8 Tips And Tricks On Becoming Little Black Dress Ready

Party season is fast approaching, this is the one thing I miss working from home is the lack of social events such as a Christmas party to look forward to. That’s not to say that there aren’t many other events to look forward to this season.

The downside to the weather turning from boiling to freezing is that I find myself only wanting comfort foods – stew and dumplings, sausage casserole, apple pie, hot chocolate with whipped cream, biscuits – the list goes on. They are all my favourites only they really aren’t friendly on the waistline.

Here are some quick fixes that could help make you feel like a new person and carry you through Winter with a fresh perspective on your health. or at least give you a head start to fitting into that little black dress.

Table of Contents

Yoga power

Have you ever looked at yoga and thought: “It’s not for me”? Many would actually tell you that you’re wrong, as the flexibility and variability of the stretches and poses cater for the fitness fanatic and the inexperienced newbie alike.

I had never tried Yoga before until I went to a sleep retreat with Huggies as part of my Ambassador campaign, to start I was a little self-conscious as its not something I had done before (even having to borrow exercise clothes to take part), but I loved it, I came away feeling relaxed, refreshed and like a new me. It’s definitely something I am looking to continue with when I find a local class.

Grilling over frying

While the weather is so cold we do tend to eat more comfort foods such as my favourites listed above as they help to warm us up from the inside. There is no need to stop eating these foods, although portion size with such foods should be monitored.

Another thing we could do is switch fried foods for grilled ones, add a side salad instead of chips as a way of filling us up while avoiding pilng on the extra pounds.

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Shed your vices

Junk food, alcohol, smoking, watching too much television, drinking too much coffee (this is my main vice along with drinking too much Prosecco with my sister)…. vices come in many forms. Alternatives exist for almost all, from digging out the running shoes, walking the school run instead of hopping into the car to swapping the tobacco to alternatives such as vapes to help you kick that habit.

Paul has recently started using a vape after my constant nagging about smoking, as a non smoker myself I really don’t like the smell and it makes me feel ill, this has actually seen him cut down the amount he smokes which of course is a very good thing. There are a lot of choices around on not only the devices to use but the stuff to use with it (that’s as technical as I can get as it’s not something I am knowledgeable about).

Plan your food in small bursts

Nutritional experts promote the virtues of consuming smaller portions spread throughout the day. Eating healthier food such as nuts, berries, fish, vegetables/greens will banish hunger pains and make you feel like you’re not even dieting.

You should also try not to eat a big meal after 6pm as your body doesn’t have enough time to digest it. Breakfast should actually be your biggest meal of the day.

Breakfast bonanza

It’s estimated that as many as 25% of us don’t eat breakfast – myself included in this on most days.

By doing this however you are further denying fuel to a body that has not been tended for several hours, blood sugar levels are likely to be low, and headaches, dizziness and mood fluctuations are all possible.

At the worst, carry some breakfast bars in the car or keep some porridge in your office drawer!

More water

You may have heard the old cliché that the healthy individual should drink eight litres of water a day, of course for most that is rather hard especially those of us with bladders the size of a pea! WebMD.com actually says that an ounce of water per pound of our weight will suffice to keep the kidneys and our digestive system running well.

If you aren’t all that keen on plain water, adding a little squash really won’t hurt or you could even try slicing up some citrus fruits to infuse the water.

Fat Freezing

I have read a lot about this in the news recently, an innovative way to contour your body by freezing unwanted fat away with no surgery or downtime.

CoolSculpting is a flexible fat reduction procedure that delivers fantastic results for all problem areas across the body; including the chin, stomach, thighs and arms. Fat cells are something that most of us have to deal with on a regular basis, even with a good diet and healthy exercise regime certain fat cells just don’t seem to budge. Pulse Light Clinic is one clinic where you can have this done and can be found at 1st Floor – 20 EastCheap EC3M 1EB

Bring in the new year

If you’re anything like me then the pledges that were made on January 1 have long since faded by the middle of the month. It’s actually for that reason I have stopped making resolutions.

They may have related to food and drink, exercise, hobbies or finances. Whatever, there’s no hard and fast rule saying that you can’t take on a resolution at any time of the year.

Don’t fear the weather

Exercisers (the non seasoned among us – that includes me) are fickle beasts; it’s usually either too cold or too hot to go running.

To banish thoughts of the latter, get up early and go jogging at 6am if you can bear it, or eschew your usual hour-long jog in the baking heat when you get back from work for a 15-minute burst of power exercise such as short sprints, climbs, thrusts with regular water.

You could even pop on an exercise DVD and get the kids joining in too – turn it into a family affair, I know Emmy and Harry love joining in whenever I pop on my Hip Hop Abs DVDs on those rare occasions I remember and can actually be bothered.