Keeping it slim in winter

Winter is the time many of us are sluggish about getting out and exercising but I'm proud to say I have faithfully resumed my hot yoga. But keeping the winter weight off is more than just exercising, it's also about watching what you eat and I mean this most literally. The choices we make about which foods will spend a moment on our lips but remain forever on the hips is so absolutely important.

Running late on Thursday the first day back o school I left home without my faithful morning smoothie made in my vitamix blender. Not wanting to risk a migraine from not eating on time, I headed to a nearby Sainsbury's cafe after dropping off the kids. As I studied the menu board I realised that the calorie intake was listed next to each meal which was so very helpful as I ended up having a cup of tea and a slice of toast.

It's amazing how when you see that a sausage sandwich is 600+ calories and a slice of toast with butter about 120 calories that you are able to make your mind up quickly. We can always hide our weight under this stunning cowl neck dress by Jaeger which has been reduced to clear by the way and which I'm so getting. But you know when I'm strutting my stuff in this dress if I'm also feeling good about myself I think I will look even more dynamite. click here for other reduced to clear special offers. 

Get in shape for winter

Everyone talks about getting in shape for summer. But I've decided to get in shape for winter and have been experimenting with various keep fit options. Yes believe it or not I'm going to be watching what I eat, Christmas day excluded of course, but I need an exercise regime to keep me going.

So far I've tried good "ole" aerobics or old school aerobics as it is called on the gym brochure but after one class my body felt so traumatised that I'm daunted at the prospect of having to do aerobics to keep fit. After my last aerobic encounter, my knee was swollen for a week which just made me realise that I'm simply not 25 anymore. I also tried the very popular zumba which I found to be too random for my liking. But to be fair I'm sure different instructors offer varied routines so it is a matter of finding an instructor whose style you like.

So I went right back to hot yoga which a my friend Sally introduced me to a year ago, but which I had given up for a while. Each time I mention hot yoga my friends are always intrigued as it sounds exotic and spicy but hot yoga is simply practising yoga in a very hot room which increases your heart rate, flexibility and as you can imagine builds up quite a sweat which is great for releasing toxins from your body. You leave hot yoga completely drenched in sweat, underwear included, to the extent where you literally have to peel your yoga wear off at the end of class.

Part of getting in shape always include healthy eating so I'm thankful for my recently purchased vitamix blender which makes the most amazing smoothies and soups with no mess and no fuss.  Click here to read all about the vitamix blender.

Where can you find hot yoga classes? The only place I know offering hot yoga at the moment is yoga haven which have branches in Birmingham, London and Brighton.  So wish me luck in keeping my end of year resolution as I'm no good at making and sticking to new year resolutions. 

My new vitamix blender

I waited absolutely ages to get myself a new blender after I apparently "smoothied" my last blender out by overloading it with too much frozen fruit. In fact I had 2 blenders neither of which could cope with my smoothie making. In one blender the blades went flying while The spinning mechanism on the other blender simply broke. No chance of that happening with my new vitamix blender which I got from John Lewis.

My friend Sally kept raving about this new blender she bought that could make smoothies, soups, ice cream, sorbets, iced cappuccino, can crush ice, blend bread dough, ground rice and corn to flour. Amazing I thought but when she told me the price I told myself a regular kenwood blender would do just as fine. But since I was still intrigued I did a little more internet research and found this helpful demonstration.

After watching this video clip of vitamix in action I was certainly convinced. The hard part was persuading my husband for as you can imagine it was not cheap to buy. My husband thought I was having a laugh when I told him the price until I dragged him down to a John Lewis a couple of Sunday's ago where vitamix staff was on hand doing a live demo.

The demo is even more exciting up close and personal especially since we were able to sample smoothies, soups, iced cappuccino. At the end of it all, Hooray!!!! my mission was successfully complete, he was convinced and I had my vitamix machine.

 I wasted no time in resuming my daily smoothie making and can effortlessly make myself soups for lunch and grind my curry seasoning. I am yet to get started on the ice cream making but I know I am going to have lots of fun with this machine that is simply more than a blender. With a 7 year guarantee on this product I have absolute peace of mind that I will have and use my vitamix blender for years to come.