Search results for: “wellbeing”

Q&A WITH DELICIOUSLY ELLA

. Q&A WITH DELICIOUSLY ELLA – 5 THINGS I LEARNT .

Earlier this week I attended a fabulous Q&A & got to meet the lovely Ella Woodward of Deliciously Ella, the event was hosted by Shoreditch house and was a little brunch, a brief introduction by Ella to her blog and lifestyle, followed by an open floor Q&A. It was a intimate event which meant we really got to chat with Ella and ask her any questions we had about her lifestyle, career plans and her blog success. I personally asked a couple of questions, one more related to her lifestyle & the transition she went through, but also one more about her blog success and the journey she’s been on. The session was so insightful that I actually thought i’d share a few of the things I learnt and the tips Ella gave us in a series of posts, firstly today, with 5 of the lifestyle tips she shared with us, and secondly on Saturday I’m going to share some of the things I took from the Q&A relating to blogging and the commercial side of things.

Ella has made such a success of her blog & really pushed the agenda of healthy eating & healthy living here in the UK that it was a great to meet her, understand more about her lifestyle and way of living & just generally get inspired to kick start my own lifestyle a little. Whilst there were tons of things discussed, in terms of healthy living, there were 5 things I really took out of the Q&A which i wanted to share today.

5 LIFESTYLE TIPS FROM DELICIOUSLY ELLA

#1 It’s not just what goes into your mouth …

One thing I really took from the session was that Ella’s lifestyle isn’t just about what she eats, it’s about her entire being & wellness. From regular exercise (spinning at 630am in the morning & regular yoga) to the products she uses for her body, skincare, hair care & even makeup. I actually hadn’t thought about this side of things, of course i’ve taken inspiration and advice from her on what I eat, how I prepare food and the ingredients that go into my dishes, but it was also really interesting to hear about how she transformed her whole lifestyle into one of natural products, removing any impurities from her routine.

Ella mentioned a couple of brands she likes for skincare and haircare, as well as a store which she regularly visits to pick up her favourite products, called Content Beauty in Marylebone.

#2 Don’t be conned by ready made alternatives …

Whilst the UK’s shift and fascination with health and wellbeing is definitely a brilliant movement & one which was well needed (Ella talked about how great the increased attention to health and wellbeing was), as a result, a lot of mass supermarket or food brands have jumped on the bandwagon and now sell ready made gluten / wheat / dairy free alternatives, but Ella discussed how these actually aren’t quite as good as what they say on the packet.

The increased attention has made the market for healthy goods much more pertinent, but Ella shared her concern for people going for the quick and easy ready made solutions, given they’re actually not quite as good as they sound. From pre prepared juices and gluten free produce, to ‘healthy’ natural cereal bars … she very much advocates avoiding these and making your own alternatives, not just because it’s cheaper, but because it’s healthier too (ready made products are still jampacked with refined goods & ingredients which simply aren’t good for you).

#3 Healthy eating can be cheaper …

There’s clearly a massive preconception that living a super healthy lifestyle, eating naturally and going for organic produce comes with a gigantic price tag. But Ella spoke very passionately about how this lifestyle doesn’t have to be expensive, and in fact can be far cheaper than buying ‘standard’ products and ready made alternatives, an example being the cost of making your own oat milk and the 20p versus £1+ price tags!

Ella’s top tip for keeping costs down was simple, buy in bulk. She recommended Amazon as her first port of call to stock up on all her whole food products as it’s so much cheaper than picking up smaller size products in the local supermarket or whole food dealers.

Her other tip which overall will help keep costs down is of course to be as organised as you can. Ella’s recommendation was to use Sunday’s to stock up on food (she makes a weekly Ocado order) & also to prepare as much as possible for the week ahead, not only to make things as easy as possible for you to keep up the healthy eating but also to ensure you have everything you need in your cupboards & don’t need to do expensive last minute purchases in your local store where everything comes at a premium.

#4 Make social situations work for you …

Ella’s vegan lifestyle is clearly far easier to stick to when you’re at home & living your day to day routine, but can be trickier when you’re busy, attending lot’s of social events and even more so in a new country or travelling and so have less healthy food readily available.

Ella talked candidly about the challenges she’s faced with people judging her no alcohol lifestyle and also the awkwardness of having to challenge menu’s in restaurants on social occasions. But with three years of experience of this lifestyle under her belt she had some top tips to help deal with this.

Firstly, don’t succumb to peer pressure, if you don’t want to drink then stand firm by your decision & be comfortable saying no, people that aren’t willing to accept this are ultimately those with the issues. Secondly, in restaurants, grab the waiter away from your table when you arrive at the restaurant and explain one on one your dietary requirements, and ask the waiter and chefs for their advice on what you can eat (her back up is to simply order a whole selection of sides – avocado, sweet potato fries, side salads etc). Thirdly, pre prepare as much as you can, the key thing I took from Ella regarding her lifestyle is that organisation is the real trick to mastering this way of living. Research, prepare your own food, carry healthy snacks on you & generally just ensure you’re never left stuck with no healthy food options.

As the demand for natural eating increases, so has the supply, there are now tons of healthy cafes, restaurants, brands & suppliers who make the whole lifestyle far easier to adapt to (Ella mentioned how much easier it is now, versus 3 years ago to find the ingredients & products she needs, and how much easier it is to eat out or on the go).

#5 Find what works for you …

One of my questions to Ella was about her transition into this lifestyle, for Ella (given her illness) it was an overnight shift (which she doesn’t recommend giving how much of an adjustment it actually is) but overall something she believes took her three months to fully embrace (to the point where she no longer found haribo or processed foods appealing).

Her recommendation for embracing this lifestyle was actually really refreshing, and realistic. It was simply to find out what works for you, and gradually start to embrace natural foods, healthy living & ultimately vegetables!

