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I have a bit of a confession to make – I’m a total messy eater. Not a week goes by when I don’t have to change my t shirt or scrub the carpet because I’ve some how managed to miss my rather large mouth.

More often than not its green smoothies that are the culprit. I often tip the blender up to get the last little bits, don’t deny it, I can’t be the only one that does that! ;-) Then I end up with drips down on to one of my favourite freshly worn stripy tees. Coffee is yet another problem, usually ending up on my white vest tops or cream carpet!

The cream carpet we have in our flat was already fitted when we moved in and has been a nightmare to keep clean, even with carpet cleaning shampoo on hand it has been difficult. We would really like to replace the carpet with a more practical colour, but until then we just have to make do and use the carpet cleaner as best we can.

As for my clothes, well I have no excuse! I’m sick of getting coffee stains on my favourite tops. Something must be done!

When a representative of Vanish got in touch to see if I’d like to try out a couple of products I was unsure as to how relevant they would be for me to review, but then I started to think about all of the above and I realised that I would be a pretty good candidate to put these to the test! Also, as a fashion lover, anyway I can keep my clothes looking good is a bonus for me. I’ve never tried anything from Vanish before, and I’m ashamed to admit I’ve thrown perfectly good clothes out because they have been stained without even attempting to use a tougher product on them. I’m really looking forward to trying out these products!

I’m also hoping that they will be useful for keeping James clothes fresh too!

Have you tried any products from Vanish before? I’m looking forward to getting my white sports bras looking a bit brighter again! Are you guilty of being a food slop like me? Please tell me I’m not the only one!

*This post has been sponsored by Vanish however all my opinions are my own

Hi everyone, hope you are having a good weekend! I just wanted to share this article about the link between debt and healthy eating as I found it very interesting. As a lot of you will know, I work in the voluntary / charity sector and I’m acutely aware how expensive a lot of basic healthy food such as fruit and vegetables are when compared to things such as ready meals. I also know how many people are struggling financially at the moment, we are in one hell of a horrible recession its scary.

One of the things I’d really like to do in the future is work in communities helping to show people how they can make healthy meals on a budget. I can also relate to issues around having debt although luckily I have been able to manage this. Hope you find this article thought provoking…

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Does bad debt affect your diet?

Unfortunately we’re in an age where unemployment, large debts and stagnating wage levels are very real problems for thousands of families.

But finding things difficult isn’t just bad news for your bank balance, it can also be bad news for your health.

Clearly the added stress of managing debt problems isn’t something which is going to be beneficial for your wellbeing, but that’s not what we’re talking about here.

No, the issue here is food glorious food – or in some cases the lack of it.

Since the financial crisis hit back in 2008, the papers have been littered with stories of young mothers who have been finding times so difficult that they’ve had to forego eating some days just so that they can continue to feed their children.

And that’s not all. Even those that are eating when feeling the pinch are often not getting the nourishment that their body really needs.

Indeed, a recent study conducted by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) found that many people are risking their health when it comes to preparing their meals because providing themselves with a balanced and healthy diet is simply too costly.

The study looked at the dietary habits of more than 2,000 people and found that while many were not eating the correct foods, a good proportion were taking even greater risks with their wellbeing by making use of leftovers.

In itself, using food left over from one meal in another is a good practice as it prevents foods being wasted unnecessarily but the FSA found that a good amount of people were turning a blind eye to the used by dates printed on the food’s packaging and keeping items refrigerated for longer periods than is advisable.

This could be putting them at risk of food poisoning from bugs such as Salmonella and E.coli.
Bob Martin, a food safety expert at the FSA, said: "With most of us seeing our weekly shopping bills increase over the last few years, we are all looking for ways to get the most out of our shopping budget.

"Using leftover food is a good way of making our meals go further. However, unless we're careful, there's a chance we can risk food poisoning by not storing or handling them properly."
He added that there is no better judge of a food’s condition than your own senses so the best course of action is to smell any produce before deciding whether it is fit for consumption.
The link between poverty and unhealthy eating is well established.

The Faculty of Public Health at the Royal College of Physicians have published a paper in which it was said that a lack of money led to poorer diet, which in turn led to an increased risk of conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke.

It is currently estimated that ten million people in the UK live in conditions which could be classified as impoverished, with two million of that number being children.

And the Faculty of Public Health, said that good eating habits are often established in childhood. Put simply, if their parents are struggling financially they will not teach their children the benefits of healthy eating.

This could mean that regular meals consisting of a cheeseburger and chips become the norm and eating truly good foods like fruit and vegetables becomes a rarity.

Their claims are backed up by a study carried out by life assurance and pensions provider Prudential early this year which found that 52 per cent of people believe their health had deteriorated since the start of the credit crunch.

We’ve all heard about the need to get ‘five a day’, but debts and other financial issues means that the number of people managing to eat in such a health conscious manner has fallen by a whopping 26 per cent in recent years.

So the advice is simple, cut down on non-essentials but don’t scrimp and scrape when it comes to your health.

If you’re struggling to eat healthily because of debt, you can ring Debt Free Direct for free Debt Advice.

‘When things get tight it’s always a good idea to cut back on your spending and prioritise those debts that really must be paid at all costs.’

