lifematters

Shop your wardrobe

emma.harrowing@archant.co.uk — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:24:00 GMT

It is said that we wear 20pc of our wardrobe 80pc of the time - how true is that? Most of us have clothes in our cupboard that we hardly ever wear, yet we still go out and by more to add to the clutter. And chaos of getting dressed in the morning.

“Shopping Your Wardrobe” is a fantastic way of getting more out of your clothes without spending a penny!

Start by tearing out pages from magazines or download pictures from the Internet of styles and looks you like - spread them out on the floor - this will be your inspiration.

Fling open your wardrobe door, layout your sweaters and tee-shirts on the bed and take a good look at everything. Get all your accessories together and start experimenting.

With your inspiration in mind start looking at what you have in your wardrobe - is there a skirt similar to one of your pictures - can you team it with a jacket to get a different look. Start working through all your pieces this way, add accessories and create new outfits.

We tend to by in outfits and don’t mix and match so here are my tips on new ways to wear your existing outfits:

Take a jacket from one of your suits and try it with various skirts you have, will it go with your jeans - there is a big trend for slouchy style jackets so have go; turn up the sleeves and channel the 80’s vibe. Try it over a dress and add a belt for a 50’s feel.

Layering - wear a tee-shirt or sweater under a dress; add a statement necklace or cuff for a modern take. Belt a boyfriend cardigan over a dress or mix it with a simple skirt - add loads of pearls for an homage to Chanel.

Don’t be afraid to mix pattern - different prints can work together really well - take inspiration from designers like Marni and others. Try - florals and stripes or two sizes of spots.

Mix your textures - tweed and chiffon works well, chunky knits with satin.

Could some of your evening wear pieces work in the day time too - dress down a dress with a jacket or chunky knit and boots? Floaty skirts opaque tights and a stack heel shoe.

Use your accessories - can a scarf work as a belt on your jeans, try mixing a few of your favourite necklaces together. Add a floral scarf to your pinstripe. Use a brooch to pin a cardigan into a wrap top.

Keep trying different combinations you will be surprised how many different outfits you come up with. When you put your clothes back into the wardrobe re-organise so that you can see what you actually have. Split your suits up and put jackets together followed by trousers and skirts so that you see them as separate items - this will make it easier to mix and match. Colour block your clothes and hang your accessories where you can see them that way you will use them.

I offer a “Shop your Wardrobe” session for a budget busting £50 - in just a couple of hours I can give your wardrobe a whole new lease of life for less that the cost of a trip to the shops.

Contact me at 07850 689785 or email karen.jameswelton@btinternet.com.

Q. Can you really improve your skin whilst you sleep?

emma.harrowing@archant.co.uk — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:18:00 GMT

Louise says: There is truth to the saying ‘I need to get my beauty sleep’ and, as I’ve mentioned in past articles, scientific data to support the fact that a lack of sleep will equate to further decline in the production of the growth hormone and therefore an increase to the ageing process.

Sleep deprived skin also cant recover from daily aggressors that we are constantly exposed to.

But is there a need to use a specific product dedicated to use at night?
If we believe the cosmetic giants then the answer is yes.

As a skin therapist, with an advanced knowledge of skin health, I compiled the following reasons why I, too, believe the skin benefits from this.

When the body is at rest its not fighting the aggressors that we are exposed to during the day so the skin needs a helping hand. This is where products infused with free radical (thieves of youth) fighting ingredients like, Vit C and E and help.

The skin loses moisture at night so the protective lipid barrier weakens. This means that a) we need to apply a product that will increase hydration by using water loving ingredients like Hyaluronic acid and b) as this barrier is weaker ingredients can penetrate deeper into the skin at night.

Our ‘skin sleep cycle’ is between 11pm and 3am. This is when cell renewal speeds up to repair. Using Vitamin A in our night creams can assist in this repairing cycle and will explain why the skin looks worse for wear after an especially late night.

Day creams are often lighter and geared towards being protective and should contain an SPF. Night products are set to repair, heal and nourish our skin.

Other night time skin tips are to:

Train yourself to sleep on your back. This helps to prevent wrinkling of the skin and reduce fluid retention which leads to puffy eyes.

