Monthly Archives: December 2021

The Beauty Of Oils

Posted on by

I love beauty oils and have noticed such a difference to my skin since I started using them. Protect your skin this winter with oil-based products. Hydrating and nourishing, adding an oil-based product to your routine will ensure your skin stays glowing throughout the winter months.

Embryolisse Beauty Oil, £24.99, feelunique.com

  • Enriched with active vegetable oils, the Embryolisse Beauty Oil moisturises, nourishes, and beautifies the skin and hair.
  • The lightweight formula leaves a non-greasy, satiny veil with a sweet floral scent.
  • A mulit-purpose product, this oil can be used on your hair, face, and skin

 

COSRX Full Fit Propolis Light Ampoule, £32, feelunique.com

  • Formulated with 83% of Black Bee Propolis Extract
  • Moisturising and soothing
  • A lightweight formula, makes it perfect for those with an oilier skin type who are wanting to add an oil-based product into their routine
  • Fast absorbing, this ampoule will leave your skin glowing and hydrated throughout the day.

 

Freshly Cosmetics Red Velvet Oil Serum, £35, freshlycosmetics.com

  • Enriched with 15 plant-derived oils
  • Treats wrinkles, scars, blemishes, and redness
  • Hydrates and nourishes the skin
  • Vegan and cruelty free

 

Triology Hemphip Balancing Oil, £22.50, thefragranceshop.co.uk

  • Nourishes and balances combination skin types
  • Reduced excess oil
  • Formulated with salicylic acid to mildly exfoliate the skin
  • Enriched with omega-rich rosehip, jojoba, and grape seed oils to nourish, lemon myrtle to help reduce shine

 

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU: Exercise for SUCCESS so says Lianne and she will lead you into the ways of fitness with the FWL(Fit With Lianne) app

Posted on by

‘Are you an avid procrastinator?’ asks Lianne. ‘Do you sometimes think things through more than doing them? ‘

Well quite, was the reaction of the Frost team,. Of course Alex Bannard, Wellness and Wellbeing Editor, nodded wisely and asked  Lianne to  share her thoughts with Frost Magazine’s readers,  so here we go:

I always say to clients and my members when they are in a bit of a procrastination slump (which we all get by the way), ‘Think now, you going to gain more time later or reduce more time later by making this move?’

Because, when you exercise you are not only burning up some calories and getting some movement in, which we all know is amazing for our health. But you are also building great mental habits and you’re going to feel fantastic for it.

 Did you know also, getting fit make you more successful in Life?   Exercise  is known to improve mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem.

 

My top 4 reasons to exercise:

1. You Become More Confident.

The BUZZ of endorphins is incredible. Exercise makes us feel great which in turn increases our confidence.

2. You Become More Goal-Oriented

Setting small targets in fitness can ultimately help us in our life outside of fitness. It gets us into the goal-orientated lifestyle which is bound to ensure success elsewhere!

3. You Learn How to Manage Time

Making fitness your new routine requires a little shuffling of priorites. Great time management will make it all happen so you achieve the goals you have set out. If you are struggling with time, I have just the solution with my app where you can access fitness anytime, anywhere!

4. You Learn How to Balance Your Life

When you realise that you can be goal orientated, enjoy fitness and enjoy the pleasures in life, you know that life is all about balance (including work)

Calories, endorphins, mental health, being fantastic professionally… win win win win win.

The Frost team are nodding, and listening hard as Lianne invites everyone to come and join the Fit with Lianne App (FWL) community for a small monthly fee and access live zoom classes, on demand classes, plans, challenges and check ins. Be amongst hundreds of other women striving to be the best version of themselves.


Whatsapp- 07898352356

Facebook- ‘Fitness with Lianne’
Instagram- @fit_with_lianne

Reflecting with acceptance & appreciation by Alex Bannard Wellness and Wellbeing Editor

Posted on by

Gratitude is one of my favourite self-care practices.

Gratitude is about recognising that something is valuable to you regardless of its monetary value & expressing this appreciation.

Gratitude has been linked to improvements in mental health. It also improves our self-awareness, our relationships & gives us a sense of fulfilment.