I think as well as financial struggles affecting your health via diet, the effect of stress could be even worse! What are your thoughts on this? Has the credit crunch affected your health?

*sponsored post

Some readers might remember that last year I was very interested in growing my own produce, I even ended up with an allotment! Unfortunately I made the decision to give the allotment up as I prioritised my time and money, but growing my own is still a huge interest to me. However, living in a little one bed flat with very limited outdoor space has made my goal of eating food I have grown myself a bit of a pipe dream. When I was contacted by Notcutts to see if I would like any advice, I knew that any help I could get when it comes to growing my own in the space I have would be very valuable! Here’s Mr McGregor, a gardening enthusiast from Notcutts with a bit of background and some tips…

I have been gardening for over 27 years and you could say that within that time I have become quite an expert. However, I am not that boastful of my knowledge although I have picked up a few tips along the way. Growing fruit and vegetables has given me great pleasure over the years and I love nothing more than to cook up a healthy meal for my family. However, when my wife and I bought our first home we had to be innovative with the room that we had, utilising every available space – trailing tomatoes from a hanging basket and having herbs lining the kitchen windowsill.

I’m getting a little ahead of myself here, so before I carry on telling you the many ways you can grow your own without a garden, let me share with you the reasons why I believe every household should do their utmost to pick up the spade.

Walking through the many aisles of a supermarket we are often confronted with the choice of either purchasing organic provisions or not. Ideally we would all love to shop organic, but that comes at a price. However, when you grow your own you can slash that price tag and feel proud that your family are eating produce that has been grown using your own two hands.

If price isn’t enough to encourage you to buy a packet of seeds, I’m sure the health benefits would convince you. Growing organically or with the help of chemicals is your prerogative, but cutting out the chemical process can do you a world of good. You are sure to notice a difference in yourself. You can feel more energised and perhaps see a couple of pound fall off, your complexion can appear brighter and overall you may notice you have a healthy glow.

What’s more growing organically can help you live a greener way of life. Crops that are grown with the use of chemicals can damage the environment, poisoning surrounding wildlife and running into controlled waters.

When you begin to grow your own you can save the environment from further harm and replenish your cupboards with healthy alternatives. Although you may not have a large garden or a back space at all, there are ways around it. I have already mentioned growing from hanging baskets and placing a selection of herbs on the windowsill. However, if you have a patio or balcony you can grow your veggies in containers or sacks. If the containers will be in the home, perhaps a conservatory, why not make an attractive feature out of it and chose a decorative container?

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Mr McGregor

Mr McGregor is a popular writer for Notcutts, a specialist in growing a kitchen garden inside as well as outdoors.

Thank you Mr McGregor, I probably have no excuse not to at least try growing more than a few pots of herbs on my kitchen windowsill! I love the idea of growing veggies straight from compost sacks. Do you grow your own? What are your tips for growing your own with minimal space?

*post in partnership with Notcutts

Today I have a lovely guest post for you all about the effects of music in enhancing your running, enjoy!

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Whether you’re running a marathon, a half, 10k or just trying to stay on the treadmill for longer than a few minutes, staying motivated can be difficult at times. We can’t always have a personal trainer standing over us encouraging tip-top performance. However, experts have found that your gym playlist can actually help enhance your running, and make you run for longer.

It’s been claimed that listening to music while running can boost performance by up to 15%*. But why is this? Dr Karageorghis, an expert in the effect of music on exercise at Brunel University says that, ‘music is a legal drug for athletes’. Karageorghis differentiates between two types of runners – ‘associators’ and ‘dissociators’. Elite athletes usually fall into the former category, meaning they focus inwardly whilst running. Other runners are ‘dissociators’, or somewhere between the two. This means they actively seek distraction and stimulus from their surroundings during exercise. It’s possible that music acts as a distraction from our feet pounding the pavement, and so we can run for longer.

Listening to music makes you run faster on the same amount of oxygen

Dr Karageorghis teamed up with Prof. Peter Terry, a sports psychologist from the University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, and found that amazingly, music increased energy efficiency by 1-3%. This means that people can run further on the same amount of oxygen, just by listening to songs.

Females more susceptible to the mood-enhancing effects of music

The sport scientists also studied how listening to music whilst running decreased the perception of effort. According to them, the mood-enhancing effects of music benefitted women more so than men*. So, a song such as Magnetic Man ft. John Legend ‘Getting Nowhere’ probably isn’t going to help your brain to exert itself. Similarly, if you listen to a tune that takes over 90 seconds for the beat to kick in, you probably won’t notice a performance boost.

We’ve compiled a list of our top ten treadmill tunes that we think can really help go the extra mile...

• Nero – Promises
• 30 Seconds to Mars – Kings and Queens
• Darude - Sandstorm
• Herve – Cheap Thrills
• Tiesto & Diplo – C’mon
• Dizzie Rascal – Bonkers
• SASH! Feat Stunt – Raindrops
• The Killers – Mr. Brightside
• Kanye West – Stronger
• Roots Manuva – Witness the Fitness

What do you reckon? It might not be to everyone’s taste, but combining the songs you love with upbeat, fast and epic tunes are a sure-fire way to see you bolt across the finish line.

