Category Archives: Life & Style

Time To Give Up Sugar? Mentor Me Off Sugar Days 22 & 23

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get off sugar, no sugar diet, should i give up sugar, is sugar bad for you, the white stuff, is sugar evil,So I am on the last week and I am also allowed fruit and dark chocolate now. This past three weeks I have noticed differences to my health and I am now aware at just how much sugar I was putting into my body. Answer: lots. Food companies seem to put sugar in everything. I even got sent water which had 12g of sugar added. Yes, a bottle of water that was 14% sugar. What is that about?

Bananas are 50% sugar, Sauces are full of sugar and so is white bread and pasta. In fact our recommended daily allowance of 50g of sugar a day (for a woman, here is the NHS guidelines on sugar, which should never account for more than 10% of your calorie intake) can be wiped out by eating two things. This is ridiculous, no wonder so many people have diabetes.

The past two days I have had my main meal in restaurants. I have listened to what Laura recommended when eating out. I had chicken on Monday with sauteed potatoes and insalata tricolore to start. On Tuesday I have crab cakes and then a burger. I don’t have any coke even though I want to. I have cocktails as I have to review them (I know, hard life) but I try ones with no obvious sugar, or added sugar.

I haven’t been having tea with sugar bit did yesterday as I had such a bad headache it was debilitating. Going forward, I am going to try and not take any sugar in my tea but this will be a hard and gradual thing. I also hate it when people have a go at me when I take sugar in my tea. The funny thing is that it is tied up in my identity. One friend calls me the only actress in London who takes sugar in their tea. I have always seen this as a huge compliment. Especially against body and health fascists. The truth is I drink a lot of tea, and the sugar adds up. So even getting down to one sugar would be an achievement.

The main thing I have noticed about the programme, other than the weight loss, is that I no longer have those blood sugar crashes. I didn’t think sugar or caffeine affected me, but, actually, it does. I am sleeping better and have a much steadier energy than the highs and lows of before.

One of the great snacks I have been having is egg in a cup. Try it as it tastes amazing and is very healthy.

I am feeling happy and positive. I never thought I would get this far or do this well. I haven’t been perfect but I have done my best and reaped the benefits.

What do you think? Will you cut out sugar?

 

Boris Johnson To Write Romance Novel?

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Currently the Mayor of London, famous for his blonde bouffant, Eton-education and the self-titled bike scheme, who has encouraged thousands of Londoners to cycle across the capital, has set his eyes on even greater success. Not content with having won two mayoral elections, Mr Johnson has set his sights on the world of literature – and more specifically the genre of romance.

Boris Johnson romance book cover.

Apparently haven spoken at the Melbourne Writers Festival, Mr Johnson said that when he leaves politics he wants to write a “genuinely brilliant rip-roaring airport book. It would be fair to say there is virtually no genre that I have not tried. Romantic fiction, that could be next.”

 

With that in mind, romance giant Mills & Boon have mock up what they imagined Boris Johnson’s debut novel might look like. Gazing into the distance, Boris is seen atop one of his bikes, with the victorious London Eye standing proudly in the background. We think it is hilarious.

Bermondsey Square | London Gems

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Bermondsey SquareI completely forgot about this wonderful part of London until I stumbled upon it last week. It is tucked away, but upon finding it there is plenty to entertain yourself with; an independent cinema; Shortwave, a hotel; The Bermondsey Square Hotel, the restaurant of Masterchef presenter Greg Wallace: Greg’s Bar & Grill, a Sainsbury’s Local and even a ping pong table.

Bermondsey Square has a lot going for it. Even if you are feeling poor and just want to watch the world go by you can buy a snack from Sainsbury’s and sit down on one of the benches.

Last week there was music coming from Shortwave and a thriving night life. The cinema is also a bar with seats outside. People enjoyed themselves and there were people playing ping pong. People with suitcases walked past on their way to The Bermondsey Square Hotel. Bermondsey Square was voted South London’s coolest quarter in Vogue’s annual Secret Address Book. Vogue are bang on. This is a London Gem.

Perfect for: Eating, fun, drinking, ping pong, watching a film, people watching, staying at the hotel…like I said, for such a small square, it certainly packs a punch.

Time To Give Up Sugar? Mentor Me Off Sugar Day 20 & 21

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So this diet has broadened my horizons. Sure I might be a bit sick of bread and gasping for tea with sugar and a lemonade in the sun but I am looking at the positives.

I am eating a lot of eggs and even made my first omelette. My fiancée used the yolks for something else so it was an egg-white omelette. It was okay for a first attempt and tasted much better than it looked.

Another great meal was prawns, tomato, peas and mushrooms in a homemade garlic sauce. I may be eating great food but finding stuff to drink is harder. I have been drinking a lot more alcohol than I usually do because I find the constant herbal tea and water boring. It is just a drink every other day but I doubt it is good for me, as I usually hardly ever drink.

I am still slimmer even though I am hungry all the time and eating more. I am sleeping better, the headaches are less and I have more energy. The detox has been hard but worth it.

