Meditation in a modern world

Most people on a Friday night are going out for meals or getting ready for a night of clubbing, the other week I went to a meditation class.

My boyfriend and I went along to a class in Chichester called 'putting problems into perspective'.

It was from 6.30pm until 8pm and I'm not going to lie I was very dubious and very nervous. I actually stressed myself out quite a lot just thinking about it, so I really needed it to work.

The talk was held by Gen Kelsang Lekma who explained first what the class was about and also the process. The class was actually quite full which surprised me.

When we started the first meditation block you get relaxed, sit straight hands together, thumbs lightly touching, close your eyes and Gen talks you through it. You breathe out any worries and stresses you have through black smoke and then you breathe in white light - everything positive.

I felt really good afterwards, it is a bit like when you have a massage or beauty treatment and are left in the room, being able to empty your mind and relax it just is a fantastic feeling.

We also did a second mediation but it didn't really work for me, it was about compassion and as good as it was, I came to realise that I am quite compassionate already and didn't really think it opened my mind. 

I have always believed 'everything happens for a reason' as hard as it is at the time it will work out in the end, which helped me during meditation.

When I got home I felt lighter and my mind was so much clearer. I wasn't really a beliver before in mediation but after the other week I can see how once a week or every day it can help you.

We are going again so lets see how good it is second time around but to clear your mind and just de-stress I can't recommend it enough. 

Here's the website http://www.thekchencentre.org/chichester

The 5:2 diet

I have never been one for diets. I hate the thought of not having things, as soon as I know I can't have something to eat my mind instantly starts thinking about it and I want it - no to chocolate, I want a chocolate bar.

Therefore my weight has fluctuated over the years. I lost a lot when I was about 18 but mainly through going out all the time, drinking and not really eating not great to be honest.
As well when you are in a relationship your weight does go a bit, feeling comfortable with your partner or eating the same portions as him again not ideal.

In the past year I have been running and lost quite a bit of chubbiness but feel as my body becomes more used to running my weight-loss has stopped but I still feel as if I have a stone or so to lose. I have started running three times  a week, what with the Great South Run coming up, and I also do piloxing once a week, where you can burn up to 900 calories. But still I need an extra push.

So I stumbled across the 5:2 diet/lifestyle. A type of starvation however two days a week you only eat 500 calories, but the joy of this is that you eat whatever you want the rest of the week, want a chocolate bar? Go ahead. Glass of wine? Sure why not! It is two days of pain but the next day you can eat what you want.

Unless starvation your body doesn't store the fat in a panic but eats at it to break it down.

I have been doing it for about four weeks now, it isn't easy, I do feel hungry and it sometimes feels difficult getting out of a habit of eating three meals a day, or eating at designated time hungry or not.

It is getting easier but it is amazing how many calories things have in them. I tend to eat two meals a day deepening on my day on piloxing days I don't get back until 9 and don't fancy dinner so have breakfast and a big lunch, but most days I do breakfast and dinner and go for a walk at lunch.

You can have black tea or coffee, or herbal teas and water which don't count on your calorie intake.

But since coming back from Jamaica (6 weeks) I have lost 10 pounds, which probably isn't too surprising as I ate so much but I like to think that 5:2 is aiding this and really is isn't so bad.

I will keep you updated with my progress but top tip dried egg noodles from M&S only 80 calories!! Perfect.

Victorious Festival, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Sunday, August 25 2013

Over the Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday up to 50,000 people ventured to the Historic Dockyard in Portsmouth to indulge in food, drink and great music.

For £15 a ticket a day it was well worth the money and me and my boyfriend went to the Sunday where music acts included Charlotte Church, Maximo Park, Reef and The Cribs.

Included in the ticket price was a real ale festival, boutique market, kids area and you could also go to all the dockyard attractions. So we had a look around the HMS Warrior and the brand new Mary Rose museum which I personally thought was really good. I have never seen the Mary Rose and all the artifacts they found on the boat it was really interesting and amazing that it all lasted so long under the water.

There were a number of stages - acoustic, main stage, Little Johnny Russell's, real ale and bandstand.

We stayed mainly in the Little Johnny Russell's stage - where we saw The Joy Formidable, The Cribs and a DJ set by The Streets' Mike Skinner, which was excellent. We were a little disappointed though that we weren't treated to any 'Dry your eyes mate'.

