Sports Massage….did you know its actually not mean to “hurt”…there are so many misconceptions when it comes to sports massage and I just wanted to do this little post about it

Sports Massage is generally a deeper pressure style massage…which may cause some discomfort and may seem a little painful BUT it should never get to the point where you are in agony, it should never cause more damage to the body and leave you feeling in a lot of pain.

During and following the massage it may be uncomfortable and there may be some aches and tender points, but this certainly shouldn’t leave you feeling ill or in so much pain you cannot move……actually going “too” deep on certain parts of the body can cause further damage to soft tissue.

Bruising can happen….but this is an individual thing and will depend on how easily you bruise.

Always make sure your therapist is fully qualified in the treatment you are looking for.

Dont be scared of Sports Massage…as all massage treatments no matter what they are should be tailored to the individual

Jen x

A few months back I posted about how shitty Id been feeling, how lost Id felt and how just downright sad I felt inside…I didn’t do it for sympathy I did it to the “real” and to hopefully let someone else know they aren’t alone.

Fast forward to today and I couldn’t feel any different if I tried…..I just feel happy….why?? Because I stopped…I stepped back, I took my foot off the gas and I prioritised myself and my feelings, I allowed them to come to the surface and I allowed myself to feel them and then deal with them. I had Reiki to clear my Chakras, I meditated, I went on walks and connected with nature and the best thing Is topped being so hard on myself…I stopped trying to change the past and I stopped worrying about the future…I stated too just live for the NOW….for the day ahead of me and whatever the universe had to offer me.

I feel at peace, happy (as I can be) and content…..like its all just flowing

I started to appreciate my body and start loving myself a bit more….I had good sleep, Ive spent time with good people and Ive removed myself from negative situations and just started to say YES to things I wanly and NO to things I dont…and its working.

Yes Life isn’t perfect, I can’t predict the future and I dont know what tomorrow will bring, but what I do know is I am worthy of Happiness and Love and I will start with myself and start just being present

The old feelings may come back but I know I can deal with it, accept it and then move forward

This may sound daft to some, but if you are in a dark place (and trust me I was)……step back, take ur foot off the gas and just allow urself to be….and miracles will happen

I hope you are in a good place but if you’re not…Im here for you anytime

Jen x

Summer Solstice – “Litha”

Is all about Abundance, Growth, Love and Magic

Abundance can be found everywhere. Time to focus on the light and there is an air of Masculine energy

No matter how necessary and valuable the dark times of the year, the reaping and the resting, there is that in human beings which rejoices in the long sweet light of summer.

The magic of the Wheel of the Year is that it is symbolic of the journey of the human soul.
As the Earth moves through the seasons, it reminds us of our deeper purpose in incarnating… what we are really here for, and what our full potential is.
The Sun is and always has been symbolic of the highest Divinity. It is at this height of summer at solstice when the Sun’s power reaches its zenith.

Get outside and enjoy this Sun and feel the heal and love of the sunshine. Watch the Sunset if you can

Crystals to work with: Amber, Tigers Eye, Emerald and Jade

The summer solstice, otherwise known as the longest day of the year, is here, marking the return of brighter evenings, festivals, picnics and barbecues. 

The name “solstice” comes from the fact that the Sun appears to stand still.
The term is derived from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still).
It appears that way because the Sun’s relative position in the sky at noon does not appear to change much during the solstice and its surrounding days.

Midsummer or the Summer Solstice is the most powerful day of the year for the Sun God. Because this Sabbat glorifies the Sun God and the Sun, fire plays a very prominent role in this festival. The element of Fire is the most easily seen and immediately felt element of transformation. It can burn, consume, cook, shed light or purify and balefires still figure prominently at modern Midsummer rites.

Its all a matter of perception – oh and angles ??

Does ya belly flop out when u sit down “normally/comfortably”?? If YES then so fukin what?? Like 90% of the population then??
So what if it hangs a little?
Why do we use angles an lighting to change how we really look? Who are we trying to impress? What are we trying to prove??

I know sometimes we feel uncomfortable with how we look – I mean Im the first to hold my hands up an say Im not in the best shape of my life an I feel a bit insecure….but am I hurting anyone? NO……we need to stop thinking “Ill be happy when Im xxx size/weight” sorry to burst ur bubble but it doesnt work tha way!! Be happy with what u have now or youll never be happy with what u get!!
Its ok to wanna lose weight/change shape – but its also Ok to just be you – right here and right now

1 fukin body is all u get – start appreciating it!!!

Over the past 2/3 years Ive done some pretty intense courses…some people may call me mad, some people may just think Im addicted to courses…..but I am always just wanting to learn, move forward and add skills to my toolbox.

Learning is wonderful…whether its from a course or from other people…I feel each of us has something to learn and something to teach and we should encourage this

The courses have all been intense, there has been times Ive wanted to give up…but Ive carried on and I am glad I have.

I think life is an education and I am always trying to better myself both personally and professionally and I am such a nerd that I love to learn and think this will always be in me…BUT I do think I need a break from the learning….

The courses have all enabled me to become more confident in what I do but also open new doors for moving forward in my career and what I can offer in the future and I am excited about what I can offer

I think I need a break from Education and just allow all my new found knowledge and skills to make their way into my brain and my life and process it all

I dont regret any of these courses but they have caused some stress in my life and as much as Ive enjoyed them…learning to me doesn’t come easy…Im not a true academic…so it takes me a while…but hey we are all different

Here’s to whatever courses may come next haha

Jen

As Mental Health Awareness Week has just come to an end…Ive taken a little bit of time to reflect and see how it impacted myself and those around me.

