Tag Archives: advice

It’s not all about weight loss

With the New Year comes a national obsession with trying to get rid of those ‘extra pounds’, we all put on over the Festive Perios, as quickly as possible. It sees thousands of us signing up to gyms, weight loss groups and websites and sales of supplements, promising instant weight loss, soar. In the rush to drop weight however many of us forget that it’s not all about losing weight and let the rest of our health slide.
A new ‘healthy lifestyle’  website hopes to counter this trend by offering a member’s site with a difference…
MyVitality.com ‘can’ certainly help you lose weight, but it is so much more than that and is a must for those whose New Year’s resolution isn’t just to drop a few pounds, but to give their general health and wellbeing a boost.
MyVitality is effectively a nutritionist, life coach, beauty therapist and chef all in one. When you sign up to the site you fill in a health questionnaire that asks about your lifestyle and symptoms. It follows this up by asking what your health aims are over the coming months; it’s ok if you just want to lose weight, but what about wanting to get a better night’s sleep, clearing up your skin, beating that bloated belly or having more energy when you come home from work?
Deigned by health experts, the system then creates a 24 page profile created specifically for you. This is no common profile shared by hundreds of people, because the experts behind the site understand that someone who wants to lose fat, but also has issues with energy is going to need a totally different diet plan to someone who wants to get fitter for sport, but struggles with stress.
The profile that is created tells you what your nutritional priorities should be, which foods to eat and what supplements could help you achieve your goals. Alongside these dieting tips the site also helps with ‘lifestyle actions’, whether that’s getting more sleep, deep breathing exercises or getting a better sleeping regime.
Alongside this the site also has a huge resource database to help you achieve your goals and suggests recipes that can help, provides information on herbs, spices, supplements and herbal teas, has a ‘daily action log’ and a ‘hunger scale’ to print off, and even sends you emails to steer you in the right direction.
“There are a huge number of sites out there designed to help with weight loss, numerous other sites to give advice on specific health conditions, and yet more to help with food intolerances. What we wanted to create was something that pulled all of these together and took all the hard work and time out of spending hours sifting through conflicting books and websites to try and find advice and help you need. We believe we’ve done just that with MyVitality,” says Drew Fobbester, director of MyVitality.
To get a full My Vitality assessment and profile report costs just £19.95. You then have the option to become a member of the site for £3.95 a month, which allows you to change your health goals as you progress throughout the year.
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Women attempting to give their man a makeover

They say a leopard will never change his spots, but women will certainly have a go of it.

New research has revealed that seven out of ten women have ‘done a Liz Hurley’ and given their man a makeover to improve his image.

Researchers found millions of women have copied Hurley’s remoulding of lover Shane Warne by altering their man’s hair, weight, lifestyle or eating habits.

Others have made dress sense their first priority, encouraging him to ditch scruffy jeans and tatty shirts for smarter, more presentable clobber.

Shedding unsightly beards or growing trendy stubble are also common issues which women address within weeks of meeting a new partner.

The trend emerged amid a study carried out by Wilkinson’s Sword to launch the  Movember charity fundraising event to raise awareness of men’s health problems.

Spokesman Jason Shankey, Wilkinson Sword’s Grooming Expert said: ”This research shows there is definitely a ‘Shane Warne effect’ sweeping through the country at the moment.

”The positive effect Liz Hurley has had on Shane Warne’s overall appearance is remarkable.

”And it seems women of the UK want to recreate similar results on their own men.

”A growing number of men are asking for shaving advice as their wives and girlfriends have requested they’re clean shaven.”

The study found nearly one third of women felt they had their boyfriend or husband ‘under their thumb’, with 60 per cent claiming they ‘knew best’ about style and image.

One quarter of those questioned said it had taken them just two weeks to start moulding their new partner in to their perfect man.

Second only to changing the way he dresses, altering his shaving habits to clip facial hair more regularly was the most common change.

Around 51 per cent said of those who had changed their man’s diet said their other half now ate more healthily.

