You Don’t Have to Love Your Body, Just Don’t Hate it.

pregnant, woman, pregnant woman, Catherine Balavage

Me when I was pregnant with my son.

It is fair to say that at some point most of us have had a complicated relationship with our body. Women in particular get a rough ride. The media constantly tells us we are not tall enough, thin enough or tanned enough. Yes, the body positive movement has happened, but it is being sold to us by the same people who made us feel crap about our bodies for decades, and do not get me started on how their tagline is usually about ‘real’ women. It is so condescending. There are no fake women. Airbrushing women within an inch of their lives, while those women were already over five foot ten and a size eight, does not make these women an ideal that ‘real’ women no longer have to aspire to because you are woke now.

The beauty industry is still trying to sell us cellulite creams. In 2019 I was still seeing articles on how to get rid of cellulite. It is truly shocking. Babies have cellulite, children have cellulite, even men have cellulite, but for some reason only women are told that it is somehow not normal and we have to spend our time and energy getting rid of it. God forbid we work on our brains instead of our thighs.

P.S: dimples are cute.

Yes, I rant a bit but I have my reasons. As a teenager I thought my body looked awful. All I saw was flaws. Now I am in my thirties and I think it truly is amazing. There are parts I am not keen on, the bits of fat that accumulate around my C section scar and are hard to shift, for example, but I refuse to hate it. My body has made two beautiful children and been through two very different births: one emergency C section and one VBAC. It has been pregnant four times but only has two children and it has endured two traumatic surgeries.

The last few years I have been the fittest I have ever been in between my pregnancies. I am at my lowest weight in ten years and I am proud when I manage to make healthy choices, and gentle on myself when I do not. It makes me sad when I think about how long it took me to love my body on my good days, and not hate it on my bad ones. When I was a teenager I was ill with glandular fever. I was bedridden for years and it took a lot of time to get healthy again. My education was affected and it is only now I am managing to find the time to rectify that. You would think it that was an important lesson but I spent my twenties working fourteen hour days, going to parties and over-exercising. Turns out you can not exist on canapés and champagne alone. My main food groups were pasta and cereal. It is embarrassing to think about now that I try to make sure I have at least five-a-day and that I do not exert my body to much.

What I am trying to say is that your body is amazing. YOU are amazing, and while you do not have to love every part of your body, do not hate it. It is a miracle.

Caudalie Contouring Concentrate Review

caudalie

My first thought of Caudalie Contouring Concentrate is that it smells of ginger. My nose is off however, it’s lemongrass. We got sent Caudalie Contouring Concentrate to review for our pregnancy section, we want to review products that stop, reduce or get rid of stretch marks. The packaging says that this preservative-free 100% plant-based dry body oil firms and smooths skin. It also gives it a slight sheen. Apparently, it can take 1.5 inches off your thighs if you follow the contouring regime.

This 100-percent natural body treatment promotes natural drainage. It doesn’t have any of the following:

– Parabens
– Sulfates 
– Phthalates

What it does have:

-Grape Seed Oil: Moisturizing.
-Essential Oils of Juniper Berries, Geranium, and Rosemary: Toning.
-Essential Oil of Lemon and Lemongrass: Draining.
-Essential Oil of Cypress: Stimulates Circulation.

 

Caudalie Contouring Concentrate is impressive. It leaves skin looking better and firmer. There is a definite difference in the skins appearance. It also smells great. While we can’t say that you will lose inches, your skin will look more toned and even. It is also a 100% natural product so nothing toxic is going into the skin. That combined with the visible difference it makes to the skin makes this body oil impressive indeed.

You can buy Caudalie Contouring Concentrate from Selfridges.com

 

 

 

Five Pair of Zaggora Hotpants To Give-Away!

Frost Magazine has teamed up with the Zagorra to give-away five pairs of Zaggora Hotpants! Frost’s editor, Catherine, recently tried them and they work. All you have to do is subscribe to the Frost Magazine newsletter or follow @Frostmag on twitter and tweet ‘I want Zaggora Hotpants @Frostmag’. Good luck!

In preparation for sun, sand and sea, Zaggora announces the launch of its colourful new Viva Hotpants which accentuate the body and help it to burn more calories, with weight loss 4 x greater* when worn during exercise.

The new range will help you create a slimmer body so you can enjoy reaching the beach and exposing yourself with confidence.

In July 2011, Zaggora launched Hotpants to the world with huge success – to date selling over 400,000 pairs. The concept is focused on harnessing body heat which stimulates calorie burning and helps to reduce cellulite. Zaggora has now expanded its range of technology-advanced active wear to give workouts in Summer 2012 more punch.

The new Viva Hotpants include five, new and bright colour leggings with contrasting seams ending just below the knee. Viva’s new cut have a curved seam construction that is narrower at the back, widens around the bottom and then narrows in on the thighs to accentuate the body shape, slim the thighs and create a flattering silhouette.

Like the original Hotpants and the rest of the Zaggora range, Viva Hotpants target the thighs, stomach and bottom with the ability for women to lose 2 jean sizes in 2 weeks, as reported by thousands of women at www.facebook.com/zaggora

Dessi Bell, Founder of Zaggora and the brain behind the product’s advanced technology, comments

“We’re so excited to launch this limited edition colourful range. Viva Hotpants are brighter and better than our original, with a more comfortable fit but just as effective at reducing cellulite and waist inches. It’s going to be a Viva summer!”

