If you only do one thing this week… Recharge Your Body

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It is that time of year when we are all getting a bit fed up with the cold weather and we are desperate for spring to come along to recharge our batteries and make us feel energised and happy again. Until then, here are a few things that you can do now to make you feel rejuvenated and ready for anything!

Start Your Mondays As You Mean To Go On 
I truly believe that by starting your Monday as you mean to go on sends the right message to  you and your body and you’re more likely to see your healthy regime through till Friday! I try and hit the gym before work, or kick off the day with a green juice (sometimes both when I’m feeling really angelic). You might prefer doing a yoga session or spending ten minutes meditating. Whatever you decide you want to do to give your week a proper Hip and Healthy kick, set the intention on the Sunday night and prepare for it. Lay out your clothes for the gym/yoga or organise the green juice ingredients as we all know that Monday mornings are busy at the best of times and if you can make it just that little bit easier the night before you are more likely to follow through with your healthy intention.

Stretch
Taking as little as ten minutes out of your day to stretch can reap amazing results. We suggest dividing this up to five minutes in the morning and five minutes before bed.
Morning Suggestion: Kneel with one knee on the floor (make sure your knee is supported by some form of padding such as a cushion). When steady in this position, tuck your pelvis under so you are creating a ‘C’ shape. Keep your back straight. You should feel this in your hip flexers and groin. Another major area it helps to stretch is the hamstring on your back leg.
Evening Suggestion: Backs get truly tight during the week so lie on your back and bring your knees to your chest and rock from side to side. This will help to loosen the shoulders and massage the lower back.

Don’t Skip Meals (and think carefully about snacks)
Many people skip meals as they feel they have over done it the day before and they want to cancel this out, but in fact this will just send the wrong sort of messages to your brain and you’ll end up feeling low in energy and depressed and then probably overeating on snacks later. Instead, eat properly and healthily each meal time and think about what snacks you would like to introduce. Have fruit before lunch (your body can digest it better), so an apple at 11am is a great way to starve off hunger for a bit longer. And then in the afternoon – if you feel you need something else – have a vegetable juice, a couple of gluten-free oat cakes or a Nakd bar (they are our fave!). Try not to snack on packets of nuts because if you are anything like me portion control can be a problem and before you know it the entire bag is gone!

Set Yourself a Bedtime
If you are going to work exhausted then this could be one for you! Tiredness can lead to over-eating (it makes your body constantly hungry by emitting the hunger hormone ghrelin), lack of exercise, poor decision making, grumpiness (no one likes grumpiness!), loss of sex drive, aged skin and a whole host of other really boring feelings! It has been reported that as much as 50% of Britons don’t feel like they get enough sleep. And women are three times more likely to have insomnia than men and another recent study performed in Tokyo revealed that those who don’t get a good night’s sleep are twice as likely to suffer from depression. Don’t be one of these people! Set yourself a bedtime and start properly winding down an hour and a half before then.

Also, check out our article on the joys of Personal Training. Click here.

 

Three Day Yoga Retreat in the UK: Hip and Healthy reviews Chaya Yoga Retreat in Kent

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What do you get when you combine good healthy food, 8 hours of yoga and a good friend? Hip and Healthy’s idea of the perfect retreat

words by Sadie MacLeod

Chaya Yoga Image Retreat

I am ashamed to say that despite spending five years of my life in travel journalism, two of which I have focused more specifically on wellbeing holidays and, of course, editing Hip and Healthy, I have never been on a yoga retreat. In fact, I’m pretty bad at yoga full stop, but even if I wasn’t, even if I was the don of downward dog, I still think I would have resisted them for as long as I have. Why? Because they have always intimidated me. It’s not just that I can’t actually touch my toes on the best of days, I am also reluctant to do things like bridge pose as I am scared my back is not strong enough. And, am I the only person that runs through a list of what I need to get at Waitrose throughout Shavasana? Also, just the word retreat conjures up images of hemp wearing hippies eating very little and talking to each other in a whisper.

But now, 10 weeks before my wedding day, and in serious need of a wellbeing overhaul, it felt like the right time to see if all of that was really true. Can there be a yoga retreat that  is cool and fun and relaxed and yet also inspiring, healthy and set in chic and cosy confines? Enter Chaya Yoga Retreats and the effortlessly cool co-founder Daisy. Having suffered from Adult Acne, none of which is evident today, Daisy searched for a holistic way to heal her skin. She found that combining good nutrition, meditation, alternative therapies and yoga were the way back to clear skin. She then met two wonderful yoga teachers, Lucy Hill and Annabel Jones, and the trio behind Chaya Yoga Retreats was formed.

But there was no way I was going to lose my retreat v plates on my own, so I enlisted my Bridesmaid, Sophie, as well. We caught a super fast train out of London to Ashford, Kent where I had to prize the grande flat white out of Sophie’s hand. At the station we were met by Daisy and four of the other retreat goers. I soon learnt that these fellow retreaters all worked in London and led normal busy lives just liked us.