Invest in a silk pillowcase as sleeping on cotton sheets will not only create creasing of the skin over time but also leach moisture out of the skin, it can also scrub off your night products. www.silkperfect.com which sell their silk pillowcases specifically for benefit for the skin and hair, also suggest that the 17 amino acids found in silk can have some benefits to skin health.

Louise recommends:
MD Formulations Night recovery serum £40.00 www.u-treatments.co.uk

Dear James, I heard about negative calorie foods, that when you eat them you don’t actually consume calories, but burn them instead. Is this true?

emma.harrowing@archant.co.uk — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:55:00 GMT

James says: There are several weight loss programs that claim to utilise "negative calorie foods" to help you burn fat and lose weight quickly. The idea behind these programs is that some foods require more energy (calories) to eat and digest than the foods themselves actually contain. So, if you eat nothing but these foods, theoretically you will force your body to use up its energy stores (body fat) just in the process of chewing, digesting, and processing the food you eat. As you may already know, creating a calorie deficit (through diet, exercise, or both) is a necessity in order to lose weight.
Some of the most well-known negative calorie foods are "watery" vegetables such as celery, lettuce, cabbage and cucumbers. These foods are very high in fibre, making them more difficult to break down and thus requiring more energy during the digestion process than lower fibre content foods. At the same time, these foods are very low in calories (celery contains about 9 calories per stalk for instance). So basically it is likely that these types of foods do require slightly more calories to "burn" than they contain.
Now that we know that negative calorie foods do exist, the real question is: can they help you lose weight?

Obviously, if you eat nothing but these high-fibre, low-calorie, low-taste foods, you will certainly lose weight. But the reality of "negative calorie diets" is that, like most quick weight loss fad diets, they are nearly impossible to follow for any significant amount of time. Who can eat nearly-tasteless, watery vegetables all day long? 99pc of people who try it will give up after a day or two and probably end up overeating for the next couple of weeks!
The bottom line is that negative calorie foods probably do exist, but diets based on these foods alone won't help you to lose weight because they're too difficult to follow.

That being said, it is definitely a good idea to incorporate large amounts of raw and steamed vegetables into your diet. Veggies and fruits should make up the cornerstone of any healthy diet, whether you're trying to lose weight or not. They contain vital nutrients your body needs, as well as lots of healthy fibre to keep you feeling full and prevent overeating.

Have you got a fitness or diet question for James? Sign up to the Evening News Forum, come back here and share your comments with us below.

“Dear Charles, I know that our skin changes from season to season but particularly in winter my skin seems to become dry and uncomfortable! Any suggestions on what should change for the winter season?”

emma.harrowing@archant.co.uk — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:42:00 GMT

The winter touch up collection:

There are some essential items you should have in your makeup bag to help ravaged winter skin look great.

A touch up concealer stick that is yellow in tone which is great for covering up redness on the cheeks.

A small pot of soothing face balm which can be pressed over the top of makeup. This will help to throw some moisture back into taught feeling skin, freshen up your makeup and give skin a glow!

A lip balm that contains SPF 15 go for one that contains beeswax as this will intensely moisturise sore chapped lips and is a great product to use pre lip colour application, helping to create a smooth and perfected look.

A bone coloured eye shadow base, which is the same colour as your skin tone. This will neutralise any redness on the lids and even out your tone on the eye, it’s a bit like a foundation for the eyelid.

Here are some other beauty products that you could also add to your winter collection:

A cream blush is great for giving dry skin that boost of colour in the cheeks.

A customisable pallet where you can choose shades of eye shadow, gloss, blush and eyeliner as this is an ideal way to keep everything organised for a quick fix.

Have you got a beauty question for Charles? Sign up to the Evening News Forum and then come back and share your comments below.

12 days to glowing Christmas skin…..

emma.harrowing@archant.co.uk — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:36:00 GMT

It’s that time of year again where I start giving my clients the Christmas countdown to the party season.

Like most things to do with the festive season, getting prepared for the influx of party invites, carol concerts and school plays, frenzied shopping and subsequent late nights, takes some planning.

I’m guessing this is your countdown so far; buy and write Christmas cards (realising that you’ve missed the international post deadline) check! Make Christmas pudding and cake (good intention, never happens) check! Purchase Christmas gifts (during a rugby scrum style shopping experience) check! Attend 101 parties, drinks and concerts (whose party is this one?) check! Relax with friends and family on Christmas Eve (fall in a heap after your 3^rd glass of bubbly realising that you haven’t had time for that leg wax, manicure & gasp! Facial) check!

