Diary of an Unfit Female of more than a certain age: First Impressions

Middle-aged, overweight, unfit.  This is such a description of myself that I almost glory in it - never been to a gym or  exercised, and approaching my elderly years in a comfortable delusion of I'll be all right, Jack.

Then this morning Maureen came to see me. She is a fitness instructor par excellence.  She questioned me about my lifestyle, possible goals and current fitness. Not once did she judge me, nor did she pass an adverse or critical comment even when I told her my daily diet could easily be a couple of biscuits at midday and then four slices of toast and butter at tea-time, followed by dinner and indigestion all night.

All Maureen did was encourage me - don't put yourself down, start with small steps, how wonderful that you ate Weetabix three times last month.  Do you have exercise clothes?  No matter, wear something loose and comfortable.  Nothing phases or shocks her - she just says don't say you can't, maybe say you won't.

So will I continue with Maureen?  Suffice it to say she is coming back tomorrow at 8.00 am, we start the fitness regime, and my loose clothes are laid out ready for the morning.   SUSAN S

  Reiki (pronounced Ray Kay) is an ancient natural non-invasive healing system which assists in restoring lost balance between mind, body and spirit writes Valerie Lewis of The Goddess Zone.
     Although Reiki is usually a hands on treatment - because it is very powerful and effective it can be sent over long distances!   Receiving Reiki - people's experiences vary. Some feel nothing during the time of healing; others feel a warmth and tingling; some sense the energy; some see colours. Generally Reiki brings on a deep relaxation. Sometimes deep seated emotional hurts may resurge or physical pain may intensify for a while.
     Preparing for the healing session.  This is entirely upto you - but you may wish to create an appropriate atmosphere by lighting a candle, perhaps some incense; have some relaxing music playing in the background.  Lay or sit down comfortably and relax taking deep steady breathes if you are able to.  Make sure you are neither too hot nor too cold and that you are comfortable and won't be disturbed. Please do not drink alcohol before, during or after the healing or indulge in a very heavy meal.  It's quite a good idea to drink a glass of water after the healing......if you are still awake.
     If you've had a very busy stressful day or find it hard to relax, how about imagining yourself in a pleasing setting - for example - lying on a beach with the warm sun beaming down on your body OR sitting in a lovely tranquil flower scented garden OR on a pier looking at the sea, watching the waves gently lap. You may wish to say to yourself or out load the following words (by William Lee Rand of the International Centre for Reiki Training) - which I say to myself sometimes before self-healing).
    "I surrender completely to the Reiki Energy and the source from which it comes".

   Delicious vegetarian recipes (courtesy of Ashburton Cookery School):
     Roasted vegetables - 2 medium sized parsnips, 2 red onions,2 sticks celery,2 carrots, 2 tbsp virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp clear honey, 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger, sea salt, cracked black pepper
1. Peel the parsnips, cut into even sized pieces and remove any of the tough core.
2. Carefully peel the celery sticks to remove the stringy bits and cut into even sized pieces.
3. Peel the carrots and onions and cut into even sized pieces.
4. Place a non stick roasting tray in a hot oven 220°c and leave for 10 mins.
5. Coat the vegetables in olive oil, honey, ginger and season well with sea salt and black pepper.
6. Place in the hot roasting tray and roast until the vegetables are golden brown and cooked through. You will need to turn them regularly in the roasting tray so they don't stick to the bottom and burn.
    Roasted red peppers stuffed with fennel, stilton, walnuts and szechuan peppercorns
4 red peppers, 2 bulbs fennel, 200g stilton, 50g walnuts, crushed szechuan peppercorns, walnut oil, lemon juice,
unsalted butter
1. Trim the fennel removing any blemishes and cut in half lengthways through the middle core so it doesn't break up.
2. Boil in salted water with a little lemon juice until just cooked, remove from the water and allow to cool.
3. Slice each pepper in half lengthways making sure you cut through the stalk so each pepper has some stalk on it for presentation.
4. Break the stilton into little pieces and roughly chop the walnuts.
5. Cut the fennel into equal sized pieces that will fit into the red peppers.
6. Sprinkle a little stilton and some walnuts into the bottom of the peppers, add fennel to each pepper, a pinch of szechuan pepper and sprinkle more walnuts and stilton on top. Make sure you finish with stilton on top so the walnuts don't burn in the oven.
7. Liberally butter a roasting tray and place the peppers on top.
8. Sprinkle with a little walnut oil, lemon juice and schezun pepper.
9. Bake in a moderate oven 180°c for approx 40 mins.
10. To serve finish with a little more walnut oil and lemon juice drizzled over the top.