* http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-10767128

* http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/apr/22/does-music-help-you-run-faster

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I know that listening to some good tunes while working out makes a huge difference for me. I also tend to listen to completely different music when working out to when I just listen at home. My workout track is Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger by Daft Punk :-), What are your favourite songs to run or workout to?

*this post has been sponsored by the Training Room

Sponsored Post

I’m a big fan of using online resources to help me improve my health.Whether that’s looking for what foods are high in iron to getting workout tips, the internet provides a wealth of information that can sometimes be overwhelming!

Bupa have created a range of tools to help you find healthy. The Bupa apps cover a wide range of health related topics including a BMI Calculator, nutritional assessments and even running training programmes.

Just a few of the various apps!

I was actually quite surprised by the range of apps available. When I have been on other similar sites they are usually limited to just a BMI calculator and not much else! You can sort through the apps using the tool bar above them depending on what you are looking for. Some apps you can use directly on the website (some you need to register to access) and others you can download as apps for your smart phone. Registering and downloading the apps is free of charge.

I decided to try a couple of them out, first of all the Health Age calculator! I thought it would be interesting to see what my results were:

I was very happy that I came out as 22! It did incorrectly come up with a suggestion as if I smoked (which I don’t, although I used to several years ago) so perhaps if it was correct I would have been even younger. I also tried the BMI tool. It was very straightforward to use but I wasn’t sure how accurate it was as other BMI tools I have used take your gender into account and this one just asked for height and weight data.

The other tool I checked out was the ‘Improve your running technique’ app. It covered a lot of interesting tips for how you should hold different areas of your body while you run. It did make me think that I should pay more attention to this!

I think that this a is handy resource, especially as you can access a lot of different tools all from one place. Its definitely worth a look, the Bupa content is really interesting whatever you might be looking for. There are also fun quizzes such as the nutrition quiz, why not test yourself? All apps can be found on the Bupa find healthy page.

Have you used online tools and resources like this before? What did you think? How much health information to you access online?

This post has been sponsored by Bupa, however all content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Gyms are great facilities for supporting you to be physically active. Of course there are other ways you can exercise, but for many people including me, working out at a gym is a convenient and effective option.

Gyms can offer a range of ways to exercise including cardio machines, weight machines, free weights, swimming pools, classes and often added extras such as saunas and steam rooms.

It can get a little bit daunting when trying to decide if joining a gym is right for you and if you will use it enough to make that monthly membership fee worth it. Here are just a few of my tips to make sure you find a gym you love:

Look at your schedule

Any gym membership that is going to work for you must be open and available when you have the time to work out. There’s no point in signing up for a membership when your most convenient workout time is 6.30am before work but the gym doesn’t open until 9am. You might tell yourself that you’ll go after work but if that does not fit as effortlessly as possible into your routine it is more likely that you will end up giving it a miss. Make sure your chosen gym is open when it is going to be best for you.

Consider equipment

If you are already an exerciser you may have a good idea of the kind of equipment you are looking for in a gym. Love to lift weights? Then make sure your gym has a comprehensive weights area that is big enough for more than a few members to use it at once. Love running? Make sure the gym has plenty of treadmills so you can take your workout indoors if the weather is bad. If you are taking up exercising for the first time just make sure the gym has a wide range of equipment that interests you – and remember that your workout routine will change in time!

What about classes?

Take a look at the gyms classes schedule – just as with the gym opening times it is worth making sure that classes are scheduled at a time that is going to work for your schedule. What kind of classes are on offer? Do they interest you? Do you have to book into them? Do they often have waiting or reserve lists?

Location, Location, Location

Is the gym in a place that is going to be easy for you to access? How far away from home is it? Is it on a route that you use regularly or close to other places you visit such as the supermarket or a family or friends house? If it is going to be a 20 minute drive in the opposite direction from where you work it may not be ideal! If you drive does it have free parking and plenty of spaces? If you use public transport will getting there be practical? Is the route included within your travel passes?

Assess the facilities

What other facilities are on offer? If you like to catch up with the news every morning does the gym have TV’s with news bulletins? What are the changing facilities like? Are the showers pleasant and work properly? Do you have to pay for a locker? If the gym has bigger extras like swimming pools and saunas are these really facilities you will use? If that gym has a higher membership fee to reflect those facilities is it really worth paying for them?

The People

Are the staff helpful and friendly? If you are looking for some support to develop a workout plan do they offer this service as part of the membership induction? Can you access personal trainers?

The cost

Of course cost is a huge factor in deciding upon the right gym, but after considering the above points and weighing up the pros and cons, you should be better able to decide what kind of membership fee is going to be worth it. It is also worth finding out if the gym offers flexible contracts or a discount if you pay for a year up front etc.

Thinking through each of these areas should help you decide if a particular gym is going to work for you.

If you are already a gym goer, what factors affected your decision to join that gym? What would be your most important considerations in deciding to join a gym?

*this post is in partnership with LA Fitness, however all content and opinions are my own

This week I have been introduced to a new website, Bank Fashion. I have seen the Bank Fashion stores on the high street but had never ventured in as I wasn’t sure if the store stocked clothing that was my style, however looking at the site has definitely changed my mind!

The Bank Fashion website features young, fun styles from brands such as Red or Dead, Pauls Boutique, G – STAR, Lipsy, Vans and my personal favourite, Converse.

