wow... it's the 28th of January 2007 and its taken me this long to get around to posting on this blog...
To recap... I left London on 18th December to start a new life in Cardiff. My phone line installation was booked for 14th December... in the event, it didn't happen until the 16th JANUARY!! Anyway, I'm back online and my new life is proving to be everything I'd hoped for...
I've already made some new friends and am managing to get out into the beautiful countryside at least once a week. I'm going to post some pics over the coming weeks, but for now here are 2 views from my window: (click on the images to enlarge)
This first one was taken from the living room end of my balcony just before Christmas - it was a glorious day and this view never ceases to soothe and inspire me.
This second one was taken a few days ago from the office end of my balcony - it was early evening and the setting sun (out of view) was casting the most surreal light on the St Davids Spa building in the centre of the shot.
I don't know about you, but years ago, when I used to read the glossies, and before I got into the 'Laws of the Universe', I'd look at the pictures of celebs with their perfect bodies and think, "Well, it's alright for them. If I had their kind of money and lifestyle, I'd have a personal Nutritionist and a personal chef and a personal trainer and I'd look great too!"
These days, I'm blessed to have Lucy-Ann Prideaux MSc BSc RNutr (pictured left) as a close friend and business partner (www.YeartoSlim.com). Lucy-Ann is not only a registered Nutritionist but also has a Masters degree in Human Nutrition, as well as a 1st class BSc degree in Sports Science - so I've kinda lucked out there! If you wanted a 45 minute telephone consultation with Lucy-Ann, you'd be looking at an investment of £49 which is very competitive. The fee for her full Dietary and Lifestyle Analysis is £150 - again great value.
Why am I telling you all this? Because I received a mailing from her today announcing a fantastic new membership club she's just launched - the Simply Nutrition Vitality Network - which offers such ridiculous value for money that I immediately messaged her to ask if she'd left
Yup - it's official I am certified! Yeah, yeah, I know I'm walking right into all those jokes about - gosh - that should have happened a long time ago etc. but I'm not talking about my mental health - I'm talking about being a certified NLP Practitioner, of course!
I first came across NLP when I was 22 and training as a TEFL teacher. It wasn't until a few years later that I actually learnt everything that I now discover makes up the Practitioner level training. So I've been using it now for over 14 years - much of it subconsciously. I now know what I know which is great - and more importantly I have proof of what I know in the form of a certificate co-signed by Judith Lowe and Robert Dilts. But boy did the course take it out of me!
since I last blogged here. It's been a funny time, like a pregnancy (I imagine). Waiting, unable to move forward too quickly, a bit stuck really. But now I can feel the energy changing and it feels like a new beginning...
My Grandma has been pretty ill for the last 6 months now. I saw her at Christmas and was shocked to see her finally looking her 94 years. Sadly she found talking on the phone too tiring too, so our phone calls stopped in January too. My parents, pensioners themselves now, were also struggling to care for her and so they, and her wonderful doctor, persuaded her that the time had come to go into a care home.
She moved in to a lovely room at Brooklands in the next village to my parents a few weeks ago. I sent her a card and told her I loved her and booked a ticket to go up and visit last weekend. But sadly, 2 days before I got there, she decided to go on her own journey; Gwyneth Esther Maud Clayton (formerly Raikes, nee Smith) passed away peacefully in her bed at 6.45 am on Wednesday 15th March a month before her 94th birthday.
Today, Lucy-Ann and I have soft-launched our first product in the YeartoSlim empire(!) - the eProgram. It's late now, so I'm not going to say much other than if you are sick of the yo-yo effect of dieting but long to be slimmer and fitter and healthier, this natural weight loss program is for you.
Walking round the supermarket the other day, I had to make a concious effort to resist all the lovely treats that are in stock ready for Christmas. Even though I will be indulging, it'll be limited to the week I'm at my parents and I won't be going overboard.
Whatever your faith, the coming weeks throw up a host of wellbeing challenges. Parties, feasting and family gatherings can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, huge fun and a lot of laughter; on the other, indigestion, fatigue, weight gain, sickness and stress!
As a holiday gift to all my blog and newsletter readers, I want to host a special teleclass; I'd like to bring together a panel of experts to create a kind of Question Time format where you submit the questions and each of our expert guests has a chance to answer them as well as offering survival strategies and top tips for enjoying a happy, healthy holiday. To ensure I get the right people on board to make your gift as useful as possible, please take 45 seconds to click through this link and answer the question you'll find there.
