The busy, hectic and chaotic lifestyles we lead today are without a doubt having a negative effect of our health and well being. Whatever happened to taking the time to stop and smell the roses?

Taking care of your mind, body and spirit is the easiest way to reduce stress and lead a healthier lifestyle. Small changes each day, ensuring you devote time to yourself and your well being, will help you to more easily take on lives daily challenges and keep them under control.

Psychologist and author of High Octane Women, Dr Sherrie Bourg Carter Psy.D, suggests that taking time to unwind is not important, but critical for us psychologically and physically; “A person, even one with seemingly superhuman stamina and passion for what they do, has to unwind to give their minds and bodies a chance to reboot. If they don’t do it, their bodies and minds will ultimately do it for them. They will have a burn out.”

Depending on the situation, destressing can be as simple as taking a few moments to yourself and counting to 10, however there are many ways in which you can ensure you day runs smoothly and you maintain a stress free state of mind. Here’s a few of our simple top tips to a stress free day.

Make time for breakfast

Eating a sensible, healthy breakfast will without a doubt give you the energy to get ready for the day ahead. By not concentrating on your rumbling stomach till lunch time, you will be more focused and productive allowing you to get more done and prevent being overwhelmed later in the afternoon.

Plan your day ahead

Creating a simple to-do list for the day, assembles the tasks for the day and organises them, eliminating the chance that you later get the feeling of forgetting something important. By prioritising the days duties and noting them down you get a sense of achievement as you tick them off. Then when you do need time to relax you can be safe in the knowledge that your trusty to-do list will keep you on track.

Boost your antioxidants

Anti-oxidants help in keeping your body cells youthful and healthy. They help to keep your body strong and in turn will help to relieve stress. You can so easily boost your daily anti-oxidants by simply drinking more green tea. Its powerful antioxidant content looks after your insides and keeps them stress free meaning being stress free on the outside will come easier.

Soak up the Sun

Take advantage of the coming summer weather and get outdoors. Stress can be one of the major causes of vitamin deficiency and just a short daily stroll in the sun can help increase your vitamin d levels, which will in turn enhance your immune systems efficiency. A breath of fresh air can be great when you need to moment to unwind.

Exercise

Love it or hate it, physical exercise can really help to destress. Depending on your mood, change up your work out. In those high stress moments, why not vent out your frustration through a high-energy work out such as boxing or running and when you want to relax take yourself to a zen-like state with a little yoga or stretching.

A rested mind is a happy mind

For those who get deeply engrossed in their work, a 20 minute power nap can refresh, revitalise and refuel without the need for an artificial boost. Leonardo Da Vinci, Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison are all said to have been power nappers. You snooze, you gain it appears.

Laughter

“I don’t know of anyone who gets stressed out by laughter. It is one of the best overall stress-relievers I know of, and the best thing is that it’s free and available to everyone at any time. Hanging around with positive people as opposed to negative people also doesn’t hurt.” Dr Sherrie Bourg Carter Psy.D.

Snack attack – With busier lifestyles, it is now even more important to make sure that we are maintaining a healthy diet. With meal times often being unpredictable and unset, snacking is a great way to take some time out and refuel. Choosing sensible, health conscious snacks such as fruit can give you the boost you need to get you through the day and avoid that afternoon slump.

Skip the afternoon caffeine

The addictive caffeine hit may help you get through the day but the unnatural stimulant is doing nothing for your stress levels. The daily caffeine fix may give you a kick to get through your afternoon, but inevitably you will end up in a worse state of mind once it has worn off. You have been warned.

Meet friends

Having a stressful day? Don’t let things build up. Meet with friends or get on the phone for a chit chat. Talking it out will unload what you have been carrying around all day and often hearing another persons opinion can be reassuring and helpful. That’s what friends are for.

Have some healthy comfort food

Getting home after a long, stressful day and filling yourself up with stodgy food only leads to a bloated, couch potato night. Traditional comfort foods such as pizza, macaroni cheese and ice cream are what we all want to brighten our night, though unfortunately they will only lead to you feeling more lethargic and less likely to handle stress efficiently.