Items are available that are both more affordable as well as higher end designer pieces and delivery is free to UK stores and on orders over £50.

Some of my favourite items from the site include:

Purple Converse (£45)

BLONDE and BLONDE Moustache T-shirt (£15.00)

Wal G Stripe T-Shirt (£18)

Glamorous Leopard Print Lined Blazer (£35) 

G Star Neptune Stripe Dress (£39)

Ribbon Lace Vintage Dress (£25)

Kitsch Couture Kim Peep Toe Heels (£30)

As I said I was quite surprised how much they had that was actually my style and pretty affordable! I love that quirky moustache t-shirt, the striped top and dress would be quite classic items alongside the nude heels and blazer. The converse are just a wardrobe must have in my opinion and the vintage style dress would be so wearable.

Have you came across Bank Fashion before? Have you looked at the site? What would be your top picks?

*post in partnership with Bank Fashion, but all the opinions are my own.

In just under 5 months time I’ll be preparing myself to run my third Half Marathon, the Great North Run! I’m just starting to pick my running up a notch as I get ready to go into training mode come May.

My first sub 2 hour half!

Every year more and more of us are taking up running and many of us are choosing to take part in running events for charity. When I first started running, as well as doing it to get fit and lose weight, it was with the aim of completing a Half Marathon. The race was a challenge that I’d never dreamed I’d be able to achieve. I ran to raise money for Cancer Research UK which is a cause very close to my heart. I’ve found that signing up to run a race, and better still for a good cause, is very motivational. I know it sounds a bit cheesy but when I was training and running the race and things got tough, thinking of what the people close to me who have had cancer have had to go through helped me push through.

Getting ready for a cold training run!

I’ve completed the Great North Run twice now and this year will be my third time. Each time I’ve trained for the race I’ve pretty much just followed my own plan but unfortunately this has wound me up injured twice. Luckily I managed to get myself healed and able to run the race both times but it was a close call! I have learned a lot of lessons since I’ve started running though, and before I started training again I wanted to remind myself of them!

• Build up your mileage slowly – looking back I think I probably increased my mileage too early, peaked too soon and ended up with a bit of burn out. There are lots of great training plans out there for every distance, from a 5k to a full Marathon and I definitely think its worth checking them out to give you an idea of how to progress safely.
• Fuel yourself well – The first year I started running I think I did ok but last year I got much better. Experiment with what foods work well for you. Before a shorter run fast absorbing carbs like a banana or some dried fruit is excellent. I found that dates were my rocket fuel, I even ate them instead of energy gels during the race! If you’re running for more than an hour you may need a more substantial pre workout meal incorporating some fat and protein alongside your carbs to keep you going. Of course hydration is a must, I don’t like artificial energy gels and drinks – I actually found that dates and some water mixed with coconut water (which contains natural electrolytes) was ideal for me. One thing I have to be very careful about is making sure that I’m consuming enough calories overall so that I’m maintaining my weight when I start to burn more calories as my training increases.
• Recover properly – I used to be really lax with stretching after running until I got injured and it was too late! I need to remember to always stretch and if possible, use a foam roller, after my runs. Recovery nutrition is really important as well, you need to replenish your glycogen stores as soon as possible so something like chocolate soy milk makes a great post run snack. You should also aim to eat something rich in protein within 2 hours to help your muscles heal. My favourite post run meal will always be a green smoothie with added protein powder. The antioxidants from the greens support your body to repair itself and can help to reduce inflammation.
• Don’t skimp on running shoes and a sports bra – I really need to remind myself of this one right now, I desperately need new running shoes and a new sports bra! I really think that its worth investing in these two items – it could save you money at the physio and a lot of heart ache (and chaffing) later. Find a good sports shop that will analyse your gait and suggest the best running shoes for you.

All hot and sweaty after getting back to outdoor running last year

You can read my full running story and more tips in my ‘How I started running post’. Although I’ve learned a lot of lessons and picked up some great tips I know I could have benefited from more expert advice.

To support runners AXA PPP Healthcare are putting its health knowledge to good use by holding a dedicated running live web chat on Thursday 26th April (see below for times) where you can ask a panel of experts your questions. The experts include:

• AXA ICAS, sports and exercise science expert John Crudington, who has previously worked as a personal trainer, fitness tutor and physiologist. 10am – 12 noon
• Personal trainer Lucy Wydham-Read, who has spent the last ten years helping people improve their fitness – even the odd celebrity, and at one point an entire football team! 2pm – 4pm
• Nutritionist, Dr Sarah Schenker, who is regularly quoted in the national press and is one of the most influential nutritionists in the UK. 5pm – 7pm

You can submit your questions live at the chat or in advance via Twitter or Facebook.

They are also running a brilliant competition for any one that is running the Race for Life:

If you're a supporter or a runner you can enter a weekly prize draw. Every Friday, until 3rd August 2012, they will top up one lucky entrant's sponsorship fund by:

• £100 for an individual runner
• £200 for an AXA PPP healthcare member (either your own or as part of a corporate scheme)

All that they ask is that the recipient raises at least £50 in sponsorship, and holds a Just Giving page - See here for how to enter. Full competition terms and conditions are here.

As well as the web chat the website also has a lot more health and fitness related content including training guides and some very nice yummy looking recipes!

