Trying to look good with so much going on!

I've told you all quite a bit about my efforts to lose weight this year. I have been doing The Fast Diet, as have quite a few of my friends.  I've found it quite easy.  On fasting days - two a week - you just don't think about food.  You have decided you are not going to eat and that is really powerful.  Until last week I was doing really well.  But last week I did my two fasting days and then on my five eating days I just couldn't stop eating!

I think The Fast Diet works if on the other five days you stay within the normal ranges - 2000 calories for women - but I obviously didn't!  This coupled with the fact that Heather and I only managed one run last week meant I put on 2lbs!

This was not good!  I'm trying to lose weight so I look good in my new dress for my husband's Birthday party in less than three weeks!  So drastic action was required.  Serious cut back on calories this week!!!  Yesterday I fasted and I'm going to try to fast again today and tomorrow, then eat sensibly for the rest of the week and only allow myself to be naughty at dinner on Friday night - as I'm going out and Supper at Heather's on Saturday night.

I'm also going to run a minimum of three times this week and walk the dogs as much as possible.  We had a really good run last night.  5.2 miles and it was easy!  We could both have carried on so bring on Wednesday!

Last week seemed like a quiet week socially - probably only because I've been doing so much with the girls lately and last week we didn't actually have an evening out together.

On Friday I went to the races - Cheltenham Festival - but the weather was horrible!  We did however see Will and Kate.  We were literally stood two feet away from them as the police cleared the steps so that they could come through.  They are both so skinny!  I'm just jealous!!!  She is very pretty though!  So that was quite exciting but other than that I can't say it was my best day at the Races!  I didn't even wear my racing coat.  I just opted to wear my horsey Eurostar jacket which is one of my favourites.

Friday evening my friend Jane came for supper and Rich lit a log fire so we were really cosy after a day spent in the rain.

On Saturday evening Rich and I went out to supper and it was an evening with a difference!  I wore black skinny jeans (Gok at Sainsburys), my black ankle boots (Stylist Picks) and my new red jacket!!!  I bought it, or rather Rich bought it for me, from the Joules stand at the races.  I love it.  It's styled on a hunting jacket.  It's so cool!  And it was half price!!! Yay!  Still expensive I guess - reduced from £179 to £89 but well worth it because I do love it!

 

 We decided to go to Broadway.  I'd seen a restaurant on Trip Advisor called The Workshop which is a sister restaurant to Russells in Broadway - which is absolutely lovely.  So we parked the car and sheltering under our massive brolly - yes it was still pouring with rain - we tried to find it!  It turns out it closed back in November!  To be replaced by Russells Fish and Chip Shop!

We decided to give it a go!  It's quite . . . basic in it's furnishings but was quite busy too.  Always a good sign!  We both ordered the "half pint of prawns with saffron mayo" to start and they did actually come in a half pint glass tankard.  And they were delicious!  I had the fishcakes to follow.  Again delicious and packed full of fish rather than potato.  And they served Prosecco too!

The choice of desserts however was uninspiring - ice cream or . . . ice cream.  So we went across the road to the Broadway Hotel.  I haven't been there for years but its lovely now!  And with the rain still bucketing down outside it was lovely to relax on a comfy sofa by a blazing fire with a glass of bubbly and dessert.  Definitely want to go back and eat in the restaurant.

Whilst relaxing there I came across this article:  

So Girls - get out your red lipstick and your eyebrow pencil!!!

My week ended with another high calorie outing but it was way too good to miss.  My friend Sarah had invited a few of us to afternoon tea.  We have become addicted to the concept of afternoon tea having been out to various placing - The Frogmill being the most recent - and really enjoyed it!

We had a lovely afternoon.  Sarah had made scones with jam and clotted cream, Victoria Sponge, Vienese Whirls and Flapjacks and it was all yummy!  She even sent us home with a party bag of cake!!!  Result!

What NOT to wear at 50: Beautiful Bargains!!!

What NOT to wear at 50: Beautiful Bargains!!!: It's been a busy few months of social occasions for me which is brilliant but of course I need to have something to wear for all of...

Beautiful Bargains!!!

It's been a busy few months of social occasions for me which is brilliant but of course I need to have something to wear for all of them!  So I've just had to shop!  It's tough I know but well . . . I LOVE IT!!!