Club Essence is an online discussion group powered by Smartgroups.com which offers you motivation and inspiration through sharing your successes, strategies, recipes, ideas - and challenges - with like-minded people. Whether you are interested in diets and weight loss or other health matters, 'Club Essence' could make all the difference to your success.
I am absolutely gutted! Next weekend is the Fresh Festival and I can't go. This is bad for two reasons,
1. because (well over 6 months ago) I promised to help out one of the speakers and exhibitors there and 2. because it will be an amazing event.
On top of that, the organiser, Karen Knowler, has just very generously invited me and Judith to attend for free! I want to cry. :o(
I went last year and it was fantastic. For entirely unexpected reasons. I have to confess I was slightly concerned that a raw food festival would be full of people wearing sandals and kaftans and that the food on offer would be little more than celery and carrot sticks (nice, but hardly worth travelling across the country for). How wrong was I? Firstly the people were totally normal (whatever that is). I'm not saying there wasn't a kaftan or sandal in sight, but they were few and far between, and the food... well, it was out of this world. Really! Utterly mind blowing. Raw cuisine has to eaten to be believed.
I was new to raw food and I learnt so much in those 3 days from the brilliant and varied speakers. Karen Knowler received huge applause at the closing ceremony and it was so obviously a sincere thank you from the attendees. I did Robbins's UPW 13 years ago - I don't remember feeling as deeply motivated and touched as I was after the Fresh Festival.
"Taking place from Friday 28th October to Sunday 30th at Rookery Manor in England's Somerset this event is a 3-day extravaganza of all things raw organised by the UK's raw and living foods organisation, The Fresh Network. There’ll be back-to-back presentations by some of the world’s leading raw food authorities and catering throughout by Master Raw Food Chef, Chad Sarno.
Highlights: Smoothie Making Competition on Friday evening; the all raw gala dinner on Saturday and the expert panel on Sunday afternoon.
NB: This is an all-indoor event in a first-rate venue. Passes are available for 1, 2 and 3 days.
HELP US MAKE THIS THE BEST RAW FOOD EVENT EVER ... PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO ANYONE THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED, THANK YOU!
Comments from those who attended the 2004 Festival:
"Complete 'raw foodie', 'average healthy eater', or 'junk food fan' the Fresh Network festival is bound to impress. The food was amazing, the speakers truly inspiring and the location simply breathtaking. I went with a cold and after a weekend of fantastic healthy food, left with a spring in my step and an amazing renewed enthusiasm for life... it's more than just food, it's about living rather than just existing... be inspired!" - Kirsty, Gloucs, UK
"A fantastic line-up of excellent speakers with an incredible depth of knowledge, combined with "clockwork" organisation and the opportunity to partake in the best food on the planet. Combine this with a wonderful venue, great entertainment and friendly people and you have every ingredient for the best weekend break ever. Thank you!" - Max & Stewart, Hants
"Spectacular scenery, sensational speakers, superb food and arrangements! What a festival - I thoroughly enjoyed it. Many thanks to you all." - Joyce, Notts
"… absolutely awesome. A fantastic line-up of speakers, *8* back-to-back events per day for 3 whole days, meticulously organised and run like clockwork; really and truly an experience for all levels. The food was stunning, the venue perfect as always. By the end many of us had lumps in our throats because of the enormity and significance of the event itself, and also of things that had been said by various speakers...superb value for money. The flyer was right - not to be missed! THANK YOU!!! I'm still on a high even after the long drive home last night." - Sara, Cheshire
"Excellent in every way, really really enjoyed it, wow. A total experience!" - Alan, Yorkshire
"Many many thanks for a wonderful weekend - you surpassed yourselves..." - Alwynne, Cheshire
Well, my body may have left Turkey, but my mind and spirit are having trouble letting go! I spent most of yesterday in a sarong - trying to somehow prolong the holiday lifestyle - 'though even with all the lights on and the heating turned right up, the experience fell rather short of that of the last 10 days.
It usually takes me about 5-10 days to get back into the swing of things after a break in my routine - which I think is far too long. I had thought it might be quicker this time though, since as I flew back, I noticed that my sadness at leaving the people, the sunshine, the mountains, the sea etc was being replaced with excitement about getting stuck into various projects upon my return.
Well, I guess it is only the third day and I have pretty much attended to all my emails so perhaps I'm not doing too badly. My father will no doubt be emailing the holiday pics so I shall post some up here in the next few days. Watch this space.
This first one was taken from the living room end of my balcony just before Christmas - it was a glorious day and this view never ceases to soothe and inspire me. 
Recent Comments