According to neuroscientist Alex Korb, we can’t truly focus on positive & negative feelings at the same time, so when we are expressing gratitude we are focusing on the positive which makes it impossible to focus on the negative.

There are so many health benefits associated with gratitude that it has been said if it were a drug it would be the number one best selling product in maintaining health for every major organ system.

The beautiful thing about gratitude is that the more you express it the more you find to be grateful about.

Gratitude is also said to be the highest state of receivership. If you think about it, we express gratitude when something wonderful has happened. So expressing gratitude in advance you are sending a powerful message into the Universe that your intention has already happened.

There are SO many different ways to practice gratitude.

3 grateful things – we play this game regularly. Everyone has to say 3 things that they are grateful for that have happened that day. My son’s 3 grateful things are: breakfast, lunch & tea or football, rugby & football again!

Gratitude journal – do you know that the emotion you go to bed feeling is the emotion you wake up feeling? Writing down every night all the things you are grateful puts you to bed in a high vibration emotion, which you then wake up in.

Gratitude jar – write down lovely things that happen when they happen & put it in a jar. When the jar’s fully open it up & relive all those little moments, which as Jon Kabbat Zinn says aren’t so little after all!

Taking some time at the end of the year to reflect with gratitude & appreciation is important for helping us to re-frame whatever has happened, after all every experience is an opportunity for learning & growth. Focusing on the lessons we learn even in challenging times can be incredibly empowering.

Instead of focusing what may not have gone to plan this year, focus instead on what IS working. This is a powerful way to shift the energy surrounding these situations. And if possible express gratitude for all that is working & you will attract more of the same.

To receive your own copy of the reflections meditation just email Alex at alex@alexbannard.com

If you would like to find out more self-care tips check out Alex’s FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindfulnessyoga4selfcare

Or on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexbannard/

For short yoga practices & meditations check out Alex’s YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQlKZJ7MeyYc6lqkv6seISw

Alex is based on the edge of the stunning Cotswolds & has been sharing her love for all things yoga & mindfulness for almost a decade, not just in the UK but also around the world. Her mission is to help everyone discover a more mindful way of living & to encourage them to embrace regular self-care practices for a happier & healthier way of being.

CARIADS’ CHOICE: DECEMBER BOOK REVIEWS

Posted on by

Caroline James’ Coffee Tea the Gypsy and Me, reviewed by Jane Cable

From heartbreak to hilarity Caroline James’ debut novel shows just what a great writer she’d become. The characters, village and hotel are fabulously drawn and I really enjoyed it.

When Jo’s husband runs off with the au pair it takes her a while to haul herself back on her feet, but when she does, boy does she do it with 1980’s style! Her outer transformation happens first, with the inner Jo following as she renovates and opens a boutique hotel, dodges the local slime-balls and despite adversity and genuine heartbreak makes a go of it.

It’s an amusing retro romp I really enjoyed.

 

Clare Huston’s Art and Soul, reviewed by Jessie Cahalin

Wonderful story to chase away the winter blues.

This novel wrapped itself around me like a cosy blanket and took me to Becky and Charlie’s world. Becky, a life coach, is employed to fix the life of an artist called Charlie. Becky is kind and witty, and Charlie is the perfect brooding hero. This is a great premise for a dream narrative that tempted me into the characters’ lives. I loved Ronnie and the gorgeous cakes at Sweet’s. The friendship between Ronnie and Becky is so real and both characters are entertaining. But Becky’s observations about the characters are astute and made me giggle throughout. At one point she talks about someone’s ‘pompous glee so perfect it nearly melted her forehead’. Who wouldn’t want a friend like Becky? She is feisty, fun and can fix things. And you need to meet Charlie to discover his charm. An interesting observation on the dynamics of the modern family.

An entertaining romance!

 

Lauren Groff’s Matrix, reviewed by Kitty Wilson

A beautifully written story chronicling the imagined life of Marie de France who was banished to an impoverished abbey as a teenager. We follow Marie as she grows into a confident and authoritative woman who transforms the fortune of the abbey and the lives of the women she lives with. A powerful novel that examines gender expectations and roles in twelfth century Europe with all the dangers and pitfalls that accompanied life at the time. This novel is masterful, evocative and immersive, a powerful story of being female in the late Middle Ages. Highly recommended and I am excited to reread it.

