My Remedies for Menopause Brain Fog

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A few year's ago (I was around 45 years old) I was getting seriously worried that my new inability to get through a sentence would completely derail my career development. Now, it happens rarely, lasts less time, and is easily navigated. 

So what's helped me?

Recent huge improvements in awareness of menopause and it's symptoms means that many more women are not just watching out for the traditional hot flushes.  For me, reading Davina McCall's Menopausing, and watching her documentaries on the subject were hugely eye-opening.  No-one had every warned me about 'any' of this stuff!  I became more acutely aware of  symptoms, one of which is generally called 'brain fog'.  

For me, it manifests less of a fog, and more of a void.  I lead a large team at work, and need to train others, lead others, and essentially talk a lot.  I had experienced occurrences of not being able to remember someone's name before, something that felt really normal.  But suddenly, I'd get half way through a sentence and need to refer to a 'table' for example, but, even though I was looking at the table I was talking about, my brain wouldn't give me the word 'table'.  It was like there was a sudden void in my thinking.  A pothole in the road of my thoughts, that the word simply fell through.  And I couldn't get it back fast enough for it to not be noticeable.  Not least because of the look of panic on my face!  Needless to say it was scary. 

This happened a few times, and I didn't, of course, really know whether it was menopause or something else.  I'd been on the pill for many years, and I don't have periods as a result, so I couldn't tell if my periods were altering.  I'd heard about brain fog, and wasn't sure if this is what this was. I had no other menopause symptoms.

So I went to see the doctor, got lucky with a fabulous locum who didn't appear remotely bothered about the usual 10 minute 'slot' you're supposed to keep your consultations to.  She asked me lots of questions, immediately did a base memory test, calmed my fears and suggested a few diet changes, and provided information and options for hormone replacement therapy if that was a route I wanted to go down.  

Now that my fears were calmed, I went away, did some reading, and started taking a specific multivitamin and botanical every day.  (various brands do them.  I've used Seven Seas and Boots own brand.. both as good)  I also started drinking Green tea. 

Very quickly I saw improvement.  But it was still happening a lot, and, after more research, I opted to start Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).  I've been using Estrogen gel every day for around 3 years, combined with the Mirena Coil, and I still take the multivitamins and botanicals. I drink green tea as a preference now, and find Soya milk additionally helps.  

All of these things combined, brought me back to my old self.  And it's definitely not just the HRT on it's own.  If I don't take the tablets, my kids notice... as I'm not quite as 'fast' in my thinking. 

For me, I'm convinced that the green tea and the botanicals tablet specifically are making a huge difference.  It's to do with their ingredients.  They have within them; Flaxseed lignans, green tea and soya beans, which (and I can't pretend to understand the science) appear to help manage estrogen levels in the body and/or mimic the effect of estrogen.  Either way, my brain works better with them, than without.  

You're groan at the next bit... Exercise helps massively.  It shouldn't be a surprise, but when I've not exercised for a few weeks (when I was injured, or ill), then the symptoms slowly worsen.  Not nearly as bad as they were before I started HRT, but they definitely creep back a little.

So my tips are:

• Green Tea  (There are so many flavours to try.  Find a couple and swop out your coffee.  I tend to have Mint Green Tea with breakfast, and one with Lemon and Ginger after my main meal as that also helps me feel less bloated)
• Soya milk (Great with cereal.  Not so good in a traditional cuppa - but you're on green tea now, so it doesn't matter!)
• Exercise (Don't try and pretend it doesn't make a difference to all kinds of health issues.  This is no exception!  Get moving.)
• Multivitamins and botanicals designed for Menopause.  In my experience very effective.
• HRT where appropriate.  See your doctor to discuss options and what's right for you.  This isn't right for everyone. 

How have you experienced menopause so far?  Going through it yourself?  Have friends or family that are?  What's helping? Any other advice?

  

Hitting 50 - my experience and indignance!

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This year I hit 50.  No, I haven't done everything on my mental bucket list.  No, I didn't suddenly put on a couple of stone; I'd already been working at that through my 40s!  No, I don't feel old.  Yes, I still think the 1980s were 20 years ago.

What I do feel, is indignant.  

