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The holy grail of diets (or how I finally unlocked the door to help my fat escape… and could still have a drink)

Sunday, May 2nd, 2021

If you’re a child you learn about healthy eating from your parents, if you’re an adult and you’re overweight, obese even, whose advice do you take now? The thing is, 63% of adults in the UK are classed as overweight (source: The Heatlth Survey for England 2019) and are either trying to lose the pounds by dieting or may have accepted the situation. Accepting the situation is a recipe for more weight gain, as is yoyo dieting, so what’s the answer? There are probably many, but over a quarter of a century ago I began following an eating regime that has helped me keep the weight off ever since. What attracted me instantly  wasn’t just the absence of portion sizes or the promise you’d always feel full, but the killer claim that you could continue to drink wine. My road to eating redemption was triggered by a chance remark made by a friend of my husband’s: ‘When’s it due?’ he asked nodding at my stomach. I was gobsmacked. Oh, the shame… did I look delivery-room ready? ‘I’m not pregnant,’ I replied effecting nonchalance, as I switched my eyes to flamethrower mode.

 I’d never dieted or counted calories because I’d never associated them with long term success. Nor did I like the idea of food and alcohol deprivation. But I was already more than uncomfortable with my weight, which meant I never wanted to buy new clothes because I’d have to get a larger size than I thought I should, yet I was totally fed up with my wardrobe full of clothes that always felt too snug. I also hated the feeling of my flesh overflowing waistbands, knicker elastic and bra straps and there was also this growing realisation that I was getting out of puff a little too regularly. Fat, frumpy and unfit summed me up, but I had thought my regulation camouflage of leggings and an over-sized top was fooling everyone. Obviously not anymore and, now that I’d been embarrassed into taking action, I had to find something in which I could place my trust. Luckily for me, I discovered The Montignac Method. This wasn’t the result of a good Google search, as Google didn’t exist then, but of a trip to a bookshop where, hidden on a shelf was ‘Dine Out and Lose Weight’ written by personnel-manager-turned-diet-developer, Michel Montignac. He didn’t believe in diets either; he advocated a change in eating habits, so we  don’t eat less, but better by making wiser food choices. His book, which was first published in 1986, was based on food combining and aimed at executives like Montignac, who had to wine and dine clients regularly but wanted to lose or keep their weight under control. For me, this book appeared to open the door to a wardrobe full of sightly baggy clothes. 

What’s so special about food combining

In its very simplest form, food combining means only eating one food group at a time, for example all protein for breakfast, all carbs for lunch (don’t worry, there’s a whole range of vegetables and salad ingredients which are classed as ‘neutral’ and can be eaten with protein and carb meals), which aids digestion and supports weight loss. In addition, and this was important I believe to my weight loss, you have to cut out processed snacks (crisps, salted peanuts etc), sugary food and take-aways and avoid or reduce intake of carbs that have a high glycaemic index (GI) like potatoes, white rice, white bread and pasta. High GI food can cause a spike in blood sugar levels, then a sharp fall resulting in lethargy and hunger. Food with a low GI, like salad, vegetables, most fruit, fish and meat, helps you feel fuller for longer. (If any of this sounds familiar, it may be because you’ve heard of the Hay Diet, named after Dr William Howard Hay, who successfully treated his high blood pressure, kidney disease, dilated heart and weight problem through food combining.)

Now food combining doesn’t find favour with everyone, and there are many who think the whole idea of it is a hoax and not based on any scientific evidence. But Dr Hay published his diet in 1911, and some form of food combining has always been associated with successful, long term weight loss and maintenance ever since. In truth I found it hard to stick to food combining initially, because although I could enjoy a wonderful protein breakfast of scrambled eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms, I couldn’t have toast as that was a carb, and I really missed toast. Then, if I had a sandwich as part of my carbohydrate meal, I couldn’t put cheese, chicken or fish with it, because they’re all protein. I could have added a neutral food, which is essentially veg or salad, but where’s the fun in that? So, without trying too hard, bread began to disappear from mealtimes. This, plus cutting right down on other high GI food, helped me lose weight. What was most rewarding about this way of eating was that I never, ever felt hungry, but I did feel more energetic so started going to aerobics classes twice a week, and that seemed to give my weight loss rocket propulsion. Now I had the confidence to ditch the leggings and over-sized shirt combo and go for more adventurous designs, and it’s all because I was eating differently but definitely not eating less. I did drink red wine and G&Ts, even though you’re not supposed to for the first few weeks, but that made me feel better about carb denial. l began to love eating better, not relying on quick-fix fast food or sugar and salt-laden snacks anymore. Over the years I’ve adapted how I eat, and while cake and takeaways are a feature, they’re considered a treat, not a staple. Except for Mondays. They’re called Maccy D Mondays in our house and I’ll have a lunchtime quarter pounder every week without fail. I don’t eat the bun though.

Remember the 80:20 rule and exercise forever!

Food combining my way isn’t the panacea for weight loss, just part of the process. You need to combine it with regular exercise. I was taught the 80:20 ‘rule’ by one of my sisters some time ago, but it’s one I have a great deal of respect for: 80% of how your body looks is down to the food you put into it and 20% down to exercise. I gain weight now and then, but additional exercise has always brought it back under control, because I have the food basics (the 80%) right for me. Food is THAT important. Although I’ve been working out regularly since 1995, my kids (now all in their 20s) noticed that I was looking smaller (‘shrinking’ might have been mentioned, but I ignored that one), and my son actually said he was frightened I’d break! That sounded alarm bells, if ‘slender’ to me was ‘frail’ to them, I needed to sort it out. And what was happening to me was wholly natural, but totally avoidable IF I’d seen it coming. I was losing muscle mass. In fact, from as early as our 30s we start losing between 3-5% of our muscle mass every ten years, and this loss can help us on our way to osteoporosis and make us more vulnerable to injury. But this situation can be reversed or stopped from getting worse by adding weight or resistance training to your workout routine. And that’s exactly what I’ve done. Now, six days a week, usually at 7.00am, I follow an exercise plan developed by my nephew that includes a mix of cardio and weights. The weights are getting heavier, but very gradually so there’s less chance of injury and I’m developing more muscle tone. Any kind of exercise involving weights builds bone density too, and that’s especially important for older people like me as we naturally lose bone density with age – just how much depends on your own body and level of fitness, although hereditary factors come into play too. Immediately following the workout I drink a protein shake, which helps the body repair and build muscle. One unexpected (for me) benefit of building muscle is that it helps to boost your metabolic rate, and you burn calories even at rest. Now this is great news for all of us as another age-related change is a slower metabolism, which is why you might notice the pounds creeping on even though you’ve been doing everything right to avoid it. If you don’t want to continually reduce your food intake to combat the weight gain, weight or resistance training is a brilliant antidote. Think of it this way, cardio burns calories in the short term, weights in the long term, so you need to do both; they will deliver different physical benefits but contribute to your overall health and feeling of wellbeing.