I was so overwhelmed by the amount of support I received for all my events and for everything I posted on my Socials.

To me this years theme was like it was made for me and it actually came at a bittersweet time….a time when although I am grateful for my body and everything it does….it was also a time that I am feeling really unconformable in my own skin and I hoped that by encouraging others to lose their bodies then I could also encourage myself….and it helped in a way.

Body Image is a massive thing now and it causes so much distress to others and as we have seen causes mental health issues in people and I understand its not just as simple as saying “Love yourself”….yeh its easy to say that but actually doing this can be really hard. Even though I was all about spreading the word…deep down inside Im not really feeling overly body confident.

Working within fitness I am seen at the front…and I am meant to be able to inspire others and right now I don’t feel like much of an inspiration….but that’s ok because I accept that and I know that the love will come back. Its not about “weight” with me….and for a lot of people it’s not about that….we all know when we are “comfortable” regardless of a “number” on the scales….we all have a comfy phase….when we just feel so good in our bodies

What Im saying is dont worry if you are struggling to feel the love…it will come, we just need to start to accept who we are and where we are right now and work from there….not looking back or looking to far forward and just focus on now.

I am so grateful for my body….its amazing and powerful and strong and whilst it may not be the “ideal” that sh*tty social media wants…its mine and its always there for me and it allows me to do so many amazing things an experience life.

Dont stress yourself over loving your body…but we all need to find our own way…however this may be!!

I may sound very conflicting here but Im being REAL…we can’t love ourselves all the time and we need to be aware of this and also be aware that we cant beat ourselves up…,its OK to have these down days, but its how we recover from them that matters really.

Love what you can….when you can
Be grateful everyday for your body

I am on a mission to keep spreading the word, to keep trying and to keep it real always

Jen x

MH Awareness Week

Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 will take place from Monday 13 to Sunday 19 May 2019. The theme for 2019 is Body Image – how we think and feel about our bodies.

Mental health problems can affect anyone, at any time. We believe that mental health is everyone’s business.

Last year we found that 30% of all adults have felt so stressed by body image and appearance that they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope. That’s almost 1 in every 3 people.

Body image issues can affect all of us at any age and directly impact our mental health.

Join me this week in embracing who and what you are.\
Finding a way to love our bodies again and start to love who we really are

I will be posting daily about this during this week and also holding events through this week (see below) – both of which are donation based and all money raised will be given back to Mental Health Foundation

Let me know if you’d like to come along or buy a Raffle Ticket and help me raise some money

Jen x

#BeBodyKind
#MentalHealthAwarenessWeek

May is National Walking Month

JUST 10% OF US WALK TO WORK IN THE UK.
OVER A THIRD DON’T GET ENOUGH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

Living Streets wants to change the culture in workplaces to encourage more walking activity throughout the day. It’s cost-effective, flexible and all inclusive.

Walking is FREE and is so good for not only Physical but also Mental Wellbeing……its 1 of my Fav things to do if I feel a bit out of sorts…I love going for a walk and being in Nature and just connecting back to myself.

Walking is a form of meditation too and being in Nature is so good for the soul

How often do you go for a walk??

Life now is so hectic we drive/public transport everywhere and then get a lift to go sit at our desks (not everyone I know)…..do we get our steps in??

Here are some ways to get walking more

Jen x

Hi Im Jen and I have been in the Fitness Industry for 15 years now. Ive seen it change a lot over the years and I personally have changed as I have grown, alongside my business.

My Mission now?? To Spread Body Love and Body Positivity and show people just how amazing this vessel they have is. Its the only place we will live forever and I think its about time we started to recognise this.

I see it all the time, people who come to classes – not wanting to get by the mirrors, worrying their clothes are too tight in classes and just putting themselves down.

I see it in ME…Ive had some serious body confidence and body image issues – especially more in the last few years. Ive been called a fraud, Ive been called a disgrace to the Industry and Ive been told I am too “big” to be in fitness, how can I inspire anyone and that I should be a lot smaller for all I do……OK first I didn’t ask for the opinions of these people and Secondly how f*kin rude??

How dare anyone say something negative about another human and how they look.

I am on a mission to help people Embrace every part of themselves, YES that includes all the wobbly bits and the things you see as flaws. I am ready to spread the body love and body positivity.

Happiness is NOT a size!!
Losing weight, getting that “ideal” body weight will NOT bring u happiness

“I’ll be happy when” NOW…just be Happy now!!

I’d Love you to share your story below too……

Love You and Your Amazing Body

Jen x

So yeh its just a
A pic of 2 trees – 1 without flowers and 1 with…….so what??

Im sure thats maybe that you first thought when you first seen these pics….and yeh initially that’ll it is a tree with and a tree without any flowers….but I see it deeper.

You see we are like these trees…sometimes are branches are falling apart and we feel down and we feel like we have nothing and then suddenly…we bloom, just like the tree, we come alive, we bloom and we start to show the world who we truly are, we grow form within and it shows on the outside

And thats life….

Sometimes we will be down, anxious, depressed and the world will seem dark and dull and our “branches” will feel like they are falling apart

YET

Other times….we will be blooming….literally like the flowers, we will be growing from within and radiating out to the world, coming alive and being happy and content where we are……showing the world and those around us we mean business and feeling the glow from within our “branches” will stand tall and proud and the flowers will blossom on top of that

And thats life…..

Sometimes it’ll be dull and down
Sometimes it’ll be bright and up

Take the good and the bad
Know we have the power within us to “bloom” again

Sometimes we need to get to the darkness to be able to let the light in

Life goes on
Life changes

Just ride the storm

Jen x