The cottage – a newly converted barn is set amongst acres of countryside and farmland. It was heavenly, and we settled in immediately. Greeted with green juice and kale chips, we then did our first two-hour yoga session. Asthere were only eight of us it allowed the instructor, Jo, to really help us individually. Jo started by asking us to set an intention for our practice, and instantly the word “acceptance” sprung to mind. Like many women in their twenties, I struggle to be happy in my own skin. There is always something to improve upon and frankly I am a little exhausted of always trying to better myself.

The classes were for beginners, thank god, and all previous misconceptions of being made to hold a headstand on the first day evaporated. In fact each of the yoga sessions, we did two hours in the morning and two hours at night, were totally doable, even for a novice like me. And each session ended in a 15 minute Savasana – the challenge of not falling asleep became increasingly easier as the weekend went on.

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The food was off-the-charts delicious and entirely free from dairy, sugar, wheat and gluten. Sophie and I filled our boots full of the delicious dishes Daisy made each mealtime. Buckwheat noodles with Tamarind Sauce (a Hemsley & Hemsley special, who Daisy knows personally), chickpea curry with flax seed crackers, red cabbage and beetroot salad with seeds and the pièce de résistance – an avocado chocolate moose. One completely crazy guest didn’t want theirs so Sophie and I managed to carefully find some space in our stomachs for a bit more. The breakfasts too were an inspiring mix of homemade granola, coconut porridge, with bee pollen and sunflower seeds, and buckwheat toast with almond butter.

On the Saturday, Daisy had organised for us all to have a kinesiology session with a practioner called Simon who has been practicing sincehe left his job as a lawyer. Simon usually practices just outside of London and is passionate about holistic health. For those who have no idea what kinesiology entails, it is an east-meets-west practice that involves muscle testing to helps identify imbalances in the body. After not very long at all, Simon was able to tell that my tummy area was all out if whack (I consistently suffer from stomach aches) and just a few moments later he told me that I had had a parasite (I challenge anyone to move to Hong Kong and not get one). Although the parasite had since been “dispelled” it had left damage that was in need of repair. The following day, I woke to an email from Simon with details of what supplements I could take to help with the healing.

We ended the day with a session of Yoga Nidra, also known as Yogi Sleep. To describe it best it is an hour-long savasana where you are guided into a deep meditation and the trick is not to fall asleep. I spent the time thinking about my intention for the retreat, acceptance, and used this key word to help form all my other thoughts. As soon as I started to go off track I would just picture the word acceptance and try to think about things I was really grateful for.

Sunday consisted of another two-hour yoga session followed by a massage with Daisy herself, which can only be described as 60 minutes of total bliss. Before we parted ways Daisy dished up some delicious butternut squash homemade soup with lime and coconut served with flax seed crackers followed by some raw chocolate, which we could all take home.

What I learnt on this detox yoga retreat was not so much about detox, or indeed yoga but more about myself. And my dear friend Sophie. Together we came away having spent some real, quality time together. Daisy gave us the backdrop in which to understand better our feelings, fears, and futures. Chaya gave us the tools through massage and kinesiology to explore questions that we had, and confirm truths that we knew. And we gave ourselves the time to just be present in the moment, happy and accepting.

The next Chaya Detox retreats are running from 8th – 10th March or  from 22nd – 24th March. www.chayayogaretreats.com/retreats

For more information on kinesiology visit www.kintreatment.co.uk

A Couple of Daisy’s Recipes

Raw Choc Recipe – serves 12

Base

12 oz cacao butter

4 oz coconut butter

12 oz cacao powder

8 oz dark agave nectar

Optional additions:

8 drops peppermint / orange oil

Raisins, chopped almonds, desiccated coconut

Method
Melt cacao and coconut butter using a bain-marie, stir in cacao powder, agave nectar and any optional additions, add to moulds and refrigerate for at least 1 hr.  So simple!

Mung Bean Curry – serves 4

1 tsp coconut oil

1 red onion, chopped

1 tsp finely chopped garlic

1 tsp grated ginger

4 small red chillies, finely chopped

1 tbsp white miso paste

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp paprika

2 dried kaffir lime leaves

3 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 sweet potato, diced

400ml coconut milk

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp Himalayan crystal salt

150g mung beans, cooked

2 handfuls spinach

1 handful coriander, chopped

Method
Heat coconut oil in a large pan. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, chillies and white miso paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onion softens. Add spices, lime leaves and tomatoes and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until tomatoes soften. Add sweet potato and cook for 3 minutes, then add the coconut milk, apple cider vinegar, crystal salt and mung beans. Simmer for 15-20mins until the sweet potato is tender. Stir through the spinach leaves immediately before serving and add the coriander to garnish.