Listen to your favourite music

Soft music can set the mood for a relaxing, stress free night or alternatively turning up the volume of some of your favourite songs is a sure fire way to improve your mood and make you smile. Music can instantly have a calming effect.

Bubble Bath

Light some candles and incorporate you favourite bath oils or bubble bath. Then just sit back and relax. Need we say more?

Do something Lo-Tech

Emails, Facebook, Twitter and constant internet access has become part of most of our daily lifestyles. Before you settle down for the night why not go try a Lo-Tech activity and read before bed? Opening a book can allow you to enter another world and escape from a stressful day. It is also a great way to let your body relax and ease any muscle tension before a good nights sleep.

Have an early night

Now that your day has been organised and you’ve ticked off your to do list, make an effort to ensure you get your average 8 hours sleep for the night. For everyone a good sleep is absolutely essential to your health and well being and while stress can be a huge factor in lack of sleep, once you have destressed your day you will be well on your way to a sound nights sleep.

Just relax!

Dr Sherrie Bourg Carter Psy.D, strongly believes that the best de-stressing solutions are very much self defined and dependent on each of our individual personalities.

“While I believe it is vital for everyone to find ways to unwind and refuel their engines, I also think it vital that they find a fuel that works for them.”

“Many women feel that they simply cannot find solutions to relieve stress when infact the key is to think outside the box and find unique solutions that work for their unique personalities.”

Sarah Connolly, Lifestyle Writer

Like most, I adore my weekends. I love sleeping in until all hours and waking up naturally. I love rush hour free tubes and exploring the city. But most of all, I love Sunday Secrets.

Sunday Secrets come courtesy of PostSecret, a community mail art project where people from all over the world share their secrets anonymously on a homemade postcard. They’re then mailed to Frank, the founder, who in turn updates the website with a selection from the latest batch of secrets each Sunday. Frank tours the US speaking at universities discussing the impact, on each of us and society, secrets can have and invites people to share a secret of their own with the audience. Some brave souls find the courage to do so. Since its 2005 beginnings, PostSecret has become a place of comfort for many and a community of acceptance for others. And for those like me, it’s a place to get a glimpse into the lives of others on a Sunday morning.

People are brutally honest when they’re anonymous. Some secrets are heartbreakingly real and some are filled with hatred and revenge. A number refer to crimes committed, drugs taken, inappropriate thoughts and a whole lot are about sex. Although I have never sent Frank a secret and probably never will, doing so has got to be hugely liberating and, depending on the severity of it, like the weight of the world off your shoulders. Possibly a bit like going to Confession but without the Hail Marys and Glory Be as you leave.

By the time Monday comes around I have most of the secrets forgotten. One secret however has stayed with me since I first saw it over a year ago and this is it.

I’m not a big Harry Potter fan, I’ve read a few of the books but I can’t get this secret out of my head. What a way to fill these seven men with dread, regret and fear. Who is the Baby Daddy and is the sender telling the truth? Have the seven actors seen it and thought “Uh oh…”?

So maybe letting go of the secret, that deeply hidden information that’s holding you back and eating away at your insides, will set you free and enable you to be yourself again. Maybe you’ll discover he feels the same about you as you do him. Maybe your life will be changed by a stranger, maybe you’ll discover there’s a lot of good in the world and maybe you’ll get the answers you’ve been searching for.

There are a lot of maybes but only one definitely. Definitely make PostSecret Sunday part of your weekend routine. The secrets you will read will beg you to ponder a million questions and the same amount of possible answers. You’ll discover things about yourself that never dawned on you and you’ll wish that you had the guts to be so honest and brave.

Amanda Russell:

Amanda Russell is an olympic trained athlete who has been featured in Self magazine and whose aspirations are to become the Oprah of fitness.  Her youtube channel consists Fitness tips, workouts and motivational tips.