Her mentality around vegan living is that it’s about ‘adding’ to your life, and absolutely not about taking away (despite the fact that ultimately you will cut things like meat, alcohol, refined food & dairy out of your diet). This mentality was a really positive way of thinking about healthy living, and is important in ensuring that people don’t see this way of living as a diet or a fad, it’s about making healthier choices and eating clean.

Ella’s tips were to start by gradually introducing and adding new things into your lifestyle (the concept of adding, not cutting, as mentioned helps keep things positive and not too restrictive), a smoothie or juice in the morning, perhaps a healthy dinner once a week, or a superfood pack lunch in the week. I think her ambition is really admirable, but also realistic given how much this lifestyle takes to live in full, it’s not a take it or leave it concept, even a small change or shift towards healthy living is a positive one.

I personally very much took this feedback on board. I don’t want to give up fish or alcohol, but I do want to juice, eat naturally, cut gluten, take up yoga & increase my ‘super food’ intake, so knowing that just embracing 50% of the lifestyle is better than nothing was reassuring and motivational!

I found the Q&A really inspiring overall and Ella was a super lovely (and seriously beautiful) person, very articulate, confident and clearly very knowledgeable and passionate about this way of living. She talked with such passion and enthusiasm that you couldn’t help but leave feeling inspired and motivated to live better. The success of her book is a real credit to her hard work & passion, and if you haven’t already bought it then I seriously recommend picking it up (you can buy it here) :)

I was also utterly inspired by the success of her blog, her book, app & general brand (which is really growing at an exceptional rate, to the point where she now has an office & three team members supporting her) that I am going to do another post on Saturday with her tips, journey & key things I learnt from chatting to her about this – so make sure you stay tuned.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on Ella’s way of living & whether you’ve tried any of her recipes or tips. Also of course, I hope you found this kind of post interesting :)

May 13, 2015
5 TIPS TO GET FIT, HEALTHY & MOTIVATED

. 5 WAYS TO GET FIT,HEALTHY & MOTIVATED .

Whilst I am absolutely not the best ‘fitness’ adviser in the world (I can be the laziest person sometimes), I do truly believe in health and wellbeing and know how eating well and keeping active can genuinely positively affect your mood, health & happiness. I’m also most definitely not a fad dieter or fast food lover, eating well and sustaining a healthy lifestyle is far more important to me.

Given the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle, but also knowing how challenging this can be sometimes when juggling a very busy life, I thought today I would share 5 simple ways to help get you fit, keep you healthy and most importantly ensure you’re motivated. These are a mixture of things that I already do, but also things that I plan to start doing to help improve my own health and fitness.

As always they are of course by no means exclusive, but they’re just 5 things I find helpful.

#1 – WALK

First of all, and this truly is such an easy and simple way of aiding your fitness, is just to walk. It’s so easy today to jump on a tube, bus, in the car or in a lift rather than walk, but just think of the calories you would burn, the toning you’d start to achieve & the energy you’d gain from simply walking more. It’s so easy for time & ease to avoid walking, but often it can actually be quicker than jumping in a cab or driving somewhere, and of course has tons of health benefits.

An easy way to start getting a little fitter is to add a little more walking to your daily routine, take the stairs if you work in an office, walk up the escalator in the morning, walk to meetings or the shop rather than getting a cab or driving!

I can’t say I am the best person at doing this all the time, but it’s something I am going to start doing a lot more of from here on in (as part of my health resolution I set myself). No more lifts & no more cabs for me.

#2 – JUICE

Juicing is something I’ve grown to absolutely love and actually something i really enjoy and love (juices are seriously tasty). One of the great things about juicing is of course the health benefits that come with a morning juice … by adding a little wheatgrass, spirolina, chia & greens to your morning routine you’re filling your body with tons of goodness in one simple little drink. I find having a green juice every morning really boosts my energy & just sets me up for the day, it’s a really great way of adding more fruit and veg into your diet too!

Another little trick to give yourself a health & energy boost is of course to knock up and eat the rather delicious but uber healthy energy balls (you can try my energy ball recipe here)!

#3 – PIN’SPIRATION

There’s nothing like a little pinterest to get you beach body inspired and spur on a little motivation. I’m forever using pinterest to get inspired on home decor, personal style & foodie treats, but I’ve also started to use pinterest to get body inspired too. Pinning those perfect physiques seriously makes me want to get my butt in gear and hit the gym.

Beyond pinterest, reading health & fitness blogs and stocking up on healthy cookbooks & apps is another way I keep myself motivated & encouraged to eat healthily, they provide a never ending source of inspiration.

#4 – TREAT YOURSELF

Another motivation tip, which works wonders for me, is to treat myself to some new sports kit or a new series of fitness classes. Having a little something new, or trying out something different is a really great way to give you a bit of a boost.

New gym clothes, new trainers, a new yoga classs or even a few foodie or healthy treats (i’m forever going to the wholefood store to get motivated by seriously healthy but tasty treats) can go a really long way in spurring you on. And the best thing is this doesn’t have to cost a bomb, there are some great (and super cool) sports ranges available these days which are a really easy and affordable way to update your gym wardrobe without breaking the bank. New Look have recently launched their own sports range & have some gorgeous pieces in the collection which I think are all really brilliant value (I love the purple jacket & yoga leggings)! Thrivo offers its members discounts on its partners’ products which include fitness, health and wellness items, making an active lifestyle affordable.

#5 – BUDDY UP

My final tip and a really easy way to get motivated, keep fit & boost your health is simply to buddy up with another pal or colleague and go on the journey together. Having a friend or someone to keep you motivated, spur you on in times of weakness or simply encourage you to keep on track is a really good way of keeping up a healthy lifestyle. I for one am definitely helped out by collegues hitting the gym in lunch breaks and encouraging me to come with them and by friends who also love to eat healthy but delicious food and share recipes or cookbooks with me to try out. If you have found joining a club such as a tennis club helpful for your fitness journey, you can also find tennis partners in your local area to join you, so you can have fun and get fit with a buddy! Surrounding yourself by positive influences is a really simple but effective way to help get you fit and healthy and keep you motivated in the long run!