Or maybe that’s just how my countdown goes, with a few clients to treat thrown in.

I was inspired to write this blog after my recent appearance as a guest on BBC Radio Norfolk’s Graham and Karen show. They had invited me in, this time, to discuss this very subject. How do we ensure that instead of looking grey, tired, puffy and blood shot, that we enter a room radiating health, calm and looking, well, fantastic!

I discussed with the Radio Norfolk listeners there are things that we can start to do leading up to the big day to ensure that come 2009 we haven’t completely ruined the chance of a healthy, young looking skin.

So here’s my 12 days to glowing Christmas skin…

On the first day of Christmas… Book and have a professional skin treatment. This is a very busy time for me since I recommend my clients to have a pre party season facial. As ever it will be totally bespoke to tackle the needs of the client whether it’s a total rescue treatment or something to just maintain radiant skin for the season.

On the second day of Christmas… Water!! Yup it’s a must with all the extra intake of alcohol and centrally heated environments. Aim to up your intake to at least 1 ½ litres a day if you want to avoid puffy, parched skin.

On the third day of Christmas…Start to take a tincture of Milk thistle and artichoke. This is great Liver support and can help with those rich foods and drink indulgencies. The Liver, if not able to function properly, will ultimately cause the skin to eliminate toxins, so start taking it daily now.

On the fourth day of Christmas…Start your way to a brighter skin by using a daily gentle exfoiliator. I recommend the MD Formulations facial cleanser (£25 www.u-treatments.co.uk) rich in fruit acids to encourage cell regeneration without the need for harsh abrasives.

On the fifth day of Christmas… Shoe horn just 10-15 minutes of Yoga into your day. www.yogajournal.com has some fab, short yoga videos you can watch for free. Yoga is amazing for distressing and for bringing fresh blood and nutrients to the skin…I could go on.

On the sixth day of Christmas…Not using an eye product yet? MD Formulations The Temps brighten and tighten eye serum (£26 www.u-treatments.co.uk) which is packed with Peptide technology to, yep you’ve guessed it, tighten and brighten the delicate eye area…I love it!

On the seventh day of Christmas… Make the most of Vit C rich Cranberries by scattering them onto your muesli or porridge. These berries are packed with the anti ageing benefits of antioxidants and will boost your collagen levels and immune system.

On the eighth day of Christmas…Now unless your tee total your undoubtedly going to partake in a glass or two of alcohol. So, if you must opt for red wine since this is rich in polyphenols another powerful antioxidant which defends the skin cells and is good for your heart. (In moderation)

On the ninth day of Christmas…Perform a facial massage at least once a day.

I give my clients some basic self facial massage movements to do when applying their moisturiser.

Even just using upward and outward circular moves can detoxify, brighten and tone the facial muscles.

On the tenth day of Christmas…Sleep! I know this is a tricky one but try and get as much quality sleep as you can especially if you know you have a heavy week on the way.

Studies have shown that sleep loss is linked to increasing the ageing process.

On the eleventh day of Christmas…However tired or merry you may be, do not commit the cardinal sin of going to bed in your makeup!

Sleeping in a cocktail of oils, dyes, chemicals and preservatives whilst your skin is trying to repair will leave you with dry, spotty, grey skin in the morning.

On the twelfth day of Christmas…You’ve made it! And is you’ve been following these golden rules you should be looking radiant.

If however you are not here’s hoping that you have a U Treatments gift card in your stocking www.u-treatments.co.uk

Merry Christmas and a ‘glowing’ 2009!

Louise Thomas-Minns CIBTAC CIDESCO BABTAC is a skin specialist and therapist with over 12 year’s experience. She is the owner of U Treatments, a beauty business that brings the salon to you and runs a regular London skin clinic. She lecturers in, and is an NVQ assessor part time, in beauty therapy. Visit www.u-treatments.co.uk or call Louise on 07810 872 633 for details of her bespoke treatment menu.