Thirty-two per cent said they encouraged their other half to save money rather than be in the overdraft by payday and 25 per cent said they got them to talk more and open up about their thoughts and feelings.

Of the 2,000 women surveyed, 40 per cent said they felt it was a woman’s job to ‘makeover’ their man.

Worryingly, one third said they did it subtly, another third were ‘sneaky’ about it while the rest made it clear to their partner changes needed to be made.

Jason Shankey added: ”Getting involved in Movember is the perfect way for men to claim back their masculinity and grow a manly moustache.

”I’m sure women can forgive a month of facial hair on their partner for such a good cause as men’s health.

”And when December rolls around they can celebrate by shaving it all off to reveal the super smooth, clean shaven look they prefer.”

Top 20 things women change about their men:

1. Dress sense

2. Shaving habits

3. Hairstyle

4. Nose and ear hair issues

5. Shoe choice

6. Aftershave

7. Plucking eyebrows

8. Improving hygiene

9. Get rid of his beard/moustache

10. Cleanse and moisturise daily

11. Diet

12. Financial responsibility

13. Talking about their feelings

14. Drinking less

15. Watching more chick flicks

16. Call mum more frequently

17. Put the toilet seat down

18. Stop swearing

19. Share the remote control

20. Learn to cook

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Men Are So… Much Easier When Dissected

One of the things I’ve found holds me back in the relationship world is the fact I can sometimes – maybe – be a little bit picky. I can be dating an absolute hero of a guy, a really great chap who to all intents and purposes is perfect. Except… he has that weird flick that his hair does, or he slurps spaghetti too loudly, or, I don’t know, he has a hairy back. Bleaugh.

I have decided this problem is not my fault. It’s the fault of romcoms. Prince charming is out there!! That perfect man. An angel without wings, just waiting to sweep you off your feet and into his arms…..

ALAS…

This, I hate to break it to you ladies, is rubbish. Sure, there are a few dreamboats out there. Guys that are just right for you, but still, even with your nice mishmashed man of Adam Brody’s head on Mark Wahlberg’s body with Ron Jeremy’s… well, you know what I’m getting at here, you’re still going to find some way to be disappointed.

So, I’ve taken a new stance on dating. I made a list of a few fundamental qualities I would like a guy to have and will go on a date if the gent asking meets my requirements. Of course, you can’t be too specific. If your list features ‘drives a Lamborghini and buys me flowers every day’ I’m afraid you’re setting yourself up for a fall.

MY LIST
1.    Focus and drive – Suitor must have a job and wish to better himself.
2.    Solid group of friends – Suitor must have a good group of friends he spends regular time with (I do not want to be a lonely man’s obsession.)
3.    Attentive – Suitor must be attentive, but not obsessive. (difficult line to tread I know, but there are billions of men that manage it)
4.    Honesty – This one should really go without saying, but, in this day and age, it definitely needs to made a point of.
5.    Pride in their appearance – Here comes that shallow me. But let’s admit it, a well dressed, clean date is way more of a turn-on that someone that turns up with un-brushed teeth and jeans that are too short.

Over that past few weeks or so I have been on a number of dates with guys that fitted the ‘code’. Of course, some of them lacked that chemistry, but one of them stood out. He has ticks in all the boxes above and makes me laugh uncontrollably. Yes, he does have qualities that don’t live up to my Brad Pitt standard, but I don’t seem to notice them… because he’s so spot on with the fundamental requirements.

Now ladies, I am by no means saying settle for anything. You NEED to fancy the pants off your fella! All I’m saying is, give guys a break, They’re not all bad, and just because he forgets your favourite drink sometimes it doesn’t mean he’s not Mr Right.

I’ll keep you posted with how this one goes, I’m sure you’ll all enjoy hearing how I attempt to handle this.
Your friend,
Dahlia xxx

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Men Are So… Impressed By Confidence!