So there you go, 5 simple but effective little tricks to help you get fit, stay healthy and keep motivated.

I’d love to hear your tips and advice on living a healthy lifestyle & getting yourself motivated and inspired in those moments where all you want to do is snuggle up on the sofa with a pack of biscuits and a mug of tea.

April 26, 2015
10 MORNING TIPS TO HELP START YOUR DAY RIGHT

. CAREER TIPS: 10 WAYS TO HELP START YOUR DAY RIGHT .

Celebrating Hump Day with a new career tips feature, and this time i’m sharing my tips and advice for optimising you morning routine to help start the day right. I always find that the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day, so starting the day feeling positive, energised & confident is something that is really helpful. Mind you, it’s not the easiest thing to perfect when often i’m longing for another hours sleep, dreading the emails already clogging my inbox & can’t find a damn thing to wear (i’m sure you can relate).

Through much trial and error i’ve worked out a little morning routine & a few habits which really help start the day right. Some are super simple, others take a little more time and effort, but even doing just a couple of these each morning helps me get in a good mental mindset & feel ready for the day ahead.

. 8 HOURS SLEEP .

Okay so i’ve cheated already, this isn’t really a morning tip, but it is one sure way to ensure you wake up and start your morning feeling awake & rested. Getting the right amount of sleep is something i’m finding even more important as I get older, whilst when I first came to london i could party until 5am and still be up at 7am for work, now thats a far cry from the truth. These days I need 8 hours sleep to ensure I wake up feeling rested and recuperated. So whilst this isn’t possible every night, I do try and ensure i’m in bed by 1130pm, getting a good 8 hours of ZZZ’s before my alarm at 7am / 730am.

. REM .

There are five stages in the sleep cycle, varying from REM to NonREM, and this sleep cycle can happen up to 5 times in one night. The stage in which you wake up is quite important and can really affect energy levels and your mood (something I learnt whilst studying psychology), if you’re woken up whilst in deep sleep (stage 3) it can often start your day a little drowsily and slow, whilst if you wake up when you’re body is naturally coming to the end of a sleep cycle you’ll find more ready and alert when you’re alarm goes off (this helps explain why some days we just want to keep sleeping & others we’re wide awake … it all depends on the sleep stage we’ve been woken up from). I personally don’t do anything specifically to ensure I wake up in the right sleep stage, but there are loads of fab apps that monitor this and ensure an alarm goes off at the right time.

An easy cheat, which is what I do, is to leave a crack in my curtains so that in the summer months, the sun beams through and starts to wake me more naturally as the sun rises! It always makes me wake up feeling happy & more awake.

. HOT LEMON .

I’m truly awful at keeping hydrated, i mean really awful. It’s a long term joke with my family and work colleagues, i’m always forgetting to keep hydrated and often get ill as a result (not so much of a joke). Over the last few months i’ve tried to start my day with either a Pukka cleanse tea, or a lemon and hot water (sometimes I add a bit of ginger too). I’ve read SO many articles which rave about the benefits of drinking hot lemon water in the morning, from helping your skin glow to starting your metabolism, either way I am sold. If anything, it just means i’ve drunk a good amount of water before I even leave the house (small wins)!

. PRE PLAN OUTFITS .

Again another cheeky tip, which technically needs to be done before bed, but really can help your morning start off well! If like me you find yourself forever struggling with ‘nothing to wear’ despite more clothes than Topshop, then you’ll know how tough it can be trying to find something to wear in the morning when you’re a) tired, b) sleepy, c) running late, d) stressed, e) feeling bleugh. The easiest way to combat this is to pre plan your outfit the night before. You can plan based on the days agenda, the weather & your mood … but doing this thinking and planning the night before is one way of making the morning routine a little less stressful.

. 5 POSITIVE THOUGHTS .

I’ve listened to quite a few wellbeing talks and have become vaguely interested in the topic & research around mindfulness and wellbeing. I do believe a positive mind and attitude, can genuinely make huge a impact on your daily life, your outlook and your ability to manage situations. It’s difficult to be positive though when you’re having a bad day, so one way to try and avoid the bad days is to start the day with a positive attitude. Spending 5 minutes when you wake up, whilst brushing your teeth or even whilst your sat on your commute thinking about 5 positive thoughts, whether that be 5 things you’re grateful for, 5 things you’re looking forward to, 5 things you love or just 5 memories which make you smile. Just dedicating 5 minutes to doing this, will instantly shift your mind into a positive gear and set you up for a slightly more happy day!

. GREEN JUICE .

Since I bought my nutribullet, i’ve been kicking off the day with a mighty green juice each day. As i’m useless at having breakfast, I treat my juice as a little mini breakfast and a good way of filling my body with nutrients & vitamins for the day ahead. A juice is actually so super fast to make and if you really struggle for time, even making a bulk load on a sunday to last you the week is a great way of ensuring you can still have a daily juice boost.

My personal favourite morning green juice includes a handful of spinach, a quarter of a cucumber & a quarter of an apple, a slice of ginger (the bigger the better for me) & squeeze of lemon (half a lemon), and then a whole host of superfood goodness, a tsp of wheatgrass, spironlina, chia seeds, chorella, Maca and a handful of goji berries for good measure. YUM.

I really find it gives me an energy boost and makes me feel healthy.

. BREAKFAST LIKE A KING.

Someone once told me that you should breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen and dine like a pauper. The morale of the analogy being breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I get this, and i have to say breakfast (well brunch) is one of my favourite types of food (eggs & avocado forever). At the weekend I’m quite good at taking this advice, less so in the week (I juice instead). But we all know that having a good breakfast before we leave the house if a really important way to start your day right, whether that’s a simple fruit snack, a tasty and heartwarming porridge or something a little more luxe likes eggs (if only we started work at 11am).

Make time or a quick breakfast or head to work with enough time to sit and enjoy breakfast at your desk before the day kicks off.