So, the Holy Grail of diets really is an amalgam of everything you know, have read about, agree or disagree with. It’s neither new or revolutionary, but it’s part of my every day and I’m more than happy to do it all, because I want to feel healthy, strong and vigorous as I get older, and I don’t want my kids to see their mum as The Incredible Shrinking Woman. The actual Holy Grail is an unlikely deliverable but Wonder Woman status is a distinct possibility.

  • Here are the habits I’ve adopted over the years to control my weight and enjoy life:
  • I never eat a carb after lunch
  • I haven’t eaten a roast potato or Yorkshire Pudding with a roast dinner since 1995
  • I only each dark chocolate (74-85% cocoa solids), but lapse at Christmas, Easter, high days and holidays
  • I exercise six days a week, but only for 30-45 minutes each time
  • I regard sugar as my enemy, so will always choose fruit over a sugary dessert, but limit fruit because of its sugar content
  • I love a cheese platter with a decent (large) glass of red wine
  • I don’t like drinking water, so stay hydrated by drinking 2.5 litres of tea a day. I’ve been told off by my sister, so have changed from black tea to red bush
  • I’m now eating more plant-based meals as my kids are all borderline veggies
  • I lied about the roast potatoes

Please note, I’m not a clinician or a dietitian, but everything I’ve written here about my approach to losing weight is based entirely on my own experience. We’re all different and, if you’re in any doubt about how to tackle your weight safely, or you have other underlying health issues, please check with your GP.

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When your balance goes, get it back

Friday, February 26th, 2021

Tell me truthfully, can you put your sock on while standing on one leg… or do you need to back into a wall? If it’s the latter, please read on… 

Holidays are a distant memory for most of us at the moment, but I have an abiding memory of one I went on to Barbados seven years ago. Each morning, from my beachside villa, I’d watch a line of four or five men, probably in their 60s and 70s, paddle boarding across the sea. I’d never seen it before but they made it all look so serene and graceful I wanted to have a go. I finally had the opportunity, in a rather choppy bay in Gibraltar, a couple of years later. But, instead of gliding majestically over the water, I made tidal waves as my wobbly legs let me down within a split second of standing up on the board. I can’t remember just how many times I fell in, but it got boring. And depressing, as the others in my group (who were all at least 20 years younger) remained in control of their boards for most of the time.

It didn’t take any brains to work out my problem: I had very poor balance. To be even passable at paddle boarding, your back, core and legs need to work together to support you, but I already had the creeping recognition that certain activities were needing a lot more support these days. Take socks. Most of us are living in workout gear and trackie bottoms, which means socks. But I was now either sitting down or backing into a wall before I was able to put them on. As you get older you tend to lose lots of things, your waistline, bone density, mental agility and, sadly, your ability to stop a fart escaping, to name but an irritating few. These changes are very gradual, so it’s only when you challenge yourself, you realise just how much you’ve lost. For me, balance isn’t about vanity (although I’d feel really proud if I could  perform a standing quadricep stretch without reaching for the nearest wall), but safety. According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), falls are responsible for four out of five accident-related hospital admissions for those over 65, so regaining or maintaining balance isn’t a nice-to-have, more of a must-have-now.

 I’m no stranger to exercise, in fact I’ve been working out regularly for years, but jogging or hiit classes, while great for cardio, do little for achieving balance. But loss of balance isn’t all we have to contend with. Age also bestows shorter, tighter ligaments, which makes it harder or impossible to swing a leg over a style, step over a groyne or perform a Tiller-Girl high kick. And bendiness is just as important as balance in my book. One way to get both back is to take up exercise regimes like Pilates, t’ai chi or yoga and, in lockdown, you can take your pick from some amazing online teachers (but please, please, please beware of those who aren’t amazing but look the part; they’re just in it for the fame and the followers; look for independent reviews… they matter). Thanks to footballer Ryan Giggs, I chose yoga. He’s been talking about its benefits for years and recently said: ‘Yoga had a big effect and it helped me carry on playing until I was 40. It works not just your hamstrings, groin and quads but also your calves, glutes, lower back, neck, sides and core. It helps to prevent injuries and makes you more supple and flexible. That’s why I still do it today.’

 And so, after exhaustive talking about it and thinking about it, I finally went to my first yoga class run by Jocelyne Leach. She came with great recommendations, had been teaching for years and I actively looked forward to her classes (still do, and now they’re all on Zoom of course). What I noticed, when I did just a couple of classes a week, was how much better I felt. I put that down to the gentle way Jocelyne got you to perform moves that you didn’t think you’d ever achieve, and how hard you worked without even realising it (that’s my kind of exercise regime!). In fact, after one class which was focusing on arms and shoulders, I could hardly drive home, as my arms were like jelly. Luckily, my fingers still worked. After two years, I’m now far more flexible, and my balance has improved beyond all recognition. And something that I really value but had no idea was part of the deal, is that when I’m concentrating on my breathing or a particular move, no other thoughts enter my head, and that, especially now, is a very peaceful place to be. What I’ve also learned from practising yoga, as in life, is that you can only build something if you work at it. Jocelyne knew I was concerned about balance, and suggested I stand on one leg while brushing my teeth. It’s not as weird as it sounds believe me. I started my one-legged stand, trying to get to 30 seconds without wobbling over, which was impossible at first, but I surprised myself at how fast I reached non-wobbly by just being consistent. And age is no barrier to fully engaging with yoga. Nor is your fitness level. I only took up yoga when I was 60 and, now that my hips are more flexible, I want to see if I can achieve the splits. I know I’ll have to up the number of classes I take but I like a challenge.