I think for a lot of us, the reason we’re single is because we lack confidence.. I mean, let’s face it, I can’t think of anything more humiliating than approaching an attractive guy and being shot down. I have since come to the conclusion that we’re all controlled by ‘the fear’.

However, like most girls, I have random bursts of confidence that have given me the chance to meet amazing people… Here comes an example: A few years ago I was on a train journey from Manchester to Blackpool when I noticed the most ADORABLE guy.

He had that delightful vacant indie look about him. I found myself glancing up and smiling at him the entire time, he however, must have been so freaked out by my display that he didn’t say a word and kept looking down at his comic book (Yes! He reads comic books, and that happens to be a turn on for me… go figure?).

As the stops until between the train’s current location and Blackpool station begin to get fewer and fewer – although he could get up and leave at any time – I felt like I had to do something, he could be the one! So I scribbled my name and number onto a piece of paper, and as I stood up to leave the train I handed him the note.

I was strong and didn’t look back.

On the walk away from the station I felt amazing. If he doesn’t text me I haven’t lost anything because I don’t know him. But he had to appreciate what it took for me to do that…

He text me within minutes.

This guy has been one of my best friends for almost 5 years now, but he certainly didn’t text me that first time because he wanted to start a beautiful friendship. He was curious, and impressed by my bravery. He has told me since that he’s never seen anyone sexier than the girl I was when I handed him that note.

However… I do understand that handing out your number to a perfect stranger probably isn’t the safest idea, so thankfully I have a solution. There’s a brilliant new website called losemynumber.co.uk that is perfect for this. Basically the website provides you with a secondary number that gets diverted to your phone. You can disconnect the number if you tire of the guy but it’s a great thing to have if you want to be more outgoing! Plus, the website is completely free so no excuses!
Happy flirting ladies.

Dahlia. xxx

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Men Are So… Easily Accessible

I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that I just want a guy around to tell me how beautiful I am and show a genuine interest in what I have to say. Y’know, someone who likes my stories and seems fascinated by the fact I’ve cut out carbs because cankles don’t work for me.

Normally, when we discuss our day-to-day ponderings with someone of the opposite sex, they may nod, and smile in agreement, but we all know that in their head they’re thinking; “If I kiss her she’ll finish blabbering and then we can just get down to it.”

This is why I think the chase, or being pursued, is way more rewarding than cooking steak and chips for the third time in a week because your fella ‘doesn’t like anything else’, and foot rubs..? Unless I’m receiving them, I don’t wanna know.

My decision to be single has led me to be pickier than I have been in the past when it comes to finding a man. The PERFECT way to do this is by joining a dating site. It’s fantastic. Admittedly, at first I was a complete sceptic. I figured that a dating site would be of absolutely no use to me. I was wrong.

I joined Zoosk.com a week ago and I don’t think I’ve ever felt better about myself. Firstly, I liked the fact I had access to a literal database of hot totty. When you’re in a club the guys can see you looking at them… but they can’t online. So we have the perk of their ego’s being pushed to one side.

My second thumbs up comes from the fact that all you have to do is upload one picture and write a tiny bit of blurb about yourself and you get FLOODS of eligible bachelors mailing you telling you exactly what you want to hear… ‘Girl, you’re beautiful.’ ‘Gorgeous’. ‘Let’s meet up sometime?’

Of course, I’ve decided not to mail any of them back just yet. This way I can pick and choose from a list of men who already fancy me… minimal work on my part.
I never thought I’d find myself feeling sexy in sweat pants and a hoody (a hoody with a soup stain on it), but I actually do; and there’s no pressure. Sure, these guys probably do want to sleep with you… but you hold all the cards. It’s way easier to be in control when they’re the ones chasing after you, in fact, it’s completely liberating and empowering.

Seriously ladies, I highly recommend you get involved. I’m going to be trying out a few more sites in the coming weeks so watch this space for a delightful review of which ones are worth your time, which ones have the sexiest fellas, and which ones have the most to offer a busy single woman.

Good luck in love ladies. Happy flirting.