Going forward I will not be giving up sugar completely, but I will be eating less and looking at labels. This diet will have long term benefits for my health and it was definitely worth doing.

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The Night Rainbow by Claire King | Book Review

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the-night-rainbow book reviewBooks written from a child’s point of view can go horribly wrong. The innocent, yet wise, thoughts of a child can be hard to capture. Which is why The Night Rainbow is such a good book. It captures not only the world of a child, but also the world of adults and how they affect those who are too young to understand.

This hauntingly beautiful novel is set in France, five-year-old Pea and her little sister Margot play alone in the meadow behind their house, on the edge of a small village in Southern France. Her mother is too sad to take care of them; she left her happiness in the hospital, along with the baby. Pea’s father has died in an accident and Maman, burdened by her double grief and isolated from the village by her Englishness, has retreated to a place where Pea cannot reach her – although she tries desperately to do so.

Then Pea meets Claude, a man who seems to love the meadow as she does and who always has time to play. Pea believes that she and Margot have found a friend, and maybe even a new papa. But why do the villagers view Claude with suspicion? And what secret is he keeping in his strange, empty house?

The Night Rainbow is one of those great, rare novels that really capture life, humans and emotions. It also shows up the flaws of adults, how they can jump to conclusions and not be there for each other, and how they can let their own grief and problems stop them looking after children. The novel also encapsulates grief perfectly.

This is the first novel from Claire King and lets hope it is not her first. Even her descriptions of food and insects are touching and wonderful. This is a spectacular first novel and one you won’t be able to put down.

The Night Rainbow

Kate Moss Encased In Bronze For Pop Magazine

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Kate Moss has knocked all of the pretenders to the throne clean away with her latest photo shoot: encased in bronze for Pop Magazine.

Whatever you think of Moss, it is impressive that she has managed to have a two-decade plus career in the fickle industry of fashion.

The 39-year-old is on the cover of the Autumn/Winter Pop Magazine, the biannual British fashion magazine. The bronze bodysuit was created by artist Allen Jones.

What do you think? Is Moss an icon?

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Time To Give Up Sugar? Mentor Me Off Sugar Day 18 & 19

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get off sugar, no sugar diet, should i give up sugar, is sugar bad for you, the white stuff, is sugar evil,This programme is hard, but with all hard things, the pay off is always worth it. I can now taste the sweetness in things I would never have before. I am slimmer, going from an 8-10 to an 8. And that is without any exercise as I haven’t had any time to do so. I have also been eating more than before, just healthier stuff with no sugar.

What I do find hard is snacking. I am so busy and I feel unable to just grab something. I know this is actually not true and Laura has given me some great suggestions, but the inability to just grab a biscuit or some fruit is very annoying. The no sugar programme is time consuming but when it comes to your health all the time you put in will pay off later. We abuse our bodies too much and take them for granted. We only have one and when it goes, you die. Puts it into perspective, doesn’t it?

I miss drinking tea all day and I see stuff all the time I want to eat but the benefits keep me going. I am glad I embarked on this programme.

Laura send me some great articles that I want to share with you.

Sugar is causing major health problems in today’s society, The sooner we take responsibility for our own health the better for us and the country as a whole. If we all eat healthily it would ease the strain on the NHS.

I know when I am finding the diet restrictive I am just not using my imagination. I have 9 more days to go and I decide to become more imaginative. I have been eating a lot of wholemeal bread, cheese, meat and vegetables. I have also been drinking a lot of herbal tea and water. The herbal tea is more enjoyable than it was but it still does not compare to normal tea. Sometimes I think that healthy things taste horrible and unhealthy things taste great, but I know it is not true. I love kale chips and have also been eating a lot of parsnips and carrots. I even spent four hours baking a pie and have not had any white pasta.

I have not weighed myself as I am always heavier than I look- friends are surprised when I tell them how much I weigh, I flatter myself by pretending it must be muscle which weighs four times more than fat- but my measurements are lower. All-in all: I am happy.

Happy Sugar Habits.

 

New Exhibition The Art Underarm at The Gallery, The Hospital Club

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British interdisciplinary artist, Isamaya Ffrench unveiled a beautiful collection of art titled “The Art Underarm” at The Gallery in The Hospital Club. All of the pieces were created using a canvas of women’s underarms.

photo(6) The Art Underarm Isamaya Ffrench. Art photo(7)

The artworks celebrate a part of the body that is usually hidden away. A model posed on a chaise lounge with a beautiful piece of artwork on her underarm. We drank white wine and enjoyed the art.

The one-day exhibition was curated with Vaseline Deodrant to celebrate the female form. Each piece was inspired by one of the products in Vaseline’s new range which include; Derma Beauty, Double Invisible, Aloe Fresh and Active Fresh. All are priced at £1.86 and available from Boots and other retailers nationwide.

The Gallery at the Hospital Club

24 Endell Street

London

WC2H 9HQ