Jocelyne’s philosophy

I have been practising yoga since I was 14. Then – I called it ‘70s yoga’ – it was very niche, but it’s evolved and now it’s mainstream. Yoga and its sister practice of Ayurveda, Indian traditional medicine, as well as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), are very much about keeping your body in balance, healthy. If we don’t take care of ourselves though preventative health practices like exercise, diet and stress reduction, we’ll become ill.

When I polled my people for their opinion about why they come to yoga, most say it’s for their health. As we get older, strength, mobility and balance become crucial to the quality of our lives, our independence. I can guarantee you will have a health span to match your lifespan if you keep active and attend to these three things. If not, your world will shrink as you age; it will become a less fulfilling place because you’re unable to get out and about. As harsh as it sounds, you’ll stop living before you die.

Yoga’s not for everyone? If you don’t like yoga, find another teacher because there is a yoga for everyone. Like everything in life, you get out of it what you put in and there are no quick fixes. It takes eight weeks of anything to begin to notice significant and lasting physical change, and most people give up too soon.

 Want to put on your socks unsupported? Here are Jocelyne’s top 10 to going solo:

  1. Try to balance on each foot for 30 seconds every day for a week; just raise one foot a few inches off the ground to start; be near a chair or wall to rebalance if you feel wobbly.
  2. Successful balancing starts with your feet; you have to be grounded and stable (don’t worry it will come!)
  3. Posture  . Stand tall, keep your neck long, shoulders over hips, hips over heels, stomach muscles pulled in.
  4. To help you maintain your balancing pose, you should gaze at a fixed point on the wall or in the garden, which is at eye level.
  5. Bonus tip… to assist your steadiness, put a finger  on the tip of your nose, or hold your ear lobe as you balance.
  6. Remember to keep breathing. A steady breath will aid balance, holding it won’t!
  7. Practice makes perfect, so increase your balancing time on each leg every week. Your legs will get stronger.
  8. When you feel the time is right, try stretching your quadricep muscle, by drawing your right foot towards your bottom with your right hand.
  9. Again, when the time feels right, try changing hands during the hold. Your left hand takes hold of your right foot from your right hand.
  10. Core strength is vital to your ability to achieve great balance (and to paddle board) and you  need to work on improving your core muscles. These are the deep muscles in the torso attached to the spine and the pelvis. When strong, they help prevent excessive wear on the spine and help transfer force between upper and lower body.

Don’t forget the food

As we age we should be paying a lot of attention to what we eat. Poor nutrition leads to ineffective digestion and ailments can set in, so why not go veggie and see how that makes you feel? Being vegetarian used to be what serious yogi hippies did, but now it’s recognised as a contributory factor to better health. I’ve naturally disliked meat from childhood, so it’s been easy for me to live without it. Today it’s very much more mainstream and it’s never been easier to eat more plant-based food. I recommend everyone try to eat 10 a day. It’s the simplest way to upgrade your health and, let’s face it, after 10 a day, the chances of eating junk is diminished! You don’t have to go full-on veggie, but a plant-based diet will provide the all-important micro-nutrients and fibre, improving  digestion and heart health and reducing the risk of colon cancer.

If you want to contact Jocelyne, please visit: corevitalityyoga.com

 

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Video is the way to go

Sunday, November 22nd, 2020

 

Remi Morrison, founder and creative director, Red Cactus Media.

 

 

It’s not often you get to meet a real-life princess, but I had the pleasure of enjoying the company of Princess Aderemi Sijuwade in Mistley village a few weeks ago. Here, she’s more commonly known as Remi Morrison, videographer and creative director and founder of Red Cactus Media. Her position as the daughter of a Nigerian prince and princess and niece of not one but two kings, have not afforded her any privileges, but her upbringing has had a profound effect on her approach to life, love and career.

Remi’s mum was a creative, entrepreneurial spirit, running her own bakery and salon in Nigeria, her dad, a business executive in the petroleum industry, was strict and had high expectations for all his children (Remi has nine siblings), but made no allowances for their individual personalities or talents.

‘When I was 12 I remember telling my dad I wanted to work in the music industry, and he just told me to get a real job,’ said Remi. ‘You look to your parents to inspire you, feed your dreams but I just felt like I wasn’t enough at times and couldn’t be myself. My childhood growing up in two different cultures shaped me; I learned to relate to people and I have a genuine fascination about who they are. When I was 16 my parents died within six months of each other, and it made me realise just how short life is. I was determined to follow my own creative path  – why spend hours every day doing something you don’t like?’

Remi, 37, was born in St Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in Hammersmith and lived, studied and worked in London before moving to Mistley in 2013. And Mistley has been the backdrop for an action-packed seven years. First she completed her film studies degree at Suffolk University (she’d put her studies on hold in London to work in PR and then to go travelling), then she gained communications experience in the press office at Suffolk County Council before marrying Mathew (40, an underwriter at Hiscox) and setting up Red Cactus Media; she then gave birth to Amelia (who’s now three) and, in 2019, won the Suffolk BME Business Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Think she’s driven? Well she is, but don’t for one minute think she’s the archetypal sharp-elbowed, attack machine you see portrayed in film; she’s the polar opposite. In the time I spent with this softly-spoken woman, who smiles and laughs so readily, I felt as though I’d taken a bath in serotonin.

‘Practically everything I do is influenced by having my daughter. I faced my fear of childbirth and embraced my own fire. I want Amelia to live in a kinder, more positive world and this influences the kind of content I make. I want her to see opportunities not obstacles. Most of all, I want her to think it’s totally normal, not unusual for women to be at the forefront of industry, politics, the media,’ says Remi.