Indignant that I suddenly got to 50, and the world is insisting on telling me I'm now on the downward slope.  My body is supposedly going to start falling apart, my brain failing.  I'll have less energy.  I'll need to exercise more just to keep my weight stable because my metabolism is going to have a strop.  Just when I feel more like a woman again, now that the kids are officially adults, my body is going to make feeling sexy much more difficult, with gravity affecting skin, boobs, you name it....

I've lost 7 lbs in 1 month. Want to know how?

Summary

This blog post is a summary of my journey over the last 7 weeks during which I have lost 10.5 pounds in weight.  It's an ongoing journey.  I hope it is at least helpful if you are trying to eat more healthily.  So settle in with a glass of water instead of a cup of tea (healthy choices start here), and a biscuit (instead of three).  It's a slightly longer post than usual - but I hope it's worth it.

For more tips to lose weight you can also check out my earlier post Get Fit and Lose Weight for Summer.

Streetdance: can you do it when you are approaching 40?

Last week I announced on Facebook and Twitter that I had signed up to attend a Streetdance class. There wasn't so much as a ripple in the Internet surf.

For some reason I expected more of a shocked response. My followers will be aware that I am fast approaching 40 years old. Admittedly I started dancing at 5 years old.  Disco, ballroom, ballet, tap, modern and Acro - this was the 70s in the Midlands, UK, and the dance was very Pop based.

But despite the fact that I love dancing and Streetdance is great fun. Despite the fact that I am feeling 20 years younger whilst doing this new class. Will I actually look stupid doing Streetdance? At what age does a Street dancer have to stop dancing else they look daft? Is there an age?  

The Olympic Meme

I think there's a fairly big event starting this Friday.  I can't be sure, but I'm almost certain I've seen the odd couple of adverts around.  A sporting event I think.  Could be wrong.

I'm not the sporting sort that will be glued to the television for the next two weeks taking in every heat of every event.  Not least because that would appear somewhat ironic.  I will enjoy watching some of it to enjoy the spectacle, to cheer on my country and because I won't have much choice in the matter if lovely husband has any say in the matter.  But I will spend most of the time doing what I usually do, living life, tackling the ironing pile, carving out two minutes to wash my hair and, of course, writing.

I have been tagged by Trouble Doubled to take part in the Olympic Meme.  My answers may or may not be similar to yours.  Either way; enjoy.  

1) If every day tasks were Olympic events what would you get a gold medal in?

Getting two wriggling girls up, dressed, fed, watered, teeth brushed, hair up, uniform on (and clean) to school, on time, with reading book read and dinner money cheque, permission slip for trip, spelling book, homework, show and tell submission, sunhat/raincoat, water bottle and PE kit all in appropriate bags, day after day after day after day.  That definitely deserves a medal.


2)   As a child (or now even) did you excel at a particular sport and if so which one?

Unlike Trouble Doubled I did not excel at sport at school.  I started dance classes at the age of 5 years old and was, and still am, a bit of a wimp when it comes to team sports that involve throwing and catching balls.

In fact I distinctly remember, in a tennis lesson on holiday in my twenties, being taught to actually watch the ball and realising with something of an epiphany, that I'd been closing my eyes at the crucial catch/hit moment for years.  Having children at school throw balls at my face that I couldn't catch didn't endear me to sport of any kind.  Of course, when I'd learnt to catch the ball and got over myself it was far far too late, and no one was going to throw the ball in my direction anyway, making it all fairly dull. 

I chose instead to became a very good daisy chain maker out on the Rounders field.

However, Trampolining was a 'sport' at my secondary school on the basis that you could choose it for PE options in the fifth year, and so I claim that it is indeed Trampolining that I excelled at.  I say excel; what I actually mean is 'didn't suck'.

 3)   Michael Phelps (swimmer) or Michael Johnson (runner) – which sport appeals to you more?



Probably running.  I've never been a strong swimmer and I have an unnatural urge to breathe in whilst under the water, making it difficult to swim properly without trying to drink the pool in the process.  Additionally it was swimming that aggravated a condition I had last year called Bornholms disease (Devils Grip) so I don't associate very well with it as a sport. 



I could run; but not for long.  I suspect 100m would have to be my sport simply because I couldn't keep going much longer than that. 

To get any kind of speed up I'd have to request they placed a double chocolate gateaux at the finish line!

4)   How fast can you get out of bed and ready to go out the door if miss the alarm and sleep in?