. WRITE A TO DO LIST .

If you find yourself getting stressed in the week, then starting the day with a little to do list can be a really helpful way of clearing your mind and keeping things manageable. I often use my commute to work to write out my life to do lists & get all the things that are in my mind out on paper. It means by the time you’ve got to work, your head is clear and ready to focus.

. EXERCISE & STRETCH.

Oh I know, morning exercise, unbearable. BUT, if you’re a morning person then maximise your wakefulness by getting active, it’s a great time of the day to do a 20 minute exercise routine or do a little yoga etc and means you’ve started the day feeling energetic & fit.

I am most definitely NOT a morning person, so for me this is a total no no, exercise at lunch time suits me more, but at a minimum I do spend a few minutes properly stretching out in the morning & getting my muscles working. I can suffer from quite bad back and shoulder pain (often triggering my migraines) and so I find doing a little bit of stretching (like a 2 minute yoga session) helps get my blood flowing & body prepared for the day ahead.

. LISTEN TO MUSIC / MEDITATE .

Whether it’s from the moment you wake up or whilst you’re driving or catching the train, listening to a little bit of music (relaxing or upbeat, dependent on what you find best) when you wake up is a great way to start your day. Upbeat music can help energise and motivate you, chilled music can help keep you relaxed & calm, or a meditation track can help keep stress at bay and give you some time to think before the day kicks in. A lot of people listen to music on the tube to work, and there’s a good reason for it. For me listening to some chilled out music, or spending 30 minutes on my commute escaping in a good chick lit always means my day is starting in a positive way & I arrive at the office awake, relaxed & energised for the day ahead!

So there we go, 10 quite eclectic ways to help you start your morning in a positive way. I’d love to know if you already do any of these, or if there are any tips you’re going to try? It’s really amazing to see the difference in how you feel once you start doing a couple of these each day :)

April 1, 2015
CAREER TIPS: HOW TO FIGHT A MIGRAINE

. HOW TO FIGHT A MIGRAINE .

I’m taking a slightly different take on today’s career tips feature, bear with me, rather than my usual career advice, I thought today I’d focus on one of the issues many of us encounter as a result of stress (or genetics). Work life balance, wellbeing and health are incredibly important things to ensure you achieve in life, but often with a busy work life, a demanding career and an ‘always on’ job, stress and tension are an issue many of us no doubt encounter. Both stress and tension can have serious side affects to your health, and I for one suffer as a result, both with IBS but also more critically, migraines.

I’ve always suffered with migraines since I was a child, originally diet based triggers, but more so in adult life stress & general lifestyle can cause me serious, debilitating migraines. Unfortunately i’m the sort of sufferer who ends up poorly in bed, sick from their migraines, which means for me, knowing the signs of a migraine and being prepared to combat them are a top priority. For anyone who has to deal with this daily, it can start to have a negative impact on their lives.

I won’t go into the medical side of migraines, nor the symptoms as often people encounter different signals or symptoms (instant and severe headache, auras, dizziness, difficulty speaking, nausea, even stroke like symptoms etc), but what I wanted to share was my top tricks for fighting a migraine once one occurs (or when I feel one coming on). As my Migraines can often last 48 hours, I really try to do as much as possible to avoid the migraine fully kicking in.

These tips are, of course, not medically founded, they’re simply the things that help me get through an episode & are tricks which I think will help many people who suffer with headaches.

. BE PREPARED .

If you are a regular migraine sufferer like I am (I have a severe migraine every few weeks) then first of all, be prepared. Whilst you might not know exactly when you’re migraine is going to hit, at least if you have the right drugs or tools on hand, you’ll be in a good place to fight it (i’ve had migraines on flights without any meds and it’s awful). I always carry around my essential kit for fighting a migraine (4head, which I find absolutely incredible at easing the throbbing pain, a nausea based migraine relief tablet, as well as general pain relief & sunglasses to protect from bright lights), at home I also ensure i’m always stocked up on medicine just in case & Jase now knows how to look after me when i’m suffering from a migraine which is always good, to have someone who understands the symptoms, what you need & what they can do to help.

Preparation also comes in a more longer term approach, and that’s based on focussing on your diet and wellbeing, ensuring you’re eating foods that will aid the situation and not hinder it, as well as supporting your body and core from tensions (pilates & yoga is great for this). I for one used to find that Chocolate could actually bring on a migraine, so it’s worth taking a look at your diet and health to see what could be done to improve, or whether there are any key dietary triggers which you could cut out.

. SPEAK TO YOUR DOCTOR .

This may sound a little dramatic, but it is definitely worth speaking to your doctor if you start suffering from Migraines regularly, not least because they might be able to help, but also because there are a number of other things to consider if you’re a migraine sufferer. For example, due to my migraines, I have to take the POP pill (mini pill) to avoid risk of blood clots. It may be that medication or the contraceptive pill you are on only hinders your migraines, so it’s worth reviewing all options. The doctor may also be able to subscribe you specific medicine which can aid your specific symptoms too, so it’s always worth seeking advice. I personally use over the counter products like 4Head & Migreleve which I find the most effective at easing my migraines and nausea, solpadeine soluble capsules are also very effective at relieving pain (you’ll often find that a lot of medicine does nothing to help, so really discovering what works for you is key).

. REST .

This tip is genuinely hard to do, but when you get the first signs of a migraine, whether that’s a painful headache, an aura, or general feeling of sickness, then STOP. I mean literally stop, go home, take a break, get some fresh air, take some time out. I am absolutely awful at doing this, particularly when i’m at work, i’ll just struggle on, but there’s no point. All that will happen is your migraine will get increasingly worse, you’ll feel increasingly more sick & you’ll end up in bed for hours if not days. There’s been many a time when i’ve tried to push through and ended up being sick at work from my migraine & ended up putting myself out for more time no doubt, than if I just stopped and rested in the beginning!

