sleep and Rest

FOMO (fear of missing out) can play a huge part in exhaustion.

Long gone are the weekends of empty days. These days your weekend diary seems to mimic your work diary but instead of calls and meetings its: Parties here, bbq’s there, Weddings, Hen Doos, House Warming, Festivals and Birthdays.

Sometimes you have to take your time back. Yes you may miss the odd sausage or glass of vino but sometimes R&R is just what you need.

Have a bath, Read a Book, Catch up on whatever is your current Netflix fix and slip into those pyjamas and get that nine hours of un-disturbed sleep that will give you the energy boost you deserve.


Visit markets

Towns and cities have a wealth of different markets open on the weekend. From antiques, car boots, thrifts stores food and wine and cheese there is a market for everyone.

Markets are great as you can ignite your senses, try new things, sample lots of treats and often come home tired from all the walking and with a bag full of treats to sample that evening.

Rarely there are stressful queues like in Supermarkets. You get to try before you by and is a fun day out for all. It is an excellent way of trying new brands you may have never seen in the shops and means you can do your part to support the independent shops of your area.

There are so many to choose from… check out your local community blog or paper to find out whats on. Where I live in South London we are privileged with so many to choose from: Brixton Markets, Clapham Market, Herne Hill, Lordship Lane, Peckham and beyond!

Check it out and make a day of strolling around and getting out of the house without busting the purse strings or getting stressed in crowds.


Boost your health

Running around in the week sometimes by the weekend your health has taken a battering. Work dinners out on, late meetings fuelled by coffee and sugary snacks when running from call to meeting can really make you feel rubbish.

Start the weekend by investing some time in you. Get those healthy proteins, fruits and veggies loaded up in order that you fuelled up for that week ahead.

I know Green Smoothies really do get a lot of jip but they really are great for you. Loaded with all things green (which sometimes we neglect) can really boost those vitamin levels.

My Favourite Recipe:
Spinach
Kale
Cucumber
Mint
Ginger
Lemon
Lean Protein (Neat Nutrition)
Coconut Water (Jax Coco)

Blend together with a ton of ice and it tastes magnificent. Perfect if you need something to tide you over before brunch!


These are my secrets to an effortless weekend… what are yours? Would love to hear your hacks for a stress free weekend which re-balances you ready for work.

Balance

Best exercises for stress management

Stress

Everyday stresses can really wear you down. When the office seems to be getting on top of you and the work-load seems to be ever growing it can be hard to let go and separate home from work. Part of having a work-life balance is learning techniques to know when to turn off you work head from your home head. This can be difficult if there is not a natural break between leaving work and getting home.


Exercise

Exercise is often the best cure when your day has stressed you out. An after work gym session could be the best break you could have between leaving the office and getting home. Most people need to digest and sometimes take the stress of their day out which if you keep bottled up could lead to you having a stressful home environment. No-one enjoys having their head bitten off when they ask “how was your day”.

workout, stress management, stress relief


Pilates

Pilates is a great form of exercise to Centre, Concentrate and Connect with yourself while using up that negative energy to burn calories. Pilates is similar to yoga but emphasizes your body’s core. It strengthens the abdomen, obliques, lower back, inner and outer thigh, butt which is great if you have a desk job as it helps support your posture.

Pilates develops strength, flexibility, muscular endurance, coordination, balance, and good posture — with a much lower chance of injury than with other forms of exercise. The discipline emphasizes correct form instead of going for the burn. Which means even if you are absolutely shattered after a hard day you may be able to find enough energy to re-connect before heading home.

peace, tranquility, view, france, stress


Variations

There are a few types of Pilates you can try: Reformer, Hot and Mat.

Reformer: Is great for those who prefer more resistance as the reformer machine allows you to add weights to certain moves. Allowing you to get all the benefits while challenging yourself more. Try Fitness Fusions in Clapham for a challenging Reformer for FREE for your first time or for an all over body changer FRAME Pilates Package.

Hot: Like Bikram Yoga this refreshing way of doing pilates gives you the buzz and energy that you get from hot classes. Challenging and helps achieve the feeling of sweating out the stress. Try HotPodYoga for a sense enlightening session at one of their venues across London.

Mat: Best option for beginners or those who want clarity. You will strengthen your core while improving your posture. Search for your local pilates class to find the right match for you.