     How to give up 'giving up' - Tips and Ideas for a new approach to weight-loss by Sophie Boss, founder of Beyond Chocolate
     Women so often make resolutions to lose weight and get fit. They are motivated and determined to ‘eat healthily', stick to a diet and keep up an exercise routine. “2006 will be different” they promise, “this year I'm really going to crack it!” They won't give up or admit defeat. By this summer (but hopefully sooner) they'll be slim and toned and ready to dazzle on the beach. They buy the latest miracle diet book, sign up to a slimming club, make appointments with the nutritionist, join the gym or create their own personal strategy. 
     Gradually the resolve weakens, the determination is worn down by a slip up here and a bad day there and by mid- February they are feeling bored and fed up. Disillusioned they cancel appointments with the nutritionists, go to the gym less and less often and feel like failures. Either that or they're keeping themselves firmly ‘on track' which takes a great deal of effort, deprivation and sometimes a fair bit of cash too. Over the weeks the new ‘life style' loses its appeal and excitement and it becomes just plain hard work requiring an endless supply of motivation and willpower which sadly non of us posses!
     I remember all those years I spent making those ambitious resolutions and I would like to offer you a ray of hope; it IS possible to step off that exhausting treadmill, to be FREE and relaxed around food, feel good about your body, lose weight and stay slim year after year. It's not even all that hard or expensive!
     All you need is a generous helping of curiosity and willingness and a pinch of courage. The Beyond Chocolate Strategies are a good place to start changing the way you approach weight loss. Experiment, have fun and let us know what worked for you!
     Eat when you're hungry. Wait until you are hungry before you eat - do it just once this week. Check how hungry you're getting at regular intervals so that you don't reach the famished stage.
     Eat what you really want. When you know you're hungry ask yourself what you really fancy. If you could have anything in the world what would you have? Don't limit yourself to healthy options, allow yourself whatever you want. If it's available or you can get some, eat it and enjoy. If not ask yourself what will do instead.
     FOCUS! While you're eating focus on the food. Switch off the TV and sit down at the table with the food on a plate. Eat it slowly and really taste it.
     STOP when you're satisfied. How do you know when you've had enough? Pause every now and again to check how satisfied you feel. Do you want more or have you had enough? Do you need to finish what's on the plate?
     When you feel like eating and you know you're not hungry... PAUSE Tell yourself that you are going to wait for just a few minutes before you eat - not that you won't eat, just that you're going to wait. As you pause notice what's going on... are you bored, annoyed, putting something off, excited? Give yourself permission to eat if you want to and remind yourself that once you've eaten you'll probably still feel bored, annoyed, and your tasks will still await you!
     MOVE. Decide to get moving just once this week for 20 minutes. Choose something that will fit into your schedule and make time to do it. Make it enjoyable and easy. It could be as simple as a brisk walk or as adventurous as a belly dancing class.
     Be kind to yourself. If you don't manage to do even one of the above even though you would like to and think you 'ought' to - be kind to yourself. Change takes time and patience. Begin with awareness: be curious about what you do now, how you resist change, what your patterns are... and you'll be half way there. Awareness is 50% of change!
     REMEMBER. Aim to make small changes that feel good and work for you. Take one at a time instead of trying to change everything all at once. Discard what doesn't work. If it is enjoyable, can be done and leaves you feeling good then make a commitment to yourself to do it again.      