If you’re migraine is extremely bad then you’ll have no choice but to stop and seek bed as they truly are debilitating. Get home, get into bed & rest.

. SEEK DARKNESS .

The only thing that truly helps my migraines go is to find the darkest place possible, no light, definitely no noise, and absolutely no distraction. When I am suffering from a sever migraine I may end up locked in darkness for 6 – 1o hours. It’s often the combination of drugs, sleep and darkness which will eventually help my migraine pass. Beyond darkness, I always find a very cold flannel helps too, resting on my forehead after a heavy dosage of cooling 4head has been applied. I find my migraines make me very hot and nauseas, so this really helps cool my body back down.

Sometimes it can be impractical to simply go to bed, but if your migraine is unbearable, this will be the only way to eventually recover. On one of my first dates with Jase 7 years ago, he cooked me dinner at my uni house, I was so excited, but ended up in darkness in bed asleep with an awful migraine. But 7 years later we’re still together, so don’t worry about the short term implications of taking a moment out, just focus on getting better when a migraine occurs.

. RELAX YOUR MUSCLES .

Whilst migraines aren’t always caused by stress and tension, I do find that muscle relaxation can often help prevent migraines & also ease them once you’re suffering from an episode. Muscle relaxation can be achieved a number of ways, firstly longer term measures to ensure you’re posture & muscles are in check. I personally have bi-weekly 30 minute back massages where the masseuse focuses on my core tension points & does some reflexology to help relieve any potential migraine inducing tension. If you’re already suffering from a migraine then there are some little reflexology tricks you can do yourself to help the pain, massaging your temples, finding the pressure points in your thumbs and toes & applying a firm pressure to these areas, as well as pinching the top of your nose, where you’ll also feel tension. Another way to relax your muscles is through relaxing oils or scents, as I mentioned I find 4head which is a sort of menthol type rub brilliant at easing tension on my forehead, but even things like Vix rub or oblas oil can help relax you a little, if you’re rested up in bed, why not also try some lavender oils which are also known to help. Don’t go OTT, as with sound and light, smell can sometimes hinder you, but anything menthol based I find does help a lot.

There are most definitely a number of ways to help cure a migraine, or get through a migraine episode, but for me it’s all about being in darkness, taking nausea reliving medicine (Migraleve is my go to), massaging my pressure points, using cooling & menthol based balms & generally just sleeping! Whilst it doesn’t appear to make any sense, drinking some coffee is also said to help ease the pain (a paradox I know) & the more obvious route of drinking water is always a good idea as often dehydration can make things a lot worse.

Most importantly of all, don’t panic, keep calm, do whatever you need to ease the pain. Work and other commitments can wait, kicking your migraine in full is critical else you can find it drags on for days! These 5 tips are things which I find aid my migraine relief, but i’d love to also hear your top tips if you too suffer from headaches and migraines?

March 25, 2015
CAREER TIPS: MAXIMISING YOUR COMMUTE

. HOW TO MAXIMISE YOUR COMMUTE .

Juggling work and life is often quite difficult, and it can be even harder to give yourself some down time in the process. I’ve written a whole post with tips on achieving work life balance, but today I thought i’d share a few more tips based on maximising the time you do have even further. No additional time needed, this is simply tips and advice for maximising your time further, and in particular making the most of your commute.

If like me, despite even living in London, your commute can take up to an hour each way, then it’s really about time we take back that time and start using it to our benefit, it’s not always possible if you’re trapped inside a crammed tube, or driving to work etc, but I have 5 ideas which should work for most situations, to really help you maximise that commute and get your wellbeing in a bit better check.

. MEDITATE .

First of all, with a seriously busy workload and jam packed diary, stress levels can often get high and finding time to unwind and relax can always be a little bit tricky. One way to better use your commute to help unwind and of course set your day off to a good start is to use the journey for a little bit of ‘me time’. Meditation or simply listening to music or even watching your favourite series, is a really great way of getting some down time and helping your brain unwind a little. Last year I packed my Ipad full of Breaking Bad series and used my hour commute to and from work to chill out and watch the episode. I found concentrating (well escaping) to something totally different kept my mind relaxed and also just made my commute a little more interesting.

It’s definitely not the same as meditation, but even using your commute to learn a language or listen to your favourite pod casts is also a great way to get your mind focussed on something other than work & better use your time.

. READ BOOKS OR NEWS .

Another one of my favourite things to do on my commute, and another great way to ‘escape’ from the day to day hustle and bustle is to wile away your time in a good book. I always find reading a great way to unwind and escape from my stresses. It’s something I do an awful lot of whilst on holiday but can forget to dedicate time to when I’m back in my day to day routine! But for me reading is a really easy way to switch off and so using my commute to catch up on a good book is always a good way of making the most out of my journey and quite quickly relax.

Beyond a good book, even using my commute to catch up on the news or my favourite magazines makes the 2 hours everyday far more enjoyable.

. DO YOUR EMAILS .

It’s not necessarily the most relaxing use of your commute, however one other good way to maximise the time spent travling to and from work is to get on with some work to ease the rest of your day. I always try and spend 30 minutes or so in the morning to catch up on my emails and get back on any quick questions or even use the time to proof read work or review presentations etc. It’s not a great way to unwind or relax, but getting ahead (particularly in the morning) can sometimes make for a much less manic and stressful day in the office.

. DO EXERCISE .

Now this isn’t something I’ve ever managed to do, although I really wish I could make it work for me, but rather than taking the tube or driving why not use your commute to feed some exercise into your day by walking, running or cycling. It can often be difficult to find time to fit in exercise or a gym class, so using your commute to work out is a great way to boost your health, start your day off with a real energy boost and of course help keep you fit. There’s also nothing like exercise to help you clear your mind and unwind. Whether it’s a 10 minute walk or a one hour cycle, as summer hits this is definitely something to consider as a way of really making the most out of your commute.

. BLOG .