And this brings me to the real reason I wanted to meet Remi. She’s built quite a reputation as an outstanding videographer, boasting an impressive list of clients like Penguin Random House, University of Suffolk, TIGA Gaming Awards, East of England Coop, and Afro-pop Live, but one statistic on the Red Cactus Media website stood out: 80% of all online content is video. As a businesswoman who admits to playing with video, this interests me. Remi believes that video is the perfect medium to help women leverage their business and build their brand. ‘Whether your business is small, medium or large, people buy from people; buyers want to know who’s selling, why they should place their trust in them. Video can encapsulate a message and project a personality at the same time and do it in an engaging way. Let’s face it, you’re never going to bore anyone into paying attention. And you don’t have to spend a fortune to use video either, but it does matter that the production looks professional, because that’s an expression of your brand too.’

Remi has other data that make me feel I should be getting that LED ring light out right now. In 2019, the average internet user spent 84 minutes watching online videos every day, with 2021 predictions of over 100 minutes. Of course, that was before Covid-19 hit; that figure’s toast! 72% of people now say they’d rather learn about a new company, service, or product through a video than a press release, and 53% will visit the website after seeing the video.

And Remi has bigger plans for Red Cactus. She wants to create dramas and documentaries that are female-led. ‘I’m looking to work with businesses especially in tech and health and wellness and I’m planning on making films that celebrate African culture; our world isn’t all Top Boy and Blue Story and I’d like to show positive representation. And I’d love  to start with a film about the kings and queens of Africa. It’s a fascinating story.’ And she should know.

 

 

 

 

Posted in Ageing, Beauty, Brand values, Diversity, General, Honest broker, Style | Tagged , | Leave a comment

How NOT to avoid a heart attack… or how my sister came back from the dead  

Tuesday, November 17th, 2020

 

With the whole world focused on COVID-19, it’s not surprising that cardiovascular diseases have been relegated to the back burner this year. Yet they are the world’s biggest killer, responsible for almost 18 million deaths annually, 85% of which are due to heart attack and stroke. My eldest sister Loraine could have been one of those statistics when, in 2013, she suffered a cardiac arrest. Luckily, a defibrillator was on hand, and she’s lived to tell the tale of how she did everything necessary to bring on a heart attack and why she’s doing everything it takes to make sure it never happens again.

First, you need to know our back story. Our parents died young, mum was only 50 and dad 58. Where mum was slim and active, dad weighed 25 stone and had a dodgy knee; both were smokers and had high cholesterol. They were very much of the school of ‘do as I say, not as I do’ and always told us smoking was a terrible habit and we must never smoke. Three of the four sisters followed orders, but Loraine started smoking secretly at 16, only one or two a week at first then, once she started work, it was a 20-a-day-habit. We didn’t know it then, but we four kids had inherited a predisposition to heart disease and ‘familial cholesterol’. ‘Familial cholesterol’ is a gene mutation that prevents some of us from processing cholesterol (a type of fat) efficiently, leading to clogged blood vessels. All we needed to do to ignite this potentially toxic mix of conditions was to light up. And that’s what Loraine did at 16. Despite all the scientific evidence, there was no way she could give up smoking. ‘It’s an addiction,’ she told me recently. ‘I could watch a programme on lung cancer while chain smoking.’ She wasn’t in denial, she just enjoyed smoking.

In the late 90s Loraine managed to quit for seven years, but in 2004, when she moved from England to Gibraltar to be near our sister Lesley, and was enjoying a very full social life, smoking drew her back in. Nine years later, after breaking up a fight at a wake (she may only be 5’ 2” but she’s feisty), she felt a little breathless and told Lesley she didn’t feel too well. Lesley admits, even now, that not once did she think Loraine was actually ill, she just though she was being dramatic and decided to call her bluff by driving her to A&E. Lesley left Loraine in the reception area while she re-parked the car. By the time she returned, Loraine had collapsed, her heart had stopped beating and she was undergoing emergency treatment to save her life. She had literally been in the right place at the right time. The doctors got her heart beating again and, three stents later, she was able to walk back to her flat and carry on (not quite) as normal.

‘I realise that I had probably had heart disease for at least a couple of years before the heart attack, but I’d put the symptoms down to ageing,’ says Loraine. ‘I was always feeling tired. I’d always be breathless, and usually break into a sweat just going shopping or climbing the stairs to my flat. I thought it was normal. But after the operation to insert the stents into my arteries, all physical activities became so much easier. I could breathe again.’

A week before her cardiac arrest Loraine remembers feeling unable to get comfortable. It was as though a band was tightening around her chest, and the pain was radiating upwards. She went to bed, kept changing positions to try and relieve the pain, had a hot shower, but nothing worked. After a couple of hours, the pain subsided. The doctors believe she was having a heart attack then.

The genes weren’t on her side

After the operation, Loraine attended a 13-week rehabilitation course. The importance of regular exercise and healthy meals was impressed on her and, although it’s stuff most of us know, it’s taken far more seriously by those who’ve had a near-death experience. And, of course, Loraine stopped smoking immediately. She didn’t vape or chew nicotine gum either, she just quit doing her very favourite thing. She’d realised that, while her lifestyle in Gibraltar was a healthy one (not the smoking bit) – plenty of outdoor activities and a Mediterranean diet – our parents had passed on certain conditions that make a heart attack a cert if appropriate action isn’t taken. They both died of heart disease, so all four of us were more susceptible to it, and we all have high cholesterol. So, in addition to ditching the smoking habit (obviously not inherited), and in 2016 becoming tea-total (not that she was a big drinker), Loraine’s taking statins to control her cholesterol, something she’ll have to do for the rest of her very healthy life.

Loraine moved to Tendring this September and is regularly putting me to shame with her energy and zest for life. ‘Ever since the operation I’ve been feeling better and better, and I’m doing everything in my power to ensure I never have a heart attack again.’

 So, just how healthy are we? 