Luxury Family Holidays – Yes! It is Possible

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When it comes to family short breaks in the UK, Luxury Family Holidays have got it covered

Picture this: It’s the weekend, you are just about to have your first spa treatment of the day, your little ones are merrily having fun at an expertly run Den and then later you’ll be reuniting in the luxury pool for some proper play time all together before you have lunch. There is no need to compromise on quality when it comes to family short breaks if you book a stay with Luxury Family Holidays. Doing exactly what they say on the tin, Luxury Family Holidays offer a discerning portfolio of hotels in some of the most beautiful areas of the UK all of which are family- (and in some cases – pet-) friendly.

From elegantly designed sumptuous bedrooms to sybaritic spas that offer a range of facilities catering for both adults and children, each hotel will make you feel completely at home and relaxed. Take Wooley Grange for example, a stunning Jacobean manor house in Wiltshire, which comes with five different dedicated play areas for children, including an Ofsted registered creche called Wooley Bears Den. Or Fowey Hall, which comes with a superb 12 meter indoor swimming pool and is just a stones throw away from the Eden Project. The Elms, located in rural Worcestshire, is another hit with families. The restaurant there, Brookes Restaurant, offers the perfect balance of family-friendly and fine dining, and if you fancy some all-important time with your partner they’ll even arrange high tea for the little ones leaving you to enjoy the Brookes Restaurant all on your own.

Although a family of all ages would love any of the site’s hotels, Luxury Family Holidays is particularly renowned for it’s intelligent approach to catering for the pre-school market and offers fantastic value for money for short stays both mid-week and in term-time periods. Fun, family-friendly, and luxurious? Pets welcome too? Discerning families need never leave the UK again.

Walking Challenge: You can talk the talk but can you walk the walk?

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Walking Challenge: You can talk the talk but can you walk the walk?

walk in her shoes

Having run the marathon, numerous half-marathons and several endurance races it is not uncommon for me to be looking for my next challenge! So when I heard about the CARE INTERNATIONAL Walk In Her Shoes Campaign, I was raring to go. The challenge invites women to walk 10,000 steps (about five miles) every day for a week to highlight the plight of women in the developing world who walk many miles every day for water. For me, this is the distance to and from work from home. Now, I can often be found running to and from work but only about twice a week and never on consecutive days. So this is going to be testing, and although all you really need to have in order to take part in this is a pair of trainers, I see it as a great opportunity to splurge on a few bits an pieces that will further enhance the experience.

Why you should get involved?

Burn Calories
Depending on how fast you intend to strut your stuff, walking can burn up to 600 calories per five mile.

Great set of pins
Walking is a great way of toning and sculpting the legs without applying the strain and pressure to your knees that running does.

Increased fitness levels
Although you may not think it but walking 5 miles a day will undoubtably raise your fitness levels, which will in turn help you out in other sports.

Save you money
If, like me, you are using your walk to commute home then you’ll save yourself a fair but of money. In fact, it will hopefully make you aware of how much money you spend on travel, which so many of us do absent mindlessly. Keep tabs on it and use the money that you save to so something like go to the cinema… You’ve totally earned it.

Raising awareness
By tweeting and face booking your way through the challenge as well as telling your friends and colleagues about it you’ll be doing a great cause by raising awareness. If you tweet be sure to hashtag #wihs

Feel inspired? Get involved. For more details on how to take part visit http://www.careinternational.org.uk/walkinhershoes/

The walk in her shoes week is from 4th -10th March 2013.

 

If you do one thing this week… Pimp Your Breakfast

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Pimp Your Breakfast: A Healthy Breakfast Just Got Healthier

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The Alarm goes off, and the race begins. Shower, get dressed and somewhere in the mix grab a bowl of cereal before rushing to the tube. Mornings can be brutal. So why shortchange yourself when a few simple additions to your breakfast could make all the difference. Recently I have been taking a few more minutes in the morning to prepare my breakfast and am reaping the benefits. Not only do I want something fuelling, tasty and filling but I also want great hair, skin and nails. And of course I want energy, that’s a given, but is a souped up metabolism too much to ask for as well? With these small but savvy additions, no its not!

Add to Porridge and Oats: Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds are one of nature’s richest source of the essential fatty acid Omega 3. Omega 3 is needed in our diet to maintain optimum brain function and a healthy heart. Containing all 9 Amino acids the benefits for your skin, teeth, hair and bones are endless. Add 30g (two tablespoons) to your porridge. We love adding Blueberries too, but if the fridge is bare experiment with Linwoods delicious range: Milled Flaxseed, Cocoa, Strawberries & Blueberries, Milled Flaxseed & Goji Berries, Milled Flaxseed with Probiotic and Vitamin D.

Add to Spelt toast: Almond Butter
Rich in monounsaturated fats (the good fats of course) almond butter helps to reduce your level of cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. It also helps to regulate blood sugar levels by reducing the increase of insulin present after you eat a carbohydrate-heavy meal. We like ours with crushed raspberries on top.