 

Janice Preston’s The Penniless Debutante, reviewed by Morton Gray

Aurelia Croome is almost destitute when she inherits a fortune, but there are strings attached to her inheritance, because the terms of the will forbid her from marrying the new Lord Tregowan. This doesn’t seem to be a problem on the face of it, but when she begins to socialise in London, the man she’s attracted to is no other than Maximilian Penrose—the new Lord Tregowan!

I devoured this book from the first page. I loved the fact that I had already read the stories of Aurelia’s half-sisters in the previous two books in the Lady Tregowan’s Will series – The Rags-To-Riches Governess and The Cinderella Heiress.

I devoured this book from the first page. Perfect escapism from a troubled world, I kept sneaking off to read more and I really think I should be kept on a constant diet of Janice Preston books, apart from the fact that I would get nothing done. Trademark Preston oh la la sensual scene and a great story. More please.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fit With Lianne app – Lianne tells Alex Bannard Wellness and Wellbeing Editor, how the germ of the idea grew – like Topsy – into the success it is today

Posted on by

A year ago, the  hugely successful Fit With Lianne (FWL)  app was launched.  It caught the attention of Alex Bannard who wanted  to learn more about this fitness app, and its creator, Lianne.

Lianne explained that  from her early days as a fitness instructor taking classes in gyms she had felt it important to reach out to more and more people, for the good of their health and wellbeing, but how? The next step in her fifteen year journey  was to go it alone, with her own training  classes, which grew and grew, like Topsy.  This enabled her to build up  an extraordinarily healthy (in all ways) client base. Alex, however,  wanted to know how  this young woman, fizzing with energy, arrived at where she is today – the doyen of the Fit With Lianne app, especially as Lianne is a military wife, and we all know how  dislocating that life can be.

Indeed, it transpired that Lianne had moved every few years but nothing daunted, she had simply  worked harder to maintain and grow her client base. As she explained, ‘I had to find a way to maintain a hold of the clients I already  had, but it wasn’t until until 2017 that a catalyst ocurred – a posting to Brunei – which really kick started the fitness online community. How else was I to remain in touch with my clients?’ 

As if the fitness mentoring wasn’t enough for a military wife, it transpired that Lianne had also trained to be a secondary school PE teacher and managed to hold part time teaching roles wherever they were posted.  But, as Lianne insisted:  ‘My ultimate passion has always been my Fitness Business.’ 

Ever resourceful, our intrepid Fitness guru wasn’t in the slightest bit fazed when she and her husband moved  back to the UK in 2020 in the midst of a pandemic. In fact she saw this as an opportunity; the perfect time to realise her ultimate dream of creating an app to centralise all she had to offer. And, it yet again ,like Topsy grew and grew. Indeed, within a short period of time, the core membership had grown to over 100.

So what happened when the gyms reopened? Alex wanted to know.

‘When the gyms opened I lost a few clients. However, with the new technological world, a hybrid fitness lifestyle or even a pure online fitness lifestyle, seems to be a new way of life for many people. 

‘The app has developed enormously in just one year. From simply offering live and on demand content I  now offer a weekly check in, plans, challenges and more.’

And talking of plans and challenges, Alex discovered that Lianne had made yet another move,  this time to Yorkshire, to buy their own home, settle the children and remain in one place for at least a few years.

So… Alex wanted to know. hadn’t Lianne had been tempted to let the FWL go?

Clearly this is the last thing on Lianne’s agenda. ‘I have decided going forward that the app and the online fitness community is my focus. The teaching is being put to the side and I am going ALL IN with this fitness business and I welcome anyone along for the ride.’

What does Fit with Lianne  app offer:

  • Online 1-1 PT
  • Group PT
  • Regular ZOOM live online fitness classes (Pilates, HIIT, Weighted workouts (kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells), Step and more)
  • On demand classes
  • Monthly challenges
  • Weekly check in for all PT and App members

How it works:

Download the FWL App, subscribe (monthly or annually), you then instantly access the live classes, plans, on demand content, challenges and weekly check in.

Group and 1-1 PT can be arranged separately to the app, but app members unlock a discount for these.