There was so much on the day we got there at 11am and left about midnight. 

The Cribs were very rocky and got the tent bouncing it is a shame though as quite a few people seemed to leave to watch Maximo Park who were on the main stage at the same time.

The Joy Formidable were excellent also. I had never seen them before but really want to see them again, they only played for half an hour but I'm sure if they go on tour again I will check them out.

We caught a bit of Katy B - who has an great singing voice, Bog Rolling Stones, Fenech-Soler and loads more.

The real ale was a hit but sold out quickly. The food was also fantastic we opted for Camp Cooks, who had drag queens serving and the food was delicious. My boyfriend tried the jambalaya with chicken and smoked sausage, it was a big portion and was very spicy. I had the Hill Billy burger with tomato, lettuce, homemade slaw and cheese a mammoth burger but really yummy.

Another fantastic thing there was the silent disco, a strange concept everyone wears headphones, and there are two DJs and you pick which channel you want to listen to. It was great as when you put your headphones down you could hear the room singing out loud to one of the channels. It was strange but equally brilliant and I managed to convert my boyfriend who was a little unsure but loved it by the end. The first time we went in was a lot better as there was Nirvana and other indie bands but the second time was more of a rave.

Overall the day was amazing and I really hope they do it again. There was probably so much more but to be honest I had such a great time it is hard to remember.

Katy B on the main stage

Running from girls

I enjoy running, crazy I know in the past year I have done the Great south Run, a Santa 10k and the Marwell Zoo 10k. And I have already booked another Great South Run, another 10k and the Brighton half marathon. in the next year.

After the London 2012 Olympic games the country seemed to be a buzz with people wanting to get into sport and girls in particular had role models they could look up to - Jessica Ennis-Hill, Laura Trott and Ellie Simmonds. 

However, I still feel there is a bit of a stigma among some girls about taking up sport and one reason I think for this is other girls. 

Now there will be people out there who love sport and have the drive and determination to deliver and do the training, but if these girls are caught off guard at certain points in their training I think they can quickly be turned against the idea.

The reason why I feel other girls can put girls off sport doesn't really come from school as I was never interested in sport education mainly because it was always highly competitive and put me off. With running now I know I am never going to win and the only person I am competing against is myself.

So back to my argument I run quite a bit with my boyfriend but on some occasions when I am either on my own or he has run ahead I have be met with bitchy comments and sniggers from teenage girls who frankly make me worry about the future of women.

When I run I don't like glossy and glamorous, I look sweaty, bright red and a bit out of breath, but does this mean they can make snide comments to me? 

I don't think so and at 27 I know  better than to raise to the bait and simple jog on but it does make me wonder if the need to look perfect all the time puts girls off as either they don't want a hair out of place or are worried what other girls in their class might say. 

It is really sad if this is the case as sport can be fun, and it has taken me many years to finally feel like that. I just hope that any girls reading this who are considering quitting sport for the wrong reasons think again.

A brave new world

I have been in my new job for about two months now and love every minute of writing for a magazine.

I thought I would plug etc Magazine in a bid to get web hits and people reading it.

The August edition came out about two weeks ago and was the first Hampshire edition alongside the three well-established Sussex editions which was very exciting especially since I live in Hampshire and I am very proud of my home county.

So, what can you expect from the magazines?

Well in Hampshire I went to a piloxing class which I am obsessed with and have signed up for six weeks - http://etcmag.net/high-energy-piloxing/

I also had a shrinking violet body wrap and lost in total about eight inches  Read it on page 26 here - http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk//launch.aspx?pbid=7ff12f34-a8e7-4615-959d-6cb2dfd41b85

And had a lovely meal at Italian La Piazzetta in Petersfield p.66

In the Sussex edition http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk//launch.aspx?pbid=cdbd86eb-0ed9-41e5-a590-031651c44a1c

I interviewed Alexandra Heminsley about her book 'Running like a Girl' which I can't recommend enough especially if you have just started running p. 134

Plus I talk to a couple about their home which used to be a water pumping station on p. 82


Plus there is lots, lots more in the e-mags and online at www.etcmag.net so check it out.

Barnum, Chichester Festival Theatre, Theatre in the Park, July 2013

First I will admit that I had no idea what Barnum was about before I went, I assumed it was about a circus but apart from that I was clueless.

