I can eat a ‘rainbow’…..

Well I have to say this weather has not been conducive to ‘getting out’ in the sun – but that’s the UK for you. None of these changes are as easy as they sound and they have just been one a week, can you imagine how frustrated you would have been trying to make all of these changes at the same time AND change your diet???

Bad habits form instantly – good actions take weeks to become a habit!

Anyway, the bit it seems you have all been waiting for is – the food bit.

At the bottom of this post you will find the diet plan along with printable sheets (two on A5) for meal plans and even shopping lists to help make it as easy as possible. However, it is a lot to take in and to ‘change’ so I go back to my mantra ‘Change One Thing’ and so this week your goal is to eat a rainbow! Every day aim to eat a rainbow of fruits & and a rainbow of vegetables – its actually a tough challenge! You can of course try and embrace the whole healthy living (not a diet) plan but as this is a new way to live and eat rather than a ‘diet’ for a short time I want you to enjoy your new lifestyle not find it a chore!

If you want help to ‘eat a rainbow’ the only supplement product I would recommend is Juice Plus as it contains the complete rainbow of fruits and vegetables, you can find out more here.

Remember, everyone is unique so you do have to take notice of your body and exercise level – the plan is based on an average 1800kcal for women and 2200kcal for men that are relatively active every day and exercise twice a week. If your metabolism is quite sluggish and you do not exercise regularly then you will have to remove the treat and/or cut down your 1-5 choices to 100/120kcal. If you are very active with a fast metabolism then you may need to increase your 1-5 slightly. Please also remember to ‘tweak’ anything to your specific needs i.e. lactose-free, gluten free etc.

The important thing to remember is the other changes that should already be in place as they are crucial to everything working together; drink water, music for your mood, sunshine and a daily walk.

The next few weeks will focus on each aspect of the food bit to ensure you understand and hopefully find the happy medium moving forwards, in the meantime, take a look at the ‘N’ Plan as I like to call it and plan for yourself! Most importantly…..eat a rainbow!

N Plan cards A5 for printing

When does the ‘diet’ begin?

Oooops, who knew time could fly so fast and before you know it two weeks have passed! Sincere apologies to those that have messaged me in the absence of my post last weekend but life has a habit of getting in the way sometimes.

Many of you have asked about dieting or ‘the food bit’ and I have purposely avoided this so far as the general mindset of people is that they want to ‘lose weight’ and so jump in to a diet that quite often falls by the wayside after a couple of weeks, because it means making huge changes all in one go when you have not changed your lifestyle in any way. As I have explained already, in order to maintain a new ‘good habit’ it takes time but in addition, to maintain a change in our eating habits when certain aspects of our life such as work or daily tasks do not change is extremely hard.

By making you think differently about small changes in your life such as drinking water and listening to music helps you adjust psychologically to change and the perseverance needed without the added frustration of denying yourself or dealing with hunger pangs (most diets leave you hungry which leads to hormonal changes, headaches, emotional changes and general irritation!).

So, have you managed to change your water drinking habits? Difficult isn’t it! I have struggled to drink a glass of water every morning and extra throughout the day but what I have noticed now is when I don’t drink enough. I can now tell when I haven’t consumed enough water as I start to get a headache and feel irritated and dehydrated – something that was a general feeling before. So yes, it will take time but it is a habit I intend to master as I can already see the benefits.

Now, let’s talk about this week’s challenge – the diet! Are you ready?

Well I am sorry to disappoint you but there is no ‘diet’ – there is no quick fix that lasts! Yes you can go on a Slimming World or Weight Watchers diet or an Atkins or Slimfast diet and you WILL lose weight but it won’t last as the minute you get close to your goal weight you stop ‘dieting’ and revert back to old habits and the inevitable yo-yo begins.

This is why I am aiming to change your ‘lifestyle’ to create lasting good habits that will have benefits and make you feel better rather than it being something you have to endure.