The cost.  £12.99/month or £89.99 annual membership. No ties, no tricks, no additional costs.

1-1 and group PT from £30/month.

Alex will be passing on some of words of encouragement from Lianne in a couple of days, so you will be ready  to make that New Year’s fitness resolution work for you.

Whatsapp- 07898352356

Facebook- ‘Fitness with Lianne Instagram- @fit_with_lianne

 

Surrender to the season to be jolly by Alex Bannard, Wellness and Wellbeing Editor

Posted on by

Over the past couple of weeks, I have shared a few of my favourite self-care tips to help you navigate the festivities with grace & ease. Tips that I hope will help you thrive instead of merely surviving the celebrations, time with family & all the stresses & strains that accompany the holidays.

Despite the best laid plans, life has a habit of getting in the way & things can inevitably go, well, pear shaped.

Today I’d like to share one of my favourite yoga poses: child’s pose & the concept of surrendering to whatever may be. This little trick has been with me through thick & thin, good times & bad ever since I moved back to the UK.

I used it through a toxic divorce, (often several times a day!) & when my menopause symptoms were at their worst I turned to it again, taking myself off & dropping into child’s pose & repeating the mantra over & over until I felt ready to move on with my day.

I still do it almost daily because when we practice something, even when we don’t need it, this forges the neuron pathways in our brain to make it more likely we will return to this practice when we do need it.

Child’s pose:

Sitting with your bum on your heels.

Can’t get your bum on your heels?

Why not roll up a blanket & stick it between your heels & bum so you can relax into the pose?

Extend your arms onto the mat, resting your forehead on the floor (without squishing your nose).

Can’t reach the floor with your forehead, pop a DVD box set or a decent sides book under your forehead – improvise with whatever you have to hand!

Breathe smoothly & repeat this mantra:

I surrender to all that is as it is now & so it is.

Keep repeating this phrase until you feel a shift, then you’re ready to go!

Surrender is a powerful energy.

It’s not giving up or a giving in.

It’s giving over.

Letting go.

Releasing.

Surrendering to what is is a powerful little tool to help us navigate the festivities, after all this time of year isn’t easy & fun for everyone all the time.

If you would like to find out more self-care tips to thrive in the festivities check out Alex’s FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindfulnessyoga4selfcare

Or on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexbannard/

Short yoga sequences including yoga for stress are available on her YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQlKZJ7MeyYc6lqkv6seISw

Alex is based on the edge of the stunning Cotswolds & has been sharing her love for all things yoga & mindfulness for almost a decade, not just in the UK but also around the world. Her mission is to help everyone discover a more mindful way of living & to encourage them to embrace regular self-care practices for a happier & healthier way of being.

Last minute Christmas gifts: Gifts under £15

Posted on by

It’s almost time people so here are some fabulously gifts under £15.

Cawston Press & Adnams have teamed up for this limited-edition modern mix of shandies for the festive season – the perfect gift for the beer aficionado in your life. Featuring x3 exclusive pairings between Cawston Press’ delicious, pressed fruit sparkling drinks and the ale innovations from Adnams in a beautiful, limited-edition box, it’s a great stocking filler or special something for your beer-loving friends & family. With limited numbers available, get yours before they’re gone!

dawson

RRP £12.99 – pre-order yours from Drink Station

 

 

This winter, Bahlsen wants to tempt you to three new expertly crafted creations, perfect as stocking fillers for those who love sweet treats! Introducing the indulgent new Messino Pink Gin & Tonic, and the return of the wickedly delicious Choco Leibniz Baileys and Ohne Gleichen Baileys! Equal parts naughty and nice with an affordable price tag, these delicious treats are perfect for indulging on while opening presents. But be quick – they’re only around for the festive season, so you’ll have to act fast to snap these up before they’re gone!

 

125g per packet, RRP £1.49-£1.79, available from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, ASDA, Morrisons, and Co-op

 Pimms, sundowner

This year, iconic British drinks brand Pimm’s introduced a brand-new spritz option; Pimm’s Sundowner, a perfect aperitif for adding a little sparkle to the celebrations with friends and family this winter. With a vibrant, red festive hue, Pimm’s Sundowner expertly blends rich redcurrant and raspberry flavours to deliver a delicious, bittersweet tasting aperitif. 