Add to Smoothies: Get up and Glow shake by Patrick Holford
This low GI breakfast shake contains a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. With a third of your daily protein requirements from the best quality whole-foods this is the perfect way to start your day. Add your favourite dairy free-milk such as oat, rice or almond, half a banana, berries and a handful of kale (go on – be brave) and drink up!

Add to Muesli: Pomegranate Seeds 
Although muesli often contains raisins, dates and other dried fruit, these can be high in sugar so try adding some fresh fruit such as the super-food pomegranate to take your breakfast to another level. Pomegranates are ranked ‘super-foods’ for a very good reason. Brimming with antioxidants, they contain no fat, are very low in fructose and offer five grams of fibre and 15% of your daily vitamin C recommendation. Enjoy drizzled with oat, rice or almond milk for a very hip and healthy start to your day.

Add to Hot Water and Lemon: Cayenne Pepper & Ginger
Lemon is raved about for its high levels of vitamin C, aiding digestion and cleansing the liver and kidneys of toxins. Cayenne pepper like lemon also has wonderful immune boosting, anti-fungal and detoxification properties as well as increasing the metabolism, regulating blood sugar levels and stimulating the circulatory system. For one more way to pimp your hot water and lemon add ginger. Fragrant and tasty it is an excellent anti-inflammatory and can bring relief to joint and muscular aches. It also aides absorption and assimilation of essential nutrients in the body, perfect to fire up those digestive juices before reaching for the fridge.

What it feels like… to write a love letter to someone you don’t know

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words by Lorna Clansey

It was a wet, windy winter night and for the first time in I can’t remember how long, I was writing a letter. I didn’t even know the surname of the person I was writing to and I will certainly never meet her. All I knew was that Henrietta was in her seventies, lived in a small town in America and, since the death of her husband, was pretty lonely.

In 2010, Hannah Brencher was at college and she was suffering from depression. The only thing that really helped her to get through the day were the letters sent to her by her mother. They lifted her spirits and she started to think how she might be able to do the same for other people. What started with an anonymous love letter that she left on a train in New York City soon became a mild obsession with planting letters wherever she went. She got a real joy from spreading some love to a world that really needs it. She decided to make it bigger and set up More Love Letters with some friends, encouraging as many people as possible to leave anonymous notes for people to discover and enjoy.

In just over 2 years, word has spread and Hannah has appeared in numerous articles, has been invited to speak on TED, the site dedicated to filming and sharing inspirational talks and More Love Letters now have over 3000 followers on Twitter. The original idea has evolved and More Love Letters also encourage friends to get together for a love letter party. A person can write to More Love Letters and nominate a friend, a family member or someone they know who is having a hard time. They might have had their heart broken, lost their job or just really need a boost and a reminder that the world is a good place after all. More Love Letters then match that person up with a group of ten friends who are all willing to  give a few hours of their time to scripting to a stranger in need. This was the reason why, on a bleak November night I found myself surrounded by good friends, stationery, coloured pens and sticky stars. One friend had brought poetry books as an inspiration, another had brought homemade soup and a third had found some amazing ribbon to tie around the bundle that we would be sending to the States. To begin with we all sat there feeling a bit blank, wondering how to begin, but one by one, we got started and gradually, listening to music, chatting a bit and thinking about Henrietta, we wrote.

At the end of the evening, folding our letters into envelopes, we agreed that we had loved the experience. It was an opportunity to do something sociable, creative and relaxing in a way that we never normally do. As an added bonus, being kind and showing compassion is good for your health. According to Dr David Hamilton PhD, when we show compassion to someone this lowers blood pressure, dissolves free radicals in our bodies and reduces inflammation. But for all of us, the best part about the whole evening was knowing that in a few weeks, across an ocean, our letters would make someone’s day.

www.moreloveletters.com
(www.drdavidhamilton.com)

Dairy-Free, Sugar-Free Raw Berry Tarts

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Raw Very Berry Tarts

 recipe by Madeleine Shaw

I LOVE tarts (no pun intended). However I often find a get quite a sore stomach from the amount of sugar and cream shoved into these little delights. I feel we should never go without so I have created my own dairy- and sugar-free alternatives.

Instead of cream I have used cashews. These wonderful nuts work really well as a substitute for cream as they blend easily and have that wonderful pure colour. These beauties are mineral rich and full of magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, copper and selenium.

I have added blueberry’s on top however feel free to get experimental add whatever berry or fruit you desire on top. Blueberries are little pieces of magic, they highly abundant in antioxidants. Make sure you get your berries from and organic source as berries can often be highly sprayed by chemicals to protect the fruit from pests.