“Dear Charles, I've read that high eyebrows are on trend next season, mine are close to my eyes so should I shave off my eyebrows and use an eyebrow pencil to make them higher?”

emma.harrowing@archant.co.uk — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:32:00 GMT

Charles says: “We have to be very carful about what we are doing when it comes to removing mass amounts of hair from the eyebrows and unnaturally shaping them. Some of us are lucky enough for them to grow back fine and can then just put it down to one of those “god – I’ll never do that again” experiences! But for many people (especially more mature women), the hair may never grown back in the same way and over years of trying to change the shape every other month, the brows have become nothing but a thin faded line that then needs to be filled in with either an eyebrow pencil or eye shadow to give you some form of expression back!

“Fashion can be fun, exciting and inspirational and it’s good to try something a little different. And yes this autumn is all about the strong brow.

“However what you see in fashion shows and magazines should be tailored to you. Fashion always exaggerates a trend and although it can look stunning on the airbrushed model in the photographs, in real life it would probably look ridiculous on you.

“The best way to get the polished brow look this season is to take a trip to the local beauty therapist.

“There are many types of techniques to remove brow hair such as, tweezing, waxing & threading. I prefer waxing, it tends to be less painful and gives you a really clean finish.

“Once they have been done, try not to apply any makeup around the area for at least twenty four hours to avoid infection.

“Then take an eye shadow that is matte and matches your hair colour, apply into the brows with an eye brow brush. It’s really best to build colour here, as whacking on lots of shadow could make them look unnatural and too dark. The shadow will fill in any gaps making them look smoother.

“Follow the natural shape of the brow and don’t extend! Use the outer edge of the brush for finer lines and more definition, the finished look should frame the eyes, look polished and really classic.

Ask Charles your beauty and makeup questions by signing up to the Evening News forum, then come back to this page and post your question below.

Colour your life

vince.yallop@archant.co.uk — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Karen James-Welton writes: Welcome to my new “style on a budget” column. In these credit crunch times it is more important to look great. The age old saying if you look good you feel good still rings true so I am going to give you hints and tips on how to still look fabulous when you are strapped for cash.

Autumn has officially begun so it’s time to start planning your autumn wardrobe. Designers have given us many options for this season but one trend I would love to see us all adopt is COLOUR - in these hard times there is nothing more depressing than dull greys and black. Wearing bright colours can lift your mood and make others you pass in the street smile.

The catwalks were full of greens, pinks and yellows all these shades are known to have an uplifting effect on how you feel inside. Wearing these colours will give your skin a glow; make you look younger and believe it or not slimmer! Black ages you and can leave you depressed so break out the colour this autumn.

There are lots of easy and cheap ways to bring colour into your wardrobe. Don’t be afraid of clashing colours together - all the designers were showing it on the catwalks.

Add some bold jewellery to your every day work wear - all the high street shops have bangles, statement necklaces at very reasonable prices.

Buy a couple of metres of bright ribbon and attached to an old blazer or jacket - trim the lapels and pockets - you don’t even need to be able to sew, try fabric glue.

Dresses are all the rage again this season so be brave and buy a dress in a bold colour - it doesn’t have to be an expensive.

Shoes - what girl doesn’t love shoes - this season go for a bright pair of ballet pumps instead of boring black, opt for a pair of heels in a funky colour or flats in a bold shade to complement or even clash with your outfit.

Is there a quick way to get fit and lose weight?

emma.harrowing@archant.co.uk — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 07:36:00 GMT

Q: I am so confused by all the diet pills, miracle weight loss adverts and all the pieces of home gym equipment on the market which promise so much…is there really a quick fix to getting fit and losing fat?

Sandra, Norwich

James says: Hello Sandra, thanks for the question.

‘James, help me get rid my ‘bingo wings’ or ‘chip shop arms’. (The saggy bits underneath the upper arm), I’ve heard it all. I could practically write a book on all the names I have heard people call the triceps, and how women hate them soo much.

‘Get the fat off me- I’m going on holiday in two weeks’. My response? 'Do you know a good plastic surgeon? And have you got a good limit on your credit card!?

The trouble is people want the quick fix as you mention. A good majority of people at some stage in their life will attempt to get fit and shed those unwanted pounds.

Unfortunately, the majority fall by the wayside after a couple of weeks, and the annoying thing is, they were probably heading in the right direction, and would have almost certainly made an improvement in their health if they had been realistic and patient.