How Zaggora products work:

By increasing perspiration during workouts, Viva Hotpants follow the same concept as Hotpants, helping you get more out of your time and effort, burning more calories and creating smoother legs. They were made to fit into every woman’s lifestyle no matter how busy you are and can be worn whilst at the gym, on your lunch run or at home.

 Scientific studies show Weight loss is FOUR TIMES GREATER in Hotpants

 Hotpants increase the energy expenditure during exercise

 Hotpants increase energy expenditure in the resting stage after exercise by 16%

 The core temperature in Hotpants increased by an average of 18% compared to the control

 Thermal sensation was significantly greater but safe in Hotpants

*Research from the Chelsea School of Sport at Brighton University

Deemed the celebrity’s ‘secret weapon’, loved by the likes of Tess Daly, The Saturdays, Holly Willoughby, Fearne Cotton, Holly Valance and many more, the super comfortable ‘magic pants’ have become an essential ‘must-have’ accessory for every woman.

The new products were officially available for pre-order to the Zaggora Facebook community of over 218,000 fans on Thursday 3rd May. Available to pre-order purchase from www.zaggora.com on the 3rd May, price £50.00.

How Does Zaggora work?

All Zaggora products are specially designed with Celu‐Lite™ technology which increases core body temperature while being active leading to increase in calorific expenditure during and after working out as well as short term weight loss immediately following working out. The Celu-lite technology has specifically designed lining which insulates and increases heat generation during working out to deliver better results in the short and long term.

Does making you sweat mean you burn more calories?

What makes you burn more calories is the raised body temperature which is also the reason for the increased sweat generation. Zaggora’s advanced technology safely raises body temperature during physical exercise, making you sweat, which is a sign the body has to work harder and increases metabolic rate during and after exercise.

Zaggora products make you sweat – does this mean you are only losing water?

The short term weight loss immediately following your workout is water loss indeed. However, the fact that the metabolic rate goes up during and after exercise means that in the long term your body burns more calories which means you get real and long lasting results.

What underwear should you use with Zaggora products?

Personal preference is obviously key however as with any form of physical activity it is advised that you wear cotton underwear to help the skin breathe.

Can working out with Zaggora products cause de-hydration?

With any form of exercise it’s really important that you keep your body hydrated to restore moisture lost through perspiration. Due to the increase in body temperature and sweating whilst wearing Zaggora products it’s particularly important that you drink water in regular intervals before, during and after physical activity.

Do you have male products? Why not?

Unfortunately not at the moment, however we are in the process of developing a specific male Zaggora range. Currently Zaggora products are not suitable for men as the bodies core temperature is greatly increased during exercise while using Zaggora products (+0.93 degrees centigrade) compared to a standard garment ( +0.78) which means there is potential risk to the male genitals. Watch this space – male products will be coming soon.

Can Zaggora products cause bacteria from the heat?

Zaggora products promote good a detox for the body and increase your body temperature. If not used in an hygienic way however, they can cause a buildup in bacteria, so it’s important that you wash them as directed on the products care instructions after each use. If you are prone to yeast infections, we advise that you don’t wear Zaggora products for a long period of time.

When should I wear my Zaggora products?

Zaggora products were made to fit into every woman’s lifestyle no matter how busy they are and can be worn under your clothes at work, whilst at the gym or at home. There is also now a pair of nude HotPants so you can burn calories while wearing your favorite frock and no one will notice!

Can I sleep in my Zaggora products?

The best results from Zaggora products are achieved when doing physical activity therefore we wouldn’t recommend sleeping in your products as you wouldn’t notice a difference and we believe it is best to let your skin breathe through the night.

Zaggora Hotpants Review: Do They Work?

I have heard of leggings and tight with special technology that makes people slimmer or improves cellulite, but I have never heard of a product which claims it can do it that has such a following. Zaggora have over 250,000 likes on Facebookand have sold over 420,000 pairs of their ‘HotPants’

The Hotpants have Celu‐Lite™ technology which increases core body temperature while being active leading to increase in calorific expenditure during and after working out as well as short-term weight loss immediately following working out. The Celu-lite technology has specifically designed lining which insulates and increases heat generation during working out to deliver better results in the short and long-term.

So, that is the science over, but do they work?

I have been exercising to lose the last bit of extra weight I still had from Christmas (ahem) and there was just this bit from my stomach that would not budge. I tried everything; working out 6 days a week, not eating dessert, spanx, but it would not budge. Until the hotpant. I decided to do the two-week challenge, but to be honest, I did not need the other week.

All I did was exercising in them three times that week for one hour and wore them (underneath my clothes) for another day. I lost about 2 inches from my waist and an inch and a half from my hips. My legs are also slimmer. The little bit of annoying weight in my stomach has gone. The hotpants would also be amazing in winter: brilliant thermals!

I recommend these. I don’t know if you could just wear them and sit around the house, but as long as you exert yourself in them they definitely work. You can even wear them doing housework. They at least double the benefits of your workout.

Zaggoro Hotpants: Frost loves.

[Disclaimer: I received a free pair of hotpants to review]