The girls and I went to a clairvoyant evening!  Don't ask!!!!!!  My friend Paola looked lovely that evening all dressed in blue.  So it got me into blue!  I don't usually wear blue.  I searched on line for some blue ankle boots.  Everything that came up was horrible!  One of the Google results was Jones the Bootmakers.  Anyone who is local to Cheltenham will know that Jones is quite expensive.  I almost didn't bother clicking on the link as I didn't want to pay in excess of £100.  But I did click.  And there was the most gorgeous pair of  high heeled blue suede boots!  It was love at first sight!!!  And . . . joy upon joy . . . they were in the sale!  The shopping fairy was looking down on me!  They were reduced from £110 to £33 and they had them in my size!  Yay!  Needless to say I couldn't enter my card details quick enough!

A few days later my boots arrived.  I opened the box and fell in love all over again!  I was almost scared to try them on.  I couldn't bare it if they didn't fit.  But in a truly Cinderella moment they did fit!!!!  

As I was going to my friend Jane's Birthday celebration at a very nice restaurant called Armagnac a few days later I wanted to wear them!  I had bought a dress from Dorothy Perkins' website.  They had 25% off for the weekend so I'd ordered a few dresses (intending to choose the nicest and send the others back) as I knew everyone was wearing a dress for our evening out.  As it happened one of the dresses that I'd kept was navy.  It was yet another bargain!!  With the 25% discount it cost me less than £25.

So I went out in my new dress and my new boots.  As you know I'm not a dress kind of person and I'd certainly never worn ankle boots with a dress.  I had double checked with my daughter that it looked alright!  And I loved it.  And what's more I felt completely comfortable - unheard of in a dress!

Anyway, my blue quest continued!  I think I may be obsessed!  I bought some super soft blue jeans from New Look at just £14.99.  They are sooooo comfy.  And I bought a few blue T-shirts and thin jumpers also from New Look.

A few days ago I received an email from Stylist Picks saying they had a special offer on all boots this week - 50% off.  As regular readers will know I love Stylist Picks shoes and boots.  I let my friends Jane and Heather know as they have both bought shoes or boots from Stylist Picks too. 

Now both of them have bought new boots in the current sale and I'm feeling somewhat left out because I haven't actually ordered any.  In all honesty I don't need any more boots but as Heather said -  it's rude not too when they are so cheap!

Wardrobe Space

I thought I would share this article with you.  I don't know about you but I constantly lust after more wardrobe space!  And what do you think about the list of clothes women own?  I definitely have more trousers, tops and shoes than the list suggests but less dresses.

Click the link to read the article.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2286578/Its-official-Women-DO-need-wardrobe-space-British-women-THREE-TIMES-clothes-male-partners.html

What NOT to wear at 50: The Fast Diet

What NOT to wear at 50: The Fast Diet: Whilst in Sainsbury's a few weeks ago I bought a book called The Fast Diet.  There's been a lot written in the pres...

The Fast Diet

Whilst in Sainsbury's a few weeks ago I bought a book called The Fast Diet.  There's been a lot written in the press about this diet after the Horizon programme - Eat, Fast, Live Longer was aired last year.  Dr Michael Mosley investigated the benefits of fasting, not for weight loss but because of the health benefits and life extension.  He was 55 and mildly overweight, like most of us!  His father had died in his early 70s of complications associated with diabetes.

Whilst making the documentary he had an MRI scan.  This revealed he was thin on the outside but fat on the inside.  This is the most dangerous sort of fat, visceral fat, because it wraps itself around your internal organs and puts you at risk of heart disease and diabetes.  He also had blood tests which confirmed he was heading towards diabetes with a really high cholesterol score.

Dr Mosley followed conventional advice but it made little difference.  He discovered that intermittent fasting had massive health benefits and trialled his own version - the 5:2 Diet.  After three months on the diet he had lost 19lbs and his blood indicators had improved massively.  So much so that his wife - also a doctor - was astonished.  She regularly saw overweight patients with a blood profile similar to that of her husband's and none of the advice she had given them had made anything like the difference that the Fast Diet had made.