Amanda’s workouts and tips are on youtube and amanda-russell.com

Blogilates:

Blogilates is run by Cassey Ho who is a pilates and fitness instructor, Cassey’s videos are workouts based around yoga and pilates and strength training.  Cassey’s videos also provide the opportunity to use your own music.   Blogilates videos can be found either at youtube or on the blogilates.com website.

Toneitup:

The Toneitup girls are Karena and Katrina – two LA based best friends.  Karena and Katrina have been dubbed by Jane Fonda as the new generation of fitness.  Many of their workouts are HIT (high intensity training) and their website focuses on weightloss and healthy eating.   Karena and Katrina also offer printable workouts on their website. While their workouts are free they also have a diet plan which can be purchased from toneitup.com

This year’s spring fashion has taken inspiration from the garden party, with lush and leafy floral designs and bright colours to match that fruit salad – break out the sunshine yellow, sky blue, juicy tangerine and strawberry red. Add a patterned picnic blanket and you will be turning heads in the park. Picnics and alfresco dining are a fun and recession-busting date idea as well – what man could resist a white dress, red lips, a basket of strawberries and a bottle of champagne?

 There are many great options for al fresco dining in the UK, so here is some inspiration to get you planning:

Go to the park: The birds are chirping, lush greenery abounds and there’s great people-watching. If you are in London, head to Richmond Park or Hyde Park. Otherwise find yourself any patch of green in your area, or head a little way out of town for a walk and a field of waving grass and butterflies. Nobody here to interrupt a private date!

The Albion, Islington: Combines a traditional English pub in the heart of London with refined outdoor dining. French doors slide out to a wide and comfy terrace. Sample some delicious rose wine and sample Pearl Onion and Goats Cheese Tarts or delicious Heritage Beetroot, Candied Walnut & English Ricotta snacks.

Oloroso, Edinburgh: Take in views of Edinburgh’s magnificent city skyline while enjoying a cocktail on the fabulous roof terrace. The panoramic view of this medieval city stretches from the stunning Calton Hill to Old Town, Edinburgh Castle and the sparkling Firth of Forth in the distance.

Jennifer Lilley, Fashion and Beauty Writer

A survey carried out by Vitality Live found the true extent of our make up dependency in the UK.

70% of women would not be happy to go to work without a full face of make up, 91% would rather cancel the all important first date than go make up free, 31% wouldn’t venture to the gym bare faced and 1 in 6 of us wouldn’t even answer the front door (you never know who might be there!).

In fact, the survey suggested that many of us find going to work without any make up on more stressful than public speaking or even attending a new job interview. Make up was top of the priority list when leaving the house over other daily essentials such as bank cards and cash.

In the UK, our top make up bag, must haves include mascara, lipgloss, foundation, concealer and eyeliner with on average the women of the UK spending around 21 minutes applying a ‘full face’ of make up giving our male counter parts half an hour longer in bed. What ever happened to beauty sleep?

The poll also showed that the average monthly spend per person on our favourite make up brands is £25. That equates to £300 a year, or £2,156,875 every hour collectively between UK women.

But it’s time to down the brushes ladies, and embrace the real natural look, with ‘National No Make Up Day’ being ‘celebrated’ on Thursday 22^nd March. More than half of the women surveyed where happy to be around friends, family and their partner make up free so why get so done up for work? Who are you trying to impress?

www.vitalitylive.co.uk

Jennifer Lilley, Fashion and Beauty Writer
Sometimes there can be nothing more stressful than trying on outfit after outfit in store fitting rooms. Bad lighting, poorly positioned mirrors, intrusive people knocking on the door are just a few of the things that take the pleasure out of my shopping experience.
Have a flashback to the nineties, when hit teen comedy Clueless first graced our cinema screens. Wouldn’t we all love to have Cher’s virtual closet? That computer programme that allows her to try on her entire wardrobe to decide what to wear. Letting you mix and match to your hearts content, without all the stress of zipping, buttoning and pulling off garment after garment? Fast forward 17 years and technology has finally gotten us there!