Now this is my favourite use of my commute. To blog, I frequently spend my commute drafting the days blog post in my notes for it to be set live when I get to work, or even to plan future posts or draft up coming features. I find my two hours on the tube a day the best time I get to sit and do some brainstorming. It’s uninterupted down time and I find it really useful to get some blog work done during this time. Even responding to emails, catching up on my social channels and reading my favourite blogs. Not only does it help me and my time management overall, I actually love blogging so it helps me unwind and clears my head too.

. CATCH UP WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS .

My final tip for maximising your commute is to use your journey to catch up with friends or family. I often speak to my mum on my journey to work, either by phone or text. I Always find my commute a good opportunity to catch up on group messages with my friends and even just a good old phone call … It’s an hour of your time, so why not use it to check in with loved ones.

So there you have it, 5 very simple ways to maximise your commute further. Some may only be suitable if you catch a train or bus to work, others can still be done if you drive or walk. We spend such a large amount of our day travelling to and from the office so why not maximise this time and gain yourself two hours back.

I always try and maximise my time travelling by doing some of these things, I switch them up throughout the week dependent on my mood or what I need to do, but reading, emails and blogging are definitely my most ‘used’ commute activities.

I’d love to hear your tips or advice on maximising your commute and how you make the most out of your time spent travelling?

March 18, 2015
MY HEALTH KICK

. KICKSTARTING MY HEALTH .

I shouldn’t really call this post ‘health kick’, because that makes it sound as though it’s a fad diet, when in fact I’d like to think of it more as a lifestyle overhaul. Over the last couple of years, coinciding with a new job, my recent promotion (and therefore more responsibility) and Jase and I moving in together, i’ve found myself limited of time and motivation to keep my health truly in check.

I’m actually a healthy eater (spurred on by my gluten intolerance and IBS, I do generally have a healthy diet) but where i’ve gone a little off track over the last two years is not having time to exercise (I know it sounds like a bad excuse, but working 14 hour days plus running a blog outside of work does impact spare time) and generally the little things like getting enough sleep, taking some time out, having ‘me time’.

Before I moved to london I played netball about three or four times week, I was captain at university and played for club and county, even when I first moved to London I played weekly on a more friendly basis and topped this up with cycling everywhere on my little pashli bike and hitting up Gymbox for regular pilates and spinning classes. I had a really good routine … but this got scrapped when I moved companies and moved in with Jase. My routine had an overhaul for the worse!

Whilst yes, i’d love to lose that half a stone / stone that i’ve put on as a result, actually it’s that ‘feel good’ feeling I want to get back. You know the one you get when you feel fit, energised, healthy, rested & toned. That’s the one. So rather randomly, and I suspect as a result of a) the general health trend we’re seeing and b) buying myself some new healthy cookbooks, I decided now was the time to overhaul my lifestyle and start creating some more healthy routines to live my life by. Also, I don’t think this post would have been possible if it wasn’t for a friend of mine mentioning how she was planning to give up smoking. She was telling me how she thinks for her, vaping could be the method that would help her get her life back on track and give this up completely. Understandably, if you are not sure about the idea of vaping or you don’t know too much about it, click here for more info. This may be the best way for you to learn. Plus, this is one of the reasons why my friend realised that quitting smoking was not going to be impossible. Making a healthy change in your life is always beneficial, especially in the long run.

. HEALTHY INSPIRATION .

As I mentioned I think my initial kick in the butt came when I bought and started reading my new healthy cookbooks, Honestly Healthy, Deliciously Ella and Hemsley & Hemsley. All three of these books opened my eyes to new dinner recipes, healthy (plant based or superfood) eating as a way of life (particularly the case for Deliciously Ella) and also importantly for me, carb free alternatives like the infamous courgettie noodles. I’ve always been a healthy eater, and i love vegetables and healthy food more than I ever crave fast food, but reading these books spurred me on to step this up a level!

Health is absolutely the trend of 2015, and I decided I wanted to jump on board. And if my jeans fit a little looser after a few months, then that’s a bonus!

. SUPERFOODS .

Whilst I was and am still a healthy eater, my engagement with super foods only went so far. I’d always add seeds and nuts to my salad (linseeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds etc), and buy myself a juice when passing by the whole food store, but I hadn’t fully embraced the superfood way of life. You know chia seed porridge, wheatgrass shots and spirolina juices. But I decided I wanted to give it a whirl, not in a fad way, but in a serious, long term way of life way.

Having always had stomach issues (i’m continuously suffering from one ailment of another, symptomatic of my intolerance to gluten and stress induced IBS), I always just got on with it, and suffered in silence (not really silence though, i moan a lot), but I decided what’s the point in suffering when If i simpy just change up some bits of my diet I could live in much more comfort (mainly this is just a case of me cutting out gluten).

Having read Ella’s story and how food and diet changed things for her in such a significant way, I decided I wanted to start introducing some more super foods into my diet. So i wrote myself up the worlds most expensive superfood shopping list, hit the whole food store and picked up all those ingredients which are so highly recognised for aiding health and wellness. More than that, I decided to buy myself a juicer so that I could make my green juice a daily thing rather than a couple of times a week (plus a lot cheaper in the long run) and get myself a spiralizer so I can knock up carb free goodies (noodles etc).

What I love about a super food way of life is that you don’t necessarily need to change everything you eat, it’s actually more a case of supplementing your diet with some goodness. I never eat breakfast in the week but now I have a green juice (spinach, cucumber, apple, lemon, spirolina, wheatgrass and chia seeds) every morning, and simply add the likes of Hemp, flaxseeds and chia seeds to my lunches and dinners to add a little extra goodness.

I’ve already been knocking up tons of healthy but delicious recipes from my healthy cook books, but I am going to step things up a notch next week and start making energy balls to snack on and I’m planning on trying a few more carb free recipes like celeriac fish pie & courgettie noodle and chicken salad. I absolutely love the dishes I’ve been creating, and the best thing is they’re healthy and easy to knock up once you have the tools and ingredients you need.