So many of us will hit the latest ‘fat busting diet’. ’Oh, this one is different. It really does work.’ You do surprise me. Let’s consider something for a second; if diets actually worked, would there be over 5000 different books on diets? Of course there wouldn’t: there would be just one, and that would be it.

Enjoying a healthy lifestyle and reaping the rewards of being fit are ever more coming into the forefront of people’s minds.

Over the last 20 years as a society, we have been eating fewer calories. Good you might think, but at the same time, we have become lazy-spending fewer calories, as technology has taken over. I was buying a MP3 player the other day, which hangs round your neck. The sales assistant tried to sell me a remote control to go with it! Is this how lazy people are becoming? Say no more.

Every single time a person exercises more than usual, they burn calories and fat.

    Avoid being impatient and remind yourself that the results will slowly come. Remember that there are no shortcuts to losing weight in a healthy and reasonable way. Start with realistic, achievable goals. Don't expect to become "thin" overnight. Steady weight loss is healthier than a quick fix or remaining overweight. The healthiest way to lose weight is neither crash diets and fad diets nor sudden bursts of exercise. The body likes slow changes in terms of food and exercise. For example, someone who has not exercised for years should not rush into running three miles every day. Exercise needs to be increased slowly.
    People who eat a lot will experience problems if they suddenly start starving themselves. Introduce changes gradually.
    You should try to lose no more than a couple of pounds per week. While this can be frustrating, slow and steady weight loss is the only way to avoid "yo-yo dieting," where you lose a great deal of weight, only to regain it within a few months or years. There are no miracles in weight loss; go for steady progress toward a healthier life.

A healthy lifestyle is just as important as the exercise you do. Your body is a machine-would you expect to run your car if you didn’t put any fuel in it?

Reward yourself when you start to make progress. Rome wasn't built in a day, neither was your weight put on in a day. Modify your routines as suggested and think of your fitness journey as a life-long project, not ‘temporary-fix’.

It might take weeks before the results will show, but they will steadily appear.

Be patient and persevere and you will get there Sandra, like so many others.

Have you got a fitness question for James? Sign up to the Evening News Forum and post your question below.

I'm coming to the end of my fixed rate mortgage. How do I remortgage and how do I find the best deal?

emma.harrowing@archant.co.uk — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:58:00 GMT

Ian says: When I meet a new client for the first time to arrange a mortgage, I always have the conversation with them “What happens at the end of my fixed rate/tracker rate deal?” because normally the deals we arrange are for a set period of time from 2 years up to 10 years or beyond sometimes.

The reason people don’t tie themselves in for too long is because there are various reasons why we would want to remortgage in a few years time. It could be for a better interest rate, home improvements, debt consolidation, starting a family, getting married or releasing equity to buy another property. Whatever the reason most people like to have their options open to them every few years.

Remortgaging should not cost you anything so the conveyancing and the survey should be part of the new deal. When clients come to see me I always look at the existing lender to see what they will offer the client and then what else is available that way you get a balanced opinion of what is best for you. This makes sure you get the best deal available to you at the time.

I also like to see if we can look at the term of the mortgage. If you took your mortgage over 25 years and it was a two year deal then of course we put the new mortgage to 23 years but if your circumstances have changed for instance your earning more money or you’ve come into some money, then I look to reduce the term of your mortgage.

The main thing is if you do a have short term deal make sure you are willing to spend the time to look at the next deal rather just having the interest rate your existing lender wants to give you. By coming to see me I will give you all the options available to you and will make the process as simple as possible.

Ask our finance expert Ian your financial questions by signing up to the Evening News forum and posting your questions below. Alternatively email your questions to emma.harrowing@archant.co.uk

"Dear Charles, should I apply a primer before my foundation and do they really make a difference or is it a way of makeup companies making more money?”

emma.harrowing@archant.co.uk — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:53:00 GMT

Charles says: Priming the skin is essential for the perfect makeup application, but this doesn’t mean that you need to buy an entirely separate product in which to do so!

Over the years I found that transparent gel based makeup primers were great for holding makeup in place but somehow they never seemed to look natural.

I remember a couple of years ago when every one went crazy over a new primer. I gave into the craze to try and get a longer lasting more flawless finish.