This week, as well as the importance of water I want to explain the importance of sunshine!

I know it sounds stupid but many of the challenges we face on a daily basis can stem from a lack of sunshine (OK technically in this country it means daylight but even that matters!). Years ago, being out in the fresh air would have been a daily occurrence – walking to school and walking to work or to do the daily shop for the evening meal. Either way, not only being out in the sun but daily exercise was part of a daily lifestyle. Over the years it has become more and more about convenience, we drive to school and work or use public transport, shopping is delivered or again the car is used. Both our time out and about in fresh air and nature has diminished greatly as has daily exercise. The sun IS beneficial to our health but again because people have taken sunbathing to an extreme it has been cited as a cause of skin damage or cancer and so been vilified. Expose to the sun should be done slowly and using common sense. Do not expose your skin during the hottest times of the day is not advised but the benefits of exposure to the sun during the milder times of day are overwhelming.

Here are 10 benefits of getting a moderate amount of sun exposure:

1. Sunlight and whole foods send breast cancer into remission. The American physician Dr. Zane Kime used sunbathing and nutrition to cure his patients. Even in terminal cases, Dr. Kime was able to completely reverse the metastasized cancer.

2. The sun’s light kills bad bacteria. The German solders after WWI knew of the discoveries that had been made in 1903 by the Nobel Prize winner, Niels Finsen. They used sunlight to disinfect and heal wounds.

3. Sunlight has a beneficial effect on skin disorders, such as psoriasis, acne, eczema and fungal infections of the skin.

4. Sunlight lowers cholesterol. The sun converts high cholesterol in the blood into steroid hormones and the sex hormones we need for reproduction. In the absence of sunlight, the opposite happens; substances convert to cholesterol.

5. The sun’s rays lower blood pressure. Even a single exposure significantly lowers blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure. On the other hand, pharmaceutical drugs such as Statins have side effects, such as robbing the body of Coenzyme Q10. CoQ10 is essential for cellular and heart energy.

6. Sunlight penetrates deep into the skin to cleanse the blood and blood vessels. Medical literature published in Europe showed that people with atherosclerosis (hardened arteries) improved with sun exposure.

7. Sunlight increases oxygen content in human blood. And, it also enhances the body’s capacity to deliver oxygen to the tissues; very similar to the effects of exercise. The sun has a great effect on stamina, fitness and muscular development.

8. Sunlight builds the immune system. The white blood cells, which increase with sun exposure, are called lymphocytes, and these play a major role in defending the body against infections.

9. Regular sunlight exposure increases the growth and height of children, especially babies. Many cultures throughout history have recognized this fact. Studies have shown the amount of sun exposure in the first few months has an effect on how tall the person grows.

10. Sunlight can cure depression. The noon sunshine can deliver 100,000 lux. When we sit in offices for the best part of the day, out of the sun, under neon and artificial lights (150-600 lux), we are depriving ourselves of the illumination of nature. Sunlight deprivation can cause a condition called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression. It is more common in winter months, but also common in people who work long hours in office buildings.

Can we really ignore the benefits of the sun? Your ‘change one thing’ this week is to get out in the ‘sun’ and walk for 20 minutes every day. If you can, walk amongst nature, somewhere green, around the local park, along a river or anywhere where you can surround yourself with something other than concrete and bricks! I will explain why this is beneficial next week but for now just take note of how different you feel walking along a road amongst houses or shops etc to walking amongst trees! Whilst you are walking don’t forget your bottle of water and to be beneficial your walk should be challenging – for you.

An ideal time for your walk is before lunch as your body will have built up some energy stores from breakfast (and mid-morning snack if you have one), it is just before the sun gets too hot (if we are lucky enough to get some!) and it will burn calories ready for you to eat lunch.

As for what to eat well we will come to that next week because by then you should be walking every day (to stimulate your metabolism), drinking plenty of water (to support your body), be out in the sun every day (to support your mind) and be listening to music (to support your ‘soul’) and with your support network in place you can begin to make the big changes to your lifestyle!