. NEW KIT.

The final piece to my health kick puzzle is of course exercise, now I’ve been stuck in a two year cycle of heinously long days & barely any time to wee let alone gym, but thats something I need to stop and so i’m now determined to take the opportunity to fit in some regular exercise, which will then become part of my weekly routine.

I’m not a runner, I find it super boring, but I love a high impact gym class or a good cycle trip, and so i’m signing up to some pilates and flywheel classes at Shoreditch House which I joined recently, and once i’ve got my fitness back I’m going to rejoin a netball team in my local area and seriously get committed to keeping myself healthy.

But let’s all be honest, there’s nothing like a new gym kit to boost your motivation to exercise, and so this Nike kit from JD Sports has done just the trick. I absolutely love my vibrant new Nike Vivaz trainers (you’ve probably already spotted them in these outfit posts – here & here) and teamed with my new Nike leggings and of course my awesome new safari sports bra, I feel totally ready to hit up a gym class.

. POSITIVE ATTITUDE .

Most importantly of all, and at the heart of my ‘health kick’ is of course positive thinking, and wellness. If you read my blog regularly then you’ve probably heard me talk a lot about wellness & positive mental attitude (if you’ve missed it you can read about them here – wellness, how to deal with stress, book club health edit, mastering work life balance) and it’s something I think is super important.

So as part of my new healthy lifestyle overhaul, I will also be making a more concerted effort to look after my wellness. Taking time out to read a book, soaking in the bath, seeing my friends, taking lunch breaks, going for a walk at lunch time, having date nights with Jase, and most importantly having time to simply relax.

I know how much wellness can impact positivity, productivity and wellbeing and so it’s something I personally want to make sure i’ve got!

SHOP MY HEALTH EDIT

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So there you go, a little insight into my healthy lifestyle overhaul. It’s nothing drastic and I like to see it as a few small tweaks which will overall make my lifestyle a little more healthy and also hopefully help me get a better work life balance again!

I’d love to know if you too are embarking on any healthy lifestyle adventures or hear about all the things you already do to boost your health and wellness?

March 8, 2015
THE BOOK CLUB: HEALTH EDIT

. TOP HEALTHY COOKBOOKS .

My obsession with hard back books has continued, and this month i’ve added to my cookbook collection with three new ‘healthy’ cookbooks. These three books will be no new news to you, as they’re pretty infamous and highly acclaimed, however I wanted to share them just in case, and not least because i’ve been absolutely loving them, and already cooked more dishes from them than I probably have all my cookbooks combined.

. HEMSLEY & HEMSLEY .

This has officially become my favourite cookbook. I actually bought it for Liza for her birthday after hearing such amazing things about it, and decided I wanted one for myself too. Hemsley & Hemsley as a blog I read frequently and always adored the beautiful imagery, amazing recipes and of course the healthy lifestyle it encouraged, and the book if possible is even better. I love the design, the clean white design yet bold, bright and colourful imagery. The recipes are super healthy, but most importantly easy to make, don’t restrict your diet too much (you can still eat meat & fish and drink coffee) and the ingredients are largely things you already buy or have in your cupboard.

I love this book so much that i’ve already made a ton of dinners using the recipes, my favourite being the beef ragu (seriously incredible and i’m now obsessed with courgettie noodles) and secondly the cauliflower tabbouleh with lamb meatballs. Absolutely delicious, super healthy and beyond simple to knock up.

This book, I have no doubt, will be the one to get my health in shape, increase my recipe repertoire and most importantly give me a good old energy boost. I love the book and recipes so much, I even bought the Hemsley & Hemsley spiralizer so I could knock up courgettie noodles & the other healthy alternatives more easily.

The great thing about this book is that it also inspires you to make alternative dinners, stealing ideas or ingredients from the ones detailed in the book. I’ve already been making a whole load of variations of the courgettie noodle ragu for myself and Jase in the evenings – swapping the ragu for grilled chicken and cherry tomatos and i’m keen to try a feta variation too!

If you don’t already have this book, i thoroughly recommend it.

. HONESTLY HEALTHY .

From what I know, Honestly Healthy was one of the original health food cookbooks, and originally caught my eye because of their alkaline versus acid approach to eating. As someone with a whole ton of stomach issues, namely gluten intolerance and IBS, this book was super appealing to me. A way of changing the way I eat to improve my life, my belly & my energy levels.

Whilst I really do think the recipes are brilliant and the theory and science is super interesting to read and understand, to truly live the ‘honestly healthy’ way of life would take some effort. No meat, no fish, no coffee, no red wine … it’s quite a bold approach to eating and something that would take a whole lot of commitment to truly live by.

I’m not quite ready to give up on all my ‘naughty’ treats just yet, a morning without coffee is incomprehensible (which Is why I love H+H, you can do as little or as much as you like), but I will most definitely be using this book to try out some of the main meal recipes as well as the notorious energy balls (which i’ve tried, and loved).

What I do think is great about this book, is that whilst it encourages some pretty big diet changes, it does still have a whole variety of recipes, including of course the naughty treats which no one wants to give up. Just healthy versions. I’m desperate to knock up the pancakes and brownie recipes – stay tuned for this!

. DELICIOUSLY ELLA .

This is my newest addition, and one of the most hyped about healthy eating guides there is. Another step up from Honestly Healthy in terms of changing your diet, Deliciously Ella is all about a vegan and plant based diet and as a result the recipes are all based on this way of eating.

What I love about Deliciously Ella, as a person, blog and book, is the story that goes behind this cookbook and her way of life. As a ‘normal’ young teenager she ate a normal diet and lived a normal life, it was only after becoming extremely ill and being diagnosed with PoTS that she changed her way of life and diet as a way to try and improve her wellbeing (especially incredible given drugs weren’t working). Ella’s story and book really shows how amazing food is for you, how important it is to feed your body the right ingredients and how your wellness can increase beyond recognition by just feeding yourself good things.