We all know we need to take care of ourselves, physically and mentally, if we’re to enjoy a long and happy life. None of us wants to be a burden on our relatives or the NHS and, let’s face it, we don’t want to go into a home if we can help it. So, we’re eating healthily, exercising regularly, cutting down on alcohol and we’re not smoking . Well, I guess you can already see the glaring discrepancies in that last sentence. Sadly, as far as looking after ourselves goes, we’re not that great. Every year Bloomberg conducts global research to track the healthiest nations, and in 2020, we came 19th. Spain’s at the top, boasting a life expectancy of 83.5 years, projected to increase to 85.8 by 2040, the highest in the world. But don’t the Spanish drink a lot of wine, smoke and stay up late? Well, yes they do, but Spain also has the highest percentage of walkers with almost 40% of the population walking everywhere they can; they also follow a Mediterranean diet which is high in healthy fats, vegetables and legumes, and low in processed food and red meat. Spain is followed by Iceland, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Australia, Singapore, Norway and Israel. The USA doesn’t even make it into the top 30 (it’s 35th) due to its obesity levels.

The UK and heart disease

  • 4 million people living with cardiovascular diseases(CVDs)
  • Around twice as many people are living with CVDs than cancer and Alzheimer’s disease combined
  • 27% (170,000) of all deaths are due to CVDs
  • Around 44,000 people under the age of 75 die from heart and circulatory diseases each year

Source: British Heart Foundation, July 2020

Posted in Ageing, Beauty, Brand values, Diet, Diversity, Exercise, Health and fitness, Silver Foxes, Style | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Good ads never die as long as they surprise you

Monday, June 22nd, 2020

 

When I’m not PR-ing, I work with Louise Dyer, founder of Dart Design, as a brand consultant. I love it, because I love the whole process of branding. And that started at Ogilvy & Mather, a great ad agency, my first job, and where I stayed for 10 years, it was THAT amazing. Promoting, protecting and deveoping a client’s brand was our number one objective and, as most marketers know, if you do that consistently, you can weather whatever’s flung at you. Here’s an article that we (Dart Design) wrote recently on some great developements in advertising that do far more than sell a product.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you remember that time when the TV ads came on and there was no way to skip them? As the number of channels, screens and streaming services have exploded, the idea that we should have to spend any of our precious time watching someone trying to sell something to us, is plain absurd. Most of us don’t want to be sold to anyway, so our scepticism about advertising has made the savvier marketers even savvier.

The importance of precision targeting has always been clear; it’s a given that you have to get into the consumer’s headspace so you can talk their language, but the mid-noughties was a time of frenetic change and challenges as LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat all launched. You either kept up or lost out in the communication stakes. There were many who regarded this new marketplace as the Wild West or a dark art and didn’t really engage until a lot later; but this was fertile ground for those who could see the endless opportunities for creating meaningful brand relationships.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But you have to stop looking at your screens at some point, when you’re commuting to work or going to the shops (well, some of us are doing those things now), there’ll always be a place for tradition media like OOH, providing your message recognises the new landscape.  So, say ‘hello’ to ‘unadvertising’. Unadvertising, which gained popularity in 2015, overtly recognises the consumer scepticism about advertising and uses this to a brand’s advantage. Take, for example, the campaigns for the Oatly, Oasis and Small Luxury Hotels; they are instantly engaging because of their raw honesty, their innate understanding that they get you; they also flatter your intellect, your ability to discern, and doesn’t that make you feel better about those brands?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a life-long admirer of UK advertising, I think our agencies have always been ahead of the curve when it comes to unadvertising. Hands up if you remember the 1994 Ronseal ad for its Quick Drying Woodstain product? Well you may be too young, but you might be familiar with its highly memorable line: “does exactly what it says on the tin.” Among all the lifestyle and designer imagery associated with DIY at that time, this one line, delivered by a novice DIYer, cut through all the posh paints and interior snobbery-speak like a hot knife through Styrofoam. Whatever label we may give to a certain genre of advertising, one thing will never change, the best ads are always the ones that inform, impress and take you by surprise.

 

 

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Skin-deep branding

Monday, June 8th, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The vast majority of us understand the importance of building and maintaining a brand. I was 20 and working at ad agency Ogilvy & Mather when the principles were drilled into me. That was the 80s and, while the comms landscape continues to change, the rules haven’t. How a brand looks is intrinsically linked to the heart and soul of the product, it’s part of the company culture, it flows in the veins of its staff, it manifests itself in the way the phones are answered, social media posts handled, customers treated. These are just some of the signals that support the brand and its values and help build trust, the holy grail of every business owner. Without trust all you’ve got is skin-deep branding and even the most impressive multi-million pound marketing campaign won’t save you in the long term.

If the Government were a brand it would be guilty of skin-deep branding. Beneath the gloss and the hyperbole is a mass of contradictions and mixed messages. This pandemic could have been the Government’s finest moment as it steered us through dangerous waters, but its leaders have been weighed, measured and found wanting. On the upside, this is our finest moment. As a nation we continue to pull together, helping each other to keep our families, friends, colleagues and our world safe, irrespective of what the Government instructs us to do. The thing is, we too are guided by the science, but we’ve also added a huge dollop of common sense and humanity.

 

Posted in Brand values, Crisis management, Diversity, General, Health and fitness, Honest broker | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Undergrads under lockdown

Tuesday, May 26th, 2020

A few years ago I handled the PR for Colchcester Institute and the launch of University Centre Colchester (UCC). It gave me the opportunity to see the tremendous output of their departments. For me, the jewel in the crown of their degree courses was  the BA (Hons) in Fashion and Textiles and, as much as she’d hate this, I believe much of the students’ successes is due to the calibre and passion of the lecturers, especially course leader Val Jacobs. Through my relationship with this department I became a student muse and mentor as well as a model at the degree fashion show. Everyone who loves fashion loves UCC’s degree fashion show but there can be no show this year;  do you think that’s stopped the class of 2020 doing what they do best? Not a chance.