I’m going to submit my own question for the experts, unsurprisingly, about how I can avoid getting injured again:

‘Along side making sure I have the right running shoes and stretching properly, how can I reduce my risk of IT band and knee injuries during my training?’

I’m determined that this year I’m going to train injury free!

The Red Arrows display at the end of last years Great North Run, and one of the proudest moments of my life

If your a runner, what was your initial motivation to start running? Are you considering starting to run or even to enter a charity race?

*This is post is sponsored by AXA PPP healthcare, however all content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Hi everyone! Today I’m going to share this guest post about shoes and foot health. I found this very interesting as I have had many problems with my feet in the past. I have wide size 7-8 feet and have lots of problems – especially when shopping for ballet flats and partying shoes!

The truth about your favourite going out shoes

These shoes featuring a more modest heel height will be more comfortable than stilettos!

When choosing shoes it is very tempting to put our feet in something that is attractive, sacrificing comfort and the health of our feet. 25% of our bones are in our feet so it is important to look after them, the consequences of wearing ill-fitting shoes can be disastrous for our feet and the rest of our bodies. Poor fitting shoes can lead to a variety of painful aliments including; blisters, hammer toes and bunions amongst others. If any of these fragile bones become misaligned your whole body could be affected causing knee, hip or back problems, this in turn will impact on your muscular structure and posture. Is there a way we avoid these painful health problems without foregoing style? Which type of shoes we are the main culprits for causing these problems? 

· Ultra High-Heels.  High heels may complete a show-stopping outfit, but that often comes at a price. Many problems can occur as a result of wearing high heels, such as in-growing toe-nails, blisters, bunions and ankle sprains. To avoid these painful ailments, choose a mid-height heel. All the sophistication of a heel whilst lowering the risk of these problems occurring.

· Stiletto. One of the most troublesome types of heel, your weight is distributed over an extremely small surface area due to the narrow heel which can cause a lot of tension in your foot. You are more likely to fall over in these types of shoes, causing anything from ankle sprains to a broken foot! To maximise your stability, choose a chunkier heel which has a bigger surface area and more even distribution.

· Platform Shoe. Platform shoes can often seem more comfortable than the traditional high heel, due to the platform providing a bit more support. However, your feet are still in an unnatural position, as your heels are higher than the balls of your feet - which puts pressure on your toes, causing discomfort.

· Ballet Shoes. Super flat shoes such as ballet shoes are often misleading as people think they are taking care of their feet by wearing. But as they are usually completely flat, this can be as bad as wearing a high heel. Feet have a natural arch, and when wearing a completely flat shoe your feet are not effectively supported. Go for flat shoes that have a slight heel, which will then help your feet find a more natural position when you walk around.

· Wrong Size Shoes. It may surprise you to learn that many of us wear shoes that are too small, causing corns, blisters and bunions. More seriously the constant pressure being applied to the foot can irritate joints and cause arthritis. Sadly many children are also wearing the wrong size shoes, this puts them at risk of foot deformities as their feet grow and potentially condemning them to a life time of problems. The obvious solution here is to ensure you buy and wear shoes that fit properly! Try to make sure that you have had your feet correctly measured, in children you should make sure that their feet are measured each time they are buying new shoes. A tip would be to get your feet measured at the end of the day, due to gravity and your body weight when walking around for a whole day your feet can expand, changing your shoe size.

Many of us face a dilemma when choosing shoes weighing up style and comfort, ultimately many of us choose style and are unwilling to trade this for comfort. You may not have to choose between the two, sensible shoes offer a compromise, considering both style and your health. Look out for reinforced heels, soft material and wiggle room for your toes!

A mid height heel may be the best option for looking after your precious feet!

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I know in the past I have struggled along wearing uncomfortable shoes for the sake of looking good but luckily there are a lot more comfortable yet stylish styles now available. How do you feel about comfort versus fashion when it comes to shoes?

*this post was sponsored by Charles Clinkard

I’ve been thinking for a while now that I would like to do a short series of posts on being organised as I have had a few emails and comments about this, and I have to admit I love being organised!

I thought I good place to start would be to look at the dreaded finances! This is probably the most challenging area of my life in which to stay organised, and to be honest, my quality of life seriously suffered with the stress it used to cause feeling like I didn’t have a handle on it! However over the last few months I have got much better and learned some new ways to stay on top of things.

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I have to say I have technology to thank for most of this as I use an app on my iPhone to help me track my spending. Each month on pay day I set out my budget in my Spend app and then record whenever I spend something or have a direct debit come out under each heading. If you didn’t want to use an app a simple spread sheet on your computer or even just a list written in a notebook would do the job. To give you an idea of the budget headings I use here they are:

• Mortgage and insurance
• Utility bills
• Food and household
• Credit Card
• Loan
• Gym membership
• Phone
• TV and internet
• Savings
• Petrol
• ‘Pocket money’

Most of those costs are fixed and come out via direct debit, the two areas of my budget that have some flexibility are my food and ‘pocket money’ budgets. Yes I still give myself a bit of pocket money each month!

To keep track of what I spend against each of these budget headings I keep all of my receipts in my purse and then every 2 – 3 days I will quickly go through them and log in how much I have spent against each budget using the app. This lets me know how much I have left for the rest of the month and if I need to start being a bit more frugal!

