Post holiday blues or in my case sparkles…

As I mentioned in my last blog, I was on holiday last week and I had a faboulous time.

The week started well with a friends 30th birthday, a game of cricket and some dancing in a village hall! Then James took me to a health farm for the night, he actually thought it was a hotel with a spar rather than a full on heath farm which restricted our portions but it was great anyway. We were able to play some tennis, did some swimming and a circuit training class as well as had a relaxing massage. The next day we went for a lovely walk around where I grew up and up a to the top of a huge hill which looks out over the Surrey countryside and then James proceeded to ask me to marry him. Blush. I said yes and then we spent the rest of the evening drinking bubbly and being very smiley.

On Thursday we drove to Devon to camp on a friend’s field for the bank holiday with a group of my oldest friends. The weather was good to us and we were able to do lots of canoeing, walking, played lots of volleyball and I did the 90 mins swim in the estuary I wrote about before I went on holiday. I was a little cold and blue when I got out to of the water but nothing an apple crumble in the local pub couldn’t fix! So although I didn’t do a lot of standard training I was very active and spent all my time in the great outdoors. Unfortunatley when your camping and the majority of your food is cooked over a campfire your diet is not as balanced as you normally aspire it to be and I think my consumption largely outweighed my activity!!!

At this point I must contradict Marta’s blog about the ability to get a good sleep in the countryside, one night we were woken up by two owls twit twoowing overhead, another night by a peacock screeching and another by the farm dog raiding our leftover pans by the fire!

And so I returned to work on Tuesday and the four day week was well received!

It is easy to let the post-holiday blues and the results of the excess of holiday get you down (if you haven’t returned home with a sparkly ring) but why not turn this on its head and make it into a huge motivational drive for you to work harder and get back on track I know I am.

Katie

Silence, dark nights and apple crumble ...

Morning everyone!

What a beautiful day we have today. Much cooler though I must say. Looks like the autumn it's well on it's way.
How is everyone feeling after the last long weekend of the year before the government blesses us with another bank holiday in October?

I can not help but day dream about the last few days. I went to Cambridgeshire for some much needed rest away from London and a decent dose of fresh air. After just 2 days away from the hustle and bustle of the Big Smoke I walked into the studio this morning feeling as if I was away for much much longer. The most amazing things about the countryside, we often forget are the pitch black nights allowing your brain to produce enough sleep hormones to make you feel refreshed and raring to go in the morning and the silence you hear when you wake up (less the ringing in your ears from the constant city noise we are so used to and even unaware of sometimes).

Spending pretty much the whole weekend cooking yummy food (yes yes, apple and blackberry crumble included!), spending time around the table, chatting and laughing, walking through the fields I decided to go for a run on Sunday. Not really knowing where I was going made it just that little bit more exciting. It's amazing how different people are outside big cities. I am sure most of you runners know what a pain it is to run through the city, even by the river, dodging people who think we're only there to get in their way. Running through the small villages of Cambridgeshire there was nothing else but smiles, encouragement and friendly chats that I heard from passers by. Why don't we learn from people able to live their life slow, smile to strangers and appreciate what's around them?



It's so important to be able to switch off and slow down, especially if we are running around like crazy all week, working stupid hours and not getting enough sleep. It just shows that if done properly a couple of days away from it all on a regular basis will help to recharge our so overused energy batteries and help our bodies recover and get ready for another busy week ahead.

Have a great week all and I'll chat too you soon again.

Marta

Out of Office

This is my last day in the studio before I go off on a week’s holiday. I am very excited and really can’t wait. I’m sure my next blog instalment will be all about my famous five camping trip so I wont bore you with the details now. Needless to say I’m looking forward to getting out of the big smoke and joining the masses on the A303 to the West Country.

I’ll be taking my trainers for some well desired countryside hills running and my wetsuit for a the odd swim in the estuary. The very same estuary that was featured in the FT this week for being a great place for open water swimming. The sharp eyed amongst you may notice the boats house in the photo in the FT is same boathouse I featured in my blog on Friday 16th July - I and so ahead of the trend!

I look forward to reporting all on my return.

Be kind to Marta and Scott next week as Jos, BJ and myself are all away.

Katie

Staying Motivated

Hello all…

When I speak to people about there day I seem to get the same responses from family and friends.. “I’m tired” , “had such a hard day” or a general un-motivated response.

Whatever little obstacles you pass through your day, the way you react to these will depend on your mood.

Whether your boss Is giving you the ump or colleagues are being useless, just overcome the problem then shrug it off with a smile on your face.

I’ll guarantee you’ll feel a lot better and end the day having a great nights sleep being un-stressed.

Give it a go for a week and just see how you feel by Friday!



Scotty B

The Great Outdoor Gyms ... no excuses people!!

Good morning all :)

The sun is out and the spirits are high!

Last weekend I ventured out on a trip around Kilburn and West Hampstead never expecting what was to come. After a huge downpour I managed to escape settling down on a cosy sofa of one of the West End Lane's tapas bars and having some yummy lunch I continued my escapade through random streets and alleys.