 The Trafford Centre in Manchester have introduced the first ‘Magic Mirror’ in the UK, which allows you to superimpose different outfits from a range of stores at the Trafford Centre over your body. It brings a whole new meaning to try before you buy and really brings the shopping experience into the 21^st Century.

The Magic Mirror saves time eliminates the hassle of rummaging through all the stores and with the wave of a hand lets you change style and sizes to suit your frame.

 The virtual changing room goes on display at the Trafford Centre today!

 http://tv.traffordcentre.co.uk/video/the-magic-mirror

The moment I realised I had the most fantastic of friends was the moment Big left Carrie on their wedding day. Not a great time for Miss Bradshaw but a defining one for me. Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte swooped in dealt with the situation just as it needed to be dealt with – kindly and efficiently with the perfect amount of sensitivity and I knew, if I was ever in the same situation, my best friends would do exactly the same for me. As I would for them. I found such pleasure and reassurance in a devastatingly sad situation that it occurred to me how genuinely lucky I am.

Friends fight. They bitch. And they don’t always agree. But they tell you the truth and they’ve got your back even in times when it seems they can’t possibly. The journalist and author Edna Buchanan once said:

“Friends are family we chose for ourselves”

which leads me to believe there is and can be genuine love between companions. They don’t have to stick around due to family ties, they stick around because they want to for reasons that could go on forever.

We make mistakes, say things we shouldn’t that can’t be taken back and sometimes we’re the worst person in the world. But by surrounding ourselves with the finest of like minded people we’re forgiven even though we don’t deserve it. They make us who we are. Without each friend of mine I would be both a different girl and a worse off one. We can tell to our soul mates things we wouldn’t dare speak of to our biological family all the while safe in the knowledge we won’t be judged (too much) and realistic help and advice on its way.

Despite the sex, the city, (the couture and the money) those four beauties have what we all want and what we all need to live a full and deserving life; a deep rooted friendship, respect and love for one another, encouragement and support in abundance. And lots and lots of hot, hotter and the hottest of men.

Katy Archer, Fashion Writer

It’s the beginning of a New Year.  And so come’s the one resolution millions of women will make over the next week, only to break them by the time the Easter eggs are gracing the shelves at Tesco. It’s time to dig out your sweatbands, because like everybody else, I’m tackling my waistline in 2012.

We’ve all been eating like maniacs over Christmas, giving up diets and avoiding looking at calories on boxes of Quality Streets. And that is definitely not a bad thing over the festive period. Unfortunately, it’s now time for the all important Resolutions- capitalised, because that makes it seem more serious, and therefore there’s more of a chance I’ll keep mine. Unlike the past 2 years where they have been broken by the middle of January.

My resolution, like a lot of people out there, is to lose weight and feel healthier and fitter. I hate road running, so I’m opting for a gym membership that I will definitely use at least 4 times a week. Fingers crossed.

Anyone who says it’s easy to lose weight is a complete liar. They annoy me as much as people who moan about not being able to put on weight. It’s not easy to dig your old sports gear from the back of your wardrobe. It’s certainly not easy to watch that standing order leave your bank account once a month. But the biggest challenge of all, when you actually get into the gym, is seeing people who are so much thinner than you already.

For me, I put the blinders on. Like a horse galloping to victory, I huff and puff away on the cross trainer, focusing on anything but my wobbling thighs and sweaty brow.But most of the time, relying on my psychological horse blinders is difficult. So I turn, as a lot of people do, to the magazines- and herein lies my biggest mistake.

For all my good intentions (perhaps if I’m reading Marie Claire, I won’t realise how long I’ve been running! And it hides the calorie counter on the machine, so the next time I look it’s shot up to 250 and I feel that Kit Kat I ate before I came is now justified) I always end up staring at pictures of beautifully thin girls. I try to avoid them, focusing on articles about war and current affairs, but I can’t escape them. Even the adverts show women casually modelling taut abs and skinny arms.

It’s demoralising. Especially if you then catch a glimpse of yourself, sweaty and red, in one of those massive wall mirrors men use to ogle themselves whilst doing their weights. It’s like Return of the Swamp Creature, but with fitness apparatus instead of a submarine.