Life under lockdown has presented many challenges for all of us. The fact that we’re all in the same boat helps; we can’t moan too much about the inconvenience or unfairness of it all because we must pull together, we need to get on with it. And getting on with ‘it’ is just what the third year Fashion and Textile students at University Centre Colchester are doing right now. Like many other students, they’ve faced a difficult journey during their final weeks as undergraduates when teaching and learning switched online. Access to workshops and equipment suddenly stopped and fashion shows and end of year exhibitions were cancelled, which has hindered their ability to showcase their designs to potential employers. Final projects have had to be rethought and in some cases rewritten. But working in isolation during lockdown has also provided unique opportunities for students to become resourceful, resilient and to emerge as confident designers, ready to face the future.

For the class of 2020 much of this year’s work has focused on fashion with a point of view. Annie Barford’s kidswear seeks to educate a generation of children on the destruction of the coral reef through embellished screen prints and coral crochet. Chloe Jones’ statement coats made from upcycled sails collected from the east coast, highlight climate change and promote a circular fashion economy. Fashion interiors students have produced textile design work which can be applied to both fashion garments and wallpapers and interior fabrics. Cady Dolan-Roberts and Sophie Felgate have both produced hand-drawn digital wallpapers and printed fabrics with scenic fantasy landscapes to transport us all into a new and, sometimes, an old world.

 

Annie Barford, Paradise Lost

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I try to work as ethically and sustainably as possible and am dedicated to slow-fashion. I like to use natural materials wherever I can, so that my pieces are trans-seasonal and timeless, allowing my customers to treasure their garments for a very long time. With my Paradise Lost collection, I want to raise awareness of the destruction of the coral reef ecosystem and the warming of our oceans. This playful, colourful kidswear collection emphasises the natural underwater beauty in rapid decline.

“Thick imperial cotton contrasts with soft floaty silk, reflecting global fluctuations in temperature. The vibrant colour palette showcases traditional screen-printing techniques and references the thriving coral; the faded colour effects of the dress underneath, is achieved using natural dye techniques, imitating bleached coral.”

You can see all Annie’s designs on Instagram: @anniebarforddesign

 

Cady Dolan-Roberts, Grandeur

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Grandeur is a celebration of the rich, cultural and architectural heritage of our nation’s stately homes, juxtaposed with oriental references taken from the lavish interiors found in Brighton Pavilion. My hand-drawn scenic wallpaper murals, digitally developed in Photoshop from large scale ink drawings, are influenced by the beautiful walled gardens, landscaped grounds and interior decoration found in many of these homes. Combining elements from nature, British flowers and oriental features, my collection encompasses a varied range of prints across wallpapers, fabrics for interiors and loungewear.

“Specialising in hand-drawn illustrative textiles, with a rich tonal colour palette, my designs reflect elegance, opulence and natural beauty.”

You can see more of Cady’s designs on Instagram @cdolanrobertsdesigns or at www.cdolanrobertsdesigns.com

 

Chloe Jones, Fearful Ocean

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I work with upcycled materials and eco-friendly stretch fabric where possible. My passion for sustainability is not only shown through my work but has become a way of life. Through what I eat to where I buy clothes and how I live, I always try to be as environmentally conscious as possible.

“Fearful Ocean prioritises sustainability and highlights the change to our oceans and our impact on the planet. Weather worn sails are reworked into oversized protective coats and garments; the random placement of printed graphics and numbers make each piece in this collection unique. Layered undergarments carry digital prints referencing data and recoloured imagery from natural disasters around the globe.”

You can see all Chloe’s designs on Instagram: @chloejonesfashion

 

Sophie Felgate, Alpine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 “As a direct result of a mountainous adventure in Switzerland, my versatile print collection, Alpine, evokes memories of the extraordinary landscapes and natural elements of the region. Lakes, animals, birds and flowers co-exist with the manmade elements of architecture, transport and human activity. Using predominantly digital drawings and screen-printing techniques, I developed captivating, fantastical vistas that work in both fashion and interior design.

“An understanding of colour and scale, together with my illustration and Photoshop skills, were used in the creation of prints and influenced by the Japanese ‘Ukiyo-e’ style of painting. I only use natural fabrics where feasible as I have a responsibility to support sustainability within my work.”

You can see all Sophie’s designs on Instagram: @s.felgate_designs

Not everyone enjoys a challenge, but it’s been a personal privilege to see how four young students have risen to this quite unexpected one. You go girls!

Posted in Diversity, Fashion, Interiors, Saving money and saving the planet, Style | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Need to look your best, fast? Just cheat.

Friday, January 3rd, 2020

After Christmas those fitness classes are really busy aren’t they? Happens every year. It’s the natural reaction to a fantastic Christmas break. Perhaps we should have refused seconds, not eaten quite as much Christmas pud and as for the chocolate and alcohol consumption… but not resisting temptation is what makes the Christmas break so much fun. It’s the one time of the year when we can relax and indulge ourselves without feeling guilty. Then we start the new year resolved to kick the bad habits once and for all. A regime of regular exercise and healthy eating will pay dividends, but if you’re doing it properly then the losses, weight and inches, should be slow and steady. But slow and steady isn’t really helpful if you have to go to an event in the next couple of weeks and want to be in stunning shape. For that you need fast and furious. In other words, you’ll need to cheat; the best news is that looking fab-u-lous won’t even take a day to achieve.

Underneath this Frock and Frill dress is a pair of Spanx!

 

 

Starting at the top and working all the way down to your toes, here are my failsafe tips on what you can do to look your very best, very quickly, without spending a fortune:

 Hair: A good hairstyle matters, but there’s no time for a dramatic makeover, so you need to work with what you’ve got. Whether you prefer neat or messy, make sure your hair looks healthy. If those split ends which should have been cut off weeks ago are still there, then apply a tiny amount of argan oil to give your hair some sheen. If the roots are showing, cover them; there are plenty of DIY powder alternatives if can’t get an appointment with your usual hairdresser.

