A while ago I was looking horrible. I didn’t feel like going out, doing exercise, I felt anxious all the time and was one of the most unenthusiastic people around. I was becoming a shell of my former energetic self. It reached critical point and I decided to take a critical look changing my outlook on life.

* Out with the old
Looking around it seems that I have picked up a lot of things along the way that are cluttering up my living space. So I decided to do a bit of a spring clean. And it is remarkable that if your immediate environment is clean and ordered that you automatically feel more at ease.

* Drink more water
I am one of those people that can easily go through a day without drinking any water, and this is surely a really bad thing to put your body through. I now have a bottle of water with me the moment I wake up and this reminds me to drink water.

* Stick to my exercise
After completing exercise it always feels so great, but it’s the sticking to it part that gets rather difficult at times. So a change needed to be made. Find new exercises and ways of training by trying new classes, for example, and not listening to the excuses I try to use on myself.

* Think happy thoughts
Budda said: ‘We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.’ So by thinking positive, and looking for the positive will make a world of a difference.

Change truly is as good as a holiday, and I feel like my old self again.
Wishing you all a great weekend and stay positive.

As far back as I remember the one thing that separated girls from boys was their choice of their favourite colours. And as your eyes get opened to the realisation that a crayon box has more colours than the rainbow, your world suddenly becomes a very exciting place. Sadly though, after this initial discovery and as time passes colour gets less appreciated.

Lets take a scientific look at this phenomenon called colour. Quantum physicists all agree that matter is essentially made up of energy vibrations that interact on a constant basis with its environment. This constant dialogue between these various energies show up as colours. Every single colour has a vibrational level that encourages feelings and emotions, help heal, calm or energise and to balance the mind and emotions.

Blue: Relates to self-expression. It signifies speech, communication and the ability to express our needs and requirements. It enhances the spirit of truth and purpose. It is a calming, relaxing and healing colour.

Green: This colour relates to self-love and the ability to give and take unconditionally. Green is a balancing colour, in the middle of the visible spectrum. It can be helpful in times of stress.

Yellow: Relates to self-worth, how we feel about ourselves, and about the way others perceive us. It is closely linked to self-confidence. It is the colour of the intellect. It can be very helpful with study and tasks where concentration is required.

Red: Relates to our awareness of ourselves as human beings and our place on earth. Red gives us courage and strength. It is stimulating and energising. Red, in its most positive sense, is the colour for courage, strength and pioneering spirit. However, it is also the colour of anger and violence.

White: Contains the entire spectrum in itself. It stands for purity and strength. It is cleansing and purifying for the entire system. It enhances the effect of any other colour used along with it. It gives strength and encourages inner creativity.

Black: Stands for protection, grounding and strength. It activates the feminine energies of the body. It has a calming effect, especially for emotionally vulnerable individuals. Black should be used sparingly, and always in a combination with other colours.

For more information on what colours represent please go to Life Positive

Sleep. The one thing that never goes out of fashion, especially in winter. But are you actually getting enough sleep? Are you depleting your body of the right amount of sleep?

Did you know that sleep can increase your overall levels of energy and efficiency? Well it seems it can - one more valid reason to lie in. Interestingly though it has been said, that every hour of sleep that we get in before midnight is worth two hours of sleep after midnight.

According to the Chinese Five Element Theory, a thousand year old document explaining the link between food and our bodies, between 10pm and 2am is the time where our bodies build up immunity and do some much needed maintenance. This means that during this crucial time we actually should be sleeping, to give our bodies the best opportunity available to recuperate and for our total well-being.

So I am off to catch a few extra zzz’s, it’s all for a worthwhile cause.

I know that if you ask a bunch of people who work out regularly what their training essential is,  90% of them will say ‘an iPod’ (that’s not an actual stat, so don’t go quoting me on that). And, I tend to agree. Even outside of training hours, I find it much easier to get working / dusting / writing / washing when I have a good play-list on the go.

And, the other day, while I was cleaning out my hard drive, I discovered one of my very favourite get-up-and-go, sing-a-long mixes (that’s if you can call what I do singing. Maybe it’s groan-a-long mix). I put it on and suddenly I was running around like nine-year-old after a bag of MSG. It was amazing. I’m going to share it with you here.

Let me know if you have songs you think I should add to it, or ones that made you want to snore instead of sweat. Oh and I’m including a link to the Nokia music store, which is great for getting the tunes that make you jiggle, in case you wanna buy some of them. And, don’t judge me for the pop songs.

Starlight - Muse
Saturday Night - The Dirty Skirts
Molly’s Chambers - Kings of Leon
The Dance - aKing
Nuflex Cowabanga Mix - Sweat.X
I want you back - The Jackson 5
Twister - Flash Republic
Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas
A Place for my Head - Linkin Park
Pon de Replay - Rihanna
The Bucket - Kings of Leon
Life your Life - T.I
Valarie - Amy Winehouse
Standing in the Way of Control - Gossip
I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor - Arctic Monkeys
Man Eater - Nelly Furtado
Faith - George Michael
Don’t Stop Me Now - Queen

Check out Nokia music.

What does it mean to be healthy and fit? Does it mean that you have a killer six pack, eating fruit and vegetables, or that you can run for hours on end without breaking a sweat? Being healthy and fit is a lifestyle; a way for your mind, body and soul to converge.

Doing exercise, but then feeling depressed and eating chocolate on the couch is most definitely not what is meant with being healthy and fit.

Life is all about living
It is so easy to get caught up in the negativity of life and letting this drag you down. I realise that this is harder than it sounds, but try and be happy with yourself and others around you. Don’t judge yourself or others too harshly and soon this cheery disposition will change your outlook on life.

Change is as good as a holiday
This is the time-old saying that seems to have some kernel of truth behind it. Sometimes all we need is to change something in our lives. Take a critical look at your life; be honest with yourself and pro-active about your choices in life.
Your actions and thoughts make up who you are.

Dream and live your dream
A dream will always be a dream until it’s actioned; at this point it becomes a goal. Write down your dream and plan it. Once you have fulfilled one dream find another and another and another… Never give up dreaming.

Training the soul and the mind is about focusing on the inner self (your thoughts and your well-being), rather than just doing physical exercise for your body.

You are your most important alley, now is the time to take care of yourself. Considering your inner self and your physical body will make a huge change in your life. It’s well worth a try.

Cardio circuit on Monday, Step on  Wednesday, functional training on Friday, and a game of one on one at the courts with your best friend on Saturday…and the Zoom Trainer Essential is with you every step of the way … now that’s versatility.  The traction grip pattern is ideal for multi-directional activities like weights or dynamic circuit training.  Flex grooves on the forefoot allow the toe to bend and flex – ideal for routines that have you up on the balls of your feet, or when warming up on the treadmill. 

The design aesthetic can be mistaken for pure fashion, but Essential serves a vital purpose: the midfoot bands integrate with the lacing system for improved secure fit and lock down of the arch area, while the internal forefoot strap are designed for support during multi-directional movements like cardio classes.  With a non-marking sole it’s great for gyms or classes on wooden floors. Now available in multiple colours to suit your versatile style.