Saturday 26 January 2013

NEW YEAR REGIMES.....AND OF COURSE, A BIT OF PAMPERING.







At the start of this month, like a lot of people,  I embarked on a bit of a regime. A regime involving lots of exercise and reigning in the eating and drinking, with the aim of getting super fit and lose a few pounds.  Not a very original idea for this time of year I know, but let's face it, we all like the start of a New Year to provide us with a clean slate to get focused.

I like to think we are pretty healthy in our household, enjoying walking each day with the dogs, cycling often at weekends and eating on the whole really quite healthily. However, Christmas and socialising had taken its toll on the delicious food front, we were finding ourselves partial to rather too many glasses of wine, and although the dog walking still happened every day, the cycling had taken a back seat because of the dreadful weather. I had also had a desire for some time, to become fit.....not just averagely fit, but really fit.  Perhaps it is an age thing, or the fact that my children have recently all left home and you have the time and realisation to look inwards at your own self,  but I suddenly had the desire to be as fit and strong going forwards in life, that I could possibly be.  A sense of ones longevity suddenly comes in to question and you are panicked in to doing everything you possibly can to help the process. I wanted to live a long time, I told myself!

 Early days, but after four weeks I am very pleased to report back that, it has been really quite successful. I came to the conclusion that many people enter in to a New Year with good but overly strict intentions and then find the whole thing far too boring and self depriving, and give up at the first hurdle.  Instead, a measure of moderation is far more sustaining and enjoyable.  Do activities you enjoy, eat healthy but delicious food, and above all, have the occasional treat which in my case would be a nice glass of something cold and white, of the grape variety.

Thinking that I would loath the gym, as I used to, I decided to join only for a few weeks while the weather was so bad.  Thought I would grin and bare it, and go just a couple of times a week and get it over and done with as soon as possible!  Instead, I have had a surprisingly great time, and after just four weeks, it is becoming an almost daily early morning habit that I am loving.  The secret for me has been to intersperse the independence of the gym with group classes of Spinning and Body Combat - both great fun, with an enthusiastic and friendly bunch of strangers who are now getting to know one another.  I can assure you that the latter of a dance style routine involving aggressive kick-boxing and punching is very alien to my feminine self, but really very liberating, and boy does it promise results........once you get over the pain barrier the mornings after!

We have loved cooking delicious low calorie healthy recipes and combining this with my rekindled love of serious exercise, I can honestly say that I feel fab!  Without sounding too smug, I am losing my unwanted pounds, feel glowing, have had a lot of fun and have a renewed energy and enthusiasm to embark on exciting new projects for my business this coming year - this blog being one of them.  Surprisingly, I have no intention of giving up my newfound activities either.

The trick has been to keep it fun, interesting and varied.....ok, a bit of determination and focus has been required also.....and of course, the odd treat.........I'm off for a relaxing glass of wine in the bath.......I think I've earned it!


photo: Sophia Home



Treats also extend to a bit of pampering.......and to reward yourself, there's nothing like some
 Jo Malone to feel relaxed and pampered....




Jo Malone Vintage Gardenia Body Cream.....heavenly...


Jo Malone Bath Oil - Grapefruit, one of my favourite...


Hope you are having a healthy, active and above all fun start to the year so far......with a good dose of treats too!


Sophia xx

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