I look forward to hearing your feedback this week and whether you can already feel yourself moving along those scales – of life!

10 benefits of moderate sun exposure is credited to http://www.mindbodygreen.com

If music be the food of love, play on…

So, last week I suggested that you look at yourself honestly and discover the type of person you are and where you fall on the scale of life to give you an idea of the changes you need to make. Over the week though did you notice how the person you thought you were wasn’t the same in reality?

I would say I was a strong-willed determined person, but it seems that is the case only when something interests me, if it doesn’t or doesn’t enough, then I have very little willpower. If there is something I would rather do then I can find any excuse and probably 10 excuses! So, that is something I will need to work on and take into account on this journey. Hopefully you have identified these personality truths too as it will have an impact on how well you change your lifestyle.

Now, on to the challenge I left you with last week – drinking more water!

That too is harder than you think, but it’s a habit you need to keep working on as being dehydrated can have an effect on your skin, your energy level, your mind and how tired you are and even how hungry you are. You see in life we actually need very little, but the one thing (apart from air obviously before anyone comments) that we cannot survive without is water and we do not drink enough. I have had days when I drink a bottle and days when I drink nothing and I have noticed the difference.

In Japan, drinking water when you first wake is widely practised and there have been many scientific studies to prove the benefits of this. It can have a beneficial effect on headaches, cardiovascular disorders and diseases, epilepsy, increased blood fat levels, bronchitis, asthma, tuberculosis, meningitis, kidney and urinary tract diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, diabetes, constipation, eye and vision problems, uterine diseases, menstrual disorders, diseases and conditions effecting the ear, nose, and throat. That is not a list to be ignored!

So if you make one change with your drinking habits, make it this one!

Now, on to this week’s change and it is inspired by the quote from Shakespeare “If music be the food of love, play on”

Music is not just the food of love it is also the food of life and the food of the soul and for any positive changes to take effect we have to be in the right frame of mind (as I have spoken about) and have a positive spirit. Now I am not going to go in-depth into the spiritual path right now, but we all have something, whether you are comfortable calling it a soul , spirit or energy or whatever, it can be affected by our lifestyles and in particular our environment. Balancing the environment forms a big part of my nursery programmes and how our senses and well-being can be influenced by our environment and also nature – this is where the Biophilia hypothesis comes in but more of that in later weeks.

This week I want you to think about sound and music. Sounds that surround us can have a physical effect on our body (give us a headache) or our minds (make us irritated or depressed) and taking the time to analyse your work and home environments in particular and how things are affecting you can be a big step in making your “life” better. Is work very noisy with machinery or argumentative people (this can lead to physical ailments such as headaches or tinnitus or mental fatigue and other psychological detriments such as anxiety or depression), is it too quiet? The opposites can almost have the same effect? Can you make any changes to compensate for these things?

You may not be able to change things directly but you may be able to use music to counteract some of these detrimental sounds. Music as we have acknowledged is the food for the body, mind and soul. Using different music throughout the day (music therapy is used in my nurseries throughout the day) can have a positive effect on your mood, your physical activity and even your digestion!

Here are some suggestions that we use:

Classical music – to calm environments, encourage positive conversation

soft jazz – when preparing food and eating (it encourages slower eating and aids digestion!)

your favourite ‘upbeat’ songs – to encourage physical activity and positive mood

nature sounds – to encourage sleep and distract from other noise

Music can be used throughout your lifestyle and again we do not listen to it enough. Sometimes you feel like you need a good cry, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this and so good old fashioned sad songs will do the trick. But the same goes for when we are feeling ‘down’ or lethargic – put on some happy songs and you can’t help but get up and dance or at the very least sing along and feel more positive.

So this week after you have had your morning glass of water think about how you can use music to improve your mood, your environment, your life.

