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It’s that holiday time of year again when we have a bit more time to get stuck into a good book. I always like to take an easy read book that doesn’t require much thought and one to inspire me so I feel like I have learnt something whilst being away. Following are my top 5 inspirational books that I have read so far this year:
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As a lot of my time is spent shopping I often get asked where the best place is to find various bits and bobs. Following are a few recommendations for things that I have been asked about recently:
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Sweet, delightful, tantalising sugar: it’s the stuff of childhood dreams and adult nightmares. Or, at least it should be. While it’s true that sugar tastes great and we are in fact biologically programmed to like sweet foods, the reality is, today’s modern, refined sugar is a major health hazard. The rise in our consumption of sugar can be directly linked to the rise in cases of many diseases not the least of which would be obesity. To keep yourself healthy and happy you need learn the sour truth about sugar and why you should steer clear of the sweet stuff.
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What comes to mind when you think of yoga? A bunch of people dressed in flowing white garb sitting crossed legged on the floor chanting? Well, there is that but yoga is so much more. There are literally dozens of types of yoga practiced throughout the world and each has its own litany of benefits. So before you judge yoga to be too slow or too weird to be of any benefit to you and your fitness, learn about the different styles of yoga and the benefits of each. You never know, you may find yourself being a yoga fan before too long and seeking out a yoga class to improve your overall health and well-being.
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There is lots of information on how to look your best, how to dress and how to create a brilliant impression, but what about what to avoid? If you want to make sure people get the best impression of you through what you are wearing keep reading to find out how to not to mess that up!
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Anthony Robbins, a famous personal development speaker, has identified that human beings have 6 basic human needs that have to get met or else we feel unsatisfied, upset, lost, frustrated and all all-sorts of other negative emotions. In fact we will do anything to get these needs met, and most of the time we do this unconsciously.
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Summer! The beach season is upon us. Fortunately there’s no need to abandon your workout while on holiday, you can modify your regime to accommodate a beach setting. In fact, beach workouts can be fun and add a bit of variety and challenge to your normal workout routine. As your body has a tendency to acclimate to your workout, if you don’t change it up from time to time you workouts will get become less effective and produce fewer results. So hit the beach for this fun, fast paced, challenging workout.
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Green, mushy with a giant seed in the middle, what’s so amazing about avocados? Turns out, a lot. This greenish fruit (yes, it’s a fruit) is chock full of health benefits. The two most widely marketed avocado varieties are the rough-skinned, almost black Hass and the smooth, thin-skinned green Fuerte. The Hass has a smaller pit and a more buttery texture than the Fuerte. Both varieties are surprisingly full of lots of vitamins and minerals and taste amazingly yummy.
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Do you know anyone who is just constantly complaining? Someone who zaps the life out of you when you see them? There are just some people where nothing is ever good enough and believe that the world is constantly conspiring against them.
ArticleThis month Louise answers questions sent in from women via Facebook on what to pack for a week in Spain, what to wear to a summer garden wedding BBQ and how to find the perfect pair of jeans! If you would like to ask Louise a question please email her on
louise@createyourself.co.uk
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You’re an active, fit person. You consistently do your cardio work, you cross train, you incorporate rest days when necessary but what about strength training? You know to be truly fit you need to incorporate strength training, but how? What is the best way to build muscle, using machines or free weights? There is a lot of debate on this topic and depending on who you ask you will probably get a different answer. The reality is, when it comes to strength training both machines and free weights are the way to go. It just depends on your fitness, comfort level and goals.
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Anyone who’s ever struggled with their weight knows whom to blame: their metabolism. But is our metabolism really the villain it’s made out to be? And what about all those super skinny people who can eat anything they want and never gain an ounce? They often attribute their good fortune to their metabolism. So, what is it: friend or foe? What are the myths and realities when it comes to our metabolism?
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James is the Dating Guru. He works for many magazines, dating sites, newspapers, radio and television shows. He’s personally coached countless singles and helped them find loving, happy relationships. If you need some help towards dating success contact him now.
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Summer is very nearly here; we can almost smell the sea and feel the sand between our toes! Men’s fashion is fun this summer, lots of colours, funky retro styles and all types of cool shorts to try out. Following is a round up of key items to update your wardrobe with this season.