Ingredients

  • 100g of almonds
  • 50g of dates
  • 50g of coconut oil
  • 50g of desiccated coconut
  • A pinch of fresh ginger
  • 200g of cashews (soaked for 4 hours in water)
  • 100ml of coconut milk
  • 1 lemon
  • 100g of blueberries

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Directions

  1. To make the tart shells: In a blender blend the almonds, dates, coconut oil, desiccated coconut and ginger.
  2. Once this has mixed together check them mixture with your fingers and make sure it sticks together when pressed with fingers.
  3. Scoop out a spoonful of the mixture and place it into tart shells or cupcake holders. Either place into paper lined cupcake holders or grease your cupcake mold with coconut oil.
  4. Push the base mixture down so that I covers the bottom and sides making sure it is even.
  5. For the crème: Drain the water from the cashews and place them with the coconut milk, juice of the lemon as well and the rind, blend at a high speed until the cashews are fully creamed.
  6. Dollop the cream inside each shell, then place the blueberries on top of the cream.
  7. Place the tarts in the freezer for half an hour then in the refrigerator until tasting time.

Welcome to The House of Yoga: the new way to sweat it

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If, like me the thought of sweating away in a hot room for an hour and a half fills you with dread then it’s time to pay a visit to The House of Yoga, says Bex Fairbrother

Newly-established studio, The House of Yoga is a spiritual and relaxation haven. Set in the trendy south-west suburb of Putney, a 15 minute train journey from London Waterloo, The House of Yoga is a new, state-of-the-art infrared hot studio.

As soon as I walked through the door, I felt a sense of calm and was greeted by a smiley gent who was signing myself and fellow yogis in.  The studio space is clean and uncluttered-exactly how your mind feels upon leaving the centre. The House of Yoga has successfully managed to create an environment which is truly relaxing and where one is able to escape the hectic pace of modern, everyday life which we seem to have become so accustomed to.

The teacher Natasha was inviting, friendly and informative, giving us variations of the poses depending on how strong and dynamic we were feeling at that present moment. Like restaurants that only have a few dishes on the menu are often found to be the best, the same can be said for the House of Yoga. Since they are not over-fussy – what they do, they do well. They only offer a small selection of well thought-out classes and each there is one to suit all tastes and abilities. What’s also great about the studio is that there is also a fresh air ventilation system running through the studio so there are no unpleasant odours pervading the air.

Whilst Bikram yoga is practised in the oppressive, stifling heat of 40 degrees celsius, the classes at The House of Yoga take place in the bearable and arguably quite pleasant temperature range of 28-32 degrees. This is because the studio is heated using infrared panels, creating a soothing rather than hostile heat. There are numerous therapeutic benefits to practising yoga in infrared heat. In particular, the heat has a hugely detoxifying effect on the body as the movements coupled with the heat encourages the body to sweat thus promoting the removal of toxins that are stored in the body.

Normal yoga is championed for improving flexibility, joint mobility as well as reducing muscle stiffness and while yoga, which is practiced in infrared heat has all of these health-boosting benefits, it has in much larger quantities due to the added bonus of the heat. Hot yoga also promotes weight loss, improves our circulatory system, lowers blood pressure and reduces stress. Meanwhile the heat allows you to move deeper into your postures.

The type of yoga which is practiced in The House of Yoga is Hot Power Vinyasa Yoga.  As the name suggests, this form of yoga is powerful and dynamic. The word vinyasa means flow and this idea of fluidity in movement and breath transcends all the classes. It is an uplifting style of yoga that not only tones, strengthens and conditions the body but increases flexibility.

There are also classes ranging from one hour to an hour and a half so depending on how energetic and ambitious you are feeling, there is something for complete newbies to the more, hardcore, die-hard yogis.

What is fantastic about this type of yoga and the reason it has become so popular is the fact it leaves you feeling cleansed from the inside out, ensuring you leave the class on a natural high. If you are new to Hot Vinyasa Yoga and are slightly dubious about the prospect of holding challenging poses whilst enduring hot temperatures then the fantastic introductory offer of 14 days of unlimited yoga classes for £20 is the perfect choice. You will definitely get the yoga bug after the first class and will be definitely get your money’s worth.

There is a lovely community spirit within the studio and they also offer an exciting variety of workshops and programmes for those who are looking to deepen their practice. With expert tuition, affordable classes and flexible membership, it’s a no brainer. Rejuvenate your exercise routine and ensure you don’t fall off the new year’s resolution wagon with a class of Hot Power Yoga at The House of Yoga.

Visit www.thehouseofyoga.co.uk to find out more.

V.V.I.P’s: Valentine’s Very Important Products

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words by Frankie Rozwadowska

It’s Valentine’s Day. That time of the year where the pressure to look our best is bigger than ever and the Bridget Joneses among us run away in fear, bottle of wine and tub of ice-cream in tow. But don’t panic, there is still time to unleash your inner goddess and transform yourself from top to toe. With these V.V.I.P’s – V-day doesn’t have to be D-Day.

1. Fig+Yarrow Pink Love Salts – £16.00. These super cute bath salts are mineral-rich and will wash away your pre-Valentine’s stress by lowering blood pressure, relaxing muscles and drawing out toxins.  With essential oils of Patchoulli, Ylang Ylang, Bregamot and Orange they  smell like a dream and will leave you gorgeous and glowing.