I did try and set a weekly food budget, however what I found was that different things would run out at different times, so one week I would need to buy more store cupboard things in bulk and then the next week just a few veggies, so each week varied.

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Some of the challenges I have faced keeping organised with this is making sure that I track what I spend on my credit card as I mainly use this for online purchases. I would personally much prefer to use a credit card instead of a debit card when making online purchases. You can easily pay off the balance each month to avoid interest charges, plus I feel better knowing I have that safety net in case of crisis. What I’ve started to do to try and manage this is each time I use my card online, instead of moving the confirmation email into a folder in my inbox, I flag it until I have logged that spend in my app or on my spread sheet.

So to sum up these would be my key financial organisation tips:

• Set yourself a budget each month using an app, spread sheet or even just writing it down in a notebook
• Use direct debit for payments whenever possible
• Keep on top of logging what you spend – keep receipts and flag emails for online purchases then record in your app / spread sheet or notebook
• Don’t forget about what you spend online!

How do you approach financial management? Do you have any other tips for day to day organisation?

*This post was sponsored by Tesco Bank, all opinions are my own

As I think I’ve mentioned on the blog before I’m generally not a huge drinker of alcohol, so when I do indulge in a tipple, it goes to my head pretty fast!

Since I lost weight and cleaned up my diet I do find that alcohol, and even a lot of sugar, can affect me quite badly. I am a total light weight! Usually all I like to drink now is the odd glass of red wine, some of my favourite spirits such as Jack Daniels, Sailor Jerry’s or Amaretto and perhaps a few cocktails. I’ve been finding that even just one medium glass of red will leave me feeling hung over the next day and generally very under the weather. Perhaps its also just because I’m getting older!

Of course I could just stop drinking all together, but I actually like the taste of wine and relaxing over a glass with James or sharing a cocktail with friends isn’t something that I’d like to miss out on.

What I have found recently is that there’s a few things I can do to help avoid the hangover the next day. Drinking plenty of water is a pretty obvious one but it is very effective. A few years ago I read an article about milk thistle supplements and how they can support the liver to metabolise alcohol and other toxins, hence why it is a common ingredient in ‘detox’ teas. I even used a milk thistle tincture when I was ‘detoxing’ a couple of years ago. These are the capsules I currently use:

I usually take one before I go out and then another the morning after. My colleagues at work have even tried this too and swear by it! In fact we have often sat in our office and dished out the capsules before a work night out! If you are interested in buying milk thistle online you can go to http://hollandandbarrett.com.

Another trick I use is to drink some coconut water before I go to bed and the morning after. Alcohol dehydrates you and its often the dehydration that is what gives you the headache the next day. Coconut water contains electrolytes that help to rehydrate your body, plus I love the taste and drinking it just makes me feel healthier all round!

Of course my last tip will be no surprise if you’ve been reading for a while:

Green smoothies and green juices of course! My body craves these after I’ve over indulged and they have never failed in making me feel better. The nutrients from the greens and the fruit and the added hydration from the liquid all work to help your body recover. If you have a poorly tummy try adding a little bit of ginger to help with any nausea and if your craving more unhealthy fatty things like bacon try adding some salted nut butter!

What are your tips for avoiding a hangover?

*This post is in collaboration with our friends at Holland and Barrett

As most of you will know I love to exercise! In the past I have been a committed runner and now I enjoy more strength training and yoga. Unfortunately a love of exercise does come with the risk of injury which I have experienced while training for half marathons. I found this frustrating but I think this was an important learning experience for me. These tips are primarily relevant for running, but can be applied to most forms of exercise:

• Make sure you have the right footwear – if you are training for a race or running more than a couple of miles a week make sure you get your gait checked!
• Stretch – properly stretching after any form of exercise is really essential but even more important after running. Try adding a foam roller to your routine for a ‘home sports massage’
• Make sure that you give yourself time to recover between workouts and be honest with yourself about overtraining. Are you constantly aching or feeling exhausted? Then perhaps it’s time to ease off.
• Listen to your body! –We all have different bodies and for some people they can run 40 miles a week and be fine, but for others that just isn’t right for their body. My body simply cannot run at a certain intensity without risking injury.

If you do get injured, rest! In the past I’d continued to try and push through injuries and it was only when I gave my body the rest it needed that it finally healed.

AXA PPP healthcare are hosting a live web chat on sports injuries on Thursday 23rd August between 3 and 5pm which you can find here. The chat is being hosted by Dr Alasdair Wright, a health expert and GP.

You can access the chat live on the day or forward your questions through Facebook or Twitter. If you miss the chat you can still access information on the be healthy section of the AXA PPP healthcare website, including warm up guides and exercises – the guide on sports injuries is brilliant!

This is a fantastic opportunity to discuss any injury worries with an expert. My question to Dr Wright is:

‘How can I still work my legs in strength training without aggravating my knees and IT band?’

What has been your experience of injuries? Are you very good at listening to your body?

*Post sponsored by AXA PPP healthcare, all content and opinions are my own

It’s extremely sad and worrying that cancer has become so prevalent that pretty much every body will know someone that has been affected by it. When I was asked by AXA PPP healthcare to write about their little big things campaign I jumped at the chance, because unfortunately my family has been affected by cancer quite severely, and from that experience I know that the little things do count.

