The toll that stress takes, and how to recognise and manage it.
Has it got to the point where it just feels like being stressed is just your default mode? You might achieve a state of zen now and again, on holidays or on a Saturday afternoon, but you generally spend most of your days experiencing greater or lesser degrees of stress, and it’s started to just feel normal. You’ve accepted it as a reality of life.
The truth is that it has been proven that high levels of the stress hormone cortisol running through your blood stream can lead to alzheimers disease, which needs no introduction.
I’m here to tell you that stress in your life doesn’t have to be the case. And, that it really shouldn’t be the case, as those stress levels aren’t just affecting you in the here and now, but are also taking a toll on your future health, and on those around you.
If you think that stress is a problem for you, then this article is an excellent starting point for getting your life back. It’s not going to happen overnight, but with a little guidance and a little persistence, you should soon be feeling the difference.
We’re going to have a look at the negative effects that stress has on your body. Then, we’ll move on to how to recognise stress, which isn’t always that easy and, lastly, we’ll take a look at how to effectively minimise or manage it in your daily life, so that it doesn’t take over.
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Standing Up!
/in Pilates /by Susan BoothLast weekend I was doing some people watching, which has now evolved into posture watching for me now! There is no right or wrong posture. When you really study the human form you will see just how different we all are!
I am fascinated with the way people manoeuvre their bodies. Many of us, I believe, are totally unaware of the way they hold themselves and the way they move their limbs when walking. I was observing a woman who had a slight stoop, nothing too terrible, but I was wondering when was the last time she looked in the mirror and properly took a few minutes thinking about her stance.
That’s why every week in your pilates class with me we take some time to stop and think about how your body is standing in space. We are lucky at the Littleover evening class, as we have mirrors in the class, and it really has improved everyones postures. So, next time you take a bit of time looking at your stance, here is a little check list of what to look out for:
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Is your chin tucked in?
Where are your shoulders
Is the weight in the back of your heels/feet,
Is your spine in neutral or not?
Next time you have a bit of time, do a bit of people watching and check out the various postures of the human form.
How to say goodbye to limiting beliefs
/in Mindset /by Susan BoothHave you ever taken a moment to think about how your negative beliefs could be messing up your efforts to adopt a healthier lifestyle?
Whilst there are many things that can get in the way of our journey towards better health and fitness, one of the main things holding us back are the subconscious beliefs we hold about ourselves.
What are limiting beliefs?
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How can I shift this extra weight around my middle?
/in Weight Loss Motivation /by Susan BoothMany 40+ women experience unexplained weight gain — especially around the waist and hips — despite their best attempts to diet, exercise like crazy and eating next to nothing.
And suddenly, the usual weight loss tool box is empty.
“Meno-middle” is one of the most common complaints of perimenopausal women. Yet most women have been told that an extra 10–20 pounds is simply a rite of passage at this time of life and they should just accept their “middle-age spread.”
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‘Bad’ day? Week? Month? Here’s what to do
/in Mindset, Weight Loss Motivation /by Susan BoothIt’s been one of those days. You have the best intentions, but you just didn’t manage to live up to them today. Or yesterday. Maybe you’ve been struggling to meet your health and fitness goals at all this week, or maybe you’re looking back on the month just gone and wondering where it all went ‘wrong’.
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Take the stress out of your life to avoid dementia
/in Longevity, Mindset /by Susan BoothThe toll that stress takes, and how to recognise and manage it.
Has it got to the point where it just feels like being stressed is just your default mode? You might achieve a state of zen now and again, on holidays or on a Saturday afternoon, but you generally spend most of your days experiencing greater or lesser degrees of stress, and it’s started to just feel normal. You’ve accepted it as a reality of life.
The truth is that it has been proven that high levels of the stress hormone cortisol running through your blood stream can lead to alzheimers disease, which needs no introduction.
I’m here to tell you that stress in your life doesn’t have to be the case. And, that it really shouldn’t be the case, as those stress levels aren’t just affecting you in the here and now, but are also taking a toll on your future health, and on those around you.
If you think that stress is a problem for you, then this article is an excellent starting point for getting your life back. It’s not going to happen overnight, but with a little guidance and a little persistence, you should soon be feeling the difference.