In the dimness of my apartment’s bathroom where windows were non-existent and in the bright lights of a studio my skin appeared flawless, looked smooth and lasted all day! It wasn’t until I got out into the natural light and caught a glimpse of myself in the shop window that I saw it looked unnatural, very matte, heavy and makeup’y, from that day on I stopped using it and threw it away.

Priming the skin to me means getting the texture of your skin perfect before applying makeup. This is achieved through using a good skincare routine that is suited to your skins needs.

There are moisturisers on the market that have primers built in. This is a much more natural method and just as effective. Most of the time these moisturisers will contain ‘polymers’ which help to bind products to the skin and will help to hold them in place. You still get that dewy finish by doing this and it will look more natural, fresh and still like skin.

Or why not try applying powder over foundation and concealer? This will matify any shine in oily areas and will help to lock makeup in place. This is why many people carry compact powders around to touch up during the day!

Ask our makeup expert Charles your beauty questions by signing up to the Evening News forum and posting your questions below or emai l your questions to emma.harrowing@archant.co.uk

Q. Is it really necessary to spend a lot of money on skincare products?

emma.harrowing@archant.co.uk — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:53:00 GMT

Louise says: ‘You get what you pay for’ and this saying is true in relation to your skincare products too.

We know that we can buy reasonably prices cosmetics that will take off our make up and stop our skin from feeling dry but if you are wanting to change or improve your skin you need to take things a step further.

More expensive products are based on scientific research stemming back sometimes over 30 years.

We should be aware now that using a daily SPF will guard us against skin damage and slow the ageing process but this scientific research now informs us that by adding anti oxidant ingredients to these SPF’s it will further aid this process.

Lab results show that Peptides really can increase skin firmness and lessen wrinkles and Vitamin C can increase collagen production.

Retinol (a Vitamin A derivative) is to me as a skin therapist ‘The’ skin vitamin. I have been using this in higher levels then you can buy over the counter for over 10 years now and see great results.

It has been found to be a skin normaliser, help to even out skin texture and colour and is particularly useful for those concerned with outbreaks and ageing skin.

It is again thanks to this scientific research that I have been able to use and achieve results with a more cosmeceutical (a product that uses higher levels of active ingredients not available over the counter) grade of product.

What is a waste of money is when you purchase these products and expect a result or change in the skin in less than two weeks and then toss them aside for the next best thing.

Any product needs to be used consistently for at least a month to allow the skin to go through the cell renewal process.

Louise prides herself on her knowledge of ingredient technology and has developed her own unique facial technique. To experience the ‘U and your skin’ facial Call 07810 872 633 or email: enquiries@u-treatments.co.uk

www.u-treatments.co.uk

To ask Louise a question sign up to the Evening News forum and post your question below.

How can I drum up the motivation to exercise?

vince.yallop@archant.co.uk — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:26:00 GMT

Q: How can I drum up the motivation to exercise? I know it’s important to do, but I never have the urge to do it and even if I try to do it anyway, I have a hard time fitting it in.

A: People who work out are as busy as people who don’t. The difference is that some way, somehow, they make themselves exercise-even when it’s the last thing they feel like doing. Sports psychologists, behavioural nutritionists and exercise physiologists have spent years trying to pinpoint what motivates regular exercisers in the hopes of using that information to spark the less motivated.

There’s no easy answer.

Some research points to a possible genetic component connected to the tendency to be active. Put a group of mice in a cage with an exercise wheel and some will jump right on, others do so sparingly. Likewise, some people literally can’t wait to get home from work and throw on their exercise gear and go out for a run or hurry to their favourite exercise class. But others can’t think of anything less appealing, especially as we the nights will be starting to draw in and suddenly cosying up in front of the TV with a nice bottle of wine seems much more tempting.

Let’s face it: You can rationalise your way out of doing anything. You can always find an excuse for why you don’t like an activity or why it’s not right for you, or why there are a zillion other things you could-or should-be doing. But when it comes right down to it, there is absolutely no acceptable excuse not to fit some daily physical activity into your life. Even if you already have illness or physical limitations, you still need to figure out what you can do and how to make yourself do it.