Clothing

Wear something reasonably fitting which allows you to move while not restricting you with extra clothing. Leggings from Lululemon or Fabletics are perfect to give you good fitting as well as stylish choices. If you want to rock both style, stretch and ultimate chic then check out the new collaboration between Bodyism x Charlotte Olympia.


Refresh

Pilates doesn’t require as many calories as other activities such as running therefore you do not need to load up after a session. Re-hydrate well as continue with your Supper as you would normally. For an added boost of clarity and de-stress I often have a Pukka Tea from either the Matcha Range (if i do a morning pilates) or Turmeric to soothe and benefit from anti-inflammatory properties from any stresses from work

Balance/ Stress Free Style

Do you check your Ingredients?

Do you check your Ingredients? Answer majority is usually Yes

However

Do you check your ingredients in your Beauty Products? This often leads to a few less in agreement.

Green for All Seasons is hosting a series of events to investigate, educate and discuss the importance of Clean and Organic living through in the products that we use on a daily basis.

First in the series was to discuss Organica and Clean Beauty. In attendance were a  panel of experts to discuss Wellness and How your beauty regime is a key player when talking about holistic Wellness.


Victoria- Anne founder of Green for All Seasons opened the session by calling out some harrowing facts.

11% of the 10,500 products approved by the FDA have actually been tested for safety”

“2000 new chemicals are registered daily in the US to be used in beauty products”

“An average woman uses 12 personal care items a day…exposing yourself to 168 chemicals daily”

We often spend time making sure the food we put inside us if of the top standard but may forget to check the finer print when it comes to our beauty regime. We went on to discuss the importance of skin and how we can make small and simple changes to thrive and seek wellness holistically in our day to day routines.


Looking after your wellness and well-being is a holistic action. It is all about living without extremes and operating in a balanced way. We often hear the remark that you can’t live a healthy life if you smash hours in the gym but fill your fridge full of processed food. We check labels, search for organic food, are on a quest to reduce sugar and fighting against the big companies to be honest with us yet we seem to be missing out on some crucial items that we put on our skin everyday.

Victoria-anne opened up her questioning to the expert panel – Here is what the experts had to say

The panel started with Tanya Hawkes from Therapi. Tanya was a bee keeper and found her passion for skincare and bee-keeping and combined these to create her product line.

“Honey is Nature’s liquid gold, a precious elixir containing the nutritious nectar and therapeutic essences of a thousand flowers in just a single drop. Our certified organic products combine honey with active botanical extracts in exceptionally pure and gentle formulations, using cold-pressed organic oils and nourishing plant butters to keep your skin looking beautifully radiant and healthy day after day” 

She expressed Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food as she handed around a shot glass filled with Therapi toner which we proceeded to sip. One should not put anything on their face which one would not put in their mouth.

Tanya’s top skin tips: Radiate with Wellbeing: Balance Work, Love, Exercise. Secondly use Japanese Konjac Sponge and Honey Gel Cleanser to clean the face leaving your skin soft and hydrated.

 

Next to discuss Clean Beauty was creator and founder of Twelve Beauty: Pedro Catalá

Pedro started as a pharmacist and through his passion created Twelve beauty. Pedro used his extensive research and knowledge of plant extracts to develop and create TWELVE BEAUTY, his revolutionary range of nine skin care products which are highly suitable for various concerns, especially stressed, sensitive and reactive (allergy-prone) skin.

His values revolved around: Simplicity.

He expressed how you should keep it simple with only a few products that your skin likes. There is no need to own a whole range of products. Find something that works and keep to the basics.

TWELVE Beauty range is a divine and has a simple yet sophisticated branding. Using powerful anti-oxidants and beautiful elixirs – his products are recommended by experts. You can find him online or at Content Beauty in Marylebone.

Pedro’s top skin tips: Don’t be stressed. Relax – and be happy and your skin will Glow

Next on the panel Natalie and Marie from Aevi

They are the ladies behind a beautiful Wellness Box (see above). Filled with gorgeous products which are natural and good for your skin.

Marie was very passionate about Wellness. She and Natalie created the boxes having both suffered from skin problems caused by high street products.

Look after your heart, mind and skin
You have to be the healthiest version of you

This echoed the feeling of the day where it was not about forcing you to take on certain products but find something kind and natural for your skin in order to flourish.

Aevi’s top skin tips: Stay Hydrated, Eat foods high in Vitamin E (nuts, avocados) Exfoliate – all over

Finally we moved to our last panelist Sjaniel Turrell from Chemistry of Wellness

A nutritional therapist and holistic make up artist she spoke of the importance of making sure your products are a reflection of health and not chemicals.

