Epsom Salts/Magnesium Flakes

So I quite often bore everyone with my bath routine – I use Epsom Salts for pretty much every bath I have and especially after a big training session or when my muscles are just aching.

So why? and what is it?

Epsom Slats are made up of a mineral compound of Magnesium and Sulfate and through the salts are easily and readily absorbed into the skin. Magnesium is a crucial mineral to all of our body’s functions.

What are the benefits?
Relaxes body
Replenishes levels of magnesium in the body
Improves Sleep
Relieves muscle pain
Reduces Inflammmation
Softens Skin
Eliminate Toxins – helping to detox the body
Good for Sports people
Reduces Stress
Helps to ease migraines
Increases Energy
Good for tired/sore feet
Improves Blood Flow
Helps promote healthy joints and skin
Good for muscle aches

Lying in an Epsom salt bath, or simply soaking your feet, for 20mins is going to massively improve your wellbeing, and if you train and exercise a lot then this is a MUST!!!

Epsom Salts can be bought from Amazon, Home & Bargains and most online retailers.

I absolutely LOVE using it and swear by it, helps me after a busy week of classes, when I change my training or just on those days when your body is aching!!

Invest in yourself and your body….after all its the only place you have to live

(the ones in the picture is a 5kg pack from Amazon and was only £10.99)

Enjoy the Soak

Jen x

My Top Tips for helping you achieve those resolutions/goals/plans for 2016

* PLAN – A goal without a plan is just a dream
* DONT forget “WHY” you are doing it
* Plan for Set Backs
* Write Goals down
* Take Ownership of you Goals/Plans
* Be accountable to someone
* BELIEVE in yourself
* Rid yourself of “Energy Vampires”
* Frame of mind
* Set “mini” Goals
* Set “realistic” Goals
* BE SPECIFIC
* STOP making excuses
* Be passionate
* Keep a diary
* Asses your environment

And finally…..GET OFF YOUR ASS AND TAKE ACTION!!!

OK so you may have seen recently I have been posting picture about my prepared food…annoying as it may be there is a reason I am doing this…it’s to hopefully inspire you all to prepare your meals ahead of time…to ensure you stay on track with your goals.

I see so many people saying “I haven’t got time to make my meals” but the same people will probably sit for over an hour watching TV….I don’t mean to sound harsh but it’s all about priorities.

I know it’s an old cliche saying but “failing to prepare is preparing to fail” – therefore if u don’t plan ur meals/workouts etc.,..you are more likely to miss them or end up eating some crappy processed stuff from the shop…. YES and I am even talking about this “healthy living” butties and micro meals you see….healthy? Really?

If you jump out of bed late or just cant be bothered making your meals for work…you will end up eating rubbish from the shop, going to a fast food type food place or picking on biccies in the office (as let’s be honest it’s always someone’s birthday and always sweet and stuff floating about) and if you have no food prepared you are more likely to be tempted to pick on these things to keep you going and keep your energy levels up.

Preparing food doesn’t have to be a boring, time consuming task! Quite often I make a big evening meal and use half of it for my lunch the next day or make a big batch of something in bulk and freeze in pots….easy to take out and cook. It doesn’t have to be stressful and thinking “OMG I can’t do this, I haven’t got time” …..you can throw food in the oven whilst u watch TV,bath kids, get yourself ready for next day (of course make sure u put a timer on it so u don’t burn ur food) – if you buy the right food, right ingredients and stuff to prepare meals then it is so much easier….having bad food or no food to prepare in the house is obviously going to make it so much harder.

Sometimes I am tired after long days, esp lately…but I always make time to prepare my meals the night before (or morning if I have time) – it doesn’t take long and I know in the long run it will be so much better for me.

What’s stopping you being prepared? Is it sheer laziness? Lack of motivation?

You have to ask yourself how much you want to be healthy/lose weight/stay on track….and your desire to succeed needs to be higher than ur excuses…..EXCUSE OR RESULT?

I know it sounds harsh and like I am having a go…but it’s the truth and you know it 😉 – it’s so easy to get home from work, throw ur tea in and then slob on the couch for the rest of the evening…an that’s ok,but try and think ahead….plan at the beginning of the week any meals you think you need to prepare/buy for and set yourself some time aside to do this…..yeh ok it’s not the most exciting thing in the world, but the benefits far outweigh the downside of it.

You don’t have to prepare big elaborate meals…but make sure they are nutritious, full of protein and green veggies and a variety…for example I will quite often make:
chicken, sweet pot and spinach
Tuna, rice and salad
Any meats, quinoa and spinach/kale
Any fish rice/sweet pot and raw broccoli

In society now we all have busy lifestyles and gone are the days of 9-5 working, people now work shifts, have families and work unsocial able hours….but next time you are sat on the couch for 2hrs- think about preparing some food for the next day/day ahead….especially if your goal is health/weight loss.