 

70cl, ABV 18%, RRP £15 

 

Mind, Health And Money: Positive Changes That You Can Make To Your Lifestyle This Year

Posted on by

This is the time of year when we take a look at our list of New Year’s Resolutions and ask ourselves what we are going to be able to keep to and which ones are going to fall by the wayside. It is time to commit to a fresh start and start making some positive changes, but we have all found ourselves in the position of telling ourselves that maybe this was never the year that we were going to learn how to make our own sushi. Maybe next year will be the one for travelling more. 

One of the main problems with these resolutions that we make is that we aim too high with no real idea of how we are going to get there. We know that it can be difficult to make sure that the big plans that we have for the new year make it past the spring, which is why the best way forward is to think about the simple things that you can do to bring them closer to reality. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither were big lifestyle overhauls. Here are a few tips to help you make healthy and productive changes in the new year.

Embrace A Daily Routine

This may sound like a slightly boring point to start off with, but it is also true that it can feel like control slips out of reach during the winter months. We stay in bed as long as possible because the days are short, and the weather is appalling. We work late because we are overtired, and the to-do list seems never-ending. We put off meeting friends or going to the gym because energy levels are low, and motivation is even lower. 

While creating a daily routine may not solve all of these problems, it will help you to have a firmer grip on your schedule. Make sure that you are getting up at the same time every day. Give yourself enough time to prepare for the day properly before you start work, especially if you are still working from home. Check your diary before making any commitments and be honest about whether you have enough time for them. 

Improve Your Work-Life Balance

Following on from the point above, we have all had a hard time with separating work from home life since remote working became the standard. When your workstation is in your home, it can be very tricky to make sure that you keep that line separating the two parts of your day clear. This is one of the biggest reasons why so many people have faced burnout over the last few months. Fixing this is on a lot of our New Year’s Resolutions lists and there are several simple steps that you can take towards achieving that goal. The first is to stop checking your work emails and messages when you have signed off. Don’t just close your laptop screen, turn it off. Take your lunch breaks and try to make sure you get outside during that time, or at least stop eating your lunch at your desk. Make plans for the weekend and keep them. 

Look For The Best Deals Out There

Given how tough the last couple of years have been, it makes sense that a lot of us are factoring our finances into our resolutions. If you are wondering how you can save some extra cash in 2022, one of the most effective and simplest ways to do so is to make sure that you are shopping around for the best deals. Take your energy bills, for instance. Could you save money by switching to a different supplier? Are you spending too much on your broadband package for bandwidth that you are not actually using? 

And when it comes to plans, phone packages are often one of the biggest culprits. So often we discover that there is a nasty bill surprise waiting for us at the end of the month, or that we can’t get out of our contracts because we’ve signed up for a lot more than we originally bargained for. If you want to make sure that you want what you are paying for, then a SIM-only plan could be the perfect choice for you. If you are looking for the best SIM-only deals, Lebara offers a range of different plans to suit your budget, and its international minutes are applicable to 41 countries around the world.

Make Tweaks To Your Diet

Some of the most popular New Year’s Resolutions are the ones that are related to our weight and our diet. Now, it’s probably because we have just eaten and drank our way through a series of festive feasts, not to mention all the unhealthy treats we consume to try and power through the grim winter, but it is always a good idea to take a look at what we are putting in our bodies and try to make some positive changes. Now, we all know how going cold turkey tends to go, so instead of announcing that it’s nothing but salads from here on out, why not try making some strategic swaps? We should all be trying to eat less red meat for both our health and the planet, so think about swapping one or two meaty meals out every week for a veggie alternative? Think about what kind of health snacks you could replace those sweets and salty treats with such as dried fruit, nuts, and crunchy vegetables. 

Finally, one of the big switches we should all be trying to make is cutting down on the amount of alcohol we are drinking. We know that the holiday period tends to be when we all go harder on the booze, and we have all been leaning on drinking a lot during the last two years, but in the new year it would be a healthy choice to try and limit the amount that you are drinking. Alcohol is a depressant that is loaded with empty calories, and it can seriously disturb your sleep. Look at alcohol-free replacements. 

Guest post from our partner.