I love musicals and I didn't think I would hate it, there are very few I do, but I didn't know if it would be my thing.
I was pleasantly surprised to find a real old school musical much like 42nd Street or Mary Poppins. From start to finish it was excellent and the fact it was in a big tent made it feel all the more special.

Barnum is part of Chichester Festival Theatre's summer programme and was staged in the Theatre in the Park as work is carried out on the building.
It follows the story of Phineas T Barnum, America's Greatest Showman, through his life and his marriage to his wife Chairy. I also didn't know before that he was a real person and that Barnum and Bailey's Circus - the Greatest Show on Earth was a real thing.

By far my favourite songs were 'Come join the band' and 'Black and white', the set up on stage and the musical performance was just spot on.

The show is full of glitz and tricks, with acrobatics, flame throwers, work on ropes and so much more. The dancers must be really strong the amount of throwing, catching and holding each other the way they do, it is phenomenal.
There is an elephant at one point which the way they have done it is just great. It got a lot of cheers and laughs.
Also at one point in the show Barnum carries out a tight rope walk, and he did it in one go. My friend had been the previous week and said it had taken three attempts and in the end he just went along the bottom. But I am so glad that he did it for us.
The show is a Cameron Mackintosh production so you know that he has a hit on his hands, co-produced with the Chichester Festival Theatre.

Christopher Fitzgerald plays P T Barnum a rising star on Broadway, he has so much charisma and charm that you fall under his spell. Tamsin Carroll plays Chairy is excellent and makes her more than just 'his wife' and doesn't hide in the shadow of the big performer Barnum.

This is just a really good, toe-tapping, old school musical and I really couldn't recommend it enough, and really don't want to give away too much as you really need to see it to believe it.
With previous Festival Theatre productions going on to be West End hits (Singin' in the Rain and Sweeney Todd) I don't doubt for a second that this one will follow it their footsteps.
For more information here is the website - http://www.cft.org.uk/barnum It is due to close at the end of August.
‘Barnum’s the name, P T Barnum, and I want to tell you that tonight, on this stage, you are going to see - bar none - every sight, wonder and miracle that name stands for!’

Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay, Montego Bay, Jamaica - July 2013

This time last week I was in Jamaica preparing for my and my boyfriend's friend's wedding.

I was bridesmaid and he was one of the groomsmen. It was the perfect day, the weather was behaving and was just glorious and the day ended with the 16 strong wedding party singing, dancing and drinking on the beach long after the sun went down - amazing!

Coming back home the heat hasn't been much of an issue as in Jamaica it was probably a bit hotter but incredibly humid.

So the holiday, in one word fantastic! This is the first time I have done an all inclusive holiday and traveled to a sunny island out of the EU. Jamaica, what I saw of it, was brilliant, so green. I will admit we didn't leave the resort but the people were just so friendly, always singing and dancing. I really fell in love with the place.

As for the hotel - Secrets Wild Orchid, Montego Bay, it was huge and nothing disappointed. The food was delicious and as we were only there for seven nights we were unable to experience all the nine restaurants. We did try the Caribbean,  Italian and Japanese plus a lobster buffet - in the Japanese they cook on a hot plate and serve up the food direct to your plate, although I'm sure in Japan the cooks don't sing Shaggy and Sean Paul.

The world cafe is a buffet at breakfast and certain days in the week, if you go try out the lobster night, it was great.

In the day coconut water, Jamaican fruit and Jerk chicken stalls do the rounds. I have only tried coconut water once out of a carton but it is so much better direct from the source and the fruit was refreshing after indulging in far too much food. Also I have tried jerk chicken before and it is far spicier in Jamaica.

All inclusive obviously means drinks as well, and the cocktail list were extensive and delicious. A 'We Be Jammin' didn't taste very alcoholic so be warned. Also if you have anything with rum in be careful as the measurements were obviously a bit skewed as they were always really strong. My only regret I didn't have a Bob Marley.

The piano bar is a great place to chill with a cocktail and sing a song or two with the piano man. And Desires nightclub also has a karaoke night a couple of times a week.

The room was so nice and I have never been anywhere where the air con  worked so much we actually moaned a little that the room was too cold.

I loved this place, and can see why so many people were getting married there. It is the perfect place for a holiday, honeymoon or wedding.

I'm now saving up the pennies for my next trip to paradise.