Depends if I need to get the girls ready too.  If we've all slept in, then I can do it in about 40 minutes including my shower, their teeth and a minimum fruit-based transportable eat-in-the-car breakfast, maybe less if I've prepped the night before.  In reality I need about 90 minutes from 6.45am until 8.15am, especially for impromptu turns of events.

5)   What fantasy sport would you like to see made into an Olympic event?

How about Smurf Vegetable Harvesting.  I am getting pretty good at that.  Along with catching a fish with a red box, hitting a post with a hammer precisely on cue, and mixing potions.  The IPad has a lot to answer for.

6)   Claim to fame time – Have you ever met an Olympian and who was it?

Errrr..... No.  Closest I've got was buying my car from the same dealership that Jessica Ennis bought hers (apparently)

7)   What event in past Olympics can you remember most vividly?

Is it really bad that I can't particularly remember any?  I remember the names; Seb Coe, Ben Johnson, Flo Jo, Eddie the Eagle....but couldn't tell you what year's they competed, nor exactly where they came.  I blame this on a severe lack of news watching as a child.  I used to go straight from school to dance class, probably 4 times a week, until 9pm, and any other time was taken up doing homework or watching Top of the Pops.  I wasn't particularly interested in it.  (shock horror!)

8) Tuning in at home? Not for me or tickets clamped ready in sweaty palms?

To be honest I'm still not a major fan of athletics or sport in general.  I enjoy it, but I don't stop my life to fit it in.  I'm a little uncomfortable with the cost of the Olympics bearing in mind the financial problems the country, finds itself in, but I'm hoping all the advantages will outweigh the costs.

I'm looking forward to the 100m men's final, purely because that it sporting prowess at it's most basic.  It's the one everyone can attempt from the moment you learn to run.  Who can run the fastest.  Pure and simple.

Other than that I will probably see whatever the rest of my family choose to watch on TV, and if they didn't, I probably wouldn't bother.  And before you all start mentioning patriotism, I'll ask this - did you watch the World Ballroom Championships, or the World Poker Championships?  Or the Ice Hockey? Or the Cricket?  Or the Rugby World Cup?  I support my country, absolutely.  I just have a lot of things to fill my time, and spending 2 weeks in front of the television won't form part of it.

9)   Who do you think most deserves a gold medal (any walk of life not just Olympians)

My husband.  He works so hard and is taken for granted by all his peers and employees and then he comes home and smiles and helps with the washing and the cooking, and reads bedtime stories for the children. 

I love him.  He's my gold medallist.


Feel free to take part in the Olympic discussion by adding your thoughts via the Comments option below, or answering the questions on your blog should you have one.  Since we are so close to the big event I won't tag anyone directly for fear of putting them under too much of a time pressure! 

Zumba classes: will you really lose weight?

After my first taste of Zumba classes back in November I've managed to get to a few classes and I'm really enjoying it.

Check out my initial review here.

But it strikes me that there are particular types of exercise class devotee that you don't necessarily want to be stood next too in class!  So I thought I'd outline all the exercise class types I find at my local Zumba class and leave you to decide which you are, which you think I am, and which you'd rather avoid!

The Exercise Class Bully
There are some people who, whether they know it or not, take up TOO MUCH ROOM.  They are generally tall and strong.  Often very toned, but not slight.  They come to class regularly to the extent that they know every single move; but they don't express any joy in taking part.  Determined is their only expression.  Even in a Zumba class, which is supposed to be a laugh, they are stuck in the fierce, 'pound it out', aerobics class frame of mind.  They are not light on their feet, so it hurts..

a lot..

when they step on yours.

They might lose weight in class, but not the most they could, because they just don't let go and enjoy it.  

The Mechanic
These ladies are slight, petite and annoyingly trendy.  They look like mums, but the sort of mum who is at the gym daily, can run around the garden with her boys playing football and still look good.  They appear cool and calm, and their cut off trousers don't make them look shorter or fatter (like they do me), but rather trendy and youthful.

Once they start exercising they don't let loose and relax, but neither do they pound out the steps.  They seem to do it daintily.  The steps are technically right, but it doesn't look like they'd ever break a sweat doing them.  It's mechanical.  Dancers would refer to it as 'marking'.