Eyes: We’re all a lot better at looking after our eyebrows these days, and I guess I don’t need to mention monobrows or Frida Kahlo here do I? Let’s assume all straggly hairs have been plucked away and you know how to use a little brown or grey eye shadow to fill in any gaps or make them a little more intense, but not Cara Delevingne intense. The focus is now on your eyes. They may be the windows to your soul, but nothing ruins a photograph or Instagram post more than if those windows look shut. You need eyelashes that make an impact and open up those eyes. If your own lashes are long, then it’s worth investing in a good quality eyelash primer and mascara. Need a little more help? Then false eyelashes are a safe option but, if you can’t put them on yourself ask a friend or, if you buy the lashes from the cosmetics counter (big stores only), the makeup artist will apply them for you. Some women are advocates of lash extensions, which can look amazing. The Russian style might be a little OTT and Classic too light, so you could opt for Hybrid, which is a mix of the two. Once they’ve been applied, they’re yours for four weeks or so, and you don’t need to apply any mascara to achieve that wide-awake look. Lack of sleep or inherited undereye shadows can make you look tired, even if you don’t feel it, so don’t forget the concealer.

Lips: If you haven’t used filler to make your lips fuller, don’t do it now, experiment when you’re not in the spotlight, just in case you have a reaction. There are some lip plumping products out there, but in my experience they have a limited effect; to give your lips the appearance of fullness start using lip balm – do it now – to keep your lips hydrated, which will make them look softer and less lined. Then you need lip liner, which you can apply slightly outside the edge of your lips, but make sure the colour is only a tad darker than the lipstick you’re wearing (don’t do a Jackie Collins). A matt lipstick may be too drying, I’d go for a satin effect and then apply a little clear lip gloss to the centre of your lips to create an optical effect of plumpness.

 Body: Often it’s not the outfit that will make you look a million dollars, but what’s underneath it. Whether you’re wearing a dress, skirt or trouser ensemble, a more streamlined figure will make it look that much better, which means you’ll feel more confident and will wear it well. You may have a tummy you’d like to see less of, a waist you’d like to find or boobs that have given up the fight with gravity; if that’s the case, only good underpinnings will solve the problem. M&S was my mecca for bras until I discovered Rigby and Peller; their lingerie stylists know how to select the size and design that will be perfect for enhancing your shape in a specific outfit, but their bras aren’t cheap and, as they only have nine boutiques  in the UK, not that accessible. The important thing is to make sure your bra not only gives you good support, but a good shape too. You need both, not one or the other. If you want to reduce the size of your midriff, waist, stomach, hips, bottom or thighs, there’s an abundance of shapewear available to you, and they are far more comfortable than they used to be; you may feel a little restricted at first, but it’s so worth it. Spanx is a well-known brand, and Kim Kardashian’s Skims range has amazing variety, but there are cheaper own label ranges out there and you’re spoiled for choice. If you don’t need as much help in this area, there are some great control tights and slips (petticoats) for a light smoothing effect. There’s no shapewear for bingo wings, so you either decide to flaunt your arms, or cover up as Helen Mirren does (although I think her arms look great). Don’t forget your hands though, a manicure or false nails, will make them, and you, look more soignée.

Legs: If they’re going to be on show, and you’re not wearing tights, you might want to consider flashing a tanned pair. There are many good quality self-tanning products on most chemists’ shelves, but a spray will give your legs an immediate a healthy glow. Don’t forget a pedicure, as that completes the look.

Now you’re ready for that party, and both the effort and cost of getting there have, let’s face it, been minimal.

Posted in Ageing, Beauty, Diet, Exercise, Fashion, Health and fitness, Silver Foxes, Spanx, Style | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

To fill or not to fill? That is the question.

Tuesday, December 3rd, 2019

Looking fabulous on social media means you can be a bit of a disappointment in real life. Do you stop editing your pics, or edit the real you?

Do you know who Rankin is? If you don’t, let me enlighten you. First of all, he’s a photographer and he’s only known by the one name, so that tells you something and he’s a megastar (shooting the Rolling Stones, Kate Moss, Jay-Z,  Madonna, that kind of thing and, hey, he was at Latitude this year), but he’s also a campaigning megastar. This year he was involved in a project called ‘Selfie Harm’ to explore the effect self-image can have on young people’s mental health. He took photographs of several teenagers, aged between 13 and 19, and asked them to edit their own shots using one of the many selfie apps available today. The result was dramatic, but probably what you might expect: fuller lips, bigger eyes, great skin tone, smaller nose. The thing is, I saw the ‘before’ pictures of these teenagers and they all looked fabulous, really great, and the apps they used made their faces look unnatural, fake. But that was exactly the look they were going for, because that’s what will get more social media ‘likes’ and it’s become popular, but not in a good way, and it’s got a name too: Snapchat dysmorphia. This is a type of virtual body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), where some people are going to  unhealthy lengths to rectify perceived flaws in their appearance and look more like their altered social media image or more  like those who influence them. This is a mental health condition affecting one in every 50 people, and growing, as millennials are more and more influenced by what they see online.

Last year I did a shoot with Rankin and instantly understood the lure of being able to create an improved version of yourself. This was a 12-page feature for American runway magazine The Impression, and the theme was strong older women (there were several of us and we were all between the ages of 50-90), happy in their own unretouched skin. We wore eye makeup but no foundation, and Rankin used the Facetune app to rejuvenate one half of our faces by removing lines, flattening eyebags, sharpening the jawline. Well, call me two-faced, I really, really liked the enhanced version of me. I looked like me, but also like someone who slept soundly for nine hours a night, had independent wealth and endless happy thoughts. Yes, I could achieve that ‘fresher’ look through filler and Botox and that isn’t permanent, so an easy route for most, but who wants to be Cinderella at just gone midnight every few months? So why not go the whole hog and go under the knife? Plastic surgery can knock about 10 years off your age and that’s permanent, so if you’re not happy with the result you’re well and truly stuck. Except you’re not. There’s always another op.

If I began tweaking, not my pics, me, would I stop, or would I find something else that needed attention? We’ve all seen enough people in the media and in the local supermarket who have had surgery, or filler and Botox, or the lot, but didn’t know when to stop, and look odd, a Stepford-wives-odd. Worse still, and I can only say this because I watch Keeping up with the Kardashians, the look can be strangely samey in a pouty-lipped, full-cheeked, eyebag-less way. I regularly confuse one of the mum’s friends in this programme with one of her daughter’s friends, but at least 30 years separates them, facially though, they could be twins. This should be a warning to all of us to leave well alone; just enjoy being the wonderful people we are.