And you can’t afford to put it off, either. The more you avoid exercise, the more negative repercussions you face. Not only are you at higher risk of many diseases (or at risk of exacerbating illnesses you already have), you’re likely to have an earlier death. And in the shorter term, you’re likely to gain weight. Plus, you’re going to get flabby, feel less energetic, and become weaker. And this atrophy speeds up the older you get. So while you might not notice many deleterious effects of being inactive in your 20s, by the time you’re in your 50s or 60s it will make all the difference in how you look and feel. Want to be a 50-year-old who looks like an old fogey? Just continue not to exercise (and while you’re at it, eat badly, too). Or do you want to be one of those vibrant, active, inspirational 50-, 60-, or even 70-somethings? Well, you know what you need to do.

The question remains: How in the heck do you motivate yourself? There is no one perfect approach, you may need to have an arsenal of make-yourself-workout tactics to pull out when appropriate. Here are some ideas:

1. Give it 10 minutes.

This approach is surprisingly effective. If you can simply lace up your trainers and get out the door, that’s 90 percent of the battle. Chances are you’ll get into the groove once you get started. Very few people quit once they are actually moving, but lots of folks never even make it to a genuine workout moment, despite their best intentions.

So, if you need to bribe yourself by committing to a mere 10 minutes only of walking or hopping on the cardio machine, then do that. Chances are, once you’re moving, you’ll keep on and extend the workout. But even if you did stop cold at 10 minutes, you will have still achieved something—climbed out of your rut. Plus, even a daily 10 minutes adds up to more than an hour a week of exercise that you might have otherwise missed.

2. Repeat the reasons why you want to work out like a mantra.

Are you hoping to look better for a holiday or wedding? Or do you want to look in the mirror and feel better about what you see? Do you want to have more energy to play with your kids or grandkids? Whatever it is that you know you can get from regular exercise, you need to wield that expectation like a weapon to bat away your urge to plop on the couch. Visualise what it is you want and how you will feel. Let that vision push you out the door, or onto an exercise machine.

3. Find an activity you like or a way to enjoy something you don’t.

Yes, it’s true: Cardio machines are boring as hell. But that’s what iPods and TVs are for. Cardio machines are tedious, but they are also a tool, and if you re-jig your perspective you might appreciate the multi-tasking ability you can take advantage of. For example, if you want to learn a language, load your iPod with some French or Spanish lessons and commit to listening three times a week while walking on the treadmill. Or, rather than laze on the sofa and read, load up an iBook and listen as you sweat. If you are a movie fan or a political news junkie, what better way to waste all those viewing hours than by pedalling your way through them?

But gym machines are far from your only option.

Group fitness classes are designed to motivate you. That’s what an instructor is for. So promise yourself to try every single type of class on the schedule of your local club until you hit upon one that makes you want to go back. It could be sports conditioning or tap dance or step aerobics or Spinning.

Better still commit to attending two different classes of each type, taught by different instructors. Some teachers have a personality that will inspire you. And some teachers have such excellent teaching skills that they can present an aerobics routine in a way that has you empowered and actually doing the moves, rather than tripping your way through them. (By the way, if you feel like a klutz in a class, that’s the sign of a bad teacher; one who’s showing off their own moves, but not bothering to break them down into achievable steps that can be performed by non-pros.)

The gym might not even be your scene. Check out parks for group sports lessons like tennis or basketball. Or check out dance and/or martial arts studios. Somewhere there's bound to be an activity that clicks for you. So there’s no excuse!

Q. Could stress be ruining your skin?

emma.harrowing@archant.co.uk — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:09:00 GMT

Louise says: Fast paced lives, social commitments; carving out a career, having a family, marriage and friends gives us all an element of stress in our lives to one degree or another.

Many clients that I see that have a skin issue can recollect a stressful stage in their lives.

The problem comes when we constantly subject our bodies to stress rather than reserving it for when we need it to help us to run away from a scary situation or get us through a job interview.

Ongoing stress leads to these useful chemicals, at times like these, being released all of the time giving rise to stress hormones that start to manifest themselves on the outside.

Part of my philosophy as a skin therapist is treating the skin from the inside out and this doesn’t just mean looking at your diet, it can be helping with stress management too.

So what can we see occurring on the skin when stress is the underlying cause?