The Tryer
These are often older, maybe mid 50s, though not exclusively.  They are not natural movers and can't quite keep up.  You often find yourself nose to nose with them when you turn around and they don't.  You need to keep an eye out for them to ensure you don't tread on them.

But they don't give up.  They are there every week. They meet up with friends at class and enjoy the social aspect.

Again, they don't let themselves go.  Rather they always look slightly worried; as if they are going to be sent to the Headteachers office for doing it wrong.

OTT (Over the top) Show-Off
This is the one that turns up erratically, but picks up the moves quickly and so just has a laugh.  If she goes wrong she just laughs and catches up at the next count of 8.  She throws herself into the moves and has a tendency to use up far too much room, but will keep an eye on the space around her and try not to get in the way.

She's clearly done dance classes before and thinks it means she's an expert, but really she's just not committed enough and should just get out of the way so the rest of us true exercise devotees can get down to serious work.

Ironically she'll probably be the one to burn off the most calories leaping around like a nightclub raver.

***

Most exercise classes have something in common.  They will only work if you relax, stop worrying about what you may or may not look like and throw yourself into it. 

Remember Phoebe in the US show 'Friends'? Remember how she used to run like a child and just 'let go'?

Remember dancing in nightclubs as an 18 year old?  How much energy did you throw into those moves?  Remember that and recreate it.  It's your time.  Enjoy it.  Then you really will find yourself losing weight.

***

So what do you think?  Which are you? Which am I? Which would you like to be?

Get fit and lose weight for summer: My diet tips!

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Despite the rain and the wind battering the UK this April; I know what you are all doing.  All you women that have a holiday booked this summer; are mentally assessing your wardrobe and your weight.

We all do it.  It gets to April. There's a hint that summer is fast approaching.  The Easter school break comes and goes; and suddenly, the next big school holiday is the summer one.  It's time for heading to the beach and baring that skin in a swim suit.  Or bather.  Or cozzie.  Or bikini.  Or any number of other terms for the Lycra filled, no holds barred, shows every blemish and roll of flesh - piece of material that we all insist on wearing.

I'm doing it now; the assessing; not the holidaying.  I am sitting here with my entire wardrobe flashing through my brain, knowing I've put too much weight on over the last month due to consumption of at least two chocolate bars a day.  I know that I can halt the gradual weight increase by cutting back to my usual one bar of chocolate per day.  And I also know, that if I want to loose any weight, I'm going to have to cut out the chocolate all together; remember not to replace it with cakes and biscuits thinking they won't count; and I'll actually have to do some exercise.

I've always said I don't do diets.  I don't.  Not fad diets anyway.  All the methods my friends use: Atkins, Dukan, Slimming World, Rosemary Conley, Weight Watchers.  I have heard about them all.  I've watched people use them, loose weight, stop the diet, and throw the weight all back on again, until they, once again, start the diet, loose it all, and repeat the process in a yo yo fashion. 

If you are happy with the yo yo weight management system, then that's fine.  Loose the weight for the summer, put it all on again over winter.  Ensure to have two separate wardrobes.

Put I'm not happy with that.  I don't want to spend half the year craving food and stopping myself have eating what I love.  Life's too short.  Besides; that doesn't feel like a healthy long lasting approach to looking and feeling good.

So here's my 'diet'.  Here's what I do when I feel I have over indulged for a while and I need to get back on track.

There are two stages:

1. Halt the weight increase. 
That means I may feel a little hungry to start with.  My stomach will have expanded to accommodate my large food intact, so now I need to teach it to shrink a little again.  I need to do the following things:

• Cut back on the sweet stuff.  Recognising that if I've already had a bar of chocolate today I really don't need another.  This doesn't mean I can't.  It means I take a second to remember that I am trying to adjust my eating habits slightly and make the choice then.
• Making a few more sensible choices.  Picking lighter or smaller chocolate bars when I do indulge.  Or swapping for a biscuit (just one if I can manage it)
• Eating a few more omelettes (because they fill you up for longer and reduce snacking).  
• Drinking more water; particularly before and during meals.  Again because the water fills you up (reducing that hungry feeling) and dehydration is a major cause of bloating.  Who needs bloating on top of the bulge?