2. Melvita Rose Extraordinary Water – £14.00. Look refreshed and rejuvenated with this delicately scented formula that firms, fights ageing and locks in moisture. Use this and you’ll look – you guessed it – extraordinary.

3. Clarins Tonic Body Treatment Oil – £38.00.  Made from 100% pure plant extracts including Rosemary to reduce puffiness and boost circulation and nourishing Hazelnut oil – it both softens and tones, leaving you firm and fabulous.

4. Blink B Indian Rose Candle – £27.00. Whether you need to relax or want to create a romantic atmosphere, this is the candle for you. Hand poured, it mixes the strong scent of spices with the soft aroma of flower petals that will set the mood quicker than Marvin Gaye can sing ‘Let’s Get It On.’

5. Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille – £69.00. Proven to act as a powerful natural aphrodisiac, vanilla is one sensual scent.  This rich, woody fragrance is incarnated by black, sticky vanilla pods and has accents of sandalwood, liquorice, beeswax and musk – making for one seriously sexy smell.

6. NARS Sheer Lipstick in Manhunt – £18.50. An aptly named classic red full of conditioners and anti-oxidants to hydrate, nourish, protect and (most importantly) leave lips irresistibly kissable.

7. Trilogy Instant Bronzing Gel – £.17.50. There’s nothing like a bit of bronze to leave you feeling beautiful, and this 100% natural gel only takes a few hours to give you a gorgeous, golden natural glow. With Aloe Vera to soothe and moisturise, and Vitamin E to protect and nourish, the subtle shimmer for a sexy, sun-kissed finish.

8. Butter LONDON Snog Nail Lacquer – £10.00. A hot pink for hot nails, its ‘3 Free’ formulation shuns toxins and harmful chemicals for healthy, happy hands. Go on, have a cheeky Snog.

 

Non-Physical Benefits of Yoga: One writer learns that Yoga is not just a physical thing

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Important Non-Physical Benefits I Learnt from Yoga

words by Kathleen Flemming

A few years ago when I first started to practice yoga, I was only interested in the physical benefits. I wanted to be more flexible, stronger and improve my core strength. Of course, I have seen improvements in all of these areas but what I have begun to realise is that yoga has taught me so much more. Yoga is a sanskrit word which literally means the union and has come to symbolise the union of mind, body and spirit. In the western world many of us go to yoga for the fantastic physical benefits and we forget about the ‘mind’ and ‘spirit’ elements to the practice. It is true that some classes are taught with emphasis on the physical but even in these classes we can learn a lot about ourselves and reap great mental and emotional benefits.

Over the last few years I have learnt many important non-physical lessons through my yoga practice. I wanted to share the most important ones to me as applying all of these to my daily life has helped me deal with many problems as well as giving me the resources to take on new challenges.

1. Breathe. We all breathe but most of us never focus on our breath. Good yoga teachers will always place emphasis on breathing. Focusing on our breath can tell us a lot about how we feel as well as helping us to feel better. For example, if your breathing rate increases it my be that you are anxious or stressed. If you become aware of this you can consciously try to slow your breath. By bringing attention to your breath you automatically slow your breathing, bring your heart rate down and calm your mind. It is likely that you actually stop feeling anxious or stressed. I always used to think of the yogic breath as a nonsense but when I opened my mind to it, my whole life changed. When I was working as a lawyer in London, life was busy and stressful and I found it easy to control my anxiety by using breathing techniques. Often on a packed tube, I would close my eyes and just focus on my breath. I would no longer feel stressed and would get off the tube feeling calm.

2. Silence. I used to hate silence. I think I was scared of it because I used to think it meant people felt awkward in my presence or that my life was dull. When I started doing yoga there would be many moments in the class where there was silence. At the end of every class we would lie down in silence. I didn’t like it. I wanted to do something or listen to something not just lie there. After a while I got more used to the quiet and my yoga teacher would encourage us to appreciate stillness and silence. How often in your day is there silence or stillness? There are phones ringing, computers humming and people talking. Obviously it is also important to tune into your surroundings but being comfortable with silence and stillness is also important. Sitting in silence and silencing your mind is a wonderful de-stressing experience. If we could all find a few moments each day to be quiet and still, we would be a lot less stressed.

3. Don’t Compare. We are all guilty of comparing ourselves to others. Is she thinner than me? Does everyone look nicer than me? Why can’t I do that like her? During my first yoga classes I would look on in envy at the yogis who could contort themselves into all sorts of amazing postures. I used get incredibly frustrated and cross with my body for not being able to do what they could do. I kept looking around, feeling self-conscious and wanting reassurance that I was at least better than some of the others. We all do this to some extent whether it be in a yoga class, at the gym, at work or at a party. Yoga helped me to stop comparing myself. In yoga we are taught to look inwards, look at ourselves without comparing ourselves to others. We are unique and we are all different. Certainly there are some incredibly gifted, beautiful people in the world but at some point in time there will always be someone fitter, stronger, more beautiful than you. Accepting what your body can do on the mat goes a long way in helping you to accept yourself.