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Workout burnout is a sneaky thing, it doesn’t happen overnight. And you may not even realize it’s happening; workout burnout is a subtle and sly enemy to the workout faithful. Sure you’re committed now. You are at the gym every day attending your daily step class. Or maybe you’re known for hitting the road for your daily five-mile run. You are consistent and loyal to your workouts; your workouts can count on you. But can you count on them, and for how long? How do you stay active everyday but yet avoid workout burnout?
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Probiotics may sound like some menacing robot army from the future, but in reality they exist in the present and are an important component of a healthy diet. Our bodies contain billions of helpful bacteria and other microorganisms that facilitate digestion and keep our insides healthy. Probiotics is the general term for dietary supplements and foods that contain these same "good" bacteria found in our bodies. So in essence probiotics are an army of sorts, but an important, helpful microscopic army that you eat.
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Winter is slowly releasing its grip on us, daffodils starting to pop up.....and all the new Spring clothes are in the shops. I don’t know about you but I am dying to get into them and bid a farewell to winter coats and thick socks!
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We’ve been hearing a lot lately about the health benefits of nuts: they are full of vitamins and minerals and contain the good fats we need to stay healthy. But it’s always the same nuts being highlighted: almonds and walnuts. What about pistachios? What health benefits do these little green goodies hold? Turns out, a lot! Pistachios are teeming with of health benefits.
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You really can have too much of a good thing, even with exercise. The importance of incorporating rest days into your workout regime cannot be stressed enough. When first starting to exercise, or even if you’re an exercise veteran, we tend to error on the side of too much. We often mistakenly believe that unless we exercise every day we’ve somehow failed. That belief couldn’t be more wrong. We’re not suggesting months or even weeks of inactivity, but including a regular rest day can make all the difference in your fitness and motivation level.
ArticleHow can I get an elegant but low maintenance look? If it takes too long, I’ll never use it!
A dress is always an easy way of looking well put together and elegant without any effort. Invest in key pieces to create a capsule wardrobe so everything matches and it’s easy to throw a well put together outfit. The clothes I recommend to invest in are; 2 jackets, 2 trousers and a skirt (all in neutral colours). Then if you buy 5 tops you have a different outfit for each day at work.
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When you wake up in the morning you have the power within you to choose how you are going to be throughout the day, what you are going to do and how you are going to feel. This is achieved by setting your intention.
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Sure it’s really just a greeting card-induced holiday, but admit it, February is synonymous with love. This is the time of the year when we pay particular attention to our hearts and the people who fill them with love. While I’m a big fan of love, that shouldn’t be the only reason you think of your heart. Your heart is the most important muscle in your body: once that’s gone, your done. Like any muscle, to keep your heart strong and beating for years to come, you have to exercise it, consistently.
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It’s February and love is in the air! Nothing says love like a strong healthy heart. Well, jewellery or a new car is pretty affectionate as well, but a strong healthy heart is a gift that lasts. Heart disease is a dangerous, debilitating and even deadly condition. But, by following a few simple guidelines you can eat your heart healthy. And while not always the easiest course of action, eating heart healthy is a gift you can give yourself every day.
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Ok so now it’s the new year and you’re finally ready to get serious about your fitness resolutions. No more excuses. But what’s an exercise newbie (or a lapsed exerciser) to do? Should you start running or walking? Which exercise is better for you? Which will give you the biggest bang for your buck, so to speak?
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We’re always told not to eat our emotions, not to drown our sorrows in a pint of ice cream or mindlessly munch when we’re bored. But, what about eating positively? Are there foods we can eat that will actually improve our moods? Is there a way to eat that will make us happy?
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Ugh…what were you thinking? You’ve completely pigged out and now you feel awful. Can you recover? Or is one binge going to undo all your hard work? Or, let’s be honest, perhaps it was more like a month of overdoing it. Is it possible to pull it together without sliding down that slippery slope of overeating, weight gain and general self-loathing that so often accompanies overindulgence? Of course you can! You can always rebound from any decadence.
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The beginning of the New Year is such an exciting and inspiring time. It’s like a clean slate, you have a whole 12 months ahead of you to create whatever you choose. The past 12 months have been tough for a lot of us with career and financial concerns, it’s likely have caused many of you to evaluate your lives and what is important to you. The great news is that we are coming out of the recession now, so it’s a perfect time to take any learning’s we have made from it and move forward.