Dahlia xXx

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Men Are So… Good At Pretending They Care

The worst thing about a break up is telling people. I hate going out and having people ask ‘Where’s your boyfriend?’ I suppose that’s one good thing about Facebook. At least when your status changes, most people find out that two has become one (not in the awesome Spice Girls way) and you avoid the bursting-into-tears-on-the-dance-floor debacle.

I recently broke up with my boyfriend. A sad time in anyone’s life. It’s rough because this person – who was such a huge part of your life – is no longer around, it’s almost as though there is a void in your day-to-day activity. Who am I going to sneakily text at work? Who’s going to meet me off the tube and spend the night watching movies and eating crappy food with me? Surely there’s someone out there who wants to spend time with me?

Last night, my Facebook status update read:  Dahlia went from being ‘in a relationship’ to ‘single’ and for some reason, having this emblazoned across my profile acts as a beacon of ‘booty’ to all the sleazes on my friends list. I received messages from guys I barely even talk to with the transparent opener; ‘OH NO, what happened?!’

I’m pretty sure the direct translation is; ‘Do you need re-bound sex?’

But I’ll have to confront my girl to douche dictionary on that one.

Ordinarily, I would probably have begun texting one of these miscreants in an attempt to fill the space my boyfriend had just vacated (not that space, you dirty minds!) only to find that I have been rejected again because, two weeks down the line, he’s realised he won’t be sleeping with me. But now, after enlisting the help of my friends, literature, websites and movies, I’m going to play these guys at their own game.

PROJECT 1: Taming the ‘player.’

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Passing Of The Torch From Memphis to Dahlia….

As all female kind is well aware, finding Mr Right is a lot more difficult than we’d have hoped. Any of you who have been following the dating trials and tribulations of Memphis will be fully aware you’re not alone on the unsuccessful quest for a man that is perfect for you.

However, it IS possible! Memphis herself is testament to that. Your friend and mine is probably cuddled up with her delightful boyfriend right now, blissfully discussing her day and receiving a foot rub. Maybe.

Unfortunately, my evenings are still filled with styling my hair to look like Lady Gaga’s and singing Chaka Khan’s ‘I’m Every Woman’ into a hairbrush… Slightly different to my romanticised prediction of my life at 23.

As Memphis is now madly in love, I shall be taking over her blog – and probably humiliating myself in the dating world in the process – so that all you ladies have someone’s mistakes to learn from. Let’s face it… there’ll be many.

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Laura’s Baby Diary : Week 37

I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year… I ate far too much and here I am wondering why nothing fits me!

At 37 weeks pregnant, babies are considered full term, so if the baby decides to make an early appearance it wouldn’t be considered premature, which always makes you feel more confident about the birth.

I am booked in to have my C-Section in two weeks time and I am really starting to get excited about the whole thing. I have packed baby their own little bag, as well as myself a bag packed full of things for my hospital stay, as well as my lovely Yummy Mummy bag.

Baby clearly has more things packed than I do; he/she has lots of lovely outfits, but I will be sticking to the comfortable – however unflattering – pyjamas!

Our daughter is already looking forward to meeting her brother or sister, she has been very much involved in everything and we have bought her a special present to open from baby so she doesn’t feel left out.

I have started to ‘nest’ and get things ready for baby coming and I am driving my husband mad because I am becoming a bit OCD about everything being clean and tidy, which is slightly impossible with a three year old!

Time to rest up I think and relax.
Laura xxxx

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Men Are So…. Oblivious To Our Insecurities

Following on from my last blog post, I am happy to report that once again things are all well and good in the Memphis love situation, but with the way I moaned on (and on) I thought it would only be fitting to address the problems so many women have with insecurities.

It’s true that when we meet someone we care about so much it hurts, that it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that every girl in town wants to get their claws into your man, and you find yourself on the defensive and reading into things so much.