Whilst I won’t be shifting to a vegan way of eating, I will definitely be using Deliciously Ella to stock up on healthy juices, delicious salads for work and healthy treats to fill the cupboards with. Her energy ball recipes are brilliant, and she makes eating healthily super easy & still as interesting as possible too.

I used Ella’s recommendation to stock up the cupboard with super foods, with chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp, spirolina, chorella & wheatgrass. It’s not a cheap way of eating, but it certainly boosts health, and i’m actually really excited to step change my diet and way of living as a result of reading this book, as well as the other two.

So there you have it, 3 new cookbooks and three books I would thoroughly recommend treating yourself to if you’re keen to step change your diet, embark on a healthier lifestyle & look to improve your wellness. I for one have absolutely been loving these books and I can’t wait to start sharing some of my concoctions on my blog too!

Have you got any of these cookbooks, are there any others you’d recommend I read seeing how much I love these?

February 22, 2015
CAREER TIPS: HOW TO DEAL WITH STRESS

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February 11, 2015
5 TIPS TO MASTER WORK LIFE BALANCE

. MASTERING WORK LIFE BALANCE .

Todays post is rather pertinent, and if anything i’m writing it for myself more than anything, but I hope it helps you too! It’s all well and good me sharing posts about upping your blogging game, but in reality writing a blog and having a full time career is bloody hard work and sometimes being organised, productive and full of inspiration simply isn’t enough … time is what we need! I for one have really struggled this January, not only has work been extremely busy, my social life has been too, and i’ve found myself struggling for time to blog, spend with Jase & see my family, not to mention of course, just be on my own relaxing!

I think one of the hardest, but most essential skills to manage when working is to master your work life balance. It’s actually very very difficult to do, as often when we strive for success or are driven characters it’s hard to know when to stop, cut off & just take some time to relax.

Despite the last 3 weeks being very hard to deal with, 15 hour working days, high pressure deliverables, daily blogging, a blog relaunch, fitting in friends, family & rest etc, I have come out the other side. So I thought i’d share my tips, they by no means will solve your problems, but they may just help a little!

. COMMIT .

When I say commit, I don’t just mean to work. I mean to your friends, to yourself, to your hobbies. I think it’s really important to make plans and stick to them, it’s really hard to do this, especially when one part of your life (usually work) becomes increasingly demanding of your time, and importantly your energy, but by making and sticking to your plans, you will force yourself into creating more of a balance and hopefully in turn improve your wellbeing too! There’s nothing like spending time with friends, or just with yourself to boost your happiness.

. DIARISE .

This is actually very linked to ‘committing’ but if you’re anything like me, then you’ll know that having something penned into your diary or your work calendar, is a sure fire way to make sure you actually do it!

When I met Arianna Huffington, she talked about adding ‘bedtime’ to her work diary, just to make sure she did cut off at some point in the day! It may sound silly, but committing to yourself, to your diary or calendar all of your plans, you’ll be more forced to keep to them! Whether or not that’s bed time, or simply just ‘evening in, to chill’ … commit to it!

. ME TIME .

It’s all well and good splitting your time between work and socialising, but don’t forget about time just for you too! In creating the perfect balance between work and life, it’s really important to make sure you factor YOU into this mix. It’s not just friends & family, or the gym or commuting … ‘you time’ is also really key in creating the best emotional work life balance. Burning the candle at both ends is something i’m definitely guilty of, but in the last two years as my work has become ever more demanding, i’ve really had to think about myself, and ensuring I have time for myself just to relax, wash my hair, sit on the sofa, drink a cup of tea. It sounds silly, but your mental wellbeing will be significantly aided by making sure you look after yourself!

. SAY NO .

So committing is key, but so is ensuring you don’t over commit. Whether that be in relation to client demands, or pressures at work, or just sheer volume of party and dinner invites from your friends. before you accept anything, truly have a think about whether that date, time, duration works for you! It’s really easy to say yes to everything, particularly in work when you probably attribute taking on more and saying yes to success, but it’s not always the case, I assure you! Managing expectations, whether that be work, boss, friends, boyfriend, is a really important way in you managing your time & of course your work life balance. It’s genuinely okay to say no, just do so in a polite way, and offer a compromise. ‘I’m unfortunately unable to deliver that piece of work by EOP today, as I have other deliverables & commitments which I’m unable to move, would 12pm tomorrow work for you?’. No one will ever be pissed off with you for being honest & managing their expectations, they’d rather receive a good piece of work than have to deal with a stressed, overworked employee delivering below average projects. Equally, your friends would rather spend quality time with you, rather than a rushed dinner or drink when you spend your whole time on your emails or stressing about where you have to be next. Say no, and make plans which work for you, it’ll benefit everyone in the long run!

. REGULAR CHECK UPS .

It’s easy to become stressed, and start burning out the candle without even realising it! I’ve done it many a time before, and it’s only when i’m in bed being sick from a migraine that I realise I was working too hard, or taking on too much! It’s not easy to please everyone, including yourself, so make sure you regularly check in on yourself. How are you doing, how are you coping, are you working hard enough, are you spending enough time relaxing, have you seen your friends recently? Genuinely have a think about things, what is making you happy, and what is not making you happy. Once you know how you feel, and where there’s potential inbalances, you can start to sort them out a little. It may be that you’ve been working late & your boyfriend is feeling unloved (ahem, sorry Jase) … if so then dedicate some time out together (Bruges this weekend, tick). Are you doing well at work, or do you need to put a bit more effort in & start turning up a little more on time? Have you had time to wash your hair this week, if not, why not, book yourself some me time one evening!

I once read a quote that said look after yourself, like you would your own child. it really stuck with me, i think it’s a really good mantra to live by. All too often we can forget to look after ourselves, and starting to manage your work life balance is one step in really starting to look after yourself, and your wellbeing!

I’d love to hear your tips on mastering work life balance, and of course here how you find trying to manage this yourself. Do you struggle like me?

January 24, 2015

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