2. Encourage the weight to fall off
Continuing with the list above, I'll also add these things in:

• Have soup for lunch at least once a week.  This fills you up (liquid does so more than solids) and thus reduces snacking.
• Cut back on alcohol.  I love wine; but it is full of empty calories; so I try and have only one cherished glass at a time, with a maximum of one bottle per week if I am trying to loose weight.  
• Increase the exercise.  That means anything from walking to school as often as is feasible, to playing chase with the girls in the garden, to getting out to the gym, the local swimming pool, out on a bike or to a dance or Zumba class.  For my review of Zumba click here.
• Exercise even whilst doing other tasks.  There are stretches you can do whilst getting the dinner ready, arm toning you can do for 3 minutes before you settle down to watch the TV (or even during the adverts!) and bottom toning exercises you can do whilst cleaning your teeth (I always do this!  Check out how easy it is here)  
• And always, always have breakfast.  There's an old saying which goes something like; "breakfast like a King; lunch like a Lord and dine like a pauper".  The idea is that you need the most calories and energy first thing in the morning to get you going, but hardly need any calories to get through the final 2 or 3 hours between your last meal of the day and bedtime.  So eat more at the start of the day to enable yourself to have time to use it up and burn it off.  I always have cereal for breakfast; but I've noticed that if I add half a banana to it, in slices, I don't get hungry mid morning.
  

And my biggest tip?
Use smaller plates.  It sounds crazy but really does work.

I am convinced that one of the prime reasons for women putting on weight when they settle down and get married (or move in with a partner) is that they begin to eat all their meals with a man.  Men need more calories on average.  They eat bigger portions as a result.  If you use the same plate size as them; you'll end up eating just as much.  Which is, of course, too much for you.*

Use a smaller plate.  You won't even notice the food you've not eaten. If you are anything like me you'll want to clear the plate.  My upbringing means my body is comfortable that it's finished it's meal when the plate is empty; regardless of how large, or small, the plate was.  I am used to clearing my plate, and we didn't have second helpings of the main course when I was growing up.  There just wasn't any need for making more food that was required.     

One final word of advice
 If you are trying to lose weight, remember this.  To lose weight you have to use up more calories than you consume.  You know this; don't even pretend you don't!  You know also that it will involve feeling hungry to start with, whilst your body adjusts to smaller portions.  This is the stage where you have to be mentally strong and remember why you are doing it.

And once you get to your ideal weight the battle isn't over.  Now you need to learn what level of food and exercise you need to adjust to, to maintain a static weight.

So don't do 'A' diet.  Do 'YOUR' diet.  Find your balance.  Enjoy your food.  Enjoy your exercise.  Enjoy your life.

That, ladies, is my secret. 

***

I am 5 foot six inches tall and a UK size 12 (US 10 - conversion chart here) usually.  This week I am a UK size 14 (US 12).  I weigh 11 stone 5 pounds (72.12kg - conversion chart here) at the moment.  I am aiming for 11 stone for a comfortable size 12, but really I'll be happier when I can run around the garden for more than 5 minutes without getting tired.

You can browse Amazon here for fitness products. 

Save time toning your bum; with this exercise whilst brushing your teeth!

 I made a hideous mistake this weekend.  I got on the scales.

NNNOOOOO! I hear you cry.  Why, oh why, would I do that?  I honestly don't know.  It was Mother's Day and for a reason know only to my subconscious I stepped foot on those scales for the first time in over a year.

I am 5ft 6 inches tall.  I'm telling you that so you can make a judgement as to how bad, or not, the resulting 'weight' was.

11 stone 8 pounds.  That's apparently 73.48 kg (conversion chart here)

Since having children it seems to be true that if I hover around 11 stone I can fit, comfortably, in size 12 trousers.  At 11 stone 8, most of my wardrobe doesn't fit.  I am wearing jeans that, as I am writing this, I am desperate to take off, as the belt is digging into my tummy.  I know it's not a pretty picture I am painting, but I feel the need to share, in the hope it'll stop me reaching for yet another biscuit.

So I have started making changes.  One of the first is to try and cram exercise into every possible part of the day I can, but without actually spending special extra time exercising.  How?

My first trick is going to be to do the Yummy Mummy? Really? Bum exercise whilst brushing my teeth.

The Yummy Mummy? Really? Bum Exercise

Whilst stood in front of the sink; brushing teeth with one hand; use the other hand to steady yourself against the sink for balance  (ideally don't hold on at all).

