We've been in lock down since last Friday. Today I want to share some tips and thoughts to help you if you're facing lock down with kids. It's not as bad as it sounds, I promise you!

Lock Down Happened Quickly

Last week was a strange week here in Spain. On Wednesday we were told all interschool activities would be cancelled. On Thursday they announce that schools here in Catalunya would be closed the following day.

Friday was our first day of no school but we were allowed out to do other things. I went to my Tai Chi class.

On Saturday the central Spanish government announced a state of emergency. We're no longer allowed out of our houses except to walk dogs, buy foods and for emergencies.

(On a side note, I don't understand why people have the idea that dogs need walking more than humans!)

A Period of Adjusting to Lock Down

It's a big difference in our lives. We're not used to having 4 kids stuck at home. And the kids aren't used to having to do homework and live in a confin...

It's a jungle out there if you want to start reading about healthy eating and living. Today I'm sharing my favourite healthy eating and living resources.

I've included affiliate links to help you find the resources. Links go to amazon.com. 

Top Nutrition Resources

1. Dr Michael Mosley.

Dr Mosley has written loads of books including "the Fast Diet", The 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet", "The Clever Guts Diet".

I love that he writes in an interesting way. He presents both sides of a controversial area.

A great place to start reading about nutrition.

I also love his "Clever Guts Recipe book".

2. The Diet Myth by Prof Tim Spector.

Another interesting and well-written book. Dis-spells a lot of those "myths" and controversy about nutrition. 

3. The Obesity Code by Dr Jason Fung

Explains how carbohydrates and insulin are big contributors to weight gain. A great read if you're interested in knowing more than the basics.

4. Eat Fat Get Thin by Dr Mark Hyman

An in depth look at fat metabo...

Dr Sally Norton a consultant surgeon and weight loss expert. She explains why women put on weight during the menopause and how to lose weight in a sustainable way.

Many Things Contribute to Weight Gain After Menopause

It’s quite a controversial issue. There’s no good medical evidence that shows that menopause causes weight gain. There are some studies that say women don’t put on weight during the menopause.

But the reality is that many people do put on fat and weight at about the same time as they go through the menopause.

Lower Oestrogen Levels At Menopause Increase Fat Mass

The drop in oestrogen at the time of menopause causes an increase of fat mass. At the same time, bone and muscle mass can decrease. So it’s easy to see why medically we don’t “gain weight”. We gain fat, and lose bone and muscle mass which can result in being the same weight.

The change in fat distribution is a problem. We don’t want more weight around our middle! Central obesity is bad for our health. I...

Hands up who has cravings? Those all encompassing thoughts that consume you until you go out of your way to please them.

Cravings can be smaller, such as not starting work until you’ve had a coffee.

Or larger. When you drive half way across town to find a specific food.

Either way, cravings are addictions. Our brains are addicted to the dopamine rush we get when we satisfy the craving.

For me, caffeine is my weakness. My brain is addicted to the rush of caffeine I get when I drink my daily coffee.

Cravings are Like Habits Gone Wrong

Our brains love efficiency and create habits so we don’t have to think. We do things on autopilot. This autopilot is another way of describing habits. Habits are things we do without having to think about it. Such as brushing our teeth, driving to work, drinking coffee.

How Do Habits Work?

Habits are driven by a neurotransmitter called dopamine. That’s the “reward” we get. Dopamine makes us feel good. Dopamine is great because it drives us to do...

I’ve seen this with several clients. As they get closer to their dream weight, they find themselves doing things that they wouldn’t normally do.

Eating stuff that’s sabotaging their efforts.

It’s as if their body is saying “whoops, we’re getting a bit close to that goal so let’s eat loads and stay this weight because it’s safe.”

Sound familiar?

(It doesn’t have to be a weight loss goal. Could be anything!)

I notice myself doing it with work related goals…

“polishing my podcasts”

“tidying my computer”

Keeping myself busy “doing” stuff that isn’t going to get me closer to my goals.

Is it Self Sabotaging or Self Protecting Behaviour?

Actually I think we should rename it “self protecting” behaviour. It’s our body’s way of keeping things normal and avoiding the dangerous unknown.

We just have to be the leader and say “it’s OK body, we’ve got this! it’s going to be great on the other side!”

If it was the other way around, and you were doing something that was “weight promotin...

Ever had a day when your mind takes over and throws you down the plughole of a negative thought? It's like a song that you can't shake off. You spiral down the negative thought as it grows and grows.

You know that creating positive thoughts will help you spiral up again.

The only problem is, you need to create thoughts that you actually believe. You can't trick yourself into believing things that you know aren't true.

Here's a fantastic exercise to help you create and build on positive thoughts that will help you get back on track.

Dr Orlena Author Bio

Dr Orlena is a health coach. She helps busy mums go from "I can't lose weight" to feeling fit and fabulous. Find out more about her here.

Does your life ever get knocked sideways with a bout of negative thinking? Mine sure does! Today I want to share with you some of the tips and tricks that I use to make sure I don’t spiral down the “negative plug hole”.

Why Is it Important to Get Out of a Negative Thinking Rut?

It doesn’t matter what your goals are. Healthy eating, weight loss, healthy living. Even work related goals. A bout of negative thinking can lead to self sabotaging behaviour. It’s at these times that we give into emotional eating, throw in our exercise regime and become less productive at work.

Me a Few Years Ago

A few years ago, I used to suffer with big bouts of negative thinking. I’d get frustrated with something. Then it would spiral out of control. I’d pay attention to all those negative thoughts in my head. What started with frustration at a small task would escalate into “my life is a disaster” and “I can’t do anything!”

Even worse, in an attempt to ask for help, I’d go and share my disaster wit...

Dr Harriet Holme talks to Dr Orlena about the benefits of a plant based diet. What does the research tell us about the health benefits of a plant based diet? What exactly is a plant based diet? How much meat, eggs and dairy can you eat in a plant based diet? Are meat, eggs and dairy bad for you?

Dr Harriet Holme

Dr Harriet Holme worked as an academic paediatric doctor. She is a registered nutritionist. She does bespoke nutritional consultancy.

What is the Research behind the Plant Based Diet?

There are many studies that conclude a plant based diet is good for us. Studies vary in size as well as quality.

One large study was recently published in the Lancet. Read the article here.

The PREDIMED study is another landmark piece of research.

It’s clear from the research that fruit and vegetables are good for us.

One question that we haven’t answered is the “fliexitarian” vs “vegan” debate. Is it better to eat a diet full of vegetables that excludes meat, dairy and eggs (a vegan die...

One of my favourite subjects is “getting started with self care”? Why? Because until we take that step and prioritise our own needs, we’re stuck on the “habits hamster wheel”. We’re doing the same things over and over again. Without thinking.

We Often Need A Nudge to Get Us Started with Self Care

You know what life’s like. We’re all getting on with life. For parents, that includes looking after our kids. We often don’t have enough energy to think about “self care”.

We either think we’re doing OK and have got healthy living nailed. Or it’s something we put off for another day.

Often we need a bit of a wake up call to get us started on “healthy living” and feeling “fit and fabulous”.

I had several “small wake up calls”. I thought I was leading a healthy life. But I wasn’t feeling fit and fabulous. Now I do lead an amazing life style. I take care of myself. And feel fit and fabulous.

My first wake up call was how I was showing up as a mum. I was exhausted and “snappy”. I didn’t wa...