4. Listen to Your Body. I used to push myself. I still do but a little less because I have learnt to listen to my body. Especially when we are young, we expect our bodies to carry us through all the crazy things we want to do. We work hard, play hard and train hard but we seldom stop and take note of how our body feels until we get injured. Most of us plough on with that workout when we know we are tired. Yoga has taught me to listen to my body and stop when I need to stop. Our bodies feel different everyday. Runners know that one day they can run forever and the next run their legs are heavy and they can’t run for more than 10 minutes. Yogis can stand in tree pose for 10 minutes and the next time they fall over after 10 seconds. A lot of us will force our bodies to carry on instead of listening to how we feel and asking why things are different this time. It may be that we need a break, we nedd to do something different or It could even be that your body wants a little more. The important thing is to be in touch with our bodies. If you can’t do something one day that you could do before, listen to what your body is telling you. Maybe you need a rest?

5. Patience. We live in a crazy world where we expect things to happen instantaneously. If something doesn’t happen as we want it to happen straight away, we are frustrated. Sometimes I watch people in queues in coffee shops or on a train platform. I can visibly see their heart rate rising. We expect things and we expect them to happen quickly. But this isn’t always how things work. Sometimes we have to be patient. Many yoga poses are challenging and require practice. Yoga taught me to be patient and that over time things will change. Some poses have taken me months even years to master and still I have so much more to learn. If you get frustrated and impatient, things never work.

6. Challenge Yourself. It is very easy to continue in the same job, keep the same gym routine etc. because it is comfortable. It is easy to avoid learning new things. Doing something different, something new, forces you out of your comfort zone. It is good to challenge your body and mind. We will never improve ourselves if we just continue as we are, plodding along in our comfort zone. Many of us are scared of new things and scared to challenge ourselves in the fear that we will look silly or fail. My yoga teachers encourage me to try things I never think I will be able to do. Initially I was reluctant to try difficult, new poses because I thought I would look a fool but after a while I realised that most of the class look like fools and those that don’t probably once did. We all have to start somewhere and challenging yourself in a yoga class is a good way to gain confidence before diving into other challenges in your life. Yoga teaches you to challenge yourself while forgetting about your pride. Just go for it.

If everyone did yoga and opened their mind to the mental benefits as well as the physical, we would all feel a lot better. Find a good teacher and begin to open your body and mind.

If you only do one thing this week… Tone with Tabata

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Created by a Japanese scientist, Izumi Tabata, this takes just four minutes of your workout time – although you should do a 10-minute warm up before you start – and cool down afterwards.

The idea is that you do 20 seconds of all-out exercise – rating 10 out of 10 on the effort scale, then you rest for 10 seconds. And that means resting completely, sitting or standing still. Trust me, doing a little walk is not going to help you. Stop, recover and go all-out for the next 20 seconds. Simply repeat this eight times and you’re done.

Tabata sounds easy – but if you’re doing it right it’s incredibly hard. Don’t do more than two sessions a week.

It works on: machines like the bike, rower and cross trainer. You can also use a skipping rope or try moves such as burpees, press-ups, squats and lunges. If you want to try Tabata as a running move, do it outside on a straight piece of path or track. It’s hard to control the speed quickly enough to change intervals effectively on a treadmill and jumping onto the sides is a dangerous move when your legs are as tired as they will be past your fifth set

Not suitable for. Weights. Some trainers use Tabata with weights and yes, it’s great if you’ve got someone watching your technique and who could catch the weight if you’re about to drop it – on your own though it could potentially be a recipe for injury.

This is an extract from  GYM-SPIRATION: 52 Ways to Wake Up Your Workout by Helen Foster, £1.99, a new e-book, released February 11th 2013. Available for Kindle via amazon.co.uk and for iPad, iPhone or computer at healthehelen.wordpress.com.

Week Three Of Project You: Features Editor, Harriet, shares her food diaries and learns a thing or two…

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The thing I struggle with most of all in my day-to-day quest to be fit and healthy is, like hundreds of other men and women out there, my diet. I would like to think that most Hip and Healthy readers are similar to me in that you all know how to eat healthily, you can all answer the following question for example; which breakfast is healthier? A) A bacon sandwich OR B) Porridge made with almond milk and a handful of blueberries and sliced banana? Yes, exactly. But why then, do I find myself so often making what is obviously the wrong decision about my food? I am hoping to change this attitude that I have through the help of Richard Callender and Project You.

At the beginning of my Project You experience at Exclusive Training in Richmond, Craig my exclusive Personal Trainer gave me a wonderfully helpful starter pack, a veritable novel on nutrition and an integral part of the supportive process at Project: You. Upon reading it, I was pleasantly surprised to see that no particular diets were recommended, no fad eating trends or unrealistic dieting plans. I have never been an advocate of ‘diets’, especially fad diets that offer zero nutritional value whatsoever and most significantly are not sustainable. The most important thing to think about when you embark on any new diet journey is; can I sustain this for more than a year? If the answer is no then my advice is don’t do it. And this is exactly what the Project You nutritional pack states also. It helpfully gives you guidance on how to eat that vital balanced diet, nothing is denied to you, only explained so that you can make your own choices about certain foods.