If your goal is weight loss/health etc then prep is KEY to achieving ur goals….temptation is everywhere and not being prepared not only leaves you stuck and open to getting some rubbish from the shop but also can stress you out big time… As u start worrying about not being prepared, then you beat yourself up and end up picking on crap to make ur self feel better but in turn it does the exact opposite and before u know it this vicious circle continues. When you are trying to stay on track…you need to be prepared, even if it means making a list of meals you can make and can be prepared in advance and doing this at the beginning of every week….yeh it takes time but surely it’s worth it?

Remember we all have the same 24hrs in the day, it’s just how we utilise and prioritise our time that counts.

Remind ur self how much You want to achieve your goals….

Take time to prepare

I promise you once you start you will see how easy it is

Now go prepare some food I’ve kept u long enough

Jen x

Sunshine, Fresh Air and Vitamin D

With the lovely weather we are currently experiencing, it felt kind of apt to write this Article…so I hope it inspires you to get out into the Fresh Air 🙂

Now I must firstly say if you are considering going out into the “Sun” please make sure you keep hydrated and that you are fully protected at all times….whether you are just walking in it or exercising….we dont want no lobsters strutting around

So with all this talk of Sun, Fresh Air….may I present “Vitamin D” maybe not a Vitamin you are very familiar with, and this is because for so long Vitamin D has only really been used to prevent rickets……BUT NO Offence Vitamin C but Vit D may now be the bee’s knee;s as you body relies on it….so move over C and make way for D!!

Vit D also always used to be the “robin” the Calciums “batman” but this is all a change – Vit D actually encourages the absorbtion & metabolism of Calcium and Phosphate levels in Blood!

Vitamin D is a major player in overall Health and may be just what the doctor ordered. Vitamin D is the “Sunshine Vitamin”……but as we all are in thw UK…we dont really see a lot of sunshine throughout the year (which actually explains why so many people suffer from SAD in the Winter) To Avoid getting SAD in the Winter make sure that when the sun is shining that you try and get out there and top up your Vit D stores….you never know when you may need them.

Anyways…here I am waffling on about how amazing Vit D is…..well incase you think its all BS…take a look at the list below:
Boosts you Immune System
Can be obtained from Sun, Food and Supplements (foods: Cod Liver Oil, Eggs, Fruit and Veg)
Helps maintain a Healthy Weight
Regulates Blood Pressure
Helps lower MS and Diabetes levels
Helps prevent the onset of Osteoperosis and Arthritis
Helps reduce Stress, Anxiety and Depression (how happy do people seem when the sun is shining??)
Anti Inflammatory agent
Regulates Blood Sugar Levels (which will in turn help with Diabetes and Weight)
Increases overall Health and Wellbeing in people

Lots of us are deficient in Vit D – without even realising it, maybe from the foods we DONT eat or just for the simple fact we dont get enough sun/daylight as we should…lets be honest if you are stuck in an office all day with artificial lighting and air con…its not really the ideal way to get VIt D stored topped up. Now I am not saying give up your job and go and work outside…but what I will say is GET OUT whether its on your break, lunch or even getting off the bus a stop earlier….ENJOY this sun and increased hours of daylight whilst you can….because we will all soon complain when its gettin darker and colder. Even if you just get out for 10-15 mins…surely thats better than nothing?

FRESH AIR.

When its cold and dark in Winter the last thing we all want to do is go outside, so we stay all snuggled up in the warm….but gone are the days of that….I know we are having a lucky spell at the moment with the weather, but surely this should make you want to make the most of it all?? As I said before, whether it means just walking somewhere, standing outside on your lunch or even exercising outside…the benefits to Fresh Air are endless:
Increase Overall Health (as above)
Lowers Stress and Depression
Lowers Blood Pressure
Helps you Sleep zzzzzzzz
The “Happy” Chemical “Seretonin” is higher in the brain during this time of year…when the days are longer…..so lots of happy smiling people……surely this is a good thing
By exercising outside – this will provide the body with more Oxygen, that will assist with metabolism and helps muscles convert the sugar to energy and makes the body more efficient _ BONUS!!!!

So what are you waiting for?? Log off Facebook and GET OUTSIDE…because if this isnt going to last for long….you better make the most of it!!!

Get some VIt D onto your skin, absorb into your body and top up the stores

Breath in the Fresh Air and full your lungs

You’ll be amazed at how FAB you will feel just by doing this….Oh and did I say its FREE!!
The sun has got his hat on….hip, hip, hip HORAAAYYYY!!!

Smile…Enjoy…..Live!!!

DON’T get Sidetracked by people who are NOT on track.

Its a common thing and whether its jealousy or lack of education or simply just people not thinking….it can be difficult not to get sidetracked.

Your journey is going to be different from anyone else’s…remember that!

Your goals are your goals…and whilst they may be different from someone else’s..it doesn’t meant they are wrong. If someone doesn’t understand your journey then thats their problem NOT yours…and frankly you don’t need people like that in your life.

Friends and Family….and also work colleagues need to support you on your journey and if they are trying to sabotage it then are they right to be in your life? sounds extreme I know…but I think you know what I mean.