The main problem facing women today is, of course, Facebook. It’s the cause of the demise of so many relationships these days, as you see a basic interaction between your partner and someone you deem to be attractive, and you jump to the conclusion that they’ve once slept together / want to sleep together / are sleeping together right now and that’s why he’s not on Facebook chat. But of course, for the most part, we’re utterly berserk.

There’s no denying that everyone has a jealous streak, but whilst most people’s are something akin to the rind on bacon… I’m your full scale streaky bacon dedicated to making pigs in blankets crisp to perfection. As wonderful as I am, I find that I get jealous over the smallest of things and leap to a conclusion without even taking the time out to rationalise.

It doesn’t help either that men seem to find it difficult to know how to reassure us; the smallest thing like a heartfelt note, or a girlfriend-related Facebook update, or even just a phone call can immediately dispel all worries that were flying around below your ribcage.

So how can we sort it out ladies? Well, I think in the first instance we need to remember that not every man on the planet is a cheat. Okay, so it doesn’t help when OK! Magazine is full of loverats, but we can’t tar all the men with the same brush. It’s hard to accept that someone can accept you the way you are, and its even harder to leave your heart and your feelings in the hands of someone else, but could it be worth it?

Each time I feel like running for the hills over the slightest thing, I have heard a good ting to do is remember why YOU are with this person, and if you’d ever do something to ruin what you have. Theoretically, that should be all the reassurance you need, but guys… the odd kind word doesn’t go amiss either. Nor do diamonds.

Memphis.x

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Men Are So… Facebook Ignorant

Hello ladies, how’s the Christmas shopping going? I bought a little black dress in the sale a few months ago in the hope of wowing everyone at the Christmas Party. I have also drank rather a lot of wine and eaten lots of cheese and crackers recently, I don’t even think my Spanx can help me now…

Anyway, moving on, this weeks blog comes courtesy of the dreaded relationship tool that is Facebook.com. I mean, seriously, how many relationships break up because of Facebook hey?

So, to tell you how Facebook has ruined my life this week… I’ll begin with the news that I HAD met a rather nice guy, he seemed to like me for me (which is no mean feat) and I was really starting to wonder if this could be a good relationship?

Sadly, I was wrong, well, maybe I wasn’t wrong, but I succumbed to the torment of his Facebook wall and ended up going rather mental for a period of about 24 hours. Now this is not the Memphis you all know here, this is my vulnerable side, and it’s not pretty.

So, the story, you all know I’m not thin, I’m not tanned, I don’t have masses of hair flowing down my back… I’m a size 12 with legs that you cant see through at the top, I’m pretty certain to have bingo wings and when I don’t stick my neck out, I have a double chin. These are all flaws that no one else can seem to see, but I think they’re just being nice… anyway, on Tuesday, up pops little miss long hair, stick thin dirty bird, asking the guy who’s supposed to be dating me, to drive a hour to go visit her.

Right, that should be too bad should it? But knowing they’ve already done the deed, she’s quite clearly easier to do than ‘My First Jigsaw’ and that he couldn’t help flirting back, I just flipped.

This is the bad thing about me girls, I don’t trust people, and if anything is untoward, I just lost my temper and walk away… however, he’s since bombarded me with text, and, she’s even Facebooked apologising and saying she’d love to be my friend, and oh my, you’ll love this, she said “If it helps, I used to be a lesbian.”

No love, that doesn’t help does it, you weren’t a lesbian when you were trolling all over him were you? And you’re not a lesbian now, clearly. I haven’t emailed back. Obviously.

The thing is, that was a year ago, should it really upset me this much? I don’t go driving all over the UK to hang out with people I’ve slept with, never mind when I’m just starting to date someone new… but at the same time, am I overreacting? There’s no denying that in a relationship I will not stand for my man hanging out with girls who take it upon themselves to fawn all over him in front of the entire world, knowing that he’s (supposedly) unavailable. There is no compromise on that, I deserve at least some respect here.

So girls (and guys) what do I do? Is Facebook the root of all evil, or should I be worried that my man is planning to drive a hour to see some bird he was probably bedding this time last year?

Memphis. x

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