Now, I have been walking around here quite few times but this time something looking rather like a decent set of gymnast rings in a nice grassy little park like area took me slightly off my usual route to check out who and why would be installing such things outdoors. To my delight here it was right in front of my eyes a full on, bright coloured outdoor gym on one side and an assault course with a full set of rings, a massive spider web and all sorts of other amusements waiting for me to go and play. So I did :) The only problem was that it was still wet and very slippery from the rain but I can't wait to hit the rings again this weekend!

I have seen one of those in Ibiza and thought that it's probably just a holiday destination thing. It turns out slightly different however. There is a whole lot of them in London. Here's their website so go on, have a look if there's one in your area. They also have playgrounds for kids so no excuses for the whole family going for a walk and having an outdoor activities session using one of those.

Enjoy and let me know how you get on!

Marta :)

Joslyn's Blog Spot - The Magic 7!!

I used to think that 8 hours sleep was the magic number! Ooh, if I get my 8 hours my skin will be lovely, and my attention span will be on flying form. Now that's not to say of course that I do ever get 8 hours, if I'm honest it's 6.5-7 in the week and I manage to get maybe 9 at weekends. Anyway according to a study of over 30,000 adults, by researchers at West Virginia University’s (WVU) faculty of medicine, 7 hours of sleep is the magic number!

People who sleep for less than seven hours a day, including naps, are at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Whilst those sleeping fewer than five hours a day, including naps, more than double the risk of angina, heart attack, or stroke. Those at the highest risk are the over 60s, but it's good to get into good habits now I feel!

The study also found that those sleeping for more than seven hours, also increased the risk of cardiovascular disease, with those who slept for nine hours or longer being one-and-a half times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those who slept for seven hours.

Whilst the authors of the study were unable to determine the causal relationship between length of sleep and the risk of cardiovascular disease, they did point out that lack of sleep affects endocrine and metabolic function, as well as causing high blood pressure, impaired glucose tolerance and reduced insulin sensitivity. These can all lead to hardening of the arteries and thus cardiovascular disease.

Remember, sleep is the time during which your body really reaps the benefits of all of your hard work. Little time to grow and repair, means problems in the future.

Happy Thursday!

How are we? The sun seems to have disappeared somewhere... At least it's not pouring down as it was on Tuesday.

I was going through my emails and all the newsletters and updates I am regularly getting and thought it may be worth sharing some goodness with you. You all probably know by now that I am a bit of a nutritional geek so have a look at some of the below and remember:

"Those who think have no time for healthy eating, will sooner or later have to find time for illness" - Edward Stanley

Here are a few website addresses I am visiting to explore and expand my nutritional knowledge and also find useful information on supplements and other valid tips and advice on healthy living (in a proper way, not the conventional and commercial rubbish we are being fed by media!). Some of them I have mentioned before but will still include them here so we have them all in one place.

First one I'd like to mention Patrick Holfird's website:

www.patrickholford.com

Patrick Holford is a pioneer in new approaches to health and nutrition, specialising in the field of mental health. He is widely regarded as Britain’s best-selling author and leading spokesman on nutrition and mental health issues, hence being frequently quoted in national newspapers from the Daily Mail to the Guardian. Patrick is also popular on radio shows and national television as a presenter, interviewer and guest.

Check out the "Are you 100% healthy" tab to see what really is wrong with you and how to fix it without visiting your doctor.

Another two are American websites known again for their brain tickling articles more often than not going against the conventional 'eat and live healthy' quotes, proving that what's been going on in the medical and nutritional public eye for the last 30-50 years is not quite the way it should be...

www.mercola.com

Dr. Mercola has made significant milestones in his mission to bring people practical solutions to their health problems. A New York Times Best Selling Author, Dr. Mercola was also voted the 2009 Ultimate Wellness Game Changer by the Huffington Post, and has been featured in TIME magazine, LA Times, CNN, Fox News, ABC News, Today Show, CBS’s Washington Unplugged with Sharyl Attkisson, and other major media resources.

Beware as Mercola has his strong supporters and quite a few do hate him too. Mainly for going against mainstream... You decide!

www.westonaprice.org

The Weston A. Price Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charity founded in 1999 to disseminate the research of nutrition pioneer Dr. Weston Price, whose studies of isolated nonindustrialized peoples established the parameters of human health and determined the optimum characteristics of human diets.

Check out a bit more about Price himself. Started as a dentist and drifted off in a completely different direction delivering amazing research. Look into his work. What a man!!

And here are the two favourite food sites of mine. The natural food finder will help you locate the best, most natural and healthy food at your door step. Have a look at Ben Pratt's blog as well. The guy knows what he is talking about. He is the author of the nutrition courses I did as part of my nutritional journey.

www.naturalfoodfinder.com

And the previously mentioned, and I am sure mentioned more than once - Abel and Cole. I am getting their amazing boxes delivered to my door every Wednesday morning. Absolutely delicious organic food. Check them out and if you decide to sign up put my name down as a referral :) Will get a lovely bottle of vino for that, haha!

www.abelandcole.com

So here you go! An abundance of brain training over the weekend. Read on and enjoy. It's worth it.

Till next time!

Marta :)