Stand with your feet together.  Now take your right foot and place it behind your left at a right angle.  You should have the toes on your right foot (and your right knee) pointing to your right, and the heel pointing to your left.  The middle of your right foot, the arch, should be resting against the heel of your left foot.

Now lift your right foot up off the ground slightly (a couple of millimetres), bending the knee and keep your foot flexed.  You are ready to exercise your right bum cheek.  Lift the right foot behind you, keeping the foot angled from right to left and flexed (not pointed), and keeping the bend in the knee the same.

It won't go very high up, and the height doesn't really matter.  What does matter is that the lifting should be felt in your bum!  Trust me that if you are doing it right you'll feel it.

Return foot to the lowered position, and then keep lifting and lowering.  I do roughly 30 up-downs by the second hand on the clock.  Up for 1 count, down on 2, up on 3.  I do 1 minute on one side, and another minute on the other side.

That's the 2 minutes of teeth brushing done too.

Multi-tasking at it's best.  No time wasted, teeth brushed and bum toned.

Anyone got any others?

Workout Wars: Diversity versus Jane Fonda!

 

Jane Fonda 

VERSUS

Diversity

I love dancing.  I hate the monotony of the treadmill. Therefore it follows, that in the absence of decent dance classes for adults in our area, I love home workout videos (Sorry; I am showing my age there) make that: "DVDs"; particularly those with a dance flavour.

So it was with great anticipation that I popped the Diversity Workout DVD in (hired from Lovefilm), and, with trainers on, and water bottle in hand, I commenced their warm up.

So far, so good.  If they bother to split it down into a warm up, workout and cool down, then they are already scoring points, as some dance classes don't even bother to do that, despite the risk of injury.

So I'm warmed up, and I decide to select the Funky Fusion main workout. Here's where I hit a snag.  And it's a big snag, because it stops this DVD being the great workout that it could be.  When I try and go into the workout I am greeted with a Tutorial first.  Diversity's Ashley Banjo teaches you the choreography at, I have to say, even as a dancer, breakneck speed.  During this time of trying to learn the moves, pausing the DVD every 2 minutes and rewinding (It would be easier on VHS than on a DVD let me tell you!) I am, of course, not particularly working out.  I am simply lumbering around my lounge looking more like a dancing gorilla than a hip hop street dancer, and certainly not keeping up.

Finally, after I think I have a vague idea what moves are going to be used, I figure I'll jump to the workout, assuming that we'll build the routine up gradually in an Aerobics class kind of way.

No such luck!  The workout isn't a workout at all.  It's actually just an opportunity to dance the choreography that you are now supposed to know, three times over, with the Diversity crew, at twice the speed you were taught it at.

I was not happy.  Nor was I sweating, which I thought was the point.

I checked the other 2 workout options.  They were set up in the same way.  And (I'm sorry, Ashley) Ashley doesn't talk you through the moves in advance, so you don't know what's coming up next unless you have already completely nailed the choreography.

I don't want a workout video that involves homework first.  I need to be able to plug it in and go.

And so, I revert to a classic that never fails to do what it says on the tin, and does it in a fun and increasing amusing way (since those legwarmers and visors are so on trend!)

The original Jane Fonda Workout Video.  I haven't found this on DVD yet (please let me know if it exists), but I had the VHS version years ago.  It eventually died (RIP) after far too much play, but I was lucky enough to spot a copy in our local charity shop and snapped it up for a hefty 23p (yes that's not a typo).

For 23p I got 2 workouts, a Beginners level (40 minutes) and an Advanced level (60 minutes).  Both encompass a warm up, aerobics workout, stretching, abdominals work and a cool down.  Both include the option to sing along if you can  (I'm too busy trying to breathe, never mind sing).

And, after 40 minutes (I am in my late 30s now, so don't intend to move to Advanced until I am a little fitter, if ever), I was certainly 'worked out'. 

There is no need to learn the moves as Jane is great at talking you through the work out so well, that you know what is coming up before you do it and don't ever need to stop.  It also has enough of a dancy flavour with lots of variety to keep me happy.

And so, as a workout video (in whatever format), I am afraid it's Jane Fonda that wins this war.

If the Diversity DVD was badged as a Dance Class DVD, it would potentially sell better (I would argue) as it would be hitting it's intended market, rather than disappointing workout fans.  I certainly would have known what to expect, and would have enjoyed it more.  Though even then, they need to do some work to slow down the Tutorial for us amateurs, even experienced amateurs!