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Admit it, you haven’t seen the inside of a gym since the last time leg warmers were in fashion. And just the thought of exercising again gets your heart rate up. It’s really a viscous cycle: you get injured or busy or some other life interruption occurs, and you take some time off from exercising, then some more time, and the next thing you know you haven’t exercised in ages. You’ve lost muscle tone, you’ve gained weight, and you’re lethargic and feel too embarrassed and intimated to start working out again. So you do nothing. And then you lose more muscle tone, gain more weight and are even more intimated. But you can stop the cycle. You can get back to working out no matter long your exercise break has been. Sure you’ll be tired and sore, and it won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.
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Your hair, and make up, is the finishing touch to looking well groomed, stylish and is the icing on the cake to complete your “look”. When we watch programmes like Gok Wan and Trinny and Susannah they always pick people with hair they can really get to work on and their transformation never looks amazing until they have had a trip to the hairdresser and make up artist! You can be wearing the most gorgeous clothes but bad hair will just let you down. Following are my top tips to ensure you have great hair!
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Create Yourself publish a free monthly podcast discussing loads of different topics based around health and fitness, life coaching and personal image.
Michael covers healthy eating habits and how to recover when something goes wrong. Louise covers 5 top tips on creating more energy..
So listen online, download it to play later or subscribe to have it delivered free each month to your favorite music player.
Create Yourself Podcasts - Life enhancing!
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When it comes to exercise routines, it seems that people are either very excited about lifting weights or avoid them completely. Strength training is a very important part of your exercise routine, helping to protect your body as well as reshape your figure. Since your goals maybe different than someone else’s goals when it comes to fitness, personalising your strength training workout will be essential to your success – and to your health goals.
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Sleep is something most of us take for granted. We think that we’ll catch up on it someday, that the tasks we need to accomplish today are far more important than heading to bed. But those bags beneath your eyes aren’t just unbecoming, they’re also a sign you are hurting your body. The human body was designed to sleep in order to recuperate after each day’s events. However, your schedule may not afford you enough time to get some shuteye, so how much sleep do you really need?
Blog
(Or, how not to blow your diet this holiday season)
The holiday season is upon us and with it, countless opportunities to overeat, over drink and to over indulge in general. I find it quite ironic that this is the time of the year we want to look our best: we’re attending events that involve seeing people we don’t see all year, black tie affairs, family reunions, and the like and yet we are usually so puffy and bloated from overdoing it that we look and feel horrible. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. There is a way to survive the cocktail party season, have fun, and not blow your diet!
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Christmas is generally a time when people start thinking about what they want; what they want to do on Christmas Day, who they want to spend it with, what they want to buy people and what gifts they would like themselves, what they might want to achieve in the next year ahead.....and so on.
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It’s that special time again where we all get a chance to go to more parties than usual and have the chance to really get dressed up! Here are my 5 top tips to looking fabulous at your Christmas parties!
Blog
Winter workouts can be difficult at best: the weather outside is frightful and it is no fun having Jack Frost nipping at your nose or any other extremity for that matter. Getting and staying motivated to exercise in the dead of winter tests the resolve of even the most dedicated of fitness fans. But with a little planning and some flexibility you can winterize your workout to stay moving all winter long.
Audio
Create Yourself publish a free monthly podcast discussing loads of different topics based around health and fitness, life coaching and personal image.
This month Michael covers healthy eating habits and how to recover when something goes wrong. Louise covers 5 top tips on creating more energy.
So listen online, download it to play later or subscribe to have it delivered free each month to your favorite music player.
Create Yourself Podcasts - Life enhancing!
Article
No matter how much positive thinking you do there are still likely to be moments in your life when things start to get a bit of top of you. Sometimes it’s hard to be clear exactly why you are stressed or what needs to be done to get you out of this state. It all just gets a bit too much and rather than being constructive you might just end up walking around in a stress bubble making things seem even worse!
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Fashions fade, but style is eternal.
Yves Saint-Laurent
As Yves Saint-Laurent quite rightly says style is far more than just fashion, a person who has great personal style is not necessarily the most fashionable but their whole presence compliments them and creates a lasting impression. So what is personal style and how can you achieve it?