5 years ago we lost James Mum to cancer, a few years before that one of my best friends died from breast cancer that had spread to her brain. Other members of my family have also been affected with lymphoma and I’ve known several women who have had breast cancer and mastectomies. It’s horrendous, simple as that. But what I have seen from these people is outstanding courage and positivity, and thankfully the majority are survivors.

Designed to highlight coping techniques which may seem small, but can make a big difference to someone who is fighting cancer, AXA PPP healthcare’s new little big things pin board invites people who have been affected by cancer (be it directly or indirectly) to submit their own tips, stories and pictures. I have submitted my own tip to the board too :-)

They have also several videos featuring people’s stories. I loved this one – the nurse is a breast cancer survivor herself:

AXA PPP healthcare also have a dedicated nurse service for cancer patients offering a consistent point of contact and someone who you can discuss things with and ask questions.

Several Live Web Chats are being held this week (15th – 19th October) – including one on nutrition and nutritional therapy in cancer patients which is being held today that I am very interested in. You can simply register to join the chats that interest you the most.

I know this is such an emotive subject, but has cancer affected you in any way? What would your little big things tips be?

*this post has been sponsored by AXA PPP healthcare, but all content and opinions are my own

I was recently approached by a representative of ECCO shoes to see if I would be interested in reviewing a pair of their new Sculptured 65 range.

ECCO are a world leading brand of shoes that combine style and comfort. The Sculptured 65 (65 because of the shoes 65mm heel height) epitomise this with their fashion forward look but comfortable design.

I was sent a pair of patent leather shoe boots and I couldn’t have been happier as they are totally my style! What I really like about the range is that they aren’t so high fashion that they would go out of style in just one season. I think they are quite classic and a good wardrobe investment, especially once you start to look at how you could wear them – both more dressed up and casual:

Nice and simple with an LDB and a diamante necklace

Casual with turned up jeans and a stripy tee

A close up of the shoe

As I’ve been blogging about recently I have a bit of an autumn fashion wish list! I decided to look at other ways I would style the shoe featuring my favourite autumn fashion looks:

I love all of those looks so much! What’s so great about these shoes for me is that they are comfortable. Gone are the days of struggling with sore feet in the name of fashion, now I can have smart looking shoes that feel great on my wide size 7 feet!

What do you think of this style? How would you wear them?

Sponsored Post

As you know, I love to take the healthy route to looking good! I'd sooner go for a quick run to get a healthy glow than spend hours applying make-up, but I've been wondering lately about those little tricks we can use to improve our confidence by making ourselves look better.

I'm going to talk about the eyes, as they say they are the windows to the soul and I think they express confidence better than any other aspect of our appearance. While glasses have received a lot of fashion press lately, appearing in autumn/winter collections by Paul Smith, Marc by Marc Jacobs, and MaxMara, I don’t always think that copying the catwalk is a fast-track route to confidence!

I've always thought leaving your face open helps people to connect with you, with no barrier between yours and their eyes. I know a lot of people find it off-putting to talk to someone when they are wearing sunnies, and I'd imagine the same thing can be true with glasses, depending on the frames. I can fully understand why people go to places like Ultralase eye surgery clinics rather than to the glasses racks; especially since a decent pair can set you back a good proportion of what you'd pay for surgery!

Another issue I would have with glasses is that I'd imagine they would get in the way of exercise: I like a good run, sweaty gym session or yoga class, and wouldn’t feel like I could really give it my all if I was worrying about my glasses falling off in the middle of tree pose! I don’t need to wear glasses at the moment but if I needed them in the future, exercising with them would definitely be an issue for me.

Having said that, I've seen celebrities whose confidence seems to take off when they're sporting a pair of glasses. Gok Wan has made a career from building relationships with women and encouraging them to confide in him, and thick black frames are an essential part of his look; I can't even imagine him without them! Also, I challenge any girl to look at this picture of Marilyn Monroe and not be tempted to reach for the specs – they can certainly create a unique look!

What are your thoughts? Are glasses a barrier between us and the world? Or are they a confidence-booster? If you wear glasses how do you manage with exercising in them?

*This post has been sponsored by Ultralase, however all opinions expressed here are my own

If you’ve been reading KHGS for a while you will know I’m a bit of a tea nut:

Yes I have 13 different types of teas back there! However my favourite tea by far is green tea. I just love its clean, slightly bitter taste and of course its many health benefits are just an added bonus.

Twinings are a great British tea brand, established in the 1700’s. I’ve had the pleasure of trying quite a few of their teas including my favourites, their Green tea with Earl Grey and Green tea with ginger:

They also sell a great range of tea gifts which would be perfect for any tea lovers out there. My favourite item from their tea shop has to be this tea cup and saucer:

Pip Studio Tea Cup and Saucer

I also have a thing for tea pots, if I had a bigger kitchen I’d probably have a collection of them!

Have you tried Twinings tea? What is your favourite kind of tea? What would be your ideal tea related gift?

*post in partnership with Twinings, all opinions are my own

Dr Mehmet Oz has been a star in the US for some time, he is a Harvard trained heart surgeon and became famous through appearing on Oprah. He promotes simple wholefoods approaches to health and wellbeing. I first heard of Dr Oz when he was mentioned in Kris Carr’s Crazy Sexy Diet, so when I heard that his show was going to be aired in the UK I was definitely going to be watching!