People who truly love you will support you no matter what.

We all have different beliefs and we all follow different fitness/nutrition programs (because we are all individuals) and what works for us may not work for someone else.

If someone is trying to sabotage your journey then ask WHY – maybe they are jealous…but really they should be inspired by you and what you are achieving .

Yes treating yourself every so often is OK….but don’t be tempted by people who say “oh go on just 1 more wont hurt” KNOW YOUR LIMITS and what you can and cant do.

Its YOUR Journey and you need to be strong enough to NOT let anyone sidetrack you.

Stay focussed!

At the end of the day you need to ask yourself how much do YOU want this? Look at how far you’ve come now….don’t go off on the bad path and end up back where you started…..keep on the right path, moving forwards towards a happier and healthier YOU

Jen x

Bikini Fit – Be YOU

Ok so the sun is shining and it gets you thinking about Summer Holidays and maybe having to reveal a little bit more skin……but the question is are you comfortable in your own skin??

OK so I can pretty much guarantee 90% of the replies to that above question will be NO and really its sad to see…because at the end of the day your amazing just the way you are.

Being Bikini Fit should mean something different to everyone, it should mean feeling comfortable within your own skin to be able to get out on that beach, wear that dress and flaunt (in a good way) what you got. It should mean you feel good and healthy from the inside out and that no matter what other people think/say – as long as you feel good who cares?? Being Healthy and Happy far outweighs being sick and unhappy just to fit into a certain size bikini or dress…surely YES??

Unfortunately in modern society “Bikini Fit/Ready” means something completely different, whether we blame magazines, social media, celeb instagrams…whatever..the list goes on….it doesn’t mean whats right for YOU….it seems to mean whats right for society and whats right for peers and what fits/conforms with what the media say is right….OK since when should we let other people dictate our lives?? Sounds harsh but thats exactly whats happening…..

OK Let me break it down…you see in a Mag/Instagram/Social Media (whatever) an article or a picture stating this is how you should be/look or “omg look at this millionaire celeb an her body” and subconsciously without u even knowing, those words and them images are put into your mind and suddenly this becomes what YOU want/need to be and becomes YOUR goal….now don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with using this as inspiration….but 9 times out of 10 it goes become inspiration, it moves away from the point and becomes an obsession (and not a healthy one) – an obsession with thinking this is how YOU need to look or be.

At the end of the day NEVER try and be anyone else….if you wanna change try and be a better version of YOU and not a copy of someone else.

Bikini Fit/Ready to you should be something personal to you and what you want to do…dont think you need to get into that size 8 bikini because some celeb on the front of a mag is….dont go to crazy lengths/stress yourself out..because this is a vicious circle and if you don’t achieve society ides of “Bikini Fit” then you will beat yourself up/get sad and then it starts again.

Do what you need to do to be comfortable, happy and healthy from the inside out….because after all thats where health and happiness start!! YOU cant be happy and healthy on the outside if the inside is falling apart (and by inside I include ur mind also)

Wanna get “bikini fit” then start from within:
Write YOUR Goals down
Seek professional help from someone who understands what YOU want (if u need too)
STOP comparing yourself to others
Find whats right for YOU
Stop letting others judge YOU (after all as Eleanor Roosevelt said “no-one can make you feel inferior without your consent”
Just because society says something doesn’t mean you have to conform
BE HEALTHY

Be Positive and above all LOVE YOURSELF

WE ALL have had body hang ups at one point in our lives, I don’t care how perfect you are (or how perfect you think you are)….we’ve all been there, whether it be wobbly bits or excess skin or lumps and bumps….every single person at one point in their lives will have some (even if its small and lasts 30 seconds) body hang ups…..and as much as thats a sad thing for me to right, we are only human after all. Its our different shapes, sizes and body make ups that make us who we are (now I am NOT getting into overweight blah blahh…its not the point of this article, its more about how we see ourselves).
Its so easy to be negative about our body’s, always striving for perfection and wondering why you cant look like xxx or why certain clothes just don’t do it for you.
We need to get away from this…because believe it not (and you better) YOU are amazing, beautiful and unique just the way you are (inside and out – well unless you are a vile human being, but then again you wouldn’t be reading this if you were so cancel that 1)
Embrace every single inch of yourself, LOVE what you’ve got and what you are…because there is no-one quiet like you in the world and for that you should be happy!! Be more positive about your body..love it and work with it and oh by the way F**K what anyone else says….who are they to have an opinion??? NO NO NO!!!!
Look after your body, after all its the only place you have to live in. 
The more positive you are about your body image – the more positive and uplifted you will feel and the more you will begin to love yourself from the inside out!!

WOW ok…I think I covered everything!!

Remember find what works for YOU in every part of your life, don’t let others bring your down or bring negativity into your life.

Stay positive and learn to LOVE YOURSELF….because unless you do, you can never expect anyone else to.

No go grab your fav Bikini and feel confident!!! (please put sun cream on and stay hydrated haha – heres Mummy Jen coming out)

Jen x