She gave us a live demonstration on Chessie King and showed us products that will make you glow without putting harmful chemicals on your skin.

If you are un-sure where to go with making your make-up more natural and kind to your skin you can book consultations with Sjaniel Turrell here


The day was rounded off with some light refreshments and divine teas provided by Pukka Tea and Charlotte Pukka discussed with us their new Turmeric range and the power of healing herbs such as Matcha and Turmeric. Their new Turmeric range is in store now.

Join the turmeric revolution.

Turmeric Revolution


Caring about your skin from the outside in can really make a change to your overall well-being. From a mental health point of view: when you feel and look tired it can often bring you down. You may eat all the right foods and hit the gym but if you expose your skin to the wrong and harmful products you can lose your radiant glow and be left feeling dreary and washed out.

Don’t feel you have to go to your cupboards and throw everything out, this should be a transition. Start by reading the labels, asking the questions and sourcing the right products.

The Soil Association has a list of products which have been certified clean and organic to start your education here.

Check out some of the Chemicals to look out for and where you will find them!


Love the skin you’re in

If you have any questions surrounding clean beauty or any other questions raised in this article please feel free to comment below and I will get back to you or put you in contact with the right people

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?

 

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

BOXING: Work Out like Gigi Hadid


 

GIGI HADID

Right…who hasn’t heard of Gigi Hadid? The beautiful blonde with legs up to the heavens who turns her middle finger up to those who fat shame!

This gorgeous goddess – daughter of Yolanda Foster – is the focus for this blog post.

One of the things that is inspiring about Gigi is that she is not your average model. She walks high end fashion runways and is a Victoria’s Secret Model yet she sports a curvy lean physique with strong thighs.

Hell Yes – a real woman!

This world is full of images that lead us to believe that our shape isn’t good enough. Unrealistic images are pumped into our day to day lives. It is refreshing to see someone strong bold and well relatively normal – storm the top runways.


So I dug a little deeper and looked into what this young lady is doing to look so gorgeous yet remain lean and strong

The answer: BOXING!!!

Boxing as a sport requires a high level of athletic prowess: strength, speed, agility, hand-eye coordination, endurance, nerve, and power, just to name several required attributes.

Gigi trains with a boxer to burn through calories, shed excess fat, and remain agile which all leads to her lean physique.

Boxing can be off-putting as it is deemed a male sport – but this empowering exercise really can attribute to some serious body changes!

Here are some reasons why you should try out boxing


Total-Body Strength

All that punching, kicking, and jumping requires a surprising amount of strength. Think about it – most professional heavy bags weigh at least 100 pounds. During a boxing workout, you may punch or kick a bag hundreds of times, requiring your upper body, lower body, and core to engage as you make contact with the bag.


 

Cardio

You hear it all the time: You need to do cardio to protect yourself from heart disease, burn calories, and lose or maintain your weight. But “doing cardio” doesn’t have to mean hopping on a treadmill to log your required minutes – how boring is that?

The whole point of cardio is to place a moderate amount of stress on your heart and lungs so that they’re challenged enough to make beneficial physiologic adaptations to support the higher level of physical activity. As long as you keep your heart rate up during your workout, there’s no reason you can’t punch, kick, and jump your way to a healthy heart at your local boxing gym.


Body Composition

Boxing is great for improving body composition – and some might say it’s great for weight loss. The technique means you are pushing your body burning up to 13 calories a minute!


Less Stress

Almost any form of moderate to intense physical activity can decrease stress. Exercise increases endorphins, boosts mood, works as a form of meditation, and improves sleep, all of which help reduce stress.

Boxing is a great outlet for stress! You can literally fight your way out of the stress zone!


It’s a win win situation!

Be inspired by the strong women in this world and learn from their tricks. If she can do it so can you.

Go and find your nearest boxing centre or get into the gym find those gloves and get practising!


Speaking of BOX – ing… I am very excited to open my new FITTY London box!

FittyLDN

Packed to the brim with Healthy Goodies to start February the right way!

From Spiralizers, to coconut oil to delicious superfoods to sprinkle on my breakfast. This perfect little box never ceases to surprise me. So chic and beautiful – its really does give you that monthly buzz to keep on track!

fitty box

Delivered to my door every month (along with my Vogue) its like my birthday happens every month!

Happy February!


Check out Fitty London here


Balance/ Explore/ Recipes/ Stress Free Style

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