I was lucky enough to be able to preview tonight’s episode featuring our very own Jamie Oliver. This episode seems to have been filmed off the back of Jamie’s America book release – I watched his shows (as I have with pretty much all of Jamie’s TV shows) and really enjoyed it.

Jamie gives 4 of his top tips for things you should change in the kitchen to be healthier including making your own salad dressing, using more seasonal and local vegetables, stir frying instead of deep frying and his top ‘go to recipe’.

His tips are simple and straightforward, and I really fancied cooking up a big stir fry after watching! I love Jamie’s approach of ‘pimping' it up’ with added flavours to make things like salad and vegetables more appetising. Dr Oz also adds lots of information about why nutritionally, the changes are so important.

You can find more information about the Dr Oz Show on his site and as well as a range of healthy recipes. The risotto using oats instead of rice sounds intriguing!

You can check out the Dr Oz Show on Discovery Home and Health Channel, 7pm every day, the Jamie Oliver episode is being aired tonight.

Have you watched the Dr Oz Show before?

*This post has been sponsored but all content and opinions are my own

Ever since I started exercising more seriously I’ve been interested in the various approaches to fuelling and refuelling that are recommended for optimal performance and recovery.

These guidelines tend to be recommended from most of the sources I have researched:

Before your workout

• Short workouts (less than 1 hour) - Snack on some easily digestible carbs about an hour before the workout – for example a banana or dried fruit
• Longer workouts (exceeding an hour) - Snack on a mix of easily digestible carbs with some protein, soluble fibre and fat – for example a banana with some nut butter added

Some people also recommend having caffeine before working out to improve performance, but of course this also has its drawbacks if you tend to have an energy slump after the initial boost or any GI issues!

During your workout

Water is obviously an essential, however if you are working out hard or long then you need to consider something more than water to a) replace electrolytes lost from sweat such as sodium, and b) to provide more direct fuel for energy. Options here include a typical commercial sports drink, many of which provide both energy and electrolytes, sports beans or gels or you can try adding some orange juice and a small pinch of salt to your drinking water. You can find some examples of commercial drinks and gels here: www.lucozadeshop.com 

After your workout

A 4:1 ratio of carb to protein is the ideal for recovery. Carbs replace glycogen stores and the protein provides amino acids for muscle repair. Eating more protein than this immediately afterwards can impair this as it slows rehydration and replenishment of the glycogen stores. Usually a good way to go is to have something more carb heavy within 30 minutes after a long workout (for some people sports drinks may be easier and more convenient to digest to enable them to hit this 30 minute window) and then something with more protein in the 2 hours afterwards. The 2 hour post workout window is often talked about as being key for ensuring that you are getting the right nutrients for optimal recovery.

However, if your workout was more strength training based, then you have not depleted your glycogen stores quite as much as if you had been out running 10 miles so a protein shake or some yoghurt afterwards may be better.

Making it work for you

So this is what the nutrition books tell us is the ideal, however my approach is and has always been to experiment and find what works well for you! I know some people that prefer to eat something higher in fat for fuel rather than the recommended carbs. In the past and particularly when I was running, I experimented with sports drinks, dried fruit and various post workout meals such as smoothies, protein pancakes and big bowls of oats.

To give you an example of what has worked well for me, here’s how I approached this when I was running long distance:

• pre run – 2-3 medjool dates / empty stomach – I hate exercising with too much food in my tummy!
• During my run – I experimented with a few different things here, sometimes I was ok with just water, other times I diluted water with a sports drink or some coconut water, and instead of sports beans or gel I would take a few more dates with me to snack on – dates have and always will be my rocket fuel!
• Post workout – this was almost always a green smoothie (after long runs it was massive!) with protein powder, frozen fruit, greens and nut butter. If it was especially hot then I would add some coconut water too.

On race day I used to have porridge for breakfast with banana and peanut butter and then dates while I stood at the starting line, sports drinks during the race and then pretty much whatever food I could get my hands on afterwards! At last years Great North Run that included cinder toffee ;-) A tip of mine if you are entered into any races is to find out what sports drinks they may be offering at the water stations and try it out on a run before race day just to be sure it doesn’t give you a bad tummy!

I have to admit that now I’m no longer running I don’t worry myself too much about what I’m consuming before and after workouts as long as it doesn’t give me any tummy trouble. For working out first thing its usually an empty stomach, mid morning and I like to have oats or a sweet potato for breakfast, and for afternoon / early evening I just eat my usual afternoon snack that tends to be an apple and a raw snack bar or something similar. After a morning workout I still like to have a green smoothie that incorporates some protein powder and after an afternoon workout I tend to just eat my usual dinner which always includes some form of protein anyway. Green smoothies really can give you a double whammy when it comes to recovery. Not only are smoothies easy to digest and if using some protein powder and fruit, perfect for the right ratio of carbs and protein, but the greens are hydrating and anti inflammatory which is ideal for supporting your body after any form of exercise.

How do you fuel and refuel when you exercise? What are your favourite pre and post workout foods?

*post sponsored by Lucozade however all content and opinions are my own