I hope that's helpful  for anyone choosing a workout video for home use.

Other great dancy ones that I have on the shelf and that have been recommended via Twitter and Facebook during my research include the New York City Ballet Workout DVDs (there are two), Cindy Crawford's workouts (VHS again.  Not sure if it's on DVD, but again there are two; the original and 'The Next Challenge'), and, for something a little more focused on strength and flexibility than on aerobics; Darcy Bussell's Pilates for Life DVD.


If anyone has any great workouts to share, please add a comment and let us know!

Today's Lesson Learnt..

It's not a good idea to walk to school if you haven't left extra time to put on the required coats, hats, scarfs and gloves.  My eldest arrived at school a good five minutes late this morning to an empty playground.  The secretary did a marvellous job of not looking too disapproving and I scuttled off like the failure of a mum I must be.

My excuse (if needed) and reason for feeling more smug than embarrassed is this:-  we walked.  A greener, healthier method than driving.  Less stressful too...IF you leave enough time!

Note to self: - when it snows sleep in coat, hat and scarf or leave house before 8am!

Thinking of trying out ZUMBA?

This week I decided I needed to supplement my one hour's worth of exercise per week (Tap class) with something a little more aerobic.  And since Zumba appears to be where it is at these days, then Zumba it was.

Frankly it didn't matter which days of the week I could fit it in, nor where I lived.  There are Zumba classes at four different locations within a mile radius of my house.  Where ever there's a sports centre, leisure centre, village hall, school hall, dance school or gym, you will find a Zumba class.

After a quick Internet trawl of the Zumba.com website I found local instructor Lucy Perry's profile. This looked like an instructor I could get along with.  She's an ex-contemporary dancer (as am I), and a quick phone call later, which turned into a 10 minutes chat, concluded that we would indeed get along.  So off I trotted.


Zumba is a 70% Latin based workout, 30% dance based (at the discretion of the instructor) workout.  We did a bit of an Irish jig for that section.  I couldn't stop smiling!

If you are looking for an effective aerobic fitness programme that is a lot of fun, then Zumba is definitely for you.  But be careful not to take the claims at face value and be realistic!  Some sites claim that you can burn 1000 calories a class.  That's as maybe, if you leap about with the same enthusiasm and energy as the instructor.  More likely you will find yourself in a class of 'marchers' who step instead of jog, waft their arms out instead of punching, and skip instead of jump.  These people may well become very disillusioned at the success of the class if they are searching to loose weight, because they are too busy being self conscious to really let themselves go.

Me?  Well I'm a realist and not at all worried about what I look like in class.  I gave it my all, came out with a face as red as a tomato, my hair plastered against my neck, panting heavily.  It was great fun and my aim is to get fit and have fun, so I will definitely be returning!

Another great more detailed review of Zumba can be found at weightwars.co.uk

Click here to find your local class! and to read more about it.

Have fun!

My Tip for New Yummy Mummys

Does anyone read the 'Times'?  If so, you might have noticed this weekend's piece on Tracy Anderson.  Dubbed the, and I quote, "patron saint of celebrity fitness", she trains various actresses and celebrities (Madonna being a previous client) using her 'Method'. 

What struck me about the article was that it told me nothing useful about how to start to apply any of her 'Method'.  In fact it told next to nothing about what the method actually entailed and since it appears that you have to train for 1 hour every day on her 'Method'.  I'm extremely sceptical.  I'm sceptical for the same reason that I'm sceptical about those diets that involve drinking milkshakes for 2 of your 3 meals a day.  And that reason is something called "common sense".

In my mind, it wouldn't matter if I was doing Jane Fonda's original workout from the 80s (a classic I should point out), or the New York City Ballet Workout, or even just jumping up and down in my lounge randomly for an hour.  Doing strenuous exercise for an hour a day would make anyone look pretty good.  Even me.  And I don't need to spend the annual fee of $1500 plus a monthly fee of $900 to do that. (Tracy's gym rates apparently!) 

It's in the same way that if I replace 2 of my meals with a milkshake, and not even a special "costs-an-arm-and-a-leg" milkshake, just one I've made at home, with milk, fruit and a fast moving whisk, would definitely reduce my calorie intake such that I'd loose weight temporarily.