The next time I go to the gym- which will hopefully be tomorrow morning, but will probably turn out to be next week- I am not taking a magazine. I will not be sucked into the confidence-knocking void of street style pages, what celebrities wore to award shows or how Kim Kardashian lost a load of weight but still managed to get away with eating a cake every day.

It will be just me, a treadmill, my iPhone and…the Ricky Gervais podcasts. No, seriously, here me out. They say laughter burns calories. So you may look like a crazy woman, laughing on your own whilst jogging for 20 minutes, but you might as well enjoy yourself while trying to lose weight.

At least that’s my theory…wish me luck!

It’s the New Year and one of the most common resolutions out there is the promise to join a gym, eat healthy or lose weight.

If it wasn’t bad enough the rest of the year that we have this pressure to keep in shape, then why does it seem to triple at the turn of a year…

We sit back and watch our favourite personalities publicly scrutinize themselves to the media… and if they’re not doing it themselves, the media will happily take over and do it for them.

It’s bad enough that we feel constant pressure to keep trim when we’re comparing ourselves to these airbrushed sorts (and even though we know that, it doesn’t stop us dreaming to look like it). So when you have the likes of Imogen Thomas tweeting that she needs to lose 3 ounces, it does make us feel like maybe we’re not taking our weight loss seriously enough!? With a body like that, it’s just making those that might actually need to shed a few pounds, feel bad, while ultimately making herself feel better because let’s face it, she’s going to get told she “doesn’t need to lose weight” or that she has a “beautiful figure” because she has… and she knows she’s not a ten ton Tessy. So results in her literally getting the praise she set out to receive from the www. Well done.

Imogen's Twitter updates last year...

Don’t get me wrong, picture diaries are very handy when wanting to see a change in your shape or size when sticking to a healthy eating and workout plan. But if you REALLY have a issue or hang up about your body, you certainly would NOT post it on Twitter, LEAST of all when you have nearly 235,000 followers! Which leads me to think that this is purely an attention seeking ploy to get herself in the papers. Again. Well done.

Her last tweet said:

 “I’m sorry if my ‘weight photo’ made ppl angry. I didn’t mean to- I have some body issues. Hope u all have a lovely day xxx” @Imogen_Thomas

I’m sorry Imogen, but if you have “issues” as you say, and they really were issues, you’d be keeping them to yourself. You can see that your weight updates are bothering people, so the simple answer here, is, stop doing them. You really don’t need to prove anything to the public. They can see your gorgeous, without you pushing for compliments.

Now please stop posting naked pictures of yourself, because we’re struggling to come to terms with the fact that your hot and we’re, well…not (right now).

Some things catch your attention for all the right reasons and ESPRIT’s new Christmas campaign, for me, is one of them. I first saw it while in Brussels last month and have recently started spotting the ads popping up all over London too. The campaign centres on wishes and what we would each wish for – for ourselves, for one another, for the human race and for the world. ESPRIT is inviting everyone to make their wishes, share them on the website and in February a jury will decide on the five winning wishes then take steps to make these a reality. This has the potential to be a hugely powerful campaign and wishes from all over the world have already flooded in.

One man’s wish is to have his book published. Another is for her parents to have eternal happiness. And when you really think about it if you had one wish would it be to be a trillionaire? Or to have sexy time with Tommy Bowe? (Actually mine probably would be). As much as we would all like those things they wouldn’t change the world or the lives of many and I imagine more people would wish for lifelong health and a fairer, safer world over material belongings such as an iPad2 or a Lamborghini Gallardo or even wishes relating to vanity like a smaller waist and thinner legs.

There are tonnes of things I would like in my life but my one wish would be for everyone to realise their greatness and potential and to become who they are meant to be. My second wish would be to do the Dirty Dancing lift with Ryan Gosling  à la Crazy Stupid Love. Wow.

I’ve submitted mine. Now it’s your turn…  www.esprit.com