 A true food allergy is fairly uncommon (less than 2% of the population) but it seems that food intolerances are on the increase. What's the difference? The Nutrition Coach explains that a true allergy is very specific and can provoke severe reactions such as anaphylaxis, swelling of the lips, eyes and face, angry skins rashes and swelling of the airways that can disrupt breathing. Food intolerance is not the same as an allergy. Symptoms may not manifest for a few hours or even days after the food is eaten, and if the culprit food is eaten on a regular basis it could be mistaken for something else. An intolerance is rarely life-threatening, unlike an allergy.
     Intolerance can be due to lack of an enzyme and this can lead to undigested food in the gut that ferments, resulting in bloating, cramping, gas and diarrohoea. A food intolerance can lead to weight gain, bloating and water retention as the body makes an attempt to 'water-down' the offending substance.
     Avoiding wheat or other culprit foods often leads to an increased awareness of health and as a consequence you may reduce your intake of other foods, e.g. avoiding toast may lead to a reduced sugar intake from jam, or yeast intake from spreads such as marmite. Avoid your suspected trigger food for 14 days (one food at a time), note how you feel without it and then re-introduce and monitor the results. If for example you feel better when avoiding wheat, try re-introducing rye or oats - if your symptoms reoccur this would indicate you are reacting to the gluten. 

  Rebecca Dollinger of Elegant & Graceful advises that choosing the perfect nightdress or dressing gown will not only enhance and complement the lovely uniqueness of any woman's figure, but also offer comfort.
     Accentuating your best qualities is simple. If your gorgeous legs are your best feature then you will be able to wear either a short nightdress or a long one with a thigh-high slit on the side. If your bustline is your best asset then a long or short nightdress with a beautiful lace bodice would be perfect for you. The beautiful tall and slim person will need a shorter gown that will enhance her figure, accentuating her curves instead of her slenderness. On the other hand if you are a woman with a lovely full figure, then a longer nightdress would suit you the best, preferably in a darker colour. The shorter or lighter the nightdress, the heavier it will make you appear.
     Don't forget those dressing gowns that finish your graceful appearance and give you the feel of total elegance. Nothing makes you feel more elegant than wearing a matching dressing gown that complements your nightdress and completes your look of beauty.
     Quality is the essential characteristic one should always look for when shopping for an elegant nightdress or dressing gown. A quality garment should never have unfinished seams or loose threads. The fabric should always be of superb quality and have a lustre to it. Your garment should be made so well that you could actually wear it inside out. The next time you purchase a nightdress or dressing gown, remember to complement your best features, creating that look of absolute radiance. Women deserve to treat themselves with elegance!

  At the Wine & Food Academy we're always being asked questions on matching food with wine at dinner parties. Here are some typical Questions & Answers:
Q: What is the best drink to serve as an aperitif?
A: Usually something fairly dry. Never mix spirits with wine if you wish to avoid headaches. A simple aperitif is a long glass filled with ice, add a large dry (or medium) sherry and top up with tonic water and a slice of lemon. Best of all is Champagne of course!
Q: What food should you serve with an aperitif?
A: Marinated olives or crudités which keep the palate clean and stimulate the gastric juices, anticpating the meal to follow. Crisps, nuts, or anything with any fat content is a definite NO.
Q: Should cheese be served before or after pudding?
A: Always before. You need to maintain a savoury taste, plus it gives you the opportunity to finish your main course red wine, or change to another wine, e.g. Rhone/Shiraz for the cheese. Follow the cheese with a sweet wine to accompany the pudding.

   Nina Steele of Nina Ess handbags quotes Anita Daniel, New York Times 1945: "Every woman's handbag is a lost and found department in itself. It is strange, but things actually disappear there, as by magic. They finally reappear on the surface after three or four investigations and complete pell-mell of the contents." Items disappearing inside one's handbag and reappearing by magic is less stressful than being the victim of the countless pickpockets who walk our streets. To avoid weeks if not months of anguish, I thought I should share these few tips.  Most women know they should keep their handbag shut when out shopping in a busy street or market, to discourage pickpockets from helping themselves. But to make your bag even less vulnerable, ensure the side on which it fastens is kept close to your body (never mind making the fashion statement with the buckle facing outwards!). If possible put the bag handle/straps over your arm or shoulder rather than hold it/them in your hand. And if the bag fastens with a zip, turn your bag so the zip's tag is at the front, where you can see it. In addition to carrying my handbag with the straps on my shoulder most of the time, I also make a point of having a firm grip on it too, as I believe you can never be too careful!

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