One client came to me after a sudden outbreak of spots along her jaw line and neck.

She couldn’t understand why this problem had started as she had never suffered in the past.

After the initial in depth consultation and analysis it became apparent that a relationship breakdown, new job and house move was enough to send Cortisol (a stress hormone) coursing through her body.

This resulted in a rise in oil production and inflammation hence her ‘Stress acne’.

After a course of treatments, which in them selves helped to de stress, some homecare adjustments and some lifestyle advice we started to win the battle and kept things under control. The problem completely subsided as the stress became more manageable.

It’s also this same stress hormone that can cause premature ageing since the inflammation caused as a result will contribute towards lines and wrinkles coupled with the fact we are more likely to reach for a cigarette or G and T to help us to relax. So in fact we increase the stress levels even more by stimulating the release of these hormones.

It’s a vicious circle.

Stress might be difficult to wipe out of your life but it can be wiped from your face.

To help with your stress related skin issues book in with Louise for her ‘U and your skin’ facial. Call 07810 872 633 or email: enquiries@u-treatments.co.uk

Ask Louise a question by signing up to the Evening News Forum and posting your question below.

Good credit, bad credit

emma.harrowing@archant.co.uk — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 07:53:00 GMT

A question I have to ask when I see clients for the first time is ‘Have you had bad credit, such as late payments, county court judgements or even bankruptcy?’

With the type of market we are in at the moment having bad credit makes getting a mortgage or any type of credit difficult to obtain.

It’s often not a bad as you think late payments or missed payments can be a problem, but if they’re not recent transactions and you’ve demonstrated a good record for a good period of time, then you should find that you’ll be ok.

If you’re really concerned with your credit record its worth going on line to a credit agency such as Experian or Equifax to obtain your credit report. This will let you know how good your credit is and all your transactions. It can also show you where you’ve defaulted on payments.

If you’ve had instances where you haven’t had the funds to pay your direct debits because your not sure when they’re due to come out, it’s probably best to have all your direct debits coming out a day or so after your paid so that you know that your bills a re paid and what is left is yours. This way you don’t spend the money due for your bills and in turn default on paying the bills. Once you start to get a good record of paying on time you’ll start to see your credit rating improve.

One last thing, when applying for a mortgage it’s best to see somebody who will look at the whole of the mortgage market.

I look at all the lenders and find the right one for you, which means I only carry out one credit check or agreement in principle as they like to call it.

If you go to several lenders and have a credit check done at every bank or building society then it could have an adverse effect on your credit. This is because it looks like your applying for lots of credit in a short space of time. Due to the data protection act the lenders won’t be able to see if you have been agreed or declined and after a few checks will decide that their must be a problem or you wouldn’t be applying for so much credit in such a short space of time.

Be careful that you don’t have too many agreements in principles as it could be detrimental to you in the long run.

ian.minns@imyourfa.co.uk - 07810 872634 Please feel free to email or call me with any financial questions you have. I do not charge a fee for my advice and it is strictly confidential

Ask Ian a money related question by signing up to the Evening News forum and post your question below.

“Dear Charles, I have several tones in my skin which makes my complexion appear uneven, what’s the best way to resolve this to create a more even and flawless finish?”

emma.harrowing@archant.co.uk — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 07:51:00 GMT

Charles says: It can be frustrating if you feel particularly self conscious about having an un-even skin tone, especially when you want to go lightweight for the summer-time with a tinted moisturiser!

Pick the tone in your skin that you prefer and also the one that is most similar to your neck colour, remember to keep it natural, as a foundation that is too dark will look makeup’y and unnatural.

A foundation that is slightly too light can always be warmed up with a bronzer. Choose a foundation that has a buildable coverage to it, so you’re not creating a mask effect. Using a foundation brush apply an even coverage all over the face creating a natural base, then start to build where the skin appears uneven (Whether it appears lighter or darker), build the coverage with your foundation brush and then apply a concealer stick which has a full coverage on to the desired area. If this doesn’t completely cover, stand back, look in the mirror and see how comfortable you feel. If you still feel uncomfortable apply a face powder to hold your makeup in place and set the foundation, now you can apply concealer over the top of your foundation and powder where you need it and then apply the powder again. You can keep doing so until you get the desired coverage but make sure that it blends well.

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