I don’t want to disappoint you, but I’m not entirely happy in my unretouched skin. Yes, I can stay physically in shape through regular exercise, but no amount of work outs will remove or reduce my eye bags, sagging jowls and nasolabial folds (nose to mouth lines), so I either learn to love them (I’ve tried; not happening), wait for them to become fashionable (definitely not happening) or do something about it, and there’s no shortage of people who could me help there. My face is me, encapsulates my character, my decades of living and I don’t want to change that. But I do want to look fresher, not for social media ‘likes’, just to have less of a shock when I see my refection in shop windows, for my face to match my body, to enjoy being me more. I realise that Rankin was making an excellent point about being yourself and not resorting to an app to present a perfected version to the world, and I agree; I just want to look a little less imperfect, and I don’t see a problem in that. Or have I been drinking the Kool-Aid too?

 

Posted in Ageing, Beauty, Diet, Fashion, Health and fitness, Silver Foxes | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Claudine’s elixir of life

Sunday, November 3rd, 2019

Following on from my blog about looking 10 years younger, I’d like to tell you about Claudine Benstead, the wonderful lady who helped me to better health and fitness.

I first met Claudine when I moved to Essex way back in 1993. Then I knew her as this amazingly vibrant fitness instructor, who would put us all through our paces at the local gym and, while our body parts were wobbling away, hers never did. A decade later she became my personal trainer. For over 12 years we’ve been running around the Tendring area, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 6.00 and 7.00pm and I’ve never felt fitter. I’m also two dress sizes smaller, but I’ve still got wobbly bits and she still hasn’t. But that’s not all, she always looks bright-eyed and bursting with health while, no matter how early I go to bed, I still look like I’ve been burning the candle at both ends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me on the left, the wonderful Claudine on the right.

I have always tended to blame genetics for my inability to do something like turn a cartwheel or solve and algebraic equation so, as my mum had really dark shadows under her eyes, I always put my haunted look down to genetics. In other words, there was nothing I could do about it. But the more I learned about Claudine’s regime, the more I realised you can’t blame genetics for everything. How you look and how you feel is very much under your control.

I used to wonder what secret elixir Claudine had been drinking and whether I could get hold of some. How could anyone have so much energy ALL the time, be in such good humour ALL the time, look fresh-faced ALL the time, have a great figure ALL the time? But, over just a few months of power walking, jogging and interval training with her, I learned a lot about her day-to-day, like how much exercise she did, what food she ate, what she did in her down time. I realised that how she looked was down to the glaringly obvious; she followed a regime that would work for anyone; guaranteed. The only hitch is that this regime would test most mortals, especially those who like to settle down with a gin and slimline at the end of a working day, but all is not lost because doing anything, rather than just thinking about it, is a move in the right direction. If you’d like to spend in week in Claudine’s shoes, read on:

Exercise: it helps if you like it. If you don’t, make it routine

Claudine loves exercise and her life is filled with running weekly fitness classes and personal training sessions. And she’s very competitive, looking forward to cross country competitions and races with a relish I just don’t get. She recently completed the Witham five-mile race in 34 minutes and 28 seconds, that’s just under a seven-minute mile – not too shabby for anyone let alone a 56-year-old woman.

She is also dog-mad! She has six of her own, is a qualified dog behaviourist, co-owns Karma Dog Training and is a guest lecturer at Easton & Otley College on its Animal Management course. So, after running five miles with me the morning, she then goes and runs with her dogs, every day, twice a day. Tired yet? I’m not surprised, it affects me in the same way, but I can see how the routine of exercise has had a positive impact on my energy levels, my shape, my fitness and my sense of well-being. High impact exercise like running won’t suit everybody, but walking and swimming is every bit as good and, as long as you keep the pace up, you’ll burn calories and build muscle. Of course, if you have a dog, then you can be out and about twice a day. The important thing is to make exercise a daily routine, just like brushing your teeth and we wouldn’t dream of not brushing our teeth would we?

Diet: variety is the spice of life – unless it’s alcoholic

As far as eating and drinking is concerned, ‘everything in moderation’ is Claudine’s mantra, and the odd take-away is not off limits, it’s welcomed with open arms! But that is the exception, rather than the rule; generally, she’s a healthy eater who limits sugar and salt in cooking, and never eats a portion of anything on her plate that’s larger than her fist. She sometimes has to eat on the go, so she always starts the day with cereal and toast, and makes sure she has a supply of fruit and nuts to eat during her really busy days.

When it comes to alcohol Claudine believes in abstinence. No, she’s never had a problem with drink, she just can’t stand the taste. But as she’s always stone-cold sober, she’s seen some sights that will ensure she’s teetotal forever.

Skincare ritual: wear sunscreen

Claudine was wearing sunscreen way before US journalist Mary Schmich made it famous and Australian film director Baz Lurhmann made it even more famous. She has fair hair and pale skin and can burn very easily in the sun, so sunscreen has been her daily staple for decades; she adds a baseball hat in summer. This, plus the aforementioned lack of alcohol in her system and the fact that she gets a minimum eight hours of sleep every night, are very possibly the reasons she doesn’t have a line on her face. Or it could be down to genetics.

If this healthy, sensible, dog-lover is coming over as too good to be true, now I have to tell you that she also has an incredibly big heart. She can’t help herself; she’s kind, always greets you with the widest smile and she’s generous to a fault. You’d never ever know if she was having a bad day, because she wouldn’t want to burden you.

Five years ago I was delighted to attend Claudine’s wedding to Ben. She was a 51-year-old mother of two when she divorced her first husband and really wasn’t expecting to find love again. But she did; and guess what? Ben’s 10 years younger. Atta girl Claudine!

Posted in Ageing, Beauty, Diet, Exercise, Fashion, General, Health and fitness, Silver Foxes, Style | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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