We’re going to have a look at the negative effects that stress has on your body. Then, we’ll move on to how to recognise stress, which isn’t always that easy and, lastly, we’ll take a look at how to effectively minimise or manage it in your daily life, so that it doesn’t take over.
Read more
Three Pelvic Floor Myths
/in Pilates /by Susan BoothI am just so amazed that so many of my friends and ladies who come to my classes do have issues in the under-carriage department. Why are we putting up with it? Why should we put up with it?
Well, you don’t.
Lets start with some myth busting.
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What are the first signs of having a Pelvic Floor problem?
/in Pelvic Floor Health, Pilates /by Susan BoothNow I am bang smack into my menopausal years, the words ‘Pelvic Floor’ have been reintroduced to my vocabulary. Over 20 years ago I gave birth to two lovely human beings, and at the post natal check ups, the GP mumbled something about Pelvic Floor exercises and was I doing them. I said yes, but really I didn’t know if I was or not? Nobody had shown me, nobody had explained how. I was busy with my little ones, I vaguely remember someone mentioning a lift or something!
Fast forward 20 years to the present day…
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What is Pilates? Is it like Yoga?
/in Pilates /by Susan BoothIf I had a pound every time someone asked me that very question…….
This year I decided I would like to get some Yoga into my body, so I have been regularly attending classes at Stay Well Health in Chellaston, Derby. Sarah has a fabulous studio entirely dedicated to the practice of yoga, so with a little knowledge from the few times I have attended and a wealth of knowledge from Sarah (she is helping me with this blog) I hope to answer that popular question…
What is Pilates? Is it like Yoga?
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Making the Choice to Change in 2019
/in Mindset, Weight Loss Motivation /by Susan BoothNew year always throws up so many overwhelming messages.
Time to change, what are your resolutions?
Have you set any goals… They can sometimes leave us feeling inadequate and useless.
Then there is the endless TV programs on how to lose weight, quickest, cheapest, the best blah, blah blah.
On the16th January it will be my 23 year anniversary of working in the fitness, health and wellbeing industry. Hard to believe I have been helping ladies (of a certain age!) to feel better about themselves, enjoy a strong fit body and to have fun whilst doing it for a whole 23 years! There is one thing for sure, every January I have heard the same messages, the same promises from diets and gyms, the internet etc.
In my experience the ladies who DO challenge themselves and DO set goals and DO change are the ones who have the right mindset from the outset. What makes them different?
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Susan’s top 5 suggestions for your Christmas Present list 2018
/in Weight Loss Motivation /by Susan Booth1. Book – Paleo Primer by Keris Marseden – this book is both informative and has excellent easy to do recipes for the cleanest eating ready to hit all your New Year goals. £14.99 GET IT HERE
2. Spiralizer – these are a must have kitchen gadget for 2016. Make courgetti (spaghetti style courgette), spaghetti style cucumber and carrot to help replace the carbs for veggies instead. £12.85 BUY ONE HERE
3. ALIVE The 7 Day Detox – Start 2016 with a big clean eating boost. This is a brand new online delivered 7 day detox with YOU in mind. (Discounted price £15 for a limited period) MORE INFO
Everyday I will post into a private facebook group, what to eat and a video of the exercise you should do and a motivational video. You can view and look at all of this stuff as and when you like. People will post photos of what they are eating, chat and discuss motivational tactics etc. It works really well, it’s like a virtual class with people from all over the world doing the same diet and exercise over a period of 7 days. At the end of the 7 days, I will give guidelines on how to continue to maintain your weight loss.
4. Relaxing Back massage or Reflexology – I highly recommend Calmer Life Therapy’s to help you to relax your way into January. Get your vouchers from £20-£40 from Dawn. CLICK HERE
5. Boudoir Photo shoot – This, I found, was so much more than ‘just and photoshoot’ Amanda knows how to capture the most inner beauty in any woman. Hair and make-up is wonderful in itself, and the finished photos where tasteful, classic and truly works of art. I definitely recommend this for any woman. Loved it – more of an experience than a photoshoot. Email Amanda for prices www.amandamcconnellphotography.co.uk