My first challenge in Week one of Project You was to keep a food diary, detailing everything I consumed, my three meals a day and snacks and drinks. I have kept food diaries before and it has to be said that they are extremely helpful and often very enlightening. It is fair to say that we are often a nation of ‘Amnesia Eaters’  we will think back on our day and analyse our eating habits and think ‘yes, great I didn’t do too badly today: porridge, sandwich, salad. Done.’ But you don’t mentally account for that Coke you had while reading your emails, that slice of cake you pinched from the office treats table during a meeting, or those crisps you grazed on with your glass of wine with a friend. Just these three slip ups will account for a possible extra 400-600 calories in the day. This is why, as Craig patiently explained to me, food diaries are invaluable at tracking exactly what we are putting into our bodies, at what time and why.

Below is an excerpt of my first week’s food diary (including my exercise for the day) for you to analyse for yourselves:

Project You Food Diary

7th Jan

  • Small bowl of organic Porridge made with skimmed milk
  • Large banana
  • Italian meatball soup
  • 40g naked nuts; almonds, cashews, hazelnuts & walnuts
  • Grilled chicken salad with poached egg.
  • 2 x oatcakes with hummus

Drinks – cup of normal tea, 2 litres of water.

Exercise = Rest Day

8th Jan

  • Small bowl of organic Porridge made with skimmed milk
  • Vegetable Sushi
  • Crayfish and Avocado salad
  • 2 x Ryvita crisp breads
  • Grilled chicken salad

Drinks – cup of normal tea, 2 litres of water, peppermint tea

Exercise – Project: You induction – fitness test and half an hour Armageddon homework

9th Jan

  • Probiotic yogurt with banana and granola
  • Large salad: plain chicken, green beans, cucumber, olives, cheese, new potatoes and spinach.
  • Grilled Bacon and avocado salad

Drinks – cup of normal tea, 2.5 litres of water, orange juice, decaff earl grey tea.

Exercise – 30 minute run in my lunch hour

10th Jan

  • Bowl of porridge
  • Chicken and butterbean salad
  • Salmon fillet with roasted Mediterranean vegetables
  • 4 x Ryvita Thins with hummus

Drinks – cup of normal tea, 2 litres of water, peppermint tea.

Exercise – Boxcercise class – 30 minutes, 10 minute cycle.

11th Jan

  • 2 slices of granary toast with butter and marmite
  • Cheese and pickle baguette
  • Pizza!! (bad day!!)

Drinks – cup of earl grey tea, 2 litres of water, orange, apple and ginger freshly squeezed juice, ginseng & Echinacea juice.

12th Jan

  • 2 poached eggs on x1 slice of granary toast
  • Tomato soup with Ryvita crackers
  • Roast pork, carrots, beans, sweet potato

Exercise = 1 hour PT session

After subsequently handing this into Craig along with my Week 2 diary, he gave me feedback on my habits, saying that it seemed like I knew how to eat well and I also knew when I was eating badly because of my not-so-subtle ‘bad day!!’ comments. He also observed that I wasn’t much of a snacker and that it’s clear that I like to have x3 tangible meals a day, which is true. I definitely feel cheated if one of my three ‘main’ meals is scuppered for some reason. As he could see that I know how to eat well, Craig has decided to change the way I eat and wants me to eat x5 small meals a day, he thinks that trying to break myself out of my habits will help to combat the ‘bad days’ and get me eating better by the tried and tested ‘little and often’ method. Here is Craig’s example recommendation of a one day food plan:

Wake up: 1 pint of water (helps activate internal organs and drank 30 minutes before eating helps digestion)

Meal 1: 

handful blueberries

Handful strawberries

Handful raspberries

Handful nuts

Meal 2:

1 chicken breast

2 sweet potatoes

Handful green beans

1 pint of water

Meal 3:

1 chicken breast

1 sweet potato

Broccoli

1 pint of water

Meal 4 (pre workout)

Banana

1 pint of water

Meal 5 (post workout)

Salmon

Green beans

Broccoli

Carrots

1 pint of water

Before bed

1 pint of water

This seems like a lot of food to me, but I am very much hoping that having this volume of food so frequently throughout the day will stop me  falling into my old bad habits such as indulging in convenience food because I am so hungry. I will let you know how I get on, but for now let me leave you with a brilliant nutritional fact from Craig:

“If you are craving a snack consider blueberries, not only do these little fruits have enormous health benefits including helping prevention of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, it has been proven in experiments that blueberries can potentially cut the number of fat cells in the body by to 73%, a great weight loss tool! ”

www.exclusivetrainingrichmond.co.uk