So my tip for health and fitness is this.  Exercise when you can; use stairs not lifts, walk to school or work on the odd occasion, eat a little of what you fancy, with lots of variety.  And if the weight's piling on; you need more exercise and less TV.  It's not Rocket Science.  Is it?  

If you go to work your children will be less healthy!?

I was told, ironically whilst taking my daughter to Tiny Tumblers (gymnastics for pre-schoolers), that there has been some research published this week that concludes that children of mums that stay at home are likely to be healthier than those of mums that go to work.

I'm a mum who has made a decision to return to work sooner than I had originally intended. The reasons for this are many and complex, but as you will note from my previous post, I've not managed to avoid a fair degree of guilt in coming to this decision. Ironic, as my girls already go to nursery two days a week; a move that we are very happy with having seen a huge improvement in my eldest daughters vocabulary and social skills in the first few months she went. So the girls won't be spending any less time with me. I then felt guilty that I won't be able to do the cleaning and laundry whilst they are out, but will have to do it in what it now their time with mummy. The guilt was short lived when I cottoned on to the fact that I could actually pay a cleaner to do all the chores (since I'd be earning) and therefore playtime isn't affected at all. Still felt guilty though. I think it's because I'm actually looking forward to working again, and almost feel that if I'm looking forward to doing something that's not with my girls I should feel guilty.

Knowing all this, you can perhaps imagine my response to this research report, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. It basically concluded that children of working mums were more likely to be fed junk food, and allowed to watch more telly and do less exercise.

As if I wasn't feeling guilty enough already! And then I got quite angry. As is the case with all research of this type, it's isolated. It doesn't measure how happy, contended or fulfilled the children, mums and dads in these families are. It doesn't account for mums that overcompensate and deny their children sweet snacks so vigorously that the children rebel as teens and end up even more likely to eat unhealthily as adults. It doesn't point out the other effect of mums going to work. The message it sends to the children that mum is a strong, independent woman, who works hard to provide for her family. Surely all positive?

As an accountant and statistician I felt compelled to look at this report more carefully. Typically I discovered that results had been 'adjusted' for confounding and mediating factors. In English, the results were originally the exact opposite. The unadjusted results show that children of mums who worked full or part time were more likely to eat fruit and veg between meals, eat three or more portions of fruit a day, participate in organised exercise three or more times a week, and eat fewer sweet snacks between meals.

These results were adjusted to take away the influence of the following factors; ethnicity, mum's job type, mum's marital status, mum's highest qualification, the number of other children and household income. This adjustment isolates the data to conclude that it was only the 'to work or not to work' status that affected health detrimentally.

The report did, to be fair, admit its limitations as all good reports do. (Pity the papers then reporting on them tend to pick out the sensationalistic bits only). It pointed out that results were based on answers to single questions, and that estimates were used where data was missing (for example assuming working hours continued at the same rate week after week).

Maybe the data would feel more helpful if they could somehow account for the mums (and dads!) values, beliefs, commitment and determination in these reports. When they find out who does the chores (maybe it's bought in, like my suggestion!), and measure the sizes of the food portions (one Jaffa cake for pudding is a bit different to large quantities of chocolate and ice cream. Half a packet of crisps after a large healthy meal isn't the same as half a packet of crisps when nothing else has been eaten.) Maybe then I could feel that it was a helpful report. But probably not. Afterall, I won't accept anyone telling me I'm a bad mother. I do the guilt thing quite happily on my own thank you.

I'd like to propose that all us mothers respond to this as follows. We take it with a pinch of salt.

We all have common sense, and we all know what we, and our children, should be eating. And to be fair I believe that there are a huge amount of people out there, parents or not, who already feel pressurised to be stick thin, tanned, gorgeous, successful, sexy... and calm, and despite all this ridiculous pressure, are living life the the best of their ability and doing a darn good job of it.
Give us all a break and let us figure it out ourselves. We know we could be healthier. There's unlikely to ever be a point when people tell us we're too healthy. So give it a rest!


Go to the guardian website just for the fun of reading the resulting comments that the press report obtained. Seems to be a general consensus that this scientific report will be, at best, ignored in the same way that the working dads were. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/sep/29/working-mothers-child-health

View the actual report at http://press.psprings.co.uk/jech/september/ch84590.pdf