The science behind the diet is that animals out in the wild have periods of fast and feast.  This is also how we are genetically programmed.  Our bodies and our genes were forged in an environment of scarcity, punctuated by the occasional massive blow-out.  These days we eat all the time!  Dr Mosley's research found that fasting can improve mood and protect the brain from dementia and cognitive decline.  It reduces IGF-1 thus reducing your risk of a number of age related diseases such as cancer.  It increases insulin sensitivity which reduces your risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. And you lose weight!

One way to check your BMI - a predictor of your likelihood of developing heart disease, is to measure your waist around your belly button.  Your waist should be less than half your height.  In a study of over 45,000 women followed for 16 years the waist to height ratio was an accurate predictor of who would develop heart disease.

Are you convinced yet?  Are you concerned about your weight?  Do you want to stay healthy so that you can enjoy your retirement?  Either way, READ THE BOOK!  This is just my synopsis.  For less than £4 I suggest you buy it and make your own mind up.  I'd suggest it's money well spent.

SO WHAT IS THE FAST DIET?

Basically, for 5 days a week you eat normally and for two days a week you fast.  It doesn't matter which two days you fast - whatever fits in with your lifestyle.  On your fasting days you are allowed 500 calories for a woman and 600 calories for a man - a quarter of your normal daily allowance.  You should try to consume food that makes you feel satisfied i.e. high in protein with a low glycaemic index.  You consume these calories in two meals.  This can be breakfast and dinner or brunch and dinner. You can drink tea and coffee without milk and are encourage to sip water throughout the day.

I having been doing it for several weeks now.  several of my friends are also doing it too.  I'm not finding it difficult.  Actually I find fasting days strangely liberating.  When I am on a diet I find I'm constantly thinking about food and what I can eat to stay within my designated calorie allowance or points.  On fasting days I just don't think about food.  I have lunch and dinner but on some days I could happily skip dinner.  I feel so much better.  Im losing weight and in the meantime I'm eating what I want so that girlie suppers or dinner out with my husband is a joy.  I can engoy the food and the wine and not worry about my weight.  Result!!!   If you decide to try it please let me know how you get on with it.  And good luck!

To Gok or Not to Gok???

As you probably know, I'm a big Gok Wan fan.  I follow him on Twitter.  I watch all his TV programmes.  I buy his books.  I buy his clothes collection from Sainsbury's.  So, as you can imagine I was excited to hear that his new collection was launching at the end of last week.

I saw a link online to a video clip of an interview he had done about the new collection.  I think he said it's his 7th collection.  He said this was quite a departure from what he'd done before.  This is what he'd always wanted to do but he had to win the public's confidence first.  You can find the clip by clicking the link below:

http://www.gokwan.com

On Saturday I set off to do my Sainsbury's shop knowing that I would be able to browse Gok's collection and perhaps even buy a few pieces.  And there it was - prominently displayed right at the front of the clothing section!!!

. . . But . . . huge disappointment!!!!  I didn't like it!!!!!  There is nothing about it I liked!  Check it out for yourself by clicking the link below:

http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/blog/2013/01/sneak-peek-gok-for-tu-spring-collection/

Actually I am exaggerating!  I did like one thing.  I bought a pair of black perfect fit trousers.  They do fit really well and are comfy too.

I don't know about you but I have been a big fan of Gok's latest series Style Secrets.  Gok has been helping single women who haven't dated for years to get back out there.  Whoever says that clothes aren't important is crazy!  These women transform when Gok shows them how to dress.  Of course he's also brilliant at boosting their confidence too but the clothes make a massive difference.

I think when people feel low they tend to wear the same old clothes over and over again.  They want to disappear into the background.  They don't want to be noticed.  They feel ugly.  They look in the mirror and the clothes they are wearing don't do them justice so it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.  Once someone (Gok in this case) shakes them out of that downward spiral and shows them how to dress suddenly they believe they look good.  Confidence emerges and they start to care about themselves and how they look.  People start to notice and tell them how good they look and hey presto! - A transformation takes place!!!

So if anyone tells you that you buy too many clothes - so long as you feel good in them - ignore them!!!

Take a look at Gok's scrapbook from the series:

http://scrapbook.channel4.com/experts/gokwan