Till next week xxxx

The Scale

So, if you are reading this then you have either been intrigued enough by my first ramblings or at the very least have the desire to want to change something in your life. Now whether that desire stems from wanting to lose weight which is where people usually start from or like me, you just want to feel healthy and happy again after recent events in your life, the important thing is you are here – therefore you (or rather your mind) is already receptive to change.

That’s the first battle won! Enjoy a little mental celebration and smile (that is important!).

So, back to The Scale!

No I do not want you to go and weigh yourself that is not important this week. This week is about a different kind of scale and to find out where you are and where you need to be will take a little bit of work and thought – but it is worth it.

You see, we are all on the ‘scale of life’ and that scale has its natural extremities as it also does a balance and it is this balance (or as good a balance as you can achieve as nothing in life is perfect) on both this scale and those smaller sub-scales that you need to aim to achieve in order to be happy, healthy and enjoy life.

So first lets look at just some of the ‘sub-scales’ that are out there and the key is for you to figure out both where you are and where you want to be: work/life – are you a workaholic? do you live to work or work to live? are you currently not doing anything and feel stagnated or unfulfilled? You need to think about where you are on this scale and whether it is a factor in your happiness or even health? Addiction – and not just smoking or alcohol, when you have an addictive personality you tend to need to do things to excess – you will exercise every day for example or will stick to an extreme diet but if you are at the other end of the scale then you will find it very hard to stick to a routine or make the effort needed. These are just too examples and in order to make the changes you may want to make in your life you need to identify and be honest with yourself as to the type of person that you are, the lifestyle that you currently have and may want etc.

Like everything in life there is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to lifestyles or diets or exercise routines, you have to look at what works for you, what fits you, your personality, your life and find the right balance for you!

So take this next few days to actually look at yourself and what you want to change, be honest it is the only way it will work. If you are the type of person that’s all or nothing then you adjust the plan over the next few weeks to suit you and gradually find your balance. If you are the type of person that the minute you deny yourself something you crave it (and this is actually a basic natural behaviour so don’t beat yourself up over it) then again you have to take the plan and adjust it over the weeks to find your balance. But, I will say this – if you are not open to ‘changing your behaviour to find a better balance and just ‘lie’ to yourself then nothing will change.

If you start off by exercising every day with a goal to adjust to 3 times a week then that has to be your goal. If you say you will limit yourself to one chocolate bar a day with a goal of adjusting it to a treat every so often then you have to be honest and make that goal happen.

So, look at your life scale; work, life, family, food, exercise, hobbies, time, personality traits, desires, strengths and weaknesses and be honest about where you are now, who you are now and then take the time to think about where you want to be on those scale, where your balance is because it is this that will determine to what level you need to make changes throughout each of the coming weeks that suits YOU!

There is one thing that I would like you to think about changing this week as a conscious decision though is to drink more water. Most people are dehydrated to some degree and so many of the things that we moan about; state of our skin, feeling tired, feeling hungry, stomach ache, upset stomach etc etc are being contributed to because we are dehydrated. That extra cup of coffee does not count though, just good old fashioned tap water will do – the natural things that are good for us do not come in bottles or packets!

Change One Thing

It has been a while since I have written on this blog and there are a number of reasons for this. Let’s just say what a year it has been and that whilst my intentions were good not everyone we meet has good intentions!

So, Christmas has come and gone and I have been blessed to spend it with my wonderful man, my children and family. Despite having pneumonia back worse than before I can honestly say peace and happiness has reigned in the house.

And so now my thoughts have turned to 2015 and what this new year may bring. After this last year I have learned that we only plan for the positive as we cannot foresee the negative but it is the negative that can have a deeper impact on our well-being. So I think I shall start this year differently, my only wishes are to be healthy and happy so that whatever life throws along the way, good or bad, I can face it head on and strong!

So each week I’m going to change one thing and set new (good) habits and with any luck lose the bad ones along the way (bad habits form instantly but good habits take practice so if you’re joining me on my journey be prepared to practice plenty!).

I have no set plan right now other than knowing I have to change my ways if I want to be fitter, healthier and stronger – they are my goals, what are yours??

Forget what you don’t have, look at what you do have!

When I was young I don’t recall spending my days wanting something new, whether that was a game, clothes or some other possession (I can’t say new mobile phone as they weren’t around then!).

I spent my days playing with friends, being outside and exploring and using my imagination! I was happy and carefree and I was learning to be independent!

Now it seems that children barely play outside opting for tv and consoles, they socialise through headsets and text speak and as for imagination, it’s the result of what they see on a tv screen! As for wanting, it’s constant! The newest phone (when they are as young as 8!), the latest fashion, the next computer game that just HAS to be released each year and of course the must have latest gadget to be released just in time for Christmas at a hiked up price and not enough production!

I have just returned from my 5th visit to Romania and this time I was back at the orphanage being welcomed with open arms and hearts. I saw again how everyone pulls together when there is need of help (I have first hand experience of this and I was humbled), I saw that having friends and family were all that was wished for, I was thanked by a complete stranger for sharing my time and being happy just to be there.

I was reminded of a few very simple lessons that I learnt as a child:

Respect costs nothing but is worth a fortune,
Love is unconditional when it is given from the heart,
Life is for living in the moment and not for “what if”,
Don’t wish for something better or you will fail to see the beauty of what you have now

They are very simple life lessons and ones that I hope I pass on to my children…..

My Work, My Passion

My passion began when I opened my first nursery at the age of 21! 20 years later it is still going strong….

I was recently asked if I would allow one of my nurseries to feature in a professional magazine as we have achieved Ofsted’s Outstanding grading 3 times. Of course my response was yes but it seems that during the interview I got on my soap box…..

I do feel that we do not give children enough boundaries; I do feel we are not teaching them enough respect and manners; I do feel we have become too politically correct and that children are not allowed to be children anymore and I do feel that there needs to be a drastic change in the current child care legislation! Do feel free to tell me what you think….

I am here again!

So here I am again in Romania!

This time was supposed to be a holiday with one of my closest friends, Sarah but of course I could not come here without a little volunteering!

So after 3 days of laughing, drinking, eating and time with friends feeling completely free and relaxed Sarah and I have spent our last two days with the children at the orphanage.

I adore my time at the Special Needs School but these last two days have completely stolen my heart. Today we took the children to the park as responsible adults, so guess who was the first to the top of the slide with the children?

Unfortunately I forgot the fact that I am 42 years old an got stuck half way with my feet above my head causing a traffic jam half way down but eventually made it to the bottom. We rounded the trip off with a run through the water fountain being told off by the security guard! You know me I like to leave a lasting impression!

No one even has to ask me “are you coming back” any more they just ask “when” xxxx

A Promise Fullfilled

I am the type of person that when I make a promise to someone I keep it and so when I was last in Romania and I promised the children in my volunteer class that I would come back and see them, I absolutely had to and today I fulfilled that promise.

To them, volunteers come and volunteers go, they are grateful for the interaction but they are used to it. For me, it was something I had to do.

I needed to see those children I had bonded with and I needed to know they had progressed and they have in so many ways. I can see how much they have changed, their language skills, their interaction and their personality. But, so it seems have I. Today has been emotional beyond my wildest expectations but it has also been revealing personally.

Every time I come to Romania I feel a sense of ‘home’ that I don’t get anywhere else (being with my children excluded). It seems to give me the freedom to see with clarity what is good in my life and what isn’t.

Today I was forced to see who I am, how others perceive me and I now have a choice, am I brave enough to make that choice? Only time will tell.

Thank You

I don’t take compliments well, I prefer to give them but I must just say a very gracious Thank you to Jayne for featuring me in her blog xxx

Jayne M Cox WOW Woman Blog